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In the last two weeks, I’ve had several conversations with intercessors and spiritual watchmen who are each describing a level of disillusionment and discouragement. Given this season of examination concerning prophecy and the spiritual gifts, faith is being shaken concerning what is real and what is not. As biblical standards are being highlighted and words are being tested, there is a growing desire for integrity, but also a rising fear of getting things wrong. In our desire to get things right, we mustn’t allow the sins and abuses of others to weaken our own faith in a supernatural God.
“But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” (Hebrews 3:13)
I have noted before that God is using His teachers to bring some needed correction to the Body of Christ. And though I’ve been personally encouraged to see some well-known mainline teachers address some of the problems in the prophetic movement, I have also seen a growing unbelief creep into the conversations. In an effort to adhere to the letter of the law, I am praying that the Spirit of the law will not wane.
“For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” (2 Corinthians 3:6)
I greatly value biblical integrity and believe that God’s Word is the written standard for all life and conduct – including spiritual gifts and the miraculous. But I also believe that any correction or reproof that the Word of God brings will produce life and a deeper hunger for spiritual realities. And it should stir even greater faith for things unseen. Jesus, the Living Word, demonstrated the reality of an unseen Kingdom that could only be accessed through faith. He clarified the blueprint for godliness and character, but also challenged greater faith for things humanly impossible. The things Jesus did defied logic, as well as human understanding. He didn’t have to prove Himself or defend His actions, because the fruit spoke for itself. It was the Word of God, both lived and spoken, that brough the dead to life and made the impossible – possible.
Even as we examine the operation of spiritual gifts and bring some needed reforms, let’s also remind ourselves that there is an unseen realm that no one will never be able to explain or proof text. Even as compromised vessels and counterfeit gifts are being exposed, let’s not stop believing for signs and wonders that may make our heads spin, but cause our faith to grow. The whole point of this cleansing is to make way for greater things – not less. The ways and means of God are not merely written words, but spiritual realities with power.
“And my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:4-5)
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8 Responses
Thanks Wanda. Very good.
Well said!
I have been concerned that in our quest to clean up the prophetic abuses and other corruption within church leadership, that we would end up “throwing out the baby with the bath water” and backing off from not only the supernatural power that we know we have, as stated in scripture, but also (in my opinion) teaching and learning about the vast supernatural wonders that the enemy has prevented us from knowing through various means of duplicitousness (which I won’t get into at this moment).
We have to be courageous, honorable and full of integrity, and that includes not only being honest about corruption and abuses within the Church leadership, it also mean having the courage not to sacrifice the fullness of all God is and all He has empowered us to see, understand, and do even if the church at large has been taught that it doesn’t exist and is heresy.
As soon as I read Wanda’s post, I thought ‘in other words, don’t throw the baby out with the bath water’. Then I read thru the comments. Definitely in agreement with your comment, Deborah.
Yes, only when we are walking in the fullness of the Spirit ourselves can we deal with the sin in our leaders AND do the signs Jesus prepared us for!
I think all the confusion, misinformation and disinformation in the natural, political and media, is bleeding over into the spiritual. God has not changed, but our weariness may be affecting our understanding….
Thank you again for a great word, Wanda!
I’ve been reading through the NT, and am in 2 Corinthians now. I just read the verse you quoted.
You can’t read Acts and Corinthians without seeing how much the power of the Spirit was utilized and celebrated. Prophecy, tongues and miracles were common. I pray we don’t lose that.
Just yesterday in reading Micah, Chapter 3 it talked of the prophets leading His people astray…seers disgraced…they made crooked all that was straight. We need to pray over the prophets for them to maintain their walk and intimacy with the Lord and Holy Spirit. Of course the enemy will target them hard to discredit the Lord and lead vulnerable people astray. I’ve found myself wondering how we can know truth these days. But TRUTH is a person… let’s keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. Hebrews 12:1-3 – …fix our eyes on Jesus… consider Him who endured… so that we do not grow weary or faint-hearted. Thank you Wanda for your rich insight and pursuance of the truth and heart of Papa God!
It’s really important to combine Spirit and Truth and I appreciate the search for a balanced attitude and good understanding of both.
I think a lot of Bible teachers who condemn prophets as false and can’t name a single one they trust are the same ones who rely on a kind of legalistic righteousness (self-righteousness) and are very suspicious of God’s supernatural abilities operating in our times through people they consider unqualified. But I do think people who have received gifts need to point people’ attention to the Giver of Gifts and persue a relationship with Him, rather than just persuing the gifts or the resulting supernatural phenomena because that can lead to too much self-importance and leads others astray.