One thing I do know is that no matter how big His Will Ministry ever got or how many missions we had I would never allow anyone to elevate me to the above. But then again, we still preach the blood, the cross, and the need to repent from sin. This might be why His Will Ministry does not have a 30,000 person indoor stadium for our congregation. For some reason preaching about Jesus' blood on the cross and our need to turn from our sin and repent and live a holy life is not too popular with our worldly culture. Let’s look at what Jesus said. Luke 14:11 (NLT) 11For the proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored.
One of the most disturbing trends I have seen in the last few years is elevating men and woman of God to some superstar status. It is possible that this began with the Broadway play Jesus Christ Superstar. I see more and more these "servants" of God becoming so proud and arrogant. I have heard one man (that at one time I believe was on the right course) say this about those who disagreed with his teachings " I am not going to listen to these heresy hunters anymore" and "if God won't kill them I will". I also heard one "man of God" say "give me a Holy Ghost machine gun and I will kill them". This mans wife has also been known to be so arrogant that she has told people that they need a "Holy Ghost enema!" How arrogant can you get to BLASPHEME the Holy Ghost this way? What is wrong with us Christians? We have created a whole generation of rich arrogant preachers, but have we reached the world for Jesus? I have nothing against the Lord providing nice things for his workers whether it is a pastor, evangelist or just a worker. But let’s get real, who needs a 6.4 million-dollar home with a 10 car subterranean garage for his car collection or 5 homes and a 6000 square foot office or a 5 million-dollar home complex for the pastor and all the kids? I don't know about you, but to me this is excess with a capital E! We think that these men and woman of God must be something special for our Lord to have chosen them. Let me let God’s word speak for itself. 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 (NLT) 27Instead, God deliberately chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose those who are powerless to shame those who are powerful. 28God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important, 29so that no one can ever boast in the presence of God.
Did you get the last part? "so that no one can ever boast in the presence of God." You see God gives no man His glory. The minute we take our eyes off our Father in heaven and His son Jesus and put them on someone else we are in big trouble. Isaiah 42:8 (NLT) 8"I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to anyone else. I will not share my praise with carved idols. Opps! Maybe we had better reconsider taking these people to their elevated heights. When we take anything and elevate it higher than God wants it to be it becomes an idol. The saddest statement I ever heard was from a little old grandma that was dying of cancer. She had been to a Benny Hinn healing crusade, where she was interviewed. She told the reporter Benny Hinn had healed her of her cancer. Well, two weeks later she died of cancer. I can tell you will all the authority given to me from above as a watchman that Benny Hinn cannot heal anything. He has no power except that which may be given to him from above. You see until we get to heaven we will never know if that little old grandma was healed by God of her cancer. But the moment she told the world a man did it she was in trouble. God's words are true and faithful and He said " I WILL NOT GIVE MY GLORY TO ANYONE ELSE!" The word of God tells us He is a jealous God. I have personally seen many times the Lord has used me as a willing vessel to use His power to heal someone. But as God is my witness I can tell you it had nothing to do with me! I was just a will conduit that the Power of God could flow through. We must never, never, never take our eyes off Jesus and what His power can do.
Jesus as always said it best when asked about the end. Matthew 7:22-23 (NASB) 22"Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles? 23"And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness. Notice the lack of humbleness, "didn't we". These ones are not saying to the Lord on judgement day "Lord you did these things through us". Nope! They are saying "Lord look at all these great things we did for you. " I can even picturing them arguing with Jesus about how they had done so much for Him. They might even go so far as to ask Him where He gets off questioning their works for Him. The world’s wisest man once said in Proverbs 16:18 (NLT) 18Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.
If the man or woman of God in your life becomes arrogant please correct them and if they will not take correction then distance yourself from them. Because you can see clearly what the fate of an arrogant person is. HELL! Not a good place to end up. Let’s get back to basics and get our eyes back on Jesus not ourselves.
God Bless, Pastor A.J.
