Understanding the Pharisee spirit.  

Even a cursory read of the gospels leaves us in little doubt that the most continual opposition to the work of the Holy Spirit came, not from the Roman Empire the Jewish commoner or the heathen gentile, but from a group of zealously religious people called the Pharisees. 

It seems that almost everywhere Jesus went doing God’s work in the power of the Holy Spirit they were there to protest.  

Jesus loved the Pharisees enough to die for them, but He hated the Pharisee spirit. He knew better than anyone that He did not wrestle with flesh and blood and He would neither fear them nor come under their spiritual intimidation.

John the Baptist didn't like the Pharisee spirit either.

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (Matthew 3:7)

It would be a great mistake to think that the Pharisee spirit was peculiar to those amazing years in Galilee when Christ and His disciples walked amongst men.  A great mistake to think that the Pharisee spirit was somehow locked into those special days when the gospels and epistles were written and then they were no more.

Even - in the book of Acts - where we read of Pharisees being believers we still see that spirit manifesting..

But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses." (Acts 15:5)

So we can safely say that the Pharisee spirit - often called the religious spirit - is alive and well in the church today, and it would be a brave man or woman who could say that there was not a trace of it in their own Christian walk.  As I look back over my Christian life I can clearly see times when I was that Pharisee.

In five years time I will probably be able to look back and see that right now I have Pharisee blind spots. But oh how I want to work with the Spirit of God to rid every bit of the leaven of the Pharisees from my life!

Since this spirit is in terrible opposition to the work of the Holy Spirit and yet appears to be on God's side, it is vitally important that we can recognise the fingerprints it leaves on the Body of Christ.

In order to do so we need to examine the lives, the attitudes, the words and the behaviour of the Pharisees.

Pharisees means ‘separated ones’ a name apparently bestowed upon them by their opponents in substitution for their self chosen title ‘Hasidim’ meaning ‘The pious ones’.

The Pharisees formed themselves into an association which would have given them collective clout. According to the Roman historian Josephus, the association they formed themselves into was 6,000 strong.

They separated themselves from the common man by a scrupulous cold adherence to the letter of the law, but often, if not always, without its true Spirit.  

Certain Pharisee bound denominations have 'separated' themselves from other believers, holding the view that they alone are the true observers of the scriptures. 

I remember well the time a gospel singer asked me to accompany him to a small gospel hall in my home town where he had been booked to sing during one of the services. When I walked in with my friend - who was well known to them - I sensed their unease. When seven or eight gathered in a side room to pray for the service I instinctively joined them, but it was - not very subtly - made clear to me that I was not allowed to pray since I was not one of them.

The Pharisees were very confident - because of their long and disciplined theological studies - that they were God’s guardians in Israel against wrong doctrine and false teaching.

Despite their in depth knowledge of the scriptures they did not recognize the Author of those scriptures when the Word became flesh and moved amongst them. His teaching offended them.

Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?" (Matthew 15:12)

They were zealous for God but without a true understanding of the grace and mercy of God and so they ended up in their zeal for God, opposing God. As Paul wrote about his Jewish brethren who had been so influenced by the Pharisees.

For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. (Romans 10:2)

The Pharisees fasted often, tithed meticulously, behaved righteously before all men and Jesus openly acknowledged this.

"For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:20)

Yet despite their outward righteousness they were declared by Jesus to be blind guides.

"Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch." (Matthew 15:14)

John Fischer, author of the book '12 Steps for the Recovering Pharisee (like me)', writes

'What makes Pharisaical sin so dangerous is that it disguises itself as a form of enlightenment. This is what Jesus meant when he said, 

"If the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" (Matthew 6:23

The darkness is great because one is deluded into thinking it is light. You think you are seeing better than anyone else, when, in fact, you can't see at all. This means the idea that what you can't see is farthest from you. A blind person knows he is blind. A Pharisee thinks he can see, and this is why the "light" within him is actually darkness. 

The mark of Holy Spirit produced 'light' is humility.

So I said: "Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts." (Isaiah 6:5 )

When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!" (Luke 5:8)

Whereas the Pharisee 'light' produces the darkness of spiritual arrogance. They were proud of their righteous behaviour and drew their self worth from their righteous behaviour by setting their righteousness against the sinfulness in others around them.

"The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men-extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. (Luke 18:11)

God always opposes the proud (James 4:6) hence Jesus' harsh proclamations of woe to them.

"But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. 

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation. 

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves. (Matthew 23:13-15)

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. "Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!

 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. "Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. 

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. "Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. 

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, (Matthew 23:23-29)

Rebuking others was their perceived ministry.

And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, "Teacher, rebuke Your disciples." (Luke 19:39)

Finding fault with others was their perceived ministry.

Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault. (Mark 7:2)

Publicly exposing sinful behaviour in others was their perceived ministry.

Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, (John 8:3).. This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him (John 8:6)

Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, "This man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner." (Luke 7:39)

They were never the friends of sinners, and they accused Jesus (and His disciples) of being just that.

"The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' (Luke 7:34)  

And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, "This Man receives sinners and eats with them." (Luke 15:2)

And their scribes and the Pharisees complained against His disciples, saying, "Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?" (Luke 5:30)

This leaven of the Pharisees was reflected in the attitude of the people.  

When Jesus called Zacchaeus down from the sycamore tree and declared that He was going to his house that day the people protested.

But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, "He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner." (Luke 19:7)

As Paul wrote to the church

“A little leaven leavens the whole lump” (1st Corinthians 5:6 & Galatians 5:9)

The only things that could be said in their favour was that they really meant well. There were Pharisees who come out well. Nicodemus, Gamaliel and Joseph of Arimathea for instance.

Paul, known as Saul prior to his Damascus Road conversion, was a Pharisee. He genuinely believed that he was a zealous guardian of God's laws and he saw his role as ensuring that everyone else strictly adhered to God's laws.

They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. (Acts 26:5)  

..circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; (Philippians 3:5)

With Saul's conversion he was renamed Paul and what a joy it is to read of his view of himself from that point on.

For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. (1st Corinthians 15:9)

To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, (Ephesians 3:8)

They did not move in the gifts and anointing power of the Spirit, had no understanding of the gifts and anointing power of the Spirit, and therefore concluded that anyone who did had to be moving in demonic power.

Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, "This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons." (Matthew 12:24)

A very, very dangerous thing to say, Jesus warned them. 

"Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. (Matthew 12:31)

When Jesus healed the man with the withered hand in church, they attacked Him for doing it on the Sabbath. 

And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" that they might accuse Him. (Matthew 12:10)  

They were so doctrinally aggressive that church members and even the leaders were frightened of disagreeing with them.

The parents of the blind man who was healed were frightened to say that it was Jesus who had healed their son for fear of the Pharisees driving them out of the church.

His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. (John 9:22)

Even the Jewish leaders were intimidated by them and would not disagree with them lest they should be put out of the church;

Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; (John 12:42)

In this case because they wanted man's favour more than God's.

for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. (John 12:43)  

Their opposition to God’s Spirit at work divided the church.

This fellow isn't from God because He's working on the Sabbath. Others said, But how could an ordinary sinner do such miracles. And so there was deep division among them. (John 9:12)  

They could pull down but could never build up. Their spirit ran contrary to God's Spirit who says

Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. (Galatians 6:1)

We read in the Bible where they derided, 

Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him. (Luke 16:14)

Where they reviled, 

Then they reviled him and said, "You are His disciple, but we are Moses' disciples. (John 9:28)

Where they complained, 

And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, "This Man receives sinners and eats with them." (Luke 15:2)

Where they plotted against 

Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him. (Matthew 12:14)

Where they assailed vehemently, where they cross examined, 

And as He said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to assail Him vehemently, and to cross-examine Him about many things, (Luke 11:53)

Where they disputed and tested, 

Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him. (Mark 8:11)

Jesus was the Word become flesh and yet they were stricter than Jesus. 

"For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. (Matthew 23:4)

They confronted Him, and His disciples, about not keeping the Sabbath holy. 

And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, "Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!" (Matthew 12:2)

They questioned Jesus on issues such as adultery, and divorce.  But they questioned Him, in their spiritual arrogance, not to learn from Him, but to 'test' Him and try to theologically catch Him out in His teaching.  

The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?" (Matthew 19:3)

Then they sent to Him some of the Pharisees and the Herodians, to catch Him in His words. (Mark 12:13)

They tried to trap Him on the question of allegiance to the governing authorities. 

"Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" (Matthew 22:17)

I have worked closely with a man who lives for Christ and whose whole heart is to help the broken, the hurt and the lost find their salvation their freedom and their destiny in Christ. Using his own money he built a superb youth club in a somewhat deprived area and worked tirelessly to see young people brought to Christ. As the fruit appeared so did the Pharisees. They told him in no uncertain terms that he was a wolf in sheep's clothing and that God was luring him along the path he was on to his destruction.

The man was totally devastated. Were they right? Was this true? 

In his despair he rang a well known man of God, one of the world's great preachers. This great old man of God who had walked through such things many times said, "Son, pull your drawers up and get on with it" (drawers meaning 'pants' or trousers')  It was good advice.

The youth club goes from strength to strength and the man, now a Pastor, has built a very substantial church nearby. The mission verse he has built the church on is taken from Matthew 25:35  '..I was a stranger and you took Me in'.

The crowds have come in and the Presence of God has also come in. He is now building a church that will seat 2500 people.

Rick Joyner put it well when he wrote..

"Some one is going to detest what we are doing. Who do you want it to be? God or men?"

Jesus told us that the things He did, we would do also, and greater. He said those who believed would among other interesting things, heal the sick, do miracles, and cast out demons. He commissioned disciples to preach the good news, heal the sick, cast out demons and raise the dead. His last words on earth to them were go and make more disciples teaching them to obey all that I have taught you to obey.

He never did, and never has countermanded that commission. 

The spirit of the Pharisees resisted the work of the Spirit during Jesus’ days, and still resists the work of the Spirit today.  

Churches where the spirit of the Pharisees rules will be clean on the surface, with everything in it’s place, but it will be spiritually dead on the inside.  Religious and lifeless. Like a whitewashed tomb

Associating the Kingdom of God with the legal lifelessness that makes up their church life they see anything contrary to their experience, that is liberty and life, as being counterfeit of their 'real'.

Max Lucado put it well when he wrote,

'Sometimes we Christians, instead of being fishers of men, become critics of the saved. Instead of casting nets we cast stones. Instead of extending helping hands we point accusing fingers. Rather than helping the hurting we hurt the helpers'

Let me share such an illustration of the Pharisee spirit from my own life.

I was told of a Christian lady who was being tormented night and day by 'pictures' of the devil. She felt so defiled by these incessant pictures that she felt she could never be allowed into heaven and was now in the mental unit of the local hospital. Her husband asked me to visit her in the hospital and I was pleased to do so. 

During my visit to the hospital her husband mentioned that she had been seeing a minister from another denomination for six months prior to her hospitalisation and he felt that she trusted him.

When I got back from my brief visit to meet her I phoned this minister with a view to the both of us trying to help this dear sister.  When I told him that I had been into the hospital ward to meet her he immediately interrupted me, saying

"How could you get into the ward to see her when I couldn't"

"Her husband invited me in" I replied.

I then explained to him that I thought she was being spiritually tormented. He thought this was nonsense and said so, declaring her to be mentally ill.

"Let me ask you something son" he said "Have you or have you not ever spoken in another tongue?"

"Yes I have indeed"  I replied.

"Have you ever been present at the casting out of a demon" he asked.

"Many times" I replied.

"Son its people like you who split churches" He said. 

Shaken by this unexpected turn of events I said.

"I only came to you to see if we could work together to help this dear sister and it is you who are attacking me"

"Why don't you read the scriptures and stick to them?" he said angrily.

"Sir"  I replied as gently and inoffensively as I could, "I believe that I do. Speaking in tongues is mentioned nearly twenty times in the New Testament. The first verse declares that believers will speak in tongues and the last verse tells us not to forbid the speaking in tongues.  (Mark 16:17 and 1st Corinthians 14:29)

"Also" I continued, "I try to be a disciple of Jesus Christ and His commission to disciples has not changed. We are to preach the good news, heal the sick, cast out demons and raise the dead.  I have never raised the dead yet but one day I believe that I will.  I believe that I do read the scriptures and stick to them"

He then started to accuse me again and again of being a 'church splitter' and eventually I had to interrupt him saying "Sir, I must go now, but I pray the Lord's blessing be upon you"

As I gently set the phone down, still shaken and almost in disbelief, he was still proclaiming his accusations down the phone.

That evening in prayer I asked the Lord if I had done anything to incite this reaction but got no reply.

However as I swung my legs out of bed the next morning I believe the Lord suddenly dropped this sentence into my spirit.

"I had little success with the Pharisees. Why do you think you will fare any better?"

Until that moment I had never given a seconds thought to the Pharisees, believing, I suppose, that they were unique to the times of Jesus.

A year or two later I had another 'extreme' encounter with the same spirit.

I received an email from a person stating that they thought my web site was so good they were going to give it a prominent link on their web site. 

Naturally I clicked through to see the web site in question and what I saw horrified me. The whole web site was extremely aggressive in condemning persons and churches for their false doctrines and false teachers. There was not one positive comment I could read. It was devoid of mercy. Full of malice.

At first I honestly thought it was one of the 'spoof' Christian web sites, where those against Christianity set up what appears to be a Christian site but is in fact intended to bring discredit on the faith.  However as I read on and on I gradually could see that it was probably meant to be Christian.  After much prayer I emailed the site owner with a polite request that my site not be linked as I was distressed by both the tone and content of their site. As gently as I could I explained that this did not represent Christianity.

I received a fiery email in reply from the web site owner - who turned out to be female - telling me that this was her ministry.

I replied - as graciously as I knew how - giving her several verses to show that this attitude was not scriptural and got another fiery reply mentioning the two witnesses in the Book of Revelation as a proof scripture for her attitude.

After several exchanges we agreed to disagree and she removed the link from her site.  I was so shaken by her view of 'ministry' that I began the editorial section of this web site and posted the first editorial entitled 'Passion, yes. Aggression, no'

I have found it almost impossible to help a person where the Pharisee spirit has a strong-hold because the man (or woman) bound by the Pharisee spirit is un-teachable.  It is actually like talking to a concrete wall. Your words fall to the ground in front of you. There is no real debate or discussion. 

Indeed the Pharisee reaction to one of their flock who believed that Jesus was moving under the anointing of God’s Spirit..

“Are you trying to teach us?” (John 9:34)

Anyone who did not see the Kingdom exactly as they saw it was quick to be told they were deceived.

Then the Pharisees answered them, "Are you also deceived? (John 7:47

Such a person seeks to live in spiritual perfectionism. 

A friend of mine is a wonderful trophy of God's grace. Once a man who did time in jail for his crimes, he was radically saved. Those who are forgiven much love much (Luke 7:47)  He loves Jesus. Despite much family trouble he is always rejoicing. Always. He goes round doors in the evenings telling people about His Saviour. His joy and his love for Jesus is infectious and he has led many to Christ.  I am privileged to know him.  A local church asked him to give his testimony and he prayed and worked on what he would say for a week before nervously getting up and telling his story of God's grace. (Public speaking rarely comes naturally to men with such a background) Many were deeply moved and came to him afterwards to tell him so. He was greatly encouraged. 

Then one man came up to him to tackle him on a 'doctrinal issue'. (I believe, from memory, his issue was predestination - Why evangelise when God has predestined who will be saved) The man had been unable to hear the good and see the miracle of my friend's life, but was listening for anything he perceived from his theological standpoint as error that must be exposed.  God's self appointed watchman. The Pharisee spirit. My friend said that had he not been so strong in the Lord he would have been well knocked down that evening.

The man bound by the Pharisee spirit will be reading this paper right now, not with an attitude of perhaps learning something, but looking diligently for 'the errors' so that he might expose them.

Rick Joyner in his excellent article 'confronting the religious spirit' says 

'When a religious spirit is founded upon pride it is evidenced in perfectionism. The perfectionist sees everything as black or white. This develops into extremes as it requires that everyone and every teaching be judged as either 100% right or 100% wrong. This is a standard that only Jesus could comply with and leads to serious delusion when we impose it on ourselves and others. True grace imparts a truth that sets us free, showing us the way out of our sin, or to higher levels of maturity'.

He goes on to say, 

'Because we 'see through a glass darkly', or in part, we are compelled to always be open to greater accuracy in our beliefs and teachings. One of the greatest delusions of all is that we are already complete in our understanding, or 100% accurate in our perception or actions. This closes us to further understanding and correction. The perfectionist both imposes and tries to live by standards that stifle true maturity and growth'.

Speaking of the religious spirit, he says that 

'when it combines with the martyr syndrome it is almost impossible for a person to be delivered from his deception. At that point any rejection or correction is perceived as the price he must bear to 'stand for the truth' This will drive him even further from the truth and any possibility of correction'.

He also writes 

'such a religious spirit is so slippery that it will wiggle out of almost any attempt to confront it. If you address the pride, the fears and insecurities rise up to attract sympathy. If you confront the fear it will then change into religious pride masquerading as faith'.

My experience in ministry bears witness to what he writes.

Looking at the language and the actions of the Pharisees helps us to recognize the fruit of this spirit at work in our midst...

A sample of Pharisee language.

“He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?”

“He’s a drunkard and a glutton”

“He casts out demons using demonic power.”

“He’s breaking the Sabbath!”

“He speaks blasphemies?

“He’s evil”

“If He was a prophet, He would know who this woman is - for she’s a sinner.”

“God, I thank You that I am not like other men who’re always sinning”

“He’s not from God, because He doesn’t keep the Sabbath.”

“He mixes with sinners and eats with them.”

The Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him and His ministry.

Then the Pharisees came testing Him.

Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His teachings.

Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, The Pharisees complained against His followers.

The Pharisees watched Him closely that they might find an accusation against Him.

The Pharisees began to assail Him vehemently, and they watched Him closely.

The Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery.  

They couldn’t bring Jesus under their control so they sought to destroy, first His reputation and then His very life. 

And then later when the disciples were moving powerfully in the healing gifts of the Holy Spirit, they sought to ban their ministry. The fearless disciples replied 

“You decide whether God wants us to obey you instead of Him” Acts 4 :19  

THERE IS MUCH THAT IS WRONG WITH THE CHURCH.  

Worldliness, lukewarm-ness, unbelief  (how many Christians do not even believe the opening pages of scripture) a love of mammon, hypocrisy, a frightening lack of discernment, and at times sheer apostasy. There is talk now of 'the other great faiths'. In certain quarters what God calls evil is being called good. Fictional witchcraft is as popular within the church as without. The editorial page on this web site reveals some of the pain in my heart that these issues bring.

That's why God raises up men and women with the anointing to bring correction.

The Word of God is the Sword of The Spirit. Not the sword of man. When carnal flesh wields it people die. When the Spirit wields it through a man or woman people live. 

When I feel lukewarm I sometimes have a bath and read Tozer. His words slap me around the face and I am the better for it. One of my favourite writings by him is entitled 'We need men of God again'  You can read it here.  He also wrote the following words about the men God sometimes calls to bring drastic divine correction to the Body of Christ.

"God has always had His specialists whose chief concern has been the moral breakdown, the decline in the spiritual health of the nation or the church. Such men were Elijah, Jeremiah, Malachi and others of their kind who appeared at critical moments in history to reprove, rebuke and exhort in the name of God and righteousness... Such a man was likely to be drastic, radical, possibly at times violent, and the curious crowd that gathered to watch him work soon branded him as extreme, fanatical, negative. And in a sense they were right. He was single-minded, severe, fearless, and these were the qualities the circumstances demanded. He shocked some, frightened others and alienated not a few, but he knew who had called him and what he was sent to do. His ministry was geared to the emergency, and that fact marked him out as different, a man apart." 

There is a real cry for the John the Baptist ministry right now.  

Many a man with a Pharisee spirit sees himself as such. He is not.  One brings life in his wake. The other death. Those at the receiving end know the difference. We are called to be salt and light.  Not salt and vinegar.

We MUST guard our doctrine.

Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you. (1^st Timothy 4:16)

Probably the most overlooked part of guarding our doctrine is to make sure we have not embraced anything of the doctrine of the Pharisees.  Jesus warned His disciples saying,

 “"How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread? -but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees." Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees. (Matthew 16:11-12)”

If our doctrine is indeed the doctrine of Jesus we will carry the anointing of God upon our lives

Jesus answered them and said, "My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. (John 7:16)

The high priest then asked Jesus about His disciples and His doctrine. (John 18:19)

You will know when you walk in His doctrine. People will be drawn to you. Sinners. Sick people. Tormented people. Lonely people. Hurting and frightened people

And a sure sign will be that the Pharisee spirit will rise up against you.

This challenging check list taken from an article entitled 'Confronting the religious spirit' - might prove helpful as a health check for us all .