Whence

 We’re so hungry for anything remotely supernatural that we’re no longer interested in its origins. As long as it defies the humdrum of everyday life and there’s something new to see, whether it’s divine or not is no longer of any consequence. If the assumption is that everything is divine, then the assumption is contrary to Scripture. I feel as though I’m fighting a losing battle insisting upon the Bible being the final authority for anything having to do with the spiritual, divine, or supernatural, but here I am again, banging my head against the proverbial wall because if we allow for the ignoring of Scripture, then all is lost and we are doomed.

Parlor tricks are not the power of God, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, or any sort of apostolic authority. Jesus wasn’t guessing zip codes; He was healing the sick. The apostles weren’t guessing birth years; they were casting out demons. We’re giving Carnac the Magnificent a run for his money, and Johnny Carson was just trying to get a laugh.

We want to be entertained, not edified, and if the shtick has enough flare, you could make an entire career out of throwing your coat at people and watching them fall like dominos. Never mind that the only time someone was thrown back or leveled was when Jesus cast the demon out of the possessed man in Capernaum. So, are we to infer that everyone who fell under the power of the suit coat was demon possessed? Did the demons fear the Joseph Abboud pinstripe so much that they came out without being commanded to do so?

“I was with you up until you started picking’ on Brother Benny. That’s one bridge too far in my book; nobody’s good enough, I guess.”

It’s not about being good enough; it’s about being Biblical. If we hope to change the world, like so many are insisting, we must first heal the church. In order for the church to heal, the rot must be excised. If you think clown shows and palm readers spark revival, you’ve got another thing coming.

As long as we are unwilling to entertain the things that stir God’s heart, like brokenness, humility, repentance, and obedience, we should probably table any talk of revival and great awakenings. I know they make us feel warm and fuzzy on the inside, but only for a season, then the precipitous letdown when the world goes from bad to worse, the modern church with it, with no revival in sight.

The only way through the Gordian knot the church has become is with the sword of truth cutting it. To untangle it is a hopeless endeavor, and one many a soul has given up in frustration while attempting to do so. It’s too big, too complex, too vexing. They started out with the best of intentions, using reason and will, only to grow exhausted and disillusioned when for every knot they undid, two more appeared in its place.

Biblical truth is the only way to cut through the mess, but what is required are souls brave enough to wield that particular sword. It requires bravery because it is likely, if not guaranteed, that you will make enemies on both sides of the divide.

The origin of something matters, whether a teaching, a healing, a revelation, or a miracle. Knowing where it came from can determine the authenticity of something faster than anything else. If you buy a sweater or a shirt, a scarf, or a suit from a brand that was to be made exclusively in Italy, and the label reads proudly made in China, you know something is amiss.

No matter how impressive, entertaining, or mind-bending, where that power originated from matters. If you’re living under the assumption that the devil has no power, think again. It’s not me saying it; it’s Jesus.

Matthew 24:24, “For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”

Do you know what they won’t be doing? They won’t insist upon repentance, holiness, sanctification, brokenness, humility, obedience, and walking humbly with God. They will always focus on some tertiary thing, a secondary issue, usually something to do with manifestation rather than sanctification and consecration. Because sanctification and consecration are so hard to stomach for most, they’ll settle for entertainment.

If you receive a revelation or a word of prophecy, give it, then pivot back to Christ and the cross. If God chooses to heal or deliver through your prayers and laying on of hands, give the glory and honor to Him, then pivot back to Christ and the cross. See how that works? You’re not supposed to spend an entire lifetime talking about yourself in the third person or how you saw something once that you then extrapolated to the point that it no longer resembles the source material.

Every true messenger of God would rather retreat into obscurity if given a chance once they delivered the message because their objective is being faithful to God, not elevating man’s status. None of them traded on the fact that they were prophets of the Lord to build kingdoms for themselves or elevate their stature. The most Elijah asked for was a piece of bread; even then, it was at God’s command.

In the olden days, before the pony express, messengers would be sent to deliver a message. The message had to have the seal of the lord, lady, king, or duke who sent it, and the emissary had to declare who had sent him and by whose authority he was delivering the proclamation he was about to deliver.

I’m betting you’d get a lot less junk mail if it were still the case. There is a contrast between that and the self-titled prophetic voices yelling over each other to be heard. Perhaps if they had to declare that they came in the name of the Lord and show receipts to prove it, there wouldn’t be so many errant voices claiming divine authority.

With love in Christ,

Michael Boldea, Jr.