http://www.jenniferleclaire.org/articles/ en Copyright 2013 2013-04-30T21:02:10+00:00 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jenniferleclaire/JzHA/~3/aqRI01ojJQg/why-we-must-judge-a-righteous-judgment http://www.jenniferleclaire.org/articles/why-we-must-judge-a-righteous-judgment#When:15:14:55Z When you start throwing golden calves into the fire—when you expose false doctrines, false gods, destructive heresies, false prophecies and anything else that perverts the Word of God—some people start gnashing their teeth at you. Most are grateful that more prophetic messengers are lifting their voices against the heresy in hopes that innocent sheep won’t fall prey to wolves in disguise. But deceived believers work to discredit prophetic voices publicly—and even send threats privately. Yes, I’ve received threats for my recent columns about rock-star preachers spewing false gospels and my follow-up on naming names. Of course, that’s not going to stop me from throwing golden calves into the fire. The public character assaults and the private threats only confirm the need to expose false doctrine and reveal truth. Jesus put it this way: “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matt. 5:11-12). Thou Shalt Not Judge? One of the most common outcries against calling out false doctrines insists, “Thou shalt not judge.” That’s actually not one of the 10 commandments Moses brought down from Sinai when he found the Israelites worshipping Baal and got so angry that he took the golden calf they had made, burned it in the fire, ground it to powder, scattered it on the water and made the children of Israel drink it (Ex. 32:19-20). “Thou shalt not judge” isn’t actually in the Bible. Jesus did say, “Judge not, that you be not judged” (Matt. 7:1), but this was in the context of the Sermon on the Mount lifestyle. Jesus was talking about judging your brother in a wrong spirit. He actually went on to say that we should judge—but not until we deal with our own hearts (the speck in our eye). We have to speak the truth in love. Sometimes the truth sounds harsh to one in deception or sin. But our motive is never to cut. Our motive is always to heal. Jesus also said, “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with a righteous judgment" (John 7:24). What is a righteous judgment? Sometimes things look spiritual. Some things smell holy. Some things sound godly. The Pharisees are a good example. But the Pharisees, as a group, were among those Jesus judged most harshly—even pronouncing woes on some of them! In fact, Jesus does more judging than any other figure we find in Scripture. His motive in judging is to expose the sin and deliver people from evil. Again, that should be our motive in judging. Think about it for a minute. Let’s say there’s a patient sitting in a doctor’s office awaiting test results from a biopsy. The results clearly show that cancer is killing him, but the doctor doesn’t want to point out anything negative so he tells the patient everything looks fine and sends him on his merry way. The cancer progresses, and the patient dies. That’s called malpractice. It’s also called carelessness. The doctor didn’t care enough about his patient to tell him the truth. That’s not love. Jesus Didn’t Tolerate False Doctrine It’s the same way with righteous judgment. When we judge in the spirit of Christ, we are obeying Jesus. We are pointing out the cancer. Exposing error in the church is an expression of Christ’s love and grace. We are sounding the alarm so that people can turn and run in the other direction. Jesus commended the church of Ephesus for calling out the false apostles (Rev. 2:2) and rebuked the church at Thyatira for tolerating a false prophetess called Jezebel (Rev. 2:20). Judging a righteous judgment is not about judging ministries whose style you disagree with. Judging a righteous judgment is not about finding a point of contention over a small difference in interpretation—like the timing of the rapture or even the infilling of the Holy Spirit—and trying to mark someone as a heretic. Judging a righteous judgment deals with flat-out sin or false doctrine that is leading people away from the truth. Jesus didn’t preach a message of tolerance for false doctrine, nor did John, Paul, Peter or Jude. Paul said he would continue to “cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ” (2 Cor. 11:12-13). Paul also taught Titus to do the same, noting “there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain. One of them, a prophet of their own, said, ‘Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.’ This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith” (Titus 1:10-13). Paul also taught Titus, “Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you” (Titus 2:15). Remaining Loyal to Jesus We must remain loyal to Jesus. That means we must remain true to the Word of God. We must abide by the doctrines of Christ. We must be faithful witnesses in this generation. We must sound the alarm, hoping and praying that the ones who preach false doctrines will repent and the ones who have bought into false doctrines will find deliverance. We must judge a righteous judgment. In order to do that, we must be students of the Word and sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Just as Jesus prophesied, false prophets and false teachers are rising. Many will be deceived. The love of many will grow cold. And many will fall away. As much as we want unity, we can’t compromise truth for the sake of unity. That's really not unity at all. We cannot stand by—like a physician who doesn’t want to tell his patient he has cancer because he wants to stay positive—while so many in the body of Christ worship another Jesus centered on a different gospel. That, my friends, is not love, and it’s not biblical. And I won't take part in it. Amen. Prophetic, 2013-05-17T15:14:55+00:00 http://www.jenniferleclaire.org/articles/why-we-must-judge-a-righteous-judgment#When:15:14:55Z http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jenniferleclaire/JzHA/~3/W3f8m4TwqPM/politically-correct-pro-abortion-defenders-spin-gosnell-verdict http://www.jenniferleclaire.org/articles/politically-correct-pro-abortion-defenders-spin-gosnell-verdict#When:15:09:08Z It’s no surprise that Kermit Gosnell is guilty of murdering three babies during late-term abortions. Truth be known, he’s guilty of murdering more than 40,000 babies during his dark career, and only God knows how many of them were birthed before he snipped their spinal cord. Found on the wrong side of the law at a time when abortion laws are growing stricter in many states, many pro-choice activists are distancing themselves from Gosnell in the wake of a guilty verdict and a possible death penalty. The response is hypocritical at best. Gosnell is far from the only late-term abortionist to murder babies—and the pro-abortion movement knows this all too well. Yet despite lobbying for the right to murder pre-born humans, even most of the staunchest pro-abortion supporters are too politically correct to publicly agree with Gosnell’s practices in his "house of horrors." Consider the reactions from pro-abortion groups, and listen closely to how their spokesmen work to spin it in order to distance themselves from Gosnell and blame the pro-life movement for Gosnell's evil deeds. Ilyse Hogue, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, says, "Justice was served to Kermit Gosnell today, and he will pay the price for the atrocities he committed. We hope that the lessons of the trial do not fade with the verdict. Anti-choice politicians, and their unrelenting efforts to deny women access to safe and legal abortion care, will only drive more women to back-alley butchers like Kermit Gosnell." Hogue almost got away with the spin. She proclaimed Gosnell’s atrocities but quickly set her sights on bashing pro-life—or, as she calls them, “anti-choice”—politicians for working to preserve the sanctity of life. What’s more, she sideways blames the pro-life movement for the rise of back-alley butchers like Kermit Gosnell. Audacious. Meanwhile, Eric Ferrero, vice president of communications at Planned Parenthood Federation of America, says, "This case has made clear that we must have and enforce laws that protect access to safe and legal abortion, and we must reject misguided laws that would limit women's options and force them to seek treatment from criminals like Kermit Gosnell." Sounds like Ferrero took notes from Hogue. Again, the pro-abortion agenda is actually trying to use Gosnell’s guilt to its advantage. Did Ferrero forget, as the ACLJ revealed, that “a Planned Parenthood lobbyist testified against a law that would protect babies born alive after a botched abortion from being left to die, or worse yet, killed”? Planned Parenthood continues to speak out of both sides of its mouth. Anything to keep abortion legal. Finally, Dr. Nancy Stanwood, the board chair-elect of Physicians for Reproductive Health, says, "As doctors who have women's health at the forefront of our mission and our practices, we are relieved that Kermit Gosnell will no longer be able to take advantage of vulnerable women. In Pennsylvania and many other states with restrictive laws, women face incredible barriers that affect their ability to obtain quality care. Gosnell preyed on low-income women who had few options to obtain the care they needed. His practice was illegal, unethical and unsafe." Illegal, unethical and unsafe? Abortion may be legal, but it’s anything but ethical, and far too many botched abortions prove it's not so safe after all. Stanwood takes a different approach than her more radical pro-abortion counterparts but nevertheless spins the Gosnell verdict to a dizzying point. She points out “restrictive laws” and essentially blames a lack of abortion options for low-income women for the establishment of Gosnell’s "house of horrors." I imagine the response from these pro-abortion spokesmen would have been much different if Gosnell was found innocent. In fact, before Gosnell was found guilty, many abortion supporters positioned the murders as mere “medical malpractice.” If Gosnell was cleared, radical pro-abortion groups likely would have pounced on the opportunity to paint him as a martyr for the cause of women’s rights. Thank God, justice was served, at least in part, for Kermit Gosnell. As we await the sentencing, I pray that the fear of God will strike the hearts of every abortionist in this nation. I pray that more abortion mills will shut their doors for good. I pray that more legislatures would recognize personhood amendments and pass more restrictive laws. And I pray, most of all, that mothers would choose life for the pre-born babies inside of them. Amen. Culture & Society, 2013-05-17T15:09:08+00:00 http://www.jenniferleclaire.org/articles/politically-correct-pro-abortion-defenders-spin-gosnell-verdict#When:15:09:08Z http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jenniferleclaire/JzHA/~3/PyUC9JWucdg/watch-my-fox-news-interview-with-liberal-alan-colmes http://www.jenniferleclaire.org/articles/watch-my-fox-news-interview-with-liberal-alan-colmes#When:22:37:52Z There’s so much media hype about Jason Collins coming out as gay. Alan Colmes, the liberal political commentator on the Fox News Channel, invited me on his radio program, to discuss it. Check out my interview in this YouTube video. Culture & Society, 2013-05-09T22:37:52+00:00 http://www.jenniferleclaire.org/articles/watch-my-fox-news-interview-with-liberal-alan-colmes#When:22:37:52Z http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jenniferleclaire/JzHA/~3/cq0BzP0OazA/who-exactly-are-the-false-prophets-and-false-teachers http://www.jenniferleclaire.org/articles/who-exactly-are-the-false-prophets-and-false-teachers#When:22:33:19Z I’ve come under a lot of fire recently for not naming names in articles in which I call out specific examples of false doctrine and destructive heresies in the church. I would expect the gay agenda to attack me for calling homosexuality a sin, but it puzzles me how some Christians are so quick to pummel me with virtual stones for calling out false gospels that are hyped-up, watered-down, seeker-friendly, mixed with compromise, humanistic, self-help-centered and New Age-principled that insist there is no hell, proclaim all will go to heaven in the end and give masses a license to sin. Some are accusing me of being on the wrong side of the gospel. Others are pronouncing shame on me. Still others are accusing me of reading my Bible for information only. Others say I’m bringing division or complaining. Others say I need to keep my mouth shut—that I’m deceived. Of course, I’m also getting a flood of email privately, thanking me for sounding the alarm. In fact, the flood of positive email far outweighs the criticism. But I’m not doing this to win the approval of man. And I’m not intimidated by the anger of man. Who Exactly Are These False Teachers? So, who exactly are the false prophets and false teachers spewing different gospels and centered on another Jesus that I spoke about in my previous article? I’ll tell you that if you can answer me this: Who were the men who "crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness," whom Jude talked about in his letter to the church (Jude 4)? Who were the ones Jude pronounced woe on—the ones who went the way of Cain, ran greedily in the error of Balaam for profit and perished in the rebellion of Korah (v. 11)? Who were the "spots" in the love feasts (v. 12)? You can’t tell me because Jude never named them. What about the false teachers Peter pointed out? He called these depraved false teachers "spots and blemishes" who were "carousing in their own deceptions," having "eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls." He called them out for having "hearts trained in covetous practices." He called them accursed children (2 Pet. 2:13-14). He marked them as those who "have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness" (v. 15). And he called them out for promising liberty when they themselves were slaves of corruption (v. 19). Tell me, who were they? You can’t tell me because Peter never named them. And let’s not forget the false apostles Paul pegged. He called these false apostles "deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ." And then he dared to say that it was no wonder, since Satan himself transforms into an angel of light. Paul went on to say that it’s no great thing if Satan’s ministers, these false apostles, "also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works" (2 Cor. 11:13-15). Tell me, who were they? You can’t tell me because Paul never named them. When Is It Right to Name Names? There is a time to name names and there is a time not to name names. Paul named Phygellus and Hermogenes as ones who turned away from him (2 Tim. 1:15). He also named Demas, who forsook him because he “loved this present world” (2 Tim. 4:10). But keep in mind that this was a personal letter warning his spiritual son rather than a letter to the entire body of Christ warning of false gospels. John named Diotrephes in a letter to the local church at Gaius. He said, “Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us. Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church” (3 John 1:9-10). But keep in mind that John did this from a disciplinary stance in that single church body, not as a warning to the universal church about false gospels. Jesus issued warning after warning about false prophets and false teachers and false Christs and wrong doctrine. We don’t know the names of the ones He was warning about. He often shared the principles these false ones taught, but He didn’t always. For example, Jesus didn’t tell us what doctrines the false Christs and false prophets who will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive would be propagating (Mark 13:22). He told us so we could be ready and discerning. When Jesus pronounced woe on the scribes, Pharisees and hypocrites, He explained why they were worthy of woe, but He didn’t follow up His list of woes with a list of names (Matt. 23). He clearly outlined the reasons for the woes, but that doesn’t automatically paint every Pharisee with the brush of guilt. Jesus called out Satan by name, but He wasn’t in the habit of calling out specific people. I believe that’s because Satan is the one influencing the false prophets and false teachers and false Christs and wrong doctrine. We’re not wrestling against flesh and blood but "against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Eph. 6:12). Follow the Holy Spirit So, why did those who scribed the Bible choose to name names sometimes and not other times? Could it be possible they were led by the Holy Spirit? If the Scripture is Spirit-inspired, and it is, then these men were led at times to name names and at other times not to name names. The same holds true today. I’ve named names and been criticized for it. I’ve declined to name names and been criticized for it. I’ve named names and been thanked for it. Makes no difference to me. I’m not here to win man’s approval. I’ve been delivered from the man-pleasing spirit. It’s the fear of the Lord that drives me to write these warnings. I'm staying true to my prophetic calling. These warnings coming through my pen—and the pen of many others—are not what is bringing division to the body. Rather, the people preaching error (or not living right) are causing the controversy. When we expose the error, we are pointing people back to Jesus and toward true unity. I refuse to stand by and watch this cancer grow in the body and then turn a blind eye as many are led astray. I refuse to whitewash a false gospel in the name of unity. That’s called compromise, and there’s a price to pay for taking that route. I’m willing to pay the price for standing for truth. I don’t want to pay the price for compromising God’s calling on my life. Do you? Amen. Photo © Felixcasio | Dreamstime Stock Photos & Stock Free Images Spiritual Warfare, 2013-05-09T22:33:19+00:00 http://www.jenniferleclaire.org/articles/who-exactly-are-the-false-prophets-and-false-teachers#When:22:33:19Z http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jenniferleclaire/JzHA/~3/dXEafyixLq4/why-megachurch-pastors-keep-falling-into-sexual-immorality http://www.jenniferleclaire.org/articles/why-megachurch-pastors-keep-falling-into-sexual-immorality#When:22:07:38Z Another megachurch pastor has stepped down after admitting to a long-term affair with a woman who’s not his wife. David Loveless, former lead pastor of Discovery Church in Orlando, Fla., is the third in the area to resign in the wake of immorality in the past six months. He follows Isaac Hunter, former lead pastor at Summit Church, and Sam Hinn, former pastor of the Gathering Place Worship Center in Sanford, Fla. If those were the only three pastors to rock their churches with sex scandals, it would be hurtful enough. But sexual immorality and idolatry are growing trends in the church—and I imagine they're more prevalent in the pews than they are in the pulpits. The spirit of Jezebel is often behind this immoral trend, tapping into the lust of the flesh with its seductive agenda. Sadly, the spirit of Jezebel is picking off pastors one by one as they succumb to the evil desires in their own hearts. Too few recognize the sinister workings of Jezebel's covert seduction. They’ve bought into what I call the “Jezebel deception” and are either tolerating sexual immorality in the church or merely failing to recognize the true Jezebel in operation because they are on a witch hunt for controlling, manipulative women. What is the Spirit of Jezebel? Jezebel is essentially a spirit of seduction that woos people into sexual immorality and idolatry. Jezebel comes to kill, steal and destory by tempting you and then escorting you, willingly, into immorality and idolatry. Revelation 2:20 clearly reveals what the spirit of Jezebel is and its sinister motives. Jesus said, “Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.” We have a responsibility to resist the devil and he will flee. Jezebel is no exception but many continue falling because they don't see the big picture. Jezebel justifies the sins of immorality and idolary with a false doctrine of grace. Beyond the three fallen pastors from the area of Orlando, my hometown, let’s look at how Jezebel is gaining demonic momentum in the body of Christ. In March, Jack Schaap, former pastor of an Indiana megachurch, was sentenced to 12 years in prison on charges stemming from a sexual relationship he had with a teenage member he was counseling. Bishop Eddie Long was accused of having sex with teenage boys and, after photos leaked and a lawsuit was filed, he reached a settlement with them. Long was later embroiled in other offensive dramas, real estate lawsuits and financial scandals. The sexual immorality in the Catholic Church continues to make headlines. Michael Fugee resigned in May after sexual abuse allegations. A St. Louis priest was indicted on a child pornography charge in April. A British cardinal apologized for sexual misconduct in March. Of course, everyone is unfortunately familiar with the Catholic pedophilia scandals that the Church is still trying to wade through even as new scandals arise. A Demonic Idol Of course, Jezebel isn’t only about immorality. It’s also about idolatry. I won’t go into all the high-profile church financial scandals rooted in greed, which the Bible equates to idolatry (Col. 3:5). You are probably familiar with many of them. But financial improprieties are almost as common, if not nearly as hurtful, as adulterous affairs. How is Jezebel allowed to continue destroying lives and wreaking havoc in the church? Again, too many mistakenly relegate the Jezebel spirit to control and manipulation. Make no mistake, control and manipulation are merely surface-level traits of this wicked spirit. So while much of the body of Christ wages all-out war against controlling people in the name of Jezebel, the real enemy works behind the scenes—unseen. Let’s face it. Jezebel is a demonic idol in the spiritual warfare world. Many pastors and teachers without a true revelation of this spirit’s deeper motives of seducing the saints to commit immorality and idolatry have picked up on the buzzword in order to draw a crowd—or visitors to their websites. Indeed, incomplete teachings continue to circulate the Internet. Maybe you’ve seen some of the articles on how to recognize Jezebel, the 10 traits of a Jezebel spirit or even how to defeat Jezebel in 24 hours. Meanwhile, the real Jezebel spirit is hiding behind this ignorant hype that guards the grander agenda of this ancient evil. Because we’re ignorant, we are not effectively waging war against the real Jezebel. We’re just whacking at surface-level weeds this spirit throws out as a distraction. The result: Pastors keep falling into sexual immorality and idolatry even while people with strong personalities are falsely labeled Jezebels and ostracized. Hear me: Pastors and others will keeping falling into immorality and idolatry until the church understands the spirit that preys on these sins and refuses to tolerate it any longer. That means refusing to tolerate the lust in your own heart and refusing to tolerate immorality and idolatry in your church. You can’t fight an enemy you can’t see. That’s what Jezebel is counting on. Take some time to understand your enemy. Pray for your pastor, and avoid the snares of Jezebel in your own life. You may not end up making headlines if you fall into sexual immorality or idolatry, but it’s just as devastating to God’s heart. Amen. Photo © Newphotoservice | Dreamstime Stock Photos | Stock Free Images Jezebel Spirit, 2013-05-09T22:07:38+00:00 http://www.jenniferleclaire.org/articles/why-megachurch-pastors-keep-falling-into-sexual-immorality#When:22:07:38Z http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jenniferleclaire/JzHA/~3/Q1UVThV2Qjw/when-rock-star-preachers-spew-a-false-gospel http://www.jenniferleclaire.org/articles/when-rock-star-preachers-spew-a-false-gospel#When:17:46:08Z When preachers tour like rock stars, it’s no wonder sinners flock to stadiums. Of course, preachers holding stadium-sized events packed out with lost souls is awesome—unless those preachers present a hyped-up, watered-down, seeker-friendly gospel that’s giving the assurance of heaven while sending people to hell. I am convinced that too many people who claim to be Christ-followers are not really saved because too many false teachers and false prophets are propagating a “different gospel” centered on “another Jesus” (see 2 Cor. 11:3-4). I am convinced that many self-professing saints are going to sit right next to sinners in hell when it’s all said and done—thanks, in part, to rock-star preachers presenting a hyped-up, watered-down, seeker-friendly gospel. Especially in America, it’s easy to say, “I believe in Jesus.” It’s called mental assent. I believed in Jesus before I got saved, too, but I was still on my way to hell. Many who have “accepted Jesus into their hearts” have responded to a “different gospel” centered on a false Christ. This gospel is mixed with compromise. This gospel is impure and defiled religion. This gospel offers a humanistic, self-help message that taps New Age principles. Indeed, these false teachers and false prophets are moving in a false anointing and presenting a false Christ. And it’s deadly. Perverting the Gospel of Christ This is not a new problem. More than 2,000 years ago, Paul wrote, “But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!” (2 Cor. 11:3-4, emphasis added) Church, why are we putting up with this false gospel? Why are we spending millions of dollars on books filled with heresy penned by false teachers? Why are people flocking to stadiums to worship another Jesus? They have been deceived by the serpent’s craftiness. Their minds have been corrupted from the simplicity of Christ. The gospel is not difficult to understand, and it’s not difficult to recognize false doctrine if you are a student of the Word. But members of the lukewarm, apathetic, bless-me-only church are too lazy to open their Bibles and read Scripture for themselves. Members of the lukewarm, apathetic, bless-me-only church want to be spoon-fed a feel-good 20-minute sermonette rather than be challenged to die to self, pick up their cross and walk the narrow road. They've turned away from the real Jesus to another Jesus. Paul felt the same angst in his spirit that I feel in mine. “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed” (Gal. 1:6-9, emphasis added). Fables and Fairy Tales I’m also marveling at the masses that are paying to hear a different gospel, a perverted gospel—a gospel that will send them to hell if they embrace its doctrines. Some of those "gospels" insist there is no hell. Some of those "gospels" say we’re all going to heaven in the end. Some of those "gospels" give you a license to sin without penalty. False teachers are using familiar Scriptures to justify their stance, but they’ve essentially turned the Bible into a book of fables and fairy tales. I don’t care who doesn’t like it. I’m taking the apostle Paul’s advice: “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables” (2 Tim. 4:2-4). When the Lord called me into ministry, he gave me parallel Scriptures out of Ezekiel 3 and Ezekiel 33. I’m a watchman called to warn the church. If I don’t open my mouth and people die in their iniquity—in their different gospel from another Jesus—some of the blood will be on my hands (Ezek. 3:17-19). I don’t want any blood on my hands, and I’m not going to shut up just because the false teachers—or anybody else—doesn't like it. Does He Know You? Here’s the rub. Jesus is come back to separate the sheep from the goats (Matt. 25:32). And I’m seeing too many goats sitting in the church saying amen to a false gospel centered on a false Christ. Jesus put it this way: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matt. 7:21-23) They never knew Jesus, and Jesus never knew them. They were following another Jesus based on a different gospel that was more convenient to their humanistic lifestyle, tickled their ears and promised peace when there is no peace (Jer. 6:14). I shudder to think of the horror on that day, when masses who rushed to the stadiums and megachurches to hear rock-star preachers (or even no-name preachers in small congregations) present a hyped-up, watered-down, seeker-friendly gospel realize they’ve been duped. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And there will be suffering for eternity. God forbid. Let us pray that these false teachers and false prophets will be exposed and that discernment will rise among believers and non-believers searching for the true hope of the real gospel. Amen. Prophetic, 2013-05-04T17:46:08+00:00 http://www.jenniferleclaire.org/articles/when-rock-star-preachers-spew-a-false-gospel#When:17:46:08Z http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jenniferleclaire/JzHA/~3/pJdQPltZbCU/my-appearance-on-alan-colmes-fox-news-national-radio-show http://www.jenniferleclaire.org/articles/my-appearance-on-alan-colmes-fox-news-national-radio-show#When:15:19:20Z There’s so much media hype about Jason Collins coming out as gay. Alan Colmes, the liberal political commentator on the Fox News Channel, invited me on his radio program, to discuss it. Apparently, he had read a few of my articles, including Why I’m Praying for First Openly Gay NBA Player. He had also read Why NFL Players Should Stay in the Closet. Here’s how Colmes teased the spot: “Should Jason Collins repent before it is too late? Charisma Magazine news editor Jennifer LeClaire talks to Alan about why the NBA player should have never come out.” Based on what Colmes wrote about Chris Broussard on his blog, I figured it would be an interesting experience. Colmes wrote, “It didn’t take long, as Chris Broussard decided that Jason Collins can’t be a good Christian if he’s gay.” Although Colmes challenged me over and again, he was respectful and acknowledged that I took a kind approach to the topic. I agreed that many Christians do take a hateful stance that is harmful to people. Stay tuned for the podcast of my interview with Alan Colmes. Culture & Society, 2013-05-01T15:19:20+00:00 http://www.jenniferleclaire.org/articles/my-appearance-on-alan-colmes-fox-news-national-radio-show#When:15:19:20Z http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jenniferleclaire/JzHA/~3/ZbCctogB7Xk/why-im-praying-for-first-openly-gay-nba-player http://www.jenniferleclaire.org/articles/why-im-praying-for-first-openly-gay-nba-player#When:21:02:10Z And it finally happened. Sports Illustrated ran a story Monday morning with a headline that reads: “Why NBA center Jason Collins is coming out now.” Collins has officially made sports history by becoming the first professional American player to announce his homosexuality to the world. Here’s an excerpt from the Sports Illustrated article: “I'm a 34-year-old NBA center. I'm black. And I'm gay. "I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport. But since I am, I'm happy to start the conversation. I wish I wasn't the kid in the classroom raising his hand and saying, ‘I'm different.’ If I had my way, someone else would have already done this. Nobody has, which is why I'm raising my hand. "My journey of self-discovery and self-acknowledgement began in my hometown of Los Angeles and has taken me through two state high school championships, the NCAA Final Four and the Elite Eight, and nine playoffs in 12 NBA seasons. "I've played for six pro teams and have appeared in two NBA Finals. Ever heard of a parlor game called Three Degrees of Jason Collins? If you're in the league, and I haven't been your teammate, I surely have been one of your teammates' teammates. Or one of your teammates' teammates' teammates. "Now I'm a free agent, literally and figuratively. I've reached that enviable state in life in which I can do pretty much what I want. And what I want is to continue to play basketball. I still love the game, and I still have something to offer. My coaches and teammates recognize that. At the same time, I want to be genuine and authentic and truthful. "Why am I coming out now? Well, I started thinking about this in 2011 during the NBA player lockout. I'm a creature of routine. When the regular season ends I immediately dedicate myself to getting game ready for the opener of the next campaign in the fall. But the lockout wreaked havoc on my habits and forced me to confront who I really am and what I really want. With the season delayed, I trained and worked out. But I lacked the distraction that basketball had always provided.” I am a huge basketball fan, and I admire Collins’ on-the-court skills. Throughout his career, the seven-footer has been a difference-maker for his teams, averaging nearly 4 rebounds per game and adding a few points for good measure. He can take a charge with the best of them and has been dubbed “the pro’s pro.” Indeed, he’s made a much-appreciated contribution to the game of basketball. Yet as I read Collins’ 33-year struggle over his sexuality, my heart breaks for this basketball giant. In the Sports Illustrated article, Collins admits to wrestling with envy and fear. He talks about not sleeping well. He shares about his years of misery and what it was like to “live a lie.” He even opens up about the battle with “insane logic” in the context of suicide. As I read his article, I found a sincerity in his words, but I was also disturbed. Collins says he feels free now that he’s come out. He says he feels blessed. He says his parents instilled Christian values in him. He says he enjoyed lending a hand when they taught Sunday school. He says he takes the teachings of Jesus seriously. It’s heartbreaking. Collins, bless his soul, has not made himself free by coming out. Not truly. He just feels relieved because he doesn’t have to wear the "mask" he referenced in his article anymore. But he’s not free at all. He’s in bondage to a sin that doesn’t line up with the Christian values or the Sunday school teachings he heard as a child. Collins may feel free because he confessed, but he won’t truly be free until he repents. I pray that Christian NBA players—and fans—will reach out to him in love and pray for him. Collins says he wants to keep his personal life private, but he just opened himself up to all manner of attention for his lifestyle. Some will celebrate his decision. Others will follow him out of the closet. Still others will be confused or hurt. Collins says he doesn’t mind if fans heckle him. I hope they don’t. Heckling anyone isn’t appropriate, much less someone who has struggled his whole life and continues to struggle—very publicly. Collins says he’s walked a tough, lonely road. And he will continue walking a tough and lonely road without Jesus, who is the only one who can truly set anyone free from envy, fear, misery, living a lie, suicidal thoughts, homosexuality—or any other sin. God bless you, Jason. I admire your courage. I know how hard it must have been to take this step. Keep banging the boards! Keep setting those hard picks. Keep being the pro’s pro. But, please, consider that acting on gay tendencies is a choice, and repent before it's too late. The freedom you would feel from confessing Jesus as Savior and declaring war on homosexual tendencies is far greater than the freedom you say you feel from coming out as gay to the sports-loving masses. Culture & Society, 2013-04-30T21:02:10+00:00 http://www.jenniferleclaire.org/articles/why-im-praying-for-first-openly-gay-nba-player#When:21:02:10Z http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jenniferleclaire/JzHA/~3/d0jmCYNDlsw/when-you-feel-like-youre-fighting-alone http://www.jenniferleclaire.org/articles/when-you-feel-like-youre-fighting-alone#When:16:53:58Z I am in a war. Wiccans are cursing me for writing about spiritual witchcraft. The gay agenda is publishing nasty articles about me for suggesting that man lying with man is a sin. Christians with bold religious spirits are sending me condemning emails because I drink coffee and don’t give away my books for free. Sometimes it just seems to come from all sides. Sometimes it seems to come from all sides at once. Sometimes in midst of the onslaught it feels like you are fighting alone. And sometimes you really are battling without a prayer partner who could help put an additional 9,999 demons to flight. Indeed, for all the good-intentioned Christians who tell you they are standing with you and praying for you, far fewer actually follow up on the intercessory initiative. After all, they are also in a war. And they’ve got stuff flying at them too. But if you feel like you are fighting alone, take heart. You aren’t the only one who ever felt this way. And you aren’t really alone. No, not really. All Forsook Me Paul once told his spiritual son, Timothy: “At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them” (2 Tim. 4:16). Elijah was convinced he was fighting alone. He once told the Israelites, “I alone am left a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men” (1 Kings 18:22). And after defeating the false prophets on Mt. Carmel, twice Elijah told the Lord, “I alone am left; and they seek to take my life” (1 Kings 19:10, 14). David knew what it was like to fight alone. He fought the lion alone. He fought the bear alone. And he was the only one among the Israelites who wasn’t afraid to stand up to Goliath alone (1 Sam. 17). Some of David’s mighty men also knew what it felt like to fight alone. After the men of Israel retreated, Eleazar arose and attacked the Philistines until his hand was stuck to the sword (2 Sam. 23:9-10). Can you imagine? Another time, when the Israelites fled from the Philistines, Shammah stationed himself in the middle of a pea field the enemy was looking to occupy. He defended it and killed the Philistines all by himself (vv. 11-12). Feelings vs. Reality Sometimes you may be fighting alone. But many times it just feels like you are standing solo. Elijah, for example, had a wrong perception of the warfare. He was on the run from Jezebel and her witchcrafts. She released a word curse over him carrying fear that struck his heart (1 Kings 19:2). He left his servant, who likely would have warred with him, behind and went into hiding. These are the moves of one weary from battle who feels they are fighting alone. But the Lord set Elijah straight: “Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him” (1 Kings 19:18). Friends, you may be fighting your battle alone, but remember that the Lord has many others who are also taking a stand for righteousness. When you feel like you are fighting alone, pray for all those who are going through a similar battle and have no one to stand in the gap for them. In other words, get your focus off yourself and intercede for someone else. God can move on a total stranger’s heart to intercede for you. The Lord Is a Warrior David’s mighty men were indeed fighting alone from a natural perspective, but it’s clear that the Lord’s anointing was upon them. Make no mistake, the battle is the Lord’s (1 Sam. 17:47). But He often uses us as His warriors in the natural realm as a battle-ax (Jer. 51:20). When you go to battle in faith for His purposes, the anointing will meet you and you will overcome, even if you have to fight alone. The Bible makes it clear in Eleazar’s case that “the Lord brought about a great victory that day” (2 Sam. 23:10) and again in Shammah’s case that “the Lord brought about a great victory” (v. 12). These men were indeed fighting alone, but they didn’t curl up into a fetal position and whine about it. They stepped out into God’s will as battle-axes, and the Lord anointed them to do mighty exploits for His glory. He can do the same for you. As for Paul, at his first defense, when no one stood with him, note the preface to his statement and the conclusion. Maybe you can relate: “Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica—Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia … Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm” (2 Tim. 4:10, 14). Paul truly did fight alone at times. But listen to Paul’s response to all this spiritual warfare, and set your mind to take the same approach when you meet with betrayal, abandonment, false accusations and persecution—or any other warfare—for the sake of Christ: “But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!” (vv. 17-18) Some days it may feel like you are fighting alone. From a natural perspective, you may be. But the Lord is faithful. This battle is ultimately the Lord’s, and when you stand for Him—and when all hell breaks loose against you for that stance—He will strengthen you! He will anoint you! He will deliver you! He will preserve you! Amen! © Elenarostunova | Dreamstime Stock Photos & Stock Free Images Spiritual Warfare, 2013-04-26T16:53:58+00:00 http://www.jenniferleclaire.org/articles/when-you-feel-like-youre-fighting-alone#When:16:53:58Z http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jenniferleclaire/JzHA/~3/owfwyNMH2PY/how-would-you-know-if-you-were-believing-a-strong-delusion http://www.jenniferleclaire.org/articles/how-would-you-know-if-you-were-believing-a-strong-delusion#When:13:12:17Z I was once deceived. Or, you might say, I’ve been deceived more than once. Like you, I was deceived before I was saved. My plan was to live however I wanted, repent when I got into my 40s and start going to church. I figured all would be well with my soul when I was ready to stop living in sin. God, in His mercy, had different plans for me. He encountered me in an undeniable way when I was 30, broke the deception and delivered me from evil. Soon, though, I fell into another deceptive pit in a hyper-apostolic church that publicly taught “God, family, ministry” but secretly demanded, “Ministry, ministry, ministry.” Our Bibles literally fell open to Ephesians 4:11. And we spelled apostolic like this: w-o-r-k. This deception crept in through unbalanced—even extreme—teachings and superhuman expectations that wearied the saints. When I began to question the status quo, they told me I was deceived. Ironically, I only escaped this abusive church after I began praying for God to break the deception over my mind. See, when the deception accusation came, I knew I was indeed deceived. I just didn’t know if I was deceived by the church or deceived by wanting to escape it. Strong Delusions Rising Deception—and even the strong delusions that will characterize the end times (2 Thess. 2:11)—is already rising in the body of Christ. And it’s far beyond the much-hyped prosperity gospel that mimics New Age philosophies in pursuit of the mighty dollar. Mind you, I’m not against prosperity, and indeed I’m very prosperous. But the love of money is a root of all evil (1 Tim. 6:10), and too many prosperity preachers have fallen into deception by getting caught up in the Babylonian paradigm instead of seeking first the kingdom. Yes, there is a strong delusion manifesting in the church today that goes far beyond the much-hyped prosperity gospel. As Steve Hill pointed out in his recent article, “The 7 Great Lies in the Church Today,” there’s also an exaggerated view of grace, antinomianism, the deification of man, the challenge of the authority of the Word, the rejection of hell and universal reconciliation. How do these (and other) deceptions creep in? And how can you guard yourself from strong delusion? One way is to take heed to the many warnings sounding out from prophetic voices in this generation—and in the Bible. Jesus warned us not to be deceived. Paul warned us not to be deceived. Peter warned us not to be deceived. John warned us not to be deceived. James warned us not to be deceived. You can hardly read a chapter in the New Testament that doesn’t issue a warning against deception. And yet deception is dominating some camps in the church. Accepting Charismatic Heresy Again, what’s going on? Deception is a major sign of the last days, and we’re seeing deception rise at a rapid clip as megachurch preachers stand before the masses, preach heresy and sell thousands of books. The saints heap praise on false apostles, false prophets and false teachers. Pride is driving people, many of whom aren’t even called into fivefold ministry, to don extravagant titles like “Official Prophetess” and “Chief Apostle Bishop Dr.” and “Master Prophet Bishop.” What happened to the bondservants? The lack of discernment in the body of Christ is disturbing. Where are the lovers of the truth (2 Thess. 2:10)? How do you protect yourself from the spirit of error? I believe being a student of the Word is one safeguard against deception. Paul told Timothy, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). Right after that, he spoke of Hymenaeus and Philetus, who had "strayed concerning the truth" and were “saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some” (2 Tim. 2:18). In other words, they were preaching a false gospel. Charismatic heretics are overthrowing the faith of some even now, preaching a false gospel. That’s why you can’t just be a lover of the Word someone else preaches. You have to study the Word yourself. You have to measure every message you read or hear against the Word of God for yourself. Don't just check to see if the Scripture is in your Bible, but study its meaning in the context of the chapter, book and entire Bible. When you do, much of the heresy is quickly discerned. But the church at large is lukewarm and lazy, preferring to feast on flashy sermons without lifting a finger to open their own Bibles. A Prayer Challenge I don’t have all the answers, but I’ve been praying about this for years now. I started praying for God to break deception off my mind and to guard me from deception several years ago. Again, I don’t have all the answers. But God has granted me discernment to escape much of the “religion” and deception that has risen in the church in this hour. And I am grateful for that grace. See, the problem with deception is that you don’t know you are deceived. If you knew you were deceived, you’d walk away from the lie and embrace the truth. Lovers of the truth are less likely to be deceived, but anyone can fall into deception. And if you think you are above the possibility of falling into deception, you are walking in a deception called pride. So I challenge you: Begin to pray for God to break off any deception that has clouded your soul. Beseech Him by His mercy to deliver you from the grip of deception, to shine light on your mind and to give you discernment. If you aren’t deceived, that prayer won’t hurt you. And, in fact, I believe we are all walking in some level of deception—even if it’s on minor issues—because our minds are not completely renewed. If our minds were completely renewed, I believe we’d be walking in greater authority and seeing more miracles, signs and wonders in our lives. In other words, I believe we’re all believing something that doesn’t completely line up with God’s Word. So, again, I challenge you—I beg you—to begin to pray for God to break off any deception that has clouded your soul. Beseech Him by His mercy to deliver you from the grips of deception, to shine light on your mind and to give you discernment. You’ve got nothing to lose by releasing this petition, and you've got possibly your eternal soul to gain as God breaks in with light, exposes the enemy’s lies and sets you free—or protects you—from the strong delusion that sends many to hell. Amen. (© Picsbynic | Dreamstime Stock Photos & Stock Free Images) Prophetic, 2013-04-19T13:12:17+00:00 http://www.jenniferleclaire.org/articles/how-would-you-know-if-you-were-believing-a-strong-delusion#When:13:12:17Z http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jenniferleclaire/JzHA/~3/5QOtIq_PiVc/hijackers-defeated-thanks-for-your-help http://www.jenniferleclaire.org/articles/hijackers-defeated-thanks-for-your-help#When:12:52:43Z Yesterday, I alerted you to a nefarious attempt to hijack my identity and fleece the sheep in my name. This bad actor created a fake Facebook page, used my photo and other materials, and was replicating posts from my page to make it look and sound like me. This same person was sending out friend requests in my name to Christians and had already built up about 100 followers by the time you started alerting me to the scam. After Facebook refused to do anything about it, I sent out a warning via my newsletter asking you all to report it. My goal was to protect people from being defrauded. You responded in droves and Facebook listened. The fraudster’s page has been removed, but that doesn’t mean he won’t try again. If you see anything suspicious about ministries you follow, please report it. There are many sincere believers out there looking for a prophetic word or prayer and don’t know that God’s true servants don’t charge you money for these things ! You all know that I preach hard against merchandising, so it’s ironic that the devil would try to use my personal brand to fleece the sheep. In fact, I'll be posting a column in Charisma magazine in the coming days about a merchandising scheme I recently ran into online from a "prophet." We need to pray that the body of Christ will receive greater discernment in this hour. If folks are fooled by false prophets looking for a pay day, how will they escape the rise of false prophets and false Christs and the great falling away? Thanks again for help. I love you guys! I was touched by your response and encouragement as we came against this merchandiser together. Prophetic, 2013-04-19T12:52:43+00:00 http://www.jenniferleclaire.org/articles/hijackers-defeated-thanks-for-your-help#When:12:52:43Z http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jenniferleclaire/JzHA/~3/vXLP4mghSKs/warning-hijacking-heart-of-the-prophetic http://www.jenniferleclaire.org/articles/warning-hijacking-heart-of-the-prophetic#When:17:00:22Z Friends, I wanted to alert you to a demonic strategy to impersonate me and use my name to merchandise the saints. Yesterday, someone hijacked my photos and created a fake Facebook account with the name Heart Ofthe Prophetic. This is a variation of my Facebook page, which has nearly 30,000 members. (Click here to join my REAL Facebook page.) This nefarious character is replicating posts from my page to make it look and sound like me and sending out friend requests in my name to Christians and has already built up about 100 followers. I am not sure what the motive is, but I’m told by several folks that Benny Hinn, Reinhard Bonnke, John Eckhardt, Heidi Baker and others have also experienced similar attacks. In those instances, the criminal hijacker is offering prayer in exchange for money. You all know that I preach hard against merchandising, so it’s ironic that the devil would try to use my personal brand to fleece the sheep. I have contacted Facebook about this, considering the breach of my likeness and intellectual property, and the social networking giant so far has refused to do anything about it. Can you help? Here’s what you can do. 1. Go to this page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100005706429455 There you will see a box on the right hand corner that says, “Message.” 2. Click the arrow and choose “Report and/or Block.” 3. Click “Submit a Report” and “Report Heart’s account” 4. Click “This timeline is using a fake name.” 5. Do not block them. Just click “Submit a report” in the bottom left hand corner. There are other options, but I’ve explored all of them and this seems to be the best choice. I’m appalled that a criminal merchandiser would use my identity and also appalled that Facebook is ignoring the issue. If enough of us file a complaint, we can save some innocent people from being merchandised in my name. Thanks for your help, Jennifer LeClaire Prophetic, 2013-04-18T17:00:22+00:00 http://www.jenniferleclaire.org/articles/warning-hijacking-heart-of-the-prophetic#When:17:00:22Z http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jenniferleclaire/JzHA/~3/fJBapTDfboA/attacking-abortion-clinics-is-not-the-pro-life-answer http://www.jenniferleclaire.org/articles/attacking-abortion-clinics-is-not-the-pro-life-answer#When:15:55:58Z Police on Thursday arrested a man who said he opposed abortion—and charged him with breaking into an Indiana Planned Parenthood clinic and causing extensive damage with an ax, according to a Reuters report. “Benjamin Curell, 27, of Ellettsville was charged with felony burglary and criminal mischief. Police said they found Curell at about 3:50 a.m. inside the building after he allegedly damaged equipment with an ax and splashed red paint,” the Reuters story explained. “Curell said he targeted Planned Parenthood because it performs abortions and that his religious beliefs were behind the attack, according to a police statement. Police said Curell did not elaborate on his religious beliefs.” Curell’s ax attack was the third violent incident against an abortion clinic in the last 18 months. In April 2012, a small explosive device was detonated outside a Planned Parenthood clinic in central Wisconsin, Reuters reported, and four months earlier the American Family Planning Clinic in Pensacola, Fla. was destroyed by a Molotov cocktail. Abortion is one of the most violent acts against humankind one can imagine. But responding with violence is not the answer. A wise old Southern man once warned me not to swap railing for railing. The apostle Peter put it this way: “Not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing” (1 Pet. 3:9). Believe me, I stand against abortion in all its forms and at any stage. But those who murder abortionists or otherwise attack abortion clinics have allowed evil to overcome them. This is not God’s way. Sadly, people who commit violence in the name of defending life are giving in to the frustration of injustice instead of turning to the God of justice in prayer for a prophetic strategy to combat this evil. I can assure you, God is not telling people to murder abortionists, blow up abortion clinics—or even attack them with an ax. Romans 12:21 says, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” That doesn’t mean we bring a hot lunch to the abortionist at noontime. It doesn’t mean we bless their murderous acts in the abortion mills. It means we get out there and do good works. It means we pray for an end to abortion. It means we educate the masses, respectfully, about personhood. It means we endeavor to change the culture of a nation. I ask you, if the gay agenda can change the culture, why can’t the pro-life movement? We can. But it’s not by throwing Molotov cocktails. It’s by speaking the truth in love and adding to our faith works that respect all life—even the lives of those who murder babies for profit. Culture & Society, 2013-04-12T15:55:58+00:00 http://www.jenniferleclaire.org/articles/attacking-abortion-clinics-is-not-the-pro-life-answer#When:15:55:58Z http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jenniferleclaire/JzHA/~3/0ZxfCe9nnXk/why-are-so-many-christians-practicing-witchcraft http://www.jenniferleclaire.org/articles/why-are-so-many-christians-practicing-witchcraft#When:13:45:44Z When you read the headline of my column you probably had one of two thoughts: “Christians are practicing witchcraft?” or “I’m not practicing witchcraft! I don’t read tarot cards, mix potions or cast spells!” The answer to the first thought is, yes, Christians are practicing witchcraft. As for your insistence that you are not practicing witchcraft, well, you may not be moving in divination, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t engaging in witchcraft. Consider what the Bible says about witchcraft. It may surprise you to learn that what the world—or even what the Wiccans—call witchcraft is not always one in the same as what the Bible calls witchcraft. For example, when you think of witchcraft, you probably think of black magic or conjuring the dead. Those abominations are covered in the Bible. ut witchcraft is not always so mysterious. Indeed, rebellion, word curses and works of the flesh also fall into the realm of witchcraft. However you define it, though, practicing witchcraft is a serious sin, and far more Christians are experts at sorcery than you may realize. Rebellion Compared to Witchcraft Remember when King Saul was ordered to utterly destroy the Amalekites and everything they had: man, woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass? Saul found victory in battle against Israel’s enemy by the grace of God, but failed to obey the voice of God when the dust settled. He spared Agag, the king of the Amalekites, and kept the best of the livestock (see 1 Sam. 15:1-9). Saul proposed that his intention was to sacrifice the animals to the Lord, but there’s no excuse for disobedience. Saul was so stubborn that he at first refused to admit his disobedience. He actually justified his actions. Only after Samuel rebuked Saul did he catch the revelation that obedience is better than sacrifice (see 1 Sam. 15:22). In that rebuke—and in Saul’s response—we find one way Christians are practicing a sin that's in the realm of witchcraft: through rebellion that arises when the fear of man is greater than the fear of the Lord. Let’s listen in on the exchange: “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king. And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice” (1 Sam. 15:23-24, KJV). Unfortunately, Saul didn’t learn his lesson. He continued disobeying God and eventually lost his kingdom. Fear of man was at the root of his rebellion, but rebellion grows from many roots. If you see rebellion operating in your life, find the root and rip it out! Jezebel’s Word Curses Then there’s Jezebel’s witchcraft. In 2 Kings 9:22, right before the wicked queen’s demise, Jehu offered insight into an open door for the Jezebel spirit when he told her son, “What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?” The spirit of Jezebel is essentially a spirit of seduction that works to escort believers into immorality and idolatry (see Rev. 2:20). And this spirit uses witchcraft against its enemies. Jezebel’s witchcraft was rooted in rebellion, but the type of witchcraft in this verse refers to incantations and spells. In the modern church world, we call them word curses. Jezebel released a word curse against Elijah that carried a spirit of fear when she sent him this message: “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time” (1 Kin. 19:2, KJV). In modern times, word curses aren’t always so dramatic. When we speak negatively over someone’s life—“They will never hold down a job acting like that,” “Their marriage is bound to fail the way he treats her,” “The doctors said he’s going to die in 30 days. Isn’t that sad?”—we are agreeing with the enemy’s plan and giving power to it with our anointed mouths. The power of death and life are in the tongue (see Prov. 18:21). If you are inadvertently—or purposely—releasing witchcraft over people with the words of your mouth, repent and get your mouth back in line with the Spirit of God. Works of Your Flesh Make no mistake. The Spirit of God is against witchcraft in whatever form it takes, from divination to magic to rebellion to word curses—to works of the flesh. Paul explained that the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. What are the works of the flesh? Galatians 5:19-21 lists them: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like. Notice that witchcraft is listed right alongside adultery and fornication. Witchcraft is a serious offense in any manifestation. As a work of the flesh, witchcraft violates the First Commandment: “You shall have no other gods before me.” The flesh opposes the move of the Spirit and resists all things spiritual. This is a serious struggle because Paul assures us that those who practice witchcraft will not inherit the kingdom of God (see Galatians 5:21). But there is yet good news. If you walk in the Spirit, you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh (see Galatians 5:16). How do you know if you are walking in the Spirit? The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. When you walk in the Spirit, this fruit manifests. If you know you are disobeying God in an area, repent of this sin, which God views in the same way as witchcraft, and get back in line with the Spirit. If you are cursing people with your negative words of gossip and death, stop practicing this witchcraft and begin blessing. If you are flowing in fleshly witchcraft, crucify your flesh with its passions and desires. If you live in the spirit, walk in the Spirit—and walk free from the practice of witchcraft. Amen. Spiritual Warfare, 2013-04-12T13:45:44+00:00 http://www.jenniferleclaire.org/articles/why-are-so-many-christians-practicing-witchcraft#When:13:45:44Z http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/jenniferleclaire/JzHA/~3/LHIwdx7HXvg/gay-agendas-intimidation-tactics-wont-stop-me-from-speaking-truth http://www.jenniferleclaire.org/articles/gay-agendas-intimidation-tactics-wont-stop-me-from-speaking-truth#When:13:34:52Z The gay agenda paints itself with the brush of tolerance—until you disagree with its moves to flaunt sexual immorality in every aspect of society. Indeed, even a mild disagreement with the gay agenda draws vicious accusations of bigotry and hate-mongering. But who’s really doing the hate-mongering? In response to “reports” from CBS that a gay NFL player was about to come out, I wrote an op-ed a couple of weeks ago suggesting that we don’t need gay role models in professional sports. Mind you, I never suggested that gays can’t and don’t make positive contributions to society. And I have nothing against gay people. God’s heart breaks for their lost souls. That said, I don’t agree with the gay lifestyle or the gay agenda’s determination to glorify a lifestyle that’s sending masses to hell. In my last column, I posed the questions: Where will the gay agenda go next to recruit kids who are confused about their sexual identity? How should the church respond to youth who need to know who they are in Christ so they can avoid the eternal consequences of homosexual sin? The gay agenda swarmed around me like a shark that smelled blood. I received emails that purposed to intimidate me. I was sought out on Facebook and repulsive messages were posted on my wall. I was told I would rot in hell. I’ve been labeled a bully who wields “clobber verses” despite the fact that my op-ed didn’t offer a single Scripture. I’ve been compared to white slave owners, deemed stubbornly close-minded, and, of course, there’s the tired old homophobe line. One email simply said, “f**k you.” I’ll stop there because to further expound on the evil that the gay agenda unleashed against me is not edifying. What was my crime? Telling the truth. God’s truth is love, and it doesn’t always feel good or sound pretty. But the response from the gay agenda to God’s truth is often hate. Still, despite the persecution, I stand in prayer for those the enemy has captured. Like God's heart, my heart breaks for their lost souls. I am contending for light to flood in, deception to break and repentance to come. It may be working. And that may be why I got so much backlash. There’s an old saying that goes something like this, “Throw a rock at a pack of dogs and the one that yells is the one that got hit.” Could it be possible that God’s truth is pricking the hearts of those yelling loudest? Could it be possible that conviction is trying to settle in on the hearts of the ones who make the loudest threats? I pray that’s the case because the alternative is that they are flowing in a reprobate mind. I imagine this column will drive more hateful comments against me. But God’s love in me will not bow down to the threats and name-calling. There is a gay agenda and it’s working overtime to send millions to hell. I will not remain silent. I stand in hope that God will use my words to prick the hearts of some who may find freedom in Christ and work to help set others free. Amen. Culture & Society, 2013-04-12T13:34:52+00:00 http://www.jenniferleclaire.org/articles/gay-agendas-intimidation-tactics-wont-stop-me-from-speaking-truth#When:13:34:52Z