Extreme Prophetic?

On 09.01.10, In Prophetic, Real Truth, false prophets, By admin

Sadly, there are a small number of fringe-element Charismatic ministries today who claim to be operating in the “extreme prophetic” that are the very sort of devil-inspired ministries that give the Charismatic Church a bad name. They are a blight on the image of the 21st Century Post-Pentecostal Church that it must disown and distance itself from in order to reclaim its rich heritage and integrity.

As it stands, it is these few “bad apple” ministries that are spoiling the Charismatic barrel in the eyes of the world as well as the ecclesia as a whole. The Neo-Pentecostal church must begin to rise up to the place of spiritual maturity in which it begins to discipline itself. Every significant institution of society—whether it be the medical field, with the likes of the A.M.A. or the legal profession with its A.B.A., and so forth—have had to come to the realization that it must regulate or govern itself if it is to maintain the integrity and even the longevity of the institution. Both Houses of the U.S. Congress governs itself, with measures built into the rules and procedures for sanctioning or disciplining of unruly members. The time has come for the institution of similar measures in the Neo-Pentecostal Ecclesia.

We must begin to “speak the truth in love.” We must summon the fortitude to tell it like it is, call a spade a spade, identifying doctrinal error and demonically-inspired supernatural phenomena and exposing the deeds of darkness wherever it is found, including if where it is found is in “big name” or high-profile ministries that have by whatever means ascended to the ranks of the elite and the high and mighty that we all have afforded them. We have tolerated the existence of “rock star” status and persona far too long in the Charismatic Church and it’s high time we began to tear down their altars and high places as the Old Testament prophets spoke on behalf of God concerning the pagan gods of their generations.

It’s high time that the true prophets arise out of their lethargy and laying back in the woods to seize the axe of Samuel and begin to hack some of these Agags to pieces! That will be the “extreme prophetic!” And, I believe the day when we see more and more of that happening has already dawned! (more…)

 
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Disarmament or Discernment?

On 08.05.10, In Church Leadership, False teaching, Lakeland Outpouring, false prophets, By admin

Cajoling the foe to disarm, thereby rendering him defenseless against his diabolic deceptions and dastardly designs of captivation, has been the ploy of the enemy for time immemorial, whether in the sociological systems of the world or the polity of the Church. Relative to the latter, Satan’s obsession is to disarm believers of the “weapons of our warfare” we’ve been issued by God. With the former, the doctrines of Marxism are replete with demonically inspired dogmas and idioms aimed at pacification of the masses to pave the way for totalitarian hegemony of submissive peoples achieved solely through ideological indoctrination and the total avoidance of militaristic resistance. Use sophisticated mind control tactics to disorient and disable your target is the underlying methodology of fascist guerrilla warfare. It’s a mind game, and no one is more skilled at conjuring and effectively utilizing it than the Serpent of old, the craftiest of all the beasts of the field God had made (Gen. 3:1). Psychological enslavement is his game and total dominion of the Creation is his aim! “But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in fierce anger (fury), because he knows that he has [only] a short time [left]! (Rev. 12:12b; AB)

(Note: This article was originally written/posted on June 21, 2008.)

“At that time many will FALL AWAY and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe him. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. Behold, I have told you in advance. So if they say to you, ‘Behold, He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or, ‘Behold, He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe them. For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.” (Mat. 24:10,11,21-28).

As I wrote in the preceeding article, the fair State of Florida is an apostolic State, in that there is a long list of “firsts” relative to the history of the United States that transpired in Florida, even before it received its present name. Throughout human history going all the way back to the Garden of Eden itself, Satan has always had an uncanny “knack” at showing up wherever God is moving or about to move.

Such has been the case with the moves of God in the State of Florida. In so many ways, the Sunshine State is a “Garden of Eden” of sorts. It is no mere coincidence that over two centuries multitudes have been attracted to the pearled peninsula, whether it be its now 18 million residents or the multiplied millions of tourists who visit and vacation in the State every year.

Over the last hundred years or so, there have been a number of prophecies predicting mighty moves of God that would/will be initiated in Florida. I believe a great move of God is yet to originate in Florida. But, as I am already on the record as stating, I do not believe the so-called “Lakeland Healing Revival,” aka, “Lakeland Outpouring,” is the prophesied revival or move of God, nor do I believe it is a genuine move of God at all. The fact that supernatural signs and wonders are occurring at an event, regardless of its duration, is not and never has been the signature of God upon a move. As discussed in the previous post, the Bible warns us repeatedly about false signs and wonders authored by Satan. For some reason that fact is hard for some Christians to truly accept, and to acknowledge that not all manifestations of the supernatural are authored by God. (more…)

 
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A Statement and Appeal Regarding the Lakeland Outpouring

On 07.19.10, In Charismatic Cultism, False teaching, Lakeland Outpouring, Personal Character, Revival, false prophets, By admin

The following article by Dutch Sheets was published August 21, 2008 on his personal website. It had been my intention to republish it then, in the interest of fairness to him: a) because I have also published criticism of him on by blogs; b) because I am impressed with and blessed by the character he demonstrated in standing up to admit his own indirect complicity in the matter and to repent thereof, and even to be critical of the actions of some of his closest ministry friends and colleagues in the matter, knowing the potential for stress his criticisms would engender in those relationships, which he expressly acknowledges; c) because I agree with the overall essence of the points he makes, and believe what he says can be very helpful to many in the Body of Christ who have been confused, dismayed, and their faith challenged by the whole Lakeland debacle; d) in the interest of providing our readers with independent affirmation that there was and remains to be rather widespread concern and criticism regarding the so-called “Lakeland Outpouring” and its principals, and; e) because he states well some things that need to be said by someone of his station and someone who is in relationship with some of the principals involved in the “apostolic alignment” that precipitated the demise of the Lakeland debacle. Somehow, however, in my busyness, republishing it contemporaneously slipped through the cracks. But, when I ran across the article today, I felt I should republish it now, despite being belated by nearly two years.

It has now been a couple of weeks since I heard about Todd Bentley’s plans for separation and divorce. Like everyone, I have had a variety of emotions including anger, sadness, and grief. Every time I see this scenario repeated, I grieve: for the husband and wife involved; for the family that will be scarred in so many ways; because of the incredible reproach it brings to Christ; and the distortion it gives concerning God’s heart and ways. I am praying for Todd and his family. (more…)

 
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The Power and the Pain of True Prophetic Preaching

On 07.18.10, In Charismatic Gifts, Church Leadership, Prophetic, Uncategorized, By admin

No true message from God will flow through a person who is smug and self-confident. If you want to speak for Him, prepare to die!

I did it again. This past Sunday I stood in a pulpit, looked out over a congregation of mostly strangers, cleared the lump in my throat and preached a message that the Lord had laid on my heart from the Bible.

Thousands of men and women speak publicly like this every week. It’s what preachers do. No big deal.

“We measure the impact of a sermon not by whether hearts were slain by Holy Ghost conviction but by how loud the preacher shouted or how high the people jumped when the preacher told them what they wanted to hear.”

(more…)

 
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The One Trait Needed to Trust a Person

On 06.13.10, In Church Leadership, Personal Character, By admin

The Pharisee and the Publican
Luke 18:
9And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt:
10″Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
11″The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
12′I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’
13″But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’
14″I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Years ago, at the church I was pastoring, I preached a message entitled, “Let This Mind Be In You.” My text was Philippians 2:1-11, with verses 5 to 8 being the key portion:

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”

My secondary text was Proverbs 6:16-19. But, before I alluded to this text, I asked everyone to take out a piece of paper and write on it what they believed would comprise “God’s Top Seven List” — the top seven things they believed would be on the list of things God hated. After giving them some time to complete their list, I asked them to just shout out a few of the things they believed would make God’s list. Their answers were very interesting. Quite a number of them had abortion at the top of their list; murder, rape, child molestation, adultery, thievery, lying, also were common infractions on their lists of things that surely, in their minds, God must “hate.” (more…)

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Kingdom Pioneers: You are NOT a failure!

On 06.13.10, In Church Leadership, By admin

I am very thankful for those pioneers of the Kingdom of God, going all the way back to Abraham, who’ve braved the unknown and the scorn of others to press forward in their obedience to God’s call and leading. We owe everything we are and have to the spiritual and natural pioneers who’ve faced misunderstanding and death at almost every turn to pave the way for those of us in this day to settle and enjoy the blessings and benefits, both from the spiritual and natural dimensions.

There are many pioneers still moving forward into realms yet unreached for no other reason than they heard the voice of Abba call them, and they’ve left all to pursue Him out of love and simple obedience. This is a lonely, misunderstood and often dangerous place to be, fraught with spiritual, mental, emotional, financial and relational pressures and warfare that we may not be aware of. I have a message for those pioneers that answered the call of God to press into the unknown: you are NOT a failure. (more…)

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Church As We Know It Is Over

On 06.06.10, In Uncategorized, By admin

The Church is at a major crossroads in her multi-millennial sojourn through time upon this earth. She has some very big decisions to make. But most of us are not aware of the change that is in the Wind. For church, as we know it, is over.

The church, (the one being built by Jesus, not this monstrosity of a system we incorrectly call the Church), will move on with the gentle sound of His voice. The Church He is building will not need an earthquake, a hurricane, or pixie dust floating in the air to get her attention. His sheep hear His voice and follow Him because they follow His voice. This will be a big test of who we really are and whose kingdom we are really building. If it is His Kingdom, we will leap at the sound of His voice and go where he leads us. If we are building the counterfeit, we will not be so inclined to move very quickly. For there is much to lose and much to risk in responding to Him whilst building anything of our own.

The charismatics, the Pentecostals and the revivalists are all crowding at the river Jordan. The Holy Spirit is urging, calling, leading them to cross, but few have the faith to cross because few have the faith to risk what they have built. Maybe that is the problem…we have built it and it is OURS. We must protect what is ours at all costs, even at the cost of moving on with the Lord. It is always so easy to camp along the river rather than risk the dangers of fording the rapids, even when you have the voice of the Lord drawing you on. (more…)

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Avoiding Strange Fire

On 05.27.10, In Charismatic Cultism, Church Leadership, False teaching, Lakeland Outpouring, Occult & Pagan, Revival, false prophets, By admin

And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. (Lev. 10:1)

Unfortunately, over the course of the more than two-decades since its inception, the enemy has been very busy sowing tares amongst the wheat of the Prophetic Movement. A plethora of false prophets are circulating around Charismatic circles who are offering up strange fire before the Lord as did Nadab and Abihu though they have not been commanded nor sent by the Lord. Claims of gold dust and angel feathers floating down from heaven, gold teeth and fillings miraculously appearing in people’s mouths, appearances of female “healing angels” who hover around the room above the floor, and all sorts of other strange manifestations are attributed as being supernatural works from God, the latest of which is coins supposedly supernaturally sticking to walls, purportedly held there by unseen “angels.” But, is it really God, or is it the false signs and wonders that the Bible warns will abound in the last days before the return of Christ by which even the elect shall be deceived “because they did not receive the love of the TRUTH” (2 Thes. 2:10)? In this article, Jonas Clark explains his view regarding some of these manifestations and how to discern if they are the real deal from God or counterfeits, false signs and wonders, authored by the Deceiver.

The Holy Spirit is not strange, weird or mystical. He is the third part of the Trinity. He is a gentleman, statesman and a loving God that lifts up Christ the only begotten son of God. He is not a female presence, an it, a thing, a midst, a feeling or some orphic force.

There are many people interested in prophetic ministry and there’s much confusion about it. Throughout your ministry you will be faced with many odd, even strange things that will require much spiritual discernment. Spiritual discernment will come from the Holy Spirit and be verified by many Scriptures throughout the written Word of God. History has introduced many divagating prophets with strange manifestations. Your advantage is four thousand years of written biblical history to use as your guide for accuracy from Adam to Christ. One corner stone for staying biblical is using that written history as your foundation for measuring truth. When strange things happen look to the Word for biblical examples. If you can’t find any then something is terribly wrong. (more…)

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