The same instructions given in the Gospel of Luke:

Luke 10:3-11 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way. And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house. And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again. And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the laborer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

The Church world today is in an apostate condition. Leaders have developed an 'easy believism,' just say a sinners prayer and you will be saved. That is not what the Bible says. That is not what Jesus commanded his disciples. In today's religious atmosphere, repentance is no longer fashionable. Holiness is rejected as impossible in this life. The religious machines operating in the world today require vast sums of money to operate. Why? Because they are operating in the power of the flesh, trying to emulate and bring about spiritual realities by worldly means.

How was it that the Disciples of Christ in the Bible achieved such earth shaking results, when they had no technology at their disposal? No big screen TV's, no amplifiers or public address systems, no marketing strategies or publicists to promote their ministries? The reason they had results that changed the world is because they were obedient and went forth as they were commanded to. They did not have degrees from religious schools. Instead, they were called and chosen by God, they went forth in the power of the Holy Spirit, and they turned the civilized world upside down with the Gospel of Christ. They practiced what they preached. They were living epistles, read of all men.

We are called with the exact same calling today. God's requirements have not changed.

Micah 6:8 He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Romans 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

Mark 12:30-31 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

It's plain and simple, there is no acceptable substitute for our obedience. Romans 4:3 For what saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

The needs have never been greater. Confusion is rampant. Yet in the midst of all this darkness and strife, God is doing an unseen work in the hearts of His people. Those who are seeking His face, are finding Him. And just as Jesus sent forth His disciples in the opening verses, He is preparing a body to march forth onto the world scene today. Our orders are the same. We must be more alive to the Spirit than the flesh. We must have our spiritual senses exercised, to the point where we can discern what is of God, and what is counterfeit. We must not be swayed by the opinions of others. Our trust is in God, and He is who we must give an accounting to. When we go it is because we are sent, not because we think it is a good idea. When we speak, we speak what we hear the Spirit say, not our own thoughts.

1Chronicles 28:9 And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off forever.

Seldom do we consider that God knows each and every thought we think. Nothing is hidden from His sight. Psalms 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: If we truly believed this, if we could grasp hold of the reality of this fact, we would soon learn to rein in our imaginations and ideas. Isaiah 65:2 I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts.

Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

What determines who is a lamb and who is a wolf? Paul warned the Church in Act 20:28-30 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

He said a mouthful right there. Pastors and leaders are to operate under the power of the Holy Spirit, as overseers (not strong arm dictators), feeding the Church (called out ones). No group or assembly belongs to the leader, for all belong to Christ, purchased with His Own Blood. Paul tells them beforehand that he knows full well, that once he is gone there will be those (even from amongst them) who will lift themselves up in leadership/influential roles, introducing (preaching) perverted things to draw away disciples after themselves.

The wolves are nothing new, they have been in our midst from the beginning. Yet we are no wiser when it comes to recognizing them. In every generation the enemy uses the same tactics and wiles, and they just keep on working. Could our problem be that we are depending too much on our own judgment? The one place that we least expect to be attacked is in our assemblies. Are we too trusting? Do we judge by appearances rather than by the Word and our inner witness? Many times our inner witness is telling us that something is very much wrong but we dismiss the warning, allowing our carnal judgment to override the Spirit within. We can very easily talk ourselves right out of believing what God is trying to show us. "Why, I just can't believe that Bro. so-and-so isn't a man of God, they seem so sincere and to be so loving, how can you not believe them?"

Another way we are led astray, is because we are not firmly grounded in the Word of God, nor in a strong personal relationship with God. We can spend our entire lifetime on this earth going through the motions; attending Church regularly, participating in all the projects and activities, yet never come into a living relationship with God, never growing up in Christ in our inner man. If we are dependent on our Pastor/Teacher/Leader to tell us what the Word of God says, or what it means, or what God is saying today, how saved are we? Jesus said, "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10:10). Jesus didn't call us to come out of the world and become religious, He said to "Follow Me." He didn't die for us and shed his blood that we might devise theological theories, He suffered living in this human flesh and dying on the cross, that we might "be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God" Romans 8:21.

The wolves are everywhere. Some are more cleverly disguised than others, but all share the nature of the deceiver. They all hold a high opinion of themselves and their work. They all exhibit to varying degrees controlling, manipulative methods of operation. They all come across as being full of love and wisdom, that is until their authority is brought into question, and then their loving facade begins to crack. As long as they are in control and believed, they are the most pleasant people you could hope to meet. But the minute that their teachings, their right to control, their authority is brought into question the gloves come off, and their real nature shines through. They cannot stand up to the Spirit of the Living God. Their days are numbered, for the King is coming in judgment and in wrath against all ungodliness, and they are the first ones that will feel the fires of His indignation.

1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. We are responsible for what we choose to believe; for whose voice we listen to; and for what we do with the Gospel of Christ. It is our responsibility to know the Word for ourselves, not by memorization of the dead letter, but as we seek the illumination of the Word by the Holy Spirit, Who is the Spirit of Truth. We have to know what the Word does say, if we are to know when someone is teaching us something contrary to the Gospel of Christ. Jesus Christ is the Word made flesh (John 1:14). There is no truth outside of His Truth, only lies and distortions from the enemy.

1 John 5:2-4 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

The greatest commandment first of all is this "And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself" Luke 10:27.

Our Lord requires more from us than a good attendance record. He requires our whole being; body, mind and soul. As we learn to walk with Him, by the power of the indwelling Spirit of God, we will grow in our spiritual discernment, learning to rightly divide the Word of Truth. And when the occasional wolf comes into our midst, we will recognize him for what he is. Not by our intellect, but by our spirit. Jesus said, "I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves."

When Jesus spoke these words to his disciples, he knew full well that he was sending him into the midst of, or among the wolves. And what were his instructions? To be wise as serpents; or to be "thoughtful, discreet, cautious, using practical skill and intelligence, having sharpness of vision." Not to be taken in by appearances and smooth talking. "Harmless as doves" is to be 'unmixed or without mixture, innocent, simple' as a dove. If God sends you forth, you are guaranteed that you go in His strength and not your own.

Know that the wolves in these last days, have grown in prominence and acceptance of the people, and sit in the high places throughout the land. Know also, that He that is within you is greater than he that is in the world. This is not a good day to be a wolf. It is always a good day to be a lamb. Hebrews 10:29-31 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.