When not to accept an offering.
[image error]Recently we prayed for some people who came for healing ministry. They were grateful and maybe a little overwhelmed after experiencing the touch of the Holy Spirit. Someone asked, “is there anything we can do for you?”
What Can I Do To Thank You?
It’s not the first time I heard this response. I remember one lady who even wanted to give me a present after I prayed for her. I appreciate the desire to reciprocate with blessing. But I have only one answer when people ask “what can I do” after God heals them.
Please, go and tell other people what Jesus has done for you. Go and give the same gift to others. Lay hands on the sick in Jesus’ name! If you want to do something for me, nothing will make me happier than you catching a hold of the revelation of Jesus and ministering the same thing you received to others! This is a ministry for all Christians because it is the very nature of Jesus.
When Not To Accept An Offering
There are some times when it’s not right to accept an offering. The apostle John mentioned some brothers on a mission refusing support from unbelievers:
3 John 7 (NRSV) for they began their journey for the sake of Christ, accepting no support from non-believers.
Now it’s not always wrong to accept a gift or support from unbelievers. The Israelites “plundered the Egyptians” when they left Egypt because the Egyptians gave them their gold. But sometimes the Holy Spirit will lead us to refuse a gift. There may be various reasons for that. Sometimes a gift comes with strings attached.
Many times there is something God wants to give someone and he wants them to know that it is free. At least free for them. Our forgiveness and healing are free for us, but they cost Jesus dearly. He paid in blood.
Pride
2 Kings 5:9-15 (NRSV) So Naaman came with his horses and chariots, and halted at the entrance of Elisha’s house. Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be clean.” But Naaman became angry and went away, saying, “I thought that for me he would surely come out, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and would wave his hand over the spot, and cure the leprosy! Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them, and be clean?” He turned and went away in a rage. But his servants approached and said to him, “Father, if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” So he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean. Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company; he came and stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel; please accept a present from your servant.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will accept nothing!” He urged him to accept, but he refused.
Naaman almost didn’t follow Elijah’s instructions because of his pride. But his servants convinced him to humble himself and he was completely healed!
2 Kings 5: 19-27 (NRSV) But when Naaman had gone from him a short distance, Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, thought, “My master has let that Aramean Naaman off too lightly by not accepting from him what he offered. As the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something out of him.” So Gehazi went after Naaman. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he jumped down from the chariot to meet him and said, “Is everything all right?” He replied, “Yes, but my master has sent me to say, ‘Two members of a company of prophets have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim; please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothing.’” Naaman said, “Please accept two talents.” He urged him, and tied up two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of clothing, and gave them to two of his servants, who carried them in front of Gehazi. When he came to the citadel, he took the bags from them, and stored them inside; he dismissed the men, and they left.
He went in and stood before his master; and Elisha said to him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” He answered, “Your servant has not gone anywhere at all.” But he said to him, “Did I not go with you in spirit when someone left his chariot to meet you? Is this a time to accept money and to accept clothing, olive orchards and vineyards, sheep and oxen, and male and female slaves? Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you, and to your descendants forever.” So he left his presence leprous, as white as snow.
Pride was still an issue. Namaan was a rich and powerful man. He wanted to give a gift worthy of his position. But God’s blessings of healing and forgiveness are meant to humble us. Jesus paid the greatest price for them. To imagine that was could buy them with anything else is an insult to the price that Jesus paid.
If we ever feel uncomfortable about receiving a gift or offering, the Holy Spirit may be revealing something about pride in the equation. I’ve heard Dan Mohler mention times when the Holy Spirit led him to not accept a gift. The people were “giving to get” instead of giving because they were participating in God’s nature. When that’s a factor, a refusal to accept the gift often exposes that pride.
Curry Blake holds events in which he teaches people to minister healing. Yet on the ministry night, he doesn’t take an offering. I understand why. Now I’m not saying it’s always wrong for a minister to take up an offering on the same night as a healing service. But Curry just wants it to be clear that only Jesus’ blood could ever pay for our healing. And when people are confused about that, sometimes it’s better to just not take an offering!
Indulgences
The Catholic Church in the middle ages sold “indulgences.” That is, they offered the promise of God’s forgiveness for money. More than once, I’ve heard a preacher imply that a financial gift could help you “receive your healing.” They may say something like “I’m not saying you can buy your healing, BUT….”
Such a practice is despicable, no matter which way it’s phrased. The story of Gehezi going after Naaman’s gift tell us what God thinks of this, and the church should have zero tolerance for it. It’s no better than selling indulgences, as Jesus bought both our forgiveness and our healing with is blood.
We can never put a price on these. They are priceless. Unfortunately, some people aren’t clear on this. And when people aren’t clear on it, the Holy Spirit may lead us to not accept a gift from them at all.
Many people in the world are still involved in spiritist religions, in which people offer gifts and sacrifices to various “gods” or spirits to receive a blessing. I’ve often seen these offerings, of food, whiskey, and other things on the street corners in Brazil. Every new year, thousands of people send little boats out with offerings of soap, perfume, and even gold coins to the “sea goddess” in order to obtain a blessing. We must make clear the distinction between Christianity and all of these other religions. Jesus is our perfect, once and for all atoning sacrifice to put an end to all others.
I’m happy to receive support from anyone whose heart moves them to help in the work of ministry. But when the context is someone having just been healed, the only thanks I want is that they would take the message of Christ the Healer, run with it, and give others what they have been so freely given!
The post When not to accept an offering. appeared first on Go to Heaven Now!.
