It should be made clear that the Rebbe did not view himself as Moshiach and he told the Chabadniks in a 1984 sermon that anyone who views him as the Moshiach are alienating many Jews from the teaching of the Ba’al Shem Tov:
“This is the Rebbe’s view, articulated in a memorable 1984 sermon. When some of his followers began to sing a song in his presence identifying him as the Messiah, he interrupted them and said: I would like to speak about something negative that requires fixing…There are some overzealous Chabdniks who imagine that they are the ones who know what needs to be done, and how it should be done. They are unmoved when those around them sometimes attempt to dissuade them from something negative. They think to themselves: Who are these people to tell me what to do? Not one of them is shpitz Chabad!
What i am referring to is those who, as a result of their statements, verbal and printed, and their songs, have alienated many Jews from the teachings of the Ba’al Shem Tov, the study and approach of Chasidut. In fact, there are Jews who had begun to study Chasidut and as a result of these individuals’ activities, they have stopped doing so. Not only are they failing to bring Jews closer, they are alienating those who have already begun to come close…
Let it therefore be known that anyone who continues with such activities, fights a war against Chabad Chasidut, against the Rebbe [Rayatz], against the Ba’al Shem Tov, and against Mashiach himself, who wants to come but is waiting for the further dissemination of Chasidut. These are people, on the other hand, are distancing Jews from studying Chasidut, G-d forbid.
May G-d spare me from having to repeat this directive again.
The sermon made a very strong impression and effectively silenced any attempts to publicly identify the Rebbe as a potential Mashiach for several years.” ~ Turning Judaism Outward, a biography of the Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the Seventh Lubavitcher Rebbe (Chaim Miller, author of Kol Menachem Chumash-Gutnick Edition) Page 404 to 405
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