Some times you may have to say NO to some gifts, because those who are merchandising the gospel want you to be like them; false prophets and false apostles clipping the folks!

Apostle Paul said, “I robbed other churches, metaphorically, taking wages from them to serve you. And even when I was present with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone.”

Why? Because, he worked hard (with his hands, doing his leather work and tent making to earn his own way) even though some tried to bring accusations against him as being like them a merchandising gold digging Apostle!

Paul would not take any money at all, he didn’t want to make the gospel chargeable to his own.

He didn’t want to become a burden to them, but he would take money from another church who sent it out of love!

Those who were religious and abusing the gospel! And he didn’t want to be viewed as just another in the long line of philosophers and orators and teachers who plied their trade in the marketplace and put a price on their heads and took fees from those disciples that they supposedly taught.

He didn’t want to be like them. He wanted to be unique (Christ DNA) from the run-of-the-mill false teachers and preachers who attached their teaching with a fee.

And he didn’t want to be chargeable to them. He didn’t want to make the gospel out of merchandising. He didn’t want people to think he had a gold digger’s mentality or motives.

He didn’t want to be a burden to the people to whom he was ministering, so he took NO money.

That was his standard policy and that’s what he did in Corinth. He brings out 3 rare trade marks of the true Apostles:

Humility, Truth and Love.

Many things that separate the false prophets and apostles are pride, deception and arrogance,

Self-seeking, greedy men, tend to be domineering, dominating, have over-bearing personalities and always right (Hate to be challenged by God’s word).

And if you don’t agree with them, you are really in some serious trouble. You will receive their curse.

They are authoritarian. They don’t want to be questioned. They are always right. They “come from God.”

They have the final word and say, which is typical of the false teachers and is also a manifestation of their pride.

Hate and or abuse… false apostles can be discerned.

They can be defined by the marks of the flesh! And, this is how! You can pick them out of a crowd.

First of all, by their PRIDE!

However Paul was determined that he would not back down or give up his standards of holiness for those who had compromised the gospel and had to keep up the pretense in order to gain an audience!

He said, “But what I’m doing, I will continue to do. I’m not going to change my policy!”

He knew that the false apostles were trying to put pressure on him by saying he didn’t love the Corinthians, by saying he had valued his ministry as nothing, if he wouldn’t put a value (charge) on his ministry for money.

Paul continued to point the way to Christ; instead of himself!

He said, “As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia.”

It was less about him and more about Christ and this is why the false ministries came against him, because he began to shine light upon the darkness in their ministry that was not Christ like!

I believe that God is drawing the plumb-line in this season and He is separating those who are real from those who are fakes, just as he did with Paul, who not only preached truth, but he lived it.

He had integrity. It wasn’t just the truth of Christ from him, it was the truth of Christ in him.

He had convictions and he lived by those convictions. He was marked out by truth with the seal of Jesus Christ!

“Did I commit sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge? I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you. And when I was present with you, and in need, I was a burden to no one, for what I lacked the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied. And in everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself. As the truth of Christ is in me, no one shall stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia. Why? Because I do not love you? God knows!

But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works,” 2 Corinthians 11:7-15.

 

~ Apostle Geraldine Fisher

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Apostle Geraldine Fisher has a World-Wide-Social Media Net-Work Ministry. As a Missionary, God moved her into the Office of a Prophet, revealing to her the qualities of a True prophet, humility, humiliation, loving others, interceding in prayer, as she keeps her own life clean to accurately hear from God. Since hearing the audible voice of God calling her to ministry, she’s been called to intercede and pray for others in ministry as God speaks, instructs, directs and gives prophetic words for her to give to others. God promised He would bring her to sit and to learn before great men, all of which He did!

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