Nowadays, there are a great many people who present themselves as priests, pastors, clergy of various ranks and ministries. And how can we determine which of them are appointed by God and which are acting on their own, or were appointed to ministry not by God but by some religious structure whose supreme council appoints its ministers?
The Holy Scriptures provide clear guidelines by which you can determine immediately or over time whether a minister is appointed by God or if he is performing a self-willed human service, and his rank and religious title were given to him by people.
1 Cor 12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
The first thing to understand is that all true ministers are set in the church by God Himself. These people did not take up the ministry by their own will.
Jesus Christ is for us the example of a minister who was appointed and anointed by the Holy Spirit by God the Father.
Acts 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
We see that God the Father Himself gave Jesus Christ His Spirit and His power, and God the Father was in Jesus Christ and was with Him.
· God the Father spoke through Jesus Christ.
· God the Father did good works through Jesus Christ.
· God the Father performed miracles and signs through Jesus Christ.
John 14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
Jesus Christ never once committed sin because the Father God dwelt in Him; God the Father acted through Him and performed miracles and signs through Him.
John 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
He who saw Jesus Christ saw God the Father and saw His character, saw His good works, saw His Spirit—that is, what God the Father is like in His qualities—and saw the manifestation of the love of God the Father for people. Jesus Christ represented the Father and showed Him to people.
In exactly the same way, a true servant of God represents God the Father to people.
· God speaks through His servant.
· God performs good works, miracles, signs, and manifests His power through His true servant.
For example, we can take the apostle Paul.
2 Corinthians 12:12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.
Paul says that the proof that he was sent by God Himself is that in his ministry, God Himself was at work, and signs, wonders, and powers were demonstrated by God. Paul writes that there are signs of a true messenger of God, and by these signs, it is determined whether God appointed the person to ministry.
What are these signs? They are the same as those of Jesus Christ, because just as God acted by His Spirit through Christ, so He acts by His Spirit through the true servant.
· God speaks through the servant.
· God does good works through the servant.
· God performs signs and miracles through the servant.
Romans 15:18-19 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
The true servant understands that God speaks through him and that all miracles and signs are performed by God Himself; therefore, he does not ascribe glory to himself, does not exalt himself or become proud, and knows that all glory belongs to God who works through him.
Just as Jesus Christ had the fruits of the Holy Spirit, so too will a true servant have the fruits of God's Holy Spirit.
Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.
A false servant will have fruits of a satanic spirit. False servants only try to portray themselves as servants of God, but what is hidden inside them—that is, their spirit—gives them away because the fruits of this evil satanic spirit will be manifested in their lives.
Matthew 7:15-23 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Through all true servants, God the Father acts by His Spirit. If a servant has no manifestation of miracles, signs, and God's power in his ministry, a big question arises: Did God appoint him? Through a true servant, God Himself acts and shows miracles, signs, and the power of the Spirit.
Jesus Christ Himself said:
John 14:11-12 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
A true servant of God will do works similar to the works of Christ because God the Father acts through him just as He acted through Christ.
Also, using the example of the apostle Paul's disciple, Timothy, we can see how God chose him, endowed him with gifts, and appointed him to ministry.
1 Timothy 4:14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
Timothy was chosen for ministry by God Himself, and God communicated this through a prophecy—that is, He clearly showed His will concerning Timothy. Timothy was not appointed to ministry by the self-will of people, but God appointed him. Believers prayed for Timothy and laid hands on him after God had declared His will concerning Timothy.
If people appoint someone to ministry by their own will and even pray for him with the laying on of hands, but there is no will of God for that person to enter the ministry, then the person will accept a self-willed ministry, and this is a sin. Through a person who has taken up ministry by his own will, God will not speak or act, and will not perform signs and miracles.
If a servant has no signs, wonders, and God's power manifested in his ministry, most likely he has accepted a self-willed ministry or has not received the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
In Jesus was the Father, and the Father spoke and acted through Him, and in His life were the fruits of God's Spirit. By these signs, a true servant is also recognized.
1 John 4:1-13 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
The fruits of the Holy Spirit, and especially love, show that the servant is united with God in one Spirit.
Now you have all the guidelines to correctly test the spirit speaking through a person who is presented as a servant of God.
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