School of the Prophets -Exam Time

Rob DeLuca, from His Way Church International in Auckland, New Zealand is the "prophet" who "prophesied" the Great Florida Healing Revival" into existence. Or so those who don't buy into the notion of a "self-fulfilling prophecy" might say.

Well, DeLuca spent a few weeks hanging out at Lakeland, and to demonstrate his prophetic prowess, he has come up with a real doozy. Now, just to make sure you understand - I'm committed to being scriptural: I do not despise prophecy. Well, not Godly prophecy. We are told to test all things. This one does not stand the test.

And Bentley fails on the discernment test too. He affirmed this prophecy, stating "It's what's happening in the body of Christ tonight."

Ok, Boys and Girls, let's see how many wrong things you can find in this video clip:



I just saw a vision, and I saw the Lord Jesus, and I saw him stand up from His throne and I saw Him take off His crown and he placed it on the arm of His throne. And then He proceeded to get down on His knees and he took off a ring off of His finger and He began to place this beautiful ring on this bride and she stopped and she began to weep. And She looked and her dress was torn and I saw Him touch her dress and immediately it was made right.

And the Lord told me that what I (the Lord) am doing here (in Lakeland, Florida) is going to bring forth the preparation of the wedding and I am about to marry My bride and this is going to fix that which is torn. And this is the beginning of the arrangements of the wedding feast.

Find the problems with this word, list them in the comments and let's see how you do.

For 20 bonus points tell me who the old guy with the white socks sitting off to the side is.

For 20 more points, tell me when Todd got his ring.



I guess DeLuca can now say that he prophesyed that, as well.

DeLuca, by the way was at the "Heart for the Nations" conference in Pasadena in May with Bentley and others. This was a few days after his May 13th prophecy. He gave the prophecy there as well and the audience ate it up. But that was just the warm up. According to one participant:

"At one point, DeLuca began miming the firing of a handgun, which act caused those in the path of the imaginary bullets to fall or become ecstatic. This practice caused widespread mayhem, especially among young Asians. As you may suppose, I didn't observe anyone fall out who was not directly facing De Luca and aware of the timing of his mime. I'm pretty sure this was all about flesh and not supernatural. If I'm wrong in this, I'd suspect it to be counterfeit though I can't imagine what the authentic form might be."

Some have said that the test of a true prophet is how they handle the anointing. Just when you thought it could not get any worse...

Getting past the "manifestations" - what was said?

Stacey Campbell is best known as the "prophetess" who moves in "Ecstatic Prophecy." In other words, her head spins like the gal in the exorcist. This is nothing new. Many years ago her husband, Wes Campbell, wrote an apologetic for this entitled "Prophet Sharing, 1992, Spiritual and Physical Manifestations." And so, as an aside, this head shaking while "in the anointing," seen at Lakeland (which for Bentley is mild compared to Stacey Campbell), has its roots in the Campbell's Vineyard Church, Vineyard conferences in the late 80's, and then at the Toronto Vineyard (now "TACF").

Much criticism has been tossed at "manifestations" which seem to draw attention to in individual. Why would such things be allowed, yes even promoted?

Quoting Bill Randles in "Weighed and found wanting"

In a tape recorded at the Airport Vineyard, Wes Campbell reminisced about the early times when “the Spirit” first began to manifest through shaking and prophecy in his church. Evidently, those were times when you could get questions you had answered by God through people who were under this anointing.

One of the things that the Lord said to us through prophetic unction when this first happened was “Why does God shake people?”...’Cause we asked Him, there were times when the Lord would move on different ones, and we could literally, in the early days, ask questions, they would prophesy and we would just say, “God why does this happen?” And then the answer would come through prophetic unction, and we would ask this. Why do we do this? And this would come through answer.

I believe in the gift of prophecy, but to inquire of God through a human being in the manner described above, makes that person into a channel, or an oracle. God doesn’t work that way. The anointing of the Spirit doesn’t come on people so that God can answer questions through their voice. Judge the answer, that this “Spirit” gave them.

The second night He said this, He said, “I have come to you through...my Word and I tell you everything for life,” and He says, “And you don’t listen”...Then He said this, “I’ve come through prophetic word and I’ve spoken, and you don’t listen,”...And all of the sudden, He went on David and He says (with emphasis) “And now...I shake you!...And now you will listen!”

Supposedly, God revealed to these people, that since we won’t listen to His written Word, or to the gift of prophecy, He has to physically shake us to get our attention! How did they learn this? Through a prophesied answer to a question, that was asked of God.

-end quote-

Recently the legion of apostles came to Lakeland for a coronation apostolic installation. They invited Stacey Campbell to the stage. When I first saw Stacey Cambell prophesying over Todd Bentley (literally- he was lying on the floor) I was, like most everyone else, distracted by this woman moving her head back and forth so fast that the camera could not catch it (frame rate too slow). And distracted by the serpent-like hissing noise that apparently accompanies this manifestation (draw your own conclusions). Others were distracted by the fact that this "ecstatic prophecy" movement (her description) apparently stops when she needs to read the Bible (that is sort of funny).

ECSTAT'ICAL, a.

Arresting the mind; suspending the senses; entrancing.
In pensive trance, and anguish, and ecstatic fit.

Webster's 1828

The concept being promoted here is that this manifestion comes upon one (not under control of or subection to the prophet) and it somehow validates the word - the "Thus Saith the Lord" - being given. However, I beg you to get past the "manifestations" and hear what is actually being spoken in the name of God. The transcript below starts at 2:44. You may wish to remove children from the room before playing the Video.



The spirit came on me and said "Todd, because you asked (like very few men on the face of the earth ask) to see my Glory, I will begin a revival through you, that will pass beyond gifts, into the very heart that moves God to release gifts to his children.

And Jesus, who (was) filled with compassion, healed the sick. And Jesus, filled with forgiveness, said "he who is without sin cast the first stone." And Jesus, filled with justice and truth, threw over tables and took out whips and cleansed the temple of God.

Todd, I have chosen you because of your background. (1) Because of your background (Crowd cheering). Because of your background. To release my nature when you release my gifts.

To become a living epistle. Like the word that became flesh, and people saw the glory of God.

And I will use you to father (2) a movement that operates in such revival power, but it is coming out of the very nature and heart of God.

And you will teach people how to behold God, till they are transformed, from glory to glory, from compassion to mercy, to lovingkindness, to truth, to justice, to forgiveness, and a whole generation will move in such signs and wonders and power that everyone will give glory to God.

And I feel like (3) , Todd, that when you were twelve years old, and I just graduated from Baptist seminary (Ed.- "listen to me, I've been at this much longer than you") , the Holy Spirit fell on me, and he started to speak to me over and over again, about a generation that would come on the earth (Paul Cain's "New Breed") that would do signs and wonders, that would change society, and society would not change them, and you are a first fruits of that generation, of nation changers, (shouting) THAT WILL RELEASE THE GLORY OF GOD IN ALL ITS FULLNESS. In Jesus name. (Crowd cheering)

-------
(1) Bentley's violent pre-conversion past included a criminal conviction for sexual assault against a 7 year old boy.
(2) This was an Apostolic commissioning, one of the understandings of an Apostle is "one who fathers." Of course, one must also have seen Jesus. Bentley claims this.
(3) Signifies the "Thus saith the Lord" part is over, now its a word of exhortation from Campbell. It quickly shifts back into prophecy from God.

Did you catch what she actually said? What she proclaimed the "spirit" is saying?

Getting past the multitude of MSoG references, she says Todd is like "the word that became flesh." This is no reference to some obscure scripture. No, John 1 is a crucial, basic, and central tenant of Christianity. Campbell, a seminary graduate, was well aware of the implications of the word she spoke. And the legion of apostles smiled as she said it.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
John 1:1

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 1:14

Stating that (The Lord Says) Bentley is “like the Word that became flesh” simply equates (mortal) Bentley with (immortal) God. There is no way around it.

Which brings to mind Philipians 2:6 “(Jesus) who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God..”

Why did he not consider it robbery (”an object of rapine” Darby translation) to be equal with God? Because HE WAS GOD. This of course, means it should be considerd “an object of rapine” for any one else to be considered equal with God.

Of this verse Wesley states : “Who being in the essential form - The incommunicable nature. Of God - From eternity, as he was afterward in the form of man; real God, as real man. Counted it no act of robbery - That is the precise meaning of the words, - no invasion of another’s prerogative, but his own strict and unquestionable right. To be equal with God - the word here translated equal, occurs in the adjective form five or six times in the New Testament, Mt 20:12; Lu 6:34; Joh 5:18; Ac 11:17; Re 21:16. In all which places it expresses not a bare resemblance, but a real and proper equality. It here implies both the fulness and the supreme height of the Godhead; to which are opposed, he emptied and he humbled himself.”

Significant to note that Jesus, while being equal to God, something that was “no invasion of another’s perogative”- because HE WAS GOD - emptied Himself and made himself of no reputation.

Compare that with someone who has boasted of being interviewed by CNN and Geraldo (and ABC Nightline, I might add, but he’s not boasting of that) .

Making oneself equal to God is blasphemy. The Jews did not recognize Jesus as God. And so they concluded that he should be stoned to death "for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God." (John 10:33).

In summary, the scriptures tell us that Jesus is the Word, and that the Word became became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory. The scriptures also tell us that anyone (except Jesus - who is God) who considers themselves “Like the Word that became flesh,” that is, equal with God, is in effect invading God’s perogative against his will, i.e. raping God. Well, God did choose him because of his background. Look- I didn't bring this up- God did.

I am saddend by the multitudes of people, Christians, who should know the Word of God, who swallow this stuff hook, line and sinker. I guess there is no need to judge the prophetic word when it is accompanied by ecstatic manifestations (and smiling legions of apostles). Or is there?

None of this is unexpected. On May 28th Bentley overtly proclaimed the Mansifested Sons of God (MSoG) heresy. I'll be writing on that soon, I expect.

The "Strong Delusion" of 2 Thessalonians 2:11 may be making its appearance in these last days. I feat that many have crossed the Hebrews 6:4-6 line. Are we seeing a "falling away" of those who once were "enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost?"

Bentley's Angelogy

In order to understand Todd Bentley and to make sense what is going on at Lakeland, you must first understand Bentley’s angelology. For most of us, angels are not central to the gospel; they are "waiting in the wings" as it were. Why does his angelology cause so much controversy? Well, here's a recent quote from Bentley:

"I told the Lord why can't I just move in healing and forget talking about all that other stuff?" "Because Todd, you've got to get the people to BELIEVE IN THE ANGEL"..."And I said God, why do I want people to BELIEVE IN THE ANGEL? Isn't it about getting people to BELIEVE IN JESUS?"...And He Said, "People already believe in Jesus, but the church doesn't believe in the supernatural."

The issue here. as I see it, is not that angels might be upstaging Jesus (which may be a valid issue) but rather Todd's reported conversation with God, in which God instructs Todd to "get the people to believe in the angel." That is not a valid commission by God, it is "another gospel."

When Bentley talks about "the angel" he is often talking about the named angel "Healing Revival" that only Bentley and a few others have purportedly "seen." This angel, whom he also calls "The Angel of the Lord" whispers words on knowledge into his left ear. I'm just wondering out loud if we should take his word for it.

He has mentioned "The Angel of the Lord" hundreds, if not thousand of times, in these meetings. Often he alternatively states that Jesus is whispering in his left ear, as he gains his healing "words of knowledge." The Old Testament phrase, "The angel of the Lord" refers to Jesus in pre-incarnate form. If he is calling the post-ascension Jesus an angel, a created being, he is simply being blasphemous.

The confusion, in Bentley’s mind, has been longstanding. At a Toronto meeting circa 2004 Bentley stated:

"This might not even be an angel, it might actually be Jesus, The angel of the Lord. So maybe it wasn’t an angel that came to me maybe it was actually Jesus."

We are trusting this man to discern spirits?

Bentley has written much about angels over the last ten years. Much of his angelology is based on a Bizarro World view of demonology, especially teachings about territorial spirits from C. Peter Wagner, as popularized by Ted Haggard and others. I have summarized this ying/yang world-view in one simple sentence:

If you have territorial spirits (demons) then there must be territorial angels. If the demons have rank, then so must these territorial angels.

Aside from the amazing fact that Bentley has mentioned more "named angels" than the whole of the scripture, he teaches that we have many personal angels at our beck and call.

"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."

And apparently, using angels to gather money is quite successful.

“Now let me talk about an angelic experience with Emma. 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. "God, what is happening?" I asked. The Lord answered: "She is releasing the gold, which is both the revelation and the financial breakthrough that I am bringing into this church. I want you to prophecy that Emma showed up in this service-the same angel that appeared in Kansas city-as a sign that I am endorsing and releasing a prophetic spirit in the church." See, when angels come, they always come for a reason; we need to actually ask God what the purpose is. 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! Even though the entire community consisted of only three thousand people, weeks after I left the church the pastor testified that the church offerings had either doubled or tripled.”

While many people would make a big thing about a female angel (no biblical precedent), I'm less concerned about that and more concerned about Bentley claiming the same angel as Bob Jones, whose ministry was discredited years ago. Bentley has had Bob Jones and similarly discredited “prophet” Paul Cain on the platform with him at Lakeland. Cain also speaks of visitations of “The Angel of the Lord.” In other name-dropping attempts, Bentley has claimed the same, or an angel like, William Branham’s angel. Again, this is company that one should not keep.

Interestingly, Bentley has just announced that Emma has had a gender-change.

"A while ago, Bob Jones told me about an angel that helped birth the entire prophetic movement in Kansas City in the 1980s. The Lord had sent this angel to help nurture the prophetic ministry (and gift), at a time when it was being re-established in the modern-day church in North America."A few weeks after our conversation, I attended a church service in Beulah, North Dakota. In the middle of the meeting an angel glided in. As I stared wide-eyed at the angel, I heard the Lord tell me that this was the same angel that was involved with the prophetic movement in Kansas City. The angel floated a couple of inches off the floor emitting a brilliant light and colors. He appeared young--about 22 years old--but old at the same time. It was as though he carried the wisdom, virtue, and grace of Proverbs 31.

From Bentley's The Reality of the Supernatural World, p. 230f:, June 2008.

Proverbs 31, of course, describes the virtues of an excellent wife. Look for Emma to change her name to Ernie in the coming weeks.

Not to beat a dead horse, but in Bentley's "Angelic Hosts" teaching he states:

"I believe Emma released a financial and prophetic anointing in that place. That was the first angel that I have ever seen in the form of a woman. Some angels I’ve seen seemed like they were neither male nor female. However, Emma appeared as a woman who was like a Deborah, like a mother in Zion."

Ok, then maybe Emma is a transvestite angel. Hey, let's not put God "in a box."

Angels do far more than gather money for us. According to Bentley:

"We do not battle against flesh and blood, we do not battle with demonic power, the angelic hosts do."

Of course, this apparent paraphrase of Ephesians 6:12 contradicts the actual scripture.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against
powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual
wickedness in high places.

The choice is yours. Will you follow a man whose proclamations contradict the very Word of God, or will you remain faithful to the scriptures? This should not be taken lightly.

We’ll be looking at Bentley’s alien-esque abduction to a heavenly operating table by the Angel-with-feet-like-pillars-of-fire in a future article. In the meantime, you may wish to study the topic yourself by reading Bentley’s well known 2003 treatise Angelic Hosts.

One cannot understand Todd Bentley’s ministry without understanding his Angels.


Exploding Angels - a report from Bentley's Website:

Todd’s associate, Jim, was driving back to Atlanta for business, about 100 miles away, grinding in the Spirit… “I don’t want to leave the revival”… Suddenly… A HUGE GOLDEN ANGEL APPEARS ON THE ROAD IN FRONT OF MY CAR!!!

“I am the Angel of the Winds of Change”… suddenly, the angel explodes into a million pieces and spreads around the world!!! The fragments go into hundreds and hundreds of revivalists to carry this healing anointing to the nations!

And the Angel says, “I am going to visit America again!”