The Antichrist Spirit - (antichristos)

The Antichrist Spirit - (Antichristos) By Andy Zoppelt

The meaning of the word What is the spirit of antichrist? Antichrist is a Greek word transliterated into the English. It is a compound Greek word made up of a preposition Anti and a noun Christos. First, the word "anti" means "against" and/or "instead of." By being "instead of," it is also "against." What that means is that it replaces the real with a counterfeit that deceives and works against the cause of Christ. Christos is a Greek noun meaning "anointed" and is also used of the person of Christ, the anointed one. Thus, the two words together profile the antichrist as a super-deceptive spirit who deceives the spirit of man into destroying the life of the body of Christ. We often only see the "against" aspect of the word "anti" spirit. But the "instead" aspect of the meaning has a very egocentric aspect to it. The antichrist spirit is vulnerable because of indifference and because it replaces it's "anointing" with the existing anointing called of God. It is because of this replacing aspect that it becomes against. From the very beginning of Jesus' ministry, people from the outside, have been "against" Him and His body. It wasn't till later on, that within the body of Christ, that man became against by replacing their anointing with His anointing. "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy." (John 10:10, NKJ) The difference between regular deception and the deception of the antichrist spirit, is in its objective and where it functions. The ultimate goal of the antichrist spirit is to defeat, destroy and conquer the body of Christ. The antichrist spirit is after more than just personal sin and defeat, though it very much includes that, this spirit has an eye on destruction of a larger scale, destroying the work of Christ all together and setting the body of Christ down the wrong road with the wrong message. The antichrist spirit will focus on human needs and center Christ message on worldly needs and benefits. It will focus on men and their professional charisma. It will develop a structure based on form and not on power. The anointing will be nothing more than an emotional high. It will eliminate body ministry and personal and intimate relationships within the body. It will change the Greek word ekklesia to church, focusing on the building instead on the people. It will take the money that should be designated to the poor and widows and use it to build magnificent structures in the name of men. It will build on division rather than unity. The antichrist spirit will destroy friends and partners in business, all replacing the true anointed mercy and love of God with a destructive false anointing of accusations between brothers. Satan is the accuser of the brothers. Confusion, frustration, debate, faultfinding, unforgiveness and ultimately division within the body of Christ is the results. Others who may have unsettled grievances are easily swept into this deception and the authority of Christ's Word among the believers has been usurped and compromised by the antichrist spirit… there is no end to divisions and conflict. The power that comes through unity is nullified in this deception. This is the antichrist spirit that we see in 1 John 2:18-22, "Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us (To maintain the unity and purpose of God); but their going showed (was the evidence) that none of them belonged to us. But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know (live by) the truth. I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth (love keeps them together). Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ (the anointed). Such a man is the antichrist-- he denies the Father and the Son." When John referred to the antichrist spirit, he was referring to those within the body of Christ, those that have turned away from obedience to God's word and submission to His authority. They set up divisions and

denominations. Division becomes common place and is accepted as the norm. These so-called believers come into your midst breeding deceptive disciples who focus on dissention and distort the body of Christ to win over disciples after themselves. The anointing is nothing but as show or performance by men who can manipulate the crowds emotionally. It reduces worship to a team of professionals trained on instruments and with professional voices. Quality is centered on entertainment and sin is covered by a cheap form of grace. The antichrist spirit is accepted today because it has overcome the majority of our thinking, we just blindly accept the church this way now because it goes by the name of Christian. We are enamored by great men and forget what the scriptures have to say. Often men of good intention with pride will fall pray to this spirit and be lead to hindering the free flow of the body of Christ. The true men of God are anointed and obey the word and come together as a committed body to Christ. Everyone has a place and a share in the body of Christ. The anointing establishes us in Christ. Paul declared in 2 Cor 1:21, "Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God." (NKJ) The true anointing "establishes us" and does not divide us. We love one another and support one another. We function as a humble body caring and ministering to one another. The anointing brings out the gifts in each other and draws us together in love. Our unity is a testimony of the unity of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Our love and care is a testimony of the love of God to humanity. I Jn 4:1-3, "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God (look for the fruit of the Spirit), because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world." The spirit of antichrist comes as an angel of light to destroy the bonds of peace and the work of Christ. It often appears to be a prophetic messenger, one who speaks for God. It comes through men that are deceived and believable. A false prophet will more likely be someone with charisma, a gentle appearance and a smooth tongue. God commands us to "test" the spirit, not the personality, in order to know the man. Matt 24:24, "For false Christs (pseudo-christos: false anointings) and false prophets (pseudo-prophets: men misrepresenting Christ) will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect-- if that were possible." (NIV) Deception, without a doubt, is going to be the strongest force in the last days. We must stick to the word of God, to prayer, to honoring the Lord, honoring one another, growing in the anointing and growing in faith and love, doing to others what we would want others to do to us. We must lay hold of God's word and abide in it. We must not fall victim to the respect of persons over obedience to Christ and His word. Let us give heed to the command: "Be not deceived." Do not believe every spirit…