Are there ministers who envy and fight fellow ministers?
Alexander the copper smith fought against Paul, told lies against him, withstood him many times and did much evil against him. There are people who envy their fellow ministers because of their gifts. They can do everything possible to discredit such ministers. They can petition or conspire against them until they are removed. They tend to derive joy in these achievements and so they claim to be overcomers.
The activities of evil ministers
They backslide and enter into occultism and witchcraft to get fake powers to win a case just to overcome.
‘Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works: Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words. At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen‘. 2 Timothy 4:14-18
‘And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy. And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, we have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul. Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he brings him down unto you tomorrow, as though ye would enquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him.‘ Acts 23:12-15
Many ministers in quest for power do a lot of evil; they desire to make quick money in order to drive the latest cars and belong to the first-class level of ministers. They enter into evil covenants, thereby bringing curses upon themselves and upon their unborn generation, just to win a case, get a new posting, positions or perform fake miracles. When they cause people to cry, they see themselves as being overcomers; when they cause others to become widows, fatherless, disgraced or removed from positions for them to take over, they see themselves as being overcomers; when they bewitch people, trade with their destinies, betray the innocent and kill their Abel, they see themselves as being overcomers.
‘And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers. But there was a certain man, called Simon, which before time in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, this man is the great power of God. And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries‘. Acts 16:16, 19; 8:9-11
There are many lazy believers and ministers who just come into the church because of what they stand to gain. They have gifts but they are lazy to use it to work for God. Others who make use of their gifts, use it to enrich themselves and not God.
‘And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow. And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought; Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves‘. Luke 19:20, 21, 45, 46
The Dangers of the Evil Act
They hold back their gifts and refuse to work for God and also try to discourage others from working for God. Others use every available means to rob the church by changing facts and figures. They have turned the house of God into a den of robbers and thieves. They use God’s money to enrich themselves and boast to others that they are overcomers. They have bound many faithful ministers, demoted and sacked many and beheaded the heads of many like John the Baptist. To become an overcomer, they believe that they must be corrupt and commit iniquity. Others feel that to be an overcomer, you must forsake God, cause people to err, afflict the just, fast in sin, despise God’s law, exalt self, get dishonest gains and harm others.
‘Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood. For it is written in the book of Psalms, let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take‘. Acts 1:18-20
The Effects and Consequences of sin
Sin brings victims into bondage and until one overcomes sin, deliverance is not in view. Therefore, in order to enjoy long-lasting deliverance and live above demonic bondage one must first overcome sin. Sin puts its victims in perpetual captivity and brings them into corruption. Believers who have been saved from sin and should not fall back into the bondage of sin.
‘While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, the dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire’. 2 Peter 2:19-22
True Overcomers should conquer sin
True overcomers are those who remain righteous after their deliverance. To maintain righteousness only during the period of the deliverance program does not make one an overcomer. The biblical Overcomers overcame sin.