The ministry of Todd Bentley at Lakeland, Florida, has been called Fakeland by Christians who believe that this was not a work of God. A genuine work of the Holy Spirit will result in the conviction of sin, righteousness and judgment. There will be guidance into all truth. Jesus will be glorified. RT Kendall's recent assessment, in Ministry Today and in his website, is correct and shows mature Christian discernment. RT writes:
First, never once have I heard a clear message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ from the Lakeland platform – except when a guest speaker did it. Second, when people were being baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and ‘Bam – bam’, it both trivialized the Trinity and baptism itself. This is serious, serious trivializing. Third, if you were to ask how much a fear of God and conviction of sin emanated from these services – on a scale of 1 to 100 – I would say zero.
http://www.rtkendallministries.com/index.html
We should be concerned about the lack of biblical teaching, the weak presentation of the glorious Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and the weird antics on stage. It is really sad to hear of the marital problems that Todd is now having. Many are praying for restoration and reconciliation and for Todd to preach the true Gospel when he has opportunities. Todd clearly needs help. I hope he gets the right guidance.
A recent statement reveals further problems.
We wish to acknowledge, however, that since our last statement from the Fresh Fire Board of Directors, we have discovered new information revealing that Todd Bentley has entered into an unhealthy relationship on an emotional level with a female member of his staff. In light of this new information and in consultation with his leaders and advisors, Todd Bentley has agreed to step down from his position on the Board of Directors and to refrain from all public ministry for a season to receive counsel in his personal life. On behalf of the Fresh Fire leadership and the Board of Directors we wish to apologize to our friends and partners and to the larger body of Christ and to ask for your forgiveness. We are truly sorry for the pain many of you must feel and so regret that in the midst of great revival, the enemy has found a way into our camp. To those who have stood by us, we wish to thank you for what in many cases has been years of support. Thank you for your financial giving towards the vision of this ministry, and thank you especially for your prayers.
We may not agree with this ministry but our prayers are needed.
Sunday, 24 August 2008
Todd Bentley's Lakeland is called Fakeland
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Dedham
River Stour
5 comments:
If it looks like a fraud, and smells like a fraud, then maybe it is a fraud!
After considering all the evidence, I discern that that Todd Bentley is a Warlock, taking instructions direct from angels of light (Lucifer, demons etc.).
2 Cor 11:13-15 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.
Todd has carried out all his “BAM power” ministry in the name of Jesus, but make that a false Christ:
Matthew 24:24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect--if that were possible.
The devil puts on a good show to entice, and Todd has represented the devils way well by satisfying the desires of the flesh for physical sensations, visions, etc.
2 Thes 2:9-12 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
I believe the “bride of Christ” is being enticed to fornicate with demons.
Take heed Christians, and repent quickly if you have been involved with “charismatic fornication”, as it is unclean before God.
Jesus said “a wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign” (Matt 12:39).
Does “asking for a miraculous sign” demand a performance from God just like the pursuit of supernatural experiences such as being “slain in the spirit”, “Toronto Blessing”, heavenly visitations and visions, etc.?
The Bible does not endorse people directing the Holy Spirit or teach methods to repeatedly make supernatural experiences or events occur.
The desire to have experiences could be a self indulgent avoidance of what God really wants us to do.
When this disobedience and lack of discernment are combined, people may easily accept counterfeit phenomena from the Devil, eg.:
2 Thes 2:9-12 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. -
Could Christian fellowships become dens of the occult with things like body vibrations, howlings, apparitions, and visions given by demons?
The seeking of experiences could be an attempt to treat the Holy Spirit like a circus clown or temple prostitute for personal indulgence.
All these wrong things may be tolerated because there is no fear of God and poor discernment:
Prov 1:29-31 Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the LORD, since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.
If we are truly “hungry for God” we should only do things the Bible specifically affirms, such as repent of sins, develop the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control – Gal 5:22-23), worship and appreciate God, endure through trials, help people, read the Bible, share the true gospel, etc.
Signs, wonders, visions, and other supernatural experiences are God’s business according to his agenda.
Seeking them is unsafe.
Todd Bentley and all his mentors should repent of their witchcraft, false teachings, and false prophecy.
People that love the truth should avoid unity with falsehood, or even a mixture of true and false.
The Todd Bentley “situation” is possibly less about Todd, and more about discernment, which appears to have been completely lacking from many church leaders.
Consider the prophecies spoken over Todd Bentley at his commissioning ceremony.
Here are the transcripts:
Peter Wagner:
"This commissioning represents a powerful spiritual transaction taking place in the invisible world. With this in mind, I take the apostolic authority that God has given me and I decree to Todd Bentley:
Your power will increase.
Your authority will increase.
Your favor will increase.
Your influence will increase.
Your revelation will increase.
I also decree that:
A new supernatural strength will flow through this ministry.
A new life force will penetrate this move of God.
Government will be established to set things in their proper order.
God will pour out a higher level of discernment to distinguish truth from error.
New relationships will surface to open the gates to the future."
Che Ahn:
"Recognizing that God has chosen you and appointed you to bear much and lasting fruit in this Lakeland revival, and revival around the world.
Recognizing that He has called you as an Ephesians 4 evangelist and a revivalist moving in signs and wonders.
Knowing that you have walked in a manner worthy of the Lord, pleasing Jesus in every way, bearing fruit in every good work, and growing in the intimacy and knowledge of God, we as your brothers and your friends, who have a deep love for you, Shonnah, your whole family, we just esteem you.
We are here to stand with you, support you.
And we are here to commission you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit--in the power of His name--with special oil from Chuck Pierce.
It's called ‘Revival Oil.’ Chuck could not make it, so he sent this Fed-Ex. Special oil for you. He's in Africa.
And so we anoint you and commission you in Jesus' name."
John Arnott:
"We bless you today, Todd Bentley. You're a friend. You're a man of God. You're a man of prayer. You're a man of the spirit. You love the anointing.
And I would say that it's not just the Lakeland revival, but the whole world that goes into revival.
And you're leading an amazing charge.
And, multitudes are getting in behind you and saying, ‘Come on. I'm gonna go with you.’
And so we bless all of that. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for raising up this young man, to lead such a mighty charge around the world, and to partner with God TV in all that has happened here in the last, uh, several months now, three months almost.
We bless it in the name of Jesus, and we stand with you, and we encourage you, and we honor you."
Dr. Clarice Fluitt:
"Hallelujah! For the word of the Lord would say, Behold the vanguard. Behold the tugboat that is cutting through the ice of religious traditions--the cruel, hard things.
The understanding of the mind of men will now bow to the reality of the revelation of the finished work of Calvary.
Behold, sayeth God, you have been equipped with cutting power.
You have been equipped to go through those traditions of the mind of man.
Yea, sayeth God, and you are pulling the church into the realm of glory.
Behind you is a great ship that is laden with healing and deliverance and prosperity. This is the word to you, oh man of God- arise, kill, and eat.
No longer; no longer; no longer will men call unclean what I have called clean."
The first 2 (Peter Wagner and Che Ahn) can be seen on video at http://vodpod.com/watch/835371-todd-bentleys-apostolic-and-prophetic-commissioning-14
These have turned out to be false prophecies. So what are we to do with false prophets?
The Bible warns us of false practitioners (savage wolves) who will infiltrate and harm the church:
Matthew 7:15-17 "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
Mark 13:5-6 Jesus said to them: "Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and will deceive many.
Todd Bentley was mostly a false practitioner (going by the fruit of his practices, teaching and personal life) and he was commissioned by people whose fruit is false prophecy.
Many church people are insisting we shouldn’t be critical because it causes disunity, that we should always try to be “inclusive”.
But we shouldn't be inclusive or try to have unity with false things, as that becomes unfaithfulness to Jesus Christ "The Way, The Truth, and The Life".
Todd Bentley was probably accepted by many Christians because he operated Toronto “Blessing” type spiritual phenomena that achieved widespread acceptance many years prior.
These phenomena are sensational and pleasurable, many people are attracted to them, so many Christians may assume that is good to get more people coming in the church door.
However it is actually a diabolical intrusion to ruin churches.
Toronto “blessing” type ministry is attractive to many church leaders as a supernatural power they can dispense to people.
They become spiritual drug dealers, and many people get “hooked”.
Attempting to command, wave, and prod the Holy Spirit or Jesus into people is gross misbehaviour against God.
He will not be commanded by men or be indulged like a prostitute for drunken frolicks.
The phenomena isn’t a blessing from God.
It is an infiltration of occult power from the same source as Hindu “Shaktipat”. Google “Shaktipat”.
Toronto “Blessing” is wizardry and magic arts from familiar spirits (demons masquerading as friendly):
Lev 20:6 And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people. (KJV)
Rev 21:8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars--their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.
Toronto “Blessing” definitely didn’t come from the creator God, as he never imparts manifestations similar to mental illness or drunken / drugged, as that is a contradiction of a sound mind and self control which he has repeatedly endorsed in the Bible.
The only exception might be when God punishes someone by putting them into a drunken stupor, which would also be a warning to others:
Romans 10:21 …"All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people."…..
Romans 11:8 …"God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes so that they could not see and ears so that they could not hear"
Job 12:25 They grope in darkness with no light; he makes them stagger like drunkards.
Isaiah 19:14 The LORD has poured into them a spirit of dizziness; they make Egypt stagger in all that she does, as a drunkard staggers around in his vomit.
Isaiah 29:9-10 Be stunned and amazed, blind yourselves and be sightless; be drunk, but not from wine, stagger, but not from beer. The LORD has brought over you a deep sleep: He has sealed your eyes (the prophets); he has covered your heads (the seers).
Christians should not provoke punishment from God:
Isaiah 8:13 The LORD Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread
The Bible repeatedly asserts drunkenness as immoral.
The Bible does not endorse a righteous version of drunkenness, just as there is no righteous version of stealing, adultery or lying.
Rom 13:12-14 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
Rom 13:12-14 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
On the Day of Pentecost Christian disciples preached the gospel in various languages which impressed listeners who comprehended the message in their own language. (Acts 2:1-47)
However mockers accused the disciples of being drunk for speaking authentic languages the disciples normally didn’t know.
The false accusation of mockers should not be used to justify spiritual or physical drunkenness.
2 Cor 4:4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Spiritual drunkenness blinds the minds of believers!
The Bible encourages us to test the spirits, and that should include using your mind to analyse the outcomes (manifestations) in conjunction with seeking what the bible says about it.
This is what a renewed mind is for.
1 John 4:1 … test the spirits to see whether they are from God…
Romans 12:2 …be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Being discerning includes being cautious.
“The fear of the Lord” includes being cautious.
God recommends this to protect us from harm.
Spiritual drunkenness ministries (eg. John Crowder) that encourage reckless abandon towards God are defying God’s repeating counsel in the Bible.
2 Cor 11:14-15 Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.
Rev 20:10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Playing around with counterfeit “angels of light” (familiar spirits) might be bliss and ecstasy now, but if not repented of will lead to rejection by the Most High God forever.
The “big party” will occur in heaven after we die, not now (Rev 19:9).
Scripture asserts we now have serious work to do while remaining firmly sober.
2 Tim 4:5 …. keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
“Keep your head” includes not getting drunk.
Luke 12:45-46 … suppose the servant says to himself, 'My master is taking a long time in coming,' and he then begins to beat the menservants and maidservants and to eat and drink and get drunk.
The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
“eat and drink and get drunk” in that passage probably means self indulgence and spiritual foolishness while neglecting what God wants doing.
“Slain”……. churches are falling over!
============================
Toronto “Blessing” type phenomena produce manifestations such as mental euphoria, body vibrations, twitching, slurred speech, gibberish speech and sound effects, animal acts – dogs, chickens, lions, snakes, etc., staggering about, falling over (“slain”), and having uncontrollable/irrational laughter.
These are manifestations of the god of chaos – Lucifer.
People who participate are unwittingly practicing mockery of the Bible, mockery of God the Father, mockery of Jesus Christ and mockery of the Holy Spirit.
Participators who come to this realisation should repent and deliberately avoid any recurrences. They should also warn others, as it will be disastrous on judgement day for people who persisted in spiritually fornicating with Satan’s minions “familiar spirits”.
I was previously deceived about Toronto “Blessing” in a church I attended.
I tolerated it due to experiences I had at a Christian training school about 4 years prior, as well as not comparing it sufficiently against Bible counsel.
Pride could make a person unwilling to face the possibility they have been deceived, and then to remove themselves from the convenience of continuing in fellowship with others who indulge in false ministry.
It is God himself who gives divisive counsel:
Rev 18:4-5 "come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues.”
Will people heed God’s warning?
Sadly, many won’t because they are either in love with a false Christ who gives them tickles, or have insufficient “fear of the Lord”:
Prov 14:26-27 He who fears the lord has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge. The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.
Toronto “Blessing” type phenomena have been called “new wine”.
It is actually spiritual adultery, and therefore maddening wine:
Rev 18:3 the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries.
At the height of a Toronto “Blessing” era I experienced in the mid 1990’s, the church services were a madhouse of manifestations.
They used to have evenings where cushions were put all over the floor for all the falling over that went on.
“Slain”…….. churches are falling over!
The only “slain” from God is being killed for misbehaviour, as happened to Annanias and Sapphira see
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts%205:1-11&version=NIV
The Holy Spirit will be grieved by Christian people fornicating with spiritual sensations from the Devil: Eph 4:30 do not grieve the Holy Spirit.
Phenomena like Toronto “Blessing” push people towards mental illness, such as bipolar disorder, through giving them tremendous euphoric "high’s", (supposedly a “blessing” from God), then they come crashing down into unbearable depression when the "high" wears off.
This causes them to seek more of the “high” and become familiar spirit drug addicts.
Mental illness and demon influence are sometimes different names for the same thing.
This is how churches are becoming “Babylon”: Rev 18:2 “She has become a home for demons and a haunt for every evil spirit”
1 Tim 6:11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.
Post a Comment