A month or so ago I wrote a blog that contained a warning about the Lakeland, Florida "Revival" starring Todd Bentley. I felt strongly convicted to try to get the word out to many who could be led astray by this false revival, and I shared with you my own experiences with Todd's ministry back in 2003 because I felt I could speak from personal experience about the things that had concerned me even back then. Perhaps many of you have not even yet heard of this "revival." Perhaps others of you have heard and not paid any attention because you're not in the least interested. But this time I write to beg you to GET interested, because soon someone is going to approach you about this and perhaps even persuade you to believe in it or to go there. I get telephone calls every day asking me about it, and SO many people saying they are excited to go. After you have read the prophetic word at the bottom of this e-mail, I believe you will begin to understand the grave importance and severity of this deception. It is not just another "Pentecostal thing" as some may shrug it off. It is not a manifestation of the Spirit of God. It is a perversion of the Gospel - preaching a different Jesus - and a tactic of Satan to deceive the very elect. WILL YOU PLEASE READ ON TO THE END? I am crying out with a passion about this. NOW it has gone WAY past a concern or a conviction for me. Now, thanks to nightly live broadcasting on GOD TV, and live streaming on the internet, the news of this "revival" has circled the globe and created such a stir that hundreds of thousands are flying into Florida from all over the world to "get some." Yes, those are Todd's words when he urges people to come to Florida: "Come and get some!!" And so, in search of healing miracles, signs and wonders, some come with a pure heart to seek the Holy Spirit and some thrill-seekers come to experience the signs and wonders and "get some." If you have watched any of these live broadcasts I do not know how you could possibly think that what is going on there in this carnival-like atmosphere is of the Holy One of Israel. Todd says, "Miracles are popping like popcorn!" I have never thought of Yahweh's miracles as popcorn, have you?
NOW I am on my face weeping, and crying out to El Shaddai to put a stop to this crafty, wicked deception. We have been WARNED that it is coming in the last days, brothers and sisters! Over and over Yeshua and His apostles warn us: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" We have been WARNED that a wicked and perverse generation will seek after signs and wonders (Matthew 24:38-39): "Some of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law came to Yeshua. They said, 'Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you.' He answered, 'Evil and unfaithful people ask for a miraculous sign! But none will be given except the sign of the prophet Jonah.'" What IS the sign of Jonah? It is REPENTANCE. In Matthew 24:23-24, Yeshua warns us, “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand." In the original Hebrew manuscript (yes, Matthew WAS originally written in Hebrew!), the word Christ was a mistranslation. It was actually the Hebrew word for anointing or anointed one: "Look, here is the anointing" or "there!" do not believe it. Does that not cast a new light on this Scripture? Very, very few Christians are following after the wackos who say they are Jesus Christ; but how many are running here and there after someone they believe has "the anointing" or is an anointed one?
All the above is sound, important caution based on the Word of God. But I have not read anything that would so accurately describe and explain the false prophets who would try to seduce us - from Toronto to Brownsville to Lakeland - than this word I'm printing below. This is a very small excerpt from a prophetic word given by a man named Stanley Frodisham in Chicago in 1965. Apparently Mr. Frodisham was a friend of Smith Wigglesworth, and he issued this proclamation five years before his death. How could he so accurately have known forty years ago what this end-times deception of the Church would look like? Only by the Spirit. Please read it and pray about it. I believe it will clarify for you HOW IT COULD BE POSSIBLE THAT BELIEVERS BECOME SO DECEIVED THAT THERE IS A GREAT FALLING AWAY. Remember, "The coming of the lawless (Torah-less) one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders" (2nd Thess. 2:9).
The Ways of Deceivers
"I warn you to search the Scriptures diligently concerning these last days. For the things that are written shall indeed be made manifest. There shall come deceivers among My people in increasing numbers, who shall speak forth the truth and shall gain the favour of the people. For the people shall examine the Scriptures and say, 'What these men say is true'. Then when they have gained the hearts of the people, then and then only shall they bring out their wrong doctrines. Therefore I say that you should not give your hearts to men, nor hold people's persons in admiration or adulation. For by these very persons Satan shall gain entry into My people. Watch for seducers! Do you think a seducer will brandish a heresy and flaunt it before the people? He will speak words of righteousness and truth and will appear as a minister of light, declaring the Word. The people's hearts shall be won. Then when the hearts are won, they will bring out their doctrines and the people shall be deceived. The people shall say 'Did he not speak thus and thus'? 'And did we not examine it from the Word'? 'Therefore he is a minister of righteousness. This that he has now spoken we do not see in the Word but it must be right, for the other things he spoke were true'. Be not deceived. For the deceiver will first work to gain the hearts of many, and then shall bring forth his insidious doctrines. You can not discern those who are of Me and those who are not of Me when they start to preach. But seek Me constantly, and when these doctrines are brought out you shall have a witness in your heart that these are not of Me. Fear not, for I have warned you. It is possible that the very elect may be deceived. But it is not possible if you walk in holiness and uprightness before the Lord, for then your eyes shall be open and the Lord will protect you. If you will constantly look unto the Lord you will know when the doctrine changes, and will not be brought into it. If your heart is right I will keep you, if you will look constantly to Me, I will uphold you."
Stanley Frodisham, 1965
