One need only attend certain churches, watch certain religious t.v. shows, etc. to realize that there is a common belief shared among those who are actively involved in the gifts of the Spirit–healing, deliverance, visions, prophecy and other signs and miracles. Because these acts are Scriptural, commanded by God, take place in religious settings and are performed by well-known ministers, the belief is that God is acting through them using His Holy Spirit. Students of the Bible know that this is not necessarily correct. Recall that Pharaoh’s magicians duplicated Moses’ first three miracles–turning their staffs into snakes, turning water into blood and multiplying frogs (Exo. 7,8). Recall that Simon Magus was called “the great power of God” (Acts 8). Recall in acts 16:16-19 that there was a girl who daily followed Paul and Barnabus through the city of Philippi crying out: “These are the servants of the most high God who will show us the way to salvation.” Note that it was a demon that was speaking through her–A DEMON WAS PROCLAIMING TO THE ENTIRE CITY THE TRUTH ABOUT THE APOSTLES, THEIR GOD AND THEIR MISSION. Notice that Paul CAST OUT THE DEMON. Though it was telling the TRUTH about them and their God, IT WAS A DEMON–A REPRESENTATIVE OF SATAN. If Paul had not cast it out the people might have associated heathenism with Christianity. Which routinely takes place in miracle services. God supposedly performs miracles after the minister has preached a sermon laced with heathen doctrines which exalt Satan. Thousands of false prophets regularly perform miracles of healing, deliverance, prophecy, etc. while preaching doctrines of demons which this website brings to light. Multiplied millions have assumed that anyone who can perform such miraculous acts must be of the Lord–a deadly assumption. Recall that the demon-possessed men from the tombs announced publicly what the masses of religious people did not know then and do not know today: “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” Note that the demoniacs KNEW HIS NAME, WHO HE WAS AND WHAT HE WOULD DO IN THE FUTURE. They also knew that He had power to cast them into the swine. These demon possessed men who had never seen Him nor heard of Him knew upon meeting Him who and what He was and what He could do. The Institutional Church could take some pointers from the demoniacs. For example, that she could agree with them that it is the Biblical Jesus of Nazareth, not Tammuz, who is God’s Messiah.

Another aspect of miracle activities that the church refuses to recognize is the fact that God uses miracles to test those who claim to be His. In Deuteronomy 12:32 God is talking to Israel, our spiritual forefathers: “Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.” This is a clear warning to do nothing with His Word except obey it. Then in 13:1-5 He warns that simply because someone can perform miracles, we are not to assume the miracle worker is of Him: “If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams and he gives you (predicts) a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder comes to pass of which he spoke to you, then says, ‘Let us go after other (heathen) gods which you have not known and serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet … for the Lord your God is TESTING YOU TO KNOW WHETHER YOU LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL. YOU SHALL WALK AFTER THE LORD YOUR GOD AND FEAR HIM AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS AND OBEY HIS VOICE; YOU SHALL SERVE HIM AND HOLD FAST TO HIM.” What God commands us to reject is what the Counterfeit Church has embraced and puts forward as “truth”–heathen religion. She has heeded Satan’s call to “go after other gods” as this website has repeatedly pointed out. For those who reject the above passages because they are from the Old Testament, recall what Paul wrote in First Corinthians 10:11–that the words of the Old Testament were recorded “for our (the New Covenant Church’s) instruction.” Note also that the Scripture (Christ-the Word) preached the gospel unto Abraham (Gal. 3:8). There is only one gospel mentioned in the Bible. Note also that the gospel the Lord preached to ancient Israel is the same gospel preached “to us”–the New Covenant Church (Heb. 4:2) by His true ministers.  To be continued. L.J.