From Genesis to Revelation, we see that God is a God of order! There are ranks in the Kingdom of God. There are ranks among the angels of God. God who established authority in heaven is the one who have established it on earth as well. The Bible tells us that all authority comes from God (Romans 13:1). Spiritual authority is not ours to give nor is it ours to take! Spiritual authority is given by God, it is never assumed! In the military, authority is earned and given to you. You do not finish boot camp and then next day you are a general. The road to rank even in the Kingdom of God is marked by years of faithful service, years of testings, trials, accomplishment and overcoming. In this journey as believers, there are things that we can only learn through experiences and over time. You do not get saved and 1 year later you have become someone God chooses to correct the pastor. You do not start school and act as a teacher’s lecturer. “A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher (Luke 6:40 NASB)”. Once you are saved, God wants you to find a place of service, get under spiritual authority, be humble and produce the fruit of the spirit and faithfulness. Those who are faithful in little things will be put in charge of much!
The Bible commands us to obey our leaders and to submit to them (Hebrew 13:17). Where there is no true submission to God’s authority, the door is opened to rebellion (2 Thessalonians 2:10). Rebellion is one sin that God does not provide atonement for. It is not covered by the blood. To rebel is to refuse allegiance to or resist the authority of someone or some authority over you. How can one submit to God whom they have not seen if they don’t submit to those established by God? The Jewish leaders rejected Jesus because in the first place they had rejected His prophet Moses (John 5:46). To rebel against God is to turn our backs on that which He offers: the protection, the blessings, the love and the promises. Throughout the Bible, God plainly spells out the overwhelming blessings which come when we submit to His absolute control, and the curses which come when we resist or rebel against him.
When we rebel against God, we are starting down that road which leads out from under the covering (1 Corinthians 10)
When we are born into this word, God gives us earthly parents to raise us up and disciplines us as fit. No child can grow without the tender care of their parents. No child can have a future and a hope if they do not respect and obey their parents. The Bible commands us "HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER (which is the first commandment with a promise), SO THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH. (Ephesians 6:2-3 NASB).
When we are born again into God's kingdom, the same God who places us in families, He put us under the care of an established spiritual authority. The Bible say “Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished.” Romans 13:1-2. It is important to obey your pastor and submit to them because they are alert to the condition of your spiritual walk, they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account under the strict supervision of God (Hebrews 4:17). In the army, soldiers must take a solemn oath to obey the orders of the Chief commanders and also the orders of the officers appointed over them. Insubordination is punishable by law and the penalty is severe.
Numbers 16:1-35 – Exposing the Spirit Korah
Any spirit that rises against God’s established authority regardless of the cause is a spirit of rebellion. Attacking a pastor is a strategy of the enemy to destroy churches because the sheep without a shepherd will be scattered (Matthew 26:31). This is why the consequences of doing such action in God’s house will be severely dealt with by God. Many believers know that it is written “do not touch my anointed one, do my prophets no harm’, yet why do they let satan use them to rebel or incite rebellion inside the body of Christ? In order for them to be used, satan comes and he gives them a reason that has the appearance of righteousness so as to justify the act of rebellion…: ‘you know, this sister here has been neglected by the pastor; pastor never gives them attention; it has been a week, pastor has not called them etc…” The devil thus speak to them and give them signs and what seems to be a valid reason to transgress against God’s Word but is there any good reason to go against God’s word?
The spirit of Korah loves to write letters / email to pastor complaining, blaming and accusing! Who accuses but satan? Who points out the finger but satan? Complaining, murmuring and blaming the pastor are all signals of early stage that can lead to the rebellion of Korah. You can write letters of encouragement to your leader; you can point out suggestions but make sure IT DOES NOT BLAME! Grumbling is what caused the children of Israel to not enter the promise land though they were all saved from the hands of slavery and pharaoh!
What to do when things do not go well in the church:
See things through the eyes of Christ, you will see differently
Pray because the prayer of the righteous accomplish much
Most of the time what is lacking is your opportunity to get involved and stand in the gap
You can make good constructive suggestions but make sure it does not blame anyone
Etc.
How Korah Spirit Operates
This spirit uses those who are inside God’s house. Korah and his company were Levites, people who were chosen by God to assist the priests but instead they envied the title of Moses and Aaron. This spirit envies. It can never be satisfied. Those who have it refuse to be loved, they refuse to be touched, healed, delivered etc… no matter what you do to love them, complaining is constant . Sheol is never satisfied! (Proverbs 30:16)
The way the spirit of Korah works is that it starts complaining of small issues. In the meantime, it seeks out to recruit so to assemble those who will participate in rebellion because it will not be able to function alone. The victims of this spirit are unhappy members. It then begin to go after new members, those who are not very much involved in the church and those who are still weak and growing in their faith. After it assembles, it start holding secrets meetings and the talk is about the church, pastor and spiritual authority established by God. For you believer, God warns you to never be part of a group that meet to negatively talk about the church!
Korah and his company came against Moses and Aaron (pastor or spiritual authority) and accused them for misusing God’s authority. In God’s eyes, Moses was righteous and innocent kind servant. So the spirit of Korah is also a deceiving spirit and it always seeks to blame a loving, innocent and kind servant.
Sin the Spirit of Korah Will Cause You to Commit
Grumbling / complaining against God’s servant (11)
Believing lies which leads to deception (13)
Coming against God’s servant therefore coming against God
Rejecting the Lord (30)
Disobedience to Moses (pastor) therefore to God (Numbers 16:12)
Jealousy (10; psalm 106:16); pride; greed etc…
When you are opposed to pastor, that should be your red flag. Satan is the adversary, the one who obstruct and oppose. Choose to walk in LOVE, HUMILITY and UNITY and to be founded on these three!
What if you find yourself in the company of Korah
Quickly repent and cut it off
Get back from around the dwellings of Korah and His company: separate yourself from the company of Korah. Participating in the sins of others is actually sinning.
Those who are neutral and do not seem to take either side are eventually in Korah’s company “He who is not with me is against me” (Matthew 12:30).
Touch nothing that belongs to Korah: Don’t embrace anything from Korah. Don’t embrace any & all their teachings. If it is a letter, don’t say there was truth a little bit here and there in what they said. The Bible is very clear, “touch nothing that belongs to them, or you will be swept away in all their sin.” Numbers 16:26
Penalty for Rebellion
Hell is the punishment for Korah and His company, this is why you have to separate from them “As he finished speaking all these words, the ground that was under them split open; and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men who belonged to Korah with their possessions. So they and all that belonged to them went down alive to Sheol; and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly. All Israel who were around them fled at their outcry, for they said, “The earth may swallow us up!” Fire also came forth from the LORD and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering the incense.” Number 16:31-35
More scriptures: Psalm 105:15; Numbers 12; Romans 14:4; 1 Corinthians 4:1-5
In our next article, we will talk about what the Lord had to say in regards to those people who are in love with Him, walk in obedience but they have not yet found a church that is safe for their salvation.
Is the church you are attending approved by the Lord? Is it a church where the pastor labors to lead souls to heaven? If not, you should not stay. However if it is so, you should stay and fully submit to God’s established authority!