In a recent episode of The Tom Hughes Report, pastor and prophecy teacher Tom Hughes issued a sobering but hope-filled warning to Christians: the spirit of the Antichrist is not only coming—it’s already here. Drawing from Scripture and current world events, Hughes outlined three urgent truths believers must grasp in order to discern the times and remain spiritually grounded.
“This is how they’ll deceive the world,” Hughes warned, as he delved into the Antichrist’s future role and the deception already shaping minds and hearts across the globe.
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1. The Rise of the Antichrist Is Closer Than We Think
Hughes emphasized that the idea of the Antichrist is not some obscure theological footnote, but a well-known concept from the early church onward. “1 John 2:18 says, ‘Little children, it is the last hour. And as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many Antichrists have come.’”
He stressed that the Antichrist is not a mythological figure or merely symbolic. “The beast is not just a symbol, but a flesh and blood human male,” Hughes said, referencing Revelation 13. “The Bible depicts him as a head of government who becomes the totalitarian leader of the world.”
2. The Spirit of the Antichrist Is Already Active
Hughes pointed to current social and spiritual decay as evidence that the Antichrist’s influence is already here. “1 John chapter 4 beginning verse 3 says every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God and is the spirit of Antichrist which you have heard was coming and now already is in the world.”
He cited examples of false religiosity in the political sphere, noting, “I heard a famous conservative leader recently explain that he is a Christian because… he believes in the golden rule even though he explicitly denies the resurrection of Jesus.” Hughes continued, “Agreeing with me on politics does not make you a Christian.”
This spirit, he warned, is not just philosophical—it’s influencing policy, education and even religious institutions. “That’s why university students across much of the world are marching in favor of baby butchering rapists,” he said soberly.
3. The Rapture Is Imminent, and It Changes Everything
The third point Hughes drove home was both alarming and comforting: the rapture of the church could occur at any moment. “The rapture is imminent and it changes everything,” he said. “An imminent rapture does not mean it will happen in the next few minutes. Instead, it means that it could happen in the next few minutes, in the next few seconds, in the next milliseconds.”
Quoting 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, Hughes reminded believers: “The Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout… and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.”
Referencing Luke 12:35, Hughes urged his audience to remain watchful. “‘Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning, and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master… Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching.’”
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Despite the grim realities of deception, lawlessness and spiritual confusion, Hughes ended with a call to courage and faith. “The chaos we see around us is not random. It’s not meaningless. It’s not out of control,” he said. “Our future is bright because Jesus is coming.”
For those longing for clarity in chaotic times, Hughes’ message is a rallying cry: stay alert, stay grounded and hold on to the promises of Christ. “Occupy until he comes,” Hughes encouraged.
James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.
