TOUCH NOT MINE ANOINTED

By Akin Ojumu

Before proceeding with the commentary series on Positive Thinking and Positive Confession, it’s important we take a slight detour to address a comment left by one of my readers on a commentary I published back in June 2023 titled, “God’s Generals Demystified (Part II).” This was an expose on the secret life and deceptive schemes of Kathryn Kuhlmann, the queen of the Charismatic Movement. 

The reason I decided to share the comment, and my response, is because I believe it’s a teachable moment for all of us. Sadly, many of you reading this commentary subscribe to the commenter’s point of view. But it’s an unbiblical and deadly mindset that you all need to do away with, forthwith.

In all CAPS, the reader, WISDOM IS PROFITABLE, writes,

“BE CAREFUL HOW U TALK ABOUT MINISTERS OF GOD. IF THEY HAVE ANYTHING, LET THEM SETTLE WITH GOD HIMSELF. IF WHAT U’RE SAYING IS TRUE, THEN WHAT? U NEITHER HAVE ANYTHING TO LOOSE [sic] OR GAIN, BUT IF YOU ARE WRONG, U HAVE NOTHING TO GAIN. BUT PROBABLY EVERYTHING TO LOOSE [sic]. WHY THEN ENTANGLE URSELF WITH OTHER MEN’S AFFAIRS, WHEN U CAN FOCUS MORE ON UR LIFE AND MAKE THE BEST OUT OF IT? A WORD THEY SAY, IS ENOUGH FOR THE WISE.”

And here’s my response to Wisdom Is Profitable.

Hello @WisdomisProfitable. Thanks, for your comment.

First off, writing in all CAPS is considered bad manners. It suggests you are yelling.

Secondly, I’m quite familiar with the sentiment you expressed in your comments. It’s the common refrain of indoctrinated church folks who have been caged into fear by unscrupulous charlatans and impostors who run most of the churches today. 

Telling you not to question or speak anything bad about the “ministers of God” is a thought-stopping strategy charlatans use to make you not to ever critically examine what they are doing or saying to you. Even when you know they are lying to you or that they are engaged in unseemly behavior, church folks have been taught to never question them. “Leave them to God to deal with,” is what they erroneously teach you. 

But it’s all a lie, straight from the pit of hell.

False teachers and charlatans succeed in silencing you by scaring you with Bible verses such as 1 Samuel 24:10, 1 Chronicles 16:22, and Psalm 105:15.

1 Samuel 24:10

“Behold, this day your eyes have seen how the LORD gave you today into my hand in the cave. And some told me to kill you, but I spared you. I said, ‘I will not put out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD’s anointed.’”

1 Chronicles 16:22 and Psalm 105:15

“Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.”

What these shysters won’t tell you, though, is that what these three passages forbid is doing physical harm to God’s anointed ones. They are not talking about critiquing or questioning the actions of God’s anointed. In these passages, God is warning us not to physically harm or kill His anointed. This is the context of 1 Samuel 24:10, 1 Chronicles 16:22, and Psalm 105:15.

The other favorite Bible passage charlatans like to cite to scare their potential critics is the event recorded in Numbers 16.

Numbers 16:1-3

“Now Korah the son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men. And they rose up before Moses, with a number of the people of Israel, 250 chiefs of the congregation, chosen from the assembly, well-known men. They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?”

Again, the wolves in sheep’s clothing who wear this story like a Kevlar vest against any sort of criticism always conveniently ignore the context. The rebels in this story did not bring legitimate accusation of impropriety, idolatry, or false teaching against Moses or Aaron. Their motive was purely envy and jealousy. And they paid dearly for their rebellion.

Numbers 16:32-32

“And as soon as he had finished speaking all these words, the ground under them split apart. And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the people who belonged to Korah and all their goods.”

You won’t find it taught anywhere in Scripture that charlatans like Kathryn Kuhlman are not to be legitimately criticized. In fact, the Bible teaches us the exact opposite. The following are a few poignant examples.

We are told to expose the unfruitful works of darkness.

Ephesians 5:11

“Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.”

God commands us to refute false teachers who preach a gospel contrary to the true Gospel.

Titus 1:9

“He must hold firmly to the faithful word as it was taught, so that he can encourage others by sound teaching and refute those who contradict it.”

And we are directed to silence impostors who are derailing the faith of many.

Titus 1:10-11

“For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach.”

Remember, also, that Apostle Paul, when he was still a fairly new Believer, rebuked Apostle Peter, the elder statesman of the Christian faith.

Galatians 2:11-14

“But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

In these texts, Apostle Paul – one of the original 13 authentic Apostles of Christianity – shows us an example of how to deal with bad behavior of ministers of God. We are not to keep quiet, but rather, we are to call them out and expose them. 

The reason we have to do that is for the sake of those whose faith are weak who can get easily deceived and derailed by following in the footsteps of the minister of God who is engaged in an ungodly conduct or teaching false doctrines.

So, if you see any minister of God behaving badly or teaching erroneous doctrine, don’t be afraid to call him out. You are doing the LORD’S work and it’s the right thing to do. Fear not, there’s no harm that can befall you if, in good conscience, you are obeying the LORD’S command.