Nightmares and the Lakeland 'Revival'

Some issues have come to light concerning the "Florida Outpouring" in Lakeland, FL.

These issues are serious and quite disconcerting.

First of all, some of the words that are shared are quite heretical.

Case in point, Saturday night, May 17.

Meeting officiator (I refuse to refer to him as any one of the five fold ministry gifts) Todd Bentley, was refering to the 'thick anointing' around his pulpit. He said this was due to an 'angel' that was standing next to his pulpit.

He told the people next to his pulpit that the 'angel' would heal them and 'COME INTO THEM'.

What is that?

This is unbelievable heresy! Only the Holy Spirit inhabits us as Christians, not angels!

The craziness continues.

Check out this link to his teachings on angels:

http://www.etpv.org/2003/angho.html

Be sure to read the part where he drops on all fours and roars like a lion in a convenience store.

I kid you not.

Several people we know personally have complained of bizarre experiences since attending these meetings with some regularity live or on-line.

The experiences have included:

1) Nightmares

2) Physical pain and worsening health

3 )Panic/anxiety attacks

4) Financial problems

5) Seeing glimpses of what looks like people standing in corners, sitting on furniture, strange lights in rooms and insects scurrying across walls.

Please remember these exeriences have happened AFTER being involved with Bentley's ministry.

If you think these are unrelated to Todd Bentley, please read this testimony I found online from Andrew Strom's website after I started hearing about and experiencing some of the above symptoms:

A Spirit-filled pastor that I know from the UK who has been following ToddBentley's ministry closely for some years wrote to me about what he himself has
observed since the year 2000:
"When Todd Bentley conducted a healing meeting
in a large charismatic church here in England in 2005, he laid hands on many
people who were apparently healed. I know of at least one instance where a
pastor's wife with cancer was prayed for by Todd. Soon afterwards she heard
voices in her head telling her to 'drown herself just like her father did'. The
poor woman ended up in a mental hospital, I believe she still has the cancer.

Taken from: http://www.revivalschool.com/florida.html

If you need more proof of heretical weirdness, please read what Bentley himself has said about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit:

Let me give you a little background. I was impacted years ago, and first
introduced to this kind of intimacy, through the ministries of Benny Hinn and
Kathryn Kuhlman. They opened the way for me to go beyond the power of God’s
Spirit, the gifts or any kind of experience like the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

http://www.freshfire.ca/index.php?Act=read&status=teaching&Id=231&pid=954&bid=955

You see that? "Go beyond the power of God's Spirit..." I didn't know there was such a place.

My concern right now is for all the people enamored with this ministry and the damage that will eventually follow.

This is why as Sr. Pastor of Life Center of Brandon, I, the church, its pastoral staff and its Board of Directors do not in any way endorse the ministry of Todd Bentley or the 'Florida Outpouring' in Lakeland.

There are a few preachers I do not agree with on certain points of scripture, but I have never, as a Christian or as a pastor, stepped out and labeled them as heretics as I do Todd Bentley.

Unbiblical, New Age and para-occult theology runs rampant in Bentley's so-called ministry along with some of his ministerial affiliates.

The word of God reveals that in the last days there would be false teachers and false doctrines that if possible, would even deceive the very elect.

Today's Christian must not be blown to and fro by every wind of doctrine.

To all those who are saying that anyone who speaks against this 'revival' is of the devil or 'pharisees', just remember all teaching and ministry must be judged according to the word of God. We must have 'black and white' for everything we teach and embrace.

Ironic how Bentley boasts on getting 'words of knowledge' about people but rarely seems to get an accurate word of knowledge about scripture.

There comes a time when a we must draw the line. That time has come. The line is drawn.