So we come to the fourth declaration spoken at Bethel during the offering and this one is all about the only god they really serve -- themselves. In declaration number one, God was an ATM for their carnal blessings. In declaration number two they began to elevate themselves spiritually to rival God. In the third set they began to lay out all they had to do to help this poor god out. They had to conquer all of these mountains and prepare the earth. Now here it all comes home. How unbelievably haughty is this declaration that they make their congregants actually say to God! I am powerful? No beloved you are not. Where in the Bible do you see any of the apostles walking around like they were anything? The one time the Sons of Thunder asked to call lightning down Jesus rebuked them. What you believe changes the world? Really? Well aren't you special? Today you declare that God is in a good mood???? Seriously? He loves you all the time and His blood paid for everything? What are you teaching yourself about sin? The true power is in the Gospel, not in our weak mortal shells. We are not important beloved. God is important. Then they close the declaration with the false teaching about mandatory healing. Just because nothing is impossible with God does not mean that He is required to do anything. He is sovereign.
Reflect upon these declarations seriously beloved because even if you can easily see through them, there are countless thousands of people who follow this church like a cult. People are being taught to declare to God Almighty how great they are. How important they are. To actually teach people to declare how God is feeling on a given day. They teach people that if they are poor they need to repent. Like spoiled and petulant children they stand with arms outstretched and demand that they get favor, blessings, increase, reward, unlocked storehouses, found money and countless other absurdly ridiculous carnal dreams. Compare that to what Paul says in the key verses today. As a Pharisee of the Pharisees, Paul had it all. He lost it all to follow Christ. No bitterness or carnal desires. He counted all he had lost as trash for the sole benefit of being found in Christ. To know the power of His resurrection not his own power like Bill Johnson teaches. To share in His sufferings, which Bill Johnson will never teach. The sad and obvious truth is that Bethel does not want Christ because they do not follow Christ. They are all about selling the crown of glory. They want nothing to do however, with the crown of thorns.
Reverend Anthony Wade -- November 3, 2017
