Satan’s effort as the god of this age (2 Cor 4:4) is to oppose God, yet desires to be like Him. His great weapon in achieving this desire is deception. If by deception he can draw a person’s attention from God to anything else, he succeeds.

I. His Power (2 Thess 2:8-9). At the coming (parousia) of our Lord Jesus Christ, He will end the son of perdition’s reign of terror by the breath of His mouth and the brightness of His coming (2 Thess 2:8).
Both Christ Jesus (2 Thess 1:7; 2:1) and the antichrist (2 Thess 2:6, 8" class="scriptRef">8) have a coming (parousia) and a revealing (apokalupsis). Like Jesus, the man of sin’s coming (parousia) will be controlled by God (2 Thess 2:6, 8), but will be according to the working (energeo) of Satan (2 Thess 2:9). Antichrist will be empowered like the battery in a flashlight or toy by the devil to perform power, signs, and lying wonders, with all unrighteous deception (2 Thess 2:9, 10).

II. His Practice (2 Thess 2:9). Power (dunamis) refers to an inherent physical power from a supernatural source. A sign (semeia) is a deed done to confirm or authenticate authority. Wonders describe acts which are strange or spectacular and cause people to be in awe. Often, these words used of miracles, are found together in the Bible, but miracles never prove that a man has been sent or empowered by God. Both the man’s message and character must be considered.
The pharaoh of Egypt had magicians who performed signs and wonders (Ex 7:11ff), as did Judas Iscariot. Jesus also worked miracles and performed signs (Acts 2:22) and empowered His apostles to do the same (Lk 10:19). Miracles and signs will be the cry of some for why they should be allowed into Christ’s kingdom (Mt 7:21-23). Yet John the Baptist, Jesus’ forerunner, didn’t perform any miracles, signs, or wonders (Jn 1:6; 10:41).
The age of antichrist will be one of miracles that defy nature and nature’s laws. There are three ages of miracles in Scripture: Moses/Joshua, Elijah/Elisha, Jesus/Apostles. Each of these ages ended when a portion of Scripture was written; the Law, the prophets, and the New Testament, which are spiritually all-sufficient as the more sure word of prophecy than are miracles (2 Pet 1:16-21). The antichrist’s era, with his false prophet, will bring in a fourth age of the miraculous, but his works will be lying (pseudous), meaning something false or fake. His miracles will be genuine, but they will lead to false conclusions and deluded beliefs.

III. His Ploy (2 Thess 2:9-10). Paul ministered in Thessalonica without deceit (1 Thess 2:3), yet the believers fell for deceit (2 Thess 2:3). Now Paul writes that the lawless one’s ministry is one of falsehood and his works are deceitful. Deception (apate) lures someone away from what is true, and in this case, away from God. Satan uses any wickedness and evil necessary to accomplish his purpose, ultimately opposing and replacing God.
Satan’s deception targets those who are perishing (2 Thess 2:10). Like a drug, Satan’s schemes keep the unsaved coming back for more. They are deceived because they reject Jesus and the God of the gospel’s love (Jn 3:16). Deception doesn’t keep someone from Jesus, but is the result of rejecting Him. It is a judgment from God for refusing the gospel (2 Thess 2:11; Rom 1:24, 26, 28).
Anyone who has heard the joyful sound, “Jesus saves! Jesus saves!”, and understood the good news, yet rejects the Father’s saving Gift of Jesus, has made himself a willing dupe for the deceptive schemes of Satan.