The Antichrist spirit entered Adam and Eve when they chose to obey Satan rather than God. This first act of self-will has brought untold agony on the human race. All sin proceeds from Satan, and all of Satan's sins have proceeded from the day he determined to put himself above God. This is Antichrist.

Achan disobeyed the clear commandment given by the Lord through Joshua. The result was, and always shall be, defeat in the war against the enemy.

Saul was anointed as king of Israel. But Saul's heart was never right. He was filled with self-will.

Korah, Dathan, and Abiram set their wills against Moses and Aaron.

Absalom sought help from the Israelites while David was busy doing God's work. The stupidity of it all! What did Absalom think he would do when he became king over God's people without the blessing of God? So it is that all self-willed people end up lying, deceiving, and doing stupid things.

One thing about Antichrist: he is crafty but not wise; cunning but not intelligent. He always ends up shooting himself in the foot, as the saying goes.

The same is true of Satan. He redeemed the world by crucifying Christ on the cross. He brought the power of Christ into Paul's life by jabbing him with a thorn in the flesh.

Our self-will, the Antichrist spirit, opens up a door in our personality through which Satan may enter, just as in the case of Adam and Eve, Saul, Achan, Absalom, and others who do not follow the Lord closely.

I have noticed that when someone is really seeking God, waiting on Him, bearing the reproach that always falls on anyone who turns aside from the works of the flesh and seeks God with a whole heart, Satan will enter self-willed people and use them to slander the Lord's faithful servant.

Whenever you hear a believer gossiping about or slandering a fellow Christian you know you are listening to a self-willed person. The Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ never gossips about or slanders a Christian or anyone else. But gossip and slander are an assembly-wrecking manifestation of the Antichrist spirit.

It is a new day, isn't it? Did you ever think you would see the time when we no longer were sitting quietly listening to a trained choir, and then an introduction, three points, some anecdotes, and a conclusion, followed by a closing hymn?

I never did. But now we begin the service by projecting Psalms 150 on the overhead screen. Then we do just what the psalm says. As the people come in many of them proceed to the front and we have a grand time praising God at the top of our lungs.

To be continued.