The Lord has been highlighting the need for discernment in regard to counterfeit anointings, apostate ministers, witchcraft, and demonic power operating in the church. The Lord, in His loving-kindness and mercy, desires to bring revelation to His people so that we will not be swept away in delusion. This article will help expose satanic power operating through ministers that is counterfeiting the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Two Ditches
There is a ditch on both sides of the path of life that believers can fall into. One side of the ditch does not believe in the supernatural workings of the Holy Spirit in the present day, and rejects much of God’s power. This group will remain extremely weak in the days ahead as Satan ramps up his evil power to attack the church. Believing the traditions of men over the scriptural blueprint for the New Testament church will only further the deception, and allow the enemy to overcome portions of the church. We need the workings of the Holy Spirit to come to fullness in our generation.
The second ditch is the one of “over focusing” on the power of God, gifts of the Spirit, and moving of the Spirit. By over focusing, we sometimes overlook the scriptures, the character and nature of Christ, the fruit of the Spirit, and the life of Christ flowing through us to overcome Satan and the world. The greatest miracle Christ can do with us is overcoming our self-life and sin nature (within us), and manifesting His life through us. By over focusing on secondary things, many in the Charismatic movement have fallen into a ditch. Many of these believers are in a prime position for Satan to deceive them with lying signs and wonders. The “set-up” is already upon us.
Makhado Ramabulana (A South African Pastor)
Makhado got involved with the occult as a young pastor, but has since repented and came back to the Lord. His testimony of satanic power operating through him and other African ministries is eye-opening. The Lord is using his testimony to wake the church up, and keep the church from being deceived.
Makhado wanted recognition and spiritual power for his ministry in Pretoria. He stated there was a class system in ministry, and that he was at the “bottom level.” Many of the prophets and pastors preached with power, and their churches were overflowing with people. But as Makhado got closer to these ministers, he noticed their lives were filled with sin. They drank and had relationships with other women who were not their wives. Makhado adopted their sinful lifestyle, because he wanted to be in their “class” and have their anointing. He told his minister friends he wanted the anointing, and they said that they needed to take him to Nigeria. Makhado was taken to a witch doctor who practiced dark magic, and started using a special black soap in a witchcraft bathing ritual. He rubbed the black soap on his head and proclaimed what he wanted in ministry.
When Makhado returned to his church in South Africa, people started to cheer when he arrived, but they didn’t know that demons came in following him. As he prayed, people started screaming and falling because of the “fire” coming down. It was really demonic spiritual fire, but the church lacked discernment so they thought is was from God.
Then Makhado proceeded to make a covenant with the witch doctor. He did incantations. They put him in boiling water and closed the lid (in a ritual), but the water felt cold in the pot. He went to different gods, and they sacrificed a dog, which he ate. Then he went to the water spirits in the river. They gave Makhado a pig head to conceal in his church building. He also spoke to the spirits in a local South African river, and told them he needed help filling the church. In less than a month, many people started coming to church to the point that traffic was backed up in the street.
People were not coming to Makhado’s ministry for the word of God. When he preached the gospel, people would get sleepy. Therefore he didn’t preach about Christ, but instead he preached about miracles, power, and healing. The pastor would then tell the congregation that he was going to prophesy, and the people would all stand up and get excited. The reason they were drawn to the meetings was to hear about miracles and prophecy.
Money that was given to the ministry was taken a laid at a demonic altar. The pastor would sell oil and other merchandise he found in the Bible to generate more money to be placed before the altar. Makhado cautions believers about where they give money to. People under his ministry (at the time) were actually empowering the demonic forces by giving money, even though it was given to “the church.”
The police arrested Makhado for a crime he didn’t commit, because it was from the Lord. While awaiting trial, Makhado came to his senses and repented of his sin. He gave his life back to the Lord. Do you see how the mercy of the Lord works through His righteous judgment and disciple? Then Makhado was acquitted of the crime, went through restoration, and was restored to ministry. The merciful Father gave Makhado a second chance which is a testimony to the grace and love of the Father. Now Makhado serves the Lord and shares his testimony to set the captives free. The Lord used this season of darkness and evil to bring forth a revelation of the great deception happening in His church in these last days of the age.
False Miracles
“For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” (Matthew 24:24 NKJV)
The KJV translation of this scripture states, “if it were possible.” While the KJV is a very accurate translation, it does not translate this verse properly. The KJV adds the phrase “it were” which changes the original meaning of the text. The NKJV properly states “if possible,” meaning that even the elect can be deceived by false miracles if they are not careful. That’s the reason why Jesus issues this warning.
Satan will give his ministers power to perform signs, wonders, and miracles. The signs and wonders will be real works of power, but because Satan is the source of the miracle; it will be a false miracle. Those who don’t love the truth, will open themselves up to be deceived by these satanic signs and wonders:
“The coming of the [Antichrist, the lawless] one is through the activity of Satan, [attended] with great power [all kinds of counterfeit miracles] and [deceptive] signs and false wonders [all of them lies],” (2 Thessalonians 2:9 AMP)
This scripture is mainly applied to unbelievers according to the context, but it can also be applied to believers. If believers reject certain truths of who Christ is, they open themselves up to a misleading influence and will believe lies. If this was not the case, Jesus would not have given the warning to His own disciples in Matthew 24 in regard to deception.
Recently the Lord showed me a ministry in Southern California that has risen in influence. The young woman had moved to L.A. to be a Christian musician. She attended a meeting where a “prophet” from Africa told her she was an apostle. She immediately started titling herself as an apostle. Note: the apostolic ministry is a process of many years or decades before one fully functions as an apostle. It’s not something that happens in a meeting or by a prophetic word. It is a process of Christ the apostle taking possession in a person, overcoming their self-life, and functioning through them as that gift. Instant apostles carry a title and not much authority from the Lord. Real ones are broken with much suffering before they are fit for the Master’s use. Gifts alone do not prove apostleship as the Father can give gifts to children.
The woman then traveled to Tanzania, Africa to receive an impartation from this “prophet.” The prophet from Tanzania lives a life of fame and exultation among the believers there. A testimony was given from three women that this prophet approached them and asked them to sleep with him. A South African woman minister who worked with this man gave testimony that everything looked fine on the outside, but as she got closer to this man; she saw sin and corruption. Her and her husband backed away from his ministry after consulting with their elders from their home church in South Africa. Witnesses testify that the man is corrupted and we know from brother Makhado’s testimony that many pastors and prophets in Africa have received demonic powers from witchcraft (obviously there are many godly ministers walking in holiness that acquire their spiritual power by the Holy Spirit in Africa).
The woman from California received the impartation from the African “prophet.” When she came back to the U.S. she started moving in a powerful deliverance anointing. Her following and influence grew significantly (remember Makhado’s testimony). She had open-aired meetings and numerous people would manifest demons, then give testimony to being set free.
However, over time other reports started to emerge. At least three people who supposedly received deliverance from this “apostle” became worse. They were even more tormented by demonic spirits, and went to another minister for deliverance. One person had dreams of this woman coming to him and trying to seduce him after he was prayed for. While the male minister was casting out demons from these tormented people, it was determined that the demons entered when the woman “apostle” had prayed for them. Demons were manifesting in these people when the woman initially prayed for the people and it appeared they were leaving, but it was a deception. Demons can pretend, lie, and act. The crowds thought people were being delivered and the woman’s ministry was expanding because of it.
If the source of someone’s power is witchcraft, even if they use Jesus name when they pray, people will not really be set free. The person may feel better for a while, but then oftentimes the enemy will increase the pain or bondage over time. The enemy wants everyone watching to think miracles are taking place so he can hide the source of the power being demonstrated. Evil spirits cannot cast out evil spirits as Jesus states (Matthew 12:24:28), but they can work together as teammates to deceive.
For example, if a person has demons causing mental issues and is prayed for by a minister operating in witchcraft; those demons can cease from causing mental issues temporarily so it appears that the person is healed from the infirmity. Later, after the person gives a testimony to the healing, the demonic spirit starts causing the issue again. Sometimes the issues come back with a greater severity, because witchcraft was released which can open a person up to more demonic spirits. It is extremely important that believers only receive prayer from ministers who are not defiled by demons, witchcraft, and sin. Holiness allows the anointing to flow purely through a believer or minister.
Imparting Spirits
When I was young in the Lord, I was prayed for by a minister in a home church meeting. When he prayed for me, I did not feel the anointing of the Spirit or the presence of God. It felt weird, as if something was coming over my head. I did not feel right about it, and repented for allowing the prayer when I was alone. I broke the impartation off of me. As I did that, I could feel something lift off of me in the spirit; and knew that it had to be some sort of witchcraft.
Just as Lord can impart gifts or transfer anointings (Numbers 11:16-17), Satan can do so with evil spirits and demonic power:
“But the [Holy] Spirit explicitly and unmistakably declares that in later times some will turn away from the faith, paying attention instead to deceitful and seductive spirits and doctrines of demons, [misled] by the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared as with a branding iron [leaving them incapable of ethical functioning],” (1 Timothy 4:1-2 AMP)
When someone opens their spirit to a minister operating in a seducing spirit, they open themselves up to the influence of that spirit. If believers receive a minister who is operating in a counterfeit anointing or witchcraft, they will open their souls to demonic spirits. This applies to false doctrines of demons, but it also applies to seducing or deceitful spirits.
Counterfeit Spirits
“For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.” (II Timothy 3:2-4, 8-9 NKJV)
Self-life opens the door to the demonic. If a minister desires wealth, recognition, power, and fame; Satan can give them that during this life. We learned from the pastor in South Africa that we must discern and test the source of the minister’s power. Janne’s and Jambres performed some of the same miracles as Moses, but the source of their power was Satanic. They counterfeited the miracles of God with the help of demonic spirits in order to make it appear like the power of God:
“So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and they did so, just as the Lord commanded. And Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent. But Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers; so the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. For every man threw down his rod, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods.” (Exodus 7:10-12 NKJV)
False Prophecy
Recently I came across a prophetic woman with a large following and listened to a prophetic message she was giving. The woman prophesied, “It’s not the time for the tribulation. It’s not the time for the one-world government. This is a time for My glory to fall, and for revival to pour out in the nations. Prepare for this, not the end. Do not prepare for the tribulation, abrupt changes will be made.”
While I believe that God Almighty will pour out His glory in ways that we have all been longing to see, this prophecy grieved my spirit. I know the Holy Spirit and what He has told me. I know what He says in His word. I know of trusted prophets who are calling to the Lord’s church and saying it’s time to get ready for the second coming of Jesus, and to prepare for tribulations. The Lord wants a people made ready for Him and for what is coming. The prophecy by this woman was the exact opposite of what the Lord has given many trusted messengers who have established great credibility in the international church.
I understand that God can give different revelations to different ministers that make up the “whole counsel” of God. However, this is an example of a false revelation, because it completely contradicts what the Lord is really saying. Those who stand in the prophetic ministry and give false revelations will face disciplinary action from the Lord. Those who cause believers to be unprepared for the global government, the tribulation, and Christ’s coming will have blood on their hands.
I would be afraid to stand before the Lord if I caused people to be unprepared for what the Spirit and the scriptures say are coming; or if it was my fault that people starved or died in a way that they were not supposed to. Prophetic watchman have a heavy responsibility of giving the right warning.
“But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any one of them, he is taken away because of his corruption and sin; but I will require his blood from the watchman’s hand.’” (Ezekiel 33:6 AMP)
We are in difficult times. People that seem to have a genuine relationship with the Lord and have successful ministries are giving false revelations. I have even seen these ministers operating out the other side of the ditch. Recently I heard another prophetic woman give some very accurate prophetic revelation about America and judgment coming. Then she switched to talking about the U.S. president being a clone, and veered off course prophesying some other really weird things that seemed like fantasy.
The Lord has shown me that if our souls are not purified and cleansed, we open ourselves up to false prophetic revelation. For example, if we believe false doctrines, we open ourselves up to the demonic and receive revelation that we think is from God. False beliefs and doctrines are a doorway to the demonic. Believers are unknowingly receiving a mixture of prophetic revelation because their souls have not been completely crucified with Christ, and brought under His dominion.
This understanding really elevates the stakes in our days. We must be discerning and draw extremely close to the Holy Spirit. Jesus warns us that one of the hallmarks of the end of the age is deception:
“Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.” (Matthew 24:3-5 NKJV)
Many ministers, who say Jesus is the Christ, will deceive many. Believers wouldn’t be deceived if all of the revelation being taught was false. People are deceived because a lot of what the minister is teaching is good and accurate, but the deceptive poison is in the little bit that is false. The message is mixed and the listener becomes a vessel of mixture if they receive the message as truth.
Recognizing False Apostles
King Jesus commended the church in Ephesus for judging and properly discerning false apostles:
“‘I know your deeds and your toil, and your patient endurance, and that you cannot tolerate those who are evil, and have tested and critically appraised those who call themselves apostles (special messengers, personally chosen representatives, of Christ), and [in fact] are not, and have found them to be liars and impostors; and [I know that] you [who believe] are enduring patiently and are bearing up for My name’s sake, and that you have not grown weary [of being faithful to the truth].” (Revelation 2:2-3 AMP)
We must recognize and receive messengers of the Lord so we can receive the proper reward that the Lord wants to give us. When we receive an apostle, the ministry of Christ the apostle is released through that person and transformation occurs in the church. Many believers and leaders have rejected the apostolic ministry of Christ through His appointed ministers, because they don’t even believe apostles and prophets currently function. See how powerful Satan’s deceiving spirits are? Satanic powers have been keeping God’s people from fullness for many centuries.
However we must also rightly judge those who are claiming to be apostles, so we don’t receive false apostles with counterfeit anointings empowered by demonic spirits. Carnal minded Christians have difficulty discerning the real from the false. It takes maturity to discern the real apostolic ministry. I was at a meeting in Montana in 2012, in which an “apostle” from Africa was preaching. He asked a woman if she had been praying a certain amount of time every day, and when she truthfully said that she hadn’t been; the “apostle” condemned her publicly and she burst into tears. This was not the heart of the Father, and it was a “different” spirit. This man was spiritually striking the people.
“But I am afraid that, even as the serpent beguiled Eve by his cunning, your minds may be corrupted and led away from the simplicity of [your sincere and] pure devotion to Christ. For [you seem willing to allow it] if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted. You tolerate all this beautifully [welcoming the deception]. Yet I consider myself in no way inferior to the [so-called] super-apostles.
For such men are counterfeit apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, since Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. So it is no great surprise if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness, but their end will correspond with their deeds.” (2 Corinthians 11:3-5, 13-15 AMP)
Counterfeit apostles present a different spirit other than the Holy Spirit. They masquerade as apostles of light (real apostles). Real apostles of the Lord demonstrate the grace of God. You can feel that they are walking with the Lord because life flows from them. They turn the focus of people to Jesus and labor to see Christ formed in believers. False apostles want attention, and they focus on their spirituality and ministry. They desire to be connected with legitimate ministries because it helps mask them, and it gives them credibility in the church. Believers who receive false apostles open their own spirits to the “different” spirit that is coming forth from the false messenger. If you receive a different spirit, then you welcome it in your house.
Perverting the Anointing
Simon moved in great power and had a lot of influence among the people in Samaria.
“Now there was a man named Simon, who previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great. They all paid [a great deal of] attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is what is called the Great Power of God!” They were paying attention to him because for a long time he had mystified and dazzled them with his magic.” (Acts 8:9-11 AMP)
Simon become ‘born again’ when he believed in Jesus and was baptized (Acts 8:13). He wanted the real power of God to operate in his life but he still needed some deliverance. He also needed inner healing so the motives of his heart would be pure. Simon was used to functioning in witchcraft power, and wanted to operate in the power of the Holy Spirit without being completely free from his past demonic powers. He would have perverted the anointing of God and done much harm to the church. Simon tried to buy the anointing which are the ways of witchcraft:
“Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this authority and power too, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” But Peter said to him, “May your money be destroyed along with you, because you thought you could buy the [free] gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this matter, because your heart (motive, purpose) is not right before God. So repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, this thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are provoked by bitterness and bound by sin.”” (Acts 8:18-23 AMP)
Simon still had the wickedness of witchcraft in his heart even though he was a believer. Simon was still bound in his former sin, and would have twisted the anointing of God. He would have corrupted the anointing and become a false minister. Peter dealt with him very harshly (according to our current standards). Peter would be accused of being ‘unloving’ by many in the modern church. But Peter was a real apostle and understood the damage that counterfeit anointings, masquerading as the power of God, could do in the church. These evil anointings sow confusion and chaos into the church. Real apostles protect the church from chaotic witchcraft that comes out of bitterness.
Senses Trained
Many in the global church have failed to discern evil spirits performing works of power. We must have the Holy Spirit train us, and bring us in to higher levels of spiritual discernment for the days ahead. Dark Satanic power is going to increase and it will also become more difficult to discern.
“For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” (Hebrews 5:13-14 NKJV)
As we sit before the Lord in His presence we come to know His person. By spending time with Him, we feel His presence and hear His voice. Therefore when He is moving powerfully or performing a miracle, we know it is the Lord because we recognize His presence. However, if believers do not spend time with the Lord, they can be easily deceived when a counterfeit anointing of a demonic spirit is at work. Certain believers are not used to the presence of God and only know about Him. These are the believers Satan is targeting to deceive in the days ahead.
When we eat of Christ and allow Him to increase in us, that spiritual meat brings us to the spiritual state of “full age.” The true ‘meat’ is the revealing of Christ in us, and His life flowing in us and through us. As we practice our spiritual senses under guidance of the Holy Spirit, our discernment increases and we distinguish false power from godly power. If we are friends with the Holy Spirit, then we will recognize when He is doing something.
Valuing Power
The Lord spoke to me recently about returning to the value that I once had for His power, fire, miracles, anointing, healings, impartation, and the general moving of the Holy Spirit. The Lord desires to release His love and goodness to His people. Jesus ministered in powerful miracles and deliverances while He was doing what the Father was doing. It’s important we value what the Father wants to do. We should focus on Jesus and being transformed into His image. Also, we must focus on Christ taking possession of us and living through us to overcome the world. But the Lord wants us to value Him when He moves in power.
Some in the church mainly focus on the Lord’s power which is error, but we can also error by not valuing His power. Unbelievers, new believers, and lukewarm believers who have not encountered the power of God; need to encounter His power and spiritual fire. One encounter with the power and glory of God can set someone on a course to follow Jesus as a disciple, and cause them to dedicate their life fully to Him. That’s what happened to me, and I’m sure others have similar testimonies.
Prayer
I pray that the Holy Spirit would increase our spiritual discernment so that none of us would be tricked by believers or false ministers moving in counterfeit power such as witchcraft or demonic spirits. I ask for the blinders to be lifted off so we can discern the source of spiritual power. I break any Satanic power that is blinding your hearts and minds! I cancel all operation of witchcraft that may be influencing you, in the name of Jesus! Every seducing Spirit, be gone now!
The Holy Spirit is able to sharpen our discernment and keep us in all truth. Rest in His ability to keep us in the truth. Keep pressing into the Kingdom of God, and follow the Lamb!
-Ty Unruh (2023)
