One topic of Scripture that has been of great interest to believers over the centuries is the prophecy regarding the Antichrist.
There has been a lot of speculation about the Antichrist throughout history. However, it is essential to understand that the Antichrist is not just a mere human being but a spiritual force that will manifest into a physical being, as stated in the Bible.
As reported by the Christian Post, “In an episode of the ‘Prophecy Pros’ podcast that aired last month, co-hosts Jeff Kinley, an author, and Todd Hampson, an author, illustrator and animation producer, talked about the coming of the Antichrist. Kinley described the Antichrist as “the devil with skin on.”
“Satan is seducing the world right now,” Kinley says, “preparing the way for his man of sin. I call him the devil with skin on. He is Satan’s superman and he is coming to this earth.”
It is imperative for Christians to understand the characteristics of the Antichrist to avoid being deceived in the end times:
1. The Antichrist will be highly intelligent and attract a vast following. People will see him as a savior and a solution to their problems.
2. The Antichrist will have political and military power. He will have the power to wage war and conquer nations. This power will be used to enforce his rule and suppress any opposition.
3. The Antichrist will have a global economic system, thereby controlling the resources of the world. This economic system will be used to control people, enforce his rule and coerce Christians to deny Christ so they can purchase goods. Anyone who opposes him will not be able to buy or sell, as stated in Revelation 13:17.
4. The Antichrist will be a deceiver. He will present himself as the one with solutions to the world’s problems, but his intention is to be worshiped by the world. He will deceive people into believing he is Christ, and many will follow him.
5. The Antichrist is an enemy of Jesus Christ. He will use his power to persecute and kill Christians, and will promote the worship of himself, thereby opposing the worship of God.
Christians must be able to identify him when he appears, to avoid being deceived by him. The Bible warns about false teachers and false prophets, and the Antichrist is the epitome of these.
“And Satan, though he is the prince of the power, of the air, would love nothing more than to have an individual that would represent him; sort of like counterfeiting the Trinity with Satan, counterfeiting the Father; the Antichrist, the Son; and the false prophet, the Holy Spirit,” the ‘Prophecy Pros’ co-host Kinley says.
“He’s going to be an actual man. We know that there are over 100 passages of Scripture that talk about [the] Antichrist. And most people don’t realize that.”
The equipping of the saints with the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit to discern the truth is a must during these dark spiritual times. In addition, believers need to be steadfast in their faith and not compromise biblical beliefs and principles so that they may withstand the withering spiritual assault during those times.
Kinley says, “If God talks about him that much, certainly we should too,” adding, “we obviously should know about him, because John told us in First John chapters two and four that the spirit of the Antichrist is already here.”
Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior, who overcame sin and death, and Christians should never compromise faith in Him for anyone or anything. Jesus tells H
is followers that the end times will be marked by wars, disasters and false prophets in Matthew 24.
Author and pastor Michael Youssef previously discussed the recent changes in the post-pandemic world with the Christian Post, and shared how quickly authoritarian leaders can rise to power, even in the West: “As authoritarian regimes are rising even in Western democracies, you see this is Satan’s way of preparing the world for the Antichrist,” Youssef says.
“We need to train people how to be faithful in the midst of difficulties…. Here in America, this is new to us. As much as we should resist it … we should also be prepared as the onslaught comes; how are we going to stand?” 
To read more about the end times, view Michael Youssef’s newest book “End Times” here.
James Lasher is Staff Writer for Charisma Media.
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