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December 3, 2019

Deconstructing the NAR "Religious Spirit" Talking Point

By Anthony Wade

Breaking down the bible butchering theology of the alleged "religious spirit."

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"Yet many of the rulers also believed in Him. But because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they be put out of the synagogue. For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God" (John 12:42-43).

https://www.charismanews.com/opinion/78995-7-ways-you-know-you-re-listening-to-holy-spirit-and-not-a-religious-spirit

Whenever the NAR speaks about a "religious spirit" my bovine excrement detector goes wild. You see, the NAR is neck deep in so many of the popular heresies of the day. They believe in experiential Christianity, dominionism, prosperity, false signs and lying wonders, false authority, mandatory healing and word faith, just to name a few. The experiential doctrines teach that what we experience is equal to or higher than scripture. They consider those that demand scriptural accuracy to be legalists in need of a deeper spiritual revelation. Today's deep theology is that if you are not basing your beliefs on the bible then it is not the Spirit of God that is revealing things to you.

The core benefit of preaching NAR or other heresies is to please man and not god. These false teachings are loved by the lost because they do not need to repent in order to believe they are saved. The do not get bogged down with all of the pesky do's and don't's of the bible. The dominionist pleases man by telling him he is really in control of this earth and not God. The prosperity preacher tells man that God wants him rich beyond his dreams of avarice. The false signs and lying wonders amazes man with carnal oohs and ahhs. The word faith preacher tells man he has the same power as God. The experiential Christianity preacher assures man that what he believes is just as important if not more so than what God has already said. Now, those that are in discernment are branded as religious by the NAR but the reality is we are the opposite of what they claim. Just like when Paul said that his aim was to please God and not man, the same can be said for anyone calling out false teaching. I say this as a backdrop to discussing the above article from NAR false teacher Wanda Alger entitled, "Seven Ways to Know You Are Listening to the Holy Spirit and Not a Religious Spirit." Buckle up beloved, it gets bumpy from here.

'"Yet many of the rulers also believed in Him. But because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they be put out of the synagogue. For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God" (John 12:42-43). When Jesus revolutionized His nation with the gospel of the kingdom, He was continually questioned and criticized for His visionary initiatives and unorthodox methods. The Pharisees were the politically correct referees who sought to silence His voice and penalize any advancement of His message. Knowing that their power and influence were losing ground, their religious mindsets could not comprehend or celebrate the very truths that could set them free from their own man-made bondage. It is just like the accuser of the brethren to threaten and attack anyone who exposes his lies and demonstrates the true nature of our heavenly Father. Our spiritual adversary seeks to use control, fear and condemnation in order to keep us trapped in our flesh and disconnected from the life-giving power of God's Spirit.' -- Wanda Alger

The gall it takes to cite the key verse just blew me away. It is obviously true that the Pharisees preferred the praise of man but as we just outlined above that is what the false NAR teachers seek as well. Do you think it is difficult to preach that God wants you rich? Is it a burden to teach that you are just as powerful as God? Notice what Alger does right away? She distorts the ministry of Christ. The NAR fancies themselves visionaries who just use unorthodox methods. That was not at all what Jesus was like! In fact He insisted that the entire law would not be touched until everything passes. Repentance was not a visionary message -- it was what God had been saying for thousands of years to Israel! The other NAR trick here is to try and turn the tables. Suddenly anyone who dares to question them is an accuser of the brethren in bed with Satan. The Pharisees did not have a religious mindset as Alger is laying out here. They insisted upon adherence to the law, while missing the point about the law. Jesus likened it to straining out a gnat while swallowing a camel. Those who focus on exposing the falseness of the Alger's of the world are doing the opposite. They are entirely focused on the camel. The NAR is not missing the small things beloved. They are missing everything.

"This religious spirit is still active today, speaking into the ears of many unsuspecting believers, trying to block any kingdom advancement and fresh expression of the Holy Spirit. Preying on our fears and self-doubts, this demonic influence will stop at nothing to keep us bound to religious systems and the expectations of man. This spirit is manifesting again today, not only in our national politics, but in many of our church pulpits and social media platforms. This counterfeit authority is still speaking, trying to draw us away from all that the Father is accomplishing in this hour. The enemy resists any true work of the Spirit and subverts any attempts at bringing the supernatural realities of heaven to earth." -- Wanda Alger

This is the false narrative the NAR is always trying to set up. That those who insist on biblical accuracy are trying to suppress the fresh and new things the spirit is trying to do. The cold hard reality is that it is not the Holy Spirit we seek to suppress but rather the demonic spirit the NAR traffics in. It is not the expectations of man we seek to be beholden to but rather the expectations of God. The rest of this is the same spiritual gobbledygook that the false signs and lying wonders portion of the NAR always uses. It always speaks about the true work of the spirit as if it is supposed to be in disagreement with His own word. There is usually a shifting somewhere in the atmosphere that leads to a suddenly. The coup de grace is always this notion of bringing the supernatural to earth. meanwhile the "religious legalist" is simply asking that whatever nonsense they spew -- that it be found and corroborated by scripture. When God gave us His final revealed will in the bible did He forget something that now He needs Wanda Alger to tell us? Their entire premise is simply absurd. That thousands of years ago when God ensured what books would make it into the canon of scripture that He forgot to include the part about bringing heaven to earth through shifting suddenlies! He forgot to mention that there will be some vague "new thing" that you will need to hear through your wickedly deceitful heart and it should be taken as credibly as the bible itself.

"It is the Holy Spirit who we must recognize and embrace if we are to partner with heaven's purposes and see radical transformation happen in our culture. It is the Holy Spirit who will lead us into truth and keep us on the path to victory. It is His voice that we can trust to rightly discern the Father's activities and discern the enemy's schemes. "But when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own authority. But He will speak whatever He hears, and He will tell you things that are to come" (John 16:13). The first step in getting free of any religious spirit is to recognize its presence and purpose. If we understand the redeeming nature of the Father's heart and His highest purposes for our lives, we can rightly discern which voice to listen to in order to open wide the gates for the King of glory to come in. Prayerfully consider these comparisons and see if you recognize any pattern in your own life." -- Wanda Alger

Ahh, your NAR dominionism is showing! First there was a vague reference to worldly politics but now Alger all but admits that this supernatural heaven transfer thingy is for the purpose of transforming culture! That is straight up seven mountain NAR dominionism and it is outright heresy. Nowhere in the bible are we commanded to change, alter or even affect culture. We are to be apart from it. Pilgrims and sojourners. Then we see this gem from Alger:

It is the Holy Spirit who will lead us into truth and keep us on the path to victory.

The truth referred to in this bible verse is of course leading us into all truth contained within scripture! On top of that -- what is this vague "path to victory" Alger is referring to? Didn't Jesus already secure the victory for us on the cross? What victory is Alger seeking? I will give you a hint. It is a carnal victory that has nothing to do with heaven. She spends some time writing about the spirit speaking but does not understand that the primary way the Holy Spirit speaks to us is through the very bible she rejects as "religious." Now let us examine the seven differences this depraved mind came up with.

"The religious spirit is like an older brother who follows you around, criticizing your every move and whispering endless doubts that cause you to shrink back in fear. The Holy Spirit is like a loving father who is always two steps ahead, taking your hand and gently leading you on a path of discovery." -- Wanda Alger

Not quite. The criticisms are based on biblical truths. For example, when you claim we are to partner with the Holy Spirit to transform this fallen culture you deserve to be called out for it because you lead people astray. As for leading you on the path of discovery; this would be true if you were speaking about learning the verity of scripture. Unfortunately, the NAR means a more esoteric discovery. Great swaths of the NAR use things like soaking prayer, transcendental meditation and contemplative prayer to explore this path Wanda is referring to. They just do not realize it is not the hand of the Holy Spirit they are holding.

"The religious spirit gets bent out of shape when the rules aren't followed. The Holy Spirit gets excited when creative expression imagines the possibilities." -- Wanda Alger

Not rules Wanda -- the bible. This is one of the common deceptions the NAR moves in. They pretend that their opponents are insisting on some outdated system of man when the reality is they just insist on biblical accuracy. Why is that? Beloved, we know that God wrote the bible. We know it is infallible and inerrant. I do not want to rely upon my wickedly deceitful heart to try and guess if God is speaking to me or the cold pizza I had before bedtime. The good news is I do not have to! I have the final revealed will of God in my hand when I hold the bible! Why should I care what Wanda Alger claims God spoke to her when it cannot be confirmed in the word I know is from Him! The Holy Spirit gets excited??? Where did that little nugget come from? Is it in the bible? Nope. Therefore it came from the heart of Wanda Alger. God does not encourage nor want our "creative expression" when it comes to saying thus sayeth the Lord. In fact, He was so excited about that concept in the Old Testament that anyone who tried was stoned to death. Imagine the possibilities if people would stop following such garbage and actually read their bibles.

"The religious spirit berates you for missing the mark. The Holy Spirit inspires you to aim higher next time." -- Wanda Alger

Aww"is that all God does? He just gives you an attaboy for trying to obey His word? Is that what He did when he struck Uzzah dead with lightening for touching the Ark of the Covenant? Or when He blinded Saul? Or when he rendered Joseph mute? Or when He struck Ananias and Sapphira dead for daring to lie to the Apostles? What about when Achan hid treasure in his tent or King Saul kept the spoils of war he was supposed to destroy? What happened to the baby's life David was praying for after he was confronted with his adultery and murder? Are you getting the point? Wanda Alger makes the Holy Spirit sound like Tony Robbins or motivational life coach. By the way, the other point here is a false notion. If someone makes a mistake, we are to correct in love. Heck if they make it a second time, we have mercy and grace. If they refuse the correction however they are now false by definition and deserve nothing but our derision and the working end of the shepherd's rod. When there was a congregant living in sin Paul cast them out of the Corinthian Church. When Hymenaeus and Philetus or Alexander the Coppersmith rose up with false doctrine they too were marked, named and cast out. The bible actually teaches us that if anyone preaches a different gospel let them be accursed! Not to tell them to "just aim higher" next time.

'The religious spirit tells you to "stay in the lines!" The Holy Spirit tells you to "go explore!"' -- Wanda Alger

The lines Wanda Alger hates so much are called scripture and God placed those lines there for a reason. Nowhere does God say He wants you to explore beyond what He has said and commanded. Nowhere except the deceitful hearts of NAR teachers. They love to explore and hate anyone telling them they cannot.

"The religious spirit wants credit. The Holy Spirit celebrates others." -- Wanda Alger

The first part here is simply projection. I have never seen a serious discernment ministry seek any credit. I tell people all the time that I am amazed when God uses me for anything. It is not my picture on the front of the book I wrote. It is a picture of the bible. Go check out any of the false NAR teacher books and see whose picture is on the cover. The second part here is simply wrong. The Holy Spirit does not celebrate others. He celebrates Jesus. What a perfect picture however of what the NAR theology does. It seeks to move our attention off of Christ and onto ourselves.

"The religious spirit debates everything you do. The Holy Spirit dares you to climb higher." -- Wanda Alger

Notice the narcissistic theme Alger is promoting. God always seems to want you to aim higher and climb higher. This is the sin of Lucifer who wanted to ascend to the throne of the Most High. It is the same sin he used to entice Eve to sin in the garden by telling her that she would be like God. That is at the heart of all of the NAR heresies. By the way, the discerning spirit tests everything you teach -- not debates everything you do.

"The religious spirit is a task master that is never satisfied with your efforts and always asking for more. The Holy Spirit is your greatest cheerleader, drawing out the best in you, even when you make mistakes." -- Wanda Alger

What have you reduced the Spirit of the Living God to? He is just a cheerleader to you now? He is there to put a Band-Aid on your boo-boos? Those mistakes you casually reference are called sins that require your repentance. Your false teachings are never to be tolerated lest some fall away because of them while others are introduced to your false christ who cannot save them. I know this must seem like a game to you Wanda but it is not to those who discern and care about the sheep of the Lord. We insist that everything you teach about or for God be accurate and biblical. If that is now the definition of a taskmaster then a taskmaster I am.

"Your journey is meant to be one of freedom, joy and a never-ending sense of wonder and awe. Even through the trials, setbacks and personal weaknesses, the Holy Spirit always sees a way through and will empower you to keep moving. Your destiny is ahead of you, not behind you. It's not about "adding up," but jumping in! It's redemption, not religion, that brings life to the dead and wholeness to the broken. As we determine to follow Jesus' example and listen to the Holy Spirit instead of a politically correct religious spirit, we can be assured of fulfilling the Father's purpose. In the end, it's not whether or not we get it "right." It's about who we travel with and discovering the endless possibilities of heaven inside of us that the flesh can never reach. "So then, beloved ones, the flesh has no claims on us at all, and we have no further obligation to live in obedience to it. For when you live controlled by the flesh, you are about to die. But if the life of the Spirit puts to death the corrupt ways of the flesh, we then taste his abundant life. The mature children of God are those who are moved by the impulses of the Holy Spirit" (Rom. 8:12-14, TPT)." -- Wanda Alger

Do not buy what the NAR is selling. We are not on some mystical journey. The freedom and joy we have is only found in Christ and He is His word. If Alger were selling the notion of never ending wonder and awe in who God is -- I would be all aboard. That is not however what she is selling. Who has this entire thing been about? It seems the Holy Spirit is only there to empower Wanda. To encourage her when she is wrong. To hold her hand as she marches towards some mystical sense of destiny and purpose God never promised her. You cannot claim to want to listen to the Holy Spirit while relegating the word of God to some second-class citizen. Dear Lord consider what she says here:

In the end, it's not whether or not we get it "right." It's about who we travel with and discovering the endless possibilities of heaven inside of us that the flesh can never reach.

In the end it most assuredly is about getting it right. Those that have it wrong will discover that Christ never knew them. This isn't the Wizard of Oz. It is sadly ironic that her closing scripture reference is in reference to sin. What is sadder is she cares so little for the verity of scripture that she uses the Passion abomination. Read her quote from The passion and now read what God actually said:

So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. -- Romans 8:12-14 (ESV)

Notice the difference? God never said taste his abundant life. He never said anything about being moved by the impulses of the spirit. The entire passage is mangled beyond recognition. Alger does not care because it fits her esoteric and pseudo-spiritual beliefs. This is an important point to close on. These Roman verses teach us that if we are truly led by the Holy Spirit we are sons of God. Wanda Alger believes in a false NAR gospel that leads her to a false christ and ultimately a false conversion. There is a real price to be paid for putting our faith in a different spirit and do not fool yourself. That is what Wanda Alger has been selling. It is what the NAR sells every day. This false spirit is demonic by default and will tell you everything you wanted to hear. That the bible is about you. That the powers of God are yours. That your very words can create just like God. That He wants you wealthy to the point of overflow and when you sin, He will just pick you up and have a good old laugh about it as He encourages you to just try harder and aim higher next time. Anyone who dares to disagree or throw the bible in your face? Well they are just a legalist with a religious spirit. The Holy Spirit is religious Wanda. He does care greatly about the word of God and I would rather be holding His hand than whatever has got a hold of you.

Reverend Anthony Wade -- December 3, 2019



Authors Bio:
Credentialed Minister of the Gospel for the Assemblies of God. Owner and founder of 828 ministries. Vice President for Goodwill Industries. Always remember that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

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