Back to basics, debunking teachings on false unity and don't criticize leaders!

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Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. - Matthew 10:8 (ESV)

And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover." - Mark 16:17-18 (ESV)

https://www.charismanews.com/us/84050-3-scary-ways-the-devil-is-attacking-the-church-right-now

As the NAR apostate church awakens today and moves on from their political nightmare, they will have to try and reset. We can expect a whole lot of "nothing to see here, move along" as they try to get on with their regular business of leading people astray while they continue to build their heretical empires. There are self-help books to write and leadership conferences to get back to so it comes as no surprise that we are starting to see some of the bread and butter articles returning to form like the one linked above that confuses discernment with an attack on the church. It is interesting that this article was actually published in 2018 yet Charisma News decided they needed to run it again this week. I can think of no entity more desperate to move on than Charisma, who not only got every prophecy wrong regarding the 2020 election but has recently sided with the insurrectionists who tried to overturn our government. Let us reason once more through this short article above.

"One of the amazing graces we receive from God through Yeshua, along with forgiveness of sins, eternal life and the Shekinah presence of the Holy Spirit, is the power and authority to heal the sick and cast out demons. Although casting out demons is portrayed in the entertainment world as some kind of weird, insidious, dark ritual, it is actually a commonplace event in the lives of true followers of Yeshua, to be accompanied by true repentance and a commitment to a pure and honorable life afterwards. While it is exciting to think of the ability to cast out demons, there is also spiritual warfare against the works of the devil on a wider, more corporate level. Individual demons cause sin and sickness, but greater powers of evil are assigned to destroy the community of faith as a whole. That corporate attack on the Ecclesia comes on three levels:

Accusing the brethren

Dividing the church

Scattering the sheep." - Asher Intrater

One thing we can always be assured of in Charismaniacal teaching is that they always feel like they should have more power. Their teaching essentially brings man to the level of God on earth. Never satisfied to be the created worshiping the Creator, they instead mangle the bible to demand more. This is an age-old sin beloved. This is the sin of Lucifer wanting to make himself like the Most High. It is the sin of Eve in the garden who saw that she too could be like God. We see this same sin here as the author mistakenly teaches that God has given us the authority to heal the sick and cast out demons. Not only is Mr. Intrater wrong, but he goes further to trivialize the practice of casting out demons by claiming it should be commonplace in the life of a believer. One can only assume he is basing this from one of the key verses today, if not both. These are the "go-to" verses for Charismaniacs who teach healing on demand as well as this notion of happenstance demon casting. Now let's actually interpret the verses.

The Matthew verse is part of the instructions given by Jesus to the 12 disciples. THAT was who He gave this power to. This is a historical narrative and not intended to be taught as doctrine. Jesus makes no reference to these powers being for anyone other than the twelve. If any false teacher wants to differ than make sure they abide by the entire instruction including the taking of no pay! Now, the verses from the Gospel of Mark are different. Look in your bible and you will see at the end of Mark 16 a footnote that says verses 9-20 were probably added to the Gospel and not by Mark. So what are we to do with these verses? They certainly stay in the canon of Scripture and are to be used in a supportive role but we do not make doctrine out them without proper support. These are the same verses that have led congregations to incorporate the handling of poisonous serpents in their church services. I have written about one pastor who died from being bitten during service. This is why you cannot merely read the bible. You must understand what God is and is not saying. Now let us examine the three areas Intrater has outlined in his discussion of the attacks upon the church.

"Ironically, those most enthusiastic about healing and casting out demons are sometimes used of the devil to do much greater damage to the community of faith as a whole. Israel and the Church are described as a glorified bride who is under attack by the evil serpent Satan. The central part of that attack is described as, accusing our brethren (Rev. 12:10). The "brethren" here of course are fellow believers in Yeshua. Accusation usually comes in the form of gossip and complaining in the guise of seemingly sincere "correction." And while "brethren" can be anyone, the demonic attack is most often directed toward leaders. When we find ourselves gossiping and complaining about pastors and other leaders, there is a possibility that we might actually have become a demonically-energized accuser of the brethren without realizing it." - Asher Intrater

Revelation 12 is prophetic. It has not occurred yet and therefore cannot be used as Mr. Intrater is trying to do. Accusation here has nothing to do with gossip or complaining. This assertion is biblically absurd. I want to be clear here. Complaining and backbiting about anyone, including pastors, is not Christian behavior at all but even if it were being done that would not make someone an accuser of the brethren. Realize what is going on here. This complaint by Mr. Intrater is regarding legitimate criticism of the doctrine of false teachers and prophets. Our job is to discern beloved. It says so in the bible. We are not to hold hands and sing Kumbaya with anyone who claims to be Christian. We are to expose the evil works of darkness. Of what fellowship does light have with dark? None!

"The second attack is even worse: not only to accuse leaders but to cause a split in the Body. In speaking of spiritual warfare, Yeshua said, "Every kingdom divided against itself is made desolate" (Luke 11:17). Sometimes people are so sure that they are right, they are willing to cause a split in the Body. The damage done by dividing the church is often much worse than the seemingly righteous context for causing the split. Of course, there is essential moral discipline and accountability for congregations and leaders. In the case of sin, a split can, in certain very specific circumstances, be justified. However, that is not the same as causing a split because of differences of opinion." - Asher Intrater

Once again Mr. Intrater marginalizes the role of the individual believer. We are not to be unified for the sake of unity. We are only to be unified by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Consider Paul's words from Ephesians:

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. - Ephesians 4:11-14 (ESV)

Unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God to the measure of the fullness of Christ. Why? So we will no longer be fooled by smooth sounding but false doctrine. I do not know Mr. Intrater. He may have the best of intentions. It does not matter because his teaching is false. I am not saying that we should be seeking to actively divide the body of Christ but rather to actively seek to divide ourselves from false teaching that has infiltrated the body. The time is short beloved and we no longer have time to be tossed to and fro like children; carried about by every wind of doctrine, human cunning, and craftiness found in deceitful schemes.

"The worst level of division is called by Yeshua as the work of the thief, the destroyer or the wolf. Yeshua is the Good Shepherd, but the enemy comes to steal and scatter the sheep (John 10:12). There is a significant deception, promulgated by some of the most zealous believers, that there is no reason to belong to a church or congregation. All kinds of spiritual reasons are given for this campaign of lies, but ultimately it leaves weak believers exposed and unprotected before the gates of hell (Matt. 16:18), and scatters the sheep away from the fold and the shepherds. Just as we should be zealous to heal the sick and cast out demons, let us also be zealous to oppose demonic attacks on the community of faith as a whole." - Asher Intrater

Now, I agree with the need to be part of a local fellowship. I believe the enemy wants us alone. I also believe however that staying in an apostate fellowship is far, far worse. Being fed rotten meat and rancid milk every week is not sustainable. The truly ironic thing here is that Mr. Intrater also gets the usage of John 10 wrong. The enemy here is not the devil but rather John is speaking about false teachers. They are who scatter the sheep, not discerning Christians. Mr. Intrater is scattering the sheep. This is to be expected beloved as the apostate church tries to get back to business. Hold on to your bible tighter and if anyone hands you a snake in service, find another church.

Reverend Anthony Wade - January 20, 2021

Authors Bio:
Credentialed Minister of the Gospel for the Assemblies of God. Owner and founder of 828 ministries. Vice President for Goodwill Industries. Always remember that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.