Reflections on Lakeland Revival
I was initially very enthusiastic about the revival. However I did begin to ask questions about what I was seeing on the God channel. Questions like
1) Are the words of knowledge and the people being called out actually resulting in healing?
2) Are the people who think/claim they are being healed actually being healed?
3) Is the gospel fully being preached?
4)Is the response being preached a biblical one? i.e repentance and faith?
I have to say, the research that I have done so far is providing me more with the answer ‘no’ to all four of these questions.
The research that I have done over the last few weeks initially brought me into touch with this guy. http://www.supernaturaltruth.com/ He was a middle of the road man, he believed that what was happening in lakeland was mixed. However, through this guy I found out some of Doctrine that Todd Teaches. The key concern was the stuff that seems to be New Age. That is Todd facilitates ‘guided visulaisation’ to the ‘third heaven.’ This is really just Astral Projection. It is clearly unbiblical and New Age.
The second concern was the emphasis on the Angel called Emma (Angels are never in female form in scripture). Scripture says there are angels and I know the gather where we worship, however, ’satan himself appears as an angel of light’. This is how he decieves. My concerns about the angel are
1) The emphasis of emma over Jesus
2) The fact that Emma is female (unbiblical)
3) The fact that Emma gives Todd revelation
4) The revelations are questionable and reinforce prosperity gospel (the very thing God wants the church to repent of)
5) The fact that healings are attributed to Emma and not the Holy spirit or Jesus
6) The link between Emma/Bob Jones/Kansas City prophets (this group is renowned for false prophecies, sexual immorality, spiritual abuse and false doctrine.
After this I came across http://www.unleavenedbreadministries.org/ David EELLS
http://www.revivalschool.com/ ANDREW STROM
And I began to blog about the revival myself initially from an open perspective.
The two websites mentioned seemed to ring true with me. I was surprised that they had issues with Toronto and Pensacola. However the more I studied the more I agreed with them . (I remember Steve Hill when he came here to Scotland, it was more hype and manipulation than it was God).
I guess the other thing is that it coincides with what I think the Lord is doing in my own life and prophecies that have been coming through.
Laura (my wife) got a prophecy about revival.
My paraphrase
People began to give birth, however all that came forth was wind. These people had not payed the price that was needed to carry the weight of God’s glory. However, waters began to rise, the waters of God’s glory, the glory came and it was linked to those whom the Lord had prepared in the furnace.
Just now with the Florida thing, I believe we are seeing a lot of wind (no substance and full of error i.e every wind of doctrine Eph 4:14) The enemy is always looking to rob the real thing from God’s people. God is about to move in a powerful way, however the move of God will coexist with an apostate church and also false revivals. This is seen throughoout scripture. Infact one of the characteristics of the false prophets in the end times is that they will do ‘lying signs and wonders’ to lead the people from the truth. ..
Mark 13:22For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect—if that were possible. 23So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.
2 Thess 2:9The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, 10and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. 13But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you[b] to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings[c] we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
There have been prophecies regarding the next move of God, that it will be ‘nameless and faceless’. There is nothing ‘nameless and faceless’ about this revival. In fact it is full of self promotion and is very cleverly being marketed by men.
The Lord is restoring and raising up the church of Christ, however the battle is real and intense, perhaps more than ever before. The poor condition of the church has had a dulling effect on its discernment. The verse that triggered much of this for me was
Isa 30:21 ‘Whether you turn to the right or the left your ears will hear a voice behind you saying this is the way walk in it.’
The Lord has shown me several instances where I have caused my discernment to be dulled through following my desires rather than listening to the witness of the Spirit. many when they first go to these meetings get a check in their spirit. However their self doubts, desire for God to move, fear of judging and their own fleshly desires cause them to stay in look expectantly. From this point in they get caught up in it and no longer hear the still small voice that was trying to get their attention.
God has good things ahead, he is about to remove the Sauls and make room for the David’s.
A few weeks ago, I wrote a new verse for the song Days of Elijah which was inspired by Jeremiah 23
These are the days of Jeremiah,
the shepherds have scattered the sheep.
And these are the days of false prophets,
who prophecy lies and deceit.
But we are the sheep of your pasture,
called out by your holy Name.
Raise up your church in our nation, Jesus
Proclaiming Your Truth once again!


May 31st, 2008 at 6:08 pm
hi John - how’s you??? am reading your blog entry there… however when i got to the bit about how the healings are being attributed to emma, that just confused me - coz i’ve watched the revival a lot and neither in lakeland nor in glasgow have i heard anyone even mention the name emma - i only became aware of the whole thing through the internet… but the stuff that i read (especially the guy who used to be affliated with him) just wreaked pride and ‘i’m right he’d wrong’ attitude. Out of interest, how much have you seen of it? Whenever i’ve seen it JESUS is being worshiped and JESUS is getting the glory when anyone is healed…
Anyway - i don’t know about the whole Lakeland thing - but i’m excited about what God is doing here anyway - coz it’s obvious that he’s moving in big ways and i’m just loving seek him and being obedient to his will! =)
xx
June 2nd, 2008 at 4:10 pm
Hi Linda I’m great thanks! i’m now married and were expecting a we boy in October! Crazy! How are you? Glad to hear you are being stirred up in your faith.
In response to your questions, I’d have to say that I agree that there are a lot of people on line who are shooting Todd down in an ungodly attitude. Sometimes people are right in their content but wrong in their approach. Sometimes they are wrong in both! I have saw some exaggerated claims about Todd and this is not good.
However, regarding the Angel Emma here is an article from Charisma Magazine bu the editor (You can read the whole article by charisma on my blog)
http://revivalfire-johnsblog.blogspot.com/2008/05/charisma-magazine-speaks-word-of.html
“I fear another message is also being preached subtly in Lakeland—a message that cult-watchers would describe as a spiritual counterfeit. Bentley is one of several charismatic ministers who have emphasized angels in the last several years. He has taught about angels who bring financial breakthroughs or revelations, and he sometimes refers to an angel named Emma who supposedly played a role in initiating a prophetic movement in Kansas City in the 1980s. Bentley describes Emma as a woman in a flowing white dress who floats a few feet off the floor.
All of us who believe the Bible know that angels are real, and that they work on our behalf to protect us and minister to us. But the apostle Paul, who had encounters with angels himself, issued stern warnings to the Corinthians, the Galatians and the Colossians about angels who preach another gospel or that demand attention. In Colossae, believers were so enamored with angels they had seen in visions that they became “inflated without cause” by spiritual pride (Col. 2:18, NASB). Paul was adamant that preoccupation with angels can lead to serious deception.
We need to tread carefully here! We have no business teaching God’s people to commune with angels or to seek revelations from them. And if any revival movement—no matter how exciting or passionate—mixes the gospel of Jesus with this strange fire, the results could be devastating. We need to remember that Mormonism was born out of one man’s encounter with a dark angel who claimed to speak for God.”
This information is from a reliable source. The information about Emma was posted by Todd on his website, however I have been led to believe that He has since removed some of the articles.
Also follow this link
http://www.supernaturalblogger.com/2008/05/todd-bentley-and-his-so-called-angels.html
This guy has blogged loads on Lakeland, he is of the view that Lakeland is a mixed bag (I would disagree) however his documentation of some of the core problems with Lakeland is pretty good.
You said, “Whenever i’ve seen it JESUS is being worshiped and JESUS is getting the glory when anyone is healed…”
This may appear to be the case. many Christians who go will be worshipping Jesus. My concern is Todd’s emphasis on the angel (and the claimed revelations) 2) some of Todd’s teachings which are New Age (he hasnt taught these at the revival) basicly he calls it ‘third heaven visualisation’ its a guided tour to the third heaven, very dangerous.
With this in the background and a lack of Christcenteredness in the forground I am very cautious.
We need to remember that 1) Just because people do ‘mighty works’ in the ‘Name of Jesus’ that this is no guarantee that Jesus is the source. Although their is the name of Jesus, I have to say that there is a lack of the Jesus of the N.T. However this is a problem that has plagued evangelical/charismatic Christianity for a long time now. Although people are called to the altar to ‘recieve Jesus’ on the whole there is
1) a lack of clear presentation of the person of Christ (God/man/Son of God)
2) A lack of communication regarding His saving Work(Atonement)
2) A lack of relating this to peoples current circumstances and condition (i.e seperated from God/the fall)
3) A lack of biblical response i.e repent and believe (the previous facts)
4) A lack of telling people the cost of discipleship i.e we recieve Jesus as LORD
In effect people are asked to recieve someone named ‘Jesus’ whom the evangelist has told them very little about Him or what he expects or what this means. This leaves a lot to assumtion and error. Its very concerning.
I hope this info helps, come back at me with more questions
yours in Christ
John