Herescope: The Battled Bride

Part 6
The PASSION of the PRESENCE & the Purpose of the Passion

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Exhibit 1: Warrior Bride artwork advertised on TheElijahList

The Church is called to be the Bride of Christ as well as an army. As we approach the end of this age, we will begin to take on more of the nature and demeanor of both….
—Rick Joyner[1]

In this time, God is moving again with fire – holy fire – and the fire of His manifest presence is coming upon the priesthood… to bring restoration of all things and purify our offerings…. The mature sons, the priesthood, are being birthed.
—RandyDeMain[2]

The Earth and all of creation is waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God, the time when they will come into their maturity and immortalization…. Earth and its natural creation is anxiously waiting for the Church to reach full maturity and come to full sonship. When the Church realizes its full sonship, its bodily redemption will cause a redemptive chain reaction throughout all creation.
—Bill Hamon[3]

The passionate love of God manifesting now in the hearts of God’s people by the Holy Spirit is birthing the full grown body of Christ. There is a time of birth without tolerance. At the precise moment, in the thousands of years of God’s dealing with man, when it is time birth comes. Anyone who would stand against the birth of the fruit of God’s passion will meet the passion of God’s flaming sword in the hands of His powerful angels.
—Ron McGatlin[4]

The New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) and IHOP serve together as the chief mouthpiece for the old Latter Rain/Manifest Sons of God (MSOG) teachings. IHOP spreads the leaven via its broad scope of interrelated ministries and youth organizations, including an expanding outreach into the mainstream evangelical world. The NAR spreads its leaven throughout the charismatic world, and reaches a much broader audience via their many media outlets. Both movements teach virtually the same thing. IHOP and NAR both proclaim that it is the time for their followers to be armed, trained and ready for battle. This is about a holy war.

The NAR is boldly announcing that NOW is the time for the army of God to arise. With this coming “Presence” they say there will be a militarization of the church. This army is often referred to as “Joel’s Army” or the “Warrior Bride.”[5] Their esoteric artwork has depicted a masculine bride ready to wield a sickle (for “harvest”) or carry a sword (for judgment/“justice”) to subdue and rule the earth (Dominionism). The homoerotic images are disturbing:

Exhibit 2: The Warrior Bride with combat boots.

The advertisement accompanying this graphic stated that the purpose of this “Warrior Bride Awaken Conference” was to awaken passion for warfare:

Christ is calling to His bride to awaken in this hour! To awaken from her slumber, complacency and to awaken to her place as a mighty warrior in the body of Christ!

"Warrior means a person engaged or experienced in warfare while Bride speaks of a very intimate partner. Isn't it interesting? This paradox God has set before us? To be warriors of warfare while being intimately in love with our Bridegroom.[6]

"Bishop" Bill Hamon, a NAR leader with roots in the Latter Rain cult, spoke about the Warrior Bride at the New Life Church in South Africa on November 13, 1997. His comments seem to exactly describe the conference advertisement depicted above. Hamon explained that this was based on a timeline he was calling “The Army of the Lord Movement.” It would come after the New Apostolic Reformation first raised up its self-anointed, self-appointed networking legions of apostles and prophets. Note his mocking tone:

The Bride [of Christ] has combat boots on. I said, the Bride of Christ has combat boots on under her wedding dress…. How many want to be the Bride of Christ? Then you gotta put your combat boots on. Get off your little golden slippers....

Jesus is raising up a Church and the Apostles and Prophets are coming to equip the saints, give 'em weapons in their hand and make an army of soldiers and take 'em out of the nursing home, take 'em out of the old folks home, take 'em out of the baby nursery and get 'em out of those churches and places where they've just been lullabied till Jesus comes, and put 'em in their armories and in their training camp and make soldiers of the cross, make warriors out of them!...

The Army of the Lord's Movement,' coming right after the saints movement after the apostles and prophets. Apostles and prophets are preparing us for something more than going to heaven to be good for nothing. Hello saints. Apostles and prophets are not going to be your nice little evangelists, pastors and teachers—they've come to revolutionize and bring restoration and bring the King back....[7]

Hamon then published a more complete timeline, which seems to be the “blueprint” that the NAR and IHOP are using in their eschatological countdown:

2003 the Church will begin moving into Phase 3 of the 3rd and Final Apostolic Reformation. This Final Apostolic Reformation contains 5 movements or they can be called 5 phases. The Church which is walking in present truth is moving into Phase 3 in 2003 which is the Saints Movement.

3rd Apostolic Reformation

1988 – 40 years – 2028

Phase 1 Prophetic Movement 1988
Phase 2 Apostolic Movement 1998
Phase 3 SAINTS MOVEMENT 2008
Phase 4 Army of the Lord Movement 2018
Phase 5 Kingdom Establishing Movement 2028[8]

Hamon described these movements in terms of progress towards Dominionism, i.e. ruling and subduing the earth:

We’ve crossed over the Jordan. The moment you cross over Jordan you’re going into warfare…. In this movement, it is constant warfare and you don’t stop until all of Canaan is subdued and the children of God are ruling and reigning.

As fanatical as it may sound to fundamental evangelical Christians, the Church is destined to subdue all things and put all things under Christ’s feet before He actually literally returns from heaven.[10][all emphases added]

Hamon presented the classic Latter Rain twist on the 2nd coming—the belief that human immortality is attained here on earth. This transformation is what the Latter Rain means when they use the word “Rapture.”

The Church is being prepared now for the next moves of God. After the Saints Movement will be the Army of the Lord Movement. The next movement after that will be the Kingdom Establishment Movement.

So we have three more movements yet to take place. So we are right now in the Prophetic-Apostolic Movement but then somewhere along 2012 or 2010 the preachers will start getting on the ball and teaching and training the saints. Then we will have the Saint's Movement that will demonstrate to every nation the Kingship of Jesus Christ. Then we are going to have the Army of the Lord demonstrate the power of God and go forth as mighty warriors and shake whole nations. Then we will have the Kingdom Establishment Movement. The Kingdom will be established and Jesus will return and change us in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye so we can finish the job with our immortal bodies.[11][emphases added]

To underscore this point, Hamon asserted that the classic premillennial or “Rapture teaching is one of the most faith deadening teachings ever preached.”[12] Note that Hamon also claims that the NAR hierarchy of apostles and prophets in this army are on a par with Jesus:

We are all on the same level with Christ but there are positions of honor and respect. It's like an army. We are not a loosey goosey Jesus people floating around here. We have commanders and lieutenants. We have colonels and sergeants.[13][emphasis added]

The prophecies about an endtime army have been around for awhile. In a 1996 article by discernment researcher Ed Tarkowsk titled “The Significance of Filled Stadiums,”[14] he detailed a key Latter Rain “prophecy” about the coming of an endtime “Joel’s Army.” This was given by Paul Cain[15] of the Kansas City Prophets (now IHOP). In November 1988 at Mike Bickle's Grace Ministries,[16] Cain proclaimed that large stadiums would become the training ground for this coming army:

Joel's Army [is] now in training… I believe one day soon Joel's Army will be in training... until it graduates into the stadium…. [17]

Twenty years later, in 2008, Stacey Cambell, a leader in the NAR, wrote ominously on TheElijahList that she was hearing “SICKLES—God is Preparing to REAP NATIONS.”

When the prayer bowls fill in Heaven, the result on earth is the acceleration of harvest and judgment…. [18][emphasis in original]

But who is in charge of the sickle of judgment over nations? According to some NAR eschatology, the Warrior Bride wields the sickle and is in charge of the harvest as the agent (or incarnation) of “Christ” on earth. As “Joel’s Army” she will begin wreaking judgment on those nations (and individuals) assessed as goats. What is holding her back? She is awaiting the imminent return of the “Presence” spirit that will outfit her in full military regalia, dress her in combat boots, arm her with weapons, and equip her with supernatural powers—even immortality.

The Bridal Army
In 2007, Rick Joyner, one of the original “Kansas City Prophets” described a mystical vision he had of a “glorious” bride getting dressed for battle. (“Glorious” or “glory” refer to the much-anticipated “Presence” transformation.) Joyner said:

True warriors always run to the sound of battle, not away from it. This is the time when the true soldiers of the cross are mobilizing. We must each take our place in His army….

When I was praying this morning, I saw a large ball of fire come out of heaven. It came right at me and I knew that there was no way I could avoid it, so I didn't even try. It hit me right in the chest. I was then shown the most beautiful bridal dress I have ever seen. It was truly from out of this world, supernaturally beautiful. Then the voice of the Lord came to me and said, "Help My bride put on this dress."  

…I know with a supernatural knowing that the bride is about to get ready.[19][emphasis in original]

A year later, Joyner announced:

The great army of God is now being mobilized in thousands of locations. It is going through basic training….

The Bride is also an army….

The spiritual drill sergeants are being released to get the army ready for battle.[20]

Over the years Rick Joyner has written much about this coming “divine militancy.”[21]

A “Dread Champion Army”[22]
The arrival of the “Presence” is not going to be peaceful. It means war! Many of the NAR prophets write about an upcoming “Harvest” in which the earth will be subdued and purged of its enemies. Here is an example from Bobby Conner, titled “Dread Champions Arise to Contend and Defend! We are Now in the Age of the Great Harvest!”:

We are called to take the promised land of the Kingdom by force—without compromise or retreat. This war between King Jesus and His enemies of this world is going to be much, much more militant than we expected and we must prepare as serious soldiers of the Cross. Don't misunderstand me—our weapons are not knives and guns, bombs and bullets, but eternal weapons of power….[23][emphasis in original]

The military language is often tempered with a statement that this is just spiritual warfare. But how else can we interpret these violent words—“by force,” “enemies,” “much more militant,” “without compromise,” and “soldiers”? How many in the NAR believe that the coming war will be both literal and physical? Like Mike Bickle’s teachings in IHOP, Conner calls for intensive training in “spiritual disciplines,” “unquestioned obedience” and “passionate love”:

…we need to come into agreement with the Spirit through the spiritual disciplines of prayer, fasting, purity, revelation of the Word of God, faith working through love and, above all, radical, unquestioned obedience. These are the characteristics of God's "dread champions."…

…you are called to burn brightly with passionate love and radical obedience, true to the King….[24][emphasis in original]

C. Peter Wagner’s top lieutenant in the NAR, “apostle” Chuck Pierce, wrote an article, “This is NOT a Time to be Passive but to Go to War and Worship Violently!” Not surprisingly, he wrote about it in the Latter Rain context of “David’s Tabernacle.” They believe they will be in charge of the “harvest” mentioned below:

The restoration of David's Tabernacle is advancing in the earth realm in this generation…. [The book of Revelation] reveals to us the present expression of the war in the Heavens. When you read more closely, you see how we, as God's army in the earth, will co-labor with the Host of Heaven to express a Holy God's overcoming power throughout the nations of the earth. This will unlock a global harvest. Your violent praise is preparing a storehouse for Kingdom harvest. [25][bold in original, underline added]

Chuck Pierce, who has been known to publicly roar like a lion on many occasions,[26] exhorted the his readers to do so also:

As you praise "violently," you are releasing the Roar of the Lord that has been held captive in God's people. Let me explain the "Roar of the Lord." God's sound permeates from Heaven and orders much of what goes on in the earthly realm. When He is ready to bring restoration to Earth, He releases His sound…. Do not resist the major shift that is re-creating the way we worship and acknowledge God corporately.[27][bold in original, underline added]

Exhibit 3: Advertisement for a Chuck Pierce CD

Notice below that Pierce’s eschatology that says we are sitting in the heavenlies like Jesus. The only way Pierce can claim this is by taking verses about Jesus and applying them to the church in this age. His words reflect an old Latter Rain heresy (the “Manchild Company”[28]) based on Rev. 12:5, that a “manchild” will “rule the nations with a rod of iron.” This verse, taken out of its context, gives them their Dominion mandate. The NAR believes that in this position in the heavenlies they will wield judgment on earth. Like Mike Bickle, they believe they will literally walk out (or pray in, or both) the judgments of the book of Revelation. Especially as they are “clothed in His glory” (i.e., the “Presence”):

Warfare is conflict. The concept of war is simple—we are seated next to a risen Messiah. When He arose from the dead and ascended to His Heavenly position to rule and reign, He prepared a place for us to sit next to Him. Through His Blood, we can enter into the Throne Room and gain Father's heart over any matter. Then, from our seated position, we can walk in the earth clothed in His glory and dispel darkness. He came to overcome the works of the devil, and we can do this as we remain in Him….

When you are warring for your inheritance, which is a reality, what you are really contending over is your Garden or Promised Land dominion.[29][bold in original, underline added]

So dominion is the goal. But also note the reference to “Garden” dominion. This has to do with their belief in “restoration” of creation – that they can restore paradise conditions here on earth.[30] They even believe they can bring heaven to earth.[31]

Exhibit 4: Artwork of the bride donning her combat boots

The Bridal Armory
Ron McGatlin is an “apostle” who boldly proclaims the Latter Rain endtime eschatology. He is very sincere, but he teaches a kingdom gospel. In his regular e-mail newsletter he talks about an endtime cleansing or harvest of the earth. His theology closely approximates that of the New Age Movement.[32] Like his NAR and IHOP counterparts, he is expecting an indwelling “Presence” for endtime supernatural powers. In his statements can be seen the dialectic conflict between “love” (the Bride) and a terrible-sounding cleansing (the Army) of the planet.

God is preparing a people who will work in conjunction with myriads of powerful holy angels to cleanse the earth with the fire of God. After all that exalts itself against God is dissolved, the holy sons of God will shine forth as the sun replenishing and restoring the earth to the kingdom of our God on earth as it is in heaven.….

In His presence, His pure love covering us and filling us will melt away all other allegiances and pure love will rule our hearts and minds. Supernatural love and power will flow easily without effort as we follow His direction only saying and doing what we see and hear Him saying and doing. [33][bold and underline added]

The late Bob Jones, an associate of Mike Bickle and an original “Kansas City Prophet,” described a vision in which “The Lord has opened His armory, and has brought out the weapons of His indignation.” Jones wrote:

God is arming the Body of Christ with weapons of His divine love that the enemy has no defense against. We'll begin to see the army of God come together in unity, a common union, to where the enemy will have to leave entire cities. This army is getting ready to take entire cities and eventually entire states. In certain places in the world, they'll take entire nations.

This is the year the army of God comes together with angels beyond number and weapons that cannot be defeated by the enemy. Angels are here now preparing the Body for the harvest and there will be a mighty victory….

…the armory of God… is now open and the Father is releasing weapons of warfare that has never been available to man before. In this vision there were weapons put into my hands that terrorized me to even touch.[34][emphasis in original]

With the recent passing of Bob Jones, Paul Keith Davis upped the military rhetoric to a whole new level with a “prophecy” published on TheElijahList titled “A New Season - The Church is Entering an Age of Militancy and Spiritual Confrontation.” It says, in part,

The Church is entering an age of militancy and spiritual confrontation. The "end of days" is characterized with great conflict. The struggle between "light" and "darkness" will continually escalate. We are entering days that will introduce amplified revelations of God's Kingdom and Heaven's spiritual economy. The Bible plainly foretells this battle as violent and spiritually bloody.

The Kingdom of Heaven truly suffers violence and God's army must take it by force….

It is the destiny of this generation of overcoming saints to enter the "fullness of the stature of Christ."

Great warriors will emerge in this hour. The Holy Spirit is preparing a body of people to expose spiritual gates and open everlasting doors that the King of Glory may come in. He will reveal Himself as the awesome man of war Who is strong and mighty in battle….

Substantial authority will be given to this warring band to sever the head from spiritual influences that have successfully stolen the inheritance of God's people….

God is about to download, through His government, messages that teach and preach Calvary's Cross in profoundly powerful ways… these will prepare the Bride for her union with the Bridegroom.[35][bold in original, underlining added]

Exhibit 5: The sword and the Presence

The graphic above accompanied the Davis article. Like Davis, many in the NAR teach that God is “downloading” new strategies and revelations.[36] In other words, they can teach new doctrines.

“Cleanse the earth with the fire of God”[37]
The Bridal Army believes it is charged with cleansing the planet.[38] Ron McGatlin of OpenHeaven articulates the Latter Rain belief that the “Holy Spirit” will return, not Jesus in the flesh, to restore and redeem the planet. Note that he believes that Jesus's saving work on the cross was incomplete. This is a typical NAR teaching:

He is the One who returned to earth in the Holy Spirit to complete the work of redeeming and restoring the world to God’s design and desire…. [39] [emphasis added]

McGatlin believes that the “mature” Bride is becoming empowered for coming “cleansing judgments”:

You and I are alive in the time of these fulfillments beginning to come to pass in our world. And as hard as it might be for you to believe, we have a part in this sovereign move of God. There must be pure and holy mature sons of God in whom Christ Jesus fully dwells to bring forth, beyond the cleansing judgments, the new world governed by God. You and I are the seeds of Christ sown into this world for such a time as this.

Under the cover of darkness, the Holy Ghost is now invading our lives and our world with the life of Christ Jesus empowering His pure holy sons and daughters with His love, power, and wisdom to fulfill His works in this world. Christ living in our bodies where we once lived is indeed the hope of glory on Planet Earth.[40][emphasis added]

This statement about “cover of darkness” does not agree with any Scripture. Jesus Christ professes that He is the Light and His Gospel gives light: “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12), and “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Cor. 4:6). See also John 12:46, Acts 26:18, Rom. 13:12, 2 Cor. 6:14, Eph. 5:8, 1 Thess. 5:5, 1 Pet. 2:9, 1 John 1:5, 2:8. Note: If a spirit is coming in darkness it cannot be the Holy Spirit.

The reference to “seeds” above correlates with the teachings of the “Kansas City Prophets” that God will raise up a “new breed of elect seed,”[41] meaning a superior race of elites empowered for rule.[42] In keeping with his belief that Paradise can be restored, McGatlin urges on his readers to abandon “NATURAL HUMAN COMPASSION” because it will almost always “MISS THE MARK AND TAKE US ASTRAY.” This comment brings to mind the Scripture warning:

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
For men shall be… Without natural affection….”
(2 Tim. 3:1-3)

This Army Bride must be passionate, but not compassionate. The “passion” of the “Presence” appears to be for the “purpose” of getting the Bridal Army revved up for its violent mission. McGatlin states this is in preparation for ruling:

This is why mature sons of God had to be coming forth before the reality of the kingdom and the ruling city of New Jerusalem could begin to be formed on earth….

Only the pure holy love in the presence of God can lead us and strengthen us to move through the significant changes taking place in our world as the great transformation from the past age into the age of the kingdom. The move from the spiritual fulfillment of the symbolic feast of Pentecost to the spiritual fulfillment of the symbolic feast of Tabernacles is a great and very significant change that we are now enduring.[43][bold added]

Thus McGatlin is yet another leader teaching the Latter Rain doctrine about a Second Pentecost (see Part 5) and Warnock's allegorical Feast of Tabernacles.

“Bridal Intimacy” for “Bridal Rule”[44]
James Goll, one of the leading NAR “apostles” issued a “prophetic” word to his troops that proclaimed the “bridal rule”:

Prophetic evangelism has grown stronger as the Church has matured into a clearer understanding of her bridal intimacy with her Bridegroom Jesus, along with the governmental empowerment (the “bridal rule”) of God's people.[45]

Goll said this had to do with the “restoration of David’s Tabernacle” (thus indicating his Latter Rain foundation) and listed many of his “prophecies” of a coming revival:

The restoration of David's Tabernacle… shall escalate resulting in authentic 24-hour houses of prayer and praise, worship and intercession sprinkled across the nations. New creative songs and sounds shall emerge….
A new Signs and Wonders Movement is growing….
This move of God will be so powerful that the Church will gather in stadiums to worship….
A renewed Quietist Movement will emerge as Believers in Christ find the "secret place" of the Most High to truly be their dwelling place…. A fresh revelation of intimacy with God, communion with their lover/husbandman and Master will come forth….
An extravagant Youth Movement is coming to the global Body of Christ that will "rock the nations". Public events will be led by youth to pray and fast for revival, which will spread rapidly around the nations….
A "Convergence of the Ages" shall come upon us… "The Great Revolution in the Church".[47][emphasis in original]

Goll promised “warrior praise” in foretelling this “Revolution.”

Radical deeds of identificational repentance, acts of mercy to the poor and the oppressed, presence and power encounters to the sick and the demonized, warrior praise and intercession arising over cities will mount as a Revolution comes upon the global Body of Christ and creates a great societal awakening! If history books are written of the years that lie ahead, they might be termed "The Days of His Glorious Presence". [48][bold in original, underline added]

“A New Breed of Marys”
The NAR and IHOP allegorize many Scriptures. This is why you read about a “Joshua Generation” and “Marys” and “Annas” and “Elijahs.” All of this is talking about the role of various people and groups and generations in order to rule and reign upon the earth with supernatural powers (“glorified” by the “Presence”). A year ago on TheElijahList there was an advertisement for a “Woman of the Presence” conference, which said:

A "Mary Company" of God lovers is being raised up in this hour. It's a company of men and women who cannot and will not do anything outside of the presence of God.

True intimacy with Jesus, time in His Presence, unfolds our identity. Who we are frames our purpose leading us into destiny. As this process continues, we begin to find ourselves transformed. Suddenly we find ourselves a powerful apostolic people. It all began with the PRESENCE, being people or women of God's Presence. This is what we all long for. We are lovesick for Him.[49][bold added]

Exhibit 6: Advertisement on TheElijahList for the "Women of the Presence" conference

One NAR “prophetess” has written that there will be a “new breed of Marys” that will be “an army of Warrior Brides” who will facilitate “a supernatural move of the Spirit to accomplish His will on the earth as it is in heaven.” The Spirit’s “presence” will deliver “divine impartations. ”Note the reference to “Warrior Brides”:

Like a new breed of Marys on the rise, God has implanted His divine seed in the hearts of many women around the world who hear His voice—who are being trained, who mother in the natural and in the spirit, who have nurtured, who have fought like an army of Warrior Brides, who have been faithful in times of persecution and times of hardship.

They are making room and preparing the way of the Lord for a supernatural move of the Spirit to accomplish His will on the earth as it is in Heaven.

There are specific whirlwinds of the supernatural presence of the Lord where prophetic women of all walks of life are being "caught up" into the glory cloud of God and receiving divine visitations, divine impartations, divine healings, divine direction, divine strategies, divine wisdom and divine favor as they realize this is not the storm of the enemy, but the very high wind velocity of the Spirit of God.[50][bold in original, underline added]

This allusion to Mary is not new. Francis Frangipane, one of Mike Bickle’s associates, first taught this doctrine in the 1990s. Like mother “Mary,” a virgin church would “birth” the corporate “Bride of Christ.”

Secure this thought in your mind: when the Spirit of Christ comes into the physical world, He must enter through a physical body…. When Christ first entered our world as a child, it was Mary whom God chose to give Christ birth. Mary's life symbolized the qualities the Church must possess to walk in the fullness of Christ…. [God is preparing us] as He did Mary to give birth to the ministry of His Son. Even now, in the spiritual womb of the virgin Church, the holy purpose of Christ is growing, awaiting maturity; ready to be born in power in the timing of God… the virgin Church is 'in labour and in pain to give birth'… even now, hell trembles and the heavens watch in awe, for I say to you, once again, the virgin is with child. Before Jesus Himself returns, the last virgin Church shall become pregnant with the promise of God. Out of her travail, the Body of Christ shall come forth, raised to the full stature of its Head, the Lord Jesus. Corporately manifested in holiness, power and love, the Bride of Christ shall arise….[51][emphasis added]

There are no Scriptures that teach this. But this is an example of the classic Latter Rain belief about a coming “Presence” spirit that will indwell and equip an army of “overcomers.”

Exhibit 7: The Bride's Revival advertisement on TheElijahList

The Intimacy of the “Presence”
Below is a classic example of the “Presence” doctrine as it is communicated throughout the NAR as a prophecy. First, there is a new “season” announced. This means they believe that God is doing new things on earth right now, including opening portals for heaven to come down to earth, performing signs and wonders, and receiving new revelations. Scripture is not the final authority. Experiences are deemed sufficiently authoritative, especially if others confirm it. The NAR uses the same sort of intimate romance language as Mike Bickle does in his “Bridal Paradigm”—reiterating the importance of the Army Bride generating passion. Below is a sample of the type of dreams and visions that many are reciting:

Recently, the Lord revealed to me that we are entering into a season of sweetness and awe. He showed me how we can position our hearts to become an open portal to Heaven – where God infuses us with His presence and revelation abounds – flowing to us and through us in naturally, supernatural ways….

I changed the language of my prayers, calling Jesus “My Love”. Immediately, I felt His presence drawing nearer….

Lovers see the signs of love wherever they travel. Paying attention to these signs and wonders cause you to tune into the personal, intimate ways God speaks to His beloved – you! And it positions your heart to receive greater revelatory encounters with Him and walk in a supernaturally, natural way….

Let your heart become an open portal of His love. It won't be long before the awe of His power thunders around you and you find yourself walking IN THE FULLNESS of Him, not just alongside of Him; carrying His authority to release the realm of Heaven on earth.[52][emphasis in original, underline added]

This seductive language creates a mood. It amplifies passion. It is also an essential way to inculcate the Latter Rain doctrines via emotive experiences.

Exhibit 8: "Women of the Presence" conference advertised on TheElijahList

The “Bride’s Revival”
Similar to IHOP, the NAR also teaches that the Bride must attain an unprecedented level of “maturity.” This means she will experience a “breakthrough” that will equip her to be “a spiritual habitation of God’s presence and the Sevenfold Spirit of God.” Huh? Well, while walking out the book of Revelation literally and spiritually they believe they “will be filled with power of the Spirit from the 7 fold Spirit of God found in the Book of Revelation chapter 4 verse 5.”[54] It is yet one more example of how they strangely allegorize Revelation to fit their own endtime eschatology. A “prophecy” about revival claims:

We are now entering a season of harvest and a time that will be known as the Bride's Revival… when the Bride of Christ emerges in maturity and surrendered devotion to the Bridegroom….

Following that, the greatest harvest of souls throughout the earth will transpire in the Bride's Revival….

In essence, there will be a deposit of the "spirit to overcome" delegated to Believers who have yielded their hearts and souls with unwavering desperation for the person of Jesus; that is what it means to be the Joshua generation. The Joshua commission is the anointing to "overcome."[55][bold in original, underline added]

The Joshua generation reference is yet another of many biblical characters whose name is borrowed as a way to communicate the various roles for endtime dominion. All of this is in preparation for an endtime harvest. In 2008, NAR leader Stacey Campbell declared:

For 2008, prophetically, I hear "sickles." They are swinging over nations, and they are set to reap....

Prayer is the tipping point. Prayer will release both the judgments of God.... The wealth transfer has begun, the miracles are happening, the leadership has crossed over and stadiums are already being filled with tens of thousands of believers who are gathering in solemn assemblies of fasting and prayer.[56][all emphasis in original]

Who is in charge of this sickle of judgment over nations? According to Latter Rain doctrine, the Army Bride wields the sickle and is in charge of the harvest as an agent of "God" on earth. Note the reference to wealth. The NAR believes they will get rich from the spoil of this harvest.

The Bride’s Final Harvest
Bob Jones, who passed away on Feb. 14, 2014 reported a “Vision of God’s Armory” where God was “releasing weapons of warfare” that “cannot be handled by one person,” but rather teams who will “go to war” and “make decrees and declarations.”[57] His “prophecy” stated:

God is arming the Body of Christ with weapons of His divine love that the enemy has no defense against. We'll begin to see the army of God come together in unity, a common union, to where the enemy will have to leave entire cities. This army is getting ready to take entire cities and eventually entire states. In certain places in the world, they'll take entire nations.

This is the year the army of God comes together with angels beyond number and weapons that cannot be defeated by the enemy. Angels are here now preparing the Body for the harvest and there will be a mighty victory.[58]

Reading through this confusing maze of violent rhetoric, it seems plausible that at some point the apostolic leaders may trigger a switch and call for a real war with real weapons in their passionate zeal for taking over the earth. One must always keep in mind that in Latter Rain eschatology there is only talk of enemies and war. It is us vs. them. The Gospel of Salvation is missing in action.

The Truth:
Professor Johan Malan of South Africa published a comprehensive paper warning about the dangers of these type of Dominionism teachings. One section of his article particularly addresses the excessive hoopla surrounding the spiritual formation of this global Bridal Army:

Deception through signs, wonders and extra-Biblical prophecies
The inclination towards signs and wonders is a breeding-ground for kingdom now deception. Those who expect a visible kingdom during the church age are strongly bent towards the idea that this kingdom must demonstrate its power through various supernatural signs and wonders. There should, according to them, be mighty prophets and apostles who receive important revelations from God, who can speak on behalf of Him to the world, and also have the power to heal the sick, raise the dead, make people fall in the Spirit, and perform many other dramatic signs.

But the Lord Jesus says, “A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah” (Matt. 16:4). The sign of Jonah was that he was three days and three nights in the belly of a great fish, and also that an entire pagan city repented in reaction to his preaching. This sign was fulfilled during the death of Jesus when He was in the grave for three days and three nights and rose on the third day (Matt. 12:4). After that, thousands of people repented when they heard the gospel of the atoning death and resurrection of Christ. Agnostic Jews who did not want to accept this message, learned how thousands of Gentiles (as earlier in Nineveh) turned to God with repentant hearts. We must have faith in the great sign of the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus – not in other signs and wonders.

Signs and wonders play a very minor role in the church dispensation, as the Lord wants us to live by faith in Christ, and not by virtue of physical signs. Any emphasis of this nature usually leads to deception, and the devil will use such signs to prepare the way for the acceptance of the Antichrist and false prophet: “For false christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect” (Matt. 24:24). The Antichrist and false prophet will excel in this regard (2 Thess. 2:8-12; Rev. 13:11-15).

As far as prophecies are concerned, we should guard against the possibility of being deceived by specially “anointed” but self-imposed prophets and prophetesses. We must be guided by the Bible, and not by the extra-biblical prophecies. The prophetic revelations which the Lord gave to the church were concluded with the writing of the Book of Revelation. Should anybody dare to add any further prophecies to it, God will add to him the plagues revealed in His Word (Rev. 22:18)....

Do not make the mistake of brushing aside the Bible for the sake of dramatic kingdom manifestations, and start pursuing the false revelations of self-imposed prophets and prophetesses.[59]

Endnotes:
1. Rick Joyner, “The Army of God Mobilizes--We Must Resolve that We Will Retreat No Further,” TheElijahList, Feb. 7, 2008, http://www.elijahlist.com/words/html/textonly-020708-joyner.html
2. Randy DeMain, “God is Moving Again with Holy Fire – His Manifest Presence is Coming Upon the Priesthood,” TheElijahList, Oct. 10, 2013, http://www.elijahlist.com/words/html/textonly-101013-DeMain.html Emphasis added. To read a refutation of the NAR’s idea of priesthood, see the following article: Professor Johan Malan, “Not a Kingdom Now,” April 2011, http://www.bibleguidance.co.za/Engarticles/Kingdom.htm
3. Bill Hamon, The Eternal Church (Christian International Publishers, 1981), as quoted in the critical commentary booklet Joel’s Army http://www.discernment-ministries.org/JoelsArmy.pdf Emphasis added.
4. Ron McGatlin, “Unrelenting Love,” OpenHeaven.com Digest, April 15, 2014. Emphasis added.
5. See Herescope post: http://herescope.blogspot.com/2011/09/dominique.html
6. We published a Herescope post on April 3, 2007, titled “The Warrior Bride” in which this entire advertisement on TheElijahList is quoted and cited. Most of the original webpages and links to the graphics are no longer online. See: http://herescope.blogspot.com/2007/04/warrior-bride.html
7. This talk was transcribed. We published more of it here: http://herescope.blogspot.com/2007/04/warrior-bride.html See more of Hamon's timeline at these webpages: Bill Hamon, "2008 IS THE Beginning of the Third and Final Apostolic Reformation," TheElijahList, 2/28/2008, http://www.elijahlist.com/words/display_word/6195, and Craig von Buseck, "Prophetic Insight for 2008 from Cindy Jacobs and Bill Hamon," http://m.cbn.com/blogs/ChurchWatch/archive/2008/03/07/prophetic-insight-for-2008-from-cindy-jacobs-and-bill-hamon.aspx and the article here: http://www.identitynetwork.net/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=0&view=post&articleid=47021&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0
8. This timeline by Hamon was originally published here: http://www.bishophamon.org/2003Word/bishop/changes.html
9. We have written extensively about Dominionism on Herescope posts. See, for example: IHOP Enters Dominion/Christian Right Politics: IHOP is starting to feel its Dominion oats, IHOP: International House of Political Action: IHOP Enters Dominion/Christian Right Politics, IHOP & the NAR: The Formation of a Revolution, IHOP's New Breed Leaders, Prayer Warfare Evangelism: The New Order Prayer Cover, http://herescope.blogspot.com/2011/09/apostolic-dominionism.html, http://herescope.blogspot.com/2011/11/dominion-entering-into-new-season.html and http://herescope.blogspot.com/2011/09/who-invented-dominionism.html
10. Jennifer LeClaire, “Dr. Bill Hamon answers your questions about the eternal Church,” http://www.thevoicemagazine.com/ApoMoments_BillHamon.htm
11. Hamon interview, Ibid.
12. Hamon interview, Ibid.
13. Hamon interview, Ibid.
14. Published here: http://www.discernment-ministries.org/Articles/FilledStadiums.pdf
15. For more information on Paul Cain, see this report: http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/orrel19.html
16. This “Kansas City Prophets” tape (Grace Ministries was the name of Bickle’s church at that time) was recorded and transcribed. See: http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/8.htm
17. Tarkowski, Ibid.
18. Stacey Campbell, "For 2008, Prophetically, I Hear SICKLES--God is Preparing to REAP NATIONS," TheElijahList, 1/1/08. [bold in original, red added]. This quote was also included in an earlier Herescope post: http://herescope.blogspot.com/2008/01/sickles-ready-to-reap-nations.html
19. Rick Joyner with Dutch Sheets, “THE TRUE SOLDIERS OF THE CROSS ARE MOBILIZING. THE CHURCH IS ABOUT TO BE CLOTHED WITH A BEAUTY THAT IS BEYOND THIS WORLD!” TheElijahList, June 19, 2007, http://www.elijahlist.com/words/html/textonly-061907-Joyner.html
20. Rick Joyner, “The ARMY of GOD MOBILIZES--We Must Have the Courage to Be Different, Radically Different,” TheElijahList, January 8, 2008, http://www.elijahlist.com/words/html/textonly-010808-Joyner.html
21. See Herescope post where he is quoted: http://herescope.blogspot.com/2006/05/military-new-breed.html
22. This phrase has been used by other Latter Rain teachers in the NAR. See the Herescope post on February 22, 2008, http://herescope.blogspot.com/2008/02/dread-champion-army.html which cites Ryan Wyatt’s use of this phrase.
23. Bobby Conner, “Dread Champions Arise to Contend and Defend! We are Now in the Age of the Great Harvest!,” TheElijahList, January 26, 2010 http://www.elijahlist.com/words/html/textonly-012610-Conner.html
24. Conner, “Dread Champion Army,” Ibid.
25. Chuck D. Pierce, “This is NOT a Time to be Passive but to Go to War and Worship Violently!” TheElijahList, August 7, 2010, http://www.elijahlist.com/words/html/textonly-080710-Pierce.html
26. See, for example, “The Roar Of The Lord” by Robert Heidler & Chuck Pierce (a CD), sold via: http://www.identitynetwork.net/apps/store/default.asp?view=profile&itemid=15092 and TheElijahList article from January 21, 2002: http://www.elijahlist.com/words/display_word/1067
27. Chuck D. Pierce, Ibid, http://www.elijahlist.com/words/html/textonly-080710-Pierce.html
28. See the description of this doctrine in the Discernment Newsletter: http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/May-June2007.htm. And also see Ed Tarkowski’s article for a more full description of this doctrine: http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/Laugh6.html
29. Chuck D. Pierce, Ibid, http://www.elijahlist.com/words/html/textonly-080710-Pierce.html
30. See Herescope posts: http://herescope.blogspot.com/2011/11/new-age-and-latter-rain.html and http://herescope.blogspot.com/2007/12/2008-year-of-great-shift.html and http://herescope.blogspot.com/2011/08/denying-dominionism.html
31. See Herescope posts: http://herescope.blogspot.com/2008/02/creating-heaven-on-earth.html and http://herescope.blogspot.com/2007/07/as-in-heaven-so-on-earth.html and http://herescope.blogspot.com/2006/11/what-does-gathering-mean.html
32. See Herescope post: http://herescope.blogspot.com/2011/11/new-age-and-latter-rain.html. Also see Ed Tarkowski’s description of the New Age’s Planetary “Pentecost”: http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/Laugh6.html
33. Ron McGatlin, OpenHeaven.com Digest, May 17, 2012
34. Prophecy attributed to Bob Jones in “Tribute to Bob Jones: One of the Very Last Prophecies by Bob Jones - Vision of the Apple Tree and the Coming Promise,” TheElijahList, Feb. 21, 2014. Jones passed away on Feb. 14, 2014.
35. Paul Keith Davis, “A New Season - The Church is Entering an Age of Militancy and Spiritual Confrontation,” TheElijahList, April 7, 2014, http://elijahlist.com/words/display_word.html?ID=13291
36. See the Herescope post on this topic: http://herescope.blogspot.com/2008/02/god-is-downloading-new-strategies.html
37. Ron McGatlin, “Pure Love: A Scarce and Treasured Commodity,” OpenHeaven.com Digest, May 17, 2012.
38. See Herescope post featuring McGatlin in an earlier newsletter: http://herescope.blogspot.com/2006/07/more-than-reformation-purification-of.html
39. McGatlin, May 17, 2012, Ibid.
40. Ron McGatlin, “Heaven’s Intervention,” OpenHeaven.com Digest, Feb. 6, 2014.
41. See Herescope post: http://herescope.blogspot.com/2011/07/ihops-new-breed-leaders.html
42. See the following Herescope posts: http://herescope.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-significance-of-youth-filled.html, http://herescope.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-serpent-seed-nephilim.html and http://herescope.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-perfectly-obedient-bride.html
43. Ron McGatlin, “Unrelenting Love,” OpenHeaven.com Digest, April 15, 2014.
44. James Goll, “Doing the Double,” TheElijahList, August 19, 2012, http://www.elijahlist.com/words/html/textonly-081912-Goll.html
45. James Goll, “Doing the Double,” Ibid.
46. James Goll, “Paradigm Shifts – Change is Upon Us!” TheElijahList, June 15, 2012, http://www.elijahlist.com/words/html/textonly-061512-Goll.html
47. James Goll, “Paradigm Shifts,” Ibid.
48. Goll, “Paradigm Shifts,” Ibid. Goll says that he wrote these prophecies “12 years ago” and they appear in his book The Coming Prophetic Revolution.
49. TheElijahList, June 8, 2013, advertisement for “Women of the Presence" conference.
50. Reeni Mederos, "Oh, Prophetic Women!"  The Call of God to an Army of Supernatural Women!” TheElijahList, April 30, 2009, http://www.elijahlist.com/words/display_word_pf.html?ID=7588
51. Francis Frangipane, In The Presence Of God, 1994, pp. 153-157. Cited by Ed Tarkowski in his report on the Laughing Revival, http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/Laugh6.html
52. Julia Loren, “The Season of ‘Sweetness and Awe’ is Upon Us,” The Elijah List, August 15, 2012 http://www.elijahlist.com/words/html/textonly-081512-Loren.html
53. Paul and Wanda Davis, “The Bride's End-Time Harvest Anointing - Part 2,” The Elijah List, June 06, 2008, http://www.elijahlist.com/words/html/textonly-060608-Davis.html
54. Henry Falcone, “A Transitional Mantle – Divine Positioning,” published by Ron McGatlin’s OpenHeaven.com Digest, March 20, 2014.
55. Paul and Wanda Davis, Ibid.
56. Stacey Campbell, “For 2008, Prophetically, I Hear SICKLES—God is Preparing to REAP NATIONS,” TheElijahList, January 1, 2008. http://www.elijahlist.com/words/html/textonly-010108-Campbell.html See also Herescope article: http://herescope.blogspot.com/2008/01/sickles-ready-to-reap-nations.html
57. “Tribute to Bob Jones: One of the Very Last Prophecies by Bob Jones - Vision of the Apple Tree and the Coming Promise,” TheElijahList, 2/21/14, http://www.elijahlist.com/words/textonly.html?ID=13139.
58. Bob Jones’ prophecy. Ibid. Bold in original.
59. Professor Johan Malan, “Not a Kingdom Now,” April 2011, http://www.bibleguidance.co.za/Engarticles/Kingdom.htm

Exhibits:
1. "The Bride Prepares." This graphic was advertised on TheElijahList on March 30, 2007, in a post titled "STUNNING PROPHETIC ART," The artist was said to be Chris Fields, and the cost was $20.00 for an 11" X 14" print. The original link was http://www.elijahlist.com/words/display_word_pf.html?ID=5133 but it no longer works.
2. We published a Herescope post on April 3, 2007, titled “The Warrior Bride” in which this entire advertisement on TheElijahList from March 30, 2007 is quoted. The original link was: http://www.elijahlist.com/words/display_word_pf.html?ID=5134 but is no longer online. The Herescope article is here: http://herescope.blogspot.com/2007/04/warrior-bride.html
3. This is advertised online at: https://www.facebook.com/events/218406361646857/ and http://www.hangtime.com/events/chuck-pierce-the-lion-of-judah-is-roaring-over-the-valley/946423948704618
4. "Prepared." This graphic was advertised on TheElijahList on March 30, 2007, in a post titled "STUNNING PROPHETIC ART," The artist was said to be Chris Fields, and the cost was $20.00 for an 11" X 14" print. The original link was http://www.elijahlist.com/words/display_word_pf.html?ID=5133 but it no longer works.
5. This graphic appeared in the article by Paul Keith Davis, “A New Season - The Church is Entering an Age of Militancy and Spiritual Confrontation,” TheElijahList, April 7, 2014, http://elijahlist.com/words/display_word.html?ID=13291
6. TheElijahList, June 8, 2013, advertisement for “Women of the Presence" conference.
7. TheElijahList, December 1, 2013, advertisement for "The Bride's Revival" conference.
8. TheElijahList, June 18, 2012, advertisement for "Women of the Presence" conference. The promotional material stated: "It's a new era and God is visiting women with a freshness of His Presence and empowering them for new assignments. Women are uniquely created to be carriers of God's Presence wherever they are."

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Tuesday, April 22, 2014

The Battled Bride