By what sprit do we work? For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him (Matthew 7:8-11)! If we have asked for Jesus, will our Father give us the devil? When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, the devil offered Him stones; the Father sent His angels to minister to Him (see Matthew 4:3 & 4:11). If we ask for the Holy Spirit will the Father send the spirit of Anubis?

Unbelievers claimed that Jesus worked under the spirit of the lord of dead (lord of the flies). Some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons” (Luke 11:15). Jesus answered with a question, “If I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out?” Luke 11:19a) Jesus went on to say, “But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you” (Luke 11:20).

In contrast Jesus said, “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?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matthew 7:22-23). Jesus was warning us of tares who have proclaimed them selves to be ministers of God. “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?” (Matthew 7:15-16).

The answer to the question, “By what sprit do we work?” was answered by Jesus. “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24). The answer is the question, “Who do you serve?” We cannot serve God and the wealth of this world. If we are serving God to gain wealth, we are serving wealth (putting wealth before the Living God). The first temptation wasn’t the fruit on the tree, but having knowledge and being like God; making us false gods.

Jesus came to set us free! God sent His Son, and the Father and Son sent the Holy Spirit. Do we want the Holy Spirit so we can do signs and wonders to make us wealthy and to get attention for ME? Signs and wonders are a sign to the lost; to bring the lost to the Father. Are we looking to bypass God and take the glory? Or are we servants of God, working in His name to bring Him glory? Who do you serve? If you are serving yourself, you need Jesus to set you free. If you serve God, you are here to use the gifts of the Spirit to set free those serving Baal. Who do you serve?

© 2010, Tim D. Coulter Sr.