The LORD woke me up very early and I was keenly aware of His Presence.
He was speaking to me of abuses that are found in Christian Churches, religious organizations, and cults, and He wanted me to write about how these things are being implemented in these organizations.
I also want to make it very clear that I have witnessed these things firsthand and in my own experiences.
Early in my walk with The LORD, I did not realize what an abusive Church or organization was. In all innocence, I just accepted things as they were and did not question the behaviors of how things were done in these Churches.
There is an innumerable amount of people who attend these types of religious services every week and never question what they heard or checked The Bible to see if what they taught or preached was in the scriptures.
Many depend on their grandparents or their parent’s religion stating, “it has always been this way.”
No one seeks to find out why they believe the way they do, and sadly, they place their twisted faith in how their parents always did it and trust in momma’s apron strings thinking that was good enough.
Their trust in ignorance will not give them the real experience of Salvation in Jesus Christ.
In my journey, I became troubled about things that I witnessed and questioned in these ministries, denominations or organizations.
I was young, ignorant, and assumed that I could ask questions so I could learn. But when I asked questions about what I heard or was taught, I was silenced or ignored.
For example, I asked the pastor why he said that the Book of Job should have never been written? His response was, “Had Job had enough Faith, he would have never gone through his experience.”
I was confused and continued to ask about this and other things taught, and he or his wife would not say any more about it.
I had other questions at other times that I asked in private to the pastor, pastor’s wife, or others in leadership under them, and they all ignored and avoided me.
There must be a number of you that have experienced similar things, and you feel like you were or are unheard, unloved, ignored, and unwanted.
The LORD impressed upon me to share bits and pieces of my life with you, and I pray to God that in some small way, that it encourages you or sparks the interest to seek The LORD for yourself.
Since I was involved in some of these denominations, organizations, and ministries, I wanted you to know that I personally understand.
Over the years I have learned some very valuable lessons, and I pray that what I share will help you understand.
I have been misunderstood greatly throughout the years, but I need to share this about myself so if or when things like this happen to you, it will make sense.
There is something I do personally when it gets too busy, distracting, and confusing in life. I back off or back away from everything for a while.
I learned to do this to find clarity and to be in sync with The LORD, and it is not a negative nor a manipulative act, or a rejection at all, but I have found in my own life that sometimes I can be too close to the forest to see the trees.
That is why I have learned to back away to get my bearings and to see and focus clearly from a distance so that I hear The LORD and not be distracted by all the sounds of clamor that distractions bring.
Being too close to a situation can cause us to not see clearly because we can be too emotionally involved, or too familiar with the situation.
These are the times to back away and get into serious personal prayer, fasting, and in searching the Holy Scriptures so The LORD can correct and tweak me, so that I am back in position to hear correctly for myself and for the body of Christ, and The Nations.
Some people ask this question, “Why does a Church or Ministry start out so right and end up so wrong?”
It is my hope that by the time you finish reading this, that it may answer many questions.
Please bear with me as I share portions of my life with you below, because I really feel it may help some of you with some God given answers and confirmations.
I want to go back in time before the events above, when my family and I were transferred to another Duty Station.
The year was 1984 and the place was Anderson Air Force Base, Guam. I had received The LORD Jesus Christ years before and was baptized, but was seriously backslidden.
I got into some spiritual trouble in a bar one night and I felt God’s heavy, full, brunt force of ‘conviction’ in that bar like I had never felt before. I had to leave.
Have you ever heard the statement; “It felt like I got hit in the head with a two by four?” Well, that is how much it bothered me, and it was a divine wakeup call.
When I got home, I remained up all night ashamed and continued to tell God I was sorry asking him to forgive me, and from that moment on, I promised God I would start going to the Military Base Chapel/ Church.
True to my Confession, my family and I started attending a Military Base Chapel on Sundays.
For your information, Military Chapels allow all Churches, denominations, and religions. Even today they embrace, many like Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and their “Faith and Belief Codes” listing over 200 groups including Sikhs, Wiccans and Atheists. (How the US military embraced America’s religious diversity.)
I remember attending the Services and I could not comprehend any of what the minister said. It was so boring, and I watched others in the Service nod off.
While in my discouragement, I was handed a bulletin and I saw that there was a weekly Women’s Bible Study and I perked up, thinking I would give it a try. It was led by one of the various pastors’ wives who happened to be a Methodist.
I began to go and met some very nice women. The pastor’s wife used quarterlies, a booklet that all groups used in the Chapel.
Not long after I started going, I met a dear friend named Rhonda and we talked a lot about The LORD, and I was fascinated by her background as her parents were both deliverance ministers in the Assemblies of God denomination.
I had NO idea about demons, nor did I realize God could be so real! Rhonda and I became quite close and talked for hours about The LORD.
It was through our conversations that she introduced me to the Baptism of The Holy Ghost and speaking in tongues as The Spirit gave the utterance. (Acts chapter 2)
She provided me with scriptures and shared personal experiences, and she told me I could have it if I wanted it. At that time, I had no understanding or never heard of it before, but I was curious and interested.
Being so new and very sincere concerning the promise I made to God, I was very interested in The Bible and in learning.
The women of the Bible Study invited me to attend a 3-day Seminar on prayer that was being held off base at a hotel in downtown Agana Guam, and with excitement I said yes!
When we arrived, I was shocked at the size of the Conference Room, because it was surprisingly large.
The room was full, and the guest speaker was Evelyn Christiansen. I had no idea who she was, but I did not care because I was just so hungry to learn, and I was so excited to see so many Christians in one place!
I did not think there would be so many Christians on an island that is 30 miles long and depending on where you were in the middle was 1 to 8 miles wide.
The entire Seminar was on the topic of Prayer, and I was told that it was a non-denominational Seminar.
Each session began with praise and worship, and I noticed that some of the people in the audience while praising God would lift their arms and hands in worship.
While I had never seen it before, it did not bother me. But there was something that I did notice that bothered me greatly. Some of the people in the audience and even some in our group were scoffing and making fun of those who were expressing their worship to The LORD.
Even though I was immature in the things of God, I knew what they did was very wrong. Who were they to judge someone else’s expression of worship?
During that conference, I was like a sponge and took many notes and swallowed it all!
After that conference, I began to incorporate prayer into my daily routine. I got a small spiral notepad and began to list and date everything and everyone I wanted to pray for.
Since my husband was up very early for work and my babies were very young, I needed to be ready for them.
I would wake up very early and there was such excitement! However, I had to figure out a time when I could be alone with God to pray and study in privacy. So, I began my day at 5am, and many times I would wake up without an alarm clock.
I had my coffee with Jesus and began to pray everything I could think of and when I could not remember the rest, I would use my prayer notepad.
I began to feel spiritually stronger. I could feel the strength coming in all areas and began to witness my prayers being answered and I would date them!
I continued to add more requests to my list, and it became longer, and I loved this time with The LORD, and He was so very real and close to me!
I found the more I prayed the more I wanted to pray, and he taught me so much in scripture and I was so hungry.
What time I had free after caring for my family and home, was given to God! These brief paragraphs I have written were before I ever was Baptized in The Holy Ghost and fire in 1984!
If you are interested in my experience of being Baptize by Fire, you can find it here on HKP: “Experiencing the Shekinah Glory!”
I wanted to share portions of my life experiences to prepare you in advance about what I will share later. The particular gift and office that I want to talk about is the office of the prophet.
What I share with you in this article I have experienced and witnessed first-hand.
First and foremost; no man can make you a prophet. No school, seminary, or university can make you a prophet. God himself calls prophets.
“And he said, hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I The LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.” Numbers 12:6 KJV
Here are some questions I want you to think about:
- Why would a leader of a Christian denominational organization or Church, including spirit filled organizations say they believe the Bible and in Jesus Christ but become threatened or intimidated by a prophet of God sent there?
- Why would that leaders’ walls go up and precautions made when a prophet came in? Walls are for protection, aren’t they?
- Why does the leader think he needs protection?
God is wanting to unveil things in the spirit realm. In the case of this leader, the walls are all part of a structure, fortress and stronghold created to keep what is hidden within the leader’s life.
When we speak of walls, fortresses and realms this sounds like kingdom talk doesn’t it?
There are two kingdoms we choose from: the Kingdom of darkness, or the Kingdom of Light. There are many such leaders of Christian Churches, denominations, and organizations that are strongholds of sin and dens of devils.
So many are deceived by the false peace, and the false fruits. Basing your lives by feelings is dangerous.
Spiritual feelings, false humility, among others are growing in popularity with such deception like New Age!
New Age is in the Church and strong! Walls are also boundaries of territory that the demons have built to network his schemes, conspiracies, and orders. Jesus even said of the religious.
“Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” Matthew 15:14 KJV.
The time is at hand, even as Jesus said, to leave them alone and move on. If you obeyed God, you are done! Now move on!
Many are twisted in that truth and God himself is unveiling it NOW!
This isn’t just denominational or organizational ministries that we have known that are like shrines of dead men’s bones, but also some very popular spirit filled Churches and ministries, and God is sending the voice of His Prophets!
Many of these New Age types of ministries say they believe The Bible, believe in Jesus, and have the spirit.
However, they are dangerously so twisted by Leviathan and have been caught up in the webs, entanglements, and networking of labyrinths, and the people involved in these types of ministries’, are so deceived that it will take The Holy Spirit’s work to expose the truth!
These ministries’ twist the scripture so well that the gift of discerning spirits is needed now more than ever!
God Is Exposing New Age Through His Prophets!
“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand.” Matthew 24:23-25 KJV
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness,” Romans 1:18 KJV.
“Then The LORD God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” Genesis 3:9-10 KJV
What has happened to Church and organizational leaders that they fear they have no protection?
What is it that they fear to be seen in a negative light?
Instead of repenting of their hidden practices and sin, which could be resolved quickly, why do they feel they must hide it and reject the man or woman of God?
“Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” James 5:16 KJV
One of God’s purposes for sending in prophets is to bring a redemptive work of God’s correction and order.
A redemptive work of correction and order you may ask? Yes, part of His nature as Father is to discipline in hopes of redemption.
But in my experience the majority of the flock cannot recognize what is happening fully for The LORD wants to reach the leadership and has tried in MANY WAYS AND TIMES and that is why He finally sends a prophet.
However, The LORD keeps the flock safe and secure while he attempts to reach out to the leadership that feels exposed.
Being that we are a body and have team members with day-by-day dealings with the flock of God, why do we hide these things from those who have been found trustworthy?
Understanding the team concept is to have a better understanding of its intricacies’.
It takes a secure leader to recognize expertise in their team details so that they can share their perspective and trust God in their gifting. We must realize each part is interdependent of each other to function.
The Days of One-man Shows Are Over!
The last thing we want is for the flock to be intimidated, insecure, fearful or hesitant to share things that silences them in a negative light.
God is wanting to recognize all so they will discover their God given gifts and destiny so that all will benefit from the whole-body ministry.
But if the leadership is intimidated, it can silence those who really need to exercise their gifts and become true God given blessings to the body of Christ!
I have recognized this in relationships and weak or insecure leaders. In some instances, to bring conformity, some leaders will suddenly ignore and avoid questions altogether.
Being silent can be a form of manipulation and control, and it is abusive and destructive to godly relationships.
Remaining silent and not acknowledging the person that has questions, speaks volumes. If used repeatedly in relationships can cause irrevocable spiritual and emotional damage.
In spiritual and emotional abuse, it is not always what is said, but what is unsaid in the abuse. In abusive relationships, organizations and religious corporations, manipulation, control, intimidation, that leads to insecurity are practiced regularly. These things are based in fear, and NOT how Christ leads His Church!
I was led to write this, because I personally experienced this. Silence and dominance are widely practiced within religious, denominational Churches, and cultic organizations.
And reader, if you find yourself in such a place, get out! Why? Because it will never get better!
I believe these things will give you a guideline to go by in the future, because these techniques are not only used in some Christian Churches, religious organizations and cults, but in jobs, relationships and anything else you have dealing with mankind.
I exhort you! Get secure in Christ! Get your confidence from Christ! Be who you are and realize that no matter what you do, people will not always be satisfied with you. Quit trying to prove something to silence, and just be yourself and move on.
Believers, pulling away from these types of people and organizations can be a resolution plan of freedom!
If these things have been or are now your experience, avoid them and move forward! Stay just as far away from spiritual and emotional abuse for your spiritual and emotional health!
Leadership that causes the flock to feel they do not belong, affects their self-esteem and causes feelings of unworthiness and shame. While words may hurt us, silence is deafening.
I have found with assemblies if unrepented sin is in the leadership, it is on the flock. If this is the case, evil spirits immediately recognize a true prophet when he or she walks into the assembly, although the people do not.
When God in His mercy sends a true prophet into an assembly to bring correction, he does so because the leadership has continually ignored The LORD’s warnings of correction.
When a true prophet comes to a rebellious leader it is out of God’s love that he or she is sent. The prophet however, due to the anointing on their life causes a provoking reaction.
Once leadership reacts to action they fear and become intimidated, and their reaction is aimed at the prophet.
I have seen where God wanted to deliver, but instead the evil spirits would provoke the leader to great anger against the vessel God wanted to use to bring deliverance and freedom.
Pulling Back the Curtain in the Spirit Realm
The evil spirits that control that assembly were provoked, to reaction, and then action as the leadership is now openly intimidated by the prophet.
The provoked leader, deeming that the true prophet is a false prophet, moves upon appointed leadership to be sure that the true prophet is silenced or removed from the assembly.
I have witnessed that in their twisted mindset, the demonized leaders will even tell the true prophet to not touch God’s anointed, calling them a devil!
When the true prophet is silenced or removed, the leadership uses the true prophet as a scapegoat to cover up their sin.
Then from the rebellious leader’s pulpit the true prophet is blasted as a false prophet that was sent to cause trouble!
Thus, the demons laugh and continue their charade in keeping their positions of power in that leader and flock and sadly the leadership and the flock remain bound.
“Then it happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?” And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of The LORD and have followed the Baals.” 1 Kings 18:17-18 NKJV
“Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of The LORD Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you? Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of The LORD Jesus was magnified. And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver.” Acts 9:11-19 NKJV
When the office of the prophetic is in operation, it can make you feel intimidated especially if there is unconfessed sin in your life and can make you feel like you are under a magnifying glass.
This is not the person but the prophetic anointing in their life. Most of the time the prophet is not even aware of it unless The LORD opens their eyes to see what is actually there.
Information is given to the prophet for the person’s deliverance and welfare, not to publicly expose or humiliate them! Most of the exposure is done in secret between the person and The LORD.
The prophetic anointing will cause a feeling of pressure on men bound with secret sins and they will feel like they are being singled out.
They will be extremely uncomfortable because of the spiritual battle being waged over their soul’s deliverance.
Some under the prophetic anointing are so uncomfortable and provoked by demons, that they run away.
They run because of fear to avoid the prophetic anointing altogether. Later in confusion, they wonder why they feared and ran.
If you have witnessed or tried to minister to someone and they are intimidated, it is their reflection not yours, and it is outside of your control if they continue to hold to it.
Prophets may seem to have an intimidating personality, but it has nothing to do with you, but everything to do with how the people perceive them. The prophetic reveals what is hidden, even if the prophet is not clearly aware of why they are there.
So many believe that Christians cannot have demons operating in their lives, and because of that belief, many are bound to all sorts of sins.
Sin gives “legal” ground to the evil spirits working in their lives. The enemies’ mission is to keep as much ground gained in the lives of people as possible. Why? Keeping people in unbelief and ignorance is a powerful stronghold of darkness. But when light comes to reveal sin, and you ask God to forgive you, he does!
However, if you continue to fall back into the same sin over and over again and you have no control, there is a demonic presence involved.
But many Christians do not believe demons can be involved in their lives. So, with that unbelief will cause a vicious cycle of defeat, and the enemy takes up residence in the person’s life.
However, there is help and freedom that The LORD Jesus provides in deliverance.
Prophets rarely are received at the beginning, as they have learned the lessons of, “the fear of man or Fear of God.”
It is pure joy to a prophet when they are received and accepted in the beloved!
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.” Ephesians 1:3-6 NKJV
The prophetic office is a gift to the body of Christ. The anointing they carry convicts of sin, challenges us, and spurs us on in our journey in the Kingdom of God!
If you meet a true prophet, they are often misunderstood, but if you continue to look at their lives you will find a very humble and broken heart.
Often the prophet carries a broken heart for the people, because they carry The LORD’s burden for the people to be delivered of sin.
Their life is not often accepted by man, but they receive their blessings and acceptance from God.
We never get to a point in our lives and ministries where we move past that place of wonder we had in God in the beginning.
Just like when we met The LORD, we have great need to revisit that place again and again in our lives!
Meditate and revisit that initial encounter we had with The LORD; remember the innocence, our transparency, and the excitement in fellowship we had with The LORD in Prayer and in His Word!
If you have found yourself in the places described above, there is an answer for you.
You do not need a priest, or prophet, you do not even need their prayers. It is all about YOU going back to where it all began when you found your first love!
He is still there waiting and hoping you will find your bearings and pull back and away to get back in sync with The LORD.
This is not a one-time thing, it can happen many, many times as many times as you need to pull away to see and hear him clearly again.
We will never outgrow our precious time of remembrance in going back to the simplicity of his love for us!
For we never need to leave our first love, He is always there. But the question for you is, where are you right now?
Are you being tossed to and fro on the sea of life and is your compass spinning and the fog not lifting?
Have you been kept so focused on circumstances, and situations, that the cares of this life have kept you away from His presence?
Has your wilderness experience been so tall like a forest, so dense and dark that you cannot find where you are?
The answer is here beloved!
Return to your first love! Pull back, and back away, and come away with The LORD until you are fully restored in that place with Him.
And when that happens, then you will lift your eyes, and then you will see clearly and hear him clearly and you will find that your steps are one with his steps, knowing you are one with Him!
“I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast labored, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” Revelations 2:2-5 KJV
In HIS Grace and Mercy,
~ Sherry Edwards Mackey
New Beginning Christian Ministries International 