As we continue in the message on the spirit of antichrist, I want to talk about the life of Nehemiah. As we mentioned earlier in the previous two messages, the spirit of antichrist wants to take us out of God’s purpose for our lives. It wants to work with the spirit of infiltration and murder. We have to be careful who we allow to be close to us, especially in ministry. The enemy wants to send some to draw close to you and cause you to compromise and get off purpose. This spirit can try to paint a picture of an easier way than God’s way. In Nehemiah 2 v. 10, Sanballat and Tobiah wanted to destroy Nehemiah, as soon as he got to Jerusalem! Nehemiah came back to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. The enemies tried a direct approach of threatening the builders but later on tried a ”sneakier” way. In chapter 6 v. 2, Sanbellat sent a message to Nehemiah to meet him at a pre- arranged location. Nehemiah said in v. 3 that he was doing a great work and could not come down. They came after him five times with the same message (the enemy is persistent) and then wanted him to meet them in church(v.10). They tried to put fear on him and the other builders and many of the prophets were behind this attack(v. 14). As I mentioned earlier in a previous message, the spirit of antichrist wants to use the spirit of infiltration to say “thus saith the Lord” and give you direction, opposite the way God told you to go. It is sad that a lot of the attacks by this spirit could happen right in church! Their attacks, taunts and fear tactics didn’t work as the wall was finished (v. 15). Praise God!
In 1 Kings 13, there is a story about a prophet who was told by God to go and prophesize and return home right away and come back by a different way. An
older prophet told him that an angel of God had appeared to him and told him that he could come home and eat with him. This was the spirit of antichrist using the spirit of infiltration to invade the younger prophet’s life and get him off purpose and eventually killed. The plan succeeded as the young prophet ate with him and got killed by a lion as he left. Don’t let this spirit win in your life!
In 1 Sam 17, David was chosen by God to rescue His people from the enemy, single handedly. The spirit of antichrist tried to stop David by having Goliath speak bold and fearful words to God’s people (v. 23). David ignored these words. This spirit tried to use David’s brother to talk him out of being there and to go home to his “few” sheep (v. 28). This spirit tried to take away his confidence. Don’t let this spirit do this to you. Saul tried to talk him out of his purpose too in v. 33, but to no avail. David had a “practiced” faith. He knew that the same God that delivered him out of the hand of the lion and the bear would destroy Goliath (v. 37). If God called you to do something, don’t let anything or anyone stop you. You are not doing it in your own strength but His. Greater is He that is in you than He that is in the world (1 John 4 v. 4).
As I mentioned earlier (message on Spirit on the Antichrist Part 2) about the season from October 31(Halloween) till the end of the winter, please pray for the children, especially during this time. Together, we can stop the plans of the enemy.