Wolves Among Us
I recently saw a picture of 19 dead elk that were lined up on the snowy ground of Wyoming. There are similar pictures of sheep herds lying dead too. They were all casualties of the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone National Park. Wolves don’t kill just because they’re hungry, they kill because of the amount of victims available who don’t or can’t flee after the first death. Wolves will kill until there is nothing left to kill.
Wolves are smart and can take care of themselves with very few predators that attack them. Although wolf packs are independent, every wolf is dependent on the alpha male of their pack who determines the rules of the group and establishes the pack hierarchy. Although other leaders exist in the pack, none are his equal. The pack is mostly populated by newborns, rarely seeing an elder come in.
With this in mind, let’s look at Acts 20:28-29 … with verse 29 following in a few different translations.
Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. (NASB)
Even some from among your very own ranks will rise up, twisting the truth to seduce people into following them instead of Jesus. (The Passion)
Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following. (The New Living Translation)
Simply stated, if any man (or woman) tells you to follow him and be his disciple, then he is a wolf. This wolf will be found among the sheep (believers) and will be very well versed in the Bible, things of God, and maybe even the spirit realm. Very rarely will denominational leadership or other pastors in that denomination come against him publicly. The wolf will most likely hold a high position (“arise”) in the church, putting burdens (Greek meaning of “savage”) on his followers that will enhance his own ministry. The wolf knows how to shift your focus off from God and onto him, while misleading you from divine truth (“pervert”).
The wolf’s pack is usually made up of new converts that can’t recognize the deception due to their lack of Biblical knowledge. Although the wolf speaks from the Word of God, the context of the entire Bible is lost. He is bold in asking for money and slanders other church leaders and practices. As the alpha of the pack, he expertly moves his people into positions that don’t seem right to them, but they trust it must be God’s desire so they comply. This is easy for the smart wolf, since he knows how to drown out the voice of the Shepherd. He keeps his “disciples” close and makes them dependent on him for all things that are holy.
Disciples are people who follow after a person’s teachings. The only true religious disciples that existed after Jesus were His own disciples. If other men had followers, then they were false teachers (2 Peter 2*). The teachings of Christ were and are supreme over all men. Paul addressed this very thing and made it abundantly clear that believers are all equal coworkers of God and do not have their own followers:
When one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not mere men? What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers. 1 Cor 3:4-8
Are you in the midst of a wolf? Paul is telling you, “let no one boast in men.” Are you a part of a wolf’s pack? Then there is only one thing for you to do – run! Do not give them any more of your attention and cut all ties with him/her. (See Rom 16:17, 1 Tim 6:3-5,11). Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. Matt 7:15
Paul’s advice to the wolf is this: Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, “He is the one who catches the wise in their craftiness”; and again, “The Lord knows the reasonings of the wise, that they are useless.” 1 Cor 3:18-19
I had my own experience with a wolf. He claimed to be every part of the five-fold ministry – teacher, pastor, prophet, apostle, and evangelist. He was the only one allowed to pray one-on-one with people. His literature proclaims “One on One with the Prophet” (emphasis mine). At every meeting, he asked for money toward his ministry in a foreign land and was never accountable (I have yet to get a tax statement). He often made people do things that they were uncomfortable doing. I know a few people who have never returned to a service after finding their very private moments in prayer on his Facebook live feed. The poor people outside his church doors were called demons. I talked a few area pastors who were very aware of the situation. When I told the denominational leadership, I was informed that it was a “practice” and “cultural” issue. I’m sharing my witness because there are many people who are deluded about this man and his ministry. I’m praying for their quick release.
* The language used in 2 Peter 2 is more about adultery against God than sexual immorality.
