I Live In Lakeland.
This site contains information about the Todd Bentley, Lakeland, Florida Outpouring that began on April 2nd, 2008.
Please check the links and articles for more information about Todd Bentley, the Revival, Ignited Church, Paul Cain and Bob Jones.
If you are here to learn more about the revival, you will find relevant articles, news on the right, and links for further research.
Thanks for dropping by.
Most important: always check out what someones teaches in & with the Word of God (in balance and context).
Here are some additional resources that are relevant to these modern times. Brother Milton Green gives some solid biblical help in these two messages found here: Fury of Fire series, Mark of God or Mark of the Beast 1 & 2, #11 & #12 on sermonindex.com
....Dear friends, after having been to the Lakeland Outpouring in person, I am very concerned about what is going on. Are there people there who are really saved and love the Lord? I have no doubt this is the case. Could some of the healings be real? They could be but I did not personally observe any - and I looked for them. Is Todd Bentley a man of God or a false prophet? Well, all I can say is that I do not believe him to be an honest man, he is a masterful manipulator of people’s emotions, he is actively engaging in activities that are extra-biblical and flat out unbiblical, and he does not preach the Word. What I am about to say is, I freely admit, subjective and by no means in and of itself authoritative in any way, but my spirit was very troubled the entire time I was there - very troubled. I believe that the Lakeland Outpouring is just the latest manifestation of the counterfeit revivals
Dr. Harry Ironside (1876-1951), a godly Fundamentalist author and teacher for many years, served as pastor of Chicago's Moody Memorial Church from 1930-1948
I changed a few terms, in italics, BTW, to make it a bit less offensive to some.
1). If a modern-day prophet says one thing and the Bible says another (opposing/opposite) which do you follow?
2). Why if God spoke “long ago” through prophets, but now in the last days speaks to us through His Son (Hebrews 1:1) do we still chase after men like Todd Bentley?
3). If the temple veil was ripped in two (Matthew 27:51) and God is not to be found in any one particular place on earth (Acts 7:48), but is now available to any true believer anywhere, why must we go to a certain church, event or venue in order to “come get some?”
4). God sent prophets to the Jews up until the 400 years of silence preceding Jesus Christ, (whom to this day the Jews still reject). Why don’t those who know the standard of prophets best (the Jewish people) continue to “raise up” and chase after prophets like the Charismatics do continually? Why do the Jews continue to patiently wait for their Messiah (which they missed 2,000 years ago) while the Charismatics keep chasing after the next big prophet? What do the Jews understand about a true prophet of God that Charismatics seem to keep missing?
5). Why if the Church is instructed in 1 Corinthians 14:40 to conduct itself “properly and in an orderly manner” do Charismatics refuse to accept this and instead we see the antics, shenanigans, and circus-like atmosphere in these self-proclaimed movements of God?
6). When Christians use the “my God is the same yesterday, today and forever” argument in the context that they commonly use it, why do they then no longer stone false prophets to death?
7). Why do Christians keep proclaiming the coming of a great revival in these last days when this is in direct opposition to the revealed Word of God which says that a great falling away will occur in the last days (2 Thessalonians 2:3)? Where does it say that the return of Christ is preceded by a great healing revival?
8). Pharisees and Sadducees tested Jesus asking Him to show them a sign (Matthew 16:1, Luke 11:16, John 2:18, John 6:30). Do you think this is a good thing or a bad thing?
9). Why do those seeking a sign in Mark 8:11-12 cause Jesus to “sigh deeply in His Spirit”?
10). Why are those seeking signs and wonders (Matthew 12:38-39, Matthew 16:4, Luke 11:29) referred to by Jesus as evil, wicked, and adulterous?
11). Was Jesus saying the need to see signs and wonders was a good thing in John 4:48?
12). Was Paul implying the need to see signs was a good thing in 1 Corinthians 1:22?
13). Why do Christians always use Peter’s sermon in Acts chapter 2 (quoting Joel) to justify the tongues and prophecies they perform while excluding the other events like the sun turning dark and the moon turning to blood (v. 20)?
14). If it is God’s will that we should be healthy and wealthy, why did Paul suffer so much (2 Corinthians 11:23-27, 12:7-10)?
15). Isn’t seeking to be healthy, wealthy, and comfortable in this life a direct contradiction to God’s way of testing the faith of a believer and producing endurance in the life of a believer (James 1:2-4)?
16). Jesus addressed the fact that we are not greater than He, and since He suffered, we (true Christians) should expect the same (John 15:20, Matthew 10:24-25). Why do Charismatics ignore this and cling to the false notion that any suffering is of the Devil?
17). Why do the only two prophets directly referred to in Scripture in the last days (Revelation 11) perform no healings? Instead they do exactly the opposite of what all the “prophets” of today do; the very things most Charismatics would say is from the Devil. Why is that?
18). Why does the Bible repeatedly identify the existence of and warn us about false prophets (Matthew 7:15, 24:11, 24:24, Mark 13:22, Luke 6:26, Acts 13:6, 2 Peter 2:1-3, 1 John 4:1, etc.)?
19). In the end many false Christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders to mislead many (Matthew 24:24, Mark 13:22). Why do most Charismatics refuse to accept this, and if they do accept it, they never accept that this could be referring to their favorite prophet?
20). Is there any “sign and wonder” that you can point to that is false/counterfeit from Satan? Or do all “signs and wonders” come from God only?
21). Can Satan and his servants appear as “good” or do they always come to us as easily identifiable “bad” spirits (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)?
22). Is the great and visible sign performed in Revelation 13:13 a good thing from God or a counterfeit from Satan?
24). Can Satan and those in accord with his activity perform signs and wonders and exhibit power (Exodus 7:11-12, 2 Thessalonians 2:9)?
25). What is the more common theme of the Bible regarding the prophets with accompanying signs and wonders?
A). The presence of signs and wonders are proof of them being true prophets of God.
B). That false prophets will mislead many and they will use signs and wonders.
Remember, Todd is first and foremost, supposedly, an evangelist.
With that in mind, watch the interview, 17 min, and see if you can determine his vocation.
I like his, quote sign, salvation, conversion, and awakening part, shortly after the 12 min mark where he finally mentions the name of Jesus in passing.
I'm glad the interviewer didn't ask some hard hitting questions like what must I do to be saved?
When I first heard about the revival, via an email from a friend, about 4 days or so into the revival, I decided to check it out.
This was the video that made me definitely check out Todd Bentley.
I am a student of revival, and there were obvious things to me that seemed waaaay off in this video.
First, Todd tries to create an apostolic/revivalist/angelic succession. The angel, William Branham, etc. At this point, I had no clue who William Branham was, but I've heard revivals/outpourings speak about the revivalists of old before. You should look into William Branham for yourself, to see what Todd is claiming is on him now.
Then he tries the fire on a Kentucky lady. Unfortunately, not being a veteran of being in the "spirit" she didn't do the courtesy drop or manifestation. I'm sure that changed over time.
At 5 min or so, the fun begins. You know, if you don't understand, well then.....
"I told the Lord why can't I just move in healing and forget talking about all that other stuff?" "Because, Todd, you have to get the people to believe in the angel." "I said, God, why do I want people to believe in the angel? " "Isn't it about getting people to believe in Jesus?" "He said, the people already believe in Jesus, but the church doesn't believe in the supernatural." This sounds like another Jesus to me, even when I watched it over and over again, trying to justify what I heard.
That drove me to check out his website, freshfire.ca. It's changed in the last few weeks, as you'll see from the "cleaning out the barn" link above.
There I found out the "revelation" that Todd has encounters with dead people.(I'm sorry, for you "prophetic" and "anointing" seekers, yes, it was supposedly a vision, not speaking to dead people. But in my experience, the conscious conversational interactions in a vision usually are with God, not something you see.)
There I found out that Paul AND Abraham wrote the Book of Hebrews.
There I learned that Todd has no problem with encounters, for he NEVER, EVER, EVER, relates in his teachings, videos, books, or audio that he has EVER TESTED THE SPIRITS.
And one has to ask, if Todd is not listening to and doing what the Bible says, "testing the spirits," what "spirit," according to all we know about the Bible, WHAT did Todd embrace, and continues to embrace?
As I watched videos of Todd at Toronto (pre-tattoos) you hear stuff like this:
Notice, as you look for yourself, check out Freshfire.ca, and his statement of faith there.
You gotta keep that "further revelation" open, yet although claiming they're substantiated by Scripture, as you read, learn, watch, and listen to the encounters, you'll see these "further revelations," equivalent to Scripture in their eyes, are far extra Biblical. (again, see cleaning out the barn)
I ran across some other websites, as listed to the right. On one, I came across this:(start at 3 min IMO, to get the context) Anyway, around 3.55 in this video - you can fast forward to it - a girl comes forward. After some ministry from Bentley, Todd says: Could we pick her up, I’m not done messin’ with her yet? which is a very odd thing to say, even in jest, and then there is something even odder he says about a minute later - it is like really mocking tongues or mocking ministry - Blablahblahblahblah be drunk! Blah blah blah blah blah blah - he says - what on earth is that about?
You see, I regularly get questioned as to my salvation, whether I believe in the supernatural, what religion am I, when I'm in the chatroom for the revival, and I dare post something that questions the "god" of Todd.
I've been there, done that, bought the tshirt and have the video to prove it as far as the supernatural, and experiencing true Biblical repentance.
I do and can embrace the genuine. There is a difference, and you find that by knowing the real McCoy, as you study your Bible.
I've seen the genuine. I've prayed for, seen people healed, and been healed myself.
In fact, from the beginning of this "The Great Adventure" since I repented of my sins, and put my faith in Jesus Christ, I've seen God's Hand move mightily and have been a "God Chaser" myself, spending many weeks in revivals where God supposedly was blessing with an outpouring, staying "under the spout, where the glory comes out" as one "move" called it.
I've been to Charismatic, Pentecostal, and Fundamentalist churches, and can easily feel at home in any of the above, for they all are right, anointed, and following after God, if in balance with what Scripture Says/Teaches.
I've seen the devil in action on the missions field, and I've seen the overwhelming deception here at home, and see some of the things, compromise, that has got us here, to this.
I keep hearing people say things like look at what God is doing, keep your eyes on man, not God, and take in the meat, spit out the bones.
There is a basic problem with this. If you read a box's/bottle's ingredients label and it contains things poisonous/harmful to you, do you take in the good stuff, and hopefully aren't affected by the bad, before you spit it out?
As a friend of mine says, how many drops of poison does it take in your glass of water for you to realize you shouldn't drink it?
As you can see in this video, below, his "prophetic/word of knowledge" gift isn't.
There is lots of legitimate, researchable items of concern to anyone who is wondering about this "outpouring of the spirits" in Lakeland.
All it takes for you or I to find the Truth about Todd, Freshfire, the Kansas City Prophets(I'm not going to go into that one), Emma -O, 6 or 7 heavenly realms, Bob Jones, Paul Cain, Patricia King(I'm not going into those three in this post either), etc, is to do the research which is as easy as using a search engine on the internet.
See what the man teaches, does, says, and writes, and compare that to Scripture.
Some of this stuff is ridiculous. Some of it will make you cry for your brothers and sisters involved with this deception.
As you can see here, violence is how Todd's god heals some.
BTW, in the accounts of thousands of claimed healings in the past two months, why isn't there even one medically verified healing/miracle?
We(people who dare question anything about the revival and stand on the evidence) are demonized and told to not "touch 'god's' anointed" or that we're being "critical" or possibly that we are blaspheming the Holy Spirit, when we share the facts.
But personally, if I know my brothers and sisters are having a nice walk down a path, leading over a cliff, I will warn them.
Are the challenges just fluff, or is there any validity to the messages?
I guess we will have to look at what these people say, compare them to what was said on the videos, taught in the teachings on freshfire.ca, and see what's in Todd's books/materials to see if there is validity to these concerns/challenges.
\o/An excerpt from the website, Storm Harvest. You can find the entire article/discussion HERE .\o/
...Questions
1. Why are we calling this a revival? The largest churches in the UK (such as Kensington International) draw more people every week than are turning up to Lakeland. The largest church in Nigeria (Faith Temple) draws three times that number! These churches win as many people to Christ each week as are being won at Lakeland. We do not call them revival because such a term implies that communities are being affected, towns are being changed, nations are being shaken. For a start, there are no credible evaluations of how many have been saved in Lakeland, Florida. Not from any of the main sources. We are now six or seven weeks in! There are estimates of how many people show up, and how many are falling down - but not of salvations?
2. Why have all the recent "revivals" which cause tourism take place in America? Toronto, Smithton, Pensacola, Lakeland... thousands travelling to see it. Next week in a Northern Indian city there will be a baptism of 10,000 new converts, gathered in from hundreds of COC churches. In two weeks time there will be the confirmation of 8,000 new converts in a Pentecostal assembly in Uganda. It is estimated that 1,000 Iraqis are being converted a week now from Islam. Why don't we fly to those places - whose statistics are far more impressive than Lakeland?(For more information on revival tourism to those places watch this space!)
3. What has our Christianity become about? Since when is the gospel centrally about a focus on angels, third heaven revelations, impartations and transferable blessings? Since when did Jesus die to make us rich, or to cancel debt we have accrued through the self focused spending we engage in here in the West? What happened to the simplicity of the gospel - repent, believe and be baptized?
We do not think the meetings in Lakeland will do much to make churches around the world look and act more like Jesus. The need for holy love, perfect oneness, release of the saints to ministry and completion of the great commission is not enflamed by enamel teeth or even miraculous healings. These tasks will remain long after Lakeland has become a set of archives in the YouTube history. Before you spend thousands of dollars going there, take a trip to the empty buildings at Pensacola, edifaces with a high debt and few people. Or perhaps go to Toronto and see a city that has successfully resisted God's presence in her midst these last twelve years.
As I mentioned in this Email to the Churchwarnings website, I live in Lakeland, now about 25 min, across town, down Harden Rd, Right on Pipkin, and take another right to the Sun N Fun area where the revival is at.
Something totally not of God manifested itself in Polk County on the second April Fools Day this year, Apr 2nd.
First, I must say that we, as a community of believers have sinned and have not been the watchmen we should have been, as lots of this demonic oppression and infiltration of the church has been going on for several years, that I am aware of.
The overlooking of sin in the church by the pastors/leadership(some of them guilty themselves and still there), the condoning of extra-Biblical teachings(for example, outreaches making sure we don't mention Jesus as to not alienate the "seekers") and seeking after the supernatural(encounters, without any teachings about what's real and what is of the devil), all the while not discipling the sheep by teaching them the Word of God, so that they may be prepared, mature, and reaching the lost.
So in essence, this community of believers is guilty of allowing this thing to fester and now it seems the boil has popped and affected more of the Body of Christ.
For this I am personally repentant towards God, and my deceived brothers and sisters.
Why was I so stupid, and did not watch and pray, interceding for my community as well?
We don't learn by doing things right. We learn from mistakes.
I apologize to you, that you have to even hear about Lakeland, Todd Bentley, Stephen Strader, Ignited Church, or this supposed move of God.
Had we done our part as Christians here in Polk County, Lakeland, and at our church, we would not be having this discussion.
You have no idea how sorry I am, for what was unleashed upon the Body of Christ through our indifference and neglect.
The devil had his day. We will not let it happen again, and as we pray, and Glorify the One True God, and His Son Jesus, the devil's influence will wither away, and this thing will move on to another unsuspecting, ignorant/neglectful place.
So if I can ask of you, pray for our community, for the communities of those who have people coming here to get some of this spirit or spirits and take that, anointing as they are calling it, spirit/spirits home to affect their church and community.
If we do not prepare, warn, discern, pray, and act, when the real latter days deception comes, you and I may be part of the elect deceived, as well as millions of souls lost.
It's worth the cost. Pray, read and teach the Bible, make mature disciples, and engage in spiritual warfare.
There is precious little time to reach the lost, and to save some of our brothers and sisters, before Jesus' return.
Let's be about the Lord's work, not seeking signs and wonders, and letting our brothers/sisters get wrapped up in a false gospel, ending up in hell.
We do make a difference. And the nice thing about repentance is now we get to get up off of our faces and get to do His work.
My recommendation? Get your own revival! You will find it in Isaiah 58:10-11. You need no airline ticket, no travel. I have found the springs of water that never fail!
"And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day: and the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not."
I have attended this revival for many weeks. In fact, I have been there since the second night of Todd’s meetings (4/2/08), long before this became “revival”. Initially, I was so excited to see God move in such a mighty way. I was encouraging my pastor, several other pastors that I know, many friends and family members to “come and see what God is doing.” There were few times when I was uncomfortable with what was happening in the meetings, but I figured that I was just being critical and reminded myself that God’s ways are not my ways. I continued to support this revival, even after I heard my own pastor voice his concerns. I was quite vocal about these misgivings others had. I continued to defend Todd, God, etc., etc.
However, as time as passed, I have become increasing concerned about several things. First of all, I have worked in the medical field for over 20 years (in radiology). I have noticed that there have only been a very few “documented” miracles in comparison to the numbers that have claimed miracles. I am aware of at least two claims of healing that I believe to have possibly been real. There was the child with the elbow fracture and her x-rays. However, I would like to know the dates between the first set of x-rays and the 2nd, as healing, especially with very young children can be quite quick…especially if it was very mild fracture. Also, I would love to see the type of fracture, position, and the view (AP, lateral, etc.) of the second set of films. (Sometimes a particular view will not show the fracture that is actually there.) There was also a young man who testified one night (before TV/internet) about being healed from Hepatitis C, with the lab work to confirm. Again, with false positive/negatives that can happen with labs. I’d love to see what his actual lab values were and see a retesting to confirm. Although I do believe that this individual could very well have been healed, but because of how I’ve seen other things handled in this revival, I would just like to see more documentation.
Much of the “miracles” that I have seen over the weeks have been based more on what people believe that have happened, more than medically documented miracles. Many times over I have seen people with metal rods in their spine be “healed”. Todd will ask, what couldn’t you do, and usually has them bend over. This act of bending over is declared as a miracle. It is not. Most folks with metal rods in their back or neck CAN bend over, as these rods (Harrington rods) very seldom go the entire length of the spine. In fact, I have metal plates/screws in my neck and can bend my head from side to side and front to back. I remember one night when a woman with bulging discs in her neck came up to declare her healing. Todd felt along her spine and said “I don’t feel any bulging discs in your neck”, and then announced she had been healed. A disc bulge is something that you will NOT detected by running your hand up and down the spine. It is not something that can be physically palpated. Only imaging with MRI or CT would show the presence of disc bulges and if they were compressing nerve roots or affecting the spinal cord/spinal canal. I saw where this declaration of healing caused the room the go wild. My feeling is that if this is truly a bonafied healing…PRAISE GOD! But let’s confirm these miracles. That is what the world really needs to see! But alas, very few healings are actually being confirmed.
Secondly, my concern is the focus that has been placed on Angels, visitations, manifestations, etc. Although Jesus is mentioned throughout the night, though an altar call is given… far more emphasis is being placed on these other things than is actually being given to the Jesus and him crucified (as Paul would say). The cross, the resurrection, holiness, repentance, dying to the flesh, etc., are merely glossed over and not really preached. What is being given more time, more emphasis are these other “experiences”.
The atmosphere here has changed from the very first meetings…at least it seems to me. And as I said earlier, I have been at revival since April 3rd…the 2nd night Todd was here in Lakeland. Something is wrong and I am concerned. Somehow the gospel that saves and keeps is not being preached as it should. Jesus…not even the Holy Spirit… is to be focus. In the Gospel of John, it says the when the comforter (Holy Spirit) would come, it would not speak of himself, but of Jesus. My concern is growing. I think we need to really pray and ask for discernment. I’m all for revival. I am all for miracles. But is there another Jesus, another gospel that is being preached here?
\o/ My answer, as a person living in Lakeland, is yes.\o/
Sound, biblical doctrine is a necessary aspect of true wisdom and authentic faith. The attitude that scorns doctrine while elevating feelings or blind trust cannot legitimately be called faith at all, even if it masquerades as Christianity. It is actually an irrational form of unbelief.
{click for a better picture}You have all of these people, supposedly influenced by God, who have attended the revival services.
They act as if something is wrong with you, if you hear about the revival, do a little research on the "evangelist" and other speakers, and don't embrace the revival as if it were from God.
I keep on hearing "eat the meat but spit out the bones."
Well, when you read the product label, and the ingredients include things you know are poisonous to your soul, do you ingest the poison and hopefully spit it out?
Is the supposed good we are encouraged to partake of tainted by what we know is bad?
Do we buy that bad piece of meat, expecting to cut off the rotting parts when we get home?
Honestly, I'm sure there is lots of stuff in this revival that would be appealing to me, had I not checked out Todd Bentley for myself, did a little research on the internet to see what he teaches on his website, checked out a few of the Ustream.tv video clips from the meetings, and watched several meetings online myself in the first week.
We're okay with someone saying, "look over in Missouri, God is there. Look, over in Texas, God is there. Look, over in wherever there is an outpouring of God, let's go." And we search the internet for cheap flights and hotels, to go and be with "God," take some of that "anointing" and bring it home.
But do we check out who is there, and what is going on, against the Bible, or do we just pack our bags?
The Bible is clear.
Are we going to ingest poison, or are we going to seek counsel, check our Bible to see if it is so, and research/pray before booking a flight?
Sadly, most don't know their Scriptures or have enough common sense to do some minuscule amount of research.
Discernment isn't needed when the ingredients list includes poison.
Some of the stuff is just plain obvious that either Todd was stupid in getting the art, or is into something any Christian shouldn't be involved with, let alone plastering on his/her self.
Nobody has explained why a minister of the Gospel went tattoo crazy.
Warning, don't watch the video until you have read the article and transcript, and compare it to the Scriptures and to New Age teachings, and astral projection. You will notice it compares to the latter, not the former. Be warned.
But remember, these are the people speaking at and leading the revival.
Smells like rotten vanilla to me.
After praying up, watching the video, if you can handle it, and praying again, you'll know what I mean.
Remember, the guy taking these kids into this "experience," Bob Jones, is the same fella who had women stand "naked before the Lord" before him at the Vineyard Aneheim in order to receive a "personal" prophecy. He has no credibility in my eyes. Do you want him taking your kids anywhere?
You might want to research Patricia King, and her encounter with the sUn, and how important the "blue flame" is to her.
And when you read up on Todd Bentley's past, you will never let him be alone with your children, regardless of how much of "God" you feel Todd has, if you have any sense of responsibility as a parent.
There's lots to be careful about with Todd.
The deception over this "revival" is growing.
Notice that the damning evidence is now removed from his website, so the stupid sheep will continue to flock to Lakeland, and pour into Todd's coffers, affecting the economy locally, and devastating/"marinating" several good churches in town before it will be considered "over."
Yet the community is still unchanged, and oblivious to supposedly "God" showing up in town.
Why?
If only we had been watchmen several years ago, this would never have descended upon Polk County, Florida.
Lord forgive us for our complacency, and lack of intercession for our church, our community, our nation, and our brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Todd has been doing some serious housecleaning on his website.
First, Emma is gone.
Now the Abraham and Paul wrote Hebrews article is gone as well?
What's that stinking smell? Is it rotting vanilla?
And, for your temporary enjoyment, here it is, and here's where it was.
Temporary, because if you don't have a copy, this one may go bye bye as well.
Think of all the deceived ones you won't be able to go and say, look and see, when all the youtube and freshfire.ca non-Biblical and heretical videos/posts are gone!
BTW, this "teaching" is also located Here. But it's not on Todd's site for some reason.
In Part One of this two-part teaching entitled: A Face to Face Encounter, Todd defines supernatural encounters and experiences based on specific biblical evidence. Then, as he shares his face to face encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ and the apostle Paul, your belief-grid concerning heavenly experiences is sure to be both broadened and challenged. In Part Two, as Todd releases meaty portions of what the apostle Paul taught him, (in the context that Jesus Christ is the door to every heavenly encounter) you’ll be inspired to press in for your own face to face encounter with the Lord.
A FACE TO FACE ENCOUNTER
by Revivalist Todd Bentley [ as edited by Kathy Thorne] PART 1 of 2
To come face to face with the Lord Jesus Christ is to come face to face with the goodness and glory of God! Oh to be a friend of God like Abraham and Moses were; for out of their intimate friendship with the Lord they had a face to face encounter with Him (Gen. 17:1; Ex. 33:11).
Listen. Today, for a deeper understanding of the apostolic, we need to note that every apostle in the Bible had been with the Lord. Not only were they friends of God who had face to face encounters with Him, they also had supernatural encounters and prophetic experiences. In fact, what made Paul an apostle was that he was taken up into the third heaven where he saw the Lord (1 Cor. 9:1; 2 Cor. 12: 2–4). That’s where his apostleship came from because he wasn’t yet a disciple or an apostle when Jesus was physically on earth.
JESUS CHRIST IS THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND FOREVER
Now I want to ask an important question. Can Paul’s experience also be ours today? The answer is “yes” and I say this because Jesus Christ is the same today as He was yesterday when Paul was on earth, and He’s the same forever (Heb. 13:8).
Now consider this: Jesus’ healing virtue is still released through His trusted servants today and that means that He heals people today just like He did two thousand years ago. What a great promise when it comes to healing, but why not for the supernatural? If He’s the same today, then why can’t He visit me like He visited Abraham? If He’s the same today, why can’t He visit me like He visited Daniel? Why can’t He visit me like He visited John? Why can’t He visit me like He visited Isaiah? How about Ezekiel?
Yes, Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and that makes what’s available in “Bible days” available today. It’s not just about healing and laying hands on the sick and seeing miracles, as great as these are, but it’s also about supernatural encounters with God. Do you believe that? Do you believe that Jesus rose from the dead and over five hundred people saw Him for forty days in His resurrected body (1 Cor. 15:6)?
Do you believe supernatural things can take place today? I’m asking this because we’re okay with angels showing up and speaking to Mary and Joseph, but we’re not okay with angels showing up and speaking to us. We’re okay with Paul being taken into heaven, or what he called the third heaven—caught up into a place called paradise. We’re okay with that. It’s good for Paul, or it’s good for Elijah. Yet both Paul and Elijah were men just like we are, and as you know, they’re both in heaven today. So are Abraham and Isaiah, for example. They aren’t on earth anymore for God to interact with. But God, by His very nature, wants to interact with somebody supernaturally. My question is: Why not you?
Why should anyone’s experience in Christianity today be any different from what people experienced in Bible days? Take Peter. He was in prison (See Acts 12:1–17). While an all night prayer meeting took place (on his behalf in someone’s house) an angel of the Lord came to Peter in his cell and his chains miraculously fell off his hands. Then he was led by the angel out of jail into the city. Peter made his way to the prayer meeting and when he arrived and knocked on the door they didn’t really believe that he was at the door! They said (paraphrased): “Ah, it’s not Peter, it’s his angel.”
My point is this. As God pours out His greater glory, we’re going to hear about supernatural encounters and prophetic experiences, and they’re going to be based on the way God moved supernaturally, in ancient times, for people in the Bible.
ENCOUNTERS AND PROPHETIC EXPERIENCES ARE INTENTIONAL
What’s the purpose for supernatural encounters and prophetic experiences? You might be thinking: We’ve got the Bible and that’s enough! For me, it’s about intimacy, but not just that. It’s: Why wait for your inheritance? When you get to heaven what do you think you’re going to see? What do you expect it to be like in heaven? After all, the kingdom of heaven is at hand, the kingdom of God is within you, so why wait?
I’m hungry now. I’ve got an inheritance, I’m a joint heir, I don’t have to wait for: One day I’m going to be in heaven. Thank God that’ll be fullness. I’ll be in eternity. What’s more, we don’t only need greater faith, we also need a greater expectation that God wants to impart something to us. We need an expectation that He is going to touch us; He is going to speak to us; He is going to visit us.
Look. Heaven is real; it’s tangible, and the glory of heaven is real. It changes everything it touches. Furthermore, God wants the reality of heaven to be made known to His friends. For Jesus told His disciples—after He established the fact they were His friends if they did what He commanded—“No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15).
God is looking for true friends with whom He can reveal His glory. There is a purpose for this desire. For instance, as God has revealed different aspects of His glory to me this year I’ve gained a deeper friendship with God. This has helped me to keep pressing in for all the fullness of God that I can contain, not just for my satisfaction, but ultimately so that He can work through me and cause others to know Him and be saved.
Now I want to share about an amazing prophetic experience concerning God’s glory that I had in a meeting in Redding, California this year. Here we go!
JESUS CHRIST IS THE GATE, THE DOOR , AND THE LADDER
In that meeting, about an hour before I was due to speak, I was suddenly overcome by the Holy Spirit. Feeling somewhat weak, as if I was going to go into a trance (a biblical trance like the apostle Peter had—Acts 10:9, 10), I asked my team to take me to a nearby place called ‘The Green Room.’ Sitting down on the couch I could feel a strong overwhelming sense of the presence of God and I knew I was going to fall into a trance. I was going to have a supernatural encounter.
Then, in the chair, with my eyes open, I had an open vision. Jesus appeared right in front of me. It was as though He stepped right out of heaven, the Lord Jesus Himself, and stood before me as a Man. I saw that behind the Lord, almost like a projection, a vision of heaven shone from the back of the His body; a trail of heaven followed Him, it was projected behind him. It was as though a window was open and I could look right into heaven itself. But heaven had come from the Lord. In fact, heaven is the Lord.
Out of the Lord came beams of white and golden light. Such brightness! From out of the white, golden, light came other brilliant colors—blue, purple, green, red and pink were the main ones—like rainbows. Pink prophetically represents love and emotions. I saw what looked to be ten rainbows coming from the Lord, Himself. It reminded me of the description of the throne room in Ezekiel 1:28—“Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD.” I even saw rivers of oil, rivers of honey, and I saw bridges.
Then the Lord did two things to me. He walked up to me and He put His hand inside my belly and He gave me a supernatural enablement to live through what was about to take place. He was establishing me so I wouldn’t die. I say that because when I saw heaven I wanted to pass the Lord and go right in. But the Lord said, “If you pass Me right now, you will die. Todd, you are not just having a vision, you are in heaven and this is real.” The Lord said, “I am the gate, I am the door, I am the ladder. There is no heaven without Me.” He said if you pass Me, you will die. Something sustained me. He put His hand on my shoulder and looked me in the eyes and said, “Peace I give you, not as the world gives,” and a great peace came over me like a vibration and my whole body trembled while I received the peace of God.
Then the vision faded. Yet I was so overcome by the glory of God I just laid on the floor in the Green Room and as I was lying there, unexpectedly I was caught up instantly into the spirit. I was no longer aware that I was in a conference setting. All of a sudden I was standing on a grassy hill and I saw still waters. I saw a river flowing between its banks. It was like Psalm 23, green pastures, and I was looking down. I thought the (flowing) river was going to be pure, living water but as I looked I saw that it was a river of oil and honey. Next the colors changed from pink and rainbows, white light and the color of gold, to orangey red. Everywhere I looked was the appearance of amber. Everywhere, it was like a sunrise or a sunset, red or ruby or orangey red.
I looked up to my left and there was a bridge, and my first thought was: What a secret place. Still waters, I am in Paradise, this is Psalm 23. Look at that beautiful bridge! I just want to sit up on the bridge. That’s what I was thinking. The butterflies were flying by and I felt the peace of God; I was overcome by the shalom. Wow. I thought: Look at that bridge. Now, when you think something in heaven, you are there, so although I don’t actually remember moving, the next thing I knew I was actually sitting on the bridge.
While in this heavenly experience sitting up on the bridge I saw someone walking toward me. I knew in my spirit it was Paul the apostle. He walked right onto the bridge and he sat down next to me. He had this blank scroll in his hand and he started writing with a pen (which was more like a feather with ink). When he started writing it looked like Hebrew and he would say, “Eat this.” He continued writing on the scroll, saying “Eat this” again and again. But when I realized I was eating, I noticed that I wasn’t eating by my mouth, I was eating by my belly. He was stuffing his writings inside my spirit right past by head, putting some kind of divine revelation right into my spirit.
Then Paul spoke to me about the message of the hour for the Church and much more. Yet, it would be best to hold his inspiring message and the other heavenly adventures in connection with Paul until Part Two next week.
In Part Two of: A Face to Face Encounter, Todd begins by emphasizing that friendship with God must precede any face to face encounter with Him. Then as he shares several highlights concerning what the apostle Paul taught him you’ll discover who authored the Book of Hebrews as well as what other heavenly realms Todd saw. So be blessed in your pursuit of God’s greater glory which ultimately is God, Himself!
A FACE TO FACE ENCOUNTER
by Revivalist Todd Bentley [ as edited by Kathy Thorne] PART 2 of 2
Before we begin this week’s teaching I’m going to emphasize one vital element from last week’s lesson, namely—friendship with God—and then resume where we left off concerning my encounter with the apostle Paul. [As well, because Part One lays a foundation for my visit with Paul, if you haven’t read it please do so before you begin Part Two.]
FRIENDSHIP WITH GOD PRECLUDES ANY FACE TO FACE ENCOUNTER
God highly esteems your friendship with Him. Not superficial friendship, but real, deep friendship—the kind forged through His fiery testings as well as His blessings. Look, even if you don’t really understand the great shakings of God in your life but you are still determined to trust in His inherent goodness and great love for you, such devotion thrills His heart. With an attitude like that God can’t help but be moved to commune with you on a deeper level, a level which is directly connected to the depth of intimacy you have with Him.
Take Moses for example; ultimately his friendship with God was so rich that God didn’t communicate with him like He did with most prophets in a vision or a dream, but He spoke “with him face to face, even plainly, and not in dark sayings” and “as a man speaks to his friend” (Num. 12:8; Ex. 33:11). In fact, face to face encounters with God like the one Moses had, only come after true friendship with Him.
So keep that friendship principle in mind as we move on to examine more facets of the encounter I had with Paul in the Paradise of God (the third heaven). So here we go!
THE MESSAGE FOR THIS HOUR IS THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS
Now, continuing from last week, after Paul “fed” me revelation he stressed that the beginning of First Corinthians Chapter Two contains the most important passage of scripture for the church in this hour because it’s the message of the cross. “And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (vv. 1, 2).
In fact, when you read First Corinthians Chapter Two, yes, Paul begins by preaching the cross, but he also speaks about the hidden mysteries and he ends with preaching about revelatory gifts and the deep things of God (vv. 7–16).
Consequently he spoke to me about a supernatural faith, a supernatural gospel, and a supernatural experience. Paul said (paraphrase): “I was never just (only) a preacher of the gospel and I was never just a man of the gospel and salvation. I was a prophet of visions and revelations. I was a man of prophetic encounters and prophetic experiences. I was a man of the open heavens. I was a man that believed in the revelatory gift of the Spirit of God searching the deep things of God and revealing it to me. This is what the church needs and this is what God is doing today. The focus is going to be on a demonstration of the Holy Ghost in power. God has revealed these things to us by His spirit. We have the mind of Christ—a spirit of revelation searching the deep things of God.”
To summarize, Paul was saying that, above all, God is releasing the message of the cross, the gospel, in power (preaching and salvation), but not without hidden mysteries and not without revelation.
MORE WITH PAUL
After that, Paul took me to his house. (I was still in paradise [the third heaven]. His house wasn’t a mansion. It was actually a small cabin. There was an open field and a forest there.) Inside his cabin I saw books wall to wall, and scrolls. I saw every book that’s in the Bible as well as Paul’s diaries/journals that covered things that had happened in his meetings, things God had spoken to him, and things he had written that aren’t in the Bible. Paul said, “Not everything’s in there, Todd. Not everything’s in the Bible.” Just so you know, Paul didn’t give me a new gospel and all my revelation is based on the Bible. I’m not talking about a new gospel!
Paul took down the book of Titus and he said, “You need to eat this.” He explained that Titus was his apostolic son in the faith, and he said, “This is for the sons and daughters that you are raising up. I want you to get an impartation of what it really means to be an apostle, what it really means to have sons and daughters, and what it really means to be a son.”
Next he took down another scroll; this time it was Hebrews and he told me to eat it. This book is one of the most prophetic books in the Bible, and in that connection he told me something that I want to share with you even though I’m probably “stepping out” on theology now.
First of all, I want you to understand that Paul always made it clear when he authored an epistle—“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ” or “Paul, a bond-servant of Christ.” Always! Yet, for the Book of Hebrews, although most Bible scholars believe that it was authored by Paul, there are those that really can’t say it was him because the authorship is never clear. Paul told me why.
Here is what he said to me. “Do you know why I know so much about Abraham?” [So much of Hebrews is based on other things that you just can’t pull from in other scriptures.] Paul said, “When I was in the third heaven, Abraham was with me like you are with me now. Abraham himself shared (information) with me and I simply wrote it” (in the Book of Hebrews). “The authorship isn’t clear because it was Abraham and I; Abraham shared the content with me.” [Much of Hebrews is about Abraham; i.e. Hebrews Chapter 11.]
He said (paraphrased): “Remember, when I was caught up into the third heaven, I heard inexpressible words. I actually spoke with Abraham, and Abraham shared details with me about what took place, about Melchizedek and all these things that only Abraham knew. I authored the book as the Holy Spirit moved on me, supernaturally. Some of what I wrote, I learned by talking to Abraham face to face when I visited him in heaven.” That’s what Paul told me!
THE HEAVENLY REALM HAS REAL GEOGRAPHICAL PLACES
What’s more, several days later I was taken back into heaven to Paul’s house! But this time I didn’t go inside. I stayed outside where I saw a ladder in his back yard like the one described in Genesis 28, Jacob’s ladder. [I’ve come to understand that there are ladders like that in heaven in order to ascend and descend into different realms because heaven has places, geographical places. For example, the first heaven is where we live on the earth; the second heaven is the invisible realm of Ephesians 6: 12; and the third heaven where I was with Paul, it’s the Paradise of God (Rev. 2:7).]
So I jumped onto the ladder and began to climb up into another realm. I saw around me that it was all clouds so I began to pull those clouds back. As I did, a hole opened up in the heavens. Immediately then, out of heaven, flowed the color green, not just a light; it was like a green liquid and it was pouring onto my eyes! When I asked God about this, He said, “You are coming into the throne room; you are beneath the sea of glass; there is a rainbow around the throne. It’s not just above the throne; it’s a circle around the throne, a rainbow, emerald green in color.” [“And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald” (Rev. 4:3).] This is the fourth realm of heaven, the throne room, (with more realms to follow). [You can read Revelation Chapter Four for a good description of the throne room.]
I went up from the throne room into the fifth realm which is the heavenly city. I saw streets that are golden and mansions and I noticed that it was very different from the Paradise of God (third heaven) where there are hills, still waters, and flowers. It wasn’t as peaceful. Then came the sixth realm of heaven which is the place where the angels live. There is literally a realm reserved for Michael, Gabriel, all the archangels and all the angels under the archangels! This isn’t the second heaven, the angel and demon realm, where they battle. It’s a realm where the angels dwell.
Then the last heaven I saw, the seventh realm was other universes and the solar systems; undiscovered universes and planets that God has created.
So I ascended the seven atmospheres of heaven but it all began with a face to face encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ. How many of you are getting a little bit hungry, hungry for greater glory, which ultimately is Jesus Christ? More of Him!
LET FAITH COME ALIVE IN YOUR HEART
I shared these supernatural encounters because I want to bring heaven closer to home. Ezekiel saw the glory. Heaven opened and he was taken into visions of God. (See Ezekiel 1; 8; 9; 10; 11; 37; 40; 41–44; 47.) I’m not just talking about having a vision. Ezekiel was taken into visions of God. How many of you would like to have a season of visions of God? A season of visitations of the Lord? A season of encountering the heavenly glory? A season of coming under the spirit of wisdom and revelation? A season of open portals and heavenly glory?
If you’re like me, then you want open heavens of heavenly glory. Now I’m not promising you that you’re going to have an experience like mine; however, I want to bring forth a perspective so that faith comes alive in your heart! I am saying you could make yourself available today for deeper and deeper friendship with the Lord.
If that’s your heart, if you are longing to encounter God in deeper intimacy, if you are longing to behold His face and to be in the wonder of His presence, then I want to pray today that God will open the eyes of your heart as you press-in for this and all that He has for you. Let’s pray.
Lord, we’re so hungry for You in Your glory, for You in Your presence. That’s what we’re hungry for. It’s Your greater glory.
For the people reading this teaching, Lord I ask that you would open the eyes of their hearts, oh God. Take them into a deeper place of intimacy and friendship that they would behold Your beauty face to face. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
If you haven't read Todd's teaching, you won't understand where he's coming from and what he's involved with.
This Quote is from the website Undeception. ...Now, do I believe in angels? Sure. Do I believe what Todd Bentley and Bob Jones say about them? Do you?
If so, you must claim an absolutely unprecedented move by the Holy Spirit and a marked change in the disposition of His work in the world, since you will be hard-pressed to find any such barking, squawking, or other bestial manifestations attributed to moves of God in Scripture. Nebuchadnezzar’s descent into madness (as a sign of God’s judgment on him) is the only thing that springs to mind.
If we should not believe these angel stories, how much credence should we put in Bentley’s Lakeland Revival, characterized as it is by a similar preoccupation with angels? If these guys aren’t to be believed when they claim the above things as spiritual realities from their positions of (ostensible) spiritual authority, how in the world would God expect us to believe the prophecies and alleged healings at the Lakeland Revival? How are the weak expected to wade through the junk to find the truth?...
BTW, I don't agree with this author's tone in the verbiage he uses in parts of this paper/article, but the concerns/criticisms he makes are made in a manner that are easily checked out, to see if what he said is so, and if what he says/implies is supported by Scripture.
It's hard to come to a place where you call it like it is, as Josef does, when I'm/we're living in the USA being brought up in a tolerance society, and our Christianity was taught by a compromising Church.
I'll have to read this one, dissect it, and check all the links/references out for myself, later.
"Wesley was a preacher of righteousness that exalted the holiness of God. And when he would stand there with the two to three-hour sermons that he was accustomed to deliver in the open air and he would exalt the holiness of God and the law of God and the righteousness of God and the justice of God and the wisdom of His requirements and the justice of His wrath and His anger and then he would turn to sinners and tell them of the enormity of their crimes and their open rebellion and theie treason and their anarchy. The power of God would so descend upon the company that on one occasion it is reliably reported that when the people dispersed, there were 1,800 people lying on the ground utterly unconscious because they’d had a revelation of the holiness of God and in the light of that, they’d seen the enormity of their sin. And God had so penetrated their minds and hearts that they had fallen to the ground." Paris Reidhead, Ten Shekels And A Shirt
From the Sunday Life section of our local paper, The Lakeland Ledger, a New York Times Company,
"Tonight, visiting evangelist Todd Bentley says he has been told by a prophet, Bob Jones, that 13 wise virgins would carry the revival forward. So Bentley calls teenagers up to the stage and "anoints" them, touching them and watching many fall backward, a practice Pentecostals call being "slain in the Spirit." It's just the beginning of an hours-long service."
As I type it's ironic what's posted on the "Todd Bentley Event" chatroom, see below, by the psalmbot program/personality of the poster, ladynada:
05/22/2008[07:29] <+PsalmBot> [†] MSG [†] Matthew 24:24 Fake Messiahs and lying preachers are going to pop up everywhere. Their impressive credentials and dazzling performances will pull the wool over the eyes of even those who ought to know better. [07:29] <+PsalmBot> [†] MSG [†] Matthew 24:25 But I've given you fair warning. [07:29] <+PsalmBot> [†] MSG [†] Matthew 24:26 "So if they say, "Run to the country and see him arrive!' or, "Quick, get downtown, see him come!' don't give them the time of day
Wow, is that baalam's donkey speaking the truth, or what?
BTW, you can access the chatroom by having a Ustream.tv login on either the Freshfire.ca website or via the Ignited Church ustream.tv pages during the "service" times. If you have an IRC program, like MIRC or Chatzilla for Firefox, you can join in 24/7 with a ustream.tv login via their server chat1.ustream.tv and the channel #great-florida-healing-reviva (no "L").
Just be warned, when you share your opinion, question the herd mentality, question any of the manefestations or the legitimacy of healings, or dare to post something like that which is above, Scripture, you will be banned. I lost count, when using MIRC, of the number of people banned on the channel.
Go figure.
I enjoy reading what the church is into, and noticing how financial deliverance is as important as healings to the chatroom crowd.
If you live in Lakeland, go to a church that might be considered Charismatic or Pentecostal, and have concerns about the "revival/outpouring" when your pastor/flock goes regularly to the meetings, this is how you may feel. \o/
Self-Proclaimed "Revivalist" Todd Bentley's website describes his "ministry" and his "passion" this way...
The passion of Todd's life and ministry: is to see others set free through the anointing of the Holy Spirit and to see others come into the reality of intimate relationship with Jesus. He also desires to see Christ's body healed, equipped and rising up in the power of the Holy Spirit to fulfill the great commission.
Really?? I would argue that that is a patently false statement! And I believe Todd's method of operation proves it!
I have watched the live footage of the "Florida Outpouring" Revival from Lakeland, Florida on GODTV for many nights now and have seen practically NO preaching or teaching of the Word of God by Mr. Bentley. In a basic count..... More Here
When people tell you that Jesus is actually showing up or they saw Jesus in a vision etc., remember this:
Mat 24 v 23-27 ”23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25 Behold, I have told you before. 26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in thesecret chambers; believe it not. 27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” (i.e., we will NOT see Jesus again in ANY form until his second coming and at such time every eye will see him at the same time)
When people tell you that God ‘told them so’ or ‘gave them the vision/prohpecy’ hence you MUST believe it, but it does not tie up 100% with scripture, remember this:
Jeremiah 14 v14 “Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.”
Ezekiel 13 v 2-9 ”2 Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination: ‘Hear the word of the LORD! 3 This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! 4 Your prophets, O Israel, are like jackals among ruins. 5 You have not gone up to the breaks in the wall to repair it for the house of Israel so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of the LORD. 6 Their visions are false and their divinations a lie. They say, “The LORD declares,” when the LORD has not sent them; yet they expect their words to be fulfilled. 7 Have you not seen false visions and uttered lying divinations when you say, “The LORD declares,” though I have not spoken? 8 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because of your false words and lying visions, I am against you, declares the Sovereign LORD. 9 My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations. They will not belong to the council of my people or be listed in the records of the house of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign LORD.”
If someone tells you that Satan can’t make visions or prophecies come true, remember this:
Deuteronomy 13 v 1-5 ”4 If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a miraculous sign or wonder, 2and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place, and he says, “Let us follow other gods” (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” 3you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 It is the LORD your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.”
When people tell you that they can see Angles, or have an Angel guiding them, or have Angels imparting wisdom or biblical revelation, remember this:
John 14 v 26 Jesus said: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said untoyou.”
When people tell you that these ’strange’ manifestations are from God, remember this:
2 Timothy 1 v 7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
2 Thess 2 v 9-10 “Even him who is coming after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not a love of the truth that they might be saved.”
If people tell you that Satan can’t cast out or deliver people from demons, remember this:
Matthew 12 v 27 Jesus said to the Pharisees: “And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.”
If people tell you that signs and wonders bring people to greater heights in their faith or lead people into a truly born again experience, remember this:
John 12 v 37 ”But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him.”
John 4 v 48 ”Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.”
John 6 v 26 Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.”
Matt 24 v 24: “For false Christ’s and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”
If people tell you that you are not to judge God’s ‘anointed’, remember this:
Deuteronomy 13 v 12-14 “13 If you hear it said about one of the towns the LORD your God is giving you to live in 13 that wicked men have arisen among you and have led the people of their town astray, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods” (gods you have not known), 14 then you must inquire, probe and investigate it thoroughly. And if it is true and it has been proved that this detestable thing has been done among you, 15 you must certainly put to the sword all who live in that town.” (Sword = Word of God)
Proverbs 17 v 150 “He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD”
Proverbs 18 v 15 “The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge”
Titus 1 v 9 “Holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.”
1 Timothy 1 v 3 “That you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine”
John 7 v 24 Jesus said: “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment” (using the Word of God)
Rom 16 v 17 “Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them”
1 Corinthians 5 v 9 v 13 “9 I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; 10 I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. 11 But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler–not even to eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? 13 But those who are outside, God judges. REMOVE THE WICKED MAN FROM AMONG YOURSELVES
(‘Do not judge those who are within the Church?’ - This is an angry response by Paul to those who say ‘do not judge those within the church’, he is saying, WHAT? REMOVE THE WICKED MAN FROM AMONG YOURSELVES.)
If someone tells you that to speak up or warn a brother that they are in error or deception is wrong and we need to instead ’show love’ for ‘God is love’, remember this:
When we show someone they are in error it’s out of deep concern and love, the same love and concern that Jesus has when his Children go astray.
Acts 20 v 25-31 ”25 Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. 26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from yourown number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears“
If someone tells you that a particular person is anointed (hence you HAVE to listen to them) but you yourself are a truly born again believer, remember this:
1 Jonn 2 v 27 “But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.”
I John 2 v 20 v 21 “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth”
If any Christian seeks or needs signs and wonders to show them who Jesus is, then something is very wrong with their spiritual lives, because the Holy Spirit brings ALL things to your remembrance for those who are truly born again, remember this:
John 14 v 26 Jesus said: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said untoyou.”
Remember this:
2 John 1 v 9 “Whosoever transgresses and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son”
2 Thes 2 v 11 “For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they might believe what is false in order that may all may be judged who did no believe in the truth but took pleasure in wickedness”
FAKE REVIVAL
-
*Part 7B of Fake Awaken*
* Read Part 7A: Fake Awaken*
*FAKE PROPHETS article series*
*Read Part 1: The White Lab Coats*
*Read Part 2: The Fishbowl *
*...
Superstition – The Fruit of Christian Zionism
-
Many thanks to Steve Lumbley at Apostasy Watch, for this excellent
teaching. Hope you’ll check it out. “People come from all over the world to
pray at the ...
70 Year Old Homeless Man Needs Help
-
Larry is 70 years old. He is on a fixed income of less than $1,000
dollars per month and expenses to his only means of transportation have
left him hom...
Wolves with Feathers
-
Fake (or demonic) Glory Feather Cloud from an “Apostolic and Prophetic”
ministry “Look at the feathers, man! Look at the feathers!” (52 seconds in
video) R...
11 years ago
Links To Sites Covering The Lakeland Revival and Florida Outpouring
I've lived and worked in Lakeland for over 20 years now.
I would like to think I'm a student of revival, with my favorite US revival being Cane Ridge and my favorite one to muse about and glorify God about being the Revival in the Hebrides with Duncan Campbell.
I was here during the many years that Rodney Howard Browne was a regular (campmeetings) at Carpenter's Home Church, before it was sold, and out came Ignited Church and another one.
I've spent many, many weeks at the Brownsville revival, standing in "single file line, watch your step."
I come from a Pentecostal/Charismatic background and still attend Pentecostal/Charismatic churches, believe in the Power of the Spirit and I am not a cessasionalist.
So, I've been there, done that, bought the tshirt and have the videos to prove it, and what I say about what's going on at the edge of the county, across town, on the other side of the airport, near an unreached, still, basically impoverished neighborhood, has merit.
But then, many others, from the links, do say it so much better.
I've been assisted by a couple of ministers, VineMan and LeeRichards, as well, with the posts.
Two of us live and work and minister here in town. All of us have friends and church family that go to or have gone to the revival.
