Watch For The Wolf!... Continued
THREE KINDS OF WOLVES
How do you spot a spiritual wolf? I have noticed several kinds of
wolf prowling around the church. Like the frontier mother in
Beecher’s story, I have come to hate their menacing presence in
whatever form they take.
The Financial Wolf wants to get his paws into your provision.
Jesus warned us of false prophets who camouflage themselves in
sheep’s clothing (Matthew 7:15). He referred to them as “ravenous” –
a word that is linked with financial extortion. Recently, some high
profile “Christian” businesspeople—some preachers among them—have
been exposed for bilking believers of millions of dollars in an
elaborate ponzi scheme disguised with prayers and promises.
All too often, financial wolves are found in the clothing of a
minister. Nothing should anger us more than those whose “ministry”
is to skillfully separate us from our money through pressurized
offerings and manipulative schemes. These financial flim-flam men
are among today’s wildest predators. Their only concern is fleecing
the sheep and lining their pockets by twisting Scripture. We need to
drive them away from the sheepfold where they will have no one to
devour but themselves.
Financial wolves count on our greed and gullibility. Don’t take
their bait. If someone comes calling with an opportunity that
promises quick gains, run. Be patient and believe that God will
provide for you as you obey biblical truth, get good advice, and
steer clear of the wolf. Remember the old saying, “A fool and his
money are soon parted.” If it seems too good to be true, it usually
is.
The Sexual Wolf is determined to sink his teeth into the
emotionally vulnerable. Emboldened by the prospect of the
lonely, insecure and naďve, the sexual wolf stalks his victim when
he senses they will be easy pickings. At first, he may limit his
methods to flattery, attention, and suggestive words. Over time, he
may attain the necessary approvals to be in a position of leadership
or even employment in the church, but eventually his lust drives him
toward the kill. If his seduction is successful, the results are
devastating. Sexual wolves come in to our churches and ministries
burning with lust and intent on robbing the purity of men, women and
even children. We need to watch as never before. Oh, how we should
hate that wolf.
Sexual wolves fear being discovered more than anything. Every so
often, a man will come through our church with a special burden to
counsel and spend time with our young ladies. Each time our pastors
will confront him and explain that our church is not a place where
they can operate that way. Invariably, they find the nearest exit
and never return. A spiritual wolf desperately seeks a place where
no one is watching.
The Division Wolf comes to cut the sheep off from the safety
of the fold. They smell the unhealed wounds of a believer’s
past, counting on a vulnerability to the bait of resentment and
bitterness. Their ploy offers struggling believers a misguided way
to justify themselves through separation, or to heal by finding
fault in others. This is when we need to watch for the wolf.
These wolves are determined to deceive. In Acts 20, Paul warned some
would arise from within the church and “speak perverse things.” He
called them “savage,” which means oppositional and determined to
lead astray. We must guard ourselves against those whose seductions
lure us into bucking the system and moving toward elitist
philosophies and spiritual smugness. It is a fatal mistake for
anyone to allow a wolf to deceive them. Just ask Little Red Riding
Hood.
The best way to deal with a division wolf is to send him packing. A
man once attended our church and began making agitating statements
to those around him while I preached. Despite my warning, he
continued in that pattern, so I invited him to find another church
where he’d feel more satisfied. My people appreciated it. Watching
for the wolf means we must repel without apology those who endanger
the flock. As he left, I hoped the next church would also be
watching.
YOU CAN BE SAFE IN A WILD WORLD
If a spiritual wolf threatens you, what should you do to protect
yourself? Again, Paul’s speech to the Ephesian elders reveals the
incredible protection the Lord has given us. The best defense
believers have when confronted with a spiritual wolf involves the
Word, watching and warning.
The Word of God will keep you alert. Paul was moved to
remind the Ephesians that his confidence was in God and “the word of
His grace” (Acts 20:32). Knowing God and His Word will plant an
automatic wolf-detection system deep in your Spirit. Like a
spiritual Geiger counter, it will go off in the presence of
predators. The Word will build you up and give you an inheritance
among God’s people (v. 32), so be careful when some suggest that
shepherds and sheepfolds are unimportant. The Word of His grace will
guard you against the errors that distract you from your
inheritance.
Watching in prayer will keep you safe. Jesus
encouraged the disciples that watching was the key to avoiding the
enemy’s traps (Mark 13:33 and 14:38). Understanding this as a matter
of spiritual life and death, Paul pled with the Ephesian elders to
"Take heed" (v.28) and “be alert” (v. 31). For three years he “never
stopped warning everyone night and day with tears.” Whether we are
leaders or followers, if our sheepfolds are going to remain secure,
we must stay in our watchtowers. The renewed emphasis on watching
among many prayer leaders in our nation needs to be heeded as we
move forward into the wild frontiers of our future. Remember, the
poor mother in Beecher’s story only took her eyes off of her son for
a moment.
Warning others will keep everyone informed. It takes
more than simply discerning a wolf’s presence to keep us all safe.
We must be willing to lift up our voice and become a clear signal to
those who are in peril and don’t know it. Watchmen need to cry out
when there is a wolf, and leaders need to listen when the sheep
sound unsettled. Paul was even willing to name those he saw as a
danger. We must keep everyone aware when peril is present.
In times of both danger and opportunity, we can be grateful that God
has placed His protection around us. Though the wolves are roaming,
God has provided places of safety and victory for those He calls His
own. Jesus is the Chief Shepherd, and He is passionately committed
to His sheep. He calls us to be alert, watch over one another and
confidently align ourselves in the places He has assigned us to in
the kingdom. Nothing can defeat us on the frontiers of faith if we
are wise enough to watch for the wolf.
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Cannistraci, David "Watch For the Wolf!" Charisma Magazine
July 2004:
