You have spiritual experience and now you think you can lead?

Your spiritual experience or spiritual gifts do not give you spiritual authority. One may have seen demons or angels. One may have been shown the throne of God. One may have encountered the spiritual realm. One may have dreams and visions. One may flow in other supernatural gifts. But these do not give one spiritual authority. Just because a Christian is allowed spiritual experience does not mean they are spiritual either. These things do not make one a spiritual leader. What are their fruit?

Jude 1:8 (NLT) In the same way, these people—who claim authority from their dreams—live immoral lives, defy authority, and scoff at supernatural beings

But why would God allow a greater spiritual experience for some and not necessarily others? In many cases, the spiritual experience is allowed to many Christians to help them with their unbelief. It is because of their weaker faith and to help them believe. But rather humbling themselves, many assume they are more spiritual and can become puff up with pride.

Therefore, many with prophetic gifts assume they have spiritual authority because they speak for God. But many with the prophetic gifts do not yet have spiritual authority. They may just have a message or word from God. This is not to say that some do not have authority. When one has a message from God, then that Word has authority but we are to submit to that message. We are to submit to God. Authority is granted as one submits to authority. But many messengers use this gift to take authority upon themselves after the fact as though they are the message.

The mark of spiritual authority is the anointing on a person. The greater the anointing the greater the authority. And with the anointing the spiritual gifts work and operate in concert to edify the church.

For example, The spiritual gifts are like tools for a builder. The builder must know how to design and build a building and the tools are used to help him build. But many have tools and boost of their tools but they do not know how to build. However, some might have a hammer and they want others to follow him because he has a hammer. But God has given some hammers, some shovels, some saws, some axes, and etc. But those with these tools must find the project manager who has the anointing to lead the group to build as Jesus is giving the plans to the project manager. Many project managers may have the tools or may have tools coming therefore the workers must wait for the timing to build. But just because some have been given the tools early, they think they can start building on their own. And sadly, many focus too much on their tools and compare how the others do not have any tools.

Isaiah 10:15 (AMP) Shall the ax boast itself against him who chops with it? Or shall the saw magnify itself against him who wields it back and forth? As if a rod should wield those who lift it up, or as if a staff should lift itself up as if it were not wood [but a man of God]!

What is my point? My point is although many Christians are attracted to spiritual things, we are not to follow the spiritual things. We are to follow Jesus. We are to subject ourselves to God. The spiritual gifts and things are there to help up draw closer to God. Scripture says the gifts will pass away.

Many internet ministries and churches have started on the authority of peoples' dreams, visions, prophecy, or spiritual experiences. There are too many Ishmaels that have been born. You must follow where God has told you to follow HIM. This can be marked by the anointing of a ministry or person and not the necessarily the gifts. Yes, the gifts should be there but the gifts are there to confirm the anointing. The anointing and gifts are there to " stimulate and promote the faith of God’s chosen ones and to lead them on to accurate discernment and recognition of and acquaintance with the Truth which belongs to and harmonizes with and tends to godliness resting in the hope of eternal life."

You shall know them by their fruit and not necessarily by their gifts.

1 Cor 13:13 And so faith, hope, love abide [faith—conviction and belief respecting man’s relation to God and divine things; hope—joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation; love—true affection for God and man, growing out of God’s love for and in us], these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Fire of God International Church
Pastor Steve Yong Kim