Out of the Wilderness
“Go not forth!”
By Ron and Karen Schwartz
Matthew 24:23-26 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
Christians today are presented with an unparalleled deception. We have finally entered those days that Jesus predicted, when by the hands of false prophets “great signs and wonders” are given that are so amazing they might “deceive the very elect.” Do you really think that Jesus was describing whackos like the self-proclaiming messiah in Waco and Albuquerque? Men like that fool no one. The real deception is just beginning to show itself. Todd Bentley at Lakeland is just the current move of what is sure to be the new form of spiritualism – pretending to be the Spirit of God – that will soon sweep across our nations and the entire world (shortly). It is the “Third Wave.” And it cannot be stopped.
There is a message God is speaking to those who will hear Him and yield to Him: “Go not forth.”
“And behold (I saw a) Pale Horse!”
Revelation 6:8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him.
The Greek word translated “pale” is “chloros,” which means “pale green, the color of young grass.” Our English word “chlorophyll” is derived from the root. It is often translated pale because of the lack of color. The choice word therefore is not to describe the color of the horse but the lack of it.
“The significance of this word escaped us for literally decades. Then one Sunday as I meditated on the implication of the choice of this word, God brought to my mind the picture of World War II servicemen charging into battle. They wore, coincidently, pale green camouflage uniforms. All at once, it was as if I could see what John saw: an almost translucent (pale) horse walked right past me. I could make out the outline of the horse, but I could see right through it as it passed by. Finally, I understood the significance of that color: camouflage. The other horses (white, red and black) were obvious, but this one was practically invisible. It was going to arrive, but it was not meant to be seen.” - Ron
In the previous note, we discussed the Latter Rain movement of the 1940’s and 1950’s and how it produced a dangerous doctrine regarding “the remnant.” This doctrine holds that, in every generation, there is a “remnant” class of those who call themselves Christians who are the people through whom God works. The danger here is that every group believes that they are the remnant. It has created an elitist culture within the ranks of end-time believers and the prophetic community. The other thing it did was to create a hierarchy among the Protestants similar to what we find in the Catholic Church. It called out ranks of ministry including deacons, elders, bishops, teachers, pastors, evangelists, prophets and apostles – all these offices are available today. It’s not that we necessarily disagree with this teaching, but how it is taught. How it is presented simply adds to the elitist mindset. The combination of these teachings have caused Christian leaders to claim greater and greater status. It started with only a few who called themselves prophets and apostles, but today just about anyone associated with this movement considered themselves and apostle or a prophet. This has given way to the Pale Horse:
Camouflaged within the end-time and prophetic groups is an unimaginable spiritual peril that is impossible to quantify. It is a spiritual awakening often referred to by these groups as a “Third Wave.” Third Wave teaching (in various forms) has been around for nearly two decades. It holds that the (end-time) “First Wave” was the Pentecostal revival of the early 1900’s. Depending on whom you ask, the “Second Wave” was either the Latter Rain movement in the forties and fifties or the Charismatic movement of the sixties and seventies. We are now entering the “Third Wave.” We believe there is a Third Wave that it is beginning to fall, but it is not falling from God!
Revelation 16:12-16 12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East. Then I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs [and lying wonders], and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty. 15 "Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed." 16 Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
The Toronto Blessing (Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship), the Pensacola Brownsville Assembly of God Revival, the Holy Trinity Brompton (an Anglican church in London), and now the Lakeland, Florida revival are places that have produced innumerable accounts of “spiritualist” marvels. Literally millions of curious seekers have attended meetings in these places to observe the supernatural events that occur there.
If you are unfamiliar with the so-called “Toronto Blessing,” it is often characterized by physical manifestations ranging from simple abdominal spasms to the taking on of animalistic behavior (walking on all fours, barking like dogs, roaring like lions, slithering like snakes, etc.). The leaders of these groups often talk of their “life in heaven” or the teachings they received from “angels.” By garnering their instructions directly from “heaven” and “angels,” they have made it difficult, if not impossible, for Christians to refute their teachings biblically (it is all “experientially” based). But then that is something dangerously missing from these revivals: biblical teaching. In addition, because their teachings and practices are entirely “experiential,” they cannot necessarily be tested by the scripture. The teachings and practices of the Toronto Blessing are on a “spiritualistic” level not always specifically dealt with in biblical doctrine and teaching, and that should scare all of those involved in it. Whenever you tread on ground outside the boundaries of the scripture, you take your soul in your own hands.
God revealed something to us some time back that we now see beginning to manifest itself among the leaders of these groups. We saw that Christians always aspire to become better than their fellow Christians. Following the First Wave (Pentecostal revival of the 1900s), people aspired to be pastors. Following the Second Wave (Latter Rain/Charismatic revivals of the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s that taught the renewal of the Five-Fold ministry), Christians aspired to be apostles and prophets. As a result, today, self-proclaiming apostles and prophets pervade nearly every Christian community. The question the Spirit posed to us was this: “What will the Third Wave bring? How can they possibly top men claiming to be apostles and prophets? How can you be more than an apostle or a prophet?” We knew then that He was warning us of a new wave coming that would somehow lead Christian leaders to believe that they were “anointed” and “empowered” with an endowment that was more than that of mere apostles and prophets. And since the authors of the New Testament were apostles, this new anointing would permitted them to dismiss the limitations of the scripture over their lives. The anointing of this new wave would lead them to believe that they were “special” angels, that they were Elijah sent back to earth with a “special” end-time anointing, that they were emissaries from heaven, or even that they were Christ reincarnate. We see the inception of this with men who now claim to have the angel of William Branham and other special angels that empower them. Watch where they finally go with this because what you see now is just the beginning.
How can you argue with a congregation that sees the cloud of God descend from the ceiling, hears a choir of angels sing, is covered with gold dust, or sees an angel appear? At one time, these events were something you would hear about periodically purported as a Catholic spiritualistic event: blood flowing from the hands of a statue, the face of Jesus in a tree, Mary appearing and teaching children. But events such as these are now commonplace within the Third Wave. Now ask yourself, “Exactly how would false Christs and false prophets come? How would you possibly be able to deceive the elect?” Of course, such a deception would have to appear to be an act of God. Anything that would supersede the Bible must come with supernatural endorsement. That way it would be attributed to God. However, what is now considered miracles are manifestations that used to be associated with devil possession, mysticism, and voodoo.
We see in this Pale Horse that demonic spirits have entered into Christian groups camouflaged as the Spirit of God (in some cases with people who come seeking healing and a legitimate revival). Can we prove this? No, but the more important question is this: can you prove it is God? Are mere “experiential” testimonies enough? It is obvious that those who are a part of these movements are none the better for their experience aside from newly acquired “tics,” health problems, bodily manifestations once associated with demonic possession, spiritualist abilities once associated with the “black arts,” and a new level of arrogance (elitist mentality).
The Toronto Blessing which Todd Bentley brought down to Lakeland will not remain localized phenomena. This wave will become huge. It will sweep our nations and continents. Thousands of pastors who attend these meetings will spread this epidemic into their communities. This will spread to pandemic proportions. And as the events in these relatively few places become more and more commonplace, the leaders will seek to outdo each other just the prophetic and apostolic movements did. This wave will sweep through virtually every denomination and every nation.
It is not by sheer coincidence that the characteristics of this “blessing” markedly resemble the manifestations that go along with demonic possession. Consequently, you will eventually see a merging of this newfound spirituality in certain geographical regions with voodoo, mysticism, psychic phenomena, paranormal practices, and other spiritualistic observances like Satanism.
Weighing the Counterfeits
Some of you remember the popularity of the Charismatic Movement during the 1960’s and 1970’s. There was a lot of good that came from it, and many people received spiritual renewal. However, just as prominent as those legitimately touch by God were those who fell into the counterfeit. With many Charismatic leaders, the movement was not about being touched by God’s Spirit as it was about getting “tongues.” Much of the time, that which people sought was to be “slain in the Spirit” and to “speak with tongues.” They would pray and pray and call out to God begging Him to give them “tongues.” They were not seekers of God but seekers of tongues. And as a result, many got exactly what they were seeking, and it was not the Spirit of God. Such also is the characteristic of this new movement. People are seeking after miracles and that is exactly what they will find. Satan will allow any distraction to happen that takes the eyes and the attention of people off of God.
Matthew 24:23-26 23 At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'There he is!' do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect — if that were possible. See, I have told you ahead of time. 26 "So if anyone tells you, 'There he is, out in the desert,' do not go out; or, 'Here he is, in the inner rooms,' do not believe it.
Men claiming to be Christ come and go. In the past, they have been regarded as little more than a joke. Does anyone take them seriously other than the few confused followers who join their cult? There is currently one in Albuquerque. Where are the masses headed out to follow him? If these counterfeits fool so very few, why would Jesus warn the “elect” to not be deceived by them? The fact is (generally), everyone knows better.
Jesus warned that when the real false prophets come, they will perform “great signs and miracles.” Therefore, if God’s people could be deceived, then the deception must occur within their own ranks. It will come from large churches with prominent pastors. It will come from recognized leaders. It will occur in the same manner as the Charismatic movement: progressive and popular.
Many people who have gone to the revival meetings in Florida and Canada are skeptical and attended out of simple curiosity. Such was also the case during the Charismatic Movement. At first their heart tells them that something is wrong, but after seeing the “great signs and miracles,” the seeker begins to wonder if perhaps they have missed something. Then they begin to wonder why they were left out. Eventually, they open themselves up to whatever is taking place around them, and that is why Jesus warned us, “Do not go out.” Or as the King James puts it: “Go not forth.” His counsel to us is that we must not even attend out of curiosity, because it is just too dangerous. You are not wiser than the great deceiver? Do not put your wits up against his.
Just as it was in the Charismatic Movement, the focus of those who attend these revival meetings is on the experience instead of on God. They become addicted to the thrilling experiences of the encounters around them. They ignore the warnings of their hearts in the hope of experiencing what others have. It creates an insatiable craving for the supernatural (paranormal). It is very similar to adrenalin addiction. The expectation and hype opens people up to receive that which in other settings they would flee.
The events of this current revival are the fulfillment of the warning: “If anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'There he is!' do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect…” This revival is built upon the teachings of men who are taking their instructions from angels or from “experiences” they have had “in heaven.” In the past, this is exactly how every cult began (i.e., Joseph Smith of the Mormons). People swarm to these places with no thought of the consequences because they believe they are happening at “credible” churches and with established ministries, and because they desire to see the “great signs and miracles” take place. They are saying to one another, “’Look, here is the Christ’ or an angel at this church.” “Christ (the anointing) is here or there.” They are going to these places looking for anoints (Christ). And because they have been so conditioned by church leaders not to ask questions but to blindly accept the teaching of their leaders they will not ask questions.
Consider how well-camouflaged this deception is. Everyone knows that Revelation describes how that angels will administer the seven last trumpets. Therefore when angels appear in their meetings no one questions if this is Satan coming as “ an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14)?” We ask you, “How would you expect false prophets capable of deceiving the elect to come? Would they come worshipping Satan and practicing voodoo?” No, they will come as established Christian leaders working through established churches.
You are probably hearing about all the great miracles, but what you are not hearing about are those who leave these meetings with “tics,” chronic ailments, and possessions (imitating animals or other outbursts) that flare up whenever they attend religious meetings. These are residual demonic characteristics distinctive to possession – anyone who has ever dealt with demonic possession knows what we mean by this. The best advice we have for you is to obey the words of Jesus: “Do not go out,” either from expectation or curiosity. Such a warning also includes staying away from watching it on U-tube and God-TV for curiosity’s sake. Any means of exploring it opens a door into your life. This is and will be the opening of hell itself.
There are a few characteristics that this movement creates within its victims: 1) an elitist attitude – those who experience it feel superior to other Christians, and 2) they become addicted to the hype – they are unsatisfied with the bible, their personal time and relationship with God, and long to find a place where they can “experience” and even greater thrill.
Understand that most Christians go to these revivals out of curiosity. Most Christians want a genuine touch from God. What they see initially disturbs them, but their concern eventually gives way to questions and then desire. They start to feel left out and begin to wonder what’s wrong with their own lives since they are not experiencing it also. That is pride talking, and pride opens their lives to the same demonic influence that surrounds them. Christian, you are no match for the deceit of Satan. He’ll win in the end.
The scripture tells us that “the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood (Revelation 12:15).” In this scripture it says “water as a flood” came out of his mouth, but in Revelation 16 it says: “Then I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs [and lying wonders], and they go out to the kings of the whole world.” The flood that Satan is using to sweep away the woman (the Church) is a deception this is nearly impossible to quantify with the scripture. It is miraculous signs and wonders from devils. If Satan is going to sweep away Christians, then of course it will come through the churches and leaders they trust. The flood is on its way. Many are being swept away. Will you be one?
Final Thoughts…
What about Brownsville? Should we really label it alongside Lakeland and Toronto? Many of the people (including the leaders) of Brownsville and Toronto traveled back and forth between churches. Brownsville may have started out as a genuine work of God, but it certainly has been hijacked.
We know of pastors from other charismatic churches (AOG) who heard about the revival in Brownsville and tried to stimulate a revival in their own communities by bringing in evangelists. It happened here in Grand Rapids near where we live. There was a lot of excitement and a lot of people came, but it was short-lived. Why? It didn’t work the way it worked in Brownsville because they tried to do it right. The evangelist came in preaching the need for repentance and humility so eventually their revival ran out of gas.
What keeps places like Toronto, Brownsville, and Lakeland going has nothing to do with revival (i.e., repentance, humility, and turning from sin). People there are anointed and touched regardless of the state of their hearts, and there is no change (in regards to godliness). It is hype, driven by men of such arrogance that they ignore God and His Word, and they take their direction from “angels.”
True revivals are ALWAYS marked by people turning away from sin and back to God. This revival is marked by people turning to hype, hysteria, and delusion. It is not marked by a restoration of righteousness by any means. The prophets and Christian leaders who are calling this a move of God (a revival) simply because of the miraculous acts are fools, and they do not know God.
Many Christians will feel self-confident and curious enough to investigate what is happening. There is an intrinsic need within Christians to want to paint something either black or white. But this will only lead to confusion. There are enough people claiming healing – and that their healing is from God – to lead an investigator to conclude that what is taking place is from God. However, these events are unparalleled spiritually and cannot be measured by conventional means. All hell has been waiting for this time – the end time – to unleash the greatest of all deceptions. This is our Trojan horse -- Troy embraced the horse as a gift when it in fact brought about its destruction. It is the dragon in a prophet’s robe and a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Remember, the false prophet in Revelation will have “ two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon (Revelation 13:11).” In other words, he will look like a lamb but his authority will be that of the dragon. This is not a revival. Revivals come from God’s Spirit, not from beings that claim to be angels.
What about men like Benny Hinn, Bob Jones, Todd Bentley, and the other prophets that are dabbling in spiritualism? Are they false prophets? We can tell you for certain that what Todd Bentley is peddling is not of God. This doesn’t mean that there are not droves of well-meaning Christians flocking to these meetings in search of healing and a spiritual touch. In a lot of ways, it is reminiscent of the charismatic revivals of the 60’s and latter rain revivals of the 50’s, where people came by the thousands because of the miracles. But the miracles they experienced back then pale in comparison to what is taking place today.
One thing to remember about today’s prophetic community is that they all are constantly looking to outdo each other. That which one does, the others are sure to follow. None of them will be outdone. Consequently, as this continues, watch how all the leaders who go by the title of prophet and apostle will seek to outdo each other. If one has an angel, they will all have angels. If one is spending time in heaven receiving direction from God, then all of a sudden they all will. If one becomes the incarnation of Elijah, then suddenly they all will begin claiming to have the spirit of a prophet. Doesn’t it bother anyone that when something is claimed by one, then suddenly everyone is experiencing it? That is not the Spirit of God. It is the spirit of arrogance.
As our societies race toward judgment, the prediction of Christ is quickly being realized:
Matthew 24:37-38 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark.
Both the last days during the time of Noah and the last days of Sodom knew a time of unparalleled social degradation and sin. We also know that the righteous were not untouched by the social and cultural corruption (i.e., “For that righteous man dwelling among them [Sodom], in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds (2 Peter 2:8).”). Therefore, is it unthinkable to believe that Christians today are likewise affected by cultural values? What is happening to Christians as the societies in which they live race toward lawless abandonment of all traditional Christian values? What will happen to Christians as the culture in which they live abandons traditional values in exchange for the experience of “living in the moment.” If the historical principles found in the scripture are indicative of what we can expect, then expect to see a corresponding trend among Christians. They will also abandon the restraint and control of the scripture and embrace (for the lack of better terminology) “experiential Christianism,” or “Christians who place their experiences above the scripture and/or the teaching of Christ.”
Consequently, events like those found in Toronto and Lakeland will become more and more commonplace. And end-time movements will begin to resemble spiritualism more than the revivalism they claimed to be bringing in the past. Christians, tainted by the “love of self” found in our corrupt social values will embrace anything that give them personal satisfaction and erase the conviction of the Holy Spirit.
We realize that a great number of people will be troubled after reading this note. Many people will criticize the “feeling” of helplessness that this note seems to convey. They will be angry at our insinuation that the events unfolding around them may be outside their control. “Wake up!” This is a battle between spiritual forces that is beyond your comprehension. Get on your knees and pray.
Christian leaders are escorting God’s people into a great delusion by convincing them that they are not apostate but blessed by God and above divine judgment. There is no humility and repentance associated with this so-called “revival.” God’s power is supposedly being poured out upon the arrogant and the pretenders. So now we are supposed to believe that somehow, in this new “move of God,” He is no longer looking for humility, purity, and honesty, but for the pretentious, the arrogant, and the Pharisee. Do not believe it.
Instead, beloved, “go not forth,” cover yourselves in humility, and repent.
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