In war truth is the first casualty.  Our enemy is the deceiver who is against truth.  Through subtlety and as a minister of light he fights our flesh, blood and mind.  One of our most important defences is truth.  So we must seek it out Joh 4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. Eph 6:14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

I heard this phase in a movie. It was said by a commanding officer to a politician “never tell a soldier he does not know the cost of war”.  We are at war with the devil.  We fight not only for our own lives; but our brethren’s from deceits and to preserve our way of life through our faith.  If they fall, we may be next as divided one falls, together each stand.  Ecc 4:9  Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. Ecc 4:10  For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Ecc 4:12  And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

The fewer the number against the opposition, statistically the harder it is to survive.  That is message of Ecc 4:9-12 although we know God can use the few to conquer the many. 

I chose a title for this study that would tempt persons to read it as it is a very important topic.  It has led to two main schools of thought on the recognition of the Holy Spirit in one’s life.  Whichever camp has got it wrong could affect their salvation in the sense they are either being seduced by an unholy spirit or grieving the Holy spirit by not recognising it.   In this study we should see the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. 

1Jn 4:6  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.   

Today I wish us to examine the popular teachings and our belief of healing against the truth of the scriptures.  The first point we should know is when Yahshua, Peter or Paul healed persons, there was no speaking or praying in tongues, putting their hands on the temples or forehead of the sick, pushing them backwards down to the floor, asking for a donation or tithe.  Not even anointing them with oil.  Some of which are the things done today. 

John an apostle says they were of God and those who know God would hear him and have the spirit of truth.  So I think a good place to start is in summary try to know God and the apostles.  There are a few other scriptures that refer to the Spirit of God being one of truth.

Psa 31:5  Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.

Joh 5:26  But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; …  [today pastors speak of themselves].

Eph 5:9  (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Eph 5:10  Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. Eph 5:11  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.  See also 2Thes 2:13 which says … through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: 

So brethren it is all about truth and reproving untruth.  So please empty your cup of pre-beliefs held and let us seek to recognise the truth through proper examination of the bible. 

Act 5:32  And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.   The Holy Spirit or Ghost is given to those who obey.  Those in Corinth were not obeying.  Paul’s first letter to them was one of correction not praise.  1Co 5:1  It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.  1Co 5:7  Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:  1Co 5:11  But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.  1Co 6:5  I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?  

There is so much teaching and direction Paul has to give them on many topics that it should be clear the Holy Spirit has not been with them to bring them into remembrance of the scriptures or has taught them.  By the time the letter comes to chapter 14 the teaching and correction is on the topic of tongues and spiritual gifts which they all claim to have 1Co 14:26  How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. 

When Job got sick he did not ask for healing.  Hezekiah just prayed directly to God and reminded Him of goods works he had done.  Samson, when blinded asked for strength to revenge not healing and also prayed directly to God.   Those who know and obey God and the Messiah do not need a human intercessor for healing, only those who do not.  That is the bible principle.  By going through man for healing you are submitting to the Catholic system of going through a human like the Pope or indulgences purchased.  No man is your intercessor or covering.  You can go boldly to the throne of God.  By submitting to man you deny God’s power to heal without the man.  You are submitting to whoever is behind the man, which may not be Yahweh God. 

When Miriam or king in 1 kings 13 had leprosy did they call on elders to lay hand on her or simply call on God? 

The devil’s system is to go to another man, like a witch doctor, obe’ man etc and many pastors are putting themselves as your obe’ man or witch doctor equivalent and you are accepting them as your healer calling on spirits like Simon the sorcerer of Acts or Balaam and Balak. 

Having God work through a person does not necessarily make them a prophet of God.  God worked through Pharaoh to get His people out of Egypt. 

Is there any scripture of Yahshua or apostles stating speaking in tongues is a sign of having the Holy Spirit? NO!  If tongues is a sign does that mean Yahshua never had the Holy Spirit?  There is neither any precept God, Yahshua or the apostles advertised or encouraged persons to come and get healing.  The miracles of God in Egypt was because they did not know Him nor His salvation powers.  Through the miracles not only did Israel know Yahweh God; but so did pharaoh and the Egyptians.  With the prophets i.e. Naaman being cured of his leprosy, he said to Elisha 2Ki 5:15  …. now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel:.

In Luke 4:25 -27 Yahshua said there were many widows and lepers in Israel yet it was non Israelites that were healed.  Why?  He also said the poor and sick will always be with us and believers will go through trials, tribulations and other illnesses mental or physical.  He did not come to heal everybody; but save souls.  Peter and apostles were tortured. Stephen had the Holy Spirit yet was stoned to death.  

The focus of the bible and its teachings is on saving ones soul not their physical health.  Mat 10:28  And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.  Rich, poor, whole or lame, healthy in spirit living in accordance to God’s laws not necessarily healthy body.  We are called to be perfect in spirit and obedience not in physical being.  So even if we have an illness as Job or crippled we all can be perfect in God’s eyes regardless and bring Him glory by our lives. 

Though in Mat 10:8 Yahshua gave His disciples power to heal the sick, He nor any of them advertised this power nor used it call people to God.  When they met the sick calling for alms, i.e. money, the healed were not expecting to be cured Act 3:1  Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. Act 3:2  And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Act 3:3  Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. Act 3:4  And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. Act 3:5  And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Act 3:6  Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. Act 3:7  And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. Act 3:8  And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. 

Yes people came to be healed; but not at the invitation or advertising of the healers and definitely not to exalt their position.  Act 5:12  And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; …  Act 5:14  And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) Act 5:15  Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. Act 5:16  There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one. 

There are 66 books in the bible, 1,189 chapters and 31,102 verses. The bible is not about miracles nor healing.  The emphasis and use put on it by preachers today.  After God proved Himself to Jacob’s descendants who had not known Him due to being in Egypt for 430 years and delivered them on the other side of the Red sea, their 40 years in the wilderness saw about three miracles.  Excluding specific ones brought about by Miriam’s  leprosy and Korah’s challenge to Moses, we have  manna from heaven, water from the rock and the walls of Jericho falling down.  In the prophets between Ruth and the Messiah, according to what you want to class as a relevant miracle, we have very few.  Some in Daniel, Elijah and Elisha.  So relatively speaking, miracles is not the main teaching of the bible.  Especially those performed by humans.  I think those performed were related to the nation of Israel not an individual with no connection to the nation, like a king or advisor to the king.  

Miracles are for the benefit of the nation and the gathering of unbelievers into that spiritual nation of Israel. 

As Paul said, tongues are for the unbeliever.  As Yahshua said when healing the blind man in John 9:3 “but that the works of God should be made manifest in him”.   Due to time I have to be brief on this point.  His and the apostles miracles was to bring recognition of the coming of the Messiah to the people as those of Egypt was to bring recognition of God to Jacob’s descendants.  Since that recognition, we are to now follow by faith.   We have had the sign of Jonas, the Messiah being in the earth for 3 days and night and rising from the dead.   430 years in the wilderness, thousands to the Messiah, at least 60 in the New Testament and yet only relative few miracles in each section and even less healings. Joh 9:4  I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. Joh 9:5  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

It is no different from marketing of today. When launching a new product you have to advertise and publicise it.  A method is to give free samples, reduced price or demonstrations.  Once the product is established, the freebies are stopped and the product is sold by its reputation, branding or word of mouth.

How did God first get Moses’ attention? With the miracle of the burning bush.  Pharaoh’s and the children of Israel? With the miracles of the plagues.  Thereafter each were supposed to believe in, fear and obey Him.  That was the purpose of the apostles Act 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.  The first miracle of Acts 2 convinced 3,000 immediately.  We take their testimony on faith and our knowledge of the bible and unbelievers take our testimonies then go and study the bible. 

I will not go through each miracle; but if we look at the time they were performed, it was at the beginning of Israel’s history, Yahshua’s and the apostles’ ministry for the purpose of bringing the new faith to the population.  The purpose being to bring them to God through the Messiah.  At times it was the faith of the healed that healed them like the woman with the issue touching Yahshua’s garment in Mat 9:20, or the centurion in Mat 8.  The practice of today of taking oil and touching the persons head or body part etc was not needed nor done for healing purposes.  So from where or who did that come for healing.  There are only two scriptures that refer to being sick and oil.  Look at the following sentence and say how many things are done by the persons.

• And they went out and taught that cloths should be clean.   And they cast away many cloths, and washed with soap powder many that were dirty and ironed.

Mar 6:12  And they went out, and preached that men should repent.  Mar 6:13  And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed. (then comes an inserted word “them”.  The insertion of the word “them” makes it sound as if two things happened; cast out of devils and healing of the sick by anointing.  Actually three things happened, casting out of devils, anointing the sick and healing.  A reader will not pick up on this unless, like the KJV, inserted words are in italics.  The purpose of the anointing I will come to later.

In Matthew 17:18 when any healing or a difficult casting out was to be done, Yahshua did not say it comes out with anointing, or elders putting hands on you; but with prayer and fasting. Just like James 5:14  Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord 5:15  And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.   Notice James does not say heal the sick; but save the sick, raise him up, forgive their sins.  All in the context of salvation which comes with death, the result of unhealed sickness.   In the next verse he uses the word “healed” and attributes it to fervent prayer.  Jas 5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.  So clearly James is making a distinction between “save the sick” and heal the sick and how each is accomplished.  The same as his teacher Yahshua.  When Yahshua raised the sick girl or Lazarus, He did not anoint any with oil.

I found 19 New Testament uses for anoint or anointed.  Only one related to healing John 9:6 where Yahshua spat on the ground, mixed the spittle with the earth and “smeared” it over the blind man’s eyes.  The translators called this anointed.  However, when we look at other uses of anointed as in Mark 6:13, Luke 7:38, 46 and John 12:3 we see it is a different Hebrew word.  [insert slide with Strong’s concordance].

Oil is also used for anointing i.e. in fasting Mat 6:17 and burial as with Yahshua Mat 26:12.  So let us examine what Mark and especially James is saying.  Note the oil is only mentioned in regard to the sick and not the casting out of devils.  What generally comes before death, sickness.  Almost in all circumstances or premature death, whether one knows it or not.  Whether the sickness is externally visible or internally invisible.  For such persons we can only pray for them to get better or anoint them for death.  If we word by word read James we should see that is what he is saying. 

James says the elders are to do the act.  Is James going to restrict praying for the sick only to the elders? I do not think so.  What is restricted for to the elders is the anointing before death in the name of Yahshua.  Who did the anointing of king Saul, David or other kings?  A prophet of God.  The elder.  Similar to when one is baptised in the name of Yahshua.  The start and end of their spiritual life is capped or enclosed with Yahshua.  James goes on to add that it is the prayer of faith that saves the sick not the anointing.  But is this “save” to do with saved from the illness or to do with one’s salvation?  I would say one’s salvation otherwise James would have said the pray of faith would heal the sick.  Another clue we have that it is to do with after physical death salvation is James moves onto “and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him”.  In other words raised up from death, the possible result of the sickness; and when raised up in the after life, their sins would have been forgiven because of the encappment of Yahshua on their earthly lives.  Lastly, James says pray for one another that ye may be healed.  Again he puts the healing down to prayer saying such prayers of a singular righteous man, accomplishes much, i.e. the healing from sickness. 

So because people want to be apostles and claim the gifts of the apostles they find a verse on which to stake their claim.  Yet the verse actually does not speak of what they think.  I put one’s pray and cry to God ahead of another intermediary.  Are we saying today that if an atheist or believer cries to God in sincerity, that their pray will not be acted on unless they first go and find an intermediary?  I know the woman in 2 kings 4:23 went to find Elisha to raise her son from death; but preachers today are not of Israel nor Elisha nor at least there is not the multitude of them as we have today.

My point is there is no precedent for anoint a sick person with oil and they get healed.  The anointing was for death or associated with death.  i.e. Mar 14:8  She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. Mar 16:1  And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.

I wonder if there is any significance to Yahshua starting His ministry when He came out the water being baptised with the Holy Spirit descending over His head and the anointing of His feet at the end of His ministry?  Encapsulated from head to toe with anointing.  Should we follow the same?  Being born again in the spirit and being anointed when about to die or a sickness unto death?

There is no precept in bible a large group of congregation gets God’s Spirit.  In the Old Testament Moses was chosen, then 70 elders to help him. Thereafter singular people as Isiah and prophets.  In the New, Yahshua was chosen then 12 or 70 to help.  Then singular Paul.

Others have always wanted what God specifically gave His chosen.  Miriam and Korah in Old Test.  Simon  and the Corinthians in New.

The purpose of miracles is the same as of tongues, for the unbeliever and those not knowing of the gospel.

Rom 15:18  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, Rom 15:19  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. Rom 15:20  Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation: Rom 15:21  But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand.

Jer 31:34  And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

1Jn 2:27  But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

At no time in the biblical examples of tongues did the hearers need an interpreter to know if what was spoken is true or not.  They had their own hearing and understanding.

God always wants us to know He is a God of giving us knowledge and truth.  Truth that we ourselves can know is true without someone necessarily telling us.  By examination through His given scriptures or laws not the interpretations of man.  When God took the Canaanites out of their land because they worshipped other false gods.  Things that were not true.  He replaced them with Israel who knew His ways, laws and requirements.  He takes out the unknown and gives the known.  Likewise when He takes us out of the world into His faith, into knowing of Him, he wants our hearts, mouths etc to know of Him and what we are saying and believing of Him.  Not to have as a necessity someone else interpreting for Him.  He also knows our thoughts so we do not need a language to speak to Him.  The language is so we know what we are thinking and saying  Psa 94:11  The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity. 

Thus when we pray we should be praying in words easy to understand and we know for what we are praying (1Cor 14:9, 11, 16).  And when we get the answers back, we ourselves, the prayer should be able to hear and understand the answers and language.   We are a people of knowledge not of idle or babbling sounds which need a sorcerer, wizard or other as in the Canaanite systems to interpret not only the language of the sounds; but also their meaning.

So brethren if we as an individual cannot discern what is true without relying on an interpreter how are we to know whether what they speak is truth or error?  Real or fake?   God does not operate in a realm whereby we cannot personally testify as to what is true and what is not otherwise we are relying on others of which the bible says there are many fake prophets of the Old Testament and ministers of the New.  Thus tongues is a language the hearer can understand though they may not know what it means.  Just like if I explained rocket science and its formulas to you.

Joh 15:26  But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

1Jn 5:6  …. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.

When I reflect on where God’s church is today, with the infiltration of satn and pagan practices brought in which people belief to be of God.  The Christ mas and such unholy days, the apparent miracles and babble tongues speaking, I tried to think back from when did it start and for how long has such infiltration taken place.   I realised it has been for over four thousand of years.  Almost the entire existence of Israel the Church.  Not only has the infiltration been in the spiritual Church; but the physical land of Israel.  Today the land has gay pride marches and other laws similar to an ungodly country.  The country is trying to serve God on one hand and please the world on the other. 

Rev 2:20  Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.

The country’s leaders are turning to the world for its political and economic policies and protection and would be believers to false prophets and prophetesses for teaching and seductions of the devil.

Acts 7:38 says the church started in the wilderness with Moses.  Even at its formation the followers wanted to be back in Egypt like followers today want to be in Egypt’s church with dancing, babbling and miracles.  I could not really put my finger on where or when the infiltration started.

I cannot remember any instructions for dancing, babbling or even individual miracles of healing by Moses or the elders in Moses’ church.  I am not including Miriam’s leprosy nor the fiery serpent as that is different and of God.  What I can remember is as soon as Moses went missing they reverted to the Egyptian system of dancing, nakedness etc.  Exo 32:7  And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: Exo 32:8  They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

It was not an infiltration of the devil, they had just not left it behind.  Had not renewed their mind totally.  They wanted the good things of God and the nice things of Egypt.

Joshua who came immediately after Moses was aware of the pull of satn on the church.  He said Jos 24:15  And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.   

Was it an infiltration or the fact they drank from an unwashed cup?  The cup being the Promised Land which God told them to clear / clean out thoroughly of its pagan inhabitants.  This they did not do.  Similarly today would be believers do not totally renew their mind; but retain some of the practices and traditions of the world when coming into God’s earthly system.   They do not cut off the arm or pluck out the eye as Yahshua said should be the case i.e. total and immediate separation from the diseases; but try and live with it.  Next when in doubt, rather than go to the words spoken by God, they go to the interpretation of the pastors who draw from the traditions of Egypt’s church. 

Mat 6:7  But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.  Mat_15:9  But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.  Col 2:8  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.   To seek one’s own edification is  vanity.  Something warned against in the bible.  Yet because pastors teach self edification is good they read the same into 1Co 14:4  He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.  Rather than see Paul is saying it is bad.  Edifying the church is the aim as in Act 9:31  Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.   1Co 14:5  I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.  It is obvious the speaker should also understand what “he” is saying.  It is the same “he”.  Just like the precept of Joseph and Daniel speaking and interpreting the dreams, so it should be with language speakers.  Philip and the Eunuch in Acts 8:30, 34 reading and interpreting / understanding the scriptures or Acts 13:15.  That is precisely one of the reasons Yahshua came, to give us the proper understanding of His father’s scriptures rather than the traditional interpretations of the scribes of the day i.e. of what constitutes working on the Sabbath and want is not.

1Ti 6:20  O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:  2Ti 2:16  But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

Many preachers like to use this verse to avoid or get out of scriptural examination of their belief and teachings Tit 3:9  But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.  The verse does not say avoid questions only foolish questions.  A person with a sincere question and examination is not asking a foolish question.  To their understanding it is a valid question and avoiding answering will only leave you or them with a false believe.  We are told to seek truth.

1Pe 3:15  But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

I digest.  After Joshua the judges had the same hard task of keeping Israel the Church pure.  Though they made the mistake of not totally clearing out the Canaanite and other pagan inhabitants as God commanded, I suppose if they had kept themselves to themselves and not mixed it may have been ok.  I mean today many different nationalities live right next door to each other, yet neither knows what each other eats, nor what goes on in their houses.  Many enquire not nor do likewise.

Deu 12:30  Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.

The church, Israel, were snared by enquiring and doing likewise.  As are Christian churches of today and even those seeking to be Messianic.  Those moving from “Christian” to Messianic” retain much of the theology and practices picked up in denominations like the Pentecostal and those Jews seeking to be Messiah followers enquire of the claimed Holy Spirit practices of the same Pentecostal and do likewise.

If the apostles got the gift of healing from Yahshua, could not also satn and his third of the angels have at one time got the same from God?  I am not saying all healing is fake or not of God; but we must use our intelligence to know satn and his ministers can also do lying signs and wonders  (2Th 2:9  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,).  There are many apparent healers on the television etc who we know are not of God despite their claims.  We hear secret stories of their lives and scandals.  So we must go by the word of God and not by sight.  Act 5:32  And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

In the Promised Land, during the judges God had to send Gideon to tear down pagan monuments the people had erected.  After so doing he had to flee, such was the anger of the “Church”.  Finally came Samuel the last judge; but even in his time the priestly sons of Eli had corrupted the system. 

We could dispel all of that history and start with David, the ancestor of the earthly son of Joseph and Mary; but we read in the books of the kings and chronicles the battle to keep Israel pure continued. Some kings had revivals of trying to return the people to Yahweh God while others deliberately took the people as far away as possible.  Some as Jezebel even becoming a byword in the book of Revelations.  Would Israel, the church be where it is today had Solomon not married those pagan wives?  Was he the start of the downfall?  We know Saul tried to rid Israel of false preachers.  Going to the witch of Endor she tells him   1Sa 28:9  And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?

Though David broke and repented for breaking the law we know he is held in high esteem with God who Himself said David was a man after His own heart unlike Solomon his son.  1Ki 11:4  For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.

Well Yahshua the son of God via the seed of David came once to again set up the kingdom of Israel the church.  To show us how to live as Moses taught Israel.  This is our last chance not to be snared, not to enquire how the pagans did or do it and do likewise.  It grieves me when I see sincere seekers, jealous to walk with Yahweh God and get close to Him due to their eagerness and youth in the faith get snared by apparent ministers of righteousness.  Ministers who came through and hang onto the trade markers of the Pentecostal and charismatic system started about 110 years ago. 

You may have seen the recent t.v. advert for Virgin media.  It features Usain Bolt’s 9.58 second 100 meter run world record.  Behind that very quick 10 second dash it shows all the years of continuous training and pain he endures to show you 9.58 seconds of the result.  I am no Usain Bolt in running nor bible understanding; but I do take the study of the bible and denominations traditions seriously.  I try and take in a lot of various information to deliver these advice for your consideration for you to get it right with God.  I cannot show you all that information; so I simply make an offer.  If anyone can scripturally show me my conclusions are wrong, I am willing to pay substantially for the correction.  Money has limited uses; but a good one to which to put it is saving ones soul and that of others.  

Maybe I shouldn’t say this; but as friends, in a way I feel a duty to assist seekers, especially those who come here in countering the counterfeiter and his ministers.   I try not to upset anyone; but I would rather upset and be a pain in your conscience that see you deceived.  And if I am the one deceived, then I welcome the discussion. 

There is real healing by Yahweh God. We all accept that. There is also the fake and deceptive healing of charlatans who make merchandise of seekers and of witchcraft.  Let us be vigilant as we fight not flesh and blood.  The healing that counts is that of your sins.  Numerous places in the Old and New Testaments you would find the call to return to keeping God’s commandments.  The one I will use is  Mat 13:14  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: Mat 13:15  For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.  

Let us be careful on what we stand.  Not necessarily trusting our eyes nor hearts; but solely thus saith Yahweh God via His scriptures.  Let us not shy away from sincere truth seeking discussions; but seek first the kingdom of God not acceptance men nor vain glory.

Shalom.

Open with card trick to show how one’s eyes can be deceived.

We all know and accept there is the Holy and powerful Spirit of God or Holy Spirit as is called in the New Testament.  We should equally know and accept there are spirits not of God.  The bible speaks of many unhealthy spirits.  Of fear, Jealousy, whoredom, unclean devil, of devils, the anti-christ, bondage or of the world.  I am going to speak of one which comes in many disguises.  Of envy, desire, haughty, self or of Egypt where rulers wanted to be and made themselves gods.

In war truth is the first casualty.  Our enemy is the deceiver who is against truth.  Through subtlety and as a minister of light he fights our flesh, blood and mind.  One of our most important defences is truth.  So we must seek it out Joh 4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. Eph 6:14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

I heard this phase in a movie. It was said by a commanding officer to a politician “never tell a soldier he does not know the cost of war”.  We are at war with the devil.  We fight not only for our own lives; but our brethren’s from deceits and to preserve our way of life through our faith.  If they fall, we may be next as divided one falls, together each stand.  Ecc 4:9  Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. Ecc 4:10  For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Ecc 4:12  And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

The fewer the number against the opposition, statistically the harder it is to survive.  That is message of Ecc 4:9-12 although we know God can use the few to conquer the many.

I chose a title for this study that would tempt persons to read it as it is a very important topic.  It has led to two main schools of thought on the recognition of the Holy Spirit in one’s life.  Whichever camp has got it wrong could affect their salvation in the sense they are either being seduced by an unholy spirit or grieving the Holy spirit by not recognising it.   In this study we should see the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. 

1Jn 4:6  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.  

Today I wish us to examine the popular teachings and our belief of healing against the truth of the scriptures.  The first point we should know is when Yahshua, Peter or Paul healed persons, there was no speaking or praying in tongues, putting their hands on the temples or forehead of the sick, pushing them backwards down to the floor, asking for a donation or tithe.  Not even anointing them with oil.  Some of which are the things done today.

John an apostle says they were of God and those who know God would hear him and have the spirit of truth.  So I think a good place to start is in summary try to know God and the apostles.  There are a few other scriptures that refer to the Spirit of God being one of truth.

Psa 31:5  Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.

Joh 5:26  But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; …  [today pastors speak of themselves].

Eph 5:9  (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Eph 5:10  Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. Eph 5:11  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.  See also 2Thes 2:13 which says … through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

So brethren it is all about truth and reproving untruth.  So please empty your cup of pre-beliefs held and let us seek to recognise the truth through proper examination of the bible.

Act 5:32  And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.   The Holy Spirit or Ghost is given to those who obey.  Those in Corinth were not obeying.  Paul’s first letter to them was one of correction not praise.  1Co 5:1  It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.  1Co 5:7  Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:  1Co 5:11  But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.  1Co 6:5  I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? 

There is so much teaching and direction Paul has to give them on many topics that it should be clear the Holy Spirit has not been with them to bring them into remembrance of the scriptures or has taught them.  By the time the letter comes to chapter 14 the teaching and correction is on the topic of tongues and spiritual gifts which they all claim to have 1Co 14:26  How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

When Job got sick he did not ask for healing.  Hezekiah just prayed directly to God and reminded Him of goods works he had done.  Samson, when blinded asked for strength to revenge not healing and also prayed directly to God.   Those who know and obey God and the Messiah do not need a human intercessor for healing, only those who do not.  That is the bible principle.  By going through man for healing you are submitting to the Catholic system of going through a human like the Pope or indulgences purchased.  No man is your intercessor or covering.  You can go boldly to the throne of God.  By submitting to man you deny God’s power to heal without the man.  You are submitting to whoever is behind the man, which may not be Yahweh God.

When Miriam or king in 1 kings 13 had leprosy did they call on elders to lay hand on her or simply call on God?

The devil’s system is to go to another man, like a witch doctor, obe’ man etc and many pastors are putting themselves as your obe’ man or witch doctor equivalent and you are accepting them as your healer calling on spirits like Simon the sorcerer of Acts or Balaam and Balak.

Having God work through a person does not necessarily make them a prophet of God.  God worked through Pharaoh to get His people out of Egypt.

Is there any scripture of Yahshua or apostles stating speaking in tongues is a sign of having the Holy Spirit? NO!  If tongues is a sign does that mean Yahshua never had the Holy Spirit?  There is neither any precept God, Yahshua or the apostles advertised or encouraged persons to come and get healing.  The miracles of God in Egypt was because they did not know Him nor His salvation powers.  Through the miracles not only did Israel know Yahweh God; but so did pharaoh and the Egyptians.  With the prophets i.e. Naaman being cured of his leprosy, he said to Elisha 2Ki 5:15  …. now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel:.

In Luke 4:25 -27 Yahshua said there were many widows and lepers in Israel yet it was non Israelites that were healed.  Why?  He also said the poor and sick will always be with us and believers will go through trials, tribulations and other illnesses mental or physical.  He did not come to heal everybody; but save souls.  Peter and apostles were tortured. Stephen had the Holy Spirit yet was stoned to death. 

The focus of the bible and its teachings is on saving ones soul not their physical health.  Mat 10:28  And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.  Rich, poor, whole or lame, healthy in spirit living in accordance to God’s laws not necessarily healthy body.  We are called to be perfect in spirit and obedience not in physical being.  So even if we have an illness as Job or crippled we all can be perfect in God’s eyes regardless and bring Him glory by our lives.

Though in Mat 10:8 Yahshua gave His disciples power to heal the sick, He nor any of them advertised this power nor used it call people to God.  When they met the sick calling for alms, i.e. money, the healed were not expecting to be cured Act 3:1  Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. Act 3:2  And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Act 3:3  Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. Act 3:4  And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. Act 3:5  And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Act 3:6  Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. Act 3:7  And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. Act 3:8  And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

Yes people came to be healed; but not at the invitation or advertising of the healers and definitely not to exalt their position.  Act 5:12  And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; …  Act 5:14  And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) Act 5:15  Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. Act 5:16  There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.

There are 66 books in the bible, 1,189 chapters and 31,102 verses. The bible is not about miracles nor healing.  The emphasis and use put on it by preachers today.  After God proved Himself to Jacob’s descendants who had not known Him due to being in Egypt for 430 years and delivered them on the other side of the Red sea, their 40 years in the wilderness saw about three miracles.  Excluding specific ones brought about by Miriam’s  leprosy and Korah’s challenge to Moses, we have  manna from heaven, water from the rock and the walls of Jericho falling down.  In the prophets between Ruth and the Messiah, according to what you want to class as a relevant miracle, we have very few.  Some in Daniel, Elijah and Elisha.  So relatively speaking, miracles is not the main teaching of the bible.  Especially those performed by humans.  I think those performed were related to the nation of Israel not an individual with no connection to the nation, like a king or advisor to the king. 

Miracles are for the benefit of the nation and the gathering of unbelievers into that spiritual nation of Israel. 

As Paul said, tongues are for the unbeliever.  As Yahshua said when healing the blind man in John 9:3 “but that the works of God should be made manifest in him”.   Due to time I have to be brief on this point.  His and the apostles miracles was to bring recognition of the coming of the Messiah to the people as those of Egypt was to bring recognition of God to Jacob’s descendants.  Since that recognition, we are to now follow by faith.   We have had the sign of Jonas, the Messiah being in the earth for 3 days and night and rising from the dead.   430 years in the wilderness, thousands to the Messiah, at least 60 in the New Testament and yet only relative few miracles in each section and even less healings. Joh 9:4  I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. Joh 9:5  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

It is no different from marketing of today. When launching a new product you have to advertise and publicise it.  A method is to give free samples, reduced price or demonstrations.  Once the product is established, the freebies are stopped and the product is sold by its reputation, branding or word of mouth.

How did God first get Moses’ attention? With the miracle of the burning bush.  Pharaoh’s and the children of Israel? With the miracles of the plagues.  Thereafter each were supposed to believe in, fear and obey Him.  That was the purpose of the apostles Act 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.  The first miracle of Acts 2 convinced 3,000 immediately.  We take their testimony on faith and our knowledge of the bible and unbelievers take our testimonies then go and study the bible.

I will not go through each miracle; but if we look at the time they were performed, it was at the beginning of Israel’s history, Yahshua’s and the apostles’ ministry for the purpose of bringing the new faith to the population.  The purpose being to bring them to God through the Messiah.  At times it was the faith of the healed that healed them like the woman with the issue touching Yahshua’s garment in Mat 9:20, or the centurion in Mat 8.  The practice of today of taking oil and touching the persons head or body part etc was not needed nor done for healing purposes.  So from where or who did that come for healing.  There are only two scriptures that refer to being sick and oil.

Mar 6:12  And they went out, and preached that men should repent.

Mar 6:13  And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed. (then comes an inserted word “them”.  The insertion of the word “them” makes it sound as if two things happened; cast out of devils and healing of the sick by anointing.  Actually three things happened, casting out of devils, anointing the sick and healing.  A reader will not pick up on this unless, like the KJV, inserted words are in italics.  The purpose of the anointing I will come to later.

In Matthew 17:18 when any healing or a difficult casting out was to be done, Yahshua did not say it comes out with anointing, or elders putting hands on you; but with prayer and fasting. Just like James 5:14  Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord 5:15  And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.   Notice James does not say heal the sick; but save the sick, raise him up, forgive their sins.  All in the context of salvation which comes with death, the result of unhealed sickness.   In the next verse he uses the word “healed” and attributes it to fervent prayer.  Jas 5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.  So clearly James is making a distinction between “save the sick” and heal the sick and how each is accomplished.  The same as his teacher Yahshua.  When Yahshua raised the sick girl or Lazarus, He did not anoint any with oil.

I found 19 New Testament uses for anoint or anointed.  Only one related to healing John 9:6 where Yahshua spat on the ground, mixed the spittle with the earth and “smeared” it over the blind man’s eyes.  The translators called this anointed.  However, when we look at other uses of anointed as in Mark 6:13, Luke 7:38, 46 and John 12:3 we see it is a different Hebrew word.  [insert slide with Strong’s concordance].

Oil is also used for anointing i.e. in fasting Mat 6:17 and burial as with Yahshua Mat 26:12.  So let us examine what Mark and especially James is saying.  Note the oil is only mentioned in regard to the sick and not the casting out of devils.  What generally comes before death, sickness.  Almost in all circumstances or premature death, whether one knows it or not.  Whether the sickness is externally visible or internally invisible.  For such persons we can only pray for them to get better or anoint them for death.  If we word by word read James we should see that is what he is saying. 

James says the elders are to do the act.  Is James going to restrict praying for the sick only to the elders? I do not think so.  What is restricted for to the elders is the anointing before death in the name of Yahshua.  Who did the anointing of king Saul, David or other kings?  A prophet of God.  The elder.  Similar to when one is baptised in the name of Yahshua.  The start and end of their spiritual life is capped or enclosed with Yahshua.  James goes on to add that it is the prayer of faith that saves the sick not the anointing.  But is this “save” to do with saved from the illness or to do with one’s salvation?  I would say one’s salvation otherwise James would have said the pray of faith would heal the sick.  Another clue we have that it is to do with after physical death salvation is James moves onto “and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him”.  In other words raised up from death, the possible result of the sickness; and when raised up in the after life, their sins would have been forgiven because of the encappment of Yahshua on their earthly lives.  Lastly, James says pray for one another that ye may be healed.  Again he puts the healing down to prayer saying such prayers of a singular righteous man, accomplishes much, i.e. the healing from sickness. 

So because people want to be apostles and claim the gifts of the apostles they find a verse on which to stake their claim.  Yet the verse actually does not speak of what they think.  I put one’s pray and cry to God ahead of another intermediary.  Are we saying today that if an atheist or believer cries to God in sincerity, that their pray will not be acted on unless they first go and find an intermediary?  I know the woman in 2 kings 4:23 went to find Elisha to raise her son from death; but preachers today are not of Israel nor Elisha nor at least there is not the multitude of them as we have today.

My point is there is no precedent for anoint a sick person with oil and they get healed.  The anointing was for death or associated with death.  i.e. Mar 14:8  She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. Mar 16:1  And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.

I wonder if there is any significance to Yahshua starting His ministry when He came out the water being baptised with the Holy Spirit descending over His head and the anointing of His feet at the end of His ministry?  Encapsulated from head to toe with anointing.  Should we follow the same?  Being born again in the spirit and being anointed when about to die or a sickness unto death?

There is no precept in bible a large group of congregation gets God’s Spirit.  In the Old Testament Moses was chosen, then 70 elders to help him. Thereafter singular people as Isiah and prophets.  In the New, Yahshua was chosen then 12 or 70 to help.  Then singular Paul.

Others have always wanted what God specifically gave His chosen.  Miriam and Korah in Old Test.  Simon  and the Corinthians in New.

The purpose of miracles is the same as of tongues, for the unbeliever and those not knowing of the gospel.

Rom 15:18  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, Rom 15:19  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. Rom 15:20  Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation: Rom 15:21  But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand.

Jer 31:34  And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

1Jn 2:27  But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

At no time in the biblical examples of tongues did the hearers need an interpreter to know if what was spoken is true or not.  They had their own hearing and understanding.

God always wants us to know He is a God of giving us knowledge and truth.  Truth that we ourselves can know is true without someone necessarily telling us.  By examination through His given scriptures or laws not the interpretations of man.  When God took the Canaanites out of their land because they worshipped other false gods.  Things that were not true.  He replaced them with Israel who knew His ways, laws and requirements.  He takes out the unknown and gives the known.  Likewise when He takes us out of the world into His faith, into knowing of Him, he wants our hearts, mouths etc to know of Him and what we are saying and believing of Him.  Not to have as a necessity someone else interpreting for Him.  He also knows our thoughts so we do not need a language to speak to Him.  The language is so we know what we are thinking and saying  Psa 94:11  The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity. 

Thus when we pray we should be praying in words easy to understand and we know for what we are praying (1Cor 14:9, 11, 16).  And when we get the answers back, we ourselves, the prayer should be able to hear and understand the answers and language.   We are a people of knowledge not of idle or babbling sounds which need a sorcerer, wizard or other as in the Canaanite systems to interpret not only the language of the sounds; but also their meaning.

So brethren if we as an individual cannot discern what is true without relying on an interpreter how are we to know whether what they speak is truth or error?  Real or fake?   God does not operate in a realm whereby we cannot personally testify as to what is true and what is not otherwise we are relying on others of which the bible says there are many fake prophets of the Old Testament and ministers of the New.  Thus tongues is a language the hearer can understand though they may not know what it means.  Just like if I explained rocket science and its formulas to you.

Joh 15:26  But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

1Jn 5:6  …. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.

When I reflect on where God’s church is today, with the infiltration of satn and pagan practices brought in which people belief to be of God.  The Christ mas and such unholy days, the apparent miracles and babble tongues speaking, I tried to think back from when did it start and for how long has such infiltration taken place.   I realised it has been for over four thousand of years.  Almost the entire existence of Israel the Church.  Not only has the infiltration been in the spiritual Church; but the physical land of Israel.  Today the land has gay pride marches and other laws similar to an ungodly country.  The country is trying to serve God on one hand and please the world on the other. 

Rev 2:20  Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.

The country’s leaders are turning to the world for its political and economic policies and protection and would be believers to false prophets and prophetesses for teaching and seductions of the devil.

Acts 7:38 says the church started in the wilderness with Moses.  Even at its formation the followers wanted to be back in Egypt like followers today want to be in Egypt’s church with dancing, babbling and miracles.  I could not really put my finger on where or when the infiltration started.

I cannot remember any instructions for dancing, babbling or even individual miracles of healing by Moses or the elders in Moses’ church.  I am not including Miriam’s leprosy nor the fiery serpent as that is different and of God.  What I can remember is as soon as Moses went missing they reverted to the Egyptian system of dancing, nakedness etc.  Exo 32:7  And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: Exo 32:8  They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

It was not an infiltration of the devil, they had just not left it behind.  Had not renewed their mind totally.  They wanted the good things of God and the nice things of Egypt.

Joshua who came immediately after Moses was aware of the pull of satn on the church.  He said Jos 24:15  And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.   

Was it an infiltration or the fact they drank from an unwashed cup?  The cup being the Promised Land which God told them to clear / clean out thoroughly of its pagan inhabitants.  This they did not do.  Similarly today would be believers do not totally renew their mind; but retain some of the practices and traditions of the world when coming into God’s earthly system.   They do not cut off the arm or pluck out the eye as Yahshua said should be the case i.e. total and immediate separation from the diseases; but try and live with it.  Next when in doubt, rather than go to the words spoken by God, they go to the interpretation of the pastors who draw from the traditions of Egypt’s church. 

Mat 6:7  But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.  Mat_15:9  But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.  Col 2:8  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.   To seek one’s own edification is  vanity.  Something warned against in the bible.  Yet because pastors teach self edification is good they read the same into 1Co 14:4  He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.  Rather than see Paul is saying it is bad.  Edifying the church is the aim as in Act 9:31  Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.   1Co 14:5  I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.  It is obvious the speaker should also understand what “he” is saying.  It is the same “he”.  Just like the precept of Joseph and Daniel speaking and interpreting the dreams, so it should be with language speakers.  Philip and the Eunuch in Acts 8:30, 34 reading and interpreting / understanding the scriptures or Acts 13:15.  That is precisely one of the reasons Yahshua came, to give us the proper understanding of His father’s scriptures rather than the traditional interpretations of the scribes of the day i.e. of what constitutes working on the Sabbath and want is not.

1Ti 6:20  O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:  2Ti 2:16  But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

Many preachers like to use this verse to avoid or get out of scriptural examination of their belief and teachings Tit 3:9  But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.  The verse does not say avoid questions only foolish questions.  A person with a sincere question and examination is not asking a foolish question.  To their understanding it is a valid question and avoiding answering will only leave you or them with a false believe.  We are told to seek truth.

1Pe 3:15  But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

I digest.  After Joshua the judges had the same hard task of keeping Israel the Church pure.  Though they made the mistake of not totally clearing out the Canaanite and other pagan inhabitants as God commanded, I suppose if they had kept themselves to themselves and not mixed it may have been ok.  I mean today many different nationalities live right next door to each other, yet neither knows what each other eats, nor what goes on in their houses.  Many enquire not nor do likewise.

Deu 12:30  Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.

The church, Israel, were snared by enquiring and doing likewise.  As are Christian churches of today and even those seeking to be Messianic.  Those moving from “Christian” to Messianic” retain much of the theology and practices picked up in denominations like the Pentecostal and those Jews seeking to be Messiah followers enquire of the claimed Holy Spirit practices of the same Pentecostal and do likewise.

If the apostles got the gift of healing from Yahshua, could not also satn and his third of the angels have at one time got the same from God?  I am not saying all healing is fake or not of God; but we must use our intelligence to know satn and his ministers can also do lying signs and wonders  (2Th 2:9  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,).  There are many apparent healers on the television etc who we know are not of God despite their claims.  We hear secret stories of their lives and scandals.  So we must go by the word of God and not by sight.  Act 5:32  And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

In the Promised Land, during the judges God had to send Gideon to tear down pagan monuments the people had erected.  After so doing he had to flee, such was the anger of the “Church”.  Finally came Samuel the last judge; but even in his time the priestly sons of Eli had corrupted the system. 

We could dispel all of that history and start with David, the ancestor of the earthly son of Joseph and Mary; but we read in the books of the kings and chronicles the battle to keep Israel pure continued. Some kings had revivals of trying to return the people to Yahweh God while others deliberately took the people as far away as possible.  Some as Jezebel even becoming a byword in the book of Revelations.  Would Israel, the church be where it is today had Solomon not married those pagan wives?  Was he the start of the downfall?  We know Saul tried to rid Israel of false preachers.  Going to the witch of Endor she tells him   1Sa 28:9  And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?

Though David broke and repented for breaking the law we know he is held in high esteem with God who Himself said David was a man after His own heart unlike Solomon his son.  1Ki 11:4  For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.

Well Yahshua the son of God via the seed of David came once to again set up the kingdom of Israel the church.  To show us how to live as Moses taught Israel.  This is our last chance not to be snared, not to enquire how the pagans did or do it and do likewise.  It grieves me when I see sincere seekers, jealous to walk with Yahweh God and get close to Him due to their eagerness and youth in the faith get snared by apparent ministers of righteousness.  Ministers who came through and hang onto the trade markers of the Pentecostal and charismatic system started about 110 years ago. 

You may have seen the recent t.v. advert for Virgin media.  It features Usain Bolt’s 9.58 second 100 meter run world record.  Behind that very quick 10 second dash it shows all the years of continuous training and pain he endures to show you 9.58 seconds of the result.  I am no Usain Bolt in running nor bible understanding; but I do take the study of the bible and denominations traditions seriously.  I try and take in a lot of various information to deliver these advice for your consideration for you to get it right with God.  I cannot show you all that information; so I simply make an offer.  If anyone can scripturally show me my conclusions are wrong, I am willing to pay substantially for the correction.  Money has limited uses; but a good one to which to put it is saving ones soul and that of others.  

Maybe I shouldn’t say this; but as friends, in a way I feel a duty to assist seekers, especially those who come here in countering the counterfeiter and his ministers.   I try not to upset anyone; but I would rather upset and be a pain in your conscience that see you deceived.  And if I am the one deceived, then I welcome the discussion. 

There is real healing by Yahweh God. We all accept that. There is also the fake and deceptive healing of charlatans who make merchandise of seekers and of witchcraft.  Let us be vigilant as we fight not flesh and blood.  The healing that counts is that of your sins.  Numerous places in the Old and New Testaments you would find the call to return to keeping God’s commandments.  The one I will use is  Mat 13:14  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: Mat 13:15  For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.  

Let us be careful on what we stand.  Not necessarily trusting our eyes nor hearts; but solely thus saith Yahweh God via His scriptures.  Let us not shy away from sincere truth seeking discussions; but seek first the kingdom of God not acceptance men nor vain glory.

Shalom.

Open with card trick to show how one’s eyes can be deceived.

We all know and accept there is the Holy and powerful Spirit of God or Holy Spirit as is called in the New Testament.  We should equally know and accept there are spirits not of God.  The bible speaks of many unhealthy spirits.  Of fear, Jealousy, whoredom, unclean devil, of devils, the anti-christ, bondage or of the world.  I am going to speak of one which comes in many disguises.  Of envy, desire, haughty, self or of Egypt where rulers wanted to be and made themselves gods.

In war truth is the first casualty.  Our enemy is the deceiver who is against truth.  Through subtlety and as a minister of light he fights our flesh, blood and mind.  One of our most important defences is truth.  So we must seek it out Joh 4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. Eph 6:14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

I heard this phase in a movie. It was said by a commanding officer to a politician “never tell a soldier he does not know the cost of war”.  We are at war with the devil.  We fight not only for our own lives; but our brethren’s from deceits and to preserve our way of life through our faith.  If they fall, we may be next as divided one falls, together each stand.  Ecc 4:9  Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. Ecc 4:10  For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Ecc 4:12  And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

The fewer the number against the opposition, statistically the harder it is to survive.  That is message of Ecc 4:9-12 although we know God can use the few to conquer the many.

I chose a title for this study that would tempt persons to read it as it is a very important topic.  It has led to two main schools of thought on the recognition of the Holy Spirit in one’s life.  Whichever camp has got it wrong could affect their salvation in the sense they are either being seduced by an unholy spirit or grieving the Holy spirit by not recognising it.   In this study we should see the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. 

1Jn 4:6  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.  

Today I wish us to examine the popular teachings and our belief of healing against the truth of the scriptures.  The first point we should know is when Yahshua, Peter or Paul healed persons, there was no speaking or praying in tongues, putting their hands on the temples or forehead of the sick, pushing them backwards down to the floor, asking for a donation or tithe.  Not even anointing them with oil.  Some of which are the things done today.

John an apostle says they were of God and those who know God would hear him and have the spirit of truth.  So I think a good place to start is in summary try to know God and the apostles.  There are a few other scriptures that refer to the Spirit of God being one of truth.

Psa 31:5  Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.

Joh 5:26  But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; …  [today pastors speak of themselves].

Eph 5:9  (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Eph 5:10  Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. Eph 5:11  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.  See also 2Thes 2:13 which says … through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

So brethren it is all about truth and reproving untruth.  So please empty your cup of pre-beliefs held and let us seek to recognise the truth through proper examination of the bible.

Act 5:32  And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.   The Holy Spirit or Ghost is given to those who obey.  Those in Corinth were not obeying.  Paul’s first letter to them was one of correction not praise.  1Co 5:1  It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.  1Co 5:7  Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:  1Co 5:11  But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.  1Co 6:5  I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? 

There is so much teaching and direction Paul has to give them on many topics that it should be clear the Holy Spirit has not been with them to bring them into remembrance of the scriptures or has taught them.  By the time the letter comes to chapter 14 the teaching and correction is on the topic of tongues and spiritual gifts which they all claim to have 1Co 14:26  How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

When Job got sick he did not ask for healing.  Hezekiah just prayed directly to God and reminded Him of goods works he had done.  Samson, when blinded asked for strength to revenge not healing and also prayed directly to God.   Those who know and obey God and the Messiah do not need a human intercessor for healing, only those who do not.  That is the bible principle.  By going through man for healing you are submitting to the Catholic system of going through a human like the Pope or indulgences purchased.  No man is your intercessor or covering.  You can go boldly to the throne of God.  By submitting to man you deny God’s power to heal without the man.  You are submitting to whoever is behind the man, which may not be Yahweh God.

When Miriam or king in 1 kings 13 had leprosy did they call on elders to lay hand on her or simply call on God?

The devil’s system is to go to another man, like a witch doctor, obe’ man etc and many pastors are putting themselves as your obe’ man or witch doctor equivalent and you are accepting them as your healer calling on spirits like Simon the sorcerer of Acts or Balaam and Balak.

Having God work through a person does not necessarily make them a prophet of God.  God worked through Pharaoh to get His people out of Egypt.

Is there any scripture of Yahshua or apostles stating speaking in tongues is a sign of having the Holy Spirit? NO!  If tongues is a sign does that mean Yahshua never had the Holy Spirit?  There is neither any precept God, Yahshua or the apostles advertised or encouraged persons to come and get healing.  The miracles of God in Egypt was because they did not know Him nor His salvation powers.  Through the miracles not only did Israel know Yahweh God; but so did pharaoh and the Egyptians.  With the prophets i.e. Naaman being cured of his leprosy, he said to Elisha 2Ki 5:15  …. now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel:.

In Luke 4:25 -27 Yahshua said there were many widows and lepers in Israel yet it was non Israelites that were healed.  Why?  He also said the poor and sick will always be with us and believers will go through trials, tribulations and other illnesses mental or physical.  He did not come to heal everybody; but save souls.  Peter and apostles were tortured. Stephen had the Holy Spirit yet was stoned to death. 

The focus of the bible and its teachings is on saving ones soul not their physical health.  Mat 10:28  And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.  Rich, poor, whole or lame, healthy in spirit living in accordance to God’s laws not necessarily healthy body.  We are called to be perfect in spirit and obedience not in physical being.  So even if we have an illness as Job or crippled we all can be perfect in God’s eyes regardless and bring Him glory by our lives.

Though in Mat 10:8 Yahshua gave His disciples power to heal the sick, He nor any of them advertised this power nor used it call people to God.  When they met the sick calling for alms, i.e. money, the healed were not expecting to be cured Act 3:1  Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. Act 3:2  And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Act 3:3  Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. Act 3:4  And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. Act 3:5  And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Act 3:6  Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. Act 3:7  And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. Act 3:8  And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

Yes people came to be healed; but not at the invitation or advertising of the healers and definitely not to exalt their position.  Act 5:12  And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; …  Act 5:14  And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) Act 5:15  Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. Act 5:16  There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.

There are 66 books in the bible, 1,189 chapters and 31,102 verses. The bible is not about miracles nor healing.  The emphasis and use put on it by preachers today.  After God proved Himself to Jacob’s descendants who had not known Him due to being in Egypt for 430 years and delivered them on the other side of the Red sea, their 40 years in the wilderness saw about three miracles.  Excluding specific ones brought about by Miriam’s  leprosy and Korah’s challenge to Moses, we have  manna from heaven, water from the rock and the walls of Jericho falling down.  In the prophets between Ruth and the Messiah, according to what you want to class as a relevant miracle, we have very few.  Some in Daniel, Elijah and Elisha.  So relatively speaking, miracles is not the main teaching of the bible.  Especially those performed by humans.  I think those performed were related to the nation of Israel not an individual with no connection to the nation, like a king or advisor to the king. 

Miracles are for the benefit of the nation and the gathering of unbelievers into that spiritual nation of Israel. 

As Paul said, tongues are for the unbeliever.  As Yahshua said when healing the blind man in John 9:3 “but that the works of God should be made manifest in him”.   Due to time I have to be brief on this point.  His and the apostles miracles was to bring recognition of the coming of the Messiah to the people as those of Egypt was to bring recognition of God to Jacob’s descendants.  Since that recognition, we are to now follow by faith.   We have had the sign of Jonas, the Messiah being in the earth for 3 days and night and rising from the dead.   430 years in the wilderness, thousands to the Messiah, at least 60 in the New Testament and yet only relative few miracles in each section and even less healings. Joh 9:4  I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. Joh 9:5  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

It is no different from marketing of today. When launching a new product you have to advertise and publicise it.  A method is to give free samples, reduced price or demonstrations.  Once the product is established, the freebies are stopped and the product is sold by its reputation, branding or word of mouth.

How did God first get Moses’ attention? With the miracle of the burning bush.  Pharaoh’s and the children of Israel? With the miracles of the plagues.  Thereafter each were supposed to believe in, fear and obey Him.  That was the purpose of the apostles Act 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.  The first miracle of Acts 2 convinced 3,000 immediately.  We take their testimony on faith and our knowledge of the bible and unbelievers take our testimonies then go and study the bible.

I will not go through each miracle; but if we look at the time they were performed, it was at the beginning of Israel’s history, Yahshua’s and the apostles’ ministry for the purpose of bringing the new faith to the population.  The purpose being to bring them to God through the Messiah.  At times it was the faith of the healed that healed them like the woman with the issue touching Yahshua’s garment in Mat 9:20, or the centurion in Mat 8.  The practice of today of taking oil and touching the persons head or body part etc was not needed nor done for healing purposes.  So from where or who did that come for healing.  There are only two scriptures that refer to being sick and oil.

Mar 6:12  And they went out, and preached that men should repent.

Mar 6:13  And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed. (then comes an inserted word “them”.  The insertion of the word “them” makes it sound as if two things happened; cast out of devils and healing of the sick by anointing.  Actually three things happened, casting out of devils, anointing the sick and healing.  A reader will not pick up on this unless, like the KJV, inserted words are in italics.  The purpose of the anointing I will come to later.

In Matthew 17:18 when any healing or a difficult casting out was to be done, Yahshua did not say it comes out with anointing, or elders putting hands on you; but with prayer and fasting. Just like James 5:14  Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord 5:15  And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.   Notice James does not say heal the sick; but save the sick, raise him up, forgive their sins.  All in the context of salvation which comes with death, the result of unhealed sickness.   In the next verse he uses the word “healed” and attributes it to fervent prayer.  Jas 5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.  So clearly James is making a distinction between “save the sick” and heal the sick and how each is accomplished.  The same as his teacher Yahshua.  When Yahshua raised the sick girl or Lazarus, He did not anoint any with oil.

I found 19 New Testament uses for anoint or anointed.  Only one related to healing John 9:6 where Yahshua spat on the ground, mixed the spittle with the earth and “smeared” it over the blind man’s eyes.  The translators called this anointed.  However, when we look at other uses of anointed as in Mark 6:13, Luke 7:38, 46 and John 12:3 we see it is a different Hebrew word.  [insert slide with Strong’s concordance].

Oil is also used for anointing i.e. in fasting Mat 6:17 and burial as with Yahshua Mat 26:12.  So let us examine what Mark and especially James is saying.  Note the oil is only mentioned in regard to the sick and not the casting out of devils.  What generally comes before death, sickness.  Almost in all circumstances or premature death, whether one knows it or not.  Whether the sickness is externally visible or internally invisible.  For such persons we can only pray for them to get better or anoint them for death.  If we word by word read James we should see that is what he is saying. 

James says the elders are to do the act.  Is James going to restrict praying for the sick only to the elders? I do not think so.  What is restricted for to the elders is the anointing before death in the name of Yahshua.  Who did the anointing of king Saul, David or other kings?  A prophet of God.  The elder.  Similar to when one is baptised in the name of Yahshua.  The start and end of their spiritual life is capped or enclosed with Yahshua.  James goes on to add that it is the prayer of faith that saves the sick not the anointing.  But is this “save” to do with saved from the illness or to do with one’s salvation?  I would say one’s salvation otherwise James would have said the pray of faith would heal the sick.  Another clue we have that it is to do with after physical death salvation is James moves onto “and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him”.  In other words raised up from death, the possible result of the sickness; and when raised up in the after life, their sins would have been forgiven because of the encappment of Yahshua on their earthly lives.  Lastly, James says pray for one another that ye may be healed.  Again he puts the healing down to prayer saying such prayers of a singular righteous man, accomplishes much, i.e. the healing from sickness. 

So because people want to be apostles and claim the gifts of the apostles they find a verse on which to stake their claim.  Yet the verse actually does not speak of what they think.  I put one’s pray and cry to God ahead of another intermediary.  Are we saying today that if an atheist or believer cries to God in sincerity, that their pray will not be acted on unless they first go and find an intermediary?  I know the woman in 2 kings 4:23 went to find Elisha to raise her son from death; but preachers today are not of Israel nor Elisha nor at least there is not the multitude of them as we have today.

My point is there is no precedent for anoint a sick person with oil and they get healed.  The anointing was for death or associated with death.  i.e. Mar 14:8  She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. Mar 16:1  And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.

I wonder if there is any significance to Yahshua starting His ministry when He came out the water being baptised with the Holy Spirit descending over His head and the anointing of His feet at the end of His ministry?  Encapsulated from head to toe with anointing.  Should we follow the same?  Being born again in the spirit and being anointed when about to die or a sickness unto death?

There is no precept in bible a large group of congregation gets God’s Spirit.  In the Old Testament Moses was chosen, then 70 elders to help him. Thereafter singular people as Isiah and prophets.  In the New, Yahshua was chosen then 12 or 70 to help.  Then singular Paul.

Others have always wanted what God specifically gave His chosen.  Miriam and Korah in Old Test.  Simon  and the Corinthians in New.

The purpose of miracles is the same as of tongues, for the unbeliever and those not knowing of the gospel.

Rom 15:18  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, Rom 15:19  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. Rom 15:20  Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation: Rom 15:21  But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand.

Jer 31:34  And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

1Jn 2:27  But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

At no time in the biblical examples of tongues did the hearers need an interpreter to know if what was spoken is true or not.  They had their own hearing and understanding.

God always wants us to know He is a God of giving us knowledge and truth.  Truth that we ourselves can know is true without someone necessarily telling us.  By examination through His given scriptures or laws not the interpretations of man.  When God took the Canaanites out of their land because they worshipped other false gods.  Things that were not true.  He replaced them with Israel who knew His ways, laws and requirements.  He takes out the unknown and gives the known.  Likewise when He takes us out of the world into His faith, into knowing of Him, he wants our hearts, mouths etc to know of Him and what we are saying and believing of Him.  Not to have as a necessity someone else interpreting for Him.  He also knows our thoughts so we do not need a language to speak to Him.  The language is so we know what we are thinking and saying  Psa 94:11  The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity. 

Thus when we pray we should be praying in words easy to understand and we know for what we are praying (1Cor 14:9, 11, 16).  And when we get the answers back, we ourselves, the prayer should be able to hear and understand the answers and language.   We are a people of knowledge not of idle or babbling sounds which need a sorcerer, wizard or other as in the Canaanite systems to interpret not only the language of the sounds; but also their meaning.

So brethren if we as an individual cannot discern what is true without relying on an interpreter how are we to know whether what they speak is truth or error?  Real or fake?   God does not operate in a realm whereby we cannot personally testify as to what is true and what is not otherwise we are relying on others of which the bible says there are many fake prophets of the Old Testament and ministers of the New.  Thus tongues is a language the hearer can understand though they may not know what it means.  Just like if I explained rocket science and its formulas to you.

Joh 15:26  But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

1Jn 5:6  …. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.

When I reflect on where God’s church is today, with the infiltration of satn and pagan practices brought in which people belief to be of God.  The Christ mas and such unholy days, the apparent miracles and babble tongues speaking, I tried to think back from when did it start and for how long has such infiltration taken place.   I realised it has been for over four thousand of years.  Almost the entire existence of Israel the Church.  Not only has the infiltration been in the spiritual Church; but the physical land of Israel.  Today the land has gay pride marches and other laws similar to an ungodly country.  The country is trying to serve God on one hand and please the world on the other. 

Rev 2:20  Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.

The country’s leaders are turning to the world for its political and economic policies and protection and would be believers to false prophets and prophetesses for teaching and seductions of the devil.

Acts 7:38 says the church started in the wilderness with Moses.  Even at its formation the followers wanted to be back in Egypt like followers today want to be in Egypt’s church with dancing, babbling and miracles.  I could not really put my finger on where or when the infiltration started.

I cannot remember any instructions for dancing, babbling or even individual miracles of healing by Moses or the elders in Moses’ church.  I am not including Miriam’s leprosy nor the fiery serpent as that is different and of God.  What I can remember is as soon as Moses went missing they reverted to the Egyptian system of dancing, nakedness etc.  Exo 32:7  And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: Exo 32:8  They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

It was not an infiltration of the devil, they had just not left it behind.  Had not renewed their mind totally.  They wanted the good things of God and the nice things of Egypt.

Joshua who came immediately after Moses was aware of the pull of satn on the church.  He said Jos 24:15  And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.   

Was it an infiltration or the fact they drank from an unwashed cup?  The cup being the Promised Land which God told them to clear / clean out thoroughly of its pagan inhabitants.  This they did not do.  Similarly today would be believers do not totally renew their mind; but retain some of the practices and traditions of the world when coming into God’s earthly system.   They do not cut off the arm or pluck out the eye as Yahshua said should be the case i.e. total and immediate separation from the diseases; but try and live with it.  Next when in doubt, rather than go to the words spoken by God, they go to the interpretation of the pastors who draw from the traditions of Egypt’s church. 

Mat 6:7  But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.  Mat_15:9  But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.  Col 2:8  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.   To seek one’s own edification is  vanity.  Something warned against in the bible.  Yet because pastors teach self edification is good they read the same into 1Co 14:4  He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.  Rather than see Paul is saying it is bad.  Edifying the church is the aim as in Act 9:31  Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.   1Co 14:5  I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.  It is obvious the speaker should also understand what “he” is saying.  It is the same “he”.  Just like the precept of Joseph and Daniel speaking and interpreting the dreams, so it should be with language speakers.  Philip and the Eunuch in Acts 8:30, 34 reading and interpreting / understanding the scriptures or Acts 13:15.  That is precisely one of the reasons Yahshua came, to give us the proper understanding of His father’s scriptures rather than the traditional interpretations of the scribes of the day i.e. of what constitutes working on the Sabbath and want is not.

1Ti 6:20  O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:  2Ti 2:16  But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

Many preachers like to use this verse to avoid or get out of scriptural examination of their belief and teachings Tit 3:9  But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.  The verse does not say avoid questions only foolish questions.  A person with a sincere question and examination is not asking a foolish question.  To their understanding it is a valid question and avoiding answering will only leave you or them with a false believe.  We are told to seek truth.

1Pe 3:15  But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

I digest.  After Joshua the judges had the same hard task of keeping Israel the Church pure.  Though they made the mistake of not totally clearing out the Canaanite and other pagan inhabitants as God commanded, I suppose if they had kept themselves to themselves and not mixed it may have been ok.  I mean today many different nationalities live right next door to each other, yet neither knows what each other eats, nor what goes on in their houses.  Many enquire not nor do likewise.

Deu 12:30  Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.

The church, Israel, were snared by enquiring and doing likewise.  As are Christian churches of today and even those seeking to be Messianic.  Those moving from “Christian” to Messianic” retain much of the theology and practices picked up in denominations like the Pentecostal and those Jews seeking to be Messiah followers enquire of the claimed Holy Spirit practices of the same Pentecostal and do likewise.

If the apostles got the gift of healing from Yahshua, could not also satn and his third of the angels have at one time got the same from God?  I am not saying all healing is fake or not of God; but we must use our intelligence to know satn and his ministers can also do lying signs and wonders  (2Th 2:9  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,).  There are many apparent healers on the television etc who we know are not of God despite their claims.  We hear secret stories of their lives and scandals.  So we must go by the word of God and not by sight.  Act 5:32  And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

In the Promised Land, during the judges God had to send Gideon to tear down pagan monuments the people had erected.  After so doing he had to flee, such was the anger of the “Church”.  Finally came Samuel the last judge; but even in his time the priestly sons of Eli had corrupted the system. 

We could dispel all of that history and start with David, the ancestor of the earthly son of Joseph and Mary; but we read in the books of the kings and chronicles the battle to keep Israel pure continued. Some kings had revivals of trying to return the people to Yahweh God while others deliberately took the people as far away as possible.  Some as Jezebel even becoming a byword in the book of Revelations.  Would Israel, the church be where it is today had Solomon not married those pagan wives?  Was he the start of the downfall?  We know Saul tried to rid Israel of false preachers.  Going to the witch of Endor she tells him   1Sa 28:9  And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?

Though David broke and repented for breaking the law we know he is held in high esteem with God who Himself said David was a man after His own heart unlike Solomon his son.  1Ki 11:4  For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.

Well Yahshua the son of God via the seed of David came once to again set up the kingdom of Israel the church.  To show us how to live as Moses taught Israel.  This is our last chance not to be snared, not to enquire how the pagans did or do it and do likewise.  It grieves me when I see sincere seekers, jealous to walk with Yahweh God and get close to Him due to their eagerness and youth in the faith get snared by apparent ministers of righteousness.  Ministers who came through and hang onto the trade markers of the Pentecostal and charismatic system started about 110 years ago. 

You may have seen the recent t.v. advert for Virgin media.  It features Usain Bolt’s 9.58 second 100 meter run world record.  Behind that very quick 10 second dash it shows all the years of continuous training and pain he endures to show you 9.58 seconds of the result.  I am no Usain Bolt in running nor bible understanding; but I do take the study of the bible and denominations traditions seriously.  I try and take in a lot of various information to deliver these advice for your consideration for you to get it right with God.  I cannot show you all that information; so I simply make an offer.  If anyone can scripturally show me my conclusions are wrong, I am willing to pay substantially for the correction.  Money has limited uses; but a good one to which to put it is saving ones soul and that of others.  

Maybe I shouldn’t say this; but as friends, in a way I feel a duty to assist seekers, especially those who come here in countering the counterfeiter and his ministers.   I try not to upset anyone; but I would rather upset and be a pain in your conscience that see you deceived.  And if I am the one deceived, then I welcome the discussion. 

There is real healing by Yahweh God. We all accept that. There is also the fake and deceptive healing of charlatans who make merchandise of seekers and of witchcraft.  Let us be vigilant as we fight not flesh and blood.  The healing that counts is that of your sins.  Numerous places in the Old and New Testaments you would find the call to return to keeping God’s commandments.  The one I will use is  Mat 13:14  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: Mat 13:15  For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.  

Let us be careful on what we stand.  Not necessarily trusting our eyes nor hearts; but solely thus saith Yahweh God via His scriptures.  Let us not shy away from sincere truth seeking discussions; but seek first the kingdom of God not acceptance men nor vain glory.

Shalom.

Open with card trick to show how one’s eyes can be deceived.

We all know and accept there is the Holy and powerful Spirit of God or Holy Spirit as is called in the New Testament.  We should equally know and accept there are spirits not of God.  The bible speaks of many unhealthy spirits.  Of fear, Jealousy, whoredom, unclean devil, of devils, the anti-christ, bondage or of the world.  I am going to speak of one which comes in many disguises.  Of envy, desire, haughty, self or of Egypt where rulers wanted to be and made themselves gods.

In war truth is the first casualty.  Our enemy is the deceiver who is against truth.  Through subtlety and as a minister of light he fights our flesh, blood and mind.  One of our most important defences is truth.  So we must seek it out Joh 4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. Eph 6:14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

I heard this phase in a movie. It was said by a commanding officer to a politician “never tell a soldier he does not know the cost of war”.  We are at war with the devil.  We fight not only for our own lives; but our brethren’s from deceits and to preserve our way of life through our faith.  If they fall, we may be next as divided one falls, together each stand.  Ecc 4:9  Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. Ecc 4:10  For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Ecc 4:12  And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

The fewer the number against the opposition, statistically the harder it is to survive.  That is message of Ecc 4:9-12 although we know God can use the few to conquer the many.

I chose a title for this study that would tempt persons to read it as it is a very important topic.  It has led to two main schools of thought on the recognition of the Holy Spirit in one’s life.  Whichever camp has got it wrong could affect their salvation in the sense they are either being seduced by an unholy spirit or grieving the Holy spirit by not recognising it.   In this study we should see the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. 

1Jn 4:6  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.  

Today I wish us to examine the popular teachings and our belief of healing against the truth of the scriptures.  The first point we should know is when Yahshua, Peter or Paul healed persons, there was no speaking or praying in tongues, putting their hands on the temples or forehead of the sick, pushing them backwards down to the floor, asking for a donation or tithe.  Not even anointing them with oil.  Some of which are the things done today.

John an apostle says they were of God and those who know God would hear him and have the spirit of truth.  So I think a good place to start is in summary try to know God and the apostles.  There are a few other scriptures that refer to the Spirit of God being one of truth.

Psa 31:5  Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.

Joh 5:26  But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; …  [today pastors speak of themselves].

Eph 5:9  (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Eph 5:10  Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. Eph 5:11  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.  See also 2Thes 2:13 which says … through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

So brethren it is all about truth and reproving untruth.  So please empty your cup of pre-beliefs held and let us seek to recognise the truth through proper examination of the bible.

Act 5:32  And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.   The Holy Spirit or Ghost is given to those who obey.  Those in Corinth were not obeying.  Paul’s first letter to them was one of correction not praise.  1Co 5:1  It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.  1Co 5:7  Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:  1Co 5:11  But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.  1Co 6:5  I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? 

There is so much teaching and direction Paul has to give them on many topics that it should be clear the Holy Spirit has not been with them to bring them into remembrance of the scriptures or has taught them.  By the time the letter comes to chapter 14 the teaching and correction is on the topic of tongues and spiritual gifts which they all claim to have 1Co 14:26  How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

When Job got sick he did not ask for healing.  Hezekiah just prayed directly to God and reminded Him of goods works he had done.  Samson, when blinded asked for strength to revenge not healing and also prayed directly to God.   Those who know and obey God and the Messiah do not need a human intercessor for healing, only those who do not.  That is the bible principle.  By going through man for healing you are submitting to the Catholic system of going through a human like the Pope or indulgences purchased.  No man is your intercessor or covering.  You can go boldly to the throne of God.  By submitting to man you deny God’s power to heal without the man.  You are submitting to whoever is behind the man, which may not be Yahweh God.

When Miriam or king in 1 kings 13 had leprosy did they call on elders to lay hand on her or simply call on God?

The devil’s system is to go to another man, like a witch doctor, obe’ man etc and many pastors are putting themselves as your obe’ man or witch doctor equivalent and you are accepting them as your healer calling on spirits like Simon the sorcerer of Acts or Balaam and Balak.

Having God work through a person does not necessarily make them a prophet of God.  God worked through Pharaoh to get His people out of Egypt.

Is there any scripture of Yahshua or apostles stating speaking in tongues is a sign of having the Holy Spirit? NO!  If tongues is a sign does that mean Yahshua never had the Holy Spirit?  There is neither any precept God, Yahshua or the apostles advertised or encouraged persons to come and get healing.  The miracles of God in Egypt was because they did not know Him nor His salvation powers.  Through the miracles not only did Israel know Yahweh God; but so did pharaoh and the Egyptians.  With the prophets i.e. Naaman being cured of his leprosy, he said to Elisha 2Ki 5:15  …. now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel:.

In Luke 4:25 -27 Yahshua said there were many widows and lepers in Israel yet it was non Israelites that were healed.  Why?  He also said the poor and sick will always be with us and believers will go through trials, tribulations and other illnesses mental or physical.  He did not come to heal everybody; but save souls.  Peter and apostles were tortured. Stephen had the Holy Spirit yet was stoned to death. 

The focus of the bible and its teachings is on saving ones soul not their physical health.  Mat 10:28  And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.  Rich, poor, whole or lame, healthy in spirit living in accordance to God’s laws not necessarily healthy body.  We are called to be perfect in spirit and obedience not in physical being.  So even if we have an illness as Job or crippled we all can be perfect in God’s eyes regardless and bring Him glory by our lives.

Though in Mat 10:8 Yahshua gave His disciples power to heal the sick, He nor any of them advertised this power nor used it call people to God.  When they met the sick calling for alms, i.e. money, the healed were not expecting to be cured Act 3:1  Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. Act 3:2  And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Act 3:3  Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. Act 3:4  And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. Act 3:5  And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Act 3:6  Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. Act 3:7  And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. Act 3:8  And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

Yes people came to be healed; but not at the invitation or advertising of the healers and definitely not to exalt their position.  Act 5:12  And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; …  Act 5:14  And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) Act 5:15  Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. Act 5:16  There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.

There are 66 books in the bible, 1,189 chapters and 31,102 verses. The bible is not about miracles nor healing.  The emphasis and use put on it by preachers today.  After God proved Himself to Jacob’s descendants who had not known Him due to being in Egypt for 430 years and delivered them on the other side of the Red sea, their 40 years in the wilderness saw about three miracles.  Excluding specific ones brought about by Miriam’s  leprosy and Korah’s challenge to Moses, we have  manna from heaven, water from the rock and the walls of Jericho falling down.  In the prophets between Ruth and the Messiah, according to what you want to class as a relevant miracle, we have very few.  Some in Daniel, Elijah and Elisha.  So relatively speaking, miracles is not the main teaching of the bible.  Especially those performed by humans.  I think those performed were related to the nation of Israel not an individual with no connection to the nation, like a king or advisor to the king. 

Miracles are for the benefit of the nation and the gathering of unbelievers into that spiritual nation of Israel. 

As Paul said, tongues are for the unbeliever.  As Yahshua said when healing the blind man in John 9:3 “but that the works of God should be made manifest in him”.   Due to time I have to be brief on this point.  His and the apostles miracles was to bring recognition of the coming of the Messiah to the people as those of Egypt was to bring recognition of God to Jacob’s descendants.  Since that recognition, we are to now follow by faith.   We have had the sign of Jonas, the Messiah being in the earth for 3 days and night and rising from the dead.   430 years in the wilderness, thousands to the Messiah, at least 60 in the New Testament and yet only relative few miracles in each section and even less healings. Joh 9:4  I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. Joh 9:5  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

It is no different from marketing of today. When launching a new product you have to advertise and publicise it.  A method is to give free samples, reduced price or demonstrations.  Once the product is established, the freebies are stopped and the product is sold by its reputation, branding or word of mouth.

How did God first get Moses’ attention? With the miracle of the burning bush.  Pharaoh’s and the children of Israel? With the miracles of the plagues.  Thereafter each were supposed to believe in, fear and obey Him.  That was the purpose of the apostles Act 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.  The first miracle of Acts 2 convinced 3,000 immediately.  We take their testimony on faith and our knowledge of the bible and unbelievers take our testimonies then go and study the bible.

I will not go through each miracle; but if we look at the time they were performed, it was at the beginning of Israel’s history, Yahshua’s and the apostles’ ministry for the purpose of bringing the new faith to the population.  The purpose being to bring them to God through the Messiah.  At times it was the faith of the healed that healed them like the woman with the issue touching Yahshua’s garment in Mat 9:20, or the centurion in Mat 8.  The practice of today of taking oil and touching the persons head or body part etc was not needed nor done for healing purposes.  So from where or who did that come for healing.  There are only two scriptures that refer to being sick and oil.

Mar 6:12  And they went out, and preached that men should repent.

Mar 6:13  And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed. (then comes an inserted word “them”.  The insertion of the word “them” makes it sound as if two things happened; cast out of devils and healing of the sick by anointing.  Actually three things happened, casting out of devils, anointing the sick and healing.  A reader will not pick up on this unless, like the KJV, inserted words are in italics.  The purpose of the anointing I will come to later.

In Matthew 17:18 when any healing or a difficult casting out was to be done, Yahshua did not say it comes out with anointing, or elders putting hands on you; but with prayer and fasting. Just like James 5:14  Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord 5:15  And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.   Notice James does not say heal the sick; but save the sick, raise him up, forgive their sins.  All in the context of salvation which comes with death, the result of unhealed sickness.   In the next verse he uses the word “healed” and attributes it to fervent prayer.  Jas 5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.  So clearly James is making a distinction between “save the sick” and heal the sick and how each is accomplished.  The same as his teacher Yahshua.  When Yahshua raised the sick girl or Lazarus, He did not anoint any with oil.

I found 19 New Testament uses for anoint or anointed.  Only one related to healing John 9:6 where Yahshua spat on the ground, mixed the spittle with the earth and “smeared” it over the blind man’s eyes.  The translators called this anointed.  However, when we look at other uses of anointed as in Mark 6:13, Luke 7:38, 46 and John 12:3 we see it is a different Hebrew word.  [insert slide with Strong’s concordance].

Oil is also used for anointing i.e. in fasting Mat 6:17 and burial as with Yahshua Mat 26:12.  So let us examine what Mark and especially James is saying.  Note the oil is only mentioned in regard to the sick and not the casting out of devils.  What generally comes before death, sickness.  Almost in all circumstances or premature death, whether one knows it or not.  Whether the sickness is externally visible or internally invisible.  For such persons we can only pray for them to get better or anoint them for death.  If we word by word read James we should see that is what he is saying. 

James says the elders are to do the act.  Is James going to restrict praying for the sick only to the elders? I do not think so.  What is restricted for to the elders is the anointing before death in the name of Yahshua.  Who did the anointing of king Saul, David or other kings?  A prophet of God.  The elder.  Similar to when one is baptised in the name of Yahshua.  The start and end of their spiritual life is capped or enclosed with Yahshua.  James goes on to add that it is the prayer of faith that saves the sick not the anointing.  But is this “save” to do with saved from the illness or to do with one’s salvation?  I would say one’s salvation otherwise James would have said the pray of faith would heal the sick.  Another clue we have that it is to do with after physical death salvation is James moves onto “and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him”.  In other words raised up from death, the possible result of the sickness; and when raised up in the after life, their sins would have been forgiven because of the encappment of Yahshua on their earthly lives.  Lastly, James says pray for one another that ye may be healed.  Again he puts the healing down to prayer saying such prayers of a singular righteous man, accomplishes much, i.e. the healing from sickness. 

So because people want to be apostles and claim the gifts of the apostles they find a verse on which to stake their claim.  Yet the verse actually does not speak of what they think.  I put one’s pray and cry to God ahead of another intermediary.  Are we saying today that if an atheist or believer cries to God in sincerity, that their pray will not be acted on unless they first go and find an intermediary?  I know the woman in 2 kings 4:23 went to find Elisha to raise her son from death; but preachers today are not of Israel nor Elisha nor at least there is not the multitude of them as we have today.

My point is there is no precedent for anoint a sick person with oil and they get healed.  The anointing was for death or associated with death.  i.e. Mar 14:8  She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. Mar 16:1  And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.

I wonder if there is any significance to Yahshua starting His ministry when He came out the water being baptised with the Holy Spirit descending over His head and the anointing of His feet at the end of His ministry?  Encapsulated from head to toe with anointing.  Should we follow the same?  Being born again in the spirit and being anointed when about to die or a sickness unto death?

There is no precept in bible a large group of congregation gets God’s Spirit.  In the Old Testament Moses was chosen, then 70 elders to help him. Thereafter singular people as Isiah and prophets.  In the New, Yahshua was chosen then 12 or 70 to help.  Then singular Paul.

Others have always wanted what God specifically gave His chosen.  Miriam and Korah in Old Test.  Simon  and the Corinthians in New.

The purpose of miracles is the same as of tongues, for the unbeliever and those not knowing of the gospel.

Rom 15:18  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, Rom 15:19  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. Rom 15:20  Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation: Rom 15:21  But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand.

Jer 31:34  And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

1Jn 2:27  But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

At no time in the biblical examples of tongues did the hearers need an interpreter to know if what was spoken is true or not.  They had their own hearing and understanding.

God always wants us to know He is a God of giving us knowledge and truth.  Truth that we ourselves can know is true without someone necessarily telling us.  By examination through His given scriptures or laws not the interpretations of man.  When God took the Canaanites out of their land because they worshipped other false gods.  Things that were not true.  He replaced them with Israel who knew His ways, laws and requirements.  He takes out the unknown and gives the known.  Likewise when He takes us out of the world into His faith, into knowing of Him, he wants our hearts, mouths etc to know of Him and what we are saying and believing of Him.  Not to have as a necessity someone else interpreting for Him.  He also knows our thoughts so we do not need a language to speak to Him.  The language is so we know what we are thinking and saying  Psa 94:11  The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity. 

Thus when we pray we should be praying in words easy to understand and we know for what we are praying (1Cor 14:9, 11, 16).  And when we get the answers back, we ourselves, the prayer should be able to hear and understand the answers and language.   We are a people of knowledge not of idle or babbling sounds which need a sorcerer, wizard or other as in the Canaanite systems to interpret not only the language of the sounds; but also their meaning.

So brethren if we as an individual cannot discern what is true without relying on an interpreter how are we to know whether what they speak is truth or error?  Real or fake?   God does not operate in a realm whereby we cannot personally testify as to what is true and what is not otherwise we are relying on others of which the bible says there are many fake prophets of the Old Testament and ministers of the New.  Thus tongues is a language the hearer can understand though they may not know what it means.  Just like if I explained rocket science and its formulas to you.

Joh 15:26  But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

1Jn 5:6  …. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.

When I reflect on where God’s church is today, with the infiltration of satn and pagan practices brought in which people belief to be of God.  The Christ mas and such unholy days, the apparent miracles and babble tongues speaking, I tried to think back from when did it start and for how long has such infiltration taken place.   I realised it has been for over four thousand of years.  Almost the entire existence of Israel the Church.  Not only has the infiltration been in the spiritual Church; but the physical land of Israel.  Today the land has gay pride marches and other laws similar to an ungodly country.  The country is trying to serve God on one hand and please the world on the other. 

Rev 2:20  Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.

The country’s leaders are turning to the world for its political and economic policies and protection and would be believers to false prophets and prophetesses for teaching and seductions of the devil.

Acts 7:38 says the church started in the wilderness with Moses.  Even at its formation the followers wanted to be back in Egypt like followers today want to be in Egypt’s church with dancing, babbling and miracles.  I could not really put my finger on where or when the infiltration started.

I cannot remember any instructions for dancing, babbling or even individual miracles of healing by Moses or the elders in Moses’ church.  I am not including Miriam’s leprosy nor the fiery serpent as that is different and of God.  What I can remember is as soon as Moses went missing they reverted to the Egyptian system of dancing, nakedness etc.  Exo 32:7  And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: Exo 32:8  They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

It was not an infiltration of the devil, they had just not left it behind.  Had not renewed their mind totally.  They wanted the good things of God and the nice things of Egypt.

Joshua who came immediately after Moses was aware of the pull of satn on the church.  He said Jos 24:15  And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.   

Was it an infiltration or the fact they drank from an unwashed cup?  The cup being the Promised Land which God told them to clear / clean out thoroughly of its pagan inhabitants.  This they did not do.  Similarly today would be believers do not totally renew their mind; but retain some of the practices and traditions of the world when coming into God’s earthly system.   They do not cut off the arm or pluck out the eye as Yahshua said should be the case i.e. total and immediate separation from the diseases; but try and live with it.  Next when in doubt, rather than go to the words spoken by God, they go to the interpretation of the pastors who draw from the traditions of Egypt’s church. 

Mat 6:7  But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.  Mat_15:9  But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.  Col 2:8  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.   To seek one’s own edification is  vanity.  Something warned against in the bible.  Yet because pastors teach self edification is good they read the same into 1Co 14:4  He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.  Rather than see Paul is saying it is bad.  Edifying the church is the aim as in Act 9:31  Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.   1Co 14:5  I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.  It is obvious the speaker should also understand what “he” is saying.  It is the same “he”.  Just like the precept of Joseph and Daniel speaking and interpreting the dreams, so it should be with language speakers.  Philip and the Eunuch in Acts 8:30, 34 reading and interpreting / understanding the scriptures or Acts 13:15.  That is precisely one of the reasons Yahshua came, to give us the proper understanding of His father’s scriptures rather than the traditional interpretations of the scribes of the day i.e. of what constitutes working on the Sabbath and want is not.

1Ti 6:20  O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:  2Ti 2:16  But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

Many preachers like to use this verse to avoid or get out of scriptural examination of their belief and teachings Tit 3:9  But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.  The verse does not say avoid questions only foolish questions.  A person with a sincere question and examination is not asking a foolish question.  To their understanding it is a valid question and avoiding answering will only leave you or them with a false believe.  We are told to seek truth.

1Pe 3:15  But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

I digest.  After Joshua the judges had the same hard task of keeping Israel the Church pure.  Though they made the mistake of not totally clearing out the Canaanite and other pagan inhabitants as God commanded, I suppose if they had kept themselves to themselves and not mixed it may have been ok.  I mean today many different nationalities live right next door to each other, yet neither knows what each other eats, nor what goes on in their houses.  Many enquire not nor do likewise.

Deu 12:30  Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.

The church, Israel, were snared by enquiring and doing likewise.  As are Christian churches of today and even those seeking to be Messianic.  Those moving from “Christian” to Messianic” retain much of the theology and practices picked up in denominations like the Pentecostal and those Jews seeking to be Messiah followers enquire of the claimed Holy Spirit practices of the same Pentecostal and do likewise.

If the apostles got the gift of healing from Yahshua, could not also satn and his third of the angels have at one time got the same from God?  I am not saying all healing is fake or not of God; but we must use our intelligence to know satn and his ministers can also do lying signs and wonders  (2Th 2:9  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,).  There are many apparent healers on the television etc who we know are not of God despite their claims.  We hear secret stories of their lives and scandals.  So we must go by the word of God and not by sight.  Act 5:32  And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

In the Promised Land, during the judges God had to send Gideon to tear down pagan monuments the people had erected.  After so doing he had to flee, such was the anger of the “Church”.  Finally came Samuel the last judge; but even in his time the priestly sons of Eli had corrupted the system. 

We could dispel all of that history and start with David, the ancestor of the earthly son of Joseph and Mary; but we read in the books of the kings and chronicles the battle to keep Israel pure continued. Some kings had revivals of trying to return the people to Yahweh God while others deliberately took the people as far away as possible.  Some as Jezebel even becoming a byword in the book of Revelations.  Would Israel, the church be where it is today had Solomon not married those pagan wives?  Was he the start of the downfall?  We know Saul tried to rid Israel of false preachers.  Going to the witch of Endor she tells him   1Sa 28:9  And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?

Though David broke and repented for breaking the law we know he is held in high esteem with God who Himself said David was a man after His own heart unlike Solomon his son.  1Ki 11:4  For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.

Well Yahshua the son of God via the seed of David came once to again set up the kingdom of Israel the church.  To show us how to live as Moses taught Israel.  This is our last chance not to be snared, not to enquire how the pagans did or do it and do likewise.  It grieves me when I see sincere seekers, jealous to walk with Yahweh God and get close to Him due to their eagerness and youth in the faith get snared by apparent ministers of righteousness.  Ministers who came through and hang onto the trade markers of the Pentecostal and charismatic system started about 110 years ago. 

You may have seen the recent t.v. advert for Virgin media.  It features Usain Bolt’s 9.58 second 100 meter run world record.  Behind that very quick 10 second dash it shows all the years of continuous training and pain he endures to show you 9.58 seconds of the result.  I am no Usain Bolt in running nor bible understanding; but I do take the study of the bible and denominations traditions seriously.  I try and take in a lot of various information to deliver these advice for your consideration for you to get it right with God.  I cannot show you all that information; so I simply make an offer.  If anyone can scripturally show me my conclusions are wrong, I am willing to pay substantially for the correction.  Money has limited uses; but a good one to which to put it is saving ones soul and that of others.  

Maybe I shouldn’t say this; but as friends, in a way I feel a duty to assist seekers, especially those who come here in countering the counterfeiter and his ministers.   I try not to upset anyone; but I would rather upset and be a pain in your conscience that see you deceived.  And if I am the one deceived, then I welcome the discussion. 

There is real healing by Yahweh God. We all accept that. There is also the fake and deceptive healing of charlatans who make merchandise of seekers and of witchcraft.  Let us be vigilant as we fight not flesh and blood.  The healing that counts is that of your sins.  Numerous places in the Old and New Testaments you would find the call to return to keeping God’s commandments.  The one I will use is  Mat 13:14  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: Mat 13:15  For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.  

Let us be careful on what we stand.  Not necessarily trusting our eyes nor hearts; but solely thus saith Yahweh God via His scriptures.  Let us not shy away from sincere truth seeking discussions; but seek first the kingdom of God not acceptance men nor vain glory.

Shalom.

Open with card trick to show how one’s eyes can be deceived.

We all know and accept there is the Holy and powerful Spirit of God or Holy Spirit as is called in the New Testament.  We should equally know and accept there are spirits not of God.  The bible speaks of many unhealthy spirits.  Of fear, Jealousy, whoredom, unclean devil, of devils, the anti-christ, bondage or of the world.  I am going to speak of one which comes in many disguises.  Of envy, desire, haughty, self or of Egypt where rulers wanted to be and made themselves gods.

In war truth is the first casualty.  Our enemy is the deceiver who is against truth.  Through subtlety and as a minister of light he fights our flesh, blood and mind.  One of our most important defences is truth.  So we must seek it out Joh 4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. Eph 6:14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

I heard this phase in a movie. It was said by a commanding officer to a politician “never tell a soldier he does not know the cost of war”.  We are at war with the devil.  We fight not only for our own lives; but our brethren’s from deceits and to preserve our way of life through our faith.  If they fall, we may be next as divided one falls, together each stand.  Ecc 4:9  Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. Ecc 4:10  For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Ecc 4:12  And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

The fewer the number against the opposition, statistically the harder it is to survive.  That is message of Ecc 4:9-12 although we know God can use the few to conquer the many.

I chose a title for this study that would tempt persons to read it as it is a very important topic.  It has led to two main schools of thought on the recognition of the Holy Spirit in one’s life.  Whichever camp has got it wrong could affect their salvation in the sense they are either being seduced by an unholy spirit or grieving the Holy spirit by not recognising it.   In this study we should see the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. 

1Jn 4:6  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.  

Today I wish us to examine the popular teachings and our belief of healing against the truth of the scriptures.  The first point we should know is when Yahshua, Peter or Paul healed persons, there was no speaking or praying in tongues, putting their hands on the temples or forehead of the sick, pushing them backwards down to the floor, asking for a donation or tithe.  Not even anointing them with oil.  Some of which are the things done today.

John an apostle says they were of God and those who know God would hear him and have the spirit of truth.  So I think a good place to start is in summary try to know God and the apostles.  There are a few other scriptures that refer to the Spirit of God being one of truth.

Psa 31:5  Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.

Joh 5:26  But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; …  [today pastors speak of themselves].

Eph 5:9  (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Eph 5:10  Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. Eph 5:11  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.  See also 2Thes 2:13 which says … through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

So brethren it is all about truth and reproving untruth.  So please empty your cup of pre-beliefs held and let us seek to recognise the truth through proper examination of the bible.

Act 5:32  And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.   The Holy Spirit or Ghost is given to those who obey.  Those in Corinth were not obeying.  Paul’s first letter to them was one of correction not praise.  1Co 5:1  It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.  1Co 5:7  Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:  1Co 5:11  But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.  1Co 6:5  I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? 

There is so much teaching and direction Paul has to give them on many topics that it should be clear the Holy Spirit has not been with them to bring them into remembrance of the scriptures or has taught them.  By the time the letter comes to chapter 14 the teaching and correction is on the topic of tongues and spiritual gifts which they all claim to have 1Co 14:26  How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

When Job got sick he did not ask for healing.  Hezekiah just prayed directly to God and reminded Him of goods works he had done.  Samson, when blinded asked for strength to revenge not healing and also prayed directly to God.   Those who know and obey God and the Messiah do not need a human intercessor for healing, only those who do not.  That is the bible principle.  By going through man for healing you are submitting to the Catholic system of going through a human like the Pope or indulgences purchased.  No man is your intercessor or covering.  You can go boldly to the throne of God.  By submitting to man you deny God’s power to heal without the man.  You are submitting to whoever is behind the man, which may not be Yahweh God.

When Miriam or king in 1 kings 13 had leprosy did they call on elders to lay hand on her or simply call on God?

The devil’s system is to go to another man, like a witch doctor, obe’ man etc and many pastors are putting themselves as your obe’ man or witch doctor equivalent and you are accepting them as your healer calling on spirits like Simon the sorcerer of Acts or Balaam and Balak.

Having God work through a person does not necessarily make them a prophet of God.  God worked through Pharaoh to get His people out of Egypt.

Is there any scripture of Yahshua or apostles stating speaking in tongues is a sign of having the Holy Spirit? NO!  If tongues is a sign does that mean Yahshua never had the Holy Spirit?  There is neither any precept God, Yahshua or the apostles advertised or encouraged persons to come and get healing.  The miracles of God in Egypt was because they did not know Him nor His salvation powers.  Through the miracles not only did Israel know Yahweh God; but so did pharaoh and the Egyptians.  With the prophets i.e. Naaman being cured of his leprosy, he said to Elisha 2Ki 5:15  …. now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel:.

In Luke 4:25 -27 Yahshua said there were many widows and lepers in Israel yet it was non Israelites that were healed.  Why?  He also said the poor and sick will always be with us and believers will go through trials, tribulations and other illnesses mental or physical.  He did not come to heal everybody; but save souls.  Peter and apostles were tortured. Stephen had the Holy Spirit yet was stoned to death. 

The focus of the bible and its teachings is on saving ones soul not their physical health.  Mat 10:28  And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.  Rich, poor, whole or lame, healthy in spirit living in accordance to God’s laws not necessarily healthy body.  We are called to be perfect in spirit and obedience not in physical being.  So even if we have an illness as Job or crippled we all can be perfect in God’s eyes regardless and bring Him glory by our lives.

Though in Mat 10:8 Yahshua gave His disciples power to heal the sick, He nor any of them advertised this power nor used it call people to God.  When they met the sick calling for alms, i.e. money, the healed were not expecting to be cured Act 3:1  Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. Act 3:2  And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Act 3:3  Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. Act 3:4  And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. Act 3:5  And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Act 3:6  Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. Act 3:7  And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. Act 3:8  And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

Yes people came to be healed; but not at the invitation or advertising of the healers and definitely not to exalt their position.  Act 5:12  And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; …  Act 5:14  And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) Act 5:15  Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. Act 5:16  There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.

There are 66 books in the bible, 1,189 chapters and 31,102 verses. The bible is not about miracles nor healing.  The emphasis and use put on it by preachers today.  After God proved Himself to Jacob’s descendants who had not known Him due to being in Egypt for 430 years and delivered them on the other side of the Red sea, their 40 years in the wilderness saw about three miracles.  Excluding specific ones brought about by Miriam’s  leprosy and Korah’s challenge to Moses, we have  manna from heaven, water from the rock and the walls of Jericho falling down.  In the prophets between Ruth and the Messiah, according to what you want to class as a relevant miracle, we have very few.  Some in Daniel, Elijah and Elisha.  So relatively speaking, miracles is not the main teaching of the bible.  Especially those performed by humans.  I think those performed were related to the nation of Israel not an individual with no connection to the nation, like a king or advisor to the king. 

Miracles are for the benefit of the nation and the gathering of unbelievers into that spiritual nation of Israel. 

As Paul said, tongues are for the unbeliever.  As Yahshua said when healing the blind man in John 9:3 “but that the works of God should be made manifest in him”.   Due to time I have to be brief on this point.  His and the apostles miracles was to bring recognition of the coming of the Messiah to the people as those of Egypt was to bring recognition of God to Jacob’s descendants.  Since that recognition, we are to now follow by faith.   We have had the sign of Jonas, the Messiah being in the earth for 3 days and night and rising from the dead.   430 years in the wilderness, thousands to the Messiah, at least 60 in the New Testament and yet only relative few miracles in each section and even less healings. Joh 9:4  I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. Joh 9:5  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

It is no different from marketing of today. When launching a new product you have to advertise and publicise it.  A method is to give free samples, reduced price or demonstrations.  Once the product is established, the freebies are stopped and the product is sold by its reputation, branding or word of mouth.

How did God first get Moses’ attention? With the miracle of the burning bush.  Pharaoh’s and the children of Israel? With the miracles of the plagues.  Thereafter each were supposed to believe in, fear and obey Him.  That was the purpose of the apostles Act 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.  The first miracle of Acts 2 convinced 3,000 immediately.  We take their testimony on faith and our knowledge of the bible and unbelievers take our testimonies then go and study the bible.

I will not go through each miracle; but if we look at the time they were performed, it was at the beginning of Israel’s history, Yahshua’s and the apostles’ ministry for the purpose of bringing the new faith to the population.  The purpose being to bring them to God through the Messiah.  At times it was the faith of the healed that healed them like the woman with the issue touching Yahshua’s garment in Mat 9:20, or the centurion in Mat 8.  The practice of today of taking oil and touching the persons head or body part etc was not needed nor done for healing purposes.  So from where or who did that come for healing.  There are only two scriptures that refer to being sick and oil.

Mar 6:12  And they went out, and preached that men should repent.

Mar 6:13  And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed. (then comes an inserted word “them”.  The insertion of the word “them” makes it sound as if two things happened; cast out of devils and healing of the sick by anointing.  Actually three things happened, casting out of devils, anointing the sick and healing.  A reader will not pick up on this unless, like the KJV, inserted words are in italics.  The purpose of the anointing I will come to later.

In Matthew 17:18 when any healing or a difficult casting out was to be done, Yahshua did not say it comes out with anointing, or elders putting hands on you; but with prayer and fasting. Just like James 5:14  Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord 5:15  And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.   Notice James does not say heal the sick; but save the sick, raise him up, forgive their sins.  All in the context of salvation which comes with death, the result of unhealed sickness.   In the next verse he uses the word “healed” and attributes it to fervent prayer.  Jas 5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.  So clearly James is making a distinction between “save the sick” and heal the sick and how each is accomplished.  The same as his teacher Yahshua.  When Yahshua raised the sick girl or Lazarus, He did not anoint any with oil.

I found 19 New Testament uses for anoint or anointed.  Only one related to healing John 9:6 where Yahshua spat on the ground, mixed the spittle with the earth and “smeared” it over the blind man’s eyes.  The translators called this anointed.  However, when we look at other uses of anointed as in Mark 6:13, Luke 7:38, 46 and John 12:3 we see it is a different Hebrew word.  [insert slide with Strong’s concordance].

Oil is also used for anointing i.e. in fasting Mat 6:17 and burial as with Yahshua Mat 26:12.  So let us examine what Mark and especially James is saying.  Note the oil is only mentioned in regard to the sick and not the casting out of devils.  What generally comes before death, sickness.  Almost in all circumstances or premature death, whether one knows it or not.  Whether the sickness is externally visible or internally invisible.  For such persons we can only pray for them to get better or anoint them for death.  If we word by word read James we should see that is what he is saying. 

James says the elders are to do the act.  Is James going to restrict praying for the sick only to the elders? I do not think so.  What is restricted for to the elders is the anointing before death in the name of Yahshua.  Who did the anointing of king Saul, David or other kings?  A prophet of God.  The elder.  Similar to when one is baptised in the name of Yahshua.  The start and end of their spiritual life is capped or enclosed with Yahshua.  James goes on to add that it is the prayer of faith that saves the sick not the anointing.  But is this “save” to do with saved from the illness or to do with one’s salvation?  I would say one’s salvation otherwise James would have said the pray of faith would heal the sick.  Another clue we have that it is to do with after physical death salvation is James moves onto “and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him”.  In other words raised up from death, the possible result of the sickness; and when raised up in the after life, their sins would have been forgiven because of the encappment of Yahshua on their earthly lives.  Lastly, James says pray for one another that ye may be healed.  Again he puts the healing down to prayer saying such prayers of a singular righteous man, accomplishes much, i.e. the healing from sickness. 

So because people want to be apostles and claim the gifts of the apostles they find a verse on which to stake their claim.  Yet the verse actually does not speak of what they think.  I put one’s pray and cry to God ahead of another intermediary.  Are we saying today that if an atheist or believer cries to God in sincerity, that their pray will not be acted on unless they first go and find an intermediary?  I know the woman in 2 kings 4:23 went to find Elisha to raise her son from death; but preachers today are not of Israel nor Elisha nor at least there is not the multitude of them as we have today.

My point is there is no precedent for anoint a sick person with oil and they get healed.  The anointing was for death or associated with death.  i.e. Mar 14:8  She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. Mar 16:1  And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.

I wonder if there is any significance to Yahshua starting His ministry when He came out the water being baptised with the Holy Spirit descending over His head and the anointing of His feet at the end of His ministry?  Encapsulated from head to toe with anointing.  Should we follow the same?  Being born again in the spirit and being anointed when about to die or a sickness unto death?

There is no precept in bible a large group of congregation gets God’s Spirit.  In the Old Testament Moses was chosen, then 70 elders to help him. Thereafter singular people as Isiah and prophets.  In the New, Yahshua was chosen then 12 or 70 to help.  Then singular Paul.

Others have always wanted what God specifically gave His chosen.  Miriam and Korah in Old Test.  Simon  and the Corinthians in New.

The purpose of miracles is the same as of tongues, for the unbeliever and those not knowing of the gospel.

Rom 15:18  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, Rom 15:19  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. Rom 15:20  Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation: Rom 15:21  But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand.

Jer 31:34  And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

1Jn 2:27  But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

At no time in the biblical examples of tongues did the hearers need an interpreter to know if what was spoken is true or not.  They had their own hearing and understanding.

God always wants us to know He is a God of giving us knowledge and truth.  Truth that we ourselves can know is true without someone necessarily telling us.  By examination through His given scriptures or laws not the interpretations of man.  When God took the Canaanites out of their land because they worshipped other false gods.  Things that were not true.  He replaced them with Israel who knew His ways, laws and requirements.  He takes out the unknown and gives the known.  Likewise when He takes us out of the world into His faith, into knowing of Him, he wants our hearts, mouths etc to know of Him and what we are saying and believing of Him.  Not to have as a necessity someone else interpreting for Him.  He also knows our thoughts so we do not need a language to speak to Him.  The language is so we know what we are thinking and saying  Psa 94:11  The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity. 

Thus when we pray we should be praying in words easy to understand and we know for what we are praying (1Cor 14:9, 11, 16).  And when we get the answers back, we ourselves, the prayer should be able to hear and understand the answers and language.   We are a people of knowledge not of idle or babbling sounds which need a sorcerer, wizard or other as in the Canaanite systems to interpret not only the language of the sounds; but also their meaning.

So brethren if we as an individual cannot discern what is true without relying on an interpreter how are we to know whether what they speak is truth or error?  Real or fake?   God does not operate in a realm whereby we cannot personally testify as to what is true and what is not otherwise we are relying on others of which the bible says there are many fake prophets of the Old Testament and ministers of the New.  Thus tongues is a language the hearer can understand though they may not know what it means.  Just like if I explained rocket science and its formulas to you.

Joh 15:26  But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

1Jn 5:6  …. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.

When I reflect on where God’s church is today, with the infiltration of satn and pagan practices brought in which people belief to be of God.  The Christ mas and such unholy days, the apparent miracles and babble tongues speaking, I tried to think back from when did it start and for how long has such infiltration taken place.   I realised it has been for over four thousand of years.  Almost the entire existence of Israel the Church.  Not only has the infiltration been in the spiritual Church; but the physical land of Israel.  Today the land has gay pride marches and other laws similar to an ungodly country.  The country is trying to serve God on one hand and please the world on the other. 

Rev 2:20  Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.

The country’s leaders are turning to the world for its political and economic policies and protection and would be believers to false prophets and prophetesses for teaching and seductions of the devil.

Acts 7:38 says the church started in the wilderness with Moses.  Even at its formation the followers wanted to be back in Egypt like followers today want to be in Egypt’s church with dancing, babbling and miracles.  I could not really put my finger on where or when the infiltration started.

I cannot remember any instructions for dancing, babbling or even individual miracles of healing by Moses or the elders in Moses’ church.  I am not including Miriam’s leprosy nor the fiery serpent as that is different and of God.  What I can remember is as soon as Moses went missing they reverted to the Egyptian system of dancing, nakedness etc.  Exo 32:7  And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: Exo 32:8  They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

It was not an infiltration of the devil, they had just not left it behind.  Had not renewed their mind totally.  They wanted the good things of God and the nice things of Egypt.

Joshua who came immediately after Moses was aware of the pull of satn on the church.  He said Jos 24:15  And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.   

Was it an infiltration or the fact they drank from an unwashed cup?  The cup being the Promised Land which God told them to clear / clean out thoroughly of its pagan inhabitants.  This they did not do.  Similarly today would be believers do not totally renew their mind; but retain some of the practices and traditions of the world when coming into God’s earthly system.   They do not cut off the arm or pluck out the eye as Yahshua said should be the case i.e. total and immediate separation from the diseases; but try and live with it.  Next when in doubt, rather than go to the words spoken by God, they go to the interpretation of the pastors who draw from the traditions of Egypt’s church. 

Mat 6:7  But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.  Mat_15:9  But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.  Col 2:8  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.   To seek one’s own edification is  vanity.  Something warned against in the bible.  Yet because pastors teach self edification is good they read the same into 1Co 14:4  He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.  Rather than see Paul is saying it is bad.  Edifying the church is the aim as in Act 9:31  Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.   1Co 14:5  I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.  It is obvious the speaker should also understand what “he” is saying.  It is the same “he”.  Just like the precept of Joseph and Daniel speaking and interpreting the dreams, so it should be with language speakers.  Philip and the Eunuch in Acts 8:30, 34 reading and interpreting / understanding the scriptures or Acts 13:15.  That is precisely one of the reasons Yahshua came, to give us the proper understanding of His father’s scriptures rather than the traditional interpretations of the scribes of the day i.e. of what constitutes working on the Sabbath and want is not.

1Ti 6:20  O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:  2Ti 2:16  But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

Many preachers like to use this verse to avoid or get out of scriptural examination of their belief and teachings Tit 3:9  But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.  The verse does not say avoid questions only foolish questions.  A person with a sincere question and examination is not asking a foolish question.  To their understanding it is a valid question and avoiding answering will only leave you or them with a false believe.  We are told to seek truth.

1Pe 3:15  But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

I digest.  After Joshua the judges had the same hard task of keeping Israel the Church pure.  Though they made the mistake of not totally clearing out the Canaanite and other pagan inhabitants as God commanded, I suppose if they had kept themselves to themselves and not mixed it may have been ok.  I mean today many different nationalities live right next door to each other, yet neither knows what each other eats, nor what goes on in their houses.  Many enquire not nor do likewise.

Deu 12:30  Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.

The church, Israel, were snared by enquiring and doing likewise.  As are Christian churches of today and even those seeking to be Messianic.  Those moving from “Christian” to Messianic” retain much of the theology and practices picked up in denominations like the Pentecostal and those Jews seeking to be Messiah followers enquire of the claimed Holy Spirit practices of the same Pentecostal and do likewise.

If the apostles got the gift of healing from Yahshua, could not also satn and his third of the angels have at one time got the same from God?  I am not saying all healing is fake or not of God; but we must use our intelligence to know satn and his ministers can also do lying signs and wonders  (2Th 2:9  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,).  There are many apparent healers on the television etc who we know are not of God despite their claims.  We hear secret stories of their lives and scandals.  So we must go by the word of God and not by sight.  Act 5:32  And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

In the Promised Land, during the judges God had to send Gideon to tear down pagan monuments the people had erected.  After so doing he had to flee, such was the anger of the “Church”.  Finally came Samuel the last judge; but even in his time the priestly sons of Eli had corrupted the system. 

We could dispel all of that history and start with David, the ancestor of the earthly son of Joseph and Mary; but we read in the books of the kings and chronicles the battle to keep Israel pure continued. Some kings had revivals of trying to return the people to Yahweh God while others deliberately took the people as far away as possible.  Some as Jezebel even becoming a byword in the book of Revelations.  Would Israel, the church be where it is today had Solomon not married those pagan wives?  Was he the start of the downfall?  We know Saul tried to rid Israel of false preachers.  Going to the witch of Endor she tells him   1Sa 28:9  And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?

Though David broke and repented for breaking the law we know he is held in high esteem with God who Himself said David was a man after His own heart unlike Solomon his son.  1Ki 11:4  For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.

Well Yahshua the son of God via the seed of David came once to again set up the kingdom of Israel the church.  To show us how to live as Moses taught Israel.  This is our last chance not to be snared, not to enquire how the pagans did or do it and do likewise.  It grieves me when I see sincere seekers, jealous to walk with Yahweh God and get close to Him due to their eagerness and youth in the faith get snared by apparent ministers of righteousness.  Ministers who came through and hang onto the trade markers of the Pentecostal and charismatic system started about 110 years ago. 

You may have seen the recent t.v. advert for Virgin media.  It features Usain Bolt’s 9.58 second 100 meter run world record.  Behind that very quick 10 second dash it shows all the years of continuous training and pain he endures to show you 9.58 seconds of the result.  I am no Usain Bolt in running nor bible understanding; but I do take the study of the bible and denominations traditions seriously.  I try and take in a lot of various information to deliver these advice for your consideration for you to get it right with God.  I cannot show you all that information; so I simply make an offer.  If anyone can scripturally show me my conclusions are wrong, I am willing to pay substantially for the correction.  Money has limited uses; but a good one to which to put it is saving ones soul and that of others.  

Maybe I shouldn’t say this; but as friends, in a way I feel a duty to assist seekers, especially those who come here in countering the counterfeiter and his ministers.   I try not to upset anyone; but I would rather upset and be a pain in your conscience that see you deceived.  And if I am the one deceived, then I welcome the discussion. 

There is real healing by Yahweh God. We all accept that. There is also the fake and deceptive healing of charlatans who make merchandise of seekers and of witchcraft.  Let us be vigilant as we fight not flesh and blood.  The healing that counts is that of your sins.  Numerous places in the Old and New Testaments you would find the call to return to keeping God’s commandments.  The one I will use is  Mat 13:14  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: Mat 13:15  For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.  

Let us be careful on what we stand.  Not necessarily trusting our eyes nor hearts; but solely thus saith Yahweh God via His scriptures.  Let us not shy away from sincere truth seeking discussions; but seek first the kingdom of God not acceptance men nor vain glory.

Shalom.

Open with card trick to show how one’s eyes can be deceived.

We all know and accept there is the Holy and powerful Spirit of God or Holy Spirit as is called in the New Testament.  We should equally know and accept there are spirits not of God.  The bible speaks of many unhealthy spirits.  Of fear, Jealousy, whoredom, unclean devil, of devils, the anti-christ, bondage or of the world.  I am going to speak of one which comes in many disguises.  Of envy, desire, haughty, self or of Egypt where rulers wanted to be and made themselves gods.

In war truth is the first casualty.  Our enemy is the deceiver who is against truth.  Through subtlety and as a minister of light he fights our flesh, blood and mind.  One of our most important defences is truth.  So we must seek it out Joh 4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. Eph 6:14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

I heard this phase in a movie. It was said by a commanding officer to a politician “never tell a soldier he does not know the cost of war”.  We are at war with the devil.  We fight not only for our own lives; but our brethren’s from deceits and to preserve our way of life through our faith.  If they fall, we may be next as divided one falls, together each stand.  Ecc 4:9  Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. Ecc 4:10  For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Ecc 4:12  And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

The fewer the number against the opposition, statistically the harder it is to survive.  That is message of Ecc 4:9-12 although we know God can use the few to conquer the many.

I chose a title for this study that would tempt persons to read it as it is a very important topic.  It has led to two main schools of thought on the recognition of the Holy Spirit in one’s life.  Whichever camp has got it wrong could affect their salvation in the sense they are either being seduced by an unholy spirit or grieving the Holy spirit by not recognising it.   In this study we should see the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. 

1Jn 4:6  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.  

Today I wish us to examine the popular teachings and our belief of healing against the truth of the scriptures.  The first point we should know is when Yahshua, Peter or Paul healed persons, there was no speaking or praying in tongues, putting their hands on the temples or forehead of the sick, pushing them backwards down to the floor, asking for a donation or tithe.  Not even anointing them with oil.  Some of which are the things done today.

John an apostle says they were of God and those who know God would hear him and have the spirit of truth.  So I think a good place to start is in summary try to know God and the apostles.  There are a few other scriptures that refer to the Spirit of God being one of truth.

Psa 31:5  Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.

Joh 5:26  But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; …  [today pastors speak of themselves].

Eph 5:9  (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Eph 5:10  Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. Eph 5:11  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.  See also 2Thes 2:13 which says … through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

So brethren it is all about truth and reproving untruth.  So please empty your cup of pre-beliefs held and let us seek to recognise the truth through proper examination of the bible.

Act 5:32  And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.   The Holy Spirit or Ghost is given to those who obey.  Those in Corinth were not obeying.  Paul’s first letter to them was one of correction not praise.  1Co 5:1  It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.  1Co 5:7  Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:  1Co 5:11  But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.  1Co 6:5  I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? 

There is so much teaching and direction Paul has to give them on many topics that it should be clear the Holy Spirit has not been with them to bring them into remembrance of the scriptures or has taught them.  By the time the letter comes to chapter 14 the teaching and correction is on the topic of tongues and spiritual gifts which they all claim to have 1Co 14:26  How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

When Job got sick he did not ask for healing.  Hezekiah just prayed directly to God and reminded Him of goods works he had done.  Samson, when blinded asked for strength to revenge not healing and also prayed directly to God.   Those who know and obey God and the Messiah do not need a human intercessor for healing, only those who do not.  That is the bible principle.  By going through man for healing you are submitting to the Catholic system of going through a human like the Pope or indulgences purchased.  No man is your intercessor or covering.  You can go boldly to the throne of God.  By submitting to man you deny God’s power to heal without the man.  You are submitting to whoever is behind the man, which may not be Yahweh God.

When Miriam or king in 1 kings 13 had leprosy did they call on elders to lay hand on her or simply call on God?

The devil’s system is to go to another man, like a witch doctor, obe’ man etc and many pastors are putting themselves as your obe’ man or witch doctor equivalent and you are accepting them as your healer calling on spirits like Simon the sorcerer of Acts or Balaam and Balak.

Having God work through a person does not necessarily make them a prophet of God.  God worked through Pharaoh to get His people out of Egypt.

Is there any scripture of Yahshua or apostles stating speaking in tongues is a sign of having the Holy Spirit? NO!  If tongues is a sign does that mean Yahshua never had the Holy Spirit?  There is neither any precept God, Yahshua or the apostles advertised or encouraged persons to come and get healing.  The miracles of God in Egypt was because they did not know Him nor His salvation powers.  Through the miracles not only did Israel know Yahweh God; but so did pharaoh and the Egyptians.  With the prophets i.e. Naaman being cured of his leprosy, he said to Elisha 2Ki 5:15  …. now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel:.

In Luke 4:25 -27 Yahshua said there were many widows and lepers in Israel yet it was non Israelites that were healed.  Why?  He also said the poor and sick will always be with us and believers will go through trials, tribulations and other illnesses mental or physical.  He did not come to heal everybody; but save souls.  Peter and apostles were tortured. Stephen had the Holy Spirit yet was stoned to death. 

The focus of the bible and its teachings is on saving ones soul not their physical health.  Mat 10:28  And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.  Rich, poor, whole or lame, healthy in spirit living in accordance to God’s laws not necessarily healthy body.  We are called to be perfect in spirit and obedience not in physical being.  So even if we have an illness as Job or crippled we all can be perfect in God’s eyes regardless and bring Him glory by our lives.

Though in Mat 10:8 Yahshua gave His disciples power to heal the sick, He nor any of them advertised this power nor used it call people to God.  When they met the sick calling for alms, i.e. money, the healed were not expecting to be cured Act 3:1  Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. Act 3:2  And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Act 3:3  Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. Act 3:4  And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. Act 3:5  And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Act 3:6  Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. Act 3:7  And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. Act 3:8  And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

Yes people came to be healed; but not at the invitation or advertising of the healers and definitely not to exalt their position.  Act 5:12  And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; …  Act 5:14  And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) Act 5:15  Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. Act 5:16  There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.

There are 66 books in the bible, 1,189 chapters and 31,102 verses. The bible is not about miracles nor healing.  The emphasis and use put on it by preachers today.  After God proved Himself to Jacob’s descendants who had not known Him due to being in Egypt for 430 years and delivered them on the other side of the Red sea, their 40 years in the wilderness saw about three miracles.  Excluding specific ones brought about by Miriam’s  leprosy and Korah’s challenge to Moses, we have  manna from heaven, water from the rock and the walls of Jericho falling down.  In the prophets between Ruth and the Messiah, according to what you want to class as a relevant miracle, we have very few.  Some in Daniel, Elijah and Elisha.  So relatively speaking, miracles is not the main teaching of the bible.  Especially those performed by humans.  I think those performed were related to the nation of Israel not an individual with no connection to the nation, like a king or advisor to the king. 

Miracles are for the benefit of the nation and the gathering of unbelievers into that spiritual nation of Israel. 

As Paul said, tongues are for the unbeliever.  As Yahshua said when healing the blind man in John 9:3 “but that the works of God should be made manifest in him”.   Due to time I have to be brief on this point.  His and the apostles miracles was to bring recognition of the coming of the Messiah to the people as those of Egypt was to bring recognition of God to Jacob’s descendants.  Since that recognition, we are to now follow by faith.   We have had the sign of Jonas, the Messiah being in the earth for 3 days and night and rising from the dead.   430 years in the wilderness, thousands to the Messiah, at least 60 in the New Testament and yet only relative few miracles in each section and even less healings. Joh 9:4  I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. Joh 9:5  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

It is no different from marketing of today. When launching a new product you have to advertise and publicise it.  A method is to give free samples, reduced price or demonstrations.  Once the product is established, the freebies are stopped and the product is sold by its reputation, branding or word of mouth.

How did God first get Moses’ attention? With the miracle of the burning bush.  Pharaoh’s and the children of Israel? With the miracles of the plagues.  Thereafter each were supposed to believe in, fear and obey Him.  That was the purpose of the apostles Act 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.  The first miracle of Acts 2 convinced 3,000 immediately.  We take their testimony on faith and our knowledge of the bible and unbelievers take our testimonies then go and study the bible.

I will not go through each miracle; but if we look at the time they were performed, it was at the beginning of Israel’s history, Yahshua’s and the apostles’ ministry for the purpose of bringing the new faith to the population.  The purpose being to bring them to God through the Messiah.  At times it was the faith of the healed that healed them like the woman with the issue touching Yahshua’s garment in Mat 9:20, or the centurion in Mat 8.  The practice of today of taking oil and touching the persons head or body part etc was not needed nor done for healing purposes.  So from where or who did that come for healing.  There are only two scriptures that refer to being sick and oil.

Mar 6:12  And they went out, and preached that men should repent.

Mar 6:13  And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed. (then comes an inserted word “them”.  The insertion of the word “them” makes it sound as if two things happened; cast out of devils and healing of the sick by anointing.  Actually three things happened, casting out of devils, anointing the sick and healing.  A reader will not pick up on this unless, like the KJV, inserted words are in italics.  The purpose of the anointing I will come to later.

In Matthew 17:18 when any healing or a difficult casting out was to be done, Yahshua did not say it comes out with anointing, or elders putting hands on you; but with prayer and fasting. Just like James 5:14  Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord 5:15  And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.   Notice James does not say heal the sick; but save the sick, raise him up, forgive their sins.  All in the context of salvation which comes with death, the result of unhealed sickness.   In the next verse he uses the word “healed” and attributes it to fervent prayer.  Jas 5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.  So clearly James is making a distinction between “save the sick” and heal the sick and how each is accomplished.  The same as his teacher Yahshua.  When Yahshua raised the sick girl or Lazarus, He did not anoint any with oil.

I found 19 New Testament uses for anoint or anointed.  Only one related to healing John 9:6 where Yahshua spat on the ground, mixed the spittle with the earth and “smeared” it over the blind man’s eyes.  The translators called this anointed.  However, when we look at other uses of anointed as in Mark 6:13, Luke 7:38, 46 and John 12:3 we see it is a different Hebrew word.  [insert slide with Strong’s concordance].

Oil is also used for anointing i.e. in fasting Mat 6:17 and burial as with Yahshua Mat 26:12.  So let us examine what Mark and especially James is saying.  Note the oil is only mentioned in regard to the sick and not the casting out of devils.  What generally comes before death, sickness.  Almost in all circumstances or premature death, whether one knows it or not.  Whether the sickness is externally visible or internally invisible.  For such persons we can only pray for them to get better or anoint them for death.  If we word by word read James we should see that is what he is saying. 

James says the elders are to do the act.  Is James going to restrict praying for the sick only to the elders? I do not think so.  What is restricted for to the elders is the anointing before death in the name of Yahshua.  Who did the anointing of king Saul, David or other kings?  A prophet of God.  The elder.  Similar to when one is baptised in the name of Yahshua.  The start and end of their spiritual life is capped or enclosed with Yahshua.  James goes on to add that it is the prayer of faith that saves the sick not the anointing.  But is this “save” to do with saved from the illness or to do with one’s salvation?  I would say one’s salvation otherwise James would have said the pray of faith would heal the sick.  Another clue we have that it is to do with after physical death salvation is James moves onto “and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him”.  In other words raised up from death, the possible result of the sickness; and when raised up in the after life, their sins would have been forgiven because of the encappment of Yahshua on their earthly lives.  Lastly, James says pray for one another that ye may be healed.  Again he puts the healing down to prayer saying such prayers of a singular righteous man, accomplishes much, i.e. the healing from sickness. 

So because people want to be apostles and claim the gifts of the apostles they find a verse on which to stake their claim.  Yet the verse actually does not speak of what they think.  I put one’s pray and cry to God ahead of another intermediary.  Are we saying today that if an atheist or believer cries to God in sincerity, that their pray will not be acted on unless they first go and find an intermediary?  I know the woman in 2 kings 4:23 went to find Elisha to raise her son from death; but preachers today are not of Israel nor Elisha nor at least there is not the multitude of them as we have today.

My point is there is no precedent for anoint a sick person with oil and they get healed.  The anointing was for death or associated with death.  i.e. Mar 14:8  She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. Mar 16:1  And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.

I wonder if there is any significance to Yahshua starting His ministry when He came out the water being baptised with the Holy Spirit descending over His head and the anointing of His feet at the end of His ministry?  Encapsulated from head to toe with anointing.  Should we follow the same?  Being born again in the spirit and being anointed when about to die or a sickness unto death?

There is no precept in bible a large group of congregation gets God’s Spirit.  In the Old Testament Moses was chosen, then 70 elders to help him. Thereafter singular people as Isiah and prophets.  In the New, Yahshua was chosen then 12 or 70 to help.  Then singular Paul.

Others have always wanted what God specifically gave His chosen.  Miriam and Korah in Old Test.  Simon  and the Corinthians in New.

The purpose of miracles is the same as of tongues, for the unbeliever and those not knowing of the gospel.

Rom 15:18  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, Rom 15:19  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. Rom 15:20  Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation: Rom 15:21  But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand.

Jer 31:34  And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

1Jn 2:27  But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

At no time in the biblical examples of tongues did the hearers need an interpreter to know if what was spoken is true or not.  They had their own hearing and understanding.

God always wants us to know He is a God of giving us knowledge and truth.  Truth that we ourselves can know is true without someone necessarily telling us.  By examination through His given scriptures or laws not the interpretations of man.  When God took the Canaanites out of their land because they worshipped other false gods.  Things that were not true.  He replaced them with Israel who knew His ways, laws and requirements.  He takes out the unknown and gives the known.  Likewise when He takes us out of the world into His faith, into knowing of Him, he wants our hearts, mouths etc to know of Him and what we are saying and believing of Him.  Not to have as a necessity someone else interpreting for Him.  He also knows our thoughts so we do not need a language to speak to Him.  The language is so we know what we are thinking and saying  Psa 94:11  The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity. 

Thus when we pray we should be praying in words easy to understand and we know for what we are praying (1Cor 14:9, 11, 16).  And when we get the answers back, we ourselves, the prayer should be able to hear and understand the answers and language.   We are a people of knowledge not of idle or babbling sounds which need a sorcerer, wizard or other as in the Canaanite systems to interpret not only the language of the sounds; but also their meaning.

So brethren if we as an individual cannot discern what is true without relying on an interpreter how are we to know whether what they speak is truth or error?  Real or fake?   God does not operate in a realm whereby we cannot personally testify as to what is true and what is not otherwise we are relying on others of which the bible says there are many fake prophets of the Old Testament and ministers of the New.  Thus tongues is a language the hearer can understand though they may not know what it means.  Just like if I explained rocket science and its formulas to you.

Joh 15:26  But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

1Jn 5:6  …. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.

When I reflect on where God’s church is today, with the infiltration of satn and pagan practices brought in which people belief to be of God.  The Christ mas and such unholy days, the apparent miracles and babble tongues speaking, I tried to think back from when did it start and for how long has such infiltration taken place.   I realised it has been for over four thousand of years.  Almost the entire existence of Israel the Church.  Not only has the infiltration been in the spiritual Church; but the physical land of Israel.  Today the land has gay pride marches and other laws similar to an ungodly country.  The country is trying to serve God on one hand and please the world on the other. 

Rev 2:20  Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.

The country’s leaders are turning to the world for its political and economic policies and protection and would be believers to false prophets and prophetesses for teaching and seductions of the devil.

Acts 7:38 says the church started in the wilderness with Moses.  Even at its formation the followers wanted to be back in Egypt like followers today want to be in Egypt’s church with dancing, babbling and miracles.  I could not really put my finger on where or when the infiltration started.

I cannot remember any instructions for dancing, babbling or even individual miracles of healing by Moses or the elders in Moses’ church.  I am not including Miriam’s leprosy nor the fiery serpent as that is different and of God.  What I can remember is as soon as Moses went missing they reverted to the Egyptian system of dancing, nakedness etc.  Exo 32:7  And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: Exo 32:8  They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

It was not an infiltration of the devil, they had just not left it behind.  Had not renewed their mind totally.  They wanted the good things of God and the nice things of Egypt.

Joshua who came immediately after Moses was aware of the pull of satn on the church.  He said Jos 24:15  And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.   

Was it an infiltration or the fact they drank from an unwashed cup?  The cup being the Promised Land which God told them to clear / clean out thoroughly of its pagan inhabitants.  This they did not do.  Similarly today would be believers do not totally renew their mind; but retain some of the practices and traditions of the world when coming into God’s earthly system.   They do not cut off the arm or pluck out the eye as Yahshua said should be the case i.e. total and immediate separation from the diseases; but try and live with it.  Next when in doubt, rather than go to the words spoken by God, they go to the interpretation of the pastors who draw from the traditions of Egypt’s church. 

Mat 6:7  But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.  Mat_15:9  But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.  Col 2:8  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.   To seek one’s own edification is  vanity.  Something warned against in the bible.  Yet because pastors teach self edification is good they read the same into 1Co 14:4  He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.  Rather than see Paul is saying it is bad.  Edifying the church is the aim as in Act 9:31  Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.   1Co 14:5  I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.  It is obvious the speaker should also understand what “he” is saying.  It is the same “he”.  Just like the precept of Joseph and Daniel speaking and interpreting the dreams, so it should be with language speakers.  Philip and the Eunuch in Acts 8:30, 34 reading and interpreting / understanding the scriptures or Acts 13:15.  That is precisely one of the reasons Yahshua came, to give us the proper understanding of His father’s scriptures rather than the traditional interpretations of the scribes of the day i.e. of what constitutes working on the Sabbath and want is not.

1Ti 6:20  O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:  2Ti 2:16  But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

Many preachers like to use this verse to avoid or get out of scriptural examination of their belief and teachings Tit 3:9  But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.  The verse does not say avoid questions only foolish questions.  A person with a sincere question and examination is not asking a foolish question.  To their understanding it is a valid question and avoiding answering will only leave you or them with a false believe.  We are told to seek truth.

1Pe 3:15  But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

I digest.  After Joshua the judges had the same hard task of keeping Israel the Church pure.  Though they made the mistake of not totally clearing out the Canaanite and other pagan inhabitants as God commanded, I suppose if they had kept themselves to themselves and not mixed it may have been ok.  I mean today many different nationalities live right next door to each other, yet neither knows what each other eats, nor what goes on in their houses.  Many enquire not nor do likewise.

Deu 12:30  Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.

The church, Israel, were snared by enquiring and doing likewise.  As are Christian churches of today and even those seeking to be Messianic.  Those moving from “Christian” to Messianic” retain much of the theology and practices picked up in denominations like the Pentecostal and those Jews seeking to be Messiah followers enquire of the claimed Holy Spirit practices of the same Pentecostal and do likewise.

If the apostles got the gift of healing from Yahshua, could not also satn and his third of the angels have at one time got the same from God?  I am not saying all healing is fake or not of God; but we must use our intelligence to know satn and his ministers can also do lying signs and wonders  (2Th 2:9  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,).  There are many apparent healers on the television etc who we know are not of God despite their claims.  We hear secret stories of their lives and scandals.  So we must go by the word of God and not by sight.  Act 5:32  And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

In the Promised Land, during the judges God had to send Gideon to tear down pagan monuments the people had erected.  After so doing he had to flee, such was the anger of the “Church”.  Finally came Samuel the last judge; but even in his time the priestly sons of Eli had corrupted the system. 

We could dispel all of that history and start with David, the ancestor of the earthly son of Joseph and Mary; but we read in the books of the kings and chronicles the battle to keep Israel pure continued. Some kings had revivals of trying to return the people to Yahweh God while others deliberately took the people as far away as possible.  Some as Jezebel even becoming a byword in the book of Revelations.  Would Israel, the church be where it is today had Solomon not married those pagan wives?  Was he the start of the downfall?  We know Saul tried to rid Israel of false preachers.  Going to the witch of Endor she tells him   1Sa 28:9  And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?

Though David broke and repented for breaking the law we know he is held in high esteem with God who Himself said David was a man after His own heart unlike Solomon his son.  1Ki 11:4  For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.

Well Yahshua the son of God via the seed of David came once to again set up the kingdom of Israel the church.  To show us how to live as Moses taught Israel.  This is our last chance not to be snared, not to enquire how the pagans did or do it and do likewise.  It grieves me when I see sincere seekers, jealous to walk with Yahweh God and get close to Him due to their eagerness and youth in the faith get snared by apparent ministers of righteousness.  Ministers who came through and hang onto the trade markers of the Pentecostal and charismatic system started about 110 years ago. 

You may have seen the recent t.v. advert for Virgin media.  It features Usain Bolt’s 9.58 second 100 meter run world record.  Behind that very quick 10 second dash it shows all the years of continuous training and pain he endures to show you 9.58 seconds of the result.  I am no Usain Bolt in running nor bible understanding; but I do take the study of the bible and denominations traditions seriously.  I try and take in a lot of various information to deliver these advice for your consideration for you to get it right with God.  I cannot show you all that information; so I simply make an offer.  If anyone can scripturally show me my conclusions are wrong, I am willing to pay substantially for the correction.  Money has limited uses; but a good one to which to put it is saving ones soul and that of others.  

Maybe I shouldn’t say this; but as friends, in a way I feel a duty to assist seekers, especially those who come here in countering the counterfeiter and his ministers.   I try not to upset anyone; but I would rather upset and be a pain in your conscience that see you deceived.  And if I am the one deceived, then I welcome the discussion. 

There is real healing by Yahweh God. We all accept that. There is also the fake and deceptive healing of charlatans who make merchandise of seekers and of witchcraft.  Let us be vigilant as we fight not flesh and blood.  The healing that counts is that of your sins.  Numerous places in the Old and New Testaments you would find the call to return to keeping God’s commandments.  The one I will use is  Mat 13:14  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: Mat 13:15  For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.  

Let us be careful on what we stand.  Not necessarily trusting our eyes nor hearts; but solely thus saith Yahweh God via His scriptures.  Let us not shy away from sincere truth seeking discussions; but seek first the kingdom of God not acceptance men nor vain glory.

Shalom.

Open with card trick to show how one’s eyes can be deceived.

We all know and accept there is the Holy and powerful Spirit of God or Holy Spirit as is called in the New Testament.  We should equally know and accept there are spirits not of God.  The bible speaks of many unhealthy spirits.  Of fear, Jealousy, whoredom, unclean devil, of devils, the anti-christ, bondage or of the world.  I am going to speak of one which comes in many disguises.  Of envy, desire, haughty, self or of Egypt where rulers wanted to be and made themselves gods.

In war truth is the first casualty.  Our enemy is the deceiver who is against truth.  Through subtlety and as a minister of light he fights our flesh, blood and mind.  One of our most important defences is truth.  So we must seek it out Joh 4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. Eph 6:14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

I heard this phase in a movie. It was said by a commanding officer to a politician “never tell a soldier he does not know the cost of war”.  We are at war with the devil.  We fight not only for our own lives; but our brethren’s from deceits and to preserve our way of life through our faith.  If they fall, we may be next as divided one falls, together each stand.  Ecc 4:9  Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. Ecc 4:10  For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Ecc 4:12  And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

The fewer the number against the opposition, statistically the harder it is to survive.  That is message of Ecc 4:9-12 although we know God can use the few to conquer the many.

I chose a title for this study that would tempt persons to read it as it is a very important topic.  It has led to two main schools of thought on the recognition of the Holy Spirit in one’s life.  Whichever camp has got it wrong could affect their salvation in the sense they are either being seduced by an unholy spirit or grieving the Holy spirit by not recognising it.   In this study we should see the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. 

1Jn 4:6  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.  

Today I wish us to examine the popular teachings and our belief of healing against the truth of the scriptures.  The first point we should know is when Yahshua, Peter or Paul healed persons, there was no speaking or praying in tongues, putting their hands on the temples or forehead of the sick, pushing them backwards down to the floor, asking for a donation or tithe.  Not even anointing them with oil.  Some of which are the things done today.

John an apostle says they were of God and those who know God would hear him and have the spirit of truth.  So I think a good place to start is in summary try to know God and the apostles.  There are a few other scriptures that refer to the Spirit of God being one of truth.

Psa 31:5  Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.

Joh 5:26  But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; …  [today pastors speak of themselves].

Eph 5:9  (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Eph 5:10  Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. Eph 5:11  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.  See also 2Thes 2:13 which says … through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

So brethren it is all about truth and reproving untruth.  So please empty your cup of pre-beliefs held and let us seek to recognise the truth through proper examination of the bible.

Act 5:32  And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.   The Holy Spirit or Ghost is given to those who obey.  Those in Corinth were not obeying.  Paul’s first letter to them was one of correction not praise.  1Co 5:1  It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.  1Co 5:7  Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:  1Co 5:11  But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.  1Co 6:5  I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? 

There is so much teaching and direction Paul has to give them on many topics that it should be clear the Holy Spirit has not been with them to bring them into remembrance of the scriptures or has taught them.  By the time the letter comes to chapter 14 the teaching and correction is on the topic of tongues and spiritual gifts which they all claim to have 1Co 14:26  How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

When Job got sick he did not ask for healing.  Hezekiah just prayed directly to God and reminded Him of goods works he had done.  Samson, when blinded asked for strength to revenge not healing and also prayed directly to God.   Those who know and obey God and the Messiah do not need a human intercessor for healing, only those who do not.  That is the bible principle.  By going through man for healing you are submitting to the Catholic system of going through a human like the Pope or indulgences purchased.  No man is your intercessor or covering.  You can go boldly to the throne of God.  By submitting to man you deny God’s power to heal without the man.  You are submitting to whoever is behind the man, which may not be Yahweh God.

When Miriam or king in 1 kings 13 had leprosy did they call on elders to lay hand on her or simply call on God?

The devil’s system is to go to another man, like a witch doctor, obe’ man etc and many pastors are putting themselves as your obe’ man or witch doctor equivalent and you are accepting them as your healer calling on spirits like Simon the sorcerer of Acts or Balaam and Balak.

Having God work through a person does not necessarily make them a prophet of God.  God worked through Pharaoh to get His people out of Egypt.

Is there any scripture of Yahshua or apostles stating speaking in tongues is a sign of having the Holy Spirit? NO!  If tongues is a sign does that mean Yahshua never had the Holy Spirit?  There is neither any precept God, Yahshua or the apostles advertised or encouraged persons to come and get healing.  The miracles of God in Egypt was because they did not know Him nor His salvation powers.  Through the miracles not only did Israel know Yahweh God; but so did pharaoh and the Egyptians.  With the prophets i.e. Naaman being cured of his leprosy, he said to Elisha 2Ki 5:15  …. now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel:.

In Luke 4:25 -27 Yahshua said there were many widows and lepers in Israel yet it was non Israelites that were healed.  Why?  He also said the poor and sick will always be with us and believers will go through trials, tribulations and other illnesses mental or physical.  He did not come to heal everybody; but save souls.  Peter and apostles were tortured. Stephen had the Holy Spirit yet was stoned to death. 

The focus of the bible and its teachings is on saving ones soul not their physical health.  Mat 10:28  And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.  Rich, poor, whole or lame, healthy in spirit living in accordance to God’s laws not necessarily healthy body.  We are called to be perfect in spirit and obedience not in physical being.  So even if we have an illness as Job or crippled we all can be perfect in God’s eyes regardless and bring Him glory by our lives.

Though in Mat 10:8 Yahshua gave His disciples power to heal the sick, He nor any of them advertised this power nor used it call people to God.  When they met the sick calling for alms, i.e. money, the healed were not expecting to be cured Act 3:1  Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. Act 3:2  And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Act 3:3  Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. Act 3:4  And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. Act 3:5  And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Act 3:6  Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. Act 3:7  And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. Act 3:8  And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

Yes people came to be healed; but not at the invitation or advertising of the healers and definitely not to exalt their position.  Act 5:12  And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; …  Act 5:14  And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) Act 5:15  Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. Act 5:16  There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.

There are 66 books in the bible, 1,189 chapters and 31,102 verses. The bible is not about miracles nor healing.  The emphasis and use put on it by preachers today.  After God proved Himself to Jacob’s descendants who had not known Him due to being in Egypt for 430 years and delivered them on the other side of the Red sea, their 40 years in the wilderness saw about three miracles.  Excluding specific ones brought about by Miriam’s  leprosy and Korah’s challenge to Moses, we have  manna from heaven, water from the rock and the walls of Jericho falling down.  In the prophets between Ruth and the Messiah, according to what you want to class as a relevant miracle, we have very few.  Some in Daniel, Elijah and Elisha.  So relatively speaking, miracles is not the main teaching of the bible.  Especially those performed by humans.  I think those performed were related to the nation of Israel not an individual with no connection to the nation, like a king or advisor to the king. 

Miracles are for the benefit of the nation and the gathering of unbelievers into that spiritual nation of Israel. 

As Paul said, tongues are for the unbeliever.  As Yahshua said when healing the blind man in John 9:3 “but that the works of God should be made manifest in him”.   Due to time I have to be brief on this point.  His and the apostles miracles was to bring recognition of the coming of the Messiah to the people as those of Egypt was to bring recognition of God to Jacob’s descendants.  Since that recognition, we are to now follow by faith.   We have had the sign of Jonas, the Messiah being in the earth for 3 days and night and rising from the dead.   430 years in the wilderness, thousands to the Messiah, at least 60 in the New Testament and yet only relative few miracles in each section and even less healings. Joh 9:4  I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. Joh 9:5  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

It is no different from marketing of today. When launching a new product you have to advertise and publicise it.  A method is to give free samples, reduced price or demonstrations.  Once the product is established, the freebies are stopped and the product is sold by its reputation, branding or word of mouth.

How did God first get Moses’ attention? With the miracle of the burning bush.  Pharaoh’s and the children of Israel? With the miracles of the plagues.  Thereafter each were supposed to believe in, fear and obey Him.  That was the purpose of the apostles Act 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.  The first miracle of Acts 2 convinced 3,000 immediately.  We take their testimony on faith and our knowledge of the bible and unbelievers take our testimonies then go and study the bible.

I will not go through each miracle; but if we look at the time they were performed, it was at the beginning of Israel’s history, Yahshua’s and the apostles’ ministry for the purpose of bringing the new faith to the population.  The purpose being to bring them to God through the Messiah.  At times it was the faith of the healed that healed them like the woman with the issue touching Yahshua’s garment in Mat 9:20, or the centurion in Mat 8.  The practice of today of taking oil and touching the persons head or body part etc was not needed nor done for healing purposes.  So from where or who did that come for healing.  There are only two scriptures that refer to being sick and oil.

Mar 6:12  And they went out, and preached that men should repent.

Mar 6:13  And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed. (then comes an inserted word “them”.  The insertion of the word “them” makes it sound as if two things happened; cast out of devils and healing of the sick by anointing.  Actually three things happened, casting out of devils, anointing the sick and healing.  A reader will not pick up on this unless, like the KJV, inserted words are in italics.  The purpose of the anointing I will come to later.

In Matthew 17:18 when any healing or a difficult casting out was to be done, Yahshua did not say it comes out with anointing, or elders putting hands on you; but with prayer and fasting. Just like James 5:14  Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord 5:15  And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.   Notice James does not say heal the sick; but save the sick, raise him up, forgive their sins.  All in the context of salvation which comes with death, the result of unhealed sickness.   In the next verse he uses the word “healed” and attributes it to fervent prayer.  Jas 5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.  So clearly James is making a distinction between “save the sick” and heal the sick and how each is accomplished.  The same as his teacher Yahshua.  When Yahshua raised the sick girl or Lazarus, He did not anoint any with oil.

I found 19 New Testament uses for anoint or anointed.  Only one related to healing John 9:6 where Yahshua spat on the ground, mixed the spittle with the earth and “smeared” it over the blind man’s eyes.  The translators called this anointed.  However, when we look at other uses of anointed as in Mark 6:13, Luke 7:38, 46 and John 12:3 we see it is a different Hebrew word.  [insert slide with Strong’s concordance].

Oil is also used for anointing i.e. in fasting Mat 6:17 and burial as with Yahshua Mat 26:12.  So let us examine what Mark and especially James is saying.  Note the oil is only mentioned in regard to the sick and not the casting out of devils.  What generally comes before death, sickness.  Almost in all circumstances or premature death, whether one knows it or not.  Whether the sickness is externally visible or internally invisible.  For such persons we can only pray for them to get better or anoint them for death.  If we word by word read James we should see that is what he is saying. 

James says the elders are to do the act.  Is James going to restrict praying for the sick only to the elders? I do not think so.  What is restricted for to the elders is the anointing before death in the name of Yahshua.  Who did the anointing of king Saul, David or other kings?  A prophet of God.  The elder.  Similar to when one is baptised in the name of Yahshua.  The start and end of their spiritual life is capped or enclosed with Yahshua.  James goes on to add that it is the prayer of faith that saves the sick not the anointing.  But is this “save” to do with saved from the illness or to do with one’s salvation?  I would say one’s salvation otherwise James would have said the pray of faith would heal the sick.  Another clue we have that it is to do with after physical death salvation is James moves onto “and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him”.  In other words raised up from death, the possible result of the sickness; and when raised up in the after life, their sins would have been forgiven because of the encappment of Yahshua on their earthly lives.  Lastly, James says pray for one another that ye may be healed.  Again he puts the healing down to prayer saying such prayers of a singular righteous man, accomplishes much, i.e. the healing from sickness. 

So because people want to be apostles and claim the gifts of the apostles they find a verse on which to stake their claim.  Yet the verse actually does not speak of what they think.  I put one’s pray and cry to God ahead of another intermediary.  Are we saying today that if an atheist or believer cries to God in sincerity, that their pray will not be acted on unless they first go and find an intermediary?  I know the woman in 2 kings 4:23 went to find Elisha to raise her son from death; but preachers today are not of Israel nor Elisha nor at least there is not the multitude of them as we have today.

My point is there is no precedent for anoint a sick person with oil and they get healed.  The anointing was for death or associated with death.  i.e. Mar 14:8  She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. Mar 16:1  And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.

I wonder if there is any significance to Yahshua starting His ministry when He came out the water being baptised with the Holy Spirit descending over His head and the anointing of His feet at the end of His ministry?  Encapsulated from head to toe with anointing.  Should we follow the same?  Being born again in the spirit and being anointed when about to die or a sickness unto death?

There is no precept in bible a large group of congregation gets God’s Spirit.  In the Old Testament Moses was chosen, then 70 elders to help him. Thereafter singular people as Isiah and prophets.  In the New, Yahshua was chosen then 12 or 70 to help.  Then singular Paul.

Others have always wanted what God specifically gave His chosen.  Miriam and Korah in Old Test.  Simon  and the Corinthians in New.

The purpose of miracles is the same as of tongues, for the unbeliever and those not knowing of the gospel.

Rom 15:18  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, Rom 15:19  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. Rom 15:20  Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation: Rom 15:21  But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand.

Jer 31:34  And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

1Jn 2:27  But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

At no time in the biblical examples of tongues did the hearers need an interpreter to know if what was spoken is true or not.  They had their own hearing and understanding.

God always wants us to know He is a God of giving us knowledge and truth.  Truth that we ourselves can know is true without someone necessarily telling us.  By examination through His given scriptures or laws not the interpretations of man.  When God took the Canaanites out of their land because they worshipped other false gods.  Things that were not true.  He replaced them with Israel who knew His ways, laws and requirements.  He takes out the unknown and gives the known.  Likewise when He takes us out of the world into His faith, into knowing of Him, he wants our hearts, mouths etc to know of Him and what we are saying and believing of Him.  Not to have as a necessity someone else interpreting for Him.  He also knows our thoughts so we do not need a language to speak to Him.  The language is so we know what we are thinking and saying  Psa 94:11  The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity. 

Thus when we pray we should be praying in words easy to understand and we know for what we are praying (1Cor 14:9, 11, 16).  And when we get the answers back, we ourselves, the prayer should be able to hear and understand the answers and language.   We are a people of knowledge not of idle or babbling sounds which need a sorcerer, wizard or other as in the Canaanite systems to interpret not only the language of the sounds; but also their meaning.

So brethren if we as an individual cannot discern what is true without relying on an interpreter how are we to know whether what they speak is truth or error?  Real or fake?   God does not operate in a realm whereby we cannot personally testify as to what is true and what is not otherwise we are relying on others of which the bible says there are many fake prophets of the Old Testament and ministers of the New.  Thus tongues is a language the hearer can understand though they may not know what it means.  Just like if I explained rocket science and its formulas to you.

Joh 15:26  But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

1Jn 5:6  …. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.

When I reflect on where God’s church is today, with the infiltration of satn and pagan practices brought in which people belief to be of God.  The Christ mas and such unholy days, the apparent miracles and babble tongues speaking, I tried to think back from when did it start and for how long has such infiltration taken place.   I realised it has been for over four thousand of years.  Almost the entire existence of Israel the Church.  Not only has the infiltration been in the spiritual Church; but the physical land of Israel.  Today the land has gay pride marches and other laws similar to an ungodly country.  The country is trying to serve God on one hand and please the world on the other. 

Rev 2:20  Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.

The country’s leaders are turning to the world for its political and economic policies and protection and would be believers to false prophets and prophetesses for teaching and seductions of the devil.

Acts 7:38 says the church started in the wilderness with Moses.  Even at its formation the followers wanted to be back in Egypt like followers today want to be in Egypt’s church with dancing, babbling and miracles.  I could not really put my finger on where or when the infiltration started.

I cannot remember any instructions for dancing, babbling or even individual miracles of healing by Moses or the elders in Moses’ church.  I am not including Miriam’s leprosy nor the fiery serpent as that is different and of God.  What I can remember is as soon as Moses went missing they reverted to the Egyptian system of dancing, nakedness etc.  Exo 32:7  And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: Exo 32:8  They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

It was not an infiltration of the devil, they had just not left it behind.  Had not renewed their mind totally.  They wanted the good things of God and the nice things of Egypt.

Joshua who came immediately after Moses was aware of the pull of satn on the church.  He said Jos 24:15  And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.   

Was it an infiltration or the fact they drank from an unwashed cup?  The cup being the Promised Land which God told them to clear / clean out thoroughly of its pagan inhabitants.  This they did not do.  Similarly today would be believers do not totally renew their mind; but retain some of the practices and traditions of the world when coming into God’s earthly system.   They do not cut off the arm or pluck out the eye as Yahshua said should be the case i.e. total and immediate separation from the diseases; but try and live with it.  Next when in doubt, rather than go to the words spoken by God, they go to the interpretation of the pastors who draw from the traditions of Egypt’s church. 

Mat 6:7  But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.  Mat_15:9  But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.  Col 2:8  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.   To seek one’s own edification is  vanity.  Something warned against in the bible.  Yet because pastors teach self edification is good they read the same into 1Co 14:4  He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.  Rather than see Paul is saying it is bad.  Edifying the church is the aim as in Act 9:31  Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.   1Co 14:5  I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.  It is obvious the speaker should also understand what “he” is saying.  It is the same “he”.  Just like the precept of Joseph and Daniel speaking and interpreting the dreams, so it should be with language speakers.  Philip and the Eunuch in Acts 8:30, 34 reading and interpreting / understanding the scriptures or Acts 13:15.  That is precisely one of the reasons Yahshua came, to give us the proper understanding of His father’s scriptures rather than the traditional interpretations of the scribes of the day i.e. of what constitutes working on the Sabbath and want is not.

1Ti 6:20  O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:  2Ti 2:16  But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

Many preachers like to use this verse to avoid or get out of scriptural examination of their belief and teachings Tit 3:9  But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.  The verse does not say avoid questions only foolish questions.  A person with a sincere question and examination is not asking a foolish question.  To their understanding it is a valid question and avoiding answering will only leave you or them with a false believe.  We are told to seek truth.

1Pe 3:15  But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

I digest.  After Joshua the judges had the same hard task of keeping Israel the Church pure.  Though they made the mistake of not totally clearing out the Canaanite and other pagan inhabitants as God commanded, I suppose if they had kept themselves to themselves and not mixed it may have been ok.  I mean today many different nationalities live right next door to each other, yet neither knows what each other eats, nor what goes on in their houses.  Many enquire not nor do likewise.

Deu 12:30  Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.

The church, Israel, were snared by enquiring and doing likewise.  As are Christian churches of today and even those seeking to be Messianic.  Those moving from “Christian” to Messianic” retain much of the theology and practices picked up in denominations like the Pentecostal and those Jews seeking to be Messiah followers enquire of the claimed Holy Spirit practices of the same Pentecostal and do likewise.

If the apostles got the gift of healing from Yahshua, could not also satn and his third of the angels have at one time got the same from God?  I am not saying all healing is fake or not of God; but we must use our intelligence to know satn and his ministers can also do lying signs and wonders  (2Th 2:9  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,).  There are many apparent healers on the television etc who we know are not of God despite their claims.  We hear secret stories of their lives and scandals.  So we must go by the word of God and not by sight.  Act 5:32  And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

In the Promised Land, during the judges God had to send Gideon to tear down pagan monuments the people had erected.  After so doing he had to flee, such was the anger of the “Church”.  Finally came Samuel the last judge; but even in his time the priestly sons of Eli had corrupted the system. 

We could dispel all of that history and start with David, the ancestor of the earthly son of Joseph and Mary; but we read in the books of the kings and chronicles the battle to keep Israel pure continued. Some kings had revivals of trying to return the people to Yahweh God while others deliberately took the people as far away as possible.  Some as Jezebel even becoming a byword in the book of Revelations.  Would Israel, the church be where it is today had Solomon not married those pagan wives?  Was he the start of the downfall?  We know Saul tried to rid Israel of false preachers.  Going to the witch of Endor she tells him   1Sa 28:9  And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?

Though David broke and repented for breaking the law we know he is held in high esteem with God who Himself said David was a man after His own heart unlike Solomon his son.  1Ki 11:4  For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.

Well Yahshua the son of God via the seed of David came once to again set up the kingdom of Israel the church.  To show us how to live as Moses taught Israel.  This is our last chance not to be snared, not to enquire how the pagans did or do it and do likewise.  It grieves me when I see sincere seekers, jealous to walk with Yahweh God and get close to Him due to their eagerness and youth in the faith get snared by apparent ministers of righteousness.  Ministers who came through and hang onto the trade markers of the Pentecostal and charismatic system started about 110 years ago. 

You may have seen the recent t.v. advert for Virgin media.  It features Usain Bolt’s 9.58 second 100 meter run world record.  Behind that very quick 10 second dash it shows all the years of continuous training and pain he endures to show you 9.58 seconds of the result.  I am no Usain Bolt in running nor bible understanding; but I do take the study of the bible and denominations traditions seriously.  I try and take in a lot of various information to deliver these advice for your consideration for you to get it right with God.  I cannot show you all that information; so I simply make an offer.  If anyone can scripturally show me my conclusions are wrong, I am willing to pay substantially for the correction.  Money has limited uses; but a good one to which to put it is saving ones soul and that of others.  

Maybe I shouldn’t say this; but as friends, in a way I feel a duty to assist seekers, especially those who come here in countering the counterfeiter and his ministers.   I try not to upset anyone; but I would rather upset and be a pain in your conscience that see you deceived.  And if I am the one deceived, then I welcome the discussion. 

There is real healing by Yahweh God. We all accept that. There is also the fake and deceptive healing of charlatans who make merchandise of seekers and of witchcraft.  Let us be vigilant as we fight not flesh and blood.  The healing that counts is that of your sins.  Numerous places in the Old and New Testaments you would find the call to return to keeping God’s commandments.  The one I will use is  Mat 13:14  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: Mat 13:15  For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.  

Let us be careful on what we stand.  Not necessarily trusting our eyes nor hearts; but solely thus saith Yahweh God via His scriptures.  Let us not shy away from sincere truth seeking discussions; but seek first the kingdom of God not acceptance men nor vain glory.

Shalom.

Open with card trick to show how one’s eyes can be deceived.

We all know and accept there is the Holy and powerful Spirit of God or Holy Spirit as is called in the New Testament.  We should equally know and accept there are spirits not of God.  The bible speaks of many unhealthy spirits.  Of fear, Jealousy, whoredom, unclean devil, of devils, the anti-christ, bondage or of the world.  I am going to speak of one which comes in many disguises.  Of envy, desire, haughty, self or of Egypt where rulers wanted to be and made themselves gods.

In war truth is the first casualty.  Our enemy is the deceiver who is against truth.  Through subtlety and as a minister of light he fights our flesh, blood and mind.  One of our most important defences is truth.  So we must seek it out Joh 4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. Eph 6:14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

I heard this phase in a movie. It was said by a commanding officer to a politician “never tell a soldier he does not know the cost of war”.  We are at war with the devil.  We fight not only for our own lives; but our brethren’s from deceits and to preserve our way of life through our faith.  If they fall, we may be next as divided one falls, together each stand.  Ecc 4:9  Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. Ecc 4:10  For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Ecc 4:12  And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

The fewer the number against the opposition, statistically the harder it is to survive.  That is message of Ecc 4:9-12 although we know God can use the few to conquer the many.

I chose a title for this study that would tempt persons to read it as it is a very important topic.  It has led to two main schools of thought on the recognition of the Holy Spirit in one’s life.  Whichever camp has got it wrong could affect their salvation in the sense they are either being seduced by an unholy spirit or grieving the Holy spirit by not recognising it.   In this study we should see the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. 

1Jn 4:6  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.  

Today I wish us to examine the popular teachings and our belief of healing against the truth of the scriptures.  The first point we should know is when Yahshua, Peter or Paul healed persons, there was no speaking or praying in tongues, putting their hands on the temples or forehead of the sick, pushing them backwards down to the floor, asking for a donation or tithe.  Not even anointing them with oil.  Some of which are the things done today.

John an apostle says they were of God and those who know God would hear him and have the spirit of truth.  So I think a good place to start is in summary try to know God and the apostles.  There are a few other scriptures that refer to the Spirit of God being one of truth.

Psa 31:5  Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.

Joh 5:26  But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; …  [today pastors speak of themselves].

Eph 5:9  (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Eph 5:10  Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. Eph 5:11  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.  See also 2Thes 2:13 which says … through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

So brethren it is all about truth and reproving untruth.  So please empty your cup of pre-beliefs held and let us seek to recognise the truth through proper examination of the bible.

Act 5:32  And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.   The Holy Spirit or Ghost is given to those who obey.  Those in Corinth were not obeying.  Paul’s first letter to them was one of correction not praise.  1Co 5:1  It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.  1Co 5:7  Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:  1Co 5:11  But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.  1Co 6:5  I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? 

There is so much teaching and direction Paul has to give them on many topics that it should be clear the Holy Spirit has not been with them to bring them into remembrance of the scriptures or has taught them.  By the time the letter comes to chapter 14 the teaching and correction is on the topic of tongues and spiritual gifts which they all claim to have 1Co 14:26  How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

When Job got sick he did not ask for healing.  Hezekiah just prayed directly to God and reminded Him of goods works he had done.  Samson, when blinded asked for strength to revenge not healing and also prayed directly to God.   Those who know and obey God and the Messiah do not need a human intercessor for healing, only those who do not.  That is the bible principle.  By going through man for healing you are submitting to the Catholic system of going through a human like the Pope or indulgences purchased.  No man is your intercessor or covering.  You can go boldly to the throne of God.  By submitting to man you deny God’s power to heal without the man.  You are submitting to whoever is behind the man, which may not be Yahweh God.

When Miriam or king in 1 kings 13 had leprosy did they call on elders to lay hand on her or simply call on God?

The devil’s system is to go to another man, like a witch doctor, obe’ man etc and many pastors are putting themselves as your obe’ man or witch doctor equivalent and you are accepting them as your healer calling on spirits like Simon the sorcerer of Acts or Balaam and Balak.

Having God work through a person does not necessarily make them a prophet of God.  God worked through Pharaoh to get His people out of Egypt.

Is there any scripture of Yahshua or apostles stating speaking in tongues is a sign of having the Holy Spirit? NO!  If tongues is a sign does that mean Yahshua never had the Holy Spirit?  There is neither any precept God, Yahshua or the apostles advertised or encouraged persons to come and get healing.  The miracles of God in Egypt was because they did not know Him nor His salvation powers.  Through the miracles not only did Israel know Yahweh God; but so did pharaoh and the Egyptians.  With the prophets i.e. Naaman being cured of his leprosy, he said to Elisha 2Ki 5:15  …. now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel:.

In Luke 4:25 -27 Yahshua said there were many widows and lepers in Israel yet it was non Israelites that were healed.  Why?  He also said the poor and sick will always be with us and believers will go through trials, tribulations and other illnesses mental or physical.  He did not come to heal everybody; but save souls.  Peter and apostles were tortured. Stephen had the Holy Spirit yet was stoned to death. 

The focus of the bible and its teachings is on saving ones soul not their physical health.  Mat 10:28  And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.  Rich, poor, whole or lame, healthy in spirit living in accordance to God’s laws not necessarily healthy body.  We are called to be perfect in spirit and obedience not in physical being.  So even if we have an illness as Job or crippled we all can be perfect in God’s eyes regardless and bring Him glory by our lives.

Though in Mat 10:8 Yahshua gave His disciples power to heal the sick, He nor any of them advertised this power nor used it call people to God.  When they met the sick calling for alms, i.e. money, the healed were not expecting to be cured Act 3:1  Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. Act 3:2  And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Act 3:3  Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. Act 3:4  And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. Act 3:5  And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Act 3:6  Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. Act 3:7  And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. Act 3:8  And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

Yes people came to be healed; but not at the invitation or advertising of the healers and definitely not to exalt their position.  Act 5:12  And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; …  Act 5:14  And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) Act 5:15  Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. Act 5:16  There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.

There are 66 books in the bible, 1,189 chapters and 31,102 verses. The bible is not about miracles nor healing.  The emphasis and use put on it by preachers today.  After God proved Himself to Jacob’s descendants who had not known Him due to being in Egypt for 430 years and delivered them on the other side of the Red sea, their 40 years in the wilderness saw about three miracles.  Excluding specific ones brought about by Miriam’s  leprosy and Korah’s challenge to Moses, we have  manna from heaven, water from the rock and the walls of Jericho falling down.  In the prophets between Ruth and the Messiah, according to what you want to class as a relevant miracle, we have very few.  Some in Daniel, Elijah and Elisha.  So relatively speaking, miracles is not the main teaching of the bible.  Especially those performed by humans.  I think those performed were related to the nation of Israel not an individual with no connection to the nation, like a king or advisor to the king. 

Miracles are for the benefit of the nation and the gathering of unbelievers into that spiritual nation of Israel. 

As Paul said, tongues are for the unbeliever.  As Yahshua said when healing the blind man in John 9:3 “but that the works of God should be made manifest in him”.   Due to time I have to be brief on this point.  His and the apostles miracles was to bring recognition of the coming of the Messiah to the people as those of Egypt was to bring recognition of God to Jacob’s descendants.  Since that recognition, we are to now follow by faith.   We have had the sign of Jonas, the Messiah being in the earth for 3 days and night and rising from the dead.   430 years in the wilderness, thousands to the Messiah, at least 60 in the New Testament and yet only relative few miracles in each section and even less healings. Joh 9:4  I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. Joh 9:5  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

It is no different from marketing of today. When launching a new product you have to advertise and publicise it.  A method is to give free samples, reduced price or demonstrations.  Once the product is established, the freebies are stopped and the product is sold by its reputation, branding or word of mouth.

How did God first get Moses’ attention? With the miracle of the burning bush.  Pharaoh’s and the children of Israel? With the miracles of the plagues.  Thereafter each were supposed to believe in, fear and obey Him.  That was the purpose of the apostles Act 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.  The first miracle of Acts 2 convinced 3,000 immediately.  We take their testimony on faith and our knowledge of the bible and unbelievers take our testimonies then go and study the bible.

I will not go through each miracle; but if we look at the time they were performed, it was at the beginning of Israel’s history, Yahshua’s and the apostles’ ministry for the purpose of bringing the new faith to the population.  The purpose being to bring them to God through the Messiah.  At times it was the faith of the healed that healed them like the woman with the issue touching Yahshua’s garment in Mat 9:20, or the centurion in Mat 8.  The practice of today of taking oil and touching the persons head or body part etc was not needed nor done for healing purposes.  So from where or who did that come for healing.  There are only two scriptures that refer to being sick and oil.

Mar 6:12  And they went out, and preached that men should repent.

Mar 6:13  And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed. (then comes an inserted word “them”.  The insertion of the word “them” makes it sound as if two things happened; cast out of devils and healing of the sick by anointing.  Actually three things happened, casting out of devils, anointing the sick and healing.  A reader will not pick up on this unless, like the KJV, inserted words are in italics.  The purpose of the anointing I will come to later.

In Matthew 17:18 when any healing or a difficult casting out was to be done, Yahshua did not say it comes out with anointing, or elders putting hands on you; but with prayer and fasting. Just like James 5:14  Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord 5:15  And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.   Notice James does not say heal the sick; but save the sick, raise him up, forgive their sins.  All in the context of salvation which comes with death, the result of unhealed sickness.   In the next verse he uses the word “healed” and attributes it to fervent prayer.  Jas 5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.  So clearly James is making a distinction between “save the sick” and heal the sick and how each is accomplished.  The same as his teacher Yahshua.  When Yahshua raised the sick girl or Lazarus, He did not anoint any with oil.

I found 19 New Testament uses for anoint or anointed.  Only one related to healing John 9:6 where Yahshua spat on the ground, mixed the spittle with the earth and “smeared” it over the blind man’s eyes.  The translators called this anointed.  However, when we look at other uses of anointed as in Mark 6:13, Luke 7:38, 46 and John 12:3 we see it is a different Hebrew word.  [insert slide with Strong’s concordance].

Oil is also used for anointing i.e. in fasting Mat 6:17 and burial as with Yahshua Mat 26:12.  So let us examine what Mark and especially James is saying.  Note the oil is only mentioned in regard to the sick and not the casting out of devils.  What generally comes before death, sickness.  Almost in all circumstances or premature death, whether one knows it or not.  Whether the sickness is externally visible or internally invisible.  For such persons we can only pray for them to get better or anoint them for death.  If we word by word read James we should see that is what he is saying. 

James says the elders are to do the act.  Is James going to restrict praying for the sick only to the elders? I do not think so.  What is restricted for to the elders is the anointing before death in the name of Yahshua.  Who did the anointing of king Saul, David or other kings?  A prophet of God.  The elder.  Similar to when one is baptised in the name of Yahshua.  The start and end of their spiritual life is capped or enclosed with Yahshua.  James goes on to add that it is the prayer of faith that saves the sick not the anointing.  But is this “save” to do with saved from the illness or to do with one’s salvation?  I would say one’s salvation otherwise James would have said the pray of faith would heal the sick.  Another clue we have that it is to do with after physical death salvation is James moves onto “and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him”.  In other words raised up from death, the possible result of the sickness; and when raised up in the after life, their sins would have been forgiven because of the encappment of Yahshua on their earthly lives.  Lastly, James says pray for one another that ye may be healed.  Again he puts the healing down to prayer saying such prayers of a singular righteous man, accomplishes much, i.e. the healing from sickness. 

So because people want to be apostles and claim the gifts of the apostles they find a verse on which to stake their claim.  Yet the verse actually does not speak of what they think.  I put one’s pray and cry to God ahead of another intermediary.  Are we saying today that if an atheist or believer cries to God in sincerity, that their pray will not be acted on unless they first go and find an intermediary?  I know the woman in 2 kings 4:23 went to find Elisha to raise her son from death; but preachers today are not of Israel nor Elisha nor at least there is not the multitude of them as we have today.

My point is there is no precedent for anoint a sick person with oil and they get healed.  The anointing was for death or associated with death.  i.e. Mar 14:8  She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. Mar 16:1  And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.

I wonder if there is any significance to Yahshua starting His ministry when He came out the water being baptised with the Holy Spirit descending over His head and the anointing of His feet at the end of His ministry?  Encapsulated from head to toe with anointing.  Should we follow the same?  Being born again in the spirit and being anointed when about to die or a sickness unto death?

There is no precept in bible a large group of congregation gets God’s Spirit.  In the Old Testament Moses was chosen, then 70 elders to help him. Thereafter singular people as Isiah and prophets.  In the New, Yahshua was chosen then 12 or 70 to help.  Then singular Paul.

Others have always wanted what God specifically gave His chosen.  Miriam and Korah in Old Test.  Simon  and the Corinthians in New.

The purpose of miracles is the same as of tongues, for the unbeliever and those not knowing of the gospel.

Rom 15:18  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, Rom 15:19  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. Rom 15:20  Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation: Rom 15:21  But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand.

Jer 31:34  And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

1Jn 2:27  But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

At no time in the biblical examples of tongues did the hearers need an interpreter to know if what was spoken is true or not.  They had their own hearing and understanding.

God always wants us to know He is a God of giving us knowledge and truth.  Truth that we ourselves can know is true without someone necessarily telling us.  By examination through His given scriptures or laws not the interpretations of man.  When God took the Canaanites out of their land because they worshipped other false gods.  Things that were not true.  He replaced them with Israel who knew His ways, laws and requirements.  He takes out the unknown and gives the known.  Likewise when He takes us out of the world into His faith, into knowing of Him, he wants our hearts, mouths etc to know of Him and what we are saying and believing of Him.  Not to have as a necessity someone else interpreting for Him.  He also knows our thoughts so we do not need a language to speak to Him.  The language is so we know what we are thinking and saying  Psa 94:11  The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity. 

Thus when we pray we should be praying in words easy to understand and we know for what we are praying (1Cor 14:9, 11, 16).  And when we get the answers back, we ourselves, the prayer should be able to hear and understand the answers and language.   We are a people of knowledge not of idle or babbling sounds which need a sorcerer, wizard or other as in the Canaanite systems to interpret not only the language of the sounds; but also their meaning.

So brethren if we as an individual cannot discern what is true without relying on an interpreter how are we to know whether what they speak is truth or error?  Real or fake?   God does not operate in a realm whereby we cannot personally testify as to what is true and what is not otherwise we are relying on others of which the bible says there are many fake prophets of the Old Testament and ministers of the New.  Thus tongues is a language the hearer can understand though they may not know what it means.  Just like if I explained rocket science and its formulas to you.

Joh 15:26  But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

1Jn 5:6  …. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.

When I reflect on where God’s church is today, with the infiltration of satn and pagan practices brought in which people belief to be of God.  The Christ mas and such unholy days, the apparent miracles and babble tongues speaking, I tried to think back from when did it start and for how long has such infiltration taken place.   I realised it has been for over four thousand of years.  Almost the entire existence of Israel the Church.  Not only has the infiltration been in the spiritual Church; but the physical land of Israel.  Today the land has gay pride marches and other laws similar to an ungodly country.  The country is trying to serve God on one hand and please the world on the other. 

Rev 2:20  Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.

The country’s leaders are turning to the world for its political and economic policies and protection and would be believers to false prophets and prophetesses for teaching and seductions of the devil.

Acts 7:38 says the church started in the wilderness with Moses.  Even at its formation the followers wanted to be back in Egypt like followers today want to be in Egypt’s church with dancing, babbling and miracles.  I could not really put my finger on where or when the infiltration started.

I cannot remember any instructions for dancing, babbling or even individual miracles of healing by Moses or the elders in Moses’ church.  I am not including Miriam’s leprosy nor the fiery serpent as that is different and of God.  What I can remember is as soon as Moses went missing they reverted to the Egyptian system of dancing, nakedness etc.  Exo 32:7  And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: Exo 32:8  They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

It was not an infiltration of the devil, they had just not left it behind.  Had not renewed their mind totally.  They wanted the good things of God and the nice things of Egypt.

Joshua who came immediately after Moses was aware of the pull of satn on the church.  He said Jos 24:15  And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.   

Was it an infiltration or the fact they drank from an unwashed cup?  The cup being the Promised Land which God told them to clear / clean out thoroughly of its pagan inhabitants.  This they did not do.  Similarly today would be believers do not totally renew their mind; but retain some of the practices and traditions of the world when coming into God’s earthly system.   They do not cut off the arm or pluck out the eye as Yahshua said should be the case i.e. total and immediate separation from the diseases; but try and live with it.  Next when in doubt, rather than go to the words spoken by God, they go to the interpretation of the pastors who draw from the traditions of Egypt’s church. 

Mat 6:7  But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.  Mat_15:9  But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.  Col 2:8  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.   To seek one’s own edification is  vanity.  Something warned against in the bible.  Yet because pastors teach self edification is good they read the same into 1Co 14:4  He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.  Rather than see Paul is saying it is bad.  Edifying the church is the aim as in Act 9:31  Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.   1Co 14:5  I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.  It is obvious the speaker should also understand what “he” is saying.  It is the same “he”.  Just like the precept of Joseph and Daniel speaking and interpreting the dreams, so it should be with language speakers.  Philip and the Eunuch in Acts 8:30, 34 reading and interpreting / understanding the scriptures or Acts 13:15.  That is precisely one of the reasons Yahshua came, to give us the proper understanding of His father’s scriptures rather than the traditional interpretations of the scribes of the day i.e. of what constitutes working on the Sabbath and want is not.

1Ti 6:20  O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:  2Ti 2:16  But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

Many preachers like to use this verse to avoid or get out of scriptural examination of their belief and teachings Tit 3:9  But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.  The verse does not say avoid questions only foolish questions.  A person with a sincere question and examination is not asking a foolish question.  To their understanding it is a valid question and avoiding answering will only leave you or them with a false believe.  We are told to seek truth.

1Pe 3:15  But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

I digest.  After Joshua the judges had the same hard task of keeping Israel the Church pure.  Though they made the mistake of not totally clearing out the Canaanite and other pagan inhabitants as God commanded, I suppose if they had kept themselves to themselves and not mixed it may have been ok.  I mean today many different nationalities live right next door to each other, yet neither knows what each other eats, nor what goes on in their houses.  Many enquire not nor do likewise.

Deu 12:30  Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.

The church, Israel, were snared by enquiring and doing likewise.  As are Christian churches of today and even those seeking to be Messianic.  Those moving from “Christian” to Messianic” retain much of the theology and practices picked up in denominations like the Pentecostal and those Jews seeking to be Messiah followers enquire of the claimed Holy Spirit practices of the same Pentecostal and do likewise.

If the apostles got the gift of healing from Yahshua, could not also satn and his third of the angels have at one time got the same from God?  I am not saying all healing is fake or not of God; but we must use our intelligence to know satn and his ministers can also do lying signs and wonders  (2Th 2:9  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,).  There are many apparent healers on the television etc who we know are not of God despite their claims.  We hear secret stories of their lives and scandals.  So we must go by the word of God and not by sight.  Act 5:32  And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

In the Promised Land, during the judges God had to send Gideon to tear down pagan monuments the people had erected.  After so doing he had to flee, such was the anger of the “Church”.  Finally came Samuel the last judge; but even in his time the priestly sons of Eli had corrupted the system. 

We could dispel all of that history and start with David, the ancestor of the earthly son of Joseph and Mary; but we read in the books of the kings and chronicles the battle to keep Israel pure continued. Some kings had revivals of trying to return the people to Yahweh God while others deliberately took the people as far away as possible.  Some as Jezebel even becoming a byword in the book of Revelations.  Would Israel, the church be where it is today had Solomon not married those pagan wives?  Was he the start of the downfall?  We know Saul tried to rid Israel of false preachers.  Going to the witch of Endor she tells him   1Sa 28:9  And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?

Though David broke and repented for breaking the law we know he is held in high esteem with God who Himself said David was a man after His own heart unlike Solomon his son.  1Ki 11:4  For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.

Well Yahshua the son of God via the seed of David came once to again set up the kingdom of Israel the church.  To show us how to live as Moses taught Israel.  This is our last chance not to be snared, not to enquire how the pagans did or do it and do likewise.  It grieves me when I see sincere seekers, jealous to walk with Yahweh God and get close to Him due to their eagerness and youth in the faith get snared by apparent ministers of righteousness.  Ministers who came through and hang onto the trade markers of the Pentecostal and charismatic system started about 110 years ago. 

You may have seen the recent t.v. advert for Virgin media.  It features Usain Bolt’s 9.58 second 100 meter run world record.  Behind that very quick 10 second dash it shows all the years of continuous training and pain he endures to show you 9.58 seconds of the result.  I am no Usain Bolt in running nor bible understanding; but I do take the study of the bible and denominations traditions seriously.  I try and take in a lot of various information to deliver these advice for your consideration for you to get it right with God.  I cannot show you all that information; so I simply make an offer.  If anyone can scripturally show me my conclusions are wrong, I am willing to pay substantially for the correction.  Money has limited uses; but a good one to which to put it is saving ones soul and that of others.  

Maybe I shouldn’t say this; but as friends, in a way I feel a duty to assist seekers, especially those who come here in countering the counterfeiter and his ministers.   I try not to upset anyone; but I would rather upset and be a pain in your conscience that see you deceived.  And if I am the one deceived, then I welcome the discussion. 

There is real healing by Yahweh God. We all accept that. There is also the fake and deceptive healing of charlatans who make merchandise of seekers and of witchcraft.  Let us be vigilant as we fight not flesh and blood.  The healing that counts is that of your sins.  Numerous places in the Old and New Testaments you would find the call to return to keeping God’s commandments.  The one I will use is  Mat 13:14  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: Mat 13:15  For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.  

Let us be careful on what we stand.  Not necessarily trusting our eyes nor hearts; but solely thus saith Yahweh God via His scriptures.  Let us not shy away from sincere truth seeking discussions; but seek first the kingdom of God not acceptance men nor vain glory.

Shalom.

Open with card trick to show how one’s eyes can be deceived.

We all know and accept there is the Holy and powerful Spirit of God or Holy Spirit as is called in the New Testament.  We should equally know and accept there are spirits not of God.  The bible speaks of many unhealthy spirits.  Of fear, Jealousy, whoredom, unclean devil, of devils, the anti-christ, bondage or of the world.  I am going to speak of one which comes in many disguises.  Of envy, desire, haughty, self or of Egypt where rulers wanted to be and made themselves gods.

In war truth is the first casualty.  Our enemy is the deceiver who is against truth.  Through subtlety and as a minister of light he fights our flesh, blood and mind.  One of our most important defences is truth.  So we must seek it out Joh 4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. Eph 6:14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

I heard this phase in a movie. It was said by a commanding officer to a politician “never tell a soldier he does not know the cost of war”.  We are at war with the devil.  We fight not only for our own lives; but our brethren’s from deceits and to preserve our way of life through our faith.  If they fall, we may be next as divided one falls, together each stand.  Ecc 4:9  Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. Ecc 4:10  For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Ecc 4:12  And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

The fewer the number against the opposition, statistically the harder it is to survive.  That is message of Ecc 4:9-12 although we know God can use the few to conquer the many.

I chose a title for this study that would tempt persons to read it as it is a very important topic.  It has led to two main schools of thought on the recognition of the Holy Spirit in one’s life.  Whichever camp has got it wrong could affect their salvation in the sense they are either being seduced by an unholy spirit or grieving the Holy spirit by not recognising it.   In this study we should see the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. 

1Jn 4:6  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.  

Today I wish us to examine the popular teachings and our belief of healing against the truth of the scriptures.  The first point we should know is when Yahshua, Peter or Paul healed persons, there was no speaking or praying in tongues, putting their hands on the temples or forehead of the sick, pushing them backwards down to the floor, asking for a donation or tithe.  Not even anointing them with oil.  Some of which are the things done today.

John an apostle says they were of God and those who know God would hear him and have the spirit of truth.  So I think a good place to start is in summary try to know God and the apostles.  There are a few other scriptures that refer to the Spirit of God being one of truth.

Psa 31:5  Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.

Joh 5:26  But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; …  [today pastors speak of themselves].

Eph 5:9  (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Eph 5:10  Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. Eph 5:11  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.  See also 2Thes 2:13 which says … through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

So brethren it is all about truth and reproving untruth.  So please empty your cup of pre-beliefs held and let us seek to recognise the truth through proper examination of the bible.

Act 5:32  And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.   The Holy Spirit or Ghost is given to those who obey.  Those in Corinth were not obeying.  Paul’s first letter to them was one of correction not praise.  1Co 5:1  It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.  1Co 5:7  Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:  1Co 5:11  But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.  1Co 6:5  I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? 

There is so much teaching and direction Paul has to give them on many topics that it should be clear the Holy Spirit has not been with them to bring them into remembrance of the scriptures or has taught them.  By the time the letter comes to chapter 14 the teaching and correction is on the topic of tongues and spiritual gifts which they all claim to have 1Co 14:26  How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

When Job got sick he did not ask for healing.  Hezekiah just prayed directly to God and reminded Him of goods works he had done.  Samson, when blinded asked for strength to revenge not healing and also prayed directly to God.   Those who know and obey God and the Messiah do not need a human intercessor for healing, only those who do not.  That is the bible principle.  By going through man for healing you are submitting to the Catholic system of going through a human like the Pope or indulgences purchased.  No man is your intercessor or covering.  You can go boldly to the throne of God.  By submitting to man you deny God’s power to heal without the man.  You are submitting to whoever is behind the man, which may not be Yahweh God.

When Miriam or king in 1 kings 13 had leprosy did they call on elders to lay hand on her or simply call on God?

The devil’s system is to go to another man, like a witch doctor, obe’ man etc and many pastors are putting themselves as your obe’ man or witch doctor equivalent and you are accepting them as your healer calling on spirits like Simon the sorcerer of Acts or Balaam and Balak.

Having God work through a person does not necessarily make them a prophet of God.  God worked through Pharaoh to get His people out of Egypt.

Is there any scripture of Yahshua or apostles stating speaking in tongues is a sign of having the Holy Spirit? NO!  If tongues is a sign does that mean Yahshua never had the Holy Spirit?  There is neither any precept God, Yahshua or the apostles advertised or encouraged persons to come and get healing.  The miracles of God in Egypt was because they did not know Him nor His salvation powers.  Through the miracles not only did Israel know Yahweh God; but so did pharaoh and the Egyptians.  With the prophets i.e. Naaman being cured of his leprosy, he said to Elisha 2Ki 5:15  …. now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel:.

In Luke 4:25 -27 Yahshua said there were many widows and lepers in Israel yet it was non Israelites that were healed.  Why?  He also said the poor and sick will always be with us and believers will go through trials, tribulations and other illnesses mental or physical.  He did not come to heal everybody; but save souls.  Peter and apostles were tortured. Stephen had the Holy Spirit yet was stoned to death. 

The focus of the bible and its teachings is on saving ones soul not their physical health.  Mat 10:28  And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.  Rich, poor, whole or lame, healthy in spirit living in accordance to God’s laws not necessarily healthy body.  We are called to be perfect in spirit and obedience not in physical being.  So even if we have an illness as Job or crippled we all can be perfect in God’s eyes regardless and bring Him glory by our lives.

Though in Mat 10:8 Yahshua gave His disciples power to heal the sick, He nor any of them advertised this power nor used it call people to God.  When they met the sick calling for alms, i.e. money, the healed were not expecting to be cured Act 3:1  Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. Act 3:2  And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Act 3:3  Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. Act 3:4  And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. Act 3:5  And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Act 3:6  Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. Act 3:7  And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. Act 3:8  And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

Yes people came to be healed; but not at the invitation or advertising of the healers and definitely not to exalt their position.  Act 5:12  And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; …  Act 5:14  And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) Act 5:15  Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. Act 5:16  There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.

There are 66 books in the bible, 1,189 chapters and 31,102 verses. The bible is not about miracles nor healing.  The emphasis and use put on it by preachers today.  After God proved Himself to Jacob’s descendants who had not known Him due to being in Egypt for 430 years and delivered them on the other side of the Red sea, their 40 years in the wilderness saw about three miracles.  Excluding specific ones brought about by Miriam’s  leprosy and Korah’s challenge to Moses, we have  manna from heaven, water from the rock and the walls of Jericho falling down.  In the prophets between Ruth and the Messiah, according to what you want to class as a relevant miracle, we have very few.  Some in Daniel, Elijah and Elisha.  So relatively speaking, miracles is not the main teaching of the bible.  Especially those performed by humans.  I think those performed were related to the nation of Israel not an individual with no connection to the nation, like a king or advisor to the king. 

Miracles are for the benefit of the nation and the gathering of unbelievers into that spiritual nation of Israel. 

As Paul said, tongues are for the unbeliever.  As Yahshua said when healing the blind man in John 9:3 “but that the works of God should be made manifest in him”.   Due to time I have to be brief on this point.  His and the apostles miracles was to bring recognition of the coming of the Messiah to the people as those of Egypt was to bring recognition of God to Jacob’s descendants.  Since that recognition, we are to now follow by faith.   We have had the sign of Jonas, the Messiah being in the earth for 3 days and night and rising from the dead.   430 years in the wilderness, thousands to the Messiah, at least 60 in the New Testament and yet only relative few miracles in each section and even less healings. Joh 9:4  I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. Joh 9:5  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

It is no different from marketing of today. When launching a new product you have to advertise and publicise it.  A method is to give free samples, reduced price or demonstrations.  Once the product is established, the freebies are stopped and the product is sold by its reputation, branding or word of mouth.

How did God first get Moses’ attention? With the miracle of the burning bush.  Pharaoh’s and the children of Israel? With the miracles of the plagues.  Thereafter each were supposed to believe in, fear and obey Him.  That was the purpose of the apostles Act 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.  The first miracle of Acts 2 convinced 3,000 immediately.  We take their testimony on faith and our knowledge of the bible and unbelievers take our testimonies then go and study the bible.

I will not go through each miracle; but if we look at the time they were performed, it was at the beginning of Israel’s history, Yahshua’s and the apostles’ ministry for the purpose of bringing the new faith to the population.  The purpose being to bring them to God through the Messiah.  At times it was the faith of the healed that healed them like the woman with the issue touching Yahshua’s garment in Mat 9:20, or the centurion in Mat 8.  The practice of today of taking oil and touching the persons head or body part etc was not needed nor done for healing purposes.  So from where or who did that come for healing.  There are only two scriptures that refer to being sick and oil.

Mar 6:12  And they went out, and preached that men should repent.

Mar 6:13  And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed. (then comes an inserted word “them”.  The insertion of the word “them” makes it sound as if two things happened; cast out of devils and healing of the sick by anointing.  Actually three things happened, casting out of devils, anointing the sick and healing.  A reader will not pick up on this unless, like the KJV, inserted words are in italics.  The purpose of the anointing I will come to later.

In Matthew 17:18 when any healing or a difficult casting out was to be done, Yahshua did not say it comes out with anointing, or elders putting hands on you; but with prayer and fasting. Just like James 5:14  Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord 5:15  And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.   Notice James does not say heal the sick; but save the sick, raise him up, forgive their sins.  All in the context of salvation which comes with death, the result of unhealed sickness.   In the next verse he uses the word “healed” and attributes it to fervent prayer.  Jas 5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.  So clearly James is making a distinction between “save the sick” and heal the sick and how each is accomplished.  The same as his teacher Yahshua.  When Yahshua raised the sick girl or Lazarus, He did not anoint any with oil.

I found 19 New Testament uses for anoint or anointed.  Only one related to healing John 9:6 where Yahshua spat on the ground, mixed the spittle with the earth and “smeared” it over the blind man’s eyes.  The translators called this anointed.  However, when we look at other uses of anointed as in Mark 6:13, Luke 7:38, 46 and John 12:3 we see it is a different Hebrew word.  [insert slide with Strong’s concordance].

Oil is also used for anointing i.e. in fasting Mat 6:17 and burial as with Yahshua Mat 26:12.  So let us examine what Mark and especially James is saying.  Note the oil is only mentioned in regard to the sick and not the casting out of devils.  What generally comes before death, sickness.  Almost in all circumstances or premature death, whether one knows it or not.  Whether the sickness is externally visible or internally invisible.  For such persons we can only pray for them to get better or anoint them for death.  If we word by word read James we should see that is what he is saying. 

James says the elders are to do the act.  Is James going to restrict praying for the sick only to the elders? I do not think so.  What is restricted for to the elders is the anointing before death in the name of Yahshua.  Who did the anointing of king Saul, David or other kings?  A prophet of God.  The elder.  Similar to when one is baptised in the name of Yahshua.  The start and end of their spiritual life is capped or enclosed with Yahshua.  James goes on to add that it is the prayer of faith that saves the sick not the anointing.  But is this “save” to do with saved from the illness or to do with one’s salvation?  I would say one’s salvation otherwise James would have said the pray of faith would heal the sick.  Another clue we have that it is to do with after physical death salvation is James moves onto “and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him”.  In other words raised up from death, the possible result of the sickness; and when raised up in the after life, their sins would have been forgiven because of the encappment of Yahshua on their earthly lives.  Lastly, James says pray for one another that ye may be healed.  Again he puts the healing down to prayer saying such prayers of a singular righteous man, accomplishes much, i.e. the healing from sickness. 

So because people want to be apostles and claim the gifts of the apostles they find a verse on which to stake their claim.  Yet the verse actually does not speak of what they think.  I put one’s pray and cry to God ahead of another intermediary.  Are we saying today that if an atheist or believer cries to God in sincerity, that their pray will not be acted on unless they first go and find an intermediary?  I know the woman in 2 kings 4:23 went to find Elisha to raise her son from death; but preachers today are not of Israel nor Elisha nor at least there is not the multitude of them as we have today.

My point is there is no precedent for anoint a sick person with oil and they get healed.  The anointing was for death or associated with death.  i.e. Mar 14:8  She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. Mar 16:1  And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.

I wonder if there is any significance to Yahshua starting His ministry when He came out the water being baptised with the Holy Spirit descending over His head and the anointing of His feet at the end of His ministry?  Encapsulated from head to toe with anointing.  Should we follow the same?  Being born again in the spirit and being anointed when about to die or a sickness unto death?

There is no precept in bible a large group of congregation gets God’s Spirit.  In the Old Testament Moses was chosen, then 70 elders to help him. Thereafter singular people as Isiah and prophets.  In the New, Yahshua was chosen then 12 or 70 to help.  Then singular Paul.

Others have always wanted what God specifically gave His chosen.  Miriam and Korah in Old Test.  Simon  and the Corinthians in New.

The purpose of miracles is the same as of tongues, for the unbeliever and those not knowing of the gospel.

Rom 15:18  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, Rom 15:19  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. Rom 15:20  Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation: Rom 15:21  But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand.

Jer 31:34  And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

1Jn 2:27  But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

At no time in the biblical examples of tongues did the hearers need an interpreter to know if what was spoken is true or not.  They had their own hearing and understanding.

God always wants us to know He is a God of giving us knowledge and truth.  Truth that we ourselves can know is true without someone necessarily telling us.  By examination through His given scriptures or laws not the interpretations of man.  When God took the Canaanites out of their land because they worshipped other false gods.  Things that were not true.  He replaced them with Israel who knew His ways, laws and requirements.  He takes out the unknown and gives the known.  Likewise when He takes us out of the world into His faith, into knowing of Him, he wants our hearts, mouths etc to know of Him and what we are saying and believing of Him.  Not to have as a necessity someone else interpreting for Him.  He also knows our thoughts so we do not need a language to speak to Him.  The language is so we know what we are thinking and saying  Psa 94:11  The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity. 

Thus when we pray we should be praying in words easy to understand and we know for what we are praying (1Cor 14:9, 11, 16).  And when we get the answers back, we ourselves, the prayer should be able to hear and understand the answers and language.   We are a people of knowledge not of idle or babbling sounds which need a sorcerer, wizard or other as in the Canaanite systems to interpret not only the language of the sounds; but also their meaning.

So brethren if we as an individual cannot discern what is true without relying on an interpreter how are we to know whether what they speak is truth or error?  Real or fake?   God does not operate in a realm whereby we cannot personally testify as to what is true and what is not otherwise we are relying on others of which the bible says there are many fake prophets of the Old Testament and ministers of the New.  Thus tongues is a language the hearer can understand though they may not know what it means.  Just like if I explained rocket science and its formulas to you.

Joh 15:26  But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

1Jn 5:6  …. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.

When I reflect on where God’s church is today, with the infiltration of satn and pagan practices brought in which people belief to be of God.  The Christ mas and such unholy days, the apparent miracles and babble tongues speaking, I tried to think back from when did it start and for how long has such infiltration taken place.   I realised it has been for over four thousand of years.  Almost the entire existence of Israel the Church.  Not only has the infiltration been in the spiritual Church; but the physical land of Israel.  Today the land has gay pride marches and other laws similar to an ungodly country.  The country is trying to serve God on one hand and please the world on the other. 

Rev 2:20  Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.

The country’s leaders are turning to the world for its political and economic policies and protection and would be believers to false prophets and prophetesses for teaching and seductions of the devil.

Acts 7:38 says the church started in the wilderness with Moses.  Even at its formation the followers wanted to be back in Egypt like followers today want to be in Egypt’s church with dancing, babbling and miracles.  I could not really put my finger on where or when the infiltration started.

I cannot remember any instructions for dancing, babbling or even individual miracles of healing by Moses or the elders in Moses’ church.  I am not including Miriam’s leprosy nor the fiery serpent as that is different and of God.  What I can remember is as soon as Moses went missing they reverted to the Egyptian system of dancing, nakedness etc.  Exo 32:7  And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: Exo 32:8  They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

It was not an infiltration of the devil, they had just not left it behind.  Had not renewed their mind totally.  They wanted the good things of God and the nice things of Egypt.

Joshua who came immediately after Moses was aware of the pull of satn on the church.  He said Jos 24:15  And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.   

Was it an infiltration or the fact they drank from an unwashed cup?  The cup being the Promised Land which God told them to clear / clean out thoroughly of its pagan inhabitants.  This they did not do.  Similarly today would be believers do not totally renew their mind; but retain some of the practices and traditions of the world when coming into God’s earthly system.   They do not cut off the arm or pluck out the eye as Yahshua said should be the case i.e. total and immediate separation from the diseases; but try and live with it.  Next when in doubt, rather than go to the words spoken by God, they go to the interpretation of the pastors who draw from the traditions of Egypt’s church. 

Mat 6:7  But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.  Mat_15:9  But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.  Col 2:8  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.   To seek one’s own edification is  vanity.  Something warned against in the bible.  Yet because pastors teach self edification is good they read the same into 1Co 14:4  He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.  Rather than see Paul is saying it is bad.  Edifying the church is the aim as in Act 9:31  Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.   1Co 14:5  I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.  It is obvious the speaker should also understand what “he” is saying.  It is the same “he”.  Just like the precept of Joseph and Daniel speaking and interpreting the dreams, so it should be with language speakers.  Philip and the Eunuch in Acts 8:30, 34 reading and interpreting / understanding the scriptures or Acts 13:15.  That is precisely one of the reasons Yahshua came, to give us the proper understanding of His father’s scriptures rather than the traditional interpretations of the scribes of the day i.e. of what constitutes working on the Sabbath and want is not.

1Ti 6:20  O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:  2Ti 2:16  But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

Many preachers like to use this verse to avoid or get out of scriptural examination of their belief and teachings Tit 3:9  But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.  The verse does not say avoid questions only foolish questions.  A person with a sincere question and examination is not asking a foolish question.  To their understanding it is a valid question and avoiding answering will only leave you or them with a false believe.  We are told to seek truth.

1Pe 3:15  But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

I digest.  After Joshua the judges had the same hard task of keeping Israel the Church pure.  Though they made the mistake of not totally clearing out the Canaanite and other pagan inhabitants as God commanded, I suppose if they had kept themselves to themselves and not mixed it may have been ok.  I mean today many different nationalities live right next door to each other, yet neither knows what each other eats, nor what goes on in their houses.  Many enquire not nor do likewise.

Deu 12:30  Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.

The church, Israel, were snared by enquiring and doing likewise.  As are Christian churches of today and even those seeking to be Messianic.  Those moving from “Christian” to Messianic” retain much of the theology and practices picked up in denominations like the Pentecostal and those Jews seeking to be Messiah followers enquire of the claimed Holy Spirit practices of the same Pentecostal and do likewise.

If the apostles got the gift of healing from Yahshua, could not also satn and his third of the angels have at one time got the same from God?  I am not saying all healing is fake or not of God; but we must use our intelligence to know satn and his ministers can also do lying signs and wonders  (2Th 2:9  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,).  There are many apparent healers on the television etc who we know are not of God despite their claims.  We hear secret stories of their lives and scandals.  So we must go by the word of God and not by sight.  Act 5:32  And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

In the Promised Land, during the judges God had to send Gideon to tear down pagan monuments the people had erected.  After so doing he had to flee, such was the anger of the “Church”.  Finally came Samuel the last judge; but even in his time the priestly sons of Eli had corrupted the system. 

We could dispel all of that history and start with David, the ancestor of the earthly son of Joseph and Mary; but we read in the books of the kings and chronicles the battle to keep Israel pure continued. Some kings had revivals of trying to return the people to Yahweh God while others deliberately took the people as far away as possible.  Some as Jezebel even becoming a byword in the book of Revelations.  Would Israel, the church be where it is today had Solomon not married those pagan wives?  Was he the start of the downfall?  We know Saul tried to rid Israel of false preachers.  Going to the witch of Endor she tells him   1Sa 28:9  And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?

Though David broke and repented for breaking the law we know he is held in high esteem with God who Himself said David was a man after His own heart unlike Solomon his son.  1Ki 11:4  For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.

Well Yahshua the son of God via the seed of David came once to again set up the kingdom of Israel the church.  To show us how to live as Moses taught Israel.  This is our last chance not to be snared, not to enquire how the pagans did or do it and do likewise.  It grieves me when I see sincere seekers, jealous to walk with Yahweh God and get close to Him due to their eagerness and youth in the faith get snared by apparent ministers of righteousness.  Ministers who came through and hang onto the trade markers of the Pentecostal and charismatic system started about 110 years ago. 

You may have seen the recent t.v. advert for Virgin media.  It features Usain Bolt’s 9.58 second 100 meter run world record.  Behind that very quick 10 second dash it shows all the years of continuous training and pain he endures to show you 9.58 seconds of the result.  I am no Usain Bolt in running nor bible understanding; but I do take the study of the bible and denominations traditions seriously.  I try and take in a lot of various information to deliver these advice for your consideration for you to get it right with God.  I cannot show you all that information; so I simply make an offer.  If anyone can scripturally show me my conclusions are wrong, I am willing to pay substantially for the correction.  Money has limited uses; but a good one to which to put it is saving ones soul and that of others.  

Maybe I shouldn’t say this; but as friends, in a way I feel a duty to assist seekers, especially those who come here in countering the counterfeiter and his ministers.   I try not to upset anyone; but I would rather upset and be a pain in your conscience that see you deceived.  And if I am the one deceived, then I welcome the discussion. 

There is real healing by Yahweh God. We all accept that. There is also the fake and deceptive healing of charlatans who make merchandise of seekers and of witchcraft.  Let us be vigilant as we fight not flesh and blood.  The healing that counts is that of your sins.  Numerous places in the Old and New Testaments you would find the call to return to keeping God’s commandments.  The one I will use is  Mat 13:14  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: Mat 13:15  For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.  

Let us be careful on what we stand.  Not necessarily trusting our eyes nor hearts; but solely thus saith Yahweh God via His scriptures.  Let us not shy away from sincere truth seeking discussions; but seek first the kingdom of God not acceptance men nor vain glory.

Shalom.