How will Antichrist overcome the saints and remove them as obstacles in his road to control of the world? One means is violent persecution, driving the saints from the cities of the world.

Speaking of the many tribulations and distresses the saints suffer in the world, Paul states:

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. (Romans 8:37)

Another means is deception. We know from the Scriptures that it is impossible for Satan to harm the saint who keeps his eyes fastened on Christ. Therefore in order to overcome us Satan must deceive us and gain our cooperation in our own destruction. This is what the Scriptures warn he will do.

And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. (II Thessalonians 2:10)

Antichrist cannot deceive us if we cleave unrelentingly to the truth. The battle rages around "the love of the truth." Believers in Jesus can be deceived and overcome if they do not remain in the truth of God.

There are at least four great contemporary lies that have overcome multitudes of the saints by removing them from the truth. These four errors have nearly wiped out the power of the saints in our own day. Numerous saints have been overcome already. Antichrist is near to being revealed in his fullness. In some nations the Christian people have been conquered; and were it not for the current gracious outpouring of God's Spirit in the "latter rain," the worldwide revival and testimony that even now is upon us, the end would be here.

God will purify to Himself a remnant in the last days, performing this act quickly in His sovereign wisdom and power, or else the Son of Man would find no faith whatever when He returns to earth.

The four great contemporary lies that have rendered the Christian churches virtually helpless in spiritual warfare are as follows:

The belief that God's grace in Christ is an alternative to godly living.

The idea that God will not judge Christians.

The concept that the purpose of the resurrection and ascension of the saints is that they may not be exposed to persecution and suffering in the world.

The current emphasis on the use of "faith" to acquire material gain.

The first lie to weaken the Christian churches is the belief that God's grace in Christ is an alternative to godly living, an alternative that makes the believer acceptable to God and brings him into fellowship with God even though he continues to be unrighteous, unholy, and disobedient in behavior.

As part of this error, the Gospel is being preached apart from repentance. People are told that being born again means only that they have expressed an acceptance of the blood atonement made by Christ.

A careful study of the Book of Acts will reveal that the Apostles did not preach that salvation comes through an acceptance of the atonement apart from repentance. John the Baptist, Jesus, and the Apostles preached that people must turn away from their sins in order to be saved.

To be continued.