PRE-404-404. Guarding The Sheep

404. Guarding The Sheep

Guarding the Sheep

Beware of Wolves in the Church

by David Wilkerson

November 15, 2004

[May 19, 1931 '96 April 27, 2011]

As Paul was on his way to Jerusalem in Act_20:1-38, he made a stop at Ephesus . There he called a special meeting of all the leaders of the church. He told those Ephesian believers solemnly, '93This is the last time I'92ll see you. And this will be my final message to you. You'92re not going to see my face after this'94 (see Act_20:25).

Paul then delivered his last message to the Ephesians. He told them, in essence, '93I'92ve been with you before, and you know what I stand for. I have served you with humility and tears. I'92ve preached in your church, and from house to house. I'92ve done it all under great trials and persecution. And I have kept nothing back from you.'94

Then, with tears, he gave them this sober warning: '93For three years now, I'92ve warned you night and day with tears about what I see coming to the church after I'92m gone. Now I want you to hear this warning one more time'94 (see 20:31).

What did Paul see coming? What so grieved him that he would spend three years weeping over this church? What coming tragedy had he warned them about so many times, both publicly and privately, in their church and in their homes? What issue could shake this praying, holy man so deeply?

Paul'92s concern wasn'92t an outbreak of lust, or adultery, or divorce, or drunkenness. His warnings weren'92t about coming persecution from society or government restrictions on them. He didn'92t warn about an outbreak of depravity, or homosexuality in the pulpit, or signs of moral decay, or unemployment and poverty, or terrorism and wars.

In short, Paul'92s warnings weren'92t about the chaos going on outside the church doors. No, Paul was grieved over what he saw coming inside the walls of God'92s house. He warned the Ephesians about what he foresaw coming upon the ministry, upon shepherds, in particular. And those warnings were about destruction to come at the hands of deceivers who would flood into the church.

In his final message, Paul'92s mind was not on church growth, or pastors'92 personal struggles, or believers'92 trials and temptations. No, Paul'92s deep heart-cry was, '93You pastors, you shepherds, take heed. Be on guard, for yourselves and for your people.'94

'93The Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God , which he hath purchased with his own blood'94 (20:28). In other words: '93You overseers, you bishops, you leaders '97 feed your flocks, to prepare them. Fill them with God'92s pure Word. Savage wolves and deceivers are coming, and they'92re going to take aim at the weak sheep.'94

'93For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore, watch'94 (20:29-31).

At that point, Paul pointed out to them, '93Right now, you are a blessed church. You'92re a faithful people, a powerful body of believers. You have a strong foundation.'94 Christ also would later say this about the Ephesians, in Revelation. He told them, '93You'92re patient and fruitful. You don'92t put up with evil, and you expose all false preachers.'94

Yet, according to Paul, '93As blessed as you are, your church won'92t be spared, unless you heed my warnings. You'92re going to see an ungodly, perverse ministry arise and make merchandise of this flock.'94 Christ gave the Ephesians the same warning, in Rev_2:1-29 : '93You'92ve left your first love. Repent, lest I take away your lamp stand, your glowing witness to the world.'94

How did these Ephesian believers lose their first love? How does any church become dead? Clearly, it was because their pastors and leaders weren'92t guarding the sheep. They weren'92t careful, and let wolves have access to the flock. When those wolves came in, they devoured the sheep, not sparing them.

In short, a perverted gospel infiltrated the church, and error was taught. Soon pure-hearted believers were led astray by horrible deception. For years, this faithful church had been careful to judge what was of the gospel and what was of flesh. But now those same believers were led into an easy gospel that appeased the flesh. And they were drawn away from Christ.

Today Paul is gone, and the wolves and the perverse have come in.

These wolves and the perverse have invaded God'92s house. And they'92re deceiving pastors and congregations all over the world. Everywhere I travel, I see perverse preachers splitting up flocks and scattering sheep.

Jesus also warned of their coming: '93Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep'92s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves'94 (Mat_7:15). According to Christ, greedy preachers and teachers will come dressed as God'92s sheep. They will appear as angels of light, but they'92ve come to deceive even the elect if possible. Ninety percent of what they say sounds like true gospel, but they'92re using God'92s Word as a cloak for their deception.

The prophet Ezekiel speaks of these wolves: '93There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things'85 (They) are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain'85 (They) have vexed the poor and needy'94 (Eze_22:25; Eze_22:27; Eze_22:29).

Show me a preacher who never exposes sin '97 who doesn'92t show people the difference between the holy and the profane, who doesn'92t mention repentance or judgment, but instead says God wants to make you rich and prosperous '97 and I'92ll call such a man what he is. He is a wolf. And he has substituted the Cross for cash.

Let me describe such a modern-day wolf. The man I'92m thinking of is one of the better-known prosperity preachers in America . A few weeks ago, this was his message: '93You have heard about the coming of Jesus. You'92ve heard he can return at any time. I tell you, that'92s impossible. He can'92t come until you'92re prospering '97 until you get your nice car, until you have your dream house. He simply can'92t come until then.'94

I recently watched a video sent to me of a prosperity conference. Here was the theology stated at that conference: '93Find the most prosperous preacher you know of, and give him money. The blessings on him will flow in to you.'94

One prosperous pastor stood on the platform and described his cars, his plane, his house, his diamonds, a dog he bought for $15,000. He declared, '93I'92m going to build a house that Solomon would be proud of. Then, when the people in my city see my mansion and my Rolls Royce, they'92ll know there'92s a God in heaven.'94

As he spoke, people walked up and stuffed money in his pocket. Others filed forward and laid money on the stage. Still others threw money toward him. Then a song started, titled, '93Run for the Money.'94 Some fell prostrate while others ran about the auditorium singing, '93Run for the Money.'94

Beloved, it shocks and amazes me how Bible-believing pastors and Christians can be so deceived. Even at our church, some parishioners pass out taped messages by the wolf who teaches, '93Jesus can'92t come until you prosper.'94 What awful blasphemy! Jesus himself said we'92re to look for his appearing, that he'92ll come in the twinkling of an eye, when we least expect him.

Oh, how blind the church has become. And how blind so many shepherds are now. Churches that once believed in sacrifice, self-denial and cross-bearing have become corrupted by flesh. Their focus is now totally on self, on material things, on the good life, not the holy life.

The prophet Jeremiah described the wolves who come bearing this deception: '93Their houses [are] full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich. They are waxen fat, they shine [with sleekness]'85they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge.

'93Shall I not visit [punish] for these things? saith the Lord: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; the prophets prophesy falsely'85and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?'94 (Jer_5:27-31).

According to Jeremiah, these wolves build their fortunes on the backs of the poor and needy. One prominent evangelist is selling '93healing for cancer'94 for $1,000. For $500, a person can come forward and receive prayer for any kind of malady. But prayer for cancer costs $1,000.

It'92s all a stench in God'92s nostrils. And let me tell you where it ends: We serve a patient God, who won'92t destroy or judge anyone who'92s drawn into snares ignorantly. He will warn and correct his sheep. But the day is coming when he'92ll say to these wolves, '93Enough! You'92ll no longer rob widows. You won'92t turn the blood of my Son into a credit card to satisfy your lusts. You'92ll no longer be allowed to go into all the world and preach a materialistic Christ. I am going to bankrupt and expose every wolf in sheep'92s clothing. Very soon, the money that'92s flowing in to you will dry up completely.'94

Every shepherd of the Lord has been charged to guard his flock against wolves.

Who do the wolves go after? They prey on the weak, underfed sheep. They seek out those who don'92t know their Bible and are caught up in a self-centered gospel. That'92s why Paul'92s warning is crystal clear: '93Pastors and leaders, guard yourselves. And guard the flock you'92ve been called to oversee. Feed the church of God .'94 We shepherds are commanded to fill the flock with the pure Word of God. Only then will they be able to discern what is of the Holy Spirit and what is of the wolf.

I ask you: what should be the concern of every true shepherd in this nation? It ought not to be some new way to entice people to come to church. No! Pastors should be overcome with the concern that broke the apostle Paul'92s heart. God laid this same concern on the heart of the prophet Amos: the danger of a famine of the Word of God.

In Amos'92 day, Israel became obsessed with the shekel, or money and materialism. Meanwhile, the poor were despised. Anyone who wasn'92t successful was mocked. So Amos cried out, '93Ye'85swallow up the needy'85making'85the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit'85 (You) buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes'85 The Lord hath sworn'85Surely I will never forget any of their works'94 (Amo_8:4-7).

Amos saw wolves preying on widows and the poor, taking away their silver, or livelihood. And he cried out, '93You'92re taking shoes off the feet of widows. You'92re robbing the poor.'94

I see the same thing happening today. One wolf '97 a ministry consultant '97 told our financial manager, '93If someone sends your ministry a gift, send them another appeal right away.'94 In other words: '93It doesn'92t matter who sends the money in. Let the widows and elderly who support you give even more, if they choose. Just get the biggest gifts you can.'94 No, it will never be so! Today, that consultant'92s ministry is near collapse.

How did the Lord react to such greed in Israel ? He told Amos, '93Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: and they shall wander from sea to sea'85they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it. In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst'94 (8:11-13).

God was saying, in essence, '93Go ahead, go for the shekels. Despise the poor, the needy, the widow, the godly. But I'92ll send a famine on you and your flock. And you'92ll starve for a word from heaven. You'92ll run east and west, trying to find a word from me, but no word will come.'94

Likewise today, the Lord will shut up heaven to every shepherd of the shekel. Every blessing that flows in will soon dry up. And in hard times, the thirsting flocks who follow those wolves will scatter as they run looking for a word from God.

Beloved, the one great concern of our heavenly Father is that no '93other gospel'94 takes us away from the Cross. I know many Christians whose faith has been shipwrecked because they were given a flattering word years ago: '93You'92re going to have a great ministry. You'92ll win thousands of souls to the Lord.'94 Not one word of it came to pass. And now those sheep are totally discouraged, their faith on the ash heap.

If you'92re going to receive a word from the Lord, let it be from Scripture. Let it be from your precious time in the prayer closet with Jesus. Let your closest godly friends test that word with you to confirm it. Otherwise, if you allow anything to get in the way of the true gospel, you'92ll end up in famine.

Paul warns of an even more dangerous invasion against Christ'92s church.

Paul told the Ephesians, '93Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them'94 (Act_20:30). The Greek word for '93perverse'94 here means obstinate persistence in promoting an error.

Paul was warning, '93Some of you in authority will rise up and bring in a distorted gospel. You'92ll introduce a corruption of the pure gospel.'94 What could Paul be talking about? How could this possibly happen among the leaders of this church?

Notice, Paul wasn'92t talking now about wolves or robbers of widows. He wasn'92t zeroing in on despisers of the poor. No, Paul was referring to ministers who cower and shrink back from preaching the whole counsel of God. He was speaking of those who present a watered-down gospel, a half-gospel, only a part of God'92s Word.

Paul stated to these men, '93I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God'94 (Act_20:27). Therefore, he tells them, '93I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men'94 (20:26). In other words: '93I'92m innocent before the Lord, because I didn'92t hold back anything in preaching God'92s whole truth to you.'94

So, what is '93all the counsel of God'94 that Paul refers to here? In short, the whole counsel of God includes the tough subjects of Scripture, not just the blessings. It includes preaching on the exceeding sinfulness of sin. It means preaching on hell, on Christ'92s coming, on the judgment to come. It means including the message of godly sorrow over sin, of repentance, of forsaking sin. It'92s the preaching of an offensive gospel of the blood of Christ. It'92s a message of taking up the cross, of self-denial, of sacrifice, of dying with Christ. It'92s a gospel of holiness and separation from the world.

Certain ministries today are dedicated to promoting what they call a '93friendly'94 gospel, meaning, a non-offensive one. The dictionary defines '93friendly'94 as warm, comforting, not upsetting. Of course, I believe the gospel of Jesus Christ is comforting and healing. It is good news '97 indeed, the greatest news man could ever hear. And as messengers of the gospel, we are to preach encouragement, hope and faith.

But if we heed Paul'92s warning, then we'92re called to preach all of the gospel. And '93all of the gospel'94 includes an offensive message, a word that'92s provoking and convicting to any sinful heart, in believers and non-believers alike. According to Peter, the gospel of Jesus Christ is '93a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient'94 (1Pe_2:8).

But the '93friendly'94 gospel that'92s being presented today refuses to do that. Such preachers seldom bring their people to a place of Holy Ghost conviction for sin. Can you imagine Paul preaching a message that excluded the call to deny self? Never!

The '93friendly'94 gospel is nothing but a watered-down, warm-fuzzy message, meant to draw the largest crowds possible. Yet, tragically, it never confronts the issue that drives all men to the Cross: sin. Instead, it hides the truth, the very truth that'92s meant to set people free.

As I read Paul'92s warning, I tremble at what I see coming to pass in our time.

I have determined to preach the whole counsel of God till the day I go home to be with the Lord. And I will do so because of God'92s warning to all preachers in Eze_33:1-33 :

'93If when (the watchman) seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.

'93But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman'92s hand.

'93So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel ; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

'93Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul'94 (Eze_33:3-9).

As a preacher of God'92s Word, I am to warn the wicked, or the Lord will hold me responsible for their blood. It'92s no wonder Paul told the Ephesians, '93I am innocent of the blood of all men.'94 He knew about God'92s warning to preachers in Eze_33:1-33.

I preach in a church where people come in from all walks of life: transvestites living in a personal hell, actors and actresses drowning their despair in alcohol and drugs, desperate business people on the verge of suicide. As I look out at the faces of these suffering sinners, how can I be afraid to give them truth? How could I possibly withhold any of God'92s Word from them, knowing the only truth that will speak to them is the blood of Jesus and the Cross of Christ?

My message at times may offend sinners and compromisers. But I will not have any blood on my hands on Judgment Day. You may think, '93Everything you'92re stating is from the Old Testament. It doesn'92t apply in this day of grace.'94 If that'92s true, then Jesus was mistaken when he quoted Isaiah and the other prophets. And the same holds true for John the Baptist and the apostle Paul. Peter writes, '93To him [Jesus] give all the prophets witness'94 (Act_10:43).

Here are Jesus'92 own words on the subject: '93I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep'94 (Joh_10:11-12).

Jesus says the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. What does that mean, exactly, for a minister of God today? It includes laying down all pride, all fear of man, and all cowering when it comes to preaching the whole counsel of God. That is a requirement for any shepherd who is called to feed the flock.

Now, let me give you some good news.

I see God raising up a holy remnant of good shepherds.

These shepherds are seeking God with fresh diligence. They'92re devoted ministers, young and old, who won'92t allow any wolf to touch their flock. As these shepherds look around at the church today, they'92re sick and tired of all the hype they see. They weep as they watch sheep being scattered left and right, because they have no true shepherd.

These godly shepherds have one concern: they'92re determined to feed their flocks God'92s pure Word. They refuse to build their own dreams on the backs of poor or weak sheep. Instead, they come to the pulpit with a fresh, Holy Ghost-fired word. They know that'92s the only thing that will keep their flocks in the difficult days ahead.

My son Gary and I meet these devoted shepherds all over the world, as we hold ministers'92 gatherings. They'92ve grown weary of manmade concepts and gimmicks for ministry. All they want is to hear from God. They know this world is racing toward judgment, so they preach with Holy Ghost fire. They'92re not competing with each other, trying to be religious stars. They don'92t want to be found chasing foolish dreams when God is shaking everything that can be shaken.

I believe that soon, in a single day '97 a day of terror and panic '97 God will bring down all false, perverse gospels. He'92ll close all churches that pander to flesh. Revelation says that in one hour Babylon will fall. That'92s when I see God bankrupting every '93wolf ministry.'94

In their place will rise up a body of overcomers. These servants of God will be fearless, holy, fully prepared because they were fully warned. That is when we'92ll see God'92s glory return to his church. Hallelujah!

By: David Wilkerson