Why Are Many Against Word Of faith?

[jsca777]

Romans10:8 mentions that this is the Word of faith which we preach. So why are many in the body of Christ opposive to Word of faith churches? Just because there are some who twist scriptures around that pertain to healing and being blessed, doesn't mean that this is some false gospel or cultish group. The truth is God desires for us to be blessed(Jeremiah29:11, John14:13, 3rd John, vs2, Psalms84:11,12). Jesus is the healer(Isaiah53:3, 1st Peter2:24).

The problem is, there are certain preachers that are only there for money. They don't care about people's well being. The bible already mentions of people like that. Jesus said that by their fruits you shall know them(Matthew7:20, Matthew12:33). Whatever comes out of a person shows who they really are. You should be able to see that someone is a fraud artist by what fruit they produce. You should be able to see by knowing a preacher if they are really for God or just for money and selfish gain.

Believing in the power of God to heal, deliver, restore, and bless people who live in obedience to God's Word is not the same things as those type of preachers have thrown towards the body of Christ. The truth is, Jesus sent out His disciples to heal the sick, cleanse the leper and cast out devils(Matthew10:1-8). He did the same with the 70 followers(Luke10:1-19), and commands His church to do the same(Mark16:17). God doesn't want us living in poverty, sickness, disease and infirmity, He wants us to be healed and delivered. Those who preach for money don't teach much on deliverance and spiritual warfare. they focus their teaching on give to be blessed and if you don't give to "THEIR" ministry, that God will curse you.

Edited January 10, 2010 by jsca777

[OneLight]

It is not speaking a word in faith that I am against, I am against those who tell people that all they need to do is say it , believe it, and God, like a puppet will grant it. These people make the poor, sick, undereducated, hard-shipped people feel like they are not Christian enough because they don't believe enough.

WOF it has it's place when it is balanced with the rest of scripture. It is when people take this idea and make it a church that it is wrong.

[Blien]

I'll tell you why I have a problem with it. The people at these churches most of the time look like they are with familiar spirits. They exhibit very similar symptoms to the demon possessed or witches... but if those signs were not there then I would have openly accepted it.

I asked God about this and I keep praying to Him, even today I have plans to seek His face about this before I go to bed. I want to understand, I want my spiritual eyes to be opened again and my spiritual discernment to be strengthened. I want to see just of what spirit these churchs are of.

The Bible warns that in the Last time, many will be decived by a STRONG deception. That's why I'm very careful about just who I receive a message from.

2 Thessalonians 2:10-12

..and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them STRONG delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Many times also in these churches they claim to have very special knowledge or hidden things from Heaven are revealed to them only. This is exactly what The Apostle Paul went through during his time.

In fact another problem is many having very strong emphasis on the angels.. didn't Paul rebuke the Colossians in that epistle about them focusing too much on angels and not on Jesus Christ???

2 Corinthians 11:2-6

Paul and the False Apostles...

I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough. But I do not think I am in the least inferior to those "super-apostles." I may not be a trained speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way.

2 Corinthians 11:4

For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.

[Blien]

It is not speaking a word in faith that I am against, it is those who tell people that all they need to do is say it , believe it, and God, like a puppet will grant it. These people make the poor, sick, undereducated, hard-shipped people like they are not Christian enough because they don't believe enough.

WOF it has it's place when it is balanced with the rest of scripture. It is when people take this idea and make it a church that it is wrong.

That's another excellent point. Many times people at these churches, the church leaders try to "force" the HOLY SPIRIT or JESUS to do something. One of them said to "Tote" the Ghost.... hello!!! Who else does this except witches and shaman's.. who try to manipulate spiritual powers to do there bidding... NOT GOD's WILL!

p.s. I hope I dont come off as offensive to you but it just gets me mad that these people do these things diluting the true message of the Bible which is Forgiveness of Sin and Repentance and MOST importantly preaching the word! Not falling down and shaking from selfish "euphoria" if that is what it is in the first place...

[Ovedya]

Well, let's see, ehere should I start.

Okay, first,

Romans10:8 mentions that this is the Word of faith which we preach.

Actually, it says that it is the word of the faith which we preach. The word of the faith is the faith common to all the saints, it is the gospel which was prepared beforehand.

This is not the same thing as Word of faith teaching or theology.

So why are many in the body of Christ opposive to Word of faith churches? Just because there are some who twist scriptures around that pertain to healing and being blessed, doesn't mean that this is some false gospel or cultish group. The truth is God desires for us to be blessed(Jeremiah29:11, John14:13, 3rd John, vs2, Psalms84:11,12). Jesus is the healer(Isaiah53:3, 1st Peter2:24).

God's desire is not material wealth or "blessing." God's desire is revealed in Eph. 1:1-12, which is His economy - that which He willed and purposed in Himself. God's economy is centered around Christ as our redemption, as our life, as our everything; who through the process of incarnation, human living, death, resurrection, and ascension, accomplished all that God had purposed; and who is accomplishing God's economy in the Body of Christ, the church, who is His corporate bride. Healing and material blessings are simply normal manifestations of the overcomers' faithfulness by seeking to be One with Him in His economy.

The problem is, there are certain preachers that are only there for money. They don't care about people's well being. The bible already mentions of people like that. Jesus said that by their fruits you shall know them(Matthew7:20, Matthew12:33). Whatever comes out of a person shows who they really are. You should be able to see that someone is a fraud artist by what fruit they produce. You should be able to see by knowing a preacher if they are really for God or just for money and selfish gain.

Many don't. That's the problem. As was observed in another thread, Joel Osteen draws more than 40 thousand people every Sunday. His teachings are not centered at all around God's economy, but around "feel good" motivational techniques.

Believing in the power of God to heal, deliver, restore, and bless people who live in obedience to God's Word is not the same things as those type of preacher shave thrown towards the body of Christ. The truth is, Jesus sent out His disciples to heal the sick, cleanse the leper and cast out devils(Matthew10:1-8). He did the same with the 70 followers(Luke10:1-19), and commands His church to do the same(Mark16:17).

No. Jesus did not command the church to go forth and cast out demons and to heal. That is not the meaning of Mark 16:17. Jesus merely said that, "these signs will accompany those that believe in my name." Nowhere in the New Testament, in any of Jesus' teachings, will you find that He commanded us, the church, to go forth and heal or teach prosperity. In fact, in the context of that verse in Mark, the fulfillment of what He said was in verse 20. We know that the apostles performed these signs in acts, and we also know that healing is a gift given to the Body, but the focus of "going forth into the world" is not to preach healing or prosperity. IN fact, there is no evidence Biblically that any of the apostles held "healing crusades" or that the act of healing as a ministry is sanctioned by the Lord. In fact there is evidence from the Lord's own teachings that He will hold such persons personally responsible: "Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, was it not in Your name that we prophesied, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name did many works of power? And then I will declare to them: I never knew you. Depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness." (Matt. 7:22-23). The word "knew" in this verse can also be translated "approved." Jesus never approved of such works of power.

God doesn't want us living in poverty, sickness, disease and infirmity, He wants us to be healed and delivered.

Who says that God does not permit it for a greater purpose. To say that God "doesn't want" would indicate that He is powerless to do anything about our own poverty and sickness. Is God powerless over cancer?

Those who preach for money don't teach much on deliverance and spiritual warfare. they focus their teaching on give to be blessed and if you don't give to "THEIR" ministry, that God will curse you.

Actually they do. It's their modus operandi in fact. Listen to a WOF teacher and you hear the word "deliverance" all the time. IN fact, some even teach that if you have not been delivered from your sickness or poverty, either problem is you're faithlessness or you must have a demon. They actually use terms like, "demon of sickness, demon of this, demon of that, etc.," as if there are actually demons in control of those things. It's not just extra-Biblical, it's completely absurd. See, they need you to think that you're in warfare with these various demons. They need you to believe that being hyper-spiritual - filled with faith to the point that you fall down and twitch on the floor, or bark like dog, or spontaneously speak in an unknown tongue with your eyes rolled back in your head - will help you to conquer those demons. Then you can sew your "love gift" in that same spirit of faith to be freed from the bondage of financial debt.

[jsca777]

The body of Christ needs to be taught to live by the Word of God. The Word of God is power. God gives us power against the enemy(Luke10:19). He gave us the armour of God to fight against the wiles of the devil(Ephesians6:10-18). We as christians need to fight the good fight of faith(1st Timothy6:12). We need to fight for our breakthru's and to get back what the adversary has stolen from us.

If we know the Word, then we avoid being decieved. Jesus said to know the truth and the truth will set you free(John8:32). The truth is found in His Word and is the first part of the armour of God. When you know the truth, no wolf in sheeps clothing can manipulate you into giving them money. The truth is, you cannot purchase the blessings of God. God is not into fear mongering either. 2nd Timothy1:7 mentions that God has not given us a spirit of fear.

[Ovedya]

The body of Christ needs to be taught to live by the Word of God. The Word of God is power. God gives us power against the enemy(Luke10:19). He gave us the armour of God to fight against the wiles of the devil(Ephesians6:10-18). We as christians need to fight the good fight of faith(1st Timothy6:12). We need to fight for our breakthru's and to get back what the adversary has stolen from us.

If we know the Word, then we avoid being decieved. Jesus said to know the truth and the truth will set you free(John8:32). The truth is found in His Word and is the first part of the armour of God. When you know the truth, no wolf in sheeps clothing can manipulate you into giving them money. The truth is, you cannot purchase the blessings of God. God is not into fear mongering either. 2nd Timothy1:7 mentions that God has not given us a spirit of fear.

The greatest problem in Christendom is one of perspective: The majority of Christendom actually believes that we have to "fight in the faith" against the devil. The Bible never teaches this perspective. Rather, the Bible teaches that the more we "resist the devil" through the gaining of Christ, through the process of growth in the divine life, then the devil will flee from us. Satan has no power over the built up and built together believers in Christ.

One of Satan's greatest mean of usurpation is to distract Christians from growing in the divine life with these little "spiritual battles." Teach a man to fight and he will starve to death. Teach a man to eat and he will grow the point that no one will dare challenge him.

[jsca777]

Well, let's see, ehere should I start.

Okay, first,

Romans10:8 mentions that this is the Word of faith which we preach.

Actually, it says that it is the word of the faith which we preach. The word of the faith is the faith common to all the saints, it is the gospel which was prepared beforehand.

This is not the same thing as Word of faith teaching or theology.

jsca777-The point is, we are to believe in the Word and we are live by faith. Word of faith churches live by this and get called a cult, get accused of false teachings just because they believe in the power of God to heal, deliver and set the captives free.

So why are many in the body of Christ opposive to Word of faith churches? Just because there are some who twist scriptures around that pertain to healing and being blessed, doesn't mean that this is some false gospel or cultish group. The truth is God desires for us to be blessed(Jeremiah29:11, John14:13, 3rd John, vs2, Psalms84:11,12). Jesus is the healer(Isaiah53:3, 1st Peter2:24).

Ovedya-God's desire is not material wealth or "blessing." God's desire is revealed in Eph. 1:1-12, which is His economy - that which He willed and purposed in Himself. God's economy is centered around Christ as our redemption, as our life, as our everything; who through the process of incarnation, human living, death, resurrection, and ascension, accomplished all that God had purposed; and who is accomplishing God's economy in the Body of Christ, the church, who is His corporate bride. Healing and material blessings are simply normal manifestations of the overcomers' faithfulness by seeking to be One with Him in His economy.

Jsca777-Healing and blessings are manifestations, but if you teach on that, you get called a geretic, a false teacher, etc.

Believing in the power of God to heal, deliver, restore, and bless people who live in obedience to God's Word is not the same things as those type of preacher shave thrown towards the body of Christ. The truth is, Jesus sent out His disciples to heal the sick, cleanse the leper and cast out devils(Matthew10:1-8). He did the same with the 70 followers(Luke10:1-19), and commands His church to do the same(Mark16:17).

Ovedya-No. Jesus did not command the church to go forth and cast out demons and to heal. That is not the meaning of Mark 16:17. Jesus merely said that, "these signs will accompany those that believe in my name." Nowhere in the New Testament, in any of Jesus' teachings, will you find that He commanded us, the church, to go forth and heal or teach prosperity. In fact, in the context of that verse in Mark, the fulfillment of what He said was in verse 20. We know that the apostles performed these signs in acts, and we also know that healing is a gift given to the Body, but the focus of "going forth into the world" is not to preach healing or prosperity. IN fact, there is no evidence Biblically that any of the apostles held "healing crusades" or that the act of healing as a ministry is sanctioned by the Lord. In fact there is evidence from the Lord's own teachings that He will hold such persons personally responsible: "Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, was it not in Your name that we prophesied, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name did many works of power? And then I will declare to them: I never knew you. Depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness." (Matt. 7:22-23). The word "knew" in this verse can also be translated "approved." Jesus never approved of such works of power.

Jsca777-Jesus says "In My Name they shall cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues(vs.17), and he also mentions in vs.18 that they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover. This is Kingdom minded christianity. To get people healed, delivered. When Jesus sent out the disciples, it was the work of the Kingdom of God. Vs.1 mentions that Jesus gave them power over unclean spirits(demon spirits) to cast them out, and to heal all menner of sickness and disease. Much of what Jesus did was healing and casting out devils. The apostles did that(as you can read in the book of Acts) because they believed in the power of God to do so. Peter told the lame man "In the Name of Jesus Christ, rise up and walk(Acts3:6)." The apostle Paul casted that spirit of divination(Acts16:16). The church has the power to cast out devils in Jesus Name. But many don't believe in that?

God doesn't want us living in poverty, sickness, disease and infirmity, He wants us to be healed and delivered.

Ovedya-Who says that God does not permit it for a greater purpose. To say that God "doesn't want" would indicate that He is powerless to do anything about our own poverty and sickness. Is God powerless over cancer?

Jsca777-Why would God want people sick? Why would He want people in poverty? There's no purpose for Him to desire that for us. The devil is behind poverty and wants to keep people in bondage to it.

Those who preach for money don't teach much on deliverance and spiritual warfare. they focus their teaching on give to be blessed and if you don't give to "THEIR" ministry, that God will curse you.

Ovedya-Actually they do. It's their modus operandi in fact. Listen to a WOF teacher and you hear the word "deliverance" all the time. IN fact, some even teach that if you have not been delivered from your sickness or poverty, either problem is you're faithlessness or you must have a demon. They actually use terms like, "demon of sickness, demon of this, demon of that, etc.," as if there are actually demons in control of those things. It's not just extra-Biblical, it's completely absurd. See, they need you to think that you're in warfare with these various demons. They need you to believe that being hyper-spiritual - filled with faith to the point that you fall down and twitch on the floor, or bark like dog, or spontaneously speak in an unknown tongue with your eyes rolled back in your head - will help you to conquer those demons. Then you can sew your "love gift" in that same spirit of faith to be freed from the bondage of financial debt.

Jsca777-There are demons behind these things. Jesus casted out a spirit of infirmity out of the woman who had been bent over for 18 years(Luke13:11-13). Jesus casted out a devil out of a blind man(Matthew12:22). That demon caused the man to be blind. Jesus casted out a deaf and dumb spirit out of a boy in Mark9:17-29. Ananias and Sapphira were used of the devil and lied to God(Acts5:1-10). When Philip got people delivered, demons came out of many(Acts8:7).

Jesus came to set the captives free(Luk4:18). Setting peopel free is deliverance. Deliverance is getting people healed, getting demons casted out of people and destroying the yoke or influence they have on people. It's right in the bible(nothing extra biblical there), yet many in the church reject this???

[jsca777]

The body of Christ needs to be taught to live by the Word of God. The Word of God is power. God gives us power against the enemy(Luke10:19). He gave us the armour of God to fight against the wiles of the devil(Ephesians6:10-18). We as christians need to fight the good fight of faith(1st Timothy6:12). We need to fight for our breakthru's and to get back what the adversary has stolen from us.

If we know the Word, then we avoid being decieved. Jesus said to know the truth and the truth will set you free(John8:32). The truth is found in His Word and is the first part of the armour of God. When you know the truth, no wolf in sheeps clothing can manipulate you into giving them money. The truth is, you cannot purchase the blessings of God. God is not into fear mongering either. 2nd Timothy1:7 mentions that God has not given us a spirit of fear.

The greatest problem in Christendom is one of perspective: The majority of Christendom actually believes that we have to "fight in the faith" against the devil. The Bible never teaches this perspective. Rather, the Bible teaches that the more we "resist the devil" through the gaining of Christ, through the process of growth in the divine life, then the devil will flee from us. Satan has no power over the built up and built together believers in Christ.

One of Satan's greatest mean of usurpation is to distract Christians from growing in the divine life with these little "spiritual battles." Teach a man to fight and he will starve to death. Teach a man to eat and he will grow the point that no one will dare challenge him.

Spiritual warfare against the enemy really works. Taking authority over demons in the Name of Jesus and over the works of witchcraft, curses, spells, jinxes, hexes, really causes the kingdom of hell to tremble. That's why the witches at my work place don't like the fact that I know what they do.

[MelodyCat]

I'm sorry but the Word of Fatih (WOF) also give people False Hope which hurts many Christians deeply.

They don't just teach a False Properity doctrine but some also Teach a False Healing doctrine as well.

Twisted scripture can cause great heartache for the innocent Believer who is convinced it is true.

If the WOFs only did preach about Healing as the Bible teaches us. No they add to it and claim things God ever promised.

Have you listened to and compared what these WOF preachers teach compared to the Bible.

Here is one small example. God must heal you because it is your right to make Him fufill His promise. God is contracted to do what He says. So you just need to keep praying until you get your healing.

That is making God your Servant or Geannie. God does and can heal but He is not under any legal obligation to give it to us.

Also conveninetly some WOF preachers only point to scriptures where Jesus healed all the people when they came to Him. Now there are a few occassions where that is the truth, but the Bible also records Jesus couldn't heal in his own home town and Jesus often only ehaled one person here or there not every person. Remember Jesus came for the Jews, Jesus was healing .......... Jews only on a rare occassion did Jesus heal a gentile that begged Him for healing. Yet they teach that all Believers are able to get their healing! And some calim that we are not to have sickness because we are of God. Were not some of the people that served Paul recorded as being sick and they had to go through there sickness until it ended, Paul who could miraculously heal people was unable to heal these men. Conveniently not mentioned by WOF as it would dicredit there False Teaching. And when someone isn't healed then they claim it's your Sin. Not every sickness is due to SIN and it a convenient cop out for them but leaves the person devasted and then thinking they can never be healed becasue we will all struggle with some kind of Sin and our very nature is Sin until the day we are perfected in heaven. Yet these WOF preachers will totally overlook scripture that says we have our hearts sprinkled clean and we are washed in pure water so we can confidently come before the Throne of Grace with our requests. Our Sins were fully paid for by Christ and we are not separated from God love by our Sins nor are we denied healing due to Sins for those who are in Christ have been made righteous. We are under Grace not the Law as when Jesus was here.

I haven't bothered giving detailed scriptures etc.. But these WOF preachers have a lot to be accountable for. They teach people incorrectly to claim healing and when they don't get it their faith is shot and most never try again living their lives thinking they will probably never get healing or getting bitter and angry with Gode for not giving them what they wanted.

I won't even go into the Benny Hinn type preachers who tell you to throw away your medication and don't take it because God has already healed you and by continuing to take your medication you are not Trusting God. There was a 3 year court case (Australia) about wether or Benny Hinn Ministeries contributed to the death of someone who was told she has been healed and she didn't ahve to take her medication. The court ruled this was a choice by this woman to follow her Faith and that she was not being forced to stop taking her medication.

These WOF preachers are dangerous to people's physical and spiritual health.

Edited January 10, 2010 by MelodyCat