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NOTES
Truth Under Fire
”The Antichrist”
Pastor Carl Nichols
Apostle’s Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic* church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
The final Antichrist will be a man, but antichrist is already a movement.
1 John 2:18
“You have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come.”
The Bible describes:
A spirit of antichrist already working in the world
Many antichrists who distort the truth about Jesus
A final Antichrist who will embody that rebellion
THE SPIRIT OF ANTICHRIST
1. “Antichrist” means against Christ and in place of Christ
The most dangerous counterfeit is not completely different from the truth. It is close enough to be confused with the truth.
2. The spirit of antichrist denies the true identity of Jesus
1 John 2:22
“Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son.”
1 John 4:3
“Every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist.”
A belief can honor Jesus with its words while denying Jesus with its theology.
3. The spirit of antichrist distorts the gospel
Galatians 1:8
“Even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse!”
The spirit of antichrist does not always erase Jesus. Sometimes it redefines Him until He is no longer the Jesus revealed in Scripture.
4. The spirit of antichrist prepares the world for the man of lawlessness
2 Thessalonians 2:7
“The secret power of lawlessness is already at work.”
Before the Antichrist rules the world, the spirit of antichrist prepares the world to receive him.
THE FINAL ANTICHRIST
1. He rises through deception and political power
Daniel 7:8, 20–25; 8:23–25; 11:21–24
The Antichrist’s greatest weapon will not merely be intimidation. It will be deception.
2. He exalts himself in the place of God
2 Thessalonians 2:4
”He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.”
Every antichrist system eventually moves from rejecting God’s authority to claiming God’s authority.
3. He uses supernatural deception
2 Thessalonians 2:9
“The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie.”
4. He makes war against God’s people
Daniel 7:21
“This horn was waging war against the holy people and defeating them.”
Revelation 13:7
”It was given power to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.”
5. His authority is temporary
2 Thessalonians 2:8
“The Lord Jesus will overthrow [him] with the breath of his mouth and destroy [him] by the splendor of his coming.”
The final Antichrist will deny the identity of Jesus, replace the gospel, deceive the world, demand allegiance and persecute those who refuse to submit.
The central message of biblical prophecy is not the greatness of the Antichrist.
It is the absolute supremacy of Jesus Christ.