As we watch the youth being taken away into apostasy by a charismatic storyteller we wait for some leadership in the church to stand up and speak the truth for what is necessary to rescue them.

Todd Bentley is basing this so called revival, as a move of god on Joel 2:28 and Acts 2:17. Read the article on the Latter Rain to understand the timing of it, to whom it is to and why.

In Bentley’s recent apologetic posted on his site to explain what he is doing with angels and other spiritual “stuff” he refers to nearly every scripture possible to prove what he is doing is Bible based. [“Lifting Jesus High! Bringing Biblical Light to Your Questions about the Lakeland Outpouring & Todd Bentley” June 8, 2008.]

Bentley states: “Mary, Paul, Peter, Jesus, the shepherds, and several disciples, and many Old Testament folk like Abraham, Hagar, Daniel, and others had angelic encounters and some interacted with them in conversation. That doesn't suppose they worshiped these angelic beings or sought them out for revelation apart from God. I never summon angels directly. I do ask God to send angels to encamp around me, and others.”

“Christ paid the price for our spiritual blessings and access to heavenly things - angels included. Where I would be concerned about angelic revelation as being deceptive or as angels actually being demonic spirits, is where not-yet Christians claim angelic revelation while rejecting the cross of Christ.”

This how and why Bentley accepts his visitations as authentic, “where not-yet Christians claim angelic revelation while rejecting the cross of Christ.”

Regrettably, his criteria is not the same as the Bibles criteria which is written to Christians. This is how the apostle Paul put it in 2 Corinthians 11:1: “For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.” Paul and others accepted the cross and still warned about being deceived by an angels. Galatians 1:8-10: “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.”

John who wrote to Christians and the church who believed in the cross and tells them to test the spirits. Angels are spirits. Bentley does not seem to believe the devil is still a deceiver to believers. Yet Bentley has told the story of himself being demon possessed after he became a Christian, so it becomes very confusing to hear him defend a softer position about himself and the abundant visits of angels.

My question would be “Why is Bentley trying to disarm Christians?” He is telling everyone to just believe and accept his stories. No one is questioning that it may not be real, what we are questioning is the source. And one can know the source by the teaching and from the actions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8tYHNol3jM&feature=related In this video he is screaming he is on fire as if he is in hell (this is not the first time) yelling out “I’m burning, I’m on fire, I’m burning, I’m changing, I’m changing, I’m burning, I’m on fire,” should make any Christian pause and think that what is taking place is not for the believer or from God. This idea of fire permeates his theology and it is not a biblical concept for a believer at all.

On another youtube video we watch Bentley speaking with the song sung in the background “white heart white heart, burning, white heart white heart, burning.”

Bentley stalks around the stage as a wandering star yelling “god I’m not done yet, god I’m not done yet in Florida, open up those heavens and let the angels come down with fire, let the angels come down with fire, let the angels come down with fire, I’m not done yet, I’m not done yet, let the angels come down with fire, My God is a consuming fire… he burns up all his enemies. I’m going to tell you something tonight saints, something that shouldn’t surprise you but I know - we might be gathering, the devil don’t like it- did you know the warlocks, the wizards, the Satanists are gathering too. And I have received revelation from heaven that there is a whole network, of people being raised up to curse and oppose what god is doing here. Don’t be alarmed, don’t be surprised; let the wizards the warlocks, and wizards… I have received my revelation, god has spoken to me, and two prophetic voices, and both voices have called me and have said Todd I saw a demonic horde, the enemies rose up to stand against what is being released for the world, this is for the world, this isn’t for Lakeland, its the world. And I believe if we would cry out and take a moment in intercession and millions and millions and millions watching me, c’mon I need you voice. And you lift up your voice and pray with me right now that every plot and plan of the enemy to bring this revival to an end, pray that it would be released.”

“C’mon bind the spirit of religion, bind the spirit of witchcraft. I need a mighty army to arise, I need a mighty army to pray to stand against every curse, stand against mans plan, stand against religion. Devil you won’t succeed, Devil you won’t succeed, Devil you won’t succeed, In the name of Jesus, In the name of Jesus, In the name of Jesus I bind witchcraft, I break witchcraft, I rebuke every demonic power, I rebuke every demonic curse, I stand against the witchcraft, I stand against the warlock , I stand against every curse , I stand against ever demonic power in the name of Jesus, in the anointing of the Holy ghoooost. He then instructs his audience “Call down the fire, Call down the fire, Call down the fire, Call down the fire.”

“ Pray for worldwide revival –pray for this anointing to go to the ends of the earth… stand with me in your homes, pray right before your televisions, kneel down. Kneel down in front of your computers. I’m asking you to pray – pray for the fire to fall pray for worldwide outpouring, pray for the dead to be raised, pray for another level of miracles, repeats “you hear them God- we want more…”

Bentley then screams continuously, “Angels, Angels. Angels, Angels, Angels, Angels, Angels, Angels, Angels, Angels, Angels, Angels, Angels, Angels, Angels, Angels, Angels”.

“C’mon say it with me, God I’m asking, say God I’m asking, c’mon all over the world say God I’m asking, that heaven would open and ministering spirits angels of glory, angels of healing, warring angels that they would be released out of the heavens. Now I want you to lift up every voice and call down the angels. Angels c’mon God send them Angels, Angels. Angels C’mon God send them Angels, Angels. Angels, c’mon God send the angels, send the angels Father, send the angels Father, Angels, Angels, send the angels, send the angels, Angels, Angels. Send the angels, send the angels. I need heavens help, I need heavens angels help. I need angelic hosts, I need angelic warriors, I need healing angels, I need angels of revelation- I need the angelic realm.” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIdq-wn0fc0&eurl)

Like the Gnostics, he calls upon the angels and the unseen realm. Is this supposed to be led by the Holy Spirit- needing the angelic realm? Does not the Holy Spirit point to Jesus, or is this another spirit; another Jesus that points to angels. Yes, I believe it is the latter. This is about as dangerous as it gets at a signs and wonders meeting.

The whole atmosphere is complete bedlam, a spiritual disorder that is influenced by the tone of the music and people participating believe this is going to summon God to do what they ask? This is like the priests of Baal yelling out for their god to do their bidding (all the time the music is making an atmosphere of pandemonium working up the emotions and empowering the souls of the people; this is not the work of the Holy Spirit). Bentley treats God as if he is deaf, repeating everything, as if God does not understand. Screaming, “We are looking for revival here, the glory here”- but it will not come, no matter how loud and how many people he gets to participate.

Bentley says, “send the angels Father.” This can be interpreted in two different manners. When I was formerly in the new age movement we were doing the exact same thing, calling on angels to do gods will of healing and enlightenment, or so we thought. I had numerous spiritual experiences, and I can tell you unequivocally that this is nothing to play with. These are serious spiritual powers in effect and it engulfs the person into deception. We had numerous biblical names for angels, including Jesus. We thought it was the real Jesus. Do not hesitate making a decision to remove yourself from this bedlam.

What kind of a god obeys this man immediately? He is not asking (as in prayer), he is demanding, he is decreeing. If he can break every demonic power by screaming this out then why does he need to pray? Considering the people who he is associated with the “two prophetic voices” I can only guess who these false prophets are. If Bentley actually had power to bind (which he does not), I suppose all his detractors will go away- personally, I think they will increase.

Bentley is calling down fire from heaven as judgment on those who disagree with him - the very thing Jesus rebuked John and James about. No Todd, we are not surprised in you showing what spirit you are of. The Bible speaks of one who is coming that can actually do what you are trying. Revelation 13:13-14: “He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs.”

If the antichrist calls fire down from heaven and it is wrong why is right for Bentley do this?

Telling people to kneel down in front of your TV and computers is leading people into idolatry. We are to bow to no man and certainly not to inanimate objects!

Everything that he is blaming others for, he himself is doing. He defends himself on everything as if he is doing no wrong. He does not respond to those who are trying to ask crucial questions but becomes a general in an army influencing others to be just as rebellious.

We are not opposing a revival but an apostasy. The magnitude of this deception is unprecedented and souls are in the balance. Bentley has made this a war against light from the darkness and all I see is darkness from this man’s influence. Nearly everything said and done is unbiblical.

Bentley thinks he is so important that anyone who questions him by the Bible is a demonic horde preventing his gods’ blessing through him to the world. Bentley calls those who disagree with him witches and warlocks. Bentley may be from Canada but he should understand, here in the US we still value freedom of speech which is our God given right in our country and to our church. We are told in 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 “Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.”

Bentley has publicly told the church that he does not call on angels he only asks them to encamp around him-

“I never summon angels directly. I do ask God to send angels to encamp around me, and others.”

No, he does not just ask God to send angels to encamp around him and others…His promotion of angels is seen as Angelic infatuation and it can be considered worship. It is couched in invoking them to do ministry, exactly what the early Gnostics did. The worship of angels occurs when they are focused on as a source of revelation and power, which is exactly what is being done in his ministry (repeating angels at least 17 times and invoking them to act). As Bentley stated, “When you honor and talk about the supernatural or you honor and talk about angels, guess what starts showing up? Angels” (Fresh Fire Ministries - Evangelist Todd Bentley - http://www.freshfire.ca/teaching.asp )

Does this mean when you talk about the Devil- he shows up too? Something is showing up and it is certainly not the heavenly angels of God.

What does it mean to summon or call upon? Lets look at the Dictionaries meaning that is relevant.

The Dictionary says- summon- 1: to issue a call to convene: convoke 3: to call upon for specified action 4: to bid to come : send for 5: to call forth: evoke (Merriam-Webster.)

invoke- 1a: to petition for help or support b: to appeal to or cite as authority 2: to call forth by incantation: conjure 3: to make an earnest request for: solicit 4: to put into effect or operation: implement (ibid.)

In other words to summon is to call upon by means of announcing or to use authority-to command or request, to make a demand on another, to call upon to get what is requested.

Bentley is promoting angelic contact directly and indirectly. “Let me feel the presence of angels, let me see the angels” For God told Bentley “you have to get the people to believe in the angels because they already believe in Jesus.” “once the Lord told me, “Todd, if you can get people to believe in the angel, I will bring miracles.” Now listen: It's not about believing in the angel in the same way we believe in Jesus. We don't put our faith in angels - they are agents through which Jesus works. But often we won't be able to receive and walk in what God is doing in His supernatural power until we hear testimonies of powerful works that God is doing, and our belief in the unseen realm begins to grow” (“God Desires Us To Experience The Reality Of The Supernatural” by Todd Bentley Saturday, January 24th, 2004. Harvest Rock Church, Pasadena, California)

God does not always use angels to get his work done, Bentley has invented a new way God works with man, the majority through angels. He gave us the Holy Spirit and has never told us to believe in an unseen realm to be “able to receive and walk in what God is doing.”

Even the sermon mentioned above: “Now I want you to lift up every voice and call down the angels. Angels c’mon God send them Angels, Angels. Angels, C’mon God send them Angels, Angels. Angels.”

“God wants to give you an open heaven commission and hot honey scroll by His angels! God is giving out new mandates and commissions. Will you receive it by faith? The Lord has told me after various angelic visitations: “If you can get people to believe in the angel, I can release the supernatural” (www.upstreamca.org/liv_supernatl.html)

Bentley in his apologetic stated “I never summon angels directly. I do ask God to send angels to encamp around me, and others.” While Bentley may bring people into his semantical jungle of what he means by the word “summon” it is not what the dictionary means- The fact is – He does summon angels: “today I want to focus the teaching on the angelic realm and how you can release angels to fulfill God’s word.” (Todd Bentley, “Opening Our Eyes to the Angelic Realm”) “Father I release the angels…. is important that we release the angels if we don't, angels can be bound out of the battle” ( http://www.freshfire.ca/teaching.asp)

‘Father, give me the angels in heaven right now that are assigned to get me money and wealth. And let those angels be released on my behalf.”

It is NOT a biblical teaching or practice that angels be called by names to come to visit people. He tells the Lord what to do with his angels and expects God to listen to him and everyone else he trains in this false teaching.

Bentley teaches, “the Lord has shown me that we can even ask Him to release angels to go and get what God has for us. Part of the angelic job description is that of bringing us what is rightfully ours.” (http://www.elijahlist.com/words/display_word/1716)

Bentley's god tells him something that he has not told anyone in all of Scripture. Asking for the angels to be released (even using the Father or Jesus’ name alongside) or releasing them yourself, has no essential difference. Both are unbiblical. No apostle taught the church this but Bentley cares little for what the Bible actually states and more for his untested experience. The main point here is that Bentley denied he summons them when the facts say he does (see angels we have heard and seen).

No one in Scripture has ever done what Bentley is teaching. No preacher has ever spoken like this in their revivals in the past until the charismatic revivals of the 80’s-90’s.

These stories are the fables the Lord warned would be common in the end “they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” (2 Timothy 4:4)