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

God, resisting the devil, fighting a good fight and following hard after the Lord.

In every case, they are going to have to do the work. The solution will not come from outside of them by someone doing something for them. Jesus has already done for them everything that needs to be done. Their solution will come from inside of them when they tap into the grace of God for themselves each and every day of their lives for the rest of their lives.

6. Watch out not to judge a truth primarily on the basis of external signs that may follow.

The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders… 2 Thessalonians 2:9 The miraculous signs that someone may perform do not verify or authenticate what the person is saying. Simon Magnus was a man who exhibited many signs and wonders and claimed that he was a messenger of God (Acts 8:9-11). When people saw the signs they tended to believe everything that he said. Remember, we learned earlier in this book that in the last days there will be many false christs, false prophets and false apostles that will be able to function in the miraculous. The Bible speaks of “lying signs and wonder” that can lead us to accept or believe things that are not true (2 Th. 2:9). Signs are to follow believers as they exercise the gifts of the Holy Spirit (Mark 16:15-20), but believers are not to be those who seek after or run after signs (Mt. 12:39). Too many believers see a person operating in the miraculous and assume that it authenticates them as a ministry and affirms their doctrine no matter how they line up with the Scripture.

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