Studies in First John - Message Five
The Anointing 1 John 2:18-29

In this passage of Scripture the Apostle John introduces the theme of the antichrist and the Anointing and he uses these two subjects as a test of contrast between truth and error, between what is genuine and what is counterfeit.

The spirit of antichrist - denies that Jesus is the Christ (His deity) and denies that Jesus came in the flesh (His humanity). Jesus, being fully man, was qualified to represent us; and being fully God, was qualified to rescue us.

The Spirit of God, who is the Anointing - is real, speaks the truth, teaches the truth, acknowledges that Jesus is the Christ, the Anointed One and that He came in the flesh.

Jesus said by their fruit you shall know them.

If you find yourself - straying from what you were originally taught, denying the Father, questioning whether Jesus is really the Christ or whether He came in the flesh, becoming remote and detached from the Body of Christ - then you are being influenced, drawn away by a spirit of antichrist.

If you find yourself remaining true to what you were taught in the beginning, acknowledging that Jesus is the Christ and that He came in the flesh, remaining and continuing in Him, acknowledging Father and Son, then you are under the influence of the Anointing, the Holy Spirit, and you will inherit eternal life.

Antichrist
We need to mention some basic truths about antichrist because much rubbish is spoken and taught on this subject these days. Many Christians are fearful of a future date when they presume that some kind of mad global dictator, whom they refer to as "The Antichrist", will rule the earth and try to get the world to worship him as god. Many Christians have been fearful of 666, credit cards, bar codes, microchips in your hand and forehead etc.
This type of teaching says that the church is more like Dunkirk - waiting on the beaches of the world for Jesus to come and rescue them before the antichrist comes and destroys them. My friends I believe the church should not be compared to Dunkirk, but to D-Day - we're the ones who have landed on the beaches of the world in the name of Jesus, we're the ones on a rescue mission, we're the ones taking dominion and authority for Christ and His Kingdom.
We're heading for glory not gloom, we're in training for reigning, not beating the retreat.
My friends - the next world ruler will not be antichrist, but Jesus Christ. He is coming and His Kingdom is coming. His rule and authority are being re-established throughout the earth through us, Praise the Lord. We're not cowering on the shores waiting to be lifted to safety - we standing on the land taking ground for Jesus, changing our world for Him and by His power.
I normally take about 16 lectures to teach what the Bible says about this whole subject, so we can't cover it in this message. But I do want to make three observations before we move on to talk about the Anointing.

1. The name "antichrist" can mean against Christ, but more likely "in place of". I.E. Antichrist is the great pretender. Spirit of antichrist is trying to grab our affections, sidetrack us imitating Jesus, pretending to be Him.
2. The name "antichrist" is used only in John's epistles, nowhere else in the NT. Many people talk of "antichrist" as a single person, a future ruler. But the title is only used here, and in fact John speaks of "many antichrists" and the "spirit of antichrist". Indeed in 1 John 4:3 the apostle said the spirit of antichrist (denying Jesus) was already in the world. So you can't say that "THE antichrist" is yet to come - because the only place the name is used is here, and it speaks of many, and of a spirit, and that the spirit is already among us.
3. John says in this passage that these antichrists actually arise from the church! Shocking but true - they are false teachers, who get distracted from the truth and detached from the church, and eventually make great boasts for themselves. V.26 in The Living Bible says they are ones who would dearly like to blindfold you and lead you astray.

My friends, the antichrist spirit is at work in the world already and through subtle deception, appearing to be good and right, is attempting to sidetrack you, derail you, nullify you, render you ineffective through distraction.

BUT YOU HAVE AN ANOINTING!
Jesus said He would not leave us comfortless (helpless, aid-less) He said in John chapters 14 to 16 that He would come to us. He was speaking of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the Anointing that abides - sent by the Father and the Son to teach us and lead us into all truth. To illuminate us, guide us, empower us, and equip us.
AND HE ABIDES! Paul told the Ephesians in 1:13 that He, the Holy Spirit, is the seal of God upon our hearts, the deposit paid by the Father guaranteeing that we are His, paid for, and that He will come for us.

The Anointing

Two things God wants you to know about the Anointing

1. The Anointing will teach you the truth
When you truly have the Holy Spirit in your life - you will know the truth, you will simply know, that you know, that you know. It's amazing how you can meet a Spirit-filled Christian from half way round the world and feel like you've known them all your life. You can walk into a Spirit-filled church you've never been to before and yet feel like you're at home. Have you ever been talking to someone who says they're a Christian like you but yet there is a nagging "alarm" in your spirit, a witness that something is not right? That's the Anointing, the Holy Spirit Himself teaching you what is right and what is wrong.

2. The Anointing will set you free
The Anointing breaks the yoke of bondage enabling you to walk in God's purpose for your life.
Bible says it is the anointing that breaks the yoke (Is 10:27). There is a yoke of slavery upon the unbeliever or unregenerate person that burdens them with fruitless effort, like using a sledgehammer to crack a peanut. The person without the Spirit labours in their own strength trying to do the things of God but finding it a hard uphill slog.

But the anointing changes everything - it breaks the yoke of trying to accomplish things in your own strength. Jesus said take my yoke and learn of me for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
When you take upon yourself the yoke of Jesus - in other words you begin to simply obey what God has said, seeking to do God's will God's way - then you find yourself yoked to God, in harness with God and His strength turbo boosts anything you are doing. It's like riding back seat on a tandem with Jesus on the front!
This is the anointing - to take His yoke, to follow in step with Him, to simply obey in areas of forgiveness, finances, worship, witness etc. To go God's way is so much easier.

The young boy with the five barley loaves and two small fish. If anyone else had tried to feed 20,000 people with that amount it would have been a farce, a flop, a failure, a hard uphill struggle. But when he took upon himself the yoke of Jesus and offered what he had in simple obedience, the anointing kicked in.

Bezaleel and Aholiab (Ex 30) could have done many jobs on the Tabernacle. They could have painted, sawn, dug, hammered whatever! But it would have been difficult. But when they did what God anointed them to do, the anointing kicked in, and even though it wasn't their natural strength, because it was with the glory and power of God. The result was fabulous.

Uzziah (2 Chron 26:5, 15-16) was only 16 years old when he came to the throne. He had no strength of his own and he was forced to seek God and seek His ways. That was the best predicament he could have been in. For then the anointing kicked in - you see he sought to do God's will God's way, he was obedient to the heavenly vision, he pressed into God's plan and purpose for his life, and when he did, the anointing kicked in. He was marvelously helped in everything from government and commerce to industry and agriculture. His great mistake was to forget that it was the anointing that had accomplished it. He began to take unto himself something God had not called him to do and it proved disastrous.

My friends you have an anointing. It is the Holy Spirit. There is no limit to what God can and will accomplish in you and through you. His plan is for you to walk in his favour, to walk in his blessings. When you obey the Spirit, when you yoke yourself to Jesus in simple humble obedience, you will find the anointing kicks in. You will discover God's plan and purpose for your life and it is glorious.

When it came to music, I was so useless that when I was young my Dad mocked me and laughed when I tried to sing Happy Birthday. Years later a Christian guitar teacher begged me to quit after about 12 lessons, pronouncing that I was tone deaf, devoid of rythm and would never ever be able to play that instrument. But just a year later, God spoke to me through prophecy and said "Don't worry, if you respond in faith, I'll teach you how to play the guitar". When I responded in faith, and got in line with God's purpose for my life it was marvelous. Within 5 weeks I was playing in the church and not too long after I was the only musician in our church plant for three years. After 22 years of playing the guitar you'd think I would be better by now. I'm still pretty useless actually - I get embarrassed when I go to a guitar shop to try out a new guitar. I hear the other shoppers trying out a guitar and I'm so embarrassed I walk away. But I know I have an anointing for worship. After 22 years I still can't play secular songs. But give me a guitar and a worship song and I'm away. The anointing breaks the yoke. The anointing breaks the yoke of inability, shyness, etc.

The Gospel Centre has an incredible anointing to touch the heart of this local community. I've visited many churches around the country and I tell you there are few places that I visit where the anointing is as strong as it is here in this place. The power of God is present here to heal families, to set people free, to make disciples. When we push into that anointing we'll find the yoke of hard slog will be broken, the yoke of struggle and frustration will be smashed when we step into the anointing, in to line with God's purposes for us.

John's whole point is that we have an anointing that abides. The Holy Spirit indwells us. We can rely upon Him, trust Him. When we rely upon the abiding anointing not only can we achieve and accomplish above our station, punch above our physical weight, but we also know right from wrong, we know when we're on track, when we're hitting it sweet. We can rely upon Him to help us not be distracted, deceived, sidetracked etc. We'll know false teaching and counterfeit spirit when we meet it - because of the anointing that abides. We are a people in whom dwells the living God.