Comments on: A Very Lonely Path

By: Lonely lady

Lonely lady — Wed, 02 Nov 2016 21:26:18 +0000

Hi from ‘Lonely’ here in the UK. Having been ravaged by Berg and the CofG and never the same since, and holding on to Jesus for dear life since (decades now); I find myself alone, never married and no kids (not that I mind now – wouldn’t swap Jesus for anyone or be with anyone unless He says so), but my life has been steadily emptying of people for quite a while now. With a low energy condition, most of my life now (nearly 60) is spent at home, just doing the basics and praying, seeking the Lord and on the internet. I still attend the local C of E where they don’t believe in homosexuality and hold fast to normal marriage, but my spirit is not happy, and I think it will not be long before I pull out of the church system entirely. Truthfully, I am rather confused at the moment, but my eyes are being opened to the true nature of the whole church system and where it is leading. It seems almost as if the Lord is peeling relationships away from me, to the point where I have wondered whether I have been rejected? I feel like I did when I left COG all those years ago and was recovering from all the brainwashing. At the moment I am having to trust God it the dark and hold on to who He is. My heart says get out of the church system, but there are moments when I wonder if I am backsliding. Humanly speaking I feel like an orphan in and out of church, but have decided if I have to relocate and start over to cut ungodly ties, then move I will. Last time I tried I had a church woman turn up on my doorstep and frighten me out of it, so I cancelled the sale. Hmmm interesting. I don’t feel my discernment is that sharp, but it seems that the divide between false religion and the out of the box believers is growing rapidly and we are in the valley of decision. Yes, I am having to count the cost and pay the price of loneliness. I think too another reason it is hard, is because so many have become institutionalised in these organisations which have subtly taken the place of Christ. I feel as if I am going through cult withdrawal all over again, but some days I wonder if I am perhaps still unhealed and over-cautious? When I get mentally exhausted with all of this, I simply lay it at Jesus feet and ask Him to guide me and cast my cares on Him. I now see my spiritual journey which started at 15, led me into the church system and round and round on the church merry go round, hopping from cult to cult, but now I am getting off the merry go round and out into the big wide world, away from the religious ghettos, to hopefully be salt and light, although right now, I don’t feel as if I know much at all. I have been in and out of Dominionism, Restorationism, Replacement Theology, the Toronto fiasco, Lakeland, Word of Faith heresy, and lost most christians I know along the way to the point of wondering if I even am one. In the end we rest on the word and the word alone and the faithfulness of our Saviour.

By: Deborah (Discerning the World)

Deborah (Discerning the World) — Tue, 28 Jul 2015 17:12:53 +0000

In reply to C. Sten.

Hi C.Sten

Yes I watched Todd’s fiasco from beginning to ending and prayed that people’s eyes would be opened to the God’s truth and amen, look at you!! But unfortunately there were far more casualties.

Do you think it would be ok to have this page for the testimonies?

By: C. Sten

C. Sten — Tue, 28 Jul 2015 13:14:38 +0000

It’s indeed a very lonely path but stories like this from Mike encourage a lot! If I may make a suggestion: could there be a Testimonies/ Share your story – page here? People could share and read each others stories? It is encouraging to hear how God has led others. I left 7 years ago from these charismaniatic churches, watching Todd Bentley’ s revival 2008 from internet was the last straw for me and my eyes started to open.

Anyway, thank you Deborah and Tom for taking the time to write these articles!!

By: Mike Evans

Mike Evans — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 14:35:02 +0000

Thanks for the welcoming responses.
This is a link to a long but worthwhile article on the state of the church in Australia, in particular the Assembly of God (the denomination I joined after I was first saved- there was a time when they got you saved there before they messed you up- now they tend to skip the salvation part, or lead people to a false salvation experience). The author was saved in the AOG at about the same time I began attending this denomination. Hillsong is an AOG church, though many assume they are a separate denomination. The AOG- now known as the ACC- Australian Christian Churches- embraced the doctrines of the NAR. Thus the appearance of Peter Wagoner at the inaugural travesty, I mean ceremony. NAR “ministers” appear at Hillsong conferences and C3 (formerly known as Christian City Church) conferences. I attended C3’s first church in Melbourne (it originated in Sydney). One reason I left was the worldliness which prevails there: the youth group had social nights at nightclubs (ie. ‘pick-up joints’. Hillsong in NYC has this unholy ambiance) and it was said once in the pulpit: “If Jesus was here today He wouldn’t be spending all his time preaching in churches, He’d be going to bars, cinemas and dancing in nightclubs”. Not the Jesus I worship, but maybe the one they follow. This was back in the late 1980’s. People like the hip pastor Steven Furtick also “minister” for Hillsong and C3 over here. He has an endearing rap song for his critics (“Hey , haters”) which is creepy to put it mildly.
I was feeling uncomfortable in ACC churches here before the Lord liberated me from charismania. Rock music and watered-down doctrine were my main sources of dismay. Better to maintain a lonely walk and be undefiled from all of this aberrant doctrine and rampant ungodliness.

By: Deborah (Discerning the World)

Deborah (Discerning the World) — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 12:47:29 +0000

In reply to Mike Evans. Awesome Mike! Awesome! I am so happy to read a comment like yours! :))

By: Tom Lessing (Discerning the World)

Tom Lessing (Discerning the World) — Sun, 12 Jul 2015 15:56:54 +0000

In reply to Mike Evans.

Hi Mike,

I am very pleased to hear how the Lord rescued you from all those heretical doctrines you mentioned. What strikes me the most of your testimony is that you went to Jesus and asked Him to show you what was of Him and what not. I know someone who was in a similar situation and also went to the Lord asking Him to show her whether the things she got involved in were of Him or not. It shows you why it is so important to consult Him when you are not sure about things you encounter in churches these days. He is faithful to his word and promises and will always honor your requests if you trust Him to lead you in all truth. My prayer is that God would use you mightily in his service. God bless.

Thomas

By: Mike Evans

Mike Evans — Sun, 12 Jul 2015 12:50:41 +0000

Hi Deborah and Thomas,
I am getting a great deal out of this site. You are doing a very important job. I am in Australia. Earlier this year, God answered a long-standing prayer of mine, ie. “Show me what is of You and what is not of You in my life”. I got saved at 21 after some brief-and terrifying- experiences in the occult thanks to a Philosophy unit I took at Teacher’s college. My Anglican upbringing had not taught me enough to get me born again (some Anglican churches here in Melbourne are evangelical (and unfortunately also charismatic) but most are full of tradition and unbelief). A charismatic friend of my mother’s showed me what I had opened the door to by attending these classes-which presented mysticism in various forms as topics of discussion- however I then joined an AOG church and suffered through horrendous ‘deliverance ministry’ and got ‘spirit-filled’ (but with the WRONG spirit). Seeking help, I went to the USA and supposedly found my answer in the ‘faith message’ and became the first Melbourne-born graduate of ‘Rhema (Heresy) Training Center’, again being led like a lamb to the slaughter. I pastored a church for 17 years teaching these doctrines but basically stayed in various degrees of torment.
All through these (34) years I was receiving leadings and prophetic utterances-often “confirmed supernaturally”- about a ministry overseas which was always ‘on the horizon’. Earlier this year I stopped praying in tongues and began learning about the extreme charismatic junk going on (Bethel, Sid Roth, the NAR, IHOP) which I’d only heard tidbits about in the past (egs. Toronto, Lakeland). At the same time I re-examined Kenneth Hagin’s purported visions of Jesus and realized he was a false prophet/teacher. Sites such as yours have been EXTREMELY helpful to me. I am still dealing with oppressive spirits but seeing change daily as I now just follow the example of Jesus and say ‘It is written’ with appropriate scriptures. It is difficult to find a church without some error here (I am keeping clear of charismania like it’s the plague)as the most Word-based ones have the taint of Calvinism ( a doctrine I had rejected before reading up on it on sites such as yours).
I have friends in a horrendous NAR ‘Bethelized’ church (fire tunnels, gold dust, angels etc) and I am only having limited success in helping them to see the error and escape. Ditto with my charismatic/ WOF friends (though some are receptive and were already questioning things, others have rebuked me and walked away). It DOES get lonely at times, however I see myself as extremely blessed of God to now see things as they are and to have been delivered from such horrendous heresy. I never lost my zeal to win the lost with the message of salvation (which is so watered down everywhere I am doubtful that many are truly being saved today) and I wonder sometimes if that ‘preserved me’ through these difficult years and helped me to see the truth when it was shown to me. Have you read an article entitled ‘jumping on the bandwagon’ about the perilous state of the church in Australia? I can provide a link if you’re interested.Long, but excellent.
You face much persecution for what you are doing. I hope you take that as a compliment from the evil one, who obviously hates what you are exposing. The apostasy seems to be happening at ‘warp speed’ at present. Did you know Rodney Howard Browne has re-surfaced doing an ‘awakening’ convention in Washington DC with all the same kundalini bartending tactics? (with politicians such as Michelle Bachmann in tow). Seeing the NAR, WOFers, Evangelicals and the Roman Catholics all converging into one big mystical train-wreck is quite a sight to behold. I believe your website will help many escape the wrath that is to come upon this blasphemous folly. I believe there are saved and unsaved people ensnared in this labyrinth of deception. Those like me who honestly ask the Lord to show them what is going on will be helped by ministries such as yours.

By: Shannon

Shannon — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 05:50:39 +0000

Ha Ha I just don”t seem to get it right. I agree I think that part was missing

By: Deborah (Discerning the World)

Deborah (Discerning the World) — Tue, 30 Jun 2015 14:41:25 +0000

In reply to Shannon.

Shannon

>> I thought that profound.

Nope, that is not Jesus Christ washing his feet that is the false Christ. Jesus Christ would have preached the gospel to him that his soul may be saved. This Rick guy is preaching that you must humble yourself and serve your neighbour instead of love your neighbour with the gospel.

We had a whole lot of feet washing going on here in SA among Emergent’s at one stage and they just loved that the gospel was not being preached, but everyone’s feet were really clean.

I would sell him his cake that he ordered and preach the gospel to him.

By: Shannon

Shannon — Tue, 30 Jun 2015 14:28:48 +0000

A bakery owned by professing believers refused to bake a cake for a gay couple. The cake, I believe, was going to be used at their wedding. There was much discussion about this. Let me add my perspective by this narrative.
A man walks into your bakery and orders a cake. But you have just been informed that tomorrow this man would publicly deny Jesus using foul language. Would you still bake his cake and sell it to him?
Well Jesus did not bake that man a cake. He washed his feet.

Posted by Rick Frueh

I thought that profound.