A CHRISTIAN ARMY BY ANY OTHER NAME IS STILL A JOEL'S ARMY

Yip, you heard me, and I’ll say it again, a Christian army by any other name is still a Joel’s army. For a while now I have been researching the impact of Dominion teaching on South African’s ministries. And I am sorry to say but it’s all bad news! In fact I would say that over 70% maybe more of Christian ministries out on the internet are all pointing towards the building up of a Christian army that will be a mighty force to be reckoned with.

We have ministries in this country who are solely focused on the youth, as they speak about the passion they have for the youth of today who have clearly gone astray and want to bring them back to Jesus. This sounds awesome and of course there is nothing wrong with this. The problem is, which Jesus are they leading the youth too? And for those who don’t understand what I mean, let me explain: there are two Jesus’ mentioned today in the church. The real Jesus Christ of the Bible and the fake Jesus that will lead you into Christian unity and a one world religion.

A while ago I had a discussion with my mother about Jesus’ trial where He was condemned to be crucified and Barabbas was set free - Matthew 27 v 11-26. And my mother said to me, ‘did you know Barabbas’ name was also Jesus’. I said, ‘you kidding me!’ I didn’t know this and had over looked it and so off I went to do some research. Low and behold folks his name was Jesus Barabbas. Even more amazing is that Barabbas means, ’son (bar) of the father (abba)’. Two Jesus’, one who’s father is God and one who’s father is Satan. The people condemned Jesus the Son of God to be crucified and set free the Jesus who is a son of Satan.

What does this mean for us today. I believe this is just another message in the long line of messages to us as truly born again Christians to heed the warnings Jesus gave us for the last days. There will be two Christ’s or Jesus’, one true and one false. A small percentage of people will contend for the truth that is Jesus Christ the Son of God and the rest of the world will want to set free the fake Christ and will preach a gospel that points to this fake Christ.

Today we have two groups of Christians who both preach a gospel, the one lot preaches a gospel that is based on orthodox Christian teaching, i.e., bible based teaching that is not twisted and contorted to suit an anti-Christ agenda - this group is small in number. And then we have the other group of Christians (a large, huge group) who preach a new gospel, one that takes scripture and contrives new meaning from it, which produces new revelation. And one of these contrived ideas is that of a army of Christians being raised up by God based on Joel 2.

I have emailed quite a few South Africa Christian websites/ministries asking them to explain themselves with regards to their vigorous promoting of a Christian Army. The answers I receive are quite interesting to say the least, here are some of them:

1) I don’t believe in Dominion ideas and the army that I speak of is not the same as the one spoken of by Kingdom Now theologists.

2) What’s Joel’s Army? I’ have never heard of that before. We’ve had many people in our church prophecy from God that He will raise an army of Christians in these last days. We believe these prophecies and stand by it.

3) The vision I’ve had of an army of God is not the same one in Joel. I’ve received many visions of this army over the years and believe it to be of God. If it is the same as the army mentioned in Joel then it must be of God because it is mentioned in Scripture. My visions have been confirmed by well known pastors here in South Africa and overseas as being of God.

4) I use army symbolism to relay my vision to young people because this is something they will understand. The army I speak of is not the same as the one Peter Wagner speaks of. Read Rick Warren’s books he is an amazing man of God and the work he does for the Lord is beyond reproach. My vision resembles Mr. Warrens. We are definitely walking in the right direction.

5) No, you have it all wrong and twist scripture. God is raising a Joel’s army and there is nothing you can do about it. People who stand against this army will come short.

6) Our ministry’s vision speaks for itself. God has spoken to us and told us that he is raising a generation of Christians that no one will be able to stand against. Revival is blowing over the world. Join us.

7) You stand in the way of God and His new move. New Apostles are being raised up for the coming hour. Those who come against us will face God’s judgment.

8) I am a youth pastor and feel God has called me to preach to the youth. The youth are under attack, but God is mightier and will raise them up. They will march, preach the gospel and influence our society back to the way it should be under God. I have read about Joel’s army and I don’t believe my vision is the same as the one in Joel even though it would appear the be the same thing.

9) I have been a pastor for 30 years and I acknowledge your warning but think you are completely wrong. Don’t email me again.

10) It’s not just youth in this army it is anyone who believes in Jesus Christ. Those who are antichist will not want to join in Gods new move. Did you know we are in a new apostolic age? We will do greater things than the first Apostles.

Some very peculiar comments coming out of so called ‘Christians’ mouths - I wont even begin to mention the contradictions never mind lack of discernment or logic for that matter. Anyhow…I contacted Let Us Reason Ministries to ask for permission to use some of their articles on Latter Rain/Manifest Sons of God teaching. Thank you once again Mike Oppenheimer for giving me permission to reprint your hard work and excellent research.

Remember the song that went, “Oh when the saints, come marchin’ in, oh when the saints come marchin in, Lord I want to be in that number when the Saints come marchin’ in.” This is not the tune you’ll find Joel’s army sings because they are not looking to be brought up to Jesus but waiting for Christ (the anointing) to be brought down upon them to march through the land.

The church that once looked toward being taken away to heaven (Jn.14) has been taught by some to change her focus. In about the mid-70’s a triumphalist post-millennial doctrine appeared. Instead of watching for the blessed coming of the Lord the goal became to establish the Kingdom on earth. Doctrines about the rapture, tribulation, an end time apostasy with a literal personal Antichrist were taught as deceptions. Without a tribulation ahead, there is no need to be vigilant, discerning or watchful. With no apostasy, there is no need to look for deception, only blessing. The desire for heavenly things has faded out, and Restorationist Christians no longer “look up”. They look around them and consider how to transform the world and rule over it. When Christ comes back they will hand over a Christian earth.

“In all revolutions there are noisy and dangerous times as THE OLD ORDER Is replaced by the now … after the dust settles. WE CAN PROCEED TO BUILD the beautiful kingdom that the Lord has purposed from the foundations of the World” - Vinson Synan, one of the leaders of A.D. 2000 (FULNESS, Jan - Feb. 1990. Vinson Synan. p. 24.)

Many believe Israel was replaced by the Church in prophecy despite it brought back into its land and the city of Jerusalem reclaimed in 1967. The focus of attention became the earth, rather than the eternal heavenly kingdom. The blessings of God are now, instead of rewards later. The nations and all people are to be Christianized. Taking the nations for God will be accomplished by becoming an army fighting a war against spiritual hosts of wickedness and driving them out of the land. With our newly discovered powers that are taught by the new leaders (apostles and prophets)we can now bind and loose the wicked ones and punish evil.

Ern Baxter said in 1975:.We have individual salvation - but in the nation we have corporate salvation…God’s people are going to start to exercise rule and they’re going to take dominion over the power of Satan. As the rod of his strength goes out of Zion, he will change legislation, he will chase the devil off the face of God’s earth and God’s people will bring about God’s purposes and God’s reign. (MacPherson “Can The Elect Be Deceived” 1986)

Deliverance is now throughout cities and nations as well as Christians. Despite there is no example or teaching that a Christian can be so inhabited some of the best selling books are all about this.(oppression is not the same as possession) Through their teaching, demonization in Christians was also birthed and deliverance ministries through exorcism by the laying on of hands.

Not all Dominionists, Charismatics and restorationists believe the same things, especially how it is to be accomplished. Few still believe in a rapture, but there are many variables. So I’m not addressing all but a certain group that has mainly been affiliated with the Vineyard and the prophet/apostle movement from Kansas City and the Latter Rain teachers.

The latter Rain is run on the rail of misinterpreted Scriptures and spiritualizing their context. Hosea 6:3 tells us the Lord will come as the Latter Rain, and James 5:7 speaks of the Latter Rain, but ties it together with the coming of the Lord. The “former and latter rain” refers to the agricultural calendar of the land of Israel although it has a spiritual truth. The latter rain was essential for bountiful crop harvest in Israel. This corresponds to the giving of the Spirit at Pentecost as Peter proclaimed this is like that of Joel but was not the ultimate fulfillment. Joel 2:23 also speaks of a harvest of abundance. But the modern interpreters have given Joel’s army new significance. Joel’s army will purge the earth (the cleansing) of all wickedness and rebellion and even judge the apostate Church (which is those who do not join their fraternity of miracle workers). They will overcome death itself, they will redeem all creation, and restore the earth. The Church will inherit the earth, and rule the nations all before Christ comes back. When he (Jesus) does come we are to hand the kingdom over to him and he will say job well done, enter into the kingdom. The real Joel’s army in Joel 2 does NO miracles and marches strictly through the land of Israel making destruction, there is no blessing from Joel’s army marching. If one reads through about Joel’s army they find that they will be destroyed in the end.

Because Joel’s army is called God’s army they think that they are his people. they may be doing Gods will but they certainly are not his Church or saints. In the same way Cyrus was called Gods shepherd Isa.44:28 he was given all the kingdoms of the earth Ezra 1:2, 2 chron.36:23, He was called Gods anointed Isa. 45:1″Thus says the LORD to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held– to subdue nations before him and loose the armor of kings, to open before him the double doors, so that the gates will not be shut.” Sounds familiar? Nebuchadnezzar was also called Gods servant Jer. 43:10″and say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: “Behold, I will send and bring Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant, and will set his throne above these stones that I have hidden. And he will spread his royal pavilion over them.”One must consider the actions of these men’s teachings in light of what Joel is actually saying. So despite their new interpretation, the Bibles definition still stands. They may be called Gods army but they are not his people. Joel’s army is the raising up of a devouring army of locusts, (destroyers) to bring judgement upon the land. Whether its Israel or the church, its not good.

Much of this is being preached from the pulpits big and small without the congregant’s ever blinking. Without being able to identify phrases they don’t know what they are ingesting. Many churches have turned into Latter Rain churches by default or influence, some knowingly and some not.

Benny Hinn shows his latter Rain ties with “The lord said this, this is where my people will rise up as an army and bring millions into the kingdom of God.” (Benny Hinn Honolulu Blaisdale Jan.21 1999)

Jack Deere states “This army is unique…when this army comes, its large and mighty. it’s so mighty that there has never been anything like it before. Not even when, Moses not even David, not even Paul, what’s going to happen, now will transcend what Paul did, what David did what Moses did…

Rick Joyner teaches ““What is about to come upon the earth is not just a revival, or another awakening; it is a veritable revolution. The vision was given in order to begin to awaken those who are destined to radically change the course, and even the very definition of Christianity. The dismantling of organizations and disbanding of some works will be a positive and exhilarating experience for the Lord’s faithful servants…the Lord will raise up a great company of prophets, teachers, pastors and apostles that will be of the spirit of Phinehas … this “ministry of Phinehas” will save congregations, and at times, even whole nations.…Nations will tremble at the mention of their name...”(THE HARVEST, Rick Joyner)

Notice Its not the name of Jesus they will tremble at but THEIR NAME. All this from a vision to awaken the destined.

So if one does not involve themselves in this then they are not faithful servants. But our attention should be on the statement of changing the course and definition of Christianity. What person in all of history has ever said this? Certainly Martin Luther’s contribution was to bring the Church back to its correct doctrine and purpose. Is this what Joyner and others mean? Certainly not, as we look at the following statements of explaining what they want it to be like.

“In the near future we will not be looking back at the early church with envy because of the great exploits of those days, but all will be saying that He certainly did save the best wine for last. The most glorious times in all of history have not come upon us. You, who have dreamed of one day being able to talk with Peter, John and Paul, are going to be surprised to find that they have all been waiting to talk to you.” (Rick Joyner, The Harvest Morning Star, 9, 1990)

This means the apostles were not special in starting the Church and having divine miracles, we are. Think about the ramifications of this proposal. This means if the Church began with them and today’s Church with its SUPER apostles and prophets will do greater things. Then the Church really begins all over again.

Nowhere does Scripture teach that the Church will do wonders like this in the end. Jesus actually WARNED that these signs and wonders at the end are to DECEIVE THE ELECT.(MT.24) Is anyone paying attention to the Scripture and the time we are living in?

Mormons are not the only ones who have false modern apostles. John a true apostle said the Church did. Rev.2:2 “And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars;” Notice John says they have tested them. Paul said the Church did as well 2 Cor. 11:13 “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.” Notice Paul says they transform themselves to look like they do. How? By their teaching, authority and could very well have had manifestations of power.

” The early church was a first fruits offering, truly this will be a harvest! It was said of the Apostle Paul that he was turning the world upside down; it will be said of the apostles soon to be anointed that they have turned an upside down world right side up.” (Rick Joyner, The Harvest, 128-129) So from what I can gather Joyner says that they are going to reverse what the Apostle Paul did.

Peter Wagner has recently written a book called the New Apostolic Churches which explains the new Apostolic Spirit that is raising international leaders. It is from these Churches that the new Christianity will go forth and be implemented throughout the world.

We are not talking about those who plant churches or are leaders of movements or denominations, but those who claim Spiritual authority JUST LIKE the Apostles, by revelations and miracles. This boasting before the facts is a constant theme throughout these men’s writings.

Joseph Smith of the Mormons in May 1844 proclaimed this: “I have more to boast of than any man ever had. I am the only man that has ever been able to keep a church together since the days of Adam.…Neither Paul, John, Peter, nor Jesus ever did it. I boast that no man ever did such a work as I.” While the boasting may be for slightly different reasons essentially, the end result is the same. Some will do what even the apostles were unable to do.

Jack Deere explains Joel 2 in the context of Ezekiel 9: “When this army comes, He says it’s large and it’s mighty. It’s so mighty that there’s never been anything like it before…‘begin the slaughter and begin it in the temple and begin it with the elders, the leaders of my people.’ And they walk through the land and they start and they begin to slaughter and you know it’s already started with the biggest names in His household? He has already started the slaughter…and it is coming now among the Church.”( It Sounds Like the Mother of All Battles, Jack Deere, VMI, Joel’s Army, 1990, “Joel’s Army”)

” ...this army is totally unique. This army, there’s never been one like it and there never will be one like it in ages to come. …Its so mighty that there’s never been anything like it before. Not even Moses, not even David, not even Paul. What’s going to happen now will transcend what Paul did, what David did .. what Moses did, even though Moses parted the Red Sea … there’ll be a numerous company. . , Revelation hints at this when it talks about the 144,000 that follow the Lamb wherever He goes and no one, no one can harm that 144,000. See, that’s a multiple of 12. What’s 12? Twelve is the number of the Apostles, 12 is Apostolic government. And when you take an important number in the Bible and you multiply if, it means you intensify it. So, 12, 000 times 12, 000 = 144,000. That is the ultimate in Apostolic government. Revelation talks about that. Well, here Joel is talking about it now in different words, a powerful, a MIGHTY ARMY with many Paul’s many Moses’, many David’s.” ( VINEYARD MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL 1990.)

This is portraying an “elite” special group which is exactly what the Jehovah’s Witnesses teach. The Jehovah’s Witnesses claim that they are the 144,000 of Revelation 7 and 14. Both The JW’s And Deere are wrong. The Bible means just what it says in this instance, they are Jews from the 12 tribes who are evangelists not an army and certainly not a destructive one as in Joel. This genuine Revival they are waiting for (as the main participants) is introduced by the sealing of the 144,000 Jewish Evangelists. Those who respond to their message will literally lose their head over it.

Terry Virgo, in “Restoration in the Church” says this is about God visiting the Church! It is treated as the coming of the GLORY of Christ, in the Latter Rain visitation, not the physical coming. And “the result of that visitation is that the poor misguided flock is UNITED and transformed into a majestic war-horse - a great vehicle of power and energy, a fearsome, awe-inspiring, effective tool of WAR. The sheep become “mighty men treading down the enemy in battle” … and the flock is TRANSFORMED CORPORATELY (they become the Corporate Christ).

As Jewel Grewe so clearly put it,” The MANIFESTED SONS believe they are establishing a new and glorious Kingdom - led by a NEW BREED of men of women. The “Joel’s Army” now individually manifest as Sons of God. would be revealed to the world as many “saviours” who would take dominion and execute judgment.”

Jack Deere speak of an invincible army. He says, “…they won’t be able to kill this army.” John Wimber also stated, “those in this army will have the ‘kind of anointing … his kind of power … anyone who wants to harm them must die”.

Paul Cain says that out of this unity will come an army, Joel’s Army, based on Joel 2: “I told you about … this recurring [35 year-old] vision I had…. The angel of the Lord said, ‘You’re standing at the crossroads of life. What do you see?’ And I saw a brilliantly lit billboard which reads, ‘Joel’s Army now in training.’ . . . .I believe one day soon Joel’s Army will be in training … until it graduates into the stadium …. But a right understanding of the plan of God for this generation brings this tremendous inclusion…. God’s offering to you, this present generation, a greater privilege than was ever offered any generation at any time from Adam clear down through the millennium.”

“I had a vision of you people coming from . . . a circle of maybe a hundred miles and I saw people coming from every major city within that circumference and a great conclave was taking place, and it was the training of Joel’s Army. . . . I believe that people are going to come together by the thousands and train for the Army of the Lord. Wouldn’t that be wonderful? I mean, that’s long overdue.” (Grace Ministries tape)

Paul Cain has prophesied a day when sporting events throughout the world will be cancelled because the stadiums will be used for revival meetings. He says the Lord gave him this vision around the late fifties or early sixties ,and it his been repeated more than 100 times since then. This spectacular happening will see millions brought to Christ in a short period of time.

“I had a dream that became a recurring dream, and it was about all the stadiums - and we’ve told this hundreds and hundreds of time all across America, all over the world, in fact - and I saw these stadiums and football fields, soccer fields and sports arenas, all of them filled with thousands of people, sometimes over 100,000 in each place” (Christ Chapel, August 30, 1995). This is much more than what we have seen from Promise Keepers, in fact we may be only seeing the first of these gatherings .

I don’t think everyone is in the same way involved but the statements seem uncannily the same. Coach McCartney wants unity and every church involved. In a Promise Keepers gathering in the Detroit Silver Dome stadium in April 1995, founder Bill McCartney, speaks of a great army like Cain and others, “We have a great army that we are assembling. They’re the Christian men of this nation. However, our leadership, our clergy are not uniform. Our clergy are divided. . . . There’s no unity of command. . . …We have to assume that responsibility. We have to say, ‘Are we impacting our clergy in a way that’s going to take them and make them all that they have to be in order to lead this army?’ Because the shepherds are the ones God’s chosen to lead us out of here” (Promise Keepers Meeting, April 29, 1995, Detroit Silver Dome).

The last time I read the Scripture it was Jesus who was the captain of the Lords army, and he was in charge then, as he is now in the Church. Who will be the leaders or leader of this Church army? We have no appointed Generals except self appointed ones today.God has made local church’s as part of the universal Church, each is autonomous. None answer to a leadership that controls them all since they are to be called men in the pastorate listening to Gods direction for their communities as well as in the world.

‘Why wouldn’t you want to be a part of what God wants to do with His hand-picked leaders?’ . . . I think Almighty God is going to rip open the hearts of our leaders. I think He’s going to tear them open. And I think he’s going to put them back together again as one. One leadership. We’ve got to have one leadership, one leadership only. We’ve got to have everybody hitting on all cylinders. There’s only one race. It’s the human race. There’s only one culture. Its Christ before culture. Christ culture - that’s all that there is.” (Promise Keepers Meeting, April 29, 1995, Detroit Silver Dome).

The bible says no such thing, it says the opposite. And it becomes a dangerous precedent when a few control the many, church or not! Jesus said the field is the world. The wheat and tares grow up together. And we had better be able to distinguish the difference in our day. This concept of unity was tried by the Catholic Church to integrate religion with the state and politics. And it became the downfall of a Church that was kept pure by persecution. We may yet see the “holy wars” like the early Holy Roman Empire revived to try and produce what only Ch

Rick Joyner who seems to be a main promoter of an end time army wrote from his visions about “a bloody civil war” in the Church. (Latter Rain Revival, 1996) that the blues and the grays in his end-time war scenario in the church is that just likened to the American Civil war. He interprets this with “In dreams and visions blue often represents heavenly-mindedness – the sky is blue - and gray speaks of those who live by the power of their own minds – the brain is often called gray matter - This will be a conflict between those who may be genuine Christians, but who live mostly according to their natural minds and human wisdom, and those who follow the Holy Spirit.” (Morningstar Prophetic Bulletin, 5/96 )

Spoken like a true Gnostic. First he has a dream of prophecy that is not biblical, then he himself interprets the meaning by the colors from dreams, which are from the view of his human understanding.

Joyner says, “I do not believe that this [prophecy] can now be stopped, or that the Lord wants it stopped” The main reason for the spiritual civil war is over the institution of spiritual slavery and ” to drive the accuser out of the church, and for the church then to come into a unity that would otherwise be impossible.” descriptions like ‘this is the church’s greatest victory, her finest hour, triumphantly marching, empowered for victory’ are commonplace for those who want to assert Gods kingdom on earth now. But by this method the are exhibiting a master to slave relationship which operates on power. This is not the servitude that Christ said would be found in his followers.

Joyner contradicts himself by saying “Criticism is one of the ultimate manifestations of pride because, whenever we criticize someone else we are by that assuming that we are superior to them, Pride brings that which any rational human being should fear the most - God’s resistance. We would be better off having all of the demons in hell resisting us than God!” (Epic Battles of The Last Days, p.23, Rick Joyner) That’s exactly what Joel’s army ends up to be, resisted by God and destroyed.

What I see in Joyner’s writings is much criticism of the Church, but it is disguised as dreams and visions from the Lord for guidance. All one has to do is read his writings and it won’t be long before they see certain Christians demonized in graphic detail. To be rational one must use their mind, something of which he has already drawn a line in the sand on his own imaginary battlefield as the enemy. As he has accused the brethren of not being spiritual, even to the point of identifying the “Antichrist” as the orthodox church. (Weighed and Found Wanting, Bill Randles, p. 64.) As far as I’m concerned, criticism does not have to be severe, it can be advantageous to ones growth if it presents the truth and is done with right motive’s.

May we have the full armor of God on as Joel’s army begins to march and challenges the historic view of Christianity. Yes, there just may be a civil war, but it certainly would not be necessary if those who aggressively want to change the Church and the world by power would get back to the literal interpretation of the Scriptures for its guidance, and let God be God.

So for all you out there who think your army is not the Latter Rain army and try come up with every excuse in the book to try convince us otherwise, just stop and realise that not everyone is as blind as you seem to think. Through your own deception you deceive others and you will be held accountable for the lives of those people you led astray because you refuse to adhere to the Word of God with sound, scriptural, untwisted, biblical teaching. Should I even ask the question. ‘Where is the Holy Spirit in your life?’.

Good article. Many of the Apostolic Prophetic Cult of Rick Joyner, C. Peter Wagner, Bill Hamon, Todd Bentley (Lakeland), Bob Jones and Paul Cain et all believe they are the "army" of Joel 2 that "God will send".

These people never read the whole Word and they fail to notice that "God will send" Joel's army alright... but it is the deluded (under the Strong Delusion) Anti Christ army who believes that the Anti Christ is actually Jesus -- this army will "be sent by God" against the true saints in persecution in the End Times. It is right there in Joel 2 -- that God will restore that which this army has wrought to His true people! Yet these deluded ones who fail to proclaim the real Jesus go on thinking that being a Joel 2 army is wonderful.

It will actually lead them and all their followers into Hell.

It is scary that Mormonism always crops up when discussing this Christian Cult led by Rick Joyner and friends. This is because they are both listening to doctrines of demons sent by undiscerned "angels". Personally I don't think it is coincidence that Joseph Smith's first wife's name was Emma and this is the name of the demon that inspired the whole Apostolic Cult in 1980 when Bob Jones started the Kansas City movement that proceeded the Toronto Blessing movement that proceeded the Lakeland/Fakeland slaughter of true faith this summer.

If you want to give your own interpretation of the Bible, then get a blog. This is not the place for lengthy vanity points on religion. You have a lot of scriptures that do not relate to the points you are trying to make.
I make no judgments about your accusations here, but will address them in my christian blog, but now will show you one point that might clarify how little your biblical knowledge regarding possesion is:
Here below is your comment:

“Deliverance is now throughout cities and nations as well as Christians. Despite there is no example or teaching that a Christian can be so inhabited some of the best selling books are all about this.(oppression is not the same as possession) Through their teaching, demonization in Christians was also birthed and deliverance ministries through exorcism by the laying on of hands.”

Here is what the Bible says:
Mathew 12: 43-45 (in Jesus words (KJV))43. “When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest and findeth none. 44. The he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 45. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.”
I like the NIV version too.

Now, when someone gets delivered and does not put the Word of God, prayer and worship into that empty place, then demonic spirits will return bringing far worse demonic spirits with them to inhabit the person...Your understanding of the word is limited, because the word says “the Holy Spirit will teach you the deep things of God”, but first you must have him to learn from him.
I have not addressed this on my blog yet, but because of your confusion, then now I must address it within the next few weeks...Please feel free to visit at:

http://lbsmbroadcast.blogspot.com

There is a post article in the ARCHIVES called “The Unforgivable Sin”, if you visit, which might interest you. I have no more here to say on the subject, but will definately be posting an article soon on my blog.

I am confused because I did not write the article attached.

I completely agree with you about deliverance. I think the issue is more about “third wave spiritual warfare” whereby people fore-go preaching the word but instead go around to rooftops making declarations against Satan and think that this is helping “evangelize” the city. They never go in and actually preach the word to the unsaved.

Please ping me when you post on deliverance. But keep in mind “a city” cannot be delivered... only an individual can. Bless you, too, for taking the time to write about it.

You are dead on with your idea that this is about applying Old Testament or Old Covenant ideas to our modern post Pentecost age.

In fact, think about it. Mormons in their “book of Mormon” do not make any distinction between the Old and New Testament! Thus, the Mormon resurrection of the Old Testament “Office of the Prophet”. Thus, their Old Testament idea of polygamy and “killing the unbelievers”.

This is exactly where these new “NARbots” of Rick Joyner and company are headed for in their Joel 2 army. In fact, when you think about it, this Old Testament idea of killing the unbeliever is the only idea possible that will allow the Anti Christ army to kill people who do not bow the knee to their anti “Christ” in the End Times.

I'm going to ping you with another article about another one of their “friends”

I did think your name at top meant you were in agreement with the article. I’m glad you posted it, since you are trying to get a discussion going to bring out what the word says. I’ll research and write on my blog about Armies, so feel free to subscribe to http://lbsmbroadcast.blogspot.com ..because that is where I will address it.

With limited time, it is hard to keep coming back into religion section. I left my computer, and lost FR, so when I came back in, it ended up with ALL of posts in a list. It was my mistake to think it had been posted in News/Activism.
I do not believe I know all I should know, so feel free to comment on anything on the blog, if you visit, as “iron sharpens iron”, and discussion is good. I wish had more time here on FR, but do not due to time constraints.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.