“But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.” (1 John 2:27)
Jesus told His disciples to beware of false anointed ones. “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect” (Mt. 24:24)
How susceptible men are to those who claim to hear from God, and are His appointed vessels to lead them into some promised land of glory. But Jesus said: “For one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren” (Matt. 23:8). An antichrist spirit does not have to be one which actively opposes Christ; it can be one which seeks to supplant Him. Paul warned of those who would arise from within the church to draw disciples after themselves (Acts 20:30).
Red lights should go off in one’s spirit when a supposedly anointed leader touts the “realms” or “levels” of glory that God is going to take them into, providing they “stay on the bandwagon.” The flipside of that heady promise is the fear that if you leave, you are leaving God and will “miss out” on what He would have done in your life. This is nothing other than spiritual grooming and manipulation.
Yes, God has given ministers to the church for the perfecting of the saints; but, they are never to replace the Head by which every member can grow and flourish and fulfill their call. Thank God for the true anointing that flows from the Head down to the hem of the garments. Make sure though that you are always holding on to the Head and His ministry to your soul. Let none other usurp His rightful place.