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Holy Spirit or Hypnosis?
Posted by: Admin on Thursday, January 30, 2003 - 04:01 AM
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T.B. Joshua - Holy Spirit or Hypnosis?
Written by P.D. Warnes
Those who have watched the video of T.B. Joshua's ministry, which has been endorsed by some of New Zealand's church leaders, have good cause to be alarmed. In addition to the gross sight of people in the service coming forward to vomit, women squatting at the front of the meeting to pass blood, urine and large worms, exposure of breasts and genitals, there is also a demonstration of this man's control over people.
Many fall down at the sweep of his hand yet remain some distance away, others are unable to move, others are forced to move at his beckoning, some stagger like drunks and fall down. Can this be of God?
As human beings we are suggestible, it is part of our psyche, our nature. One person yawns many curiously follow, if a person is light hearted and full of fun others follow,' it rubs off' we say. But the mind can go much further into what is known as an altered state of consciousness (ASC), which can be broken into four categories:
- Natural: e.g. sleep or daydreaming "being miles away". (Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzer and Daniel had dreams)
- Traumatic, resulting in fainting, an extreme state of shock, hysterical reaction, deep depression or coma
- Induced, by anaesthetics, drugs, repetitive music and flashing lights, transcendental meditation, yoga
The practice of hypnosis can be traced back to the ancient Egyptians. Shamans and witch doctors practice it and hypnosis has always been associated with the occult and pagan religions. Hypnosis was never practised in the Old Testament and from early times Christianity has regarded it as from the devil. However Franz Anton Mesmer gave it some respectability and from the 18th century some as a pseudo science has generally regarded it.
Many people will have seen on T.V. evangelists programmes, others witnessed during Christian meetings or conferences, people being "slain in the Spirit", falling to the ground and experiencing a variety of feelings. Proponents of this so called ministry have recorded peoples feelings and sometimes of their own experience as they have been subjected to the same prayer procedure, in publications such as Power Healing by John Wimber: Overcome By The Spirit by Francis McNutt; When Jesus Passed by Charles and Francis Hunter; How To Keep Your Healing by Kenneth Hagin and many others.
People who receive prayer with such instructions as "don't try to analyse what is happening" or don't pray just look to Jesus" another is" trust me" then fall over being "slain in the Spirit". Often they experience one or more of the following:
- Weightlessness or heaviness
- Being stretched, squeezed out
- Catalepsy (maintaining absolute stillness or rigidity for long periods of time)
- Shaking
- Changes in breathing
- Tingling
- Absence of pain
- Loss of certain memories
- Electric-like surges
- A feeling of falling
- The smell of flowers
- Hot or cold areas of the body
- Feeling drunk
- Laughter
In order to answer the question "is this of God" we need to turn to the Bible. 2 Timothy 3.16 states "all scripture is given by the inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness". Paul also instructs in 1 Corinthians 14:40 that "all things should be done decently and in order", and in 1 Corinthians. 4:6 "do not go beyond that which is written". There are many similar scriptures. Nowhere can an example of the above manifestations or experiences be found in scripture in spite of their adherent's strenuous attempts to make a few verses, usually out of context, fit.
However there are numerous books where the phenomena listed above can be found and remarkably, in some instances, almost word for word, For example, Imagination And Human Potential by Theodore Barber; Antigenic Therapy by Wolfgang Luthe; The Experience of Hypnosis by Ernest Hillgard; the journal Superpsych and others. Exhibitions by Joshua and "slain in the Spirit" symptoms have been seen on variety theatre for probably a century.
Proponents of " slaying in the Spirit" often refer to incidents in the Old Testament, particularly in Ezekiel and Daniel where the prophets of the Lord fall down in His prescience or that of an angel. But invariably this "being" lifts them to their feet or commands them to get up.
Peter did not experience an ASC but was conscious during the vision, communicating with the Lord. In the face of the truth of God's Word it would seem likely that T.B. Joshua might well be using the unbiblical power of hypnosis in his ministry.
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TB Joshua - False Prophet
Posted by: Admin on Tuesday, August 06, 2002 - 02:14 PM
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The Doctrine of TB Joshua
Written by P.D. Warnes
We are warned by Christ himself in Matthew 24 to watch out for deceivers that will come in His name, some even "performing great signs and miracles to deceive even the very elect."
In the Gospel of John chapter 7, verse 24 Jesus tells us, "stop judging by mere appearances and make righteous judgements."
The Apostle Paul gives some clear instruction to test the doctrine or teaching we are to accept and what should be rejected in 2 Timothy 3:16: "All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
Quite pointedly in 1 Thessalonians 5:20 he commands, "test everything." When Paul himself was subjected to scrutiny by the Bereans, who referred to the scriptures in order to test what he had said as recorded in Acts 17:11, Paul commended them. We neglect to test the teaching of any man against the Word of God to our peril.
Truth Watch has commented on the unscriptural activities of TB Joshua based on video footage made by his own church which is called "The Synagogue, Church of All Nations". In this video, instances of claimed healings are depicted, but we read in 2 Thessalonians 2:9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders.
It is imperative then to examine this man's doctrine in order to determine whether it accords with scripture and therefore if it is God's power or the work of Satan. Many of "Prophet" TB Joshua's (as he calls himself) sermons are available from his website, from which a few quotations (in red) are listed below for consideration.
In sermon vol. 4 no. 2 titled 'We have the mind of Christ' he states:
"I was baptised in the Holy Ghost before I became a Christian."
This is clearly unscriptural, but it is also illogical. 1 Corinthians 12:13 speaks of those in Christ, "for we were all baptized by one spirit into one body." We are in Christ as a result of repentance and receiving Him as saviour. And Galatians 3:2 shows us we received the Holy Spirit by believing (in Christ's redemptive work).
"God's will is for His children to prosper in every way" and "whatever you pray for, our Lord Jesus Christ has paid the price for it on the cross. So whenever you pray as the Bible says, look first to the Cross where the price was paid for the blessings you seek."
Yet the Bible records Jesus as telling his disciples in John 16:33 "in this world you will have trouble" and 2 Timothy 3:12 states, "In fact anyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." More importantly Chist paid the price for our sin, not to secure blessings sought by individuals.
"The Holy Spirit does everything through you and for you."
But scripture teaches that the Holy Spirit is given to: "testify about Jesus, convict us of sin, lead us into all truth and glorify Christ." (John15:26; 16:13-14; 26).
In Sermon Vol. 4 no. 3 titled 'I Have no Power of my own' TB Joshua states:
"Jesus Christ is omnipresent."
However Jesus told the disciples in John 16:10 "I am going to the father where you can see me no longer..." but the Father would send them the Holy Spirit, (John 15:26). Colossians 3:1 clearly states that Jesus Christ is at the right hand of God. There is a statement made by TB Joshua on page 2 of this sermon that says, "You cannot just pray just because you feel like praying. You have to be led by the Holy Spirit, because it is the Holy Spirit that prays within us." But on page 4 he states, "Whenever you want to be an overcomer, beloved, remember to pray without ceasing..." A clear contradiction. It is abundantly clear from scripture we have a responsibility to engage our minds in prayer: "but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving present your requests to God." (Philippians 4:6).
On page 3 of the same sermon, TB Joshua says: "If you do not keep all the commandments of God you cannot be baptised in the Holy Spirit." He then lists the fruits of the Spirit and states, "If any of these fruits is missing, you cannot receive the Holy Spirit..." and further, "So also if any of these fruits is missing and you were baptised, you will have a questionable baptism." Apart from being contradictory, here is a clear statement that Joshua believes baptism in the Holy Spirit is conditional upon works, i.e. "...by keeping the commandments and exhibiting the Fruits of the Spirit." which is a clear violation of Scripture.
According to Romans 10:9 "That if you confess with your mouth 'Jesus is Lord', and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved." Romans 8 speaks of those belonging to Christ having the Holy Spirit.
Another statement on page 3 reads: "A true child of God is one who has the character of Jesus and ability of Christ Jesus." As Jesus Christ was fully God and fully man this statement in effect elevates a human being to the level of God.
From the sermon entitled 'The Good Shepherd' TB Joshua states:
"...if you know another man of God is a demon, instead of condemning him deliver him of demons, the first thing our Lord Jesus Christ told us to do in His name is to cast out demons." The first point is however, in the passage alluded to, Jesus said to the eleven disciples that they were first to "Go into all the world and preach the world and preach the good news to all creation." (Mark 16:15). More importantly, nowhere does the New Testament even hint that a Christian can be indwelt with a demon and therefore be in of need deliverance, neither does the Bible provide any instruction for deliverance. Jesus, in his promise of the coming Holy Spirit said "If anyone loves me he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him." (John 14:23).
In Jesus great prayer for his disciples and all believers he asks the Father, "...that you would protect them from the evil one." (John 17:15). God is certainly able to do this and in 1 Corinthians 3:16 Paul states, "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you." (See also Romans 6:6-8; Romans 8:15; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 1:13-14; Ephesians 6:12-13; Colossians 1:13; 2 Thessalonians 3:3; 2 Timothy 1:7; Hebrews 2:12-15).
To suggest that a demon could take up residence alongside the Father and Son in the temple of the Holy Spirit i.e. a believer, is preposterous.
From the sermon entitled 'Word of Life' we read:
"Man has the ability to decide but the Holy Ghost has the power of choice. Man has the power of speech but the Holy Ghost speaks. Man has the ability to study the bible but the Holy Ghost reads. Man has the power to teach but the Holy Ghost teaches." It is difficult to see any logic in this statement or how anything in the Word of God is even vaguely relevant.
"A Christian has an independent mind to think and make decisions for himself because it is the Spirit in him that does every thing for him." This statement implies an abrogation of all human responsibility but the Bible makes it clear that we have a free will and are accountable for decisions that we make.
"What you are seeing in Synagogue today also happened in the Synagogue of old during the earthly ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ." Surely in this statement TB Joshua clearly sets himself up as equal to Jesus.
The above quotations are just a few that lie scattered among the many published sermons of TB Joshua, which clearly show both his false doctrine and confused thinking.
It is of grave concern to Truth Watch members, that in spite of being apprised of these clearly doctrinal errors by many different people, this mans ministry continues to be actively promoted by Dove Ministries and Radio Rhema.
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