As a preface I must clarify one thing: In this letter I in no way mean to infer that people who followed the teachings I speak of were in sin; they were simply misled. Neither I, nor God, condemn them.
When I speak of those who are clouds without water, caring for themselves, I am specifically referring to the leaders in the Apostolic and Prophetic movement. These people are a danger to the children of God. One of their number claims to have visited the Library of Heaven and saw a book that contains the 22d chapter of John, and claims Jesus told him that when it is time He would bring him back to heaven and give him the book, so that he could then preach it to the church. This is the man who wrote the Passion Bible.
The way of the truth is maligned
In the early 1900s the Pentecostal Movement started sweeping the land, teaching that everyone had a heavenly language they were to use in prayer. The only catch was that one must start dribbling sounds to begin with, and then God would turn the dribbling sounds into heavenly words only He could comprehend. It was as though these people didn’t trust the Holy Spirit to intercede for them with groanings too deep for words, so they invented a way for all to speak in tongues, even though the word says not all speak with tongues. It was a man-made doctrine.
Then in the 1960s and 1970s a movement called the Charismatic Movement sprang up and added the other gifts of the Spirit to the gift of tongues, that is, wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, distinguishing of spirits, and interpretation of tongues.
This charismatic movement consisted of overzealous and misguided souls led by their own pride and emotions. Men and women began sounding an alarm, signaling that every Christian had a gift of the Spirit and needed to lay claim to it immediately. This movement was fueled by the desire for power and authority. Its members disregarded the word of God which says the Spirit gives the gifts to whom He pleases, and took it upon themselves to claim the gifts they wanted.
Unsuspecting people who desired to please God jumped on the bandwagon, thinking these perpetrators were sent from God. After all, what could be wrong with having the ability to work miracles, heal the sick, speak in tongues, have extraordinary faith, etc.
The results of this charismatic movement are still with us today in the form of nearly every television evangelist on the air today. Most of them are nothing more than money mongering showmen, whose pride and desires for the things of the world drive them to interpret and use the Scriptures in ways that entice the masses, and make for themselves reputations and money.
So we had the pentecostals, then the charismatics, and, believe it or not, there’s a new horse in town, the Apostolic and Prophetic Movement. It also is fueled by money mongering authority seeking blowhards who long for admiration, applause and money. Men and women both are crawling out of the woodwork claiming to be apostles and prophets for Christ. Some have written books and even started schools to teach gullible people their false doctrines that make even Satan shudder when he hears them. Without fear, they twist the word of God to suit their needs.
I encountered one such person recently on a question and answer forum. He claimed to be an apostle. I asked him if Jesus appointed him or if he appointed himself. His reply was that he was ordained by God and there were creditable witnesses to his apostleship.
I replied that Jesus would be the most creditable witness, since He appoints His apostles in Person. Within seconds, as if a vampire had been exposed to the light and ran from its rays, my reply disappeared.
One such arm of this movement is the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR). I found a few others on the internet, and quit looking because it sickened me. Those who spread false doctrines in order to draw people to themselves are going to pay a big price when they face the Lord. He cares deeply for the children of God and will tell many people to depart from Him for He never knew them. People such as these don’t revere His name, they just use it.
These are those who are hidden reefs in our love feasts when they feast with us without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever, Jude 12, 13.
Many are reluctant to speak of this truth, but the majority who claim to be servants of God are actually self-centered egoists seeking attention. Their egos won’t allow them to humble themselves and wait before the Lord, so they present themselves to be giants in the faith, feigning authority and power, even though they cannot even make it rain. Because of them the way of the truth is maligned; and in their greed they exploit people with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep, 2 Peter 2:2, 3.
Dear ones, be careful what you accept as truth. Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world, 1 John 4:1.
“For many are called, but few are chosen,” Matthew 22:14.
The Lord permitted and also helped me write this. But don’t take my word for it; weigh every sentence on the scales of God’s Holy Word.
Jon David Banks, God’s most unworthy servant
jondavidbanks.com 