The Bible has multitudes of verses dealing with the subject of authority.
There is an order of things in God’s creation. That order begins with God the Father. He is over all things.
Then there is the authority of the apostles, pastors (or shepherds), elders, then the sheep, and lambs just to mention some.
There is the authority of the husband over the wife. There is the authority of the government, and policemen.
Then there is Satan. His job is to make you rebel in some way against God’s authority and God’s Word through every form of deception you can imagine and some you can’t imagine. Satan is so successful at doing his job that God himself reveals to us that Satan deceives the whole world Rev 12:3. Only a few, a very few people successfully surrender themselves to God, and then finish the race that God has laid out for them. Rebellion is the center of Satan’s calling. Humbleness, fearing God, and obedience is the center of God’s calling.
Me, myself, and I (in other words-your own desires which have not been denied) is your greatest enemy. Things and possessions can be your enemies.
Everyone that departs from doing the will of God has determined that their own personal will be done. Thus they call their will, God’s will. The fact that their will is not in harmony with the Scriptures is no deterrent. They simply find a way, with Satan’s great intelligence working in their thoughts, to make their will appear to be God’s will. Even Jesus himself was unable to convince those that argued with Him in John’s Gospel that they were wrong. He told them they were of their father the devil, and the works that He did proved he was the very same as He said, yet they could not be corrected. If Jesus and His Word cannot correct a person because they are not childlike to correction, than nothing can. Those very people that Jesus tried to correct, are now in hell unless they repented. They were uncorrectable. They had hardness in their hearts. They did not love the brethren. They were led by a spirit, but that spirit was not God’s Spirit.
Many do call on Jesus to be their Lord and Saviour. After they do, they are confronted by Satan in such a way, that very few can recognize. Satan works very successfully in any part of a person’s life that has not been repented of.
God’s instructions in the Bible are very exact. God has set forth some to be shepherds over His flock. That flock is to obey the shepherd. If they do, chances are good they will dwell with God for eternity. If they do not, they can expect to perish.
It is not enough to believe on Jesus, and say a sinner’s prayer and be baptized. One must repent. Afterward he should begin to obey God’s Word to the letter, as he learns God’s Word more and more.
Yes, God’s Word is to reign and rule a person’s life. So Satan can be expected to challenge your obedience just as he did with Eve. If you overcome all of Satan’s devices, Glory awaits you. If you fall along the way, and do not obey the shepherd that watches for your soul, you can expect to perish.
1 Thes 5:12,13-AND WE BESEECH YOU, BRETHREN,
TO KNOW THEM WHICH LABOUR AMONG YOU,
AND ARE OVER YOU IN THE LORD,
AND ADMONISH YOU;
AND TO ESTEEM THEM VERY HIGHLY IN LOVE FOR THEIR WORK’S SAKE.
AND BE AT PEACE AMONG YOURSELVES.
Heb 13:17-OBEY THEM THAT HAVE THE RULE OVER YOU,
AND SUBMIT YOURSELVES:
FOR THEY WATCH FOR YOUR SOULS,
AS THEY THAT MUST GIVE ACCOUNT,
THAT THEY MAY DO IT WITH JOY,
AND NOT WITH GRIEF: FOR THAT IS UNPROFITABLE FOR YOU.
Note, the one God put over you is to admonish you or correct you when you need it.
He is to watch for your soul.
He is over you in the Lord.
He has the rule over you by God’s authority.
This being the case, you become a target of Satan to try and get you for leave that person God has put over you to watch for your soul.
Most fall for Satan’s cleaver devises. Only a few will pass these tests and hear God say, Well done, good and faithful servant. Those few do not practice secretiveness and should want correction.
2 Cor 10:8-FOR THOUGH I SHOULD BOAST SOMEWHAT MORE OF OUR AUTHORITY, WHICH THE LORD HATH GIVEN US FOR EDIFICATION, AND NOT FOR YOUR DESTRUCTION.
You cannot be in the will of God and be in disobedience to the shepherd God has put over you. That is why Satan tries to discredit the shepherd God put over you in your evil, rebellious heart. It is common for the disobedient to question or disagree with or accuse the shepherd over them.
Even though you are saved, if you go into rebellion against God’s appointed shepherd over you, you will perish. That sir is certain, unless you would repent. You must, I repeat you must abide in the calling and will of God or you will perish along with all the other rebellious, deceived people. You may still be doing works that appear that they are of God, but you will still perish, as they are not what God has called you to do. If you do not understand this, you ought to ask yourself what sin is hindering my understanding?
You have no authority from God’s Word to change or turn from the shepherd God put over you. You cannot decide to pick another shepherd to be over you. God has to make that decision, and that decision must be in harmony with God’s Word. Woe to one of the flock that leaves the calling of God’s Word and tries to go to another shepherd because he has become deceived by Satan’s cunning devices and the desires of his own deceived heart. He may be confident he is doing God’s will, until he finds he is in hell or missed the rapture.
The Bible uses these words DEMAS HATH FORSAKEN ME. God had put Paul over Demas. Demas, by forsaking the authority of Paul over him, that is the shepherd God put over him, had in fact rejected God’s will for his life. Thus in forsaking Paul, His shepherd, he rejected God, and God’s will for his life because he loved and wanted something else.
You have no authority to tell God what His will in your life is to be.
You have no authority to change the shepherd God put over you.
God has a specific calling on your life and has picked a shepherd to be over you. If you reject either, destruction lies ahead as you are not abiding in God’s calling, but you are abiding in your own self centered calling. You don’t tell God what to do. He tells you what to do, and He often tells you what to do through the shepherd He has put over you. A person that does not abide in God’s calling, is in spiritual trouble. Remember, only a few, a very, very few inherit eternal life. Only a very small number will be raptured, but many believe they will.
Satan is the father of lies, and most people’s deceived hearts ultimately believe Satan’s lies are God’s truth. Few ever reach the point that they are led by God’s Spirit which is always in harmony with God’s Word. Few will enter heaven.
Ro 8:13,14-FOR IF YE LIVE AFTER THE FLESH (or live after your own desires or lusts), YE SHALL DIE: BUT IF YE THROUGH THE SPIRIT DO MORTIFY (or do away with) THE DEEDS OF THE BODY (or your own desires and lusts) , YE SHALL LIVE. FOR AS MANY AS ARE LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD, THEY ARE THE SONS OF GOD.
So what does it mean to be LED BY THE SPIRIT? We may say it also means to be led by God’s Word. It means you need to have a correct understanding of God’s Word, which many, many, many, many, many, many, many think they do, but they do not.
TIME IS NEEDED
but there will be little or no time that is needed during the tribulation.
There will be a famine of hearing and finding God’s Word.
They may come to Jesus today, and be beheaded 1 week later.
That sir, is faith. Where is your faith?
A plant in your garden needs time to grow before it ripens.
A tree needs time to grow before it bears good fruit.
A person that gives his live to Jesus when Jesus calls him needs time to grow.
When God calls a person, He opens their understanding to understand the Gospel.
However, Satan is also there to tempt a person to believe and do contrary to the Gospel. A person’s heart is being tested. Some fall away quickly. Some fall away more slowly. Only a few, a very few will survive the many obstacles and temptations and devices that Satan puts in a person’s path. Yet Satan is limited in that he cannot tempt a person beyond what they are able to endure, so a person has no excuse.
Mt 6:28-34-And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
30-Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31-Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32-(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33-But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
34-Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Note, three times the word thought is used. Also the words, little faith is used. Many that go astray, do so because of wrong thoughts coupled with little faith.
Every person in the body of Christ is called for a specific purpose and to a specific mission. Thus, the body is perfectly fit together.
Eph 4:11-32-And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12-For the perfecting of the saints,
for the work of the ministry,
for the edifying of the body of Christ:
16-From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
17-This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, (or thoughts) We may say that those that walk in their own desires and in vain thoughts,
18-Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
30-And grieve not the holy Spirit of God.
Jn 7:39-But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive:
Jn 14:17-Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Many people, I repeat many people believe they are being led by the Spirit of God, yet both their fruits and what they do testify clearly that they are not. The Word itself testifies that they are not. However a person that believes they are being led by the Spirit, but is not, how great is the darkness that, that person is in. The darkness that the person is in is so deep, it is next to impossible to correct them.
And that is the key. The one difference between the unsaved religious leaders in the times of Jesus, verses his apostles was the ability to receive correction with a meek, humble, childlike attitude. A prideful, self assured attitude is not correctable, neither indeed can be.
Jn 16:13-Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
The Spirit of truth cannot guide you contrary to God’s Word.
Knowing this, Satan must convince the person he is deceiving that certain portions of Scripture do not mean what they say or the Scriptures do not apply to the deceived person in his situation. Satan does this very well. He deceiveth the whole world and the world does not know this.
Ro 8:1-There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Ro 8:4-That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Ro 8:5-8-For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
6-For to be carnally minded is death; but to be SPIRITUALLY MINDED is life and peace. (Note-being truly spiritually minded, even among preachers in this generation is very, very rare).
7-Because the carnal (or worldly) mind is enmity (or hatred) against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. (In other words a person that is not spiritually minded may not obey God’s Word in many things)
8-So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
Ro 8:13,14-For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify (or put away) the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
14-For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, (or led by God’s Word) they are the sons of God.
++1 Cor 2:14,15-But the natural (or worldly) man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God (which includes correction from God’s Word): for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned (or not able to recognize or apprehend, or distinguish, or separate what is right from wrong)
This is why God puts a minister over this person to help guide him over the many obstacles Satan puts in his way. Now as a sheep that rebels against its shepherd, is easily devoured by the wolf, so a Christian that ignores his minister’s correction can expect to be devoured and perish.
Gal 5:16-18-This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17-For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
18-But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Remember, the Spirit cannot lead someone contrary to God’s Word. If God has called a person to a certain calling, and they forsake that calling, woe to them. They have forsaken the calling of God, even as the fallen angels did.
Gal 5:24-And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25-If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (It is possible to do one, but not the other.)
26-Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
Heb 10:29-How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? (NIV)
1 Pe 1:22-Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.
1 Jn 3:24-And he that keepeth his commandments (or keeps God’s Word-which includes being correctable even when you are fully persuaded that you are right and your preacher is wrong).
dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
Rev 2:17-He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, (We may ask overcometh what-the answer is overcometh the many devices that Satan uses to deceive us and makes us believe we are following God when in fact we are not). (We overcome refusing to humble ourselves when being corrected by the one God has put over us. The very fact a person will not receive correction from God through their minister, if proof positive the person is deceived.)
and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
It is interesting that often the minister corrects a person with Scripture, but the person defends themselves with no or little scripture, rather with the wisdom of man’s words.
1 Tim 4:1-Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils. Note, Satan’s spirits are called seducing spirits. They deceive and seduce people
Life is the test that will determine where you will spend eternity. Your heart will choose which voice you follow-that of God’s Word, or that of the spirit of deceit.
Are you truly AFRAID OF GOD? It is written God is GREATLY YO BE FEARED IN THE ASSEMBLY OF THE SAINTS. Many profess that they love God, but their lack of being correctable testify that they do not love His Word. They find excuses that are put in their heart by Satan that causes them to not submit to Godly correction given to them, just as Jesus in the Gospel of John corrected those he talked to, but they would not conform to or yield to the Words which He spoke. Such people do not rightly discern God’s Word. A person that totally denies themself, should have no obstacles blocking God’s Word correcting him.
Satan has a stronghold in most people. It was women in the case of Solomon. What is the stronghold Satan has in you?
What desires or ambitions or goals are in your heart that you have not repented of? Are you truly an empty vessel that God can remold in His image or are you too set in your own ways?
The only way to hear God’s voice clearly is to be filled with God’s Word, and become a totally empty vessel, having no desires or goals other than to be full of God’s Love and a desire to become more obedient and more like Jesus in all ways.
Looking back is a spiritual killer. Having personal desires can be a spiritual killer not in harmony with the Gospel can be a spiritual killer.
Wanting. Wanting to be something special is a spiritually killer. Wanting to have an exalted position, perhaps even in a church can be a spiritual killer. The list is almost endless. Which fits you?
Note Paul’s words. He said NOTHING MOVES ME, not beatings, bonds, not fears of what may happen, not even the fear of death moved Paul. He was an empty vessel. How about you?
Is your God really the devil, and you are so blind, you can’t see it? In most cases this is the way it is.
Day after day, are you a person that finds things to do which only includes a limited amount of Bible study. Meanwhile, your minister studies and studies and studies God’s Word. But when he corrects you, you are the expert and he is the one that is deceived? What wicked thoughts you may have in your mind.
We are not to live for ourselves, but we are to be conformed to His image, not desiring any vain glory.
A person yields to Christ. They are to forsake everything. But then Satan comes along and tempts you to go back to those things which you forsook. If you do, you are in sin.
Remember Paul’s Words: Gal 2:18-21-FOR IF I BUILD AGAIN THE THINGS WHICH I DESTROYED, I MAKE MYSELF A TRANSGRESSOR.
20-I AM CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST:…21-I DO NOT FRUSTRATE THE GRACE OF GOD.
Did God take everything away from you, but now you are busy trying to get it all back????????
What is in your life have you not forsaken? Is it some sport, some hobby? What is in your life are you refusing to let go of. What stronghold does Satan have in your life. What is hindering your understanding of the Bible.
Have you not read:
Mt 5:29-30-AND IF THY RIGHT EYE OFFEND THEE, PLUCK IT OUT, AND CAST IT FROM THEE: FOR IT IS PROFITABLE FOR THEE THAT ONE OF THY MEMBERS SHOULD PERISH, AND NOT THAT THY WHOLE BODY SHOULD BE CAST INTO HELL.
AND IF THY RIGHT HAND OFFEND THEE, CUT IT OFF, AND CAST IT FROM THEE: FOR IT IS PROFITABLE FOR THEE THAT ONE OF THY MEMBERS SHOULD PERISH, AND NOT THAT THY WHOLE BODY SHOULD BE CAST INTO HELL.
Does your eyes wonder about desiring many women? Does your hands find more time to do something other than studying and yielding to God’s Word?
Is your first love totally yielding and conforming to God’s Word or is it something else. What is it in your life that you need to cut off, but you just will not do it?
Is it food?
Is it laying up possessions on this earth?
What in your life is causing you to stumble and causing your understanding of God’s Word to be wrong? What in your life do you need to destroy, but you refuse to do so.
What in your life do you need to get rid of, but you will not do so?
What desires do you have that you will not repent of?
Is it not written you are to deny yourself. Have you really denied yourself so completely, that you are now an empty vessel that God can remold to His image? Are you following Jesus, but dragging along suitcases of things and desires that you should have left behind???. Have you repented, partially, but not completely?
Do you really understand the authority God has given to His ministers?
Should you refuse to obey your minister, you are also refusing to obey God.
Or are you so blind that you don’t see it that way?
Is your worldly desires and aspirations leading you to holiness and perfection, or in another direction?
Peter forsook his fishing, but then went back and when he did, he got corrected by Jesus.
Are you so gullible that even a small piece of candy can deceive you?
What is in your heart that needs to be repented of?
No man can serve two masters.
You cannot serve God and something else. Are you serving God in some ministry, but your heart is to serve God in a different calling?
Woe to you that that can’t recognize Satan’s voice, because you have not forsook all as you ought to have and your personal desires.
The grass is not greener on the other side of the fence. The grass on the other side of the fence is only darkness that looks like it is greener. The person that watches for your soul can understand this, even if you cannot. That is why God puts a minister of His choosing over you. Woe unto those that will not abide in the calling God gave them.
Secrecy often proceeds darkness that cannot be seen by the person that is secretive.
The angels left their first estate.
Demas left his first calling.
Eve did not believe God’s Word. She made an excuse afterward.
Adam was deceived by Eve and then made an excuse afterward.
What will be your excuse? If you have heard or read this message, you will be without excuse.
Will your defense be, Lord, Lord did we do many wonderful things in your name?
It is amazing how a person can know these things, but be totally incapable of applying this knowledge to themselves.
Satan knows the things that be of men.
The person that harbors unrepentant desires, is a prime target for the devil, as billions of people in hell can testify, and God’s Word also testifies, but the unrepentant desires of man blinds them.
When a person leaves the calling of God, the minister that God put over him does not change. The new minister he is under has no authority to be over the disobedient Christian. And is he is a minister of God abiding in God’s Word as he should, he would probably chastise the disobedient Christian that has come to him and send him back where his calling is.
The disobedient Christian is easy pray for the devil, and when he falls there is none to help him up because no one is watching for his soul. But then, that is the way the disobedient Christian wants it. He wants to reign over himself. He perishes because of his own stubbornness and self centeredness.
Satan’s ability to deceive is far beyond the understanding of nearly all. It may be said he is a thousand times a thousand times more intelligent that any human being (other than Jesus) and those very, very few people that will conform to God’s Word, as they ought.
Many that believe on Jesus perish. Many confess Jesus, but perish. Many appear to be serving God, but they perish. Many appear to be soul winners, but they perish. Do you understand?
As Jesus could not make those sons of the devil in John’s Gospel understand what He was saying, so you also may be as them. Woe to you if you think the light is darkness, and the darkness is light.
We know that we know Him if we keep His commandments or His Word. Love not this world in any way. Love not the things of this world. Have no worldly ambitions except to conform to the image of Christ.
If a person truly loves all the brethren, he cannot fall. What brethren do you not love?
Mt 7:22-24-Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you:
Mt 25:10-11-And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But it was too late.
Luke 6:46-And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Why won’t you receive correction? Even because you cannot. To disobey one God has put over you is to disobey God.
Lk 6:49-But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.
The uncorrectable will be among those that can be expected to say Lord, Lord, but He will say, I never knew you. The days that some may hear these words may be sooner than you might think. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
The great mis-understanding people have about love.
Do you love me-Yes Lord, you know that I love you.
Then God gives him a command.
God tells us, if you love me, keep my commandments.
The person that has God’s commands and keeps them, that is the person that loves God.
Biblical love is not an emotion. Biblical love is measured by your obedience to God and His Word. If you say that you love God, but do not obey His Word, you are a liar.
If you say that you love the person God put over you, but you will not obey what God tells you to do through him, then you do not love him or God. You are a dishonest person.
If the one God put over you tells you to do this or that, you need to obey him, except it be something that is contrary to God’s Word. If he has told you something wrong, God will correct him, but you are to obey. It is not your calling to accuse, criticize, or belittle God’s servant that is over you. There have been people that have done that, that afterward were chastised by God.
Do not ever accuse, or belittle those God put over you to someone else. That is sowing discord among the brethren. It is one of the sins that God hates. Beware. The Bible speaks of people that are not afraid to speak evil of people in authority and sow discord.
Do not dare to entertain even a thought that the one God put over you does not have God’s authority and blessing to correct you when you have become deceived. And if you resist God’s correction through him, you are in deep spiritual trouble. If you understand God’s Word, you know this is true.
Love is obedience. Disobedience is not love. It is rebellion and it is of the devil.