Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure. - 1Timothy 5: 22 (NIV)
Last week we wrote about the rogue, unbiblical work of Jesus Culture. How they emerged from the false teaching of Bethel Church and heretic Bill Johnson. Pastor Johnson teaches a dominionist theology rife with theological errors and fake signs and wonders such as gem stones, gold dust, angel feathers and glory clouds. He operates a school of the supernatural where he apparently believes the gifts of the spirit can be taught. This all has been imparted to and ingrained in the pop Christian youth phenomena known as Jesus Culture. Besides an unhealthy version of worship, where Jesus is overly romanticized and God seems to exist solely for our glory, Jesus Culture is teaching a generation of kids that they can go throughout the world and use the gifts of the spirit regardless of whether the Spirit has actually given them that gift. For those that missed it, here is the latest proof, a sad and horrifying video to say the least:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryIgncKNHUU
This poor man who is obviously paralyzed and wheelchair bound is surrounded by kids at a Jesus Culture event who clearly do not understand the Bible. Is healing available and the gifts of the spirit for today? Absolutely, but we need to be careful exactly who it is that we are going to.
Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. - James 5: 14-16 (NIV)
Call any random 16 year old? NO - call the elders of the church. The prayer of any wannabe healer is powerful and effective? NO - only the prayer of the righteous. Beloved, there are rules. There is a blueprint God has given us that covers everything and we need to stop meddling in areas we are not supposed to be in. We need to stop calling on the name of Jesus if we are not going to bother living by what the Word of God teaches us. This is spiritually dangerous. Remember, there are other spirits besides the Holy Spirit.
Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. - 1John 4: 1 (NIV)
Kim Walker, Jesus Culture worship leader and preacher, has said that she has visited the throne room of God, seen the Father, and watched as He tore out a piece of His heart to show her how much He loves her. I will take her at her word but because I know that the Bible says that no man can see the Father and live - I can safely conclude that it was in fact Satan (or an emissary) that she was visited by. Why in the world would I want to be led in worship by her then or heaven forbid - have her lay hands on me? I see this all the time in churches that simply prefer the glitz and the show over a true move of the Spirit. People laying hands on people without regard. I remember just this year I watched a wannabe "prophetess" roaming around a congregation laying hands on people and spouting out nonsense. Trying to push them down if they refused to be "slain." Thankfully she knew enough to not come to me! I am not letting someone clearly operating outside the Spirit of God to lay hands on me! You should want no part of it either.
The Bible provides us with instruction on everything including this matter and it is found in the key verse for today. We are supposed to treat the laying on of hands in a reverent and prayerful manner - not hastily! Do not share in the sins of others! Keep yourself pure! These are the warnings we need to remember when dealing with things like spiritual warfare. When we watch videos such as the one referred to here we see people out of control in the laying on of hands. The end result is they have to drag the poor man around pretending there was a miracle. Additionally, we do not know what spirit was imparted to him by all of those people laying hands on him! I have seen Jesus Culture conferences where the speaker encourages the entire gathering to lay hands on each other! No elders. No deacons. No purity. No clue what the thousands of kids have been into. In the Book of Acts we find the story of Simon the Sorcerer. Through his sorcery he had all the people of Samaria convinced he was from God! Fake signs and wonders are not new beloved! Then Phillip came to town and the Word tells us that Simon became a believer and followed Phillip. Then one day Peter came to town:
Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money and said, "Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit." Peter answered: "May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin." - Acts 8: 17-23 (NIV)
Simon was a follower whose heart was still not right before God. He wanted the power without the sacrifice. Christianity is not a game and the gifts of the spirit are not some parlor trick to show off. Do not deal in spiritual warfare hastily! Do not seek to be laying hands on anyone as Simon sought to, unworthily. Do not accept anyone laying hands on you unless you know they are dealing in the Spirit of God - and that includes in churches! Other spirits have gone out into the world beloved. Have nothing to do with them.
Rev. Anthony.
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