WAYS TO RECOGNIZE RAZOROUS WOLVES DRESSED AS SHEEP IN THE BIBLE
Rapacious wolves in sheep’s clothing in the Bible, verse
What does ravenous wolves in sheep’s clothing mean in the Bible?
A wolf in sheep’s clothing is a symbol of someone who outwardly seems harmless and kind with good intentions, but inwardly is full of hate, evil, and deceit, which is why it is called a wolf in sheep’s clothing. We are warned of this false teacher in the book of Matthew in the Bible.
predatory wolves that twist the truth
The wolf in sheep’s clothing seeks to twist truth and scripture to fit his own agenda. They deceive their audience with false prophecies and teachings. Wolves teach false doctrines while looking all attractive.
Sometimes the truth can be twisted in this life. It may appear blurry or tampered with. The lines cross. Things that used to look black and white can start to look more grey. It may seem more difficult to recognize what is true or what is false.
At the heart of the battle, which we face every day, is a real enemy prowling around looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). He will stop at nothing to gain ground. He and his forces have quoted the words of God since the beginning of time, misrepresenting them, doing everything possible to manipulate the truth, with the main goal of deceiving and misleading. They know who God is and the Bible says they “shudder” with fear at his name (James 2:19). They know that only God will be victorious and no matter what traps are used today to try to distract us from Him, in the end, they will not win.
wolves in sheep’s clothing
Many times, the wolf in sheep’s clothing knows God’s Word better than we thought, and he manipulates and misrepresents it so much that we can even feel confused about what the real truth is. So how can we spot predatory wolves in sheep’s clothing and how can we see through their deception to protect ourselves? First, let’s look at some signs that will help you spot predatory wolves in sheep’s clothing.
SIGNS THAT WE ARE FACING RAZOROUS WOLVES DRESSED AS SHEEP ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE
1. Ravenous wolves in sheep’s clothing love power and themselves
The wolf in sheep’s clothing can be a leader who will try to gain and maintain power for his own selfish reasons. Relationships are used and abused solely for the purpose of gaining more control. A wolf in sheep’s clothing (Wolves of prey) will use his position to create rules and regulations that were never part of God’s plan. They don’t want to empower people with freedom and truth, but rather hold them in their power with limits.
2. Ravenous wolves in sheep’s clothing reject correction and respond to criticism with anger.
When faced with ravenous wolves in sheep’s clothing, the response will not be one of humility and repentance. This person will respond with anger, bitterness, and often criticize you back. His main goal in life is self-preservation and he will not let anyone get in the way of his authority. A wolf in sheep’s clothing will appear tame in front of an audience, but will show aggression when confronted.
3. Rapacious wolves in sheep’s clothing use emotions to get what they want.
Rapacious wolves in sheep’s clothing know the power of words and emotions to manipulate people. They use guilt, shame, and fear to keep others in their power. A wolf in sheep’s clothing knows when to say sweet words of praise and when to use cutting words to feed insecurity.
4. Rapacious wolves in sheep’s clothing lack the Fruit of the Spirit
Galatians 5:22-23 tells us what are the characteristics and traits in the life of a person who follows the Holy Spirit. Ravenous wolves in sheep’s clothing do not produce the fruit of the Spirit. They may seem loving and gentle in front of people, but behind closed doors, they lack kindness, meekness, self-control, and other fruits. A wolf in sheep’s clothing indulges in sinful natures and will exhibit them when under attack.
The best way to expose the false lies of the enemy, a wolf in sheep’s clothing, is to hear the Truth from the One Voice that Matters Most. Know what is real and you will know what is false.
As we strive to know God, who is real, who is the Truth, and fix our minds on His Word, spending time meditating on it, we eventually become highly trained to spot the “false.”
HOW TO DETECT AND RESPOND TO RAZOROUS WOLVES DRESSED AS SHEEP?
1. Beware of the appearance of rapacious wolves dressed as sheep
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inside they are ravenous wolves” (Matt. 7:15)
God reminds us in His Word that we must “watch”, “take care of ourselves”, stay awake. He knows and understands how difficult this spiritual battle can be to fight. Some days we get tired, or so busy and distracted, that we no longer pay attention to ways we might stumble. But he tells us: “Watch, stand firm in the faith; behave manly, and be strong” 1 Corinthians 16:13
God wants the best for us and knows how important it is that we live consciously. He freely gives us his strength and protection to stand firm every day, he will never leave us defenseless.
2. It knows what is real and it will also know what is false, because by its fruits you will know them
“By their fruits you will know them. Do you gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? (Matthew 7:16)
The Word of God is clear, it says that the ravenous wolves dressed as sheep will be known by their fruits. Not for how much money they have. Not by how many followers they have. Not because of the number of books they’ve written or the great things they’ve done. They will be known by the fruit that exists in their lives.
Is there love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, meekness, faithfulness, and self-control? Are they sharing the gospel of Christ and pointing others to the forgiveness and freedom that only He can bring? What do they say about who Jesus is? What do you believe about the authority of God’s Word?
We may have to take a closer look at what is on the outside. The world often sees “success” and popularity differently than God does. What is in the heart? Eventually, the truth of who they are will come out. We can trust his word to be true and depend on him to guide us.
3. Know the word of God and you will know when it is being twisted and manipulated by a wolf in sheep’s clothing
“And it is not surprising, because Satan himself disguises himself as an angel of light. So, it is not strange if his ministers also disguise themselves as ministers of justice; whose end shall be according to his works” (2 Corinthians 11:14-15)
Sometimes deception can be well hidden, manipulated, and cunning, as the Bible makes it clear that even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.
If we don’t know His truth, we will never know when we are being deceived. He studies, meditates on his words. Keep them in your heart, as the psalmist said “In my heart I have kept your sayings, so that I may not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11)
Spend time in the presence of God. Pray, she talks to him, listens to his voice through his word. She stays close to his presence, living under the protection of his armor and covered by him, helping us to know when we are looking directly at falsehood.
4. Trust in the discernment and wisdom that comes from the Spirit of God
“For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:24-25).
God gives us His Spirit to guide us in discernment and wisdom. “But when the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth; for he will not speak on his own account, but he will speak everything that he hears, and he will make you know the things that are to come ”(John 16:13)
He wants more than anyone that we be guided by the Truth. Let’s try to walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh. We don’t have to wander through life blindly, not knowing what is true and what is not. As we daily ask for his leadership and direction, submitting to his authority over our lives, we can trust the leadership of his Spirit. When we feel restless or feel that something is not quite right, we can draw closer to Him, knowing that He is faithful to guide us.
5. Surround yourself with other believers you know and trust.
“Knowing this first, that in the last days scoffers will come, walking after their own lusts” (2 Peter 3:3)
Be careful who you listen to and who you choose to receive guidance from. Sometimes when we are in a place where it is hard to see clearly, perhaps because of our worries, we need a trusted friend who can tell the truth at times when we need to hear it. This is often true in marriage. Learning to listen to one another and take into consideration what the other might be feeling or discerning can often have great power in saving us from a lot of trouble down the road, if we only heed warnings from someone we love. You can speak in our direction.
“Where there is no wise direction, the people will fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.”. prov. 11:14
Recognize that sometimes believers can just disagree. It doesn’t necessarily mean that one is a “false teacher,” but rather that both of you may be trying your best to follow God’s Word and what He is leading, but you may not agree on everything. We see this in the Scriptures and we see it all around us today.
Let’s not waste time fighting against ourselves, let’s recognize who the real enemy is. We can choose to give each other grace and kindness. We can hold on to what matters most and seek unity in the body of Christ. Standing together and strong, on Christ the Solid Rock.
“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32