The "Simon the Sorcerer Test" for sign gifts

I have discovered, in scripture, a quick and easy way for me to test sign gifts. You may use it also if you would like. I am what has been called Open but Cautious with respect to the sign gifts.

I have witnessed many 'new things' like speakers claiming to be observing people being transported up into heaven right then and there, declaring portals on either side of the stage and picking certain ones to stand at these locations where they commence to laugh uncontrollably and jerk around, and I have seen folks staring at each other's hands squinting for tiny flecks of glitter/gold dust.

Is this real? Is it not real? I always suspected it wasn't. I have long suspected that ministers in these circles are pressured to come up with some signature new thing in order to promote their ministry, or themselves. Like I said, it has only been a private suspicion. How does one know for sure?

There may very well be a scriptural way to test these signs, and it is what I call the "Simon the Sorcerer Test."

You see, in Acts 8 Simon the Sorcerer followed Philip around. He saw some amazing signs, and he also saw that through the laying on of the apostle's hands that the Holy Spirit was given. So, Simon offered them money so that he too could do this. Of course this was a bad thing for him to do and he was berated very severely for this.

But, stop and think for a minute. Simon saw the real thing concerning signs and wonders from being baptized in the Spirit and wanted to pay money to get the power to do these things.

So my test is simply this - Would someone like Simon the Sorcerer, or Cris Angel today, offer to pay cash money for the power to do what these people are doing? From what I have seen that is being passed off as a sign gift these days, I'd have to answer, 'No, I don't think they would... not in the least.'