WORDS OF WARNING

Lightbearers MinistriesUncategorized

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 1 Tim 4:1 NKJV

No one sets out to fail. No one says, “I want to get married, or start this business, or enter into  ministry, just so that I can ‘crash and burn’!” Every wedding is a happy one. Every business opening is an anxious thrill, a time of vision and great hope. Certainly, every time a young man or woman enters into the service of God, they do so with an earnest vision that they are going to change the world. This is how it should be! But without a fervent commitment to the principles that God lays out for success, real success will be as elusive as the wind.

All true principles, some of which we will discuss, culminate in one great reality – connection with God. The deeper, and truer, and more expansive your connection with God is, the more broad and fulfilling will be your success, which we measure in eternity first, and in the physical realm second.

First and Second Timothy, along with Titus, are New Testament books written to spiritual leaders. We will take many of our example verses, except for the first, from their amazing contexts. Timothy and Titus teach us that servants of God have three great vulnerable areas: with regards to sex, abuse of drugs or alcohol, or the many abuses related to money.

The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit; He who is abhorred by the Lord will fall there. Prov 22:14 NKJV

We see ministers caught in adultery from time to time. But here we see that the adultery is a judgment from the Lord, for some other sin that allowed the minister to fall into it. It is the mercy of the Lord that protects ministers from adultery. But when that mercy is taken away – the abhorrence of the Lord – the result is that the servant of God falls.

Can a fallen minister still be anointed? Yes, because the gifts and the callings of God are without repentance. The gifts and callings are still there because of the mercy of God towards the people. But the mercy and grace on the servant’s life has been lost, and without repentance, they will suffer grievous consequences. People rationalize and say, “Well, The Lord still anoints me, so I must be okay.” No…not necessarily. Do you see it?

Be diligent ( “Study” KJV ) to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Tim 2:15 NKJV

Psalms says that it is pride that causes us to stray from His Word, pride which brings a curse. A root of adultery, and so many other failures of servants of God, is in the fact that we fail to study the Word. We give heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons because the Word is not burning in us. The Word of God is to be a burning flame, not a smoldering fire.

I recently confronted a dear clergy about their attitudes about homosexuality. I said to them, “What about Romans One?” They looked at me like they didn’t even know what Romans chapter one said! How can you be a servant of God, a representative of Jesus Christ, and not know the Word? The answer is, you can’t…!

Concerning homosexuality, the Word speaks of men, women and eunuchs. A eunuch, for the sake of definition here, would be a male or female person genetically that cannot have sex to the end of procreation. Do you know what the Word of God says about each of them? How can you have a godly opinion if you don’t know? You can know, if you study.

For thus says the Lord: “To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, and choose what pleases Me, and hold fast My covenant, even to them I will give in My house and within My walls a place and a name better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off. Isa 56:4-5 NKJV

Once you understand what God says about eunuchs, then you can find no justification in the Word of God for homosexual acts. Eunuchs are to live as celibate individuals (“ …choose what pleases Me…” Matthew 19:3ff ), whereas genetically whole men and women are to live as heterosexual individuals, and to resist any temptation to deviate from that norm.

Years ago, the Holy Spirit taught me how to minister to those caught up in ‘the lifestyle’ of homosexuality. The Holy Spirit joyfully spoke to me and said, “Just get them saved, and I’ll take care of them!” So, that’s my strategy now – lead them to Jesus, love them, teach them, get them filled with the Holy Spirit, and let God deal with them. He will!

Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you. 1 Tim 4:16 NKJV

The doctrine, the Word of God itself, will keep you out of trouble and make you whole. It sounds simple, and it is, but it is crucial to your life. Be warned. Floorboards, and the foundation of your house, have to become rotten before they collapse under your feet. Study the Word continually …and avoid the rot!

…not given to wine… 1 Tim 3:3 NKJV

How do you handle pressure? Life is full of it. You were expelled from your mother’s womb with something like one hundred pounds of pressure. Some pressures are unnatural, and some are self-inflicted. These types of pressure can be avoided or eliminated.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Phil 4:6-7 NKJV

Deal with pressures in a godly way. Don’t medicate them with drugs or alcohol! Pray through until the pressure is crushed under your feet.

And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. Rom 16:20 NKJV

So many of my dear friends fast and pray. But I sense that their emphasis much of the time is more on the fasting side than the prayer side. The purpose of fasting is to humble yourself before God so that when you pray, you are rightly positioned to receive His grace. Once you are fasting, emphasize the prayer rather than the fasting. If you are fasting and suffering so terribly that you cannot pray, what is the use? Fast less strenuously so that you can concentrate on prayer. And…pray in tongues!

No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities. 1 Tim 5:23NKJV

To keep a little balance in our discussion, we need to note that the Word speaks some good things about wine especially in moderation. The children of Israel gave tithes of their wine harvest to the priests in the Temple. You will remember Jesus’ first miracle…I’m sure He had a glass of that good wine! He and the apostles regularly drank wine with their meals as well.

In conclusion, if you so live with pressure that you have to medicate yourself with drugs or alcohol, you probably need deliverance. Get someone to pray with you, or contact me. I can help!

Now we come to perhaps the most serious of all vulnerabilities…the abuse of money.

…not greedy for money… 1 Tim 3:3 NKJV

Colossians tells us that covetousness is idolatry – remember the FIRST commandment? This reality makes the abuse of money very serious business. God cares about every penny, every shilling, every kwacha.

This struck me years ago, when I was paying for something in a store. They had a little change machine at the end of the counter that automatically gave your change. As I was leaving, I left three pennies in the change machine. I stepped away and the Holy Spirit spoke in my spirit and said, “I care about those three pennies!” I stepped back to get my pennies, only to have the next person in line come through and grab them with their change. Crestfallen, I didn’t even ask the person for my pennies!

The quest for money is the quest for power. The old, carnal saying is this: the golden rule – he who has the gold makes the rules. The Lord showed me years ago that in Africa, the old spirit of the village chief had gone into the pastors. Thus, the quest for power, wealth, position and control. This is not how Jesus and the apostles walked!

This spirit can come into any leader anywhere, but especially into spiritual leaders because their hearts are so exposed when they preach and minister. They want to be loved and protected, which is why they seek power, position and wealth to do that for them. What they need is intercessors to pray in the protection and security that they need…not wealth, position and power. The wealth becomes a counterfeit to intercession, an unstable foundation which can quickly come down.

Words of warning, dear ones, as we enter a new year. Interestingly, Derek Prince Ministries came out with a devotional that seemed complimentary as I was writing this piece. So, I have included it below. Love you all!

Remember dear ones, we must be about our Father’s business…

The Right Reaction to Correction 

Proverbs 9:7–9

Whoever corrects a mocker brings on insult; whoever rebukes a wicked man incurs abuse. Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you. Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning.     NIV

     Nothing sorts out people more sharply and more quickly than their reaction to reproof and instruction. If a person gets angry when he is reproved or instructed, the Bible says he is a mocker. It says he is a wicked man. But if a man is righteous, when he is reproved and instructed, he will be grateful, he will respond with love, he will ask for more.

     This poses a question for me that I often face up to and I think each one of us needs to face up to it from time to time. How do I personally react to correction and reproof? Do I get angry? Do I want to answer back? Do I want to throw it away and say, “That isn’t right, it isn’t fair! I don’t deserve that”? I hope not. I hope you don’t react like that.

     Remember that your reaction to correction and to reproof is going to clearly indicate your character. If you get angry, you reject it. Then you’re a mocker, you’re a wicked person. I’ve seen this is true in life. Beware of a wrong reaction to correction.

—Derek Prince