The Spirit of Antichrist Series

In this series of articles on The Spirit of Antichrist, we will look at this spirit that has been at work in the Earth since John wrote that "even now many antichrists have come." The spirit of antichrist is the spirit of the world that seeks access to God's people in order to lead them astray. It is a spirit of error. John's three letters were an offensive against the spirit of error that was seeking to lead a certain group of Christians astray through leaders, and it is just as applicable to us today. In fact, I believe that this same offensive is needed even more in our day than in John's because the spirit of antichrist has become much more entrenched in our day. Let us examine John's words to a church assailed by error.

Part 1 The Preeminence
Those who were seeking to lead God's people astray were men like Diotrephes, and their lives and ministries were marked by some key indicators that we can use to discern ministry today... One key indicator that Diotrephes was a danger to God's people was this: Diotrephes "loved to have the preeminence" (3 John 1:9).

Part 2 Testing the Spirits
The spirit of antichrist will not acknowledge the presence of God, the authority of God, or the word of God in the body of Christ that is to be the full representation of Christ in the Earth; the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

Part 3 As of the World
The world's system that is animated by the spirit of antichrist, the spirit of error, is that same spirit that is behind ministry as a profession, and behind the unscriptural and ungodly principle of the clergy/laity class.

Part 4 Do They Hear Us?
Do they hear us? Do they believe, as John said, that we are not dependent upon teachers, as long as the Holy Spirit, the Counselor, abides within? Do they recognize the presence of God in His people, and do they hear the word of God through His people? Do they actually believe that Jesus Christ inhabits His people by His Sprit?