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Pick Up The Cloak Of Elijah
I love to read about great men and women of God. How they touched their world with the power of the living God.
When I read the story of Charles Finney, I found myself saying, “Where’s the Lord, the God of Finney?”
Reading about Aimee Semple McPherson and Kathryn Kuhlman, my heart cried, “Where is the Lord, the God of the miracle workers?”
As I read the testimonies of A. A. Allen, Jack Coe, and Oral Roberts I asked, “Where is the Lord, the God of the tent evangelists?”
Many great men and women of God have come and gone. Though each one had feet of clay, they left their mark on their generation. God used them to touch their world with His glorious love and power.
Do you remember the story of Elijah and Elisha? Elisha, who was handpicked by God to fill Elijah’s prophetic shoes after Elijah was taken to glory, sensed the transition time was near.
Refusing to leave Elijah’s side, Elisha witnessed the following miracle.
“Then Elijah folded his cloak together and struck the water with it. The river divided, and the two of them went across on dry ground!” (2 Kings 2:8 NLT)
Elisha, understanding the enormous task awaiting him, asked Elijah for a double portion of his spirit when the time of transition came. Elijah basically said, “If you’re around when I go, you bet.”
Well, shortly after that, the chariots of fire came and whisked Elijah away, at which time the cloak Elijah had been wearing fell to the ground.
“Elisha picked up Elijah’s cloak, which had fallen when he was taken up. Then Elisha returned to the bank of the Jordan River. He struck the water with Elijah’s cloak and cried out, “Where is the Lord , the God of Elijah?” Then the river divided, and Elisha went across.” (2 Kings 2:13 – 2:14 NLT)
Elijah left behind something that connected his generation to the next. He left his cloak. Some translations refer to it as a mantle.
The mantle symbolized the calling, and the anointing that empowers such a calling.
Elisha picked it up.
And he touched his generation with God’s Presence and Power!
God has always been concerned, not only for the present generation, but for the next one as well.
And I believe God wants us to be so connected with those older, and younger, so the mantle can be passed from one generation to the next.
Paul said, “You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.” (2 Timothy 2:2 NLT)
David wrote, “Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power.” (Psalm 145:4 NLT)
Elisha picked up Elijah’s mantle. He didn’t treat is as something passé. Nor was he a carbon copy of Elijah, but he respected what God had done through his predecessor and embraced it wholeheartedly.
Remember these words of Jesus? “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.” (John 14:12 NLT)
There’s an old phrase, “We don’t need to reinvent the wheel.”
There’s another one, found in Proverbs, “Don’t cheat your neighbor by moving the ancient boundary markers set up by previous generations.” (Proverbs 22:28 NLT)
Boundary markers; territory gained through faith and hard work. Experiences and impartations which are shared to be a blessing to the next generation.
God didn’t plan on each generation digging their own wells of revelation and power. His pattern was for each generation to equip the next with the necessary tools and fire to do even greater works.
Though there are a number of reasons why it hasn’t always happened like He wanted, we can begin now to make sure we act accordingly.
How?
Don’t be afraid to pick up Elijah’s cloak.
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Can I trust God and worry at the same time?
How can a person know if they’re trusting God or they’re relying upon wishful thinking?
Is it possible to trust God and worry at the same time?
Am I hoping and praying, or am I believing?
I’ve had people tell me, “Just trust God.” I would love to; all the time. And while I know I trust Him completely in some areas of my life, I have to be honest and say I struggle believing Him in others.
Is that a sin?
There are some who will say, “Yes, it’s a sin.” Then they’ll quote the verse, “…For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.” (Romans 14:23 ESV)
Excuse me, but that isn’t the whole verse, or its context. If I could pick and choose parts of verses, I could argue that “Faith is sin.” (Romans 14:23)
But I won’t.
Faith isn’t a switch we flip on and off. Faith IS “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Faith knows, it doesn’t ask questions, it never doubts.
Faith pleases God.
But there’s something else which pleases God.
Believing His word. Acting on His word.
“But I thought faith and believing were the same thing?” Not necessarily.
The man said to Jesus, “I believe, help my unbelief.” It seems like the man was struggling a bit, but was still pointed the right direction.
Notice this passage regarding the father of faith, faithful Abraham:
“And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. And he said to him, ‘I am the Lord who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.’ But he said, ‘O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?’” (Genesis 15:6 – 15:8 ESV)
Several times in the New Testament you’ll find the words, “And he believed the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness.”He believed, but notice, while he believed he still asked the question, “…how am I to know…?”.
Faith would have said, “Terrific! It’s as good as done. I’ve got all the substance and evidence I need. I have God’s Word.”
The difference? Faith is something you have. Believing is something you do.
That’s why we struggle at times with believing.
Here’s another verse people like to quote, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:5 – 1:8 ESV)
There isn’t one of us who hasn’t struggled with this passage at some point in our life.
But what’s James really saying?
Do you lack wisdom? Are you uncertain what move to make, or step to take? Ask God, in faith, without doubting.
Doubting what? Don’t doubt God will give you wisdom, because He will.
The struggle (I seem to be using that word a lot) lies in recognizing God’s answer. Sometimes it isn’t too clear and we start thinking we are double-minded because we just aren’t understanding our next step.
There have been times when I asked for wisdom, knowing God would give it. But I somehow allowed myself to be confused with the fine print. I know He gave it, I just wasn’t seeing it.
It is possible to believe and worry at the same time.
Back to father Abraham. Do you honestly think he wasn’t the least bit concerned as he raised the knife to slay his only son? He believed, but he didn’t leave his emotions or fears at the bottom of the mountain.
But in spite of them, because he believed, he obeyed.
I’m saying all of this for one primary reason: faith and believing pose huge problems for our adversary, the devil (1 Peter 5:8-9). And if he can make us think we’re a failure because we doubt and struggle (there it is again) in believing without worrying, many times he can get us to give up, throw in the towel, walk away from the Word, and say, “I’m such a loser; I’ll never please God.”
The devil is a liar!
Even if you don’t have the substance and evidence of faith, and there’s a bit of worry and doubt hanging around, don’t give in to the devil’s lies. If you’ve started believing, don’t stop.
Keep on believing! Keep doing what you know to do, what His Word said you can and should do, and let the feelings come and go.
You can believe and cry at the same time. John 11:35
You can believe and feel as though your heart has been ripped out of your chest. Mark 5:35,36
It is possible to trust and worry at the same time.
But when you recognize the presence of worry, do what the scripture says in Philippians 4:6-7.
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6 – 4:7 NLT)
Believe.
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Do you only read the cover of a book?
Hello. My name is Jan Grace. I’m a guy, and have been one all my life.
You may think it’s an odd name for a man, but I’ve gotten used to it over the years.
People have asked me, more times than I can remember, if the name is short for something. I say, “Yes; Janice.”
Ask a silly question…
You might be surprised by some of the mail I’ve received through the years. As a teenager I’d get mail addressed to Miss Jan Grace.
When I received my GED certificate back in 1974 it read, “This certificate shows that Jan Grace has scored satisfactorily on her tests…”, or words along those lines.
Notice the “her”.
I had them correct it.
Just a few days ago I received four emails in my junk folder: one selling women’s boots, another one advertising Plus Size Women’s Clothing (I can understand the plus size, but really!), another trying to get me to buy a Genie Zip Bra, and the last one said, “Jan, You’ve been selected as a female business leader”.
Awesome!
As I read the emails, I couldn’t help but think, “They don’t know who they’re talking to.”
And I sensed the Lord say to me, “and sometimes, neither do you.”
Of course, He’s right.
On a number of occasions I’ve looked at someone and immediately known all about them; only to learn how wrong I was after spending time with them.
Remember that old adage, “You can’t judge a book by its cover”? Yes, it applies here.
Our cover, whether it’s our name, appearance, or associates, can reveal much about us. But it isn’t foolproof.
It’s not always accurate.
Yes, it’s faster and takes a lot less effort, to learn everything about another person from their cover. But there’s so much more to the story.
People who only know my name, and nothing more, know nothing about ME.
There’s much more to ME than my name.
And there’s much more to others than their name, looks, church affiliation, or even political views.
Jesus said, “…for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (Matthew 6:8 ESV)
How could He know such things? Of course, He is God! But also, He knows our story, He’s listened to us, watched us.
Why? Because He cares for us!
Would you like to help people? Would you like to show people you really care for them with the love of God?
Then get past their cover. Even if the pages are dirty and they make you feel uncomfortable, take the time to learn their story.
Because just knowing their name really tells you nothing.
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Is there witchcraft in the Church? (sixth and final part)
This is the sixth and final post dealing with witchcraft in the Church. Some of these points could probably be lumped together, but I felt it was important to be as clear and defining as possible.
At the end of this post I’ve listed seven things a person should do if they believe witchcraft is operating in their church.
8. Above correction (not above reproach).
There are times when a person acts as though they’re infallible; they’re incapable of making a mistake. That should be a warning sign to everyone else.
It is a controlling spirit that demands submission even if clearly in the wrong. “Do as I say, not as I do” is not in sync with kingdom principles.
9. Word of knowledge/wisdom.
The gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12) are given to benefit people. There are people who may tell you some secrets about your life, but that information isn’t necessarily an indication of the Spirit of God.
What else is going on? Does the “word” bear witness with your heart? Is the minister demonstrating the love, compassion, and character of Jesus?
A good safeguard? Make certain you are actively in fellowship with the Lord. Seek Him above everything. Don’t go around hunting for a “word from the Lord”. You can find that for the price of a Chinese meal.
10. Discerning of spirits.
Is someone always telling you about the demons and evil spirits they see? Maybe they are, but maybe not.
According to my understanding of the Word, there are numerous angels in the spirit realm, as well.
A preoccupation with the spirit realm is an open door to deception. Although a person may be able to have such a vision, it is always as the Spirit wills; I’ve not seen anything in the scriptures that indicate it’s okay to seek a vision.
I may be wrong, but the only time someone was seeking such a thing was King Saul. That didn’t turn out so well for him.
Witchcraft, or seeking to manipulate through fleshly means, is something evil spirits love to accommodate.
11. Idolizing a leader, doctrine, etc.
Here’s where people like you and I can push someone toward witchcraft. How? By demanding so much from them, and not checking their message with the scripture.
Paul said to, “Prove all things, hold fast to that which is good”(1 Thessalonians 5).
Regardless of how wonderful a person preaches, or how many miracles they may perform, they are still human. They can miss the mark, just like the rest of us.
Esteem them highly for their works sake, but keep your eyes fixed on Jesus.
12. Misinterpreting the Spirit’s direction.
One Sunday, probably ten years ago, while we were singing and praising God, I was at the piano feeling all frustrated. It was as though God was locked out of the room.
Suddenly I sensed the Lord saying, “Call brother Francis to the platform and have him lead in the shout.”
I called Francis up, and told him what I thought I heard the Lord say. He looked at me kind of funny, but started shouting praise to God.
In almost no time the whole church was shouting, and the dryness and frustration left. God’s presence filled the place that day.
Never happened before or since. I had learned not to do something simply because it “worked” before.
Here’s where I learned it:
At a previous church the Lord directed me to have a tent meeting. We rented a tent, called an evangelist, and had four wonderful meetings. People were saved and healed.
Well, it worked so well, I planned a meeting for the next year. Bigger tent, same evangelist, but I planned it all in the flesh.
What a flop! I was wrong, and operating by a wrong spirit, in the flesh.
I had to repent and yield to God’s direction.
13. Counterfeit spirit.
In Acts 16 you’ll read the story of the girl possessed with the spirit of divination; a lying, death dealing spirit. She said the right things, but was “inspired” by the spirit of darkness.
I knew a man twenty some years ago who had a terrible battle with depression; and I believe he was specifically bothered by evil spirits.
I had ministered to him a few times, and one evening he stopped by the house to give me a “praise report”. It was late when he stopped by, so the rest of my family was in bed.
He wanted to thank the Lord, so I took his hand and began thanking God rather quietly, so as not to wake up my household.
He started getting real loud, saying, “Praise the Lord, Pastor Grace. Praise the Lord, Pastor Grace!”
All of a sudden I sensed something evil and I said, “I rebuke you lying spirit!”
At once, he changed into a crazy man, walking wildly around the house, yelling and screaming.
I told him to sit down and shut up in the Name of Jesus, and then called my next door neighbor who was a believer.
When he arrived, as soon as I opened the door, the man stormed past me and took off.
Unfortunately, the man never was able to get free and ended up taking his life a couple years later.
14. Forcing a word from God, rather than relaxing and resting in His grace and ability.
Sometimes people think there has to be a demonstration of a spiritual gift or two in order to “have a good service”.
Those who believe that are apt to be duped into operating in the flesh; i.e. witchcraft.
Why not simply seek the Lord, whether at church or not, and follow His direction? As long as His will is accomplished, what else really matters?
Besides, if we’re too busy looking and waiting for something “spectacular”, we just may miss the real supernatural move of God.
15. Desiring the show rather than the grow (Simon – Acts 8).
If you desire “the show”, rather than “the grow”, you will be fooled. If you’re only satisfied with hype, you’ll never be grounded in truth.
Paul said, “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:1 – 12:3 ESV).
Throughout the New Testament Paul tells us to put away the old man. The old man is easily deceived, can be manipulated as well as manipulate others. It loves to be caught up in the excitement, attributing everything happening to God, even if it doesn’t pass any scriptural litmus test.
Witchcraft, misuse and fraud, which lead to deception and ultimately broken lives and churches, is breaking out in churches.
Is it breaking out in yours?
No, I’m not on some witch hunt, but I am hungry to see the genuine move of God I read about in scripture.
I’ve given a number of examples of where witchcraft could be showing up in the church, as well as reasons why.
But what should we do if we suspect things aren’t exactly right?
Try these seven things…
1. Examine the scriptures.2. Examine your own heart.
3. Pray for the leadership.
4. Speak to leadership (pastor, elder).
5. Confused? God is not the author of confusion, but we don’t always see things God’s way. Give the leadership the benefit of the doubt.
6. Still unsure? Maybe it’s time to speak with another spiritually mature person.
7. Truth or error? When you’ve settled the question, act accordingly.
Please let me know if any of this helped you. I’d love to visit more with you, so please drop me a line.
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Is there witchcraft in the Church? (part five)
Throughout the last twenty centuries, supernatural and spectacular miracles have been used by God to not only authenticate the Word of faith the servant of God is preaching, but also draw millions to services where they hear and believe the gospel, and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior.
Awesome!
But try and imagine a guy, let’s call him Brother I. M. Anointed, who seems to be used by God in powerful ways. His words are smooth as silk, and people are greatly blessed by God’s presence when the man ministers. He gets a reputation as someone God anoints with signs and wonders. Someone who always has a “word of the Lord” for a congregation, and maybe everyone in the church.
People are funny, church people even more so. When the “gifts are flowing”, so does the excitement AND the money.
It’s much easier to book meetings when you can draw a crowd.
But what if the meeting takes place, the songs are sung, the shouting begins, and God doesn’t anoint as in previous services?
Sometimes the preacher gets used to the “flow”, that special feeling of being used by God, as well as the words of affirmation from those who have been helped. And if the feeling isn’t always present the preacher can “press in” more and more until the people receive the word they’re looking for.
Even if he has to rely on the flesh (Galatians 5:20) to do so.
Here’s where witchcraft can enter in undetected.
The preacher, Brother or Sister Anointed, can “hear” something from a familiar spirit (a false spirit), even information about someone in the congregation whom they’ve never met, and give a “word”. There is no life attached, but because the info is spectacular it’s swallowed up as coming from God.
Over and over it happens until the fake has overtaken the genuine.
Some have become addicted to what they call the anointing, but it could be something from a source other than God.
Don’t misunderstand me; there is a genuine work of the Spirit. God DOES anoint men and women with the Holy Spirit and power. Miracles DO happen, even in the twenty first century.
But God isn’t a genie, or a dealer at a blackjack table. As Paul wrote, “But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.” (1 Corinthians 12:11 NKJV)
The Spirit distributes as He wills (WHEN He wills).
There is no magic formula or incantation that automatically opens the windows of heaven. There’s no song, shout, liturgy, or offertory that can push the “anointing button”. Loud or soft music, dim or bright lights, do not move Heaven.
Here are some more areas in the Church where witchcraft can be found.
5. Reliance upon gimmicks/mood setting.
Somewhat like our first example, but I’m thinking more in the area of an actual worship service.
Lights up, lights off. Music loud, music soft. A specific order of service.
And let’s not forget the altar call.
Are these things bad? No. But why do we do these things? Is it because it’s the best way to move people through the maze of faith? Because it makes sense? Because we’re trying to appeal to their emotions and intellect?
Am I saying that whoever gives an altar call is involved in witchcraft? No!
But have you ever heard these phrases?
“I’m going to count to three, and when I reach three I want you to step out and walk the aisle.” Then, the preacher takes five minutes between numbers doing everything but toss a rope over the person’s head to get them to the altar.
“If you were to die tonight…”
“I’ll tarry just a minute longer…” Meanwhile the worship team plays something that draws on a person’s emotions.
Can people be talked into the kingdom of God? Does an emotional experience equate with the new birth?
Manipulation is not the anointing of God.
There ARE moments when the Spirit says to sing a certain song, say a specific word, or prolong an altar call. Yes!
But this is what I’m trying to get us all to see: we’re either gonna be led by the Spirit of God, or we’re gonna develop our own fleshly way of doing kingdom business.
6. False prophecies (out of the flesh).
Balaam, Numbers 22-24, had a business of blessing and cursing. He was known as a man who could conjure up a supernatural blessing or curse upon someone; for a price. People, especially leaders, from all over the known world had Balaam’s cell number in their phone.
But he was NOT a man of God.
If you read those chapters in Numbers, you’ll notice he tried everything he could in order to curse God’s people, Israel.
Why? He was after the money.
It’s true, Balaam gave an appearance of having connections with the Most High God, but the true picture is found in Balaam’s character. He wanted Balam’s paycheck!
God had to override the message the evil spirits were giving Balaam.
How can I use such an example, claiming there are people in the church acting like Balaam?
Because the Word of God says so.
“They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;” (2 Peter 2:15 NKJV).
Also see Jude 11 and Revelation 2:14.
Again, not every supernatural manifestation is false; or true. If there are false prophets, there must be true prophets. If there is a real thing, there’s also a counterfeit.
It’s happening in the Church, and many believe everything spectacular is of God.
7. Extra-biblical/non-biblical experiences.
I’ll not say much about this point, other than God’s Word is our pattern for living. Be careful, though, in judging someone’s experience. There were a number of times in both the Old and New Testaments when God had His servants do some wild things. Or, maybe it wasn’t anything THEY did, but God used some different situations to perform His works.
Examples? How about dividing the Red Sea, the Jordan River, Joshua fighting Amalek, the Walls of Jericho, the sun standing still, the floating axe head, etc.?
Jesus spit on the ground, made mud, and dabbed it on a blind man’s eyes. Peter walked down the street and people got healed as his shadow passed over them. Paul had a handkerchief ministry in Acts 19.
But here’s the thing we must understand. None of those experiences were designed to become “the formula”, or a “pattern”.
Jesus is the pattern. He’s the One Who will lead and instruct us as we walk with Him. He won’t lead us into foolishness and/or error.
By the way, if you haven’t read the other four posts in this series, I encourage you to do so.
Also, please comment below, or ask any question you’d like pertaining to this subject.
To be continued…
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Is there witchcraft in the Church? (part four)
Is there witchcraft in the church?
Here’s part four…
Witchcraft, as I’ve shared in previous posts, isn’t necessarily about hexes, potions, and Ouija Boards. It IS about seduction, manipulation, deception, poisoning, and medication for the purpose of control.
Galatians 5:19,20 mentions witchcraft as one of the works of the flesh. One doesn’t need to be a bonafide sorcerer or warlock to dabble in witchcraft. Simply giving in to certain fleshly tendencies is enough to open the door to the spirit of witchcraft.
Remember these words of Paul?
“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:5 – 8:8 ESV)
Even seasoned, Spirit-filled believers must be aware of the continuous battle between flesh and Spirit. No one outgrows the desires of the flesh; if we are going to have victory we must crucify the flesh, training it to obey, instead of yielding to our baser tendencies.
And that brings me to this: ways witchcraft has made its way into the Church.
Nice, well meaning believers have succumbed to witchcraft without knowing it. Some preachers, worship leaders, Christian leaders and celebrities are dabbling in it.
Here are some areas I see it happening:
1. Hype, bigger and better advertising.
The need to build up, to promote in order to get a certain natural reaction, can be nothing more than manipulation, or witchcraft. It’s very essence reveals where one’s trust truly lies.
2. The wisdom of man.
Realizing God can give a person creative ideas is one thing. Yet scripture indicates the wisdom of man is foolishness to God. Touting one’s ability to “turn a phrase”, “preach the house down”, or use the right amount of voice inflection to “move a crowd” is NOT the anointing of God. It’s something else.
Paul said, “And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:1 – 2:5 ESV)
3. Rebellion toward God’s authority.
God has set in the Church…leaders. Not the kind that lord their authority over others, but those who are called to a life of servant leadership.
However, when people fail to recognize the leaders God has placed into their lives, they are quick to either speak ill of them or step away from the proper relationship with them. In a way, their words are calling for curses upon God’s leader.
A manifestation of the flesh.
4. Manipulation/coercion of members.
On the flip side, there are leaders who aren’t clear about their calling, or are simply so stuck on themselves they abuse their supposed authority over their flock.
Peter warned against such actions (1 Peter 5), but sometimes people don’t recognize the difference between walking in the flesh and walking in the Spirit.
They “feel” the Spirit, and make demands of others because God has “given them charge of His flock.”
A favorite passage is “don’t touch God’s anointed”.
Too bad, because dictatorship isn’t the nature of the kingdom. We are supposed to submit to one another in the fear of God.
God’s way produces godly results. Fleshly ways may produce numbers and excitement, but the final tally may be lacking.
To be continued… (I’ll include another group of areas where I believe witchcraft has found its way into the Church. I have a total of 15. I’ll list them here, then explain them later.)
5. Reliance upon gimmicks/mood setting
6. False prophecies
7. Extra-biblical/non-biblical experiences
8. Being above correction
9. Fleshy “word of knowledge/wisdom”
10. Discerning of spirits
11. Idolizing a leader, doctrine, etc.
12. Misinterpreting the Spirit’s direction
13. Counterfeit spirit
14. Forcing a word from God
15. Desiring the show rather than the grow -
Is there witchcraft in the Church? (part three)
God has placed within the church not only ministry gifts (specifically Apostles, Prophets, etc.), but also gifts of the Spirit to equip the various ministries.One group of gifts is what many refer to as the utterance gifts: tongues, interpretation of tongues, and prophecy.
Another group is known as the revelation gifts: word of knowledge, word of wisdom, and discerning of spirits.
The third group is the power gifts: gift of faith, gift of healings, the working of miracles (all found in 1 Corinthians 12).
What happens when a person is desirous of spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:31), but doesn’t take the time to study the word, or have the humility to allow others to judge what they say or the spirit behind their utterance?
Confusion and every evil work.
Sometimes it may not be the minister who is operating with a false spirit, but a person who is so hungry to hear a “word” (for guidance, assurance, or whatever), they open themselves to all kinds of issues.
Many years ago I attended a Full Gospel Businessmen’s meeting where a guy from Dogpatch, Arkansas ministered. The man taught (don’t remember the message at all), then had those who desired “personal prophecy” to form a line along one side of the room.
About half of the hundred or so in attendance followed the preacher’s instructions, including myself. I wanted to hear something from God, something pertaining to my job and financial situation.
I remember telling a friend, who was also waiting in line, “I don’t know why I’m standing here. God has been showing me what I’m supposed to be doing.”
But I stayed in line, anyway.
When it was finally my turn, the man of God placed his hands on my head, closed his eyes, and prayed a short prayer.
Immediately following the prayer, with eyes still closed, he said to me, “I don’t why you’re even up here. God has shown you what to do, so go do it.”
I about fell over.
I was at a critical point in my life. Greatly desiring to be used of God, I could have been told just about anything and would have probably believed it.
“One who is full loathes honey, but to one who is hungry everything bitter is sweet.” (Proverbs 27:7 ESV)
I was looking for something sweet.
But the scriptures don’t for a second teach we’re supposed to rely on personal prophecy for life’s direction. No, we have the privilege and responsibility to hear and know God’s voice, and follow His lead.
“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” (Romans 8:14 ESV)
If we don’t study God’s word and actively participate in a local church (for starters), we may wake up someday and realize we’ve been hoodwinked by the spirit of witchcraft. We’ve settled for the spectacular and missed the supernatural.
And it’s happening to many, many people.
In the next post, I’ll list at least 10 ways witchcraft has found its way into the Church.
Remember, witchcraft isn’t necessarily something involving omens and black cats. It’s much more deceptive than that.
To be continued…
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Is there witchcraft in the Church? (part two)
Really.Throughout the New Testament we are taught the reality of the spirit realm, the power of the Name of Jesus, the miracle working power of the Spirit, and the need for the Body of Christ to know the difference between true and false manifestations.
But witchcraft in the Church? That should be easy to detect, don’t you think?
Yeah, you’d think so.
But not if you’re unaware of how it’s manifested.
Witchcraft is listed in Galatians 5 with a long list of “now the works of the flesh are…” It’s translated from the Greek word, “pharmakeia” which means to administer medication, magic, and sorcery. It refers to manipulation and deception, in connection with idolatry; the worship of man or things.
Witchcraft camouflages, or conceals, hides, the spirit behind the manifestation’s true identity. In other words, it medicates people so they can’t discern truth from error.
We understand how people, not walking in the Spirit, can yield to such things as sexual immorality, envy, even murder; things listed as the works of the flesh.
But we somehow skip over the notion that witchcraft is among those “works” listed.
The man or woman “performing” can become so dependent upon the performance (because they have a reputation as a prophet or miracle worker), they become the focus of trust, adoration and worship.
Which, of course, is exactly what the devil is after.
And if and when their performance begins to weaken, i.e. the excitement wanes, the temptation to “help God” can become too great to resist.
Yielding to temptation always results in walking according to the flesh. Which could include witchcraft.
Philip performed many miracles. So did Peter and John. But they never seemed to be enamored by them.
In awe, yes. Enamored, no.
Luke wrote of God working special, unusual, extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, “so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them” (Acts 19:11,12 ESV).
Not only were miracles wrought, but they were extraordinary miracles!
But Paul didn’t act as though the miracles depended entirely on him.
In Acts 28, while shipwrecked on an island, God used Paul to bring healing to many.
“Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us and entertained us hospitably for three days. It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery. And Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him healed him. And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured.” (Acts 28:7 – 28:9 ESV)
But Paul always remembered Who the miracle worker was.
He told of a time to come when people would give heed to seducing spirits, doctrines of demons, and lying wonders (1 Timothy 4).
A time much like today.
I’ve noticed something happening in the Church over the last, say, twenty to thirty years; even in “Pentecostal” churches.
There’s a separation, a dividing taking place. Three groups are emerging: those who have moved away from allowing (or seeking) any “manifestation” of the Spirit in their worship service, those who allow anything and everything (as long as it’s God – their words, not mine), and those who attempt to follow Paul’s admonition: “Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:19 – 5:22 ESV).
The first group can end up missing out on what God wants to do or say because of their rigidity and misunderstanding of the Word.
The third group is one I believe the Lord wants each of His local churches to be like.
The second group, the subject of this series, can open the door to much confusion and guile within a local church.
To be continued…
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Is there witchcraft in the Church? (part one)
Have you ever heard of such a thing?Witchcraft? In the church?
“Man, you’re crazy! First of all, God wouldn’t allow it. And even if there was such a thing, we’d spot it right away.”
That sounds wonderful, but it’s a lot of ignorance and pride mixed in with a ladle full of hot air.
I didn’t say there are witches in the church, but then again, why wouldn’t there be?
Couldn’t there be?
Witchcraft, manipulating and controlling others by the use of familiar spirits, doesn’t have to be performed by some green skinned, large nosed woman the size of a toothpick, dressed in black, who rides a souped up broom to the neighborhood convenience store every night. No, that’s primarily for the cartoons.
Witchcraft, the kind the church should be concerned with, isn’t found so much in covens or satanic worship. And although it really happens, and people get sucked into that mess, it shouldn’t be an issue for the church.
Why? Because Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me; go therefore…” (Matthew 28:18,19 ESV). The Lord has raised the church, the Body of Christ, to the same place as the Head; far above ALL principalities and powers…(Ephesians 1).
If we’ll remember Whose we are, and that He lives in us, the devil and witchcraft are a non-issue. Curses and hexes cannot affect us if we walk with Jesus, in the power of His Spirit.
However, there’s a way for the devil to affect believers, without using the Halloween costumes and special effects.
All he has to do is find someone who is more interested in signs and wonders than they are in holiness and integrity.
And, unfortunately, there are a number of men and women who’ll oblige him.
To be continued…
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Dad, what if your son followed your example?
Today, while working at one of the neighborhood malls, I happened to notice a young man, probably in his late twenties, walking hand in hand with his son (maybe four years old).I was thinking to myself, what a nice picture. A father taking time with his son. I thought maybe they were going to walk to the kids area, down at the other end of the mall.
Instead, the young man walked his little boy into the Spencer’s store.
What a shame.
“So what?”, you may ask. “What’s the big deal about Spencer’s?”
Well, though it’s true there are a lot of stores so much worse, and while it’s also true a typical four year old won’t find anything tempting or titillating at Spencer’s, there are a couple of reasons why I cringed at the sight.
One – A father’s focus, to a large extent, prepares the son to follow suit. It’s not automatic, but typically he mimics his dad and follows in his footsteps.
Though a father may argue that Spencer’s isn’t a bad place, the question I’d ask is “And what other places do you find acceptable for an impressionable little man?”
What are you putting in front of his face at home? What do you have hidden in your closet, or chest of drawers, that he may accidentally come across someday?
If your son looked at women the way you do, could he stand before God without blushing when the secrets of his heart were made known?
Do you want him to follow in each and every one of your steps?
Two – There is such a thing as sowing and reaping. Believe it or not, like it or not, whatever you pour into him is what will grow.
As a rule.
That’s how the Lord “visits” the iniquity of the fathers on the children.
“…The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” (Exodus 34:6-7 ESV)
It isn’t that God makes your children rebellious; not at all. He doesn’t train them, or make them act a certain way.
You and I, the parents, are the ones who train our children. Good or bad.
“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6 ESV)
Remember, whatever is sown will be harvested.
Dad, you have a relatively short season to spend molding and shaping you little guy before he is out on his own. And while you’ll never be the perfect parent, the time to begin teaching him the right way is now.
Teach by what you say, and how you say it.
Demonstrate how a godly man relates to his wife. Let him see you put only good things before your eyes. Let your son see you own up to your mistakes.
Be the man of God you want your little man to follow after.
Yes, ultimately he has to choose which way he will go; in your direction, or off on his own, on a different path.
But the same scripture that teaches about the sins of the father, also make mention of the forgiveness and blessing of God upon our children, to the third and fourth generations.
Do you REALLY think it’s okay to hang out in Spencer’s? What kind of desire are you attempting to feed; to satisfy?
Don’t you think your son deserves a better life than that?
Jan Grace
adding God's Word into my world…
Jan Grace 