Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: 29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation: 30 Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit. Mark 3:28-30
Just because some have abused the things of God, it does not mean that we can deny God’s use of the Holy Spirit.
I think that we all have at times seen people doing things that they say the Holy Spirit is doing through them but it seems off somehow. For example a lot of us have prayed that a loved one would be healed, and God has at times granted that. Then we may see a person that has a “healing ministry” but that it seems to have an emphasis on people sending money to the ministry.
People get “slain in the Spirit” often in these ministries. People falling down in the presence of the Lord or His Spirit is actually scripturaly true, it is written about several times in the bible. People helping the Lord knock someone down for a show of power or authority is not.
Also, no where in the bible have I read, “Jesus loves you,
but if you’d send me $100 you would be the apple of His eye and then He would really be able to bless you!”
If we want to ask someone to lay hands on us and pray for us
to receive the Holy Spirit there are a few things we can check to make sure they are really servants of Jesus and not someone that uses lots of scriptures but is not filled with the Holy Spirit. Even the devil quoted scriptures when tempting Jesus.(Luke 4:9-10)
It is ok to question people that we want to pray for us. If it is a true servant of Jesus and full of wisdom and humility, they will not mind at all if you ask them things about themselves and their ministries, they will rejoice to tell you that Jesus came in the flesh, and that He is Lord.
Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. 1 Thess 5:21
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3
And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God… 1 John 4:1-3
If you ask someone to confess that Jesus is come in the flesh and they answer with something that makes you feel stupid for asking, note whether or not they ever actually said that Jesus is come in the flesh, or if they are just avoiding the question and turning things back on you to deflect their inability to do so. If you have a vision or an angel appears to you with some message, you can ask them to confess that Jesus is come in the flesh also. If it is truly an angel sent from Jesus he will not be upset because you are doing what Jesus instructed us to do.
Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. 1 Cor 12:3
Remember that when you are looking for a true servant of Jesus, that He is working through imperfect people, they will not be perfect, only Jesus is perfect, but they will love Him. Lots of people talk about how they love God and the Holy Spirit, true followers of Jesus will talk about how they love Jesus also. People like to talk about what they love. Also if you are in a place where you’re not sure who you should ask to pray for you, remember that you can ask Him to confirm things, “Jesus please confirm who you would have me ask to lay hands on me”, He doesn’t mind and will do it in a way that you know it’s Him. In the book of acts the disciples layed hands on people to receive the Holy Spirit, but also the Lord did it several times with no ones hands being used. Acts 2:1-4, Acts 10:44
There are important ways to identify the Holy Spirit in others that I believe will be necessary for us to learn to discern the spirits as we face a wave of new ministries popping up in the last days. I have heard that we should question the leading of people that:
…use spiritual gifts to manipulate or exploit or dominate people
… who claim that they have spiritual gifts which they are free to use just as they please.
I also heard this one time and I believe it is true: the Holy Spirit does not speak from Himself; He has no message of His own. He only reports to us what He is hearing from the Father and the Son. Secondly, His aim is not to glorify Himself, nor to attract attention to Himself, but always He glorifies and focuses attention on Jesus. Any spirit that focuses on the Holy Spirit and glorifies the Holy Spirit is not the Holy Spirit. It is contrary to His whole nature and purpose.
and:
Anything that is unholy does not proceed from the Holy Spirit and there is a character in the Bible, King Saul, who had a mixture of spirits. At one time, he prophesied in the Holy Spirit; at another time, he prophesied in a demon.
It is interesting to note something that I heard (I think I heard it from Anne Graham Lotz) about people who work professionally at detecting counterfeit money,they do not study counterfeit money. They study the real thing so much so that anything that is counterfeit will stand out. The best way I know to guard ourselves from being deceived, is to become extremely familiar with the Only Begotten Son of God. God speaks to us through His Son Jesus. Read the word, search out His character, learn His teachings, Study Him, fellowship with Him.
When the Lord thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land; 30 Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods?… Deut 12:29-30
One thing I have noticed about some false churches is that they may sing a song about Jesus, but they primarily talk about the Father, or the power of the Holy Spirit. The Fathers heart, the Fathers love, the power of God. They don’t talk about Jesus much. When they do speak of Jesus it is almost always about what He has given them. God put the Holy Spirit in Jesus, you can’t get it apart from Jesus, God put His love in Jesus, and His wisdom, that is where it all is.
In churches like that there is no real daily relationship with Jesus, just that they are claiming things because when Jesus was on the cross the bible says He gave them things like the right to healing or money. Did God really send Jesus to die an agonizing death on the cross at the hand of sinners so that He could provide me with a better car, a bigger house, and a diamond ring for my hand in this life?
Jesus said,
“They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. 3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. John 16:2-3 ”
Churches that preach that distorted gospel will think that they are doing God’s will. They believe they are right.
If my son came to my house occasionally and went to my cupboards and took some food, pocketed some of my money, told me he sent his medical bills to me, and nagged me about how I wasn’t helping him get a new car, it would be a strained relationship at best. I purposely wouldn’t get my son that new Ferrari he wants so badly because I know my son, (he is a lot like me) and I know he might drive recklessly with that much power and end up wrapped around a telephone pole somewhere and I don’t want that to happen to my son. I love my son, I want to spend time with him. I would get my son a new car if I could, when my son grows in maturity and self discipline, a car that would fit his needs, not necessarily his wants. Until then I reach out to him in love every time he visits praying that he will learn more in fellowship with Jesus.
I want my son to have not only have awesome car rides but I want to spend eternity in heaven with him.
I used to want to be rich before I had kids and met Jesus. I was upset that others had so much more money than I did. Looking back I see that if I had had lots of money back then it would have eventually all gone to drugs and I would probably have died. Jesus knew what was coming in my life and He knew what was best for me. In my life He gives me what I need in housing, and clothing, and toys, so that my heart won’t be turned away from Him in the gifts He gives. I cannot go to a church that’s message is “prosperity preaching,” one that spends its sermons telling me to seek the things that Jesus told me not to worry about anyway.
And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink,
neither be ye of doubtful mind. 30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. 31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. 32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. Luke 12:29-33
Jesus said also:
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. John 14:6-7
God sent Jesus into the world to die for our sins, and so that we would know what He is like. He raised Jesus from the dead on the third day, so that we could have fellowship with Him and be filled with His Holy Spirit. Jesus shows us God’s will towards us. When we feel the mercy and forgiveness of Jesus it is the same way God feels about us, Jesus did God’s will toward us. God has set it up that no man comes to the Father but by Jesus, no man is healed by God, except through Jesus, there are false signs and wonders. God will not fill people with the Holy Spirit apart from Jesus.
Another caution about some ministries is that some preach only the love, and even though we can be filled with an ocean of Gods love and feel unspeakable joy, the Holy Spirits function and purpose is not to make us feel continually happy, it is to glorify Jesus, it is the power of God. My friend Zoanne had a word from Jesus about “how the word is like the bread, and the Holy Spirit is like the wine, if we only eat bread all the time, it becomes dry and hard to swallow. If we only drink wine all the time we do things that are not very wise. Jesus gives us a perfect balance of each.”
We will have joy in the Holy Spirit, but also we will have sorrow in this life.
For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. Psalms 30:5
One fruit of the Spirit is Joy, and it is glorious when Jesus sends His joy to us, but I worry that as the love of many has grown cold and the world is becoming more and more stressful that we may be seeking only to feel good. Part of the gospel is sanctification and denying ones self. The fruit of the Spirit includes longsuffering and patience.
Only Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit, we should be extra careful in these days, making sure that if we allow some to lay hands on us to receive the Holy Spirit that they are indeed servants of Jesus, walking in His Spirit and that they are leading holy lives. Jesus said we can tell them by their fruit, not their gifts, not their determination or zeal or charismatic personality.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance…
Gal 5:22-23
Also something the Lord showed me was that some had ministries in a certain area, like gifts of healing, or prophetic ministries, while others like the apostle Paul had all the gifts. This was not because Paul was any more special than anyone, it was because he was going to be sent to all kinds of different places and needed all different kinds of gifts. He had all the gifts but not when he may have wanted them to be there.
Several people were healed when he prayed, but others were not. He cast out demons several times, but he didn’t go running all over town casting out every demon he saw. He followed Jesus, who caused miracles of different kinds at different times.
On to Spiritual gifts…
Little Sanctuary Ministries 