I WAS a fan of Benny Hinn ( Testimony of an ex-Benny Hinn addict)

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

1. 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

Why Christian preachers disobey basic commands of Jesus?

Jesus told this

Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.  But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,  so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Matthew 6:1-4

But today Christian preachers are doing this

Why do these Christian preachers blatantly disobey the words of Jesus?

1) It is because they want to be popular.

2) It is because they do ministry for business

3) They can use these photos in which they pose as if they are helping others for raising funds

4) They serve themselves and not Jesus.

Jesus hates such ministries. But still these people use the name of Jesus in their ministries and do business. God will judge them on his day. Let us not pass judgment on these guys. Their deeds judge themselves.

-Voice in the desert.

Confessions of a Christian Preacher

My name is Shivender Johnson. I come from a Non Christian background. I accepted the Lord through a miracle that happened in our family. From that day onwards,  I always wanted to serve the Lord.  So I attended a 3 month prophetic training course conducted by a powerful evangelist from India.

Then I started building contacts in the Christian circle. Slowly I got opportunity to preach in a christian church. The pastor introduced me as Evangelust. Shivender Johnson. I felt happy. Then I got a few more opportunities to preach in other churches too.

One day a Christian preacher met me and told, " Johnson, You should move to the next level. You should become an International evangelist". I asked him how to become one. He immediately said that inorder to become  world famous evangelist, I should be famous in the online world. He told me to create a portfolio and as a first step asked me to take a photo shoot so that I can use the photos in my website "Johnson Ministries". He also told me that I could use the photos in the banners , pamphlets, cut outs and also in distribution leaflets.

So I approached a Christian photographer who does photoshoots for Christian evangelists. I wore a shirt and jeans pant to the photo studio. The photographer asked me to wear a coat on top of my shirt. I asked "why?". He said "Only if you wear a coat, you will get the preacher effect". So I wore a coat that he gave me. The shirt I wore, the coat I wore never matched with the jeans I was wearing. Then he asked me to stand in a certain position and pose for the camera. I did as he told. 

When I thought he would click the photo, he suddenly stopped and went inside the room. When he returned , he came with a bible in his hands. He gave it to me and said "A Christian preacher should always pose with a Bible in his hands. Only then you will get into the minds of people as a Christian preacher". I followed his instruction and opened the Bible and posed for the snap. He clicked some pictures and the photo shoot ended. When he finished clicking the pictures, I just glanced at the page which I had kept open. It was Matthew 6th chapter. The 5th verse caught my attention.

And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.

When I read the verse, it started to prick me. I started to tremble. Why all these photo shoot? Am I doing this to prove to the world that I am a big evangelist? I am just a servant. But why am I trying to portray myself as an International evangelist? I came out of the photo studio with these thoughts. Thought these thoughts came across my mind, I hardened my heart and continued with my activities. 

Now it has been 3 years since that photo shoot happened. I am now travelling to many countries. But am I travelling to all the countries to preach the gospel? or Am I travelling to all the countries to promote myself and for the money I recieve as offerings? I know the answer to these questions. But it is difficult to openly confess the truth. Tomorrow, I will preaching in a church in Singapore. I saw a banner advertisement in that church's website that advertised about my presence there. It was the same photograph used in that banner. It is not wrong to take pictures and posting it. But the intention of posing for a picture with the Bible and acting like  a evangelist is wrong.

Matthew 6:5 flashed across my mind again.

- Confessions of a Christian preacher is the mind voice of many preachers who have come a long way like Shivender Johnson. Let those who have an ear , Listen and obey to the voice of God.

A echo by
Prason

What will happen to false prophets?

These are the last days. The children of God will go through persecution and not prosperity. Anyone who says otherwise is a false prophet. There are many false preachers who would love to tickle your ears with soothe sayings. Don't believe a word they say. They are all liars. Christianity has many liars in the pulpits. We have these liars in the pulpits because those in the pews have become so lazy that they don't open their bibles and have a personal time with God.

The bible is very clear, that in the last days there won't be any peace between nations and there will be wars, discord and unrest everywhere.  So if anyone says otherwise, he is a liar and a false prophet. Why would any one say something that contradicts the bible? It is because people love hearing good , positive messages. This is why we have many positive inspirational speakers. These speakers use bible verses and give a feel good message. But they are all liars.

The following message is one such example of a big fat lie. God did not say this. This message is a contradiction to biblical truth. This preacher preaches a feel-good message. Beware of such preachers

What does God tell about such Liars?

Then the Lord said to me, “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries and the delusions of their own minds."

 Therefore this is what the Lord says about the prophets who are prophesying in my name: I did not send them, yet they are saying, ‘No sword or famine will touch this land.’ Those same prophets will perish by sword and famine. 

What does God tell about those who believe the prophecies of these liars?

 And the people they are prophesying to will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and sword. There will be no one to bury them, their wives, their sons and their daughters. I will pour out on them the calamity they deserve.

The above three paragraphs are God's very own words recorded in Jeremiah 14 :14 -16

Prosperity Gospel for Dummies

Warning : This is a long post and This post might make you to Hate Me or Any preacher. But As long as you Hate satan with a passion and continue to Love God, I am happy.

Additional Warning : Many names of world renowned Preachers (False) are exposed in this article.

When ever we hear the term "Prosperity Gospel", we usually associate it with Money. You would have heard Tele-Evangelists say aloud on Television," Give to my ministry and God will cancel all your debts". You might have had doubts when Paul Dhinakaran (Jesus calls Ministries)showed his advertising skills using the Kirubasana petti plan, Golden key plan through which he stole money from Sincere Christians. You might have also seen the Late- Oral Roberts crying for money on TV. These are just two examples. If you Turn-ON your television sets and if you ever come across the two channels TBN and God TV, you would come across many anti-christs begging for money 24/7. But if the Prosperity Gospel was only about money, we could perhaps tolerate it. But it encompasses much, much more dangerous dogma than that!

What exactly is the Prosperity Gospel (THE OTHER GOSPEL)

The Prosperity Gospel is also known as "Word of Faith" theology, or the "Health, Wealth, Happiness Gospel

Prosperity Gospel endorses baptism and anointing of materials (Car, House, Bike, Laptop, iphone). It doesn't end there. It also endorses a lot of cultish doctrines.

• Prosperity Gospel preachers always endorse testimonies from people who were abundantly blessed financially because they offered money to those preachers.
• Giving to a ministry results in guaranteed financial gain for the giver - you "give to get"
• Financial generosity toward a ministry will unlock God's blessing on relationships, material gain, debt reduction, and healing
• Jesus Christ was not God in the flesh
• Any born-again man could have redeemed mankind through the atonement of his death
• Jesus Christ became Satan on the Cross
• Jesus Christ won salvation for the world by defeating Satan in Hell. He did not finish his work on the cross
• God can do nothing in the earth unless He is granted permission through the faith-filled words of a Spirit-filled believer
• Any born-again believer is a son or daughter of God and is therefore equal to the Son of God and is therefore a god

All the Prosperity Preachers preach a Gospel message packing their sermon around the above few points. The message might be emotional and inspiring. Some preachers might even use the very name of Jesus throughout their messages. Sincere Christians should open their eyes and discern which Jesus they are talking about? Is it the Jesus Christ of Nazareth from the Bible? Or Is it the Jesus that the preachers created and implanted in the minds of the believers? If you have itchy ears, you will be deceived.

Prosperity Teachers also teach that

1. Poverty is a curse
2. Sickness is a curse

They say that Jesus nailed it all on the cross. This statement itself contradicts their theology which is based on the belief that Jesus went to Hell and was tortured in hell. We should understand that Poverty and Sickness are still allowed by God to show two things

1. When we live in poverty, we understand a lot of things. I am not endorsing any poverty Gospel. Jesus came as a poor man to make us rich in spirit even when we are poor. Being Rich or being Poor is not the question. Even if we are rich or even if we are poor, do we have the heart to Give and love one another? This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Prosperity Gospel doesn't see this truth
2. When we are sick (Chastisement / Diet / Evil forces -allowed by God), we should remember that God can heal us. Sickness is allowed by God so that we can recognize his supremacy and his healing power in us.

Most of the prosperity preachers who preached that "Sickness is a Curse" died after a prolonged illness ( eg - Late DGS Dhinakaran)

The prosperity Enforcer - Jesse Duplantis stated the following in his book.

The very first thing on Jesus' agenda was to get rid of poverty! Would you like to know why some people, including ministries, never get out of poverty? It's not because they aren't smart. It's not because they don't have windows of opportunity. It's because they're not anointed. If you're not anointed, poverty will follow you all the days of your life. His first objective was to get rid of poverty. Obviously, He considered poverty a worse problem than blind eyes.Jesse Duplantis, relating the account of Jesus reading from Luke 4:18 and from this text), Nov. 1997 Voice of the Covenant, p.5

Which Bible does Jesse read? The problem with Sincere Bible believing Christians is the failure to understand between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant.

Prosperity teachers quotes verses of earthly blessings mainly from the Old Testament (Totally out of context) and many sincere Christians have been victims to the twisted teaching from the pulpit . (One noted Prosperity teacher in Chennai is Rev Sam Chelladurai -AFT. He preaches this hellish doctrine too)

The prosperity teachers often say that Poverty is a curse, and they force the sheep to give money to the church by giving them a false promise that when they give money to the Church, God will bless them. This was found in the first century too. Apostle Paul mentions this in his letter to Titus

They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach.Titus 1:11

Though earthly prosperity was a God given blessing in the Old Testament, Many prophets of God warned the sheep about "Money-Minded" preachers in the Old Testament also. Prophet Jeremiah's words echo this

The priests did not say, ‘Where is the LORD?’Those who handle the law did not know me;the shepherds transgressed against me;the prophets prophesied by Baaland went after things that do not profit. Jeremiah 2:8

Now prosperity preachers often say that sickness is a curse by quoting a verse from 3rd book of John

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.3John 2

It is true that the Scripture presents good health, sufficient wealth and peace with contentment (happiness) as the blessing of God. But prosperity teachers twist this verse and say that it is the perfect will of God for these qualities to be displayed in the believer- in the sense that if someone is not enjoying these blessings then they are logically out of the will of God. Suffering, lack, ill health, has no place in the scheme of the Prosperity Gospel. Yet, these qualities are also sometimes the blessing of God. Paul writes that suffering as a blessing in his letter to the Romans.

More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces enduranceRomans 5:3

The prosperity preachers have just not twisted the words " Poverty" and "Sickness" . They have even given a new definition to the word "FAITH" which is unbiblical (By joning a couple of non-related verses from the Bible that talks about Faith)

Rather than faith being the gift of God to believe, "faith", to the Prosperity Preacher, becomes a force that believers can harness to exert spiritual power over their circumstances. While faith is the force, wordsare the containers of that force. Prosperity preachers call this "positive confession". Hence, they are also identified as Word of faith preachers because of this novel teaching about faith.

Kenneth Copeland ( Another wolf in Sheep's Clothing )

The force of faith is released by words. Faith-filled words put the law of the Spirit of life into operation." Kenneth Copeland, "The Force of Faith", Ft. Worth: Kenneth Copeland Publications, 1983

According to Benny Hinn, Christians can use faith to prevent sickness (because it is never God's will for people to be sick, according to the Prosperity Gospel).

If the apostle Paul had received a revelation about the power of faith that Copeland and Benny had, he would never had suffered and certainly he would never have been imprisoned. What the apostle Paul didn't know, apparently, was that he could use faith as a force to change his circumstances by speaking it into existence.The teaching about faith by Prosperity Teachers is wrong. Biblical faith is not a force.Faith, according to the Scriptures is a gift from God.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God Ephesians 2:8

Biblically, the object of faith is not the circumstance that the believer needs changing, but: God. The believer's faith is meant to be in God not in the ability to change their circumstances! Yet prominent Prosperity Preacher, Marilyn Hickey, teaches that " faith" can be used to "create money". She says that believers should use their faith to speak to their wallets ("bill-folds") and command them to be filled with money 

Yet, there is a gift of faith that Romans 12:3 and 1 Corinthians 12:9 talks about. In this instance it seems that God gives someone the gift of faith so that they can be faithful in a particular task/project/ministry. Without this kind of Biblical faith there are countries that would never have been evangelised, hospitals not built, schools not established, churches not planted, and lives not reached. Not only does our Sovereign God ordain the election of His chosen ones, but He also ordains the means by which His election will be carried out. The role of faith in this process leads to God being glorified and this is the point of faith: the glory of God.

Now if you are fed up with this article, you can stop reading; but if you have a thirst to know more about the Prosperity Gospel teaching, you can read further. The words that follow are not gonna be as sweet as honey. They will prick. So if you can handle it, go ahead and read the rest of the article.

Prosperity teachers always link God with Prosperity with the simple equation - " GOD = PROSPERITY"

The traditional Christian concept of God encompasses His supreme sovereignty, His transcendence over creation, His unique magnificence, and His exclusive attributes (eternality, immutability, omnipresence, omnipotence, and omniscience). As such, God cannot be defined by the parameters of our dimension. That is, we experience the dimensions of space (height/width/depth) and time, but we cannot define the infinite God with such finite (limited) terms. But this is not the view of God presented by the Faith/Prosperity teachers. Their God is a very finite being.

He [God] doesn't even draw a distinction between Himself and us...You know what else that's settled, then, tonight? This hue and cry and controversy that has been spawned by the Devil to try and bring dissension within the body of Christ that we are gods. I am a little god!...I have His name. I'm one with Him. I'm in covenant relation. I am a little god! Critics, be gone!" Paul Crouch, "Praise the Lord" program on TBN [7 July 1986]

K.C Fred Price (Another wolf) went one step ahead and said that God can't don anything unless he receives the permission from the believer

"God can't do anything in this earth realm except what we, the body of Christ, allow Him to do. Now that statement is so--that's so--that's so foreign and so contrary to tradition that, like I said, if they could get their hands on me right now most evangelicals would burn me at the stake and dismember me and feed me to the crocodiles, because they'll consider that statement to be just heresy"Frederick K.C. Price, "Ever Increasing Faith" program on TBN [1 May 1992], audiotape #PR11. Cf. chapter 6, 85.

Copeland went two steps ahead and said that we can even COMMAND God

"As a believer, you have a right to make commands in the name of Jesus. Each time you stand on the Word, you are commanding God to a certain extent because it is His Word." Kenneth Copeland, "Our Covenant with God", Fort Worth, TX: KCP Publications, 1987, 32

Copeland then again committed spiritual prostitution by saying that God is a Failure

"I was shocked when I found out who the biggest failure in the Bible actually is...The biggest one is God...I mean, He lost His top-ranking, most anointed angel; the first man He ever created; the first woman He ever created; the whole earth and all the Fullness therein; a third of the angels, at least--that's a big loss, man... Now, the reason you don't think of God as a failure is He never said He's a failure. And you're not a failure till you say you're oneKenneth Copeland, "Praise-a-Thon" program on TBN [April 1988]

You might be thinking that I am over using Copeland here. But I have a reason here because, he is the God father and spiritual mentor of many Word-Faith Teachers.Many word-Faith teachers copy his quotes in their teachings viz Joyce Meyer, Joel Osteen, John Hagee, Joseph Prince, Chee Ann, John Arnott, Todd Bentley, Kong Hee and many more) 

Kenneth Copeland did not stop with his blasphemies. He even went on to say that God could have even used him ( Instead of Jesus ) to redeem mankind.

"The Spirit of God spoke to me and He said, 'Son, realize this. Now follow me in this and don't let your tradition trip you up.'Think this way--a twice-born man whipped Satan in his own domain.' And I threw my Bible down...like that. I said, 'What?' He said, 'A born-again man defeated Satan, the firstborn of many brethren defeated him.' He said, 'You are the very image, the very copy of that one.' I said, 'Goodness, gracious sakes alive!' And I began to see what had gone on in there, and I said, 'Well now you don't mean, you couldn't dare mean, that I could have done the same thing?' He said, 'Oh yeah, if you'd had the knowledge of the Word of God that He did, you could've done the same thing, cause you're a reborn man too.'"Kenneth Copeland, Substitution and Identification,K. Copeland Ministries, 1989, audiotape #00-0202, Side B.

Contrary to the Prosperity/Word of Faith Teachers, God is not merely spiritually enlightened. Biblically, He is infinitely powerful, infinitely magnificent, infinitely wise and infinitely good. 

He is able to do whatever He pleases and He in no way requires our permission to do anything!

One more thing that the prosperity preachers preach is that Jesus did not complete his work on the cross. 

Different prosperity preachers have different views on this. Check the following three foolish views.

• There was nothing unique about Christ"My, you know, whoosh! The Holy Ghost is just showing me some stuff. I'm getting dizzy! I'm telling you the truth--it's, it's just heavy right now on me...He's (referring to Jesus) in the underworld now. God isn't there, the Holy Ghost isn't there, and the Bible says He was begotten. Do you know what the word begotten means? It means reborn. Do you want another shocker? have you been begotten? So was he. Don't let anyone deceive you. Jesus was reborn. You say, 'What are you talking about?'...He was reborn. He had to be reborn...If He was not reborn, I would never be reborn. How can I face Jesus and say, 'Jesus you went through everything I've gone through, except the new birth?'"Benny Hinn, "Our Position in Christ, Part 11", Orlando, FL: Orlando Christian Centre, 1991, videotape # TV-254

• Our atonement is not the result of the Cross"Do you think that the punishment for our sin was to die on a cross? If that were the case, the two thieves could have paid your price. No, the punishment was to go into hell and to serve time in hell separated from God...Satan and all the demons of hell thought that they had Him bound and they threw a net over Jesus and they dragged Him down to the very pit of hell itself to serve our sentence."Fred K.C. Price, Ever Increasing Faith Messenger, Newsletter Crenshaw Christian Centre, Inglewood, CA. June 1980, p.7

• Christ was actually speaking "words of faith" when he said it was finished because there was still much to be done to achieve the salvation of mankind "When Jesus cried, 'It is finished!' He was not speaking of the plan of redemption. There were still three days and nights to go through before He went to the Throne...Jesus' death on the cross was only the beginning of the complete work of redemption." Kenneth Copeland, "Jesus Our Lord of Glory>", Believer's Voice of Victory, April 1982, p.10

TO ALL THE PROSPERITY PIMPS WHO PREACH FOR THEIR OWN BELLY - IF YOU ARE READING THIS ARTICLE :

STOP YOUR BLASPHEMY, YOU WOLVES. I AM JUST PRAYING TO GOD TO GIVE ME THAT SPIRITUAL WHIP SO THAT YOU COULD BE WHIPPED HARD UNTIL YOU CHANGE YOUR WAYS AND REPENT. ( NO WONDER PAUL WAS ANGRY WHEN HE SAID THAT HE MIGHT EVEN COME WITH A CANE)

How to identify if a preacher is preaching earthly prosperity gospel or the True Gospel?

 1. A prosperity gospel preacher will call those who don't believe in that gospel as "poverty gospel followers". Yes there are many Christians who live in false humility and live like beggars thinking that this is what gospel is all about. Prosperity gospel exponents will label all those who oppose them in this category of Christians who live in false humility. So the first step to identify a prosperity gospel preacher is that he will always attack those who don't accept his prosperity gospel message.

2. Prosperity gospel preachers will quote the prosperity verses quoted in the old testament as blessings. This is where Christians get deceived in a bigger way. In the old testament the blessing was mainly earthly blessings. Abraham's blessings flowed across generations (Abraham did not enjoy the blessings. But his generation enjoyed it. Solomon asked for wisdom and God blessed him with earthly riches. Many of the old testament promises circle around earthly blessings. Even the psalmist David in many of his psalms thanks God for blessing him materially. We also see that David also asks God to punish his enemies in the psalms. This is old covenant teaching. But in the New covenant - after the coming of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ, the blessings are spiritual and not earthly blessings. But many present day preachers who preach on new Covenant say that we are not under the Old covenant and we are not bound by the law. But still when it comes to blessings, they go back to all the blessings mentioned in the old testament.

3. Many earthly prosperity preachers use the classic example of Job. They teach that Satan stole everything that Job had. So Satan steals your money and makes you poor but you can drive away Satan in the name of Jesus Christ. This kind of teaching is not biblical. We have to note that Job did not have the power to drive away Satan using the name of Jesus. He did not even know why he was going through the pain. But he always held on to God even when he had nothing. That is what we have to learn from Job. Job did not curse God. Also we have to know that Satan is very cunning that he gives worldly blessings and material prosperity to people (He tried to tempt Jesus with earthly blessings too). Many believers fall prey to this trick of Satan. This is why the bible clearly tells us that we can't serve God and Mammon. Many Christians are taught that if they follow Jesus they will get materially rich. This world is just a passing phase for us. This is not our home. Our home is heaven.

4.I have often heard preachers say that if you are poor, it is because Satan has stolen your inheritance. They even preach that the sign of being a child of God is being materially prosperous. But only a child of God will know that when we truly follow Christ there will be more material and earthly losses than gains. Satan is a thief; but he is not out there to steal our money. He is out there to steal our soul. Many run behind money and lose their soul. Beware of earthly prosperity preachers. 1 Timothy 6th chapter explains the difference between true followers of Christ and those who follow money.

So does this mean that God will not bless his children?

No. God takes care of our needs. He is our provider. He knows what is best for us. He does not make us greedy. Matthew 6:33 explains this in the best possible way. The Apostles of Christ lived for Christ. They lived for His kingdom and they never ran after money. But today a whole breed of Christian believers are created to follow another Jesus (2 Cor 11:4).

Paul's words in Phil 1:21 should be in the breath of every Christian. " For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain".

- Shielded in God's love

Prason

For any clarifications in this article, please mail the author at prason@chronicwriter.com