WOLVES AMONG THE FLOCK
TEXT:
2 Pet 1:16-19
INTRODUCTION:
2Pet 1:19 says we have a "more sure word of prophecy."
It is more sure than "cleverly devised fables."
It is more sure than an "eye-witness" account.
It is more sure than a "voice" from the heavens.
It is the Bible!
I. DAVID (MOSES) BERG - FALSE PROPHET
A. JOHN HIGGINS’ EARLY ENCOUNTER WITH BERG
John Higgins was involved with the formation of a ministry called House of Miracles. John relates his encounter with a group led by David Berg:
"I met them and was impressed at first by their zeal. But, their zeal became a great burden because they kept claiming that unless you did the things that they did, you were not of Christ. I went and prayed with them many times about this and they never condemned us, but they always gave the impression that unless you were of them you weren’t of Christ… Their leader was named, David Berg. David, plus his son Jonathan, along with a man named Paul, and a few others of his family were the ruling body. They became extremely fanatical and at one point came and prophesied against us (at the House of Miracles). They said, "Woe unto the House of Miracles". Then Lonnie [Frisbee] popped up and gave a prophecy, "Woe unto them that say thus saith the Lord and I have not spoken." I just really got a big kick out of that for I felt that the Lord had spoken back to their prophecy. Anyway, these people became so fanatical that they claimed to be the only ones and claimed to be the way to salvation. Finally they left saying that California was going to fall into the ocean.
B. JOHN SALVESEN’S ENCOUNTER WITH BERG
John Salvesen relates how followers of David Berg interfered in his marriage by forcing his wife, Linda, to (quote) "make a decision between the work of the Lord and her ‘unspiritual husband.’" He said:
"One night I got three calls from people expressing concern for Linda’s safety. By the time the third call came through, I was on my way downtown. Though I’m not a charismatic or visionary kind of guy, I received a vision of Linda sitting in a chair surrounded by guys talking at her. Sure enough when I walked in, I saw Linda surrounded by seven guys telling her that she shouldn’t listen to her husband because it is her ministry. That God would speak through her and through them, but not through her husband."
C. A FORMER FOLLOWER RELATES BERG’S INFLUENCE
A former follower of David (Moses) Berg wrote:
We were told David Berg was the "End Time Prophet." This belief was the very foundation of our thinking processes for years. The things that Mo (David Moses Berg) said had a powerful influence on us, sometimes even years after leaving his group. It can hardly be stressed enough just how important a correct understanding of the Bible is.
Why? Because, if David Berg is the End Time Prophet as he claims, then that makes him "God’s voice" and despite his mistakes, human weaknesses, foibles and outright sins, we should listen to him.
BUT, what if he isn’t the Prophet that was promised? The answer is obvious: If Mo says he’s "God’s End time Prophet," when in fact he is not, then you don’t need to fear him. You can, with a clear conscience toward God, disregard his Letters and follow God according to what you believe God is telling you. Furthermore, if Mo is not the Prophet, then he has spoken presumptuously in declaring that he is. He has made a false prophecy and, as Deut. 18:22 says, "The prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him."
D. FROM DEACON TO DICTATOR
1. David Berg didn’t anticipate being a false prophet and the leader of a false cult.
2. He started out just like many of us, with a sincere desire to serve God.
3. He kept pushing the limits in controlling others and deceiving himself all the while.
4. He eventually went into gross immorality and took his followers with him.
5. This all happened because he neglected to check his actions against the Word of God.
II. PROPHETS DON’T GUIDE N.T. BELIEVERS
A. UNDER THE NEW COVENANT
1. Under the New Covenant, prophets do not lead, guide, or direct people’s lives.
2. Seeking prophets for guidance brings massive confusion into a Christian’s life.
3. We are to be led by the Spirit of God (Rom. 8:14), not by prophets.
B. MODERN DAY FORTUNE TELLING
1. Directing the Lives of Others Is Fortune-telling.
2. Successful people have gone bankrupt in business because they followed some so-called
prophet’s advice.
3. It’s no different from calling up the psychic hotline!
4. Some want to go to a so-called prophet for direction and counsel before they make any
business deal.
5. It’s sort of like putting out a fleece. You eventually get fleeced!
C. DIRECTING THROUGH PROPHECY IS FORTUNE-TELLING
1. People who try to direct other people’s lives through the office of the prophet are nothing
more than fortune-tellers.
2. Many people don’t have enough sense to know that.
3. They go to these meetings where everyone goes around laying hands on everyone and just
saying whatever comes to mind.
4. It’s nothing more than EMPTY HANDS ON EMPTY HEADS!
5. They tell people that they are supposed to get a divorce, when there is no just cause in the
scriptures.
6. They attempt to tell people how to run their business and they wind up going under.
7. They try to run YOUR business with THEIR "spiritual gifts" but if they were any good
at it, they’d all be wealthy and there would be no homeless people in their cities.
8. You’d be much better off reading the book of Proverbs than following these so-called
prophets!
D. DESPISE NOT PROPHESYINGS
1. 1Thess 5:20-21 says, "Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which
is good."
2. We aren’t to despise prophesying.
3. But, we AREN’T SUPPOSED TO BELIEVE EVERYTHING WE’RE TOLD either.
4. The Bible tells us to prove all things to see if they are of God.
5. When it doesn’t agree with God’s Word, it’s not of God!
6. When it doesn’t come to pass, it’s not of God!
7. Believers trying to inquire about God’s leading or direction in their lives through a prophet
are on dangerous ground.
8. Some people just don’t have any common sense!
9. You ought to at least know that the prophet’s advice isn’t any good when half of the
prophesies given are wrong!
III. THE FALSE PROPHET (1KINGS 13)
A. THE MAIN CHARACTERS OF 1Kings 13:1-32
1. The Prophet in this passage symbolizes the Spirit filled believer who has been given
the Word of God
2. The False Prophet in this passage symbolizes the Fortune tellers and sooth-sayers who
claim to be of God
3. The Lion in this passage symbolizes Satan, who eventually gets you when you don’t follow
the Word of God
B. THE CLAIMS OF THE FALSE PROPHET
1. The false prophet attempted to get the man of God to follow him.
2. In response to the man of God’s refusal, the false prophet claimed direct revelation from
God through an angel.
3. He told the man of God that he should forget his former instructions.
4. He was deceived because he was too willing to believe a report that was allegedly from God.
5. So the prophet of Judah, not suspecting that the old prophet was lying to him, returned to
Bethel and ate with him.
6. It cost him his life.
7. This story clarifies the importance of consistent and complete obedience to the Word of God.
C. THE CONTRADICTIONS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A WARNING
1. The man of God should have been suspicious when the false prophet’s claims were
contrary to God’s earlier message for him.
2. God never contradicts Himself.
IV. THE WOLF
A. JESUS SAID FALSE PROPHETS ARE FEROCIOUS WOLVES
1. Jesus said that His servants were like sheep and false prophets are wolves.
2. In Matthew 7:15 He said they are ferocious wolves in sheep’s clothing.
3. The natural enemy of a sheep is a wolf.
4. But Jesus didn’t just say a that false prophet is a wolf.
5. He said a false prophet is a FEROCIOUS wolf.
6. Furthermore, this ferocious enemy won’t appear dangerous.
7. He will look innocent and harmless like Christians, for they are dressed in sheep’s clothing!
B. A WOLF IN THE CHURCH
We had a wolf in our church. He came in sheep’s clothing - he looked like a Christian and
sounded like a Christian, but he was a wolf. He came into the flock. He became acquainted
with the flock. Then he began to cull out various members from the flock, slowly leading them
astray. He accomplished this by personal and secret counseling, by frequent visits to their
homes, by inviting them to private bible studies, by teaching his own personal doctrines which
were in conflict with the leadership of the church. He made his way in between formerly close
friends and even between husbands and wives. He gained their trust and eventually their loyalty
towards himself.
Over a period of time, the pastor became aware that he had a wolf in the flock. He took
steps to identify the wolf while trying not to disturb the flock. It took time. Meanwhile,
the people were feeling uneasy, some left because of the influence of the wolf. Others were
afraid to say anything to the pastor in case it got back to the wolf, who by then had spread a
large circle of intimidation. The wolf had so enchanted the flock that some began to think of him
as their shepherd. They began to share things with the wolf that should have rightfully been
shared with the pastor/shepherd. When the wolf was eventually driven out of the flock, some of
the sheep who had been infected by the wolf, left also. This caused great pain for the pastor,
but he knew that he had to lose a few to save many.
The wolf turned out to be a person who had been trusted by the shepherd. But, the wolf had
abused this trust, and had drawn loyalty to himself through sowing seeds of doubt regarding
the pastor’s abilities to do his job. The wolf had claimed that the pastor was not as anointed
as the wolf and did not have the same power with God that the wolf supposedly had.
Today the flock is stronger than ever under that pastor. The flock is growing in the Spirit and
in fellowship. There is a renewed enthusiasm and a confidence for the future. Now, that the
wolf is gone!
C. SOMETIMES FALSE PROPHETS HAVE A SPIRIT OF DIVINATION
1. They can tell you how much money you have in your pocket, and what’s going to happen to it.
2. Generally, they will tell you that it is going from your pocket to theirs!
3. Anytime someone starts prophesying money out of your wallet, think twice about it.
4. There were spirits of divination in the Bible and they are still around today.
5. It was a spirit of divination that Paul cast out of the young fortune-teller in Acts 16.
D. SOMETIMES PROPHECY IS TAKEN OUT OF BOUNDS
1. It is used to manipulate people.
2. You don’t need a prophet to tell you where to go to church.
3. You need to be led by the Word of God and by His Spirit inside of you.
E. SEEKING THE SPECTACULAR
AND MISSING THE SUPERNATURAL
1. Too many believers are looking for some prophet to come along and tell them what to do.
2. Meanwhile, they miss out on the Spirit of God directing them in their own hearts.
3. They are in a hurry. They want a quick fix without having to pray for it.
4. They want a prophet to do all the work for them, and they wind up with the same problem
that the children of Israel did when they demanded a King. He became a tyrant.
5. You don’t need to call 1-900-PROPHETS if you have the Holy Ghost.
6. You don’t need to call the psychic hotline if you have the Holy Ghost.
7. The Sons of God are led by the Spirit of God, not by the prophets.
8. Do you have the Spirit of God in you?
9. If not, would you like to ask Him to be a part of your life?
