Are all prophets?

A visiting preacher came to town.

He taught about the Holy Spirit. He was a gifted speaker who drew his listeners and had them coming back.

This would have been great help to the Church because we do, in fact, need the Holy Spirit.

So while he made his listeners hungry for Holy Spirit, he fed them poison that corrupted minds and tainted lives.

He told them speaking in tongues was the only proof that a Christian had received the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Eventually, some people began to fake it so they wouldn’t be seen as Christians who have not received the Holy Spirit.

Prayer times at worship services and prayer meetings became times when people shouted things no one understood (because there was no interpreter). They would say Amen to prayers no one understood and go home rejoicing that they had accomplished much in the spirit.

There was also the matter of being slain in the spirit, or falling under the anointing.

At first, some thought it was laughable, the way some people would push people so they would fall while they were praying for them.

But then they began to notice how people lives were being affected.

People were no longer praying. They were more concerned with being seen as filled with the Holy Spirit.

And there were three who actually received strange spirits as they fell under the anointing of those spirits.

Some of them developed health conditions.

Some started to behave in ways that were out of character (one person left school and started to go around town on foot with a Bible under his arm, preaching).

Some could no longer agree with anyone else about anything, so even church meetings became times to quarrel and try to settle fights.

The visiting preacher said the Church had been set on fire for God. He continued to travel, carrying this poison with him and feeding it to those who prefer to eat from his hand rather than the word of God.

If we would just open our Bible and read it, we will be too full to be taken by the ploys, schemes and devices of even charismatic propagators of strange doctrines.

Every Christian who has received the gift of the Holy Ghost has the ability to manifest any of the gifts of the Spirit because it is the same Holy Spirit manifesting these gifts, according to His will. That is, speaking in tongues is not the only proof that the Holy Spirit indwells a believer.

We do not all prophecy, we do not all speak in tongues, or manifest any of the gifts of Spirit because the Holy Spirit determines what gifts we manifest.

Also, we take on the character of the spirit we open up ourselves to and receive. If the character of the spirit you have received does not agree with the character of the Holy Spirit as revealed to us in the Bible, then the spirit you have received is not of God and you can tell it to leave in Jesus’ name. God has given you that authority.

The Holy Spirit will not make you sick.

The Holy Spirit will not make you an author of confusion.

The Holy Spirit will not make you a pretender.

The Holy Spirit will not hinder or stop you from praying.

The Holy Spirit works according to His own will in manifesting His gifts through a believer for the good of the Church.

What anointing have you received?

It might help to open your Bible before you try to answer that question.