TODD BENTLEY & THE LAKELAND OUTPOURING -
A FALSE HEALING REVIVAL IN FLORIDA? -Andrew Strom.
Four Articles from April & May 2008 by Andrew Strom,
who spent 11 years in the same Prophetic movement as Todd Bentley
-Ie. Warnings from an "Insider".
False spirits invade the church
Many of you will have already heard about the "Healing Revival" that has purportedly broken out in Lakeland, Florida. Today Charisma Magazine put out a piece on it entitled 'A Holy Ghost Outbreak in Florida' - "...Charismatics are flocking to the sleepy town of Lakeland, Fla. to attend evangelist Todd Bentley?s unconventional revival services." Is Charisma preparing to hype this one to the skies like they did with Toronto and Rodney Howard- Browne? It seems perhaps they are. But why am I opposed to this 'Healing Revival' so soon after it has been announced? -It is because I already know Todd Bentley's ministry all too well, and this whole thing centers around him.
Todd Bentley actually has deep roots in the Prophetic movement, and he is one of the very few ministers that I have ever felt I had to publicly warn people about by name. -His ministry is that bad. False "angel" encounters of the weirdest kind, gold dust, guided visualizations of the "Third Heaven" that are straight out of the New Age, etc. And yet there is a "power" with it that makes it all the more dangerous.
Here is how Charisma describes his Florida meetings- "His methods are far from polished. When he prayed for people in Lakeland, he usually began by laying his hand on their heads and then yelling, "Bam!" Often the people fell backward to the floor. After one elderly woman fell, Bentley told the audience: "She doesn?t know why she fell down." The woman then laughed and said to him in the microphone: "Because you pushed me!" He prayed for her three more times that night, and she said she could hear better...
During the past three weeks people have testified of being healed from heart conditions, skin rashes and back problems, and many said scars disappeared...
Many charismatics are wondering if the protracted meetings will become a phenomenon similar to what happened in Rodney Howard-Browne's meetings in Lakeland in 1993, at the Toronto Airport Vineyard Church in Canada in 1994 and at Brownsville Assembly of God in Pensacola in 1995..." [END QUOTE]
Sadly, the Charismatic movement is in such a sick state today that it would not surprise me at all if this happens. (-I say this as a strong Spirit-filled, tongues-speaking believer myself. I am by no means opposed to genuine miracles). Have we completely forgotten the warnings of "Lying signs and wonders" in the Last Days?
Below is a testimony by Lynn Clark who is a Moderator at our website 'RevivalSchool.com'. This is what she wrote about her involvement with Todd Bentley's ministry:
"I decided to check out Patricia King and Todd Bentley and, ignorant of their 'third heaven' guided visualizations, attended a five day conference of Patricia King and then two of Todd Bentley's conferences and began to imagine third heaven visitations - guided visualization - still not realizing that these are actually spirits of darkness - the New Age calls them spirit guides - demons is what they are. And so I bought Todd Bentley's teaching on third heaven visitations and brought it home to listen to.
"I was in my living room laying on the floor listening to the teaching on how to visualize the third heaven and what to say and was getting caught up into his teaching and all of a sudden I began to shake uncontrollably and jerk and groan, and no sooner had this taken place I became frozen stiff - I could not move any part of my body and I knew this was a demon trying to take hold of me, and so with all the effort I could muster I cried out, "God save me - Jesus help me" - and as soon as I cried out to the Lord my body went limp. God spared me that night and I will be forever grateful.
"I spent much of the night in tears asking God to forgive me - and renouncing all the hands layed on me and all the awful deception I had opened myself up to..." [END QUOTE]
ANDREW AGAIN: I myself have heard the tapes of Todd Bentley's "Third Heaven Visualization" teachings, and I want to tell you - they are straight out of the New Age handbook. -Terrible stuff. And yet so widely accepted by thousands of Christians today.
Do these kinds of practices (above) produce a genuine 'Healing Revival'? -These are the kinds of questions that we need to be asking Charisma Magazine. I leave it for you to decide.
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"ANGELS" & the FLORIDA HEALING REVIVAL I continue to get emails about my last article - "A FALSE HEALING REVIVAL?" Some people strongly agree, while others are totally outraged that I would question the healings or other manifestations that are occurring.
Personally I am deeply saddened that I even have to put out these warnings. I get no pleasure out of it. In fact I hate having to talk about this stuff. But what happens if something is seriously amiss and yet no warnings are given? Is it right to be silent in such a case? What about the precious sheep? Shouldn't they be warned?
What a lot of people may not realize is that the leader of the revival Todd Bentley has a long history in the "Laughing/ Drunkenness" movement - but also is a leading proponent of strange "Angel" encounters (and I do mean 'strange'). Todd has openly promoted these encounters for years - in fact he is well-known for leading others into contact with these 'angels' too. This has been a big part of his ministry for a very long time. And it is really no different now.
Here are a couple of extracts from Todd's 2003 article 'Angelic Hosts':
"So when I need a financial breakthrough I don't just pray and ask God for my financial breakthrough. I go into intercession and become a partner with the angels by petitioning the Father for the angels that are assigned to getting me money: "Father, give me the angels in heaven right now that are assigned to get me money and wealth. And let those angels be released on my behalf. Let them go into the four corners of the earth and gather me money."
Todd continues...
"EMMA, ANGEL Of The PROPHETIC
Now let me talk about an angelic experience with Emma. Twice Bob Jones asked me about this angel that was in Kansas City in 1980: "Todd, have you ever seen the angel by the name of Emma?" He asked me as if he expected that this angel was appearing to me. Surprised, I said, "Bob, who is Emma?" He told me that Emma was the angel that helped birth and start the whole prophetic movement in Kansas City in the 1980s. She was a mothering-type angel that helped nurture the prophetic as it broke out. Within a few weeks of Bob asking me about Emma, I was in a service in Beulah, North Dakota.
"In the middle of the service I was in conversation with Ivan and another person when in walks Emma. As I stared at the angel with open eyes, the Lord said, "Here's Emma." I'm not kidding. She floated a couple of inches off the floor. It was almost like Kathryn Khulman in those old videos when she wore a white dress and looked like she was gliding across the platform. Emma appeared beautiful and young - about 22 years old - but she was old at the same time. She seemed to carry the wisdom, virtue and grace of Proverbs 31 on her life. She glided into the room, emitting brilliant light and colors. Emma carried these bags and began pulling gold out of them. Then, as she walked up and down the aisles of the church, she began putting gold dust on people... Within three weeks of that visitation, the church had given me the biggest offering I had ever received to that point in my ministry. Thousands of dollars! Thousands!... During this visitation the pastor's wife (it was an AOG church) got totally whacked by the Holy Ghost - she began running around barking like a dog or squawking like a chicken as a powerful prophetic spirit came on her. Also, as this prophetic anointing came on her, she started getting phone numbers of complete strangers and calling them up on the telephone and prophesying over them... Then angels started showing up in the church." [END QUOTE]
More recently, Todd stated that in one of his "Third Heaven" trips he literally visited the small cabin where the apostle Paul lives in Heaven. Paul told him that he wrote the book of Hebrews with the personal help of Abraham the Patriarch: ?The authorship isn?t clear because it was Abraham and I; Abraham shared the content with me.? Todd's 'Third Heaven' tales are full of such astonishing claims - and of course, more angels. (See 'A Face To Face Encounter - Part 2 of 2' - By Todd Bentley).
Lest anyone think that Todd may have changed his ways in recent times, you should know that he is constantly mentioning his 'angels' in the current Florida meetings also. For instance, watch from about the 6-minute mark of the following video clip-
In this video, Todd speaks of the angel that is going to "visit the children" and then he begins more and more to jerk and laugh uncontrollably. He prays that a 'drunken glory' will move across the whole place - and you can see it happen in the audience.
This is all the same kind of stuff that Todd has been involved in for years. There is nothing new in it. In fact, both Todd and Bob Jones credit an angel that carries the "Winds of Change" for the current healing revival - an angel that they say is still driving it. As one young preacher commented who has been following the Florida meetings closely, Todd seems to talk about his "healing angel" even more than he talks about Jesus. Yes - exactly!
We are warned explicitly in Scripture that the devil "transforms himself into an angel of light", and that in the Last Days will come 'Lying signs and wonders' that will "deceive if possible the very elect." Do we really believe that the devil is unable to perform miracles? Have we forgotten what the Bible clearly says?
Some make the point that Todd obviously had a strong healing gift right from the start of his ministry - so some of the healings in Florida may be genuinely from God. Yes - I agree that this is possible - even likely. But how can we trust anything at all coming from this source if it has become so tainted with all this pollution? Do we want such a man laying hands on us and imparting "anointings" or spirits into us?
I read a report from the UK yesterday that an English preacher has brought Todd's anointing back from Florida and now it is manifesting in his UK meetings: "Fire, a burning sensation, was felt all over people?s bodies... There were outbursts of joy, drunkenness and spontaneous healings throughout the meeting."
Other reports from the USA now speak of pastors having hands layed on them to receive the "Florida anointing".
The Elijah List claims that on New Year's Eve, for 2008, God told Bob Jones that "the third wave was coming." Todd asked Bob what the third wave was. He said that, "Toronto was wave #1, Pensacola was wave #2, and the third wave is the "Winds of Change" -- this move of God. This move will be a global move, traveling with signs and wonders all over the world! The third wave is here!"
The Florida meetings have now moved into an 8000-seat auditorium. This "anointing" is spreading across the globe. Can you see why I have cause for alarm, my friends?
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MOST "CONTAGIOUS" ANOINTING
Todd Bentley has declared that his Florida anointing is the most "contagious" that he has ever imparted to people. (In other words, the most easily transferable). And indeed this seems to be the case. It is spreading rapidly throughout the world.
But what exactly is this anointing? One observer of the Florida revival notes: "Todd Bentley constantly manifests his "anointing" by shaking his head back and forth, and by his body physically shaking. These manifestations also happen frequently in those who he imparts to. He will even wave his arms over the audience, shouting, "Fire! Fire! Fire!" and then people in the audience will start manifesting. Some appear to be convulsing, and some even as if they are being thrashed by a spirit."
In a CBN News interview, Todd stated: "Our focus here in Florida every night is I lay hands on every single person who comes - whether it's 5,000, 10,000 - And I'm praying every night, 'God, give it away, give it away, give it away.' And that's the focus here: Impartation."
And indeed there are more and more reports of this anointing being transmitted from Florida to other states and nations across the globe.
As we have already seen, a report from England tells of a preacher who brought Todd's anointing back from Florida and now it is manifesting in his UK meetings: "Fire, a burning sensation, was felt all over people's bodies... There were outbursts of joy, drunken- ness and spontaneous healings throughout the meeting."
A man from Clearwater, Florida says that a number of people from his fellowship have attended the revival and then brought the 'anointing' back with them. Here is what he personally saw:
"These are the effects that I have witnessed on people who have attended this movement and either have had hands laid on them or claim to have been imparted with "the spirit":
-They come back with this kind of childlike drunken stupor.
-Descriptions of a burning sensation either in their veins, heads or stomachs.
-Descriptions of being washed back and forth like the waves in the ocean;
-Dancing about like drunk...
-Inappropriate yelling and screaming like they're at a football game;
-Young men whistling over and over and holding their heads and claiming that they "feel the Holy Spirit about to split them in two";
-One young man's back two teeth turned completely to some metallic finish.
-People with their eyes rolled in the back of their heads and weaving around like they're lost.
-Women just gyrating and pulsating like they're being ravaged from behind from some unseen force.
-Drunken uncontrollable laughter in the middle of a solemn prayer time
-People being "slain in the spirit"... just falling down and being unable to move (like something's holding them down)..."
Another eyewitness from the USA writes:
"A friend of mine invited me to a church where the ministry team brought back a "Fire" from the Lakeland revival? The pastor's wife was moderating, but she could not complete her sentences because she was 'drunk in the Spirit.' She imitated the type of sounds I read in your blog. I saw people breaking out into uncontrollable laughter. I came with my Bible to receive a word? There was no teaching or preaching. Just testimonies. They talked about their experience in Lakeland... Where was the word? I did not find any. I also heard a sound BAM and then I saw someone being slain in the spirit."
A Spirit-filled pastor that I know from the UK who has been following Todd Bentley's ministry closely for some years wrote to me about what he himself has observed since the year 2000:
"My difficulty with Todd Bentley's ministry is not whether he has recently covered himself with tattoos or pierced himself silly, but the SOURCE of his power. He keeps changing his position on this. Sometimes he says it's the Holy Spirit and a lot of the time it's his angels.
"Many have said that they believe that Florida is a 'mixture'. Personally, I do not believe 'mixture' is involved. I believe these deceiving spirits have hi-jacked Todd's ministry? Either the healings are of God or they are not. Which is it?
"People can be healed in spiritualist churches. I have witnessed, close-up, first hand, people being instantly healed by mediums and faith healers. I have also seen people healed by the power of the Holy Spirit. To begin with there is no discernible difference. However the counterfeit healings soon begin to either go wrong or something far worse comes upon the person.
"When God heals someone - He adds 'no sorrow.'
"I know Todd started off OK - I was there in his early meetings? In September 2000 I stood in front of Todd and gave him the warning that God gave me for him. "Beware, the leaven of the Pharisees, lest an angelic leaven enters your ministry."
"One month later, according to Todd's own account, at a meeting in Grants Pass Oregon, Cal Pierce walked in with Branham's 'Healing Revival' angel in tow, Todd saw and accepted this spirit without reservation. His 'angels' have been with him ever since.
"I have written to Todd on numerous occasions and reminded him of God's warning, alas to no avail.
"When Todd Bentley conducted a healing meeting in a large charismatic church here in England in 2005, he laid hands on many people who were apparently healed. I know of at least one instance where a pastor's wife with cancer was prayed for by Todd. Soon afterwards she heard voices in her head telling her to 'drown herself just like her father did'. The poor woman ended up in a mental hospital, I believe she still has the cancer.
"No-one is following up or keeping records of what happens to people who have hands laid on them by Todd or others like him.
"I have kept records as far as I can, concerning this particular church. Over a relatively short period, there has been a dramatic increase in premature deaths, cancers, marriage break-ups, sickness and disease amongst the congregation where the leadership have allowed this type of ministry into their church. Many people left the church in fear.
"These are the consequences of following this type of 'ministry' which no-one is either aware of, or wants to address. I know, I have visited the people in hospital and attended one of the funerals." [END QUOTE]
Meanwhile we find a number of prominent leaders beginning to declare that this will be one of the greatest revival movements in history. Some even see it as the beginning of a "new awakening".
Bob Jones declared that "This move will be a global move, traveling with signs and wonders all over the world! The third wave is here!"
As this 'anointing' spreads worldwide, I believe there are some serious questions that we need to ask ourselves:
Isn't it possible, with all the dubious 'anointings' and angels and manifestations associated with Bentley's ministry, that what we are really seeing is a giant 'counterfeit' revival? Isn't it possible that if it continues to grow at the present rate, that it may literally become one of the great "delusions" of the Last Days - a great deception that has the power to actually deceive, if possible, the very elect?
These are very serious questions - but I believe they must be asked - because this 'anointing' is already beginning to circle the globe.
If you have been to a meeting where someone has brought the "fire" back from Florida, please write and tell me what you saw. I am collecting accounts from people about this.
Send any emails or feedback to- prophetic@revivalschool.com
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CHARISMA QUESTIONS AGAIN! - Lakeland Revival.
ANDREW STROM: Charisma Editor J. Lee Grady has waded into the Lakeland controversy again this week with another interesting article. He calls it, "An Appeal for Unity in a Divisive Season".
Near the start he makes quite an interesting point about the 'messiness' of Revivals: "Revival is messy. As much as we would love for it to come in a neat and orderly package, history teaches us that outbreaks of the Holy Spirit are often accompanied by holy chaos. There may be conversions and healings in one corner and demonic manifestations in the other. In seasons of revival you can have miracles and mayhem. Holiness and heresy can erupt simultaneously..."
My own comment is that - Yes - Revivals are often messy - but they are messy around the FRINGES - not at the very heart and center of what is happening. As many readers know, I have been studying Revival history for many years and I have a whole chapter on "Manifestations in Revivals" in my new book, 'True & False Revival'. But the fact is, if you have demonic deception right at the center of what is being preached or imparted, then you no longer just have a "messy" revival - you have a deadly counterfeit.
True Revivals always have pure preaching of Repentance, Holiness and the Cross at the center. They bring deep conviction and the Fear of the Lord. There may indeed be weird stuff going on around the fringes, but if it is allowed to take over then a true Revival is finished. (-I give examples of this in my book).
The problem in Lakeland has been that there has been a weird unbiblical 'anointing' at the very center right from the start. And it has been imparted to thousands of people. In fact, Todd Bentley has said that the whole thing is "about impartation" - and they lay hands on everyone. The "angels" factor has also been at the very center from the beginning. Angels are said to be heading up the whole movement - doing the healings, speaking to the leaders, etc. They are not a "side issue". Todd Bentley's angels are at the heart of everything. And if you look at all his past experiences with so-called 'angels', you truly have to doubt the source of a lot of this "power". Did Emma and the "financial" angels sound right to you? If they are "off" then most likely Todd is dealing with false angels all the time.
As I said, we are not dealing with a movement that has problems around the "fringes" here. The problems are right at the heart - ie. they involve the central things that are being preached and imparted to people from the front. And it has been that way from the start - which is what makes this crucially different from a real Revival. I hope, Lee, that you can see what an important distinction this is?
Let me quote the whole end section of Lee Grady's article before commenting further:
J. LEE GRADY:
"In recent days, people who were touched in Lakeland have started similar meetings in Atlanta, Chicago, Charlotte, N.C. and other cities. Bentley and his colleagues believe this is the beginning of a worldwide healing revival that will cover the globe.
"But not everyone in the charismatic/Pentecostal community is convinced. Some say this is the last end-time revival while others maintain it is a demonic counterfeit. Cult-watchers and anti-heresy bloggers post Bentley's comments on YouTube as evidence of a theological scandal. Revival advocates respond by posting documented evidence of healings. It all begins to resemble a childish competition.
"Still others worry that Lakeland represents a questionable mixture of truth and error. Since the initial eruption of the revival, my inbox has been full of messages from charismatic leaders who are concerned about weighty issues as well as trivial ones: Everything from Bentley's tattoos and body piercings to his claim that he once interviewed the apostle Paul in heaven.
"When I wrote an article in mid-May calling for scrutiny of some aspects of the Lakeland Revival, I was labeled a Pharisee and a 'religious policeman.' People who said they had been deeply impacted by the Holy Spirit in Lakeland used spiritual threats and harsh terms to tell me that I had become the enemy.
"I refuse to go on the defensive, and if I need to retract any statement I?ve ever made about this revival I will. But what these nasty exchanges have shown me is that a divisive spirit is certainly at work in our midst?and we need urgent prayer to short-circuit what the devil wants to do.
"When the early church was hit with the issue of Jewish legalism, Paul and Barnabas determined that the answer was to seek the counsel of 'the apostles and elders' in Jerusalem (Acts 15:2, NASB). The church was being divided because the legalists were insisting that gentiles be circumcised. But when the elders looked into the matter, the apostle James settled the dispute by issuing this wise ruling:
"Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the gentiles, but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood" (v. 19-20). In other words, James affirmed the gentiles' access to salvation and overturned the legalists' bad doctrine.
"Based on this biblical example, I am appealing to the elders in our movement. We need to hear from them in this hour. In a desperate moment we need older, seasoned veterans to release the counsel of the Lord.
"Today the charismatic movement has become fractured, and opposing camps have formed. On one side there are those in the apostolic camp who tend to emphasize biblical order, proper church government, spiritual warfare and the reformation of society. On the other side are those in the prophetic camp who focus on miracles, healing, mystical experiences and the reclaiming of all the supernatural manifestations of the New Testament.
"Both of these camps are contending for valid, biblical truths. We need the prophetic and the apostolic! We need miracles as much as we need healthy church growth and societal change. Yet if we do not have a holy intervention, we could bite and devour one another - and cancel out our collective impact.
"A biblical council must include the leaders of both of these camps. And leaders must address all of the difficult issues triggered by the Lakeland Revival. Those include:
"1. Biblical guidelines about angels. Some people in the prophetic camp speak of frequent visits to heaven, 'third heaven revelations,' and long conversations with angels who use names such as Emma, Promise and Winds of Change. Are these indeed spirits sent from God, or agents of false light?
"2. A proper theology of the dead. Some in the prophetic camp claim they have had conversations with dead Christians - including Paul the apostle. Is this within the bounds of Christian experience, or is it necromancy?
"3. Pastoral guidance about exotic spiritual manifestations. In some circles in our movement, unusual signs and wonders have been reported in church services -including the sudden appearance of gold dust, feathers, gemstones and oil. At the same time, worshipers are vibrating on the floor, jerking uncontrollably and acting intoxicated. How can we protect people from the abuse of manifestations, and from demonic influence, while at the same time leaving room for genuine encounters with God?
"4. Clear guidelines concerning the restoration of fallen ministers. The appearance of one prominent fallen evangelist, Paul Cain, at the Lakeland Revival in May unleashed strong reactions from many sectors of the church. Many people feel unprotected when they sense that church leaders have chosen not to enforce proper discipline for a minister?s unbiblical behavior. In this adulterous generation, how can we draw lines to protect congregations while at the same time offer healing and grace to a repentant preacher?
"These are some of the crucial questions we face as a movement. May we proceed with a fresh gift of discernment, while at the same time laying hold of all the blessings that revival will bring us." [END QUOTE - Source- www.charismamag.com/fireinmybones ]
ANDREW AGAIN: After reading those last four points, all I can do is shake my head. Surely, Lee, you can see that if any movement has traits like those four at the center, then it simply HAS to be a dangerous deception? I mean, look at those four things again. Each of them is so serious that they are a major issue in themselves. And yet this movement has all four right at the heart! How can it be anything other than a deadly counterfeit? Is this the kind of revival we want in the Last Days? Is this what we want spreading around the globe?
Your call for major leaders to come together and make a unified statement is admirable - except I have not come across any major leaders (apart from yourself) willing to actually warn of the dangers of this movement. And anyhow, where is the "middle ground" in this debate? I happen to believe this movement to be a deadly deception. Other leaders praise it as being a "great revival". How can there possibly be 'unity' between camps like that?
Brother, the fact is that I believe God is calling YOU YOURSELF to be a "voice" for wisdom, common sense and discernment in these days - and to be totally bold, unafraid and uncompromising about it. Don't go looking for a "committee". You have a voice in the Charismatic community. Speak out! It is impossible to please everyone. Dear brother - please don't straddle the fence. What if this turns out to be one of the great Last Days deceptions and you spent all your time trying to be "moderate" and balanced about it?
Speak boldly, let your voice be heard, make a clear trumpet sound.
The Charismatic community needs you now more than ever, my friend.
God bless you all.
Andrew Strom.
See also:
