There has been a noticeable increase in warfare talk coming out of the New Apostolic Reformation camp in neoevangelicaldom. For decades leaders of the Latter Rain cult (which gave rise to the New Apostolic Reformation) has spoken in aggressive military terminology about taking dominion of the Earth for “kingdom” purposes. Much of this language was highly spiritualized. But lurking behind the surface was always a threat of REALLY taking up the sword to achieve dominion.
Fifteen years ago, John Wimber of the Vineyard Ministires was quoted as saying,
“There is something higher than being Baptist and that is to be in this end time army and involved in this greater prize of bringing everything on the earth and above the earth and below the earth to the feet of Jesus.” [emphasis in original]
Fifteen years ago Clifford Hill in his publication “Prophecy Today,” (Vol. 7, No. 1) wrote about a Wimber’s visit to the Docklands conference in England:
“The opportunity of joining the ‘new breed’, and elite group of believers endowed with supernatural power that would enable them to be part of the army of ‘dread warriors’ that God was said to be raising up in our generation. According to John Wimber, this is a type of ‘Joel’s Army’ who will overcome all opposition to the gospel and eventually subdue the nations. This teaching is part of what is known as ‘dominion theology’ which teaches that an elite army of ‘overcomers’ will either destroy or subdue all the enemies of Christ until they eventually gain power and authority throughout the world. The government of the nations will be upon their shoulders and when all of the secular authorities, governments, princes and kings have finally submitted to them, Christ will return and they will present the kingdom to Him.” [Read the entire Joel’s Army booklet by Jewel Grewe of Discernment Ministries, posted at http://tinyurl.com/9lf9n,
http://tinyurl.com/cy7af,
http://tinyurl.com/cjf3s ]
There is now a rise in REAL warfare rhetoric, particularly the bold pronouncements (decrees) by false apostles and prophets that the time has now come for the Church to fully step into a dominionist role. This type of talk isn’t just coming from the C. Peter Wagner spiritual warfare networks or the New Apostolic Reformation. This type of talk is also coming out of international mission agencies. And, it is coming out of the international prayer movements, very cleverly disguised as “prayer warfare.”
Today’s heretical and very scary quotation comes via The Georgia Strategic Prayer Network, which was instrumental in the Global Day of Prayer activities:
“The church has the mantle to execute the will of the King concerning the war in Iraq and the war on terrorism. This assignment must not be abrogated or left solely to the military. . . .
“There will be an apostolic prayer team in Washington, DC the week of December 15th releasing declarations for the Lord to set things in order in the White House and in the war.”
[http://tinyurl.com/a743l ]
The introduction to this quotation states that it came from Dr. Hope Taylor, ministry director, International Leadership Embassy, Washington, DC, Dec 07, 2005. Dr. Taylor is said to “serve as the apostolic leader for the church with local pastors giving daily leadership,” according to Jacquie Tyre, GA-USSPN, State Apostolic Coordinator).
What is this USSPN? According to C. Peter Wagner’s Global Harvest Ministries,
“In the summer of 1989 a concerned group of Christian leaders dared to believe the United States could once again be a nation ‘under God.’ The idea for a network of intercessors dedicated to strategic-level spiritual warfare emerged from the Lausanne II Congress on World Evangelization held in Manila, Philippines. Less than a year later it was birthed.
“Led by C. Peter Wagner, the initial phase of the International Spiritual Warfare Network took place in California on February 12, 1990. More than two dozen recognized spiritual leaders attended. Following several years of annual gatherings, the official United States Spiritual Warfare Network was launched in January 1997, under the direction of Cindy Jacobs.
“In 2000, C. Peter changed the name of the network from the USSWN to the United States Strategic Prayer Network.“
[http://tinyurl.com/7cm6u]
The Truth:
“Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. Deliver me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts.” (Psalm 119:133-134)