Are resurrections and miracles normative today?

Are resurrections and miracles normative today?

The resurrection of Lazarus was an anomaly, as miracles are...they are not normative, if they were normative we wouldn't call them miracles. ~H. Hanegraaff

Let me be very clear miracles still happen today. However healing and resurrection is the province of God, according to His will. We must understand God originally created mankind with with a free will to choose, and sadly mankind chose to sin. We could point the finger of blame to Adam and Eve, but the reality is self evident...we live in a sinful world, we all have partaken of the sin of Adam (there is none righteous, no not one. Romans 3:10). And because of sin, we are ever so aware that we live in a fallen world, bad things happen to good people, good things happen to bad people, good things happen to good people, and bad things happen to bad people…simply put, the rain falls on the just and the unjust.

Even Jesus (God in the flesh) said in John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

As we look at the Bible, eternal resurrection is mentioned in accordance to the Last Day or Jesus taking up His life (His own bodily resurrection) after His crucifixion and burial. There are also accounts of 'temporary resurrections' in the Old and New Testaments.

Old Testament

Widow of Zarephath's son

Shunamite's son

Man tossed into Elisha's tomb

New Testament

Widow of Nain's son

Lazarus

Tabitha also known as Dorcas

Eutychus

People that were raised upon Jesus' death

That being said, we can see that temporary resurrection miracles are not normative even in the Biblical record, and we also know that these people are not still alive today. Why? Because we live in a world with sickness, disease & death, and we all must face our own mortality, as did all of those people recorded in the Bible. However if we have a relationship with Jesus we can surely trust His promise of eternal resurrection on the Last Day.

Some say "miracles are normative", but in reality the evidence speaks otherwise. Many amazing men and women of God get sick or have gotten sick from the common cold, flu...etc.  Some Christians have diseases or are in remission, and many precious Christians have died from various diseases throughout the centuries. Some have even died in accidents, yet some live a long healthy life. However as we all well know, none of us escape death…eventually we all die of our last disease. But as Christians, we have the hope of resurrection and eternity spent with our Heavenly Father.

Here are just a couple of examples of sickness concerning the saints mentioned in the Bible.

Paul left Trophimus sick (and didn’t heal him) 2 Timothy 419-20 "Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. Erastus stayed in Corinth, but Trophimus I have left in Miletus sick."

Paul also had an illness according to (Galatians 4:12-14). Would we say Paul didn’t have enough faith to walk in divine health? No.

To say miracles are normative and physical healing was paid for at the cross, begs the question… why are some Christians not healed? (or even die for that matter).

There are a couple of possible answers to this way of thinking.

• One answer is, that God is not able to heal them (and we know that is not true).
• The second answer is that the person didn’t have enough faith to be healed (or their family members didn’t have enough faith). Another way to put it is; if you get sick or die, then you (or your family members) are the prime suspects for not being healed.

It is cruel and un-biblical to say “that a person who is sick (or died) didn’t have enough faith to be healed” or “that their family members didn’t have enough faith.” This excuse is convenient for the ‘word of faith teachers’ because it shifts the blame off of them and their faulty faith formulas. The 'word of faith teachers' and their devotees promise that if you apply the proper faith formula you are guaranteed health and wealth, and these claims over-promise and under-perform… Sadly many desperate & vulnerable people are left hurt emotionally and swindled out of thousands of dollars by this. And some will even blame God and not see the reality of the 'word of faith teachers' false promises, or worse- abandon their faith in Christ Jesus. This totally breaks my heart to see this kind of misuse of God’s Word, to make money off of vulnerable and desperate people. 

If you do some research on 'word of faith teachers' who have previously died, you will find many of them died of various diseases. Also some of today's 'word of faith teachers' like Bill Johnson (of Bethel church) wears glasses and has a son with a hearing disability. I am not being unsympathetic, but we might ask...why isn't their 'faith formula' working for them? As was well said about Lourdes grotto in France, "why is it that you can find piles of crutches and wheelchairs, but never a glass eye or a prosthetic limb?"

Some of the 'word of faith' teachers proclaim physical healing and atonement for sins were simultaneously paid for at the cross and you are guaranteed divine health in life 'now' if you believe hard enough. So now the question is; If a Christian does not get healed in this life… does that communicate that the person is not saved either? 

When Peter quotes Isaiah 53, from context it is clear the healing refers to spiritual healing… “He personally carried our sins in His body on the cross [willingly offering Himself on it, as on an altar of sacrifice], so that we might die to sin [becoming immune from the penalty and power of sin] and live for righteousness; for by His wounds you [who believe] have been healed. ~1 Peter 2:24 AMP

In conclusion...

That is why I believe only Jesus is the healer, He has not changed and the province of Healing is still in His hands. As He walked the earth, He proved He was YHWY (Yahweh, the God of Israel) revealed in the person and work of Jesus Christ. And Jesus is the only one who could have emerged through the doorway of the Old Testament prophets (and did). Only Jesus can lay down His life and take it up again. Jesus demonstrated He was the son of God, and He alone has the power over nature, death and life. 

Should we pray for one another? Absolutely Yes! And as we also must pray as Jesus prayed, not my will but Thy will be done. He may not give the answer we want or the answer to our why's... but we can surely trust Him in the midst of our wants and our why’s, as we look forward to when we are raised immortal incorruptible, and as all of creation groans and travails waiting for the restoration of all things.

You see, even though life has many trials, we should not look to blame God, but realize the condition of our sin-sick world and whatever evil befalls us, know that God can use it for good. Continually seek Jesus (the rescuer from our sin) knowing He has overcome the troubles of this world (ref. John 16:33). 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose Romans 8:28.

Should a modern day prophet be questioned or criticized?

If the prophet claims they only need to be right a percentage of the time, is it right to question them?

While it is true that we should not reject God’s prophets, that still leaves us with the responsibility to determine who God’s prophets really are. Not everybody who claims today to be a prophet of God can really be one, since they frequently contradict one another. If someone claims to be God’s prophet but teaches false doctrine or proclaims false prophecies, we have every right to reject them — in fact, we must reject them.

Some ‘prophets’ even say that prophecy is only accurate 10-20% of the time, (e.g. Mike Bickle & Bob Jones of the International House of Prayer-IHOP). Because they claim inaccuracy is ok, not only would logic tell us to test them, but the Bible also says to test them (1 Cor. 14:29; 1 Thess. 5:20-21)

In fact some have gone as far as discrediting the Old Testament Prophets, and when they do that and couple it with a 10-20% accuracy level, this opens door for any and every false prophet and false teacher. And ‘coincidentally’ this is exactly what Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses do to legitimize their false prophets, false teachers.

Other prophets will prophesy that if you criticize their prophetic gifting you will “miss God” or that “you are not to touch God’s anointed”. This premise is not only a twist of scripture, but it is very convenient to the false prophet... “Do not criticize me or you’ll miss God”. That is called playing the 'God Card'…in other words, don't question me because then you will be questioning God, and how could a Christian question God?

We need to be smarter than this, and use the discernment skills that God has given us.

We have the Bible… which is divine, (as opposed to being merely human in origin)... God has spoken, and these are His Words, and that the Bible is the only infallible repository of redemptive revelation. And If God has spoken to us divinely…what has God said? That of course is a question meant to focus our minds on learning to read the Bible for all its worth.  

We are called to rigorously test all things, especially if the prophets say we cannot question them, or they admit that they are not even close to being accurate.

“Internet Prophets?”

There are also ‘Internet Prophets’ out there, and they say you can partner with them for upwards of $1000 (no joke). But then say; “You are not buying a prophecy, you are honoring the Prophet. Then, as a valued Lifetime Partner, you are entitled to your (one-time) complimentary personal prophetic consultation”. 

The prophetic ministry doesn’t operate like a gumball machine. You can’t put in a quarter or ($1000)...send a text, e-mail, phone or Facebook message...and out comes a prophetic word. It just doesn’t work that way. The sad reality with the rise of the “Internet prophet” is that some actually have Google Ads promoting how you can get a personal prophecy (even every day). Others promise a prophetic word delivered to your e-mail inbox for the price of a tank of gas. Money in exchange for personal prophecy relegates the prophet to the domain of your local palm reader (who may even be more accurate than 20%).

They would be right in one respect, you are “not buying a prophecy for a $1000”, in reality you are buying into a money making scheme.

Gifts of the Holy Spirit are not for sale, it really is that simple (no matter how they word their disclaimer). Check out Simon the sorcerer (Acts 8), and the story of Gehazi (2 Kings 5).

I know not every prophet is false, but these days there seems to be more false ones than true prophets-who truly understand the office of the Prophetic today. Jesus told us in Matthew 24:11 “Then MANY false prophets will rise up and deceive MANY”. ~emphasis added (view in its context is v3-14) …And this is literally being fulfilled in our time.

We would do well to believe what Jesus told us. And be diligent to test the prophets so we are not one of the MANY who are deceived.

So what is the function of the charisma (gift) of prophecy?

Some look at the charisma of prophecy more like fortune telling...like they cannot hear from God unless they get a 'word' from the ‘anointed’ man or women of ‘power for the hour’…to the point where they don't make a move unless the prophet says so... running to and fro to every prophetic meeting hoping to get 'a word' and sometimes they hold the prophets ‘word’ higher than the Word of God, in fact some may even read their prophetic word more than their Bible, and this can prove to be a pitfall (even if the prophecy is accurate).

In reality, the charisma of prophecy does not impart some previously undisclosed doctrinal truth, nor does it carry the authority of new revelation. Each new manifestation is to be rigorously tested (1 Cor. 14:29; 1 Thess. 5:20-21).

What then is its function of prophecy today? While it may occasionally impart non-doctrinal knowledge of local significance (e.g., Acts 11:27-28), it primarily applies the already-revealed truth of Scripture to the church’s present situation for purposes of “edification and exhortation and consolation” (1 Cor. 14:3). Like all of the other gifts, it is a means of ministry, not new revelation.

I hope this is helpful, and may the Holy Spirit guide you into all truth. ~John 16:13


2 Peter 1:21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

Is it divisive to question the teachings of Bethel Church, Jesus Culture & Bill Johnson?

If it is divisive (and we could all probably see that it is divisive). The real question is; Why is it divisive?

• Is it because we are not supposed to question a Christian leader, no matter what they teach?
• Or is it because what is being taught by the leader is divisive by nature, because it erodes the foundations of Christianity?

First of all, know that my heart is a heart of love and rescue.

Also, I hope you take the time to consider what I am writing and open to hear what I have to say on this topic. This has been a difficult topic in our city and within college ministry. My wife and I have taken a very difficult stand, and our faith in Jesus Christ has grown so much as we have really started digging into His Word and spending time in prayer about this.

Just so you know...we attend a non-denominational church. And we believe in the baptism with the Holy Spirit as promised by Jesus Christ and witnessed on the day of Pentecost, and that it is open to all believers. (Acts 2:4, 4:30, 10:46, 19:6) And is evidenced by the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. (Eph 4:11, 1 Cor 12:8-11; Gal 5:22-23; Acts 2:4, Acts 10:46, 19:6; Eph 4:11; 1 Cor 12:8-11; Gal 5:22-23).

We also know God is a miracle working God… I have witnessed a friend of mine who was healed from being paralyzed from the shoulders down, and now he is walking with full function (to God be the glory). Yes, God used doctors. Most importantly my friend also began his relationship with Christ in the hospital and he also was a huge encouragement to others in the rehab while he was there...it was amazing. :)

That being said, we only want the real Jesus and the real work of the Holy Spirit…and His real miraculous works...which are Holy miracles (not fleshy miracles that point to men, rather than Christ).

The talent of Jesus Culture and my fondness of them.

There is no doubt that Jesus Culture is made up of very, very talented musicians (used to be one of my favorites) and I recognize that most of their songs are even theologically correct. And that is why it is so tricky. I found within myself, that I immediately accepted an entire church’s teaching based on musicians. “Their music is great…so yeah, Bethel’s teachings must be good too”…NOT. And I had come to realize that I was not “testing all things and holding fast to that which is good” ~(1Thes 5:21).

So, when we were at College ministry conference a while ago, they did a “prayer tunnel”,(it was not handled the same as a ‘Bethel fire tunnel’ seen in videos), but I thought it was a bit off…but didn’t really know why I had that spiritual check in my heart about it. Then God showed me as I was researching something else, that this ‘Fire Tunnel’ concept was a Bethel, Toronto Blessing, Brownsville revival…etc ‘thing’. And I was deeply disturbed and saddened by what I uncovered as I researched. And because I have such a love for youth (and all people) I saw these movements preying on young people (their target audience), to push their counterfeit revival and counterfeit holy spirit on them.

By the way, I did not  take anyone’s word for it regarding Bethel’s false teaching...I needed to do my own research (as you should do as well)...and my own research is from actual things Bethel puts out there (like videos of services at Bethel, Bill Johnson books and sermons, Kris Valotton's sermons, Beni Johnson's blogs and sermons, etc.). And if you read the Bible for all it’s worth, you will find that the teachings of Bethel are filled with new age mysticism. One does not even need to go to websites that bash them. Bethel (and the like) put it out there themselves.

What is the real issue with Bethel teachings? Are they biblical?

Although I thought these movements were/are weird (and the fact their strange practices are conspicuous by their absence in the life and ministry of Jesus and the Apostles)… I asked myself, “what was the real issue with them (are they biblical)?” … So I started reading Bill Johnson books and it became very clear why this stuff was weird…he practices the “false kenosis doctrine” which denies Jesus’s divinity and or says He laid aside His divinity (or some of His divine attributes, such as His omnipotence/power). This belief lowers Jesus and elevates man to a god-like status, (much like what is preached by the Word of Faith false teachers)…that you can be “little gods”… and this lie has literally been around since the garden, and when we look at human nature, it must be a very tempting lie if people are still swallowing it - hook, line and sinker.

The kenosis doctrine is very divisive by nature (which has proven to be true in our city, this has caused division between churches and between people in the same church). Bill Johnson basically is calling anyone who does not hold to his teaching - that they are of the anti-christ spirit or (anti-anointing spirit)…this is found in Chapter 7 of “When Heaven Invades Earth” ~(image attached at the bottom of page). This kenosis doctrine is rather new, starting in the mid 1800’s. So apparently all of historical Christianity up until that time has been of the anti-Christ spirit…And all those today who don’t follow Johnson’s heresy, are of the anti-christ spirit, and that teaching by nature is VERY DIVISIVE.

And anytime I have listened to a sermon of Johnson’s, he very often applies his own paradigms (philosophies and theoretical views) to the word of God. And we should not apply paradigms to the word of God, this opens the door for any and every false teaching. You will find good quotes and some truth in Bill Johnson’s teaching, but if you STUDY his Christology…he undoubtedly denies Jesus…And if he cannot get his Christology right, he has now burred/obliterated the line of demarcation between the Kingdom of Christ and the Kingdom of the Cults.

What is the correct historical doctrine of the divinity of Jesus?

The correct view and theology of Christ’s divinity is called the Hypostatic Union. And we believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ (FULLY God and FULLY man) - Colossians 2:9 For in Him (Jesus) dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (and many other verses that abound in scripture). And there is absolutely nothing wrong with the historical Christian view of Jesus's divinity. Jesus being both fully God and fully man is something we cannot comprehend on this side of eternity (and maybe not on the other side of eternity either :) )…we must bow our knee to the divine revelation of Jesus that we find in the whole of Scripture.  This is Christology 101.

Dr. Walter Martin (perhaps the most recognizable authority on the cults) defines a cult like this: “A cult, then, is a group of people polarized around someone’s interpretation of the Bible and is characterized by major deviations from orthodox Christianity relative to the cardinal doctrines of the Christian faith, particularly the fact that God became man in Jesus Christ.”  So whenever we see a group denying Jesus’ divinity…that is a huge red-flag.

Following Jesus, not man.

I strive to only follow Jesus and His written Word “the Holy Bible” (the only divinely inspired infallible Word of God) and honestly I have not read too many books by Christian authors, I believe ultimately this has been a good thing because it is easy to spot counterfeits when doing research. I respect and honor men of God who walk the walk and are encouraging examples of Christians in my life. But I don’t follow men or get stars in my eyes over ‘superstar Christians’, I follow Jesus Christ…no matter the cost.

Paul says "follow me as I follow Christ"… (but would you expect Paul would want us to follow him if he departed from Christ?) Bethel is part of the NAR (New Apostolic Reformation) movement, and this movement is steeped in false teaching, mysticism and scripture twisting. And by-and-large has departed from Jesus Christ. Many of them are into modern mysticism, catholic mystics, angel visitations, trips to heaven, phony unbiblical miracles (gems stones, feathers falling, gold tooth fillings & gold dust appearing on them or in their bibles, fake gold dust ‘glory clouds’, new age mystical prayer practices, awakening angels, prophetic tuning forks, grave soaking and leg growing tricks…btw, the leg growing trick has been used by hucksters for centuries)…(also remembering none of  these things are found in the life and ministry of Jesus and the Apostles).

And if you read Colossians 2 (in its entirety) you will notice a few things that are indicators that the NAR are some of the very people that it is talking about.  Col 2:6-10 6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in HIM, 7 rooted and built up in HIM, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. 9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.

See there are other spiritual forces that are rather enticing to Christians…hence the warning Paul gives.

Col 2:18-23 18 Don’t let anyone condemn you by insisting on pious self-denial or the worship of angels, saying they have had visions about these things. Their sinful minds have made them proud, 19 and they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body. For he holds the whole body together with its joints and ligaments, and it grows as God nourishes it. 20 You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, 21 “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”? 22 Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. 23 These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires.

The angel visitations, angel orbs, angel awakening, visions of trips to heaven, extreme pious self-denial practices done by Bethel, the Johnsons and the NAR movement is beyond the Bible, and if it’s beyond the Bible, it’s beyond Christianity. I remember another guy that was visited by an angel Moroni with a new revelation, his name is Joseph Smith and he started the Mormon cult. (One of the angels Beni Johnson contacted was named Channel* (Channel really? #newage). *I found this on Beni’s facebook page. You can also read her blog about awakening angels, by saying the magic words “wakey, wakey” (more like “flakey flakey”) (links at the bottom of this page).

We are accountable for what we teach.

If you are a Bible teacher you know we are doubly accountable for what we teach, and as the Bible clearly teaches none of us are above sharp disapproval or criticism.  I encourage you take this seriously,  and do some unbiased research into these movements… that prey on mostly young people and spiritually abuse them… with what looks more like new age eastern mysticism, shamanism and kundalini (repackaged for Christian consumption), rather than Christianity.

Also, I would never stand in agreement with Bill Johnson and Rick Joyner, who fast tracked Todd Bentley back into the pulpit… this is the Todd Bentley who cheated on his wife and left his family during his Lakeland revival, as well as claiming that the "Holy Spirit" told him to kick an ill elderly woman in the face with his biker boot. He said "Just as my boot made contact with her nose, she fell under the power of God. (Um NO! and that is just a couple of problematic  things from Todd Bentley)…The point is; it is plain to see that Bentley’s fruit is rotten, and apparently Bill Johnson & Rick Joyner have zero discernment…to restore Todd Bentley back into ministry. (Yes, Todd should be forgiven, but he should never have been in ministry to begin with, let alone restore him). This is the blind leading the blinder. And anyone who stands for (and with) Todd Bentley MUST be questioned. 

Charlatans among us.

2 Peter 2:1-3…they are false prophets among us, they secretly introduce destructive heresies (they don’t announce they are false), they deny the Lord Jesus who bought them, they draw attention to themselves rather than Jesus and exploit the flock. 

On the Darren Brown Show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuP5uOI7Xwc, Darren trained an unbelieving actor to be a faith healer and performed the same tricks on the street (like how street evangelists do it), with the same success. This is because signs and wonders don’t save you…the gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes (Romans 1:16) one must be born-again by the Spirit to be saved (John 3:1-5).

Check out the Marjoe Gortner documentary (made in 1972) https://archive.org/details/Marjoe.1972.Legendado ...he could really work the crowd; he was raised as a Pentecostal preacher who could pray in tongues and everything…and was the world’s youngest ordained minister (at age 4). He walked away from preaching, but later in life he decided to start preaching again… Marjoe once used sweat activated paint and painted a cross on his forehead and while he preached (very convincingly and charismatically)…the people were amazed as the cross showed up on his head and thought he was really anointed. However Marjoe was just a rather good showman, who could preach up a storm …but later he would mock the Christians back stage as he counted the money on camera to show how easy it is to fleece the flock, and impart the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Sadly many ministers today are still using gimmicks (false signs and wonders, just not on camera) and the people are still falling for it because they don’t want to be of accused of having no faith, what a sad truth :(. Mainly because they have the wrong view of faith to begin with. Some define faith as a force, and words are containers of that force and through the force of faith we can create our own reality – like conjuring up enough faith for health and wealth… (very ear tickling,  who doesn’t want to be healthy and wealthy?) 

However, biblical faith is a living trust between a person and their God, and our faith is only is as good as the object in whom it is placed. And when we place our faith in Jesus Christ...that is well placed faith.

Not all Charismatics are false teachers.

There are many God fearing ‘clear thinking Charismatics’ out there, and not all Charismatics are false teachers, but when one denies Jesus’ divinity and/or exploits the flock…basically when the bulk of their ministry is based on gimmicks, promoting  a counterfeit revival, selling prayer sessions and prophesy, and unbiblical signs & wonders…these are red flags! And as watchmen, we should take this seriously and take a closer look at what they are really teaching.

Yes, sometimes these teachers say things that are correct and Biblical, however many times they are taking verses out of context and imposing paradigms onto the biblical text. They sprinkle in enough truth (that people want to hear) to legitimize their lies and gain credibility to undermine the gospel. How else would they get Christians to buy into these repackaged new age mystical teachings? False teachers wear the finest sheep wool.

I try to keep things in balance, and I have learned that just because something is new or different doesn’t mean we have to throw it away. Also, just because we have always been around something, doesn’t mean it is correct either. That is why we must weigh everything carefully in light of Scripture.

As far as I can tell God is no respecter of person’s and there are no church leaders today whose authority cannot be questioned, or through whom new doctrinal revelations are given to the church, or whose teachings MUST be accepted by ALL Christians. I encourage everyone I teach to always test what I say, I am not their final authority and the moment I say “do not question me” or “God has given me this new foundational teaching” is the moment I am in error & have over stepped my bounds as a follower of Christ, while simultaneously losing humility (thinking I am more spiritually elite than other believers).

The Lord has dealt with me a great deal about following Him only, and not looking at Him through someone else’s lens (or reading the Bible through someone else's lens).

We really need to be watchful as the day of the Lord approaches, and we need believers to be exercising the gift of discerning spirits (one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit). ~1 Timothy 4:16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.  

Hope you understand our heart of love for people, and especially young people whom we have ministered to and invested in faithfully for over 13 years. :)

Jesus has shown Himself faithful and True…He is SO Good and SO Mighty and I am simply in Awe of Him! I love Him, and I love those He loves…more than ever!

May the Holy Spirit lead you into all truth & may God bless you all! :)

Here are some links to start your research.

Check out equip.org for some balanced apologetic teaching.

Beni Johnson blog about awaking angels

http://www.benij.org/blog.php?id=1

Video of Beni Johnson talking about her mystical experiences with angels and wakey wakey thing.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q25oPxQ7zH0

Beni Johnson post about an angel named ‘Channel’.

https://www.facebook.com/officialbenijohnson/posts/10151928328596982?_rdr

Disturbing spiritual impartation at Bethel (imparting false ‘holy’ spirit).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8t3-IW6TVw

Video of strange ‘false holy spirit’ manifestations at IHOP (related to Bethel)…(if these were my children being spiritually abused, I would be rather upset with IHOP and Mike Bickel).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=talcXe7fsYI

Bethel shares their platform with some suspect teachers (Heidi Baker); this video is at Bethel church and is rather disturbing to us, not just because she is giving the credit to the Holy Spirit for this manifestation, but because this guy needs help.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16H84rcaqyk

Fire tunnel Bethel version (imparting false holy spirit)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqGLJ0b5lh4

‘Glory/glitter cloud’ at Bethel (this not a biblical glory cloud).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvJMPccZR2Y

Todd Bentley describes assaulting people in the name of God. (very disturbing)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwZwf2-1WAM

Todd Bentley´s "restoration" with Rick Joyner & Bill Johnson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nzafj0ylRU
(side note: see how Bill Johnson defines repentance, that is not the biblical definition of repentance, it is Bill’s definition)

Bill Johnson’s Alabaster House audio. Clearly lowers Jesus, and further explains his heretical Christology.

http://mywordlikefire.com/2014/07/21/bethels-bill-johnson-jesus-was-so-empty-of-divine-capacity/

When heaven invades earth commentary

http://www.cicministry.org/commentary/issue124.htm

‘Kundalini Warning - Are false Spirits invading the church’ By Andrew Strom. This video is a bit ‘dramatic’ but he seems rather balanced as he is not against the gifts of the Holy Spirit. But he shows the connection of new age practices tied with Bethel, Toronto Blessing, Todd Bentley, IHOP…and the like.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHFt0YZBDQ0

Andrew Strom to release a Bethel focused video soon. here is the promo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wKPjf1mjb8

Definitions of the Kenosis doctrine

http://www.equip.org/perspectives/the-kenosis-of-christ-fully-god-and-fully-man/

https://carm.org/kenosis

https://bible.org/article/empty-god

http://www.theopedia.com/Kenosis

Chapter 7. When Heaven Invades Earth by Bill Johnson:

And on and on…..

“Eat the Meat and Spit Out the Bones”... is this a good way to view bad teaching?

Is it OK to tolerate false teaching as long as there is some good teaching in there too?

“Eat the Meat and Spit Out the Bones” is popular phrase used when people question a false teaching or an error. The phrase is a plea to allow the mixture of truth and error (good with the bad), just because some truth or good is present. Maybe it is feared that removing the bad would somehow stop the good… so the mixture of the two is encouraged (in other words, “don't throw the baby out with the bath water”).

The following scripture is often quoted to support this: 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21 Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. (Notice what is not quoted - the very next verse). 22  Abstain from every form of evil..

How are we to avoid evil if we are encouraged to accept the mixture? 

It is like taking a nice clean glass of water and adding a few drops of cyanide…Would you drink the water?

I suppose some people have never read: a little leaven leavens the whole lump (Gal. 5:9).

What to say when someone asks you what you think of gay marriage or transgenderism…

As Christians we should look at this not as a dividing line, but rather an opportunity to share our Jesus with people. And when you are asked the hard questions…we should be able to answer with love, compassion and honesty.

The person’s Question:

What are your thoughts on gay marriage?

Your response could look something like this:

"I would like to talk about the bigger issue here and that is sin and how to be forgiven. I wasn't always a Christian, I was once mastered by alcohol & drug addiction, I was a liar, I hated & was mean to people, I stole stuff, I had sex outside of marriage…etc, etc. And consequently I struggled with loneliness, depression, anger…etc. And realized my life was a "hot mess" of sin. One day I met Jesus and I turned my heart and mind to Him. I realized He has the best plans for me, (that don't include the "sins" that were hurting me and others). Jesus changed my life, and gives me the grace to overcome the sin that once mastered me. Now I choose to live for Him and help others know that they can be forgiven of their sin too.

So if you are asking me if homosexuality is a sin, I would say yes, as are many other sins that hurt us and others (check out Romans 1 & 2)...The good news is that Jesus loves you so much and that is precisely why He came to die for us, because sin carries a death penalty, and Jesus paid our death penalty ‘in full’ at the cross, so we could be forgiven...and be in relationship with Him now and for eternity. The same door is open to everyone (you), if you want that same forgiveness of sins, the choice is yours… to turn your heart and mind from choosing to sin, to choosing to follow Jesus for the rest of your life and accept His free gift of being rescued from your 'sin mess'.

John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

• Treat them with respect and try to understand them and their question.
• Share your testimony and how Jesus changed your life, present the bigger issue of how your sin hurt you and others around you.
• Remind them it isn't just about one particular sin, but all sin that separates us from God.
• Tell them Jesus loves them & came to die for them so they could be forgiven of their sin.
• Present the open invitation to turn their heart and mind from choosing to sin, and now choosing to follow Jesus for the rest of their life (being forgiven and free from being mastered by sin).

If they are interested in what you have to say, follow up with them...be a friend, invite them to go have coffee or lunch with you... :)

(I encourage you write it out your answer to these hard questions in your own words, to help you remember how to present your Jesus to a world that needs Him more than ever).

Why is the Deity of Jesus being redefined in the Church today? - kenosis

The misinterpretation of kenoo.

The kenosis doctrine teaches that Jesus set aside or laid down His divinity or some of His divine attributes. The verse this is taken from is Philippians 2:7; the words ‘of no reputation’ translated from the Greek are the word ‘kenoo’; meaning to ‘to empty’.

This doctrine is relatively new; its roots go back to roughly the mid to late 19th century (1800’s). However, just because something is new does not necessarily make it wrong, however when we weigh it in light of scripture (in the context it was intended), we can see if it measures up to the Word of God. We can also see if the fruit of the spirit present in new doctrines and movements (love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control - Galatians 5:22-23).

First of all, there is nothing wrong with holding to the historical view of the Person of Jesus and His Divinity and having a right relationship with Him. Secondly, the historical view of the Person of Jesus does not diminish Jesus’s power or the working of the gifts and fruit of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Christian... rather the Holy Spirit develops, grows and strengthens us in the gifts and fruit of the Holy Spirit. (By His power, not our own).

As humble servants & students of God’s word, we should read the Bible with wisdom & understanding and in its proper context. And speaking of Philippians 2:5-8; the misunderstanding is that the word ‘kenoo’, refers to an emptying of Christ’s Divine essence, his Divine abilities or divine attributes, which is not what the text is saying at all. Paul himself explains in what way Jesus "emptied" himself:

"Philippians 2:5-8 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.."

Paul shows us that the manner by which Christ emptied himself was by becoming a man and servant. What Paul was saying is that Jesus veiled His glory as a sign of His humility, He did not lay aside His Divinity or His Divine attributes. This can clearly be seen by how we should “let this mind be in you [us], which was also in Christ Jesus” (follow His example). That being said…we cannot lay aside Divine attributes (since we do not have them), nor are we called to lay aside our human attributes, or cease to be human, but we should follow Jesus in his humility and willingness to serve others, even those who in this world are considered to be lower than ourselves, in power or status. The Lord Jesus, set aside the honor, the prestige, the fame, and the glory that comes with being God.

To say that Jesus surrendered even one divine attribute is to say that Jesus is less than God, and therefore not God at all! See, if God is deprived of even one attribute, then He is not fully deity. If He is not fully deity, the blood was not fully divine, and then His atoning work at the cross would not be sufficient to atone for the sins of the world. And of course references to His deity abound in Scripture, here are a few (John 1:1; 20:28; Romans 9:5; Colossians. 2:9; Hebrews 13:8; Titus. 2:13; Hebrews 1:8).

What is the Hypostatic Union?

The correct doctrine is the Hypostatic Union--that Jesus is both FULLY God and FULLY man  (Colossians 2:9 For in Him [Jesus] dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.) and did not give up any divine attributes while as a man on earth.

As Christians we must know that there is nothing wrong with testing a doctrine to see if it is from God (1 Thessalonians 5:21 Test all things; hold fast what is good). So please test my research on Philippians 2:5-8. And having tested the doctrine of kenosis in context of scripture, I cannot find any verses that say Jesus laid down any part of His divinity or any attribute of His divinity. 

We remember the denial of Jesus's divinity (in one form or another) has been around since the days Jesus walked the earth over 2000 years ago. 

Where does the kenosis doctrine lead its followers?

The kenosis doctrine leads it’s followers to a less powerful Jesus and a more powerful man, and some in the Word of Faith and New Apostolic Reformation movements even proclaim that they are “little gods”. This is the same lie that has been around since the garden (Genesis 3:5)…and it is a very tempting lie, otherwise it still would not be out there in its many forms, and in many religions from Hinduism to Mormonism. And sadly our human nature is still lured in by this lie.

The reason kenosis doctrine may be accepted is because some may think that if Jesus was all-powerful (omnipotent) Fully God and Fully man... somehow that takes away their ability to do miracles, sign and wonders?  I would ask; when has it been ‘our power’ to perform miracles? I would much rather rely on the historical biblical view of Jesus being Fully God and Fully man, and it is Jesus who is all-powerful. Jesus clearly teaches to follow Him, and not the signs (“a wicked generation seeks a sign” Mat 16:4; Mat 12:39; Luk 11:29; John 2:18-25, 3:1-8; John 6…etc). Mark 16:17 says "The signs shall follow them that believe" (the relationship with Jesus is always emphasized first.) 

We should not be opposed to the miraculous works that God can and will do, however the difference is; His miracles are Holy miracles and they can confirmed by the Scripture.

The church seems to be increasing its acceptance of New Age mystical practices and worldly behavior. Some leaders in the church have not been watchmen and have neglected the gift of ‘discernment of spirits’, which has allowed what looks strangely similar to the ‘kundalini awakening’ found in Hinduism to be re-packaged for Christian consumption.

The following links show the counterfeit un-holy spirit that has invaded the Church.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHFt0YZBDQ0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=talcXe7fsYI

One of the fruit of the Spirit is self-control, where do we see this in these movements? These practices unfortunately deceive people and open them up to strange un-biblical manifestations accredited to the Holy Spirit, however in reality it is a counterfeit holy spirit (and we know Satan is the master counterfeiter, as he and his ministers appear as angels of light. - 2 Corinthians 11:14:15). Jesus and His disciples are never recorded as doing or being a part of this kind of un-biblical behavior (unless they were casting out demonic spirits).

If these were my children as seen in these video links that were drawn in by these counterfeit movements and their manifestations, I would be heart broken and very angry (and rightfully so). The people manifesting in these videos need help and deliverance from the demonic spirits they have opened themselves up to. 

The leaders in these videos teach the kenosis doctrine, and you can find this information rather easily in their own books and sermons.  

I was hoping none of this was true, but the more I researched, the more I found that it was true. And the more my heart broke for the people who are being misled.

Conclusion

I am a believer in the baptism with the Holy Spirit as on the day of Pentecost, and as a promise for all believers (Acts 2:4, 4:30, 10:46, 19:6); and in the continuing ministry of the Holy Spirit as evidenced in gifts, ministries, and fruit of the Spirit. (Eph 4:11, 1 Cor 12:8-11; Gal 5:22-23; Acts 2:4, Acts 10:46, 19:6; Eph 4:11; 1 Cor 12:8-11; Gal 5:22-23).

And for those of us who label ourselves Charismatic…it does not mean we have to believe every ‘Charis-mania wind of doctrine' that comes our way, so we can attain some elite spirituality. God does not play favorites, just as we should not play favorites...but rather be as humble servants, as He came as a humble servant (Philippians 2:5-8). Knowing that our identity is found in Christ, that “you [we] are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy." 1 Peter 2:9-10 (Eph 2:4-7; Acts 10:34)