The False Brother
Title: The False Brother
Prologue
As the sun set behind the jagged hills, Jacob knelt on the worn wooden floor of his small cabin, clutching his Bible tightly. His prayers echoed through the room, his voice steady and filled with faith despite the turmoil outside. The world had grown darker—not just figuratively but literally. The skies carried a permanent ash-gray hue, the earth groaning under the weight of sin and rebellion.
The tribulation had begun. Jacob felt it in his spirit.
Word had spread among the believers about a man named Elias. At first glance, Elias seemed pious. He carried a Bible, quoted scripture with uncanny precision, and often spoke of his "love for the church." But something about him unnerved Jacob and other faithful Christians. His words dripped with honey, but his eyes burned with something unholy, as though a fire not of God raged within him.
Elias’s reputation preceded him. He was not just a man—he was a weapon. Many whispered that he was demon-possessed, a vessel of Satan’s cunning and malevolence. Wherever he went, churches were split, friendships destroyed, and believers left in despair. Elias didn’t merely oppose Christians; he targeted them with an intelligence and malice that was superhuman.
The Encounter
One evening, as Jacob gathered with a small group of believers in a secret meeting, the door burst open. Elias entered, his presence commanding the room like a storm cloud. He wore a disarming smile, but his eyes betrayed him.
“Ah, brothers and sisters,” Elias began, his voice smooth. “Why do you hide in shadows? Is not the Lord’s work done in the light?”
The group fell silent. Jacob stood, clutching his Bible. “Elias, why are you here? This is a place for worship, not for strife.”
Elias laughed, a chilling sound. “Strife? No, brother, I come to bring unity. To teach you all the truth. You see, you cling to an outdated faith, holding yourselves above others. I’ve come to correct you.”
“By tearing down what God has built?” Jacob countered, his voice firm.
Elias’s expression darkened, his facade slipping for a moment. “God?” he hissed. “You mean your narrow, divisive God who dares to exclude? No, Jacob, the time of your God is over. Submit to me, and I will show you the path forward.”
The room seemed to grow colder. Jacob felt a weight pressing against his chest. “We will never bow to you, Elias. Your words are false, your spirit unclean.”
Elias’s smile returned, but now it was twisted. “So be it. You will regret this, Jacob.”
The Unraveling
In the days that followed, Elias’s campaign against Jacob and his group intensified. Using lies, half-truths, and manipulations, he turned neighbors against them. Some of the weaker believers even sided with Elias, drawn to his charisma and promises of peace. Others claimed he practiced witchcraft, pointing to inexplicable events: crops withering overnight, homes catching fire without cause, and strange sicknesses afflicting the faithful.
Jacob’s group grew smaller but more resolute. They turned to prayer and fasting, seeking strength from the Holy Ghost. Yet the attacks persisted. Elias seemed to know their every move, as if some dark power guided him.
One night, Jacob awoke to a voice whispering his name. He bolted upright, finding himself face-to-face with Elias standing in his room. Jacob reached for his Bible, but Elias raised a hand, and an invisible force pinned Jacob to his bed.
“You can’t win, Jacob,” Elias sneered. “Your God has abandoned you. This is my time now. The dragon has been unleashed upon the earth, and I am his servant.”
Jacob struggled, whispering a prayer. “Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world.”
Elias recoiled slightly, as if burned. Jacob seized the moment, crying out, “In the name of Jesus Christ, leave this place!”
The force lifted, and Elias staggered back, his face twisted in fury. “You will suffer for this,” he spat before vanishing into the night.
The Great Tribulation
The next morning, the group gathered in what remained of their meeting place. Jacob shared what had happened, his voice steady despite the fear that lingered.
“This is not just a battle against Elias,” Jacob said. “It is against the powers and principalities of darkness. The dragon has been cast to the earth, and he seeks to destroy those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”
The group nodded solemnly. They turned to Revelation 12:17, finding strength in the Word.
The days grew more perilous. The skies darkened further, earthquakes shook the land, and the world seemed to unravel. Demonic forces roamed freely, their hatred for Christians evident in every attack. Yet Jacob and his group held firm. They understood that these trials were foretold, a part of the tribulation leading to Christ’s return.
One evening, as the group prayed, a vision came to Jacob. He saw the Lamb of God standing victorious, the faithful gathered around Him. A voice spoke:
“Behold, I come quickly. Hold fast that which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.”
The vision strengthened Jacob and his group. Though Elias continued his attacks, they endured, their eyes fixed on the eternal promise. They knew the tribulation would worsen, but they also knew it was temporary. The victory belonged to Christ.
Conclusion
Elias, with all his cunning and demonic power, could not overcome the faithful remnant. Though he claimed to be a brother, his fruit revealed him as a false prophet, a servant of Satan. Yet even in the darkest times, God’s light shone through His people.
The great tribulation raged on, but Jacob and his group stood firm, awaiting the day when the King of Kings would return to make all things new. For they knew that no weapon, no demon, not even Satan himself, could separate them from the love of God in Christ Jesus.