A Pastor's Wife Responds to:Todd Bentley-Revival in Lakeland-Email from a 'Lakeland Resident'
I
am a pastor's wife and have not seen good fruit in our church from this
revival. My heart has been grieved by what has been displayed and then
has been reproduced. My desire is not to rip Mr. Bentley to shreds. I
would simply like to share the Word in light of this revival because
the Word seems to be lacking severely and also in the people who are
embracing it.
I would also like to address the dear person that
referred to Jezebel resisting the prophetic because she killed the
prophets of God and you concluded this is a Jezebel spirit coming
against Todd. Please read the Word! She had her own prophets of Baal in
1 KINGS 18:19 (450 prophets of Baal who she liked so much they ate at
her (Jezebel's) table). Jezebel LOVED the "prophetic" dear friend! Let
us return to the WORD OF GOD and be conformed to it.
1 Thess. 5:19-21 "Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. TEST ALL THINGS: hold fast to what is good."
We MUST test all things. If we are not allowed to test or hold one into account there is a problem.
2Tim.
3:16 "ALL SCRIPTURE is given by inspiration of God and is profitable
for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness."
Todd says "his fruit" and the fruit of revival is people getting saved and healed. I beg to differ. Scripture says:
Gal.5:22,23
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, GENTLENESS, SELF CONTROL.
GIFTS
ARE NOT FRUIT, they're gifts and we get those gifts whether we use them
for God or not because the gifts of God are with out repentance.
1Cor.
3:6-7,21,23 "I planted, Apollos watered, BUT GOD GAVE THE INCREASE. So
then neither he who plants IS ANYTHING, NOR HE WHO WATERS, BUT GOD WHO
GIVES THE INCREASE!" vs. 21 "Therefore LET NO ONE BOAST IN MEN. For all
things are yours." vs.23 "And you are Christ's and Christ's is God's."
Whose fruit is it then if those things are happening? It is the Lord's fruit and ALL glory should go to Him.
There
is constant talk in Todd's messages about "his" visions and revelations
and experiences. Is God's Word not enough? I dare say we have forgotten
our CHIEF CORNERSTONE CHRIST JESUS!
1Cor. 13 (ENTIRE CHAPTER) Love DOES NOT PARADE ITSELF! DOES NOT BOAST! IS NOT PUFFED UP!
1Cor. 1:31.."that as it is written, HE WHO GLORIES, LET HIM GLORY IN THE LORD."
Beloved, Paul does NOT say glory in signs, wonders, miracles, visions, experiences!!!! In fact Paul says in:
2Cor.
12:1-6 Paul has this heavenly experience please read it for yourself.
Then he says this "Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I WILL NOT
BOAST, EXCEPT IN MY INFIRMITIES. vs.6 "For though I might desire to
boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain
LEST ANYONE THINK OF ME ABOVE WHAT HE SEES ME TO BE OR HEARS FROM ME."
Paul
goes on to tell about the "messenger of Satan" given to Paul to buffet
him and so he would not be vs.7 "exalted above measure BY THE ABUNDANCE
OF REVELATIONS." He also goes on to say there were signs and wonders
that followed apostles. The difference is this....one exalts man and
the gifts and the strengths, Paul or true followers exalt Christ FIRST
and boasts in weakness!
Demons and men submitted to demons/satan CAN DO MIRACLES!
Matt.7:15-23
"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but
inwardly they are reavenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits."
Please KEEP READING AND WE WILL ALL CLEARLY SEE THEIR FRUITS ARE NOT SIGNS AND WONDERS.
vs.21-23
"Not everyone who says to Me "LORD, LORD, shall enter the kingdom of
heaven, but he who does the WILL of MY FATHER in heaven. MANY will say
to me in that day, "LORD, LORD", HAVE WE NOT PROPHECIED IN YOUR NAME,
CAST OUT DEMONS IN YOUR MANE AND DONE MANY WONDERS IN YOUR NAME?" AND
THEN I WILL DECLARE TO THEM, "I NEVER "KNEW" YOU; DEPART FROM ME YOU
WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS!"
Concerning a great revival and
harvest that sounds lovely, but what does the Word say? Also concerning
Satan not being able to do signs and wonders this is what the Word says.
2Thess.
2:1-4,9 "Now brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ
and our gathering together to Him, we ask of you, not to be soon shaken
in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if
from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you
by any means; for that day will not come unless THE FALLING AWAY COMES
FIRST, and then man of sin is revealed the son of perdition. (I am in
NO way implying that Todd is that man of perdition for I DO NOT BELIEVE
THAT MY POINT IS THE REVIVAL AND THE FACT THAT SIGNS WONDERS AND
MIRACLES DO NOT PROVE REVIVAL and I'm just not sure there is going to
be a great revival, but I certainly see here there will be a falling
away and the love of many will wax cold)
vs.4 who opposes and
exalts HIMSELF ABOVE ALL THAT IS CALLED GOD OR THAT IS WORSHIPED, so
that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is
God. (When we constantly speak of ourselves more than we speak of Jesus
we are exalting ourself it is the "spirit of lawlessness" which WILL
AND IS MAKING A WAY FOR the "man of lawlessness" to come and work.
vs.9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, WITH ALL POWER, SIGNS AND LYING WONDERS.
Dear
ones, I am not against prophecies, healings, miracles, signs and
wonders. Jesus Christ is just so beautiful, perfect, just and true and
worthy OF ALL HONOR, GLORY, AND PRAISE we don't need to run to lesser
lovers.
Matt.24:5 "For many will come in MY name saying that I
AM THE CHRIST and deceive many." Here people are even saying "JESUS IS
LORD" AND THEY'RE COMING IN HIS NAME and they will deceive.
Matt.
24: 23-24 says....."Or go here or there because Christ is there do not
believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will rise and SHOW
GREAT SIGNS AND WONDERS to decieve if possible even the very elect."
The
church has forsaken God's Word and we have chosen to live according to
our FEELINGS or a show. Our God has become our bellies. We want to
"feel" good or feel the chills or experience something instead of dying
daily and taking up our cross. That's boring and painful. That's
understandable.
However, when we exalt those things above the
Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world or we exalt the
creation instead of the Creator we are open for destruction!!!! We are
exchanging the truth for a lie then as Rom.1:25 says. Let us turn back
to the Author and Finisher of our faith, the ONE who holds all things
together and in whom ALL AUTHORITY, POWER AND GLORY BELONG!!! Let Jesus
be front and center! Let Jesus be exalted and bragged on and glorified.
Let man be hidden so that Christ ALONE is seen!
God bless each one of you as you seek TRUTH.
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