Matthew 24:24 "For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect."
This verse has always caused me unease as I'm sure it has you. Jesus tells us that there will be a day near the end of time that a spiritual darkness, a fog of the spiritual atmosphere will be powerfully manifested upon the earth. There will be a confusion about what is Truth and what is not. Little christs and those who profess to be prophets will "arise". They will arise, they will be exalted in some way as to demand attention. Maybe the political powers that be will promote them or probably when they teach, preach and prophesy they also work miracles that is difficult to deny. It will probably be that they "arise" through political and spiritual approval. In the midst of this time of confusion, even the church will have division over what is truth and what isn't. Why? Because many of them will be confused too! So much so that Jesus says the Church will be near being "led astray." It doesn't say the Church will be led astray because that would mean all hope is lost. Jesus makes the point that the delusion and the confusion is so strong that there is a tremendous pull upon the church to believe and cooperate with a lie. Satan is the father of lies. His stock in trade is a lie, the anti-truth.
What is our preemptive antidote? We must remove from our sight, minds and spirits everything that looks in a different direction than the Truth of the Scriptures. We must be filled with the Holy Spirit. Anything that takes our minds and spirits away from a pure love of Jesus, a love and obedience to His Word, and the inner peace of the Holy Spirit, is not of God. As certainly as the command to Lot's wife to not look back, we must not gaze upon the temptations to even mentally let our spiritual gaze look to other prophets or prophecies or christs demanding the worship of our hearts and minds. We must not spend more time gazing upon the works of false christs or false prophets than we do fixed upon God's Word. We must be filled with the Holy Spirit, praying in the Spirit "building up our most Holy Faith."
This is a call to look away from all distractions of ungodly activities and look steadfastly upon Jesus Christ. If it doesn't look like Jesus, talk like Jesus, and manifest the fruit of the Spirit of Jesus, it is not Jesus. Cry out to God and save yourself from deception as we move forward. Live daily in the Word of God and ask God to Baptize you in the Holy Spirit. If you are filled with the Holy Spirit then ask for a daily renewal of that precious and powerful anointing. Christ is in us and we cannot be overcome because the Overcomer is in us. Yet, the warning remains! Remember that Jesus said "hold fast till I come."
