Matthew 7:15-23 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. (16) You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? (17) Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. (18) A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. (19) Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (20) Therefore by their fruits you will know them. (21) "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. (22) Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' (23) And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'”
There is one category of individuals however, that can attempt to deceive the church with the signs we have been discussing, and they are the false prophets. False prophets are ministers of Satan (2 Corinthians 11:15), but we have just shown that the devil has no power to perform these signs, so how is it possible that the false prophets are then able to perform them? Our Lord taught us in the above passage of scripture that these individuals have learnt to use His name to perform these signs, i.e. casting out demons and performing miracles, which would include healing. You will recall the occasion when John remarked to Jesus that they had seen someone who was not following them casting out demons in the name of Jesus, and they forbade him because he wasn’t one of them, and Jesus replied, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me” (Mark 9:38-39).
Michael E.B. Maher
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