I started looking through my sermons in progress and came across this one I started in 2018. Little did I know that six years later that I would be speaking often against false prophets marking them as the Word commands. Indeed, I had other issues to deal with for a long time and just shook my head when I heard of crazy stuff and moved on. Now, I have people close to me being deceived by a group that has become involved with seducing spirits and doctrines of devils so it is timely that I came across this.
Sadly, it is often like before 911 when the problem was over there so we did not think much of it. Heresy and false prophets I hoped were an oddity and my family would be immune to it as some were seminary trained, but they are a major danger and are destroying faith and souls. Hence, I can no longer just say “it’s somewhere else” and go about my way. Indeed, they are now in the city where I live.
Hopefully, these verses will help someone to avoid the trap of hyper-Charismatics and other cults. Just because you see what seems to be miracles and they use the name of Christ does not make it automatically valid. Jesus and Paul spoke of false apostles and miracles in the last days. We would do well to seek discernment.
II Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (KJV)
Even during the Apostles’ lifetime there were those who tried to destroy the faith even to writing or preaching like Paul, but they twisted the message. Paul personally signed his epistles to fight the forgeries. Paul says that the Wicked one or the Anti-Christ will come with power, signs and wonders powered by Satan, not the Holy Spirit. Those who refuse the truth will be deceived because God will cause them to have strong delusion. They will not have a second chance after the Rapture as some teach. (Gal 1:1-10, 2 Thess 3:17)
Matt 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (KJV)
So, these folks prophesied, cast out demons and did miracles/wonderful works in Jesus’ name or so they thought. There were of workers of lawlessness or doing things they had no authority to do by Christ. There were in league with Satan and yet could do some convincing things. Someone I love said, “But if you see it with your own eyes.” I referred her to this passage and the one in Thessalonians.
Rev 16:12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.
13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. (KJV)
Here we have false miracles performed by demonic spirits. Seeing is believing is a phrase that causes us to fall prey to deception. Many will see these wonders and it will lead to their damnation if they believe.
Rev 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. (KJV)
Again, another being that can do miracles and will cause people to worship the Beast. Just as John the Baptist pointed people to Jesus so will this person point people to the anti-Christ. Miracles will abound, but not from the Holy Spirit.
Heb 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will? (KJV)
Notice that the ones confirmed were those who heard Him. This would be the Apostles. This is why Paul called himself an apostle born out of time. When you see the qualifications for who the eleven chose to replace Judas, Paul did not qualify. He was chosen to be the Apostle to the Gentiles so the requirements were fulfilled when he spent three years in the wilderness with Christ. No one has fulfilled those requirements since.
Indeed, we are told that there would be a great apostasy and false prophets in the last days, not a New Apostolic Reformation. Jesus even asked if there would be faith on the earth when He returned. That does not sound like there would be a last great revival and the Church taking dominion. It sounds more like a small remnant at best. Indeed, we have seen great apostasy in the mainlines and a prostitution of Christ, the Spirit and the gifts in the hyper-Charismatics.
Acts 6:6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. (KJV)
Stephen did do many wonders and miracles and some of the deacons may have as well, but they had hands laid on them by the apostles. Paul tells us that not everyone has the same gifts. The Spirit dispenses as He sees fits. Hence, I do not say that He cannot give any of the gifts today, if He so pleases. I do say, that the majority of what we see on TV and in the churches is not of Him.
1 Cor 12:4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. (KJV)
One of the fallacies in the hyper-Charismatics is that you can teach a person to speak in tongues or to prophesy and even that God wants all of His people to have all of the gifts when it is not what Scripture teaches. The gifts are given in their fullness. We do have to exercise them and not sit on them as many Christians do. (2 Timothy 1:6) Many do not even seek what their gift is and I am convinced that is one of the reasons so many lack joy and purpose in their lives.
1 Cor 12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.(KJV)
And this is the nail in the coffin of that concept. Not all have all the gifts and not all have multiple gifts. Some just have one and that is their purpose in the Body to exercise that one for it is the one the Spirit gave you for the Body you are in.
Rom 12:5-8
5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. (KJV)
Again gifts differing. If the liver decided it wanted to be a heart a body would have two hearts and be dead. The Holy Spirit decides what gift(s) to each member of the Body. Locally, if a church does not have all parts of the body it may because they are not winning souls for God to gift or edifying the saints to find and use what they have. Another option is that a soul was saved and he was sent off to Bible college when the Spirit gifted him to supply the part the local body needed. Not everyone, and the older I get the fewer people I believe, need Bible college. Most of the people Jesus picked had no real education, but the Spirit used them. Last option is that for whatever reason God is finished with that particular church or like a caterpillar God wants a different group in the building to morph it into what that community needs as communities change. Fishing analogy is that if the lake is now stocked with catfish instead of bass you need to change your bait and tactics.
2 Tim 4:19-20
19 Salute Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.
20 Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick. (KJV)
Phil 2:25-27
25 Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.
26 For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.
27 For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. (KJV)
1 Tim 5:23 Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities. KJV
What do you say about an Apostle that healed many, but did not heal two people? One he left to recuperate and the other he gave a prescription? A third man he fully admits that it was God that healed the man without any interaction on his part. Definitely kills the healing is for everyone teaching.
Even a famous preacher that is a friend of the people teaching that said that he no longer prophesies that a person will be healed when he prays for them. Does that “apostle” lack faith or is he not saved? Why as an “apostle” can’t he? Indeed, the one who teaches that doctrine watched his wife go through chemo and die? Surely she and all of the man’s disciples had faith and were saved, yet she died. I expect she had faith as well. No, healing is not for everyone. A toddler was prayed for to be raised from the dead and that did not happen. Surely, an apostle could do that.
Matt 10:1-4
1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;
3 Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;
4 Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. (KJV)
Our current crew of “apostles” and such are not good at these things. Many miracles are not able to be proven. A lady supposedly had her severed toes grown back, but no pictures of the new toes or medical records that she lost them. Others have been proven to be false. Healings? Well, if you lose your healing then you lacked faith and the sickness came back. There is no scripture to support that. Jesus only warned one man that if he sinned again a worse thing would happen, not that he would he would lose his healing. (John 5:14) It is a cheap cop-out to say that when “healed” people die that they are now totally healed.
Exod 7:9-12
9 When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent.
10 And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent.
11 Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.
12 For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods. (KJV)
I am sure nearly every Egyptian believed that the lads in verse eleven were spokespersons of the various gods. They had most likely seen things that sealed the deal for them, but when the true God showed up they were proven false and powerless. Much like the lads in Matthew 7.
The devil can mimic. People supposedly received gold teeth from God, but why not real teeth especially if they were better than the rest of the teeth in their mouth? Are the dental records available or is all of this just anecdotal? That would have been something to see.
Is it because satan cannot create ex-nihilo, but could mold gold? Jesus could create out of nothing. Indeed, when He restored people to factory specs I suspect He may had to make some parts. I doubt satan can do that. I would not be dogmatic about it, but it is a question to ponder.
Luke 13:16 And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?
Since satan can bind a person or cause them physical issues could he not unbind them? The same officer that handcuffs a criminal uncuffs him to transfer him to the jailer. Much false healing may come from folks with psychosomatic issues. Others could come from satan at least undoing some of what he did to make it look like a healing. After all, if you are going to set up people to appear as “ministers of righteousness” you have to have some sort of manifestations.
2 Cor 11:13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
If an officer puts the cuffs on too tight they will hurt and if he wants he can loosen them, but the criminal is still cuffed. The enemy can take one cuff off or loosen it, but the person is still a prisoner. He does not care if you go to Hell rich or poor, healthy or sick, an atheist or a member of some religious group as long as you go to Hell. All of the people who followed the folks in Matthew 7 thought they were following a true messenger of God for they saw the signs and wonders, demons cast out and may have even seen something prophesied over them come true. Yet, in the end they will be with the one they followed, not the Christ they professed, but salvation was never professed.
You have to look at doctrine as well as signs. If the person group teaches various heretical doctrines then the manifestations you are seeing are not from the Spirit. They are from a spirit, but not God’s. If the miracles and healing cannot be validated then they are fairy tales and lies. Indeed, Paul said that “this thing was not done in a corner” meaning there are many “infallible proofs.” If proof is not forth coming then it did not happen or it is not as it seems. One female apostle has delivered the same person several times in various meetings. Sleight of hand and acting can look real, but be discerning. Faith is important, but there were miracles done when people were not expecting like the one Peter offered healing instead of money or the widow of Nain’s son as dead men have no faith and she may have not even comprehended what was happening until it did.
Speaking of money, neither Jesus nor any of the seventy or the twelve held blessings and healing ransomed until you sowed seed into their ministry.
Mat 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
9 Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses,
10 Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.
I saw the same female “apostle” speaking to a mother about sowing into the child’s deliverance as the child lay writing at the “apostle’s” feet. Neither Jesus not the true Apostles ever did anything like that proving she is a false apostle.
I think I have clearly shown that signs today do not automatically authenticate a preacher. The types of signs, their doctrine and Scriptural precedent have to be taken into account. If they make one prophecy and it does not come true, they are false prophet and that career field is closed to them. Teaching people to give any kind of prophecy and shrug it off as part of training is a heresy. If people would truly read the Word, most of these false prophets would have no followers. Instead people are like crows snatching up the flash and reveling in the emotions. May God set them free and revive us all. Amen! Maranatha!
