A Nugget from New Life Network
Scripture for the Day (July 17, 2017)
And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. (1 John 4:3)
In John 8:59 we see an account where the Jewish leaders took up stones to throw at Jesus and he was chased out of the church (temple). As Jesus supernaturally extricating himself from this religious mob He noticed a man who was born blind. Now, just think about this. People were trying to stone Jesus to death and He was concerned with this blind man. Talk about compassion! This encounter brought about one of the most interesting and eye-opening times in the ministry of Jesus. His expulsion from the church, and the events that follow, gives us a rare close-up view of how the spirit of antichrist operates.
Jesus spit on some clay and smeared it on the blind man’s eyes and then told him to go and wash in the Pool of Siloam. The man was immediately obedient, went and washed, and came back seeing. Can you just imagine what people must have said as he was going to wash? I can just envision people making fun of and laughing at him as he went. And then, when he came back seeing, things got even worse. The neighbors questioned if he was even the same person. They would not even believe his own testimony so they took him to the Pharisees. Surely they must know what happened.
The blind man gave his testimony again to the Pharisees. The first thing the Pharisees found out was that this man was healed on the Sabbath which was against their doctrine so they immediately concluded that this man Jesus was not from God because He did not abide by their rules. They then confronted the parents and insinuated they may not be telling the truth by saying, “Who ye say was born blind“. The parents said they did not know what happened (even though I personally think they knew because they were probably the first people the son ran to). Just remember, he had never seen his parents. The parents then put it back on the blind son because they were in fear of the Jews. They already knew that if they agreed that Jesus did this they would be thrown out of the church (synagogue).
The Pharisees then went back to the blind man that was healed and ask him again what happened. This is when he got livid with these religious rulers. The following are a few of his replies; “I told you already, and you did not listen”; “Do you want to become His disciples?”; “Why, this is a marvelous thing that you do not know where He is from, and yet He has opened my eyes!”; “Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind”. By this time, the Pharisees were really hot. And what do you think they ended up doing to this man? They kicked him out of the church!!!
Let me explain what we see happening here. What we see is the spirit of antichrist in operation. What you need to understand is Christ is not the last name of Jesus. Christ means “the anointed one”. Antichrist actually means anti-anointing. The enemy does not want the anointing of God in the church so one way to keep it out is to kick people out that have it. Just consider the following scriptures:
I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church. (3 John 1:9-10)
These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. (John 16:1-3)
The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. (Psalm 2:2-3)
Religious people will always be more concerned with getting their questions answered than they will be with praising God when a person gets healed. We need the anointing of God in the Church today! Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. It is that anointing that breaks and destroys yokes. Religious doctrines can never do that! A relationship with Jesus and the anointing of God can!!!!
