1 John 2.18-27 Antidote against the antichrist

I know that there is a lot of debate when it comes to vaccines these days.

Antivacers is a new term given to parents who refuse to get their children vaccinated because they worry about the side of effects of vaccines. Well it is not the point today to argue weather you should vainate your children or not, my point is that vaccines have made an impact on the world. There was a day when words like polio and measeles made families fearful for their children’s lives. Today people argue about COVID vaccines and chickenpox vaccines. But it is undeniable that vaccines have made a difference in our world. I don’t hear people worrying about their children having polio or measeles they are virtually unheard of with vaccines being responsible for millions of lives saved every single year. It’s a big deal. I wouldn’t want to live in a world without vaccines.

To recap.

1 John warns the believer of the antichrist.

1 John 2:18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.

One day one of children got into the nail polish remover and used it on her earrings. My wife was livid. They got up into the cabinet probably had to stand on a chair and got into that toxic substance. My wife has warned them many times STAY AWAY FROM CHEMICALS. It is like one of her worst fears. So I stepped in to be a dad and took them all around the house into the cabinets and made them read warning labels on all the chemical products. Especially those that said warning Keep away from children. And my wife does her best to keep things away from children. But it gets harder the taller they get to protect them from everything.

The devil wants to use the spirit of antichritst to steal your joy

He will use deception, temptation, mockery, and wealth to steal your joy and from time to time he will succeed. He is very good at doing that so God uses 1 John to give us 3 antidotes. I know that is different than a vaccine but anyways stick with against the poison of the antichrist.

Do you remember what they are from last week?

1 The Holy Spirit

1 John 2:20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.

Your first antidote when the antichrist comes to deceive you. To steal your joy to lead you astray is the Holy Spirit. It is He who will guide you and teach what is right and good in this world. You can not sell Him short. I can not talk about Him enough. He will carry you through this life. He so important to this Christian journey that some of the Bible’s strongest warnings are about the Holy Spirit. The Bible says don’t grieve the Holy Spirit Don’t blaspheme the Holy Spirit. I worry because I think that the Baptist Church is too afraid of being labeled as pentecostal that we get afraid to touch one of our greatest tools the Holy Spirit. I know that I am guilty of it. It would be like getting bitten by a cobra and someone has antivenom and you go AAAHHH I’m dying someone brings you the cure and you go oh no, I’m not taking that I might look funny after taking it. The possible side effects of that is to walk with a limp. The doctor is yelling if you don’t take that you’ll be DEAD!!!!!

The Holy Spirit is a great defense against the devil.

Isaiah 59:19 So shall they fear The name of the Lord from the west, And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.

God is s great line of defense against the devil. Kids today have never had the chicken pox. I can’t believe that. I remember getting the chicken pox and it being a pain in the well everywhere. But all my students in school have never had the privilege of enjoying a week of the chicken pox. We give them immunizations when they are children. To have a line of defense against chicken pox. Today you need to put up a line of defense against the antichrist. The Holy Spirit is that line of defense. People have told me that I need to tell people how to vote, how to eat, how to raise their children, how to be good spouses. I think I do that in the context of the scripture. But I will never give you as good of advice as this. PRAY about it. Ask the Holy Spirit for advice. Me beating on a pulpit isn’t good. Me telling you to consult the Holy Spirit. That is wise advice.

The Spirit will protect you from the antichrist’s temptation.

Galatians 5:16–17 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.

One of the Antichrist’s tools is the temptation of the flesh that is evident from this passage to walk in the spit is to overcome that.

2 The Truth

1 John 2:21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

We all know the verse you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. Today one of my peeves is people consulting doctor google and not listening to their own doctor. Apparently two minutes of research today in some people’s minds is better than years of intense academic study and experience. I don’t get it. Well the same thing is true when it comes to the lies of the devil. If you go searching for spiritual truth and the internet is your source of truth I almost guarantee you will find deception. BE CAREFUL in listening to my words. Is there good on the internet? YES! I believe that there is, but you have to be careful about what you listen to. The greatest source of truth is the BIBLE. You need to spend time in the book. If you spend 100 hours on the internet each week and twenty minutes in the Scriptures. That’s dangerous. Make sure you are in the word. That is where you will find the truth.

The Bible is your prescription for the truth.

John 17:17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

The Word of God will make you immune to the lies of the devil.

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

You want to fight the lies and deception of the enemy you will need the word of God.

The Bible has stood up to tests and trials and is a proven antidote.

Psalm 119:160 The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.

The Bible has been scrutinized for ages. People have disected it run field tests on it with control groups and seen the results. This book works. If you don’t believe me just ask a Gideon for testimonials. The hundreds of times when someone has been ready to end it all. They open the door to grab the shot gun and their is a copy of the Gideon new Testament given to them 5 years ago covered in dirt lying right there. The times when people the only thing that they could cling to is the words of life. When I have been sitting next to a saint of God ready to leave this world I pull out the scripture and start reading and a smile comes over their face. OH Baby I ‘m getting goose bumbs.

The Holy Spirit and the Truth combine to form a potent antidote to the venom of the devil.

1 John 2:27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

3 Eternal Security

1 John 2:24–25 Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life.

You want to know what you can fight the llies of the antichrist with. Eternal Security. I know someone who was scared to get a credit card because they thought it was the mark of the beast. Don’t laugh! You have probably done crazier things in your life. But I don’t worry about losing my salvation to some trap of the devil. I am saved. Jesus has me safely tucked into the palm of his hand and I am safe in the arms of Jesus. I am not greater than the antichrist, but the blood of Jesus Christ is. I don’t have the power to over the lies of the devil. But the blood of Jesus Christ paid for my sins.

I will be honest with you I took the COVID 19 vaccination. I think it was a wise choice, but it could have been a mistake. Maybe I didn’t need it, maybe I will pay for it down the road. I will find out one day. I have a little bit of convidence in that decision. That’s ok BECAUSE ALL my confidence is in the vaccine of my salvation. My name is sealed in the book by the blood of the lamb. I have an antidote from death for ever a transfusion by the blood of Jesus which covers all my sins.

Believers have a double dose of security in Christ.

John 10:28–29 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.

Last week I read from John 10 about the thief who is come to steal kill and destroy. That is the devil and he will use everything in his arsenal to bring you down, but he can’t if you know Jesus. If you know Jesus you are safe in the arms of Jesus and you are further more squarely and securely in the hand of the Father. Nothing the devil can do will get you out. There is no vaccine that can just cure you and innoculate you against everything. Wouldn’t that be great, one shot boom, done, disease can’t touch you. Man has huborous they always have. It is said in Scientific articles that possibly the first immortal human has been born. The rapid acceleration of AI will lead to a cure for everything. I don’t think so. The Bible says it is appointed unto man once to die. I believe that. But the real answer to our sin and death problem is Jesus and the eternal security that we have in him. Believe in Jesus and you will be saved.

Nothing will overcome Christ’s antidote, it covers every poison of the antichrist.

Romans 8:38–39 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

What can take away your salvation, NOTHING! I don’t worry today about losing my salvation. I don’t worry about anything taking it away. I have been touched by Christ the lies of the devil won’t touch me, because I have the Holy Spirit, the book, and the hope of heaven. Do you see that verse the principaltities and powers, that’s the devil and his deceptive cronies and do you know what we call them, the seed of the serpent, the antichrist. NOTHING NOT EVEN them can seperate us from the love of Jesus.

Eternal Security protects you from the antichrist, forever.

Ephesians 1:13–14 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

Do you see in this verse all three antidotes to the antichrist 1 The Word of Truth, The Holy Spirit and the guarantee of our inheritance. Do you know what a guarantee isn’t. It’s not a guy on TV saying I guarantee the Giants are going to win today’s football game, bet on it. He isn’t going to back up his guarantee. It’s not the weather man saying, I guarantee you it won’t rain next Tuesday. It isn’t even really the appliance store saying I guarantee this refrigerator will last ten years, even though they may back that up with action, it is the promise that Jesus gave in His life. Read Matthew!!! Jesus repeatedly said wicked men will crucify me and in three days I will rise again. And guess what happened? 3 days later, UP FROM THE GRAVE HE AROSE. Because He lives I can face tomorrow, because He lives all fear is gone, BECAUSE HE LIVES I know the antichrist and His deception are done for! End of story!

Salvation guarantees the Christian eternal life.

1 Peter 1:3–5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

There is a great disease in this world. It is worse than COVID POLO MEASELES Posion and even the chicken pox. SIN is 100% eternally fatal. There is only one cure. Jesus is the cure and once you have one injection of His salvation you are guaranteed eternal life. You need no booster. There is no second shot, It is no longer and annual shot. The blood of Jesus Christ covers all you sin. Isn’t it interesting. Disease is carried in the blood and it is by the sinless spotless blood of Jesus immune to the sin disease that we find out antidote to sin. If you aren’t sure, BE SURE! KNOW today that you are save that you sins are forgiven that you are saved.