While I'm no longer going to pick apart Lakeland or Todd Bentley (unless specifically told to by the Holy Spirit), I do still believe that clarifying points and moving forward are valid topics...and necessary! Many have come to this site seeking answers, and I believe this is a responsibility that I cannot drop--but as I've said, I do not feel that I need to look any deeper into Lakeland. We MUST transition into action rather than reaction. Let's move forward!

I recently came across an issue, though, that involves Lakeland. I actually believe this is bigger than Lakeland and is spread throughout the Charismatic Movement at large, so that's why I'm addressing it. Many have been arguing in favor of Lakeland and other movements with the words of Jesus when He said things like (paraphrase) "If your son asks for a fish, will you give him a snake? If he asks for bread, will you give him a stone? Or if he asks for an egg, will you give him a scorpion? No way! In the same way, your Heavenly Father will certainly give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" (see Luke 11:11-13 and Matthew 7:9-11)

I agree completely with these verses. The problem that arises, however, is that many people are looking for a snake rather than a fish! They may be asking for the fish with words, but the mental picture they've been conditioned to expect looks like a snake. So when the fish is offered, they are more likely to reach down and pick up the snake because that better fits their understanding of what a fish is.

Why? Because of false teachings and false manifestations that have been allowed to run rampant in the Church for decades. Charismatic Christians and even new converts have been conditioned to expect certain manifestations, and so they chase after anything that meets their expectations whether God is actually causing it or not! It is evidence of a weak relationship with God (if any relationship at all). Those who truly know God are not the least bit phased by false manifedstations. They know if their Friend is present or not.

But we are entering a time when the line of distinction between the false and the true is being blurred, and many are being confused. In Matthew 24:24, Jesus warns, "For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible." By the way, the word "Christs" here literally means "anointed ones." Jesus prophesied that false "anointed ones" and false prophets would appear before the end of the world who would perform great miracles. Wonders so great, in fact, that even the most seasoned saints could fall victim to the deception.

Did Jesus prophesy that the miracles would be false? Did He say that they would not be performed in His name? Nope. He just said that the people would be false. And He said that they would be so hard to distinguish from the true prophets and "anointed-ones" that even the "strong" Christians would be deceived. Could we be experiencing such a thing right now? Of course real miracles are happening! Jesus said they would! And of course they are being done in His name--how else would "even the elect" be deceived?

Snakes and fish both have scales--it is not difficult to be confused between the two when all you can see is a small cross-section. You need to see the whole picture to rightly distinguish, and that can only be granted through a relationship with God.

But where did we go wrong? Over the past several years, the life-bringing Bread of Jesus Christ, revealed through true prophetic words, has been exchanged for useless, bread-shaped stones (prophecies of the prophets' own minds) that offer no benefit. The egg, which is a bearer of life, has somehow been confused in our minds with a scorpion, which is a bearer of death. We've even gone so far as to put snakes in the goldfish bowls that sit in our children's bedrooms. God doesn't make the exchange. We do.

People have been conditioned over time to expect the Holy Spirit to look and act a certain way. We want Him to make us shake, jerk, wiggle, vibrate, and fall over. We want Him to make us laugh, cry, shriek, or shout. We want Him to make us act drunk--staggering around, swaying limply, and slurring our speech. I'm not going to say that it is impossible for the Holy Spirit to actually do these things (He can do whatever He wants), but I am going to say that it is wrong for us to have put God into such a box.

The moment you expect a specific manifestation is the moment when you shut off discernment. It becomes mechanical rather than personal. In your mind, if it doesn't match your idea of what should happen, it must not be the Holy Spirit...and worse yet, if it does match your expectations, you readily accept and receive that spirit!

What if the Holy Spirit does not wish to move according to your expectations? What if He's doing a "new thing?" If the Holy Spirit is NOT moving in the way you anticipate, are you are more likely to accept what He's actually doing or ignore Him and grasp after any spirit that WILL meet your expectations?

If you have allowed yourself to box God in with these expectations, then you may very well have fallen victim to the deception Jesus Christ foretold. The fish was offered in response to your request; but out of ignorance and preconceived notions, you rejected it for a snake. This isn't an insult--it means you rank among "the elect" as Jesus put it! You are not beyond forgiveness, and God may very well be using this message to bring you back to reality.

Yes, God will offer the Holy Spirit freely to those who ask; but it is up to you to keep your relationship with Him alive. Knowing God is not based on a formula, a method, a system, logic, or even our expectations. He is a PERSON. You cannot know Him apart from a genuine personal relationship, which can only happen through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We must see that He is a sovereign, sentient Being, capable of doing as He pleases. He is not an impersonal force that sways according to our presumption!

There's a difference between faith and presumption. Faith means you expect your Friend to do what He promised He would do. Presumption means you expect God to do what you expect Him to do. Presumption is not based on realtionship, and it almost always leads to error. Faith, on the other hand, is the means by which we KNOW God in an intimate way and steer clear of the end-time deception prophesied of by Jesus Himself.

Where do you stand? Are you experiencing things based on presumption, or are you experiencing what God has already promised to you that He would do? When you ask for a fish, are you looking for a snake, which you presumptiously assume is actually the fish you wanted? When you ask for bread, do you grab a stone instead because it looks more solid? When you ask for an egg, are you more intrigued by the shell-like exoskeleton of a scorpion? Are you one of the "elect" or others who Jesus said would be deceived by false "anointed-ones" and false prophets? Are you swayed by miracles and the name of Jesus into puting your trust in a false "anointed one" or "false prophet?"

Weigh carefully what has been presented here and do not answer too quickly. Judge your own heart and see where your position stands.

Your brother,
--Art--

A lot of people have been coming to this site for answers about Lakeland, so that has been my primary theme for a few weeks now--unfortunately, it has been at the expense of some other very important news.

Last year I got to know a missionary to China who will remain nameless due to the political dangers in that country. He and his family have been living and ministering there for several years. They have also adopted three beautiful little girls from that nation who might have otherwise faced intense danger due to the one-child laws and the cultural "need" for giving birth to a boy.

As most are probably aware by now, western China was rocked by a massive earthquake just a little more than a week ago. On the afternoon of the earthquake, I received this report from this missionary:

Although we are safe, there are thousands of families affected by this disaster. Please remember the families whose children were in a school that collapsed, for those that were in buildings that collapsed, and those who were injured or killed from this tragedy. We hear that there are thousands that were killed.

The biggest tragedy is that 95% of them don't have everlasting hope. They have no one to turn to. They wail, they burn candles, they blame themselves. They must have done something wrong to cause this.

Often, when people go through a tragedy or a situation where they feel their life is hanging in the balance, they are more receptive to hear the Good News.

And just today, I received this e-mail second-hand from the missions coordinator at our church:

Thank-you for your thoughts and your prayers. We are doing well.

Last night at 10:30pm, the government (via the television and through cell phone text messages), communicated to the people in our region that another earth quake was coming. At 11:00pm last night, hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people poured out of their homes and found refuge in parks, on the streets, city squares, anywhere they could find that kept them away from buildings. We have 7-9 million people in our city. Today, they kept their kids home from school. They are still in the parks and they are scared to death. In the midst of disaster, we have the message of Hope.

During this time, we are trying to share and show a calmness, a confidence in the face of danger that cannot be shaken by rumors, bad reports, or disasters.

Stay in touch.

The news here in the U.S. has been reporting the government's seizing of foreign aide. People are finding it very difficult to donate to China releif efforts because of the corrupt government officers hoarding the goods.

For one thing, I believe we need to uphold all this in prayer before our gracious, loving King. But I would also like to share a trusted medium for financial giving in case you're interested. The following information comes directly from this family's most recent mass e-mail:

We just received an e-mail from our Regionl Director and he mentioned that a relief fund has been setup at HQ to assist in our team's outreach to the devastated thousands of West China. If you would like to contribute, send your gift to HQ, earmarked China Earthquake Relief. The details are still being worked out about how the funds will be used; but, we wanted to let you know that there is a fund setup.

I read the following account today:
Parents of the dead students built makeshift religious altars at the site, resting the corpses on any available piece of plywood or cardboard, and burning paper money and incense in a traditional honor for their child in the afterlife.

Help us share the Good News.

The "Headquarters" to which they're referring is the Assemblies of God World Missions HQ.

You can also view the donation information directly by going HERE.

God bless, and let's keep praying for China!
--Art--

**Dear readers, I have made some major edits to this post and removed all references to Lakeland because I feel they were unnecessarily divisive and distracted from the message in the post. I have also removed many of the comments. I apologize to those of you who spent a lot of time writing responses, but just know that it was those responses that prompted me to make these changes. Thanks! --Art--

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I'm what most Christians would call a "worship leader." I've been doing it for years--getting up week after week to play piano or keyboard or guitar, leading a large group of people in songs about God. It's not at all the New Testament model for singing songs; consider 1 Corinthians 14:26, "When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church."

According to Frank Viola and George Barna in their book Pagan Christianity?, choirs didn't come into being until shortly after AD 313. Then by AD 367, congregational singing was completely banned in order to keep the lyrics under the control of the clergy and avoid heressies slipping into the mix (which had become a problem). I wonder, could it be that there are heressies slipping into the mix of some of our songs today?

John Huss, who lived from 1372 until 1415, was one of the first to reinstate congregational singing and the use of musical instruments. In the Eighteenth Century, the Wesleyan revival in England made congregational singing even more popular. Much happened from that time on, but the major shift took place in 1962 when, according to Barna and Viola:

...a group of dissatisfied British church musicians in Dunblane, Scotland, tried to revitalize traditional Christian songs....The revolution came when rock and roll was adapted into Christian music with the coming of the Jesus movement....The origin of the worship team goes back to the founding of Calvary Chapel in 1965. Chuck Smith, the founder of the denomination, started a ministry for hippies and surfers....He gave the counterculture a stage for their music--allowing them to play Sunday night performances and concerts. The new musical forms began to be called "praise and worship."

Is this model evil? No, not at all. What is unfortunate, though, is that it has defined in our minds what it is to "worship"...and it's barely even half a century old! We think these songs have always been the definition of "worship," and we think this is the way it should be done. Thus we have dogma, pure and simple--a belief based on belief that has an air of holiness about it handed down from the previous generation.

Now remember, I am one of these so-called "worship leaders," and I thoroughly enjoy it. I'm not here to bash congregational singing, church models, or anything of the sort. I just want to help you to think critically about it all for a moment.

With all that said, I would like to share with you the words of renouned author Derek Prince in an article titled "Earthly, Soulish, Demonic--Protection from Deception:"

If you turn to Exodus 32, you will find something that always astonishes me. Here was the anointed and appointed High Priest making a golden calf. I want to analyze what it says in Exodus 32:1-10.

Moses at this time is up on the mountain. They have not seen him for something like forty days. So it says:

Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, "Come, make us gods that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him."

The very significant phrase there is "the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt." They had lost sight of God. They were focusing on human leaders. And I believe, almost inevitably, that will lead to idolatry. When we lose our vision of God and focus on God's servants we are in great danger. So,

Aaron said to them, "Break off the golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me." So all the people broke off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron. And he received the gold from their hand, and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molded calf. Then they said, "This is your god, 0 Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!" So when Aaron saw it [this is an amazing description - when Aaron saw his own calf], he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, "Tomorrow is a feast to the Lord."

To Yahweh. I mean, I find it hard to understand how Aaron could do that. But if Aaron could do it, you and I can do it. We are no better than Aaron. Probably most of us are not nearly of his caliber. Then it says:

Then they rose early on the next day, offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

That is the essence of idolatry: play. When our worship becomes play, we have moved out of the spiritual into the soulish and, ultimately, into the demonic. I do not want to appear critical, but I have to say, to my understanding, most of what is called worship in the Charismatic movement is not worship at all. Often it is very self-centered: "God heal me. God bless me. God, make me feel good. God do this and God do that." It is ego-centric; it is soulish. Only the spirit can focus directly on God.

Much of the music that we have in church today appeals to the soul, stimulates the soul; it is very much the same kind of music as is used in the world to stimulate the soul.

I am no expert in music, absolutely not at all. I cannot sing a note in tune. But I have a certain sensitivity to the impact of music. Having lived five years in Africa, I am aware that certain repetitive themes and rhythms can deaden your sensitivity. If you sit under that long enough, especially when it is very loud, you lose the capacity to discern. And in Africa those rhythms are used to call up demons.

Why do I bring all this up? Am I saying that our "praise and worship music" is demonic? Remember, I lead such musical meetings, so that's not my purpose here. Rather, I want to disassociate the word "worship" from our musical, emotional expressions of song. And for that matter, I want to encourage you to be aware of what could be happening when we sing. Not all of our songs glorify God. Should we call this worship? How about the songs that DO glorify God? These weren't called "worship" until the 1960's. I would argue that these are "praise."

Worship is a condition of the heart whereas praise is an expression of that worship. One can worship while they praise; but it is also possible to praise without worshipping--we call that "flattery." We must check our hearts to see if we are worshipping God or flattering God when we praise Him in word or in song.

I spoke with a pastor friend of mine while writing this article, and he said, "Art, you have a knack for writing about something and making it appear as though you have that thing all figured out." He's right--I say that to my shame, not my credit. So here's my disclaimer: I have been personally guilty of "using" music for the sole purpose of stirring emotions and having fun. I have allowed "worship" to become "play" as Derek Prince put it so clearly.

But I'm realizing things. I'm seeing how the Biblical word for "worship" in Greek and Hebrew imply something far deeper than songs in a big gathering. Just because you sang three fast songs and two slow songs this Sunday does not mean that you worshipped in the least bit.

And I should also add a disclaimer that it's okay to have fun while you're praising God! Praise can be exuberant and exciting--it's good to direct our God-given emotions toward our Lord and Savior! But do not take the worship of your heart lightly--we must be utterly sober and serious about our humility before the Lord.

Praise songs often result in us getting swept into emotionalism as we praise our God. Again, this isn't evil--God gave us emotions so we could connect with Him on an emotional level. And it's perfectly alright to get swept into songs about God...so long as we don't lose discernment. But it's not worship...it's an expression of worship!

Again, I'm what many would call a "worship leader," and I'm okay with the title for the sake of people understanding what I'm talking about. But I know full well that what I do musically is sometimes more of a ministry to people's hearts than a ministry to God. Hopefully, my ministry to men's hearts will bring them into a place where they can minister to God on a daily basis through lives of worship. But if all I do is lead them in a few songs, I have not facillitated worship--all I've done is given them an opportunity to sing to God and either experess the worship already in their hearts or pretend to do so. Or else, perhaps, I have merely set the emotional tone for the sermon. Again, not evil--but also not "worship" by definition. There's a difference between "worship" and "praise."

In short, worship is a lifestyle of humility before God. It is to exalt Him in your actions, thoughts, decisions, and words. Yes, you can express your inner worship to Him by praising Him in song, but that is not "worship" in and of itself. Worship is a condition of the heart by which we live our spiritual lives prostrate before our King in utter humility. In everything we do, we seek to reveal Him (rather than ourselves) so that He may be glorified in the earth.

Let us examine our own hearts and see if we are living lives of worship! Remember, When God hears your praise, He hears the condition of your heart. Either you are worshipping Him, or you are just singing out empty flattery.

For His glory,
--Art--

Hi everyone,

While I don't want to distract from the letter about the Charismatic Reformation I put out early this morning, I believe this article deserves notice.

J. Lee Grady is the editor of Charisma Magazine and yesterday posted an article that I support with all sincerity. Weeks after writing articles that promoted the Lakeland meetings and even seemed to endorse them, Grady has issued some warnings that I believe echo what I've been sharing on this site for the past several weeks. Here is what he said:

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Honest Questions About the Lakeland Revival
by J. Lee Grady

I support any holy outbreak of revival fervor. But let’s be careful to guard ourselves from pride and error.

God is stirring deep spiritual passion in the hearts of the thousands of people who have traveled to Florida during the last month to experience the Lakeland Healing Revival. Since these meetings began in a 700-seat church on April 2, the crowd has moved four times to bigger venues, the fervor has intensified and the news has spread worldwide—thanks to God TV and online broadcasting.

Within a few weeks, the bandwagon effect was in full swing. It’s safe to say that no outbreak of Pentecostalism in history has gained so much international exposure so quickly as these meetings have.

I’m a cheerleader for the charismatic movement, so I rejoiced when I heard the news about revivalist Todd Bentley’s extended visit to Ignited Church. It was thrilling to hear the reports of miracles and to watch the crowd grow until a stadium was required to hold everyone.

"When we put bizarre behavior on the platform we imply that it is normative. Thus more strange fire is allowed to spread."

When I visited a service on April 15, I was blessed by Heather Clark’s music and the audience’s exuberant worship. And I laughed with everyone else as I watched Bentley shout his trademarked “Bam! Bam! Bam!” as he prayed for the sick and flailed his tattooed arms over the crowd. Hey, Jesus didn’t pray for people according tothe Pharisees’ rulebook, so I’m open to unconventional methods.

But I would be dishonest if I told you that I wholeheartedly embraced what I saw in Lakeland. Something disturbed me, but I kept my mouth shut for three weeks while I prayed, got counsel from respected ministry leaders and searched my heart to make sure I was not harboring a religious spirit. The last thing we need today is more mean-spirited heresy hunters blasting other Christians.

I am not a heresy hunter, and I support what is happening in Lakeland because I know God uses imperfect people (like me and you) to reach others for Jesus. At the same time, I believe my questions are honest and my concerns are real.

My motive is not to criticize Bentley or the pastor who is sponsoring these meetings, Stephen Strader. In September 2002 Charisma featured a seven-page article about Bentley’s amazing conversion from drug addiction. I believe Bentley is a sincere brother who wants people to encounter God’s presence and power. No doubt this 32-year-old evangelist needs our prayers now more than ever, especially since he has become the focus of international media attention.

But as the noise from Lakeland grows louder and its influence spreads, I’m issuing some words of warning that apply to all of us, not just the folks in Lakeland. I hope everyone understands that these cautions are offered in love:

1. Beware of strange fire. The name of Jesus is being lifted up in the Lakeland revival, and three people came to the altar for salvation the night I attended. Larger numbers have come to the front of the auditorium to find Christ every night since then.

Yet I fear another message is also being preached subtly in Lakeland—a message that cult-watchers would describe as a spiritual counterfeit. Bentley is one of several charismatic ministers who have emphasized angels in the last several years. He has taught about angels who bring financial breakthroughs or revelations, and he sometimes refers to an angel named Emma who supposedly played a role in initiating a prophetic movement in Kansas City in the 1980s. Bentley describes Emma as a woman in a flowing white dress who floats a few feet off the floor.

All of us who believe the Bible know that angels are real, and that they work on our behalf to protect us and minister to us. But the apostle Paul, who had encounters with angels himself, issued stern warnings to the Corinthians, the Galatians and the Colossians about angels who preach another gospel or that demand attention. In Colossae, believers were so enamored with angels they had seen in visions that they became “inflated without cause” by spiritual pride (Col. 2:18, NASB). Paul was adamant that preoccupation with angels can lead to serious deception.

We need to tread carefully here! We have no business teaching God’s people to commune with angels or to seek revelations from them. And if any revival movement—no matter how exciting or passionate—mixes the gospel of Jesus with this strange fire, the results could be devastating. We need to remember that Mormonism was born out of one man’s encounter with a dark angel who claimed to speak for God.

2. Beware of bizarre manifestations. When the Holy Spirit’s power comes on people they may feel weak or even fall. The Spirit’s power can also cause people to tremble, shake, laugh or cry. Such manifestations are biblical and we should leave room for them. But where do we draw the line between legitimate experience and fanatical excess?

The apostle Paul had to deal with outrageous charismatic manifestations in the Corinthian church. People were acting like raving lunatics—and turning the church in to a free-for-all of unbridled ecstatic behavior. Paul called for discipline and order, and he reminded early Christians that “the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets” (1 Cor. 14:32). In other words, Paul was saying that no one under the influence of the Holy Spirit should act out of control.

In many recent charismatic revivals, ministers have allowed people to behave like epileptics on stage—and they have attributed their attention-getting antics to the Holy Spirit. We may think it’s all in fun (you know, we’re just “acting crazy” for God) but we should be more concerned that such behavior feeds carnality and grieves the Spirit.

When exotic manifestations are encouraged, people can actually get a religious high from jerking, vibrating, screaming or acting intoxicated. (I have even been around people who writhed as if in pain, or made sexual noises—thinking this was a legitimate spiritual experience.) But emotional euphoria doesn’t guarantee a heart change. The person who is bucking like an untamed bronco in a church service would benefit more from sitting still and reading the Bible for an hour. When we put bizarre behavior on the platform we imply that it is normative. Thus more strange fire is allowed to spread.

3. Beware of hype and exaggeration. Our hearts are crying out today for a genuine move of God. We want the real deal. We’ve read about the Great Awakenings of the past and we long to see our nation overcome by a wave of repentance. The church is in a backslidden state, and our nation has rebelled against God. We are desperate!

In our longing for a holy visitation, however, we must be careful not to call the first faint breeze of the Spirit a full-fledged revival. If we do that, we are setting people up for disappointment when they realize it may not be what we blew it up to be.

Some of the language used during the Lakeland Revival has created an almost sideshow atmosphere. People are invited to “Come and get some.” Miracles are supposedly “popping like popcorn.” Organizers tout it as the greatest revival in history.

Such brash statements cheapen what the Holy Spirit is doing—and they do a disservice to our brothers and sisters who are experiencing New Testament-style revival in countries such as Iran, China and India. We have a long way to go before we experience their level of revival. Let’s stay humble and broken before the Lord.

I am rejoicing over all the reported healings at the Lakeland meetings. Miracles are awesome. Crowds are great. But miracles and crowds alone don’t guarantee a revival. Multitudes followed Jesus during His ministry on earth, but many of the people who saw the dead raised or ate food that was supernaturally multiplied later crucified the Son of God.

It was the few disciples who followed Jesus after Calvary who ushered in a true revival—one that was bathed in the fear of God, confirmed by signs and wonders, tempered by persecution and evidenced by thousands of conversions, new churches and the transformation of society. We should expect nothing less.

J. Lee Grady is editor of Charisma.

In line with these warnings that reach beyond Lakeland or Todd Bentley, I would like to direct your attention to the letter I wrote to the Church yesterday about the needed Charismatic Reformation. You can read it in our new forum, or you can download a printable version.

God bless!
--Art--

I've considered myself a "Charismatic" for longer than I can remember, and I intend to continue. Unfortunately, however, I've noticed a trend among so many who share my belief that the Holy Spirit is alive and active today: more and more, people are getting swept away into believing everything they hear and attributing nearly every manifestation to God. To be frank, I believe many are falling victim to "doctrines of demons" and being led astray.

1 Timothy 4:1-2--Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron...(NKJV)

I also like the New Living Translation's version, which is a little easier to understand:

1 Timothy 4:1-2--Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead. (NLT)

What does it mean to have a dead conscience? For one thing, it means that you have lost all discernment, and you will believe whatever you're told--whether it be by a false teacher, a false prophet, or a lying spirit.

In 1 Kings 22, God has determined that it is time for the evil King Ahab to be taken out of power, so he gathers a meeting in the throne room of heaven:

1 Kings 22:19-23--Micaiah [the prophet] continued, "Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne with all the host of heaven standing around him on his right and on his left. And the LORD said, 'Who will entice Ahab into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there?'

"One suggested this, and another that. Finally, a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD and said, 'I will entice him.'

"'By what means?' the LORD asked.

"'I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,' he said.

"'You will succeed in enticing him,' said the LORD. 'Go and do it.'

"So now the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours. The LORD has decreed disaster for you." (NIV)

I believe we are seeing this same sort of thing happening to many of the people in the Charismatic movement. Why? Because so many of us have turned away and followed after deceptive teachings and doctrines of demons. Like Ahab, we have no regard for the truth of the Lord. In contrast to Ahab, however, the Lord's purpose is not a physical death, but rather a spiritual one. God's plan has always been to bring us to the cross of Christ in repentance so that we can have our sin put to death and the Holy Spirit may bring us new life through His power.

I feel that the Charismatic Movement is experiencing a great shaking at this time. So much of it has been hijacked by "doctrines of demons." So many of our brothers and sisters are listening to lying spirits who prophesy peace, and then they are teaching these false words to others. False teachings and demonic manifestations are running rampant, and people are outright accepting them. Worse yet, they are attributing them to the Holy Spirit! This is wrong, but it is being allowed by the Lord so that those who are not lovers of the Truth will be exposed.

In this time of shaking, people will either buy the delusion hook, line, and sinker, or they will reject it and embrace the truth of Christ. That is why discernment is so vital in the Church today. As John said, the spirit of antichrist is already in the world. We need to be aware of what this spirit is doing, because it foreshadows what will take place at the end of time:

2 Thessalonians 2:8-12--And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 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. (NIV)

Friends, I'm calling for a reformation among Charismatics. Tomorrow I intend to share some specific ways to make this happen, so check back then. For now, please pray for discernment and focus during these times of shaking so that you may "be able to stand your ground when the day of evil comes."

God bless!
--Art--

This is a re-post of an article I published on January 7, 2008. (I've deleted the original post in order to cut down on clutter.) I believe this is a timely word given the current emphasis on Todd Bentley, "The Florida Outpouring," and the Charismatic Movement in general.

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Jeremiah 14:14-16--Then the LORD said to me, "The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries and the delusions of their own minds. Therefore, this is what the LORD says about the prophets who are prophesying in my name: I did not send them, yet they are saying, 'No sword or famine will touch this land.' Those same prophets will perish by sword and famine. And the people they are prophesying to will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and sword. There will be no one to bury them or their wives, their sons or their daughters. I will pour out on them the calamity they deserve (NIV, emphasis added).

There are false prophets today--and it's a bit of an epidemic here in America. Everywhere you look--especially on the television--we find well-meaning preachers "prophe-lying" ear-tingling words that promise health, wealth, and prosperity to our nation when God is actually saying, "Repent! Turn back to Me! Intercede for America!"

But worst of all, what I learned from the verses above is that God didn't just hold the false prophets accountable--He also promised the same judgment to the people who listened to their words! We MUST be a people of discernment who will hear the Holy Spirit for ourselves and not just take the "holy man's" word for it. We must be seekers of the face of God and learn His true plans through:

• personal encounters with Him,
• the authority of the Bible,
• genuine fellowship with other God-fearing and God-loving believers, and
• accountability to mature believers who have proved by the fruit of their ministry that they truly are messengers of the One True God.

A couple years ago I had a really strange dream. In it, I was at a theme park where they had somehow discovered live dinosaurs. At some point, though, I saw a man dressed in an old sea captain uniform way up high on a pedistol (maybe a hundred feet in the air) with some sort of harpoon gun. One by one, he was shooting the dinosaurs and having them replaced with robotic replicas. I asked someone why he was doing this, and they said, "The robots are safer--no one can get hurt."

"But the real ones are alive!" I argued. My rebuttal fell on deaf ears. Soon, I began to fear for my own safety--not concerning the dinosaurs, but rather the haphazard sea captain and his deadly harpoon. In fact, I looked around and saw several more sea captains on pedistols. So I squeezed through a hedge and found myself outside the boundary of the park in a thick woods. There I discovered a group of people worshipping God, and they had several baby dinosaurs in cages.

I asked someone why the dinosaurs were in cages, and they answered, "They'll get set loose one day, but right now they're being fed and trained. Besides, no one cares to see the real dinosaurs anymore; they want robots. Soon people will realize that the sea captains have no authority, and then they will pay more attention to the value of the real dinosaurs."

That's when I woke up. After writing down the dream and praying about it, I sensed that God was shaking up the prophetic movement in America. I felt He was saying, "There are too many people elevating themselves in the Church and replacing My true, living words with cold, dead utterances. My true prophets are no longer welcome there because they are not considered 'safe.'"

Today there is great value placed on those individuals who do not pose a 'threat' to the authority figure's teachings. The true prophets--who, according to John Sandford, bring blessing, healing, judgment, warning, protection, discernment, and words of knowledge--are being systematically replaced by false prophets with ear-tingling words, empty promises, and great skills in group hypnosis and emotionalism. In so many cases, the prophet has been replaced by the personality.

But I personally believe there was a significant promise in that dream I had. God is raising up true prophets--many of whom are not inside the organized theme park we call "church." He is protecting them from being wounded and snuffed out by those in authority who prefer "robots." (I should add, though, that not all people in authority are like this, so don't let the devil convince you of that lie). God is feeding them and training them in the wilderness as they worship and grow in groups of genuine Christ-followers. Before long, the false prophets will be exposed for what they are, and the hearts and minds of the masses will be stirred for the true word of the Lord.

It's coming! I don't know when, but I think it has already started!

With all the writing I've been doing about the Lakeland meetings with Todd Bentley, I wanted to take a moment to exalt the name of Jesus Christ for His true healing power!

In the first two pictures to the right, you can see various scars I used to have on my face. The most obvious ones are there on my chin. It's a little hard to tell, but there are also big scars on my cheeks, nose, and forehead--they're just sunburned, so they show up pink (click the images for a larger picture).

I received these scars from borderline third-degree burns (technically classified as second-degree) when I was 16 years old. The doctor said they would never go away, and my dermitologist said that in the slim chance that they would disappear, it would take 7 years because that's how long it takes a skin cell to replace itself. In the first picture, I was 17, and in the second picture, I was 18. Shortly after that, though, was the healing I'm about to share with you, which resulted in the third picture, taken when I was 19.

Three years into having the scars, I got upset with God--I don't recommend that, but it's just where I was at the time. I said, "God, what's the point? You're not getting any glory from these scars! Children are afraid of me. It's embarassing. Why would you make me live with these scars?"

Suddenly, a picture popped into my mind of Jesus after the resurrection when he told Thomas to put his fingers where the nails were and touch where the spear entered His side. I sensed the Lord saying, "I didn't just take the punishment for your sin so that you wouldn't have to face it, but I also--even now--bear the scars so that you don't have to!"

I quickly put my hands on my face and said, "Jesus, take the scars!" Nothing happened.

But I held onto that word from God and did the same thing every morning. Within three weeks, they disappeared completely--four years before the dermitologist said it was humanly possible! To this day, the only evidence I have of those scars is a little patch of white hair that grows in my beard (and I technically shouldn't be able to grow a beard because of the dead cells that once formed the scars!). And any time someone points out the white, I get to share this testimony with them! God is so awesome!

That's not the only time I've been healed, though. As a baby, I was diagnosed with a heart murmer, but my parents had our church pray for me and I was miraculously healed. As a matter of fact, my medical record still shows the heart murmer even though the doctors agree that I no longer have one!

Then there was my broken back that was healed about six months ago. Long story short, I dislocated some vertebrae and pinched some discs, which rendered me unable to walk or even move without excruciating pain. I spent two weeks sleeping on a mattress on the floor of our living room before I begged to be taken to my church. There, during the morning prayer time, I was laying on the floor in pain. My pastor prayed one of the simplest prayers: "Father, I hate seeing Art hurt like this! Would You please do something?" Immediately, I felt and heard a series of pops as my spine went perfectly into place! I returned to the physical therapist on Monday walking perfectly upright (only a slight limp from a pulled muscle in my hip). I got to share the Gospel with the therapist and his assistant, and the assistant rededicated her life to the Lord! She had not been to church since she was married about a decade prior, but now she could see the power of God!

I could go on for hours with these stories. I've been healed of tendonitis in my right shoulder, Attention Deficit Disorder, a degenerative tooth disease that was making my teeth fall apart, stomach ulcers, chronic sinusitis, and more. I KNOW God's healing power and the TRUTH that by the lashings Christ endured, we are healed! I can say with confidence that you too can be healed supernaturally in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God!

Jesus Christ has all power and authority in heaven and on earth, and I feel it is important to testify to it--especially in the midst of so much speculation surrounding the physical healings taking place in Lakeland, Florida with Todd Bentley. I still do not endorse those meetings (you can read the other articles here at www.SupernaturalTruth.com to find out why), but I certainly do not deny the power of God to heal people physically!

Feel free to e-mail these pictures and testimony to your friends to show proof of God's healing power. I would like to open up the "comments" section of this blog post to people who have testimonies of their own healing or prayer requests for physical healing; and then I would like for us to praise God, rejoice with one another, and pray for the afflicted in Jesus' name. Let's get a true online "healing revival" going, and let's do it in the name of Jesus Christ with a clear presentation of the Gospel!

Blessings,
--Art--

Carnal vs. Spiritual Christians and the "Lakeland Healing Outpouring"

Yesterday I watched another hour of the Lakeland Healing meetings with Todd Bentley (A re-run of Thursday night). I was actually very impressed for a good long time, and I feel it is only fair for me to report this. For most of the time I watched, Todd was speaking in Jesus' name and declaring many diseases healed. He told people that Jesus was healing them and to expect Him to touch them deeply. Granted, it was very emotional, but I can overlook that--God made our emotions, so why not use them?

But after the ministry time, when Todd had people get up on stage to testify, things took an ugly turn and Todd fell right back into the very things I've been speaking out against for the past week and a half.

Over and over, Todd reminded people of the "word of knowledge" he had that brought each person their healing and even once asked, "Do you know why this man is healed?" I waited in anticipation for a presentation of the Gospel, but Todd answered himself: "He got healed because I had a Word of Knowledge..." No mention of the Gospel. No mention of Jesus. But he did say that when he gave the Word of Knowledge, the healing angels of the Lord visited the man.

It grieves me to keep seeing these things because so much of it was on-track and opened wide such huge doors for a presentation of the True Gospel. But Todd Bentley keeps doing such subtle things that completely squash the revival-potential of this movement. I'm reminded of the popular sermon illustration in which the kids tell their dad that they want to watch a PG-13 movie, arguing that "there's only a little bit of bad stuff in it." The kids come home from school, and the dad has made brownies. The kids rush to the brownies, and the dad stops them. "Before you eat them," he says, "You should know one thing: I put a 'little bit' of dog poop in them...but it's only a little bit."

It's that "little bit" of problems I have with the Lakeland meetings that make me so disenchanted with Todd and everything going on there in Florida. I find it hard to rejoice that they have rented the "Joker Stadium" to house the thousands of people now flocking to the meetings from around the world. Why? Because it's only catering to the flesh.

Jesus performed many signs and wonders, but it was always to confirm His word--same thing with the apostles. If you are performing signs and wonders--especially at the magnitude of Todd Bentley--then you have an intense responsibility to speak the truth along with them. Yes, Todd is leading people in "God, save me" prayers, but there is nothing happening in the areas of exposing sin or inviting people to repentance. Physical healings fix the body and bless the soul. They are an external work. Preaching the full Gospel of Jesus Christ (including the need for repentance) is where the internal application comes. Unless there is an internal work, the event is nothing more than carnal and fleshly.

In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul addresses the church of Corith by saying that they are carnal and worldly because of their quarrelsome focus on following mere men. This is the same Corinthian Church about whom Paul said, "...you do not lack any spiritual gift..." (1 Cor. 1:7). They had the gifts, but they were earthly-minded. They focused on human leaders and how to meet the needs of their flesh. Yes, they believed in Jesus, but their focus was misplaced.

I see the same thing happening in Lakeland, Florida, with Todd Bentley. People are looking at Todd for an "impartation" and for the "10 anointings" he promised them (whatever those may be). There is a tremendous external application, but barely any internal application. It's carnal. It's fleshly. It's earthly-minded. And it is focused on a mere man instead of the pure, holy, and righteous Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

1 Corinthans 3:21-23--So then, no more boasting about men! All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God (NIV).

Keep your eyes fixed on the Son of God, and don't be distracted by big names and external miracles. Seek God for the internal application of His Word.