Lions and Tigers and Faith-Healers oh my!
You've seen it: Passionate orating, fiery rhetoric, and rhythmic tunes accompanying the action on stage as the "preacher" (term used very loosely here) darts back and forth shouting victory and hallelujah and all kinds of other "churchy" jargon that ignites hundreds (if not thousands) to shouts echoing the same. Then, one by one, seemingly normal, educated, impassioned people enter the stage to be touched or spoken to in hopes of healing of their various ailments or troubles. The individual involved in the "faith-healing," once touched or shouted at, begins to shake, maybe even convulse, accompanied often by a loud shout, and then hits the ground shivering. This process is repeated until the program goes off the air at the top of the hour. Hallelujah! Praise Jesus! Many were healed on this fine day!
Err......not really.
There's a story recorded in the history of the early church in Acts 19:11-20 involving miraculous signs and wonders, a Gospel minister, and several false teachers. The miraculous signs and wonders were healings and exorcisms, the Gospel minister was the Apostle Paul, and the false teachers were, well, false teachers. The time of the early church was a unique time. Several things were happening that aren't common, especially pertaining to miraculous works of the Holy Spirit. The Church had to get off the ground so to prove the genuine and unique power of the Holy Spirit in the newly formed Church, God worked in such a way that rare, miraculous events occurred. We're even told in Acts 19 that the workings God did through Paul were even more unique than what had already happened through the other Apostles. The very garments Paul wore to work in as a tent maker were being taken and placed upon the sick and the tormented and they were being healed and exorcised. Again I emphasize that these were unique and rare occurrences.
With all of this going on, some Jewish exorcists decided it would be a great idea to latch on to this new ministry of the Gospel of Jesus that Paul was a part of. They saw the power and they wanted it. The story goes that as they tried to perform the same works Paul was doing, albeit under their own will and power, they were overtaken by the demons who possessed the tormented and were left beaten up, naked, and afraid (gives all new meaning to that title for a TV show doesn't it?)
What's the moral of the story here? There's much we can learn, but let me share with you 5 principles so that you can know and differentiate between Gospel Ministry and False Ministry:
1) Gospel ministry does involve the miraculous, but we must understand that miracles are unique and rare. (Acts 19:11)
2) Gospel ministry is done by the will of God, the guidance of His Word, and in the power of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 19:12-14)
3) Gospel ministry contains real power. (Acts 19:15-16)
4) Gospel ministry gives all credit and glory to Jesus. (Acts 19:17)
5) Gospel ministry always involves repentance and faith. (Acts 19:18-20)
When you walk by the book shelf or you're channel surfing and you come across a particular preacher, speaker, or ministry, be sure and check into them before your attention (and money) go towards said ministries. There's so many false teachers and ministries out there leading thousands astray because they look and sound good. Although they may look successful, exciting, and even biblical, test them all by the Word of God. To use a phrase of Jesus, there are many "whitewashed tombs" out there! Be aware!
Err......not really.
There's a story recorded in the history of the early church in Acts 19:11-20 involving miraculous signs and wonders, a Gospel minister, and several false teachers. The miraculous signs and wonders were healings and exorcisms, the Gospel minister was the Apostle Paul, and the false teachers were, well, false teachers. The time of the early church was a unique time. Several things were happening that aren't common, especially pertaining to miraculous works of the Holy Spirit. The Church had to get off the ground so to prove the genuine and unique power of the Holy Spirit in the newly formed Church, God worked in such a way that rare, miraculous events occurred. We're even told in Acts 19 that the workings God did through Paul were even more unique than what had already happened through the other Apostles. The very garments Paul wore to work in as a tent maker were being taken and placed upon the sick and the tormented and they were being healed and exorcised. Again I emphasize that these were unique and rare occurrences.
With all of this going on, some Jewish exorcists decided it would be a great idea to latch on to this new ministry of the Gospel of Jesus that Paul was a part of. They saw the power and they wanted it. The story goes that as they tried to perform the same works Paul was doing, albeit under their own will and power, they were overtaken by the demons who possessed the tormented and were left beaten up, naked, and afraid (gives all new meaning to that title for a TV show doesn't it?)
What's the moral of the story here? There's much we can learn, but let me share with you 5 principles so that you can know and differentiate between Gospel Ministry and False Ministry:
1) Gospel ministry does involve the miraculous, but we must understand that miracles are unique and rare. (Acts 19:11)
2) Gospel ministry is done by the will of God, the guidance of His Word, and in the power of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 19:12-14)
3) Gospel ministry contains real power. (Acts 19:15-16)
4) Gospel ministry gives all credit and glory to Jesus. (Acts 19:17)
5) Gospel ministry always involves repentance and faith. (Acts 19:18-20)
When you walk by the book shelf or you're channel surfing and you come across a particular preacher, speaker, or ministry, be sure and check into them before your attention (and money) go towards said ministries. There's so many false teachers and ministries out there leading thousands astray because they look and sound good. Although they may look successful, exciting, and even biblical, test them all by the Word of God. To use a phrase of Jesus, there are many "whitewashed tombs" out there! Be aware!
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