Derek Prince - A Spiritual Force Captivates Multitudes of People
This is an excerpt from: True and False Church - Part 2
This is the second session on the theme of True and False Church. We've been examining how it comes about that there is a false church and we looked at the warning that Paul gave to the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians, chapter 11 in the first verses where he pointed out the root of this problem, which is another Jesus, a different spirit and a different gospel. And wherever we turn away from the true Biblical historical Jesus and begin to present some other kind of picture, a different spirit, which is not the Holy Spirit, moves in, a spirit of error, and then we end up with a different gospel.
I was reminded, as I was meditating on how to continue, the solemn warning given by Paul in Galatians, chapter 1 where he says, if anybody preaches any other gospel than this gospel, let him be accursed. And he says it again, I repeat, let him be accursed. And that word that's translated accursed is one of the most powerful words in the Greek language. It's a word that we use in English, anathema. There is no stronger word for that which God totally condemns and rejects. And so this is a very vital issue. It's not peripheral, not secondary; it's a question are we presenting: are we receiving the gospel of the New Testament? And if we have become involved in another gospel, unless we repent we come under the curse of God pronounced.
I was meditating on this one time and I thought to myself, I saw a mental picture of multitudes of thirsty people, and just one source of living pure water, a spring. And then those who were called to be servants, to bring the living water to the thirsty people. And I pictured how we would react if somebody took the living water and deliberately injected some harmful, poisonous substance. And so what was intended to bring life became an instrument of sickness and death. And that is just a very elementary picture of what's involved in perverting the gospel. I really don't believe that the majority of us today realize how serious this issue is.
I don't want anybody to give any kind of public indication but I have a feeling that the Holy Spirit is showing me that there are some of you here who are listening to another gospel. I want to warn you, it's poison. You are endangering your soul by entertaining another gospel. And any kind of other gospel will produce not a bride but a harlot. That is the source and origin of the false church. Another Jesus, a different spirit and a different gospel. And then I tried to give you a kind of general Biblical picture of the false church and one of the types that scripture presents us with is Jezebel, who was not an Israelite but married to an Israelite king and imported into Israel the worship of a totally evil and demonic being called Baal. Once she'd gained authority she became the main persecutor of the two prophets of God and maintained at her own expense and the expense of the kingdom 400 false prophets. And, was responsible for the death of a totally innocent man and his sons, Naboth. She was, in fact, very simply a murderess.
Now, I'd like to go on with some other aspects of the Bible's picture of this false church and most of this is found in Revelation in one particular chapter, the 17th chapter of Revelation. Which begins with an angel saying to John the revelator: Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters. And then a little further on in the chapter, verse 15, the angel says: The waters which you saw where the harlot sits are peoples, multitudes, nations and tongues. So the picture is of a spiritual force that captivates vast numbers of the human race peoples, multitudes, tribes and tongues. And the picture of sitting on them implies ruling over them, dominating them. In the Bible, the word sit is often used specifically of sitting on some kind of throne.
This false church is pictured as enthroned over vast multitudes of the human race. In other words, it's a major influence in the course of human history. It's not just some little accident somewhere. This false church particularly seeks to win over and manipulate the rulers and the wealthy. I will offer you a little hint. Any group that aims particularly for the wealthy is probably in error. Jesus said the gospel is preached to the poor. That doesn't mean we leave the wealthy out but when people go for the wealthy it's usually not the Holy Spirit that has motivated it. Thank God the wealthy can get saved. But, when a church goes for the wealthy in order to use their influence, that motivation probably doesn't come from God.