[mizpeh]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

Mat 7:15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
Mat 7:16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

Mat 7:21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Mat 7:22 On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?'
Mat 7:23 And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'

This thought just occured to me. There are many that seek the gifts and perhaps even possess them. Where they fail is like these false prophets...they thought their works would validate them. The gifts are not for personal validation. They are to edify each other and all miraculous works are to validate our Father in heaven. When saints and preaches begin to feel their works, whether in the Spirit or in the natural, validate them is when they become false prophets.

This can be on the exteme level of a nationally or internationally renowned individual or just a local saints whose ego is bigger that the rest of the body...

What think ye? Their fruits will be evident. They might be able to fool some folks for a while and put on a good show, but I believe this failing will eventually catch up with them and their heart issue will be manifest to all

Somehow these folks who Jesus said he didn't KNOW were not doing the will of the Father and were considered workers of lawlessness (sinners) even though they were used in the gift of prophecy and perhaps in the gifts of healings and miracles which they did in the name of Jesus. Not only that, these people called Jesus, Lord. So it sounds like they must have been filled with the Spirit of God and are considered saints by all outer appearances.

I'm not sure if they fail because they think God using them in the gifts is a validation of their standing with God. I think their failure lies in not doing the will of God and in sin. Maybe they delude themselves in thinking they are right with God because God has used them in the gifts to confirm his word. A prophecy can be faked but a miracle or casting out a demon in the name of Jesus, I don't see how these can be faked. The demon possessed would jump on them if they were faking. I think their failure is in some type of sin and they justify themselves that they are right with God because they are used in the gifts.

My question would then be, why does God use a saint who is not doing his will to heal or prophesy or cast out demons?