YOU NEED TO KNOW THE WORD FROM THE BIBLE

Because, “Many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people!” Matthew 24:11 NLT

They will preach a different Jesus, a different kind of Spirit and a different kind of gospel! (See 2. Corinthians 11:4)

They twist the Scriptures to mean something quite different! (See 2. Peter 3:16)

“In their greed, they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money!” 2. Peter 2:3 NLT

They will perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones! (See Matthew 24:24)

Like Satan, these false prophets disguise themselves as angel of lights, like servants of righteousness! (See 2. Corinthians 11:14-15)

They trick people with lies so clever they sound like the truth! (See Ephesians 4:14)

Jesus made this very clear when He said: “See, I have warned you about this ahead of time!” Matthew 25:25 NLT

“Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.” Matthew 7:15 NLT

Therefore, you must search the Scriptures to see if what these people are teaching is indeed the truth! (See Acts 17:11)

SIGNS OF FALSE PREACHERS WHO TEACH AND PROMOTE MANIFESTATIONS

Jesus warned us that, “False messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones.” Matthew 24:25 NLT

In other words, these false prophets’ purpose is to deceive, if possible even God’s true followers, by causing them to worship manifestations instead of Jesus Christ only! Their mission is to lead them away from a blessed everlasting life in Jesus Christ into curses and defeat!

Even so, many will follow their evil teachings; for instance through their schools of the supernatural where they charge high dollar fees to enroll! (See 2. Peter 2:2)

 

First and foremost, we must understand that these so-called ministers of the Gospel are: “False prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.” Matthew 7:15 NLT

The Bible says that, “When these people eat with you in your fellowship meals commemorating the Lord’s love, they are like dangerous reefs that can shipwreck you. They are like shameless shepherds who care only for themselves.” Jude 1:12 NLT

Yes! These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers, who just like Satan disguise themselves as apostles of Christ meant to destroy you. (See 2. Corinthians 11:13-15)

These false pastors and prophets do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and lying signs and miracles. They will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth! So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth. (See 2. Thessalonians 2:9-12)

We are living in a time, “When people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths.” 2. Timothy 4:3-4 NLT

The Bible clearly teaches that we should, “Not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.” 1. John 4:1 NLT

Jesus said that you can identify these false prophets, “By their fruit, that is, by the way they act.” Matthew 7:16 NLT

HERE ARE SOME SIGNS WHEREBY YOU CAN IDENTIFY THESE FALSE MINISTERS

They preach a different Jesus, a different kind of Spirit and a different kind of gospel! (See 2. Corinthians 11:4)

“They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them.” 2. Peter 2:1 NLT

They will not acknowledge Jesus Christ in all His ways as is written in the Word. (See 1. John 4:2)

They brag loudly about themselves with stories of how God uses them in other countries to heal scores of people and even how they raise people from the death! They love to flatter others with these grandiose miracle tales to get what they want, and that is usually money! (See Jude 1:16)

It is so true what the Bible says that, “In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money.” 2. Peter 2:3 NLT

These false prophets capture you with big words and intellectual double-talk and their prophecies are nothing but high-sounding nonsense that comes from soulish thinking and from the spiritual demonic powers of this world! (See Colossians 2:8)

They love to give themselves special titles as they consider themselves to be “super apostles”, who are the ones who have been appointed and anointed as the leaders of this nation and nations! (See 2. Corinthians 11:5)

These false prophets often claim authority from their dreams. (See Jude 1:8)

They insist that you join them in their obsession with angels, saying they have had visions about these things, even names of angels like Emma, Charles and Irma. (See Colossians 2:18)

These pastors and leaders, “Must be silenced, because they are turning whole families away from the truth by their false teaching. And they do it only for money.” Titus 1:11 NLT

It is these false ministers who would say to Jesus on Judgement Day, “Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.” But Jesus will reply to them, ‘I never knew you. Get away from Me, you who break God’s laws.’ (See Matthew 7:22-23)

The way it is supposed to be is written in the Bible book of Ephesians, where it says that Jesus gave to the church the following gifts: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do His work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.

Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth! (See Ephesians 4:11-16)

WHO ARE YOU TO JUDGE?

Countless of times I have heard people, especially Christians, telling me when addressing sinful actions of believers, “Who are you to judge?”

Jesus’ command, “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged” (Matthew 7:1 NLT) could be the most quoted of His sayings and yet so often taken out of context. Many people use this verse in an attempt to silence their critics, interpreting Jesus’ words to mean, “You don’t have the right to tell me I’m wrong.” Christians are often accused of “judging” when they speak out against sin.

The Bible’s command that we “not judge others” doesn’t mean we cannot show discernment. Immediately after Jesus said, “Do not judge others,” He said, “Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don’t throw your pearls to pigs!” Matthew 7:6 NLT

Later in the same sermon Jesus says, “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.  You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act.” Matthew 7:15-16 NLT

So, how are we supposed to discern those who are “unholy,” “pigs,” and “false prophets” unless we have the ability to make a judgment call on doctrines and actions? Jesus is giving us permission to tell right from wrong.

That’s why He said, “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” John 7:24 NKJV

In other words, there IS a correct usage of judgment which is based on Biblical doctrines and actions of a person.

Now we also understand why the apostle Paul told the Corinthian Church that it is their responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning!

“It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning.” 1. Corinthians 5:12 NLT

Therefore, when Jesus said not to judge others, He did not mean that no one is allowed to identify sin for what it is based on God’s definition of sin found in His Word, the Bible!

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)

CHRISTIANS THAT JESUS DID NOT CHOOSE!

The majority of the people in the churches fall into the category of those “who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced!” Mark 4:18-19 NLT

These are Christians, who do not have the same humble and serving attitude that Christ Jesus had! They selfishly look out only for their own interests, want to get rich, and have a worry free lifestyle! (See Philippians 2:3-5)

These are the type of Christians who are jealous of what others have. They quarrel, fight and scheme to take it away from them. And when they ask God for things, their prayers are not being answered, because their motives are all wrong, they only want what will give them pleasure! (See James 2:1-4)

You do not see lasting fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control been produced in these Christians! (See Galatians 5:22-23)

Therefore, it is clear that Jesus did not choose these Christians as He says: “You didn’t choose Me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using My name!” John 15:16 NLT

Jesus warns to, “Beware of false prophets (Christians) who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.  You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act.” Matthew 7:15-16 NLT

“A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit.” Matthew 7:18 NLT

“Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.” Matthew 7:20 NLT