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Has a False Anointing Entered The Church?
This article is about highlighting some concerns I, along with many
others, are having. In recent years, during church meetings, I have observed
how many of God’s people have being exposed to a false anointing and a spirit
of deception that is parading itself with pride and arrogance in the midst of
our congregations.
The Word of God always shines it’s light on areas of apparent concern
when leaders in the church are ministering out of a wrong spirit, no matter
what name they place on themselves or their ministry or even when recognized
leaders endorse their ministry.
During times of ministry in the church people will embrace the
preacher, and his message because they believe he or she can be trusted to
preach or teach the truth and to operate in an anointing that is of The Holy
Spirit. We, as
The Church, should always expect a high level of integrity to be part
of the preacher’s lifestyle. This is not something that should go unchecked by
the church leadership, as often ministers are just expected to have a lifestyle
that is godly, but today, as even in the biblical days, we just cannot take
this for granted within our churches.
If we as leaders do not do our homework with proper due diligence and
follow through, then we are in danger of exposing the sheep to a ‘wolf in
sheep’s clothing.’ The results of that exposure are what should
concern us the most. We need to ask the question what sort of fruit will and
does this anointing bring into the lives of The Church and the people and its
possible influences in the midst of the congregation?
1. Gifts are
not Fruit
The gifts of The Holy Spirit are the supernatural endowment that we
receive for ministry service after the Baptism of The Holy Spirit. Spiritual
gifts are talents or abilities given to every Christian, they manifest through
their faith and service to God and their church and neighbour.
The fruit of the Spirit is the godly character we receive from The Holy
Spirit and our renewed lifestyle and nature that we should anticipate once we
are born again.
The fruit of The Holy Spirit can be described as nine facets on one
diamond - but one fruit. This "fruit" is something God
manifests through the life of faithful believers by His Holy Spirit. Yes, you
can have gifts without fruit, however you cannot have fruit without a personal
relationship with God.
We should ask this question about potential ministry within our
churches. What is the fruit of the ministry received into the church "his
fruit" the fruit of the minister? Is it meeting the needs of the
people, are we seeing lives changed, salvation's, healings, restoration, deeper
relationships with God and people?
What does Scripture say? We read in Galatians 5: 22, 23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love,
joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”
These virtues are characterized as ‘fruit’ in contrast to ‘works.’
Only The Holy Spirit can produce them, and not our own efforts. Another
contrast is that, whereas the works of the flesh are plural, the fruit of the
Spirit is one and indivisible. When the Spirit fully controls the life of a
believer, He produces all of these
graces. The first three concern our attitude toward God, the second triad deals
with social relationships, and the third group describes principles that guide
Christian conduct.
2. Paul exhorts us
in public worship meetings. (1 Thessalonians 5:19-22)
In 1 Thessalonians 5:19 - 22 "Do not quench the Spirit. Do not
despise prophecies, test all things:
hold fast to what is good.
Abstain from every form of evil.”
a) Do not quench the
Spirit: We can quench the
fire of the Spirit by our doubt,
our indifference, our rejection of Him, or by the distraction
of others. When people start to draw attention to ‘them-selves,’ this will quench the Spirit.
i. ‘Quench’ applies to the putting out of a
flame of some sort, as that of a fire (Mark
9:48) or a lamp (Matthew 25:8).
This is the only place in the New Testament where it is used in a metaphorical
sense.” (Morris)
ii. Therefore,
this command is based on the familiar image of the Holy Spirit as a fire or a
flame. Though there is a sense in which fire cannot be created, we can provide
the environment in which it can burn brightly. Yet a flame can be extinguished
when it is ignored and no longer tended, or when the flame is overwhelmed by
something else.
iii. And there
is a quenching of the Spirit in others as well as us; people may quench it in
their minister’s by discouraging them, and in one another by bad examples, or
reproaching the zeal and boldness that they see in them. (Poole)
b) Do not despise
prophecies: We recognize that
the Lord speaks to and through His people today, and we learn to be open to His
voice. Of course, we always test prophecies (following the command to test
all things), but we do not despise prophecies.
i. It is
very possible that prophecy was being despised because individuals were abusing
the gift. There were idlers among the Thessalonians (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12) perhaps who spiritualized their idleness
with prophecy.
ii. There
were date-setters and end-times speculators among the Thessalonians (2 Thessalonians 2:1-5), perhaps who
backed up their speculations with supposed prophetic authority. (David Guzik)
c) Test all things;
hold fast what is good: Evil and deception can show itself even
in a spiritual setting, so it is important for Christians to test all things.
When the test has been made (according to the standard of God’s Word and
the discernment of spirits among the leaders), we then hold fast to what is good.
i. Between
the time Paul last saw the Thessalonians and the writing of his letter, he had
spent time in Berea (Acts 17:10-12).
There, the Christians were of a noble character because they heard Paul’s
preaching and diligently searched the Scriptures to see if what he said was
true.
ii. Paul
wanted the Thessalonians to have more of the heart and mind of the Bereans.
d) Abstain from every
‘form’ of evil: When the testing is made, any aspect of evil must
be rejected. This includes evil that may come with a spiritual image.
i. The term ‘form’ (eidous) literally
means ‘that which is seen,’ the external appearance. It points to the
external form in which evil presents itself . . . They are to shun evil in
whatever form or appearance it may present itself. (Hiebert)
ii. The
meaning will be ‘evil which can be seen,’ and not ‘that which appears to be
evil.’ (Morris)
If we are not allowed to test or
hold a person to account there can be difficulties.
3. Perilous Times
and the Precious Truth (2
Timothy 3)
As Paul lies in his cell, a prisoner of the Lord,
Paul is still preoccupied with the future of the gospel. His mind dwells now on
the evil of the times.
In 2 Timothy 3:1-5, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. v.2
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud,
blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, v.3 Without natural
affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of
those that are good, v.4 Traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures more
than lovers of God; v.5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power
thereof: from such turn away.”
a) In the last days
perilous times will come: The
word translated ‘perilous’ has the idea of troubles, difficulty, and stressful
situations. This sort of atmosphere will be a mark of the last days.
i. The word ‘perilous’ was used in Greek is both
of dangerous wild animals and of the raging sea. It’s only other New Testament
occurrence is in the story of the two Gaderene demoniacs who were as savage and
untamed as wild beasts and whom Matthew describes as ‘so fierce that no one could pass that way’ (Matthew 8:28). (Stott)
ii. The
characteristics Paul describes speak not of bad times, but of bad people. We should note
the hardness or danger of the time in Paul’s view to be, not war, not famine or
diseases, nor other calamities or ills that befall the body, ‘but
the wicked and depraved ways of men.’ (Calvin)
b) In the last days:
This is a broad term in the New Testament, broad enough to where one could say
that the last days began with the birth of the Church on the Day of
Pentecost (Acts 2:17).
The
days of the Messiah mark ‘the
last days;’ yet the term is especially appropriate to the season
immediately before the return of Jesus and the consummation of all things.
i. There are
optimistic brethren who are looking forward to everything growing better and
better until, at last, this present age evolves into a millennium. They will
not be able to sustain their hopes, for Scripture gives them no solid basis to
rest upon. Apart from the Second Advent of our Lord, the world is more likely to sink into a pandemonium than to rise
into a millennium. (Spurgeon)
ii. In Matthew 16:1- 4 Jesus rebuked the
religious leaders of His day because they did not or would not understand the
meaning of their times: “Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the
sky, but you cannot discern the signs of
the times.” (Matthew 16:3). It is possible that Jesus would have the same
rebuke for us today, are we unaware of the last days and the soon
return of Jesus Christ?
4. A description of the human condition in the last days. (2 Timothy 3: 2-5)
In
2 Timothy 3: 2-5, “For men will be lovers of themselves,
lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents,
unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control,
brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure
rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.
And from such people turn away!”
a) Men will be
lovers of themselves: This is certainly characteristic of our
present age, when men and women are encouraged to love themselves. People are
told to love themselves unconditionally and that such self-love is the
foundation for a healthy human personality.
i. We don’t
need to be encouraged to love ourselves; we naturally have such a love. Neither
should we be taught to hate ourselves, but as Paul said in Romans 12:3 “ We must see
ourselves as we really are - both the bad of what we are in the flesh and the
glory of what we are in Jesus Christ.”
ii. This love
of self is the foundation for all the depravity that follows in Paul’s description:
“But note that lovers of themselves, which comes first, can be regarded
as the source from which all the others that follow spring.” (Calvin)
iii. “It is no
accident that the first of these qualities will be a ‘life that is centred in self.’ The adjective used is ‘philautos,’
which means self-loving. Love
of self is the basic sin, from which all others flow. The moment a man makes
his own will the centre of life, divine and human relationships are destroyed, and
obedience to God and charity to men both become impossible. The essence of
Christianity is not the enthronement but the obliteration of self.” (Barclay)
b) Men will be . . .
lovers of money: The love of money is nothing new, but today
people have the ability to pursue their love of money like never before. Today
the world teaches find a mate that has as much money as possible?
c) Men will be . . .
boasters, proud, blasphemers: Boasting, pride, and blasphemy are
nothing new; but today, they seem far more unashamed than ever before.
Boasting,
pride, and blasphemy each acts as if I
am the most important person. Each of them say, “You don’t matter and God does
not matter.” There is more blasphemy
apparent everywhere, especially among the superstars that our cultures worship.
d) Men will be . . .
disobedient to parents: Since about the mid 1960s there has been
an alarming breakdown in the behaviour by children towards their parents
(Lawlessness, rebellion, and disobedience).
Today
it is more common that young people simply disregard their parents, by
displaying wilful disobedience and revolt.
e) Men will be . . .
unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving: Ever since Adam, these
things to one degree or another have marked humankind. Here, Paul is saying
these things will be especially prevalent in the last days.
Unloving: (without natural affection,
KJV) means, ‘without family love.’ Paul said that the end times would be
marked by an attitude of growing disregard of normal family love and
obligation.
f) Men will be . . . slanderers: Men
have always told hurtful lies about other men; but today, in the media and in
politics, slander has been elevated to both big business and big money.
In
politics, candidates routinely and knowingly distort their opponent’s
positions, just to make their opposition look bad – and they don’t feel immoral
at all about the lying, if it helps them get elected.
In
media, editors and news directors serve as prosecutor, judge, jury, and
executioner to innocents who are wrongly suspected – and usually refuse to
apologize when they are proven to be wrong.
g) Men will be . . .
without self-control: The
story of no self-control can be written across almost everything today - sex,
drugs, alcohol, food and work. Whatever is done, is often done out of control.
h) Men will be . . .
brutal: Cruelty and brutality are nothing new in the world; but
Paul wrote by inspiration of the Holy Spirit that the ‘last days’ would be marked by a particular cruelty.
We
would like to think of ourselves as more advanced than previous generations;
but unquestionably more people have been murdered in our century than ever
before; these are violent, brutal and unforgiving times.
i) Men will be . . .
despisers of good: There are just too many examples of this in
modern society. There was a time when most people thought letting people live were
good and killing them was generally a bad thing. Today, we live in a culture
when the simple good of ‘life’
is now despised and attacked, through abortion, through the elevating of
violence and murder, and through euthanasia.
j) Men will be . . .
traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God:
These characteristics are all about one thing: ‘Self ‘ Men are traitors because of ‘self,’ they are ‘headstrong’ because of ‘self,’ they are ‘haughty’ because of ‘self,’ and they are ‘lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God’
because of ‘self.’
This attitude marks our
current age. ‘Nothing is off-limits - live without boundaries.’ You make
your own rules. You answer to no one!
In
the Kingdom of God we don’t have to choose between pleasure and God. Serving
God is the ultimate pleasure; in Psalm
16:11 it says, “At Your right
hand are pleasures forevermore.” Living for God will give you many
pleasures, but this only comes as we love God first and refuse to love the
pleasures themselves.
k) Having a form of
godliness but denying its power:
In our self-obsessed world, people feel very free to have a “self
service bar” religion - we pick and choose what we want. We feel free
to be very ‘spiritual,’ but sense no obligation to be Biblical.
When
we refer to the ‘power’ of
godliness, we think it means the sense of ‘power to give us what we want.’ But
this is exactly opposite of what Paul said here. The power of
godliness in the last days is the ‘power to guide our lives;’ the
sense of rightful authority. Many, today deny that God has the ‘power’ to tell them what to
do through His Word.
l) From such people
turn away: The command is to ‘turn away’ from people described
by the characteristics in the above list; this will be difficult in our present
day.
Paul
warns turn away from these people – both personally and by ‘not allowing’ them to
entertain us – they will influence us. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15: 33 “Do not be deceived: Evil company corrupts
good habits.”
m) From such turn away: Paul knew those marked by the spirit of the
last days were present in Timothy’s day. Likewise, we should expect that they
would be even more numerous and have increased power in the last days shortly
before the return of Jesus.
5. The Greatness
of Holy Scripture. (2 Timothy 3:16,17)
In 2 Timothy 3:16,17 "All scripture is given by inspiration
of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction,
for instruction in righteousness.v.17 That
the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
a) All Scripture is
given by inspiration of God: Here, Paul tells us the source of Scripture, comes from ‘God’ (God-breathed),
and it authorizes and displays His perfection, being inerrant and absolutely
reliable.
False
doctrine cannot exist where the sacred Scriptures are read, studied and taught.
Error prevails only where scripture is withheld from the people or taken out of
context. ‘The religion that fears the Bible is not the religion of God.’ (Clarke)
b) By inspiration of
God: There is a ‘massive dividing line’ in our modern
world today, between those who believe that the Bible is a book from God, given
through men; or if it is it just a great book from men.
i. No one
can deny the ‘greatness’ of the Bible; it is completely unique among all
books ever written.
ii. The Bible
is unique in its ‘continuity:’
Written over 1600 years, over 60 generations, by more than 40 authors, on three
different continents, in different circumstances and places, in different
times, and concerning scores of controversial subjects, but it speaks with one
united voice.
iii. The Bible
is unique in its ‘circulation:’
It is the most published and popular book ever written - far and away; anything
else is a distant, second.
iv. The Bible
is unique in its ‘translation:’
It was the first book translated, and has been translated into more languages
than any other book in existence.
v. The Bible
is unique in its ‘survival:’ It
has survived the ravages of time, manual transcription, persecution, and
criticism.
vi. The Bible
is unique in its ‘honesty:’ it
deals with the sins and failures of its heroes in a manner quite unknown among
ancient literature.
vii. The Bible
is unique in its ‘influence:’
The Bible has had by far the greatest influence on culture and literature than
any other book in existence. (David Guzik)
c) And is profitable
for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: The Bible is good for us and it profits us. It
gives us ‘doctrine’ (it
tells us a truth that means more than our opinions). The Bible gives us ‘reproof and correction’ (it tells us when we are
wrong in our ‘thinking or conduct)’. The Bible gives us ‘instruction in righteousness’ (it tells us how to live rightly before God
and men).
d) That the man of
God may be complete: When we come to the Bible and let God speak
to us, it changes us – it makes us ‘complete
and transforms us.’
i. One way
the Bible transforms us is through our understanding. In Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good
and acceptable and perfect will of God.” When we let the Bible guide our
thinking, our minds are renewed and transformed. So we begin to actually think
like God thinks.
ii. The Bible
also transforms us, by a spiritual work, a spiritual blessing, which God works
in us as we read and study the Bible and let Him speak to us. This is a
spiritual work that goes beyond our intellectual understanding.
iii. For the Word of God is living and powerful (Heb12: 4).
· The Bible directs us to the
Giver of eternal life (1 Peter 1:23).
· The Bible directs us to the
One who spiritually cleanses us (Ephesians
5:26).
· The Bible introduces us to
the Power of the name to deal with demonic spirits (Ephesians 6:17).
· The Bible draws us to the
One who has spiritual power to heal our bodies (Matthew 8:16).
· The Bible is the Source of
our spiritual
strength (Psalm 119:28).
· Reading The
Bible has the power to spiritually build faith in us (Romans 10:17).
iv. The Word of God operates at a spiritual level we don’t
always understand; however it achieves an effective work in our lives. As we
work at understanding the Bible and pray for revelation, and read it
thoughtfully and wisely, it benefits us ‘spiritually’
even when we don’t understand it all
‘intellectually.’
6. Have we forgotten the motive of our
ministry call: (1 Corinthians 13).
The complete chapter of 1 Corinthians 13 is on love
and Paul explains the absolute necessity of love and defines the essence of
love in 14 of its characteristics (v.4-7) and contrasts the eternal perfections
of love with the temporal imperfections of gifts (v.8-13).
a) Love: suffers long; is kind; does not envy; does
not parade itself; is not puffed up; does not behave rudely; does not seek its
own; is not provoked; thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity; rejoices in
the truth; bears all things; believes the best; hopes all things; endures all
things. (v.4-7)
b) In 1 Corinthians 1:31: “that, as it is
written, he who glories, let him
glory in the LORD."
Paul does not say glory is in signs, wonders,
miracles, visions, experiences, in fact Paul says:
In 2
Corinthians12: 1-6 “It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast.
I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: v.2 I know a man in Christ
who fourteen years ago--whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of
the body I do not know, God knows--such a one was caught up to the third
heaven. v.3 And I know such a man--whether in the body or out of the body I do
not know, God knows—v.4 how he was caught up into Paradise and heard
inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.v.5 Of such a
one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities. v.6
for though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will speak the
truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to
be or hears from me.”
c) Paul
goes on to tell about the: ‘messenger of Satan’ given to Paul to buffet
him and so he would not be v.7 "exalted above measure by the abundance of
revelations." (2 Corinthians12: 7).
The apostle Paul also goes on to say there were
signs and wonders that followed his ministry. The difference is this ... the one exalts man and the gifts and the
strengths - Paul and true followers exalt Christ FIRST and boast in their
weakness!
7. False Prophets and teachers can
do miracles. (Matthew 7:15
– 23)
In Matthew 7:15 - 23 "Beware of false prophets, who come to
you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.v.16 You will
know them by their fruits.
Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from
thistles? v.17
"Even so, every good tree bears good fruit,
but a bad tree bears bad fruit. v.18 "A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor [can]
a bad tree bear good fruit.v.19 "Every tree that does not bear good fruit
is cut down and thrown into the fire.v.20 "Therefore
by their fruits you will know them.”
a) We need to be very cautious: because their
pretences are very plausible, and will deceive us, if we are not on our guard. Every
‘hypocrite’ is a wolf in
sheep’s clothing, not a sheep, but the worst enemy the sheep has, that comes to
tear and devour, to scatter the sheep, (John 10:1 and 12).
And will drive the sheep away from God and from one another, into crooked
paths.
They
come ‘in sheep’s clothing,’
in the practice of prophets, Elijah’s mantle the Septuagint calls ‘heµ
meµloteµ’ — a sheepskin mantle.
We
must take notice of men’s dress and clothing, as that of the scribes, who ‘desire to walk in long robes,’ (Luke 20:46). This may be
taken figuratively; they pretend to be sheep, and outwardly appear to be
innocent, harmless, and meek.
They
pretend to be just men, and for the sake of their clothing are admitted among
the sheep, which gives them an opportunity of doing damage to the sheep, and
many are not aware.
b) Satan turns himself: ‘into an angel of
light,’ (2 Corinthians 11:13,14)The enemy has ‘horns like a
lamb’ (Rev. 13:11). ‘Faces of men’ (Rev. 9:7,8).
Seducers in languages and demeanor as ‘soft as wool,’ (Romans
16:18 and Isaiah 30:10).
They ‘produce false commissions,’ and pretend to have immediate
authorization and direction from God, and claim to be divinely inspired,
when they are not.
Though their doctrine may be
true, we are to be ‘beware’ of
them as ‘false prophets’.
False apostles are those who say they ‘are
apostles,’ and are not (Rev 2:2); these are false
prophets.
c) We are to be
cautious of those who pretend to have new revelation, without
sufficient proof. Be sure of their accountability,
they should pass our close scrutiny, least they deceive many.
They seem to give an appropriate impression
of ‘pseudo-propheta,’ a false
or pretending prophet. Beware of them, suspect them, try them, and when
you have discovered their falsehood, avoid them, having nothing to do with
them.
Stand against this temptation,
which will be common in the days of reformation.
When God’s work is revived, Satan and his agents are busy deceiving.
8. Jesus clearly said: “you will know them by their fruits” not
signs and wonders: (Matthew 7:21-23)
In Matthew 7:21-23 "not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord,’
shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in
heaven.v.22 “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied
in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in your name?"
v.23 And then I will declare to them, "I never knew you; depart from Me,
you who practice lawlessness!"
The
people Jesus speaks of here have impressive spiritual accomplishments. They
have ‘prophesied, cast out demons,’ and have done many ‘wonders.’ These
are amazing things, but these signs mean nothing without true fellowship.
Jesus does not doubt their claims of doing the
miraculous. He doesn’t say, ‘You didn’t really prophesy or cast out
demons or do miracles.’ This leads us to understand that sometimes
miracles are granted through pretended believers, reminding us that in the
final analysis, miracles prove nothing.
Significantly, they did these things ‘in the name of Jesus.’ Yet, they never really had
a relationship of love and fellowship with Jesus.
A prayer for each one of us:
“And
forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do
not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." (Luke 11:4).
Eagle Ascend Ministry
Len and Linda Buttner
info@eagleascend.com
www.eagleascend.com
