In the past several decades movements have swept through the church, each certain they had uncovered truths and doctrines that had been missing for centuries. Movements such as the Pentecostal Movement, the Full Gospel Movement, and the Word of Faith Movement have been three of the largest and most influential. Thinking they had the answers to all questions, Christians hungry to be fed flocked to them. However, all three of these movements fell short of giving people anything substantial, and instead, appealed more to the emotions and selfishness of those who wanted shortcuts to all things spiritual.
I was informed in a vision that part of my ministry requires destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, 2 Corinthians 10:5. Therefore, many of my letters and posts deal with these speculations and lofty things, such as those found in the Word of Faith Movement.
I mean no harm to anyone, nor do I want to embarrass anyone. My sole purpose is to help Christians lay aside every encumbrance and trust the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. This is a hard task since there have been so many false doctrines accepted as truth by so many people.
For instance, the belief the baptism of the Holy Spirit is evidenced by speaking in tongues. This teaching didn’t work out because the Holy Spirit didn’t go along with it. He didn’t give utterance to everyone. So people were told they themselves had to begin uttering syllables and jargons, and the result of their utterances, even though the Holy Spirit had nothing to do with it, would be proof they had received the Holy Spirit. (Even Kathrine Kuhlman, who spoke in tongues, disagreed with this doctrine. She went so far as to say no-one could teach you how to speak in tongues; it was a gift the Holy Spirit delivered without the need to help Him by uttering sounds).
Then came the Full Gospel movement claiming every Christian has a gift of the Spirit and should be using that gift daily. This sparked a generation of super-spiritual (and superficial) Christians who walked around in white loafers and a dove pin on their lapels signifying they had the Holy Spirit, and a load of His gifts.
This ushered in the Word of Faith movement which ignited the teaching that every Christian has the authority of Christ and can use it to change everything from their circumstances to their finances. It sought, and still seeks to this day, to convince the masses that Christians are like both God and Jesus in power and authority, even to the extreme of having the ability to create things with their words as did God. It has done nothing but create multi-millionaire pastors whose followers and supporters beat the air to this day, trying to hit a target that doesn’t exist.
Please consider this:
- All three of these movements were self-induced and self-serving; all three circumvented the will of God and the Holy Spirit and replaced them with their own desires. In all three cases they used their own understanding and their own faculties to make what they wanted come to pass (what they ended up with was just a boost to their egos).
- All three shunned the Person of Jesus and the power of His resurrection. They instead relied on their ability to utter syllables and jargons and on their minds’ ability to conjure up feelings of importance, as well as its ability to make them think they are equal to the Son of God.
There are many more speculations and lofty things raised up against the knowledge of God. There are some that have never entered the minds of most Christians. I mentioned the movements above because most Christians are aware of them.
Please understand that I am not sitting in judgment of my brothers and sisters in the Lord. I am working together with God and crying out, “It is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.” When I was in my thirties my spirit was caught up to a place where Jesus told me I had been born before my time and the knowledge I had received would be usable, but that I must wait until God had completed a work in His people. In August of 2017 the Lord said, “It is time.” That is why I say the things I say. We must bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ while there is still time.
Also, I did not choose Jesus, He chose me. Even on the night I was born again I refused to walk to the altar, not out of stubbornness, but because I was so aware of my sinfulness and my unworthiness of Him. Someone took hold of my arm and escorted me to the altar. That someone was Jesus. He then walked around and knelt in front of me. I never said a prayer or spoke a word. However, after kneeling in front of Him for what seemed like an eternity, I walked back to my seat a brand new person in a brand new place, the kingdom of the living God.
An evangelist, Rev. Robert Morgan, once told me, “Jesus is going to lead you down a path you wouldn’t choose for yourself.” I didn’t ask for this ministry. It was not my will, it was the will of God. I had nothing to do with Jesus ordaining me with His own hands, nor with my spirit being caught up to stand with Him and three other apostles while a fourth walked by in front of us. I really hope you understand I’m not sitting in judgment of anyone. I am just doing what the Lord called me to do. He loves His people and wants each one of us to know Him and lean on Him. He wants to lead us in His perfect will. He wants us to awaken from sleep and walk in the light of day.
God gave Jesus all authority in heaven and on earth, and He gave us Jesus. God wants us to dwell in Jesus, abide in Him, believe in Him, not be Him. We were never meant to be supernatural heroes, we were meant to be humble and obedient children of God. And because of this I am doing my very best to tear down every speculation and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God; even the things that originate from the minds of people who choose to interpret the Bible in ways that satisfy their own desires. Because of this they walk in darkness, while, at the same time, calling it light, having been deceived by the powers and forces of that darkness, because they chose to satisfy their own desires.
Again, I didn’t ask for this ministry. Jesus was present at both my natural and spiritual birth. I was predestined and appointed in accordance with the will of God to be an ambassador for Christ; to be set apart to Him, and to speak for Him. I would never hurt, nor condemn, one of His own. But as long as there are speculations and lofty things raised up against the knowledge of God, I will not hesitate to expose them to the light. I will do so by the light of His Word, in order that every thought might be taken captive to the obedience of Christ.
In the most holy name of the One who separated me from my mother’s womb, and revealed Himself to me,
Jon David Banks, God’s most unworthy servant
jondavidbanks.com 