For the last 2,000 years, people have been anxiously trying to analyze who the Antichrist might be and when he might be revealed.

Many people have made preposterous claims, and of course, they have been wrong. If you’re not careful, you can get caught up in the debate and spend so much time arguing with other Christians over the details that you don’t accomplish anything for the kingdom!

To make matters worse, we now live in an era when, for the first time, we have the possibility of an artificial intelligence Antichrist, a human computer hybrid that will demand to be worshipped.

Have you ever wondered if it’s OK to have Alexa, Siri, and other forms of artificial intelligence in your home?

We know that the Bible says great deception is coming, so what is a concerned believer to do?

Author and minister Mark Biltz wants you to understand the methods of the Antichrist so you won’t be deceived.

Do you want to know the answers to questions like these?

• What does the Bible say about the Antichrist, his tactics, and his motivation?
• Will we know where he has left his fingerprints?
• What do Muslims, Jews, and Christians believe about the end times-are their similarities?
• Will the Antichrist work through modern technology to take over?
• Is it OK to have Alexa, Siri, and other forms of AI in your home?

Mark Biltz wants to help you know the big picture of what has happened historically, what is unfolding in front of your eyes at this very moment, and what the future holds concerning the Antichrist and the end times based on the purposes of God.

Related Articles With Mark Biltz:

“Could the Antichrist Be Artificial Intelligence Instead of a Real Person?”

“Mark Biltz: 4 Ways Antichrist Will Deceive Just as Solomon Did”

“The ‘Purim Parallel’ to Today’s Lawlessness, Antichrist”

VIDEO: “End-Times ‘Detective’ Breaks Down Clues and Says Antichrist’s True Identity is a Human Cyborg”

“Mark Biltz: Pope Francis, Political Climate, Scary New Tech Creating ‘Trifecta’ for Antichrist System”

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Matt and Daisy Mazzoncini, Spirit-filled Christians living in Kenya, are pleading with the faith community to lift their family up in prayer.

The couple are legal guardians to a 3-year-old, Kiano, who was taken from their home on April 5.

“We are Christians; our faith is important to us,” Daisy Mazzoncini tells Charisma News in a podcast interview. “We believe in the power of prayer. We’ve just been so grateful for all the people that are praying for us and especially for Kiano, because obviously we’re sitting here, my husband supporting me. But we don’t know where he is, and he doesn’t know what’s going on. We’re just trusting God that he is somehow just shielded and comforted.”

For more details on the abduction, listen to the podcast below.

Kiano has epilepsy, and the Mazzoncinis are asking people to pray for a welfare check to ensure that wherever their son is, people are giving him his medicine.

“Nobody’s telling us where he is,” Daisy Mazzoncini says. “One of the things that’s particularly concerning, obviously, is that Kiano has epilepsy. He takes medicine three times a day. We don’t know if he’s getting that medicine. We don’t know if it’s being administered correctly. He’s been on that medicine since last September 2018, where he ended up having seizures on and off for six hours. He ended up being rushed to the children’s ICU. He had to be induced into a medical coma because the seizures were so bad they shut down his brain. He’s had a lot of medical problems on and off throughout his life since he was an abandoned baby. It’s very hard.”

The couple knows prayer is the only answer right now.

“We also know that there’s a big faith community in Kenya,” Matt Mazzoncini says. “So many Kenyans have reached out and supported us and are encouraging us on social media. It’s been incredible. There are some really incredible people that work in the children’s space as well that have come out in support of us. I think you’ve probably seen some of those people in the videos that are posted online.

“One thing that I would ask of the faith community is to is to speak out about this situation to encourage the people in Kenya in the faith community, as well as the leaders in Kenya, to really look into this issue and make sure that Kiano is brought home. We are his court-appointed legal guardians. We are working through a court process to try to get him produced and brought home. But in the meantime, it is really effective and really important that people speak up and speak out and ask and encourage the faith community and friends in Kenya to act and take action for Kiano.”

What’s the next legal step? How can you make a difference? Click the link and listen to the podcast to hear their heartbreaking interview.

Throughout the Old Testament, we see that whenever God’s people needed a supernatural intervention or returned to God after having walked away from Him, they fasted.

Even the nation of Nineveh, in the book of Jonah, fasted—including the animals—when they repented before God.

Fasting was a spiritual cleansing of sorts, which is interesting considering the fact that research shows that fasting, even intermittently, cleanses the body and helps our organs repair and renew.

Could it be that God designed this physical process to mirror a spiritual process as well?

I believe so, because we often see, in many ways, how God has chosen to use this physical realm to mirror the spiritual realm.

In the New Testament, we see Jesus takes it for granted that fasting is a normal part of the Christian walk. He said in Matthew 6:16a, “Moreover, when you fast …”

He did not say, “Moreover, if you fast …”

Fasting is as much of a Christian discipline as reading the Bible and prayer. It is a powerful weapon that, if left out of our arsenal, leaves us only partially armed for warfare.

But there is another powerful reason Christians should regularly engage in the discipline of Christian fasting.

The Power of Christian Fasting

Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast him out?”

Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief. For truly I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. And nothing will be impossible for you. But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting” (Matt. 17:19-21).

There is a certain phenomenon that takes occurs supernaturally when we choose to ignore our physical hunger in order to feed an even greater spiritual hunger to see God’s hand move in ways we can’t imagine.

To be sure, fasting in and of itself has no power.

It is God who has the power.

But God has divinely chosen to partner with us in this way when we choose to deny our body a physical craving in order to seek His face in an even greater measure.

And when we do, God chooses to work through us in an even greater measure.

There is something about denying our flesh in this specific way that enables us to hear His voice with greater clarity and pray prayers of faith with greater authority.

How to Begin Fasting

1. Start small.

For people like me, who tend to want to go from zero to 60 in one leap, the tendency would be to commit today to a week-long fast.

Don’t do that.

Not only is the expectation too great, but it will likely discourage you from wanting to try fasting again in the future.

Set a reasonable goal for yourself and slowly increase your fasting time over a period of months until you are able to do an extended fast.

More on types of fasts below.

2. Be wise.

While short fasts, or intermittent fasts, are generally healthy for most people (because most people intermittently fast without even knowing they do it), longer fasts should be preceded with a medical checkup to make sure that your body is able to handle a longer or extended fast.

Also, if you are on certain kinds of medications, longer and extended fasts may not be possible.

Types of Fasts

Intermittent fasts

Intermittent fasting is something that has grown in popularity in recent years as a health regimen. I always say, God knew what our body needed all along to function healthily.

An intermittent fast is a short-term fast that can last anywhere from 12-24 hours.

It can be as simple as skipping dinner and eating breakfast the next day or eating only one meal a day.

This is the best kind of fast to begin with while slowly extend your fasting window.

Long-term fasts

A long-term fast is a fast that lasts between 24 hours and three days.

Typically, day 2 is the hardest day in a long-term fast, and this fast can be easily done as a water-only fast. During a long-term fast, you may consider taking a bit of pink Himalayan sea salt under your tongue for electrolyte balance.

Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series about finding God’s will. Watch for other posts coming soon!

Most of us want to know God’s will for our lives; it’s part of the Christian walk. But many popular myths surround it: Can we really know it? Is it too hard? Is it prideful to dream big? Must I always deny myself?

In this three-part series, we’ll examine popular myths about God’s will and how to debunk them. Here’s the first one to consider.

If You Want It, It Can’t Be God

This is a popular one. Sure, Jesus told us to deny ourselves and follow Him, but this doesn’t mean we’ll never do anything that we naturally like. In fact, Scripture talks about God knitting us together in our mother’s womb, setting us apart from before birth for specific roles and saving us in Christ for good works prepared in advance for us to do (Ps. 139:13–16, Jer. 1:5, Eph. 2:10).

You are made for a purpose. If you like to sing, maybe you are made to be a worship leader. Perhaps you like numbers and feel a calling to business, accounting or engineering. Or if meeting new people is your thing, you might consider sales or evangelism—or even both! God gave you those gifts to be used for His glory. It would be sin to hide them or deny their use, unless God gives you specific instructions not to use them, or your immediate season or surroundings prevent it.

Fearing Pride

Some Christians fear pride so much that they fall into false humility. It’s heard in phrases like this: “I really want to be a figure skater/business person/politician/or something else, but that would be prideful, so I’ll deny myself and become a foreign missionary or pastor because surely that’s what God wants.” When we assume our giftings and desires don’t matter and can’t be from God, we might be falling into false humility.

History tells a different story. Both Joseph and Daniel had high positions in secular governments, and yet they honored the Lord with their influence. And many Christians have glorified God through their anointing for business, sports or the arts, drawing attention to Him. We’re each called to use our gifts to bring people to God, not run or hide from what He’s given us (Matt. 5:16).

David’s Example

King David had many gifts: he was a worshipper, a warrior, a king, and a priest. He loved to write and sing songs to the Lord. God eventually had many of those songs recorded in Scripture, in the book of Psalms, and we still use them today. Instead of hiding his gift or thinking it couldn’t be from God because he enjoyed it, David sang boldly, drawing millions of people closer to God.

Yes, there’s a bad extreme where we only do the things we want and never ask God or try to achieve greatness in our own strength (which leads to pride), but the Lord is after partnership. With His hand in yours, and you following Him, He can raise you up as high (or as low) as He wants, shaping nations or succeeding in business or the arts to glorify Jesus and expand the kingdom.

Don’t discount your dreams, talents and giftings! Submit them to God and ask His help to walk in partnership with Him. As you “Delight yourself in the Lord … He will give you the desires of your heart” (Ps. 37:4).

Where do you need help in knowing God’s will? {eoa}

A Detroit native who was raised in Vermont and Connecticut, Adam Wittenberg worked as a newspaper journalist until 2012, when he moved to Kansas City to complete the Intro to IHOPKC internship. Afterwards, he earned a four-year certificate in House of Prayer Leadership from IHOPU and is now on full-time staff in the Marketing department at IHOPKC. Adam is also active in evangelism and has a vision to reach people everywhere with the Good News of Jesus Christ.

This article originally appeared at ihopkc.org.

Witches are infiltrating the church right now at a level Christians have never seen before, says Andy Sanders.

In an interview with Charisma News, Sanders—an author and prophetic voice—says this is because the devil has lost some ground in the church and U.S. government.

“I had several dreams and times when God came to me, saying, ‘You need to start preparing and warning the body of Christ that witches are on the loose,” he says. “‘They’re no longer sleeping and just camping out anymore.'”

He recalls an instance when a witch infiltrated a church he was pastoring. One of the members was put on staff against the previous pastor’s will. Over the years, that person grew more and more rebellious.

“One day when I was alone with this person talking to them, they actually manifested a demon,” Sanders says. “And this person had been on my church staff for a long time. This person manifested a demon right in my office.”

Rebellion, Sanders says, is one marker of witchcraft. Listen to the interview to learn other telltale signs that a witch is trying to cause strife in your church.

Ryan LeStrange shared the prophetic word “Survive the counterattack” in this week’s installment of his weekly “Monday Word” video series.

LeStrange says, “If you are a prophetic person—if you are one that sees and knows and hears and senses—many times you are going to have a counterattack, but it’s critical you recognize what it is.”

Watch the video to hear LeStrange explain more, including why prophetic people should not personalize the warfare.

Rev. Pablo Diaz says his life mission is to help people maximize their personal and leadership potential. All it takes is a little bit of faith.

The vice president of ministries for Guideposts’ Outreach Division, Diaz says he learned well as part of the John Maxwell team that faith empowers believers with strength to face life’s challenges and to maximize the opportunities that are set before them each day.

“Faith is inner strength that we have, that sense of confidence and hope that because God is with us and God has given us the skill set or the power or the hope we need, we’re going to be more than conquerors to Him who strengthens us,” Diaz said on a recent episode of “Charisma Connection on” the Charisma Podcast Network. “I believe that we’re stronger than we thnink because the power of faith has manifested in our lives.

“We have faith that God is the Creator of the universe, the Creator of our lives, and that God has a purpose for our lives. But, faith also has to be put into action. And that’s where trust comes in. Trust is having the sense that I can rely and depend upon someone who’s bigger and greater than I am, someone who’s been in control of my life since the beginning and who will take me through this process, and that I’ll come out to be a better person in the end.”

For more about empowered faith, listen to the podcast below.

She loves modern worship music, but Audrey Assad will be the first to admit that her songs don’t necessarily fall into that category.

“I listen to a fair amount of it, it’s just not where my inspiration takes me at all when I’m writing,” Assad shares with “C-Pop,” the Christian pop culture podcast. “I tend to think more orchestrally, liturgically, but I also really value [modern worship].”

Assad says she her music isn’t much of an evangelism tool meant to present the gospel to unbelievers.

“What I do as a musician is really less about communicating Christianity to culture and more about expressing connection and oneness with God and inviting others to examine that possibility,” Assad says. “I really believe that being connected to our sources is the most healing oil that is available.”

She also discussed how her love of justice is connected with her love of God.

“I grew up feeling like God was at odds with me; I don’t believe that’s true,” Assad says. “And I think the [Holy] Spirit has been actively mending that in my heart for years. And as that happens, I find that as I’m freed from this self-loathing-based spirituality, you can love other people much better, at least I’ve been able to, and my heart for justice has really grown because I don’t see myself as separate from other people the way I used to.”

Listen to the podcast to hear more about the deep spirituality that drives her lyrics and her lifestyle.

Self-absorbed apostles are compromising the government of the church.

Last night I had a dream.

I’ll begin by clearly affirming the value of apostles, prophets, pastors and the entire fivefold ministry, not to mention every person who functions in any capacity God has assigned them to. In fact, this is all the more reason the dream I had is significant. God’s ordained leaders in the church must align themselves with God’s order and character more intentionally and soberly in these last days. We need anointed, surrendered, humble and powerful church leaders in position and ready to serve.

“Therefore also the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute” (Luke 11:49).

The Dream

I found myself among many other Christians, leaders and people who were serving at a special church meeting. Specifically, this event was a gathering of apostles. It’s important to understand that all of these people were clearly called of God. They were reputable, legitimate, and most of us would agree that they are great, godly leaders. Unfortunately, after beginning their ministry years prior humble and pure, somewhere along their journey, they veered off course.

As I watched the interactions between the apostles, it was evident they were exhibiting some concerning characteristics as well. Though they were connecting and enjoying conversation with others in the room, it was easy to discern they were focused primarily on promoting their viewpoints and agendas, eager to be recognized as special. They were obsessed with their rank.

Additionally, these convening apostles were entirely dismissive of the others who were not, as some would say, at their level. The individuals at this event who were not apostles at all were looked down on as inferior. Other apostles who didn’t rise up with strong, charismatic personalities were ignored. Their focus was on mingling only with those leaders they felt could offer them something, or who they could target as an opponent to be analyzed and defeated. While they might seek to align with others who might have something to offer them, their end game was to dominate, gain influence and out play the other apostles.

Then, as dreams often go, there was an interesting twist. The focus of the event turned toward four young, star quarterbacks who were moving up the ranks from college to pro. These were sharp, impressive young men who were rightfully invited to this special meeting. Predictably, the apostles ignored these emerging team leaders as insignificant, though, in reality, they were resisting them as a threat. It was clear these young men were validated and positioned among the next generation of leaders. The quarterbacks were all skilled yet humble, excited to learn from the apostles, yet they were not well received. Not at all.

I then went to a store looking for a football to buy so I could play catch with them. My intent was to connect with the young quarterbacks and to encourage them. However, I could only find a small, junior-sized football. I knew they had been promoted well beyond that level, and I didn’t want to risk offending them by communicating that they were amateurs.

The dream shifted once more. As I continued to survey everything that was happening at that gathering of apostles and the young, emerging quarterbacks, I was fully unmotivated to join in the fray. I had no desire to play politics or to jockey for position. Instead, I stepped outside and dove into the ocean. I swam away from the shore and then deep under the water. I saw and then caught a beautiful, massive, shiny silver fish. It shined like a chrome bumper on an old, restored car from yesteryear. After wrangling the fish to the beach, I brought it inside, but none of the apostles were interested. I was surprised that such a brilliant fish provoked nobody’s attention. I broke open the fish and there was absolutely nothing inside except for, remarkably, some incredibly delicious fruit. It tasted and looked very much like an orange. I pulled apart the fruit and ate it. It was amazing. Still, nobody cared, even though a legitimate miracle had occurred before their very eyes. The fruit and the fish weren’t their focus. Power and position was.

Again, these were all people we’d agree had been reputable leaders. But as they advanced in ministry, their motives were compromised.

The Interpretation

Before I reveal what the Lord showed me, I want to take a moment to share something important regarding spiritual dreams.

It’s extremely common for people who study the dreams of God to jump to conclusions about other people’s dreams. I’ve seen this happen multiple times over the years, and while their intention is usually pure, they can bring confusion into the mix by attempting to overanalyze, redefine or incorrectly interpret what has already been revealed.

The person most able to interpret a dream, in most cases, is the one who had the dream. Only they know the tone, the mood, the revelation and just what the Holy Spirit has interpreted for them. While a dream interpreter may be convinced they know the meaning of a horse or rain or sleep or vehicles or any number of other symbols, they need to be careful as not to taint the actual meaning of the dream that is, at times, revealed to only one individual: the dreamer. Often times the dreamer interprets the dream quite differently than even the most seasoned dream interpreter. Of course, there are times the dreamer doesn’t have the interpretation, and they may very well need to consult with others. But, we must use caution. Dreams of God can get confused quite easily.

I believe the meaning of most of my dream is fairly obvious. While some may want to read too much into some of the symbolism, I believe the takeaway is simple.

First, I want to emphasize again that the apostles were truly people of God. They led anointed ministries and had a track record of righteousness. However, something happened along the way that resulted in compromise.

Frankly, there are many Christian leaders who are addicted to ministry because of the supposed fame and adoration it brings.

Too many pastors and ministers are absolutely duped into believing they have arrived and that their “call” to ministry is highly valued by most. The reality? Few care. I’m not saying this to devalue their call. If they are called, they won’t care how valued they are.

However, many who are addicted to ministry are idolizing it, and they can’t imagine life without it. Trust me, if this is you, and if you ever decided to step down from full-time ministry, there wouldn’t be a collective gasp by a stunned and disappointed society. People will go on with their lives. You are valued, but you aren’t that important. None of us is.

What I’m saying is that the collection of pride-driven apostles in the dream was both sad and laughable. There is great value in apostolic ministry, but the value is not in the position, it’s in the function, in the call to humbly serve. The deception in the room was extreme, and the scheming and parading around as if they were royalty was honestly quite embarrassing.

The quarterbacks represented the next generation of team leaders. Quarterbacks are the de facto leaders of the football team. Their leadership directly determines whether the team advances or not. These emerging leaders did no wrong. They were humble and simply responding to an invitation to the gathering of apostles. They were wronged, however, by a suspicious and threatened apostolic council.

The dream culminated with the fish and the fruit. The clear, obvious truth is that we are called to be fishers of men and to bear fruit. It’s that simple. Instead of diving into the depths of humanity and focusing on shining the light of Jesus in the world, the apostles were climbing over one another. Instead of fishing and bearing fruit, they were seeking power and position.

If this dream spoke to you as a leader, simply repent and allow God to give you a glorious and refreshing reset. You are valuable, you are called, and what God has for you to do on the earth is exceptionally critical. In order to fulfill that calling, all pretense, all jealousy, all selfish ambition and all pride must die. You and many others will experience phenomenal abundant life as a result—including the emerging young leaders who are waiting for you to raise them up.

SoCal Pastor Greg Laurie caught up with My Faith Votes recently at the National Religious Broadcasters convention. He talked openly with us about his new book, Jesus Revolution, America’s need for another spiritual awakening, the church’s role as salt and light and where our ultimate hope lies. For a few truly uplifting moments, watch the full interview.

Standing in front of the colorful Jesus Revolution bus, Pastor Greg Laurie shared his testimony of becoming a Christ-follower during America’s last great spiritual revival—the Jesus Movement —in the 1960s and 1970s. He believes America is in desperate need of spiritual revival today and that the apparent divisions in our country over race, economic status, politics, religion and so on pose no obstacle to God. In fact, Laurie suggests the timing might be “more ripe” for spiritual awakening because most revivals “seem to happen during times of conflict.”

Laurie says Christians must pray for spiritual revival in their own lives as a catalyst for America to experience spiritual revival and must recommit to follow the biblical exhortation to live as salt and light in our culture. By comparing believers to salt, Laurie says the Bible calls Christians to be cultural preservatives, and the best way to do that is to “proclaim the gospel.” As light, Christians are to beat back the darkness and stop the spread of evil.

Along with prayer and preaching, Laurie suggests a practical way for Christians to oppose evil is to register and vote. No candidate will ever align perfectly with biblical values but, he says, “find one that is as close to biblical values as possible and vote for them.”

That’s our core mission at My Faith Votes. We work every day to empower Christians to put their faith into action. That means helping Christians to be informed and think well about the issues being decided at the ballot box, to pray for our country and our leaders and, ultimately, to live out our faith by voting.

There is no perfect political or cultural solution for America. “Our hope is in nothing that human beings can do,” Laurie says. “Our hope is in God. The Bible calls that our ‘blessed hope.'”

Jason Yates is CEO of My Faith Votes, a nonpartisan movement that motivates, equips and activates Christians in America to vote in every election, transforming our communities and influencing our nation with biblical truth. By partnering with national faith leaders, My Faith Votes provides resources to help Christians pray, think and act to create an America where God is honored in the public square. Gov. Mike Huckabee serves as the organization’s honorary national chairman.