More on Todd Bentley from Apostasy Alert

May 15, 2008 UPDATE: False Healing Revival in Lakeland, Florida

UPDATE: Listen to Edward Watson "Todd Bentley and His Spirit Guides"
PART 1
PART 2
PDF File (pictures & notes)

May 11, 2008

Todd Bentley’s Diabolical Signs

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If you’ve been watching the news on "Christian Television" in the past couple of weeks, you could not have missed the glowing reports of a "revival" breaking out in Lakeland, Florida. It is headed up by a certified false prophet/teacher by the name of Todd Bentley, one of the guys from the infamous Elijah List, an umbrella group that markets all the bogus "prophetic" junk their many seers sell. Many of these forerunners for the antichrist are heralding this outbreak as the much-touted outpouring of the latter rain. {If you think I'm speaking harshly, keep reading to understand why I can't mince words.}

Sadly, this circus show featuring an "illustrated man" is now on the road and targets young people and new believers who are not armed with a knowledge of Scripture so they are sitting ducks for deception. The crowds following Bentley are seen being overcome by ugly spirits of drunkenness and stupor. Those in the church who are crying out against this injustice perpetrated upon our weakest little lambs are being squelched by the "Christian" media, since those in control of the airwaves suppress the truth in unrighteousness. And any otherwise solid ministries that buy airtime on networks such as TBN and the God Channel shut up their own mouths for fear of biting the hand that feeds them and getting their programs tossed.

So that leaves the Internet - the only place you’ll see any opposition to the madness. I hate using an analogy from the worst contemporary "Christian" song that gets sung in churches on Sunday mornings, but as most of the church waltzes with this injustice, we need to break-dance upon it instead. Better yet - we need to stomp on it and pull down this stronghold that has come against the bride of Christ.

That awful song, "Did You Feel the Mountains Tremble" could well be a theme song for this deceptive display of lying signs and wonders. It reflects the faulty theology of those in "the river" movement popularized by the so-called "Toronto Blessing," the last wave of madness that hit the church back in the latter half of the 1990s. The lyrics reflect Kingdom-Now visions of the church taking over all the elements of society and setting up a kingdom on earth before the Lord returns – an idea that the book of Revelation and all other passages about the end times contradict. The song says, in part:

And we can see that God you're moving
A mighty river through the nations
And young and old will turn to Jesus
Fling wide your heavenly gates
Prepare the way of the risen Lord

Open up the doors and let the music play
Let the streets resound with singing
Songs that bring you hope
Songs that bring you peace
Dancers who dance upon injustice

Are the nations really turning to God? Hardly! In fact, not only are the nations not turning back to God, but the church as a whole is being transformed by the world, as the Emerging Church and the Purpose-Driven movement demonstrate. One anonymous blogger commented on this song:

"Injustice would be better dealt with by a brute squad than some can-can dancers. My dad and I were brainstorming about the type of dancing the song was talking about, and we came up with some of these: 1. Moshing on injustice; 2. Rhumba on injustice; 3. Waltz on injustice; 4. Square dance on injustice; 5. Break-dance on injustice."

What’s Happening in Florida?
Todd Bentley was guest preacher at Ignited Church in Lakeland, Florida, for a 5-day healing revival starting on April 2, 2008. It was extended to the end of the month because of the crowds coming to get healed and to get "drunk in the spirit." The church’s pastor is Stephen Strader, the son of Karl Strader, formerly of Carpenter’s Home Church in Lakeland where Rodney Howard-Browne made his holy laughter debut back in 1993. That "outpouring" went on to spark the Toronto and Pensacola drunken revivals.

So, it’s back where it started from. One eyewitness described the manifestations going on at the impartation of Bentley’s "anointing":

"These are the effects that I have witnessed on people who have attended this movement and either have had hands laid on them or claim to have been imparted with 'the spirit': -They come back with this kind of childlike drunken stupor. -Descriptions of a burning sensation either in their veins, heads or stomachs. -Descriptions of being washed back and forth like the waves in the ocean;-Dancing about like drunk...-Inappropriate yelling and screaming like they're at a football game;-Young men whistling over and over and holding their heads and claiming that they 'feel the Holy Spirit about to split them in two'; -One young man's back two teeth turned completely to some metallic finish.-People with their eyes rolled in the back of their heads and weaving around like they're lost.-Women just gyrating and pulsating like they're being ravaged from behind from some unseen force. -Drunken uncontrollable laughter in the middle of a solemn prayer time…-People being 'slain in the spirit'... just falling down and being unable to move (like something's holding them down)."

Then the blogger who posted this asked a pointed question about the women reported to be "ravaged from behind"-- "Am I misreading or does this mean that the women are literally acting like they are being "sexed up" by unseen supernatural forces?"

Another phenomenon I notice whenever watching any of these "outpourings" is people bent over, unable to straighten themselves up, while convulsing into their bellies. Whenever I see this, I’m reminded of the "spirit" from which Jesus delivered a woman as reported in Luke 13. Jesus said that this woman "whom Satan has bound" needed to be loosed – even on the Sabbath. So he released her from the spirit and "immediately she was made straight." These pitiful people who can’t straighten up their backs need to be loosed from whatever spirit Bentley is imparting.

Bentley’s Source of Power
We don’t have to play a guessing game to discern the source of Bentley’s power over undiscerning people. His own testimony reveals how he reportedly tapped into the spirit realm for the key to do signs and wonders.

In one of his "Fresh Fire" classes called "The Secret Place" (circa 2005, CD on file), Bentley takes his followers to Psalm 91 for his proof-text in examining how to get power.

[His voice on these tapes is very eerie – it is indistinguishable from a cult leader by the name of Anthony Marcolongo, a demonized "prophet" who back in the late 1980s abused his flock and molested his female followers. His tyranny came to an end when he was killed in a one-car crash and his body, along with his car, were wrapped around a tree.]

Here is the text in Psalm 91:1-2

"He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.’"

And here is Bentley’s paraphrase of it that he gave in a gravely shouting voice:

"He who dwells, not visits, dwells in the abode of God shall be like the Most High in that you will be uppermost, far above, in the highest excellence of anything that you do in your life as supreme ruler in your circumstances. He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High is supreme, far above uppermost, highest heights of heaven, lofty, excellence, overcoming Christian. Are you understanding me?!?"

So, according to Bentley, those who dwell in the secret place are "supreme" – supreme what? Lofty? Uppermost? Do those words sound familiar?

"How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’" (Isaiah 14:12-14)

It is hard to tell the difference between the words of Bentley and those of Satan! He went on to elaborate:

"You see, I want to be fruitful; I want to be far above. I want to be a conqueror; I want to be a mountain of strength; I want to be greatness. You know, we like that word greatness. Well, he who dwells in the secret place of the Most High automatically comes into everything that the Almighty is. It happens."

And here’s God’s response to the devil and to Bentley if he does not repent:

"But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit."
(Isaiah 14:15)

So how did Bentley purport to get into that secret place? He explains that in another session from the same conference in his message entitled, "Soaking." In that message he said that he began to practice "contemplative prayer" something he said he learned from studying the lives of mystics such as Brother Lawrence and an Indian mystic named Sundar Singh. He said that this silence launched his ministry after three months of soaking (meditating in an altered state of consciousness) culminated in a physical encounter with Jesus Christ who stood behind him and spoke to him audibly.

In reading about Singh on the Internet, I found out that he was a "Christian Sikh" Indian who lived from 1889 to 1929. He practiced mind-emptying meditation that he warned wasn’t for everybody since it held dangers. Wikipedia documents that Singh would visit the spirit plane during his times of silence. It said:

"Singh stated that he had contact with Swedenborg in the spirit world: ‘I saw him several times some years ago, but I did not know his earthly name. His name in the spiritual world is quite different just according to his high position or office and most beautiful character…Swedenborg was a great man, philosopher, scientist and, above all seer of clear visions. I often speak with him in my visions. He occupies a high place in the spiritual world ... Having read his books and having come into contact with him in the spiritual world, I can thoroughly recommend him as a great seer."

Wikipedia also points out that--

"Christian apologist Walter Martin classified Swedenborg and his followers among the cults…The difficulty for evangelicals is compounded by Singh's confirmation of contact with Swedenborg in the spirit world. This visionary form of contact with an unorthodox deceased teacher clashes with the portraits of piety drawn by later evangelical biographers."

It is also interesting, that Bentley claims to have witnessed to a witch doctor on the spirit plane while his body remained in his hotel room and he testifies that unseen angels have come to his rescue by throwing a potential mugger into a wall on his behalf.

Emma – the Demon of the Abode of Hell
Speaking of angels – that’s another source of power Bentley claims to have working for him.

The parallel passage to the description of Lucifer in Isaiah 14 is the 28th chapter of Ezekiel. Here God further describes His arch-enemy as one who has a great love for treasure.

"By your wisdom and understanding you have gained wealth for yourself and amassed gold and silver in your treasuries. By your great skill in trading you have increased your wealth, and because of your wealth your heart has grown proud" (Ezekiel 28:4-5).

Contrast that with Todd Bentley’s focus on riches as documented in an article called "ANGELS" & the FLORIDA HEALING REVIVAL - Warning!" written by Andrew Strom, a historian of the Charismatic Movement, who quoted Bentley from an article Bentley wrote in 2003 called "Angelic Hosts." Bentley wrote:

"So when I need a financial breakthrough I don't just pray and ask God for my financial breakthrough. I go into intercession and become a partner with the angels by petitioning the Father for the angels that are assigned to getting me money: ‘Father, give me the angels in heaven right now that are assigned to get me money and wealth. And let those angels be released on my behalf. Let them go into the four corners of the earth and gather me money.’"

Todd’s money-gathering angel’s name is Emma, who his good friend Bob Jones (discredited "prophet" who was disciplined for using his prophetic office to get women to undress for him) credits with birthing the discredited Kansas City Prophet movement of the late 1980s. In Bentley’s own words:

"Twice Bob Jones asked me about this angel that was in Kansas City in 1980: ‘Todd, have you ever seen the angel by the name of Emma?’ He asked me as if he expected that this angel was appearing to me. Surprised, I said, ‘Bob, who is Emma?’ He told me that Emma was the angel that helped birth and start the whole prophetic movement in Kansas City in the 1980s. She was a mothering-type angel that helped nurture the prophetic as it broke out. Within a few weeks of Bob asking me about Emma, I was in a service in Beulah, North Dakota. In the middle of the service I was in conversation with Ivan and another person when in walks Emma. As I stared at the angel with open eyes, the Lord said, ‘Here's Emma.’ I'm not kidding. She floated a couple of inches off the floor. It was almost like Kathryn Khulman in those old videos when she wore a white dress and looked like she was gliding across the platform. Emma appeared beautiful and young - about 22 years old - but she was old at the same time. She seemed to carry the wisdom, virtue and grace of Proverbs 31 on her life. She glided into the room, emitting brilliant light and colors. Emma carried these bags and began pulling gold out of them. Then, as she walked up and down the aisles of the church, she began putting gold dust on people...Within three weeks of that visitation, the church had given me the biggest offering I had ever received to that point in my ministry. Thousands of dollars! Thousands!... During this visitation the pastor's wife (it was an AOG church) got totally whacked by the Holy Ghost – she began running around barking like a dog or squawking like a chicken as a powerful prophetic spirit came on her. Also, as this prophetic anointing came on her, she started getting phone numbers of complete strangers and calling them up on the telephone and prophesying over them... Then angels started showing up in the church."

Bentley claims that his angel also assisted William Branham in his healing ministry in the 1960s. [Check out background on William Branham who called the Trinity a pagan doctrine.] In fact, Branham always claimed that he could do no healings until his angel showed up. Bentley refers to his angel as "the angel of the Lord" and also waits upon Emma for the signs and wonders to manifest. However, according to Bible scholars, the term "the angel of the Lord" is an Old Testament reference to the pre-incarnate Christ, also called a Theophany. It seems that Emma is really overstepping her bounds to be referred to as "the angel of the Lord."

This same Emma is credited with showing up in revivals spreading gold dust and dropping gems around. {See my article All That Glitters is not God’s Glory}

But who is Emma, if she exists at all? The Encyclopedia Britannica identifies Emma-o as a demon ruler in hell:

"Emma-o in Japanese Buddhist mythology, the overlord of hell … judges the souls of men… The sinner is sent to one of the 16 regions of fire or ice assigned him by Emma-o for a fixed period of time until the next rebirth."

Another online encyclopedia confirms Emma’s identity:

"The folklore of Chinese Taoism and Japanese Shintoism was naturally embodied in the mythology of the Buddhists, and we find therefore in their temples innumerable representations of hell with all their traditional belongings; Emma, the stern judge of Meifu, the dark tribunal; Kongo, the sheriff, and all the terrible staff of bailiffs, torturers, and executioners, among whom the steer-headed Gozu and the horse-headed Mezu are never missing."

Watching Bentley do his circus act can be very nauseating. He imparts his Emma spirit on the young people who come up for a touch. He flings the evil spirits upon them while yelling, "blah, blah, blah, blah" – whatever he means by that – and culminates it with slaying them in the "spirit" with the word "BAM!" [see link for example ] Why would he scream "Bam" over people? A clue is in his own words taken from the "The Secret Place" CD of the Fresh Fire conference referenced earlier. Bentley said:

"We’re like little chickens. We’re pretty defenseless and sometimes we’re just going through life pecking away… and then the wolf comes and we don’t even see it coming. Bam! He’s got you!"

That’s pretty scary. And what’s even scarier is what Bentley’s endorser, Wendy Alec, co-founder of God-TV prophesied regarding this latest "outpouring" of the unholy spirit:

"THIS is just the warm up party - for what you shall see in the coming days shall even make these days pale - with what I have up my sleeve. And I tell you my son - that THIS THAT I POUR OUT UPON YOU UPON FLORIDA shall flow to the east."

Does God have something up his sleeve? Of course not! These words emerged from the pit of hell where Emma rules.

♥♥♥

Open your mouth for the speechless, In the cause of all who are appointed to die. Open your mouth, judge righteously, And plead the cause of the poor and needy. (Proverbs 31:8-9)

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