Katie Souza is at it again. Mandatory healing stretched to pretend God must restore our youth as well...

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But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. -- Isaiah 53:5 (ESV)

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Katie Souza fancies herself a "healing evangelist." The translation of this Charismaniacal pseudo-spiritual speak is that she is a word of faith heretic who believes in mandatory healing for God. This heresy, shared by the likes of Bill Johnson and the NAR is that God is required to always heal us. Thus if we do not receive our healing, it is our fault for not possessing enough faith. This is a dangerous heresy because it derails faith and robs God of His sovereignty. The vaguely amusing thing is people like Bill Johnson wear corrective eyeglasses yet he preaches God must always heal you. Irony is often lost on false teachers. The above link caught my attention because of the absurd proposition by Katie Souza that the bible promises to restore your health and youthful appearance. Let us reason together once more so we are not caught up in ear scratching heresy that insults our Lord and Savior.

"The Bible is packed full of promises that God's people can walk in divine health and have their youth restored, even in their advanced years. Yet few are seeing the full manifestation of these truths. Instead, most are suffering some sort of pain, disease or disorder, and many are physically and mentally worn out. To add insult to injury, every glance in the mirror confronts us with the loss of our youthful looks. It's in those moments that we toy with ideas about cosmetic procedures in a desperate effort to restore some semblance of our glory days. In those moments, it's easy to wonder whether it's truly possible on this earth to live disease free and unrestricted by pain." -- Katie Souza

No Katie, it is not packed with such. This is what happens when you have a pre-conceived theology and try to shoehorn God's word into it. As you will see, most scriptures relied upon are found in either Psalms or Proverbs, neither of which are meant to create doctrine over solely. When the mandatory healing word faith heretic does stray into other portions of the bible, it becomes clear they have no idea how to rightly divide the word of truth. The other staggering thing here is the carnal infatuation with youth, even referring to it as glory days. Let me answer her question here. It is not possible to live this life, in this sinful fallen world, free of disease and pain. The body breaks down just the same for Christians as non-Christians. The real difference, missed by people who focus on this world as the NAR does, is that we look forward to a new glorified body in Christ Jesus.

'I have battled all of this. I also have fought and, thankfully, conquered many physical disorders. But certain lingering issues have refused to submit. As the producer and host of an international TV show, I face more pressure than most to look great. After all, millions are watching as I age, program by program. Many viewers compliment me, but over the years, some well-meaning people have also made hurtful comments about my weight or appearance. The Bible makes some audacious claims concerning health, long life and the restoration of youth. Check out these examples: Job 33:25 says, "His flesh will be fresher than a child's; he will return to the days of his youth." Proverbs 3:16a (TPT) says, "Wisdom extends to you long life in one hand and wealth and promotion in the other." And The Message paraphrases the promise of Proverbs 3:7b-8 as, "Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life!"' -- Katie Souza

You have fought? You have conquered? I thought it was God who heals? The narcissism continues with this notion that she must look good for television. The real problem of course is when she tries to quote scripture to support her unbiblical position. The Book of Job is a separate story in the bible. A historical narrative. Job 33:25 is a rebuke given to Job by Elihu. This verse is postulating Job being restored to health, not Katie Souza and not us either. This is scripturally criminal but all too common within NAR false teachings. The bible becomes a story about you instead of about Jesus. Suddenly it is you facing Goliath. It is you tearing the walls of Jericho asunder. It is you being restored and not Job. It is the gospel of me on full display. The Proverbs refence is a general instruction, as most Proverbs are, on the importance of wisdom. Logically speaking, the fool has a shorter life expectancy than the wise man. That does not mean God promises all Christians regeneration and long life. Not to mention, Katie is the fool, not the wise.

"When I first read these Scriptures, their daring assertions astounded me. It seems preposterous to believe that you can live a long life and have strong bones and flesh fresher than a child's. Yet the Bible says His Word is absolute truth that does not return void but accomplishes that for which it was sent (Isa. 55:11). This leaves us with the burden of believing what He says, no matter how impossible it seems. To do less is to take from Christ the just reward of His suffering. After all, we have been healed by His stripes (Isa. 53:5)--and that encompasses all disease, including disease associated with aging." -- Katie Souza

Yes, Isaiah 55:11 does say that but of course that has nothing to do with this conversation. God's word is indeed absolute truth but you do not get to pretend it says something that it does not. Notice the insidious word faith, mandatory healing beliefs we discussed earlier. The burden shifts to our faith, our believing. To make matters worse, Souza teaches here that if you do not follow her wildly unbiblical theology, then you take from Christ the reward for His suffering? Huh? She also makes the classic mandatory healing mistake regarding the prophecy of Christ by the prophet Isaiah. You may want to sit down for this beloved but this verse is not about physical healing. Now, God is God and He can always decide to heal within His sovereign mercy. The notion however that Isaiah 53 guarantees physical healing for believers is simply not supported within the key verse. He was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities. What are transgressions and iniquities? Sin. Yet His work on the cross brought us the peace we needed with our creator. Thus, through His wounds on Calvary we are healed -- spiritually. These verses are a beautiful prophecy of the salvation work of Jesus Christ, not a catchall against the flu.

"Is it really possible to tap into the youth-restoring guarantees the Word brags about--and if so, why isn't everyone running faster, serving stronger, lasting longer and looking better while they do those things? That's what I set out to discover in my book Be Revived (Charisma House). What I learned was a game changer, to say the least. I witnessed biblical truths manifesting in my life and the lives of others that left me bowing at God's feet, overwhelmed by His goodness and downright ecstatic." -- Katie Souza

I know why everyone is not running faster, serving stronger, lasting longer, and looking better! Because we age. We age and then one day we die. We see now however the true motivation behind this long article. Souza is selling another snake oil salesman book. She claims to have discovered a game changer and for a small price, she will share it with you. No need because we know it will be more nonsense like this with poor hermeneutics that rob the sovereignty of God. this ecstatic experiential Christianity is another hallmark of the NAR. Stick to the word of God beloved. Experiences are always subject to the whims of our flesh.

"More than a year ago, the Lord showed me a vision of a huge mountain that was blocking my access to the next level. As I looked intently at it, I became troubled by the enormity of its cliffs and elevation. When I asked God what the mountain was called, He said, "Aging, death and disease." People say there are two things you can always count on: death and taxes. Both are considered inevitable. As believers, we understand that death is only a transitional moment. However, aging, death and disease are at work in our bodies every single minute until we make that glorious passage. They slowly and insidiously drain our vitality, one precious drop after another, until all that remains is a withered corpse. That day, as I stared at the mountain before me, I wondered whether it was even possible to climb what seemed so impassable. Thankfully, Jesus said that it was, and He made it sound easy in Mark 11:22b-23 (MEV): "Have faith in God. For truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, he will have whatever he says." Have you ever read this verse and pictured the impossibility of a mountain jumping into the sea at your command? I have. Yet I knew God was calling me to take this mountain not with my puny faith but with His faith. That's what happened to Zerubbabel when he returned from Babylonian captivity. Amid the most adverse conditions, God called him to rebuild the temple and assured him that his "mountain" would become a mere molehill: "Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will be made level ground, and he will bring out the top stone amidst shouting of 'Grace! Grace to the stone!'" (Zech. 4:7). Zerubbabel and I were both called to complete essentially the same task. He had to reconstruct the temple structure; I had to learn how to rebuild the temple of the body. Each of us faced a mountain of obstacles. Zerubbabel dealt with people problems, whereas I encountered the obstacle all humans face: battling the slow, deliberate process of death that occurs over a lifetime." -Katie Souza

Here are two more commonplace markings of these heresies. The first is the notion of dream interpretation, and mountains are usually involved. There is also a shifting in the atmosphere somewhere but the over-usage of mountains is designed to be able to leverage the Mark verses Souza cites. It sounds so pious though doesn't it? She had a dream about terrifying mountains but God said to tell the mountain to be removed so hallelujah I have the power to speak to mountains! What word faith nonsense. The other hallmark here is the direct conversation with the creator of the heavens and earth. direct revelation allows false teachers such as Katie to elevate their story to the level of scripture because after all, God said it to me. except God said no such thing to Katie Souza, let alone audibly as claimed. The actual amount of times and persons God audibly spoke to in the bible is quite small considering it covers 6000 years. God does not spend His day chatting with Katie Souza and interpreting dreams for her. That is absurd. Needless to say, you are not Zerubbabel and neither is Katie. Just like she placed herself as Job earlier, she now thinks the Book of Zechariah is written about her as well. It is not.

"As I read Zechariah 4, I could hear God mocking the enemy: "Who are you O great mountain! My people will bring forth the finishing stone of this new temple!" It would happen exactly as Zechariah prophesied: "Not by might nor by power, but by [His] Spirit" (Zech. 4:6b). As soon as I committed myself to the battle, in my mind's eye I saw the mountain again. This time, an eagle soared over its crests. Immediately I knew that massive formation would be thrown into the sea by a revelation of renewed youth! Psalm 103:5b says, "Your youth is renewed like the eagle's." Isaiah 40:31 adds, "Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint."

Taking the mountain of death includes walking in renewed youthfulness and beauty. So many people today have cultivated enormous influence through social media. Some make millions, even billions, just by flaunting their looks. Sadly, followers allow themselves to be manipulated by celebrities who are beautiful and seem to have flawless looks. As Christians, we know our value does not come from our outward appearance. But I believe that we should still look amazing--not because we want to keep up with reality TV stars, but because we have conquered the mountain of unhealthy aging, death and disease and understand the supernatural power we possess to restore our youth. I don't know about you, but I'm tired of thinking about how I look and feel. I want the freedom to serve God and think of others first. I want to tap into His supernatural power to look and feel great." -- Katie Souza

The usage of the Psalm and Isaiah verses do not promise everlasting youth and beauty. As much as she tries to pretend this is a deep spiritual exercise she cannot help but admit that she still feels that we should all look amazing. She claims to be tired of being concerned about how she looks but does so in the middle of an article claiming God wants us all youthful in appearance and beautiful. There is no supernatural power to tap into so we feel and look great. This is the way you end up thinking when everything is always about you.

"Certain revelations come into the earth in specific seasons. I believe this is the time for youth to be restored. After I saw the mountain vision, the Lord gave me a word: He said He was going to create new wineskins for His people. What does that mean? A wineskin is simply a container for wine. Your body is the wineskin (or vessel) that contains your spirit and soul. Age, stress and the traumatic state of this world can cause your body to get old fast. The Bible says that when new wine is poured into an old skin, the skin bursts, and the wine is spilled (see Matt. 9:14-17, Mark 2:18-22, Luke 5:33-39). The Lord has made clear through many prophets around the world that He is pouring out the new wine of revival in ways we have never seen before. A violent wind of change is coming from heaven that will blow in masses of people hungry for God and His salvation. As these converts come into the body of Christ and are discipled into maturity, they will need physical, mental and emotional healing. The harvest will be plentiful, but the laborers who are strong and healthy enough to tend the fields are few (see Matt. 9:37 and Luke 10:2). The body of Christ is sick and weak! When I conduct meetings, I often ask people to raise their hands if they are suffering from some sort of disease or discomfort. Shockingly, more than 90% respond with a cry of "Yes!" More than ever, we are being called as a body to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world. But if we are not walking in the divine health Scripture promises, we might miss this historic moment. Stewarding a kingdom move is hard work and requires huge amounts of energy and strength. I should know. I have been touring in ministry for more than a decade and have wondered many times whether I could continue because of the sheer exhaustion I faced while doing so." -- Katie Souza

Predictable as ever, Souza now invokes the "new wineskin" paradigm. Not coming close to understanding that this reference from Jesus was about mixing the law with grace, the NAR adherent will teach about this faux revival they are always chasing. Does this world look like it is being revived right now? Once again, Katie returns to tell us just how special she is, with her decades long false teachings. Let me reiterate it once again. Divine healing is heresy. God can heal. God does heal. But He decides who and when. It is so arrogant to claim God must heal you. He must restore your youth because Job's friend once told him so. We are not Job. We are not Zerubbabel. The bible is not about us. I am not saying do not seek healing when you are sick. The bible says to call the elders of the church to pray over you. But learn to accept both answers. God is still God and He owes us nothing. He already gave us everything in Christ Jesus.

"If our bodies aren't in tip-top shape, we won't be able to keep up with the move of the Spirit. We need new wineskins. Otherwise the wine of revival will burst our old skins, and the new wine of the harvest will be lost. Look at what Jesus said in Matt. 9:17: "Neither do men put new wine into old wineskins. Or else the wineskins burst, the wine runs out, and the wineskins perish. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved." If you are too sick, weak or afflicted to gather the harvest (much less steward it), revival will fail. That's why the Lord promises new wineskins for His people. We need them so we can serve well as He brings His kingdom to earth. God is not willing to lose the precious people He gathers to Himself. Nor does He want us to suffer and miss being part of His end-times move. I don't know about you, but I don't want to miss the action because I was too old or feeble to run the race. Fortunately, God promises that He will supernaturally strengthen His people for such a time as this. Psalm 110:1-3 says that when God makes Christ's enemies a footstool under His feet, His people will volunteer freely in the day of battle. Then the psalmist explains why we will be physically strong enough to do so: Because we will have the dew of our youth." -- Katie Souza

So all of revival is up to you. If the spirit moves and you are sick then you can't keep up? Where is she getting this nonsense from? New wine of the harvest? It is quite apparent that Katie Souza is simply making it up as she goes along at this point. She uses enough industry buzzwords to make it sound like it is reasonable but it remains extremely unbiblical. Nowhere in the bible does the Lord promise new wineskins for His people. It was imagery used by Jesus to describe not mixing the law with His grace. Heaven forbid if we were to "miss out on the action!" I want to point out again the danger of turning a snippet from Psalms into doctrine. It is not proper hermeneutics at all. Psalm 110 is a Messianic Psalm. Verse one says the Lord said to my Lord. This is about Jesus, not Katie Souza. To rip these verses out of context and pretend that now all Christians must be given the dew of their youth is again scripturally criminal.

"There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking steps in the natural to improve your health and appearance. The key is to let the Lord lead you and reveal whether these practices are becoming excessive or tending toward addiction. There is also nothing wrong with getting medical assistance in the natural for your physical suffering and pain. Medication may help. However, the side effects can be worse than the original issue. Exercise wisdom when considering the pharmaceutical route. God created plants, herbs and superfoods that can be used as powerful homeopathic remedies to treat and even heal all kinds of diseases. Ultimately, Proverbs 4:20-22 says that God's Word brings life and health to your body. The word translated "health" in verse 22 is the Hebrew word marpê, which means "a medicine." The Word is the most powerful medicine available, and it heals without any side effects. This is just one reason it's vital to meditate on God's Word and decree it over yourself regularly, just as you would take medication on a regular schedule each day. I encourage you to stir up your faith for breakthrough by praying healing Scriptures often. Remember: God's Word is true! God "is not a man, that He should lie" (Num. 23:19a). All His promises are "Yes" and "Amen" in Christ Jesus (2 Cor.1:20). Proverbs 18:21 says death and life are in the power of the tongue, "and those who love it will eat its fruit." By speaking these verses over your body--your bones, muscles, skin, brain and even hair--you will create the fruit of life in every area. This is part of how you receive your new wineskin. God sent His Word to heal you and save you from destruction (Ps. 107:20). His Word does not return to Him void but accomplishes what He desires (Isa. 55:11). So don't just study these verses. Decree them over your life daily." -- Katie Souza

Now I agree with her on pharmaceuticals but the damage is already done here. She is also right about God's word but she does not practice what she preaches. She uses God's word to prop up her heretical beliefs. She already thinks she hears from God audibly, so why bother with correctly dividing the word? God's promises are yes and amen but you must be reading it correctly. If you think that because Elihu told Job that he would be restored than that must mean we all will be, you are mistaken. God is not required to say yes or amen to something He never said. Katie finishes here by solidifying her word faith bonafides. Every word faith heretic turns to life and death are in the power of the tongue. They do not understand it. They do not come close. They use it to pretend that they have the same power of creation in their words that God has. They usurp God's power. We have no power to decree anything over our life that we are misinterpreting to begin with. Katie Souza may seem harmless but she is a ravenous wolf devouring the sheep of the Lord by promising them things God never said. Stay far, far away.

Reverend Anthony Wade -- May 4, 2020

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.