Every Spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ is 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. – 1 John 4:2-3
During the first century, movements grew up that denied the Incarnation (that Yeshua was God manifest in human flesh). There are two sides to this denial: one is to deny His divinity and the other to deny His fully human incarnation. Keeping these doctrines in their right balance and relationship is fundamental to our faith. The Messianic Movement was launched on the basis of mighty signs and wonders in the ministry of Yeshua, His death and resurrection, and finally by the amazing signs and wonders in the ministry of the Apostles in Israel and beyond. Those who witnessed such great evidence were without excuse for their rejection of the Lordship of Yeshua and the Gospel message.
Results of Refusal
When the Gospel comes with power and the Holy Spirit brings conviction, but is still refused, then the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit takes place. Such sin can lead to demonic control. The spirit of the Antichrist is not found in people who have not had opportunity to witness and thus accept or refuse the Gospel. Only that refusal leads to empowering the spirit of the Antichrist. Individuals and people who had the opportunity to embrace Yeshua and refused, are given over to the doctrine of demons and promotion of those doctrines.
Though it is not “politically correct,” we have to note that the refusal of the Gospel by the majority of the Jewish people and leadership in the first century opened them up to the spirit of the Antichrist. Islam, which explicitly denies the incarnation and states that Yeshua never died on the cross, though admitting he was a prophet, enslaves its followers to the spirit of Antichrist. This Antichrist spirit will always seek to persecute the Body of Christ.
When a people are in bondage to this spirit, they can still have knowledge of much truth, and may still produce cultural treasures. Yet, salvation requires deliverance from the spirit of the Antichrist. When dealing with our own people, though far removed from the corporate rejection in the first century, we must address the need to see them delivered from this influence.
Key for the Future
Even more, in Islam we have the power of the Antichrist spirit on a world level that is rooted in what Mohammed did with the revelation of the New Covenant. This is why the key to the future in this difficult situation is to see revival and the power of the Gospel deliver people from this spirit. The only way to see peace come is through acceptance of and submission to the Prince of Peace.
This article originally appeared on Revive Israel, November 13, 2015.