The question was asked recently about how to identify an occult ministry.

Actually, there are many signs that may identify an occult ministry.  But the easier thing to do would be to look for the signs of a true Church of Jesus Christ.

As I have mentioned previously, the best thing for believers to do right now is to form smaller cell groups with other like-minded, true believers and followers of Jesus Christ and His Word.  Since the government now has allowed spies into our churches, one never knows who may be there seeking evil against churchgoers.  Executive Order No. 13397 was passed into law by former President George W. Bush, giving the government this right back on March 7, 2006.

However, if you still wish to frequent a regular church, it is best to look for the signs of a true remnant church, one that has true followers of Jesus Christ, who are doing their best to walk in obedience with God and His Word – the Holy Bible.

GOD’S TRUE CHURCH

 There are several ways to actually identify a true church of Jesus Christ:

(1)   A true church of Jesus Christ will be Bible-believing, Bible-centered.  It will teach about salvation and will help prepare you for the end-times, among other things.  True believers walk in Spirit and in Truth.

(2)  A true church of Jesus Christ will uplift Jesus at all times through praise and worship.  There may be a noticeable spirt of joy in the true church, among the true believers there.  It will be noticeably alive and vibrant.  Since Jesus lives in the hearts of all true believers, it is difficult for us to remain silent and miserable.  True believers are usually a happy, smiling, friendly bunch.

(3) A true church of Jesus Christ will sincerely be awaiting and believing in the second coming of Jesus Christ.  The believers will also be making an effort to prepare the Bride (the Church) for the Bridegroom (Jesus Christ), when He comes, making corrections that need to be made, if any.  That means staying away from man’s doctrines and faithfully adhering to God’s laws, among other things.  No legalism must be present.

(4)  A true church of Jesus Christ will teach the Biblical Truth about death, sharing the Truth of Heaven and Hell and what actually happens to a man’s soul after he dies.  It will teach the importance of salvation.

(5)  A true church of Jesus Christ will be a health-conscious church, basing its Truth on what is contained in the Bible:  (i. e. not eating pork, getting plenty of rest and exercise, etc.)

(6)  A true church of Jesus Christ will keep the Ten Commandments and teach GOD’s doctrines, NOT man’s.  Believers will tithe in accordance with God’s will, as set forth in the Bible.

(7)  A true church of Jesus Christ will teach that baptism is done by immersion, as done in the Bible, to all adults who know right from wrong and are able to choose for themselves if they want to follow Jesus Christ.  True believers are completely immersed in water, NOT sprinkled.  Baptism of the Spirit is also taught.

(8)  A true church of Jesus Christ will have the gift of prophecy and will encourage believers’ use of their spiritual gifts.

(9)  A true church of Jesus Christ will honor the real Sabbath, from sunset Friday night to sunset Saturday night.  

(10)  A true church of Jesus Christ will contain a body of believers who love, care for, and truly support one another, as Jesus wants us to do.  And a true body of believers will serve God because they love Him, not because it makes them feel important, as men-pleasers.

I know that not all churches display all of the above characteristics, but if you can find an assembly of believers who are making a whole-hearted effort to obey God in accordance with His Word and who sincerely love Him, then your heart is at least in the right place.  However, with your own cell group, with even a group of three or so, you can demonstrate all of these characteristics because God says that “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.”  (Matthew 18:20 KJV)

And don’t feel that if you aren’t in an established church with a nice steeple on it, that you aren’t being obedient to God.  If you meet at a friend’s home instead, with but a few others, you are still walking in obedience.  Organized religion is not Biblically commanded.

In fact, in Hebrews 10:23-25 (KJV), it only states the following regarding God’s will in the matter:  “Let us hold fast the confession of our faith without wavering:   (for He is faithful that promised;)  And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works:   Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another:  and so much the more, as ye see the Day approaching.”

AN OCCULT MINISTRY

Now, if you still need identifying signs of an occult ministry, then here is a list of some of its characteristics:

(1)  There will be identifying occult and masonic symbolism.  In fact, the following links have pictures and information to that effect, so there is no need for me to repeat any of it.  Both of these websites are excellent resources for helping one discern if a ministry is into occultic practices.

It may shock you to see that some of these occultic symbols are displayed on the New King James version of the Bible, which is why I only read the original KJV.  (I also read The Complete Jewish Bible.)  See for yourself:

http://www.seekgod.ca/warning.htm

http://www.bornagainministry.org/signs_symbols.php

(2)  There is a single, powerful human leader.  He may, in fact, proclaim himself to be a god on earth.  The leader of a supposed “ministry” I once attended was a control freak and felt the need to be uplifted all the time as if he desired our worship.

He once got up in front of our little group and bragged how someone saw him with a crown on his head and a long robe draped about his shoulders, and you could see how puffed up this man was with what he had been told.  The man displayed haughtiness and arrogance as he acted this out before us, something no true man of God should ever display.  The man was a true showman.

(3)  The teachings of this cult overshadows God’s Truth.  The “ministry” I once attended disallowed its members to even bring a Bible to the meetings.  This is a sure sign that something is wrong, when this happens.  The leader of such a “ministry” will not want to be exposed for the liar that he is.  And when this supposed leader told me not to fast because we only need to eat protein, even that shocked me.  Biblical fasting is a common practice among true believers.

(4)  An occult ministry uses force to coerce its members to submit to their false practices and teachings.  The “ministry” I once attended would not allow me to have a life or associate with anyone outside of the ministry group.  I was publicly shredded or humiliated if I dared think about even skipping a meeting.

(5)  A cult leader will teach a Jesus that is not found in the Bible.  It wasn’t until after I left the “ministry” I was in that God told me about the leader of that cult.  Someone gave me a prophecy later that told me that that man did not worship the same God that I worshipped.  This wasn’t obvious during my time involved with the so-called “ministry”, perhaps because I was too close to it at the time.  But I was quite shocked the day the man came in bragging to the group that he had finally learned to give praise to God.  WHAT?  The man was in his mid-60s, ran a supposed ministry, and had only just learned to praise God?  Most born-again believers praise God the day they get saved.

(6)  Occult ministries will not teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  An occult ministry will teach a gospel of good works instead, expecting you to earn your way to Heaven.

Jim Jones, for example, taught his followers that by drinking Kool-Aid they would be set free.  Charles Manson taught his followers that murder was a good work.

The “ministry” I was in never taught much of anything.  Instead, the leader would single out someone, usually the new person – me – or another single woman and slander that person in front of the entire group, making false judgments and accusations against that person.  Shredding the person’s soul was what this man’s “ministry” was all about.  NOT God’s ministry, but Satan’s.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ says:

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.”  Ephesians 2:8

“Not of works, lest any man should boast.”  Ephesians 2:9

“…The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”   Romans 6:23

(7)  Cults often urge their converts to leave their families.  In my case, I left my family, my children, sold my car and home, believing I was going to follow God in the way He wanted me to.  I was willing to give up everything for Him.  I moved from New York to Kansas, and the cult leader and his wife rushed me so I barely had a chance to think about this move.  They told me not to worry about my car, that I would get one when I got to Kansas.  That was a lie.  It has been over four years, and I still have no car.  I now rent instead of own.  My family live in other states.  My heart was in the right place, and I knew God wanted me in Kansas.  I didn’t realize, however, how deceived I was until I actually arrived in Kansas and had to experience the deceit this so-called “ministry” was practicing for myself.  Everything seemed to boil down to money.  If you didn’t give the leader of this “ministry” money, then he blasted you in front of everyone.  Eventually, this evil man kicked me out of his “ministry” because I had no money to give at the time, and I because I learned the extent of his lies and ignorance of Scripture.  I praise and give thanks to God that I knew the Truth of God’s Word enough to know when I was being deceived.

“And ye shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free.”  (John 8:32 KJV)

(8) I believe an occult ministry may easily be revealed through its members as well.  If you aren’t obeying the legalistic teachings of the one in charge, practically worshipping this deceitful, controlling person, you will notice how the members will slander you behind your back, quickly turn on you, and lie about you to anyone who will listen.  Granted, there are so-called Christians who do the same thing.  But when an entire group gangs up on you, telling you to keep quiet, as was done to me in the so-called “ministry” I was in for a short while, then you will definitely know that you are in an occult ministry.  The evil prevalent among the leader’s followers will reveal themselves to you through their own behavior and words.

One time I was filled with the Spirit of God, singing and praising Him along with the others, only to have the entire group suddenly turn on me.  I was told to be quiet and not to sing, unless I did it silently.  WHAT?  This was definitely NOT from God.  One woman got right in my face and told me what I should be doing, while being backed by all the others.  Clearly, the members of an occult ministry may pretend to be Christians when, in fact, they are merely Pharisees at heart, white-washed tombs.

So beware, if people are treating you this way while you are praising God and trying to be obedient, and truly being filled with His joy, know that an occult ministry is NOT the place for you.  Get out of it and never look back.  Even before I was so graciously “kicked out” of this so-called “ministry” I came 1,300 miles to be a part of, I had already intended to leave.  The evil members of this occult ministry only made it easier for me to do so.  Funny though, in the end, someone gave me a prophecy sometime later that said that the members of that little group did not kick me out.  It was, in fact, God Himself who rescued me from them, pulling me out to protect me from what those people were doing against me.  As I ponder these things, grateful that I serve a wonderful, loving God who cares for His own and protects them from evil such as this, I recall the following verses:

“They shall put you out of the synagogues:  yea, the time cometh, that whosever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.

“And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor Me.”  (John 16: 2,3 KJV)

Also, by calling true believers evil, as some of these people and their friends have done to me, then they are in for a big surprise.  For Scripture reads:

“Woe unto them who call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter.”  (Isaiah 5:20 KJV)

Know that God is not pleased at what this and other so-called “ministries” are doing to true believers, and they will not get away with their sins.  Unless, of course, they see the error of their ways and repent of their evil.  I praise the God of Heaven, the LORD GOD I AM, for being a loving and forgiving God who does not wish to see anyone go to Hell when (s)he dies.

Although I have given some examples of a ministry that appears to have believers of Jesus Christ within it, there are Satanic, occult ministries out there that are more easily recognizable.

Know that just because the name of Jesus is used in a supposed “Christian ministry”, such may not be the case.  At the core of that ministry may be the roots of Satanism in some way, shape, or form.  In these end-times, God will allow increasing deception.  So all true believers of Jesus Christ must always be aware and alert to the enemy’s devices.  And I pray, in the name of the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ, of Yeshua, that all who love Jesus and seek Him as their Lord and Savior will always know His Truth and not be deceived or caught in the lies of the enemy.  That is my hope, prayer, and blessing for all of you.  In Jesus’ Name, in the Name of Yeshua, I ask all these things for you who seek the Truth.

For more information:

http://www.remnantofgod.org/Remnant.htm

http://www.exposingsatanism.org/signs2.htm

http://www.seekgod.ca/warning.htm

http://www.remnantofgod.org/6signs.htm

http://www.christian-restoration.com/occult/ministry.htm

http://www.examiner.com/article/why-cell-groups-are-important

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/print.php?pid=65328

http://www.bornagainministry.org/signs_symbols.php

 

 

 

 

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