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Discerning the spirit of anti-Christ - #5 Final thoughts and what is next?

10/30/2021

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Hi all,
I wanted to add some final thoughts to my study of the spirit of anti-Christ manifesting through various governments today, by looking at the larger separation of Judeo-Christian values from government. 
 
Western governments have been founded upon Judea-Christian values, which are based on the absolutes of the 10 Commandments. We hold certain truths as absolute: Murder is wrong. Lying is wrong. Stealing is wrong. Lusting for something or someone that isn't yours is wrong. Cursing God is wrong. Western government laws, courts, and culture have largely been in agreement about these absolutes. 
 
Because our faith agrees with these governmental values we have been able to practice our faith for centuries in peace and godliness. But today we are witnessing governments quickly leaving these absolutes, causing in the minds and emotions of Christians, great turmoil. Many are confused not realizing this is the process at work. 
 
Suddenly the intertwining of our faith and commonly shared values of our respective governments have become unraveled. It shakes many Christians to their core. Fear sets in. Confusion. But what is happening is in fact governments quickly leaving the values and morals of the traditional Judeo-Christian foundations of their nations. 
 
What happens when a nation leaves God's absolutes?  
In his 1981 book, After Virtue, Scottish philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre observed the west has stopped being governed by faith, moral absolutes and tradition and exchanged it for rule by emotion, or as he called it, 'emotivism'. I would call it 'emotional reasoning'. 
 
A moral and virtuous nation is comprised of citizens who share a common moral good. The nation's citizens agree on what is good and moral. Government then directs that common moral good and those values toward the betterment of the nation, trickling down to the smallest of communities. By contrast, a nation governed by emotivism or emotional reasoning, is a nation that no longer agrees on what is good, what constitutes absolute right and wrong, what constitutes absolute moral values. 
 
The result is that which was called good is now called evil, and that which was called evil is now elevated as good. Like ancient Rome did before it fell, people view history of centuries past through the modern glasses which lack moral absolutes and values. Like ancient Rome we see the same; The tearing down of memorials and statues, the re-writing of history, and attempts at amending the founding documents of a nation. 
 
All these things happen by leaving God's moral absolutes and values. 
THEY will decide what is moral, and what is virtue, and how history should be remembered. For the individual all outside philosophies, religions, and beliefs are rejected because they are from the outside. Only what they say is virtue, is virtue. Only what they say is right, is right. 
 
These people, even some Christians, only believe what they believe. They believe only in that which comes from within their own thoughts and their feelings, and the rest is rejected, argued about, with arrogance and stubbornness the result. To them, God's Word says whatever they think and say it says, and they filter out anyone from the outside who doesn't line up with what they already believe. 
 
In such a nation individuals exalt thought and emotion to the extent society becomes a collection of strangers, each chasing their own interests with minimal restraints by culture and society. Government applauds, media applauds and exalts such behavior. That spirit affects some in the body of Christ, they are blind and ignorant and don't see they are blind and ignorant. Their true hearts are being revealed. Thinking themselves wise and learned, they are in fact foolish and ignorant. 
 
They filter out of their lives anyone who doesn't agree with them. They've lost or perhaps never had, the heart that values debate of ideas without attacking the individual. Their emotions are on the surface, ready to pounce on anyone who challenges them to think differently. I'm talking about Christians who have let this spirit attach itself to them, not just unbelievers. 
 
This shift from virtue to emotivism, or emotional reasoning, can be seen in these 4 qualities in a society:
The abandonment of absolute moral standards and values.
The refusal to accept any religion, philosophy, or other belief that comes from outside oneself.
The rejection and throwing down of traditions, heroes, memorials, memories, which are now viewed as wrong. 
The separation from anything in a community or society that is traditional in nature. 
 
This means a person can call whatever they want good or bad. It means government can call whatever it wants, good or bad. No longer are governments following the traditional and absolute Judeo-Christian moral values by which to govern. They have abandoned those in favor of assigning values of good or bad to whatever the prevailing government defines as good or bad. 
 
Christians and the separation
Christians believe something is good because God says it is good. Goodness flows from Him, and goodness is actually a collection of character traits of God Himself: Love, joy, peace, gentleness, patience, meekness, kindness, moral excellence, consistency, godliness, brotherly love. These things are good because they are God. 
 
Therefore, the meaning of everything flows from God. He forms our world view. If He calls something evil it is evil, and everyone who knows Him and holds to Him knows what He says is truth. Therefore Christians believe the earth and all therein has meaning and purpose.
 
But in much of the governments and societies today, what God calls good and moral and upright has been tossed aside, leaving many Christians wondering what his happening. In America there are Christians who thought God and Country were intertwined, and perhaps they were at the start. But no longer. It is this rejection of God and His moral absolutes for a moral relativism, emotivism, that is shaking some Christians to their core. 
 
What will happen?
The church has to get smaller to get larger. Christians will look for those who still hold to God's absolutes, as demonstrated through a framework of relationships with others. No more relationships with building based programs, for they are unsatisfying. There is a spiritual hunger arising in many, searching for those who are still on the same core spiritual page, searching for real relationships. 
 
As I've said so many times before: Anyone can say they are born again. Anyone can say they love God. But righteousness, if proven within a framework of relationships. That is where the fruit of one's life is found. Their statements of being a Christian are proven within a network of relationships. 
 
The illusion of social media 'friends' is being destroyed and many are facing the truth they are alone. Many are searching for real people, and that's why (speaking for myself) we see so many coming to the conclusion relationships within a family based, home based church fills that need. 
 
THAT is the remnant...that is where the body of Christ is headed...to trusting relationships with other on the 'same spiritual page'. Some things to think about...watch the separation of governments from their traditional values to continue, and for true Christians to come out of that culture to seek a different culture. The culture of the family of God. 
 
New subject next week...until then, blessings,
John Fenn
www.cwowi.org and email me at [email protected]
 
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Discerning the spirit of anti-Christ in the world, 4 of 4

10/23/2021

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Hi all,
The man of sin's rule is yet future, but this study has been about elements or the spirit of anti-Christ that are already in the world, and how the roots of what will come can be seen today. 
 
The Revelation 13:3-4 it tells us all the world will wonder about the beast and ask, 'Who can make war with him?'. That the whole world will wonder, or at least in the apostle John's writing the whole world meant the Roman Empire of the day, tells us a lot of information will be flowing from the man of sin's government. 
 
Appearance means everything
Rome had its Colosseum to disseminate propaganda and give away food in a government food program. Nazi Germany had huge rallies in 1934 in Nuremberg and Berlin to stir the people into a frenzy. 
Anti-Christ will cause all the world to wonder at the healed head wound of the beast and cause all to be amazed. The Revelation 13:15-18 says he has power to give life to the image of the beast, so that the beast speaks and causes all to worship it (TV? Internet?)
 
Verse 15 says he calls on every person to worship the beast, and if they refuse, they are killed. Those who do swear allegiance are given a tattoo which will enable them to be part of the economic system - they can buy or sell freely. I've already mentioned with a link the invisible 'nano-tattoo' currently developed for tracking vaccine records in underdeveloped nations. It could easily be used for financial transactions.
 
Remember this: The 'mark' serves the purpose of identifying who is for the man of sin, and who is against. 
 
Did you know that besides the Jewish gold Star of David badge, Nazi Germany had badges identifying many other groups of dissidents? 
 
A red triangle had to be worn by communists, gentiles who assisted Jews, socialists, etc.
A black triangle was for known addicts, lesbians, prostitutes, etc.
A pink triangle for homosexual men.
There were many more, and then there were also double triangles - dozens of badges labeling anyone who wasn't loyal to the party. 
 
Drawing the line
Some have said they don't want to take the vaccine because it is a type or forerunner of the mark of the beast. But the mark is economic. I've shared in my e-newsletter how the Lord in January 2021 before the Inauguration said the tracking of vaccines would be part of a social grading system - we are already seeing that. But it isn't the mark. 
 
In The Revelation 2:20 the Lord nicknames a woman Jezebel, for she teaches and thinks herself a prophetess, saying they may commit sexual sin and eat food sacrificed to idols. The Lord says that is not right, and judged her. 
 
What the Lord was referring to was that Thyatira was the main city for Roman guilds, the forerunners of labor unions. If you wanted to do business in Thyatira you did business with a guild - if you wanted to buy leather, wool, grain, clothing - whoever sold it to you was in a guild. For larger transactions or as they wished, a seller and buyer would go to the temple and temple god for that commodity, and make sacrifice, sealing the transaction by having sex with the temple prostitute that it may be fruitful. The temple prostitutes danced around poles adorned as phallic symbols, the forerunners to what is called today 'pole dancing', but that is the spirit behind it and origins of pole dancing. 
 
For the Lord to judge the woman for teaching you can still be a Christian in good standing with the Lord, for He understand how you have to make sacrifice and have sex with a temple prostitute to conduct business, tells us the direction the world is headed. And the 'mark' being an economic based tattoo would seem to confirm that. 
 
It means there is coming a time where those who refuse to be brought into a place where they are forced to confirm or deny Christ on threat of death, will have to live off the land and by the good graces of others. Home based gardens, saved provisions - anything to continue to live but outside that system - will be required. We aren't there yet. 
 
There is peace in all this
We know anti-Christ is for a future time. We know the spirit of anti-Christ is already at work in the world. I hope this study has identified key elements of anti-Christ's government so that we can see the start of much of it. We are not blind nor in darkness that we don't know the times and seasons in which we live. We watch, we observe.
 
When the Lord appeared to me in February and again November of 2001 and told me to start CWOWI, when I asked why, He replied: "I want you to start a house church and house church network. And structure it in such a way to facilitate the development of house churches around the world...It's against a time to come. Be a resource for them, for it's against a time to come."
 
One element of history I haven't brought out, and that is Christian history in the midst of economic and political difficulties. (persecution) Christianity started out by meeting in homes as part of the already 150+ year old synagogue system. They continued for about 300 years until Christianity was legalized. They didn't stay in homes due to persecution, but because kingdom culture is that Christ is in me and Christ is in you, and we have that familial connection. 
 
There is a reason church in the home has exploded around the world in recent years. And I don't mean a miniature of the auditorium and slapping a label on it and calling it house church. I mean a living, breathing family of God that rotates homes and rotates who leads each week, making sure all have their needs met, who are very much aware of what is happening around them, both in the world and in the body of Christ. 
 
Invest in relationships. Christianity is a relationship based faith. We have a relationship vertically with our Father God and His Son Jesus Christ, so that love naturally flows outward to those in our lives. Not to a building called church, but the true church. That's where to invest. 
 
Below is a summary of the past 4 weeks points... 
 
  • Economic difficulty is historically a driving force in the rise of fascism: A disillusioned populace.
  • The leader says democracy is flawed and easily manipulated by those in power.
  • He rises from beneath, is not part of the previous leadership.
  • He comes to power through political means, then once in power seize more power, illegally.
  • He presents the solution; That they be given power to fix the country.
  • A people group will be identified as holding them back, unpatriotic. Christians, Jews, conservatives. 
  • Lies are repeated until an unthinking populace believes them. 
  • Media, arts, entertainment speak the government policies.
  • Restores economy by massive federal spending
  • Fix weak government
  • The solution is one voice united. 
  • Fascism requires individuals to give up their identity to the State.
  • The State become more important than the individual.
  • A fascist government by its nature must become increasingly aggressive and violent. 
 
We live in such exciting times! There is a reason you are alive now, invest in those around you, be the hands and feet of the Lord for someone. These are the days when those who walk in the light will do well and prosper in all their ways. Rich times in the Lord! 
 
New subject next week, hope my sharing part of my own study hasn't freaked anyone out...but for me, I see elements of what is to come in many of the actions of governments around the world. And while unsettling, it is also helpful and gives a certain amount of peace by knowing the spirit that is driving it. 
 
Blessings,
John Fenn
www.cwowi.org and email me at [email protected]

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Discerning the spirit of anti-Christ in the world, #3 of 4, the end of the individual

10/16/2021

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Hi all,
​
Today I'll cover a couple other characteristics of the man of sin's government, and what we see in our day.
 
Individuality ends
The Revelation 13:5-8 tells us of the man of sin: "...he will speak great and terrible things about the God of heaven, and he will be given 42 months to rule...and it was given him to make war with the saints..and he had authority over all people and languages and nations...and all those whose names are not written in the book of Life of the Lamb will worship him...let him who has an ear, hear..."
 
This is just one passage that tells us there will be a unity among the nations of Europe to 'worship', swear allegiance to this ruler. We are told he will speak evil of all things God and blaspheme His name. But one group, 'the saints', refuse to swear allegiance, so he and the populace must get rid of those who refuse to be unified under him. 
 
When a sports team truly plays as a team, individuality ends. Each individual becomes part of a larger whole and it means each team member must contribute to the greater team effort. If a team member doesn't play up to the standard expected they are replaced. 
 
When a government unifies all people by a single purpose, individually must end. All that matters is that person's role for the larger 'national team' effort. Anyone who doesn't perform as expected is singled out and replaced by someone who can do their job. Individuality ends in favor of the national interest. Those who rebel are labeled unpatriotic. 
 
The above text says the man of sin will have authority over multiple nations, languages, and people. All will be unified in his purpose while he makes war on the saints during that 42 month reign of terror. (Daniel indicates his rule will be 7 years, and Jesus calls the last 3.5 years a time of 'great tribulation', in Mt 24:21)
 
In history: On May 1, 1933 Hitler made a national holiday celebrating the greatness of Germany and its workers, but the very next day his paramilitary troops took over all union offices and forced all workers to join a single national labor union: The German Labor Front. Big business supported those actions because it meant bigger profits for them, and with the unifying of all unions into one, wages dropped 25%, protections for workers ended, etc. 
 
But it gave the nation a common focus, a purpose, uniting all (blue collar workers) in the labor union. Fascism remember, believes the common good takes precedence over the individual good. The schools that produces workers - from trade schools to universities were brought in line with the national purpose so the next generation would be educated to think in line with the government's policies. 
 
In our day, do we see the unification of labor and businesses agreeing with government policies so they may gather more money to themselves? Do we see the education systems implementing the government agenda? Can we see how this spirit is setting the stage so that at the end of the age the next generation of voters/people will give allegiance to the man and the system because they think like him, except for 'the saints'? 
 
Characteristics to remember: Dissenting voices are not allowed. National unity is emphasized and anyone who doesn’t believe the promises or the vision for the nation the leader describes, is persecuted and blamed for hindering progress. Education, media, government are unified in controlling what the people think. 
 
Making and breaking treaties
Fascist governments require expansion to contribute to the national unity. In our text above from The Revelation, it says the man of sin will take rule over nations, languages, and people. We already know he will rise from under the 10 rulers to take the place of 3 kings. Kings rule over people. By the fact he rises from under the 10 to take out 3 and rule over the remaining 7 reveals he is about expansion of his rule. 
 
In Matthew 24:15 Jesus confirms the classic understanding of Daniel's prophecy. In Daniel 9:26-27 Daniel is told:
 
"...the prince of the people who will come will destroy the city...he will confirm a covenant (make a treaty) for 1 week (7 years)...and in the middle of that week (3.5 years into it) he will cause the sacrifices and offerings to stop..."
 
Jesus confirmed this in Matthew 24:15-20: "When you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet, whoever reads this let him understand. Then let him in Judea run to the mountains, and let him on the housetop not stop to gather his things on the way out, and the man in the field should not run home to collect his belongings. And pity to those nursing children at that time! Pray this doesn't happen in winter nor on the Sabbath, for then will be great tribulation that has never been seen before, and unless those days were shortened..." 
 
The man of sin, the prince of the people who will come to destroy the city, will first have made a 7 year treaty with Israel, then breaks that treaty half way into it. 
 
Hitler and treaties
On September 30, 1938 the UK, France, Italy and Germany signed the Munich Agreement or Munich Betrayl, for it ceded to Germany what was then Czechoslovakia. Neville Chamberlin returned to England triumphant, confident appeasing Hitler with the agreement meant he would not expand Nazi Germany any further. One year later, Hitler overran Poland, breaking his own 1934 nonaggression pact with them. 
 
History records Rome, Nazi Germany, Italy, USSR and other governments which were either fully or partially fascist in nature, expanding by force their borders, making treaties, breaking them. That's how Daniel and The Revelation describe the government of anti-Christ as he expands and makes war with the saints - just as Rome did, Germany did, USSR did...
 
Do we see elements of making laws or treaties and then breaking them in our day? 
It could be argued that the first effort to expand a fascist government's borders starts with internal borders; Crossing political, judicial, and constitutional boundaries for the purpose of furthering the fascist agenda. We certainly see that in nations around the world, and it would seem the spirit of anti-Christ is part of that. The reason for that statement is that where there is a push on the borders of free will and how a society functions, a group or groups are blamed for objecting to the government's agenda. 
 
Nazi Germany's first expansion began politically, laying claim to nations they had a previous history with. Old Prussia ruled over most of what we today call Eastern Europe, all the way to the old Iron Curtain. Nations like Poland, Latvia, Lithuania included - so Hitler wanted those lands and justified attacking them based on historical Prussian territories. Russia acted similarly with its invasion of Ukraine's Crimea a few years ago. 
 
The spirit that justifies expansion will be part of anti-Christ's government. Look for smaller political parties in Europe who want the power and prestige of the old days, wanting to restore what has been and justifying it by a history that is revered in their minds. Remember, fascism requires economic difficulty to come to power, so watch for economic difficulties opening the door for more policies that we've seen in history and that are prophesied to occur. 
 
Individuality ends with the government of anti-Christ, and with other fascist governments. We see it is coming on the world in prophecy, we see some of those elements in our day. We see that in history. When you see treaties made in our day, look for the details, if they allow for the expansion of trade and more than that, political influence.
 
It's like this. In October of 2001 when the US passed the Patriot Act, I asked the Father if He had an opinion about it or if He could tell me anything about it. His reply has stayed with me: "Laws that were passed to protect my people, will one day be used against them." 
 
Look for that kind of duplicity, or the potential for it, in laws made by various governments...will close it off next week with the last elements to emphasize, and then a summary that I hope will leave you with peace, and things to think about and watch for....until then, blessings,
John Fenn
www.cwowi.org and email me at [email protected]
 

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Discerning the spirit of anti-Christ already in the world 2/4 Blaming others

10/8/2021

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Hi all,
I've been using Hitler as an historical example of fascism and comparing history with what the Bible describes as characteristics of a future government led by the man we call 'anti-Christ'. Then I've compared them to how governments around the world have handled Covid and opposition to various policies and laws enacted. 
 
Further insight given Daniel: Daniel 7:15-28 
“And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spoke very great things, whose look was more stout than his associates. I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them...”
 
The phrase 'more stout' literally means: “...had a greater appearance than his associates.” In other words, his appearance, his presentation, his presence, is greater than the remaining 7 horns (rulers/regions).” He has become the leader of the remaining 7 and the subdued 3 whether they like it or not. 
 
Economic and political crisis is the means by which fascism rises to power. At that point the leader and the State becomes the single focus.
 
In The Revelation 8:8 -12 we see the earth being hit 2x by asteroids/comets, which blocks out 1/3 of sun and poisons 1/3 of the oceans. (1 hits on land, 1 hits in an ocean). Chapter 9 opens with the dust cloud from those hits darkening the sun and causing skin sores for 5 months. Consider the economic and political crisis that results. With 1/3 of the sunlight blocked, with 1/3 of the oceans poisoned, there will be massive food shortages as an immediate result. Economic chaos would result. Starvation. Medical systems breaking down by being overwhelmed, and so much more. . 
 
Out of these difficulties arises a man in Europe new to international politics. He isn't one of the 10 main rulers, but he claims to have all the answers. He will be a great speaker and force his way to become the dominant one. He will then make the case that he has to have unlimited powers to govern - you'll recall from last week The Revelation 17:13 says the other kings give their power to this 'little horn'. Like earlier fascist leaders he will say the problems are so large it require full national unity to fix them - and Christians/Jews stand in the way of progress and the agenda. 
 
He will "make war with the saints" scripture says as he shifts attention from these disasters to those preventing progress. They are to blame, they won't unify with the rest of the people to give him the allegiance he requires to fix the economic and societal problems. In fascism if you don't agree with the leader you are labeled unpatriotic. The problems are so large only 100% unity will fix them; this group stands in his way. 
 
This is one of the most immediately prophetic things I am sharing for our day - watch for the blaming of Christians and conservatives who will be portrayed as the ones preventing the government(s) from accomplishing their agenda. The Revelation 11:18 says 'the nations were angry' - watch for national anger to develop. 
 
The man of sin: He will institute a digital currency to streamline economic issues as he brings government, economy, and religion under his power. He employs (possibly an invisible) digital tattoo on the head or hand of those who first must swear allegiance to him and his system. https://news.rice.edu/2019/12/18/quantum-dot-tattoos-hold-vaccination-record/
 
People who swear allegiance get the tattoo (the 'mark'). Those who refuse to swear allegiance will either by executed or forced to live without economic access, meaning relying on home-grown food and a network of friends. Have we seen similar things in the past? Yes, in ancient Roman Empire, Germany, the USSR, and such; those outside the system lived by other means. 
 
Hitler a forerunner
Fascism takes full control when a national emergency occurs. In prophecy it is a double asteroid/comet hit on the planet. In our day elements can be seen in the handling of the Covid crisis. In 1933 during the depression, and with great promises of making Germany a world leader, Hitler was named Chancellor. A few weeks later a fire started in the parliament building. He used this national emergency to take broad powers. Laws and actions in 1933 were enacted commanding the people to boycott Jewish businesses, but the people largely ignored the laws. 
 
When he consolidated powers to himself it made people take a stand either for him, or against him. In July of 64AD Rome burned, Nero blamed Christians, and consolidated his grip on government. Peter and Paul were executed in part because they led a group who refused to swear allegiance to Caesar. 
 
Hitler gained power and focused on helping the poor through national food programs, building infrastructure, and providing jobs. Mussolini in Italy formed the Fascist party and was asked by the king to form a government to stop the advance of communism. Once in control he was brutal in putting down opposition, consolidating power within himself, and focused on social programs to help the poor, including national work programs to build infrastructure. 
 
Anti-Christ, the man of sin, will take advantage of natural and man-made disasters to subdue 3 rulers, taking their place, forge a national economic policy, taking unprecedented powers, requiring statements of allegiance. 
 
Characteristic to remember: Fascist governments blame a group of people for what is wrong, and convince the rest of the population that 1 group is both to blame for their troubles, and more importantly, stands in the way of progress. That justifies taking action against those people. 
 
In our day: The above means a free and independent press cannot exist. The Revelation 13:13-15 and elsewhere makes it clear the man of sin is expert at propaganda about the wonders of 'the beast' and his government, causing people to be in awe of him. It talks of the man of sin doing miracles that impress all - that describes a manipulated press disseminating information to the public as the man of sin commands.
 
A biased media happened in World War II Germany, Italy, USSR, even Ancient Rome in terms of how information was distributed around the Empire. Today do we see media - the press, arts, entertainment - become united in their information for a national agenda? Do you see media mock or ridicule a group who don't agree with them, and blame them as ignorant and holding back society and the agenda? That's fascism, and the spirit of anti-Christ. 
 
Fascism by its nature must become increasingly aggressive and violent, for as the national agenda progresses so too does opposition to that agenda. In Nazi Germany what started as simple boycotts of Jews in 1933 escalated to vandalism of Jewish businesses and then ended with the death camps. In the build-up there were court cases purposely singling out individuals to make examples. The press and the arts became the voice of the Nazi party. German culture in the 1930's changed on all fronts to focus on blaming on Jews, Christians, Communists, intellectuals for the problems of the nation. Do we see similar things in our day concerning Covid or politics?
 
Characteristics to remember: The media becoming an arm of the government is alluded to in scripture of the man of sin's rule. That is a sign of fascism, the end of a free and independent press and media. Watch for lies being repeated over and over until people start believing them. As fascism gains control great promises and simple solutions to complex answers will be presented to a non-thinking voting group and citizens, with the media and arts willing accomplices. 
 
I decided to consolidate things and end the series next week, where I'll show the future man of sin's regime as with all fascism, requires the giving up of individual rights and more....hope this is interesting, until then, blessings,
 
John Fenn
www.cwowi.org and email me at [email protected]
 

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Discerning the spirit of anti-Christ already in the world, #1 of 4

10/2/2021

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Hi all,
This is a personal study I had little intention of sharing, but I've felt strongly prompted, so here goes. I hope it will provide insights into the spiritual forces at work around the world today, it has blessed me as I study these things. 
 
The ways many of the governments have handled Covid are eerily similar to descriptions in the Bible of anti-Christ's government. I began to study what scripture says of anti-Christ in terms of what kind of government (polity) he establishes, and was amazed at the similarities in spirit to how governments are handling covid, shots, and mask mandates in our day. 
 
When I included the study of world history of that style of government scripture describes, it became clear that the anti-Christ spirit is involved. I didn't say 'the anti-Christ' as a man, but the spirit of anti-Christ is involved. In I John 2:18 and 4:3 we are told the spirit of anti-Christ is already in the world, and it denies Jesus Christ is Lord.  
 
The direction much of the world is going, is in a word, fascism. I will define fascism, then list several descriptions of anti-Christ's government seen in the Word, then bring in world history to give us an idea where we are headed.   
 
Fascism - definition
The word comes from the Latin, 'fasces', meaning a bundle of sticks tied together as a unit. It was first used in Ancient Rome when judges would bundle sticks or axes and carry or display them as tokens of their life or death authority over the citizens before them. For instance, one stick would represent judicial, another the legislative, another the executive branches of Roman government, bound together as one. The judge was reminding the citizen that he ruled with the full weight of Rome and had the power of life and death. That combining of all government in the hands of one ruler is a characteristic of fascism. 
 
Fascism involves the combining of government power together in the hands of one individual. Characteristics of fascism seen in history, Adolf Hitler for example, includes the fact that fascist leaders do not come into power by military force, but through political processes. Then once in power they forcefully consolidate power to themselves through illegal activity, yet what they do receives few solid objections within the government. They are bullies. They make treaties and then break them. Fascists rise to power as a result of economic crisis. They blame and persecute other peoples for the troubles of the nation. They are good speakers who demand allegiance and loyalty under penalty of death or imprisonment. They seek to combine government, economics, and religion under their authority. 
 
We see all these elements and more predicted in scripture about anti-Christ's government, and many of these things are going on in our day, around the world. 
 
How scripture describes the government of the 'man of sin', who we call 'anti-Christ':
  • He rises to power from a subordinate position. Daniel 7:8
  • He uses political rather than military means to take power. Daniel 7:8, Revelation 17:12-14
  • Once in power he maneuvers to centralize power to himself. Daniel 7:8
  • He makes all attention of the citizens directed towards him as supreme leader. Revelation 13:16-18
  • He tries to unify politics, economics, and religion under him. Revelation 13:16-18
  • He comes to power during economic and national crises. Revelation 13:16-18
  • He demands absolute loyalty and pledges of allegiance under threat of death. Revelation 13:8-10, 16-18
  • He is a good speaker, flamboyant, laying out a vision of what can be. Daniel 7:20
  • He blames and persecutes other groups for the misfortunes of society. Daniel 7:21, Revelation 13:7
  • He presents simple solutions to complex problems. Revelation 13:4-10
  • He makes and then breaks treaty(s). Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:15
 

Daniel 7:8: He rises to power from a subordinate position by political rather than military means:
“I considered the (10) horns, and, behold, there came up among (from beneath) them another little horn, before whom were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.” and "these 10 kings...give their authority and power to the beast..." Revelation 17:12-13
 
This small horn is not part of the original 10 rulers/regions. He has no position of authority, but rises from beneath to seize power from 3 of them. He ‘plucks 3 horns by the roots’ and takes their place. He speaks ‘great words.’ He has eyes like a man - showing hm to be a man of vision, able to speak 'great things', great vision and plans for the future. They give him their authority. The Hebrew carries with it the thought the words are arrogant or ‘high’, pompous. 
 
Fascist Hitler was in the same spirit as the little horn.
Hitler gathered a small group of men around him, bullies and the disillusioned, but other than being a leader of thugs, he had no political power. In a February 1920 speech he put forth a 25 point platform for the National Socialist Democratic Party (Nazi). The title was 'The common good before the individual good'. Sound familiar in our day? He made other speeches as well, several entitled 'Why we are Anti-Semites' and/or with that theme. 
 
In Munich 1923 about 2,000 Nazis, most clothed in black, started attacking minorities and politically unwanted people, especially communists and Jews. They stormed the beer hall in an attempted coup. Hitler was arrested 2 days later and thrown in jail. While in jail he wrote his manifesto, 'Mein Kampf' (My Struggle). 
 
That 2,000 person riot in Munich made Hitler known to the nation. When released, Hitler realized he would not be able to take over Germany by force; He would have to use the political process to gain power, and then once in power could rule as a king. He spent much of the 1920's building a political organization, gaining as much as 6% of the vote in parliamentary elections. But he was still just a regional leader without much national impact. 
 
After the stock market crashed in October of 1929 his fiery speeches caught the attention of a nation reeling from the depression. In 1930 he got 30% of the vote, then 37% in 1932. They called him 'the drummer' because he made the most noise, and thought they could control him by giving him a voice. In April 1933 the first laws urging citizens to boycott Jewish businesses were passed. The citizenry largely ignored the law, causing more laws to be passed through the years, and then escalated to vandalism and attacks on Jews and their businesses. Is that kind of thing happening against Christians, Jews, and conservatives in our day? (yes, in the US and elsewhere).
 
We can see how Daniel describes a future 'little horn' rising through the ranks of the 10, finally able to get to the point he can uproot 3 to take their place. That's what Hitler did - same spirit therefore same process. Both Hitler and the former journalist Mussolini of Italy, started with very minor roles in government. They were good speakers, spoke of great promises and the vision for the nation, but once in power they subdued all resistance. Their common theme was the good (rights) of the many over the good (rights) of the individual. 
 
How does this apply today? 
If you start seeing groups paramilitary, people aggressively assaulting conservatives, Christians, and any who oppose their point of view; that is an anti-Christ spirit, fascism. Look for loud and vocal speakers who aren't in positions of high authority, but making a name for themselves among smaller groups of followers acting as a sort of unofficial voice for a government party or philosophy. Look for people who offer simple solutions to complex problems, and who blame a people group for the things wrong, or that stand in the way of progress. Have you seen any of those elements in your government or society? Those are elements of fascism. 
 
Characteristic to remember: History and scripture shows fascists don’t take over a government by military force. They do it by charismatic leaders who rise to power through a democratic process, then seize additional power by unlawful means. 
 
I think many reading this part 1 can see some characteristics of the anti-Christ spirit in their government. That doesn't mean a government is fully anti-Christ, but that we see that spirit at work in the nations. As I said at the start, this is a study I've done personally, not doctrinal statement. And it is a very brief study of my larger study, this is just a few points. Just a study so that I (we) can recognize when a spirit is attached to government policies, people we talk with, how we understand news headlines and events, and so on. 
 
Next week we'll start with what scripture says about the economic and societal crisis that allows the man of sin to rise to power, why they blame others, and so on. We will compare that to the Covid economic crisis and how governments handle it, and again look at history. Until then, (I hope this proves interesting and thought provoking), blessings,
John Fenn
www.cwowi.org and email me at [email protected]
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