This is a clip from the Leadership Advance held out at Bethel Church in Redding, California in May 2009. It seems that Muslims in Indonesia have been beheading and dismembering Christians. That, however, is no deterrent to God when He decides to put someone back together again. Literally. Listen and enjoy, and let your faith be challenged to reach out for more. There’s always more with Jesus!

God is doing amazing things in Indonesia once again. The recent The Call held there drew 90,000 people. If you are from my generation, you remember Mel Tari related amazing stories from the Indonesian Revival of the 1960’s in his book, A Mighty Rushing Wind.

Who is Dr. Leslie Keegel, named as the source for these stories?

Leslie & Belen Keegel

National Leaders

Leslie was born to Christian parents and came to know Jesus at age 12. On two successive nights Leslie saw the crucified Jesus who spoke to him. Jesus told him that He died to save and heal him and that if he dedicated his life, Jesus would use him to bring many to Himself, at home and abroad. Leslie began to minister at once in the church any way he could. At 16, he became the youth leader at a church in Colombo. He later attended the Foursquare Bible College in the Philippines, where he graduated in 1981 and where he met his wife, Belen, They were married in June 1981.

In 1983, missionaries Richard and Betty Kaiser left Sri Lanka to return home. Leslie was appointed the national leader of Foursquare Sri Lanka and initiated a unique discipleship program that increased the number of churches from three to more than 1,000 meeting places and churches. Leslie and Belen have three daughters: Blessie, Julie and Rosie.

From The Foursquare Official website

The goodness of God never ceases to amaze me, especially when He just decides to do stuff to prove to those who don’t know Him that he is good.

USA Today ran a story on the Florida Outpouring which is a little more balanced than the wonderous Nightline piece. In it they have a little bit different story about names Fresh Fire has provided:

Expecting critics, Bentley’s ministry distributed a list of 15 people it said were cured, and vetted by his ministry, with all but three of their stories “medically verified.”

Yet two phone numbers given out by the ministry were wrong, six people did not return telephone messages and only two of the remainder, when reached by The Associated Press, said they had medical records as proof of their miracle cure. However, one woman would not make her physician available to confirm the findings, and the other’s doctor did not return calls despite the patient’s authorization.

Fast-rising preacher’s ‘healings’ draw ire – USATODAY.com.

The thing that became obvious to me in reading this article is not that people are not being healed, but that they do not want to talk to the news media about it. They do not want their personal information out for all the world to see or to be grilled by hostile media personnel.

CBN (the 700 Club) has had a bit of a different experience.  They have been running reports on the Outpouring since it’s early days. They went to the meetings and have talked to people who were healed. People were willing to talk to them and to provide medical evidence for their stories. You can read all the articles here.

Leaving Wheelchairs Behind

The first night CBN News was here, eight handicapped people were healed and left their wheelchairs behind.

Cancer had put Dara Erickson in a wheelchair. “I had tumors going up and down my spinal column. And it wrapped around my spine and cracked my backbone,” she said.

Her healing came progressively during four days and nights of meetings. “I guess it was the fourth day, I was out of the wheelchair. And I could walk. I felt my legs get stronger and stronger and stronger.”

Caroline Tollefsen-Gonzales can’t stop moving and flexing her right hand. Before the revival, it was shriveled up like a pain-dispensing claw because of a rare syndrome.

Rare Syndrome Healed

“It attacked the joints, the muscles, the bones, the skin. And it was unbearable,” she said.

Caroline sent CBN News a medical report a neurologist wrote last year about Caroline’s right hand, labeling its condition “Permanent Impairment” and writing there was “nearly no range of motion of the fingers with claw-like deformity, and pain from the fingers to the elbow.”

But the first night Caroline came to the meetings, she received a total healing. Flexing her hand by her face, she said, “I have never been able to do this since it started.”

It is, however, a sad statement on the Body of Christ that we are willing to trash a brother due to biased reporting from the secular media, when contradictory information is readily available from reliable, Christian sources.

The Doctrine Police have a lot in common with the X-Files’ Fox Mulder. The poster in his office says, “I want to Believe.” Unfortunately, the Doctrine Police WANT to believe evil of all those who do not agree with them.

Dear Friends,

We have had several people write with great concerns about the current move of God that has been stirring in Lakeland, Atlanta, Dallas and other areas of our nation. Let me share some things with you. I actually believe this letter would be worth reading as you continue praying for us in Africa.

We have made our way into Northern Nigeria. Continue to pray for us. Life here is what you may have imagined in Africa: tin roofs, raining, hazy mountains in the distance and bugs buzzing. When we got five miles from the Compound in the rural area of Kafanchan at the Throne Room Trust Ministry, International Prayer Village, you could feel the tangible Presence of His Spirit. I love being here, even though the surroundings are not what I am normally accustomed to; the food is different, and well, yes, there are many different creatures. The main issue is this: in the midst of this environment, I am not afraid of being infected by malaria or getting dysentery because I am in a different land. The people here are some of the most gracious in all the world.

I see that some individuals view “moves of God” this way: they see all the dangers, they are afraid that they will have a demon transferred to them, they analyze every move and shake and scrutinize doctrinally everything that is happening. This may be the only way that some can process their relationship with the Lord and the Body of Christ. I know that many would not like to be here in northern Nigeria in this rural area, nor would they like to be wearing the kingly, African traditional clothing that I am wearing this evening. Some of us are more adventurous than others. Some need to fully test the water before they swim. Personally, I have found that there is great joy in watching God’s people express themselves, work through their issues, learn to discern both good and evil and continually mature in Him.

I was just in Zambia. We saw a great reconciliation of the nation and people with the ex-President. This man had a great reproach from his terms in office. However, God in His grace chose to bring him forth, humble him and forgive him, and use him to change a nation. From a political standpoint, many would have wished he would have stayed estranged from the Body. However, I chose to go with the Spirit of God above political party divisions and reconcile him back into God’s Kingdom plan.

We at Glory of Zion International have chosen to number ourselves in intercession with what is happening in Lakeland and other places throughout the world. Some have written asking me to reject Todd Bentley. GZI does not have a philosophy or mindset to reject anyone. We watch, pray, and then try to communicate what the Lord is saying to help the overall Body of Christ advance.

I have seen others get offended because key leaders commissioned Todd as a modern day evangelist. We at GZI have no problems with this. Please know that we are living in an age where the Apostolic gift in the Body has come into a new position and era of authority. I was very excited to read Peter Wagner’s report (you may go to our web site to read this) on the commissioning service in Lakeland. I admire Ché Ahn, Bill Johnson, and John Arnott. I can now rest in Him, knowing that if things get way out of sync, they can help Todd make adjustments so the Spirit can keep moving.

We will continue to pray that the Lord raise Evangelists all over the world who can reach the harvest fields today. Yes, they may look different than Billy Graham, and they may have experienced some unusual happenings that perhaps will be better communicated as they grow in the Lord. But overall they are stirring the Body of Christ, leading people to the Lord, and doing the works of Jesus.

Let me share with you a personal experience. When Pam and I were in the Baptist Church in the early ’80’s, we were in a “move of God.” The Fullness Movement had touched the Baptist Church in the late ’70s, led by Jim Hylton, Ras Robinson, Jack Taylor and others. We had had some incredible meetings at our church. Many had gotten saved, gotten right with the Lord and filled with the Spirit of God. I loved this time. Pam and I both reminisce over it and call it “the Glory Days”. Then James Robison had his annual meeting and invited John Wimber to minister. Many of you remember our story of Pam’s barrenness. You can read about it in two or three of the books that we have written. We were told by all of our leadership how this “move” had gotten way out of hand, and now that John Wimber (who had no Baptist roots), was invading James Robison’s meeting, we should all stay away from these gatherings. (You should know that John Wimber and Peter Wagner helped revive signs and wonders in the ’80s.) Well, I heard God very clearly tell Pam and me to go in January, 1984 to the James Robison meeting where John Wimber was speaking. While we were there, the Spirit of God fell on my wife and sovereignly filled her. His power knocked the clots out of her uterus and He dramatically healed her. When the Spirit of God fell on Pam she said, “You were right! There are demons everywhere, but I AM HEALED!”

This was not about John Wimber. This was not about Baptists. This was not about controversy. This test was ours! The situation was about us following God without fear so He could reward us with an incredible blessing. Pam became pregnant two weeks later and continued to be pregnant for the next 10 years of our life. We had six wonderful children. I’m so thankful I listened to the Spirit of God and did not let religious fear rule us. There were others with us that were not touched at all by the meetings. As a matter of fact, they did not appreciate at all the way John Wimber ministered. However, in the midst of his ministry, the Spirit of God ministered to us and changed the course of our lives.

I am honored that God brought me into alignment with Peter and Doris Wagner after I embraced the move of God that had been stirred by he and John Wimber. We have now been together for 17 years. During that time, I have continued to get the best God has to offer from the revivals in Argentina, Toronto, the “Laughter Movement”, Brownsville, and any other fresh breath of wind that blows. I have many friends who have great cautions over experiential manifestations and extra-Biblical sensational happenings. I heed those friends’ voices and listen carefully. This does not keep me from experiencing what God is doing. I love what Bishop Bill Hamon says, “Eat the meat and spit out the bones and you will find yourself nourished.”

Recently, I have been pondering the first several verses of Genesis. In the midst of a wreck and ruined, chaotic, without-form earth, the Spirit of God began to hover. Once the Spirit began to hover, God could speak into the earth realm and pull forth creativity. He did this for six straight days. But notice God’s order: He didn’t try and set in order the sixth day before the first day. He didn’t try to place the fourth day before the second day. Little by little, as the Spirit hovered, order came and man was offered a new position as a result. That is how I view every move of God.

What I would encourage you to do is to keep discerning by the Word and the Spirit, but to be open to see the Lord move in a new way. The disciples could not understand why the Lord would go to Samaria and visit with the woman at the well. However, because of His love and boldness to break a religious standard, a whole city was saved (John 4). The Lord is preparing to save entire cities today.

Thank God that Jesus talked to this woman – a person with a past, a Samaritan, and a woman. He was not afraid of His reputation being marred. Recently, a letter from one of the major Bible churches in Denton went out to leaders in our city on the doctrine of women and how they should have a subservient role in the Body of Christ in public ministry. Prior to this letter going out, I had invited Cindy Jacobs to minister at Glory of Zion on Sunday, July 6. I want you to know that I have been a champion for women ministers throughout the years. I am so very excited to have Cindy with us on July 6th because women are welcome to minister in Denton, Texas. I would never shut the door of ministry for her to come into this city because of man’s opinion.

Neither would I, Robert Heidler or any leader that is aligned with me, shut the door to Keith Miller or Todd Bentley to come to Denton to minister what the Spirit of God is doing in their lives. We consider it a privilege that God has opened the gate for Spirit-led ministry to come into Denton. We are glad that He “needs” to come to Denton just like He “needed” to go to Samaria. You are always welcome to come to Denton. As a matter of fact, you might “need” to come here to gain your next release from the Lord. You can go to Keith Miller’s meeting. You can come to our Firstfruits Gathering. You can come be with Cindy Jacobs on Sunday, July 6. You can come to Tuesday Morning Prayer. You are invited to come any time and you will not be rejected as you come into this city.

Keep praying for us. We will be home on Tuesday.

Blessings,

Chuck D. Pierce

On June 23, 2008, Todd Bentley was commissioned by apostolic group, Revival Alliance, and brought into formal affiliation with this group. Revival Alliance is an organization of revival leaders that includes Bill and Beni Johnson, Che and Sue Ahn, John and Carol Arnott, Georgian and Winnie Bannov, Randy and Deanne Clark and Roland and Heidi Baker. The video below is the first of four on You Tube showing the entire ceremony. Click on the video, go to You Tube and watch them all. C. Peter Wagner, head of Global Harvest, presided.

Bill Johnson explained the motives and discussion that lead up to this event in is his sermon Sunday, June 22, at Bethel Church in Redding, CA. The sermon is available here at the Bethel website as a video for the next few days and is entitled, The Loyalty of Bethel. It is also available on their podcast.

Revival Alliance is the result of a prophetic word that Bob Jones gave to Heidi Baker regarding an alliance of 12 revival leaders. Heidi contacted those Bob saw in the vision and Revival Alliance was born. The leaders of Revival Alliance is determined to give themselves away for the benefit of others. The goal of this group is to stand together, explore together, and stay accountable together; basically to live and die for each other.

In the original vision, Todd Bentley’s ministry was part of the alliance, but Bob said that at that time it was not the time yet to include Todd. When Bill Johnson asked Bob Jones if now was the time, Bob said, “It’s time because of his enemies.” Because of who is opposing Todd, it is important for them to rally around him.

Pastor Johnson makes it clear in his sermon that for him, when a man of God is being shot at, that is where he wants to be to stand with them. He wants to throw his hat in the ring with people who are making a mess of the kingdom of darkness. It is not the time to jump ship when someone is facing a hard time. That is when you rally around them and give the enemy multiple targets to shoot at.

Xtreme Encounters has been an Overflow Room for the Florida Outpouring since April 21. We have made a decision that, although we are a small ministry, we will stand with Fresh Fire Ministries and see this thing through. We want to see the good fruit that we see (people have been healed and saved in our ministry as a result of the encouragement we have received from the Outpouring) spread, not just in Lakeland, not just in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where we are, but all over the world.

The video is of Jeff Lewis conducting Power Evangelism Training at Ignited Church. Jeff is the guy doing the street evangelism at the Florida Outpouring. Jeff leads City Taker Ministries and is a maniac for Jesus.

Jeff has trained 6,400 people so far in Power Evangelism. He really, REALLY believes in the need to preach hell to people. The Law brings with it the knowledge of sin necessary for true conviction and life-changing repentance. The anemic gospel that much of the church has been preaching produces a true conversion rate of 10 – 15% (I personally think he’s being rather generous with those numbers) and produces anemic, carnal converts.

These guys are out on the streets six days a week in Lakeland. They are committed to seeing the city touched. The City Takers website has some really good training materials and materials to use in evangelism. Their college campus survey is awesome! The premise for the campus is to engage the student in the survey by offering them 5 bucks if they can name all ten of the commandments. You can talk to a college student all day on that one! They will bring ALL their friends to you (just make sure you bring lots of CASH for this one!)

Here’s a video of Jeff showing what practical ministry on the streets of Lakeland looks like.

This is really good stuff. If you have a desire to impact your city, go through the training on Jeff’s site, print up some surveys, grab some tracts and go for it!

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The Outpouring in Florida is spreading! In the early days of this revival, five pastors from Ireland came to the Outpouring to “get some” and take it back to Ireland with them. The Lord has been answering their cries for “MORE!” Elim Christian Center in Belfast has been in extended meetings since their pastor, Brian Madden returned from Lakeland. Now, this church is claiming that they, too, are seeing people raised from the dead.

This is from the June 20, 2008 edition of the Belfast News Letter, which claims to be the oldest existing English language newspaper in the world. You can see the entire article here.

AN ELIM Church in Belfast is claiming that a teenager came “back from the dead” after a serious car crash.

The case is being linked into an international Pentecostalist healing phenomenon, which began in Florida.

Dozens of people are now flocking nightly to services at the church in Tigers Bay, north Belfast.

Members say that 18-year-old Andrew Duffin was dead for 16 minutes on a hospital operating table, but revived after his father, who is a Christian, sent out a prayer appeal through American preacher Todd Bentley

This is Andrew Duffin. He said that at the time of the accident he did not believe in God. He has since changed his opinion on that.

He told the News Letter:

“When I was taken to theatre the doctors opened me up and I had a heart attack. The doctors then told me I died for 16 minutes on the table.

“I had a heart attack, my lungs collapsed, my kidneys stopped and then my organs all stopped I was told. They had given up on me.

“The first thing I remember is the feeling of sinking into black. I suppose that was me dying. Then I remember hearing one of the doctors saying ‘he is alive’.”

He said: “I was in hospital a total of six weeks. I am now totally healed, have no brain injury which is pretty unheard of for what I have come through.”

Here is another case of the secular media (and pretty unbelieving secular media, at that) reporting on what God is doing in the current move of His Spirit.

There are currently meetings going on in:

1. Belfast, Northern Ireland
2. Dudley, England
3. Albany, Oregon
4. Morningstar Ministries, Charlotte, North Carolina
5. Glaglow, Scottland
6. Atlanta, Georgia
7. Medford, Oregon

I am sure that there are other places where the fires of revival are starting to break out. These are just the places that I am aware of. If your ministry is in extended meetings, please let me know. There is now a website for all those churches who are acting as Overflow Rooms. This is a new site and there are a ton of ministries listed. If your church is acting as an Overflow Room, you can list it here.

I came across this photo on my friend’s Been Up 2 site. By the way, I think Been Up 2 is now the Bethel Church networking site. There are a zillion people who are somehow linked to Bethel over there posting photos of their wild adventures. Bill Johnson’s current wild adventure appears to be eating some of the best food America has to offer (he has taken his beloved wife on vacation and is tormenting the BSSM students with photos of such things as Kobe beef and truffle mashed potatoes while they eat their ramen noodles as all college students do.) Steve Jobs should also be paying Bethel a spokesman’s fee considering the continuous endorsement that community gives all things Apple.

Anyway, back to the photo. This is a photo of Bill Johnson ministering at Impact Christian Fellowship on December 18, 2006. He was praying for the release of miracles and this photo was taken by Max Greiner, Jr. Notice the orbs visible in the photo. Max has done an article on this phenomenon on his site and you can read the entire article here. He is an artist (take some time and browse his site – he’s good!) and has taken many thousands of photographs that have this phenomenon in them.

One of the things I found interesting in this article is the date that these orbs were first being notices in photos, which was in 1996-1997. This was about the same time that the “gold dust” started appearing in churches. Some of these orbs have faces (notice the lion-looking one in the lower right corner of this photo). Others appear to be covered with eyes (like the living creatures Ezekiel speaks of in his vision).

I have seen orbs in photos I have taken and in photos friends of mine have taken. I actually saw an angel a few months ago standing in the doorway of the place we are meeting as an Overflow Room for the Florida Outpouring. You could feel the presence and when one of my guys drug out a camera phone, it was clearly visible as a human figure of blue light. Unfortunately, I do not own an iPhone and so the resulting photo was not as clear as what we saw on the screen.

I personally get tickled at the manifestations like gold dust, diamonds, feathers and such. I see them as just more proof of the interest the Father takes in his children. He cares enough to come and play with us (which is how humans build deep relationships, through play). By the way, I love Joshua Mills’ comment on feathers falling in his meetings. A guy came up to him and said, “I have a problem with the feathers,” to which Joshua replied, “If you have problems with the feathers, what are you going to do with the whole angel?

These type of phenomenon fascinate those in the New Age movement and those who are spiritually hungry for the reality of the spiritual realm.  Unfortunately, many of these people have tried the church and found us seriously lacking in spiritual reality.  Why on earth would you come and hear about supernatural experiences from an ancient book that the people believe tells about what once was but is no more, when you can experience supernatural things through your spirit-guide?

We have unlimited access to the God of creation and all that He has given us.  Part of our inheritance in the Kingdom is interaction with His house and all that is in it.  Do you seriously believe that what the writer of Hebrews calls an inferior covenant (the Old Covenant that God made with the children of Israel) is supposed to produce superior blessings to what we have in the Kingdom of God?  They were given covenant promises of health, healing and blessing.  They walked under a cloud by day and fire by night.  Their shoes did not wear out the entire 40 years they were  in the desert.  An angel was visibly present with them.  THEY HEARD THE AUDIBLE VOICE OF GOD, the entire nation of them did.  God fed them daily for 40 years.  The supernatural was a way of life for them.

The same is true of the ministry of Jesus.  His disciples walked in the continuous presence of God.  Think about it.  God was literally with them 24/7 in the person of Jesus.  He has told us that He is with us always.   He spent three years showing us how the Kingdom of God works and then told us to continue His work, doing the things He did and more.

The presence of our supernatural God doing His works through us is what will attract the lost.  The church has become more and more of an irrelevancy in American life.  Alternative religions are making a huge impact in this country.  Why?  They offer people a supernatural reality that the church has denied.  Again, why do we accept that an inferior revelation (the revelation that the evil one offers people of the supernatural) can produce supernatural results,  but deny that the church can and should be walking in the supernatural power of God?

One of the things that I though was very good in the article was one of Max’s comments on those who do not believe in the miraculous. Max, by the way, spent the first 40 years of his life as a Southern Baptist, which is not an organization noted for it’s flow in the supernatural power of God.

In fact, if you are a Christian with an “anti-supernatural” worldview, understand this: It will take a supernatural, unexplainable miracle of God, to take you to Heaven when you die! Just because you don’t believe miracles are still happening, doesn’t mean they are not happening. It just means you don’t believe they are happening. Jesus said you must have faith and believe first, before you get to see.

Read the article (it’s 3 pages long) and tell me what you think. I am looking forward to the the feedback.

A number of leaders in the Body of Christ are going to be in Lakeland on June 23th to bless the Outpouring. Bill Johnson, Che Ahn, C. Peter Wagner, John and Carol Arnott, among others, will be there according to the announcement Todd made last night.

I saw another great statement from Bill Johnson regarding Todd Bentley. This is from his ministry site.

Recent response to the above answer:”How in God’s name can you endorse Todd Bentley?” This is my response:

Have you spent time with Todd? Do you know him? Have you watched him with his wife? Or have you seen how he treats his kids? Have you spent any time with his staff? Have you been to his ministry? Has he been to yours? Have you laid hands on him and prayed? Has he laid hands on you and prayed? Have you grieved over tragedy together? Have you celebrated victory together? Has he sought your counsel? Has he traveled a great distance just to meet with you privately for advice? Have you ever received his counsel? Have you been in the room when God has showed up on him, and used him in stunning miracles? Have you seen him operate in the word of knowledge or the prophetic? Have you met with his counsel of elders? Have you personally benefited from his gift? Has he benefited from your gift and ministry? Has he ever honored you for who you are in God? Has he partnered with you as a friend? Have you sacrificed for his welfare, or that of his family? Have you sought God with him? Have you ever worshipped the Lord with him?

I didn’t think so. I have. And I’ll continue to support those who I have walked with in life and ministry. He’s my friend. More importantly, God calls him friend. And if you and I were ever friends in that level, and people hated you and turned against you, and started web pages to tear down your ministry, and criticized you to your friends, and wrote against you in Christian magazines, and criticized you on the radio and wrote emails to other conference speakers and authors, I’d still be your friend.

By the way – criticism in the form of a question is not a question. But to respond to your statement, “How in God’s name can you endorse Todd Bentley?” It’s easy. I do it in God’s name.

Bill

One thing that I admire about Bill Johnson is the fact that he makes no apologies for his friendship with Todd. He focuses on what God is doing, not what God is not.

Thank you, Bill Johnson, for being a man of integrity.

Below is a letter from Todd Bentley that has been posted on the Fresh Fire website. It is Todd’s response to some of the things being said on the internet.

_____________________________________

Lifting Jesus High!

Bringing Biblical Light to Your Questions
about the Lakeland Outpouring & Todd Bentley

June 8, 2008

Dear Friends,

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter and for hearing my heart on some of the issues that seems to be causing division and some confusion in the Body of Christ. Throughout the Old and New Testaments and in every age following, as far as I can determine, the Lord has given His people dreams and visions, signs and wonders, heavenly encounters and divine supernatural experiences that, for the most part, we cannot understand with our intellect. In the spiritual realm, God isn’t limited by our thinking!
God’s ways of communicating with us hasn’t changed from the beginning of time, although the Bible is the mainstay of His communication to us in today’s Church. Sometimes pictures say a lot, though, and the Lord does speak to us through visions and dreams, just as He spoke that way to the people of ancient days and just as He has promised us that He would in the Last Days. God says, “I am the LORD, I change not” (Malachi 3:6).
Whenever God pours out His Spirit, dreams and visions become integral to the move of God and are especially a Last Days phenomena according to Joel 2:28 and Acts 2:17. God-given dreams and visions are often because of the gracious outpouring of the Holy Spirit. They fall into the category of the miraculous when supernatural revelations are imparted. Ezekiel, the prophet operated in a continuous miracle ministry in the revelatory realm.
Some people desire Scripture for every manifestation of God – for every detail of every God-given, Holy Spirit inspired vision, dream, encounter, or demonstration of the supernatural realm of God manifested on the earth. While I firmly believe that we’re to defend the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I don’t believe we’re to defend divine manifestations of God, because they are proof within themselves of the Gospel, wherever the Word of God is sent forth. Discern yes, but defend, no. Consider that many of the “greater” things that Christ said we would do hadn’t even been done yet and weren’t recorded in the Bible.

On Visions

While it’s good and right and biblical to test the spirits to see if they are of God, it’s vital to realize that just because a type of vision or a sign is not listed in Scripture, that it’s unscriptural, to be discounted, or false. For instance: If you dream of Jesus visiting you, and in your dream, Jesus, the Man, was the most handsome man you’d ever seen, would the fact that the Bible described Him as having no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him (Is. 53:2b), discount your dream as being scriptural or genuine, relative, and of God?
Just as no two people are alike, no two experiences are alike. Guaranteed, the Bible doesn’t list the details of each dream, each encounter, or everything that God has, does, and will eventually reveal to His people. It doesn’t record every detail of every dream, or everything someone has seen in the spirit realm, or on earth for that matter. Nor does it record every possible miracle, but it does say that nothing is impossible with God (see Luke 1:37; Matt. 17:20). We have no account of miracles like amputated limbs growing back, but the absence of this is Scripture doesn’t mean that such a miracle unbiblical.
If a person is of the mind-set that everything spiritual that happens or manifests in our lives has to be found in Scripture to be divine and of God, then that standard or belief would have to be applied to every area of one’s life. God responds to each one of us in different ways so the specific way He speaks to any of His children should not become a doctrine of correctness.
Someone once said that limiting revelation is like trying to fit an ocean into a cup. God is continually restoring truth and light to His Church. Therefore, we should place no limit on further revelation. To have a view that everything that happens in someone’s life because of God’s loving response to us as His children should be listed in the Bible or else it’s wrong or evil, is like saying that Jesus, who is the Word represents a list of do’s and don’ts. Jesus is a Person who, through intimacy and relationship, we perceive and understand by the Holy Spirit what is good and what is evil. If Jesus listed for us everything that we needed to know, then knowing Him would have become an option. It’s in knowing Him, who is The Word that we enter into what He has prepared for us.
To apply doctrine to the response of God in our lives is wrong. For someone to assume that something that happens to us isn’t of God because it’s not in his or her doctrine or knowledge of Jesus is, in my opinion, to grieve the precious Holy Spirit. I believe each experience is unique and tailored to the individual’s background, experiences, circumstances, capacity to receive, and personal relationship with Jesus. The experience is usually one that a person can relate to. The Lord meets us where we’re at and often shows us things in a way that gets our attention, in a way that we, as individuals, uniquely understand and relate to.
Some are questioning the soundness of my visitation from Jesus while I was in Redding, California. I stated in an interview that it was as though He came into this realm and I saw Him as I would imagine Jesus would be with the disciples on the Earth, as the Son of man, a humble servant as He walked the earth, not in His resurrection glory. The purpose of this experience was for God to impart to me His supernatural peace in my life. God chooses, in His infinite wisdom, to reveal Himself in different ways, and in various aspects so that people can understand, relate, and even receive Him. Why do some think it so bad if God wills to come in His grace and reveal Himself to us in whatever manner He chooses?

Focus on the Revelation

This can be drastically different from one person to another. What’s important, however, are not the details of, for instance, a vision, but how it points to Jesus, the revelation gleaned, what we learn from the experience, how we apply it to our life, and/or speak it into the life of another, and how it draws us closer to Him, for His name’s sake. Because one person may not be able to relate to a dream, vision, or experience of another, he or she may attribute this to the devil or to the flesh, or hallucinations, for example. I’m sure many have seen strange things happen in our meetings – things that puzzle, things that aren’t normal to them, but understand – God doesn’t seek approval for how He manifests through His people or in signs and wonders.
The Bible is full of visions, encounters, signs, wonders, miracles, and manifestations that people have experienced, some of which may be downright hard for many to wrap their minds around, let alone believe it could happen today. Again, it’s all relative to each individual, their experiences, and backgrounds, and with what they have learned through intimacy with Christ Jesus, and what they have received as a love response from God. I spend hours and hours at the feet of Jesus and perhaps the next person doesn’t.
As I can recall, Smith Wigglesworth once had a vision of Satan. He’d been sleeping in bed during a thunderstorm that had rattled the windows and made the lights flicker. Suddenly he saw a vision of Satan standing at the foot of his bed. However, he wasn’t in the least bit disturbed because he had first-hand knowledge and experience of God’s protective nature and understood the power of the name of Jesus. “Oh, it’s just you,” he said to the devil, and turned over and went back to sleep.
If this were a new, breaking story today, how would people receive or respond to the account of what he saw? It would all be relative to what you know or have experienced relating to demons, or the knowledge that you have about the authority that you have as a blood-bought child of God, even to the church climate. If you’ve never cast out a demon from your life and seen him run at the mere mention of the blood of Christ Jesus, you wouldn’t understand.

Angels

Likewise, if I say that I had a vision of an angel, or encountered one or even spoke with one, but you haven’t doctrinally or experientially, come to terms with the reality of angels being in our midst, then you may not attribute it as valid. You may even tag me as someone who worships angels, seeks them for counsel, ministers under the power of, or misrepresents them in some way. In the case of the angel called “Emma,” who I described as having mother-like nurturing qualities, some have automatically assumed that my doctrine is that I believe in female angels. This has never been the case! For whatever reason God chose to show me this angel in a female persona, He did. This isn’t to say that the angel was female. Angels are spirit and appear in many forms. Perhaps that’s the form God chose this angel to take for the purpose of the revelation He gave me. They are spirit beings of light, created out of God’s glory, without gender, and appear in whatever form God chooses to send them to us.
Let me throw this out there for you to think about. If someone encounters an angel on earth that has come in the form of a female human being, and even refers to the angel as a “she,” it doesn’t raise eyebrows. We know they must sometimes appear to us in human form because the Bible tells us not to forget to entertain strangers, “for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels” (Hebrews 13:2). There is biblical precedent for angels appearing in human form in the example of the two angels who came to Sodom to warn Lot before the destruction of the city in Genesis 19. They visited, had a meal, and even spent the night. Their human “form” even fooled those who tried to accost them and the angels struck them blind.
Even though they appeared as men, they are still genderless. Emma appeared to me in angelic form appearing feminine, which is not to say Emma was female or had a gender. This was the first angel I’d ever seen in feminine-like form, in this motherly nurturing type of persona that opened up a well of healings and breakthrough.
Mary, Paul, Peter, Jesus, the shepherds, and several disciples, and many Old Testament folk like Abraham, Hagar, Daniel, and others had angelic encounters and some interacted with them in conversation. That doesn’t suppose they worshiped these angelic beings or sought them out for revelation apart from God. I never summon angels directly. I do ask God to send angels to encamp around me, and others. Let it be said, that I seek only God for revelation and should He send an angel to me to impart revelation, get my attention, or open wells of revival and healing, so be it. I’ll echo Mary’s words when the angel Gabriel visited and conversed with her “You see before you the Lord’s servant, let it happen to me as you have said.” And the angel left her (Luke 1:26-38).
Christ paid the price for our spiritual blessings and access to heavenly things – angels included. Where I would be concerned about angelic revelation as being deceptive or as angels actually being demonic spirits, is where not-yet Christians claim angelic revelation while rejecting the cross of Christ.
Angels have a purpose in God’s plan. It shouldn’t come as a surprise to the Body of Christ that an angel, called the “Winds of Change” should usher in a new move of God.
Of the angels we learn, “He makes His angels winds and His servants flames of fire” (Heb. 1:7, NAS; see also Psalm 104:3, 4). If God has chosen to send them to us, it behooves us to welcome their presence as we usher in the presence and move of the Lord.
We see a manifestation of God’s presence and power by means of “wind and fire” in the New Testament on the day of Pentecost “when suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:1-4).
Angels are messengers from God in heaven to His church on earth, and they seem to appear at the most critical points in the history of salvation. We get the sense also that they observe what’s happening here on earth at least in the life of the Church. Christ ended two of His parables saying “there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:7,10, NKJV). They are also reapers in the great harvest, “…the reapers are the angels” (Matt. 13:39). Described as “ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation” (Heb. 1:14, italics mine).

Encounters/Visitations

Some people have even ventured to say that my visions and visitations are false. That’s like telling someone who’s just told you about a dream they had in their sleep that they didn’t really dream it.
In the case of my encounter with Paul the apostle, just as Paul didn’t know if he was in his body or out of his body when he was taken into the third heaven, I don’t know whether my encounter was in a vision or an actual encounter. I do know that it was not of the adversary. God had reason for this experience and for the revelation that transpired from it. These things I cannot refute.
It’s not that far out there when you consider that the apostle Peter beheld Jesus, Moses, and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration and was actually commissioned while in a visionary trance, to preach to the Gentiles (see Matt. 17:9, Acts 10:19).
Some may not find my experience doctrinally sound, and liken it to speaking to the dead, and unbiblical, citing the apostle Paul’s warnings in Galatians 1:8, and 2 Corinthians 11:14, of which I’m very aware. My accountability team and I, through careful examination, determined that this vision was not outside of God’s realm. God had a purpose and a plan for the revelation He gave me and it all pointed to Christ.
In visions and encounters that I share, I emphasize that it boils down to Jesus Christ who is the essence of everything and is the All in All. It’s all about Him, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. An encounter with heaven is an encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Many people don’t see what’s happening in the spirit realm, viewing things only from the physical realm. This is one reason why there’s so much division right now. I have found that many are judging things by what they see or hear in the natural, by their natural senses, to feelings, or without having relevant supernatural experiences themselves.

No Prototype for Revival

One of my colleagues told me of a pastor and his wife visiting Lakeland from Las Vegas last week. They pastor a church of over 5,000 people. They shared that they had to repent for believing in their hearts some of the concerns that they’d heard or read about, without first seeking the Lord about it or attending the outpouring, and experiencing first hand what God was doing here. They were amazed by the power and the glory of God there, and have headed back to Nevada with good reports!
This seems to be what I hear from many attending, and from what I read on blogs from people who’ve experienced the fire of God at our meetings. Every night we see hundreds of pastors and leaders all hungry for the fire of God to touch their churches, to disarm the religious paradigms that keep God in a box, quenching the work of the Spirit.
People may see me or others sprawled out on the floor, or in heavenly laughter, or shaking because of the glory and presence of God, but try to look beyond and understand that something’s happening in the spirit, trusting that there’s that other realm that you may not see.
Revival is often messy because there’s a lot happening and sometimes it’s hard for people to take in everything they see in the natural. Many come and some do manifest fleshly things, but for the most part, everyone is sincere and of good intention at a revival. Trust it’s better to be full of life with a little untidiness than to be dead. Also, trust that God is big. He can handle it and can separate the tares from the wheat.
Revival shakes paradigms. It doesn’t fit the mainstream Church’s way of thinking. Revival is an upstream move of God that breaks away from the stagnant pools of religion and tradition. Those bound by tradition and inside a paradigm of do’s and don’ts who give way to an upward stream, find transformation, and a new supernatural, empowering paradigm for their lives.
Moves of God like this are never normal. Do you think what happened in Acts looked normal to the disciples, or even to the onlookers? Pentecost was way, way out there, pretty far out, and must have caused much talk. No one had ever seen anything like it before. Revival is about new things happening, so it’s important not to be quick to judge. There’s no prototype for revival. It’s not a cookie cutter thing. We’re only in our baby stages – and there’s a lot to learn, but what we need now is the support of the Church because unity is crucial.
If you cannot understand the supernatural things of God, or even if you disagree or choose to discount or discredit me in any way, then I urge you to look at the fruit. Every day we’re seeing salvations. Every day people are being healed, not only physically, but emotionally too! Every day, people who thought they knew Christ are discovering Him in a fresh and powerful new way. Every day, we’re teaching people how to use their gifts to evangelize. We’re equipping and sending hundreds into the streets and marketplaces to talk about Jesus.
It’s not even limited to this region. We’re seeing this move of God as exponential growth because people carry the anointing and glory of God home to their churches and regions, empowered to “do the same stuff” and ignite more fires.

Before You Pick Apart the Worker…

Please examine the fruit before you pick apart the worker. People are being saved! Certainly this is common ground with every believer – our hearts should always be for the lost. Can we not come together and make this our mission, understanding that our theologies may be different but that we agree on this very important and vital commission. We serve the same God. God is the Father of all of us. We are His children. We are all in the same family. We are all running the same race but at different paces. The Word planted on good soil bears good fruit!

Salvation of the Lost

If you’re watching out a window from a distance and see a child running around a busy street and in obvious danger of being hit, but see someone close-by who could help, what would you do? Would you first judge the person to determine if he or she is “fit” enough or qualified to lend assistance, in your eyes? Would you check to see that the person is wearing an “S” for “Superman” on his shirt? Would you wait for the right person to come along that fits your mold, or would you throw open the window and yell, “That child – save that child!”
Please. Our mission is to save the lost. Period. Everything that is happening at Lakeland is to that end. God is good. People are being saved. That should be the priority of every believer. You may not understand some of the things that you see. It may be out of your paradigm or traditional way of thinking, but trust that if God didn’t want this to happen that He is more than capable of shutting it down single-handedly without the help of man.
Jumping into rivers of condemnation, disapproval, even censure before experiencing things for yourself could make you responsible for the loss of the one who may have come to the Lord but for quick judgments or criticisms. God is doing new things! Church history should never be used as a blueprint for experiences or beliefs, that’s what the Word of God is for.

New Wineskins and New Garments

This move of God may not fit your perception of revival, especially if you are basing it on previous revivals, or even on the traditions of the Church. So too, I likely don’t fit the mold of the traditional evangelist. Jesus used the Pharisees’ disapproval as an opportunity to teach why it was important that He didn’t fit into their mold. First, He used the metaphor of the patched garments and said “No one tears a patch from a new garment and sews it on an old one. If he does, he will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old” (Luke 5:36). To try to attach a new, unshrunk garment to the old will not only tear and destroy the new but also the old won’t look right and will eventually tear again. Jesus contrasted the old and new again with a parable about new wine and old, saying that if a person pours new wine into old wineskins the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will run out, and the wineskins would ruin (Luke 5:37, 38).
What could possibly be so new in Jesus’ day as to be ruined by being attached to the old? The radical Gospel! Man-made rules and tradition would hinder the work. Jesus wanted them to see that the dead Pharisaical traditions didn’t result in heart transformations. It would be easier for them to clasp onto and justify what was familiar and comfortable, than to be led by the Holy Spirit but the two can’t be combined. Jesus wasn’t throwing out the law or discounting it but came to fulfill it. The Gospel needed to be free of the confines of tradition and religious comfort zones to work its power. Jesus wanted to restore the hearts of the people, to restore life to the core of the Hebrew faith. Those external things, as Paul wrote in Colossians 2:23, “have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.” Their system of laws had lost Christ who was their substance. They had the shadows but not the substance of Christ. Pride pretended to penetrate heaven but hadn’t.
Signs, wonders, and miracles should be proof of the Gospel. However, Jesus said there would be false signs and wonders in the last days that were not done by Him (Matt. 7:21-23). Of this, I am well aware. Some people may do these things in His name and yet never really have a relationship of love and fellowship with Jesus. Salvation is knowing Jesus and being known by Him – it’s much more than spiritual works or a verbal confession. I understand that lofty places in this visible kingdom are no proof of anyone’s acceptance with God, and neither are the mighty works, even done in Jesus’ name. However, the condition of the heart is what truly allies us with Him. This I’ve stressed repeatedly in my ministry. The heart changes when someone spends much time with the Lord. This is the foundation of my ministry and my walk with Jesus. From the outset of my salvation, my ministry, and even today, I spend hours in the secret place of His presence. I seek Him and His will for every meeting. My team here at Lakeland knows that several hours of every afternoon; before every meeting, I’m not to be disturbed as I spend time with Jesus. Signs, wonders, miracles, dreams, and visions I believe are His loving response – the fruit of fellowship.
Spend time in His presence and you won’t be as resistant to change. You won’t be afraid to be a new wineskin, God’s present wineskin. You won’t even be the same wineskin as tomorrow, because with God wineskins are new and newer. New wineskins won’t limit God or what He can do.

When Did the Devil Change His Plan?

From what I’ve been hearing, my heart is saddened because critical people are bringing more attention to the supposed “works of the devil” in my life, and here in Lakeland than to the very real and wondrous works of God. Too much credit is being given to the devil and to man to the detriment of God’s sovereignty and power. Some are even attributing good and wonderful manifestations of God’s loving response to His children, to the devil! But this exalts no one but themselves when they choose to make a ministry out of their judgments and criticisms in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Since when did the devil come to heal the sick, raise the dead, open deaf ears and eyes, lead people to salvation in Jesus, or preach that the Kingdom of God is at hand? Just when did the devil change his plan? Jesus promised life and life more abundantly, and that’s the fruit that we’re seeing in Lakeland.
For this reason, I asked my staff to remove from our website, articles that are causing such strife and division and deterring the Body from the very real and pressing focus of these last days. Jesus wept when people missed the purpose. Every blessing flowed and people received, but they missed the purpose. Don’t miss the purpose!
Again I emphasize, it’s good and right to search out the Truth and to discern the spirits, God expects us to do so. Nevertheless, it’s also important to do so outside of one’s comfortable box, not mistaking discomfort for discernment, and realizing that God is not only a God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever, but also a God of new things. Realize also, that if you spend time in His presence, in fellowship with Him, and if daily, you put on the full armor of God and spend time in His Word; you’ll be more comfortable erring on the side of extravagance rather than quench the Spirit. A body of believers without the Holy Spirit is a breathless, lifeless body.

Accountability

I am accountable to God, and to those who He has sent to me to speak wisdom into my life and ministry – (I submit to an accountability team that comprises my pastor and spiritual overseers from varying backgrounds and denominations). They have not discounted the things that the Lord has shown me just because they don’t fit the mold of tradition or the old wineskins that some are carrying. The dreams, visions, and experiences that I’ve brought forth have been solely for ministering to the Body of Christ. My experiences have made me even hungrier and more zealous for God. That hunger transfers into a hunger to see others experience what I know to be true. They’ve been substantiated through the Word of God in principle, and accepted and given the go-ahead by my accountability team.
I also have an entire department of our ministry devoted to intercession, to coordinating and administering prayer covering over my life and family, over the ministry, and to those to whom we minister. We have an email list called The Firewall that comprises hundreds of intercessors from around the world who keep us covered in prayer.

Steadfast Word of God

Certainly, some people may not understand the visions God has given me, just as I may not understand theirs, but I’ll always hold and stand firm on the truths and the promises He’s given me because He lines them up in my life with the Word. What eternally matters is His Word, which is steadfast and true. My visions may fade away but God’s Word never will. As long as I have the Word, I don’t even need manifestations to prove to me that God is God.
However, God has promised that it shall come to pass in the last days that He will pour out His Spirit upon all flesh: that “your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions” (Joel 2:28). God is raising up an Ezekiel company empowered with the gifts of faith and the working of miracles, with voices like trumpets commanding and heralding the miraculous power of God. Effectiveness and power isn’t limited to clergy. God will pour out His Spirit upon all flesh.
We have to be immersed people. I want to be saturated with everything that God has for me – including dreams, visions, miracles, signs, wonders, and everything accessible to me as a child of God in the supernatural realm of His kingdom. I want the same for you, and so does God.

Go the Distance

People may criticize me for my boldness and zeal, for my methods and ways, for my intensity and urgency, but when we follow the Holy Spirit, He often leads us to do bold and even unexpected things – even outside of our norm. Samuel prophesied to King Saul that the Spirit of the Lord would come upon him and that he would prophesy and be turned “into another man” (1 Sam. 10:6). I am another man. Try to look beyond my paunch and the tattoos, and see how God has used me, and see how He can use you, and is using others.
Christianity shouldn’t be a dead religion but full of life, vim, and strength! Supernatural signs and wonders so often lead people to the saving power of the Lord Jesus Christ. Whether people know it or not, no matter which way a person comes to Christ, the supernatural is involved.
It’s vital for us to go the distance with God if the world is ever going to experience the might of who He really is! Walking in communion with God and in the reality of heaven on earth is the distance to aim and reach for but you have to be open to the impossible happening, even if it bursts your wineskin. The realities of heaven that have happened in my life, and that are happening here at Lakeland are to glorify God so that the lost would come into right relationship with Him, for He is mighty to save.

Take Part in the Feast

God uses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. For some reason, He’s chosen a bald-headed, red-bearded, tattooed, pierced, imperfect man as an agent for revival. I understand why I would come as a shock to the religious camp. Nevertheless, trust that if what I’m doing is of the flesh or of the devil, I will fail, but if what’s happening is from God, nothing and no one can quench this blazing revival fire unless God wills it.
We’re throwing a feast and we’re inviting the sick, the poor in spirit, the oppressed, and those bound in old wineskins. We’re going out to find and minister to those that no one else can touch to bring them in, and we’re seeing an outpouring of God’s blessings such that we cannot contain. Is it the work of the devil?
Spend time praying for souls. I pray you can see past my imperfections and gaze at the perfection of Christ Jesus. Break through your old wineskin and into the present one. Trust the wisdom of God and His hand in all of this.
I’m thankful that people are being watchful in these last days, just as I am watchful. Questions are good when we’re uncertain of things. Trust too what a respected Pharisee advised in Acts 5:38, 39: “And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it – lest you even be found to fight against God.”
I understand that people have questions, and God understands too! I invite you to come to Lakeland to see what God has for you, and to see for yourself the mighty and wondrous things that God is doing here. Thanks again for hearing my heart. It is my heart that we can bring unity to the Body of Christ to see a great harvest.

Fresh Fire to you,

Todd Bentley

PS: Just as I was wrapping up this letter to you, I received an unsolicited email from Dr. Gary S. Greig, PhD., a former Associate Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at Regent University School of Divinity, and Senior Editor, Theology and Acquisitions for the Regal Publishing Group. In his letter, this biblical scholar and theologian shared that the Lord had healed him of sleep apnea while entering into worship while watching a telecast of the Lakeland Outpouring. He wrote that the Lord prompted him to write and send us an independent theological witness to help as many leaders and believers as possible understand that the Lakeland outpouring is from God. That by writing this theological response to questions and criticisms in: Biblical Reasons to Receive God’s Glory and Give it Away in Power Evangelism, that as many as possible would receive “biblical permission” to get on board and fully commit to receiving the Lord’s glory and anointing, and to give it away in power evangelism.

This paper is written at a high level of scholarship for pastors, church leaders, and theologians yet is understandable to the layperson. The Lord told Dr. Greig to “sow into the revival,” not by publishing this 55 page booklet in a conventional way, but by donating it to Fresh Fire Ministries to use as we will, even if it’s just as an encouragement to the ministry. He has granted us permission to post or distribute this paper free of charge and advised that the Lord told him to suggest a donation of $3-$5 to go to Fresh Fire Ministries to help cover the costs for ushering in the outpouring in Lakeland, though to remain free for those who cannot afford the cost of the booklet. [Click here to donate] If you are unable to donate at this time, we invite you to download the paper anyway. [Click here to download the booklet]

Dr. Greig writes: “(God’s) desire is to help every potential reader know that what God is releasing through Lakeland and through the Fresh Fire Ministries team is indeed squarely biblical and is not New Age or outside the clear teaching of Scripture and historic Christianity.”

According to the Lord’s leading, and our examination of the booklet’s contents, we are in agreement with his theological assessment. Our accountability team has made this very informative document available to you on our website in PDF format for download, and will have print copies available as soon as possible. Our heartfelt thanks go out to Dr. Greig and to the Lord for this timely and vital theological response to concerns and criticisms. Please click here to download the PDF of Biblical Reasons to Receive God’s Glory and Give it Away in Power Evangelism, by Dr. Gary Greig.

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Todd is being very transparent in his motives. I like the guy and have since I first saw him in 2004. Is he doing everything right? Probably not. Is he doing the best that he can? I believe so. I have every confidence in the Lord’s ability to correct my brother in those places where he is missing the mark. He is growing, just like the rest of us.

It is not easy to ride heard over the cats that make up this revival. There is a fine line to walk between giving the Holy Spirit free reign to do what he wants and trying to keep people from fleshing out. I think Todd and his team are doing a good job. It cannot be easy to learn on the fly as they are doing in this with the entire world watching and able to comment on every single move they make.

Carl Thomas, over at Revival Blog, posted a document today entitled A Theological Response to Criticism of the Lakeland Outpouring and Todd Bentley: Biblical Reasons to Receive God’s Glory and Give It Away in Power Evangelism. It is written by Dr. Gary S. Greig, Senior Editor, Theology and Acquisitions, Regal Publishing Group; Former Associate Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew, Regent University School of Divinity; Ph.D., 1990, Near Eastern Languages and Civilization, The University of Chicago.

This is a very scholarly, researched piece. It is 55 pages long and is fairly thorough in its treatment of the subject. I strongly urge people to read the entire piece and thoughtfully pray through it. For those who are excited about the revival, it gives strong biblical support for this being a move of God. For those who are struggling with things they see or who have questions about various teachings, this document provides a very thorough explanation.

Here is an excerpt from the section on false prophets:

Characteristics of false prophets in the OT: Deuteronomy 13 and 18

The Old Testament gives criteria for God’s people to distinguish false prophets in Deuteronomy 13:1-5 and 18:14-22. We know from Deuteronomy 13:1-2 that false prophets may announce a miraculous sign or wonder—and it may take place—to entice God’s people to follow other gods. But Deut. 18:22 makes it clear that false prophets will be less accurate in their prophetic predictions than a true prophet of the Lord:

Deut. 18:22 (NIV) If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.

One must be careful how this criterion is applied to discern false prophets, becausethere are many cases in Scripture where true prophets of God spoke prophetic words that were not fulfilled for other reasons than that they were false prophets. Jonah’s prophetic word, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned” (Jonah 3:4), did not come true, because Nineveh repented. Nathan’s inaccurate word encouraging King David to build the temple,108 “Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you” (2 Sam. 7:3), was later corrected by God in 2 Sam. 7:4 David’s own prophetic word about Solomon, “I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side” (1 Chron. 22:9), was ultimately not fulfilled. Because of Solomon’s sins against the Lord, 1 Kings 11:14-25 makes it clear that the Lord raised up enemies against Solomon on several sides. Elisha was led by God in 2 Kings 8:10 to give an inaccurate word to Hazael to report to Ben-Hadad, king of Aram, that the king would recover from illness, so that God could tell Hazael through Elisha that he would be the next king of Aram. Huldah’s prophecy in 2 Kings 22:20 (and 2 Chronicles 34:28) that King Josiah would “be buried in peace” did not come true: Josiah died and was buried in war not in peace. Scholars recognize that the text of Chronicles emphasizes in 2 Chronicles 35:22 that Josiah died an early violent death—the text clearly asserts that Josiah involved himself in a war God never told him to fight. Josiah “would not listen to what Neco [king of Egypt] had said at God’s command but went to fight him on the plain of Megiddo” (2 Chron. 35:22).

In such examples, we are dealing, in part, with the kind of contingency in prophecy that Jeremiah prophesies about in Jeremiah 18:7-10:

Jer. 18:7-10 (NIV) If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it. [boldface and italics mine]

This is just a small part of the total section on False Teachers and False Prophets contained in the document.

The boy has got some credentials to him. Here is a picture and some further biographical information on the author.

GARY GREIG

Gary is the Founder and President of Kingdom Training Network, a ministry called to “move on universities in revival fire with signs and wonders.” He is Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at King’s Seminary at Church On The Way in Van Nuys, CA. Gary received his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. From 1995 to 1998 he was an Associate Professor of Hebrew and Old Testament at Regent University, School of Divinity. He also served for a season as the Educational Advisor for the Apostolic Council for Educational Accountability, founded by Dr. C. Peter Wagner, which networks new apostolic ministry schools with one another. At that time he was also a Professor and Coordinator of Biblical Languages and Old Testament concentrations for Wagner Leadership Institute. His book, The Kingdom and the Power: A Biblical Look at How to Bring the Gospel to the World with Power, is a compendium that lays out the biblical foundations of power evangelism and power ministry.

FRUIT!!!!

The biggest thing that Dr. Greig hammers on is the fruit. What is the fruit? Who or what are the people involved focusing on? That is the true biblical test of whether anything has its origin in the Lord, in the flesh or in the demonic.

One of the things I want to point out about the doctrine police is that they are the ones who are focused on everything but Jesus. They post about all the strange manifestations. They post about the angels and go on ad nauseum about how these things can’t be scriptural and then post all kinds of demonic literature trying to prove that the manifestations and teachings in Lakeland match these demonically inspired practices. I would like to point out that the leaders in Lakeland are giving no such time to the devil or his teachings. They are consistently lifting up the name of Jesus and giving him the glory for what is happening there.

Read the document and tell me what you think.