The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers. John 10:3-5 ESV

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. John 10:27 ESV

There was a time when I thought that my vision was without impediment. From personal revelations left unchallenged or tested by Scripture to sitting under teaching rooted in Word of Faith and gradually evolving into beliefs centered around the New Apostolic Reformation, I was entrenched in doctrine that led to the wool being pulled over my eyes. I was a sheep standing on the edge of a cliff and did not even realize the perilous fall potentially set before me. The view from the edge seemed exciting and powerful, full of promises of notoriety and divine revelation, stamped by an “apostle” issuing prophetic decrees with God’s name said to have sealed it. The landscape was heavy laden with ministry promotion, miracles, signs and wonders, power in demonic spiritual warfare, omen reading, and mantles of said generals that were waiting to be picked up and carried onward and upward. For almost two decades, I climbed a “spiritual mountain” and believed things that were imbalanced and unbiblical. Then something happened that turned my world upside down and right side up. I heard the voice of the Shepherd in the most unlikely of ways. It was in the twisting of Scripture from the man I had known as my “spiritual father” and self proclaimed apostle. God was pulling the wool from His sheep’s eyes, and a question breached the super spiritual barrier, “What was I sitting under?”

I remember the exact day and where I was sitting when this happened. I had never once questioned the teachings in all the years I had been a part of this church as a lay person and as a senior leader. Honor for leadership was engrained in the culture. Yet things occurred that evening that left me uneasy, and I did not understand why at the time. Now being able to see more clearly, I truly believe that the Holy Spirit was working in me to develop discernment and to wake me from deception. The jolt came during the offering message when Scripture was stated with the undertone to manipulate and control those listening. As he talked about the obedience of spiritual sons/daughters to their spiritual fathers, he quoted John 14:15, “Jesus said, ‘If you love me, you will keep my commandments.'” I could not believe what I was hearing. It came out as if equating oneself to Christ and His authority. I did not fully or even partially understand what was taking place in that moment. All I knew was that the blinders were being removed, and I realized that something was very wrong. I along with my husband began to ask questions and express concerns to the local leadership about this. Time will not permit me here to divulge all of the details, but that one decision resulted in my demotion and demise as a prophet and a spiritual daughter of said apostle and a painful decision to leave the church after receiving a thirty day ultimatum. Little did I know that it was my emancipation from hyper charismatic bondage and on to true liberty in Christ Jesus.

Why am I sharing this? There is an urgency to see others come out from among this abuse and deception. There is an urgency to see leaders like the apostle I was under to repent and for God to extend mercy to him and others because many are being led astray by him. This is not unique to my situation as this is widespread like cancer. I believe that there are people in these types of movements who truly love the Lord Jesus, but they are being deceived. They are standing on the edge of a cliff and they do not realize it. They are listening to hired handlings, or even worse, ravenous wolves adorned in sheep’s clothing. They are getting lost in the experiences and the mystical encounters, and they are Biblically illiterate. They are being milked financially by such leaders with extrabiblical teachings in many different forms who view ministry as big business. The wool has been pulled over their eyes. I say that with all humility because I too was once in the same place.

There is great comfort and humility in understanding that I was a true sheep of God’s flock at that time, and though I had wandered, the Holy Spirit revealed the truth through His Word. Though His Word was misrepresented, a sheep recognized the true voice of the Shepherd through the Word of God and followed Him. Though it came with a great price and seeming loss, I am thankful every day for His unfailing mercy and grace which I do not deserve. He rescued my family and myself out of deception.

I am a sinner saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. I am a nonprophet. The Bible is authoritative for my life. The Holy Spirit endues me with power to live for God and to produce good fruit that testifies of Christ, and God is more than enough. I urge you to please test what you are sitting under in accordance with Scripture. This is a serious matter. I sincerely believe that God is getting the attention of His sheep, and the wool is being pulled from the eyes of those who will take heed.