A sure sign of religious authoritarianism is a zealousness to rid the world of its opposition. In the minds of many Charismatic Dominionists, the authority of the apostles and prophets cannot be questioned by anyone, friend or foe. Their placement of rulership in the Kingdom of God is to be free from dissenters or the new unity will be broken. Therefore it will be necessary that those who challenge their teachings and their authority to be removed. Of course many have been labeled as anti Christ or committing blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. Paulk comments on not recognizing what is happening “Therefore, the spirit of antichrist refuses to recognize that GOD IS HERE IN THE FLESH.” (Earl Paulk “The Wounded Body of Christ”). Paulk’s meaning of this is the body of Christ. The Bible says He (Jesus) came in the flesh not that he is here now in the flesh. Yes God dwells in his people as the Church corporately and individually, but we are not an incarnation. Christ took his incarnated body to heaven and this incarnation event is not to be repeated. To call those antichrist who do not subscribe to this is to accuse almost the whole church throughout all of its history as ignorant. Paulk either misunderstands the meaning of the incarnation or purposely changes what it means.

Biblically the spirit of antichrist is one that opposes the person of Christ, by denying he did come in the flesh. To change the incarnation of Christ to instead be his collective body would be more like the biblical warning of having the spirit of antichrist. Because it is denying that He alone came in the flesh, it is denying His unique incarnation. John’s point is to have the believers discern those who hold to the apostle’s doctrine of the single virgin birth of the savior, meaning God coming from heaven in a man. Both Hinn and Copeland believe Anti-Christ means anti-anointing. “It is the devil who is the one fighting what is anointed.” Translated in their terms, if you come against what they say, you are antichrist. (aka: Don’t touch God’s anointed). This why they can say the things they say, such as we are little messiahs and anointed just like Jesus. Because they are convinced of their mission being from God. But God can put in ones heart to fulfill his purposes and they would not be working for his kingdom at all. He does this with Joels army and he does with the 4th kingdom at the end of days.

One of the more concerning areas of this new thing is to PURGE THE EARTH of undesirables. This is the goal of the New Age movement, to change the Church first and bring peace and unity to mankind without the Prince of Peace being personally here. They know that the orthodox Church is against this world government by their apostles (ascended masters). How coincidental is it that these new prophets and apostles say the very same things? Those who do not go along with the five-fold model of ministry and obey the new Government that will be installed run by the “new” prophets and apostles will be taken out of the way.

The new age cleansing is to fall on those who  refuse the light initiation of Lucifer which is a an experience of realizing everything is one. This will bring a crisis period for the earth to be cleansed and purified of those who do not want this unity. The Church cleansing seems too involve the new anointing and the leaders that dispense it.

Franklin Hall, a forerunner and promoter of the Latter Rain in the 40's stated: “The man-child group of the sons of God will be required “to rule the nations, with a rod of iron” (Revelation 12:5). To those not accepting this invitation into Holy Ghost Light Of fire, there is but one alternative: the opposite to light is DARKNESS. The Light of Life will be to them a blinding and consuming fire of destruction!” (Franklin Hall, “Subdue The Earth, Rule The Nations”, Franklin Hall Ministries, 1966, p. 57.)

“There are differences of opinion among Dominionists as to how dissenters will be removed, but there are essentially five ways in which that may occur: 1) God will supernaturally strike dead those who oppose His apostles and prophets; 2) God will send, or allow satanic forces to send plagues upon dissenters; 3) the Church (or certain “overcomers”) will pronounce God's judgment upon dissenters, thus moving God to destroy them; 4) the Church will, out of “necessity,” use physical force by which it will judge, sentence, and execute judgment (including death) upon dissenters; 5) all or any combination of the above may take place.” (Al Dager, Vengeance Is Ours, p.96-97)

If anyone can remember back to the June 9^th, 1994 fiasco Hinkley on TBN clearly promoted a Kingdom Dominion prophecy where he said “evil will be ripped from the earth.” The kingdom was to come because evil was to be ripped from the earth. This is what we are hearing more and more these days.

Others seemed to have received the same message at that time “it is a time for judgment and cleansing. It must be done that my church will be ready...” “This is a cleansing that removes evil from the whole world and activates a worldwide spiritual revival with millions of people pouring into the church.” (Don Hackman, “THE EVANGELIST”) Many others such as David Griffis, director of the Youth With A Mission (YWAM) in Colorado, had a vision in which he heard the Lord speak and saw a picture in his mind. “'June the 9th.' I saw the date in my mind and then described what would be attributed to a great disaster or even the tribulation.” Teri his wife put out a fleece to see if the date is correct and heard June the 9th IS CORRECT. (Quoted in Discernment newsletter) Those who are looking for this type of scenario seem to hear all too often what is the opposite of the Scripture writings. Not only was the date wrong, but the content is unbiblical without Christ’s coming. It is rare if anyone is corrected among themselves and so it continues within the Third Wave today at unprecedented proportions.

This kind of mistake often happens when someone is using a spiritualizing method of interpretation in prophecy instead of its literal meaning in context. This is why they can say the virgin (the Church) is with child again.

“The virgin Church is “in labour and in pain to give birth” (Rev 12:1-2) ... for I say to you, once again, the virgin is with child. Before Jesus Himself returns, the last virgin Church shall become pregnant with the promise of God. Out of her travail, the Body of Christ shall come forth, raised to the full statute of its Head, the Lord Jesus. Corporately manifested in holiness, power and love, the Bride of Christ shall arise” (Francis Frangipane,” In the Presence of God”   1994 Chapter: “The Virgin Shall Be With Child” pages 153-157). While he may be thinking the best for the Church, I would say that the bible makes it clear, he is getting a little ahead of Christ.

In the place of literal interpretation of prophecy we find Replacement Theology sometimes mixed with Manifest Sons of God teaching. Prophecies that are for the nation of future Israel are instead applied to the Church. Spiritualizing passages instead of finding its literal meaning is common place, the meaning is in the hand of the wielder.

An example is the dry bones that come back to life in Ezekiel 37:1-11. They are said to be the Restoration of the Church out of Babylon (denominationalism; which separates) into perfect unity (Branham taught this). Eventually all believers will possess the same mind, and same goals under the government of the apostles and prophets in their Kingdom Age.

Others are also speaking of this “cleansing action.” A prophecy by Glenn Foster reads: “I have been cleansing the Church. Now I am ready to begin cleansing the nations...The fire that falls first is upon the sacrifice on the altar that's my Church. Then the fire falls upon the false prophets - that's the government and leadership of the world that rules in cruelty in its own wisdom ... This is a special day - an appointed time...Behold, my Jehus are ready to receive a fresh anointing. Jehu will replace the rule of Ahab and Jezebel ... there is a prophetic word upon the lips of the Elijahs of this hour, which shall feed the flesh of Jezebel to the dogs. (FIELDS OF HONEY, A prophetic message spoken by Glen Foster July 11, 1994. quoted in Discernment Newsletter)

First we need to understand that this prophecy applies OT typology to the Church that the NT does not. We are not the Altar! Nor are there Jehus and many Elijahs, this man is prophesying by his own spirit, as his theological bent betrays his teaching influence. Of course to those who are trained to spiritualize scripture in this manner, this makes perfect sense. If you have a Gnostic approach to understanding holy writ then one is justified in using real characters in the OT and applying it to all kinds of individuals and movements today. Nowhere do we find an apostle saying that another apostle or church member is like Moses or has the spirit of Zechariah or many Elijahs. Certainly we can say use examples like Elijah but this is not the way they are stating it.

This kind of teaching certainly needs to be challenged, but when those who ask for a Biblical references for this position, they are demeaned and judged as unworthy.

A judgmental spirit is seen by the very ones who say not to judge and then they turn around and label others as having the spirit of anti-christ or committing blasphemy because they question their teachings as unbiblical. The promoters of the “new thing” like Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland and many others are threatened by those who ask the people to test their teachings. Not only do they want to sit in judgment on the world but the Church as well. They put fear in people by making them feel that are coming against God’s healing and anointing if they say anything contrary.

Kenneth Copeland gives the admonishment “One of these days, you may just be talking to someone, asking them how things went at church last Sunday, and they may say, ‘Oh it was great! The glory of God was so strong it healed 16 cripples, opened the ears of thirty dead people, cured seven cases of cancer and killed Brother Bigmouth and Sister Strife‘“ (Voice of Victory” Oct. 94) When Peter dealt with Annanias and Sapphirra he did not look for this action to occur; it was an immediate instruction and judgment from the Lord on 2 people who gave their word and lied.

Rodney Howard-Browne: “I'm telling your right now,” he hissed, “you'll drop dead if you prohibit what God is doing!” Dramatically he gestured toward the crowd and warned them that those like me, who would dare to question that what he was doing was of God, had committed the unpardonable sin and would not be forgiven in this world or the next.” (Rodeny Boward-Browne, Melodyland Christian Center, Anaheim, CA,    from Counterfeit Revival, Hank Hanegraaf, 1997, pg. 22)

Benny Hinn states “I place a curse on every man and woman that will stretch his hand against this anointing. I curse that man who dares to speak a word against this ministry.” (Sept. 13, 1999 TBN) This is not judgments spoken about the church to repent and going back to her first love but is spoken against those who speak personally about the new thing and his ministry. These men are obviously threatened by those who speak up about their teachings. Is God worried about anyone’s hand against His (person) anointing? This is ludicrous. Did any apostle threaten someone like this? We should consider James and John’s statement of wanting vengeance, such as wanting to call lightning down from heaven on their opposers and cleanse the earth of them. Jesus said they did not know what spirit they were of.

The Latter Rain Dominion theology (Kingdom Now) is tied into Reconstructionism which rejects the pre-millennial view of history and eschatology and promotes the postmillennial view. Pre-millennialism teaches that Christ will return bodily to earth in His Second Coming before the Millennium. Reconstructionism affirms that Christ will not return bodily to earth in His Second Coming until after the Millennium has been fully developed on earth by the Church. The Pentecostal Latter Rain adopted this position going further in the interpretation by saying it is the supercharged Church that rules on the earth through the Millennium without the person of Christ through apostles and prophets.

“Dispensationalism” has always maintained a clear distinction between the Church and Israel after the ascension of Christ. Without this distinction the differences of the Church and Israel are blurred and ones eschatology becomes affected. “Kingdom Now” believes that since Jesus Christ’s ascension, He reigns as the king in heaven and the Church is reigning on earth by marching forward defeating His enemies, increasing the spread of the Kingdom of God, until the end of the future Millennium when the 2nd coming of Christ occurs. Most Reconstructionists believe they are already in the millennium, the Church is expected to progressively take greater dominion. “We are to pull down the ungodly strongholds of this world, and we are to erect godly institutions in their place.” (Tom Rose, “Christ's Kingdom: How Shall We Build?” in Journal of Christian Reconstruction, Summer 1981 Quoted in What ever happened to Heaven Dave Hunt.). Reconstruction author George Grant writes: “The army of God is to conquer the earth, to subdue it, to rule over it, to exercise dominion. Christians are called to war. And it is a war we are expected to win.” (George Grant, Bringing in the Sheaves (American Vision Press, 1985), p. 98.) David Chilton believes, “Our goal is world dominion under Christ’s lordship, a world takeover’ if you will. (Christ has) commissioned us to take over the world.” Gary North writes, “God wants Christians to control the earth on His behalf.” Y2K would have neatly fit into this plan (North being one of the main promoters of this ultimate disaster) if it had transpired as many thought it would, but it became the great disappointment for those who wanted the chance to rebuild things the right way.

The premise of today's Reconstructionism (Kingdom Theology) like its predecessor is to restore what man lost over the earth when Adam and Eve obeyed Satan's temptation in the Garden of Eden and fell. Man’s dominion was gone and God lost control of the earth to Satan, and since that time has been looking for a “covenant people” who will be His “extension,” or “expression,” in the earth and take dominion back from Satan.

This is a major part in the Word/Faith movement as well. As Fred Price states, “But God has to be given permission to work in this earth realm on behalf of man. You are in control! So if man has control, who no longer has it? God.....When God gave Adam dominion, that meant God no longer had dominion. So God cannot do anything in this earth unless we let Him. And the way we let Him or give Him permission is through prayer.” (Fred Price, “Prayer: Do You Know What Prayer Is...and How to Pray? “ (The Word Study Bible, 1990. p. 1178).

This is the basis of Kingdom Dominionism. Man is not taking the control. Although Price may push the envelope further than most it all has the same end. Man centered spirituality is how the “new” Christianity is to operate, but not the ancient faith. We need permission from God, not He from us. Prayer is for His will to be done not to have Him enforce ours.

Karen Wheaton who is a passionate and talented singer has sang on TBN telethons Benny Hinn crusades and now with Rod Parsley sings this catchy tune: “I'm taking back my stuff, I'm taking back what the Devil stole from me, I'm taking it back” (having the people sing along repeating it several times), taking back, my joy, health home, kids, etc. You name it its all coming back. (Louiville Kentucky crusade Freedom Hall,  aired 7/24/2000 on Breakthrough)

This dominion of planet earth will be accomplished through the Church and more specifically by certain group of “overcomers” that yield themselves to the leadership of God's new apostles and prophets authority.

Ern Baxter said in 1975: “We are talking of man coming into the fullness of his self realization, into his ultimate destiny as the image of God. This beloved One came to become the Pattern Son to become the Ideal Man after which he would pattern a whole community of redeemed ones. What he was in his incarnate power and life, they become in their corporate power and life. God’s purpose is not to redeem a bunch of people to sit at a bus stop and wait for the bus to come along and get them out of the world’s mess. He came as King so that under their authority the redeemed community might become the means whereby he would establish God’s sovereign right in his own redeemed earth. We have individual salvation - but in the nation we have corporate salvation...God’s people are going to start to exercise rule and they’re going to take dominion over the power of Satan. As the rod of his strength goes out of Zion, he will change legislation, he will chase the devil off the face of God’s earth and God’s people will bring about God’s purposes and God’s reign.” (MacPherson “Can The Elect Be Deceived” 1986)

Standard Reconstructionism teaches that Christ bound Satan and his demons in the past by his death, resurrection, and ascension. In the Pentecostal (Latter Rain) Reconstructionist view they bind Satan now and take over his goods and rule through spiritual warfare prayer. This is why we are hearing so often today to take it back from the Devil, or the Church needs to possess the goods to do its work. In this respect we have John Avanzini, Rod Parsley, Benny Hinn, R.W. Shambach and many others talk about the Jubilee and the Church receiving her freedom from debt. Rod Parsley states “Just before the return of Jesus Christ, God is going to restore to the Church everything the devil has stolen.” (Breakthrough Oct.3,1999)

Some give a greater significance to this event as a financial revival (is there such a thing in the bible?) But they all agree that the Church must have healing, gain control of the wealth to preach the gospel to all nations and have the kingdom come.

Rick Joyner: “I do believe you know wealth in a sense is like energy you can't destroy it, its just transferred and I believe in a great economic collapse the wealth of the world will not destroyed, it will be transferred and I believe a lot of it will be transferred to the believers.” (CBN, Jan 3, 2000)

Maxwell Whyte writes that we can be instantly healed of sickness by pleading the blood as well as receive the Holy Spirit by this method. (The Power of the Blood ch.7-8 Whyte). He also writes about (Ephesians 5:27) “The Bride must be perfected with no spiritual, mental or physical sickness when the Bridegroom comes for her” (Whyte, Christian Life, p. 39) 

Creflo Dollar goes even further, in his position “God is coming back for a church without spot or blemish so he is not coming back to a church in debt this revival must take place before Jesus can come back He cannot come back for a broke church, he cannot come back for a sick church, he cannot come back for a church that is in debt that would be against his word. I'm coming back for a glorious church, without spot or wrinkle, so that means there's going to be some quick transference going on.” (LeSea network Mar. 27, 2000) Taking back the world's material wealth not having sickness is not the Bibles position for the last days. There are more warnings about this very thing than for it. (ie. James. 5:1-3;2 Tim. 3:1; Rev. 3:14).

Premillennialism teaches that after His Second Coming, Christ will establish the literal, earthly, political, Millennial Kingdom of God and will be physically present to rule this earth for a thousand years. In this view the Millennial Kingdom of God has not come.

In this new modified view of reconstruction held by certain leading Pentecostals an elite remnant army of overcomers will subdue all of Christ’s enemies, they will gain power and authority throughout the world through signs and wonders. Those who hold the view of triumphalism believe the nations governments will be upon their shoulders and when all the secular authorities, governments, rulers and kings have finally submitted to their rulership, Christ will then return and they will present the kingdom to Him. Hardly the scenario of Isa. 9:6-7. This theory is based upon the idea that all authority in heaven and on the earth has been given to Jesus, and since believers are indwelt by the same Holy Spirit that indwelt Jesus, we too have all authority on the earth as Jesus has in heaven; therefore we can do the miracles that He did. And with this power, restructure America first and then the rest of the world.

God’s right to rule in the affairs of men is not promoted by any government. The question we need to ask is would it be any different if there were a Christian form of government? In the OT God spoke to the prophet or the King for the people. This is what Dominionism wants us to go back to, except the king would not be Jesus physically on earth. So who would it be?

The United States government is no more corrupt than was the Roman government was in Christ’s day. Yet we see no instruction from Jesus to reform them, only to preach the message that would save their souls. Could we, now over 1900 years later do what the apostles and the early Church with all its power could not? Those who believe ruling in educational, political positions in government will change countries. This has been tried in history before, by the Catholic Church. So it should not be surprising to see many of these same people promoting this to be united with the Catholic Church, or have nothing to say about it. The agenda would be the same, it may even lead to mutual cooperation.

Nowhere does the Bible instruct us to reform this world. Examples from the bible of those who had this opportunity never did so. Joseph as second only to Pharaoh, Esther with King Ahasuerus, and Daniel did not change the society they lived in. God used these men to preserve His people, but not to restructure an anti-God culture into a godly one. Christ never attempted to reform the evil world of His day, neither did he give any instruction to the Apostles to do so. They “turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6) by preaching the gospel, not by teaching or implementing morals on an evil society. This does not exclude us to be salt and light, but it does exclude us from changing the laws so the unsaved can live like the saved. Yes we are to save lives and yes we are to expose “the unfruitful works of darkness.” But the truth is to be exalted so that falsehood will fall dead in the streets. It is a matter of choice not implementing a rule over the majority of the people. It never worked before and it will only work when Christ comes to rule in perfect justice.

Any “reformation” of society has come when individuals were transformed through faith in Christ and their lives then became an influence for good in society. It cannot be transformed by implementing laws on others to live so they would have a form of godliness without the power.

“Have been foreordained of God to become that people who will become so glorified that we can bring Christ back to the earth. This glorified church must make the earth God's footstool before Jesus can come again.” (From The Wounded Body of Christ. Earl Paulk, quoted in Jewel Van der Merwe's book Joel's Army). The Bible teaches heaven is His throne the earth is (already) His footstool.

C. Peter Wagner states “I believe that the government of the church is finally coming into place and that is what the Scripture teaches in Eph. 2, that the foundation of the church is apostles and prophets. Previous to this decade of the 80's and the 90's we practically ignored prophets and apostles and now we’re seeing, what I believe is a major reason.  We’re going to new levels in prayer. We’re going to new levels in the spiritual. We’re going to new levels in healing and miracles. We’re going to new levels in deliverance of demonic deliverance. And so this is the new era we are going into and I don't know if it is coincidental or what, but its just as we are moving into the new millennium.” (CBN interview Jan. 3, 2000)

What we have is too many chiefs and not enough servants. This appeals to the pride of man and the fallen nature to be special and powerful. The shepherding movement now has metamorphosed into the apostolic movement that wants to rule the Church and then the world.

The Church has failed but will now be successful under new leadership. John Arnott says “Yes, Lord, we're going to go for it, we're gonna try to do our part to bring the kingdom of God here...and wouldn't it be wonderful if the Lord would start to move in power and restore the church to its proper place and make us the head and not the tail?” (John Arnott, TACF, 10/19/94) First of all we need to understand Christ is the head of the Church so we were never the tail. If the Church is under Christ we are in the proper place already.

“For Jesus staked a claim over every piece of ground on this earth and I have arisen to fully possess it. This is the day when I will cast out the deceivers who have settled on land that rightfully belongs to Me. For this belongs to Christ and His heirs and we are about to dispossess the ones who have falsely possessed it. Come one and all for we must fight for our rights. Do, as I say and we shall surely reclaim our ground.” (prophecy to Jane Williams Christian fellowship church Columbia Apr. 7, 1996)

It is very questionable to think that Jesus is going to rid the squatters in this way

Another eschatological viewpoint of Kingdom Theology is that the Great Tribulation is seen not as a time when anti-Christ will reign and war against God's people, but rather a time of tribulation for the world brought about by God's judgment through his people. A Joel’s Army scenario that is not  the biblical truth. Many seem to overlook that God is the source of judgment for the great tribulation on a unrepentant world. Anti-Christ is considered by some not to be a person, or even a system of government, but a spirit of rebellion against God's new authority represented by apostles and prophets. Some even teach that the antichrist is not a person but is anything that comes against or challenges the anointing of God. According to some interpretations of I John 4:2 and II John 7 the meaning of the coming of Jesus in the flesh is his deity manifesting in the church

Copeland states that God had his hands tied until now. “But I'm telling you all the restrictions that have been on God for 6,000 years will be off. All the restrictions that have been on the angels for 6,000 years will be off. All the deal is off, the bible says that god is going to rise like a man that has been in sleep he's going to rise. And really this is the Copeland translation he is going to rise up and start rippin’ and a tearin‘. He has been out of the loop gone enough, we gonna have some bottom settling here so you and I need to be in our place. “(TBN, Jesus Is Lord, Jan. 11, 2,000)

My Bible says He neither slumbers nor sleeps. He has not been on a vacation nor will he ever take one.

“The Church is the feet of Jesus. God promised Jesus 'I will train your feet, and use them to tread down and crush your enemies.'“ ( Francis Frangipane, in Charisma magazine July 1993 )

Satan and all enemies of God will be put under the feet of the corporate “man child” the new sons of God. This will be the fulfillment of I Corinthians 15:25-26: “For he (Christ) must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.”

God the Father says to the Son in Heb 1:13: “But to which of the angels has He ever said: “Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool?”

Heb. 10:12-13: “But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool.” Who makes the enemies his footstool? God the Father, NOT the Church!”

Paulk gives people overconfidence that Jesus Christ had the authority to say “No” to death on earth, and He is waiting for us to come to that same authority He had so we can say, “The last enemy--death-has been conquered.” 

Have we forgotten history “Foxe's Book of Martyrs” is filled with many stories of those that gave their life for Christ, even the apostles. Are we any different? The saints will always overcome evil and Satan, but not through taking dominion over the worlds institutions or creating a paradise or a Christian millennium. Scripture instead states that we the saints overcome through “the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony”, and do not “love their lives to the death.” (Rev. 12:11). My Bible says he overcomes the Saints during the tribulation, and that is what is coming on the world. Not a Christian society. But we are not to be dismayed because we do have the eventual victory.

Pt.4  Spiritual war-Joel's army marches today.