The battle of the ages is over who will be worshipped!
Immediately after 1 John warns us against loving the world, it tells us, ‘this is the last hour and as you have heard the anti-christ is coming, even now many anti-christs have come’. 1 John 2:18 (‘anti’ has two meanings, the most commonly known one is ‘against’, but it also means ‘in place of’ or to take the place of, replace Christ). The enemy wants to replace God and steal the worship that is rightfully His.
John talks about ‘people going out from us, … For if they belonged they would have remained with us’. He is warning the people against being drawn away from the truth, to a different spirit.
John then begins to talk about the anointing we have received from God Himself. ‘But you have an anointing from the Holy One and all of you know the truth… see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you(hold fast to the truth, don’t be drawn away). If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is what He promised us – even eternal life’.
This section ends with a further three mentions of the anointing we have received,
‘But as His anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit – just as it has taught you, remain in Him’. 1 John 2:28. I believe John is talking about the ‘inner witness’ each of us has received through the Spirit.
I think Kenneth Hagan told a story about a young Christian woman who went to some church meetings, hosting a visiting speaker. She was inexperienced in the faith, but there was a fresh anointing in her from recently coming to know the Lord. She felt that the ministry was jarring her spirit, she had sensitivity, so she left and didn’t return. Other believers, older in the faith, sat on in the meetings, but suffered because the fruit, or outcome was bad. We too need to be sensitive to the Spirit in us and not be led astray, especially in these days.
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8
God bless and keep you in all His ways this day and forever.