Awaken Bible Prophecy Update 1-11-23: NAR & Bible Prophecy

We’ve discussed NAR on numerous occasions – the New Apostolic Reformation – and pointed out the many problems with this worldwide movement., which mostly manifests in Pentecostal and Charismatic churches.  Recently a statement written by the NAR community was released denouncing Christian Nationalism.  This is the idea that Christianity must rise to such prominence in America through the dominion of the church that America and other nations effectively become Christian, as – in their thinking – they must do in order for Christ to return.  Those of us with a Biblical, prophetic worldview obviously have problems with this idea.

Transcript:

We’ve discussed NAR on numerous occasions – the New Apostolic Reformation – and pointed out the many problems with this worldwide movement., which mostly manifests in Pentecostal and Charismatic churches.  Recently a statement written by the NAR community was released denouncing Christian Nationalism.  This is the idea that Christianity must rise to such prominence in America through the dominion of the church that America and other nations effectively become Christian, as – in their thinking – they must do in order for Christ to return.  Those of us with a Biblical, prophetic worldview obviously have problems with this idea.

In this position statement against NAR being part of the Christian Nationalist faction – admirable as it is – the authors and signatories made a number of declarations that, on the surface, appear to also distance themselves from the excesses of the NAR movement itself.  Not so fast says one critic.

Among the most prominent of NAR detractors is Holly Pivec.  She and her co-author, Doug Gievett, have written several books about NAR and the errors of its teachings.  Upon examining the NAR and Christian Nationalism statement, they had issues with it.  They questioned the contradictions between that which was stated and the known writings and beliefs of the signers of the document.

What came from this exchange between Pivec and the NAR folks was – in actuality – further evidence that NAR indeed believes and practices many non-Biblical concepts.  This in itself is extremely problematic.  When we examine their views, we see that not only do they conflict with Scripture, but they also present a future that is far from what God has said will occur at the end of the age.

It is this inconsistency regarding Scripture and Bible prophecy that concern us today, and we’ll explore that in more detail as we get into today’s Prophecy Update.

First let’s pray and read from God’s Word.

<PRAY>

Scripture

Daniel 5:20

But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit became so proud that he behaved arrogantly, he was deposed from his royal throne and his glory was taken away from him.

Romans 12:16

Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation

1 Corinthians 4:18

Now some have become arrogant, as though I were not coming to you.

NAR & Bible Prophecy

• The issue of linking NAR with Christian Nationalism isn’t my focus today
• We’ll let the NAR and Christian Nationalist folks sort that out among themselves
• What I found interesting was that through their position statement against Christian Nationalism by the NAR leaders, the beliefs that many of us point out as erroneous to true Biblical understanding were actually re-enforced
• Thus, in trying to distance from Christian Nationalism, NAR effectively confirmed the problems and issues many of us have with their Dominionist movement
• Dominionism or Kingdom Now theology – which NAR basically embraces – has been around for a long time
• org says the following about it:

Christian Dominionists believe that God desires Christians to rise to power through civil systems so that His Word might then govern the nation. The belief that “America is a Christian nation” is sometimes called “soft dominionism”; the idea that God wants only Christians to hold government office and run the country according to biblical law is called “hard dominionism.”

Dominion theology’s beliefs are based on Genesis 1:28, which says, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth”

• Thus, Christianity is supposed to rule all areas of society, corporate and personal
• Their understanding of this is encapsulated in what they call the Seven Mountain Mandate
• This was supposedly given by new revelation and is a guiding principle in what they do
• The Mandate of the Seven Mountains requires that the church take control of the seven major societal institutions, namely government, media, education, church, family, business, and the arts
• It is said to be a strategy to take over the world by placing Christian leaders in all these institutions and funneling money into the Christian initiative of evangelism and world domination
• Kind of sounds like Christian Nationalism – doesn’t it?
• A critical dispute that many of us have with NAR Dominionist thinking is also pointed out by Gotquestions.org:

Kingdom Now’s denial of the rapture of the church is also unbiblical. The explanation that the rapture is nothing more than the people of God being caught up in rapturous feelings ignores the fact that such an application of the term “caught up” is strictly an idiomatic expression peculiar to English, not Greek. “I was all ‘caught up’ in the movie (or other excitement)” is not the equivalent of harpazo, used to describe the catching up bodily into heaven in 1 Thessalonians 4:17; 2 Corinthians 12:2-4; and Revelation 12:5. The word is also used in Acts 8:39, where Phillip is bodily “caught away” by the Spirit to another location.

• The absence of a pre-Tribulation Rapture also implies either that the church must go through the Tribulation or that there isn’t a defined 7-year Tribulation at all
• You can understand from that why NAR has been high on my hit list for criticizing the movement and its beliefs – as much of an advocate for the pre-Trib Rapture that I am

• So, what are the key NAR issues that are Biblically problematic, and how do they conflict with a Biblical and prophetic worldview?
• NAR’s core belief is that various church leaders have been called by God to be prophets and apostles in all the authority of those from the past
• They claim to receive new revelation from God that enables “their followers to develop miraculous powers, take dominion of society, and bring God’s kingdom to earth”
• NAR apostles claim to have special divine anointing and authority just as the original Twelve Apostles did with the exception of writing Scripture
• They are to lead, guide, and govern churches such that pastors effectively answer to them
• NAR prophets are church leaders given the task to understand, represent, and declare the mind of God for this specific time and season
• More than that they are prophets who stand in the heavenly council as witnesses of the Lord, who not only hear God’s will regarding a people or nation, but are actually to be part of the process that brings judgment to a person or people group
• They are likened, in fact, to the ancient prophets, including Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel
• In Israel the NAR movement is led by an apostolic network called Tikkun
• They have the mindset that their Jewish leadership is higher than that of Gentile leadership, such that all Gentile Christians must come into alignment with Messianic Jewish believers
• In this thinking, only when all “believers worldwide are properly aligned with Israel’s apostles will the government be in place for God’s kingdom to be set up on earth and the end-time prophecies of Scripture fulfilled”
• NAR adherents believe that apostles have authority over cities and regions so as to establish unity and kingdom influence in the earth
• There are a variety of other teachings that different NAR apostles and prophets set forth, but for now this is enough to discuss
• Summarizing, the key issues are:
  • Church leadership by apostles and prophets
  • New revelation
  • Miraculous powers
  • Same authority as prophets and apostles in ancient Israel
  • Dominionism itself
• The question is: How do these claimed items vary from Scripture and the prophetic Word?

Church leadership by apostles and prophets

• This idea and the name New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) comes from the teachings of C. Peter Wagner
• It has moved forward with leaders such as Kenneth Hagen, Kenneth Copeland, Bill Johnson, Lance Walnau, Che Ahn, and many more
• As NAR developed, because of its emphasis on various giftings, it found a natural home among Pentecostal and Charismatic churches
• Many of like mind began following certain of these men and women who claimed to be called by God
• At our present time some of these NAR apostles and prophets command the attention of thousands of churches worldwide
• This is a huge movement and many congregants hang on the words of these men and women who claim God’s anointing
• NAR points to Ephesians 4:11 as to their provenance and authority within the church
• That verse reads:

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,

• The problem is that Scripture never hints that there is to be any great hierarchical top-down leadership by anyone but Jesus Himself
• It’s a huge leap to go from a pastor being the shepherd of his flock – really an under-shepherd of Christ, if we want to be more exact – to taking authority over hundreds and thousands of churches
• Sounds like the pope described as being the Vicar of Christ
• Except there are hundreds of these men and women who desire that position
• Jesus came to serve, not to be served
• Pastors who assume something greater than Jesus in their ministry would seem to have their heart not the right place
• Multiply that by how these NAR prophets and apostles position themselves
• There’s something very wrong with that picture

New revelation

• I simply have to say how presumptuous this is
• These NAR leaders give themselves a pass by saying they don’t write new Scripture, yet supposedly God gives them visions and dreams that go beyond His written Word
• What we often see in this is that rather than revelation that declares God’s judgment for a wayward people, it inevitably speaks of the wonderful things to come or very personal predictions for individuals
• As a result, people seek this personal word more than Christ Himself
• If God didn’t spare the Jews as His Chosen People because of their worship of false gods, their sexual immorality, and how they dealt with widows, orphans, and the poor, is it reasonable to assume that God will ignore those sins and more among His Christian children today?
• Shouldn’t any Word from God – if we wish to call it revelation – be calling out an unholy people that has become no different than the world?
• Yes, God inevitably spoke of wondrous things to come for the Jewish nation, but only after they repented and suffered greatly for turning from Him
• I think there’s a real disconnect here with the supposed revelations of today

Miraculous powers

• The Bible is filled with the supernatural works done by both the prophets of old and the apostles in Jesus’ time
• The miracles of Elijah and Elisha are those of legend as they helped those in need and fought against the pagan gods the people of Israel desired to follow
• We see the apostles walking in Jesus’ footsteps dying for their faith, healing the sick, and even raising the dead
• The Bible is replete with these wondrous works of God
• So, where are similar miracles among these NAR prophets and apostles?
• I’m also wondering where the martyrs are among them?
• Shouldn’t some number of them have died for their faith in order to encourage the church that in Christ alone we have life?
• Additionally, given their huge influence, they must have demonstrated God’s hand upon them many times – right?
• Surely such miraculous powers would attract social media of today and their many good works would be videoed and plastered all over Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and others – right?
• Do you mean to tell me that these many demonstrations of God’s might and wonder have all been censored and cancelled on social media?
• I saw a video a couple years ago with Kenneth Copeland bragging how he stopped a storm in its tracks one time – yet I wonder if there were any witnesses?
• And to whom was credit for this supposed miracle given? Copeland or Christ?
• As I recall, there were a lot of Is in his retelling of this tall tale
• You recall the child at Bethel Church – Baby Olive – who died and everyone prayed to raise her from the dead
• Didn’t happen, did it?
• Where was the miraculous gifting of Bill Johnson when that was going on, or any of the other mighty NAR prophets and apostles?
• Surely, with everyone praying as they did, one would have stepped forth in God’s power and raised that infant from her early grave?
• Even more to the point, since these men and women have such anointing from God, why aren’t they making daily trips to hospitals and setting the bedridden free?
• How come they aren’t reversing the toxic effects of COVID shots – even extracting those horrific white, elastic clots of several feet in length by holding them up and declaring: “Here is the power of God!”?
• Once more, I say, something is very wrong if they make this claim of having miraculous powers but there is no public and consistent demonstration of them

Same authority as prophets and apostles in ancient Israel

• We see in the Bible several incredible scenes in heaven as some of the ancient prophets stood in the very throne room of God among the heavenly host – the Divine Council of God
• In fact, although not every OT prophet mentioned this, I believe that each them had a similar experience
• They stood in the presence of God among the sons of God
• In so doing they either witnessed God in action delegating to His loyal sons certain tasks they were to accomplish, or were themselves commissioned at that time
• I love the account of the prophet Miciah standing in that Divine Council as God requests ideas from those present what He should do with King Ahab
• Obviously, God knew the answer and outcome but this is how He works
• His heavenly family and His human family are given useful work to accomplish
• In this case – as related in 1 Kings 22, various spirits came before God making suggestions how to handle the earthly king
• When one came forward saying he’d put a lying spirit in the mouths of the prophets, God says: “That’s it. Go make it happen.”
• All true prophets and apostles are commissioned by God
• All ancient prophets got their marching orders directly from Him in the heavenlies
• Likewise, the Twelve true Apostles stood before Jesus Christ – God in the flesh – and were given the Great Commission
• The NAR prophets and apostles of today claim to similarly have been in God’s divine presence
• I don’t believe it for a minute
• Otherwise, the power of God would flow from them and there’d be no question in whose name they operate
• Think about that for a moment
• If they aren’t truly hearing from God and receiving their commissioning from Him, who are they hearing and whose will are they doing?

Dominionism itself

• It’s always puzzled me where this idea of Kingdom Now theology originates
• I don’t think the Bible could be any more clear as to how and when Jesus returns
• The Apostle John is given the Revelation of Jesus Christ
• What he relates as coming from the Lord Himself is an end of days scenario far removed from what today’s NAR leaders proclaim with their theology claiming we Christians must assume power and control in the earth in order for Jesus to return
• The questions must be asked: How is this all working out?
• Where are the strong Christian leaders taking dominant positions in every sphere of society around the world?
• I see the WEF doing that with their Young Global Leaders
• Oh, I know – maybe these young men and women are really secret Christians and at the right time they’ll be revealed as such!
• Wait for it
• Just don’t get blue in the face holding your breath till it happens
• Where in the world does Scripture say that Christianity will dominate the world BEFORE Jesus comes?
• Oh, it must be one of those new revelations – of course, how foolish of me to have misunderstood
• No, the book of Revelation speaks from God’s very mouth what is to come
• This world has turned far from God by hardening every heart against Him
• Unbelievers dominate and they have rejected Him, desiring to go their own way
• Just like there will be no clearing of the Deep State Swamp, there will be no wholesale turning back to God in this present time
• Almost everywhere you turn among true Christians, you hear of the hope and prayer for a great revival
• It’s not going to happen this side of the Tribulation
• As wonderful as it would be, the world is too far gone
• It has crossed God’s red line and is going down
• Judgment must come, and it must come soon
• There will be incredible revival during the Tribulation
• We see that in the fact of many people coming out of the Tribulation clothed in white linen standing before God’s throne
• But how do they get there?
• By confessing faith in Jesus Christ and then being martyred in the worst holocaust in history – even more deadly than that done to the Jews in WW2 by the Nazis
• It’ll be a bloodbath like no other, yet these people will hold fast to their faith
• We cannot even imagine what they’ll endure
• Why will there be so many?
• Remember what the early church father Tertullian said: “The seed of the church is the blood of the martyrs.”
• Christian persecution inevitably raises up a tremendous number of saints
• So it will be during those terrible seven years
• The idea of this world as it currently exists giving up its idea of who should be in charge – namely each and every individual and certainly not God – isn’t going to change
• Could God do such a miraculous thing by turning the heart of everyone to Himself before the Tribulation occurs?
• Sure, but just like in Israel where the Jews went too far, the world today has reached that stage
• There will be no NAR, Domininist, Kingdom Now takeover
• The WEF Young Global Leaders won’t throw off their cloaks to reveal themselves as super Christians in disguise
• The Seven Mountain Mandate is a joke – an impossible fantasy
• Where did all this come from?
• Let’s just say that Satan will do anything to keep people from the truth of God and His Word
• Even Christians can be led astray into deception, and we’re certainly in such a time as that
• God’s holy Word stands true
• There are no new revelations to counter what He has given us
• We would do well to stop allowing such men and women who inhabit the NAR movement to scratch our itching ears
• The Lord has spoken
• He has decreed
• If NAR believes there is no Rapture – and the person influencing NAR isn’t God – that’s all the more reason the pre-Trib Rapture is real and coming soon
• Satan doesn’t want the church believing that we’ll soon be snatched away by Jesus Himself
• He wants the church demoralized and prepping – all in the interest of diverting our eyes from the Lord
• Don’t believe the lies of the enemy
• God will deliver us from the wrath to come
• The glorious appearing of Jesus Christ is just around the corner