How does the antichrist gain power?
John speaks of >
"the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard is coming, and is now already in the world." (in 1 John 4:3)
So, already the spirit of Antichrist is in this world. How will Antichrist come into power, then? I would say by means of Satan's evil spirit >
"the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience." (in Ephesians 2:2)
So, this evil spirit actually "works" in people to get people to disobey God. There is Satanic thinking and wrong feelings and evil emotions and ways of reacting which work a person to disobey God. Lusts for pleasure work very hard.
But Jesus gives us "rest for your souls" (in Matthew 11:29). But the Antichrist spirit works in many ways to keep a person from obeying Jesus in His peace.
One way to keep people weak and away from Jesus is to keep our attention busy with what is happening in this evil world's kingdom . . . instead of staying attentive to obeying our Father in His own peace, as every child of God is expected to do >
"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful." (Colossians 3:15)
Complaining and arguing work very hard to keep people from being "thankful". And they are degraded and made weak by their arguing and complaining, so they stay weak so Satan can keep on controling them in various ways.
Satan is called >
"You who weakened the nations!" (in Isaiah 14:12)
You can see how so many are busy and weak in their keeping track of knowing all the good and evil of this world. And they are arguing. And ones are now complaining about how their bodies are not looking attractive like they want, or their bodies are not the gender they dictate they should have.
Their arguing and complaining started with other things, but sins add up to break people down to more and more trouble. There can be a little complaining in a marriage, instead of loving the way Jesus has us loving. And then someone not in God's love can be degraded to adultery and other trouble. Little things add up in their spiritual effect.
Adultery, divorce, abortion, and false sexuality are end-products, then, of not being thankful, of complaining, of attention being in the wrong place.
Satan has his conspiracy to keep people's attention tangled up with conspiracies, worrying about having control for what they want. But Jesus is already Lord in control of all - - - for all which God is committed to doing > Romans 8:29, Colossians 1:28-29 < which is not the focus of worldly people and their attention!!
And the best way of being ruled by Jesus is by staying submissive to God in the ruling of His peace in our hearts > and >
"casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7)
So, I would say that the Antichrist is getting into power by keeping people's attention away from being thankful and from obeying God in His peace. And their arguing keeps people from sharing as God's family. Their arguing and complaining helps to isolate them from one another in weakness so they can give in to more and more Satanic stuff (2 Timothy 3:13).
But if we trust God and obey how Philippians 4:6 says to pray, then >
"the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:7)
And in this peace of God rulimg our minds we have our Father guiding our attention and our trusting reliably. And our focus is with God, and therefore ministering for us to be perfected in Jesus (Colossians 1:28-29) and His character (Romans 8:29) with His way of loving (Ephesians 5:2).
But worldly people are busy with their own controling, and how they are knowing so they can curse people with their suspicion, instead of blessing and being strong in love. And so the Antichrist already has power over such people!
