Despite the claims that there will be a great outpouring of finances to further the New Apostolic Reformation’s dominionist expansion in the near future, there is an immediate crisis now according to head “apostle” C. Peter Wagner in a June 21 Global Harvest letter. He wrote:
I’m writing you today with a tremendous burden. A very serious financial situation has arisen here at Global Harvest. It seems as though a stranglehold over our finances has been loosed against us, and the usual gifts to the ministry have slowed down alarmingly. We are wondering where the money for our next payroll and for paying our bills will come from.
Usually our situation becomes difficult in August, but for some reason this year it has struck early. Frankly, we have no reserves at the present time from which to draw. We need your help. We have always been able to pay our bills when they come due. We have faith, but I must admit we are worried. We must have in excess of $130,000 within the next two weeks or we are faced with the possibility of missing a payment for the first time in 15 years!
The “spirit of poverty” is something that is supposed to be rejected according to the new “apostles.” There is a 2-CD set by C. Peter Wagner entitled “The Transference of Wealth,” and in his latest book The Church in the Workplace (Regal, 2006), poverty is called a “curse”(p. 56) and a “principality” (p. 69). In fact, Wagner claims that “prophet” Bill Hamon “gathered a small group of prophets, took me to a side room and decreed that the spirit of poverty would no longer have an influence on my life. . . . I was instantly delivered from that malicious demon!” (p. 70).
It is therefore interesting that Wagner has a financial crisis at the moment. According to another “apostle” of the NAR, Chuck Pierce, in a statement dated June 21 (same date as Wagner’s letter above) entitled “Shout the One Little Word for Victory!” , apparently C. Peter Wagner issued an “apostolic decree” of some import back on June 9th:
Here is Peter Wagner’s Apostolic Decree for Kingdom Wealth to be Released issued on June 9, 2006. Peter’s great, great, great grandfather was Alexander Hamilton, the father of the economic system in our nation. Therefore, he has the authority to decree this for Kingdom Purposes. Read it! Decree it yourself! This is so incredible! [emphases in original]
These false apostles and prophets believe that they can “decree” things from the spiritual realm into existence into the physical realm. Therefore, this Apostolic Decree for Kingdom Wealth to be Released should be viewed as a major event conducted by the head honcho of all “apostles,” C. Peter Wagner. The decrees of these leading men usually set the stage for the next phase of “transformation” (i.e., dominion).
Wagner decreed that, “God has declared through His prophets that the wealth of the wicked will be released to the Kingdom of God.” This great financial outpouring is designated funds to finance dominionism across the globe, assisted by the setting up of 48 chosen philanthropic apostles into a “council”:
I declare that this wealth will be distributed for the extension of the Kingdom of God by the apostles that God has set in the church. I consecrate these chosen apostles. Two days ago I completed the formation of an apostolic council of 48. These experienced men and women have passed the tests of giftedness, effectiveness, leadership, and exemplary character. I speak specifically to Mammon, you vile and destructive demonic principality, and I say you will keep your hands off these 48 chosen ones. Neither greed nor covetousness nor parsimony nor self-reliance will be able to influence God’s chosen and anointed ones. They, among many others like them, will be mighty agents of God for the transformation of society. They will lead the way in restoring the rightful dominion and stewardship over God’s creation that was lost by our forefather, the first Adam. [emphasis added]
Chuck Pierce’s mailing also contained an example of a decree entitled “One Little Word Shall Fell Him.” Apparently these decrees must contain a little “hocus pocus” anointing oil to be truly effective:
I had previously been given a bottle with the first fruits rain from this year mixed with the Costmary Watch Oil. As John sang I began to anoint the intercessors and decree that we would begin to watch for both latter and former rains. We shouted that our latter would be greater than our former, and that our end will be greater than our beginning. The former was good, but the latter will be better! We then began to declare that as our latter blessings start coming in and as the camels begin to enter into the procession that “No ambush!” of the enemy would be successful. We now are developing an anointing oil for each watch! [emphasis in original]
The very next section is entitled “The Prophetic Mantle Fell!” in this Pierce claims that “the Lord began to speak.” These supposed words from “the Lord” below reveal that the purpose for this anticipated great outpouring of wealth is dominionism — politically, economically, corporately (business) and spiritually. The following is very sobering evidence of aggressive “new breed” of Christianity that is arising:
“This is a time of aligning and repositioning and loosing within a gifted people that which has been held captive within them. When that happens, there will be a realignment of the nations that are holding control of the wealth. You are entering into wars over the supply for your future. The war for supply has begun. There are oil wars, gold wars, silver wars. Nations are realigning against nations in this war, but I have a people who will be a secret weapon that will begin to move in the war against nations and who will go in and take the spoils. I will create and position My people in economic structures, in political structures, and in businesses. . . .
Even in the days of Hitler, I positioned the cooks in strategic places. Now I am beginning to position people in places where they will be serving the enemy it would seem, but in serving the enemy they are gaining the upper hand over the enemy’s strategy. They are not serving the enemy, but they are serving Me. By serving Me at the table of the enemy they will take the spoils of the enemy. I am removing the fear of the enemy from My people so they can be positioned to even smile at the enemy. If you will begin to smile at the enemy you will end up laughing at the enemy and the enemy will be seated underneath and submitted to the plan that I have in the earth. This is a time that I would raise you up and move you into a new place so that the enemy will be submitted to My plan.” [emphases and typos in original]
The Truth:
The hocus-pocus nature of these “decrees” adds the necessary spiritual aura to deceive the gullible and undiscerning. And there is always the inference that if believers defeated these poverty demons in their lives they could become rich. But the “plan” for dominion is much more than spiritual antics or material covetousness.
This current crisis in finances is just a tiny speed bump on the road to dominionism for C. Peter Wagner and his network of global “apostles.” The coming outpouring of wealth is already well underway. With the church’s intentional intermarriage with corporate (business) marketplace and philanthropic endeavors, the greased wheels are already turning.
“Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues” (Revelation 18:4b)
“Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done; and, ye that are near, acknowledge my might. The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil.” (Isaiah 33:13-15)