A Choice For The Real Deal

I have been thinking about the videos put out from Andrew Strom regarding the revival in Lakeland and the new prophetic movement. He spoke of how the prophets in the Bible pointed to the Word, and to true repentance. A genuine repentance. And Mr. Strom is right; the kind of antics we have witnessed in the Lakeland Revival and in the new apostolic prophetic movement has given the word “charismatic” a bad name. It has given the “prophetic” a bad name too, because we got a group of flaky apostles and prophets (many of whom are false) bombarding the Church with deceptive revelations, false anointings, and word twistsations straight from Hell. And what really struck me, and it is oh so true, these people do not have a reverential fear of God. They try to talk about it, and discuss it, yet their words are shallow, and their own actions are utterly contrary. It is a “pretense”. He is a Holy God. It is through His Word we see His character.

This new group of apostles and prophets point to themselves more so than the Lord Jesus Christ. You see it’s about how “prophetic” they are, how “exciting” they are, and what a “new thing” they are doing. Yeah, I say’, It’s a new thing alright, a fleshy demonic money-making name-making thing. A “let me shake my head 100 times because I am so prophetic I might just explode and don’t you want ‘some’ of my prophetic” thing. Satan rears his rotten head and laughs. He laughs as they roll on the floor jerking with their masquerading devils, as they gyrate and squeal like wild animals. This kind of leadership, these kinds of manifestations, the Church can do without. I say seriously, any ministry or church endorsing the Lakeland Revival, I would steer clear from and take out running the other direction.

I say praise God for healings, speaking in other tongues, visions, and miracles. Thank God for genuine revival. But revival needs to be in God’s timing and on His terms. These demonically inspired false prophets, apostles, and teachers are quick to say “you cant put God in a box”. Well you can’t make Him out to be something He’s not either. He’s not your wind up toy, cranking out revival, third heaven experiences, and visions at your whim. God does not change, He does not violate His Word, and He is a Holy God. Andrew Strom made a great analogy to Ishmael with this revival, as it is most certainly an Ishmael. I too believe many wanted genuine revival who attended these meetings, yet I also believe some of those who orchestrated the meetings were concerned with furthering their own agendas.

There is apparently a movement to create an alternative network of apostles and prophets out away from the umbrella of C. Peter Wagner and dominion theology. I think that’s a step in the right direction, but we must remain ever so vigilant and weigh their fruits as well.

When people have believed a lie and they genuinely repent of it, like those who are now disassociating themselves from the New Apostolic Reformation crowd because of the Lakeland ‘revival’; we should be of encouragement to them. It is more important to come out of a deception, then the fact that one was once deceived. In fact, many people pointing out the fallacies seen in the Lakeland Healing Revival were once deceived or nearly deceived by similar teachers themselves, and by people in the new apostolic prophetic movement. You can sometimes glean much “going through” something and gain insightful, empathetic perspective.

Move out from error-ridden ministries. Make God number one. He should be more important than how you look, how many friends you have and don’t have, how much money you got, whether you are accepted in the major prophetic and apostolic circles, and if you “look” foolish because you were once so deceived or wrongly connected. But imagine how you look to God when you declare, ‘Lord I cannot turn my head aside to this nonsense and error and greed anymore. I am going to take a stand for what is right and I am going to stand besides Your Word. And You and NOT man is number One in my life from here forward.’

Too many in the prophetic movement worship the “prophetic”. They live and breath and work for “the prophetic”, and if there is time, they make time for real time with God. Even sadder, some don’t care about “real” time with God, as “counterfeit” time will due. Counterfeit time provides quick material for making dvd sales and appeals to the flesh. And it is almost always, easy and popular.

ECCLESIASTES 12:13-14
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.