Prophecy Is Being Fulfilled

We’re going to begin tonight in First Timothy 4:1 and what I’m going to talk about has been on my heart for some time and it has to do with men and women who stand in the pulpit.

When you understand how important a pastor is to a congregation, in terms of what he or she delivers to a congregation. A pastor can deliver a message that will edify, that will inspire us to go deeper into the Word and give more ear to the Holy Spirit, or a pastor can say follow me.

First Timothy 4:1 is a verse that we’re very familiar with. “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly (This word means clearly and distinctly. In other words, you can’t miss what He’s trying to tell us.), that in the latter times some shall depart (This word means to walk away, stop, ignore. But the key thing to understand is that you cannot depart from something that you are not a part of.) from the faith, (Now the question is this: why are they departing?) giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.”

This is not something that happens quickly. This is a process. Sometimes it takes years for this to happen. There was a pastor in Oklahoma who, over a period of years, began to believe and teach that hell did not exist and that everyone, saint, and sinner, was going to heaven. And he said this based on what he said he was seeing in the Bible.

Ladies and gentlemen, you cannot take the Bible, as a whole, and believe that a person is going to heaven regardless of how he or she lives. It’s impossible. You have to keep the Bible whole – from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21 – and the subject in context.

Now, I’m going to read this verse from the Amplified Bible. “But the [Holy] Spirit distinctly and expressly declares that in the latter times some will turn away from the faith, giving attention to deluding and seducing spirits and doctrines that demons teach.”

And one of the doctrines that demons teach is that if you are the same sex, you can get married. That’s a doctrine of demons. Another doctrine of demons says that if you are a boy, but you feel like you are a girl, then you can become a girl. That’s a doctrine of demons, ladies and gentlemen.

I saw a short video clip on YouTube of a young, charismatic pastor preaching to members of his congregation. Most were in their early twenties. Remember what we just read in 1 Timothy 4:1 – “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” Now listen to what the pastor said.

“I don’t beat nobody up for smoking, drinking, and having sex and doing all that, not because I did it, but because I can relate. I can relate. If you ever notice, preachers who get up and beat people up for doing it because they want to convict you into the presence of God. Condemnation pushes you out of the presence of God.” [Shouts of “Preach” and “Amens”]

“I’m not the Holy Spirit. It’s not my job to convict you. I’m God’s servant and it’s my job to relate to you. [More shouts and hands clapping] And if I can relate to you …”

Now this is what bothers me, ladies and gentlemen. This young man has charisma. He’s nice-looking. It’s hard to get past seeing him to hearing him. Do you understand what I am saying? You see him and believe what he is saying because he’s pleasing to the eyes. He says,

“I can pull you out of depression. I can pull you out of pain. I can pull you out of homosexuality. I can pull you out.”

I love my pastor, but whatever I’m doing that is a sin, my pastor can’t pull me out if I don’t want to be pulled out of it.

“So, this is why when I get calls and people say do you know they’re living together and having sex, I say yeah and I don’t care, because I am the pastor, not their parent. It’s my job to cover you, not control you.”

Seducing spirits. Doctrines of devils.

Some observations.

I understand the notion of relating to people, but not because I did the same things. For example, I have never taken an illegal drug in my life. Does that disqualify me from ministering to someone who has? I have never been drunk. Does that disqualify me from ministering to someone who has? If I need to relate to these individuals in terms of having similar experiences, then I can’t minister to them.