THE ART OF DISCERNING

Jesus said: “Not everyone who calls out to Me, Lord! Lord! will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.  On judgment day many will say to Me, Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.  But I will reply, I never knew you. Get away from Me, you who break God’s laws.” Matthew 7:21-23 NLT

This passage also applies to many of the well-known Televangelists, pastors, prophets, and ministers who all preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, prophesying in His name, casting out demons in His name, and performing many miracles in His name. And yet all these ministers are not God’s true chosen followers of Jesus Christ, and will not enter heaven! These ministers are like what the Bible describes them; false apostles of Christ, deceitful workers who disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. (See 2. Corinthians 11:13-15) Or, they are false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. (See Matthew 7:15)

The Scriptures warn us not to believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit, but we must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world! (See 1. John 4:1)

The way we identify and test these ministers whether they are good or evil is by their fruit and that is by the way they act, their motivation! (See Matthew 7:16-20)

As I said before, many of these false ministers do preach about Christ, but not with pure motives. They preach with selfish ambition, to make money, make a name for themselves, to control and have power over people, out of jealousy and rivalry. (See Philippians 1:15-17)

A true minister of God is supposed to care for people not for what he or she can get out of it, but because he or she is eager to serve God. And never should a minister of God lord over or control the people assigned to his care, but lead them by his own Christ-like example of pursuing righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness! (1. Peter 5:2-3, 1. Timothy 6:11)