"For it seemed good to the Holy
Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary
things; That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and
from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves,
ye shall do well. Fare ye well." (Acts
15:28,29)
In this article, a Revival historian,
closely aligned with the Charismatic and prophetic movements, raises the
following questions: Why do the Toronto manifestations seem literally identical
to many counterfeit movements which have destroyed genuine Revivals down
through history? And why are they seemingly identical to the Chinese occultic
'Qigong' movement, as well as Franz Mesmer's occultic healing practice and
the manifestations found throughout the "Kundalini" cults of Rajneesh,
Ramakrishna, etc? Why are such manifestations found throughout the New Age
movement worldwide, and yet nowhere in the Bible? If these are the days
of "great deception" amongst Christians spoken of in the Bible,
then shouldn't we be a little more careful about what we allow into God's
church? Over the past few years, the movement known as the "Toronto
Blessing" has swept through many churches worldwide, particularly in
the Western nations. This movement has brought with it some rather 'strange'
spiritual manifestations, which have caused quite a bit of controversy in
the church. The purpose of this article is to examine the FACTS and the
historical data related to this issue, in as straight-forward a way as possible.
I have been studying Revival and Reformation history now for over twelve
years, and I hope that this will help me to provide an informed and factual
perspective.
As is now well-known, the Toronto Airport Vineyard church (home of the 'Toronto
Blessing') was finally expelled from the international Vineyard movement
in December 1995. This expulsion came after what had apparently been twelve
months of repeated warnings given to the Toronto church by John Wimber and
the Vineyard Association.
I have to say on a personal level, before going any further, that having
witnessed the 'Toronto' phenomena for myself, and having spoken to many
people who have experienced it,- right from the outset I have personally
been deeply disturbed by much of what I have seen and heard. However, it
is time now to take a look at what history has to say about such phenomena.
As many who have studied Revivals will know, it is important to remember
that not only have there been many genuine Revivals down through history,
but also many "counterfeit" movements as well (a number of which
have resulted in quasi-`Christian' sects that are still with us today).
Even some of the most powerful true Revivals have eventually been infiltrated
(or in some cases, "hijacked"), through the devil managing to
flood them with excesses and demonic manifestations, etc. Many of the great
Revivalists came across such counterfeits on a regular basis, and wrote
warnings against them. As John Wesley said: "At the first, revival
is true and pure, but after a few weeks watch for counterfeits."
These false or demonic manifestations have often followed a very distinctive
pattern. And alarmingly, I have to say that they have often resembled 'Toronto'
very closely indeed (as we shall see). The following is an extract from
a century-old book by T.W. Caskey, in which he recalls many of the religious
happenings in the Southern states of America in the early 1800's. This was
the period when many huge `Camp Meetings' were held in the South, accompanied
by unusual religious phenomena (which they called `revival'): "Some
would fall prostrate and lie helpless for hours at a time... The whole congregation
by some inexplicable nervous action would sometimes be thrown into side-splitting
convulsions of laughter and when it started, no power could check or control
it until it ran its course. At other times the nervous excitement set the
muscles to twitching and jerking at a fearful rate and finally settle down
to regular, straight- forward dancing. Like the `Holy Laugh' it was simply
ungovernable until it ran its course. When a man started laughing, dancing,
shouting or jerking, it was impossible for him to stop until exhausted nature
broke down in a death-like swoon..." The same writer goes on to tell
how eventually a few preachers began to question whether such manifestations
really were the work of the Holy Spirit.
Gradually, people began to `search the Scriptures' and `test the spirits'
a lot more than they had been, and these rather `bizarre' manifestations
began to die out. Another historian has written of the great Camp Meetings
of the eighteenth century (particularly in Kentucky) that crowds would often
"go into trances, writhe on the ground and even bark like dogs".
As is well-known to many who have studied Revivals, such excesses and counterfeit
manifestations have often flooded in particularly towards the end of a true
Revival, when the devil has been trying to get in and completely destroy
or discredit it.
This is precisely what happened with the 1904 Welsh Revival (as you will
see if you read "War on the Saints" by Jessie Penn-Lewis and Evan
Roberts - a disturbing book which probably places too much emphasis on the
devil, but vividly describes many counterfeit manifestations very similar
to what we are seeing today. (Such counterfeits are also examined in Watchman
Nee's "The Spiritual Man").
A number of `Toronto' writers have implied that many old-time Revivalists
such as John Wesley, Charles Finney and Jonathan Edwards would be quite
happy with such manifestations. This is far from the truth. I have studied
the lives of these men, and all of them were strong "REPENTANCE"
preachers who were very suspicious of any `bizarre' goings-on. When people
fell down in their meetings, it was almost always under tremendous distress
and CONVICTION OF SIN. This is very different from Toronto.
The great Revivalist John Wesley, who came across many examples of counterfeit
manifestations in his years of Revival ministry, wrote of one particular
occasion: "God suffered Satan to teach them better. Both of them were
suddenly seized in the same manner as the rest, and laughed whether they
would or no, almost without ceasing. This they continued for two days, a
spectacle to all; and were then, upon prayer made for them, delivered in
a moment."
Charles Finney wrote, warning of the dangers of simply `yielding' to strange
impulses or impressions: "God's Spirit leads men by the intelligence,
and not through mere impressions.... I have known some cases where persons
have rendered themselves highly ridiculous, have greatly injured their own
souls, and the cause of God, by giving themselves up to an enthusiastic
and fanatical following of impressions."
And Jonathan Edwards wrote, concerning
the supposedly `heavenly' trances that members of his congregation were
entering into under the ministry of Samuel Buelle (a visiting preacher):
"But when the people were raised to this height, Satan took the advantage,
and his interposition in many instances soon became very apparent; and a
great deal of caution and pains were found necessary to keep the people,
many of them from running wild." As Frank Bartleman (of the 1906 `Azusa
Street' Revival) said: "Many are willing to seek `power' from every
battery they can lay their hands on, in order to perform miracles... A true
`Pentecost' will produce a mighty conviction for sin, a turning to God.
False manifestations produce only excitement and wonder... Any work that
exalts the Holy Ghost or the `gifts' above Jesus will finally land up in
fanaticism." Does it sound like these men welcomed `bizarre' manifestations
to you? Certainly not! They knew how to discern what was of God and what
was not.
In mid-1995, respected international Bible teacher Derek Prince put out
a tape in which he made some very strong statements about certain aspects
of the Toronto movement. Like him, I would like to state categorically that
I believe that humans manifesting animal noises or animal movements is not
of God, but rather of the devil. (In fact, he described on the tape how
he had seen many such animal manifestations during demonic rituals he had
witnessed in Africa). And what about the bodily distortions and the 'jerking'
that have also become associated with today's Toronto movement? Is it God
who desires to distort the bodies of His people so that they look like sufferers
of Cerebral Palsy, Epilepsy, Parkinson's Disease, etc? (Repetitive `jerking'
is also seen regularly in many mental hospitals - ask any psychiatric nurse).
I have to ask the question here: Whose work does all this sound like to
you?
Alarmingly, there are also many exact similarities between the `Toronto'
experience and the demonic manifestations found throughout the New Age movement
and also in many pagan religions. A number of Indian gurus, such as Bagwhan
Shree Rajneesh and Ramakrishna, have had the power to transfer a state of
rapturous bliss to their followers merely by touching them. In the case
of Ramakrishna, these states were often accompanied by uncontrollable laughter
or weeping. Swami Baba Muktananda also had this power, according to a former
devotee, and the resulting `Kundalini' manifestations included uncontrollable
laughing, roaring, barking, crying, shaking, etc. Some of his followers
also became mute or unconscious, while many felt themselves infused with
feelings of tremendous joy, peace and love.
All such experiences have been based on "yielding" oneself to
the power working through these gurus. Is it any coincidence that the manifestations
associated with these demonic `Kundalini' cults are almost identical to
those of Toronto? Could it be that the same `spirits' are at work? When
Yan Xin, a Chinese `Qigong' spiritual Master, gave a talk to a crowd in
San Francisco in 1991, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that many in
the crowd began to experience what Yan called "spontaneous movements".
He told his audience, "Those who are sensitive might start having some
strong physical sensations - or start laughing or crying. Don't worry. This
is quite normal." Likewise, the demonic "ministry" of renowned
eighteenth-century occultic healer Franz Mesmer, was also known to produce
many similar manifestations (falling down, jerking, convulsions, strange
grunts and cries, hysterical laughter, etc).
To me it seems beyond dispute that there has been a powerful alien spirit
let loose in many churches for some considerable time. Just because the
Toronto manifestations have been cloaked in "Christian" terminology
does not mean that they are from God. The fact is that such manifestations
are found nowhere in the Bible, but rather right through the New Age movement.
Surely this fact alone should have rung alarm bells? If these are the `last
days' - the days of "great deception" and `lying signs and wonders',
then surely we ought to be a little more careful about what we introduce
into God's church?
Many Christians who have become involved with Toronto have assumed that
it "must be of Go" because it often results in `inner healing'
or other spiritual experiences. However, such occurrences are certainly
not proof that this movement is of God. In fact, the devil specializes in
providing virtually identical experiences in occult and New Age groups right
around the world.
And as is well-known, "inner healing" has always be one of the
very major emphases of today's New Age movement (while it cannot be found
in the Bible). Such experiences are obviously something that Satan finds
it very easy to manufacture, especially when he is given the opportunity
on such a grand scale. As the Bible clearly states, the devil will gladly
disguise himself as an "angel of light" in order to deceive Christians
(2 Cor 11:14). However, in saying all of this, I do want to make it clear
also that I believe that God has DELIBERATELY ALLOWED this deception to
sweep through at this time, to "test" His church.
One of the most obviously "New Age" aspects of Toronto has been
the emphasis on `switching off your mind', getting your mind "out of
the way", yielding yourself unthinkingly to the spirit that is operating,
etc. I tell you, this exact practice is used all over the world to open
up New Age devotees to demonic influence. It is dangerous in the extreme.
The Bible makes it clear that demonic spirits are well capable of masquerading
as the "Holy Spirit". This is why the apostle John wrote: "Beloved,
do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are
of God" (1 Jn 4:1). I am afraid I cannot agree with the idea of `directing'
the Holy Spirit or proclaiming "Come, Holy Spirit!" To me, such
unscriptural practices are bound to lead to deception sooner or later. But
the concept of just `switching off your mind' and yielding to whatever spiritual
impulses come upon you, surely has to be the most deadly practice of all.
As Jessie Penn-Lewis wrote (in conjunction with Welsh Revival leader Evan
Roberts): "... these demons hover round the soul, and make strange
suggestions to the mind of something odd, or outlandish, or contrary to
common sense or decent taste. They make these suggestions under the profession
of being the Holy Ghost.
They fan the emotions, and produce a strange, fictitious exhilaration, which
is simply their bait to get into some faculty of the soul... another person
said he felt like rolling on the floor, and groaning and pulling the chairs
around, but he distinctly perceived that the impulse to do so had something
wild in it; and a touch of self display contrary to the gentleness and sweetness
of Jesus; and, as quick as he saw it was an attack of a false spirit, he
was delivered. But another man had the same impulse, and fell down groaning
and roaring, beating the floor with his hands and feet, and the demon entered
into him as an angel of light, and got him to think that his conduct was
of the Holy Ghost, and it became a regular habit in the meetings he attended,
until he would ruin every religious meeting he was in... The effects of
being influenced by this sort of demon is manifold, and plainly legible
to a well-poised mind. They cause people to run off into things that are
odd and foolish, unreasonable and indecent..."
The above authors also make the following very crucial statement in the
same book: "The false conception of `surrender' as yielding the body
to supernatural power, with the mind ceasing to act, is the HIGHEST SUBTLETY
OF THE ENEMY." Surely no-one who is reading this can still be in any
doubt as to what spiritual `source' the `Toronto' movement comes from?
It is well-known throughout Christendom that the Bible speaks of the `last
days' as being a time of great deception and apostasy, and it is obvious
from the Scriptures that much of this will arise from WITHIN THE CHURCH,
so as to deceive the Christians. (See
Mt 24, etc). The Apostle Paul wrote
that, "in the last days PERILOUS TIMES WILL COME. For men shall be
lovers of their own selves... lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God"
(2 Tim 3:1-4).
And, "the Spirit speaks expressly that in the latter times some shall
depart from the faith, giving heed to SEDUCING SPIRITS, and doctrines of
devils" (1 Tim 4:1). Surely, as we have seen, we are indeed living today
in such `perilous times'.
There have been several dreams and visions given to NZ prophets and intercessors
about the Toronto movement. In one particularly powerful dream given to
an Auckland man many months before the term "Toronto Blessing"
was even heard of here, he was shown that there would be TWO revivals. (This
was the same man who was also given the open vision of the Bride of Christ
described in a previous article). In this dream of the "TWO REVIVALS",
he found himself in a large auditorium full of people. He noticed that many
of those down the front of the meeting were FALLING DOWN LAUGHING AND CRYING,
etc, and the words that were clearly spoken to him to describe what he was
seeing were: "LAODICEAN REVIVAL".
He was then seated with the `little' people in the auditorium, who had not
become really "caught up" in this falling and laughing, etc. And
as he sat there, these `little' people were steadily drawn away from this
`Laodicean' scenario, until there was a yawning gulf between them and those
who were still "partying on" at the front of the hall. Suddenly,
thousands of young people burst out all around these little people, and
they began to minister to them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. The
prophet knew that this was the beginning of the true Revival. Glory to God!
It is my belief that in many ways the Toronto experience has been the perfect
deception for today's Laodicean church: It cost nothing, it was "instant"
and convenient, it conferred spiritual blessings, `touches' and experiences
without any need for conviction of sin, deep repentance or `taking up the
cross', and best of-all it gave a flagging, powerless church some new "signs"
to prove that `all was well' after all. The real issue that lies at the
heart of this whole controversy is one that revolves around the very character
of God Himself. For it is obvious that we are being asked to choose between
at least two "Gods" here. On the one hand we have Toronto's version
of "God" - a being who lives to bring `touches' and bodily sensations
upon his people, who loves to "party" with them - to `loosen them
up' so that they cast off all restraint and do foolish things that they
would never normally do. Many of these touches may appear to outside observers
to be `ugly' or even revolting and frightening (similar to asylum-type mental
or drug disorders, etc), but, hey, let's just get our mind out of the way,
relax and enjoy it all! Who cares if it looks or sounds completely `demonic'
(animal noises, hysterical laughter, bizarre jerking, etc), so long as it
feels good and seems to heal all those past `hurts'? To me, this is the
very essence of the touchy-feely "Laodicean" view of God - a `God'
made entirely in their own image, and for their own convenience. Love without
responsibility. Mercy without judgment. A permissive, "Santa Claus"
God - perfect for the shallow, pleasure- loving age in which we live. On
the other hand, there is the God of the Bible: Yes, He is a God of love,
but also of justice ae and of judgment. Yes, He is a God of mercy, but also
of war and of vengeance,- waiting patiently for the hour when His enemies
will be delivered into His hand,so that He can cast them forever into a
living hell. Yes, He is a God of liberty, but He is also a jealous God,
who visits the sins of the fathers onto the third and fourth generation
of those who hate Him. Yes, He is a God of compassion, but He is also a
God of glorious majesty, might and power. And above all, He is a God of
HOLINESS, who HATES SIN so much that He created a lake of fire in which
to imprison all who have given themselves over to it. And I tell you now,
He is not a God who could in any way be represented by a movement involving
animal noises, drunken foolishness, hyena-like laughter, or ugly epileptic-type
`jerking' amongst His people.
This is why Toronto was such a good `test' for the Laodicean church. And
frankly, it is my belief that this Laodicean revival has exposed today's
lukewarm church for what she really is - a sitting duck, completely prone
to the most obvious deception from the enemy - a "happiness club",
still desperate for feel-good touches and blessings after all these years.
Obviously, one aspect that has been particularly alarming about the Toronto
movement has been the tendency to simply abandon the practice of `testing'
spiritual experiences and new teachings against the Scriptures. The Bible
tells us to "test all things", and of course there is the well-known
verse: "All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching,
for reproof, FOR CORRECTION, and for training in righteousness" (2 Tim 3:16).
But how can the Scriptures be used for `correction' if we choose to "explain
away" the need for Scriptural proof of our experiences and teachings,
etc? If we don't use the Scriptures to `test' things any more, aren't we
opening the door to every heresy, false doctrine or demonic experience in
existence? (As history clearly demonstrates). This "casting off"
of the authority of Scripture, and even of good, old-fashioned common sense,
I have personally found to be amongst the most disturbing aspects of the
whole `Toronto' affair.
In saying all of this about Toronto, however, I do not want to give the
impression that I am opposed to every kind of `unusual' spiritual occurrence.
God Himself often does unusual things in times of Revival. But there is
a certain `character' about them that stamp them as being from Him. For
instance, tremendous conviction (which is very common in true Revivals)
will often bring extreme distress over sin (wailing, weeping, etc), `trembling'
with Godly fear, people falling face-down before God, etc. At the same time,
the awesome presence of God will often cause those who have experienced
His cleansing and forgiveness to be filled with indescribable joy and thanksgiving
to God, resulting in demonstrative, unrestrained worship and adoration of
Him...
'The Toronto Controversy' copyright (c) Andrew Strom, 1996. (Please feel free to photocopy. http: //crash.
ihug.co. nz/~ revival).
We have searched the Scriptures for years
for evidence that the phenomena of falling backward under the power, which
they call "slain in the spirit," could possibly be considered
a baptism of the Holy Spirit and found a Scripture in Isaiah 28:9-13. It
was to serve as a warning..
"Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand
doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line,
line upon line; here a little, and there a little: For with stammering lips
and another tongue will he speak to his people. To whom he said, This is
the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing:
yet they would not hear. "But the word of the Lord was unto them precept
upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here
a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and
be broken, and snared, and taken."
The word "broken" (#7665) Hebrew `Shavar': to burst, break in
pieces, wreck, crush, tear to pieces, destroy.. "snared" (#3369)
Hebrew `Yaqosh' to ensnare, lay a snare, to be snared, caught. It is used
with reference to a fowler who sets a trap for the purpose of catching prey.
It is also used in metaphorical sense of the entrapment of people (Isaiah 28:13).
A few examples from reports from Strom's website in New Zealand. EYEWITNESSES WARNINGS OF BROWNSVILLE, PENSACOLA (NEWLY UPDATED). REPORT DATE: 31 JAN 1998, FROM: RICK [surname withheld] (USA).
Dear Mr. Strom,
I want to thank you for your articles on Brownsville. I am an ordained minister,
formerly of the Worldwide Church of God, and then the Church of God, International.
Coming from such a background, I did not believe in the baptism of the Holy
Spirit. However, after years of study, prayer and fasting about the subject,
the scriptural proof is undeniable. Presently I live on the Gulf Coast,
on the Alabama/Florida line, just 30 miles from Pensacola. After talking
with numerous people about the baptism of the Spirit, someone told me that
I should go to Brownsville and see if I could receive the baptism there.
What a shock!!!
I went one time, and at the end of the service, the altar call was unbelievable.
People rushed forward to be prayed for, the "pastor" shouted "A
Fresh Anointing" and swept his arm over the crowd. People all around
me fell to the floor as if they had been machine-gunned. I stood alone in
the midst of approximately 50 to 60 bodies, and people rushed over those
people to receive a similar experience. Again the same thing happened, and
I was again I was left standing in what was becoming a pile of bodies. These
people were out cold, as if they had been knocked unconscious. Ministers
began to move through the crowd, praying for people and laying hands on
those who requested prayer. I was particularly interested in one young girl
of about 17 or 18 years of age, who stood very rigid, shaking uncontrollably,
muttering strange noises with her eyes rolled back in her head. I have seen
demon-possessed people before, and I am convinced she was under the influence
of one or more very powerful demonic beings.
The ministers said a short (under one minute) prayer for her, laid hands
on her and she fell backwards to land on the steps of the altar, jerking
and convulsing and moaning. I stayed for at least an hour more, and kept
watching this young woman to see what was going to happen. After at least
an hour, I went to a minister that was working the crowd, and expressed
my concern for her. He had a lady get a light blanket and put over her,
and paid no more attention to her. When I left after midnight (and I believe
I was the first person to leave the services), the girl was still on the
steps of the altar shaking and convulsing and no one paying any attention
to her.
With all of that happening, I also noticed something else. There were at
least a dozen gurneys with people laying on them that had been brought by
relatives or friends for healing. Some had IV's connected to them, some
had oxygen bottles, and there were also many in wheel chairs that could
not rush forward to receive "something".
All during the time I was there I never saw a single minister go to any
of those people and heal them, or even attempt to. During the entire service,
I never saw one single person delivered of demonic possession, healed of
any infirmity, or receive what I would perceive to be a true manifestation
of the Spirit, such as being able to speak in tongues.
I must say right here that I have not received the baptism of the Spirit,
and cannot speak in tongues. So I may have a different way of looking at
things, but I do know what the scriptures teach regarding this subject.
I went there wanting to be filled with the Spirit, the HOLY Spirit, and
all I saw were people falling down, some barking like dogs, many jerking
like stand-ins in a horror movie, and people being walked on after they
hit the floor by people being totally selfish. Am I missing something here?
May I ask a question? As an ordained minister, seeking the baptism of the
Spirit, where do I go? I will not go back to Brownsville. Tonight, as I
am writing this letter, a close friend of mine is there. He came from 400
miles away to see the Brownsville experience first hand, and wanted me to
accompany him. I refused...
REPORT DATE: 1 FEB 1998:-
As an interesting sidelight, my friend that came to visit this weekend went
to Brownsville, and witnessed some of the same things that I did - no healings,
no deliverance, no miracles - just jerking, gyrating and falling down. He
did make one very interesting observation - he said he was watching the
crowd, and it seemed to be almost all young people that were heavily in
volved in the most physical displays of "whatever." The older
people seemed to be more reserved and watching to see what was happening.
REPORT DATE: 26 APRIL 1997. FROM: CATHY WOOD [NOTE: The following email,
by a woman who is prominently involved at Pensacola (a leading member of
their prayer ministry team), was publicly forwarded to us via Jim Wies'
PRO-PENSACOLA List. We publish it in it's entirety]: Hope these latest reports
from Brownsville thrill you as much as they do me! Sincerely. Jim Wies
From: Sister WOOD, Written to a friend about the Gott's visit to Brownsville.
Dear Cathleen,
You asked me what's up.. so.. here goes! The Gott's (Ken and Lois) from
Sunderland England are here..for conference at Brownsville. (Mrs. Kilpatrick
just got home from their church also...) Well... they seem to have an impartation
for intercession and going a bit deeper in the river...!!!
They prayed for the prayer team last night for about 45 min. before church.
It was such a strong anointing. The room was full of everyone of us behaving
as if elect.
Your name is prophetic -
there is a NEW ZEAL that will arise from the church
in New Zealand. This zeal for the Lord and His purposes will
help to bring conviction upon the worldwide body of Christ for her
Laodicean spirit of lukewarmness. Just as the call to the Laodicean
church was to "be zealous therefore and repent," your
zeal will help to show the way for the church to repent. Do
not confuse this zeal with mere human enthusiasm; true zeal is a deep
and focused commitment to the Lord and determination to do His will.
Your zeal will be a NEW zeal; there is a freshness to it
that will help to impart a zeal for the NEW things that
God is doing. The bride of Christ will be without spot or wrinkle.
That she is without spot speaks of her purity, having been
cleansed from sin. That she is without wrinkle speaks of her
perpetual youthfulness. The Lord is restoring this new zeal
to His church so that she might be restored to her youth and to her
first love, which is the essence of true zeal.
Christ Church, New Zealand is literally "the uttermost part
of the earth" as it is geographically the most distant (sic)
major city on earth from Jerusalem. {Actually, Gisborne and
Auck land seem technically closer to the mark - ed.} This
city has also been prophetically named; it will become a city that
is a church - it will be the Lord's. Though you may be the
city that was furtherest from the beginning of the church age, you
are the closest to the last great move of the Holy Spirit -
you will see the beginning of the movement that will close the church
age. For this reason, the Lord had you placed as
the first nation on the international dateline and
therefore the first nation to see the sun rise. You will
be the first to see the Son rise and the beginning of the day of the Lord.
Do not be disturbed by the onslaught of the enemy to thwart
this purpose, but when the enemy attacks you one way,
attack him ten ways. You need not fear the enemy; he should
fear you because the One who has all authority in heaven and earth
is on your side; that One now gives you the authority to take back
from the enemy all that he has stolen from you, and to spoil his camp
to release all that he has held captive in your land. The enemy
does not have the power to stop you; your faith and endurance alone
will determine the degree of you victory - do not stop
until your victory is complete.
It is time for you to cast down your fears and pick
up your swords. Do not dwell any longer on your
insecurity and feelings of unworthiness - dwell
on the Son and His greatness which can be revealed through you.
He delights in using the weak, the foolish and the small to
confound the strong, the wise in this world and the big.
Do not look at your weakness or your small size; look
at the Lord and His greatness that He will demonstrate through
you. You now have the authority to tear down the strongholds
of the enemy and to make New Zealand a fortress
of righteousness.
The native people in your land are called by the
Lord as a people of dignity and honor. The enemy
has made many inroads into their culture, but as
deep as he has sunk his roots into them, that is how deeply
the Lord can fill them with Himself. Esteem them, honor them and do
them justice because the Lord has called them. The saints who arise from
the native peoples of New Zealand will be pillars in the church and will
stand straight and tall when others would fall.
Rick Joyner has assured me that
he did not mean what I thought he meant in his article on the
coming Civil War in the church. However, despite my respect
for Rick, I believe that this issue surely has to be the most critical
that has faced the church in recent decades. Does God
really want the prophetic movement "taking sides"
in the coming conflict? And is this Civil War really a
good thing, or will it be the most colossal disaster that has
befallen the church in centuries? In New Zealand, God has given us
very strong prophetic warnings regarding this whole issue, and this is what
will be discussed in this article.
For at least ten years now, particularly in the American prophetic movement,
God has been warning of the great 'Civil War' that would soon
split and shake His church. A number of prophetic ministries
have been given dreams and visions likening this
coming great conflict in the church to the American Civil War of last century,
which was fought between the Union in the North (the Blues) and the
Confederacy in the South (the Grays). In these dreams
and visions of the coming war in the church, God has also likened
one side to the 'Grays' and one side to the Blues. Many prophets
have interpreted this to mean a conflict between those
who are distinctly 'head-knowledge'- oriented Christians, and
those who are distinctly 'Spirit'-oriented. (This
certainly seems a logical conclusion). No doubt there have always
been tensions between these two extremes in the church, but this time
it will be all-out war. However, God has also warned very strongly
that those who take part in this conflict will be excluded
from the great Revival that is to follow immediately after this colossal
'shaking'.
One very well-known vision, which was quoted by Rick Joyner
in his article, was given to Philip Elston several years ago. In it,
he saw Jesus standing with arms outstretched. Soldiers
in blue and gray uniforms were marching past Him on either side, and
were laying their bloody swords on His arms. The Lord resolutely looked
into the eyes of each one, saying, "NO-ONE WHO HAS THEIR BROTHER'S
BLOOD ON THEIR SWORD WILL BE USED TO BUILD MY HOUSE."
It is well-known around the
world that civil wars are usually the most bitter, destructive
and ugly conflicts that it is possible to have. Brother against brother,
fathers, cousins and countrymen consumed with murderous
enmity one against the other. What a nightmare! (As we have
seen recently in Rwanda and Bosnia). One thing I certainly do agree
with in Rick Joyner's article is his statement that: "This will, in
fact, be one of the most cruel battles the church has ever faced.
Like every civil war, it will cause brother to turn against brother
like we may have never witnessed in the church before...
What is coming will be dark. At times Christians almost universal
ly will be loath to even call themselves Christians. Believers
and unbelievers alike will think that it is the end of Chris
tianity as we know it, and it will be."
He then goes on to say that: "Through this the very definition
of Christianity will be changed, for the better." I am afraid
that, due to the strong prophetic warnings God has given us
in New Zealand, I simply cannot go along with that last statement.
However, I certainly do believe that we are headed
for a great splitting and shaking of the church (in fact,
I believe that this will be a form of JUDGMENT upon
today's Laodicean church). But I just cannot go along
with the idea that the prophetic movement is to actively participate
or "take sides" in this conflict, or that this
Civil War is some marvelous thing that we should all be looking
forward to in the church. The idea that we should join in with this
war, to try and drive the "Accuser of the brethren" out
of other Christian groups in this way, frankly strikes me as
being one of the most disastrous and ill-advised courses of action
that I have ever heard.
But what are we to think when we read things like: "...it
was time to straightforwardly warn the church, and to begin preparing
for this great war with the resolve to fight until there was a complete
victory. The definition of a complete victory in this war would be
the complete overthrow of the Accuser of the Brethren's strongholds
in the church... This battle must be fought.
It is an opportunity to drive the accuser out of the church..." (From 'Civil War in the Church', published
May, 1996).
I am afraid I simply cannot agree with any of this. Surely it is
obvious that all that would be accomplished by such
a brutal, all-out conflict is that the church would literally
tear itself apart? And aside from a whole raft of crushed
and damaged Christians, what would be the real fruit of
such a War? Before I go on to discuss what God has been showing
us here in NZ..
Significantly, [an] intercessor was given the strong impression
that the catalyst for this great rift was to be the 'Toronto
blessing' movement... Certainly, I have noticed
a far more "militant" mood amongst
the 'Spirit'- oriented believers since Toronto
has swept through the church. There seems to be a lot more talk
of aggressive mobilization and aggressive defense of the movement
against those who oppose it. This hardening of attitude has also coincided
with a similar hardening on the other side. Many of the 'conservative',
evangelical-type Christians seem to have been particularly appalled
by Toronto, and have become quite bitter in their opposition.
So we can see that conditions for a Civil War in the
church have indeed been greatly advanced by 'Toronto' (and I guess
by 'Pensacola' also, which is closely related). For to
have a civil war, it is ecessary for BOTH
SIDES to become quite "militant" in their
stance, one against the other...
If there is a Civil War in the church, I am convinced that those who
participate in it will have no part whatsoever in
the coming move of God. Surely it makes sense that God would give
all these visions of the coming Civil War as a WARNING, not
as some kind of invitation to participate in it!?
Frankly, I have to say that I have been very disappointed that
the American prophetic movement has seemingly advocated "taking
sides" in the coming conflict. To me, this seems the height
of irresponsibility, and it alarms me greatly. I have to say
also, that there are a number of factors associated with the prophetic
movement in America that have disturbed me for some years
now. I don't know how well my words will be taken over there, but I do believe
that these issues are important enough to risk raising them at this time.
Sometimes an outsider's view can be of value, but I do apologize in
advance for any offense caused by what I am about to say.
It seems to me that there are some very profound
differences between the way the prophetic movement is set up in America,
and the way it functions in other parts of the world.
In America, there seems to be a very strong perception
amongst friend and foe alike, that the prophetic movement there
is so closely aligned with one particular denomination that they might
almost be considered to be one movement. Surely this would have
to be seen as a very unhealthy state of affairs for
any truly 'prophetic' group. How on earth can your words
be taken as "impartial" when you are seen to
be so closely aligned with the views and teachings of one particular
stream or denomination? Is this what God really wants? I am by no
means part of the "Anti-Vineyard" brigade, but is
it really desirable to have a prophetic movement that is seen by many
to be more of a mouthpiece for the Vineyard movement than an impartial
mouthpiece for God? I am sorry if I am offending
you, but I frankly find it incredible that such
a movement could see this as an acceptable state of affairs.
And I also believe that, as always, there will be subtle pressure in such
a situation, not to be too critical or too analytical about some of
the teachings or practices that are associated with the 'related body'.
It is my belief that this unhealthy association with one particular
stream has already affected the way that some issues have been
examined by the American prophetic movement over the last few
years or so. Elsewhere in the world, this is not the case, and
other prophetic movements are free to analyze such issues without
any perceived bias one way or the other. But how can the same be said
of the American prophetic movement? As I said before, this apparent
partiality surely has to be seen as a most debilitating weakness in
any movement of this kind. Prophets are supposed to be beyond reproach in
the area of impartiali
ty. They are supposed to be the "eyes", the watchmen
of the church. Surely this can only be harmed when there is
a perceived bias in favour of one particular (controversial)
stream of teaching?
One thing that has struck me repeatedly about
the American prophetic scene is the seemingly never-ending
talk about the problem of 'legalism' and Pharisee-type religion in
the church... Surely we would have to be kidding ourselves if
we thought that this was the major problem facing the 'Laodicean'
church? I just cannot go along with the idea that it is
"the control spirit, the political spirit and the
religious spirit" that are largely responsible for
the sick and tepid state of today's lukewarm Christianity. This
is certainly not what the Bible says.
The Scriptures are very clear as to what the major problems of the
Laodicean church are: "... because you are lukewarm, and neither
cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth. Because you say, 'I
am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing'... BE
ZEALOUS THEREFORE, AND REPENT" (Rev
3:16-19).
To get back to our original theme of 'Civil War' once again,
a friend of mine who is a well-known prophet in Australia, was
given a very significant vision in 1995. In it, he saw
a giant army snaking through the jungle. At it's head was
the banner, "Joel's Army". Meanwhile, off in the jungle
by itself was a battalion. It stood, waiting. This battalion was in the
shape of a great square, and at it's head was a
banner: "Gideon's Army". It was much smaller
than the first. It seemed evident that Joel's Army was going to war,
but that Gideon's Army had yet to receive it's marching orders..
I have to say that I have been astonished that the
American prophetic movement has allowed itself to
become so closely identified in the minds of many Christians
around the world, with the 'Toronto' movement. I myself put this down
to the fact that their close association with the Vineyard clouded
their judgment, and meant that they did not look at this
movement as objectively or as analytically as they should
have. Speaking personally, having witnessed the 'Toronto'
manifestations for myself, and also as a Revival historian,
I have to say that this movement surely has to be the most dubious
that has arisen in the church for well over a century. Why on
earth would the American prophetic movement allow itself to
become so strongly identified with such a movement? The
only explanation is their close association with the Vineyard.
And so here we are, in the last days (the days of great deception
amongst Christians, of seducing spirits and "lying signs
and wonders" in the church), with the most
well-known prophetic movement in the world actually supporting a 'revival'
that is surely one of the most suspect and dubious spiritual movements
in history. Alarming, isn't it?..
Like the children of
Israel, I am convinced that today's church has been passing
through it's own wilderness of testing in recent times (just before the
'promised land' of true Revival). And like the Israelites,
I am convinced that only a "remnant" will eventually
make it through into the coming move of God. (This principle
is all the way through Scripture). It will be a "Gideon's Army"
(a remnant army), rather than a "Joel's Army" that will
bring in the great last-days harvest. This is clearly what God has
been speaking in the dreams and visions that we have discussed. And
it seems obvious from the Scriptures also.
I would just like to conclude this article by saying that it
has not been my intention here at all, to 'attack' the American prophetic
movement, but rather to warn and plead with them, to at least consider the
possibility that what I am saying is true. It is my belief that the
U.S. prophetic movement is now in far greater danger than it is probably
aware of, just like the many previous movements that have
found themselves in a similar
position down through history... For
again, let me repeat what Jesus Himself said in the vision:
"NOONE WHO HAS THEIR BROTHER'S BLOOD ON THEIR SWORD WILL
BE USED TO BUILD MY HOUSE." Amen.
______________________
[Please note that it was never stated in the above article that I
believed the U.S. prophetic movement to be officially joined
with the Vineyard. I was merely making the point that there were strong
ties generally between the Vineyard and the most wellknown and
widely recognized of the American prophetic movements.
This is absolutely common knowledge, and even the most cursory
look at the relationship between many prophetic ministries and the
Vineyard in the U.S. will confirm what I am saying. -A.S.]
From the Promise Keeper's
Website: Changes are taking place. Colorado Springs Men's
Conference moved the date to September 25-26 at World Arena, 8,900 capacity
which is expected to fill up. "The state- of- the- art
World Arena will be a great location for the 1998 'Live a Legacy'
conference in Colorado," said Tom Fort son, chief operating officer
of Promise Keepers. "This logistical adjustment also takes into account
weather considerations...
For the first time in Promise Keepers eight year history, registration...
is free. Based on the theme, "Live a Legacy: Make a
Difference in Your Lifetime", the conference sessions will challenge
and equip men to live effective Christian lives that impact their family,
church, friends, and community... Two hundred thousand
men have already taken part in Promise Keepers 1998
"Live a Legacy" conferences around the nation...
In 1990, Pastor James Ryle, a PK board member spoke at a conference
and gave a message entitled, The Sons of Thunder containing three
main points: 1) God wants the entire world to be evangelized
(John 3:16); 2) God wants us to become all things to
all men, that by all means men might be saved (1 Cor. 9:22);
and 3) God provides gifts to all of us through which we can reach
out to the lost. Pastor Ryle went on to elaborate on the third
point, stating that all gifts are a blessing from God,
doctors are gifted with healing, teachers with the ability
to communicate information, judges with wisdom, and musicians
with music, etc.
Pastor Ryle's message focused on the power of the gift of music. He
stated that music is a universal language and it speaks to the heart of
men like no other medium. All musicians have received the gift
of music from God, whether they are Christians or not.
Pastor Ryle used the Beatles as a stellar example of the power of music.
These musicians influenced an entire generation and people followed them
into drugs, sex, and eastern mysticism. Pastor Ryle asked his audience
to imagine the tremendous influence that the Beatles could have
had if they had been Christians, if they had used their gift
to glorify God and to impact His kingdom. In fact, this
message has led numerous musicians (including some prominent
secular names) to write to Pastor Ryle saying things like, "...at
last I know why I was born with the gift of music."
In his reference to the Beatles’ gift of music, Ryle referred
to that gift as an anointing; indicating only that the gift was from
God. Pastor Ryle regrets that his comment was misunderstood
by believers who thought that he was endorsing the
message and lifestyle of the Beatles. He only intended
to convey his under standing of the power of music and that
it is a gift from God. Pastor Ryle did not mean to imply
that he believed that the Beatles were used by God only
that their gift was from God and it could have been used for the glory
of God. (Taken from the
PK Website for research purposes.)
The following insight occurred
to me in August 1990 as a result of three dreams... Two men
walked from behind the curtain with sheet music in
their hands. They were very excited, and could hardly wait to
play this music. One said to the other, "Wait till they hear this.
Its going to be just like when the Beatles played their music!" In
the dream I also became excited. I turned to see the crowd that was
gathering at the stage and the scene changed before my eyes. The audience
became a vast body of water, like a lake, and as the musicians
played the new song I saw fishing lines cast out into the water.
The dream ended.
My waking thoughts were that God is about to release a new kind
of song in the streets. It will bring a revelation of the truth
and it will usher people into His presence. The anointing of the Lord
will be with musicians who have spent time in God's presence "behind
the curtain" receiving a deep love for the lost.
The lyrics of their songs will be as "fishing lines"
cast into the hearts of men and women needing Christ.
In the second dream, I was on the stage in a large church. There
was an equipment room on the right side of the stage.
It had microphones, cables, amplifiers and other kinds
of things that collect in closets. In one corner of the room I saw
a power amplifier covered with dust. The cord was wrapped about
it, and it had not been used for a long time. When I looked
closer I saw written on the front, "The Beatles Power Amp." I
knew in that moment that this box was the source of their
sound and their power. I knew that anyone could plug into
this box and, in effect, have what the Beatles had - an
incredible ability to mobilize masses of people to a single thing.
As I stood there holding the Beatles power amplifier, I asked aloud this
question, "What is this doing here in the Church's equipment
room?" Suddenly I was out of the equipment room and
standing behind the pulpit at this church, still holding the amp.
The enormous church, throughout the main floor and all about the
balcony, was packed with people from every nation. A very beautiful
woman, radiant with a glow of glory, stood in the middle of the church
and began singing a song from the Lord...
The people began to swoon in the presence of God and then collapse
in their seats -- converted to Christ! God's power was
moving through the music. The dream ended...
The dream changed once more. I was floating over a wide and long highway
that headed in one direction. All lanes were completely grid-locked,
jam packed with motorcycle gang members, revving
their engines and stirring up dust. It was a graphic picture of
lost humanity. Then I saw a group of bikers moving in single file along
the service road. They were headed for a field in
the distance where there was a monolithic stone. This stone,
I knew in the dream, represented the power of Christ and would
empower those who touched it to go back to the highway and turn masses
of lost people back to God. I looked closer at these motorcyclists
as the sped toward the Stone, and saw on their jackets the words "Sons
of Thunder." (Taken
from New Zealand Website, http:// crash. ihug .co.nz/~revival)
In the July/August, 1995 issue of New Man magazine a book review
appeared on The Star of 2000 by Jay Gary. New Man magazine
is endorsed by Promise Keepers, but it is written and published
by Strang Communications, a separate organization. As
with any general interest magazine, the views expressed
in New Man magazine are those of the author and not necessarily
the views of Promise Keepers. We do not exhaustively research
the background of every book or author that appears in New Man.
Promise Keepers must trust the discernment of the reviewer
to provide an accurate assessment of these books, and the discernment
of the reader as they seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit in
all that they read.
It is important to understand why New Man magazine
chose to review this book. It seems that the primary controversy
surrounding The Star of 2000 is not the actual content of the book,
but the author's purported association with Robert Muller, and
Mr.Muller's reported "New Age" agenda.
However, many Christian leaders have endorsed Gary's book
-- Bill Bright, Joe Aldrich, Ted Baehr, John Dawson, etc. Why? Because
The Star of 2000 does not present New Age philosophies within
its pages. Rather, it is an exhaustive study of the events being planned
for the year 2000 by various organizations -- Christian and non-Christian
-- and how Christians can work to make it a celebration for Christ.
The Star of 2000 effectively communicates several aspects that
are uniform among Christians: our love for Christ, our need to
honor Him, and our desire to make Him nown. Promise Keepers
is committed to preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, and we
will always reject ideas that violate the truth of the Scriptures.
We believe that New Age teachings are in conflict with traditional
Christianity and our Statement of Faith. (Statement
from the PK website, September 1998, for research purposes).