Today in the church there is a lack of fear towards God, especially in the area of teaching, preaching, and evangelism where people say, “hear the word the Lord,” “thus saith the Lord,” “the lord told me to tell you,” I had a dream” and on and on it goes. You need to know if it is God or not. This is why testing the spirits is crucial in our day, as in all days. 1 John 4:1 “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.” Many in the church have been deceived and continue to be deceived by false teachers and prophets because they do not know God’s voice. Jeremiah 29:8 “Yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. 9 They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,” declares the Lord.” Many people seek these men and women out so that they can be prophesied over, thinking they will be hearing from God, yet they do not know their bibles and will be deceived. Jeremiah also said Jeremiah 5:30 “A horrible and shocking thing has happened in the land: 31 The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way. But what will you do in the end?” This lack of fear has given satan a heyday of deception, as there is very little discernment taking place or testing of the spirits by God’s own words.

    Today, a true prophet simply tells the people God’s words from the bible they do not want to hear, not the distorted words of man they want to hear that the bible doesn’t actually say. True prophets do not tell them something new that is in addition to scripture. Although there will be times like in Acts when Acts 11:27 “During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) 29 The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea.” But everything must be tested. If there is a vision, test it with scripture but be very discerning. As I was researching the Asbury gathering, I noticed that Francis Chan was on their promotional video for the Collegiate Day of Prayer. I will admit that at one time I thought he really was something but wow he is all over the place. He is easy to listen to, passionate, constantly falling on his knees while speaking (that does make him appear holy), and seemed in tune with God that is until you look a little deeper. He has a serious discernment issue which is affecting anyone who follows him. That started when he attended John MacArthur’s Master’s seminary. Now everyone can change their views as I did since my days at Asbury Seminary and he did, but his level of discernment grew worse and at this point seems non-existent. He recently wrote a book about doing church the right way and started a house church network, yet continues to speak at raw, raw events with false teachers. Francis Chan has used love and unity to say that all who preach are brothers in Christ and basically we are not to call out those who are false. He said “I have had to repent before true brothers in the Lord that I one time slandered. As a dad, it’s a terrifying thought to know that I inappropriately slandered one of God’s sons or daughters. I still strive to boldly call out false teachers, but I have found it hard to collect accurate data.” It’s hard to find accurate data? Just open your eyes and ears and compare to scripture but that is the problem as his eyes and ears have been closed. This is deadly dangerous especially for those who follow him. I watched a video of Him apologizing to Mike Bickle and Bill Johnson (two false prophets) and others. Mike Bickle started International House of Prayer. Bill Johnson is pastor at Bethel Redding an offshoot of the Toronto Blessing. Those two are easy to spot, just look at their websites. If you look at Mike Bickle’s website, you can see their prophetic history which is the basis for their church. Dreams were confirmed by a man (Bob Jones) five times or more. Bob Jones should make you run because as Jesus said. Matthew 24:24 “false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” 2 Thessalonians 2:9 “The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.” Notice here that God also is involved. 11 “For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.” Here is one of the scary parts. He (Bob) said the dreams were not for you (Bickle) but for the children coming after them. Young people not even yet born, for them and their children.” As it relates to the Asbury gathering, we should be very afraid for these young people as there is a lack of discernment in the leadership. Allen Hood spoke at the Collegiate Day of Prayer and very connected to Mike Bickle’s house of prayer. He was the President of the International House of Prayer University from 2003-2016. Let’s just say many like Francis Chan have believed the lie. Francis Chan is connected to Mike Bickle and will not denounce him, but he should. Instead, he praises him. I watched a video of him and Mike Bickle, with Chan basically celebrating this false prophet. In the video I watched, he shared his introduction to the International House of Prayer. He should have turned and ran. Instead, he said the Holy Spirit said to him, “I know you are afraid of these people, do not be afraid of these people, this is your family.” That was not God voice speaking to him. He said he loves Bickle and will stand with him. He was warned before but did not listen. He should have been very afraid as this was not the Holy Spirit speaking. This makes Francis Chan also dangerous as he has become satan’s perfect tool for affirming these false teachers. On the same stage they even praised John MacArthur. Here you have a non- charismatic false teaching and the charismatic false teaching blending together.

         False teachers are everywhere. Do they know their bibles; better than most but that doesn’t mean they are serving God the way they should be or listening to His voice. So be careful not to listen to their voices as they are not speaking for God as a prophet should. Remember satan knows the bible as we saw with Jesus. satan said, Luke 4:9 “If you are the Son of God,” “throw yourself down from here. 10 For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; 11 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” Jesus responded with God’s true voice “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” The demons knew Jesus was the son of God. Luke 4:41 “Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah.” Don’t be surprised how well false teachers use the bible for their own purposes or should I say manipulate and distort the bible for their own gain. Jeremiah 23:36 “But you must not mention ‘a message from the Lord’ again, because each one’s word becomes their own message. So you distort the words of the living God, the Lord Almighty, our God.” They are really, really good at it. This shows how far the church has fallen and how truth has been thrown to the ground as Daniel said would happen. Daniel 8:12 “Because of rebellion, the Lord’s people and the daily sacrifice were given over to it. It prospered in everything it did, and truth was thrown to the ground.” Yet this man is promoting a revival for our young people. I know this is brief but be careful. Jesus said Matthew 7:15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” Moses said Deuteronomy 31:29 “For I know that after my death you are sure to become utterly corrupt and to turn from the way I have commanded you. In days to come, disaster will fall on you because you will do evil in the sight of the Lord and arouse his anger by what your hands have made.” Paul said Acts 20:29 “I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.” This has and is happening everywhere in the church from charismatic to non-charismatic and everything in-between. 2 Peter 2:2 “Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3 In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.” It is not just the charismatic that have been deceived.

    In the upcoming weeks we are going to be talking about God against His enemies and His church because of their rebellion against Him. You do not want to face the wrath of God. This is why repentance is so important for enemies of God and for the people of God who have rebelled against Him. This is also why it is so important to know God’s voice. God is against false prophets and blackest darkness is reserved for them. Jeremiah 23:11 “Both prophet and priest are godless; even in my temple I find their wickedness,” declares the Lord. 12 “Therefore their path will become slippery; they will be banished to darkness and there they will fall. I will bring disaster on them in the year they are punished, declares the Lord.” 2 Peter 2:1 “But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. 17 These people are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. 18 For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error.” This is the true voice of God. Ezekiel 13:1 “The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination: ‘Hear the word of the Lord! 3 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! 4 Your prophets, Israel, are like jackals among ruins. 5 You have not gone up to the breaches in the wall to repair it for the people of Israel so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of the Lord. 6 Their visions are false and their divinations a lie. Even though the Lord has not sent them, they say, “The Lord declares,” and expect him to fulfill their words. 7 Have you not seen false visions and uttered lying divinations when you say, “The Lord declares,” though I have not spoken?

    In the beginning God spoke to prophets and the prophets spoke to the people and He still speaks today through His word and dreams, visions but today they are very limited as in the days of Samuel. 1 Samuel 3:1 “The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.” That is because God has turned His face from the church. Early on with Moses he said Deuteronomy 5:23 “When you heard the voice out of the darkness, while the mountain was ablaze with fire, all the leaders of your tribes and your elders came to me. 24 And you said, “The Lord our God has shown us his glory and his majesty, and we have heard his voice from the fire. Today we have seen that a person can live even if God speaks with them. 25 But now, why should we die? This great fire will consume us, and we will die if we hear the voice of the Lord our God any longer. 26 For what mortal has ever heard the voice of the living God speaking out of fire, as we have, and survived? 27 Go near and listen to all that the Lord our God says. Then tell us whatever the Lord our God tells you. We will listen and obey.” 28 The Lord heard you when you spoke to me, and the Lord said to me, “I have heard what this people said to you. Everything they said was good. 29 Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!” Then the Lord used His prophets. Deuteronomy 18:4 “The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the Lord your God has not permitted you to do so. 15 The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him. 16 For this is what you asked of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of the Lord our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die.” 17 The Lord said to me: “What they say is good. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him. 19 I myself will call to account anyone who does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name. 20 But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, is to be put to death.” 21 You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?” 22 If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed.” 

    Now obviously we don’t put to death but what we can do is point them out and have nothing to do with them. This is what Francis Chan should have done instead of joining them and now you should turn away from Francis Chan as he is leading you astray. Titus 1:10 “For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision group. 11 They must be silenced, because they are disrupting whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain.” All through the Old and New Testament, there were God’s prophets who spoke truth and false prophets who spoke lies and the people needed to know the voice of the Almighty God. There is a lot of verses on false prophets in the bible. Here are a few. Jeremiah 23:28 “Let the prophet who has a dream recount the dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?” declares the Lord. 29 “Is not my word like fire,” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces? 30 “Therefore,” declares the Lord, “I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly from me. 31 Yes,” declares the Lord, “I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, ‘The Lord declares.’ 32 Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” declares the Lord. “They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them. They do not benefit these people in the least,” declares the Lord. 36 But you must not mention ‘a message from the Lord’ again, because each one’s word becomes their own message. So you distort the words of the living God, the Lord Almighty, our God. 37 This is what you keep saying to a prophet: ‘What is the Lord’s answer to you?’ or ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ 38 Although you claim, ‘This is a message from the Lord,’ this is what the Lord says: You used the words, ‘This is a message from the Lord,’ even though I told you that you must not claim, ‘This is a message from the Lord.” Ezekiel 13:8 “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because of your false words and lying visions, I am against you, declares the Sovereign Lord. 9 My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations. They will not belong to the council of my people or be listed in the records of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord. 10 “‘Because they lead my people astray, saying, “Peace,” when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash, 11 therefore tell those who cover it with whitewash that it is going to fall. Rain will come in torrents, and I will send hailstones hurtling down, and violent winds will burst forth. 12 When the wall collapses, will people not ask you, “Where is the whitewash you covered it with? 13 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: In my wrath I will unleash a violent wind, and in my anger hailstones and torrents of rain will fall with destructive fury. 14 I will tear down the wall you have covered with whitewash and will level it to the ground so that its foundation will be laid bare. When it falls, you will be destroyed in it; and you will know that I am the Lord. 15 So I will pour out my wrath against the wall and against those who covered it with whitewash. I will say to you, “The wall is gone and so are those who whitewashed it, 16 those prophets of Israel who prophesied to Jerusalem and saw visions of peace for her when there was no peace, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

    It is crucial that we know how to discern between the true voice of God and the voice of satan. Haggai 1:12 “Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of the people obeyed the voice of the Lord their God and the message of the prophet Haggai, because the Lord their God had sent him. And the people feared the Lord.” God’s prophets are usually outnumbered, and many were killed. Here is an example. Jeremiah is told Jeremiah 14:11 “Then the Lord said to me, “Do not pray for the well-being of this people. 12 Although they fast, I will not listen to their cry; though they offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will destroy them with the sword, famine and plague. 13 But I said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord! The prophets keep telling them, ‘You will not see the sword or suffer famine. Indeed, I will give you lasting peace in this place.’” God responds and says, 14 “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries[a] and the delusions of their own minds. 15 Therefore this is what the Lord says about the prophets who are prophesying in my name: I did not send them, yet they are saying, ‘No sword or famine will touch this land.’ Those same prophets will perish by sword and famine. 16 And the people they are prophesying to will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and sword. There will be no one to bury them, their wives, their sons and their daughters. I will pour out on them the calamity they deserve.”

    When Micaiah prophesied, he was the only one speaking truth. When going to war alongside King Ahab, Jehoshaphat said 1 Kings 22:4 “to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” 5 But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “First seek the counsel of the Lord. 6 So the king of Israel brought together the prophets—about four hundred men—and asked them, “Shall I go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?” “Go,” they answered, “for the Lord will give it into the king’s hand.” (they told him what he wanted to hear) Then Jehoshaphat answered 7 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no longer a prophet of the Lord here whom we can inquire of?” Here is the answer most people will respond with. 8 The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one prophet through whom we can inquire of the Lord, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” Micaiah is told 12 All the other prophets were prophesying the same thing. “Attack Ramoth Gilead and be victorious,” they said, “for the Lord will give it into the king’s hand. 13 The messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, “Look, the other prophets without exception are predicting success for the king. Let your word agree with theirs, and speak favorably.” In the end Micaiah tells the king bad news. It is here that we see there are many spirits at work which is why we must test the spirits. 9 “Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne with all the multitudes of heaven standing around him on his right and on his left. 20 And the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there?’ “One suggested this, and another that. 21 Finally, a spirit came forward, stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will entice him.’ 22 “‘By what means?’ the Lord asked. “‘I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,’ he said. “‘You will succeed in enticing him,’ said the Lord. ‘Go and do it.’ 23 “So now the Lord has put a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours. The Lord has decreed disaster for you.” You do not want to listen to the four hundred all saying the same thing. It is usually costly for the prophet speaking truth. Jeremiah spoke truth and people want to kill him, he was put in prison and mocked. Jeremiah said Jeremiah 20:7 “I am ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me. 8 Whenever I speak, I cry out proclaiming violence and destruction. So the word of the Lord has brought me insult and reproach all day long. 9 But if I say, “I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.” Another prophet who prophesied the same as Jeremiah was tracked down and killed. Jeremiah 26:20 “(Now Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath Jearim was another man who prophesied in the name of the Lord; he prophesied the same things against this city and this land as Jeremiah did. 21 When King Jehoiakim and all his officers and officials heard his words, the king was determined to put him to death. 23 They brought Uriah out of Egypt and took him to King Jehoiakim, who had him struck down with a sword and his body thrown into the burial place of the common people.”

    Jesus said Matthew 23:33 “You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? 34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. 35 And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation. 37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 38 Look, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’” Now it would appear that since there are so few prophets and people are still trying to kill them, they would disappear. The good news is as Paul said, Romans 11:2 “Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”? 4 And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5 So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.” Prophets speak truth sometimes at great cost. They will speak the truth no matter what.

    It is important to know God’s voice. This means you are immersed in the word of God. The more you listen to God’s word, the easier it is to hear what is false with God’s help. Sometimes it is blatantly obvious, and it is surprising how easy it is for people to be deceived. Other times you really have to dig deep into God’s word and test the spirits. Jesus said John 10:27 “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” Sometimes God voice is still and we really have to listen, other times His voice thunders from heaven. 1 Kings 19:11 “The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.” You need to know whether satan is whispering in your ear or God. Other times 2 Samuel 22:14 “The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded.” Psalm 29:3 “The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters. 4 The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic. 5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars.” We need to know God’s voice because satan can mimic God’s voice, although it will not be the same. To know when something is counterfeit, you have to know what is real. 2  Corinthians 11:14 “And no wonder, for satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.” Remember satan is trying to take you to hell with him and he will do everything he can to get you to turn away from God.

         If we are going to make it to the end of our journey, know that God is more powerful than satan, but know that satan is powerful. God loves you, but satan hates you and wants you to curse God and die so that you will spend eternity with him, instead of God. With satan there is usually a desire for power and money and comfort and a false sense of security. 2 Peter 3:17“Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position.” Today money plays a huge role in church. Ministers are very wealthy in many cases, but Paul said 2 Corinthians 2:17 “Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.” Paul is basically saying we don’t do that. Look at most churches and church organizations and see links on the websites to giving / donate and merchandise. Mark 11:5 “On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, 16 and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. 17 And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’18 The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.” The responded this way because they knew what Jesus was referring to. Jeremiah 7:4 “Do not trust in deceptive words and say, “This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!”9 “‘Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, 10 and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, “We are safe”—safe to do all these detestable things? 11 Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the Lord.

    Many leaders have fallen because they have not remained humbled, and money and power have gone to their heads. Yet they say it is all to the glory of God. satan tried to tempt Jesus with worldly power even though Jesus was given all power and authority. satan’s power was different. Luke 4:5 “The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7 If you worship me, it will all be yours.” 8 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.” satan spoke and Jesus answered with God’s voice. Many leaders in the church have fallen prey to this temptation. Signs, wonders miracles will look like God but will not be from God. For example, many people have thought they fell under the power of the Holy Spirit onto their backs. That is not God, but satan and like animals it is a form of sexual submission. All through scripture people fell on their faces before God. You will still see ridiculous things like gold dust, angel feathers, glory clouds etc. You will also see things like Bethel Redding (Bill Johnsons church) who have a school of supernatural ministry, yet it was shut down temporarily because of covid. In an article from October 2020 “As of Tuesday, there have been 137 COVID-19 cases at the school since classes started in early September.” Just think about that for a moment. Or you may remember when Covid started, Kenneth Copeland April 30, 2020 “blew on Covid with the wind of God, you are destroyed forever and you will never be back.” There have been over 1 million deaths in the United States since and yet people still follow this false prophet. Those are easy to see and I think satan enjoys deceiving people with the ridiculous as so many people fall for it. On a side note, Francis Chan shares the stage to Todd White who says Copeland is an amazing father in the body of Christ, a spiritual leader. Chan calls Todd White a bold man of God??? People like John MacArthur teach cessationism but that is not in scripture and on and on it goes. One of the deceptions today is also music. Worship has become a concert but as God said, away with your noise. Amos 5:23 “Away with the noise of your songs!” Just because it sounds great doesn’t mean God is present. Emotionalism can really deceive you. Isaiah said Isaiah 1:15 “When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening. Your hands are full of blood!” 2 Corinthians 11:1 “I hope you will put up with me in a little foolishness. Yes, please put up with me! 2 I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. 3 But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.”

    The problem is there are desperate people who truly want God to change their lives and they are seeking Him, but they do not know enough to see that those they are seeking Him through, are false prophets / teachers. There are desperate people seeking healing, but healing does not come. There are desperate people who need demons cast out of them but instead they end up having more because of these false prophets / teachers. Peter tells us 2 Peter 2:20 “If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. 21 It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. 22 Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.” In this day of deception, we have to listen carefully to God’s voice. Don’t listen to what man is saying about God; listen to what God is saying about Himself through His word. Jeremiah 28:15 “Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen, Hananiah! The Lord has not sent you, yet you have persuaded this nation to trust in lies.” God’s word is truth. John 7:16 “Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me. 17 Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. 18 Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.” Jeremiah said to the people who refused to listen to God’s word. Jeremiah 44:28 “Then the whole remnant of Judah who came to live in Egypt will know whose word will stand—mine or theirs.” In the end God’s word will stand and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. Malachi 2:5 “My covenant was with him, a covenant of life and peace, and I gave them to him; this called for reverence and he revered me and stood in awe of my name. 6 True instruction was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many from sin. 7 “For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, because he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty and people seek instruction from his mouth.” Revelation 12:10 “Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah.”