The NAR apostles and prophets claim great authority in the church because of one doctrinal teaching that our Lord Jesus gave five offices for governing and directing the church : apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. The NAR apostles and prophets claimed that they were entrusted to reclaim back these two offices to make the church complete and also operate in supernatural power. Kris Vallaton claimed the restoration of these offices would result in increased angelic activity manifested by miracles rarely witnessed in the history of the planet. They would have the authority to make “prayer declaration” that the angels must carry out. They lure and bait their followers with the promise of blessings. All along the church teaches the written Word of God and nurture their flocks, but now these NAR apostles and prophets have the new revelations their followers need to develop miraculous powers, bring God’s kingdom, and fulfill His will on earth.
From Matt 23:8-10, Jesus our Lord mentioned so clearly we are all brothers and call no one rabbi, father or instructor for we have only one Lord Jesus. Yet the NAR apostles and prophets claim great authority over the church and they can wreck havoc in the lives of many who submit to them.
I took the liberty to summarize a chapter of the well researched book, Counterfeit Kingdom, by Holly Pivec and Douglas Geivett on the spiritual abuse of the NAR leaders using very questionable tactics.
They are told that through their submission, they can then experience physical and emotional healing, learn to work miracles and protect themselves from demons who hinder the fulfillment of their destinies. Without submission to their authority, angels will not help them.
Here are some tactics or ruses to secure their submission :
1. Twisted Scriptures.
They need to use Scripture to bolster their teaching of supreme authority, but Scripture does not support this teaching as stated cearly in Matt 23:8-10 and Scripture has to be twisted or quoted out of context. 2 Pet 3:16. I explained in detail the five fold ministry as mentioned in Eph 2:20-21 and Eph 4:11 which does not contradict Matt 23:8-10.
2. Euphemisms Or Playing With Words.
a. Alignment.
Instead of calling for submission to their authority, they use the word “alignment” to suggest submission. Kris Vallaton shared,”If we don’t understand how to recognize and align ourselves under true spiritual authority, we may build bigger armies, develop better strategies and buy more powerful weapons, but we will still lose.
b. Spiritual Covering.
With spiritual covering from the apostles and prophets, all the bad things like demonic attacks will be blocked.
c. Covenant Relationships.
That is another teaching to solicit submission to another wiser believer.
d. Culture Of Honour.
A must read book for students in the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry, Culture of Honour : Sustaining a Supernatural Environment, teaches that believers must show proper honour to the apostles and prophets as a condition to receive miraculous gifting and supernatural empowerment from them.
We can notice that these NAR leaders do not state candidly their controversial teachings but rather they rely on insinuation, implication and innuendo. But the followers fully comprehend that if they want to be blessed, they have to show honour and submit to these NAR leaders.
3. Brainstoppers.
a. “Eat the meat and spit out the bones.”
This catchphrase actually absolves the NAR leaders of any wrong teaching or immoral lifestyle. If the follower is part of a “revival” and it comes to light that such an apostle or prophet has a secret immoral lifestyle like Todd Bentley, he or she should still believe God was working through that “unclean” person and that they led a genuine “move of God”.
b. “You should trust God’s ability to protect you from being deceived more than you trust Satan’s ability to deceive you.”
This catchphrase is to dispel the followers’ fears of being deceived by them. This teaching clearly contradicts so many warnings in Scripture about guarding against false teachings.
c. “God offends the mind to reveal the heart.”
This catchphrase is to excuse all kinds of bizarre works of the prophets. If the followers refuse to listen to these prophets, that is a sign of an evil and hard heart.
d. “God is bigger than His book.”
Another catchphrase is “Don’t put God in a box.” Such catchphrases are used to defend bizarre experiences reported by these NAR leaders not found in Scripture.
4. Book Ban.
The NAR leaders strongly warn their followers not to read books that are critical of NAR teachings.
5. Name Calling.
Critics are given labels like “mean-spirited, heresy hunters, judgmental, Jezebel, Pharisee, legalist, unanointed”.
6. Threats.
When all other tactics fail to silence criticism, these NAR leaders resort to threats. The famous catchphrase is the repetition of the warning, “Touch not the anointed”. That implies critics may be judged by our Lord for criticizing them.
