Pastor Jack Hibbs of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in California preaches at the "Awaiting His Return" conference in Fort Worth, Texas, on September 18, 2021. | YouTube/Real Life with Jack Hibbs

Megachurch Pastor Jack Hibbs said COVID-19 is real, but the world's reaction to the virus is "demonic."

Speaking at the "Awaiting His Return" conference hosted by Behold Israel and live-streamed from Birchman Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, Hibbs preached about how being fearful about the coronavirus is "not from God."

"COVID is a real sickness and virus, but here's what's demonic to me: there is an unexplainable, unreasonable reaction to it that has not come from the virus," Hibbs, the founding and senior pastor of the 10,000-member Calvary Chapel Chino Hills church in southern California, said at the Bible prophecy conference held on Sept. 18.

"Seriously people, do you know the science? ... There are flus and sicknesses out there that are worse, but nobody's talking about them. Nobody talks about AIDS anymore. More people are dying from AIDS. Why not [talk about it]? Because it doesn't fit whatever agenda is going on. And friends and family, the agenda is spiritual. It's a demonic doctrine."

At the conference, Hibbs preached that COVID-19 has led to a "spiritual issue" of fear that is a "doctrine of demons." He also stressed that Christians who know about how God loves them should not be afraid of COVID-19.

"The demons are to deceive, and fear is the greatest power. Why do you think the Bible says, ‘Perfect love casts out all fear?'" he asked. "When you know that God's heart is set on you, you don't need to be afraid. We all get sick. Remember, we used to get sick before COVID. People used to die before COVID."

"Friends and family, the narrative is demonic to bring about confusion, to bring about fear." Why? So you have no hope," Hibbs added.

The greatest hope for the believer, Hibbs continued, is the rapture of the Church. Christians, he stressed, should not deny that Jesus will return in the rapture.

"Jesus taught the rapture. Jesus Himself, in John Chapter 14, Jesus started this whole thing. Jesus taught the rapture for a reason," he said.

"It's very important. Jesus Christ said I'm coming to pick you up," Hibbs said, asserting that the origin of the rapture has always been true and available, but many Christians do not believe in it.

Hibbs continued by sharing Scriptures written by Paul in 1 Thessalonians Chapter 4: "We who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever."

"We who are alive and remain at the coming," Hibbs reiterated. "Paul the Apostle believed, as every generation is to believe, that the Lord could come back for the Church at any moment. It's a doctrine that's revealed in Scripture. Not to be apologized for, but to be defended."

For many Christians, Hibbs said, the rapture should provide hope and serve as motivation, while also emphasizing that Christians will be tormented for having hope in Jesus' return.

He explained that during the rapture, the bodies that Christians know on Earth will be changed. But it is not a transformation that can be considered reincarnation, he stressed.

"This hope is needed more than ever," Hibbs said. "You can't be a Christian and believe in reincarnation. The Bible teaches resurrection, which means this molecular structure of who you are is going to be resurrected or at the moment of the rapture, it is going to be metamorphosed, it's going to be changed, and this simply means tweaked. This is amazing."

Hibbs added that the Christian body is referred to as being at "sleep" because when Jesus comes back for the rapture, we will be "changed."

"God is going to change the pattern or the structure of the molecular organization that He has that makes up the body or this physical universe," he described. "We will not inherit Heaven in this body, like it is. It's got to be tweaked. We shall not all die, but we shall all be changed."

A true believer who believes that His Father is coming back for him at any time, Hibbs said, will [become] "busy about his business." Knowing that Jesus could come back anytime, he said, should motivate Christians to "open their mouths, open their hands and make sure to love others by sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ."

"If there's no rapture in the Bible, I don't know what Bible they're reading," Hibbs continued. "In a moment; in a twinkling of an eye, some scientists say [in] ‘18 thousands of a second,' we shall be changed. Isn't that amazing, with just His finger, He's going to go boop, and He can change things in an instant."

Christians should read their Bible to be ready for the return of the Lord, he said, because "we are all walking as if it were a fine line."

"Don't give up. Don't lose your confidence. I want you to keep your eyes on Jesus. He's way out there on the horizon. Don't look too near or you'll get all messed up, you'll get too consumed with all the worry and all the threat and all the fear," Hibbs warned as he concluded his talk. "Navigate toward Jesus. Get your armor on every day because Jesus has set before you an open door. Do not deny His name. Keep His Word. And you're going to do fine. You will not fail."

Other speakers at the "Awaiting His Return" one-day conference included Bob Pearle, senior pastor of Birchman Baptist Church; Barry Stagner, senior pastor of Calvary Chapel in Tustin, California; and Amir Tsarfati, deputy governor of Jericho and founder of Behold Israel.

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