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p.5 You have already got all the authority you need, you’re just unaware Wommack represents the word faith view by stating, “The truth is, you don’t need the Lord to do anything for you. You’ve Already Got It!” Apparently he believes God has given us the authority to do everything in life.And he states thin many different ways. Andrew Wommack says: “You need a healing? You have a tumor? Don’t pray to God about the tumor. Talk to the tumor itself!” That is contaminated word faith teaching, no doubt in reference to Jesus saying speaking to the mountain. Wommack is clearly saying don’t pray but speak…. Can we find any examples of the apostles or disciples talking to an illness for healing like Wommack suggests? No, we can’t. “It is up to us to release it. Understanding and using our authority is the key to seeing miracles happen. Look at how Peter and John ministered healing to the lame man in Acts 3:1-8” He using apostles who were specially gifted (or they would not be called apostles, and the church would not have called for the apostles to come to heal people, they would have done so themselves) “Peter didn’t pray for this man…. It was God’s power that healed this man, but that power was under Peter’s authority.” (Wommack Our Authority Releases God’s Power)Let’s stop and consider what he is saying, if we all can release this power to others why isn’t he? There would be no failures in healings or miracles. Did Peter heal everyone around him or just this one person the Lord showed him on that day? And there was a reason…. The lame man in Acts 3:3-6 the man asked for alms, he was there at the same spot probably everyday. “And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "Look at us." So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." He uses the apostles Peter and John, explaining Peter did not pray for the man. We see that Peter did not “speak” to the man’s illness either, it’s not even mentioned. This is an example of inserting what you want the scripture to say instead of letting say what it actually means. The people were amazed and Peter takes the opportunity to show them their guilt in rejecting their Messiah giving the people a thorough sermon. But Wommack also says, The Lord “had placed that power within him,” and that it is within all of us. So it not only was released by Peter, it came FROM HIM. He also teaches “God has already provided His healing power and placed it on the inside of every born-again believer” (Our Authority Releases God’s Power)We all know the Apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit and that all believers can be filled also. But to not recognize they were builders of the foundation of the Church and have a special calling and gifting is really bad bible teaching. (Acts 2:43;18:8) But here is result, Peter saw something in the man’s eyes, God quickened it to them. Acts 3:16 “And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know.” Acts 4:1-4 “the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came out greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And took them both to jail. However, many of those who heard the word believed; about five thousand.” So we find there was a purpose attached to this miracle and it is not as Wommack is portraying the event as commonplace for all of us to do. To say not to pray but to speak to the illness is not what the Bible teaches. It is a spiritual person who commits all things to prayer. If one looks through the gospels we find prayer about everything. We are told in 1 Thess. 5:17 pray without ceasing.” 1 Tim. 2:8 “I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere.” John writes “I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health” (3 John 2), he’s praying for their health! In another sermon Wommack says something different “If you aren’t getting the results you know the Lord wants you to have, maybe it’s time to consider a better way to pray.” But didn’t he say not to pray? Or is speaking to your illness praying? He then says later, “And we are not told to pray for the sick but to heal the sick (Matt. 10:8) by commanding healing into their broken bodies.” (A Better Way to Pray) “We have been deceived into believing prayer is all about persuading God to release His power. We believe that He can save, heal, and deliver but that He is waiting on us to shape up and earn it. The truth is, we don’t deserve it, and we will never be good enough. Because of Jesus, all that God has is ours. That’s good news. We no longer need to beg or plead; we need to exercise the authority He has given us and receive His blessings.” Paul writes in 2 Cor.12:8 of his affliction, “Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.” (Wommack does not like this being an illness, so he changes it to be opposition or resistance to Paul, something Paul would not be asking to be removed.) Why plead three times. It seems Wommack chooses the parts he likes in Scripture and disregards the other parts, he is not teaching the whole counsel of God but piecemeal. Paul says “As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you.” (Gal. 4:13-14) Illness by the one that faith teachers claim gave them the teaching of speaking words! If you do not pray then you show that your trust is not in God but yourself, in this case your words, ‘your authority.’ James 5:13 “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray.” What kind of counsel is this Wommack is giving? Why then are we told when the elders are gathered for one to be healed they are to pray. James 5:14 “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let him pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord” The Bible even says about our authority in warfare against the enemy Eph. 6:18 “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.” So when Jesus said to ask, to pray, Wommack says you don’t have to. That’s some real good Bible teaching! Even Jesus prayed, and said let thy will be done. “God has already provided His healing power and placed it on the inside of every born-again believer. It is up to us to release it. Understanding and using our authority is the key to seeing miracles happen. (Wommack Our Authority Releases God’s Power)So everything is inside you, no wonder you don’t have to pray. So then why did Jesus give different gifts to the body of Christ, seems everyone has all the gifts and can act as the apostles did. Using this bad physical example “In my meetings, sometimes I’ll walk over to someone and hand them my Bible. Then I ask them, “Now, what would I do if you asked me for my Bible? How do I respond?” I would probably just look at them and be totally quiet. Many Christians, when they pray for what they’ve already got, are getting total silence from the Lord. It’s because God has already given them everything they need.” Lest go over his illogical example. This example is something a person can see and feel, can you already see and feel that you are healed? Where is this taught in Scripture? Not once does Scripture say you ‘got it before you know it. Why was this not done at his meeting when people got the Covid virus? You know the answer… He takes so many scriptures out of their context to prove his points. For example “When Jesus died on the cross, He said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). And the Scripture reveals in Ephesians 1:20 that He is now seated at the Father’s right hand. He’s not working anymore. He’s already done it. It is finished!” Like the 7th day in Genesis God is resting from ALL his works. This contradicts Andrew’s other teachings because he does not believe it was finished on the cross, but in hell. “God has already forgiven you. He’s already healed you. He’s already commanded His blessing upon you and your finances. He’s already given you love, joy, and peace. You don’t need God to respond to you; you need to learn to respond to God! It’s easier to defend something you already have than to go get something you don’t have.” Are you already fully healed? Has he already resurrected you? The same promise for that is included in the atonement. This is the root error of the gospel of the ‘health’ and wealth teaching. That it applies future promises for believers as a present day promise to all. Do you see people resurrected that will live eternally? Christians cannot claim now what God has promised only for the future. There is a timing involved in receiving certain of the promises said. We wait until that day when all share in the resurrection and are healed permanently in the body. “Jesus Christ completed everything necessary to save and heal every person. You believed and received salvation. Healing comes the exact same way! It shouldn’t be any harder to receive your healing since He provided it at the same time as forgiveness for your sin. Neither does it take any more faith to raise someone from the dead than to see them born again!” (book A Better Way to Pray.) If healing is part of the atonement like he teaches, than everyone who is saved, forgiven would be immediately healed along with their receiving salvation. Furthermore they would not need to receive healing later, because you do not need to keep receiving salvation! If healing is part of the atonement as Wommack teaches then his fellow believers in his doctrine should all never die. Why did all the apostles die as martyrs except one? So Jesus has saved us and has healed us. Then why do we have to release it? Where is this taught by the apostles? Do you see the problems in his belief system? It contradicts what the Bible teaches. He is taking concepts and words out of their context and making his own application and theology. Mr. Wommack favorite topic is healing. Continually teaching as if it is true, “The Lord never told us to pray for the sick in the sense that we ask Him to heal them. He told us to heal the sick.” Using Luke 9:1-2 and Matt. 10:1; Lk.10:9. “And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.”So now he has really stepped over the ledge because when we read it fully in context, Jesus at this time appointed 70 OTHERS. Luke 10:9-11 And heal the sick there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.' But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you.” This was a group specifically sent to Israel for accepting him as Messiah, they were sent out as laborers for the harvest, it was about bringing the gospel to cities (Lk.9:2) In v.19 The 70 of the disciples returned from their adventure and Jesus said to rejoice that their names are written in heaven not that they have power over the enemy. Is it true Jesus told them not to pray?Jesus does tell them to pray elsewhere. A man brought his son to the disciples who could not help. Matt 17:21 this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting." (Mark 9:29)This is the same group that he gave authority to prior. The disciples who were healing were the apostles, Luke 9:1 “Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.” But this is what Wommacks focus is “If we don’t take our authority and become commanders instead of beggars, God’s power will not be released. There needs to be a radical renewing of our thinking on this issue.” 2 Cor. 10:8Paul states, even if I should boast somewhat more about our authority, which the Lord gave us for edification” Gave who? The Apostles. Do believers have authority, yes it is defensive in Christ, not offensive. Do we see any other believers apart from the Apostles doing this type of healing? No. Why? Because the Apostles had special gifts. In Acts 9:38-41Tabitha got sick and had died, the disciples had heard that Peter was nearby at Joppa, ‘they sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them… V. 40 When Peter arrived “Peter put them all out, and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, "Tabitha, arise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up.”So we now see how off his teaching is, Peter did pray and she was resurrected. We see no example of resurrections except through the apostles. Furthermore we can assume that even if it does not say they prayed, they were taught to pray and would do so silently before they acted.
p.6 The Pure word of the Bible, or the unpure word faith teachers words? |
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