Not
all who claim to be apostles are apostles.
A
true apostle must have SEEN Messiah, becoming a WITNESS to His resurrection12.
Having SEEN the risen, glorified Savior, the true apostle proclaims His
resurrection and that the Lord Yeshua indeed LIVES. Thus, the true apostle
receives the whole gospel and the authority to declare it and to
preach it.

An
apostle is taught by the Lord Himself while sitting at His feet12a.
An
apostle is trained in humility and meekness, in righteousness and holiness.
When sent out – for “apostle” / “shaliach” means being SENT – he
is sent in the power of the Holy Spirit and the authority that comes from
Messiah being seated at the right hand of G-d the Father, working signs,
wonders and miracles which undo the works of the evil one13.
What
have flying light balls, fireballs and gold dust to do with the Glory of
G-d? Do they undo the devil’s works? Do they pull down satanic strongholds
that exalt themselves against the knowledge of G-d?14
Does punching in the stomach, kicking in the face with boots, and stomping
on one lying on the floor manifest the power of the Holy Spirit or the
glory of the Lord’s Presence? Is the Lord a sadist who enjoys inflicting
violence and pain on those who seek healing from Him? Does a true servant
of the Lord say he does not need the Presence of G-d to do his “thing”
because his “gift” also works apart from G-d?
Can
anyone take even so much as one single breath apart from G-d? Though the
atheist not know it, he lives only by the power and mercy of G-d.
Can anyone tell what the next day, the next hour will bring, apart from
God’s disclosing it?
I
have personally witnessed the fall of one called as an evangelist, but
who served as a pastor. The Lord nevertheless blessed and prospered his
ministry until the man boasted of himself, apart from G-d, even declaring
himself to be a prophet while prophesying falsely. He fell as fast as a
meteorite entering the earth’s atmosphere, burning up in a flash. Now he
proudly spreads strange, unholy fire, using the name of the Lord to satisfy
his own cravings for luxury and fame.
Those
who are not jealous for the Lord’s Holy Name and for His truth and on fire
for Him will be “spat out” by the Lord. The thrill seekers, ever searching
for the spectacular while failing to know and abide in the Lord, will find
themselves outside the door of the Kingdom, looking on but not allowed
in.
The
“beginning
of wisdom” is the FEAR of the LORD15
and “perfect” LOVE casts out all fear16.
A genuine child of G-d will have one all-consuming desire – to do the will
of the Father on earth as it is done in heaven;17
to please and glorify Him, obeying Him with all his heart. Our childlike
trust, reliance and dependence on Him, our unflagging hope and zeal and
pure, unpolluted love please Him more than any “good work”.
Once
He is our Alpha and Omega, our Aleph and our Tav, our beginning and our
end, THEN we begin to come to know Him. If He is not our All in all and
above all, then He will never reveal Himself fully to us, for He is a jealous
G-d Who is displeased with half-hearted loving Him.
As
Yeshua said, “I wish you were either hot or cold [for this at least speaks
of strong convictions]; but if you are lukewarm [being half-hearted about
the things of G-d, about the cause of Messiah, vacillating in your love
for Him] I will spit you out [as intolerable, disgusting, not fit to have
any part in Me].”18

So
let us beware of “strange fire” that excites and stirs up the flesh, rendering
us ever more insensitive toward the Holy Spirit and the things of G-d.
Let us sit at His feet. Let us look to the cross, the foundation of our
salvation, which is the crucifixion of our flesh. Let us not be seekers
after thrills but seekers after G-d and His will, plan and purpose for
our lives. May we be enthralled with His awesome Presence and Holiness,
delighting in His steadfast love and faithfulness. May we be jealous for
our G-d and Father and for His Son, our Lord, opposing and pulling down
every
stronghold that exalts itself against the KNOWLEDGE of G-d and take captive
every opposing thought and bring it under the lordship of Messiah Yeshua.
Neither
accept nor help spread “strange, unholy” fire. Rather, join us in extinguishing
it for the glory of G-d and the escape of those who are deceived.
Yours
in Yeshua,
Annelore

A
few sample letters of people's response (full names known to me) to this
article, featured here with their permission:
Judy
Wilcox wrote:
Annelore, How I enjoyed your article!!
A good friend of mine was telling me a couple of weeks ago that the Lord
was impressing her to study about "strange fire." I admire this woman
and she is such a great researcher. So, I was waiting to hear from
her about it. I was so shocked when I got your email on the same
subject. I'm sending her a copy of your article. And, I'm sending
a copy of it to other friends of mine who don't have computers. I
just think the Lord has inspired you to write a fantastic study on "strange
fire." It is so good to study our Father's Word. Thanks for
thinking of me, Annelore. Love........Judy
And,
with giving me her permission to post her letter, she wrote:
Go ahead, Annelore. What occurred
to me was that this must be something the Lord wants His people to understand
- to discern what we listen to and understand what it means to Him... Judy
Bev
wrote:
Thank you, thank you for sending this article
to me. You have no idea how this comforted me, stirred me and put a greater
longing in my heart to be pure, love truth and cry out for The Spirit of
Discernment. Oh, to be a wise widow, (virgin) and be ready with a pure
fire in my heart when the Bridegroom calls. Every word ministered to my
heart and mind, tears of compassion for the friends and family members
that are caught up in the deception that you write about.
Thank you for your obedience, love is in
every word and because of your obedience many will be set free. Oh, may
TRUTH invade us, and make us ready for Jeshua's coming.
Blessings, love and SHALOM, Bev
Jo
wrote:
Excellent! Excellent! May I forward
it to others?... Shalom, Jo
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2008
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