Spiritual Warfare and Territorial Spirits (~5.5 MB) - Moriel Ministries

“Church,” not in His flesh.AN APOSTLE? REALLY?So Wagner thinks himself an apostle.And an apostle of apostles at that!Interesting, since his discernment is, atbest, around zero. How does a true apostleof God hob nob with wackos who callbarking like a dog and cackling like achicken a manifestation of the HolySpirit? How does a true apostle of God endorsesome one like John Wimber andbrag that Wimber was his “mentor”? Howdoes a true apostle of God give credibilityto Latter Rain teachers?Can such lack of discernment, as wellas unequivocal endorsement of thesepeople qualify such a person to be a trueapostle of God? I say no. And if not, thenthe entire concept of his “Apostolic Reformation”is not merely in doubt, it mustbe refuted.TRAINING OF APOSTLES?There is an issue which re quires addressinghere. It is Wagner’s statementthat millions of dollars are needed for thedevelopment of facilities where apostlesand prophets can be trained.Where in Scripture do we find apostlesand prophets being “trained”? Onecan not be “trained” in the gifts of God.That is man’s way of trying to control thegifts to further some religious belief system.In Wagner’s case the belief system isthe Latter Rain philosophy. True apostlesmay mentor one another, but they arelargely independent and led by the Spiritof God. Most of what they say and do isrejected. They do not find the popularitythat to day’s self-proclaimed apostles andprophets enjoy.Another issue is Wagner’s erroneousbelief that what he perceived in thirdworldcountries is somehow different from whathe sees in the West. The form and functionmay appear different because of alack of de nominational oversight, butthere really is no difference.For example, Wagner says the pastorin the type of church he credits with havinga different authority structure is “theleader of the church in stead of employee.”What’s so different aboutchurches in the West? Pastors are generallyabsolute leaders as well as em ployees.But pastors in those third-world churchesare employees also. Most of them receivetheir living from the contributions oftheir constituents.IS THERE A REFORMATION?There is no Apostolic Restoration.Apostles and prophets have been operativethrough out the centuries, but havebeen relegated to the realm of the unknownand unheralded. They may nothave been called apostles and prophets,but they have operated in those capacitiesamong small, humble gatherings of believersapart from the denominationalstructures. They were persecuted andmartyred for standing against the heresiesof Romanism, Calvinism, Anglicanismand other “Christian” authoritarianstructures. They have stood against theheresies of the Latter Rain Movementthat sought to usurp the positions ofapostle and prophet for the benefit of asatanic deception. The true apostles andprophets have not touted themselves assuch, but have worked in relaiveanonymity.We must understand, however, thatthe role of apostle is not the same in all respectsas that of the first-century apostles.Those apostles defined the faith, andsome gave us the Scriptures. Their revelationssealed the revelations of God asthey pertain to the entire Body of Christ.The similarity between those apostlesand subsequent apostles through the agesis the role of “beingsent.” That is, apostlesare those sent under the anointing ofthe Holy Spirit to establish assemblies ofbelievers and to over see them to thepoint where they may appoint elders toserve the as semblies.The role of apostle has been largelyusurped by “missionaries” who are sentby denominational institutions to establishchurches in accordance with thoseinstitutions’ dictates. True apostles operateapart from religious structureswhether denominational or, in the caseof Wagner’s “apostles,” beholden to aberrantreligious philosophies (such as theLatter Rain Movement).If there is a restoration of apostles andprophets it is not through any of thechurches or para-church organizationsthat operate in an unscriptural manner.More and more of the true believers arecoming out of the religious institutionsand are gathering in homes, their eyes beingopened to the true pattern for thegathering of the saints. It is in this settingthat apostles and prophets will in crease,but not to their own profit, and not bytheir own pro motion.That’s not to say that everyone meetingin homes is led by God, or that allhouse assemblies are of God. It is to saythat the megachurch phenomenon is notthe place where true believers can grow inwisdom, knowledge and understandingContinued : Special Reportbeyond the elementary truths of Scripture.Yet that is where C. Peter Wagnerpoints for evidence that his newly- discovered,old Latter Rain authority structureis at work.NOTES1.www.globalharvestministries.org/in-dex.asp?ac tion=about2. Ibid.3. Ibid.4. Ibid.5. (New Ap os tolic Reformation, Arise, September,2000)6. Ibid.7. Ibid.8. C. Peter Wagner, The New ApostolicChurches (Ventura, CA: Re gal Books, 1998)pg. 15.9. Ibid.10. Ibid.11. New Apostolic Reformation, Op. Cit. Copyright ã July, 2006, Media Spot lightHave you seen this Jewish Warrior?He may well be dangerous (that isif you are a Benny Hinn, a Kenneth Copeland,a Rodney Brown or any otherfalse prophet out there). The above pictureshows this unidentified strangerwill be partaking in a pre-war ritual,which we believe could signal a suddendeparture from previous methodshe has deployed against these rivals. Wehave reason to believe he could now beturning to more tried-and-tested methodsof eliminating these seducers of theChurch. If you have seen him please let usknow. Thank you for your co-operation.MORIEL MINISTRIESJune 2007 • Moriel Quarterly 27