Many friends ask me why I go strong against Christian preachers? " They are PREACHERS and they are used by God to bless many people. In such a case, why do you call them as false preachers? " - This is one common question that is posed to me.
Many Christians are comforted by the false teachers through their messages. Yes many Christians even have received healings from diseases. So automatically many Christians will believe these people as servants of God.
Let me tell you my story.
I was a big time fanatic of Benny Hinn in 2008. I have read all his books. Good morning Holy Spirit (GMHS), welcome holy spirit, anointing, he touched me etc... I used to quote paragraphs of many of his writings. Even my initial spiritual understanding was based on his book good morning holy spirit. When ever I met any new believer, I would present the book "Good morning holy spirit" to those people. My only dream then , was to stand in a stage and make people fall down. That was what I considered as Christianity then.
Then one day, I was chatting with a friend on GTALK (August 2008)[ He is in my friend list on facebook] and when I asked him to read GMHS, he retorted and said "Beware of Benny Hinn". I could not take that and I got angry with him . I considered myself as spiritually superior because of the spiritual manifestations that was happening through me at that time. So I could not even digest the fact that someone could say that Benny Hinn was wrong. But he said only one thing, "Prason, next time you read GMHS again, please take a bible and keep it next to you. When ever Benny Hinn quotes any verse in his book, just read that verse in the bible and see on what context the verse is written in the bible. You yourself discern his writings. I will not tell anything bad about him"
I was very angry with him and hence did not heed to him. In the next few weeks , I came across many video preaching messages of Benny Hinn and my love for him grew more and more. On youtube, one can find related videos too. While was watching one such video, I came across some related videos which labelled Benny Hinn as a false prophet. When I saw those videos my blood boiled and I used to write nasty comments on those videos and used to warn all the people who talked bad about benny hinn. But later when I started seeing more videos, I started having mild doubts about Benny Hinn. But still my love for him overshadowed the doubts and I was in denial. The more videos I saw about his financial fraudulence, unscriptural manifestations, beating people with his coat, multiple false prophecies, my doubts increased and this is when I decided to read the book GMHS again; but this time along with the Bible.
When I started this exercise, I discovered that Benny Hinn had used Bible verses totally out of context, just to prove his personal experiences and his teachings. Some of the twsisted teachings of Benny Hinn from the book are
- Benny Hinn hits people with his coat. He uses a bible verse Acts 19:12 -(Paul's apron curing the people) to justify his arrogant act.
- He also gives an appearance to the unseen God. "What was the appearance of God the Father? Like that of a man...God has the likeness of fingers and hands and a face." (Good Morning Holy Spirit, (Benny Hinn, Word, 1991, p. 82)"
- Benny Hinn goes on to say that laughing in spirit is from God. He justifies all the wierd rolling and laughing experiences with the biblical example of Stephen. He writes that Stephen laughed when he was stoned to death
Also there are many more twisted verses when he explains prophecy, tongues and other gifts. When I was reading all these, I was broken down to bits. "The man I loved so much is false? " " Whom should I trust? " Questions started running around in my head. Then I came to know about all his failed false prophecies. Some of his false prophecies are
- Orlando Christian Center, Dec. 31st, 1989.
"The Spirit tells me - Fidel Castro will die - in the 90's. Oooh my! Some will try to kill him and they will not succeed. But there will come a change in his physical health, and he will not stay in power, and Cuba will be visited of God."
2.Orlando Christian Center, Dec. 31st, 1989.
"The Lord also tells me to tell you in the mid 90's, about '94-'95, no later than that, God will destroy the homosexual community of America. [audience applauds] But He will not destroy it - with what many minds have thought Him to be, He will destroy it with fire. And many will turn and be saved, and many will rebel and be destroyed."
3. Jesus will appear physically in this meeting
Jesus never appeared in his meeting. This happened in Nairobi, Kenya.
On May 24th, 2000 - This Is Your Day program on TV, he Suddenly said this, "You know what days these are? The days of Elijah. We are in the days of Elijah! Fire is falling down from heaven!"
This teaching by Benny Hinn has made lot of young preachers to adopt the same lingo. They shout "FIRE FIRE" from stage.
Then later I read his other books and found them to be equally misleading.When I found that his teachings were false, his prophecies were false and also his family life was in tatters, I was devastated. It was such a shocker for me and it was hard for me to digest the fact that Benny Hinn was completely wrong. But God was gracious with me and he picked me out of the bondage of Benny Hinn and slowly my eyes were opened to different kinds of false teachings by different false teachers.
When I started vocal-ling out about this, people started saying that I am talking about a christian preacher and God will be angry with me for this ( I used to do the same thing in 2008). The same people to whom I presented with GMHS book in 2008 are now big time fanatic of Benny Hinn and they see me with contempt and hatred( Many are in my FB friends list. Few have deleted me and a few have blocked me). It is very hard to melt a stone heart. Only when Christians are willing to see the truth, they will understand the truth or else they will live in denial for eternity.
Only when we see things through the light of scripture, with a broken and contrite heart, we will ever learn from God. Once you stand for truth, people will label you as a maniac and a criticizer and also as an accuser. People will also call you as a proud guy , Know-it-all idiot. But once we are faithful to God and once we obey God in His calling, then we will not worry about what people say about us. Satisfying God becomes our first priority. We might have to pay the price of losing friends, entering into the bad books of many people and be labelled as a popularity-seeking guy. But let us keep only one thing in mind- "The one who has called us is faithful and when we are faithful to him, nothing else matters".
-Shielded in God's Love
Prason
