Touch Not God's Anointed

[Faith1]

Greetings Patsy and Gary,

WOW is our Lord going to use you both to help His poor deceived children out of the mess they gotten themselves into.

I personally support you both teaching Christians like me who really have no idea what this/that 'stuff' is all about.

It was an eye opener for me just to read your last 2 posts...I knew it was "off" but I did not realize how off! and it has/will lead me to the throne of grace (now that has got to be a good thing)

Romans 8:28 tells us that God will bring all together for good...and I truly believe He will use your experience and testimony and witness of these things for His good and to His glory.

I'm in full support ...and praying!

In Christ

Guessa

[Catsmeow]

This one quote is from Kenneth Copeland. He is pretending to speak in tongues and is really saying, "Come take the mark of the beast." 

NO second-hand-gossip--NO -WeLL I heard that"????"----ONLY those that had been to the meetings, bought the tapes, taped the tv programs, bought the books & had been bilked out of very serious money & had their hearts broken when the LORD finally showed them that ALL these people that had called you brother & sister were really false-prophets, false-teachers, deceivers that were really only after your MONEY & then their ultimate goal was & IS to lead you into a  "CULT"

Question: How do you know he was really saying, "Come take the mark of the beast." ? I mean, this is an honest question, Gary. If he was speaking some mumbo-jumbo, how could you tell? Was it like the Beatles White Album and you play the song backwards and there's back-masking?

Don't misunderstand - I'm not being sarcastic but you can't see me so I want to be clear about my intent.

I am just wondering how you know what is said...sincere curiosity.

Question: I understand that if you document what is said, that stands as clear evidence of wrong-doing and in this case, a righteous judgement is made because it's based on the facts.

The problem I have is the "Guilt by association"...I believe sincerely that Joyce Meyers is a godly spirit-filled woman yet she has been blasted simply because she's seen "associating" with WOF teachers. Just asking for clarity here.

[Guest New Creature]

Wow, Dove2 your last post really touched me. Your words potrayed exactly how I feel. I am confused, angry, I don't know where to turn. I am only one month into finding out that I have been lied to for five years.

I would like to say that we should start a thread on the WoF. I have bought the books and tapes. I have gone to meetings and one very poplular miracle crusade. I have sown my seed. I have allowed these "teachers" to influence the way I think and believe.

The hardest part of all this is that I don't know how to talk to God anymore. I feel like the wonderful realationship that I had with the Lord has now been tainted. I really don't know what to do. I do know that I want to be fully educated on what these people are doing. I haven't found out if it is on purpose, but in my heart I think they do know what they are doing. For me it all comes down to the twisting of the Word. Theres just no getting past that.

Anyway I do hope we can start a thread on this. I need to talk about it and get it out of me. Then maybe I can move on and learn how to be a real Christian. It is my hope that maybe I can find some help on this board. I can tell that you all love God as much as I do.

Thanks for letting me rant on. God Bless.

[OneAccord]

The hardest part of all this is that I don't know how to talk to God anymore. I feel like the wonderful realationship that I had with the Lord has now been tainted.

New Creature:

I suffered from this problem bigtime. I didn't even know how to pray anymore, because I had been taught how to pray by these people and I had to undo all that and try to get real with the Lord on my own.

I did a lot of internet research, I learned a lot on this board and got a lot of support here when I was decompressing. I found a message board of ex-WOFers that helped me as well. I could search for that link if it would help you.

The way I dealt with it in the beginning, after I did all the internet research and everything, was I turned off all the Christian media, even the radio and the latest hotselling books. No more tapes, no more sermons. I quit going to church entirely while I sorted it all out.

I took my Bible and started in Genesis and read it straight through to Revelation, without any study bible or men's interpretations. The New Testament would have been enough, Matthew to Revelation because it's all there for us. Then after I felt like I had a proper foundation in the Word with the Holy Spirit for my only guide, I was much better equipped to start discerning all the teachings for myself.

Nowadays, I like to look to the writings of the old-fashioned Christians, anything written before the 20th century. Their writings seem less 'polluted' by this consumer culture we have today.

The Lord will meet you where you are at. He loves you. He led you out of there, and He is able lead you forward in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Now that I am where I can look back on it all, I can tell you that you have some wonderful and precious moments aheads of you as you seek a deeper, more genuine relationship with Him. My time without a church was dear to me, because I learned that if I can't stand with the Lord by myself and need the programs and props and teachings of men to have a proper relationship with Him, then I'm not there yet.

As for prayer, I learned to spend my prayer time thanking Him instead of asking Him for things. Focus on learning how to praise Him, and how to thank Him for a while.

Later when I felt humbled enough to ask for things, I ALWAYS say, "If it is Your will". (WOF teaches you NEVER to say "if it is Your will) Ask for wisdom and understanding, ask for knowledge of His will.

Colossians 1:9-12 is a wonderful prayer to pray and to study:

....that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, acording to His glorious power; for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.

New Creature, I wonder if you would share whether you are still attending the church and trying to get out, or whether you have left it already. Also if the people there are giving you problems about leaving. When we left ours, it felt like we were getting a divorce or something, it was a very wierd time for us.

[Guest New Creature]

OneAccord thank you for your kind words. It is comforting to know of others that have been where I am and have come out better people.

I need to clear up something. I do not have a church. I was raised by a good Christian mother but we went to church rarely because of family issues. I lived a very carnel life for years. I only called on God during times of crisis. Then in 1999 when I was 33 I rededicated my life to the Lord. I do want to say that it was Benny Hinns book "Good Mornoing Holy Spirit" that brought me to the Lord. Somehow I did not get the wrong message from the book. My hunger for the Lord was like nothing I had ever felt. I rushed out and bought me a good NKJV study Bible and poured over it. I did my own doctrinal study from this Bible. I do believe that it was this time in the Word that protected me from complete brain washing of the WoF.

My church was Christian television. Here in Florida we have our own Christian television station run by a man named Claud Bowers. I became a partner with this station in 1999. Claud is building a forty million dollar building that will be the new home of the T.V. station and be a pulpit to the world. Theres alot to it, but that is how I got involved with WoF. I watched all the WoF teachers shows and every telethon that Claud had. Which is a least twice a year. He has all the WoF people that are the most famous on his telethon. Until last month when I found out the truth I believed these people to be real men and women of God.

Claud has been having another telethon this whole last week. Every night there has been a WoF pastor on with a special word from God. Of course God has given them all a special amount to sow so we can get our miracle. I can't began to tell you what it is like to watch these people with my knew understanding. I can see them so clearly as manipulators of poor people that are hurting and looking for answers.

I am trying to find the best way to end my parnership with the T.V. station and some of the other WoF ministries that I am hooked uo with. I don't want anything of theirs coming to my house. I have already thrown away lots of books, tapes, newsletters and magazines. I just can't get over how I could have fallen for their beliefs.

Its not just me either. My sister was very much caught up with them. She has sown thousands of dollars that she did not have. She was believing to get out of debt. Instead she had to file bankruptsy and lose her house. I have watched my sister get so mad at God because she was doing everything that she had been taught and was not seeing her breakthrough. I will tell you that she has done a complete 180 as I have. I have had her go to all the web sites that speak so clearly on what these false teachers are saying and doing.

Why does God permit this to go on is something I would dearly love to understand.

[Guest dove2]

Wow, Dove2 your last post really touched me. Your words potrayed exactly how I feel. I am confused, angry, I don't know where to turn. I am only one month into finding out that I have been lied to for five years.

I would like to say that we should start a thread on the WoF. I have bought the books and tapes. I have gone to meetings and one very poplular miracle crusade. I have sown my seed. I have allowed these "teachers" to influence the way I think and believe.

The hardest part of all this is that I don't know how to talk to God anymore. I feel like the wonderful realationship that I had with the Lord has now been tainted. I really don't know what to do. I do know that I want to be fully educated on what these people are doing. I haven't found out if it is on purpose, but in my heart I think they do know what they are doing. For me it all comes down to the twisting of the Word. Theres just no getting past that.

Anyway I do hope we can start a thread on this. I need to talk about it and get it out of me. Then maybe I can move on and learn how to be a real Christian. It is my hope that maybe I can find some help on this board. I can tell that you all love God as much as I do.

Thanks for letting me rant on. God Bless.

New Creature, My new Brother or Sister in the Lord,

I see you are new on the board and I welcome you. Praise the Lord you are here. You are so loved of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We will start a thread for those coming out of the WOF cult.

I am sitting here with tears streaming down my face and heart broken knowing where you are at in your walk with the Lord and what your heart is truly saying.

I can only tell you things by telling you how I felt. I first denied that these things existed. I could not believe that these things were true about these teachers even though I heard them myself. I denied that fact. I was afraid to say a word against these preachers. Touch not my anointed, you know.

The first thing I had to do was admit that the Word of Faith teachers were making merchandise of people as the Bible states in II Peter 2:1-3, . This was the hardest thing I ever had to say out loud. It hurt me so deeply to admit this for fear I was touching God

[Guest dove2]

This one quote is from Kenneth Copeland. He is pretending to speak in tongues and is really saying, "Come take the mark of the beast."

[Guest dove2]

Thanks for your encouraging word Guessa.

[Catsmeow]

There are little "buzz-words" that need to be recognized that they use and then the truth can be determined and the understanding what is actually being taught.

Our question is: Why would one want to associate with WOF teachers if they are truly of God? 

I sympathize with what you've gone through. We've all gone through some ugly experiences with people who claim to be working for the Kingdom.

I want to just address a couple of things re: Joyce. The buzz words I'm aware of is "seed money" which I know she's used. Could be that's how she sees it. There's too much wisdom in what she says for the Holy Spirit not to be working in her.

I hope you'll hear me when I say what I'm going to say next. Joyce is not arrogant...she a tough lady who's been through some bad times.

I remember her once sharing how hurt and crushed she was when friends she trusted (oh, boy...I know this feeling!) began to spread unkind things about her and calling her "New Age"...She was so misunderstood.

I know that feeling, Gary/Pasty. I know that feeling. To have people judge the outward appearance without really asking or trying to understand.

You did mention why would someone want to associate with WOF teachers if they are of God... I couldn't help but imagine the religious leaders saying the same of Jesus when he ate and drank with sinners.

Friends, we don't want to ever go that way.

You know, she may be in error in her perception of this issue...but I don't think she means harm to anyone. The bulk of her messages are not prosperity.

I noticed many prosperity teachers are so focused on wealth, it's all they seem to talk about. Notice that? It's like the main focus of their ministry...money, money, money...

For the record:

Joyce also dresses down when she goes to poor countries. She dresses modestly and humbly when she ministers overseas.

***I'm only mentioning these things to dear and beloved brothers and sisters because I've been misunderstood. I've been talked about unkindly.

I've been betrayed. I've been hurt and rejected. I know what that feels like.

In our zeal to do right, we can't let Satan con us into doing wrong and blackballing everyone who "associates" with the wrong person.

What would that make me? I associated with the homeless, prostitutes and gays. I'm none of these things but I immerse myself in those places where I'm needed.

Could be possible that Joyce is ministering to WOF teachers and helping them to get on the right path, where before they were blinded by greed.

I don't really know. Honestly, I don't know. I just know that, like our Lord, she says things that are unmistakably from the Lord.

If it weren't for God using her mouth, (which she always jokes about herself), I wouldn't gotten out of the bondage to self-righteousness I was in.

I was IN bondage, too. Her tape on legalism was like soothing balm for the soul...I sure needed to hear it. I didn't realize what had happened to me. I'd gotten so hard-hearted, I was of no use to the Kingdom.

Just sharing....nothing more. I'd just say I'd really listen to her more and see what I mean.

[nebula]

BTW, Dove,

I never mentioned this before, but I am actually glad you started sharing about this. I was never in a WOF church or anything, but I was influenced by much WOF teaching (c'mon, these are "big charasmatic leaders!"). I always had a hard time connecting with the type of faith they talked about, and I felt condemned in my heart. I also hear this all the time from friends, family, and church members about, "Just have faith! Just have faith!"

Your challenges to this teaching have caused me to take a deeper look into this issue, and helped me to see some things I wouldn't have accepted from other "nay-sayers." I still have a lot of contemplating and such to do - it's hard to adjust a mind-set I was raised in - but I am liking the idea that my concept of faith has been all wrong, and maybe I can find what it really is so that maybe I can actually walk in it for real. (Long story on what I mean by that.)

Anyway, I just wanted to thank you for that.