Firsthand testimony from a Todd Bentley Fresh Fire Ministries Conference
2008 April 27
In light of the post; A FALSE HEALING REVIVAL? which contained a warning from Andrew Strom concerning the ‘healing revival’ with Todd Bentley, going on now in Lakeland Florida, I went looking for any further information on both the man and the revival.
EndTimePropheticWords at wordpress has posted three interesting posts on this. I would encourage anyone wanting to know more to check out these posts, plus go to the link Todd Bentley, Patricia King, and Emma the angel of light
also posted at SheepyWeepy; Wolf Tracks (by a sheep who weeps) we have this: Todd Bentley and Contemplative Meditation
Hi PJ, I found this and thought that it was well written concerning the prophetic movement http://www.truetohisways.com/samplenine.html
milinda
Thanks Milinda!
I followed your link this afternoon and read it–its a very good article. Well worth the reading for those who are following or questioning this revival or Bentley’s teachings.
Just a portion, but i would encourage anyone to read it all
Well-known charismatic Todd Bentley, who claims to receive frequent visitations from angels, travels widely for “Catch the Fire” events to impart occult visions in shaktipat-type practices. He writes voluminously on the topic, and has posted many articles on the Web. In one such article he writes:
Mr. Bentley visited a church in North Dakota and reportedly imparted paranormal perception to the pastor’s wife. The pastor wrote:
While in a trance Julie both heard and saw angels, demonstrating siddhi-like powers of clairaudience and clairvoyance. Similar occult visions were reported by others at a “Catch the Fire” event in Tucson, Arizona, featuring Gary and Kathi Oates. Mr. and Mrs. Oates are reportedly so advanced in siddhi-like power that “God’s presence invaded the auditoriums each time Gary and Kathi ministered.”[7] Here is the testimony of a young woman who attended this event:
The angelic message in the above testimony sounds biblical and reverent. But consider the occult elements. Enchanted by a presence brought by empowered leaders, unmotivated weeping, paranormal seeing: could it be that this woman really saw and heard an angel from God? Of course not. First, it came as a result of occult practice; that alone is reason enough to reject it.
But we see also that this “angel” is not teaching the Jesus of the gospel who comes through the word of truth
It teaches an occult Jesus who comes by invocation and manifest presence, and imparts siddhi-like powers. Next, angels do not awaken our hunger for God; this is the work of the Holy Spirit. And last, Scripture teaches that not only will demons pretend to worship the Lord, they can and will declare His deity, and even proclaim His work of salvation. The demon that Paul cast out of the prophetess in Philippi caused her to announce his mission as God’s servant to declare the way of salvation. Every word she spoke was true. But Paul was not pleased, and clearly discerned the demonic source (see Acts 16:16-18). We must not be fooled by pious appearances.
Another charismatic at the Tucson, Arizona event reported the following:
Note how the writer above refers to the opening of eyes to see more of the angelic realm—a classic third eye opening. What is also interesting about the husband’s experience is how he refers to “his” angel not once, but twice. This is no doubt linked to the concept of finding your own guardian angel.
Angels: a biblical view
Teachings about finding, and even conversing with, your own guardian angel are increasingly common in charismatic circles. But these are occult counterfeits of biblical teaching about protective angels.
While many passages of Scripture indicate that angels are assigned to guide and protect people (Hebrews 1:14 says that angels are ministering spirits who help God’s children), nowhere are we commanded to ask for “spiritual eyes” so we can see them and hear them. This is occult thinking.
Only a brief excursion into ancient and modern teachings of magicians and other occult seekers reveals that they have always been preoccupied with angels, demons and guardian angels. Read the following written by an accomplished medieval magician—Abraham the Jew, also known as Abramelin the Mage—an “expert” on guardian angels, who wrote to his own son,
Abramelin the Mage, like those at the Tucson church, says angels come with a manifest, loving spiritual presence—and odors, as also reported by the Toronto church and other charismatic congregations:
While angels are mentioned in the Bible over 350 times, only a small number of groups or individuals—fewer than 40 over approximately 1,500 years of biblical history—are reported to have seen them. However, mystics teach that anyone, if they go about it the right way—that is, through the occult—can find their own angel. Thousands of angel sightings have been reported by charismatics and other mystics.
Why are believers looking for angels when our eyes are to be fixed upon Jesus?
Why did the young woman in North Dakota say “I want more”?
Is this not to set up angels as idols?
Paul wrote to the Colossians, “Let no one defraud you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the Head…” (Colossians 2:18-19).
While it is clear from biblical accounts that God sometimes communicates through angels, this is definitely no reason to dabble in the occult. The Bible portrays angelic appearances as extraordinary phenomena. Insofar as God’s children are concerned, such appearances are never experienced through, or as a result of, occult practice…..
Thank you for posting this and it could not have come at a more opportune time, for discernment for a dear friend and sister in the Lord who sent an email to me about this revival event.
Todd Bentley’s unorthodox manner of ministry is not an indication of the power or the anointing of God on his life. His jerking movements and laughter too, as seen in this video (todd-bentley-florida-healing-revival-) could not possibly be of God. Where is behavior like this found in Scripture?
If a person reads Matthew 9:35, Luke 4:18, 9:2, these verses show us that Jesus preached the gospel to people first, then people were healed by the good news He had spoken.
When Jesus sent his disciples out, they were instructed to preach the gospel to people first and healing would occur after. The Gospel really should precede anything to people.
There are also instances where Jesus healed people and had not preached the gospel first. Those were instances of people who had come to Jesus asking for healing of someone in their household.
My point is that if God has anointed anyone with such a gift, why would they need to advertise it? Jesus didn’t, nor did the Apostles after His ascension.
Jesus’ primary focus of ministry was about saving souls. Healing is just an added blessing to a person because of the finished work of Christ on the cross.
Revival can come and will come, when the Body of Christ has united in prayer and fasting, to seek the Lord for His presence and power, to be seen, felt and heard especially among those who are unsaved.
Revival is not staged twitching of the body or an apparent physical exhaustion followed by an immediate rejuvenation of strength to walk as if nothing happened.
Revival occurs when lives are radically changed, where there is a greater demonstration of God’s power and presence in and outside of the church than by what we see happening in today’s church culture in society (seeker-friendly, emerging churches, etc..).
Revival happens because of the Gospel and those who are going into the world to preach repentance and remission of sins to people throughout all the world (Luke 24:47, Mark 16:15).
I think this article below, which may have been posted on your blog previously, would be a better example of revival and what each individual Christian should do, to see its manifestation.
Thanks for posting this.
When God Stepped Down From Heaven by Rev. Owen Murphy
http://www.evanwiggs.com/revival/prinpray/godstep.html
Kurt, im so glad i caught your comment…it was mis-directed to my spam for some reason.
Anyway, yes yes yes!! I agree with everything you said…
If you go back through history every great move of God or God sent revival preceded a season, and some times those seasons were long, of the Church humbling themselves, seeking God and deeply repenting. ONCE THE CHURCH had done this, THEN revival broke out, and many lost were saved in the surrounding areas;(being added to the Church)
Todays man made ‘revivals’ appear to only be about outward manifestations.
Jesus got by without selling any CDs. Maybe these guys should give the Jesus method a try.
marianne
http://heavenawaits.wordpress.com/
Yes, these ‘revivals’ today always seem to turn into a money making production Marianne.
By the way, thanks for including the link to your blog! At some point i believe i actually was reading on it a few months ago…
I’ll bookmark it this time.
WHEW! I’m glad you found it. I was beginning to wonder where it went.
aha! I had a similar problem a couple weeks back. Any time i tried to leave a comment elsewhere it wasn’t ever showing up–after asking wordpress about it they said ‘once in awhile’ non spam comments will get sent to spam. Since then i check my spam a couple times a day.
I think you should give it a shot- actually view the revival for a week and maybe consider going. I was there, and found it to be totally opposite to what you wrote- the interesting thing is…. you could be using Scripture to fight Scripture- for example in Acts 2, you would probably use the same Matt 7:15 against Acts 2, judging by your tone. If you want to be totally fair and sincere, tune in for a week or two- but take care. Don’t take shots at leaders/people who actually have more ‘revival’ (the true Life of Christ) than yourself, more souls saved, more orphans helped and more widows helped in Africa. As an African missionary, I think you need to be fair, instead of just critical- for example anyone can have a blog that criticizes leaders… but few people actually go out and serve others. Anyone can tear a house down, but few carpenters can actually build a good house. This doesnt mean we should not use discernment- but please, lets not shoot our own brothers/ soldiers in Christ! Honestly, the way some people talk on the internet (supposed ‘Christians’) they would never want to be ‘talked about’ like that– or their family, friends or churches.
John, i hope in your reading the OP you understood it was not my first hand testimony, but a link to someone elses testimony to what they observed at one of Bentley’s fresh-fire conferences.
Just wanted to clear that up…
What i have attempted to do, concerning this topic of the Lakeland revival and Todd Bentley is post links to reliable posts/writings elsewhere, who have either attended or are aware of the circumstances surrounding these meetings and/or Bentley himself; (his teachings, etc)
In the meantime i’ve done my own research (and yes, watched a couple of the services on-line) into Todd Bentley’s teachings and beliefs–and to say i found his teachings disturbing is putting it mildly.
There appears right now, to be a surge within the Church of EXTREME teachings coming forth–prophetically and having to do with the spiritual realm, in particular Angels. These HAVE to be researched and held up to the only ‘mirror’ of truth we as believers can depend upon: the Word of God.
Having done some pretty extensive research over the last 6 months on the over-the-top, going WAY beyond scripture teachings of Patrica King, and concluding that Bentley is very involved with her and her ministry, it would only be logical, which it is, to surmise that Bentley himself, and his own teachings needed to be looked at closely. Surely you can understand that…
As you don’t know me by anything i teach John, i don’t believe you are qualified to know how much of ‘the true life of Christ’ i possess, as i cannot make any type of judgment in this area concerning you–not knowing you through your teachings as well.
Todd Bentley, on the other hand, has posted many teachings of his own on his website, including the selling of these teachings in book form or/and CD’s.
And that is why is it absolutely needful and necessary that we know and discern what ground this ‘house’ of revival’ is being built upon: is it being built on the solid Rock of Biblical teachings, the Word of God, or is being built on the sifting sand of teachings concerning such claims as ‘Angels being witnessed entering into peoples bodies’….trips to heaven to visit the “house” of Paul, etc etc? If it is the latter, many can and will be led astray–away from the truth.
I have come to the realization that any true work of God holds up under scrutiny by the Church.
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
I am disheartened by what I feel is judgment and criticism by “Christian brothers”. This is nothing more than a gossip fest and TRUE discernment and repentance is needed here!!
God has been ministering to me powerfully through this revival, by way of God TV. I was very lukewarm for 8 yrs and didn’t even realize how much. Now, I am on fire in my spirit– with a thirst and hunger for JESUS like never before. I am thankful for God TV, for Todd Bentley and for this revival. I pray that we all are ignited with fresh passion to win souls for the Kingdom~~ Peace,Char
http://www.faithnews.cc/articles.cfm?sid=8886
Char,
You are correct, true discernment is needed today–Godly discernment, not flesh prompted.
I would ask in all love, that you pray for God to open your eyes..
For if Bentley’s account of seeing and communicating with an Angel named Emma, who when she shows up levitates and floats 2 inches above the floor, while sprinkling “gold dust” upon those she passes…and her very presence causes a pastor’s wife to bark like a dog, is accepted by you as from God, there is nothing more to say…you are deceived.
I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. Rev.3:18
all this does not have to thought of as “judgment” but rather debate. No one really has to agree with everything that is said.
I never knew who bentley was before all this. I thought a bentley was a car !! ha ha
controversy just makes people think more….
marianne
http://heavenawaits.wordpress.com/
Awakening a sleeping giant?
I am familiar with some of the teachings of Pat King (aka Cocking) and Todd Bentley, and to be fair – was quite surprised to see him involved in this. But, the strongest point which stands out is there is no word being taught at all, and very rarely is a scripture even referred to. Many people have been affected positively, and feel like their love for Christ has been awakened. But what is it about this move, that brings up questions? There is no word being presented, there is no true repentance, and it has, by large part been turned into an advert for GOD TV. I cannot see this as the final outpouring of God, because I believe that true revival comes from true repentance, and not from people seeking God’s hand, and what He can do for us. Because it turns into a debacle where , if you were saved in one of these meetings, your only understanding is a tangible presence, but no substance to it. And the word is meant to be meaty. Are we converting people to a false message – that God is about what He can do for you, instead of what He has already done. Is repentance going to be true if people don’t even know why they need Jesus, if they don’t even know the cross of calvary, if they only have an experience – what will be the basis of their faith? It concerns me that there seems to be no substance to this. Any true movement of God has always involved sincere repentance and I have not seen that…and yes I have watched the revival for nearly nine days.
This “angel” thing, visitations etc came into focus right after the word, or faith movement was sweeping our nations. For a long time i thought i was wrong, not having any of these encounters, but final i realised that it was GOD protecting me from evil, and i left the babylonic church, the charismatic “want to be like jesus” church.
“I cannot see this as the final outpouring of God”
Nither can i and i dont find in the word that it will come this way in the end, rather i see it will be a very dificult time for the the people of God.
if we are truly in the last days….we will not see an outpouring of too much that is positive…..we are supposed to be witnessing a falling away right now..
I see it…not sure if anyone else does or not..
marianne
http://heavenawaits.wordpress.com/
The reason i am writing this is to let people know my experence when i went to the revival. more than one time.When i arrived in Auburndale i stood in a large line for quite some time then a man came out and said to leave if we wanted We will have a new service monday we are now full.So i stayed and waited as people left they allowed people to entewr 2 or 3 at a time.After i made it in.The band was playing music and talking to the crowd of people this was hyping the crowd up.Than another person came out to speak to the crowd of people even hyping them up more like at a pop festival where the anouncer comes out and hypes up the crowd and works them hard till the band comes out to play.Then Todd walked up and started talking. He called out for people to come up there but at that time they would not let hardly anyone up there they had several people blocking you from entering the stage.I tried to get up there and was not allowed to all they were interested in was testimonium .They had people with pen and paper asking the people questions to see if they would let them up on the stage.Questions like were you healed what happen what did you feel can you bend show me. ,twist,do push ups,run if the person said they were healed and showed them they could run,bend,or what ever, after they screened them very very well then they would allow them up on the stage where Todd would talk to them but he had nothing to lose by this, because the person up there said they were healed than he would push on them or blow at them and say something depending on what was wrong with them.So i am sure it did’nt take the people long to figuire out very few would get on that stage with out telling the people who screened them a great story and how you were healed or in the process of being healed.If your story was not good enough you still didnt get on stage.And people were there to have Todd lay hands on them and be healed.So my opinion is that people would give him what he wanted to hear to get up there on stage anything to get him to lay hands on them.After the TV show was over they asked for money which i know it cost money for him to be here and pay all of his workers.That night he had 2 lines of people come to him and he touched all of the crowd as they rushed by him quickly just to see a very few fall from the power.That night he talked about pain medicine and said to get off of it and said diabetes would be healed ,high blood pressure, and several others. When Todd put his hands on me he did say Healed.So the next 4 days i went off of all my medications and belived i was totaly healed. The next day i was in pain from not taking my pain medicine,then my blood pressure went up along with my sugar but i still held on rebuking the pain and sickness i was having and my eyes went blury from not taking my medicine for my diabetes.So i wrote god tv and told them what was going on and asked them if i should continue off my medicine but they never called or e-mailed me back.So i though if i went back and prayed harder i would be healed so i went to there lakeland service.Any way i have been touched by Todd 3 times now and i am not going back there is no need to.And no i am still sick. All i know is i was there and not healed and had my son with me who has bad eyes and he was driving, on our way home and i told him to take off his glasses and he did and put them back on right away .I asked him why did you put your glasses back on he said because i cant see .I have seen several people return in there wheel chairs and others familiar faces there looking to be healed.I belive that if todd didnt block the stair case with his people which reminded me of bouncers and detectives. And let people come up there freely with out stoping them and interrogating them ,that you would not hear all these testimonies.And as for miracles did i see any all of the times i was there No i don’t belive so.Take what i say with a grain of salt, all i can tell you i am speaking the truth. I was there for what ever its worth.
anon, thank you and God bless you for sharing your experience…that was what i was hoping for in any of the posts on this revival: comments either pro or con from someone who attended.
In the next few days, what i’d ‘like’ to do, God willing, is do some research on the aftermath of a revival such as this one–looking into past moves (like the recent Toronto blessing, Brownsville, and even going back to revivals in the last 200 years) for evidence of any long-lasting affects, good or bad…or did it produce Godly lasting permanent fruit in those who attended, how it affected the city in which it was held, etc etc etc….
I may come back and pull a few quotes from your comment, if its ok with you…
Oops! almost forgot…in a post i put up tonight…its actually a newsletter sent out by Andrew Strom, he is asking for help from anyone who has attended. Its at the end of his letter which you can read HERE.
I was in the Lakeland Revival last weekend. I personally know some people who have been healed there. We have a person in the church I lead who was healed of partial deafness in our meetings (we are an overflow room for the revival). One of the girls in the church called her 84 year old grandmother, prayed for her and she was healed of her partial deafness. She no longer needs her hearing aids to hear. One of the pastor’s wives in town was healed last night – it was televised on God TV, so I will be able to watch that one as well.
The thing I noticed in the city of Lakeland was the openness of the people I witnessed to while I was there. There was more openness to the Gospel than I have seen in years.
Revival is a potential happening within each person. It’s a heart to heart with the Lord Jesus Christ. It comes through repentance and forgiveness. It is not a show, and doesn’t happen in crowds.
At least that is the story of “my revival”.
My revival didn’t bring earthly riches, or a healed body.
It brought true Union with my Lord. I KNOW who I am because of who He IS.
I saw no angels. Oil and laying on of hands didn’t cause my revival, even though I have been anointed with oil and have had ‘hands laid on me’.
Searching, prayer, and even desperation, a lot of solitude, and an open Bible, brought it about.
The result is an 100% assurance of my relationship with the Lord.
Can you see it? Probably not. My fruit isn’t riches, as I’ve said. It isn’t a temporary healing. [All physical healing is temporary.]
Maybe you can see it. I don’t have to spend my wages on a special trip to have a mere mortal do what Jesus Christ promised He would do if I had EARS to HEAR with.
I HAVE a relationship that I have paid a great price to gain.
How many of you have tried to be a “witness for the Lord”, and understand that price?
With each experience you feel like giving up and eventually do give up. You just get worn out. Yet your spirit will jump for joy as you read your Bible, and yet you fail to make anyone else see and want what you have. And that is the point of desperation I am talking about.
Most of the Apostles died violent deaths. They never had stages. But, who wants to be a Martyr these days?
Do these ‘evangelists’ really devote themselves to reading the Scriptures to draw closer to the Lord, just for their own benefit, before they preach to you?
How would you know this is what they do or don’t do?
Do they stand up there on a stage and tell you about Jesus?
Ask yourselves this question: There are about 20 people who gather themselves together and decide to hold a “revival”. They offer new hope for an age old problem – your health. They draw crowds of say 20,000 people. If each person there puts just $1.00 in the bucket that is $20,000.
Or $1,000 per night for each of the 20 of them. And the extra revenue, which there will be, because some are so awestruck, that they put in $5 or $10 or even $20, will pay for the rental on the stadium and the electric bill.
The next thing you know there is another plane in the air. 1 to 20 – $1,000,000 mansions being built, and your are sitting where?
Could you be sitting in your homes, with the same illnesses and whatever other problems you took to the stadium with you, along with the emotional trauma of being hurt or snubbed by a man of the cloth? Are you now turned off by the very thought of going to church or being with other “so-called Christians”? Are you just so confused you don’t want to hear any more?
My Bible tells me: 2 Timothy 1:7 – For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
That sounds to me like love, power, and a sound mind come from the Spirit of God, and overwhelm the spirit of fear that only satan would put on you.
And a sound mind is opposite of depression, oppression, and anything else that “presses” in on you.
Love – as ‘anon’ described in the post above, was absent at all the meetings attended.
Have you ever been to meetings where ALL you experience is LOVE? And left those meetings still not healed but experienced God’s love long afterward? I have. I guess the reason is that at those meetings we all came to just praise the Lord. And attending the next meeting the Love in our hearts grew even stronger.
And at each meeting people were given the opportunity to share what the LORD has been doing in their lives.
Your faith was being built up, not dragged through the mud.
Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
That Chapter is about Salvation. But first I’d like to ask this question: Is the REAL word of God being spoken at these meetings? Does the Holy Spirit within you witness to Himself, or is there a void. (In other words, if the Holy Spirit is in the “anointed man of God” He will witness to the Holy Spirit in you, if you are “filled with the Spirit”. Does this happen?
If it happens then you are experiencing a drink at the well of Living Water. You won’t go away feeling like you have drank vinegar instead.
As I just said, Romans 12 is about SALVATION. Preachers that are called by God WILL preach the Gospel of Salvation, because that is the desire God puts in a person he calls to preach.
If, at some point, healings take place, it won’t be because that was the only purpose of the meetings.
Every preacher that has failed has failed to deliver the message of salvation.
Every good preacher that has succeeded, as Billy Graham has, preached on this central message without being side tracked.
Turn on the TV and listen to every preacher you can and make a note of the ‘topic’ they preached on. Did he lead you to the Lord? Encourage you to draw closer into a more intimate union with Jesus Christ?
Listen to altar calls. Do they start out trying to bring you into union with Jesus and end up going down a different track? Perhaps praying for your healing, your marriage, etc.
I’ve known people who die from suicide because they had no hope. No true encouragement.
I have hope and encouragement, if only from the word of God, to keep on keeping on, in spite of any circumstance that I’m in. I have constant chronic pain with occasional flare ups when I least expect them.
I experience heartaches. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t.
I know I’m going to be an overcomer in all circumstances.
I STILL KNOW WHO I AM, AND WHO’S I AM. That makes all the difference.
One Todd Bently is not charging fro his meetings so he is not in it for the money, Why is it when something happens christians are the first to say it is not of God, is it because you are scared or your faith level is so low that this stuff can’t happen. How about praying about it and let God tell you if it is real or not. You should not put someone down, you should pray for them. This world has gotten to a point that if it doesn’t benifit you, you have nothing to do with it. I went to one of the revival meetings and I will tell you Gods presences is so strong there anything is possible. I watched little children getting healed and seeing Jesus heal them. Don’t put it down until you go and investigate it yourself. God bless you all and I pray god opens all you minds and hearts.
When I consider the many moves or those that have been deemed as moves of God a couple of simple questions needed to be asked -
1. Does it glorify Christ?
2. Is the preaching Biblical?
3. Supernatural manifestations are always present in revivals but do they draw attention to the speaker or point toward Christ?
4. Are souls being added to the Kingdom of God?
Let’s look at Pensacola Outpouring – there is no denying that the scriptures was taught, Christ was glorified, people were added to the Kingdom, lives were transformed, and the supernatural was manifested.
In fact when fleshy or demonic manifestations occurred they were dealt with immediately. Yes, there is emotion involved in revival name me one revival where emotion was not involved.
Anyway, I would suggest a couple of good books for folks to read regarding the manifestations that are taking place. By the way I do have a hard time with the angel thing but when one looks at the New Testament, especially the book of Acts, angels did appear but I don’t think there was an exchange of names!?!?! However, angels have announced themselves in the Scriptures. But they always delivered the message and pointed toward God.
Oh I mustn’t forget the books – When the Spirit comes with Power by John White; Azusa Street by Frank Bartleman, Let no one deceive you by Michael Brown, Jonathan Edwards on Revival by Jonathan Edwards, I saw the Welsh Revival by David Matthews.
There are many more I could mention especially about Holy Spirit outpourings and revivals. For a good online resource look up Leonard Ravenhill, J. Edwin Orr, and AW Tozer. You can find videos of Ravenhill and Orr to download. These men have a good grasp of revivals as they are both historians of moves of God and powerful preachers.
In closing, all I can say is this, if this is of God then nothing will stop it but if it is not of God then the darkness will be exposed and it will fall to the ground. I know the power and presence of God in my own life and Christ is my center.
Lord’s blessing to you all.
*he is not in it for the money*
*I pray god opens all you minds and hearts.*
It is your mind and heart that is not open Kim, you are blinded and deluded by the con games, trickery and heresy of Todd Bentley combined with trance inducing music, your endorphins, and crowd paranoia. You have never seen a true Biblical miracle at any of Todd Bentleys meetings because such Biblical miracles were only done in the time of Jesus and the apostles as signs of Jesus coming. Now we have the Bible finished and the true miracle is the gift of salvation and the preservation of His words through the Holy Bible alone.
You will never find true Biblical example miracles today, in our time God allows us to find healing through medicine, technology and nutrition, and learning wisdom of the natural healing process that God put into our bodies to begin with.
That is why nurse and doctor missionaries go around the world helping people just to survive with their pain because they know the facts and the differences between the Biblical level miracles and the medicine based natural types of miracles which are not the same.
If you think the truly blind and deaf and paraplegics instantly were healed and grew new limbs at Todd Bentley meetings like the specific miracle examples done in the Bible in Jesus time you are deluded, and if you dont believe me, try and take Todd Bentley to any place of Christian Blind missions, or Christian paraplegic missions, etc and you will see that after the hype wears off of Todds trickery, they are still the same physically, so it is for all the truly blind, maimed, etc. who come to Todds meetings that he doesnt even let up on the stage because he doesnt want his operation money suck exposed and his false gift exposed.
You are deluded Kim, one day if you ever wake up remember the warnings given to you and turn to the true gospel, the sound doctrines as recorded in the Holy Bible alone. Then go out and help all the true suffering Christians in the world, the ones you were once told before by Todd that they never had enough faith to be healed. Go and meet them Kim, believers suffering for decades praying every day yet not being healed like was done in Jesus ministry. It has nothing to do with their faith, it is because all people, Christian or not still live in this sinful world and the curse of sin is still upon us all until the new heavens and the new earth. Every one of us is dying as we speak in a body of sin and all the prayers of a lifetime by Todd Bentley wont save you or him from that.
Seek to help people find health (natural healing) through various methods that God has allowed us to learn of today through medicine, therapy, nutrition, technology, etc, but do not take advantage of the desperation of people and delude them into thinking Todd Bentley has any type of gift from God to heal in a truly Biblical type of manner, because he has no such gift, and not only that but he is leading others into false gospels and doctrines of devils.
Jonathan, you make some good points:
Number (4) in your list can be a sticky one. Why? Because that is one point which only God can determine. Even in a false move (or revival) there can be many commit themselves…but the question is, to “whom?’ If they are not hearing the word of God, we can’t really know, …you see?
Yes, i agree with you. I actually attended the Pensacola revival for 2 nights….it was in the early days of the revival, and can say at that time the word of God was being preached strongly under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. The spirit within the church was one of heart wrenching repentance.
What happened later…during the remaining years it went on, im not sure of, but from what i was told by those there, that spirit of humility and repentance left; That shouldn’t be surprising though—for many times the original work will be of God. But, there comes a day when God is finished, and man makes the mistake of going on anyway.
Its like a preacher who gets up to preach–The Holy Spirit will anoint him as he gives out the message God wants delivered. But instead of stopping at that point, he continues on in his own flesh for an additional 30 minutes. lol
I’ve seen this happen many times, and what can sadly occur is what God actually anointed, which the preacher gave out, gets forgotten by those listening.
one of the greatest accounts of true revival,,,,
Even in the great revivals of the past, at some point, the enemy always tried to enter in..If you’ve ever read War Against the Saints, (By Jesse Penn Lewis) you probably know that book was born out of what she witnessed, after the enemy tried to destroy what God had accomplished at the great Welsh revival.
PJ,
I totally agree with what you are saying. I like what Ravenhill says when it comes to revivals and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that there is the time to get in the river and a time to get and do what God would have you do. What I share is a synopsis of just a part of his teaching.
As to War on the Saints, I have the abridged version and it really balances out what is real and what is counterfeit. In the times in which we live there is no doubt that there are satanic influences at work but we must also recognize that God is always at work. It just a matter of having the discernment to know what is what!
To address what you said about adding souls to the Kingdom of God is an invitation by which man can choose to accept or reject. All I know according to scripture that the invitation is sent out to all. God had determined in eternity to send His only son to die for all mankind so that men and women would be faced with the choice of accepting Christ, living the life Christ intended one to live and be heaven bound or those who would reject Christ as the way, the truth, and the life, and be bound for a Christless eternity.
And you are right are they hearing the Word of God? Is there a deep Holy Spirit conviction in the hearts and minds of those present?
Anyway, keep up the good work.
** Amendment ~ I like what Ravenhill says when it comes to revivals and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that there is the time to get in the river and a time to get out and do what God would have you do.
Thanks Mary and anon for sharing your testimony´s.
I´d like to say to those of you who are hung up on “Todds” miracles, what if there were NO miracles happening, No one who got healed in Lakeland, would it then be considered a successful revival. I don’t think so! What would you then have? A lot of emotional expressions. A lot “I feel”
Take Healing out of the equation and it all boils down to a lot of stirred up emotions!
I felt led to share my experiences with Toronto & Brownsville and the fruit in my life this many years later.
Both Brwonsville and Toronto had a much different “feeling” to it. When I went to Brownville within about 1 hour of being there I was in a major feeling of repentance – a feeling of really getting right with God.
Toronto I have been to about 6 times in the past years, my last time being about 3 years ago. Toronto is a place where there is this feeling that comes upon you that draws you to the Fathers Love – cant explain it, but draws you closer to God.
In the atmosphere your giftings are turn up 10 fold. If you get revalations, you get them much stronger there. If you are gifted in prophacy it is much stronger there. Its actaully a bumber when someone gets up to preach, because in a way you are “with” God in such an intamate way, there is nothing better, especially someone getting up to preach.
All these years later, what is the fruit in my life? I have no doubt that it drew me closer to God, it stired a hunger in me for more of Him.. When I look at the fruit, what would the enemy desire that?
Now, did I see strange things? A few times, I saw a few people moving in the flesh, but that happens everwhere. I did see a few times where someone started to manifest demons in a serious way and saw some in the ministry team take the people aside can minister deliverance – nothing you don’t see Jesus do?
I have to say I question if this Florida thing is God, but when I see it online, I know that feeling, it’s a feeling of “EXPERIENCING” God, not LEARNING about Him, or getting another teaching ABOUT HIM, or Studing His words, but actually Experiencing Him.
When you see people on their face, they ARE repenting! When you see people raising their arms inlove with God they ARE repenting, When you see people losing themselves in Him, it is repentance (Change your mind, turn to him).
Again, as I mentioned, I am not sure yet about Florida, yet I believe that one needs to be very sure before juding it.. you may just find it is GOD and nothing worse then calling what is of God, from the devil.
Peace and Love
I just found this article by David Wilkerson titled, The Revival that has some very good points for all to read and remember.
“When the last great outpouring comes, it is prophesied to come “upon all flesh.” It will not be isolated in just a few areas. No one will be counting numbers. Hungry seekers will not be falling backwards — but frontwards, on their faces, humbled and broken. The preaching of the cross will be central. There will be no fundraising, no introducing of star visitors. The meetings will be times of wooing by the Holy Spirit, because He never drives people to altars — He woos them. No. one will have to defend such an outpouring. All manifestations will focus on Christ, not flesh. Weeping, brokenness, a lifting of holy hands in thankfulness for God’s mercy and grace will produce a true spirit of joy.”
I personally like his recommendation for revival too. Check it out.