42. TEN (10) RED FLAGS THAT THAT SPEAKER OR TEACHER IS A WOLF DISGUISED IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING OR OPERATING UNDER THE DEVIL’S DECEPTION

(The Information & Edification Series – Batch 2)

Dear Reader, this Article is a bit lengthy so if you desire, you may read it in parts or all in one go. It is up to you. It is important though that you understand what to look for with eyes of discernment, when trying to determine whether that person who purports to be a Christian and is busy teaching, preaching, pastoring, prophesying or speaking is truly a servant of God or of the devil.

Where I have referred to ‘him’ or ‘he’, it also applies to ‘her’ or ‘she’. For, there are false male and female Teachers, Preachers, Prophets, Speakers and Pastors.

Matthew 7:15 warns us: “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”

In Acts 20:28-32, Paul urges his fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus to be watchful and discerning, as people with a false agenda and/or false doctrine would penetrate the Church and try to wreak havoc with a false message, so as to undermine the gospel, lead people astray, into hell and make disciples after themselves and not Christ.

He stated:

• “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.”

2 Corinthians 11:13-15 makes it clear that some false teachers, preachers and prophets who are really commissioned by the devil, will even appear to be ordained and commissioned by God. They will not appear to be evil and will even seem like upstanding and outstanding Christian citizens, to whom we should emulate.

The scripture states:

• “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”

There is therefore a clear warning in the Bible, of the level of deception that is currently at work in the Church today and also operating on vulnerable minds in the world, people either pretending to be Christians for their own diabolical reasons or deluding themselves into thinking that they are when in fact, they have been deceived by the devil and therefore offer a perverse, corrupted and false message.

In light of this scary reality, the question is how then can you tell if the person you’re listening to on a pulpit and whose YouTube videos or television sermons you find to be so captivating is really genuinely a Christian and speaking as commissioned by God and not the devil?

Below is my advice on a few of the questions that you can ask or red flags you can consider, to assist you in telling the difference between a bona-fide Christian messenger of God and one that is a wolf who wilfully pretends to be a child of God when he knows that he isn’t or has been deceived by the devil into thinking that he is and is therefore offering a perverted message.

The list is by no means exhaustive. I am sure that there are many more but I will be focusing on the ten (10) below. When it comes to that Teacher, Preacher, Pastor, Prophet or Speaker:

RED FLAG No. 1: To what extent is he and his message being followed by others?

Has the world seemingly gone crazy after him? Is he super popular among the masses?

This is an important question to answer. See, the human nature loves darkness more than light due to their deeds being evil (John 3:19) and because society is becoming progressively degenerative and spiritually distant from God, people have less and less tolerance for God’s truth. Although this is not the case in every situation therefore, whenever an individual has what the average person would consider to be a large following and is growing seemingly quickly in further popularity because people love to hear him and more and more people want to hear him, in most cases (although not all), it is due to something being wrong with the message.

In 2 Timothy 4:1-4, Paul instructed Timothy:

• “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the TRUTH, and shall be turned unto fables.”

The time has come where people have rejected God’s truth and with itching ears, prefer to selectively listen to messages that will not convict them of their sin condition and need to repent before God but will uplift and encourage and motivate them, as to how to better serve themselves.

When a person has a large gathering therefore, sit up and take note. This could be a red flag and an indication that the message is not God-sent or truly God-driven.

In such cases, I am not saying that this is a guarantee that the speaker is not a genuine Christian. In some cases, he is and God has chosen to use him mightily to reach the lost. However, exercise discernment. Ask yourself: What is causing such a pull in the direction of this person? Is it the Lord that is using him or is it due to something else?

Even the Lord Jesus Christ was not and still to this day is not popular, although he was and still is the Son of the true and living God and spoke TRUTH. Excessive popularity therefore, may be a sign that there is some fundamental flaw when it comes to God’s truth, in the message being promulgated.

RED FLAG No. 2: Does he ever mention the name of Jesus?

What he is saying may be nice, motivational, very moving, inspiring, sound really good and have some good pointers. You may come away thinking, this person is so wise that I could listen to him for hours!

Even if a person’s charisma, his passion or his content leaves you in awe, check whether he mentions the name of Jesus at any point during that video, sermon or speech. Does he acknowledge Jesus as Lord? Does he impress upon the heart of his listeners, that any road taken to success outside of Jesus Christ will lead to destruction? Does he make it clear that try as we may in our own efforts, unless God helps us, we labour in vain? (Psalm 127:1-2).

What I am getting at is that a genuine Christian speaker will never forget the most important part or component of his message and this is Jesus. Will a true Baker forget the flour when he sets about to make a cake? Similarly, a true man or woman of God will acknowledge and exalt the Lordship of Jesus Christ because that is what he is: Lord. He would know full well, that we can’t achieve anything worthwhile, sustainable or of substance without Jesus and that we can’t take the credit for anything good that happens in our lives. Jesus will therefore be on his lips because Jesus is in his heart.

RED FLAG NO. 3: He may mention the name of Jesus but does he talk more about himself, his life, his experiences and his successes, than about Jesus and HIS ways and HIS Word and HIS commands?

A true Christian will ensure that Jesus is not just mentioned but that He is exalted at the very centre of whatever he has to say to the world, as any words of wisdom that ignore Him and his preeminence and don’t acknowledge that He is at the very helm are just that: words.

A true Christian will also be careful to ensure that his actions do not result in people focusing more on him, his life and his so-called success, than on the Master or else he would have served as a stumbling block to the Gospel, to God’s Kingdom business and not a conduit of it. As John the Baptist rightly said in John 3:30 of Jesus: “He must increase but I must decrease.”

This is the desire and mentality of a true Christian, to point people to Christ and him alone. If posting pictures of his or her family five times a day on social media therefore, makes people begin to idolize him or her instead of worshipping the Lord or it appears that this may be the case with some followers, he or she would be careful to post less because he or she would be convicted by the Holy Spirit to do so.

1 Thessalonians 5:22 states: “Abstain from ALL appearance of evil”.

A true Christian knows that the human heart “…is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked…” (Jeremiah 17:9). He will therefore always be examining himself, his motives for operating in Ministry and the effect that he is having on people, both saved and unsaved. After such examination, he will make changes accordingly, to ensure that Jesus is exalted in the minds of those listening to him and that people want to follow Jesus, not him.

RED FLAG No. 4: He may mention the name of Jesus but does he mainly promote him as a sort of genie or santa, who grants OUR requests and fulfills OUR agenda or as Lord over all?

The speaker may have mentioned Jesus in his speech one or a few times but check whether his message urges the hearers to grow in their knowledge of Him, whether it provides them with information as to how to please Him and to develop spiritually in Him, as opposed to just how to get a miracle or a blessing from Him.

If you observe that the message always or for the most part, seeks to provide hearers with strategies to manipulate and use the name of Jesus to get, not what HE WILLS but what THEY WANT, then this cannot be of God.

If the message promotes Jesus as some sort of genie or santa claus, that exists to only bless us with earthly and material blessings and does not address the sin condition of mankind, the reality of hell, the need for repentance and the saving grace of Jesus, then this is a serious red flag. In short, if the messages of this person continually promotes BLESSINGS instead of OBEDIENCE and does not ever or hardly ever mentions the words SIN or JUDGMENT or PUNISHMENT or PENALTY or HELL, this is not good. For, while such a speaker mentions the name of Jesus, he clearly does not acknowledge him as Lord, nor is he concerned with the spiritual condition of mankind and where their souls will spend eternity.

It is important to note that there is no such thing as a ‘prosperity gospel’. That is a term that is not biblical. It was created by men who were of the perverted view due to their love of money, that it deserved equal status with Jesus Christ and his atoning work on the cross. It constitutes a lie from the very pit of hell and it is based on man’s own lust.

Based on the Bible, the only true Gospel is that man is a sinner estranged from God and destined for hell but that by faith, in believing that Jesus died for our sins, shed his precious blood, rose up from the dead on the third day and in confessing the truth with our mouth that he is Lord, we will be forgiven of all of our sins, washed and cleansed from our vile sin condition in the precious blood of Jesus, sanctified, made fit for heaven through the sacrificial and substitutionary death of Jesus on the cross, adopted into God’s family and our souls saved from hell and his wrath to come.

In Galatians 1:8-10, Paul, having preached the only true Gospel, warned his listeners, as any true man of God would do:

• “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, LET HIM BE ACCURSED.As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, LET HIM BE ACCURSED.For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.”

Persons who promote what they call ‘the prosperity gospel’ from the pulpit are more concerned with riches than they are with serving Jesus Christ and winning souls for Him. They love the world and the things of the world and therefore, the love of the Father (which abides in true Christians) is not in them.

1 John 2:15-17 states:

• “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

In John 10:10, Jesus, in explaining why he came to earth and of his plan of redemption for mankind stated “…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” He was clearly referring to eternal life which was available for all those that believe on Him and are therefore given the power to be adopted into God’s heavenly family and of spiritual life while still on earth, us being raised from spiritual death and futility, through Him.

However, due to the warped sense of thinking of false Teachers, Prophets, Speakers, Pastors and Preachers and their love of the things of this world, money and materialism, they have completely misconstrued, misapplied and misused this scripture, equating the word ‘abundance’ to mean riches. They try to get people to believe that God is as obsessed about money and riches as they are and they usually greedily hope to get some of the riches which their congregation amass, whether openly or surreptitiously. They sit and device ways to get the money out of the hands of the public and into their pockets, creating crusades and other meetings under the guise of Christianity, not to really promote Jesus as Lord but to facilitate money transfers.

Yet, God is not in love with money. In fact, money is so unimportant on God’s scale of priorities, that it is not even a valid currency in heaven.

In Isaiah 56:11-12, God describes these false Teachers, Prophets, Pastors, Speakers and Preachers perfectly, when he said, through his Prophet Isaiah:

• “His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, they are GREEDY DOGS which can never have enough and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one FOR HIS OWN GAIN, from his quarter, Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine and we will fill ourselves with strong drink and tomorrow shall be as this day and much more ABUNDANT.”

There is no such thing as a prosperity gospel. This is false and is a doctrine of satan.

As stated before, there is only one message that qualifies in the Bible to be referred to as the ‘Gospel’ and that is the good news that Jesus died for our sins but rose again and in so doing, offers all human beings the free gift of salvation through our belief in him and confession that he is Lord. This brings me to my fifth question.

RED FLAG No. 5: He may mention the name of Jesus but does he ever address THE GOSPEL by letting people know that outside of Jesus Christ they are lost sinners destined for hell?

Now there are many principles that can be derived from the Bible and no doubt, some people feel called to focus mainly on a particular issue, as the Lord has been training them mainly in that area. For example, a person may believe that God has called them to address the issue of love relationships both in the body of Christ and outside of it.

Nothing is wrong with this. However, a true Christian with such a calling knows, that it does not take away or obviate the need for him to obey the first call on his life. The first call is to let people know that they are sinners in need of salvation through the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the FIRST calling of EVERY true Christian and it is what the gospel message in its simplicity is. Whatever our area of Ministry, this is what validates it and so the gospel should be at the very centre of it.

Jesus commanded his disciples in Mark 16:15 to “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature…”.

Even if a person therefore feels led to deal with the issue of relationships and so sets up a YouTube account or a Facebook account to do so, if that person is a genuine Christian, I believe that the Spirit of the Lord operating in him, will cause him to find ways to use that platform, to promote THE GOSPEL message. Such a person will find a way to insert THE MOST IMPORTANT message because he genuinely cares about people’s souls and genuinely believes that if people die outside of believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, that their souls will be forever separated from God, in hell.

If a person is therefore only focusing on what he believes is his secondary mandate, like his relationship Ministry but is not using it to PREACH THE GOSPEL to the lost, so as to let them know how they can avoid hell and enter heaven, then that Ministry, in my humble view is a waste of time and effort and is doing more damage to the Lord’s Kingdom than good (even if it is based on ‘noble’ principles) because it is not pointing people to Christ, who is the only sustaining SOURCE of everything.

Having a lovely relationship is nice but a true Christian knows that people can’t really be helped in their situation until they hand the reins of control of their lives to the Master, the Lord Jesus. A true Christian knows that unless the foundation is right and that foundation is in Christ, people’s lives will remain a mess.

A true Christian could therefore never be satisfied to know that he has given excellent advice to people on love relationships, both in the world and in the Church or on how to make money or get ahead or get a breakthrough, without pointing them in the direction of Christ, which is their highest need. For, the true Christian knows that even if a person perfects the art of relationships or obtains any other materialistic thing, if he or she does not have relationship with Christ and dies outside of his righteous covering, that his or her soul will still be doomed in hell.

What I have realized is that similar to their being a false ‘prosperity gospel’ today, there is now also a false ‘relationship gospel’, both of which are presented as gospels in themselves but are false and only appeal to the areas that people are lusting after.

The devil knows that people are lusting after money, riches and materialism, so he sent forth his false messengers with the so-called ‘prosperity gospel’. Yet, he also knows that some (especially women) are lusting after the idea of having a man and a family, so he has also sent forth his false workers to spread a so-called ‘relationship gospel’. These of course are no gospels at all and cannot save the soul from eternal damnation, as in truth and in fact, the true gospel is about the salvation of souls through Jesus Christ alone.

The heartbeat of a genuine Christian is therefore to see souls saved and drawn closer to Jesus, not people blessed with money, successful relationships, children and a good job. For, while these things may be nice and a true Christian can definitely give people Godly advice and wisdom in these areas, a true Christian knows that outside of a heart surrendered to the Lord Jesus Christ, these achievements have no saving power.

If you realize therefore that a person claims to be a Teacher, Speaker, Pastor, Prophet or Preacher but in his YouTube videos, sermons, books and wherever he publishes material, he never informs his followers of the need for their souls to be saved and what is necessary for this to take place or he mentions it fleetingly and as an after thought here and there, without properly addressing the issue in sufficient detail, then this is a HUGE red flag. For, even if somehow he might be a genuine Christian (which I sincerely doubt), the cause he is focusing on, while it seems good and noble is distracting unsaved people from the MOST IMPORTANT message of SALVATION and the saved from how to become more Christ-like. Such Teachers, Speakers, Pastors, Prophets and Preachers are not helping God’s Kingdom but undermining it. In short, they have become enemies of the cross.

In Philippians 3:18-19, Paul and Timotheus lamented:

• “For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things. For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

As I indicated before, if the message of SALVATION features nowhere in their ‘Ministry’, if it is not at the very centre of it and the purpose of what they are doing, then what they call ‘Ministry’ is just a farce. It is not of God because it is not really Ministry.

The gospel of repentance and remission of sins through acceptance of Jesus Christ and drawing souls closer to Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of any Ministry ordained by God, not the making of money, not how to get a breakthrough, not how to get and sustain a love relationship or a promotion or a house or any other materialistic thing.

If the ‘Ministry’ fails to tell people of the danger of their souls to hell fire if they die outside of Jesus Christ and of the good news of how they can be saved from God’s wrath and eternal judgment to come, then it is no Ministry at all but a tool of the devil to lead people astray.

As Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 2:2, the heartbeat of every genuine Christian involved in genuine Ministry as given by God, causes him to have as his mantra: “For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” This is because “…the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” (Revelations 19:10 KJV)

Even if a Christian speaks on relationships therefore, it is expected that he would try, maybe in the middle of his YouTube or Facebook video or at the end, to use what he has shared on that subject, as an opportunity or launching pad to then speak about the need for people’s salvation, so that they will avoid going to hell.

He will also be mindful that his audience includes some people who are already professors of Christ and therefore ensure that he edifies them with truths, not from his own wisdom but based on the Word of God and the principles derived from the Word of God, so that they will grow in the knowledge of THE LORD and be challenged to become more like Jesus. If he claims to be teaching Christians, he will stick close to the Word of God (and not veer off in his own direction based on his own earthly wisdom) and teach them the LORD’S COMMANDS, over and above anything else.

As a matter of fact, there is a great confusion and error, in my view, as to what constitutes ‘preaching’ and ‘teaching’. In my view, the two terms are not synonymous, although people who do not know better and have labelled themselves as Teachers or Preachers, have been using them interchangeably.

Based on my understanding of what I read in the Bible, ‘Preaching’ is what all Christians are commanded to go into the world and do. It means informing or proclaiming the good news to those who are not yet saved that:

(1) they are sinners

(2) they have fallen short of God’s glory and are destined for hell but

(3) that God has made provision for the redemption of their souls in the death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus and that

(4) all that believe this and confess that Jesus is Lord with their mouths, shall be washed in the blood of Jesus, covered with his garment of salvation and saved from hell, where God intends to cast all sinners who die outside of Christ’s righteous covering.

Any message outside of this gospel message, even if it is motivational, inspirational, practically sensible, sounds nice and wise is therefore NOT ‘preaching’, in my view.

‘Teaching’ on the other hand is done in relation to the Church (not the unsaved but the body of Christ). It is not done to present the gospel message, as the people to whom the teaching is directed, have already professed Christ. It is therefore for the purpose of edifying members on what the Bible says, helping them to grow in the knowledge and grace of the Lord and to become more Christ-like, by obeying his commands. It is not possible therefore, in my view, to ‘teach’ unsaved people. It also cannot be said that one is ‘teaching’ saved people, if the message has little or no basis in God’s Word.

Preaching and teaching are therefore only valid to the respective audiences, if they are founded in God’s Word. If a person calls himself a Teacher or claims to be preaching but speaks little of God’s Word and more about his own wisdom, philosophical ideas or a good cause, like how to get that man and how to wait on God for a husband and how to have financial breakthrough, this is NOT teaching or preaching because it is not founded in the counsel of God’s Word.

Teaching and preaching are both validated only when JESUS CHRIST is placed on the pedestal where he belongs and HIS message is the core of the message. What is popular today is that many people calling themselves Christians are promoting THEIR message as the main course and making scant references to Jesus and what he has said, on the outskirts, as a light dessert.

Due to pride and sometimes without them even realizing it, they have considered themselves as being such repositories of wisdom, that they have placed what THEY have to say above the Word of God in terms of importance, hardly seeing the need to reference him and what is stated in his Word therefore and so, ultimately, it is THEMSELVES that they mainly promote. They are trying to make a name for themselves and Jesus is not their Lord but their competitor.

This is not of God. Philippians 2:9-11 states of Jesus:

• “Therefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is ABOVE EVERY NAME: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Many people who claim to be teaching and preaching are really only motivating and inspiring people on how to live more comfortable lives by attracting good things and trying to use themselves (not Christ), due to how far they claim they have reached in life, as emulators or examples of this. Such so-called teaching and preaching are false.

The yardstick a true Christian will use for the success of his Ministry is the extent to which he has drawn people to Christ and HIS character, not himself or to a worthy cause. He will measure his efforts by:

• (1) the extent to which he has shared nothing else but the GOSPEL message to the unsaved, (which is that without Jesus as Saviour, hell would be our doom but that when we believe and confess him as Lord, our souls gain an eternal inheritance in heaven) and

• (2) the extent to which he has explained to those who claim to be already saved, God’s ways, precepts and commands as stated in His Word, that they are to be obeyed and the extent to which through what he has shared, he has inspired those who have professed Christ, to be more Christ-like.

RED FLAG No. 6: Is all of his message 100% true or are there some errors here and there?

Even if a Speaker mentions Jesus, seemingly provides information where people can be saved and tips for growing spiritually in the knowledge of him, still check whether the entire message is scriptural and sound. For example, the words may sound right but the video used to promote the speech, may feature content that is vehemently opposed to the truth of God’s Word.

I realized this with a video recently, where a guy, who is quite popular across social media and seems full of wisdom was speaking on the issue of marriage. What he had to say and the principles he promoted seemed truthful and even biblical. Yet, on a closer look, something caught my eye across the computer screen and I had to stop the video and replay to make sure I was seeing properly. He had chosen to feature certain couples in his video, including a lovely elderly man and woman but he had also chosen to include unions between women and women and men and men in his video which accompanied the message, despite the fact that God has made it abundantly clear in the Bible, that he does NOT condone same.

He was therefore making a powerful statement without even using any words. In effect, he was saying, “I don’t care what God thinks. What I think is more important.”

I realized therefore, that this could not be a true man of God. The truth of God was not in him.

Indeed, the devil can be so cunning, that he will present truth, mixed with some damning lies. It is for us to not be ignorant of his devices therefore, to stick close to the Word which exposes lies and to exercise God-given discernment.

Matthew 7:16-20 urges us to examine the fruit of these so-called men and women of God or those that come with words of wisdom, claiming to have a solution to life’s problems and to care for the bettering of society. What they are really about is about something much more sinister than how things ‘appear’. It is about rebelling against God and his righteousness, under the guise of dispelling some truth and knowledge in the process.

The scriptures read:

• “Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”

As stated before, it is important to note that the devil is very cunning and will find subtle ways to make inroads, through people that you would least expect. He will use people that appear pious, loving, really nice, friendly, spiritual, passionate, gifted, powerful and family-oriented. The average person would take one look at them and the lives they portray to the public and conclude that they MUST be a Christian.

However, sometimes, such persons are messengers of Satan and have been commissioned by him to wreak havoc to the body of Christ and to spread falsehoods by undermining, belittling, distorting or ignoring truth.

As stated before, 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 states of such men and women and of the devil’s ability to use persons that appear to be like angels of light:

• “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”

As Christians, we may tend to think that a false Teacher, Speaker, Pastor, Preacher or Prophet would have at least 50% false content in his sermons and teachings, which would be blatantly obvious and which we would spot easily. However, the devil has people operating for him on social media, pulpits and otherwise, where seemingly, 98.5% of what they say is spot on and accurate but yet, if you watch enough of their videos or read enough of their content or listen to enough of their sermons, you realize that approximately 1.5% of the message they are promoting is a gross lie! That 1.5% though small and seemingly insignificant is deliberately planted by the enemy and used to wreak havoc, as it tends to be a falsehood on a MAJOR issue that, if believed, could damn the souls of men to hell.

Approximately 98.5% content that is truthful, mixed with approximately 1.5% of lies is a subtle strategy that was used by the devil in the garden of Eden and which he continues to use today.

2 Corinthians 11:3 states “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.”

Truth is not always distorted by a blatant lie. Today, truth is packaged by the devil with a small dose of lies, to harden your heart to sin, to blur and confuse your mind as to what is right or wrong and to undermine the authenticity of God’s Word.

Now I am not saying that it is impossible for a true Christian Speaker to get something wrong on some occasion, on some issue. I think that all Christians, including myself are guilty at times, of making errors in how we divide the Word of truth.

However, if the error is on a fundamental issue that a true Christian ought to know or you notice that the tendency to make the error or errors is consistent, in that it features in more than one of his speeches or writings or he keeps interpreting God’s Word inaccurately on different issues, yet he never seemingly gets convicted by the Holy Spirit that he has interpreted the Word in error, makes no retribution for the wrong information he published and continues unrepentant along this path without wavering, then this is a serious issue.

For genuine Christians that are submitted to God and his Word, the Holy Spirit which indwells us, guides us into ALL truth (John 16:13). If someone remains unflinchingly in error therefore, it is cause for concern. Be very discerning.

There are many false Preachers and motivational Speakers in the world and especially on social media. There are also many false songs being promoted by people who have no genuine relationship with Jesus Christ, yet they are being promoted as ‘gospel music’. They sound nice and the music or words sound even majestic. The people featured in these grand speeches, sermons, snippets and songs even look the part of decent, upstanding people of God.

However, if you put on your spiritual glasses of discernment, if you ask the Lord to deliver you from this age of deception, to enable you to embrace truth and to reject all lies, irrespective of which forum the message is coming through, if you are a Christian, I believe that God will help you to tell what is of him and what is from the pit of hell. He will give you discernment.

Do not be fooled. 1 Peter 5:8 says: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”

Matthew 24:24 also warns all Christians as follows: “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”

We therefore need to be on our guard, to be less accepting of everyone who looks and sounds the part of a Christian and claims to come in peace with words of ‘wisdom’ and instead, to take the time to try the spirits, whether they be of God or not.

1 John 4:1-6 states:

• “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.”

RED FLAG No. 7: Is he consistently holding on to the truth without wavering as time progresses or did he start well but as the months and years pass is slowly degenerating into more and more error?

Sometimes, the tactic the enemy uses is progressive. He may therefore plant false Teachers, Pastors, Preachers, Speakers and Prophets by having them speak nothing but 100% truth for a while and maybe even years.

Then, once they have obtained a good following and people have let their defences down because they have confidence in their teachings and consider them to be bona-fide Christians, the enemy uses them to move in for the kill, by unleashing bits of lies here and there, in their sermons and teachings. People who do not know their Bibles are more gullible to believe the error then.

He may only have them release small bits of error at a time, so that it is not immediately obvious to the unsuspecting. However, if you apply discernment, you will realize that, whereas the doctrine appeared to be sound in the beginning, the person has turned away from complete truth because as time progressed, they embraced and keep embracing more and more error. As time progresses, if you observe them long enough, they begin to take their sheep’s clothing off slowly but surely, to reveal who they really are: a wolf.

The Bible also clearly states that there are some people who will depart from the faith. There are therefore, some Teachers, Pastors, Speakers, Prophets and Preachers, who may have started well it seemed but somewhere along the way, they decided to let go of Jesus, as they sought to pursue something else, whether it be money, pleasure, popularity, the cares of life, an easy, more comfortable life, an immoral relationship or otherwise and without repentance.

Such persons were never really rooted in Christ, although they may have thought that they were and Christians thought they were. The way they received the gospel when they claimed to be converted was flawed. They are clearly described in the second category of people who have heard the gospel preached as mentioned in the sower and seed parable that Jesus gave.

In Matthew 13: 20-23, Jesus stated:

• “When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. (FIRST TYPE OF HEARER)

• But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not ROOT in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. (SECOND TYPE OF HEARER)

• He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. (THIRD TYPE OF HEARER)

• But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” (FOURTH TYPE OF HEARER)

The second category of hearers came to Jesus and professed Christ but apparently expected nothing but roses. When trials came, they turned away because they were disappointed, bitter, resentful or when they were called upon to suffer for Christ’s sake, as he did for them, they refused to accept it and chose the easy way out.

A false Teacher, Preacher or Prophet who received the Word on faulty ground and is therefore not ROOTED to Christ, will try, in my view, to water down the message and to leave out some parts of truth that he finds distasteful or that he feels might get people upset because they don’t want to hear it. He does this deliberately, trying to make God’s Word more ‘palatable’, so that he can retain his large following, popularity and the fame and monetary gain that this brings. He is not in it for Christ but for himself and his own advancement.

He may, for example, encourage people to abstain from premarital sex but instead of telling them that this is because God commands it and we need to obey, tells them that celibacy is cool, the in-thing, that it is beneficial for their marriage, would make them feel more self-respect and worth and that setting boundaries is important. In so doing, he corrupts the Word by leaving God’s command out and making the decision to abstain from pre-marital sex, solely a matter of choice.

People come away thinking that it is a matter for THEM to decide either way, as opposed to a matter that has already been decided by the Lord. They are not told that unrepentant fornicators are sinners and have their part in the lake of fire.

False Teachers, Preachers, Speakers, Pastors and Prophets who have received the Word on faulty ground are also carried away and seduced by all the ‘good’ things and materialism that life has to offer. Their affection is not set on things in heaven but on earth. As time progresses therefore, they compromise more and more truth, while embracing more and more lies or that which pertains to darkness, so as to not rob people the wrong way and to get further ahead in the world.

RED FLAG No. 8: Who does he affiliate with?

Check the persons that the Speaker, Pastor, Prophet, Preacher or Teacher associates or partners with or considers to be friends. Check the type of ‘Church’ gatherings that he exposes himself to and is comfortable in.

If a Preacher or Speaker is saying one thing but yet has no problem in partnering with others who are clearly living lives contrary to the truth and for the sake of material gain, popularity, promotion or under the guise of wanting unity or anything else, then you need to take note.

God calls his people to live separate lives from those of unbelievers and to abstain from the very appearance of evil. A true Christian while loving everyone therefore and treating all human beings with dignity, would not want to be affiliated with or partnered with someone who is clearly a false Teacher or Prophet, based on the clear fallacies in the doctrine they teach or preach.

1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 states that we should “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.”

On the issue of separation, it is clearly stated in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 as follows:

• “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”

Being separated from ungodliness and ungodly people who do not believe the truth, does not mean that we cannot witness to them and share the good news of salvation. It is the responsibility of every Christian to reach the lost with the gospel and to love them.

However, witnessing to the unsaved and entering into partnership with them in marriage, business or otherwise are two different things. There is no reason for example, to justify or excuse a ‘gospel’ singer teaming up with a world renowned and unsaved celebrity, to sing a ‘gospel’ song. Since this clearly does not bring glory to God, it is clear that it is being done to bring glory to self and to promote the singer’s name and not that of Christ.

The people and groups we see Speakers, Preachers and even so-called Christian singers affiliate with therefore, can be very effective in shedding light on how they truly feel about Christ, whether he is truly their Lord or whether they are comfortable around sin and are therefore, wolves in sheep clothing.

Given the effect on their testimony, true Christians, especially those with a large number of people following their teachings or preaching, would be careful to avoid the appearance of evil and want nothing to do with false Teachers, Prophets and Preachers because:

• (1) the true Christian is walking in the light and therefore hates, vehemently opposes and is repulsed by anything that is false and undermines truth,
• (2) the true Christian is aware of God’s call for separation and wants to be obedient to him and
• (3) the true Christian is mindful of those who follow his message and look up to him and so does not want them to be misled into accepting the false Teacher, Prophet or Preacher and his false doctrine.

A true Teacher, Prophet, Speaker, Pastor or Preacher would not turn his back on the cross by entering into alliances with the enemy for monetary gain, popularity, a larger television audience or to promote his cause. Even if he were to do so, he will be convicted of what he has done and will genuinely repent before the Lord, turn back to him and remove himself from all ungodly alliances.

If a Speaker or Preacher remains in such ungodly environments and is unperturbed, not bothered, can’t seem to understand why people looking on are upset and instead of being restless in such an environment, has settled in and is comfortable, then this is very telling of his true nature and what he truly believes. He may have branded himself as being a certain way and as subscribing to the truth but as the saying goes, “Birds of a feather, flock together.”

RED FLAG No. 9: Has he found a way to run a business and make profits under the banner of Christianity?

Now, it is possible for a genuine Christian to offer items for sale, like the books he has felt inspired by God to write, so as to help others.

Paul makes it clear in 1 Corinthians 9:13-14, that those who preach the gospel are authorized by God to make a living from it as well. However, it ought not to be the reason why they preach it and getting rich (which is not the same as having sufficient to survive each day), ought not to be the goal or else the purpose for entering into Ministry becomes defected.

Where a person makes a living from his preaching Ministry therefore and because the heart of man is desperately wicked, he has to constantly check his heart and motives for continuing on in that Ministry, to ensure that it is because he wishes to promote Christ and salvation and not increase his pockets.

Paul himself stated, that although it was possible to make a living from the gospel he preached, he decided not to, so that (1) he would not abuse his power, (2) he would not be accused by those looking on, as using the gospel to promote his own glory and (3) it would not cause a hindrance in the mind of people, to the hearing of the gospel.

In 1 Corinthians 9: 7-18, Paul states:

• “Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? For it is written in the law of Moses, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn.

• Doth God take care for oxen? Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? NEVERTHELESS WE HAVE NOT USED THIS POWER; BUT SUFFER ALL THINGS, LEST WE SHOULD HINDER THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST.

• Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which PREACH THE GOSPEL should live of the gospel. BUT I HAVE USED NONE OF THESE THINGS: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void. For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. WHAT IS MY REWARD THEN? VERILY THAT, WHEN I PREACH THE GOSPEL, I MAY MAKE THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST WITHOUT CHARGE, THAT I ABUSE NOT MY POWER IN THE GOSPEL.”

Notice that, while Paul mentioned the feeding of the flock (the already saved) with spiritual things, he stated that it was ordained, that those who preach the gospel (to the unsaved) were authorized by the Lord Jesus to make a living from it as well. If a person has a so-called ‘Ministry’ therefore, on how to be blessed with more money or to prepare for a love relationship but nowhere in there do they include as the main course, the GOSPEL MESSAGE, they are NOT entitled to make a living from that so-called ‘Ministry’ which does not point people to Christ. Indeed, that is no ‘Ministry’ at all but is false.

Additionally, while it is therefore certainly permitted for the Ministers of God who PREACH (not teach, inspire or motivate) THE GOSPEL (not any other message or good cause) to the unsaved, to make a living from it, making profits and feeding their family ought not to be the reason why they preach, as this would mean that they are using the Lord for gain.

Also, bringing glory to God, like Paul, should be their main objective, so if there is a high likelihood that people would consider them as using or exploiting the gospel to make money, then they should seriously consider not doing so, as he did, so as to abstain from the very appearance of evil.

While we may not be able to see people’s motives for doing what they do, the Lord does and using him for monetary gain and advancement in life is shameful and not at all glorifying to God. In Matthew 21:12-13 where people sought to use the temple to market their wares for money, it states:

• “And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.”

In Acts 8, Simon who was previously a sorcerer that professed Christianity and was baptized, saw his new found faith as a way to make a greater name for himself among the people and material gain, which was wrong. He was therefore rebuked by Peter for his folly and told to repent, as the gifts of God were not about making money or a name for oneself.

The scripture reads:

• “But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done. Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost…Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

• And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.”

I say all this to say, that while PREACHERS (nobody else) of the GOSPEL (nothing else) are authorized by the Lord, based on what Paul stated, to make a living from the gospel they preach to the unsaved, many false Teachers, Prophets, Pastors, Speakers and Preachers who do not present the GOSPEL to their hearers, have jumped on the Christianity bandwagon and are using Christianity to make a fortune for themselves.

Some once believed on the Lord Jesus but their love of money, popularity and fame have led them away from him and in the direction of worldly pleasures, they have stopped believing and now live a life where they are denouncing the faith and that Jesus is Lord by their actions.

They do not promote the gospel and even when some do, they use Christianity as a guise to fill their pockets and bank accounts. Some persons subscribe to the false ‘prosperity gospel’ and many even flaunt their riches and upgraded status without apology, for the world to see.

For them, it is not about Christ and defending His honour. It is about using his name to get themselves ahead in this life, while promising their followers that if they follow their example, they are guaranteed to have the same. For them, it is not about eternity. It is about making a little heaven right here on earth.

If you see a Teacher, Preacher, Pastor,Speaker or a Prophet therefore, who on the one hand has a message (which is not the gospel and usually is not even centred in the Word or for the spiritual edification of the Church) and on the other hand he is trying to promote sales for his Christian-themed items, this may possibly be a red flag.

Take note. He needs to be monitored, especially if there are other factors as listed above, which apply to his situation.

RED FLAG No. 10 – Is he living a life of open and proud rebellion to God’s Word or one of obedience, humility, submission and repentance?

No Christian is perfect and there are times when he will mess up and even sin against God. However, for the true Christian, whenever this happens, the Holy Spirit indwelling him will convict him of that sin and he will usually humbly repent before the Lord.

The true Christian cannot continue on peacefully in sin and be fine with it and happy in it and display a puffed-up, prideful attitude when other Christians try to correct him on an issue. Even if the true Christian believes that those people are wrong, I believe that because the Christian life is about continual introspection and self-examination, that Christian will still go humbly to the Lord about the issue and ask him to change anything that HE sees needs to be changed in his life and his operations. Each criticism is therefore an opportunity to go before God (because it is he that has allowed the criticism to come), to ask Him for his assessment of the issue. For, a true Christian knows that he is not right all of the time and that at times, he can be prone to self-deception.

If a Speaker, Teacher, Pastor, Prophet or Preacher however is living openly in rebellion to God’s commands and does not care and has no regret, no remorse and is proud of this blatant rebellion, this is a red flag. For example, the Bible states that fornication and adultery are wrong. While a Christian may be tempted in this regard, may find himself battling temptation and at times may even fall, he will not stay fallen but will repent of this wickedness, change his course and then proclaim vehemently to others that this way that he took is wrong but God’s way is right.

Proverbs 24:16 states: “For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.”

Where you see therefore, a Teacher or Preacher who admits that they fell in an area, for example, they committed fornication or adultery but they have since repented before God, ceased sinning in this area and now use their mistake as a platform to tell others that this act is wrong, that they should stay away from it and do God’s will, this is how a true Christian with a repentant heart operates.

If however you observe that a Teacher, Pastor, Preacher Speaker or Prophet has a platform where he is able to connect with tens, hundreds or even thousands of people and therefore is to try his best to set a good example, if such a person is openly committing adultery or fornication and not ashamed and not repenting of this, then you know that he is false because it is impossible to have peace in a Christian’s spirit where the Holy Spirit lives, where there is sin that has not been confessed in that Christian’s life.

The Lord Jesus made it clear that except for fornication, marriage is for life and it is also stated in the New Testament that if a marriage does not work out, the Christian is to remain unmarried for life once the spouse remains alive or to be reconciled with that spouse (1 Corinthians 7:11 KJV). For, to remarry while one’s spouse was still alive is adultery (Romans 7:3 KJV)

In the Bible, Jesus, who is God the Son and whose commands are the ultimate authority, identified three (3) types of adulterers. He made it abundantly clear that the person who divorced a spouse and then remarried is an adulterer, the person who was divorced and decided to remarry is an adulterer and the person who gets married to a divorced person is an adulterer.

Jesus said to the Pharisees in Matthew 19:9 KJV, when asked by them if it was lawful for a man to put away (divorce) his wife for every cause:

• “Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. AND I SAY UNTO YOU, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery…” (Matthew 19:9)

He therefore labelled the person who divorced a spouse (other than for fornication) and then remarried another, as an adulterer.

At a different point, maintaining his opposition to divorce and remarriage, he stated to his disciples in Matthew 5:31-32:

• “It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: BUT I SAY UNTO YOU, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth HER to commit adultery: and whoseover shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.”

He therefore labelled the person who was put away or divorced by a spouse and was therefore the victim in that situation but who then chose to remarry, an adulterer and the person who got married to someone who was put away or divorced, as also an adulterer.

While this is difficult to swallow, so much so that Jesus’ disciples told him in Matthew 19:10 “…If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry”, it is God’s Word and it is therefore to be obeyed. None of us and no earthly legal system, have the authority to change it or to try to twist the words to have our own way.

If a Teacher, Preacher, Pastor, Speaker or Prophet has blatantly disregarded this command, gotten a divorce and then remarried or was divorced by a spouse and then chose to get remarried and never repents of this, then he is in open rebellion to the Word of God, which will never change to suit man.

Additionally, the Bible makes it clear in the New Testament on at least THREE occasions, to the Church at Corinth (in the book of Corinthians), the Church at Ephesus (in the book of Timothy) and the Church at Thyatira (in the book of Revelations), that a woman, no matter how gifted she is, is not to teach or usurp authority over a man in the Church and is to remain silent in this forum. Where a woman steps out and Pastors or Co-Pastors a Church therefore or takes up leadership positions over men in it, she is not just outside of her legitimate God-given authority but she is blatantly acting in rebellion to the Lord’s commands.

This is a MAJOR red flag, especially if time passes and that person does not repent for this sin and sees no problem with it. Such a person is either a wolf in sheep’s clothing or deceived by the devil and therefore leading people down the wrong path, by making them feel it is okay to sin in this way and that God does not have a problem with it.

Usually, due to such persons operating under deception, while they may mean well, they usually come up with perverted interpretations of the scripture and lead people further astray with false doctrines, much like the woman at the Church at Thyatira did in Revelations Chapter 2:18-25.

No wonder the glorified Lord Jesus said that unless there was repentance, he would kill all her children with death. I take this to mean that all of the so-called good things she does, spiritual ‘fruit’, miracles, and Christian conversions she claims to have achieved as bye-products of her blatant disobedience against God’s Word, will not be sustained because it has all been sown on the ground of disobedience, deception and rebellion.

While true Christians will not be perfect therefore, they will desire to be obedient to the Lord in every area of their life. If they fail the obedience test and are proud of their disobedience instead of being ashamed and repenting, then this reveals their real hue. They are NOT genuine children of God. They are either ravenous wolves in sheep’s clothing, although they look like angels or they are people who believe that they are Christians because they have been deceived by the devil into thinking so, when in truth and in fact, they are not.

In Revelation 2:21, the glorified Jesus said of the rebellious woman in Thyatira, who was teaching and speaking in the Church when she was supposed to be silent and leading people astray with a false doctrine that made fornication and idolatry permissible: “And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.”

Ecclesiastes 12:13 makes it clear that our duty as human beings is to: “Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”

While the Christian is not perfect and at times will stray, he has a heart that fears God and so, wants to keep what he has commanded. His endeavour is therefore to ensure that he places himself and his life in alignment with the Word of God, which is the ultimate authority on all matters.

Where a person blatantly scorns what God has commanded, does not repent and continues on contrary to what he has clearly instructed in his Word, that person does not really fear God and does not consider his Word to be THE FINAL AUTHORITY. That person is operating in a manner that is anti-Christ, as he is fighting against the authority of God’s Word.

Where a person does not fear God, it means that they don’t really believe in the Lordship of Jesus, although they say they do. For, if a person truly believes in Jesus and all that he has said he is, then this will be motivation enough for him to obey and even when he strays, to come back humbly with a heart of repentance, to his fold. For he knows that he cannot fight against Christ and win and he genuinely desires to submit to his Lordship and teachings.

As Jesus stated in Luke 6:46 of some who were using his name, calling him Lord but not obeying his commands: “…why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”

In Matthew 7:21-23 he made it clear that:

• “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

Whether we choose to obey the Lord or to do our own thing in rebellion, reveals where our loyalty really lies, whether he truly has control over our hearts and whether our faith in him is genuine. In short, our actions speak louder than our words.

In Matthew 15:8, Jesus stated: “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.”

(Written on 25th May, 2018, added to on October, 2018, 04th April, 2020 and 24th April, 2021)

Dear Reader, if you found the above Article to be informative, edifying, beneficial or interesting, you may also be interested in reading the following under the ‘BIBLE-BELIEVING Daughters’ Page:

• Note 18 – ‘Riches, Abundance, Breakthrough & Promotion – Lies From The Pit Of Hell’
• Note 20 – ‘Twelve (12) Indicators Of A Healthy Church’
• Note 23 – ‘Jesus – The Source Of Success’
• Note 27 – ‘You Cannot Command Your Morning Or Day’
• Note 28 – ‘Our Words Have Power – A Lie From The Pit Of Hell’
• Note 98 – ‘The Real Meaning Of ‘Ministry’
• Note 99 – ‘Are You Serving The Real Jesus?’
• Note 142 – ‘Are You Chasing After Success?’
• Note 162 – ‘The Spirit Of Prophecy’
• Note 163 – ‘What Is The Gospel Of God?’