The Battle Over the Identity of Jesus in Our Schools

There is a historical battle over the identity of Jesus that takes place in every generation. As we draw ever nearer to the Day of the Lord, each generation becomes increasingly crucial and the battle for the identity of Jesus becomes increasingly controversial. For modern Christianity in America, statistics show that each proceeding generation develops their worldviews while in middle and high school ages. While our church's youth ministries attempt to shape tomorrows leaders, the real bulk of tomorrows leaders are shaped by the teaching of the media and the classroom. That is why our youth groups must be missions bases targeting local schools.

The Bible teaches that towards the end of the age, doctrines against the identity of Jesus will increase and the battle will intensify, culminating in the appearing of the Antichrist and the second coming of Jesus. Since tomorrow's leaders are being raised in our schools, it is no surprise that there are massive conflicts surrounding the subject of God in our schools. In fact, this sentiment against God in our schools has a very real and strong source:

Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. - 1 John 2:22

But every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. 1 John 4:3

The truth is that we have a very real enemy on the other side of our fight for our generation, and the battle translates all the way down to our schools. Satan will stop it nothing to keep Jesus out of our schools. The spirit of the antichrist rages against identity of Jesus, and it makes sense that the same spirit would fuel the conflict surrounding God in our schools. There are many leaders in America today raging against God and prayer in our schools. Those individuals actively rejecting God and fighting against God in our schools are operating in the spirit of the antichrist (according to 1 John 4:3). God (namely, YHWH) is the only way to save our nation (and receive salvation), and the most intense battle for our nation is happening in the classroom.

While one side is producing messengers carrying the spirit of the antichrist as forerunners of the Antichrist, God is raising up messengers carrying the spirit of truth that testify to Jesus as forerunners of His appearing. This historical drama transcends every sphere of society right into the classroom. While antichrist doctrines are populating our classrooms, God is raising up students who overcome:

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. - 1 John 4:4

God doesn't just want our youth groups to be entertaining cliques but boot camps that producing teenagers who overcome the spirit of the age. We need a divine reorientation. I hope you grapple with this yourself and our provoked to consider the battle taking place for the classrooms of America. Take action in the place of prayer and the raising up our youth ministries into forerunner ministries of the coming King.