Have you ever felt a twinge in your spirit when something just didn't sit right during a sermon? Or observed the lavish lifestyles of certain preachers and wondered, "Where's the line between God's blessings and exploitation?" In a journey to the heart of these pressing issues, we wade into the murky waters of religious manipulation and the quest for authenticity in our latest episode. I recount my encounter with a pivotal scripture in Acts 16:16, reflecting on a sermon by Pastor JD that unraveled the critical concept of 'right message, wrong spirit.' With raw honesty, I dissect the story of the slave girl with a spirit of divination, drawing parallels to the digital age, where true intentions often hide behind a veil of virtuous messages.

Key Takeaways:

• It's important to discern if a message, despite being theologically correct, is delivered with the wrong spirit.
• Religious systems often use manipulation instead of propaganda to influence believers.
• While manipulation and propaganda are prevalent in secular and religious contexts, Christians are called to be moved by the Spirit.
• Steve Gray admits manipulation does occur in churches, especially during offerings, but stresses following the Spirit in giving.
• Listeners are encouraged to discern and not be swayed by others' material success or criticisms of such; instead, focus on being moved by the Holy Spirit.

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About the host: Steve Gray is the founding and senior pastor of Revive Church KC. He has been in the full time ministry for over 40 years and was launched into national and international recognition in the late 1990’s as the leader of the historic Smithton Outpouring, and again in 2009 when he lead the Kansas City Revival which was televised nationally on the Daystar television network. Steve is also a veteran musician, songwriter, recording artist and published author. His books include When The Kingdom Comes, Follow The Fire, My Absurd Religion, and If You Only Knew.

More resources by Steve Gray >> https://www.stevegrayministries.com/category/all-products