William Branham and his False Christ

William Branham & LawrieWilliam Branham and Paulaseer Lawrie Mathukrishna

One of the most amazing things about Jesus Christ’s end-time prediction in Matthew 24:24 is that millions of so-called Christians are doggedly following false prophets like William Branham and their false Christs despite his solemn warning in verse 4 of the same chapter. You may warn them with tears in your eyes and prove to them from Scripture or the well-documented quotes from the lips of their spiritual leaders that they are being deceived by Satan, and still tenaciously cling to their false prophets and false Christs. Why? There are several biblical reasons why they refuse to listen to God and those who earnestly warn them.

1 John 4:5-6 Amplified Bible (AMP)

They [who teach twisted doctrine] are of the world and belong to it; therefore they speak from the [viewpoint of the] world [with its immoral freedom and baseless theories-demanding compliance with their opinions and ridiculing the values of the upright], and the [gullible one of the] world listens closely and pays attention to them.

We [who teach God’s word] are from God [energized by the Holy Spirit], and whoever knows God [through personal experience] listens to us [and has a deeper understanding of Him]. Whoever is not of God does not listen to us. By this we know [without any doubt] the spirit of truth [motivated by God] and the spirit of error [motivated by Satan].

Don’t expect anyone who is not of God to listen to reason and solid biblical exegeses. They will defiantly shun God’s truth to the very end unless their eyes are opened to see and understand his truth and are saved.

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

But even if our Gospel (the glad tidings) also be hidden (obscured and covered up with a veil that hinders the knowledge of God), it is hidden [only] to those who are perishing and obscured [only] to those who are spiritually dying and veiled [only] to those who are lost.

For the god of this world has blinded the unbelievers’ minds [that they should not discern the truth], preventing them from seeing the illuminating light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ (the Messiah), Who is the Image and Likeness of God.

Does this mean that those who are deceived cannot be saved? Perish the thought. Anyone can be saved as Jesus said in Luke 18:27. However, whilst they cling to their false prophets, false Christs’ and their teachings, and doggedly refuse to believe the truth, Satan will never release his stronghold on their minds and continue to keep them in darkness so that the glorious light of Jesus Christ’s Gospel cannot illumine them. They refuse to have their minds renewed by the Holy Spirit. (2 Corinthians 11:15).

The devastating reality is that it does not end here. Those who persistently and defiantly continue to believe Satan’s lies will ultimately face the consequences of their rebellion. To them, God says: “OK! If you don’t want to heed my reproofs and choose to remain adamant to the very end, I will assist you in your hard-heartedness. I will send you a delusion so strong that you would no longer want to turn to me for your salvation.”

2 Thessalonians 2:8-12 Amplified Bible (AMP)

Then the lawless one [the Antichrist] will be revealed and the Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of His mouth and bring him to an end by the appearance of His coming.

The coming of the [Antichrist, the lawless] one is through the activity of Satan, [attended] with great power [all kinds of counterfeit miracles] and [deceptive] signs and false wonders [all of them lies],

10 and by unlimited seduction to evil and with all the deception of wickedness for those who are perishing, because they did not welcome the love of the truth [of the gospel] so as to be saved [they were spiritually blind, and rejected the truth that would have saved them].

11 Because of this God will send upon them a misleading influence, [an activity of error and deception] so they will believe the lie, 

12 in order that all may be judged and condemned who did not believe the truth [about their sin, and the need for salvation through Christ], but instead took pleasure in unrighteousness.

The Christ is Now Here

It is evident from Scripture that in the last days many charlatans would arrive on the scene claiming to be the fulfillment of the Second Coming of Christ. One such extremist was Paulaseer Lawrie Mathukrishna. He made this preposterous statement on 21st July 1969 when Apollo 11 landed on the moon. What most Branhamites don’t seem to know or deliberately close their eyes to, is that William Branham recognized Lawrie Mathakrishna as the fulfillment of Christ’s Second Advent and even said so openly in some of his sermons, according to his followers. In the 1980s, Paulaseer changed his message somewhat, teaching Aadhi Bali or “Supreme Sacrifice” – an idea from the Purusasukta. He began to draw much more on Hindu and even Muslim ideas and attracted more native Indian followers. (Bergunder, Michael (2003). “From Pentecostal Healing Evangelist to Kalki Avatar: The Remarkable Life of Paulaseer Lawrie…,” in Christians and Missionaries in India: Cross-Cultural Communication since 1500, edited by Robert Eric Frykenberg and Alaine M. Low. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. pp. 357-375)

The following excerpt from Kurt Koch’s book “Occult ABC” confirms this.

The most remarkable messiah at the present time is to be found at camp Manujothi Ashram in the desert in South India. It is the extreme American evangelist, William Branham whom Christians have to thank for this false messiah. His name is Paulaseer Lawrie Mathukrishna. When Branham was on tour of India, Brother Lawrie became a disciple of his, and Branham described him as the Son of God and Christ returned.

Brother Lawrie has established a kind of commune with his followers in South India. Those who join give up all their possessions to the group. I know a woman from Germany who sold all she had inherited from her father and went to India with DM. 60,000. After a few years, she came back to her husband in Germany without a penny.

It is strange how this latter-day sect attracts people from all over the world. Germans and Americans are especially welcome, since they usually bring with them large sums of money.

One of Lawrie’s main teachings is that the world will be destroyed in 1977. Before that, however, his followers will be taken up from the earth. The brides of Christ are already preparing themselves for this rapture by a process of spiritualization of the body.

At the time of writing, this community numbers seven hundred. No more are being accepted, although there are nine hundred applicants. Brother Lawrie says that the spiritual development of the seven hundred is now so far advanced that the new members would not get there. Only the seven hundred “first fruits” will be taken up.

The activity of Lawrie’s representative in Germany, Herr Mengel, is also of interest. At first he lived with his wife and four children in Lawrie’s commune, but then he returned to Germany in order to make Lawrie’s ideas known in Europe. Herr Mengel claims to be one of the two witnesses who are mentioned in Revelation 11. After three and one-half years, he says, he will be murdered, but then he will be raised.

It is strange how people can be filled with such a spirit of error, that they really believe these things. Let us wait and see what lies they will tell us, because the prophesied destruction of the world in 1977 did not happen. (Kurt Koch, Occult ABC, 1978, p.55-56). (Emphasis added).

The Branham-Kundalini Connection

God warns us not to look to the East for spiritual enlightenment because it warrants God’s rejection of those who do.

Isaiah 2:6 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

Surely [Lord] You have rejected and forsaken your people, the house of Jacob, because they are filled [with customs] from the east and with soothsayers [who foretell] like the Philistines; also they strike hands and make pledges and agreements with the children of aliens.

The reason why it is so dangerous to meander in Eastern mysticism is that it inevitably brings you into contact with the Kundalini spirit which is a false Holy Spirit. One must ask whether Branham performed miracles in the power of the Holy Ghost or the Kundalini spirit which he must have picked up in Lawrie Mathukrishna’s Ashram in the desert in South India. The following excerpt from Kurt Koch’s book Occult ABC seems to confirm that William Branham’s healing ministry was steeped in the Eastern Kundalini occult and therefore not inspired by God’s Spirit.

It would be a mistake to dismiss these healing methods as a pure swindle. Successful cures do take place. But at what cost! For many years I have been observing the serious negative effects of such healing on people’s mental and spiritual health.

Edwards has made the spiritistic character of his activity clear by saying, “When my angels are not present, I cannot heal.” Here an interesting parallel to the healing work of William Branham may be seen. Years ago he told his interpreter, Pastor Ruff, “If my angel does not give the sign, I cannot heal.” Ruff noticed several features of Spiritism in the work of Branham, and therefore stopped working with him. These “angels” of whom Edwards and Branham spoke are evil spirits masquerading as angels of light. As in many areas of the occult, we are here reminded again that the devil appears as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14).

Another evidence is the fact that neither Edwards nor Branham were able to perform cures when faced with born-again Christians who had committed themselves to the protection of Christ. In the case of Branham, I have experienced this myself. When he spoke in Karlsruhe and Lausanne, there were several believers among the audience – including myself – who prayed along these lines: “Lord, if this man’s powers are from You, then bless and use him, but if the healing gifts are not from You, then hinder him.” The result? On both occasions Branham said from the platform, “There are disturbing powers here. I can do nothing.” (Kurt Koch, Occult ABC, 1978, p.181-181).

Ray McCauleyIt reminds me of an incident many years ago when Ray McCauley, the Senior Pastor of Rhema Bible Church, President of the International Federation of Christian Churches (IFCC), co-chair of the National Interfaith Council of South Africa (NICSA), author and former champion bodybuilder, visited a group of SABC Christians at our weekly gathering. Some of us decided to pray for discernment and asked God to bring McCauley’s regular healing spree to naught if it were not of Him. When McCauley invited those with some kind of malady to step forward, he tried to slay them in the spirit. Nothing happened and he too had to admit that Christians in the meeting were hindering him in his ministry. It proves beyond any doubt that it is not the Holy Spirit but another spirit who empowers them to slay people to the floor because no human being can hinder or prevent the Holy Spirit from doing anything. (1 John 4:4).

It is believed that William Branham was the man who popularized the phenomenon called slain-in-the-spirit which subsequently spread like wildfire in the Word of Faith Movement and Pentecostalism. Having seen that Branham was heavily influenced by Paulaseer Lawrie Mathukrishna whom he called “the Son of God,” it comes as no surprise that slain-in-the-spirit is a westernized extension of the Kundalini Shaktipat or divine force practiced in Hinduism. Wikipedia defines Shaktipat as follows:

Shaktipat or ÅšaktipātaShaktipat (Sanskrit, from shakti – “(psychic) energy” – and pāta, “to fall”) refers in Hinduism to the conferring of spiritual “energy” upon one person by another. Shaktipat can be transmitted with a sacred word or mantra, or by a look, thought or touch – the last usually to the ajna chakra or third eye of the recipient.

Saktipat is considered an act of grace (anugraha) on the part of the guru or the divine. It cannot be imposed by force, nor can a receiver make it happen. The very consciousness of the god or guru is held to enter into the Self of the disciple, constituting an initiation into the school or the spiritual family (kula) of the guru. It is held that Shaktipat can be transmitted in person or at a distance, through an object such as a flower or fruit or else by telephone or letter.

You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to see from whence William Branham, a spiritualist “healer,” derived his idea that spirits could be “imparted” from one person to another via the laying on of hands. This is precisely why the Bible warns “Do not be in a hurry in the laying on of hands.” (1 Timothy 5:22). Impartation through the laying on of hands is the most dangerous practice in charismatic circles and the most assured way to pick up the very same demons resident in the person who lays his/her hands on you.

Will the Followers of False Prophets pay Attention to Warnings?

As usual, the Bible provides us with the best answer.

2 Timothy 3:13 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

13 But wicked [evil] men and imposters will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and leading astray others and being deceived and led astray themselves.

It’s impossible to argue with God because He is always right and when He says evil men (false prophets, teachers and their gullible followers) will go from bad to worse you better believe it. In fact, it just shows you that precious few will heed the warnings in God’s Word and probably die without ever coming to repentance. Why? Again the Bible provides the best answer.

2 Timothy 4:3Amplified Bible (AMP)

3 For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine and accurate instruction [that challenges them with God’s truth]; but wanting to have their ears tickled [with something pleasing], they will accumulate for themselves [many] teachers [one after another, chosen] to satisfy their own desires and to support the errors they hold,

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Tom Lessing (Discerning the World)

Tom Lessing is the author of the above article. Discerning the World is an internet Christian Ministry based in Johannesburg South Africa. Tom Lessing and Deborah Ellish both own Discerning the World. For more information see the About this Website page below the comments section.

23 Responses

  1. Great article Tom!

    William Bramham is a hero in many people eyes including Angus Buchan and Ray McCauley etc etc etc. In fact everyone in the NAR fall back onto William Bramham as a great man of God. He started the latter rain movement and it’s infestation spread across the world including South Africa.

  2. tati says:

    I don’t know if it was God’s will but I started frantically searching for him. But I ended up following false prophets that just screwed up my mind and thinking. I did however say I accepted Jesus christ but now I’m not so sure if I did. I always loved God. As a little girl I always read the bible, actually read the whole thing but I stopped because I supposedly thought I had better things to worry about. Now at soon to be 19 , I just want to find Jesus Christ and know the real holy spirit. I just want to fall in love with his word again. Also , all I wanted was to find a true church to go to. But it’s just so hard these days. Sometimes I just don’t know which path to follow. It is very scary not knowing who you can trust. As a young adult, I’ve been oblivious to a lot of things until now. I had to realize that not everyone are what they say they are and they’re so good at pretending. For some reason at the beginning I knew that something was wrong but I just ignored it because I wanted to know God so much. That I just ignored all the signs telling me no. I just rushed in and I ended up in bad situations.

  3. Mike Evans says:

    I agree. Very well put together Tom. I had read that Branham had visited India but didn’t know he had found ‘Christ’ there. Yet another bizarre and blasphemous teaching from this infamous False Prophet whose legacy still pollutes Christendom.
    I recall hearing Kenneth Hagin speaking of Branham in glowing terms while at Rhema. (I think he was one of his pall-bearers). He is on record classifying him as a prophet of God. The standard story in non-discerning charismatic circles is that Branham was mightly used of the Lord but- as Hagin purportedly “heard from the Lord”- he “went the way of (John Alexander) Dowie” (ie. believing he was ‘Elijah’) and was judged. (This story is repeated in the (unreliable) tome ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE by Harrell). Learning the truth about Branham earlier this year confirmed my (God-given) understanding that Kenneth Hagin was a false prophet and teacher. “It takes a false prophet to promote another false prophet”. Branham’s aberrant (and biblically naive) beliefs must have been well known by ministers such as Hagin. His errors are even more obvioui than those of Hagin (which is saying something). I believe on one occasion he expressed the belief that Jesus is also the archangel Michael, a teaching of Jehovah’s Witnesses and -less known about- also of Ellen G. White (7TH DAY ADVENTIST prophetess). Any ‘conversions’ and miracles which took place at Branham meetings were obviously false and satanic.
    The continuing Branham-worship by members of his cult AND charismatic leaders (especially the chieftans of the iniquitous NAR) is a clear example of God sending “delusions of choice” to those who reject the truth. I myself have no doubt that the (demonic) ‘mantle’ of Branham is resting on Todd Bentley, as prophesied by the NAR leaders in Lakeland. Back at the time, I thought that Bentley’s adultery was the LEAST of his spiritual misdemeanours/problems. (By the way, he was recently reported as raising a dead boy in Pakistan- like his fore-runner, he is corrupting India with his kundalini anointing ( a name he actually gave the Holy Spirit back in the days of his big ‘revival’.))
    Here is a link to an excellent page on the blind allegience given to Branham to the present day by the false church entitled ‘Favoring the Supernatural and Ignoring the Heresy- Endorsing William Branham’:
    http://letusreason.org/Latrain56.htm

  4. Mike Evans

    Thanks for the link, Mike. Hopefully some who follow Branham will read it and come to their senses.

  5. tati,

    Jesus promised that we shall know the truth and the truth will make us free. Have you been made free? If so, would you mind telling us how you were made free?

  6. tati says:

    I did accept Jesus Christ but in a church that I knew nothing about. But in my heart I truly did accept him.

  7. Hi tati.

    Thank you for your response. You say you accepted Jesus. May I ask: Has He accepted you? The reason why I ask is because many people believe that when they have accepted Jesus they are saved without really knowing or having the assurance that they are indeed saved. God wants people to have an absolute assurance of their salvation. First of all, He wants to make you a new creature and live in you. Most people realize they are sinners but very few admit that they are lost and on their way to a well-deserving eternity in hell. Jesus once said to the Pharisees, “Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.” (John 8:21). Jesus was telling them that if they died in their sins they could not go to Him where He is in heaven. This is the whole crux of true salvation. Sinners need to realize and admit that they are lost and need to be saved.

    Now, how does this happen? What must one do to be saved? How does God make you a new creature? What must you do for Him to live in you? Here again, we must listen to what Jesus says. He said:

    But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. (Mat 9:12)

    Only people who are sick know they need to visit a doctor. IN the same way, only those who realize they are lost sinners will go to Jesus for their salvation. Those who do not realize and admit it will never go to Him. He also said:

    Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Mat 11:28-30)

    The yoke we carry are all the sins have have done and they are very heavy. Jesus invites you to come to Him and to give your heavy yoke of sin to Him so that He may give you his yoke that is light and easy to carry. How do we do this? How does one go to Him. Here’s the answer.

    And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Act 2:21)

    He promises that if you call on Him in prayer for your salvation, confessing your sins and admitting that you are lost, He will save you. Have you done it yet? If not, I urge you to go to Him, call on his wonderful Name, confessing your sins and to ask Him to make you a new creature.

  8. t.miles says:

    William branham has been debunked throught many websites of previous followers who realized their beliefs met the definition of a cult.
    http://www.believethesign.com.
    http://Www.seekyethetruth.com
    http://Www.morningmercy.com

    Thanking God that our eyes are open and praying fervently for those still blinded.

  9. William Billy says:

    I’m from Angola (Africa), I grew up in WMB’s message and since I was 18 years old I started having a deep feeling that something was wrong about the message.

    – When people were given to the devil hands because they didn’t believed in everything that WMB said or failed to obey it.
    – When we had to give money to buy and build the church but all the paperwork that proves the ownership of the church had to be under the voice of god a.k.a brother Joseph Branham because allegedly he is like king Solomon (the one who was directly chose by WMB to continue his legacy).
    – Once I asked the pastor of the church where I use to go: “why we were unable to see all the miracles that heard that WMB did during his ministry in our church? If WMB said that everywhere that his message would be preached in its totality, these signs would be present. But as you know, every time you try to question you get ridiculed by saying that you’re possessed and threatened to be given to the devil’s hands. And you can’t really much on your own because we’re limited in Africa to perform deep research on the internet.

    When I moved to the USA, I was just astonished how the biggest prophet in the entire world, the one who claimed to be the reincarnation of CHRIST was unknown among his own people (Americans). When I asked why, the message people say it because he was rejected…but wait a minute, JESUS CHRIST was rejected by the Jews but at least they (every single Jews) had heard of HIM unlike WMB. So I started doing some researches and more and more I get closer to the truth, sometimes I’m scared! you know…All I knew my entire life is that WMB’s message is the truth and if you try to deny it you will be cursed, go to hell or something like that, now I’m 28 can you imagine how much fear I have to even think about starting doing researches? I’m so scared that sometimes I ask GOD to help me cause maybe it’s the devil trying to push me away from the truth, plus my name is William (at school and documents) a.k.a Billy among friends and family, whoever is from Angola knows that we have names for school and paperwork and one for home, friends and family (Yeah…my parents named me after him).

    – If he’s a false prophet, should I change my name?

    Now the worse is that I can’t stand to see my mom day and night sad and praying for me because she thinks that I’m lost for the 3rd time (I tried to escape from WMB’s message twice, when I was on my 20s and came back after 2 years, and when I was on my 25 and came back but not fully in) and now here I am again trying to find the truth. So making long story short, I see my mom sad thinking that I’m getting lost, every time I try to explain myself to her it sound more like I’m possessed. Plus I don’t want to lose them since WMB also taught that it was okay to abandon your family and friends for the message and I know that my parents are capable of doing that. Sometimes i feel like talking about this to my brothers but I have that 2nd thought telling me “what if I was wrong”.

    I’m closely accompanying brother Billy Branham’s life because there is a prophecy that says that he will not be an old man before he sees LA under the water. He’s an old man now, and LA still there. I’m not trying to wish death to him as a christian shouldn’t wish to nobody but if dies, it’s going to be the pure end of the WMB’s message. it maybe will be the time that people like us or the creators of this website will get out there and show the truth more than they’re doing right now.

    Thanks for websites like this, really help get some directions, and sorry for my English…

  10. Dear William

    If you finally decided to leave WB’s message what are you leaving it for? The truth I hope? And do you know what that is?

    Have you read this article and all the comments under that article? If not please read it and all comments.

    Jesus says your family will betray you (Matthew 10:21) because you follow Him, the truth. If your mom wants to disown you because she believes in a cult and you are trying to escape the cult that is an entirely different story. It’s a satanically twisted teaching of Matthew 10:35-36. It’s like in Islam, is Islamic teaching now correct because parents want to disown family members (and worse kill them) for following Jesus Christ? Never.

    You unfortunately sit in a very tough position William, I will most definitely pray for you and your mother to be saved out of this terrible doctrine.

  11. kevin kamalraj says:

    Dear Sir ,i am so blessed by reading your website.Pastor,kevin

  12. Angela Agyeman says:

    In my entire life l have never get shock like today knowing that Bro Brahman was a fault prophet is not that l just stated writing because l believe or not but the truth is that there is nothing that can be compared to the truth and what is the truth the word of God and the writter back everything he said about the then l believe prophet was back with the work of God as l was a member for than seven years, and l came out about almost 10 years ago but as l read one of a brother story l kept on going and out during all this 10 years but not fully most time it lasted me for a 6 month then am out again believing there is something wrong some where especially how some of the pastor treat you when an issues arise between you and your spouse. I almost finish the cuncoduc so l knew exactly what the writter was talking about. Now my main issue is Mr. Or Brother T. I think l even went and join the west doctrine which l even went to bible school to the level of HND but seems getting more confused as preaching of prosperity is the Oder of the day. My life became waste than it was before due to the confusion in the christindom don’t know whom to believe either the holy life is more on dressing than the word or not. I will be much grateful if more light will put on what to stand for deep down in my heart all l want to do is to make heaven and l know don’t need prophecy that in presence life now l can’t make heaven once again l need help total rebbration and deliverance thank you Sir

  13. Angela Agyeman says:

    May the good Lord have Mercy on us whom do we belied telling the truth now.?

  14. Hi Angela,

    Thank you for your comment. The best way to address your problem is to first ask you to tell me how you were saved. How did you receive forgiveness for your sins? Much appreciated.

  15. Joan says:

    Dear Tom,
    Thank you for writing this article. My own family was effected by the false prophesies of Paluseer Lawrie Mathukrishna. My mother and grandfather abandoned us to follow his teachings. They lived in his ashram in India for several years then returned to the USA in the late 70’s.

  16. Hi Joan

    Goodness this is terrible. It makes me so sad to hear when people are caught up in cults.

  17. Rena Friesen says:

    Hi Joan,
    I was born in India in the Ashram under Lawries ministry. My parents left when I was 4 and my brother was just an infant. I was raised under the teaching of William branham. I left the whole cult 2 1/2 years ago, but my husband and 2 children are still in it. Its been a hard road leaving but Im so glad I did. Whom the Son sets free is free indeed! Freedom comes with a cost though, but it’s worth it! You might remember me Joan, I remember you and your sister, one of your sisters is my aunt Linda!

  18. Caleb Joshua says:

    [DELETED by DTW – read the article…open your eyes]

  19. Hi Tom

    I see that the comments on this post are older than a few months, but I would like to comment as understanding Branham and his modern day influence is more relevant than ever I believe.

    About 20 years ago I learnt about Branham for the first time, and after doing some research it was not long that I realised that he was a false prophet. But what I want to emphasise is that most Christian leaders were in agreement with that fact. I read about Derek Prince (who also hung around the edges of the WOF movement) warning some young men to be careful of Branham. Now at that time as a young man I was in church that became deeper involved with WOF. But, even my pastor at the time, when I discussed Branham with him agreed that the man was dangerous and to be avoided.

    OK so what is my point. Well today, pastors and people who once knew that Branham was false, no longer believe that. Why is this so or how can it be? To answer that, and there are multiple reasons, I believe the main reason is the influence of the false NAR movement on churches especially in South Africa. In Cape Town where I live many churches have in the last few years aligned themselves with the COTN movement. Alignment to the NAR for a great part took place and is taking place through a church grouping called the Church of the Nations or COTN for short. El Shaddai in Durbanville now (for a few years) is aligned with COTN who is “run” by an “Apostolic Council”. These so called apostles obviously rub shoulders with the NAR “apostles” where they then get their doctrine from. Tony Fitzgerald who is the main overseer or “apostle” of COTN here in SA (and I think the COTN leader in general), in December 2017 wrote a newsletter to the COTN group wherein he provides his version of church history and the main players who brought what he calls seismic shifts to the church. He is right about seismic shifts except these shifts are negative and not positive. In any event he lists Branham as one of the men that made a great contribution to the church. He also lists the whole latter rain movement and WOF movement and honours men such as Hakin and Kenyon. Now both Hagin and Kenyon wrote about the spiritual death of Jesus, how he became sinful when He was seperated from the Father and how he became the first born again man in hell. What a load of absolute lying hogwash! But Fitzgerald and his team of South African COTN “apostles” celebrate such men including Branham. How shocking, a few years ago I would not have believed that such lies would become mainstream thought in so called Christian churches.

    If interested just Google Church of the Nations and find the Icon that refers to AC talk, and there you will see the AC newsletters archive. The newsletter by Fitzgerald dated Dec 2017 is very eye opening as to what is being poured into SA.

    The NAR is pouring into SA churches through COTN at an alarming rate. El Shaddai is a large churh in Durbanville (and many local churhes linked to COTN through them) and Harvest church in PE is also large. Ken Turner (El Shaddai) and John Scholtz (Harvest) are on the COTN “apostolic council”. When I was still in the WOF church, my pastor one day appeared with a book called “Victorious Eschatology”. It is Preterist nonsense. But what I could not understand is that my pastor was well grounded in the Pretrib Rapture view and eschatological belief. But in the blink of an eye his COTN oversight returned with this book from America after going to learn more from NAR guru’s, and just like that all of a sudden everybody in COTN must now believe in the Preterist view as it stands for Victorious Eschatology. WOW, I saw trouble because how does one change your beliefs overnight just because Victorious Eschatolgy sounds like a better deal. You see these movements are hierarchical the “sons in the faith” must believe what the “fathers in the faith” teach them.

    I dont want to carry on the bottom line is that NAR is pouring into SA, and in Cape Town up to the Eastern Cape one of the main gateways is through the COTN movement and churches. It is a pyramid scheme whereby concepts are imported by the main Apostolic honcho who gets “truth” from the mainer American NAR apostles.

    The more you read the COTN AC talk newsletters the more you see NAR language and phrases creeping in. It is sad beyond belief – but I tried to reason and talk to some of the “Apostles”. You see they would rather listen to men who tell them that they are great and mighty leaders, than to listen to God’s word that is clear. Ya it is nice to build a tower of Babel, it makes especially leaders feel important.

    Also if interested Google Famine in the land. South African lads doing a good job of exposing NAR lies.

    rgrds
    Johan

  20. Johan Vermeulen

    Indeed, it is very shocking but not in the least surprising when we listen to Paul’s words in 2 Timothy 4:3.

    “Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.” (Jude 1:11).

    Note: it says “they have gone in the way” which means they departed from one way to traverse another way, primarily for reward – moneywise and celebrity-wise.

    Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus.

  21. Slim says:

    Branham is like Charles Taze Russell –> http://temoinsdejesus.fr/DOCTRINES/William-Branham-et-Charles-Russell.html (sorry it’s in french)

  22. Bro. Peter Omoha says:

    Dearly beloved, i have read all the writes up about William Branham branding him as a false prophet and deceiver and all kinds of descriptions, personally, i believe that Branham is a true prophet of God, sent by God to herald the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, and to get the Bride of Christ ready for that event, he has successfully done so and has gone to rest. Be careful, my friends, less you see yourself fighting against God whom you claim you are serving. I came in contact with Branham message since 1987 i am still in it and by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, I shall continue in it until Christ comes in the rapture and for his second coming. May God bless you.

  23. Peter Omoha. Here are some of the things your “true prophet of God” said,

    William Branham said that Eve’s sin involved sexual relations with the serpent, but the “seed of God” were Branham’s followers, otherwise known as “the Bride” or “the New Breed” (The Toronto Blessing, Stephen Sizer, 1990).

    “Now my precious brothers – I know this is a tape also. Now don’t get excited. Let me say this with Godly love. The hours approached where I can’t hold still on these things no more… Trinitarianism is of the devil. I tell you that – Thus saith the Lord” (William Branham, Footprints on the Sands of Time: The autobiography of William Marrion Branham, Part Two (Jeffersonville, IN: Spoken Word Publications, 1975), 606-7).

    “Why don’t you examine your baptism of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and that false ‘trinity’ it’s so-called…” (William Braham, “Revelation Chapter Four #3 (Throne of Mercy and Judgment)” (Voice of God Recordings, Inc., 1961, audio tape #61-0108, side 2).

    The angel spoke to William Branham saying: “Fear not. I am sent from the presence of Almighty God to tell you that your particular life and your misunderstood ways have been to indicate that God has sent you to take a gift of divine healing to the people of the world. If you will be sincere, and can get the people to believe you, nothing shall stand before your prayer, not even cancer” (Harrell, All Things Are Possible, 28).

    Branham explained, “…not one place in the Bible is trinity ever mentioned…It’s Catholic error and you Protestants bow to it” (William Branham, Conduct, Order, Doctrine Q and A, p. 182).

    “Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is offices of one God. He was the Father; He was the Son; He is the Holy Ghost. It’s three offices or three dispensations,…” (William Branham, Conduct, Order, Doctrine Q and A, p. 392). [This view of the Godhead is called Modalism and has been held to be heretical by both Catholic and Protestant churches.]

    “Here is what actually happened in the Garden of Eden. The Word says that Eve was beguiled by the serpent. She was actually seduced by the serpent. He was as close to being a human that his seed could, and did mingle with that of the woman and cause her to conceive” (William Branham, The Original Sin, pp. 2, 3).

    “Now, I’m just your brother, by the grace of God. But when the Angel of the Lord moves down, it becomes then a Voice of God to you…But I am God’s Voice to you….Now, see, I can say nothing in myself. But what He shows me” (William Branham, Footprints On The Sands Of Time, p. 214).

    I suggest that you abandon Branham’s teachings as soon as possible because he is teaching you to follow a false God (non-trinitarian God). He called the Godhead, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of the devil. This is how Godd answers him and everyone who believes his heretical teachings.

    Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! (Isaiah 5:20).

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