A new article by NAR forerunner Dutch Sheets exposes the utter heresy they embrace.

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Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. -- Revelation 21: 1 (ESV)

One of the fastest growing sects of Churchianity is the NAR heresy. Embraced at different levels by varying churches, many people may be part of an NAR church without even realizing it. That is because they rarely brag or promote the concept of the NAR. Bill Johnson for example is a huge NAR adherent and proponent but when asked, he feigns ignorance. This despite the fact that the NAR considers this raving heretic to be a living apostle! Dr. Michael Brown, one of the most learned biblical scholars today pretends the NAR may not even exist even though he supports all of their famous preachers and espouses their doctrines as his own. The NAR teachings are the bricks in the road leading to a one world religion and the eventual acceptance of the mark of the beast by the church itself.

While there are many side teachings associated with the NAR, I tend to refer to four core doctrines. These are things they believe, preach, and actively promote. The first is dominionism. Dominionism is the belief that Christians must conquer the world in order to facilitate the second coming of Jesus Christ. Make sure you understand that because these folks believe Christ cannot come back until they conquer the world. Not conquer militarily but rather through stealth. They believe there are seven key cultural mountains which include education, religion, family, media, government/military, business, and arts/entertainment. As such, the dominionists are hyper-involved politically. This is why so many churches are positively giddy whenever there is a new "Christian" movie in the mainstream. Who cares if it is biblically accurate? They aren't trying to save anyone, just take over arts and entertainment.

The second core doctrine of the NAR is the reestablishment of Apostles and Prophets. The NAR was actually were founded by C Peter Wagner in the late 1990s when he proclaimed that God was raising up new apostles on the earth and lo and behold it was them! How convenient! This core belief has led to the widespread abuse of sheep under the false authority paradigm. This notion that if you fancy yourself a prophet you have to be under another prophet's "covering" and preachers need to be under the authority or covering of an apostle. To give the veneer of being official and legitimate, they have created networks and organizations whose sole function is to prop each other up and lend credibility. Jennifer Leclaire for example recently started her own "prophetic network" where she charges you $300 annually to be under her covering. Leclaire is a rising false prophetess and editor of Charisma News which is one of the main sources for NAR propaganda. So what does this $300 get you? Well if you are an up and coming false prophet and desire to get some street cred, this is how you do it. It is a virtual pyramid scheme of false prophets as Leclaire always references her covering, notorious false prophet James Goll. It all comes down to the money you can fleece from undiscerning Christians.

Todd Bentley is a perfect example. Bentley was a preacher in Lakeland Florida about ten years ago who claimed a great revival was taking place. He was packing in 15,000 people a night into tent meetings. But anyone with a sliver of discernment knew something was wrong with the tattooed former biker from Canada. Besides his bizarre claims of speaking with an angel named Emma, Bentley would routinely punch and kick people who came to him seeking healing and claimed the Holy Spirit told him to do so. I saw him once punch a man with stage four pancreatic cancer in the stomach, collapsing him to the floor. Yet despite this, people loved coming out to see it just like they loved the false Brownsville revival and the false Toronto Blessing before it. All heretical and embraced fully by the church. The NAR saw a potential money making machine in Bentley so they sent down their top stars to Lakeland to anoint him an apostle and prophet, dousing his head with oil and everything. Even Bill Johnson made the trip and led the prayer. It was right after this that Bentley was exposed for having an affair with his secretary and the Lakeland Revival withered away. The NAR was exposed as the frauds they are but people seemingly did not care. Just like they do not care that Todd Bentley still preaches today, divorced and remarried to his secretary. Heck, Bill Johnson officially "restored" him! That is what the network buys you. Nothing is more important than the brand and protecting it at all costs.

The third core doctrine is what I call the false signs and lying wonders. The NAR staunchly believes in the grotesque perversion of the supernatural truths of the Bible. Instead of signs and wonders being real healing, salvations, and the gifts of the Spirit we see gold dust, gem stones, angel feathers and glory clouds. Bethel has their own dead raising team that claims at least 15 resurrections without a shred of proof. The Holy Ghost heresy movies displayed the false healing nature of the NAR brilliantly with "evangelists" using the charlatan leg growing trick and word association schemes used by psychics and mediums to appear legitimate.

The last core doctrine usually seen is the rise of experiential Christianity over sound biblical doctrine. We must realize and discern that the first three doctrines espoused are wildly unbiblical. This is how people fall for such nonsense as holy laughter and kicking people to impart healings. If one applies the mirror of Scripture to any of these practices and beliefs one must conclude that they are man-made doctrines not from God so they promote personal experience over doctrine. People who demand scriptural accountability are deemed legalists in need of a "deeper revelation" of the spirit. The problem of course is they are not experiencing the Holy Spirit. When we leave the certainty of the Bible for the uncertainty of feelings and experience we are essentially turning over what we believe to our lying and deceitful hearts. With the background established let us reason together by reviewing a recent missive from Dutch Sheets, who is a forerunner of the NAR. Within this one simple article we can see the core doctrines of the NAR in operation.

"Who is ruling your world? This question is vital to understanding our authority in prayer. But before we can apply the principle of authority to prayer, it is important to fully understand the meaning and purpose of authority itself. The understanding of authority dives straight into the question, "Who's in charge?" It's a question that has been at the heart of conflict since the beginning. Even now, your outer world fights to have authority over you on a daily basis. It might be your job, or your family, your finances, or something completely different altogether. Whatever the case, living in bondage to your external world was never God's intention for you. You have been called to live under the rule of Christ, and consequently, to rule and reign over the earth in partnership with Him." -- Dutch Sheets

The purpose of this article is to prop up the first core doctrine of the NAR. That we are responsible for conquering this world as we know it to facilitate the second coming of Christ. To this end Sheets asks what seems like a fair and pious question -- who is ruling your world? If this was proffered because far too many Christians pay lip service to Christ while dabbling in the world it would be a completely legitimate query. That is not where Sheets is going with it however. Instead he is tying it to this concept of "authority in prayer"; which is addressed nowhere in Scripture. Just as the devil likes to mix some truth with deception so as to more easily deceive, we see the real gambit here is in the final sentence. According to Sheets, because we have been called to live under the rule of Christ we consequently are called to rule and reign over the earth in partnership with Him? Say what? That does not seem to be what my Bible says in the key verse today. No beloved. This earth is passing away. We are not called to reign and rule over it but to pilgrims and sojourners through it. To point as many people as possible to the cross of Jesus Christ that they might be saved from this world before it is too late. The NAR is obsessed with this world. Saving this world. Reviving this world. This is contrary to the teachings of Scripture. We are not of this world. Our citizenship is found only in heaven.

"This principle is a governmental issue. To govern means "to influence, to exercise authority, to stand in superiority". This means when we pray with authority, we are interceding in a governmental capacity. And this idea of governmental authority is found throughout the Bible. From before the Garden of Eden, the question of "Who will rule?" has been an integral part of the conversation. Lucifer asked this question when he tried to exercise authority over God, and it was the beginning of a struggle that we still face today -- good or evil, life or death, truth or deception." -- Dutch Sheets

This principle is created within the mind of Dutch Sheets. There is no "governmental issue" associated with praying with authority. We are actually called to pray for everyone in authority, not to pray in some realm of superiority over them. The Bible actually says we are to submit to authority. Yes there was the initial desire of Lucifer to usurp the throne of God and THAT has been playing out ever since but Sheets misses the actual point. When he espouses his NAR theology he is in fact trying to usurp the throne of God as well. God has already decreed that only the Gospel will save people out from this world. The issue is not who will rule but rather who will submit? Who will lower themselves? Who will repent? In his pursuit of ruling the world, Sheets cannot see how he damages the true cause of Christ, which is the advancement of the Gospel -- not the advancement of conquering this world.

"While we know God is ultimately victorious over satan, He has still given us the opportunity to triumph over evil on a personal basis, so that we can partner with Him, governing the earth in truth and righteousness. You were created with a nature to do just this. We are called to reign in life through Jesus Christ. In Romans 5:17, the word "reign" speaks of ruling as a king or queen."

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." (1 Peter 2:9, NASB). We have been chosen to reign with Him. It is our responsibility to learn to have authority in prayer and to exercise governmental intercession." -- Dutch Sheets

Wow. There is so much wrong here it is staggering. Has God given us the opportunity to triumph over evil on a personal basis? Do we triumph or does Christ? This is not really nitpicky beloved because it forces us to examine where our emphasis is. Is it on Christ or on us? Even if you allow this, what is the actual reason for God giving us this great opportunity? Is it not to reconcile us back to Him and provide eternal life? Is it not to avoid spending an eternity in hell? Not in the NAR warped theological mind. No Dutch Sheets actually believes that the cross was provided so that we can partner with God, governing the earth in truth and righteousness. That sure is not in the Bible! This is the second time Dutch has referred to partnering with God and therein lies the truth. He does not view Christ as a Lord and Savior as much as a partner. He fancies himself teaming up with Christ to rule and reign over this earth but that is simply unsupported in Scripture, as already been displayed. We were not created for this beloved. That is absurd. He scours the Bible and finds a verse he thinks supports his wild claim of partnership and reigning with Christ but in doing so he only reveals he cannot rightly handle the Word of God. Romans 5:17 is not about reigning in this temporal world.

"Shall reign - The word "reign" is often applied to the condition of saints in heaven, 2 Timothy 2:12, "If we suffer, we shall also reign with him;" Revelation 5:10; Revelation 20:6; Revelation 22:5. It means that they shall be exalted to a glorious state of happiness in heaven; that they shall be triumphant over all their enemies; shall gain an ultimate victory; and shall partake with the Captain of their salvation in the splendors of his dominion above, Revelation 3:21; Luke 22:30.

In life - This stands opposed to the death that reigned as the consequence of the sin of Adam. It denotes complete freedom from condemnation; from temporal death; from sickness, pain, and sin. It is the usual expression to denote the complete bliss of the saints in glory; Note, John 3:36. -- Barnes Notes on the Bible"

As Barnes explains this reigning is eternal not temporal. The usage of the 1Peter verse is equally disturbing. Yes we are called to proclaim the excellencies of He who saved us but this means the proclamation of the Gospel. If anything it should reinforce the Lord-servant relationship not the "I'm going to reign with Christ" self-glorifying partnership. None of this should lead anyone to conclude that we should learn to have authority in prayer and to exercise governmental intercession.

"Having authority over darkness and despair is in your spiritual DNA. You were made to have life more abundantly, through Jesus, living in victory over those things that seek to steal, kill, and destroy you (John 10:10). Satan will do everything he can to hinder your assignment, and it is up to you to recognize his plan and overcome the works of the enemy - not just saying that you are an overcomer, but living a life that is spilling over with the evidence of the authority and power you carry." -- Dutch Sheets

Ahh; the spiritual DNA scriptures which do not exist anywhere in the Bible. Sheets is not even trying to hide how unbiblical he is at this point. With each Scripture he tries to use it seems the Holy Spirit is exposing more and more. Read John 10:1-21 and ask yourself who is the thief that Christ is teaching about? What does the context reveal? Because it sure is not Satan. No beloved. Irony of ironies, the thief Christ is warning us about is Dutch Sheets! Jesus is drawing a very clear distinction between Himself as the Good Shepherd and a hireling. A thief. The abundant life is not some partnership reign with Jesus over this temporal earth beloved. It is the blessed assurance of knowing we have overcome this earth through Him. Don't let thieves like Dutch Sheets rob you of the glorious truth of the cross. Mercifully, Sheets concludes:

As you dive into the idea of authority over that which seeks to rule you, be challenged -- take some time to examine your private world -- your thoughts, your actions, your words. Decide if these things reflect the nature of your identity as a son or daughter of the King. As you move in this personal level of authority, you will be amazed to see how much He blesses your authority over your extended world -- your home, your job, your finances. And, as is the ultimate goal, you will begin to partner with Him on a level you perhaps never dreamed possible, exercising influence and authority in your universal world. It's important to know that not only does He want you to partner with Him; He needs your partnership to accomplish His purposes on the earth." -- Dutch Sheets

A sure tell-tale sign that you are listening to a false doctrine is when you apply it to other countries it no longer makes sense. Our faith is not constrained to this country beloved. Our brothers and sisters martyred in third world countries or hiding in the underground in others are the church too. Does this nonsense about understanding your position as son or daughter of the King so you can move in personal authority leading to blessings in your home, job and finances make a drop of sense in Iraq? What about China? No. This is the heresy of the New Apostolic Reformation, which only makes sense when you worship America instead of God. Perhaps nothing sums up the arrogance of this false partnering heresy than Sheets' own words in conclusion here. If you really think that God NEEDS your partnership to accomplish His purposes here on earth than you have already usurped His throne. There is nothing new about that. There is nothing apostolic about it and there is nothing reformed about it.

Reverend Anthony Wade -- April 29, 2017

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.