Touch Not! Taste Not! Handle Not!
I’m going to address this to the entire body of Christ regardless of what office you hold, what gifts you operate in, how well you see or hear in the realm of the spirit, whether you are an apostle, a prophet, a evangelist, a pastor, a teacher, a prophetic seer of visions and dreams, as one who operates in the gifts of the spirit. This is for us all.
I am addressing this to the entire body, because it has came to my attention over and over again how that many are losing focus of the true purpose of holding an office or operating in a gift, and many are lifting themselves up in pride as soon as they begin to be elevated or promoted in the realm of the spirit, as well as some are simply exalting themselves and boasting of a false gift, while mocking and duplicating what others are hearing or seeing, and both of these are equally dangerous places to be in.
First, and foremost, let me say that the whole purpose of the five-fold ministry is for the work of the ministry which is to serve others.
The Greek word for ministry “diakonos” meaning servant, waiting man, minister or messenger. The word ministry itself means to serve!
Second, it is for the edifying and perfecting of the saints until we all come into the unity of the faithfulness of Christ.
Apostle Paul tells us the fullness is LOVE. So if you are not motivated by LOVE then nothing you do or are trying to do will accomplish anything for you or anyone else.
In fact without LOVE, we are none of his so allow me to make this clear even our faith must work by LOVE or else it will not work either.
Thirdly, the bible is clear that one is not of the Spirit of God if he/ she is in a boastful state of self exalting and mocking.
The bible it also clear that one cannot serve two master, so either you are serving God or you are serving Satan. See the scriptures below;
“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.
As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear. As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters. Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain,” Proverbs 25:11-14.
I find it very interesting that Jesus, as He was teaching in Matthew 6, begins to teach on how to and how not to, do our alms; how to and how not to pray; how to and how not to fast as the hypocrites do to be seen and heard of men.
He taught that if they do these things to be seen and heard, He said they verily would have their reward.
He was teaching on where your real treasure is, there your heart will be also.
He was addressing the heart and the motives behind what is being said and done.
Interestingly enough, He sums it all up by saying in v24, that you cannot serve God and mammon.
So I will expound here for a moment.
The word mammon is defined as meaning wealth as an evil object of worship and devotion, it is defined as the devil of covetousness!
Now wealth in itself is not a bad thing, in fact, it is clear this is a part of our inheritance, the Bible tells us the wealth of the wicked is laid up for the righteous.
But, IF it is the object of why you are serving God or the motive behind your service to him or others then quite clearly you are influenced by a devil called covetousness and have left off the true Spirit of God and his true intents and purposes which in reality is to fill our temples/ us so that he in us might reach/save the lost, help the hurting and minster/ serve the needs of others!
Jesus also had a way of getting to the root or the heart of the matter every time he spoke or taught.
Jesus who is truth knows all things and I personally feel he knew if people are doing things to be seen and heard their root motive was to gain money and that is why he summed it up in this manner.
Anything that is done that is not motivated by God who is love is not pure.
Many started out with wrong motives and many have forsaken the right path and have veered off the right path and are being led forth by the wrong spirit or are a novice, one who has not yet matured in the things of God and really needs to sit down and stay the process!
Here are a few questions to ask yourself and signs to watch for:
- Do you love to be seen and heard all the time?
- Do you like to blow a trumpet before you give, pray, fast or do you give, pray and fast for others?
- Do you esteem yourself highly and as if you are more gifted and talented than others?
- Do you think Jesus loves you more than anyone else and that you are His favorite? The Bible is clear He is no respector of persons.
- Do you think of yourself and your needs more than the needs of others?
- Do you take the time to pray for others when they are sick or in need, or do you brush them off while you are so consumed in your own agenda’s, platforms, and needs and have forgotten that hurting people are God’s agenda?
- Have you forgotten that the whole purpose of ministry is to serve others, to love other, to pray for others, to give when you see a need as the Bible instructs us to do not being a hearer only or a speaker but a doer of the Word?
The Bible is clear that the doers of the word will be blessed in their deed and all others are deceived if they hear only and do not obey!
“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed,” James 1:22-25.
The Bible teaches us that the heart is deceptive above all things and who can know it. Therefore, we are to obey the Word, not feelings!
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9.
The Bible also teaches us to examine our own hearts to see if we are really in the faith and to wait upon our call until we have been fully processed.
“For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another,” Romans 12:4-10.
“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” 2 Corinthians 13:5.
I have seen many who think they are so exalted that they cannot reach out to pray for others because they are so caught up in what they call ministry and the works of it or they say I do not feel led to.
This my friends is a cop out, the bible gives clear instructions what to do and what not to do, you don’t need to wait on a feeling to do it, you simply need to obey!
The Word of God is inspired writing under the unction of the Holy Ghost written to lead and guide us. Therefore The Spirit and The Word always agree!
“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon,” Matthew 6:24.
“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love,” Ephesians 4:11-16.
“And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God,” Ephesians 3:19.
“He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love,” 1 John 4:8.
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 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, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity,” 1 Corinthians 13:1-13.
Please take note that it says here and though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and give my body to be burned IF I have not charity it profits me nothing…. showing that you can give out of a religious deed rather from the heart of the Father and still have not charity.
God is looking for fruit of his nature that remains!
True purification comes through the process and the fire baptism is a part of that process and no one is exempt I do not care how big their platform is or how many followers they have.
God is purifying all hearts! He scourgeth every son in whom he receives! If you refuse this you are not sons/ daughters, you are bastards as outlined in the word of God.
“For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons,” Hebrews 12:6-8.
“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with Fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and He will throughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” Matthew 3:11-12.
“And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.” Matthew 20:23.
From a human perspective we say it is very easy to become prideful but, the truth is we were all born with that nature that we inherited through the fallen Adam and it simply must be overcome!
We must understand this is a character trait of the beast nature, a work of the flesh that God hates and resists.
Pride is of the devil and flesh nature of the fallen man. If you operate in pride your king is Satan/leviathan according to the Bible.
This is very clear why Jesus tells us we must be born again by His Spirit, His nature if we are to make it to heaven or enter into the Kingdom.
“He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride,” Job 41:34.
“But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:6-7.
~ Kimberly Fuller
thank god injoyed this
Powerful. Yahleluyah.