Watchout For WOLVES: Keys To Discerning Authentic Ministries & Evaluating Doctrinal Trends

For those of us who have been alive for any length of time, we have seen exactly what Paul is talking about. Sometimes these winds can have a positive effect, but at other times the effect can be more negative. With modern media, such winds of teaching are most likely more prevalent than Paul experienced in his day, because trends or winds of teaching can move rather quickly though the church world. Winds are an apt symbol of doctrines that can circulate. In the natural sense, winds are caused by an unequal distribution of heat in the atmosphere. In other words, there has to be something out of balance or “unequal” to produce winds. The direction from which a current comes determines its name. In other words, they are named based on their source not on their direction of travel. For instance, and East Wind is a wind that comes from the East. A West wind comes from the West. In relation to winds of doctrine we can have good winds or bad winds based on the source from which they come. The question is, “A re these winds birthed in God and coming through people who are in tuned with the Holy Spirit? Or, are these winds inspired by Satan coming through the means of people with personal agendas or who are being used by evil forces to lead people away from the truth. When two currents of air of different directions meet, a spiral motion sometimes results. This can result in turbulent winds, hurricanes or tornadoes that can end up being quite destructive.

Positive Purposes for Winds

In nature, wind can have a very positive effect. Even the Bible acknowledges that winds bring the clouds which bring the rains (1 Kgs. 18:44). Rains are essential for germinating the seed and ripening the harvest.

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