Overcoming Antichrist Spirits

Brother C. H. Dickerson

The Need to Dig Deep

The Scripture lets us know plainly that the Gospel light is going to get brighter in these last days of time. As a result, we must realize that the opposer, or the devil, will become bolder and more deceptive. Consequently, many people are being deceived because they are looking for another way other than the Bible way to right themselves with God. Some are looking for a millennial reign, but there is no such thing. Others are looking for purgatory, so that others can supposedly pray them out of their lost condition. Still others are looking for a great revival to break out, thinking that would make it easier to get down to business with God.

Today we are in what the Bible calls the third earthquake. In fact, we are almost through that period, and God is shaking the church more than He ever has. The Hebrew letter says that the Lord is going to shake not only the earth but also heaven. He was not talking about the terra firma or the firmament, but He was referring to man-made religious organizations that are earthly and the church. God's people are a special, peculiar people.

Many people are looking for an antichrist to come as a person out in the future who has a visible kingdom. By doing so, they overlook the deception of opposing the church right now. The Prophet Zechariah wrote in Zechariah 3:1, "And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord [in other words, a man of God was standing there], and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him." This is a picture back then of an antichrist spirit working, and this is also the picture that we see today. This antichrist spirit has one purpose, and that is to oppose every saint of God and every preacher who preaches God's eternal Truth. The devil opposes every congregation that stands for the Truth.

Zechariah wrote in Zechariah 2:69: "Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith the Lord: for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith the Lord. Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon. [I want you to notice that He did not say, 'I am going to deliver you.' He said, 'Deliver yourself.' In other words, 'Deliver yourself from Babylon.'] For thus saith the Lord of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you [when someone does something to try to pull down a saint of God, that person glories in it and marvels at what he has done]: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.

"For, behold, I will shake mine hand upon them, and they shall be a spoil to their servants: and ye shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me." The Lord said He had scattered them. Matthew Henry's Commentary says, "Therefore, you should not even consider coming together again." The Lord said, in essence, "Come forth and flee; escape for your life, and do not look back." Certainly, the Lord had a message here. He shows that the devil cannot pull you down if you desire to stay true to God.

Your big responsibility is to get down to business with God and build on the Rock. Then when the wind stops blowing, you will still be standing on the solid Rock. I thank God for the Church of the Living God. All the devils in hell cannot shake you loose from her if you are determined to stay true to God. You need to dig deep, get your eyes off people, and keep your eyes on Jesus Christ. No matter what changes, you need to keep your eyes on the goal, and you will make Heaven your home.

"Even Now Are There Many Antichrists"

Antichrist spirits are not out in the future, but they exist now. In verse 3 of our text of Scripture, John said, "And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world."

John wrote in 1 John 2:18, "Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time." Many people want to argue that antichrist is a man and that his coming is in the future. Paul said in Romans 4:3, "For what saith the scripture?" You need to stand on what the Scripture says. John said that many antichrists were already in the world.

Many people want to picture the devil as a red fellow with horns and a tail up over his back. God works through men, and they have the glory of God on their faces. Also, they talk differently, act differently, go to different places, and dress differently. On the other hand, the devil works through men. Often they are dissatisfied and do not want others to have any joy. The same is true of an antichrist spirit.

As a saint, there is not a day that you are without opposition. The devil has set out to oppose you all day long. Why? Because he wants to defeat you, and he never gives up. God said to just hold on. The gates of hell cannot prevail against you, and you will come out victorious. Soon it is going to be over.

Antichrist spirits are not political rulers, but the attacks are made by false teachers, false prophets, and false spirits. John wrote in 2 John 1:7, "For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist." He said these deceivers confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. What was he talking about? Today people take the Lord's name in vain, they are bound by habits of life, and they are scantily dressed; however, if they find out that you are a saint of God or a preacher, suddenly they begin to talk about where they go to church and what they did in Sunday school.

John was not talking about people confessing Christ with their mouths, because many claim to be Christians; nevertheless, they have false spirits and fierce spirits. They have ungodly, worldly actions, and they dress as the world does. The Word of God makes it quite clear that when people are possessed with the devil, they are exceedingly fierce.

When Christ stood for the Truth, many people became fierce. Paul said that the last days of time were going to be the most deceptive, and he also said that people would be fierce and despisers of those who are good. Today people are fierce against God's eternal Truth and fierce against the church. When you stand for the Truth, they are fierce against you. These are antichrist spirits working.

Try The Spirits

The devil has set out to deceive the very elect, if possible. Often the devil works to get the saints of God so busy that they do not take time to read the Bible and pray as they ought. Some leave their local congregations and make excuses for leaving. Anything that tries to keep you from reading the Word of God or attending the services to get your soul fed is an antichrist spirit. Furthermore, when you get so busy that you do not have time to pray, an antichrist spirit is working on you. This does not have to be, because there are still twenty-four hours in a day, and God has still given you time to read the Bible and pray and assemble yourself at the house of God so that you can get your soul fed.

You may say, "I can get my soul fed at home." No, you cannot get your soul fed at home. Hebrews 10:25 says, "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." Why is that? So that we can encourage one another, and so much more as we see the day approaching. The saints of God need encouragement, and pastors need encouragement. Do you tell your pastor and your Sunday school teacher that you appreciate them? Do you tell the saints of God that you appreciate them? We each need encouragement in a day and age when the devil has set out to discourage and deceive. One way that he can deceive you is through discouragement.

These deceivers that John spoke of have a spirit about them that is fierce, and they can turn on a person, tear him up, chew him up, and spit him out. That is a fierce spirit! Often they act saintly, but they are fierce. They have one thing in mind, and that is to destroy. My friend, that is an antichrist spirit.

Antichrist spirits are not something new. Jesus warned people of such spirits a long time ago. In Matthew 24:24 He said, "For there shall arise false Christs, [We have seen it. There are people who claim to be Christ on earth, and others struggle along in their pathway, and they think they are really something. Some might not claim to be Christ, but they act as though they think they are.] and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect."

In Revelation, Chapter 17, John let us know that he saw a woman drunk with the blood of the saints and the martyrs of Christ. He said in verse 6, "And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration." This drew John's attention. Today the devil wants to get your attention, because if he can get your attention, next he might get your ear. If he gets your ear, he will get inside you and you will become deceived.

When John saw this woman, he was amazed. However, the angel said to him, "Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns" (verse 7). I want you to see this happened back then, and it can happen to you.

You need to try the spirits. No matter how long you have been following someone, you need to keep your eyes on the Spirit of God. If that person quits following God, you had better find a true people of God who love and serve God.

The Purpose of Antichrist Spirits

In Mark 13:21-23 Jesus said: "And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not: For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things." He let us know that antichrist spirits (and they appear as men) have one purpose, and that is to seduce you. In other words, they will lead you away from the Truth. The devil does not care if you have religion.

Many people are not particular about how they dress. When you have salvation, you will dress as the Word of God tells you to dress, you will act as the Word of God tells you to act, and you will go where the Word of God tells you to go. A seductive spirit will tell you that you can dress any way you want to dress and do anything you want to do. God still has a standard. When anyone tries to lead you away from the Bible standard, that is a seducing spirit working through that person, and his purpose is to draw you away from God's eternal Truth so that you will have no power. I am not going to fail to declare the Gospel, because it is the only thing that will save you.

The purpose of antichrist spirits is to promote deception and spiritual seduction. John wrote in 1 John 2:26, "These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you." According to the Scriptures, God has ordained that man press his way into the Kingdom of God. Then after one is in the kingdom, he must continue to press his way day by day to stay in the Kingdom of God. The Apostle Paul stated in Philippians 3:14, "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

Antichrist spirits cause people to relax their efforts and sit idly or do only what is convenient. If you are not careful, antichrist spirits will cause you to switch over to seeking pleasure instead of praying and reading and studying the Bible as you once did. When that happens, it always shows up on your experience. Seducing spirits will tell you, "You don't have to be so fanatical about serving God." They will cause you to put pleasure ahead of the Word of God, ahead of going to the house of God, and ahead of prayer. My friend, is an antichrist spirit working on you? Unless you get back to the old-fashioned Gospel of putting God first, you are going to be lost. God must come ahead of pleasure.

Many people who once knew God are lost. The devil wants the saints of God to let down so that all they can see is themselves. Too many have lost their soul burden and their closeness with God. Sometimes Jesus prayed day and night over conditions. If you are not careful, seducing spirits will cause you to get up in the morning and say, "God, here I am, thank You," and away you go, never thinking to pray for anyone else.

Who Are the Children of God?

John said in 1 John 2:18-20: "Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. [Where did they come from?] They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things."

What was John saying? First of all, he said they went out from them. They were once a part of them. God's Spirit is still the same. John let us know that they went out from them because they did not want to continue with them.

I am glad that I am a part of the family of God. Who did Jesus say were the children of God? He told us when preaching the great Sermon on the Mount in Matthew, Chapter 5. In verse 9 He said, "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God." Who are the children of God? The peacemakers. There are many troublemakers; there have always been troublemakers. All they want to stir up is trouble. When someone has a spirit to stir up trouble, he is not a peacemaker; therefore, he is not a child of God. Jesus said the children of God are peacemakers.

In Luke, Chapter 9, when the disciples went into a Samaritan village and they would not accept Jesus, James and John said, "Lord, do You want us to call fire down from heaven and consume them?" Jesus said, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of." This is exactly what is going on today. When someone has a spirit to destroy, he is not a child of God, no matter what he claims. I will stand on what Jesus said. He said the children of God are peacemakers. He did not change His mind and back away from what He said.

Going back to the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said in Matthew 5:43-45: "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."

John said in 1 John 3:10, "In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother." "Whosoever doeth not righteousness" is anyone who does things that are not right. He said whoever does not do righteousness is not of God, and neither is he that loves not his brother.

First Peter 3:18 reads, "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit."

Power to Overcome the Devil

Our Scripture text tells us in verse 4 that the children of God have overcome that spirit of antichrist. In Revelation 3:12 Jesus addressed the Philadelphia church age. The Philadelphia church age was the age after man-made rule. Man had ruled them and had given them their orders, but the church had been brought back in view again in the eyes of the people. Jesus said, "Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name."

Christian friend, God put you in the temple when you got saved. He did not use you for a sidewalk. He made you a pillar. My friend, you have to get past man and get to God. You have to get a preacher who hears the Word at God's mouth, and then feeds it to the people.

When God places a person in His body, or His church, He makes him a pillar to support God's Truth and God's man. Are you standing for the Truth? After Christ makes one a pillar, He said he would go out no more. Then He went another step and said, "I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem [the church], which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name." When you are born into the Church of God and God makes you a pillar, you are to support and do your responsibility; then God said, "I will write My name upon you."

How does one overcome? Revelation 12:11-12 tells us that also: "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time."

First, John said they overcame the devil by the blood of the Lamb. The blood of bulls and goats could not take away sin. After they killed a sheep or a goat and offered it as asacrifice, it was not long until they had to do it again. However, Jesus gave His blood upon the Cross of Calvary. Never again does His blood have to be applied, because when God saves an individual, hecan overcome the devil by the blood of the Lamb. He has the victory.

Second, one overcomes by the word of his testimony. The Word of God tells you that when you get saved, you are a changed person, a brand-new creature. Also, when you get saved, you receive the Holy Spirit and power to overcome the devil. You have discernment to know right from wrong. Today many people have no discernment whatsoever. They want to follow the crowd. All they would have to do is seek the Lord for discernment and they would see that the crowd is wrong.

When you get into the true Church of God, you are going to hear old-fashioned, Holy Ghost preaching that will shake you and stir you. A literal plant will not grow unless you get the hoe and dig close to the roots and shake it up a little; then it will start to grow. God has called a ministry in the last days topreach the Gospel to shake up your reserves so that you will grow.

Unafraid to Stand for Truth

Third, they overcame because they loved not their lives unto death. They were not afraid to stand for the Truth no matter what the cost. God's people love God more than they love their own lives. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego let it be known that they loved God more than anything else. In so many words, they said, "If you want to cast us into the fire, you go right ahead; we are going to stand for God." Daniel prayed despite the king's decree that anyone who asked a petition of anyone but the king would be thrown into a den of lions. God was in the furnace with the three Hebrew boys, and He closed the mouths of the lions. God wants people who love Him more than anything else and who stand for Truth, even if they have to stand against Grandma, the husband or wife, or their children.

Another important consideration is found in 1 John 2:20, which reads, "But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things." John said they had an unction. That unction is anointing from the Holy Ghost. As God's people, we have an armor on. (My friend, if you will stand your ground and keep on the whole armor, antichrist spirits will not take you down; they will be turned away.) You can have power to overcome antichrist spirits, because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.

Paul said in Galatians 2:20, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."

John wrote in Revelation 12:11-12: "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time."

What was he saying? He was saying that the devil has come down with great wrath. In other words, the end is almost over, and the devil is angry and fierce. He is doing everything he can to work against the church. He is working against the true saints of God and true pastors. Friend, if you do not have opposition, you should get on your knees and find out why, because Satan is loose, and the Scripture tells us that the latter end is worse than the first.

In 1 John 3:24 John said, "And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. Andhereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which hehath given us." How can you know that He abides in you? You have His Spirit. You cannot act any differently than God acts if you have His Spirit. On the other hand, if you have the devil's spirit, you will act as he does. God is love, and He is long-suffering. He will work with people as long as there is hope.

"Believe Not Every Spirit"

Antichrist spirits can and must be overcome. Let us reread our text. In verse 1 John said, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." What does God do? He does things that are right. He does not do things wrong; He does things Biblically. He does things as He laid out in the road map. False prophets do not do things God's way.

If you have God's Spirit, you do things God's way. If the flesh gets in the way and you make a mistake, then you need to back up. We all make mistakes, but what do you do about them? Do you back up? If you just keep going and refuse to acknowledge your mistakes, that shows who you are.

He said in verses 2-4: "Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world."

(Cassette C-4469M)

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