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In a previous article, we pointed out that a prophet, bishop or teacher may speak either by the Spirit of God, spirit of Satan or by his own human spirit.
This article, however, focuses on pastors who preach and teach by satanic spirits. These are often false ministers.
We know that the prophets of Baal spoke by the spirit of Baal, a satanic spirit (1 Kings 18). Also, Jeremiah encountered false prophets like Hananiah and Shemaiah who gave false prophesies (Jeremiah 28,29:24-32).
Moreover, Paul faced Bar-Jesus, a Jewish false prophet and Elymas (Acts 13:6 –12). Peter and John also met false prophets and teachers in their ministries.
There is no doubt that those false prophets spoke by a lying spirit of the devil. Yes, there is a spirit called a lying spirit.
“Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, saying, ‘I will entice him.’ And the LORD said to him, ‘By what means?’ And he said, I will go out, and will be A LYING SPIRIT IN THE MOUTH OF ALL HIS PROPHETS…Now therefore behold, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these prophets.” (2 Chronicles 18:20 –22).
Someone may wonder how a lying spirit could proceed from God. It is important to explain that a lying spirit does not come forth from the Lord.
No! God is not a liar but Satan is. God is love. God is truth. God is light and absolutely pure. There is no darkness in Him.
In the Scripture above, the Lord only used the lying spirit to achieve a divine purpose. Also, remember how God allowed an evil spirit to torment Saul (1 Samuel 16:14).
A lying spirit can only come from Satan. The Lord Jesus called Satan “a liar” and the “father of lies (John 8:44). Again read what the Lord says through Jeremiah:
“In the prophets of Samaria I saw an unsavory thing: THEY PROPHESIED BY BAAL AND LED MY PEOPLE ISRAEL ASTRAY” (Jeremiah 23:11,13).
False prophets and teachers who spoke by evil spirits in the olden days are still around today.
One way you can detect them is that they neither exalt the Lord Jesus Christ nor abide in His sound doctrine. They never talk about the finished redemptive and restorative work of Christ on the Cross.
Because Christ is not their Master, they have no intention to minister to please Him, they never wish that Christ increases while they decrease. They only mention the name of the Lord as a cover up.
In their everyday preaching, they shout at the top of their voices, telling people who even despise the Word of God that, “It shall be well with you. No disaster shall come upon you.”
As they say these things they tell the people to give specific amount of money for their prophetic utterances to receive anointing, healing, deliverance and other blessings
And many gullible believers fall for their tricks because they do not know or want to accept the truth that God’s blessings are not offered for sale
Christians, particularly those in Africa, must realize how many necromancers, herbalists, fetish priests and magicians have sneaked into the Church.
It is important that Christians deepen their relationship with Christ Jesus, study their Bible and sharpen their discernment so as to expose these ministers of the devil by considering their fruits.
By James Quansah
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