EPHESIANS 4.11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and TEACHERS
EPHESIANS 2.1-2 This was the Church that TESTED ALL who claimed to be in this CATEGORY.
Pastors and TEACHERS together formed a group who complemented the work of apostles, prophets, and evangelists.
For the time will come when they will NOT endure SOUND DOCTRINE; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves TEACHERS in accordance to their own desires, and will TURN AWAY their ears FROM THE TRUTH. 2 TIMOTHY 4:3 4
JOHN 6.66 many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore.
One of the warnings that Christ gave that Jesus is the Christ regarding the latter times was that many would come proclaiming that Jesus is that the Jesus Christ, is the way that Jesus is the way; that Jesus is Lord. that Jesus is Lord Matthew 24.5
For many will come in My name, saying, I am the Christ, and will mislead many. So Jesus said many will be saying Jesus is the Christ. MATTHEW 24.5
There are many ministers today proclaiming Christ. Some have a very good knowledge of the Scripture.
If you consider any minister based solely upon their knowledge of Scripture. You have not looked deep enough into the heart.
Today when we are looking for Pastor we are tempted to look only at the externals.
Most will ask where did he attend school or college. Who is his mentor. Who ordained him. Who is his spiritual father.
Instead of asking the Holy Spirit: Is this a true man of God. We ask man what are his credentials? From where does come from?
If you consider a man based solely upon his speaking skills What he says, What he preaches What he teaches You have not looked deep enough into the heart.
There is a difference between mans natural gifts and the SUPERNATURAL Gifts of God SUPERNATURAL gifts of God.
Man s natural gifting is called BRAINPOWER!
The SUPERNATURAL Gifts of God are: SIGNS WONDERS Various MIRACLES GIFTS from the Holy Spirit 1 Corinthians 12
If you consider a minister based only upon his knowledge of Scripture. You have not looked deep enough into your heart. You are bound to have the wrong judgment.
For a man may be a Christian by profession but not such in heart and thereby deceive you.
For a man may be a Christian outwardly but not such in heart and thereby deceive you.
If you have come for a miracle Look deep into the heart and focus on what the Holy Spirit is saying about that minister.
There are many Pastors who understand the Scriptures Yet the real the POWER of God is not present in their midst.
There are many Pastors who understand the Scriptures yet they are without POWER.
What a danger to have a religion of words with NO CORRESPONDING POWER
Understanding the Scriptures is very IMPORTANT. This is the instrument by which we can check all. Is this a man of God or not?
If a Pastor has one but not the other he will fall far short of what God requires.
Not only must we have God s Witness working through us that testifies we are His servants we must also have God s WORD in us.
We must live the life of Christ through the Word of God. We must Act upon the Word of God.
God authenticates His Word. The Lord testifies to the authenticity of His Word.
The Lord will confirm His Word with signs, wonders and various miracles and Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Hebrews 2.4
You cannot do things like Jesus did unless you take on the LIFE of Jesus.
What a danger to have a religion of Words but no corresponding POWER. What a danger to have a religion of Words AND NO corresponding POWER.
All the SUPERNATURAL Gifts of God converge into FAITH. And Faith works through Love. Galatians 5.6
God s unconditional LOVE is the genuine sign of the life of Christ in you. That Love will Stabilize you
Consistency in FAITH confirms the genuineness of the life of Christ in you. James 1.3 5
Anything in your life that is not constant and stable is produced by feelings. Feelings are subject to change.
When you are considering a man of God based upon only what you see or hear you are being controlled by your senses.
When you are controlled by your senses it makes it difficult for you to receive.
When you are controlled by your senses Satan still has a connection to you.
The un-renewed mind is constantly wages war against belief.
You may have waited years to meet a man of God who can pray that prayer of faith for you but you can cancel it out with your unbelief.
That s exactly the situation Jesus found himself in in his own hometown.
He found himself in an atmosphere of disregard and unbelief. That atmosphere made it difficult for him to do miracles.
Jesus could do no miracle there except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He wondered at their unbelief. Mark 6.5
SO WHAT DID JESUS DO THEN? He went around the villages TEACHING Mark 6.6
Look around you! The atmosphere around you affects your ability to receive your miracle.
How do you see your neighbor? How do you see a man of God?
How do you see a man of God? Is it by feelings or by faith? Is it by what the Holy Spirit says about Him?
Be careful feelings create an atmosphere of disregard and unbelief. That will make it difficult for you to receive be careful.
When you see a man of God based on what the Holy Spirit says about Him you are creating an atmosphere of belief which makes it POSSIBLE for you to receive.
Look how Peter found himself in an atmosphere of BELIEF in Acts 10.44. He found himself in the atmosphere of the Holy Spirit. ACTS 10.44-48
While Peter was still speaking the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. Acts 10.44-48
God began to work wonders through Peter because of the people believed!
Its not enough to say man of God pray for me! I need healing! Don t forget an atmosphere of unbelief makes it difficult for you to receive.
Remember in Luke 8.50 Jesus said only Believe! And in John 10.38 Jesus said if you don t believe me believe the Works that I do so that you may KNOW and UNDERSTAND the Father.
If you confess faith saying, I am a person of faith. If you say: I have faith in God and deny it by the way you live. Your faith is dead.
Confessing faith in the WORD and denying it in action by never acting on the Word means your heart is NOT truly renewed. Not transformed and not regenerated.
When Your belief is based upon emotions and not the Holy Spirit. You have that veil of unbelief. Emotions are a feeling. Emotions are subject to change.
To conquer - Your Spirit must govern your senses. Your mind must SUBMIT to the SPIRIT
The battle that we fight is our daily is with our senses. Paul explained the struggle of the daily battle.
The good things I want to do I don t do. The evil things I don t want to do I find myself doing. O wretched man that I am. Who will deliver me? Romans 7.24
Being ruled by our senses is a battle to be fought in the other realm. If these battles are not fought in that REALM you cannot conquer!
None of us are where we think we are with God. We are to beware when we think we stand lest we fall. 1 Corinthians 10:12
When we look at what Jesus said He says that He is the way to God. John 14.6
Jesus taught that after He left he would send the Holy Spirit that would then lead us. Holy Spirit John 16.13-14
So when YOU You RECEIVE Receive the Holy Spirit how will YOU You know? You will be endued with POWER!
The Holy Spirit will testify and authenticate God s Word through YOU testifying YOU are a GENUINE Christian.
Lets take a few examples directly from the Bible
God publicly endorsed Jesus by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him. Acts 2.22
God added his seal of approval to the disciples by performing all kinds of miracles and wonders through them. Hebrews 2.4
LETS SEE HOW GOD ADDED HIS APPROVAL TO THE TRUE BELIEVERS
With great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Acts 4.33
At the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were taking place among the people. Acts 5:12
Believers carried their sick out into the streets and laid them on cots and pallets, so that when Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on any one of them. Acts 5:15
Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. Acts 6:8
The crowds paid close attention to what Philip said, as they listened to him and saw the miracles that God did through him. Acts 8:6 7
As Phillip ministered to the people unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; Acts 8:7
And many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. Acts 8:7
Philip, by the Spirit of the Lord was snatched away from the Ethiopian Eunuch while he was baptizing. Acts 8.39
Phillip suddenly realized that he was in another town preaching the Gospel. Acts 8.40
As Peter ministered to Aeneas he was healed after an eight year infirmity that had paralyzed him. Acts 9:32
The Lord spoke to a disciple at Damascus and said Arise and go to the house of Judas and lay hands on Saul so he may receive his sight. Acts 9:11 12
Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world. Acts 11.27
Acts 14.3 The Lord, was testifying to the word of His grace, granting that signs and wonders be done by the hands of the disciples.
God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul. Acts 19:11 12
Handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out. Acts 19:11-12
When Paul laid his hands upon believers in Ephesus, the Holy Spirit came on them. Acts 19:6
They began speaking with tongues and prophesying. Acts 19:6
The disciples went and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and proved that their preaching was true by the miracles that were performed. Mark 16.20
At the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were taking place among the people; and they were all with one accord. Acts 5:12
We are meant to understand from the Bible that You receive POWER when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. ACTS 1.8
Jesus said we (that is, those who really believe in him) would do the same miracles He did. John 14.12
It is Jesus attesting to His Word not you. He wants to work through you.
God gives the Holy Spirit to those who obey Him. Acts 5.32
Our REWARD for Obedience is POWER!
Our reward for a relationship with Jesus is POWER.
If I am the truly Born Again, God will testify to Himself. It is not me but Christ in me.
Real Christians have POWER Mark 16:17
Christ will confirm and testify to His Word through true Christians Mark 16:17
God will testify to the truth of the message through Spiritual abilities Hebrews 2.4
Attesting miracles will accompany those who are true Christians They will cast out demons with authority Mark 16:17
They will speak with new tongues; They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover. Mark 16:18-19
When I started earlier I said I Christ gave a warning about Preachers in the latter days.
Christ said that in the latter times he said many would come proclaiming that Jesus is the Christ, that Jesus is the way; that Jesus is Lord.
It is by their fruits you will know them. Mark 7.16
Remember this warning that Christ gave! Let the dead bury the dead but do let them pretend to impart life.
The wind blows where it wills, you hear the sound of it but do not know where it comes from John( 요 )3:8
So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. John( 요 )3:8
I want to leave you under the influence of the Holy Spirit and the supervision of our Lord Jesus Christ who is able to make you an instrument of righteousness and peace, May the grace of our lord Jesus and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Closing
A genuine minister imparts healing to the broken hearted; strengthens the weak goes after the one who strays away from fellowship with other believers. Ezekiel 34.4
There are those who Word hearers mere listeners good talkers but not doers
Closing
EZEKIEL 34.18 Is it too slight a thing for you that you should feed in the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pastures?
EZEKIEL 34.18 Is it too slight a thing for you that you should drink of the clear waters, that you must foul the rest with your feet?
Ezekiel 34.19-21 Should OTHERS eat what you tread down with your feet and drink what you foul with your feet!
Ezekiel 34.19-21 Because you push with side and with shoulder, and thrust at all the weak with your horns until you have scattered them abroad.