_6. Anticipation For Revival
WEIGHED AND FOUND WANTING by Pastor Bill Randies Anticipation for Revival As I believe I have pointed out, the old Pentecostal hope in the return of Jesus to rescue us from the evils of this present age has been supplanted with a new "revelation." The new ideal is the perfecting of the church, the birthing of "manchild," and a worldwide revival, as the church comes into the fullness of Christ and exercises her dominion and authority. Christians have been conditioned to expect Christ to come "within" us, mystically, and to scoff at and reject the idea of Christ coming for us as being "the helicopter escape." Many Christians, influenced by dynamic and bold "prophets," have opted for a more optimistic scenario.
I too am optimistic, but for different reasons. Indeed, I look for the nations to stream to the mount of the Lord, and the glory of the Lord to cover the earth, as well as the healing of the nations, also, but I believe these things will be established by Jesus at His coming and not by a super anointed church. I have to accept the Bible is teaching that in the end times, "All nations will hate you for my name’s sake," even if it is pessimistic. Nevertheless, I know Jesus will prevail, and in the process, we (the church) shall also. But, the basis for my belief is not mere optimism, it is rooted in an acceptance of scripture in its plain meaning.
Current Expectations For an example of the current optimism, read this excerpt of a prophetic message I received in the mail recently,"Open your spiritual eyes even now and see that the Lord is forming His camp. And the camp of the Lord is very great. The voice of the Lord is uttered before His army and the army shall march! The army shall march! I tell you my people the army is going to march on the capitols of this nation. The army will gather around the capitols as a great band, and bind the powers of darkness and praise the name of the Lord and release the spirit of liberty upon this nation... And this nation is going to shake under the power of God. Take your eschatology and put it under your feet. Take my promises and let them be wings of victory. In your doctrine you have given yourselves little hope, but in my word I give you all hope. The best is in the future before you... say, "We shall overcome every wickedness of this nation."... You’re going to see churches of 100’s become churches of 1000’s and churches of 1000’s become churches of 10,000’s. You are going to see whole cities where everybody comes together on Sunday morning-not just on Easter, but on a regular basis." (1)
Notice the Manifested Sons highlights, the "great" army on the march, binding the powers of darkness, and using their authority to "loose" the spirit of liberty on the nation. Making the nation tremble. Make sure you throw out your eschatology, though, (especially the rapture) for the best is before us! Whole cities are going to come to God! Sounds a lot better then, "In the last day, many shall depart from the faith..." Which one is the most optimistic?
Ain’t We Great? In another more extensive (224 pages) prophecy, Rick Joynor can see the day coming when,
"The feet of the body of Christ will carry the credentials for all of those who have gone before them. They will be joined to each other like no other body of people have ever been joined, but they will be also joined to the true believers of all ages who lived and prophesied of this day. As Jesus promised, the things that He did and even greater things will be done in His name, because He went to the Father. His faithful will soon walk in unprecedented power and authority. In the near future, the church will not be looking back at the first century church with envy because of the great exploits of those days, but all will be saying that He certainly did save His best wine for last. The most glorious days in all of history have now come upon us. You who have dreamed of one day being able to talk to Peter, John and Paul are going to be surprised to find that they have been waiting to talk to you! "(2) Do you notice the emphasis on greatness? But, who, according to this scenario, is going to be great in those days? Not necessarily Jesus, nor even the first century church, we are! The last days, overcoming, manchild church! The early church can’t wait to meet us! This nonsense is sheer Manifested Sons of God, church evolution theory.
Joyner goes on, though, to proclaim the day when,"The magnitude of this harvest will ultimately astonish even the most optimistic believers. Congregations of less than a hundred will be adding a thousand believers a week for periods of time. Meetings which begin spontaneously will stir entire cities, continuing until they fill the largest stadiums night after night. Previously popular sporting events will be abandoned in many regions for lack of interest. Whole towns with populations of thousands will swarm on neighboring towns to evangelize them... News teams will follow apostles like national figures... large cities will experience periods of zero crime... pornography, prostitution, illegal drugs abortion, and drunkenness will cease to exist in many areas without passage of a single law... Whole nations will give themselves to periods of fasting and prayer." (3) When? Before or after Jesus returns?
I realize, at this point, that I risk being perceived as a negative, maybe even cynical person. The reality is that there isn’t a Christian alive who wouldn’t long for these things to happen, but on what terms? Am I to imagine that we, the church, will affect these things in the period of time before the return of Jesus? The new "prophets" seem to imply that it is We who will do all this (of course, in the power of God). But, what does the Bible teach? Even though they seem pessimistic, don’t the prophecies of the New Testament count for anything? False prophets have finally gotten us to the point of saying, My Lord delayeth in coming. Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.Luke 12:40
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron.1 Timothy 4:12 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures mere than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.2 Timothy 3:1-5
It’s becoming obvious, the extent of the conditioning that we have undergone, when you think about the ridiculous "prophecy" someone uttered on TBN, to the effect that on Thursday, June 9th, 1994, "all evil would be ripped off the face of the earth." This prophecy actually created quite an excitement, being endorsed by Paul Crouch and confirmed by other prophetic voices. As you know, nothing anywhere near that happened on June 9th. The only explanationl of course, was a spiritualization (something about a spiritual vail being removed). Obviously, a false prophet (Deuteronomy 13:1-18) andDeuteronomy 18:1-22).
But, why would we even have to wait till June to judge it? Such an obviously unscriptural notion (that evil will be suddenly ripped off the face o£ the earth, but not by the second coming) should have been dismissed as nonsense, as soon as it was uttered! This shows us, the tremendous extent of Manifest Sons theology. To them, it is the wicked, not the righteous, who would be removed! To me, this is a very disturbing development. When the rapture happens, the devil will offer a plausible excuse, one way or the other, he will have to either say that people at random disappeared, or it was the wicked who were taken. Already within the New Age Movement, there is an idea that when the world makes it’s "quantum leap" into an evolved consciousness, those so narrow minded as to believe that there is only one way of salvation, will have to be removed. Only after that can the new day of enlightenment and tolerance dawn. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven ’with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.Luke 21:1-38 Obviously, the scriptures teach that the true believer will be removed and the wicked will be left.
What About the Wheat and the Tares?
Good question. The parable inMatthew 13:1-58has been interpreted to teach that at the end of time, it will be the tares (wicked) removed and then the righteous will shine forth. On this basis many are rejecting their traditional hope, the gathering together (rapture). Just remember that in that parable we are not told that the tares are removed and burned first, we are told that they are bound together first, for the purpose of burning, and then the wheat is gathered. This binding of the tares is actually happening right now in the current ecumenism. See endnote seven for expanded treatment ofMatthew 13:1-58. In one way, the false prophet who predicted something for June 9th, may well be on to something. It does seem that from that time on there has been an increase in these mystical outbreaks spawned by Toronto and Rodney Howard-Browne! Suddenly, they exploded worldwide! I don’t know for sure, just speculating, maybe the June prophecies were to be a signal of increased delusion and false experience, for those under judgemont.
There have been others who claim to be "prophets" of God who pointed to June, 1994. One example is Kim Clement, who was a guest of the Trinity Broadcasting Network in April, 1994. In an interview with both Paul Crouch and his son Matthew, Kim gave a "word" which according to Paul Crouch, nearly "lifted them out of their chairs." Here is an excerpt,
"The Spirit of the Lord says, I will raise up a brand new and a fresh and powerful anointing that is going to destroy and expose hidden works of darkness... Thus says the Lord, get ready, for even as the enemy tries to destroy and bring addictions and witchcraft upon the nation, so liberty and revival is about to take place as you have never seen. For this is the final move of my spirit. This is the final thing that I am preparing for your hearts to do. Therefore, get ready, says the Lord, I am about to change you with my power and anointing... Surely I am about to judge from the very top, says the Lord, and this judgement has already begun and will not go by June before it is absolutely done, says the Lord... Therefore, take it now, take my word and rejoice for I will bring about the greatest move of the Spirit that this nation has ever seen..." (4)
Notice, Clement prophesied powerful things! There’s going to be an anointing, so fresh and powerful, exposing darkness, and revival is coming like never before, but then, amazingly a specific word! God would begin to judge, starting at the top and by the end of June His judgement would be absolutely done! (I assume he’s talking about a judgement of God’s people). Are you kidding? God has judged His people and it’s over? Has anyone at all called Clement or Crouch on this false prophecy?
Strong Delusion
It’s time to take seriously the warning of2 Thessalonians 2:1-11, that God would send a strong delusion upon those who receive not the love of the truth. Does the Bible teach what the Manifest Sons are prophesying? I don’t doubt for one minute that there will always be sporadic revivals. There are revivals happening all over the world. But, are we to expect a great, earth shattering, end-time revival, where the nations fall at our feet? Or is that wishful thinking (and prophesying)? There will be a revival indeed, and one with signs and wonders, even on a worldwide scale, but it will be a mystical, sensuous, lying revival, in the "deceivableness of unrighteousness after the working of Satan." Not According to Ken Copeland But, Ken Copeland, in the June, 1994,Believers Voice of Victoryassures us,
"Can you imagine somebody walking around with the power that Elisha and Elijah had and the power that Peter and Paul had-all at the same time? It’s ahout to happen! If you’ll get your act straightened up and get yourselves moving in the Spirit of God, it will happen to you!... I asked the Lord one time, "Lord how will you do that? How can you make the sun not shine?" He told me He will block out it’s light with the cloud of His glory... God said to me, "I’ll make that cloud get so thick on whole cities, that people can’t see the sunshine." Then, He added, "That’s the reason you need to get ready"... Learn [how to win souls] because when God’s power falls and His glory cloud hits a whole city at one time, men and women will fall under the power of it, crying out to God." (5)
Copeland then promises us that "thousands of people will come running to those churches. God will give us whole cities at once. Not only that, this move of the Spirit will grow until we get whole nations flowing into the mountain of God." Copeland closes his "prophetic" article with this "word" from God.
"The Lord said to me, I’ve been manifest as the rain, I’ve been manifest as the fire, or lightning. I’ve been manifest as the wind, but I’ve never been manifest as all four at the same time. Now, in the time of the former and latter rain, you’re going to see all of me for the first time ever." (6) Do you really think that God said that to Ken Copeland? We are finally going to see "all of Him now, for the first time ever? Remember, we aren’t talking about the beatific vision of1 John 3:1-3here.
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.1 John 3:1-3
These men are teaching and prophesying to us that this will come to pass in these days, before the coming of the Lord, in the great end time revival! Sounds good, but did the apostles believe that way?
Revival as a Sovereign Act of God
I was "raised" to have this expectation, through my Christian life. Being saved in an Assembly of God church, I was taught to expect the imminent return of Jesus Christ. Having that hope was a purifying effect on my life. But, shortly after my salvation, was given a twelve tape album, "Spirit, Soul and Body," by Kenneth Copeland. I devoured them, and became immersed in "The Faith Message." I don’t believe that Faith teachers deny the rapture, as a rule. But, they do stress that "victory is up to us" and "you can have what you say." It’s easy to conclude, "Why should we go out of this earth as a whipped, sick and defeated church? We can go out in victory!" Well, I do agree that we don’t have to be whipped, sick or defeated. But, what is victory? When Noah went on the ark with only his family, was he defeated? He preached for 120 years without converts, was he whipped? Why didn’t he just have a great pre-flood revival? Revival belongs to God. One time I was singing, "There’s going to be a revival in the land, in the land, there’s going to be a revival in the land, from the north, to the south, to the east, and the west, there’s going to be a revival, there’s going to be a revival, there’s going to be a revival in the land!" in church one day, and I heard this word, "presumptuous!" We presume that there is, but on what basis? Where in the Bible are we led to expect an earth shattering, hospital emptying, nation converting, universal revival? When the apostles told us about the last days, is that the picture they painted? Or, are you going more by William Branham, Ken Copeland, and Paul Cain? I can hope and pray for revival, I believe there will always be sporadic, local revivals, but the truth is, there may never be another revival in America. Does that make God unjust? Has He not given us revival? Do we have any excuse? Don’t get me wrong, hope and pray for revival, but don’t presumptuously assume, "’There’s going to be a revival in the land," as if God’s Word guarantees it. The wind bloweth where it listeth. God can do whatever He pleases, He is not beholden to us.
Through the 1980’s and into the 1990’s, I have seen the expectation build, "God is going to do something dramatic, there is going to be an explosion of miracles! Christians are going to run everything. Hospitals are going to be emptied, whole nations will turn to the church, prophets are going to advise presidents, etc. etc." We’ve heard the messages and prophecies.
Only by acknowledging and understanding this expectation, can we begin to understand Toronto and put it in context. There has been a conditioning, a change in view of the last days, a heavenly expectation has been usurped by a worldly, earthly, even sensuous/religious expectation. And it looks like that expectation is finally beginning to be fulfilled, thanks to two major ministries. The thrust into the "Mystical Revival" is directly related to the Kansas City Prophets, also the ministry of John Wimber and the Vineyard Movement. The catalyst can be attributed to Rodney Howard-Browne. All of these and their contribution to Toronto and the world is what we will look at next.
End Notes
1. Glenn Foster. Excerpt of prophecy given July 11, 1994. "Fields of Honey." Sweetwater Church of the Valley. Box 5640, 1420 43rd Avenue, Glendale, AZ 85312.
2. Rick Joynor. "The Harvest." Page 26.
3. Ibid. Page 32-33.
4. Trinity Broadcasting Network. April, 1994.
5. Kenneth Copeland. "A Storm of Glory." Believers Voice of Victory. June, 1994.
6. Ibid.
7-Matthew 13:1-58, or the parables of the kingdom of God, is a collection of parables about the progress of the kingdom of God on the earth. All these parables belong together, examining the subject from different angles. The essence of theMatthew 13:1-58parables is this, of all of the multitude in the sphere of the kingdom of God, there is actually only a remnant of genuine believers and there is coming a separation. In the parable of the sower, of the four different soils (hearts) that the seed (the Word) was planted in, only one bore fruit. In the wheat and the tares, of all the plants in the vast field, a good number were tares and not wheat. They would have to be separated. Both were to grow together till the time of the harvest (end of the age). The instruction was "gather together first the tares, bind them in bundles, to burn them," then harvest the wheat. What stage are we in now? The stage of gathering together the tares (ecumenism} for the purpose of burning. The mustard plant was fine as a herb, growing at the rate that it was to grow. But, when there came a rapid unnatural acceleration, two things happened. The fowls of the air came (demonsMatthew 13:4) to lodge in its branches (division, denominations). How much of the tree is actual? What is in that tree that doesn’t belong there? What part of the growth was real, and what wasn’t? In the parable of the leaven, the woman hides the leaven in the lump. (There are certain men crept in unawares). Leaven is corruption and false teaching. The result? A flat cake becomes a huge loaf! But, how much of that puffed up loaf is actually bread and how much is air? The loaf looks huge, but is actually light! The treasure in the field. The man (Jesus Christ) sells everything he has, to obtain the field. Why does he want the field? He doesn’t. He wants the treasure in the field, but he has to buy it all, the whole package. Even so did our Lord die for all men, believer and unbeliever alike, but his real desire is for the treasure to come out of the field. Even so, a separation is coming, the treasure that he sold out to obtain, is going to be taken out of the field. In another parable about pearls, of all the pearls and jewels the merchant had, they were not like the one great pearl. There had to be a separation, he had to sell all of the rest of them to obtain the pearl of great price. In the parable of the dragnet, a huge harvest offish is brought to the shore, to be separated. Of all the "converts" brought in, how many are real? How many will be rejected? An ultimate judgement is ahead. In each case, it is the good, the valuable and worthwhile which is taken out, from among the false and worthless.