Controversy
Tina Morton
If you are truly OF God, you need to expect controversy to surround your life. I once heard John Kilpatrick say, he was constantly surrounded by controversy. As I begin to reflect on my own walk with the Lord, I started to realize just what a true statement this is. Satan knows who is for real and who isn't. He spends most of his time focusing on discrediting those who are for real, and who have a real revelation to bring to the body of Christ.
Jay and I have always been very cautious about how we view other ministries. This is mostly because we have seen the true inner workings of demonic "set ups". It's totally amazing. When we hear something negative about a minister, we try our best not to jump on the bandwagon of labeling them as "false". A lot of what you hear about the fallen ministries is true, however you must take into consideration that these people are main targets of Satan. The larger your ministry becomes, the bigger target Satan puts on your back! I've seen it happen time and time again.
People look for "perfect" ministers. I hate to disappoint you, but they aren't out there! People want to believe that ministers spend all their time behind the veil, they never miss it, and they are always "in the Spirit". This is an absolute falsehood. It's actually a satanic set up. If Satan can create a false illusion of a minister being "perfect", then he sets his goal on showing people just how "human" they really are. The illusion will then be shattered, and the confidence in the minister will be thrown to the side. Thank God our Lord isn't like that!
The reason for writing this article is partly personal and partly because I feel the body of Christ needs to be made more aware of Satans schemes and plans. Recently, I made a mistake that reflected on RareAir Ministries. Was God warning me that this mistake was going to take place? Yes, I did go against my better judgment. Honestly, I let human reasoning override the prompting of the Spirit. This is not the first time this has happened, and I could almost assure you this won't be the last. I also have moments of feeling led to be very transparent with our InJesus group. I have found out since then, that people would prefer to maintain this "image" of pefection that they have of you. They don't want transparency. At the same time, it's like people just sit back and wait for people to make mistakes. I can't imagine the warfare that very large ministries have to face. I know what Jay and myself have had to endure over the past several years, and to be quite honest, it's almost killed us.
People desire for their ministries to become huge, well known ministries. Let me warn you, you had better be prepared to pay a very high price. Controversy will become your middle name! If you don't like transparency, then you probably won't be drawn to RareAir Ministries. Jay and myself are not going to pretend to be something we're not. We are ministers, and we are people. We make mistakes, but we go on working for the Lord and doing the best we know how to do. Also, if you truly knew what some of these people that Christians have placed on "pedestals" were living like, you would be absolutely appalled. So you can choose to believe someone transparent, or you can go with the flow of the false image of perfection you have in your mind of the "perfect minister". The choice is always your own!
I look for more tumblings of the mega ministries, because God has already warned about this. However, I'm NOT looking forward to it! I'm not sitting, perched like a vulture just waiting to say, I TOLD YOU SO! The body of Christ needs to mature and realize that we need to be praying for these people. Yes, some are wolves in sheeps clothing, but there are some that can be redeemed, and others who have simply fallen victim to a Satanic setup. Where is the compassion in the body of Christ? I have had to give out many judgment words over the past several years. It's not something you look forward to, or something that makes you feel happy or superior. It's actually something you totally dread and wish with all of your heart that you didn't have to do. You also pray and intercede for the people or person that God is warning, and you earnestly contend for their souls. Christianity is not a game. Souls are going to hell. It's not about how "right" one person is and how "wrong" another person is. It's all about Jesus, and His death and resurrection!
I was talking with a friend a while back. She is a wonderful woman of God and has been extremely supportive of RareAir Ministries. I asked her something pertaining to some things I have written. She responded by telling me that people didn't like knowing the "real" me. Her opinion was that many people wanted to maintain that "behind the veil" image they have of ministers. That really started me thinking, and also made me aware of just how shallow minded we Christians can be.
As a woman minister who is able to see how women in ministry are treated, I can tell you first hand that women seem to be looked at (by a lot of people) as care givers. We are all suppose to be care givers. But this particular woman minister has been trained by the hand of God to war! I'm not passive, yet I try to be compassionate. I'm not perfect, yet I try to be sensitive to the Spirit. Controversy will always surround me. I was told this years ago, and I live it every day. There are many ways to war in the Spirit. One way is with prayer, one is walking in the fruit of the Spirit, and yet another one is doing intense spiritual warfare against Satan by exposing his lies and laying the truth out for what it really is. I must admit, this is my favorite one!
If you knew the real Tina Morton, some of you would really like me. Others of you would instantly reject my straight forwardness. My thoughts are, we need to just be who we are. When we allow people to perceive an image of "perfection", we are setting them up to feel like the average person will never be able to "achieve" the level of spirituality the "perfect" minister has achieved. We are giving off signals that God works with the "spiritually elite" and not those who make constant mistakes. Paul said it perfectly in the following verse:
Romans 7:14-25
14 So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. 15 I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. 16 But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. 17 So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
18 And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. 19 I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 20 But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
21 I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart. 23 But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.
If everything is going just rosey for yourself, you need to check yourself. Are you doing the will of God? If persecution isn't following you or continually knocking at your door, then you need to be doing more damage to the kingdom of darkness. I know what it's like to see Satan. I know what it's like to have death trying to kill you day after day. I know what it feels like to hear slander, gossip and out right lies about yourself. If this is you too, then my best advice to you would be to embrace the controversy. If you are truly working for God, it's part of the package!
For all of you out there who realize the responsibility and overwhelming warfare that we as ministers have to face, and for all of you who appreciate transparency and words that aren't "sugar coated" to tickle the peoples ears, I would say...God bless you! We are a minority, but we will answer to the one true God, Jehovah!