During June 2006, I was invited to preach in a pastors’ seminar in Bangalore, India. The invitation came to me from a pastor who was not known to me earlier. I accepted this invitation and went to his church in Bangalore where this seminar was arranged to be held. The pastor who had arranged this seminar expected that I would extend financial assistance to his ministry in Bangalore. But I had gone there to deliver a message. The previous day the Holy Spirit gave me a vision. I saw in that vision that I was carrying in a platter some currency notes which were visible to my eyes and some other things which were not visible to my eyes. The invisible things represent spiritual blessings and the visible currency notes material blessings. In the twinkling of the eye, the currency notes disappeared. The pastor expected me to help him financially. He preferred my money to the truth that I preached there. During my ministry there, I interpreted this vision and gave the following message:
These days, there are two categories of ministers of God. The ministers of the first category attempt great things for God by virtue of their hard labor, faith and tearful prayers to God. They raise big buildings and establish their ministries. They present their projects to the people of God and demand offerings. If I go to these ministers with a platter carrying visible currency notes and invisible spiritual things which include words of warning and exhortation, the first casualty would be my money. In other words, if I present to one of these popular ministers a donation and a truth, the latter would covet only my donation and would relegate to the background the truth that I preach.
The ministers of the second category do not attempt great things for God. But they always expect financial help from others especially from abroad. When ministers like Benny Hinn, etc. visited India, we found a large number of pastors expecting “something” from him. These ministers want to run orphanages, bible colleges, etc, not on their own but after accepting donations/funds from others. If I go to these ministers with a platter carrying visible currency notes and invisible spiritual things which include words of warning and exhortation, the first casualty would be my money.
While giving the message, I was led by the Holy Spirit to point my finger at a particular pastor. I asked that pastor whether he would accept money from a foreign minister of God; he informed me that he had already approached a foreign minister of God for some funds. I wanted him to confirm whether he would follow some doctrines of this foreign minister of God which are found to be contrary to the truth of the word of God. He said that he would only accept the money from him and not the false doctrines. I then retorted that if that was the case, then he would commit the breach of trust of the foreign minister. I also explained to him that for the sake of the truth, he should not accept any funds from him and that if he accepted the funds of the foreign minister who preached false doctrines, the former would become a slave to the latter. I advised him to have his own vision for doing his ministry and to trust God for the funds. There are many pastors in India who keep an eye on the American dollars for their ministries. They have opened websites informing about their orphanages and their needs. They expect money and are prepared to compromise the truth for the sake of money.
- Job Anbalagan