Discernment
One of the gifts of the Spirit found in 1 Corinthians 12 is the gift of discerning of spirits (v. 10). This gift, like the other gifts, is to help the body of Christ. All local churches need one or more disciples who are gifted by the Spirit in this gift as well as in the other gifts of the Spirit. This gift enables the Church to discern good and bad spirits. It enables them to discern good and bad hearts within people (Acts 8:21). Note: This will dispel the false teaching that one cannot know what is in the heart of another. God knows what is in the heart and mind of all people, and, by the Spirit, He can reveal what He knows to anyone He chooses. It is ridiculous what non-biblically-trained disciples have been fed to keep them immature and under fleshly control. Enough is enough! Wake up! Wake up!
Not all Christians are gifted by the Spirit with the gift of discerning of spirits. All can, however, grow in the Word and have their senses trained to discern good and evil. Hebrews 5:12 to 6:2 is very relevant for all of the Church. It is greatly needed by those who call themselves Charismatics. In Hebrews 6:1-2, one can find listed the six basic teachings of true Christianity. They are the milk teachings (doctrines). Unless a disciple is thoroughly equipped in the six basic doctrines, he or she will never go on to becoming a mature disciple.
Restoration and Maturity
The Church as a whole is immature, divided and in great need of being restored to Jesus Christ and His Word. We need disciples and local churches who will be restored by returning to their first love and to rightly dividing and living by the Word. This is absolutely necessary for individuals and local churches to grow to true maturity in Christ.
The restored Church will grow to becoming a mature Church in Christ Jesus. One of the important needs for a disciple to be a living and mature stone in the Church that Jesus is building is for that disciple to be trained in the milk and in the meat teachings. Each disciple is responsible for personal and prayerful study of the entire Bible on a regular basis under the teaching of the Holy Spirit. Each disciple is also responsible for finding true ministry gifts (Ephesians 4:11) who will equip that disciple for the work of the ministry.
Wake Up
You Baptists and other denomination followers who have believed what someone wrote about there no longer being apostles and prophets need to wake up. You need to wake up and begin studying the Bible by the Spirit of God and not by someone's notes in a Bible or their writings in a book. The founding apostles and prophets are now with the Lord, but the Lord has sent apostles and prophets along with evangelists, pastors and teachers to equip you for the work of the ministry.
Stop rejecting the Lord's gifts and stop taking away from His Word. Realize that there are true apostles and prophets today. The original apostles and prophets are not here today, but there are real ones on this earth sent by God and not by man. You Charismatics, Pentecostals, Independents, Non-Denominationalists, House Church people, etc., wake up and find the real! Don’t let the devil close you off to the real because you were exposed to and even deceived and/or hurt by the false. Everybody be discerning! Find the real and reject the false.
Discernment of the difference between false, carnal, immature, and mature ministers is needed in all parts of the Church. This is especially true in what is called the Charismatic movement. It is amazing what the devil has done in this so-called movement. Disciples cannot accomplish their God-given work without the truth of God, the character of Jesus Christ, and the anointing and power of God. All of these are sorely lacking in many who call themselves Charismatics. This includes those in leadership positions! In place of truth, there is error; in place of godly character and holiness is carnality; in place of anointing by the Holy Spirit is personal charisma; in place of godly power is a counterfeit power; in place of true riches in God is mammon; many Christians have been conditioned to think that when the word “seed” is used, it means giving money.
Conclusion
Who will wake up and have their senses trained by personal study and by true ministry gifts? Who will discipline their time to study? Who will take the time and make the effort to find the real and mature apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers? Who will deny self, forsake all, and take up their cross to follow Jesus? Let's go on to maturity in Christ!
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6 comments:
Thanks for the link Wayne; this is good. I've been taught all of this but being in a church that actually lives it out is another thing. This is probably one of the best things that I've reaped from being on the forums at Charisma. Thank-you! I will continue to read as I can.
God bless you! True disciples are salt and light. The Church and the world need to see and experience true salt and light disciples that are following Jesus Christ and living in obedience to His Word.
I read your most recent post it is challenging and convicting. I believe that it is true.
I am grateful for those who post things that I can comprehend but many things that are posted are inconsitent on the forums. I didn't realize there is so much upheaveal in the Charismatic/Pentecostal church or that there are so many vehemently speaking against specific leaders. I am not sure what to think at this moment as I am taken back by this "Christian Forum." It is my first time on a Christian forum ever and I don't know how much more time I will spend on it. There is a reason for everything therefore I will wait. I wanted to thank-you once again for another good post on the forum. I am seeking Wayne at this and point in my life. I've been out of the Pentecostal/Charismatic church for awhile now and for good reasons. It could be a wake-up call that I needed to hear from your post. I was in a Weslyen church for a period of time which actually was a good move. The Pastor "Wayne" was a fine example of servanthood and although it was a church of 5000; lived humbly.
My point is that I appreciate your post; I am taken back by what I see on the forum and I am getting the sense that it is a conglomerate of different doctrines on there. It is difficult to experience when thinking of taking the step back into a Pentecostal/Charismatic type church (Being in the military life has moved us around a little). Thanks for your time! As an FYI; I am the anonymous who posted yesterday.
Hi Marilyn, God bless you and your family.
In brief, the overall Church is in need of restoration. She needs to be restored to Jesus Christ, His Word, and His biblical way of doing all things. Man's various or sundry ways of doing the things of God are largely responsible for the immaturity, carnality and division in the Church.
There are disciples that are seeking to know Jesus intimately and His Word thoroughly. There are ministers that are called of God and totally yielded to Him. They are speaking truth without private interpretations and tradtions of men. Together these ministers and disciples are a faithful remnant who are the salt and light that God desires of His Church. Presently they are often not very well known, but in time their light will be noticed as others become part of the faithful remnant. They are witnesses not only to the lost, but to those in the Church who have lost God's Way of living, being and doing. They are denying self, forsaking all, taking up their cross and following Jesus. To His glory! Amen
In Christ Jesus,
Wayne Wilson
Thank-you Wayne for your response. We are searching for a church I don't know that it will be AG as it was so many years before leaving. I came through the Charismatic intially in my teens. I will have to trust in who has always carried me through and I know He is faithful He has never taken His hand off me even when I've tried to walk away (everyone has a story)! I think the church has been in a mess for a long time or we wouldn't have so many different entities. Thanks for your feedback. From time to time I will check out the posts on the forum and here. As before I have appreciated reading your posts. As to the other, the forum well I am going to leave it alone for the time. May God Bless you richly! Marilyn
Hi Marilyn, I will pray for you and your family to be totally directed by the Holy Spirit. Have you also visited our internet ministry at WWW.JesusandHisWord.org? There are messages found under the heading Messages and under the heading Truth For Today. God bless you and your family.
In Christ,
Wayne Wilson
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