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Major Heresy with minor Bible teaching Steven Furtick has 13,000 in attendance each week in his services and far more on the internet. When he says “See, I think Jacob – his name means supplanter, but his new name Israel is almost just as bad . It means struggles with God.” Actually ‘Israel’ means 'Prince of God' a name God gave him as a blessing, and to anation His teaching is at best guesswork, and he more often personalizes the text and reads himself into the Scripture passage. At worst it is like this…
“It’s always been in you. There’s nobody who can leave my life who
can keep God from keeping his covenant with me. I’m not in covenant
with a person. I’m not in covenant with a political party. I’m in
covenant with God Almighty! I am God Almighty!”
Declaring himself to be “God Almighty” (not you but himself) is blasphemy. Make no mistake this is what he meant as you listen to how he said it, he is arrogant, showing the spirit it was said in; and God is not an ‘it, nor was he always in 'you.'’ Furtick is far more of a motivational speaker than a Bible expositor, as one can easily see from his focus on self. Just look at the comments of those who ‘like his speeches’ and that is all needs to know about him. Previously he spoke like one of his mentors Joel Osteen who teaches on “I am “ applied to us and Kenneth Copeland’s long list of blasphemous statements of himself using the Bible. Furtick begins by reading from Psalm 139:14, “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” Furtick argues that the phrase should is about our self-image. That the phrase could be translated differently, he claims we can expressing agreement with God if we tell ourselves and others that “ I am awesome and wonderful.” You can say he’s FURTastick. I wonder how soon will it be before Furtick changes the name of Genesis to Genetick? Jesus said of the Scripture “They which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.” (John 5:39-40) Apparently Furtick thinks this well of himself, showing that humility is not his cup of tea. A Bible teacher who is called by God teaches of the Scripture, from the Scripture for Jesus is the focus of the Spirit. John 15:26-27 “ the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.” Furtick continues with Exodus 3 and 4, where Moses encounters God in a bush that is burnings and not consumed, finding this to mainly be about Moses learning to deal with his insecurities. Near the end of the sermon he speaks of ministers, (including him) who in the past, were in error as they thought Moses struggled to believe in God’s power. When it really was Moses failing to believe ‘in himself.’ Moses’ insecurity to be the ultimate matter of concern “When God said ‘I am’ to Moses, you know, ‘my name is I am,’ he was trying to get him to see ‘you are as I am. ” Apparently the apostle Paul who wrote scripture from God to the Church said of himself “O wretched man that I am ! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! ( Rom. 7:24-250 Paul did not understand what Moses did! One can easily drown in the flood of sordid interpretation that Furtick presents as Bible teaching. Furtick continues to lead his gullible untrained biblical audience into further blasphemy, heresy saying, “I had a first time thing. I was stomping the devil’s head on the stage last week (laughs). It was at the 9:30. I was icing my heal between the 9:30 and the 11:30. I stomped him too hard and he bit me, or something – my heel is bruised. “Come on – I’ve got hurt a lot stupider ways than that. It’s hilarious; it’s hilarious to me – it was funny to me.” “I used to get hurt punching balls and stuff, out of anger. I’d rather get hurt anointed. “All week somebody said “welcome to your 40’s – you’re gonna start getting all kinds of stupid injuries.” What a wonderful way to get injured huh? Stomping the devil’s head for the glory of god!” Think about the warning of saying this kind of boasting from the Scripture. The glory is not to God, he’s not stomping on anything but his own reputation Jude 8 -9 “Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries.” Jude is specifically addressing angels of whom Satan still is, and though fallen is a dignitary. He further states “Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!” 2 Peter 2:10-11 Peter Addresses this further, “especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord.” This man has become a false teacher extraordinaire. It may be showmanship to say and this to the devil but it has nothing to do with reality, and teaching sound doctrine to equip the church. He is making merchandise of his audience, but as long as there is an audience he will continue getting away, but I suspect seeing the track record he has formed it will get even worse that some may actually notice it is wrong and DANGEROUS. Alas, Furtick can be found in the Bible, as what he does fulfills 2 Peter 2:1-3: “there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction . And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words …” Jesus warned, see to it that no one deceives you. (Mt.24:4)
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