Oprah and Friends" To Teach Course on New Age Christ by Warren Smith
sureword | March 29, 2008 11:36
Oprah Winfrey will be letting out all the stops on her XM Satellite Radio program this coming year. Beginning January 1, 2008, “Oprah & Friends” will offer a year-long course on the New Age teachings of A Course in Miracles.1 A lesson a day throughout the year will completely cover the 365 lessons from the Course in Miracles “Workbook.” For example, Lesson #29 asks you to go through your day affirming that “God is in everything I see.”2 Lesson #61 tells each person to repeat the affirmation “I am the light of the world.”3 Lesson #70 teaches the student to say and believe “My salvation comes from me.”4 By the end of the year, “Oprah & Friends” listeners will have completed all of the lessons laid out in the Course in Miracles Workbook. Those who finish the Course will have a wholly redefined spiritual mindset—a New Age worldview that includes the belief that there is no sin, no evil, no devil, and that God is “in” everyone and everything. A Course in Miracles teaches its students to rethink everything they believe about God and life. The Course Workbook bluntly states: “This is a course in mind training”5 and is dedicated to “thought reversal.”6Teaching A Course in Miracles will be Oprah’s longtime friend and special XM Satellite Radio reporter Marianne Williamson—who also happens to be one of today’s premier New Age leaders. She and Conversations with God author Neale Donald Walsch co-founded the American Renaissance Alliance in 1997, that later became the Global Renaissance Alliance of New Age leaders, that changed its name again in 2005 to the Peace Alliance. This Peace Alliance seeks to usher in an era of global peace founded on the principles of a New Age/New Spirituality that they are now referring to as a “civil rights movement for the soul.”7 They all agree that the principles of this New Age/New Spirituality are clearly articulated in A Course in Miracles—which is fast becoming the New Age Bible. So what is A Course in Miracles and what does it teach?A Course in Miracles is allegedly “new revelation” from “Jesus” to help humanity work through these troubled times. This “Jesus”—who bears no doctrinal resemblance to the Bible’s Jesus Christ—began delivering his channeled teachings in 1965 to a Columbia University Professor of Medical Psychology by the name of Helen Schucman. One day Schucman heard an “inner voice” stating, “This is a course in miracles. Please take notes.”8 For seven years she diligently took spiritual dictation from this inner voice that described himself as “Jesus.” A Course in Miracles was quietly published in 1975 by the Foundation for Inner Peace. For many years “the Course” was an underground cult classic for New Age seekers who studied “the Course” individually, with friends, or in small study groups.
As a former New Age follower and devoted student of A Course in Miracles, I eventually discovered that the Course in Miracles was—in reality—the truth of the Bible turned upside down. Not having a true understanding of the Bible at the time of my involvement, I was led to believe that A Course in Miracles was “a gift form God” to help everyone understand the “real” meaning of the Bible and to help bring peace to the world. Little did I know that the New Age “Christ” and the New Age teachings of A Course in Miracles were everything the real Jesus Christ warned us to watch out for. In Matthew 24 Jesus warned about false teachers, false teachings and the false “Christs” who would pretend to be Him.
When I left the New Age “Christ” to follow the Bible’s Jesus Christ, I had come to understand that the “Jesus” of A Course in Miracles was a false “Christ,” and that his Course in Miracles was dangerously deceptive. Here are some quotes from the “Jesus” of A Course in Miracles:
- “There is no sin. . . “9
- A “slain Christ has no meaning.”10
- “The journey to the cross should be the last ‘useless journey.’”11
- “Do not make the pathetic error of ‘clinging to the old rugged cross.’”12
- “The Name of Jesus Christ as such is but a symbol. . . . It is a symbol that is safely used as a replacement for the many names of all the gods to which you pray.”13
- “God is in everything I see.”14
- “The recognition of God is the recognition of yourself.”15
- “The oneness of the Creator and the creation is your wholeness, your sanity and your limitless power.”16
- “The Atonement is the final lesson he [man] need learn, for it teaches him that, never having sinned, he has no need of salvation.”17
Most Christians recognize that these teachings are the opposite of what the Bible teaches. In the Bible, Jesus Christ’s atoning death on the cross of Calvary was hardly a “useless journey.” His triumph on the cross provides salvation to all those who confess their sin, accept Him and follow Him as their Lord and Saviour. His victory on the cross rings throughout the New Testament. It has been gloriously sung about in beloved hymns through the ages and is at the heart of our Christian testimony. I found the Jesus of the Bible to be wholly believable as He taught God’s truth and warned about the spiritual deception that would come in His name. The “Jesus” of A Course in Miracles reveals himself to be an imposter when he blasphemes the true Jesus Christ by saying that a “slain Christ has no meaning” and that we are all “God” and that we are all “Christ.” It was by reading the Bible’s true teachings of Jesus Christ that I came to understand how deceived I had been by A Course in Miracles and my other New Age teachings.I was introduced to A Course in Miracles by Dr. Gerald Jampolsky’s book Love is Letting Go of Fear. Jampolsky declared in his easy-to-read book how the teachings of A Course in Miracles had changed his life. As an ambassador for A Course in Miracles over the years, Jampolsky has been featured not only in New Age circles but at least twice on Robert Schuller’s Hour of Power. While Schuller introduced Jampolsky and his “fabulous”18 Course in Miracles-based books to his worldwide television audience, it was Marianne Williamson’s appearance on a 1992 Oprah Winfrey Show that really shook the rafters.On that program, Oprah enthusiastically endorsed Williamson’s book, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles. Oprah told her television audience that Williamson’s book about A Course in Miracles was one of her favorite books, and that she had already bought a thousand copies and would be handing them out to everyone in her studio audience. Oprah’s endorsement skyrocketed Williamson’s book about A Course in Miracles to the top of the New York Times bestseller list. Ironically, all of this was happening after I had left the Course and the New Age. In fact, I was doing the final editing on my book The Light That Was Dark that warned about the dangers of the New Age—and in particular A Course in Miracles.
After being introduced to the world on Oprah, Marianne Williamson has continued to grow in popularity and, as previously mentioned, has become one of today’s foremost New Age leaders. Williamson credits Winfrey for bringing her book about A Course in Miracles before the world: “For that, my deepest thanks to Oprah Winfrey. Her enthusiasm and generosity have given the book, and me, an audience we would never otherwise have had.”19 In her 2004 book, The Gift of Change, Williamson wrote: “Twenty years ago, I saw the guidance of the Course as key to changing one’s personal life; today, I see its guidance as key to changing the world. More than anything else, I see how deeply the two are connected.”20
Thus the New Age teachings of A Course in Miracles are about to be taught by Marianne Williamson to millions of listeners on Oprah’s XM Satellite Radio program. Listeners are encouraged to buy A Course in Miracles for the year-long course. An audio version of A Course in Miracles recited by Richard (John Boy Walton) Thomas is also available on compact disc. Popular author Wayne Dyer told his PBS television audience that the “brilliant writing” of A Course in Miracles would produce more peace in the world.21 Williamson’s New Age colleague, Neale Donald Walsch, said his “God” stated that “the era of the Single Saviour is over”22 and that he (“God”) was responsible for authoring the teachings of A Course in Miracles.23 Meanwhile, Gerald Jampolsky’s Course in Miracles-based book, Forgiveness, continues to be sold in Robert Schuller’s Crystal Cathedral bookstore as Schuller prepares to host a January 17-19, 2008, “Rethink Conference” at his Crystal Cathedral.24
At this critical time in the history of the world, the New Gospel/New Spirituality is coming right at the world and the church with its New Age teachings and its New Age Peace Plan. But this New Age Peace Plan has at its deceptive core the bottom-line teaching from A Course in Miracles that “we are all one” because God is “in” everyone and everything. But the Bible is clear that we are not God (Ezekiel 28:2; Hosea 11:9). And per Galatians 3:26-28, our only oneness is in Jesus Christ—not in ourselves as “God” and “Christ.” What Oprah and Marianne Williamson and the world will learn one day is that humanity’s only real and lasting peace is with the true Jesus Christ who is described and quoted in the Holy Bible (Romans 5:1).
Oprah Winfrey’s misplaced faith in Marianne Williamson and the New Age teachings of A Course in Miracles is a sure sign of the times. But an even surer sign of the times is that most Christians are not taking heed to what is happening in the world and in the church. We are not contending for the faith as the Bible admonishes us to do (Jude 3). It is time for all of our Purpose-Driven and Emerging church pastors to address the real issue of the day. Our true Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is being reinvented, redefined, and blasphemed right in front of our eyes and hardly anyone seems to notice or care. If we want the world to know who Jesus Christ is, we need to also warn them about who He is not. There is a false New Age “Christ” making huge inroads into the world and into the church. The Apostle Paul said that “it is a shame” we have to even talk about these things, but talk about them we must (Ephesians 5:12-16).
If people want to follow Oprah Winfrey and the New Age “Christ” of A Course in Miracles they certainly have that right. But let them be warned that the New Age “Christ” they are following is not the same Jesus Christ who is so clearly and authoritatively presented in the pages of the Bible.
Warren Smith is a former New Age follower who at one time was deeply involved in the New Age teachings of A Course in Miracles. He is the author of The Light That Was Dark: From the New Age to Amazing Grace and Deceived on Purpose: The New Age Implications of the Purpose-Driven Church. His book Reinventing Jesus Christ: The New Gospel is available free online at www.reinventingjesuschrist.com
Endnotes:
1. http://marianne.com/book/index/htm
2. A Course in Miracles: Combined Volume (Glen Ellen, California: Foundation for Inner Peace, 1975), (Workbook), p. 45.
3. Ibid., p. 102.
4. Ibid., p. 119.
5. Ibid., (Text), p. 16.
6. Ibid., (Preface), p. ix.
7. Neale Donald Walsch, Tomorrow’s God: Our Greatest Spiritual Challenge (New York: Atria Books, Simon & Schuster, 2004), pp. 262-263.
8. Robert Skutch, Journey Without Distance: The Story behind “A Course in Miracles” (Berkeley, California: Celestial Arts, 1984), p. 54.
9. A Course in Miracles: Combined Volume, (Workbook), p. 183.
10. Ibid., (Text), p. 425.
11. Ibid., p. 52.
12. Ibid.
13. Ibid., (Teachers Manual), p. 58.
14. Ibid., (Workbook), p. 45.
15. Ibid., (Text), p. 147.
16. Ibid., p. 125.
17. Ibid., p. 237.
18. http://www.hourofpower.org/interviews/interviews_detail.cfm?ArticleID=3079
19. Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles A Course in Miracles (New York: Harper Perennial, 1996), p. ix.
20. Marianne Williamson, The Gift Of Change: Spiritual Guidance for a Radically New Life (San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 2004), p. 5.
21. Wayne Dyer, “There’s a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem,” Public Broadcasting System broadcast in 2001.
22. Neale Donald Walsch, The New Revelations: A Conversation with God (New York: Atria Books, 2002), p. 157.
23. Neale Donald Walsch, Conversations with God: an uncommon dialogue, Book 1 (New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1996), p. 90.
24. http://www.rethinkconference.com (See also WorldNetDaily.com 10/30/07 “What is Robert Schuller ‘rethinking’?” by Joseph Farah and “Rethinking Robert Schuller” by Warren Smith. See also Herescope: "Rethinking Culture" and "Rethinking and Reinventing" (10/30/07)
The “Jesus” of the Cults by Ron Carlson and Jason Carlson
sureword | December 04, 2007 15:56
In Matthew chapter 24, Jesus’ disciples came to him and asked, “Tell us, when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” In responding to this question, it’s very interesting what Jesus identified as the foremost sign of his second coming and of the end of the age, “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.” Today we are seeing the fulfillment of this warning sign as never before. Our world is literally flooded with false “christs” and false messiahs. It is estimated that there are over 1,000 cults in America alone with some 25-30 million followers! And each of these false cults promotes their own man-made version of “Jesus Christ” who is not the Jesus of the Bible. So, who is the “Jesus” of the cults? Jehovah’s Witnesses say that Jesus is actually Michael, the Archangel. He was the first creation of God. He came to Earth as a man, died on a stake, and rose from the grave invisibly as a spirit. Jesus then returned invisibly to Brooklyn, N.Y. in 1914 to head-up the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. Mormons (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) teach that Jesus is the spirit brother of Satan. He was once a human being like you and I, but through good works he evolved spiritually to become a god. However, Jesus is just one god amongst a pantheon of gods, all of who were once human and evolved to become gods themselves. Jesus was born to Mary through physical incest when his father god had sexual relations with her. And Mormons teach that the blood and cross of Christ is foolishness and cannot fully atone for our sins (ever notice how there’s no cross on any Mormon church or temple?). Christian Science and Mary Baker Eddy say that Jesus was only a man and that Christ is a Divine idea. Furthermore, Jesus never did any supernatural miracles; he simply showed people their mental illusions of sin, evil, illness and disease. Christian Science says that Jesus did not die and his resurrection was only in a spiritual sense. Sun Myung Moon (the Korean messiah) claims that Jesus was a man who failed his divine mission and he, Rev. Moon, is the second coming of Christ to unite the world under the banner of the Unification Church. The Bahai say that Jesus is only one of nine great world manifestations; he is not a unique path to salvation and all religions are basically the same. Unitarians believe that Jesus was a good man who was mistakenly deified by his followers. Freemasonry teaches that Jesus was only a moral teacher. He was no better than Buddha, Confucius, Moses or Mohammed. They deny that Jesus was the light of the world and claim that Freemasonry is the true light of humanity. Scientology and L. Ron Hubbard claim that Jesus is a false dream. Spiritists say that Jesus is an advanced medium in the 6th sphere of the astrological projection (wherever that is?). Unity teaches that Jesus is a man who perfected a divine idea. Rosicrucians claim that Jesus is a manifestation of cosmic consciousness. Maharishi and Transcendental Meditation says that Jesus was an enlightened guru who never suffered or died for anyone. The more you study the false cults, the more you realize that the “Jesus” of the cults is not the Jesus of the Bible. All of the cults promote their own false, man-made versions of Jesus Christ; they are counterfeits and cannot save anyone. So, who is the real Jesus? In John 1:1 we read, “In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” A few verses later in John 1:14 we learn, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” In Colossians 1:15 Paul tells us that Jesus “is the visible image of the invisible God...” In Colossians 2:9 Paul says, “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form…” The real Jesus is the one true God of all creation. He is the second person of the eternal Triune Godhead. He loves us so much that He broke into human history and split history into B.C. and A.D. to personally reveal Himself to us. The Bible says that Jesus came to “seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10; John 3:16-17; Ephesians 2:8-9). And as Acts 4:12 declares, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Have you put your faith in the real Jesus Christ?
Christian Ministries International
http://www.christianministriesintl.org |
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Is it always God’s will to heal someone?
sureword | November 21, 2007 10:43
How can God choose not to heal someone when He already purchased their healing? Was His blood enough for all sin, or just certain sins? Were the stripes He bore only for certain illnesses, or certain seasons of time? When He bore stripes in His body He made a payment for our miracle. He already decided to heal. You can't decide not to buy something after you've already bought it.
There are no deficiencies on His end - neither the covenant is deficient, nor His compassion or promises. All lack is on our end of the equation. The only time someone wasn't healed in the Bible (gospels) when the disciples prayed for them was with the tormented child (Mark 9). Jesus then came a brought healing/deliverance to the child. Jesus Christ is perfect theology - He is the will of God. We can't lower the standard of scripture to our level of experience . . . or in most cases, inexperience. It's a very uncomfortable realization - not everyone can handle it. Most create doctrine that you can't find in the person of Jesus. He is the will of God.
How do we fix the problem?
1. Realize it's not God's fault.
2. Learn from others who see miracles. Have them pray for you. If you don't know people who see miracles, find them. Books will help, if the author has a miracle lifestyle. (Don't try to learn from those who only have the theory of miracles.)
3. Do what Jesus told His disciples to do when He addressed the problem - pray and fast (not just for a specific problem, but for a lifestyle anointing.)
4. Take risk - pray for people (NOT - "if it be thy will" kind of prayer. In the thousands of people I've seen healed, I've never seen anyone healed from that kind of prayer.)
5. It's hard to hurt someone's faith by praying for a miracle. Not praying for a miracle gives them no chance for increased faith. That is what hurts faith. The real goal is to show people God's love. And faith grows in the display of God's love. His love is seen when we show compassion and display God's power.
6. When God heals people, give Him thanks and praise. Learn from it so it will happen again.
7. If someone isn't healed, realize the problem isn't God, and seek Him for direction as well as personal breakthrough (greater anointing for consistency in healing). Also, don't take it personal. There are other factors involved besides great faith. That is only one element in the equation. Just learn to do your best to be faithful to His gospel, and honor Him for the results. It's also not wise to blame the person who is sick.
8. There's a difference between a miracle and healing. Miracles happen in an instant and healing happens over time. It is important to recognize the progress of what God is doing in a person's body and give thanks, because healing increases in an atmosphere of thankfulness.
http://www.bjm.org/?page=thoughts&id=2
How do I come into a lifestyle of miracles?
sureword | November 21, 2007 10:37
We have the privilege of rediscovering God’s original purpose for His people. We who long for this must pursue Him with reckless abandon. The following is a list of things to do to help make your pursuit practical:
1. Prayer—be specific, and be relentless in praying for miracles in every part of your life. Bring the promises of God before Him in your pursuit. He hasn’t forgotten what He has said and does not need our reminder. However, He enjoys seeing us standing on His covenant when we pray. Prayer with fasting is to be an integral part of this quest, as He revealed this to be an important way to get a breakthrough. I even pray for specific diseases for which I’ not seeing a breakthrough.
2. Study—the most obvious place for study is in the scriptures. Spend months reading and rereading the Gospels. Look for models to follow. Look especially at all references to the Kingdom, and ask God to open the mysteries of the Kingdom to you. The right to understand such things belongs to the saints who are willing to obey. Another great place for study is to find all references to “reformation,” those periods of transformation that Israel went through under different leaders (revivalist) in the scriptures. Good places to begin are with David, Hezekiah, Ezra, and Nehemiah. Their lives become prophetic messages for us. All true study is driven by hunger. If you don’t have questions, you won’t recognize the answers.
3. Read—Find the books that have been written by the generals of God’s army—those who truly do the stuff. There is a great storehouse of information for those willing to pursue. Don’t forget the leaders of the great healing revival of the 1950s. God’s Generals, by Roberts Liardon, is a great place to start.
If you’re afraid of reading about those who later fell into sin and deception (some of these people ended in disaster), stay away from Gideon, Samson, Solomon’s Proverbs, and the Song of Solomon. The author of those books also ended in tragedy. We must learn to eat the meat and throw out the bones.
4. Laying on of hands—Pursue the men and women of God who carry an anointing in their lives for the miraculous. Such an anointing can be transferred to others through the laying on of hands. Occasionally there are ministry times when such an individual is willing to pray for those who desire an increase of anointing. I have traveled extensively in pursuit of MORE.
5. Associations—King David was known for killing Goliah in His youth. Yet there are at least four other giants killed in Scripture—all killed by the men who followed David, the giant killer. If you want to kill giants, hang around a giant killer. It rubs off.
Grace is that which enables us to live in the Kingdom, and in part it is received by how we respond to the gifts of Christ: Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. We actually receive the grace to function from these gifts. If you hang around an evangelist, you will think evangelistically. The same happens when we associate with those who regularly experience signs and wonders in their lives.
6. Obedience—No matter how much preparation is done to increase the anointing for miracles in a life, it never comes to fruition without radical obedience. I must look for the sick and tormented in order to pray for them. And if they are healed, I give God the praise. If they aren’t, I still give God the praise, and continue to look for people to pray for. I learned a long time ago that more people are healed when you pray for more people! Until we act on what we know, our knowledge is nothing more than a theory. Real learning comes through doing.
(From Bill Johnson’s first book, When Heaven Invades Earth. Pages: 102-103. Used with permission from Destiny Publishers)
How to stop the seducing spirit from stealing your future.
sureword | October 26, 2007 19:04
DESTINY THIEVES: By Sandie Freed
As the care pastor followed me to my office, I prepared my heart and my mind to hear the results of another evil assignment. Once again I bowed my head as I was informed that one of our leaders had forsaken the “call” and had chosen to leave the ministry and backslide into an old lifestyle. He and his wife had returned to their spiritual Egypt, deciding it was too difficult to live for the Lord. My heart sank.
My husband and I had been senior pastors for years. Our ability to survive and remain in the Christian race consisted of continual re-commitments and renewed decisions to “lock back in” to fulfill destiny. The battle with the accuser of the brethren had been relentless. It seemed as if we could barely catch our breath from a previous onslaught before another “air raid” targeted us.
Once again, I began crying out, begging God for an answer. “Why, God, why? What is happening to our leaders? They are constantly being attacked and they quit. Just when they are on the verge of breakthrough, they give up!”
The Lord answered with an astounding vision. I saw a strong seducing spirit, in the form of a thief. This thief was successfully stealing God’s people, seductively drawing them away from their position and inheritance. First, he would seduce them into believing the lie that they didn’t belong, that they didn’t “fit” any longer. As a result, each of them would separate from the Church body. Once he had them alone, unprotected and vulnerable, he would strip them of their power and authority, stealing their destiny. Before the enemy convinced them to exit, we would notice such complaints as, “I can’t find my place in the body” or “No one cares about me in this church.” Even though we made many attempts at contact and tried every possible way to prove our love and concern, it was never enough.
The seducing spirit in the vision was in the form of a type of Jezebel, the “painted lady” in the Scriptures who dressed seductively, murdered the prophets and threatened to destroy Elijah (1 Kings 18-19, 2 Kings 9:30). In the vision her countenance changed from a seductive-type person into a thief or bandit-type character. A third time, the countenance transformed into a person plagued with uncleanness and defilement. The spirit had no gender.
Our church was not experiencing an isolated attack; this was the enemy’s strategy against every ministry that made an impact in the spirit realm! In the vision it was clear that the result of this demonically-inspired attack was the seduction and apostasy of godly leaders and saints. The spirit of deception was so overpowering that it was deceiving the elect! Saints who had tremendous calls of God upon their lives were being attacked and seduced. The enemy had convinced them that it was just “too hard” to remain in the race. Since we are all called to be leaders and servants in the Kingdom, this vision affects the entire Body of Christ.
The Lord spoke clearly that He was taking me on a journey to understand how the seducing spirit works through the Accuser of the Brethren, the Amalekite stronghold, the spirits of Jezebel and Belial, along with unclean and religious spirits. One sure thing I have realized is that we must continually be determined for destiny or seducing spirits will ensnare us. I have desired to quit the ministry more times than I care to mention. However, God has been faithful to bring breakthrough after breakthrough. His divine ability delivers from ALL oppression of my enemy and there is nothing too difficult for Him (Jeremiah 32:17).
Satan’s voice is very seductive and many times his voice is familiar because we spend too much time listening to him! The Scripture states that Satan is transformed as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). Light is symbolic of truth. Therefore, Satan’s words sometimes sound like truth. If we are not properly trained to discern the Father’s voice, we can be deceived. Spending intimate time with the Father guarantees levels of accuracy in discerning the true Light. Through proper use of discernment we will not easily be seduced by the enemy’s lies.
In most situations the battle is in the mind. This is why we are encouraged to renew our minds and cast down every imagination (from the enemy) that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. Too often, in our minds, Satan has exalted his lies above God’s plans and God’s wisdom. Unless we challenge the negativity, these areas become strongholds of Satan.
Know this before we go further…we have already won the battle! The blood of Jesus has cleansed and strengthened us to go forth into great victory. But in order to appropriate our victory, we must understand the tactics and strategies of the destiny thief.
We observe in Scripture that the devil’s day and night job is to wear us out! “And he shall speak words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High…” (Daniel 7:25) Our enemy will attempt to do whatever it takes to obtain such a hold on us that we will quit running the race and abort the fulfillment of destiny.
The name Belial is another name for Satan translated as wicked, ungodly, evil, worthless and good for nothing. The name also applies to ruin, destruction, having lack and to wear out. Perhaps you have heard a beguiling voice whispering into your thoughts statements similar to these: “You are worthless!” “You are wicked and good for nothing!” “God would never answer your prayers!” “You should be ashamed of yourself!” “You would be better off dead!”
If you have heard these words, a seducing, beguiling Belial spirit is attempting to wear you out and wear you down. The spirit of Belial is a demonic stronghold that reinforces patterns of shame. The spirit attempts to convince us that we deserve evil and that we will never “measure up” to the expectations of others. The resulting hopelessness can cause even God’s children to choose death over life. Belial targets our children and suicide is at an all-time high among teenagers. Belial’s seductions also include idolatry, illegitimate authority, homosexuality, spiritual barrenness, and having one’s inheritance stolen.
To overcome Belial requires the cleansing fire of the Holy Spirit to burn away the agreements made with this enemy. Then we must be determined to cry out to God for our blessing. Jacob wrestled with the angel of God until he possessed his breakthrough. Our God is the God of the possible. Our strength and our ability to defeat Belial will be in our determination to war over our inheritance! Break covenant with the lies of Belial that you may have come into agreement with, and agree with God’s Word and what He declares over your life. Then thank the Lord for the Blood of Jesus which cleanses you and places you in right standing for your promised inheritance!
“Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass” (1 Samuel 15:3).
The Amalekite, is responsible for a compromising attitude. When God is commanding us to “get out the leaven” and to “utterly destroy all” we are tempted to compromise and retain the best part. The devil often speaks into our ears with a sly seductive voice: “You don’t have to stop that sin; God loves you. You are under grace and not the law. If you continue to sin, God will forgive you.” “Did God REALLY say that? It was probably your imagination or a false prophecy.” The word “smite” means to strike, beat or kill. If we do not slay every trace of an Amalekite stronghold, we will find ourselves backsliding until finally our destiny is aborted.
Our obedience to God’s Word releases blessings upon our lives. The king of Israel was to strike the arrows against the ground to utterly destroy all of the enemy’s plans (2 Kings 13:18-19). He smote the arrows only a few times, representing a limited victory. Strike the enemy and make a bold confession against compromise, lack of self-discipline, indulgence of the flesh and selling your birthright. Be determined to smite your arrows until all of the enemy’s plans are destroyed!!
A religious spirit always attempts to convince us to compromise. When God is bringing forth a new truth or a new move, the religious spirit rises up and manifests. Religious tradition is legalism and the Word says that the law brings death. Only the Spirit of God will release LIFE in a service.
To overcome the religious spirit, press into God and ask Him how you can accommodate the Holy Spirit more! Allow His fire to burn away traditions, mindsets and old religious structures that do not present life.
Religious spirits team up with the accuser of the brethren to speak evil reports concerning others, especially against leadership. Negativity will stop a fresh move of the Spirit because it gives place to doubt and unbelief. God always honors faith. Doubt and unbelief abort breakthroughs planned by the Spirit.
An evil report involves false accusation, a distortion of facts and bogus information. Most of the time these falsehoods are communicated with the intent to cause harm to someone or his/her reputation. At first it may be received in total innocence but if repeated, it later brings contamination. An evil report is similar to an evil germ that becomes active upon infection. If not treated, the infection moves into disease and possible death. Whether we “receive” the report or “give” the report, the defilement is the same.
We will never reach destiny if we choose to believe negative reports. The only way to move into our destiny is to believe God and His Word. This involves believing what He says about others and us! Rather than remaining critical of others, begin confessing what God has declared over their lives. Believe me; it will make a difference in your heart! Soon you will notice your attitude (and motive) toward them changing!
“And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, Saying, Let us alone: what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? Hath thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God” (Mark 1:23-24).
Webster’s Dictionary defines unclean as “being morally or spiritually impure.” It also means being “infected with a harmful supernatural contagion.” This is very interesting, because the instructions from God have always been to touch not the unclean thing (2 Corinthians 6:17). We are instructed to remove ourselves from every unclean influence and become holy and blameless before the Lord.
The unclean spirit is a tremendous stronghold in the Body of Christ. Sin causes defilement and defilement closes the doors to spiritual breakthroughs. This is the very reason that unclean spirits cry out “Leave us alone!” The spirits will persuade us into believing that there is no power in the name of Jesus and no need for deliverance. They work against our minds and feed thoughts such as: “Go ahead and sin, no one will ever know.” “It was easier BEFORE you were a Christian.” “Go ahead, take a drink. God won’t care.” “God doesn’t really care about you. Give up.”
With proper discernment any spirit is recognized. However, there are certain characteristics that are common when an unclean spirit is manifesting within a congregation or individual: an unkempt appearance and defiled speech; lust, sexual perversion and pornography; rigid belief systems; doubt and unbelief; bondage and mental torment; evil reports; and spirits of death, sickness and disease, often with generational patterns.
Since doubt and unbelief always manifest with an unclean spirit, the way to uproot its power is to begin to speak God’s Word in FAITH. Fear will attempt to enter into the hearts of man when this spirit is at work, however take a firm stand and remain in faith. It takes clean hands and pure hearts to totally destroy the unclean spirit. Are there areas of defilement in your life? Take time now to repent. Sanctify yourself by the washing of His powerful Word. When God calls you away from an old lifestyle, a city or a relationship, don’t look back. Separate yourself unto Him and He will be faithful to save you.
The scriptures speak of the spirit of Jezebel, which still operates today, infecting churches with its manipulation and control. Have you had an incredible breakthrough only to be greeted with intimidation, false accusations, fear, manipulation, control and seduction? “Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, ‘So let the gods do to me and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.’ And when Elijah saw that, he arose and went for his life…” (1 Kings 19:2-3). Notice the emphasis: Elijah saw his destruction! Jezebel’s intimidating threats grip not only our emotions but also our minds! The mental torment leads us to envision defeat, hopelessness and despair BEFORE if even happens!
The Spirit of Jezebel will operate through anyone who allows it to control and use him/her. Every Jezebel has an Ahab who co-labors with her in manipulation and control. Saints, God has stated that we are NOT to tolerate this type of seduction! (Revelation 2:20)
Jezebel attracts people with “soulish” connection – ungodly “soul ties” – relationships of unnatural emotional dependence. The spirit “binds” you to itself, so tightly that you feel that you will never be free even if you try. The spirit will seduce others into her control by using false flattering words that appeal to PRIDE. Jezebel desires total control; she will not remain in a place or relationship that she cannot control.
We are well able to slay the giant of Jezebel! Repentance always brings breakthrough. If you have allowed any entrance to Jezebel, take this opportunity to repent. Immediately separate yourself from the spirit/person, remain submitted and accountable to delegated godly authority, and seek servanthood over positions and titles.
Each of us is called as a “priest of the Lord’ – chosen ones to serve Him (1 Peter 2:9). We are descendents of a royal lineage, called to show forth the praises of God and to rule and reign with godly authority. We are assured of victory if we commit ourselves to purification and consecration. By utterly destroying all areas of defilement and committing to our destiny, we will overcome the seduction of the destiny thief. It is our season to take off old garments and exchange our clothing for the righteous garments of Christ Jesus.
This article is taken from the book Destiny Thieves. Used by permission.
Sandie Freed is the Founder and Director of the School of the Prophets and Apostolic Training Center in Bedford, Texas. She has a passion to minister deliverance and life transformation to God’s people. Sandie and her husband, Mickey Freed are ordained with Christian International Ministries, serving on their Board of Governors and the Board of Directors. Together they serve as the Mid-Southern Regional Directors of the Christian International Network of Churches. She can be reached at www.zionministries.us.
Advice to a Young Leader in a Time of Shaking by J. Lee Grady
sureword | October 26, 2007 06:26
Advice to a Young Leader in a Time of Shaking
Churches and ministries are crumbling because of pride, greed and hidden sin. Here are 10 principles that can help bring stability during this tumultuous season. Kevin, a 31-year-old pastor from Minnesota, asked me an honest question this week. He’s been reading about all the scandals that have rocked the charismatic world, beginning with Ted Haggard’s embarrassing moral failure late last year and continuing with the recent divorces among prominent church leaders and the allegations of financial mismanagement made against leaders at Oral Roberts University.
Kevin wrote this: “I am guessing that none of these people started off with the goal of having this be their story. If you were someone in my stage of ministry, what would you do to prevent this from being my lot?” I shared these simple truths with him, and I’ll pass them along to a wider audience—hoping that they will strengthen our foundations while everything around us is shaking.
“If the spirit of entitlement is seducing you, humble yourself and wash some feet. That is what true ministry is about.”
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1. Live a humble, transparent life. Just because you are a leader doesn’t mean you don’t have issues. You are a flawed, broken individual who has experienced the miracle of God’s mercy. Resist the temptation to live in denial about your weaknesses. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Stay in close relationship with mature mentors and trusted peers who know your temptations, insecurities and any past addictions. Confess your sins to God and to your inner circle regularly.
2. Stay open to correction. Many of those whose ministries are imploding today either worked in isolation or they surrounded themselves with yes men. As your ministry grows, increase the number of people who speak into your life. If your colleagues are rubber-stamping everything you do, consider that a warning sign. If they tell you they can’t correct you because you are either authoritarian or subtly controlling, take a sabbatical and get counseling immediately.
3. Audit your actions regularly. God watches the way we handle the little things. Are you telling the truth? Are you mishandling ministry finances? Are you “fudging” in any area of sexual purity? Do you have checks and balances set in place so that you always comply with the law? God sees every Web site you visit, every personal expense you charge to your ministry account and every exaggeration (i.e., lie) you put in your newsletter.
4. Stay in touch with the real world. Ministry is about loving people. (Duh!) But you will never develop compassion unless you are close enough to the grass roots to smell the poverty, lay hands on the sickness and cry with those who are in pain. The days are over when preachers can arrive in limousines to announce salvation. The Lord is requiring all His servants to come down to earth.
5. Don’t allow people to make you a celebrity. Before Jesus began His ministry, the devil showed Him the kingdoms of the world and offered Him fame and fortune. The enemy of your soul will try to cut you a similar deal. Resist every urge to become a star. Don’t let people put you on a pedestal. If the spirit of entitlement is seducing you, humble yourself and wash some feet. That is what true ministry is about.
6. Make family a priority. We have crusaded against abortion and gay marriage, yet at the same time many in our movement have neglected their spouses and children. People need to know that what we preach works at home. The Bible makes it plain: “But if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?” (1 Tim. 3:5, NASB). If we enforced this one biblical principle today, most of the shenanigans happening in charismatic leadership would end overnight.
7. Live modestly and give extravagantly. In a few more years the selfish, money-focused doctrines that tainted charismatic churches in the 1980s and 1990s will be gone. God is bringing balance and correction to a message that has encouraged greed. I do not know Texas pastor Robert Morris personally, but he has become a long-distance mentor to me in the financial area. His book The Blessed Life has redefined how we charismatics should view money. Bottom line: We don’t give to get, even though we know God blesses generosity. We give to give.
8. Don’t build your own kingdom. In the previous season leaders got away with naming their ministries after themselves. That will not work today. The one-man show is over. Leadership today is about building a team. Those who think they can “do it all”—and take all the credit—will end up with meager results when their work is tested by God’s fire.
9. Develop keen discernment. The devil is on the prowl, and we can’t afford to be ignorant of his schemes. Leaders must develop an early warning system if we expect to survive. You must develop a team of watchful intercessors who are committed to praying for you. Those whose ministries are crashing and burning today most likely ignored prophetic counsel from people who saw disaster coming.
10. Maintain your spiritual passion. People who experience moral failure almost always lose their spiritual passion first. Being filled with the Holy Spirit is not just a one-time encounter. Because we “leak,” we need to be refilled and recharged regularly. We will burn out quickly if we don’t stay plugged into the Source. The man who led me to Christ, Barry St. Clair, taught me to have a daily appointment with God. I try to guard my time in prayer and Bible study because I know I can’t give what I don’t have. The more I read His Word, the deeper and stronger it grows inside me, providing daily revelation of the Savior—and giving me more and more reasons to make Him my magnificent obsession.
J. Lee Grady is editor of Charisma.
Ford Supports Homosexual Agenda
sureword | October 08, 2007 15:36
Strange Fire on Defiled Altars by J. Lee Grady
sureword | October 08, 2007 15:16
Many who claim to be voices for God today are on dangerous ground.
We don’t talk much today about Nadab and Abihu. They were obscure Bible characters who failed miserably. Certainly their tragic story doesn’t work well as an illustration in the typical seeker-friendly sermon about wealth or success. So we tend to ignore these guys, even though they are mentioned in the Old Testament nine times.
Both sons of Aaron the priest, Nadab and Abihu were suddenly struck dead in the tabernacle because they offered “strange fire” (Lev. 10:1 NASB). We aren’t told exactly what they did wrong—that is left to our imagination. All we know is that they did not follow God’s specific instructions when offering incense. They were careless with His glory. Their mistake proved to be fatal.
“I wonder why the ground has not opened up and swallowed some of the careless spiritual clowns who are masquerading as bishops, apostles and prophets.”
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What I deduce from their story is that God’s altar is a holy place. When God struck them, He told their father: “‘By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, and before all the people I will be honored’” (v. 3). God made it clear that He isn’t playing games. He sent fire from His presence to slay Nadab and Abihu so we would understand that we can’t mess around with His laws, His name or His presence. We can’t rewrite His instructions or be slipshod or slapdash about worship.
That’s why I fear for many of the men and women who claim to be God’s mouthpieces today, particularly in the charismatic/Pentecostal movement that I serve. When I read Leviticus 10, I wonder why the ground has not opened up and swallowed some of the careless spiritual clowns who are masquerading as bishops, apostles and prophets.
A case in point: Bishop Thomas Wesley Weeks III, who is now facing charges of assaulting his wife, recently stood in his pulpit in Atlanta during a marriage conference and proceeded to teach married couples how to use profanity during sex.
Yes, the man who allegedly kicked and punched Juanita Bynum in a hotel parking lot last month told attendees at a “Teach Me How to Love You” event that they should get over their hang-ups about cussing. The bedroom, he said, is the place to get down and dirty.
“Don’t bring your salvation into the bedroom,” he said in a sermon segment that has been posted on YouTube. “All those special words that you can’t say no more because you’re saved … save that for the bedroom!”
It is bad enough that Weeks told his followers that it’s OK to use filthy language with your wife during lovemaking. It’s worse that he said these things as a minister speaking from a pulpit during a church service. Thankfully he didn’t bring a bed on stage and give a demonstration—but now that he has taken pulpit crudity to a new level, someone else is sure to introduce Pentecostal porn to an audience somewhere.
Weeks’ comments didn’t surprise me. There are so many crazy things happening in pulpits in this country that I’ve become numb to their impact. It seems that in many segments of the church today, false prophets and backslidden preachers can introduce the most bizarre doctrines imaginable and still get shouts from the crowd and plenty of donations in the offering plate.
Meanwhile, a growing number of television preachers are resorting to the most inane tactics to raise money. A popular trend this year is the “Day of Atonement Offering”—in which Old Testament scriptures are strained to the breaking point to make a case for buying special blessings from God. Thanks to this “revelation,” you can click on a Web site icon and give your Day of Atonement Offering to win divine favor. (And of course every dime of that money goes to an evangelist who uses it to purchase houses, cars, plastic surgeries and more airtime so they can spread this nonsense to more naïve people.)
I have no personal vendetta against these spiritual hoodlums, but lately I find myself praying: “Lord, when will You clean up Your church? When will you send Your holy fire into the sanctuary? When will You turn over the tables of the moneychangers and drive the charlatans out of Your house?”
I have a sense that the answer is coming soon enough. The question is: How close to the modern Nadabs and Abihus will you be when the fire of heaven comes to purge them from the sanctuary? If you are anywhere near a defiled altar, my advice is simple: Run for the nearest exit.
J. Lee Grady is editor of Charisma.
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