Remove Me From The Merchandisers! (2)

Copyright 2010 Theresa Harvard Johnson

Apostles and prophets! People of God! We’ve got to stop allowing others to “allure” us with what “looks like” ministry. As I drove through Atlanta today running errands, dropping off children and such the Lord began speaking to me. He said, “Stop allowing PEOPLE to make merchandise of you!” (2 Peter 2:1-3 KJV)

As I listened to the Lord speak, He began to remind me of what really means to be “in Him.” He talked about the kind of love that He has shown me/us our entire lives — whether we are/were aware of His immense love for us or not. Then He said this, “At the end of the day, a man will be known by me by how much He has loved me and my people.”

Immediately, Father took me to Matthew 22:36-40 NKJV which says, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

You see, we HEAR this all the time. We QUOTE this all the time. But the question of the hour IS and always will be, “Can we see this in our OWN walk with the Lord day by day and can those around us see this in our lives?”

This question is VALID because so many leaders — yes LEADERS — are abusing and mistreating God’s people — directly and indirectly daily. In a broad sense, spiritual abuse is when a person in religious authority or a person with a unique spiritual practice misleads and maltreats another person in the name of God or His Church. It can also refer to an abuser using spiritual or religious rank in taking advantage of the victim’s spirituality (mentality and passion on spiritual matters) by putting the victim in a state of unquestioning obedience to an abusive authority.

In addition, spiritual abuse is not just tied to being under the subjection of ONE leader, ministry or group; but it can also refer to the ungodly influence of a particular leader, organization on a group of people in a segment of our Christian society. It places the people of God in a position of IDOL WORSHIP — one in which they seek the approval of what they perceive to be godly men on earth ABOVE God himself.

You see, the Lord is trying to bring His people into a place of understanding that MINISTRY is not:

1. Having one program after another
2. Scheduling Sunday services, bible studies and prayer meetings day in and day out
3. Organizing food drives
4. Holding global conferences
5. Simply publishing a book, writing a book or getting on a mic to share an inspired poem
6. Preaching loudly and teaching loudly
7. Looking like you’re Holy
8. Wearing the title of apostle, prophet, pastor, evangelist, elder or bishop
9. Being the founder of a entity or organization
10. Getting invitations to speak
11. Laying hands on people
12. Doing great exploits before men

He wants us to see that ministry IS NOT….

1. Your gift
2. Your talent
3. Your time
4. Your effort
5. Your influence
6. Your knowledge
7. Your experience
8. Your building
9. How many people you can “pull in” to a revival
10. How many posts you put out on FB about Jesus

It’s not even SIMPLY the preaching of the word, or the teaching of the word…

People of God, as long as we judge ministry and people SOLELY BY any of the standards above and so forth, we will walk ourselves RIGHT INTO A PLACE OF DECEPTION — even in our maturity. As long as we see ministry from a carnal, greedy, selfish perspective (because that’s what all of this is) we will never walk fully as that LIVING EPISTLE we’ve been called to be in the earth….

None of these things matter if the LOVE OF GOD is not walking with us, and producing the FRUIT that comes with that love. We’ve got to stop covering for people because they are FAMOUS, WELL-KNOWN & SEEM to have it going on — simply because of “who they think they are!” It’s time to put on the SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT GLASSES AND LOOK FOR THE FRUIT….

God is love…
The greatest commandment is based on love…

1 Corinthians 13 says it this way, “1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.”

Even in the midst of what sounds like “the Lord speaking” coming from the mouths of those who “appear to be godly people” can be worthless in the eyes of the Lord.

2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,[a] but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Even in the midst of all that powerful prophecying and fabulous revelation — there can be a lack of TRUTH, RIGHTEOUSNESS & HOLINESS. Why are so many people protecting WOLVES amidst the sheep? Why are so many people accepting spiritual abuse from leaders who are simply fleecing the flock? Why are people giving more service to MEN than they are their own spouses and children? Why are there so many FACTIONS within the body — yet everyone is proclaiming they are holy?

Today, Father is saying, “Wake up! Open your eyes! Repent! Get out from among them! Search out the fruit of MY KIND of love!”

He wants us to know that TRUE MINISTRY has nothing to DO WITH THE STUFF WE DO…. and everything to do with the HEART in which we WALK IT OUT before Him. There can BE NO “SELF” in the midst of PURE ministry…

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