Discernment Ministries
and Heresy Hunters
The first Corinthian letter contained hard
rebuke because of their carnal behavior and lack of fruit. They excelled
in the gifts of the Spirit and yet were unspiritual. Why? Gifts of the
Spirit are freely given to all children, even those who have never come of
age. You should never discern spirituality based on gifts, even ministry
gifts. God will bless whomever He desires; it is His gift giving nature
and nothing we earn, not even by being spiritual. This is where many of us
will become confused.
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We see awesome praise and worship where God's manifested
presence will fill the room, and when the word is preached. We still have
to discern with that anointing in us that teaches.
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We see Godly signs and wonders, people being healed, people
falling out, people being healed of a broken heart, we will then assume
that this is a confirmation to the message being brought forth from the
minister. We still have to discern with that anointing in us that teaches.
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We see great deeds being done, street witnessing, great
crowds and people genuinely coming to the Lord, we will then assume that
the word accompanying these deeds are definitely of the Lord. We still
have to discern with that anointing in us that teaches.
Acts 17:11
in that they received the word with all readiness of
mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
These things may be of God, but the word may
contain leaven. There was a big problem with false doctrine at the church
at Corinth and the first chapters of Corinthians deal with it. The church
at Berea on the other hand, only received truth and searched it out. It
did not matter if it came from Paul or Peter, or if someone was healed
prior to the word, or if the fellowship was in love, THEY SEARCHED and so
must you search as well, daily whether those things are so in scripture.
This word I am speaking to you may be 99% pure
unadulterated word that produces the life of The Anointed One - Jesus, and
1% of that which is tainted by my soulish, natural man. We must discern
and receive that which relates to Him only. Sometimes you may have to hear
“99%” of that which pertains to the soul and God will change you with
the “1%”, like the pearl of great price, you searched it out and
rejected all but that one pearl. Jesus is that Pearl; He Who is the Word
of God.
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NOTE: I am not saying that
you should ever subject yourself to false teachers.
Matt 13:45-46
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man,
seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price,
went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
It takes a giving of all to find a goodly
spiritual pearl when it is amongst the natural and common pearls. No
matter where God has placed you, always seek out the word that He will use
to reveal Himself to you. It may be hidden with the words that do not
reveal Him or His nature. As you become “more mature”, you may find
yourself more mature than churches in your geographical area. Many who
become “more mature”, become frustrated and stop going to church. Know
this, whatever geographical area you are called, God has a church there
for you. It might be an immature church and the purpose of your attendance
will be to lay down your life and show them the crucified Jesus in TRUE
LOVE.
How do I get fed? Never complain about your
diet, that is the mistake the children of Israel made in the wilderness
– God will always supply His manna as you follow the pillar of fire and
cloud. It may be hidden in the “1%” found in the words from your
Pastor or it may be in your daily devotion, but God is always faithful to
feed us. There are also times when we THINK we are “more mature”, when
in reality we are less mature than we thought. Other times we think we are
“more mature”, when in reality we are ONLY “more mature” in one
area of our life and are less mature in other areas of our life. Normally
you will always be “less mature” in some area than other Christians
that surround you. The bottom line is that we should submit to one another
in love and learn the lessons that come from above. If you attend a church
fellowship with a commitment to lay down your life for them and
demonstrate the nature of Jesus to them – IT WILL TOTALLY CHANGE YOUR
OUTLOOK!
Let us learn God’s blueprint in 1
Corinthians:
1 Cor 1:10
Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be
no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in
the same mind and in the same judgment.
The first thing we learn in this passage is
that there are divisions in the church. The heart of God is to have a
church that is not divided, and a church that is complete in the same mind
and same judgment. How many of you know a church like that? When you visit
many churches, you will find divided doctrines throughout the entire
congregation, but the plan of God is to have a church with the same mind.
The plan of God is that we “speak the same thing”, that the Jesus that
I speak about is exactly the same Jesus that you speak about. The way of
God to perform this is to renew our mind to the word of God and put away
the wrong thinking from the world system, false doctrines, and
mischaracterization of God’s ways. As we saw in Job’s life, he
mischaracterized God and only saw it when brought to the end of himself
through tragedy. It may take “great tragedy” to strike the church
to cause us to finally see.
1 Cor 2:16
For "who has known the mind of the Lord that he may
instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ.
That is what shall come to pass; the church
shall possess the mind of Christ. Who knows God's thoughts? We do, because
we have the Holy Spirit on the inside of us, teaching us and causing us to
be in agreement as one mind in Jesus. This is our prophecy, this is what
is in store for our future, that we shall think like Jesus and therefore
be able to walk like Jesus.
1 Cor 1:10-13
For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by
Chloe's {people,} that there are quarrels among you. Now I mean
this, that each one of you is saying, "I am of Paul," and
"I of Apollos," and "I of Cephas," and "I of
Christ." Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was
he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
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Is your doctrine divided?
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Do you say, "I am of
this denomination" or "I of that movement" and "I of
this teacher"
It is so easy to allow the revelation of other
men to dictate our lives. These men are used of God but none were
crucified for you! Early in my Christian walk I had no confidence to hear
from God in His Word. I was hungry yet I turned to books written by men
and only occasionally read scripture in comparison. Book after book after
book until I was totally confused. I resembled these men’s version of
Jesus and their view of the Christian lifestyle instead of Him Who sits on
the throne and the walk He called me to. This will prevent us from having
the mind of Christ. I see so often those in the church will follow a
prophet or teacher who has written books and holds conferences, they
promote individuals who are but men, and many times will follow them
indiscriminately and consequently will receive the error that accompany
these men. Many times the same will stop following one - to follow
another. This always indicates immaturity; we have yet to get to God’s
“more excellent way”. God allows this only temporarily and will use
these immature ways in our life in spite of our improper balance and
sedition to these men, but there will one day come the REBUKE to mature in
– “what food” we have ordered for our table.
Never exalt one dish over another dish. Never
exalt one server over another. The dish came from God to us as a gift; we
who serve are nothing, only Christ Who we serve. Can you imagine Jesus
giving praise to Martha instead of Mary? I am serving you a dish in this
book and I am but a Martha serving Jesus in my serving you. In my personal
devotion, I am Mary, unseen to you but at the feet of Jesus – which is
where importance lies. We have it backwards; we exalt the Martha’s of
the ministry. We talk about Martha; we tell others about Martha, we even
merchandise our Martha. We say, “look at that server, didn’t he
prophesy accurately, he sure read my mail”. When God has chosen a Martha
to serve you then just receive what she serves that is God. The next time
the table is set, do not require Martha to serve, let God choose the
servant. Also watch whom you are promoting to other believers, is it
the servant or God Himself? Surely, you can use Martha’s service to
serve to others in need, but check your heart and motives to avoid being
factional. In addition, we must not assume that a certain server is for
everyone. Believe it or not, some eat beyond the ministers we recommend
them to hear.
How
Did Paul Preach?
1 Cor 1:24
but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks,
Christ the Power of God and the Wisdom of God.
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There is only one power
and one wisdom that Paul preached.
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Jesus Who is Wisdom and
Jesus Who is Power.
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Wisdom is not a thing.
Wisdom is not a quality.
Wisdom is a Person.
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Power is not a force.
Power is not a feeling.
Power is a Person.
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We need to preach Jesus
Who is our Wisdom and Power.
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Therefore can no man boast
except to boast in knowing Christ.
1 Cor 2:1-5
And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with
superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of
God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and
Him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much
trembling. And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of
wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your
faith should not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.
This is the picture of a minister of God who
is but a servant. No fancy speech and totally dependent on the Holy Spirit
for utterance. Not because of a lack of natural ability, but so that faith
will not rest on the minister. It is an easy temptation for the minister
to draw attention to himself, but Jesus must increase and the minister
MUST decrease! Paul ministered even as Elihu ministered to Job – with
God’s counsel in power.
1 Cor 2:6-8
Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature;
a wisdom,. however, not of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who
are passing away; but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden
{wisdom,} which God predestined before the ages to our glory; {the wisdom}
which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had
understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory;
Paul ministered to the world system, he also
ministered to babes in Christ, and here he states that he is ministering
to the mature. If you are not mature in Christ, then you will miss out on
the unfolding of the mysteries that are hidden in Christ.
1 Cor 2:10-12
For to us God revealed {them} through the Spirit;
for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among
men knows the {thoughts} of a man except the spirit of the man, which is
in him? Even so the {thoughts} of God no one knows except the Spirit of
God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who
is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God,
It is the desire of the Father to show you His
Son. He has given you His Spirit that you may know His purposes, His
character, and His thoughts.
Heb 3:6-8
but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we
are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the
hope firm to the end. Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if
you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the
rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness,
We are His “house” IF! God says it is
conditional. God is raising up a generation who will NOT harden their
hearts, but will leave the wilderness and enter into the land promised to
the seed of Abraham. To be a temple builder we need to become a built
temple – beyond the foundation. We are becoming this temple if we are
holding fast and if we are hearing Hs voice.
1 Cor 2:13,14
which things we also speak, not in words taught by human
wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual {thoughts}
with spiritual {words.} But a natural man does not accept the things of
the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot
understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.
Human wisdom, natural man, and men of flesh
are not terms Paul is communicating to the world or to those that are
unsaved. He is talking to the church. God wants to get us out of the
natural realm of thinking and into the mind of Christ. To leave the
natural way of thinking, you must become a servant of the Lord who is
TAUGHT BY THE SPIRIT. Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and repent
of haughty wisdom and He will lift you up and you will experience every
riches in Christ.
1 Cor 8:2
And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows
nothing yet as he ought to know.
1 Cor 2:15-16
But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet
he himself is appraised by no man. For who has known the mind of the Lord,
that he should instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.
Verse 15 in the Amplified version gives you a
picture of a spiritual man. The spiritual man tries all things [ he
examines, investigates, inquires into, QUESTIONS, and discerns all things
] When you listen to a message of the Gospel, as a spiritual man with
the mind of Christ, you are to discern that message. Is it milk or meat?
Does it cause growth and nourishment to the inner man? What version of
Jesus is being portrayed in this time of many false Jesus' being preached?
Does it measure up to the example or pattern that Paul preached in
humility?
Ministry
of Meat
1 Cor 3:1
And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual
men, but as to men of flesh, as to babes in Christ. I gave you milk to
drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able {to receive it.} Indeed,
even now you are not yet able,
God wants to speak to us as spiritually mature
men and not carnal, natural, fleshly men who have their affection set on
the things of earth instead of above in heaven. Judge what matter of man
you are, afflicting your souls in humility before the Lord. The Corinthian
church should have been much more mature in Paul’s estimation. Did they
know that they were behind and lacking in maturity? Probably not,
therefore Paul writes to them with fatherly compassion to exhort and
correct their deviated course. Maturity is certainly “fruit that is
ripe” but it also is “thinking that is right”. If we are dim on our
understanding of the ways of God – we will remain immature in our
thinking, we will be unable to “finish the race”. We also cannot be
deceived into thinking we can be fruit bearing apart from walking in the
mind of Christ. We have the mind of Christ through revelation of scripture
– the Word of God. It is the Word that grows to fruit bearing. If
revelation of scripture ever becomes unimportant to you then you will die.
Revelation of scripture is the only way you see Christ in fullness. Your
prayer fellowship with Jesus is brought to reality only because of the
previous revelation of scripture that you received. If you receive little
revelation in your Bible reading then your fellowship with Jesus will be
just as vague. There are those that never have revelation of
scriptures and yet fellowship with Jesus, but not true fellowship because
they do not know Him –, they are goats.
I must over-emphasize this importance because
countless Christians are elevating other things over the Word of God. They
would rather worship, they would rather
intercede, they would rather witness, they would rather
hear personal prophecy… – you fill in the blank. Ministers have said
“we have had enough teaching”, they have emphasized anything and
everything other than abiding in the Word. We are to meditate day and
night on His scripture… that reveals His ways and Who He is – DAY AND
NIGHT. Revelation of the Word causes sight in your walk and sight for Who
you serve. It is your manna for the day, it is your life from the vine, it
is MEAT that makes you strong, and finally it cleans you to make you
fruitful. As this scripture declares we must “become able to receive
it”.
1 Cor 3:3-5
for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy
and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking
like mere men? For when one says, "I am of Paul," and another,
"I am of Apollos," are you not {mere} men? What then is
Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the
Lord gave {opportunity} to each one.
Lets make some observations at this point
about this passage. Paul defines his target listener as one who is fleshly
or unspiritual, then he relays to them the act or manifested character
trait that is fleshly. He does not give an example here of worldly sins or
misconduct. But the manifestation here would appear to many as spiritual.
The target audience is those who listen to the Word preached but in the
flesh, they give glory to the minister and not to Christ. Even though they
heard the unadulterated Word, they did not see Him Who was the Word, else
they would have been changed into His likeness. PLEASE SEE THIS: Instead
of recognizing that these men of God were just mere servants of God, we
tend to separate into groups or as the scripture calls it - FACTIONS.
Today we call them denominations, movements, camps or “circles of
teachings”. I have been associated with many of these camps throughout
the years and only by the grace of God have never stayed at any of them,
but instead I moved on with God after I learned that which He was teaching
me. Rarely can one categorically accept any of these camps without
accepting the error that comes out of the “same well”. On the same
token, if we categorically refuse some of them, we may not get planted and
watered, which leads us to immaturity.
The forming and identifying of a camp is
important to understand. Why? Because normally a certain camp or more
influences us, but when God’s pillar of fire starts to move then we must
TAKE UP CAMP. Temptation will come to us to faction to ONLY a certain camp
and to alienate all the other camps from our lives. I have seen this even
with worship music, where there are dozens of companies that produce
worship songs from heaven, some faction to only a certain company and
alienate themselves from all the other wonderful songs that come from
God’s throne. This is a manifestation of a factional spirit. There is
great wisdom in Christ that will teach us to eat of many of the different
camps instead of wholly devoting ourselves to just one brand of teaching,
teachers and anointed worship music.
Many times a popular minister will train others
to teach exactly like they teach (sometimes to the letter), when
this occurs they have started a camp of the same thought or teaching. A
Pastor that is greatly influenced by these men will develop at least in
part as a replication of that teaching. As Paul teaches - this is immature
and carnal. Again you must discern your heart and recognize that if we are
taught by the Holy Spirit concerning a certain truth and you see that the
camp you are associated with does not hold this certain truth, you should
always move on with God – at least on this one truth – NOW! Certainly,
at some point, you will have to entirely move forward if the camp you are
in is comfortable where they are, unless your purpose for being in the
camp is to serve and persuade them to go on with God, then you would stay
believing that God would use you as the Joshua of the day. WHO ARE YOU
PROMOTING? If you have been promoting certain camps then you have said
“I am of Apollos”. Have you found some good praise and worship music
and have said “I am of Paul”? In the case of the Corinth Church it was
mature men that we receiving from; many times we faction to those that are
immature. Watch what you promote, watch what you side or faction with –
IT IS CARNAL! Surely God will have you direct someone for ministry to one
of these but discern when it becomes factional. Discern when you are
placing an improper emphasis on a man’s ability instead of on God’s
grace. I know I have done this with my favorite authors and maybe you
have done the same. We must recognize this immaturity in us and simply
move on.
Paul puts the minister and the ministry in its proper
place:
1 Cor 3:6,7
I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the
growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is
anything, but God who causes the growth.
There is nothing a minister can do, except as
a servant be obedient to water or plant. It is by grace that, as a
minister, we have ability to plant or water. In the natural we are but
mere men. How could we know what to plant, how much water to give it,
where to plant it, and when to water. To know would make us a god in our
own estimation. Except that He tells us and we obey Him, and all the
while, He causes the growth. We have no life in our words except His life,
which no man may glory in himself. This is a life that walks in the Spirit
and not walking in the flesh. We are a field that God will send planters
into, we are a field that God continues to tend and will send those who water.
Please see the way of God here, we are a field, we do not move around
trying to find planters, GOD SENDS THEM. If your heart is hungry, God will
send his ministry gifts to you, you do not have to seek them out. Yes, you
may have to GO to buy the book, or GO to the special meeting on a night
you normally like to spend relaxing, but God sends them to you. God
lets you know about the book, the meeting or the tape. If you are led of
the Spirit and have a hunger for Truth in Christ, you will not lack for
bread. If this is so, you cannot be factional. Factions come from those
who pick and choose their diet, those who hunger not for the Truth in its
entirety.
1 Cor 3:8,9
Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each
will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God's
fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.
In Paul's analogy or metaphor, He first
explains His role as a worker in the field and the listener is the field.
Now He changes to another picture or metaphor; that of him being a master
builder and the listener as God's building. What building does God call
us? In verse 17 of this passage he answers - Ye are God's temple.
1 Cor 3:10,11
According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a
wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it.
But let each man be careful how he builds upon it. For no man can lay a
foundation other then the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Now Paul continues the analogy with His
role as a TEMPLE BUILDER. Paul and the ministers that preached the
unadulterated Word after Paul were a type of Solomon the master builder of
the Temple of God. It is built by Wisdom. At the start of this
passage, Paul makes known that Jesus is Wisdom, and now we see the temple
of God being built by Wisdom. We need to know Jesus as our Wisdom and cast
off our foolish wisdom. We need to praise and worship Him Who is Wisdom as
we approach in humility of mind.
Rev 7:11,12
and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped
God, saying: "Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and
honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!”
(NIV)
If
you desire to praise and worship but find yourself not desiring His wisdom
and His word then you will not walk in maturity. In fact what should be
happening is when you truly worship and enter into God's throne room, that
is when you will hear from heaven and His Word – His Wisdom will open up
to you. We see this when Moses went into the Holy of Holies and God spoke
to Moses at the mercy seat between the Cherubim. This is what I experience
when I set my heart to minister to Him in worship. When you experience
true worship of Him Who is the Word of God, then truth should be what you
experience as well as REST. Also pay attention to the worship lyrics of
the songs you sing. There are songs that focus on US and edify US, but
true ministering to God in worship will focus entirely on God – not on
things He does, but on Him Who is, that is on His Person. Extolling His
great Name and wanting NOTHING in return, including an emotional
response.
Exod 25:22
And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with
thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are
upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in
commandment unto the children of Israel.
We must know Him in Spirit and Truth, not just
one or the other. If what you are receiving is outlandish dreams and
visions each time you go into worship, you may have received a seducing
spirit. God is more concerned with using scriptures to unveil Jesus to you
then using far-out dreams, unusual visions, and strange prophecies. These
others may occur occasionally but the way of God is to reveal through
scripture.
Jesus
is the foundation of the temple. If we possess a version of Jesus that is
contrary to Him who sits on the throne, then everything we fit to this
foundation will be wrong as well. This is why when one has been deceived
for years, what was built must be torn down and the foundation must be
re-laid with Christ. This is why knowing Him as Wisdom and Truth is so
very important in this building project.
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Is your foundation the
person of Jesus?
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Do you fit your theology
or doctrine to fit with Jesus or do you fit it with a denomination, or
movement?
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Are you willing to humble
yourself in His sight to have YOUR building torn down?
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Knowing Jesus personally
and intimately in relationship - The Way, Truth and Life, is the
foundation that should be laid in your heart.
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