Exposing the Antichrist

This week we are going to expose the ‘anti-Christ,’ anti-Messiah spirit. Why use the word “expose”? Because Satan disguises himself, masquerading as an angel of light, and I might add, also as a messenger of twisted truth and self-righteousness (see 2 Corinthians 11:14) - he is the father of lies (see John 8:44). In the case of the antichrist spirit in particular, we must use the Light of Yeshua as a weapon to expose and defeat this already disarmed satanic entity (see Colossians 2:15).

Before getting into the teaching, be sure that your armor of light is intact (ref Romans 13:12)! In other words, put on the Lord Yeshua the Messiah (verse 14), because if we are going to deal with the anti-Messiah we need to know the true Messiah - Yeshua - who declared: “I am the light of the world,” and “I am the truth” (John 8:12; 14:6). This is the upshot of the war between the two kingdoms of light and darkness; truth and lie, justice and injustice, righteousness and lawlessness etc.

In order to understand anti-Christ (anti-Messiah, the imposter or counterfeit of Elohim), we have to look at what “Christ” - khris-tos - actually means. Aside from referring to The Anointed One, it also refers to those who are “anointed” (khris-tos) with the Spirit of Elohim. Hence the spirit of anti-Christ would obviously oppose the Spirit of the Father and His Son Yeshua, and all those that have received that Spirit. “Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also. Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also abide in the Son and in the Father” (1 John 2:23-24). What is John referring to by saying “abide in you”? What is it that abides in us and, conversely, that we are abiding in? There is only one answer, and that is ‘the anointing and indwelling of the Holy Spirit.’ Consequently the spirit of anti-Christ would contest our faith – that is, our believing and receiving our true spiritual reality and identity in Messiah Yeshua, and maturing in it. Paul exhorts the believers in Corinth: “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves that Yeshua Messiah is in you? -- unless indeed you are disqualified or fail the test” (2 Corinthians 13:5).

In what ‘form’ is Messiah Yeshua in us? Very simply, He is in us by His Spirit. This is what was promised in the New Covenant. John elaborates further on this issue: “And this is the promise that He [the Father] has promised us -- eternal life” (John 2: 25)…“and this life is in His Son” (1 John 5:11]. “These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you” (1 John 2: 26-27).

The antichrist spirit will try to deceive us into believing that Yeshua is not really in our very flesh body here on earth by the Holy Spirit. John continues to expand on this: “By this you know the Spirit of Elohim: Every spirit that confesses that Yeshua Messiah has come in the flesh(ours) is of Elohim, and every spirit that does not confess that Yeshua the Messiah has come in the flesh (ours) is not of Elohim. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world” (1 John 4:2-3). I inserted “ours,” because if this scripture is taken out of context it could be misinterpreted as being solely a reference to Yeshua’s life in the flesh two thousand years ago. The following verse clarifies even further what John means by “Yeshua coming in the flesh”: “You are of Elohim, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). Who is this greater entity that is in us? “For it is Elohim who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of Elohim in the face of Messiah Yeshua. We have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellence of the power may be of Elohim and not of us” (2 Corinthians 4:6-7 emphasis added). “For we who live are always delivered to death for Yeshuas' sake, that the life of Yeshua also may be manifested in our mortal flesh” (2 Corinthians 4:11 emphasis added). Hence, Yeshua’s presence “in the flesh” is a factual reality for those in whom He abides.

The great mystery of the ages is the promise of the indwelling Spirit of the Father and Son. Paul explicates this to the believers in Colossae: “… the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them Elohim willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Nations: which is Messiah in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:26-27).

What makes the Antichrist spirit so dangerous? As mentioned above, he masquerades as an angel of light. Being devious by nature, he lies and deceives especially aiming to trick believers into denying that Yeshua is Messiah, and that He and the Father are One, in us, in the unity of the Spirit of Holiness. “Who is a liar but he who denies that Yeshua is the Messiah? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son” (1 John 2:22). Therefore, “whoever transgresses and does not abide in the truth of Messiah does not have Elohim. He who abides in the truth of Messiah has both the Father and the Son” (2 John 1:9).

YHVH is raising up the dry bones of the whole House of Israel to be His mighty men; His army that will defeat the spirit of Antichrist by “abiding” in the truth of Yeshua’s presence in them. Thus, “By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Yeshua is the Son of Elohim, Elohim abides in him, and he in Elohim” (1 John 4:13-15).

Ephraim