Unmasked.....Benny
Hinn
Compiled
by Neil Richardson - UK
and
Philip Powell - NZ
Editorial
Comment by Philip Powell:
Frequently
when presenting the following and similar facts about Benny Hinn we encounter
the statement: "Yes but Benny Hinn has repented and so it's wrong to
dig up the past." However the Bible position regarding serious sin
(heresy is a serious sin) is that it carries consequences. Furthermore
the Bible clearly teaches that true repentance results in a change of behaviour.
We publish this article with a deep sense of compassion and concern, especially
for the large numbers of Christians who are confused or deceived but also
for Mr Hinn himself and for those who endorse, sponsor or promote his meetings.
Those who deceive are frequently deceived themselves. We must look at the
facts.
At no
time, in our view, has Benny Hinn seriously been made to face up to the
enormous damage that his false teaching has caused to individuals and to
the body of Christ and so the problem is ongoing. We understand that his
advisors, including Charismatic Church leader Jack Heyford persuaded him
to make a public acknowledgement of some of his earlier false teaching,
which he did. At that point, to all intents and purposes and in many people's
minds, the matter ends. But is that the case from a biblical perspective?
We don't think so.
Paul,
the apostle teaches that "a little leaven leavens the whole lump" (1
Cor 5:6 & Gal 5:9). The first reference relates to immorality in the
Church and the second to false teaching in the Church. There is only one
remedy "purge out the old leaven that you may be a new lump" (1
Cor 5:7); "that you will have no other mind" (Gal 5:10). If proper,
biblical discipline is not instituted the matter will spread - in both
cases viz in respect of immorality and of false teaching. And sadly that
is precisely what has happened very widely in the Church in both regards.
Church leaders who are guilty of immorality are all too frequently dealt
with privately or "transferred" to another situation. The matter
is "hushed-up". The biblical requirements of public rebuke (1 Tim
5:20) and evidence of repentance (Luke 3:7-8) are seldom invoked. Cronyism
and nepotism rule the day. Some times congregations are left with the impression
that their pastor has suffered a nervous break-down or "burn-out" when
in fact he has been guilty of serious sin that should be dealt with openly,
both for his own sake and for that of the people of God. Corruption at
the top will ultimately corrupt the whole.
A similar
situation pertains to false doctrine. It spreads - "their word will
eat as doth a canker (gangrene): of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
who concerning the truth have erred …" 2 Tim 2: Interestingly Paul
named the false teachers of his day, to protect the Church. He would do
the same now, if he were with us. Benny Hinn has acknowledged that his
hugely popular "GOOD MORNING HOLY SPIRIT" contained heresy. So what does
he do about it? On the occasion of his acceptance into the AOG credentialed
ministry in USA he said he would write another book to reflect his changed
position. The end result is total, utter and absolute confusion. So now
not only do you have heresy but you also have widespread confusion and
it's all because the proper, biblical remedy is not instituted. By his
own confession Mr Hinn is a heretic and therefore not worthy to occupy
the position of a teacher in the Christian Church (c/f James 3: 1-2). He
should stop writing and preaching and put himself under discipline until
he knows and understands what are the basic truths of Scripture. May be
he should enroll in a good Bible School. Because the book (and other material)
containing the heresy cannot be withdrawn and because the heretic is not
properly disciplined it is inevitable that further heretical teachings
will proceed from Mr Hinn and that is exactly what has happened and will
continue to happen - "a little leaven leavens the whole lump". In
this corrupting of the charismatic and Pentecostal Church the leaders who
endorse or sponsor Benny Hinn must share the responsibility for what is
happening.
It is
now clearly established and well documented that Mr Benny Hinn practices
necromancy, which is absolutely forbidden in the Bible. (See WWW reference
at end of this article or order the book THE CONFUSING WORLD OF BENNY HINN
from CWM at $21 incl post). Bad as this is the matter is even worse.
The above book alleges and provides undeniable evidence for the conclusion
that a much younger Benny Hinn, in an attempt to establish a mystique and
aura, has published down-right lies and gross exaggerations about himself
and his ministry. (The publishers of the above listed book were contacted
by Hinn's Lawyer requesting that they withdraw it. They refused.) Developing,
in people's minds, a mystique about oneself by telling stories about supposed
spiritual encounters or imaginary healings is a ruse employed by a number
of so called ministers. Benny Hinn has used the device to great effect.
Some of those who endorse him have been presented with the facts and the
evidence, but they continue their support. In so doing they are themselves
guilty of the huge deception that is taking place among God's people. We
call on them to repent.
*******************
Two
of the Scriptures to consider when dealing with this man, and others like
him, are: Gal 1:7-8: ``There are some who trouble you and want to perfect
the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach
any gospel to you other than the one we have preached to you, let him be
accursed;" and 1 Tim 2:1: ``Therefore I exhort first of all that
supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for
all men".
The
main objective of this article, then, is to warn the body of Christ of
false teachers and false teachings and to show from the Bible how to ``cast
down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge
of God" (2 Cor 10:5). The secondary aim is to move the reader to pray
for people like Benny Hinn and those whom he influences, that the Lord
``who
desires all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth"
(1 Tim 2:4) may reveal Himself to them, and deliver them from the devil's
deception.
Benny
Hinn- the man
Pastor
of the Orlando Christian Centre in Florida. Congregation: 12,000.
Regular
televangelist on Trinity Broadcasting Network with programmes like This
is your day; Benny Hinn, Praise-a-Thon and Praise the Lord;
Potential viewing figures: 16 million.
Author
of blockbusting bestsellers Good Morning Holy Spirit, This is your day
for a miracle, The Blood, Rise and Be Healed, Lord I need a miracle, Welcome
Holy Spirit and The Anointing. Sales: upwards of one million
(exceeding those of Charles Swindoll and James Dobson combined)
Born
and raised in Israel, which leads many to believe that he has command of
authoritative Biblical Hebrew (he doesn't). He claimed his father was Mayor
of Jaffa (he wasn't).
``Woe
to you when all men speak well of you, for so did their fathers to the
false prophets" (Luke 6: 26).
Benny
Hinn- What is he up to and with whom does he associate?
He
appeared at Earls' Court, London in August 1996 with international evangelist
Morris
Cerullo and Kensington Temple (London) pastor Colin Dye among
others, where he made claims of bringing a greater revival to England than
it has ever seen (one that the apostles Peter and James wish they could
be at), in which the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace would be
shaken. He also relieved the very willing audience of a vast amount of
cash (in buckets), assuring the people that they would receive a great
(financial) reward, physical healing, the anointing of the Holy Spirit,
deliverance from the devil, and so on. The author of this piece was present
and can testify in truth that what characterises Benny's crusades is not
the gospel but GREED - ``Men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth,
who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself"
(1 Tim 6:5).
The
Lord Jesus Christ, His Cross, sin, repentance and faith were not mentioned.
There was no prayer. The Bible was not read, except random verses to back
up monetary extortion. Most of the talk was at the devil and not to God.
In a
Crusade conducted in Rome in late 1996 he so incensed his Pentecostal promoters
by his public support of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church that the
interpreter refused to interpret his preaching, the musical group refused
to perform and later the sponsors signed a declaration of non-association
with Benny Hinn, indicating that they would never invite him to Italy again.
The Italian Assemblies of God had previously refused to be involved in
the Crusade.
At the
1997 National Assemblies of God Conference in Adelaide Benny Hinn again
eulogised the Pope and told of his meeting with Cardinal Sin of the Philippines
and their private agreement that Sin would promote Hinn and that Hinn would
encourage Roman Catholics to return to and remain in their Catholic faith
and Church. Notwithstanding these facts prominent AOG leaders in Australia
and New Zealand continue to support, endorse and sponsor Benny Hinn's visits
to Australasia.
In 1991,
Benny Hinn commissioned Rodney Howard-Browne to be the ‘laughter
dispenser' in the so-called new wave of the Holy Spirit:
``Rodney,
God has given you a great anointing for this. Let the holy laughter hit
them in Jesus' mighty name...it's coming [zaps him].... Pick him up. Now
release it on the people, Rodney!"
Rodney
replies: ``Be filled right now. In the name of Jesus, I command
you to laugh right now. I loose the joy of the Lord right now. In the name
of Jesus, let it bubble out of your belly right now in Jesus' name. Let
the joy of the Lord bubble out of your belly. Lord make everybody drunk
in the Holy Ghost. Make everybody drunk in the Holy Ghost. In the name
of Jesus [repeated 10 times]....Double dose!" [Pushes people over,
weird tongues with no interpretation, etc.] (See clip from A Plague
in the Land video by Alan Morrison available from CWM).
Mr Hinn
is ordained by the International Convention of Faith Churches and Ministers,
the chief proponents of which are Kenneth Hagin and Kenneth Copeland.
He is also fully endorsed by Oral Roberts of the same stable. He
has said, ``I no longer believe the faith message" (Christianity
Today, October 1991), but he continues to staunchly defend the tenets
of this group, which stresses ‘positive confession' and health-and-wealth
prosperity teachings: ``Those who attack confession are on the
devil's side." (Benny Hinn, TBN, 8th June 1992.)
Here is a quote that shows his advocacy of their peculiar ‘you are gods'
heresy:
``Now
are you ready for some real revelation knowledge? OK. Now watch
this: He laid aside His divine form...so one day I would be clothed on
earth with the divine form. Kenneth Hagin has a teaching. A lot of people
have problems with it. Yet it is an absolute truth. Kenneth Copeland has
a teaching. Many Christians have put holes in it, but it's divine truth.
Hagin and Copeland say: You are god. Ye are gods. ‘Oh! I can't be god.'
Hold it. Let's bring balance to this teaching. The balance is being taught
by Hagin. It's those that repeat him that mess it up. The balance is being
taught by Copeland, who is my dear friend, but it's those that repeat what
he says that are messing it up. You see there brother? When Jesus was on
earth, the Bible says that first He disrobed Himself of the divine form.
He, the limitless God, became a man, that we men, may become as He is."
(Our Position in Christ, Orlando Christian Centre, 1990.)
For
a very short period of time in 1996 Benny Hinn was a certificated as a
minister of Assemblies of God in USA. The writer of this piece viewed the
video tape of the service where he was interviewed and accepted by the
relevant Presbytery. Hinn indicated that he wanted to accept discipline
and supervision. General Superintendent Trask seemed to bend over backwards
and to bend all the rules to accommodate him as a special case person.
Within a very short period of time, for reasons that have not been disclosed,
the association was severed. If Hinn was expelled the matter should be
made public. If he withdrew then the reasons should be given. What is there
to hide?
Benny
Hinn is a kingpin of the Toronto Movement, particularly considering his
influence on John Arnott, pastor of the Toronto Airport Vineyard:
``John
is very close friends with Benny Hinn which gives an indication of what
his priorities are in terms of the Holy Spirit" (Alpha magazine,
September 1994). Arnott confesses his own inexplicable non-susceptibility
to Benny's anointing: ``I'd probably had Benny pray for me 50 times,
trying to give me what he had [John hadn't received the anointing until
November ‘93). I was never sure if I fell down that everything happened
so fast that the catchers behind me just grabbed me and pulled me back
or if he [Benny] hit me so hard on the forehead that he knocked me down,
or whether I just wanted it so bad that I just sort of fell over because
that was what expected of me and I'd been kind of lying there on the floor
thinking to myself- ‘I don't know fell anything, you know I don't want
to make this or you know hype it or anything in any sense of the word.
I might as well just get up from here,' not in touch with the fact that
I was really receiving things of God whether I received it or not."
(Audio clip in A Plague in the Land video by Alan Morrison.)
``When
it comes to style, however, Hinn gravitates towards such faith healers
as Aimee Semple McPherson and Kathryn Kuhlman. The influence
of these women on Hinn's life and ministry is so great that he still visits
their gravesites and experiences ‘the anointing' which he claims emanates
from their bones. In addition, Hinn has given his endorsement to notorious
revivalist A.A. Allen, a huckster if there ever was one"
(Christianity in Crisis, Hank Hanegraaff, 1993, p30; ref. Double
Portion Anointing#3 audio & Praise the Lord, TBN, 16th
April 1992).
"Just
before Christmas in 1973, I attended one of Kathryn Kuhlman's healing services.
That night the Holy Spirit came into my room, and for the first time I
entered into a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit that transformed
my life. Afterwards, when I ministered, the power of God descended and
miracles began to happen," says Hinn on his Internet homepage. (Note
that he does not say that he repented of his sin and put his faith in the
Lord Jesus Christ. Benny Hinn's ‘Holy Spirit' is an interesting entity
which seems to operate quite independently from God the Father or God the
Son.) Kuhlman is clearly then the formative stylistic influence on Benny's
behaviour. Unfortunately ``one eighty-five year old woman who had come
forward for a healing touch from Benny Hinn died after someone slain
in the Spirit fell on her, fracturing her hip. The woman's family filed
a five-million dollar lawsuit against Hinn in the incident" (Charismatic
Chaos, John MacArthur, Jr., 1992; ref. Elderly Woman Killed by a
Person ‘slain in the Spirit' falling on her, National & International
Religion Report, Sept 21, 1987).
Benny
Hinn- his teachings vis-à-vis the Word of God
DOCTRINE
|
BENNY'S
IDEAS
|
WORD
OF GOD
|
The
Deity of Christ, and the perfection of His nature vs. His demotion to a
Spirit-filled man capable of sin |
"Had
the Holy Spirit not been with Jesus, He would have sinned" (Good
Morning Holy Spirit, first edition, 1990, p135);
"Jesus
knew the only way He would stop Satan is by becoming one in nature with
him" (Benny Hinn, TBN, 15th December 1990).
"Before
He died, I should say, on that cross, something happened to Him which began
the wheels of the New Creation moving that was this: He died spiritually!
…Jesus Christ understood that spiritual death is union with the satanic
nature. …What is spiritual death? Separation from God" (New Creation
in Christ sermon, late 1988). |
Philippians
2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with
God:
Colossians
1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Isaiah
9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government
shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller,
The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Matthew
1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son,
and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God
with us.
Mark 2:5
When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy
sins be forgiven thee.
Mark 2:6
But there was certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their
hearts,
Mark 2:7
Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God
only?
Luke 4:12
And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the
Lord thy God.
John 10:30
I and my Father are one.
John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word
was God. 1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of
godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen
of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received
up into glory. |
The
Trinity- 3 or 9? |
"Each
one of them is a triune being by Himself...there's nine of them" (Benny
Hinn, TBN, 3rd October 1990).
"God the
Father is a person separate from the Holy Ghost. Totally separate. ...Do
you know that the Holy Spirit has a soul and a body separate from that
of Jesus and the Father? ...God the Father then is a triune being within
Himself. He's a person, He has His own Spirit, He has a soul. …A soul is
my intellect. …God thinks. …separate from the Son and separate from the
Holy Ghost. …God the Father is a separate individual from the Son and the
Holy Ghost, who is a triune being who walks in a spirit body and He has
hair…has eyes…has a mouth…has hands" (Orlando Christian Centre, Oct 13th
1990). |
Matthew
28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
1 Corinthians
8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things,
and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we
by him.
1 John
5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word,
and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
Deuteronomy
6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: |
Man's
dominion over creation |
"Adam
was a super-being when God created him. ...The Scriptures declare clearly
that he had dominion over the fowls of the air...which means he used to
fly. ...Adam not only flew, he flew to space. He was- with one thought
he would be on the moon" (Praise the Lord, TBN, 26th December 1991). |
Job
10:9 Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay; and
wilt thou bring me into dust again?
Job 39:26
Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south?
Job 39:27
Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high?
1 Corinthians
15:39 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of
men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. |
The
sinful nature of man vs the supposed deity of man ('ye are gods' heresy) |
"You
say, 'Benny, am I a little God?' You're a son of God, aren't you?...What
else are you? Quit your nonsense!...If you say, 'I am,' you're saying you're
part of Him, right? Is He God? Are you His offspring? Are you His children?
You can't be human! You can't! You can't!" (Our Position in Christ#2,
1990,audiotape,sd2)
"When
you were born again the Word was made flesh in you. And you became flesh
of His flesh and bone of His bone. Don't tell me you have Jesus. You are
everything He was and everything He is and ever shall be... Don't say,
'I have.' Say, 'I am, I am, I am, I am, I am'" (ibid.)
"When
you say, 'I am a Christian,' you are saying, 'I am mashiach,' in the Hebrew.
I am a little messiah walking on earth, in other words. That is a shocking
revelation. ...May I say it like this? You are a little god on earth running
around" (Praise-a-Thon, TBN, 6th November'90)
"In my
case, I know I have lost complete desire for anything to do with the world.
My worldly desires are gone....I no longer have any rebellion in me." (The
Anointing, p177-8.)
"SO, I'M
BENNY JEHOVAH!" (Spiritual warfare seminar, May 2 1990).
"Say after
me: 'Within me is a God-Man.' Say it again. 'Within me is a God-Man.' [Congregation
repeats.] Now, let's say even better than that. Let's say, 'I AM A GOD-MAN.'
…This spirit man within me is a God-Man. …Say 'I'm born-of-heaven-God-Man.
I'm a God-Man. I'm a sample of Jesus. I'm a super being'" (Praise the
Lord, TBN, Dec 6 1990).
"God came
to earth and touched a piece of dust and turned it into a God. …Are you
a child of God? Then you're divine! Are you a child of God? Then you're
not human!" (TBN, Dec 1, 1990).
"When
I stand in Christ- I am one with Him; united to Him; one spirit with Him.
I am not, hear me, I AM NOT PART OF HIM, I AM HIM! THE WORD HAS BECOME
FLESH IN ME!. …When my hand touches someone, it's the hand of Jesus touching
somebody" (Our Position in Christ).
"I [Jesus]
loved you enough to become one of ya! And I love you enough to make you
one of me!" (TBN, Dec 1 '90). |
Psalms
25:11 For thy name's sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.
Jeremiah
17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who
can know it?
Romans
5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by
sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Romans
7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing:
for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I
find not.
Romans
7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not,
that I do.
Romans
7:20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin
that dwelleth in me.
Romans
7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with
me.
Hebrews
12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud
of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so
easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before
us,
James
2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point,
he is guilty of all.
1 John
1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth
is not in us.
Mark 12:32
And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for
there is one God; and there is none other but he: |
The
effect of words |
"The
Devil can kill with words, then you with your words can bring life" (Praise
the Lord, 1 June 1989); "Words create reality" (Benny Hinn, TBN,
29th June 1992).
" 'If
you say it, I'll do it,' that's what God says. …So when you confess it
you are activating the supernatural force of God. Do you know that confession
activates heaven? Confession releases the spirit world…Words activate heaven"
(Praise the Lord, Dec 6th, 1994).
"…violent
faith. I think the time has come to take what is ours aggressively (TBN,
Sept 26, 1994). |
Job
13:5 O that ye would altogether hold your peace! And it should be your
wisdom.
Job 16:3
Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?
Job 38:2
Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
Psalms
12:3 The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh
proud things:
Psalms
12:4 Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own:
who is lord over us? Proverbs 10:19 In the multitude of words there wanteth
not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.
Ecclesiastes
5:7 For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers
vanities: but fear thou God. |
Health... |
"There
will be no sickness for the saint of God" (Rise and Be Healed!,
1991, p14); "He promises to heal all- every one, any, any whatsoever,
everything- all our diseases! That means not even a headache, sinus problem,
not even a toothache- nothing! No sickness should come your way" (ibid.,
p32); "God's greatest desire for the church of Jesus Christ...is that we
be in total and perfect health" (ibid., p65); "If your body belongs to
God, it does not and cannot belong to sickness" (ibid., p62); "Hundreds
of verified healings and thousands of conversions have occurred including
people rising from wheelchairs and leaving crutches. Several blind eyes
and deaf ears have been opened and verified" (The Anointing, 1992,
pp94-95). |
2
Corinthians 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the
abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh,
the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
2 Corinthians
12:8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from
me.
2 Corinthians
12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength
is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory
in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2 Corinthians
12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities,
in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then
am I strong.
Matthew
25:36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in
prison, and ye came unto me.
2 Timothy
4:20 Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.
Philippians
2:26 For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that
ye had heard that he had been sick.
Philippians
2:27 For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him;
and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. |
...and
Wealth |
"The
Lord giveth and never taketh away. And just because [Job] said,
'Blessed be the name of the Lord,' don't mean that he's right. When he
said, 'Blessed be the name,' he was just being religious" (Benny Hinn,
TBN,
November 1990); "Years ago they used to preach, 'O we are going to walk
on streets of gold.' I would say, 'I don't need the gold up there. I've
got to have it down here'" (Praise-a-Thon, TBN, 2nd April 1991).
"The wicked
are piling up the funds and I love the way John [Avazini] teaches on this.
He's the best there is on how to get the wealth of the wicked. Man, I like
it!" (Praise-a-Thon, TBN, 6th November 1990.)
"Poverty
is a demon. God had to show me a vision of a demon literally to prove this
to me. All at the same time when Oral Roberts came to tell me what he told
me about believing God for my harvest. All at the same time, I had a vision
in my bedroom. I was asleep and woke up and right in front of my face I
saw a devil. You say, 'You saw it?' Yes, sir, I did. If you have troubles
with it, that's your problem. And that thing was mocking me in my bedroom.
And the Lord spoke and said to me, 'That is the demon of poverty.' I didn't
think there was such a thing. And the Lord said, 'Now, rebuke it.' I sat
up in bed and said, 'I rebuke you.' The Lord stopped me and said, 'That's
not the way you rebuke. You rebuke with My Word.' And suddenly out of my
mouth, Scriptures began flying out about the blessings of God. That demon
vanished out of my sight and from that day till now, there's been blessings
on my life" (TBN, 1990).
"We are
going to believe that in one year you'll be out of debt. Now, that's in
the Bible! Genesis 26 states that Isaac sowed in famine and reaped in that
same year. It says that he got a harvest that same year! If you want a
harvest this year, it's gonna happen. I was out of debt in one year" (Praise-a-Thon,
TBN,
April 1990).
"Say after
me, all of you, everybody say it, 'The wealth of the wicked is mine.' [The
audience repeats.] One more time. [The audience repeats.] One more time.
[The audience repeats.]" (ibid.). |
Job
1:21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I
return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be
the name of the LORD.
1 Samuel
2:7 The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth
up.
Job 21:13
They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave.
Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge
of thy ways. What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit
should we have, if we pray unto him?
Job 31:24
If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my
confidence; If I rejoice because my wealth was great, and because mine
hand had gotten much; If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking
in brightness; And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath
kissed my hand: This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge:
for I should have denied the God that is above.
Psalms
37:16 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many
wicked.
Psalms
52:7 Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in
the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.
Psalms
73:12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase
in riches.
Proverbs
10:2 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth
from death.
Proverbs
11:4 Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth
from death.
Proverbs
11:28 He that trusteth in his riches shall fall; but the righteous shall
flourish as a branch.
Proverbs
13:7 There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that
maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.
Proverbs
21:6 The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and
fro of them that seek death.
Proverbs
23:4 Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.
Proverbs
23:5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? For riches certainly
make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.Proverbs
28:20 A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste
to be rich shall not be innocent.
Proverbs
28:22 He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not
that poverty shall come upon him.
Proverbs
30:8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches;
feed me with food convenient for me:
Ecclesiastes
5:10 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that
loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.
Jeremiah
5:28 They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the
wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they
prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge.
Jeremiah
17:11 As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that
getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his
days, and at his end shall be a fool.
Micah
6:12 For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants
thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.
Zephaniah
1:18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them
in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by
the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all
them that dwell in the land.
Matthew
6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust
doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
Matthew
13:22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the
word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke
the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
Matthew
19:21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou
hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and
come and follow me.
Matthew
19:23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a
rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Luke 6:24
But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.
Luke 12:15
And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's
life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
1 Timothy
6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth,
supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
1 Timothy
6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
1 Timothy
6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry
nothing out.
1 Timothy
6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
1 Timothy
6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into
many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
1 Timothy
6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted
after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with
many sorrows.
James
1:11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth
the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion
of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
James
5:1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall
come upon you. |
Treatment
of enemies |
"Those
that put us down are a bunch of morons" (Praise-a-Thon, TBN, November
1990); "Somebody's attacking me because of something I'm teaching. Let
me tell you something, brother: You watch it! ...You know, I've looked
for one verse in the Bible; I just can't seem to find it. Once verse that
said, 'If you don't like them, kill them.' I really wish I could find it!
...You stink frankly- that's the way I think about it! ...Sometimes I wish
God will give me a Holy Ghost machine gun; I'll blow your head off" (Praise-a-Thon,
TBN, 8th November 1990); "The Holy Ghost is upon me....The day is coming
when those that attack us will drop down dead....Don't touch God's servants;
it's deadly....Woe to you that touch God's servants. You're going to pay"
(Miracle Invasion Rally, 22nd Nov '91).
"Now I'm
pointing my finger with the mighty power of God on me….You hear
this: There are men and women in Southern California attacking me. I
will tell you under the anointing now, you'll reap it in your children
unless you stop….And your children will suffer. You're attacking
me on the radio every night- you'll pay and your children will. Hear
this from the lips of God's servant. You are in danger. Repent!
Or God Almighty will move His hand. Touch not my Anointed…." (World Charismatic
Conference, 7th August 1992.); "You have attacked me, your children
will pay for it." (TBN, October 23rd, 1992.)
"That
got me so angry- if I could have killed him, I would have" (Orlando Christian
Centre, Aug 12th 1992).
"Now I'm
going to tell you that God prophetically is showing us in the Psalms, that
the body of Jesus Chris in America will sooner or later become militant,
and say: 'We've had it! You touch us one more time and, DROP DEAD BROTHER'"
(ibid.).
"If you
pray, 'get 'em,' nothing can prevent that from happening, but God has allowed
enough grace that you can say, 'Lord forgive them,' and God will not allow
anything to happen to them; it's really up to you. God has given you the
choice whether He should judge them or not; it's in your hands" (ibid.).
"You don't
know the Scriptures! You forgive them only when they know not what they
do…I pray that in my own prayer time; I said, 'Lord, don't forgive them,
let 'em have it'" (ibid.). |
Titus
3:2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all
meekness unto all men.
1 Peter
3:9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise
blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit
a blessing.
Luke 6:35
But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again;
and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest:
for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
Matthew
5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you,
do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use
you, and persecute you;
Romans
12:20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him
drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
Romans
12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto
wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
Proverbs
10:11 The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth
the mouth of the wicked.
Psalms
50:6 And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge
himself. Selah.
Matthew
5:39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite
thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
Mark 11:25
And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that
your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. |
The
Sovereignty of God |
"God
told Abram He could touch this earth till a man gave it back to Him" (World
Charismatic Conference, 7th August 1992); "Never, ever, ever go the Lord
and say, 'If it be thy will....' Don't allow such faith-destroying words
to be spoken from your mouth" (Rise and Be Healed!, 1991, p47-48). |
Numbers
11:23 And the LORD said unto Moses, Is the LORD's hand waxed short? thou
shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not.
Deuteronomy
32:39 See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill,
and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver
out of my hand.
1 Chronicles
29:11 Thine, O LORD is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and
the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the
earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head
above all.
2 Chronicles
20:6 And said, O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and
rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand
is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?
Job 9:12
Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What
doest thou?
Job 42:2
I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden
from thee.
1 Corinthians
10:26 For the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof.
Matthew
26:39 And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying,
O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless
not as I will, but as thou wilt.
James
4:15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do
this, or that.
James
4:16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. |
The
Resurrection |
"Jesus
was born again [in hell]" (Our Position in Christ#1, 1991, audio-tape). |
John
11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that
believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: |
The
work of the Holy Spirit |
"Let
me explain that many times I wasn't aware of His presence. I knew He was
with me, but I became so accustomed to Him that I did not feel the electricity
of those special times. But other people felt it. Many times when my friends
came to see me, they began weeping because of the presence of the Holy
Spirit….I was lost once again in the anointing of God's spirit. Then I
heard Jim honking the horn. As I ran down the stairs and to the car, I
actually felt the Lord's presence running with me. The moment I jumped
into the front seat and shut the door, Jim began to weep. He began to sing
that chorus, Hallelujah! Hallelujah! He turned to me and said, 'Benny,
I can feel the Holy Spirit in this car.' 'Of course His presence it in
this car,' I said. 'Where else would it be?' To me it had become the norm.
But Jim could hardly drive. He continued to weep before the Lord. Once,
my mother was cleaning the hallway while I was in my room talking with
the Holy Spirit. When I came out, she was thrown right back. Something
had knocked her against the wall. I said, 'What's wrong with you, Mama?'
She answered, 'I don't know?' Well, the presence of the Lord almost knocked
her down. My brothers will tell you of the times they came near me and
didn't know what was happening- but they felt something unusual…." (Good
Morning, Holy Spirit, Word Publishing, 1990, pp.41-42.)
"Once,
in England, I was staying in the home of a Christian family. My room was
at the very top of the house. One evening I was lost in the Spirit, having
the greatest time in the world talking to Him. The woman of the house called
up, 'Benny, supper is ready.' But I was bubbling over and didn't want to
leave. She called again, 'Supper is ready.' And as I was about to leave,
I felt someone take my hand and say, 'Five more minutes. Just five more
minutes.' The Holy Spirit longed for my fellowship." (ibid., p56.)
"Instantly,
the power of God hit the place. People began to cry and many fell to the
floor….I tried to turn the service over to the fellow who was leading the
meeting, hoping he would come and take the service out of my hands. But
as I turned and pointed toward him, he fell backward several feet.
I was trying to get him to come close and suddenly he was farther away."
(The Anointing, p.26.)
"If this
[Baptism of the Holy Spirit] is all there is, I'm not sure there's much
to it." (The Anointing, p.31.)
"I am
not overstating the case. The anointing is mandatory if you are
called to serve the Lord. Without it there will be no growth, no blessing,
no victory in your ministry." (The Anointing, p.79.)
"How often
have we closed our eyes and seen a figure in white. You say, 'Who is that?'
The Holy Ghost. 'Oh, I didn't know that.' Oh you should" (Great Miracle
Service, Texas, June 21 1990). |
John
14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will
send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to
your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
John 15:26
But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father,
even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify
of me:
John 16:8
And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness,
and of judgment:
John 16:13
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all
truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear,
that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
Galatians
5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith,
Galatians
5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Galatians
5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections
and lusts.
Galatians
5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Galatians
5:26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying
one another.
1 Timothy
4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall
depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of
devils;
2 Timothy
1:14 That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost
which dwelleth in us.
1 John
3:24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him.
And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given
us.
Jude 1:18
How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should
walk after their own ungodly lusts.
Jude 1:19
These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
Ephesians
1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed
us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
2 Peter
1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain
unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called
us to glory and virtue:
2 Corinthians
11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of
light. |
The
reproduction of man |
"The
Holy Spirit says, 'God's original plan is that the woman was to bring forth
children out of her side" (Our Position in Christ#5,1990,audiotape,sde2) |
Psalms
127:3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb
is his reward. |
The
nature of faith |
"Faith
is released when I speak the word of faith." (Benny Hinn, TBN, 6th
July 1992.) |
Romans
10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Hebrews
11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things
not seen. |
The
sufficiency of Scriptural revelation |
"Please,
please, please, don't think [we're] here to repeat something you've heard
for the last 50 years. ...If we quit giving you new revelations, we're
dead" (TBN, December 9th 1990). |
Deuteronomy
4:2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye
diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your
God which I command you.
Deuteronomy
12:32 What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not
add thereto, nor diminish from it.
Proverbs
30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their
trust in him.
Proverbs
30:6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found
a liar.
Revelation
22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy
of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto
him the plagues that are written in this book:
Galatians
1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto
you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
2 Timothy
3:15 And that from a child thou hast
known
the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through
faith which is in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy
3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2 Timothy
3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good
works. |
Discernment |
"So
don't question this teaching. Only the immature question it" (Our position
in Christ) |
1
John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether
they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
1 Thessalonians
5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. |
The
Lord's Supper |
In
the course of describing a Catholic communion he took part in:
"[I reached
out and touched a robe which had] a silky feeling, a beautiful softness
to the robe. …The next thing I was feeling was actually the form of a body,
the shape of a body. And my body…went totally numb. …And God really gave
me a revelation that night, that when we partake communion, it's not just
communion. We are partaking Christ Jesus himself. He did not say, 'Take,
eat, this represents my body.' He said, 'This is my body, broken
for you…' When you partake communion, you're partaking Christ, and that
heals your body. When you partake Jesus, how can you stay weak? …sick?
…And so tonight, as we partake communion, we're not partaking bread. We're
partaking what He said we would be partaking of: 'This is my body'"(Praise
the Lord, TBN, Dec 27 '94) |
|
|
Benny
Hinn- the ‘miracles'
‘The
very presence of God' is exactly what thousands of people clamor for when
they attend one of Benny Hinn's ‘Miracle Crusades.' They hope to see God
move in a mighty way through an outpouring of miraculous healing power.
After
personally attending one of Hinn's crusades, however, I can say from experience
that the likelihood of being hurt during such an occasion is vastly greater
than that of being helped or healed. I observed with great anguish scores
of men, women, and children who could not even get near to the stage to
be healed by Hinn. The scenario can best be described as a vulgar display
of ‘survival of the fittest,' with people stampeding madly to get on stage
so they can experience falling at Hinn's feet.
Tragically,
those who attended the meeting in wheelchairs ended up leaving in the same
physical condition. Some departed in tears. Others told me they left feeling
that God neither cared for them nor had the time to consider their needs.
…Not
only does Hinn claim to have raised people out of wheelchairs, given blind
eyes sight, and opened the ears of the deaf, but he also claims he has
healed at least four people of AIDS [Orlando Sentinel, 11 October
1987]. However, when pressed for verification, Susan Smith, who apparently
helps document such healings for Hinn, becomes strangely allusive.
When
it comes to the AIDS case, her response was that the final tests are not
yet in. When queried about an Orlando woman who was allegedly cured of
blindness due to diabetes, Susan would not divulge the name of the woman.
She subsequently stated that the woman's vision may still be cloudy and
that she still has diabetes, which ironically enough precipitated the problem
in the first place. ‘I wish she would get off insulin,' says Susan. ‘That's
what makes them blind.'
…Make
no mistake: I personally believe in God's healing power. But if God is
in fact healing through Hinn, the evidence is conspicuous by its absence.
Where, for example, are those whose missing eyes or legs have been restored?
If God has indeed used Hinn to heal multiple hundreds as Hinn boasts, then
why hasn't even one quadriplegic stepped forward to show the world that
Hinn represents the real power of the Holy Spirit?
Benny
Hinn has provided the Christian Research Institute with ‘3 healing testimonies
that have doctors' records and documentation' [letter to CRI, Sept 1992]
out of many hundreds he claims. Presumably, this is the best evidence Hinn
can supply, his strongest case. But according to CRI's medical consultant,
Dr Preston Simpson, M.D., all three case are poorly documented and confused.
Case
1: Colon Cancer.A
careful examination of the medical records supplied by Hinn reveals that
the malignant tumour had been surgically removed (along with the appendix
and eight lymph nodes), rather than miraculously healed.
Case
2: Lupus and related disorders.
This is a particularly interesting case in that lupus is well known to
go in remission spontaneously for years at a time. This naturally makes
miraculous healing difficult to verify. What can be verified are the effects
of lupus- in this case damage to the sacroiliac joint- which was definitely
not healed.
Case
3: Spinal tumour and various cancers.
This case really has problems. To begin with, the tapes of the CAT scan
of the spine were ‘erased before the bones could be evaluated.' Next, the
records reveal that the spinal tumour began shrinking some three months
prior to Hinn's Miracle Invasion Rally. And finally, the tumour was still
present- not healed- months after the alleged ‘healing.'
Hinn
claims that there are ‘hundreds' of authenticated healings … but it is
clear that if evidence like this is the best Hinn can muster after years
of ‘miracle rallies'- with a staff working at each rally to document cases
of healing- then there is no credible evidence that he has ever been involved
in a bona fide healing" (Christianity in Crisis, Hank Hanegraaff,
p339-41).
STOP
PRESS:
Just as we were about to go to print we received the latest on the Civil
Rights Court case being brought by approximately ten people, each of whom
is suing for around $1 million ie approximately $10 million in total, excluding
costs. The case has been deferred to November, 1998. In the build up already
a number of officers from the Florida Sheriff's Department have lost their
jobs.
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