Understanding the Pharisee spirit.

Abiding · Jul 23, 2011

Well im exhausted. Ya never know whats gona happen till its over. I believe from scripture that false teaching is for
those who want it. But id rather back out and pray and come with better direction. Little profit has come out of alot
of what ive done here lately. I know that He will give me some wisdom. If not and i cant share something to benifit
anyone, or a thread i can learn in than ill bail.

bless you

Laodicea · Jul 23, 2011

Matthew 5:19-20
(19) Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
(20) For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 23:25-28
(25) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
(26) Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
(27) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
(28) Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

AnandaHya · Jul 23, 2011

zone said:

its from this website but the cache does not bring up the article anymore...

CRi Ireland Home Page

christian Restoration of Ireland

Digital_Angel_316 · Jul 23, 2011

loveschild said:

Good stuff (taken rightly). The end of the article has a summary / checklist I think is
useful -- excerpted from the same article - ... [not saying anything about Rick Joyner]

This check list – taken from Rick Joyner's article 'Confronting the religious spirit' - might
prove helpful as a health check.

1. The tendency to see our primary mission as tearing down what we believe is wrong.
Such a persons ministry will produce more division and tearing down than lasting works
that have been built and are bearing fruit for the Kingdom

2. The inability to take a rebuke, especially from those we may judge to be less spiritual
than ourselves. Think back on how you responded the last few times someone tried to
correct you.

3. A philosophy that will not listen to men, but 'only to God' Since God usually speaks
through men, this is an obvious delusion, and reveals serious spiritual pride.

4. The inclination to see more of what is wrong with other people, other churches, etc than
what is right with them. John saw Babylon from the valley, but when he was carried to a
'high mountain' he saw the New Jerusalem. If we are only seeing Babylon it is because of
our perspective. Those who are in place of true vision will have their attention on what
God is doing, not men.

5. Overwhelming guilt that we can never measure up to the Lord's standard. This is a root
of the religious spirit because it causes us to base our relationship to Him on our
performance rather than on the cross. Jesus has already measured up for us. He is the
completed work that the Father is seeking to accomplish within us. Our whole goal in life
should be simply to abide in Him.

6. The belief that we have been appointed to fix everyone else. These become the self
appointed watchmen, or Sheriffs in God's Kingdom. These are seldom involved in building,
but serve only to keep the church in a state of annoyance and agitation, if not causing
serious division.

7. A leadership style which is bossy, overbearing, and intolerant of the weakness or failure
in others. As James said: "But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable,
gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the
seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace"

8. A sense that we are closer to God than other people, or that our lives or ministries are
more pleasing to Him. This is a symptom of profound delusion that we draw closer to God
by who we are rather than through Jesus.

9. Pride in our spiritual maturity or discipline, especially as we compare to others. True
spiritual maturity involves growing up into Christ. When we begin to compare ourselves
with others it is obvious that we have lost sight of our goal - Jesus.

10. The belief that we are on the cutting edge of what God is doing. This would also include
thinking that we are involved in the most important thing that God is doing (note: while I
agree with Rick Joyner on all the warning signs, I feel that this one -as it is worded - is
more difficult to class as a warning sign on its own. Most evangelists think that the church
needs more evangelism, most teachers think that the church needs more teaching, etc,
because that is the 'burden' God has placed on their heart. The problem comes when they
have no time or place no value on others with their parts of the Kingdom jigsaw)

11. A mechanical prayer life. When we start feeling relief when our prayer time is over, or
when we have prayed through our prayer list, then we should consider our condition. You
never feel relief when your conversation is over with the one you love.

12. Doing things in order to be noticed by men. This is a symptom of the idolatry of fearing
men more than we fear God, and results in a religion that serves men instead of God.

13. Being overly repulsed by emotionalism. When a person who is subject to a religious
spirit encounters the true life of God it will usually appear excessive, emotional and
demonstrative, such as David demonstrated when he brought the ark of God into
Jerusalem.

14. Using emotionalism as a substitute for the work of the Holy Spirit. This would include
such things as requiring weeping and wailing as evidence of repentance, or 'falling under
the power' as evidence that one has been touched by God. Both of these can be evidences
of the true work of the Holy Spirit; it is when we require these manifestations that we are
beginning to move in another spirit. In the first great awakening, Jonathan Edward's
meetings would often have some of the toughest, most rebellious men falling on the
ground and staying there for up to 24 hours. They got up changed, and such seemingly
strange manifestations of the Holy Spirit fueled the Great Awakenings. Even so, Edwards
stated that he believed that men faking the manifestations worked more to bring an end
to the Great Awakening than the enemies of the revival.
[Personal note - I believe Jonathan Edwards used mesmerization and emotion and
linguistic trickery in much of his approach -- Digital_Angel_316]

15. Keeping score on our spiritual lives. This includes feeling better about ourselves
because we go to more meetings, read our Bibles more, do more things for the Lord, etc
These are noble endeavors, but the true measure of spiritual maturity is getting closer to
the Lord.

16. Being encouraged when our ministry looks better than others. We could include in this
being discouraged when it seems that others are looking better, or growing faster than
we are.

17. Glorying more in what God has done in the past than in the present. God has not
changed. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. The veil has been removed; we
can be as close to God today as anyone ever has been in the past. A religious spirit always
seeks to focus our attention on works, and making comparisons rather than simply
drawing closer to God.

18. The tendency to be suspicious of, or, to oppose new movements, churches etc. This is
an obvious symptom of jealousy, a primary fruit of the religious spirit, or the pride that
asserts that God would not do anything new without going through us. Of course, those
with such a mentality are seldom used by the Lord to birth new works.
[Personal note -- Paranoid Digital_Angel_316 -- guilty]

19. The tendency to reject spiritual manifestations that we do not understand. This is a
symptom of pride and arrogance that presumes our opinions are the same as God's. True
humility keeps us teachable and open, patiently waiting for fruit before making
judgments. True discernment enables us to look for and hope for the best, not the worst.
That is why we are exhorted to "Prove all things, hold fast to what is good (1st
Thessalonians 5:21)

20. The overreaction to carnality in the church. The truth is that there is probably far
more carnality in the church and a lot less of the Holy Spirit than even the most critical
person has seen. It is important that we learn to discern between them, be delivered
from our carnality, and to grow in our submission to the Holy Spirit. But the critical person
will want to annihilate those who may be 60% carnal, but were 95% last year and are
making progress, instead of helping them along their way. [ok with stated caveats]

21. The overreaction to immaturity in the church. There is a certain amount of immaturity
that is tolerable with the Lord. My two year old is immature compared to my nine year
old, but that is okay. In fact, he may be very mature for a two year old. The idealistic
religious spirit only sees the immaturity without considering the other important factors.

22. Being overly prone to base evidence of God's approval on manifestations. This is just
another form of keeping score and comparing ourselves to others. Jesus did some of His
greatest miracles, such as walking on water, to be seen by only a few. He was doing His
works to glorify the Father, not Himself. Those who use the evidence of miracles to testify
and build their own ministries and reputations have made a serious departure from the
path of life.

23. The inability to join anything that they do not deem as being perfect or near perfect.
The Lord joined and even gave His life for the fallen human race. Such is the nature of
those who abide in Him. [not sure what this means, needs explanation and caveats as
above].

24. Becoming overly paranoid of the religious spirit. We do not get free of something by
fearing it, but by overcoming it with faith in Christ Jesus.

25. The tendency to glory in anything but the cross of Jesus, what He has accomplished
and Who He is. If we are building our lives, ministries or churches on anything but these,
we are building on a shaky foundation that will not stand.

loveschild · Jul 23, 2011

Deadflesh said:

Hi there was a lot more of it to post. I didn't want to bombard the whole place. I opened the door for attack with not getting the name copied. Those things that pop up I don't like touching them sometimes. The name was under there.

Thank you so much for being nice to me. It is such a joy to see nice people like you and I thank you again. I always say google it. I learn a lot that helps me from reading others. This journey we are in the more we learn helps me to understand what I'm living through.

You have a great day!

Linda

loveschild · Jul 23, 2011

Deadflesh said:

Hi
I have to get back to the mason site. They freak me out. There crazy as hell. Some how they got a hold of my son in law and wanted him to join them. We're like how do these witchey evil people know where you live. Yuk!

My son did plumbing work for them in Santa Fe New Mexico. He said they have a giant crematorium under the building. Now what do you think there doing with that? Jesus!

God bless you!
Linda

loveschild · Jul 23, 2011

Abiding said:

Well im exhausted. Ya never know whats gona happen till its over. I believe from scripture that false teaching is for
those who want it. But id rather back out and pray and come with better direction. Little profit has come out of alot
of what ive done here lately. I know that He will give me some wisdom. If not and i cant share something to benifit
anyone, or a thread i can learn in than ill bail.

bless you

God bless you so much!!

loveschild · Jul 23, 2011

Laodicea said:

Matthew 5:19-20
(19) Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
(20) For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 23:25-28
(25) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
(26) Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
(27) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
(28) Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

God bless you! I love that picture every time I see it!

loveschild · Jul 23, 2011

Abiding said:

I see that best seats thing going on. I always think of the verse not to be in the best seat so they don't come and tell you to move. I just prefere to sit in the back sorta. I don't want to be all the way in the back as if I'm hiding.

Your right there's a lot of self righteousness going on. It's very sad. Pompous attitude. Souls being destroyed by people like that. I want people to know how to defend themselves. It's happening in every church there is as far as I know.

How many bibles are there that people made up? Mormons, Catholics, you said Judaism, JW, dear God and then the ones who have the same bibles but everyone reads them differently. Things are just crazy. Ha Ha!

I didn't really understand what you were saying about the Holy Spirit thing?

Blessings
Linda

loveschild · Jul 23, 2011

Consumed said:

Spirit of God

Holy Spirit

spirit of life,

My Spirit

Abraham's spirit

Isaac's spirit

the spirit of Jacob

And Elisha said, I pray you, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.

Behold, I will put a spirit in him so that he will hear a rumor and return to his own land, and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own country.

So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, [that is,] the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria,

for consulting [a medium with] a spirit of the dead to inquire pleadingly of it,

And he said, I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.

play the harlot like the [spiritual] harlotry of Ahab's house

Then rose up the heads of the fathers' houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and Levites, with all those whose spirits

Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up!

I will speak in the anguish of my spirit

but now my [spiritual] eye sees You.

Into Your hands I commit my spirit;

My sacrifice [the sacrifice acceptable] to God is a broken spirit

He will cut off the spirit [of pride and fury] of princes

whose spirits were not steadfast and faithful to God.

provoked [Moses'] spirit,

For her house sinks down to death and her paths to the spirits [of the dead].

A proud look [the spirit that makes one overestimate himself and underestimate others], a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirits (the thoughts and intents of the heart).

Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

He who is of a greedy spirit stirs up strife

the Spirit of wisdom

the Spirit of counsel and might

the Spirit of knowledge

familiar spirits (the mediums) and the wizards.

a spirit of perverseness, error, and confusion within her; [her leaders] have caused Egypt to stagger in
all her doings, as a drunken man staggers in his vomit.

They are drunk, but not from wine; they stagger, but not from strong drink [but from spiritual stupor].

Lord has poured out on you the spirit of deep sleep

I will put a spirit in him so that he will hear a rumor and return to his own land, and I will cause him to fall
by the sword in his own land.

power given you by the assistance of evil spirits

against these [hostile spirit forces] except Michael, your prince [national guardian angel].

in a spirit [of vanity] and in falsehood should lie

And the angel answered me, These are the four winds or spirits of the heavens, which go forth from
presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth.

unclean spirit.

Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself,

the unclean spirits and they obey Him!

And the spirits, the unclean ones, as often as they might see Him, fell down before Him and kept
screaming out, You are the Son of God!

And the unclean spirits came out [of the man]

the man who had been controlled by the unclean spirits kept begging Him that he

dumb spirit.

You dumb and deaf spirit

by the foul spirit of a demon; and he cried out with a loud (deep, terrible) cry,

the foul spirits

and evil spirits

You do not know of what sort of spirit you are,

And it goes and brings other spirits, seven [of them], more evil than itself, and they enter in, settle down, and dwell there; and the last state of that person is worse than the first.

He was not deserted [in death] and left in Hades (the state of departed spirits), nor did His body know decay or see destruction.

God gave them a spirit (an attitude) of stupor, eyes that should not see and ears that should not hear

Are not the angels all ministering spirits

cheerfully submit to the Father of spirits

BELOVED, DO not put faith in every spirit, but prove (test) the spirits to discover whether they
proceed from God; for many false prophets have gone forth into the world.

And every spirit which does not acknowledge and confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh [but would annul, destroy, sever, disunite Him] is not of God [does not proceed from Him]. This [ nonconfession] is the [spirit] of the antichrist, [of] which you heard that it was coming, and now it is already in the world.

the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of error.

and from the seven Spirits [ the sevenfold Holy Spirit] before His throne,

And I heard every created thing in heaven and on earth and under the earth [in Hades, the place of departed spirits

And I heard every created thing in heaven and on earth and under the earth [in Hades, the place of
departed spirits

For really they are the spirits of demons that perform signs (wonders, miracles). And they go forth to the rulers and leaders all over the world, to gather them together for war on the great day of God the
Almighty.

Mighty Babylon is fallen! She has become a resort and dwelling place for demons, a dungeon haunted by every loathsome spirit,

I don't care whose right or wrong. I just want us to learn.

JeremyFromTexas · Jul 23, 2011

loveschild said:

Understanding the Pharisee spirit.
Even a cursory read of the gospels leaves us in little doubt that the most continual opposition to the work of the Holy Spirit came, not from the Roman Empire the Jewish commoner or the heathen gentile, but from a group of zealously religious people called the Pharisees.
It seems that almost everywhere Jesus went doing God’s work in the power of the Holy Spirit they were there to protest.
Jesus loved the Pharisees enough to die for them, but He hated the Pharisee spirit. He knew better than anyone that He did not wrestle with flesh and blood and He would neither fear them nor come under their spiritual intimidation.
John the Baptist didn't like the Pharisee spirit either.

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (Matthew 3:7)

It would be a great mistake to think that the Pharisee spirit was peculiar to those amazing years in Galilee when Christ and His disciples walked amongst men. A great mistake to think that the Pharisee spirit was somehow locked into those special days when the gospels and epistles were written and then they were no more.
Even - in the book of Acts - where we read of Pharisees being believers we still see that spirit manifesting..

But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses." (Acts 15:5)

So we can safely say that the Pharisee spirit - often called the religious spirit - is alive and well in the church today, and it would be a brave man or woman who could say that there was not a trace of it in their own Christian walk. As I look back over my Christian life I can clearly see times when I was that Pharisee.
In five years time I will probably be able to look back and see that right now I have Pharisee blind spots. But oh how I want to work with the Spirit of God to rid every bit of the leaven of the Pharisees from my life!
Since this spirit is in terrible opposition to the work of the Holy Spirit and yet appears to be on God's side, it is vitally important that we can recognise the fingerprints it leaves on the Body of Christ.

The reason that the Pharisees were always there when Jesus was teaching was twofold:
1) Jesus taught in the Synagogues where the Pharisees went about their business and 2) because he was one of them and that is chiefly who he hung out with when he was't with the disciples. Notice that people referred to Jesus as rabbi, the same title given to (all) the (other) Pharisees (as well).

To single out the Pharisees as being representative of a certain spirit is to misunderstand the historical content of the New Testament.

Digital_Angel_316 · Jul 24, 2011

JeremyFromTexas said:

Note the distinction though - A Pharisee is a sect or group, a Rabbi is a knowledgeable
teacher. Even at that, Jesus taught -- call no one Rabbi, Father, or Teacher

Matthew 23:8-10

“But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one Master and you are all
brothers. And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in
heaven. Nor are you to be called ‘teacher,’ for you have one Teacher, the Christ. [NIV for
clarity]

PHARISEES:

The Pharisees were at various times a political party, a social movement, and a school of
thought among Jews during the Second Temple period under the Hasmonean dynasty
(140–37 BCE) in the wake of the Maccabean Revolt.

(Latin pharisæus, -i; from Hebrew פְּרוּשִׁים pĕrûšîm, pl. of פָּרוּשׁ pārûš, meaning “set apart”,
Qal passive participle of the verb פָּרָשׁ pārāš, through Greek φαρισαῖος, -ου pharisaios)

Reference (Link): -->> Pharisees - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

loveschild · Jul 24, 2011

JeremyFromTexas said:

The main point to me is to watch out for demonic spirits in the church and everywhere else for that matter. And greatly to not let it them get into us.

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