Hi Family,
On occasion, pastors come across members of their church who are wolves in sheeps clothing: who are praying against, casting spells and practicing magick to divide and conquer a house of God.
How would you approach this situation as a pastor?
~Nat
Discernment comes with wisdom. Who
is wise, and he shall understand these
things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD
are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.
But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age,
even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Biblically speaking, discernment comes by experience from your walk with Christ. Even as I can discern who is walking thru my home, whether it is my wife or my children, by the way they walk, the way they plop into the furniture, or rummage thru the fridge. Also little nuances that can only be learned thru a relationship. I also know Christ. The way he talks. His likes, dislikes, concerns. I can 'tell' when it's not him.
When we get to spiritual concerns, sometimes we are ignorant to what is actually going on. I constantly remind myself that we need to take our own beliefs, our own ideas, and shoot them in the head like a zombie before they bite someone else. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. What we believe to be correct, might be incorrect about the
current situation, even if it is correct in another situation.
It may be a season of renewal, where an act of faith is required to win souls. Where an open rebuke could lose a soul to the kingdom of God. You will come across individuals that are receptive to God that come at you as an accuser, and enemy. That is why it is always important to take it to God. Let you Lord and Master direct your steps. It is not your authority in the first place that you enact. It is Christ's authority. Ask permission. Ask for guidance.
Remember, sheep draw wolves, and Jesus did not come for the already saved. He came for them wolves. It is our job to protect the sheep from the wolves, but as long as we know who the wolves among us are, and keep the flock safe, we can keep the wolf in the presence of God, and let God deal with the wolf.
The time might come to remove the wolf from the flock, but let God make that decision, and obey your God in faith when the time comes for you to act.