Adrift in the River of God- Part Two |
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After my first summer at Morningstar I enrolled in their ministry school. As Joyner was quick to point out, it was not a Bible school per se. The emphasis was on prophesy, dreams, visions, and the supernatural. We were being trained for the coming harvest and what Joyner referred to as the coming civil war in the church. He was quick to tell us that we represented the blues. Like the ocean and the sky, blue stood for revelation and expanse, spiritual enlightenment, and openness of spirit. We were special, a new breed. We were Joel’s army who would go forth victoriously to build the kingdom of heaven on earth.
The grays were spoken of with disdain and derision. Gray represented the brain and those who lived in their minds without regard to the higher life of the spirit. The grays were the legalists, the old wineskins, those seeking to trap and keep God in a box. They were painted as the staunch, stuffed and sterile church that had long since faded into antiquity and outlived their usefulness. It seems to me, looking back, that anyone that opposed Joyner and his teachings was considered a gray and not open to the “moving of the spirit.” The grays, Joyner was quick to tell us would be overcome and destroyed in the fight for the “true” church to evolve to the next level. Of course, in his estimation, the grays would not go quietly into that good night so it might be necessary for us to assist God in finishing up the job. Let me put that in plain English. We would help God kill them. Looking back, it should have all too been clear to me but it wasn’t.
The atmosphere at MorningStar was more like a crack house than a church with stupefied trance-like zombies bouncing to the pulsating music; not caring what was being fed to them. It felt good- it made us high and anesthetized us to the pain of anything unpleasant. In this world, we were special, separated, called. There was no sin discussed here, only visions of the glorious “lands” we would take for Christ.
The prophesies we received were always positive and we were instructed to only prophesy positive things over others. As part of the prophetic team we did not even ask if one was saved before prophesying over them. Indeed, it did not matter, for this was what came to be known as “prophetic evangelism.” We were encouraged to prophesy over strangers in the street and market-place and many did. It amounted to fortune telling and the accuracy was often chilling. Often I would shock myself as I would accurately tell things to strangers that I had no earthy way of knowing. However, even back then, there were things that bothered me about the constant emphasis on the prophetic. It started with an incident that happened while working the prophetic booth for a conference in Charlotte. A young lady came in and sat before us in the booth. There were usually three of us to a booth who would prophesy in turn. One of the three would always be a team leader. In this case my team leader was an instructor at School of Ministry. While we were prophesying over her I saw something ominous. I knew that we were to speak positive and encouraging things and I started to wrestle over what I should do. I felt responsible to warn her of what I had seen and pray with her. She left and the instructor turned to me and said, “What is it?” I told him what I had seen and he nodded his head saying, “Yes, that is correct, I saw the same thing.” I pleaded with him saying “We have to tell her and pray with her- this is not right!” He responded that we were to only to speak positive and encouraging words. I reasoned with him that it would be a positive word if we saved her from harm, but he would not be moved. I reluctantly obeyed, but in my mind a curtain had been pulled back and I began to question. Did I have a gift? Was this gift truly from God? If this gift was from God, was this the way He wanted me to use it? What if the gift was not from God? What if I had been engaging in soul reading or fortune telling? I believed in the gifts of the Spirit but something suddenly felt very wrong.
The people in the church, and the throngs of people who streamed into the conferences depended on prophesy. They gushed and cooed over it and it was the topic of almost every conversation. If it would have been possible to stand silent in the crowd and listen, the words “Rick said” would have been sprinkled into almost every conversation. We did not read and study to show ourselves approved but depended on the extra-biblical revelations and prognostications of others we deemed as more spiritual. The same people were in the prophetic booths week after week after week and most of their lives, including mine, were shipwrecked beyond repair. I felt like a pod; like everything of substance had been suctioned out of me and I was left a lifeless shell with hollow eyes. I could feel myself staring out from the emptiness. I needed the next fix; the next prophesy or trance producing worship session to feel something-anything. It became obscene to listen to them prophesy that I would stand before Kings and conquer nations, when my life had spiraled into such abject ruin and despair. Had I missed God? Had I done something to displease Him? Why had He forsaken me? I was not quite ready to make the connections yet between my poor spiritual health and my steady diet of false doctrine and fluff. After all, I had such an “intimate” relationship with God surely he would tell me or send someone to prophesy over me if I was on the right path. Wouldn’t He?
Intimacy seemed to be the buzzword at Morningstar. Holiness and standards were not preached. We left that to the grays. Intimacy was all we enlightened blues needed and we were encouraged to pursue it with passion. One would hope that such an “intimate” relationship with God would tend to make us better people. After all, hanging around with “greatness” in the natural world tends to produce greatness. We rise or fall to the level of our associations. Would we not expect to see this all the more so in the supernatural realm? If we do in fact rise or fall to the level of our associations, then what would we expect to see from those who “hang out” with God? It is ironic that the very people who had the deepest “intimacy” with God were the ones whose lives were so out of control. They could “touch the heavens” and “bring down God” but they could not balance a check-book or keep a job.
Morningstar was in fact, rife with those who either would not work, or could not keep a job. Although there were exceptions, most people lived in self-induced poverty. Many would claim that God had told them not to get a job and to live in faith. Many simply were waiting for “their ministry” to materialize. Visions of grandeur had been prophesied over them so many times that lowering themselves to packing groceries or being someone’s secretary seemed beneath them. They had bought the lie. Everyone had a shingle out so to speak, advertising their ministry for any who would listen. Some had primitive business cards, while others presented a more professional front and started websites. I ran across one of these sites recently and saw a woman I recognized offering to prophesy over people for a “donation.” It brought a rush of sadness.
There were a few who had arrived at MorningStar in good financial shape but it never lasted. I watched one woman blow her savings of over a hundred thousand dollars flying from conference to conference buying books and tapes. She refused to work insisting that God had told her not to. She went through her money in short order and was left penniless. Refusing to admit her folly she slid into depression demanding to know why God had allowed this to happen to her.
I knew another lady who was on the “healing” team. Her refusal to work resulted in homelessness. She slept in her car and lived off the kindness of strangers. She showered at the house of a friend of mine who eventually took her in. However, my friend was raising three children on her own and could not afford another mouth to feed. Evidently, this once homeless woman had no intention of finding work and preferred to live from the handouts of others. She insisted that she was in full time ministry and that God wanted her to live in faith. I wish I could tell you that these were isolated cases but they were not. Unfortunately, I could write of dozens more.
Of course the people who worked for the ministry were barely better off than those who would not work. Joyner was proud of telling people that he did not pay his workers enough to live. Most of the workers received minimum wage. They were told they needed to suffer for the ministry, sacrifice and trust God. They exploited their workers and treated them poorly. They also exploited the students who did everything from moving them to painting their personal houses, convincing them they were ministering unto the Lord.
Many of the students spent a great deal of time downtown in what is now known as the NoDa Arts District in Charlotte. Although it has been cleaned up considerably and is now an expensive and trendy place to live, it was far from desirable in the late 90’s. A few alternative type galleries had store space among the old abandoned and decaying buildings, simply because rent was cheap. On Friday evenings these small galleries would hold “Art Crawls” for those brave enough to visit the area after dark. Gunshots were common. Someone had started a Coffeehouse in one of the old corner buildings and it quickly became the favored hang-out among the students and 30-something crowd from MorningStar. It was common to see the young people from the church drinking, smoking and groping one another on North Davidson Street. However, to say all behaved this way would be grossly unfair. There were some who truly loved God and wanted to please Him. They never lasted though. MorningStar’s door seems to be a giant churning, turn-style. The broken, empty and disillusioned leaving on one side, and the bright-eyed, initiates coming in the other.
Interestingly enough, the wife of one of the worship leaders worked down there. She was an attractive and unique young lady, whom Rick had called out on many occasions as being a gifted prophet. It was evident that she had most certainly won the favor of the ministry. Her husband was gifted and I have always believed his music sprung from true relationship with God. When a dispute over promised music royalties ensued, and this young man’s wife took a stand, Rick publically disgraced her. He called her out publically, labeled her a witch, and forbid anyone from the ministry to fellowship with her in any fashion. This included frequenting the coffee house. Oddly enough, she was the darling of the ministry while she was compliant, and was not called a witch until after a disagreement with Rick. Exposing as witches, those who were non-compliant was not uncommon. It was usually the ones who had been praised and held up as an example before the congregation just a short while before. In my mind this made Joyner look foolish. He was the great and terrible Oz kicking at Toto so as not to reveal the man behind the curtain. Of course once the curtain is pulled back, what do you do with the revelation? Reality is bitter, especially when one wants so desperately to believe. Do you pretend you haven’t seen? I did.
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I very much look forward to
I very much look forward to reading part 3. I understand exactly what you mean when you say, "Do you pretend you haven't seen? I did." because that is where I am right now. I see some things terribly wrong where I am, but yet I haven't completely left it. The draw, the pull is almost more than I can bear. Thank you for sharing.
Dear Mishel, I wish everyone,
Dear Mishel,
I wish everyone, especially young adults could read these articles. I have been so grieved at the self-imposed poverty of these ministries. Only "ministry" work is esteemed and the realistic idea of getting an education, learning and perfecting a skill, working and earning a living is almost non-existent.
I believe these leaders draw people after themselves to build their grandeous visions all the while loudly preaching it is what the Holy Spirit is doing at the end of the age!
May the Lord Jesus DELIVER His gullible people from these devouring men!
They do prey mostly on the young. Idealistic young adults who desire to serve the Lord whole heartedly. I think it is the inward need for significance that makes one vulnerable to these manipulative, controlling, devouring ministries.
Very Very well said- yes you
Very Very well said- yes you nailed it.
I will be glad when you get
I will be glad when you get the next part of this testimony up. I look forward to it. God Bless you.
Anonymous, me, too. I am
Anonymous, me, too. I am checking every few hours to see if it is posted yet.
But since I write some, I know how hard it can be to go back and dig into some of this stuff, in order to get it down. Mishel, my prayers are with you.
It is difficult emotionally
It is difficult emotionally yes- but also time is at a premium for me right now. I am hoping to have some time this weekend to write. I know it is important to get it out there and I also know that God will put it in the hands of those who need to read it. The problem is - the more I write - the more I HAVE to write. I was bound in deception for so long..
Dear Mishel, Thank you for
Dear Mishel,
Thank you for you recent posts "Adrift in the river." I have undertaken some personal research in regard to spiritual deception combined with techiques and current technology that is used to manipulate the mind. I started this personal research into govermental deployment of such technology and then I started to go back and explore the testimonies and actual footage from Lakeland and other movements.
I am not a conspiracy theorist. I am a credential minister in the AG and was deeply alarmed by what was occuring in Lakeland at the time. My heart was deeply pierced with concerned for Jesus Christ flock.
Thanks you so much for your testimony and personal eye-witness account.
Mishel. I so much appreciate
Mishel. I so much appreciate this inside look at the world of Rick Joyner. His book, The Final Quest, precipitated my departure from my old A/G church a few years ago.
I had been teaching in my church for over 20 years and had recently become an elder (in 2003). By 2005 I was living and teaching in happy ignorance of the powerful and dangerous influences besetting the Charismatic world and my own life.
When I came to the Lord in 1975, the Bible became my great love instantly. Due to my newness and hunger, I also devoured many books. Their impact on me was powerful but I hardly suspected their real effect. Instead of the sincere milk of the Word, a lot of leaven had entered my life from the get-go.
The warnings of Scripture to beware of men, wolves, false prophets and teachers, sadly, carried no weight for me for many years. Surely, I, and those under my charge, were in no danger: Satan could be rebuked at will and sent fleeing with a mere command from one of The King's Kids under the anointing. His minions whom he transformed into ministers of righteousness were even less of a threat and could be detected miles off from our perch on the watchtower. The only deceptions we needed be concerned about were the obvious quasi-Christian cults. They were no problem to inspect and reject. Certainly, no one in our Charismatic camp was a threat. In fact, they were the lead watchmen. As one of them, Rick Joyner's materials were occasionally part of the reading in our church even among the leadership. But, thankfully, even then, I could discern a "flavor" to it that raised a small, yellow flag in my mind.
It is part of the Charismatic/Pentecostal cultural arrogance that we who prided ourselves on having deeper understanding of the Spirit and operated in His supernatural endowments, knew the least about His real work and Truth. Satan, whom we considered under our feet, was devouring us with his mighty teeth. His roar was not so much frightening as it was enchanting, like the Song of the Sirens was to the hapless sailors in Greek Mythology. We were being seduced by adulterous teachings away from the apostolic truth that kept us spiritually virginal. I did not realize then that the power of Satan's bite was his words. It was by his words that he was devouring us, not by overt acts of power. He counted on our carnality, pride and spiritual ignorance to get all those anointed books into our Spirit-filled hands. (Lest anyone misunderstand, I acknowledge that some books are edifying; but their number is relatively low, IMO.)
Well, in August of 2005, the Lord brought deliverance to me. The roof of the house of cards I lived in for so long fell on me finally; and I was free. Our church librarian had given me the book "The Final Quest." She had mixed feelings about it: one the one hand, many things in it inspired her and on the other, she felt left out. As a teaching elder, she wanted me to read it and give her my response. I wasn't long into it when I realized with perfect clarity that the book was a work of blasphemous deception. In it, Joyner's dead acquaintance claimed to have his resurrected body now (the resurrection is past). Paul the apostle discredits his own work as not worthy of being foundational truths, but were mere elaborations on Jesus' words (His writings were really a human work). Angels bow to Joyner. They salute him and call him "Sir." Joyner relieves them of their naivete (poor things). The original apostles look to Joyner and his ilk as their heroes. Joyner solves puzzles in heaven that stump angels. Joyner seemingly jolts Jesus with a question. Anyone who criticizes him is a vomit-eating, demon-ridden failing Christian. It goes on. Sprinkled among these incredible declarations are the inspirational statements that hook the unsuspecting.
After looking through this book, the scales fell off my eyes. I took a good look at our Charismatic world for the first time. I was both stunned and abashed - stunned that this was going on under my very nose and abashed that I had accepted a certain amount of this without question and that I had not done my job of protecting the flock from such flagrant predators. With great zeal and eagerness of spirit, I repented. I set out to expose these deceivers at work in our midst. I researched a good sampling of the TV ministers and popular authors. I saw them in a new light. They had reworked the Message enough to peddle it. I came to realize that anyone who was rich off the gospel was a wolf, for the real gospel never made anyone rich. It too often made them dead.
My campaign finally earned me a talking-to by the senior pastor. He told me to stop naming names. It disturbed the peace he worked so hard to maintain in our motley assortment of refugees from other local churches. That order brought me to a crisis of conscience. Obey the Pastor or obey the Word. That was a no-brainer. I would not continue to work against him in his own church. I left as quietly as I knew how. Later I began a home study and fellowship which is still continuing.
The popularity of The Final Quest shows just how easy it is to deceive the sheep. God help them! It is a book that belongs in the Sci-Fi section of a secular book store, it's so bad.
Reading your account of things at Morningstar only confirms solidly to me that the man is not a deluded, albeit sincere believer caught up in fascination of spiritual things that are too high for him. He is a wolf with all teeth dripping. As to those who follow him, they are in one of two camps: the unsuspecting who will repent at some point (as you so wonderfully did, Mishel), or they are wolves-in-training. As the Word says of such men - Avoid.
Please keep the accounts coming. God bless you!
Stan: I completely enjoyed
Stan: I completely enjoyed your testimony. I am so thankful that there are men of God such as yourself that make decisions to follow God and the Truth of His Word no matter the personal cost. It grieves me that it took me so long to get out. I guess I could say the wool had been pulled over my eyes but in my case I think my eyes had been completely poked out!! I have so much more to write about at MorningStar- and I do want to get it out there. There may be one or two whose lives I can effect. At the very least it may make people think about the poison they are ingesting. I am hoping to get into the juice of the story soon- I have to write it in parts as it brings up many emotions including anger. It's draining to say the least. Thank you for your encouragement.
Stan,I also enjoyed your
Stan,I also enjoyed your testimony.I was one of those sheep with, as Mishel put it, poked out eyes. I just escaped the madness this summer and I got saved in 1975 too! However, for about 17 years I was in, what I call a semi-Charimatic church. Not too much goin' on. Occasional prophecy(by the same elder, during the same lull in the worship each Sunday)and occasional tongues, though now I doubt what I thought was tongues is really tongues, but just psyched out babbling. I had a similar experience of being granted true repentence and I took that opportunity gratefully. I started seeing the church through new restored eyes. I want to warn so many people. But I feel it is like trying to empty an ocean with a spoon...or maybe a bucket.We left our Word of Faith,wanna-be-mega church and hardly anyone noticed even though we had been deacons before our "great awakening".No one but the assos. pastor who asked us to be deacons has called or emailed or talked to us about leaving.Probably to be fair, though we attended for over a year, we just couldn't seem to connect and make friends. It's a big church and we were accustomed to small congregations. But we tried for a year. I guess it's better in the long run, because God knew we were going to leave.
So right now, we don't have a church or home study group. I go online and try to find like minded Christians and we have a few friends from my husband's workplace though not all are Christians.But I consider that a good thing. I also go on line and try to talk to/warn people that are following heretical teachings etc. They mostly get really angry and don't want to hear God's word. I know I used to be that way too: prideful, arrogant, more spiritual and special with all of my experiences and anointings....Sometimes the conversations on these sites will go on for weeks. After a while,though, after being told I'm full of "religious" spirits(credit Rick Joyner for that term) or mean-spirited, or legalistic or ignorant or not even Christian to being called names outright...well, I just want to give up. But then I think, maybe one of these sheep with wool pulled over their eyes might actually think about the things that were said. Most of the sites that I have debated/commented on are Youtube sites were people are advocating "holy" laughter, drunk/stoned in the "spirit", "heavenly" travel, casting out "religious" spirits with laughter or some other unknown method.(One "prophetess"Kathie Walters-"holy" laughter preacher-said that she has cast religious spirits out of people and the demons always come out "quoting reams of scripture".Go figure... BTW Kathie Walters' mentor is Bob Jones. Thus far she has managed to "fly under the radar" not being well known as he or Rick Joyner, Bobby Conner,NAR guys and gals etc. I think there are a lot of people out there like that. Teaching all this unholy stuff to the gullible sheep and making their living off of it. They really get upset if you can back your disagreement or warning with scripture...
Well, just wanted to say I appreciate the testimony of others who have escaped. I pray that we stay free and that the Lord will help us/use us to help others escape the falseness too.They really need prayer.
Thanks Mishel. I dealt with
Thanks Mishel. I dealt with anger a lot too. Mostly from realizing I had been duped for so long. It's the indignation that comes with realizing you have been supporting and promoting wolves. You feel spiritually stupid. It's humiliating. Plus, having looked at myself through the Word, such as 2 Tim 4:4-5, I realized that I had fleshly reasons to believe all these things I was being told. I bought into what they were selling. I wanted God to make a Paradise out of my temporal life. That's the hook for these people to use. Just let me confess it or praise and worship God enough. Once He inhabits those praises, my troubles will be over. Demons will be dispelled. Divine health will manifest itself in me.
Speaking of which: Rick Joyner claimed that Jesus gave him unimpeded access to the tree of life now in TFQ. I saw the hypocrisy in such a thing very starkly. Again, it hits home. I had a desire see the curse of Adam on my body reversed to some degree in this life. "Why couldn't I just have one good bite of that fruit now?" my imagination would drift off to at times.
What a flagrant lie for him to claim access to that Tree (for good-old-Rick, of course - not for you or me). Apparently, we don't have enough eye-blinding humility to arm ourselves with to get it. (That is a Final Quest reference. He makes the absurd claim that God-given humility makes even angels bow to you). Anyway, that tree doesn't seem to be working very well for Rick. I notice that his hair is still white. The tree hasn't been able to revert it to its original color. And he still has that stomach paunch stuck there by cortisol.
I am abashed that this is what my flesh wanted too. We want to overturn (by a wave of God's hand) what He had so firmly set against man. God denied the tree of life to man in this age for a good reason. He did not want sinners who could not die exploiting the earth's resources and committing sins like demons. No. Man became unworthy of such a blessing. Even when Jesus was here and did all of His miracles, absolutely none of them restored anyone to the pre-fall condition. They were restored to wholeness, but every one of them has died in a natural time frame. Even Lazarus who was resurrected after being dead for 4 days, has been dead for over 1900 years now.
Jesus definitely has withheld that particular "best wine to last" (Revelation 2:7) It is not for man in his corrupt state to have such a thing now. The body is dead because of sins. The execution must be carried out on all, even on us believers.
These Third Wavers and NARs and WOF have a vast, willing audience of supporters who have not let go of this life and happily listen to preposterous promises. They'll put up all the money they have to overturn God's Word against sinful man. Isn't that what Antichrist will offer? Joyner's ilk is paving the way for him.
Stan, You hit the nail on the
Stan, You hit the nail on the head for reasons that so many of us have fallen for so much of the demonic garbage being peddled to the church. I thought if I believed enough, spoke the right words in faith, praised, planted enough seeds, danced, sang, whooped, prayed in tongues, got enough "anointed" men and women to lay hands on me, pray for me...you name it. Well, it's completely embarrassing. I can't believe I was in it for so long. And I can't believe how many people still believe all of that garbage. I mean, you'd think it would have "run it's course" by now. I guess there's no limit on deception and gullibility.
And try to talk someone out of it? Forget it. It's like talking to a brick wall. A pompous,arrogant one. With a sweet self-righteous way of telling you that you have religious spirits. Yuk.
What should we do? Do we keep trying to talk to those in deception after they reject us for the one hundredth time? Or just move on?
How do the rest of ya'll handle it?
Hi Mishel and all you
Hi Mishel and all you others.
After varning others about false teachers.I am all alone with GOD here in Denmark.One day my nabo from Congo Africa, visited me,suttenly he started praying in tunge,I stopped him and told him never to speak in tunge in my home.We are ind the last years,before JESUS CHRIST comes and satan want as many with him as possible.
There will not be many saved Christians when CHRIST appear.
I am not quite sure why you
I am not quite sure why you are equating speaking in tongues with deception. What exactly was this man doing that you felt was not from God. Of course Satan and his followers also can speak with tongues- even people who are strong occultists speak in tongues. However tongues in and of themselves are not evil- it just depends on the source.
Dear Mishel. 1Cor
Dear Mishel.
1Cor 14:27,28
Deceptions is satans tools.
This man could have cursed GOD in my present,
without me knowing.Paul said translate,or pray at home...And I did not ask him to pray.May JESUS CHRIST guide you.
Hello, Anon. We all can be
Hello, Anon. We all can be deceived. We are all clay. This is why God gave us so many warnings to beware and be on guard and stay alert. If we were invulnerable to being deceived, there would be no need for these warnings of Jesus and the Apostles. (Thank God so much for them!!)
As to how long to deal with someone (on the internet) who is deceived and supporting these clever wolves: I think that if someone is going to repent of following these ear-scratching teachers, it is going to take time on our part. Remember that we are strangers to them and it takes time to build some amount of trust or respect. I recommend following up only with those who seem sincere in their opposition. Be prepared for possible months-long exchanges. I have had long exchanges that were at first frustrating, then things went better or not so hostile after awhile. At least, if not seeing repentance, there was a softening of their position. The important thing in these exchanges is to follow the admonitions in 2 Tim 2:24-26. Without patience and gentleness and competence the repentance we seek is much less likely to occur.
Stan
Ok I understand where you are
Ok I understand where you are coming from now-
Hello Anon again, Perhaps
Hello Anon again,
Perhaps you and your husband can start a small fellowship group at your home, ala Acts 2:42. You can teach the apostles' doctrine, have prayer, fellowship and share communion. That's what I did. It has become my "church" for now and for the foreseeable future.
Stan
Thanks, Stan, for all of your
Thanks, Stan, for all of your helpful suggestions. I was thinking about leaving a site that had become hostile toward any opposition.I always stuck to the point and "stayed calm" I changed my account name to start over with them as they blocked all of my comments and those of several other "critics" though we were polite. We stated our case very well, however and the "owner" of the site did not want to lose the followers so she censored us. They still don't get it. I feel somewhat dishonest for going back with a different name but the conversations so far have been civilized. I'll have to see how it goes.
My husband and I have actually discussed starting a small group at home. We are new in the town that we now live and don't know many people. We'll see what happens. We do know of one church that we'd like to check out too, but we've been involved in home meetings before, so that is really attractive to us.
Well, Thanks again for your suggestions and encouragement.
HI, I have just found your
HI, I have just found your site and find it really Great! I have been out of the charismatic church for almost 5 months now since my xpastor fell for todd bently and the lakeland revival, then I started my own blog on discerning and the importance of it. The opposition will always be there, the harsh comments.. some people just don't want the truth.. it's disturbing.. I am so glad to find others who are like minded in this, bless you ;)
I have not been involved with
I have not been involved with rick joiner, morning star, although I have a friend here in the UK who has connections with the kansas city prophets and ihop. She has gone to the US on many occasions to learn how to 'prophesy'. She was my cell group leader and became a close family friend - sadly she isn't anymore. Just over a year ago the Lord opened my eyes to the false gospel. It was a direct answer to prayer.
The way of the master ministry was my starting point. Then a couple we didnt even know from our church connected with us as they found out that rick warren was a false teacher. She gave me sites to check out. I didnt know these sites existed, until I was told about them, warning christians of the apostasy in the church. To be honest I was on overload, but had prayed "Lord if I've been deceived please show me."
I am so grateful as the lord has been so merciful. I really don't believe I was soundly saved and on top of that I had opened myself to demonic manifestations. I repented to the lord for my ignorance of his word and he delivered me.
We were also partners to ken copeland and Benny hinn ministries. Obviouly no longer. As I shared with my family all that had been revealed to us, we left our mega church - we had been there for six years. The 'love' we used to get from them soon flew out the window.
We have been at home on sundays reading from the word. Have tried to warn others by email but they wont listen. It can be lonely at times, but better to know the truth. God bless you Mishel. Nina (UK)
Nina, I'm glad you are on
Nina, I'm glad you are on this site and found the other sites as well. We were also partners with Benny Hinn, KCM and several more, to our shame. Thank God we are out now. We left our WOF almost- mega-church too. Not too many friends now and we also are just reading and praying at home and reaching out to whoever we come across. We have a lot to relearn the RIGHT way. We are still looking for a church, but I will not be upset if I don't find one. Home based church worked in the early church. Maybe it can still work.
Thanks for having the courage
Thanks for having the courage to warn others.
By the way, this video of Joyner ought to put finish any doubt about his "ministry"
http://www.alittleleaven.com/2009/01/tribal-demonic-ministry.html
Hello there. I read your
Hello there. I read your post. A wonderful book to read is called, "The Other Side of the River" by Kevin Reeves. He came out of the Signs and Wonders movement when he started comparing Scripture to what was going on. WHat many do not know is, there is an occultic Agenda "New Beginnings". Its in the church today through the Purpose Driven Life and "Latter Rain"! Rick Joyner, Mike Bickle, Rick Warren, Mike Murdock, and CIndy Jacobs are just a handful of false prophets leading thousands astray. They are literally channeling the same messages from the spirit world that Alice Bailey and Jane Lead did. They are occultic mediums who gave the world the New Age doctrine! Unfortunately the fundamental churches are falling like dominoes for these false doctrines. Teachers such as Beth Moore are now starting to use terms like 'anointing', 'empowerment' 'transformation' but not in the Biblical way. Some other great things to read are
"Anointing or Apostasy" by Charles S. Graves, "New Wine and the Babylonian Wine" and ANYTHING you can find on the internet by Tricia Tillen. She is from Britain and an expert on Latter Rain. ANyway God bless and stay in the written Word. IT IS SUFFICIENT !