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Fake Worship
Feb 20, 2022
By Dan Li
“My mouth is filled with Your praise, and with Your glory all the day.” Psalms 71:8
Because fake worship is not of God, but rather, it is demonic in nature and in origin:
1) It is a copycat- It attempts to look and feel similar to real worship, to mimic it as closely as possible, without actually worshiping God- Satan does not want real worship of God, as he is not against himself (a house divided against itself can’t stand, Mark 3:23-26, Matt 12:25-26).
2) Fake spirituality. Using sensuality, maybe but not necessarily the sexual sort, but the senses- it is about making the fake worshiper feeel a certain way, to trigger feelings, sentiments, emotions, catharsis — to goal is to feeel good/better, a lust to feeel good. This mimics spirituality, it feeels spiritual.
3) Fake worship really worships self, is man-focused, feelings/how “I” feel (like drugs do, pleasing one’s self) instead of pleasing God, what I desire/want instead of what God wants/desire. Never has a main focus on God directly, lest someone actually worships God. So, instead it has a ‘christianesque’ approach, speaks of God in ways that don’t really worship Him- so the focus is self or what one gets from God, not Him directly; It lusts after what one can get from God, focuses on ones feelings, sensations, the miracles I can have, the breakthroughs I can have, instead of “God is worthy of my praise no matter what happens to me, just because HE is worthy, Him alone”, and also instead of “though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him” (Job 13:15). Fake worship is self-worship– Idolatry, sin.
4) Fake faith, tries to pump-up faith by using things you have seen with your eyes, which is not faith at all, it is ‘seeing is believing’. Lyrics say things like “I’ve seen this miracle”, or “I know God does miracles…”, things like that. Fake faith is important because real worship does strength one’s faith… so fake worship needs a simulated analog, something to mimic that, so it uses fake faith to accomplish that. Fake faith does not hold firm, because it is not founded on God/Christ alone, it is founded on happenings, founded on feelings- founded on the senses (what I can touch, feel, see) rather than the person of God and His Word.
5) Fake worship speaks muchness of God’s love, kindness, goodness, blessings, but never about how that is possible only through the blood Jesus shed for us.
Symptoms of fake worship in a church:
1) Droning style of singing and music, has a hypnotic affect
2) Highly repetitive– repeating phrases or words more than 3 times, or 2-3 times more than once. Repetitiveness causes a mental disconnect, inducing a hypnotic effect.
3) Inward/self focus– A technique also used in eastern meditation ([self]”centering”), use of inward focus/self focus to induce a hypnotic effect.
4) Carnal – Easy on the flesh, appeals to the flesh, the natural, one’s feelings/senses (sensual), puts value what one wants to hear, and how they feel, instead of the truth of God. This increases #3, the inward/self-focus, increasing the hypnotic effect.
Fake Move of God
All music has a spirit behind it, so also does the singer singing the music as well. With fake worship music, God is not in it, nor the real focus of it, and therefore, it is not of God, not of the Holy Spirit, but is of a different spirit (“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits to see if they are of God” 1 John 4:1-3). To mimic a real move of God, fake worship uses hypnosis, hypnotic techniques, to generate a hypnotic effect upon the people attending/listening. Hypnotic effect is important to cause a somewhat calming and euphoric feeling, bring suggestibility/influence to bypass the critiquing/analyzing mind. Hypnotic effects can also be done in a group, causing group hypnosis, group suggestibility, and group influence. In fake worship, “entering-in to worship” really means onset of/induction of hypnosis on the participants.
Some music groups that utilize hypnotic techniques in their music:
1) Bethel ‘church’ and related groups, such as Jesus Culture, Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry (BSSM),
2) “Community Music” group of Community Christian Church (of Chigago, communitychristian.org/cm )(NewThing Church Planting Network, newthing.org): Lucas Salles Cortazio/Joshua Neil Farro/Evelyn Braun Heideriqui/Rebekah Erin White. Song:”Make Room” (fake worship songs) from Album: “The Church Will Sing”.
Quote: “We have a very eclectic taste in music and are influenced by a variety of artists and ministries. In the worship realm, we love Hillsong, Red Rocks Worship, Elevation, Upper Room, Bethel, Housefires and many others. We are often inspired by life stories of those around us, various books and Scripture.”
3) Elevation Music (out of Steven Furtick’s (a modalist) mega church in NC, Elevation Church)
4) Hillsong (especially newer stuff)
5) Their local church copycats and trainees
6) Others.. ?
Real worship is:
1) All about God- He is the focus. Never is the focus us, what we want, nor how we feel. (I will not share my glory with another, Isa 42:8, Isaiah 48:11)
2) It is done God’s way, not our own. You cannot worship God any way you want, you must do it the way He says, else it is not true worship. (“strange fire”, Lev 10:1-3, Num 26:61; and “don’t light your own fire”, Isaiah 50:10-11).
3) True worship of God is done in Spirit and in Truth. By God’s Spirit. The Truth, and no lie, no false, honest, true. (by the Holy Spirit, whereby we cry Abba, Father, John 4:22-24; Rom 8:13-17, Gal 4:6)
4) We worship God with our mind also, the whole of self, from an undivided heart, given unto the Lord. It is thoughtful about the greatness and majesty of God, never disconnects the mind with vain repetition (Matt 6:7), but rather engages the mind towards God mightily. “The Lord is One. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and soul, and strength, and mind, and Him only shall you serve” (Mark 12:29-30; Matt 22:37-38), “For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. 15 What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.” (1 Cor 14:14-15 ESV). Worship is engaging all your person including your mind on God, not disengaging whatsoever. (“Gird up the loins of your mind…” 1 Pet 1:13-15, Rom 12:1-2)
Discussion:
Normal Church Worship:
Integral to a church service is the praise and worship. The style, format, timing, and proportional quantity does seem to vary from time to time, and from church to church, but it is nonetheless always present. Christians spend time in worshiping the Lord together corporately. The 2 main components of most church services are the praise and worship, and the sharing of the Word of God via teaching/preaching. Praise and worship of God is a very highly important part of a church service, our opportunity to focus only on the Lord instead of ourselves, giving Him honor and glory apart from anything we may receive from Him – it is given as a gift unto the Lord, giving honor and glory due Him simply for Who He is. We set ourselves to the side, resting from the things we would normally be motivated to do during the week, and we set aside that sabbath day (whatever day of the week it is) as a special day, not a normal ordinary day of the week, but a day devoted to the Lord, to spend time with Him, to hollow that day in worship unto the Lord. Instead of listening to one another, we hear from the Lord – whatever He is speaking to us through the Bible and through the teacher/preacher, and the Holy Spirit to our hearts. Worship is treating God with the highest of deference, never in a nonchalant way, never in a flippant way, never in a non-reverent way– never. Why? Because God is to be worshiped above all and to be treated with highest honor, because of Who He is. God is not a man, He is the Creator of all things. God is not to be treated as common, God is most holy. We gather together to worship Him collectively, as a group of believers, as it is written, “Where 2 or 3 are gathered in My Name, there I am in their midst” (Matt 18:20).
Daily Personal Worship of God:
We know that worship is not only done at church, not only done in a group, not only a song sung to the Lord, but rather, according to Rom 12:1-2, worship is done in every moment as we live our life unto the Lord, it is our reasonable service, our expected service unto the Lord.
Daily Personal Idolatry, the worship of what/who is not God:
When we live our life unto ourselves, and not unto the Lord, we are not living according to the will of the Lord, we are not living a life of living sacrifice unto Him (Rom 12:1-2), we are keeping our life instead of giving it unto the Lord daily(“Whoever would follow Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily…keep life, lose it”, Luke 9:23-25; “I die daily”, 1 Cor 15:31). This is called living by the flesh (Rom 7:4-5, Rom 8:13-14) and it is displeasing to God, the Bible calls it enmity against God (Jas 4:2-6; Rom 8:5-9). Not many teach/preach about this subject these days, which is not surprising since the religion of our age is humanism, the worship of self and man. Those who are worshiping themselves, living unto themselves in this current age, are self-idolaters, even if they call themselves Christians.
Corporate (church) Idolatry, the group’s worship of what/who is not God:
Then when these self-idolaters get together to have “church”, God won’t have any part of it.
“7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.”…
“14 Therefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say. 16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 17 For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. 18 Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? 19 What am I saying then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? 20 But what I am saying is, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. 21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils. 22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than He?” (1 Cor 10:7,14-22)
If we are practicing idolatry in our daily life, and so are many of the others that also come together on Sunday for church service, how can we be gathering the way Jesus said “Where 2 or 3 are gathered in My Name”? We can’t (Gal 5:17). So, instead, the gathering is not worship, it is fake worship. And because the Holy Spirit is not “in the midst”, then a fake spiritual experience is also needed to have the fake worship service.
“1 Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron” 1 Tim 4:1-2
And if the worship service is fake, the teaching/preaching is probably also not solid. How could it possibly be?
Both the Tree and its Fruit are Corrupt:
The “church” called Bethel Church, in Redding, California, has long ago parted from the truth of the Bible and have delved into massive amounts of false doctrines[8], and have promoted New Age[18][19] and witchcraft principles[16][26] into their practices. They have promoted things such as grave sucking (the idea that you can lay on the ground above a grave of some well known minister that had died, and absorb some of that ‘power’ for yourself), quantum vibrations to reach the spirit realm, NAR and Word-Faith heresies; and instead of genuine prophecy, they practice cold-readings (a demonic practice employed by psychics and mentalists, whereby they guess numbers and letters of people’s names). They hide their demonic practices under a thin venier of being “pentecostal” (fake pentecostals), when they are really just demon worshipers. I’m not being extreme in my characterization of them either. This “church” is the base, the foundation of Bethel Music, and Jesus Culture music. So why are we surprised to find they are the same ones promoting self-focused, carnal, hypnotic music under the guise of “worship music”?
Bethel Music also promotes other similar groups that sing and write music that is similarly not really Christian music either. Bethel Music makes money on promoting/producing these bands. Bethel also makes money by churches singing their fake worship music during their Sunday church services- paying Bethel Music authoring/producing royalties via CCLI or BMG licensing. Bethel Church also has “ministry” schools, one for teaching “worship” (demonic hypnotic music techniques), and another that teaches how to prophesy (a school of supernatural ministry/prophecy). This Bethel group is seriously deceptive and wicked, and yet many churches are playing their music on Sundays, paying them royalties on it, and even sending their members to Bethel’s false-teaching “ministry” schools. Now, tell me that many of the churches are not compromised with this stuff… they certainly are, and it is very telling, speaking of the very bad state of these churches in these very end-days.
“3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4 Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sits in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
6 And now ye know what withholds that he might be revealed in his time.
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now holds back will prevent, until he be taken out of the way.
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
These end-days have a set of people who used to know God, or at least know about Him, and they fall away (v.3). They refused to have a love of the truth (v.10), but instead had pleasure in unrighteousness (v.12), so God sends them strong delusion, so that they should believe a lie, and be damned, because they did not believe the truth (vv. 10-11).
Then, we wonder way so many pastors are committing suicide. So many are losing their minds and going nuts. So much fear and depression, from the pews to the pastors. So many of today’s christians are going to psychologists/psychiatrists, on meds to control their fear and depression, going to worldly counseling and group support meetings. There is an epidemic (its not covid) of mental illness among pastors and christians. They tell you it is normal for christians to be on psych meds, to walk around in constant fear and/or depression, go to psychologists, psychiatrists, worldly counselors, and group support meetings with unbelievers. Since when? This is not normal nor right. I believe it is in-part because of these current wicked times and the Devil has but a short time to destroy lives. But I also believe God is answering people, according to their idols, turning them over to their desires (desires not of God Himself, but other things, idolatry) for sin and a self-run, self-kept life (Rom 1:21-32, Luke 9:23-25).
“1 Then certain of the elders of Israel came to me and sat before me. 2 And the word of the Lord came to me and said, 3 “Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces. Should I indeed let myself be inquired of at all by them? 4 Therefore speak to them and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Any one of the house of Israel that sets up his idols in his heart, and puts the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and yet comes to the prophet, I the Lord will answer him according to the multitude of his idols, 5 that I may lay hold of the hearts of the house of Israel, who are all estranged from Me through their idols. 6 Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations. 7 For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourns in Israel, which separates himself from Me, and sets up his idols in his heart, and puts the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and comes to a prophet to inquire of him concerning Me; I the Lord will answer him by Myself: 8 And I will set My face against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of My people; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.
9 And if the prophet be deceived when he has spoken a thing, I the Lord have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out My hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of My people Israel. 10 And they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity: the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeks unto him;
11 That the house of Israel may go no more astray from Me, neither be polluted any more with all their transgressions; but that they may be My people, and I may be their God, says the Lord God.” Ezek 14:1-11
“21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, Who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not proper;
29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 Without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.” Rom 1:21-32
Before Israel (and later, Judah) was destroyed, God’s people had turned to idolatry. There have been recent archaeological discoveries of religious temples that had been built during these same times [4][5]. There should never have been any other temple except the one the Lord ordained to be built in Jerusalem. But in these smaller replica temples, it was discovered that they had replicas of the altar that was in the Jerusalem temple. Next to this replica altar was another smaller altar that was used to burn marijuana to cause the fake temple idol worshipers to get a euphoric feeling. The actual burned marijuana from 2700 years ago was found on that little altar [4][5]. They also practiced sexual immorality in those temples as well, polluting the land and peoples with even more sin.
Today, it is fake worship, hypnosis, fake spirituality, fake “moves of God” to titillate the senses by lusting for our good feelings and sensations. While it is true that often we do feel God’s presence during true worship, yet that is not our goal, our goal is to bless God and commune with Him. We should never seek God to be titillated, to have good feeelings, sensations, nor some catharsis! – that would be self-seeking, while calling it God-seeking, a lie to cover the sin of idolatry of oneself.
Today also, while personally claiming to know God and to be Christians, many are not living unto Jesus. Like God’s people of Isaiah’s day (in Jeremiah’s and Ezekiel’s days also), many so-called ‘God’s people’ are living in idolatry of self in some form or another. Some are not fully aware of it, because looking upon one’s idols has a blinding effect upon the onlooker (Isaiah 42:17-20; Psalms 115:4-8;Psalms 135:14-18; Isa 45:15-16).
Fake personal worship amplifies when idolaters get together corporately, whereby we have fake corporate worship too– and sadly many don’t even know its fake. God speaks like this, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying “These people draw near unto Me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matt 15:7-9). That’s bad, but today many don’t even worship God with their lips either, their songs, desires, and focus being upon themselves (Jas 4:2-6). Today’s people go so far as to think that when they are singing worship songs about themselves, that that is true worship of God! How deluded people of our age have become, fulfilling 2 Thess 2:10-11.
References:
Mark 3:23-26 “And He called them unto Him, and said unto them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan?” 24 “And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.” 25 “And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” 26 “And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but has an end.””
Matt 12:25-26 “And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: 26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?””
Job 13:15 “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before Him.”
Gal 5:17 “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.”
Ps 71:8 “My mouth is filled with Your praise, and with Your glory all the day.”
Lev 10:1-3 “And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not. 2 And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. 3 Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.
Num 26:61 “And Nadab and Abihu died, when they offered strange fire before the Lord.”
Isaiah 50:10-11 “Who is among you that fears the Lord, that obeys the voice of his servant, that walks in darkness, and has no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God. 11 Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of My hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow.”
John 4:22-24 “Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.” 23 “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.” 24 “God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”
Rom 8:13-17 “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Gal 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
Mark 12:29-30 “And Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:” 30 “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.”
Matt 22:37-38 “Jesus said unto him, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” 38 “This is the first and great commandment.”
Worshipping God with your mind also:
Matt 6:7 “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.”
Col 2:18-19 “Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.”
1 Pet 1:13-15 “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 1Pet 1:14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15 But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conduct;
Heb 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
1 Cor 14:14-15 ESV “For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. 15 What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.”
Rom 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Matt 18:20 “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
Death to self/the flesh, alive to Christ – No longer living for one’s self, but unto Christ Jesus:
1 Cor 15:31 “I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.”
Gal 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me, and gave Himself for me.”
Gal 5:24-25 “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”
Gal 5:16-17 “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.”
Rom 8:5-9 “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.
Jas 4:2-6 “Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Jas 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Jas 4:5 Do ye think that the Scripture says in vain, The spirit that dwells in us lusts to envy? Jas 4:6 But He gives more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble.
1 Tim 4:1-2 “Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron”
Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
1 John 2:15-18 “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. 18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.”
Jude 1:21-25 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. 22 And of some have compassion, making a difference: 23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. 24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
Rom 8:13-14 “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”
Gal 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
Eph 2:1-5 And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our manner of conduct in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith He loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Luke 9:23-25 “And He said to them all, “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for My sake, the same shall save it. 25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?””
Try the spirits:
1 John 4:1-3 “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3 And every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.”
Isa 42:8 “I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.”
Isaiah 48:11 “For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another.”
2 Thess 2:3-12 “3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sits in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 6 And now ye know what withholds that he might be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now holds back will prevent, until he be taken out of the way. 8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
Isaiah 42:17-20 They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye are our gods. 18 Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see. 19 Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the Lord’s servant? 20 Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.
Psalms 115:4-8 “Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. 5 They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: 6 They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: 7 They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. 8 They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusts in them.
Psalms 135:14-18 “For the Lord will judge His people, and He will repent himself concerning His servants. 15 The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. 16 They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not; 17 They have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouths. 18 They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusts in them.”
Isa 45:15-16 “Verily You are a God that hides Yourself, O God of Israel, the Saviour. 16 They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: they shall go to confusion together that are makers of idols.
Ezek 33:23-27 ESV “The word of the Lord came to me: 24 “Son of man, the inhabitants of these wilderness places in the land of Israel keep saying, ‘Abraham was only one man, yet he got possession of the land; but we are many; the land is surely given us to possess.’ 25 Therefore say to them, Thus says the Lord God: You eat flesh with the blood and lift up your eyes to your idols and shed blood; shall you then possess the land? 26 You rely on the sword, you commit abominations, and each of you defiles his neighbor’s wife; shall you then possess the land? 27 Say this to them, Thus says the Lord God: As I live, surely those who are in the wilderness places shall fall by the sword, and whoever is in the open field I will give to the beasts to be devoured, and those who are in strongholds and in caves shall die by pestilence.”
2 Cor 6:14-18 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with darkness? Or what agreement has light with darkness? 15 What agreement has Christ with Belial? Or what part does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Therefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
1John 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
Rom 7:4-5 “Therefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. 5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.”
Matt 15:7-9 “Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,” 8 “This people draw nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me.” 9 “But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”
Bethel and Similar Links:
[1] https://www.critlarge.com/articles/2019/7/19/bethels-false-gospel
[2] https://www.christianpost.com/news/worship-leader-blasts-hillsong-elevation-bethel-music.html
[3] https://protestia.com/2021/07/07/bethel-church-does-damage-control-over-grave-sucking-fails-miserably/
Links for marijuana at archaeological finds:
[4] https://www.israeltoday.co.il/read/holy-smokes-ancient-israelites-used-pot-in-temple-worship/
[5] https://www.israel365news.com/151130/pot-used-temple-service-ancient-judea-archaeologists-reveal/
After writing this paper, I went to find web links and references for the things I have referenced (by memory) in this paper, because I did not want to accidentally misrepresent facts I have run across, and I don’t trust my memory to be this accurate. Also, since I am speaking of other specific people and groups in this paper, I didn’t want to slander/libel them.. so I went looking for references to put at the end of this paper. While looking for these references, I was then surprised to discovered an article written just a few days ago (Feb 16,2022), that mentions much of the same things that I have written about here. I find it interesting that I am writing about this issue around the same time someone else was. It was written by Reformed Charlotte*, a commenting website that speaks of issues facing Christians, such as church issues.
[6] https://reformationcharlotte.org/2022/02/16/the-psychology-and-negative-effects-of-repetitive-lyrics-in-modern-worship-music/
and then another:
[7] https://intheriverblog.com/2020/02/08/why-i-no-longer-listen-to-bethel-music/
*We do not fully agree with Reformed Charlotte’s (RC) doctrine, especially their cessasionism views and their sequelae.
List of links about Bethel and related:
(note: I have not checked all these links. I did look at a few of them. So I cannot attest to their content (eg some of these might not be fully doctrinally correct).
I highly recommend that you not discount these warnings, even if they are coming from people who espouse the belief of cessationism (which I very much do not). Many Pentecostals have stopped listening to warnings because the warning comes from a calvanist, for example – don’t do that, but instead examine what they are saying in the light of Scripture and ponder these warnings before the Lord in prayer.
I obtained this list from: [8] https://www.piratechristian.com/messedupchurch/2016/1/the-bill-johnson-cornucopia-of-false-teaching-bible-twisting-and-general-absurdity
This list dates all the way back from 2016, so there is a lot more that has occurred since then.)
[9] 10 Reasons Why You Should RUN AWAY From Bethel Redding
[10] What Are Bill Johnson’s Heresies? by Brandon Hines
[11] At What Price Awakening? Examining the Theology and Practice of the Bethel Movement by Stephen Tan
[12] An Invasion of Error-Book Review of “When Heaven Invades Earth” by Bob Dewaay
[13] Hey Bill Johnson & Bethel Church, God Put Himself in a Box Called “Bible” by Defining Deception (with links to more articles)
[14] Book Review: When Heaven Invades Earth, by Bill Johnson reviewed by David Schrock
[15] The Bethel Church Upgrade by Herescope
[16] The Fruits of Bethel Church-Ashamed of the Gospel, Flirting with the Occult
[17] Off The Map: Bill Johnson and the Pursuit of Extrabiblical Revelation by The Christian Research Institute
[18] The New Age Propensities of Bill Johnson by Lighthouse Trails Research
[19] Bill Johnson’s Christology-A New Age Christ? by CrossWise (with links to more articles)
[20] Bill Johnson-A Comedy of Errors by Marsha West (with links to more articles)
[21] [Bill Johnson-Bethel Redding by Apostasy Watch]1] (with links to more articles and videos)
[22] Bill Johnson: “Jesus was so empty of Divine capacity” by My Word Like Fire (with links to more articles)
[23] Bill Johnson’s $400.00 Thumb Drive
[24] The Physics of Heaven by Herescope (multi-part series)
[25] Warning: Bill Johnson and Bethel Church by Andrew Strom
[26] Bethel Church Tells Witch That “God is So Proud of Her” and “She’s on the Right Track” by Steven Kozar
[27] Defrauding Millions: Bethel Church and Benny Hinn Together by Jeff Maples
[28] To Sharon from Bethel Church: A Response To Your Rebuke by Bud Ahlheim
[29] The Charismatic Day of Infamy by Steven Kozar
[30] List of Fighting for the Faith episodes with Bill Johnson
[31] Errors of Bethel and Jesus Culture by Tony Wood
[32] Cross Encounters Radio: Bethel Church by Tony Miano
[33] Bill Johnson in Denial by Bud Press
[34] Bill Johnson Uses Non-Biblical Story to Correct Bible-Believers by Steven Kozar
[35] Bill Johnson, IHOP & Ancient Heresy Reborn Interview with Bob Dewaay
[36] Book Review: When Heaven Invades Earth: A Practical Guide to a Life of Miracles by Eric Davis
[37] Bill Johnson Resource Page by Beyond Grace (multiple articles & links)
[38] False Prophet Bill Johnson EXPOSED video
[39] Bill Johnson and his false god video
[40] Michael Brown’s Spin Control for Bill Johnson
[41] Bill Johnson and Kris Vallotton Want the Mantle of False Teacher William Branham
[42] Kris Vallotton: Prosperity Preacher Exchanging Love for Wealth
[43] Kris Vallotton RUNS From His Own Facebook Post!!
[44] Bill Johnson, IHOP and the “Passion” Translation by Spirit of Error
[45] Interview With Bart McCurdy: What’s REALLY Happening in Redding
[46] The Mike Bickle and IHOP Cornucopia of False Teaching, Bridal Weirdness and 24/7 Confusion
[47] “Getting Wasted with the Holy Spirit” at Bethel Redding
[48] Kris Vallotton: “We Shouldn’t Confess Our Sins to Each Other”
[49] Bill Johnson Accepts Full Responsibility for Raging Fires in Redding, CA
