49 Religious Lies Jesus Told Me to Stop Believing - #7 The Risen Christ Is the Weak One

Summary

Mark Virkler describes rejecting the belief that the risen Christ is weak while Satan or the Antichrist is powerful. He says this belief had led him to expect evil to prevail, the church to decline, and Christians to live in fear and pessimism.

In a journal entry, Virkler says he experienced Jesus correcting this view. He understood that Christ has authority, reigns over creation, and shares his rule with believers. Drawing on biblical language about being seated with Christ in heavenly places, he argues that Christians should not give Satan undue attention or power.

How this shift changed his approach

Virkler says he now seeks to:

• Focus on what he believes God is saying and doing, rather than letting news reports about conflict and wrongdoing determine his outlook.
• Cultivate hopeful thoughts and images, such as seeing himself seated with Christ and participating in Christ’s rule.
• Speak and act in faith, using words of life and, in his stated practice, praying against spiritual evil.
• Work to advance God’s kingdom in the places and communities he believes God has assigned him.
• Avoid fixation on the Antichrist or Satan, focusing instead on Christ’s authority and the growth of God’s government.

He describes the result as becoming an “eternal optimist,” with a mindset centered on light, love, and what is good. He encourages listeners to replace fear and defeat with the belief that Christ reigns and that believers can act in faith.

Suggested personal exercise

Virkler invites listeners to have their own “walk with Jesus on the Emmaus road”:

1. Look up the Scripture passages related to the belief.
2. Write down what stands out in the passages.
3. Journal about them.
4. Ask God what the passages mean for what to believe and how to live.
5. Seek a personal spiritual encounter rather than relying only on interpretations passed down through the speaker, church history, or older theology.

Speakers and sources featured

• Mark Virkler — the speaker, recounting his experience and teaching.
• Jesus, as represented in Virkler’s account — quoted from what Virkler says he received while journaling.
• The Bible/Scripture — cited as the basis for the teaching and suggested exercise.