F4F | Coronavirus Con Men

Coronavirus Con Men and the Powerlessness of False Prophets

Welcome to another installment of Fighting for the Faith. My name is Chris Rosebro. I'm your servant in Jesus Christ. And this is the channel that compares what people are saying in the name of God to the Word of God.

Well in the midst of the throes of the global pandemic that is the corona virus.

We're all.

Sheltering in place. It's important to note that That the charismatic movement the NAR the prosperity preachers have proven themselves to be the false prophets false teachers and Powerless people that they really are.

They only pretend to have power and they have none their decrees and declarations the things that they are saying and doing are as Useful and as effective as the prophets of Baal on the top of Mount Carmel.

You know, I might even just take a look at that.

Yeah.

Bible Teaching on False Apostles and Idolatry

Throw it a little Bible teaching up at the front end of this thing because this is like one of my least favorite Types of episodes of fighting for the faith. Let's see here I've got to get my my accordance software up and running and let me get that into its proper window and Yeah, let's see here let me open up my desktop throw that up and Yeah making I did.

I didn't even plan on this ahead of time But I thought you know what I was really bemoaning the fact that I didn't have any Bible teaching Associated with this episode of fighting for the faith. It kind of galls me You know because this is just the kind of lunacy that I hate to cover without being able to give some biblical teaching.

So let's do this first. Kings Chapter 18 you guys remember the prophets of Baal.

Yeah.

Kind of an important group. In fact, what I'm gonna do here is is I'm going to link down below To my sermon from this past Sunday where I cover idolatry. Idolatry is a wicked thing that nowadays absolutely wicked and Unlike the idolaters of the past idolaters of the past were hardy fellows I mean, they they would have to do a lot of work in order to create their own gods.

Like number one, you got to create a backstory, you know a backstory usually involves a creation account as some kind of explanation of you know of Natural phenomenon and things like that. You kind of come up with a name for your deity or deities, you know.

And then a list of rules and regulations you're supposed to keep and what do you do? If you're if your deity is upset with you and stuff like that, you know, how do you assuage the wrath of your deity?

What does your deity provide you with it all this kind of stuff? And then you got to go out and you got to be a good worker and like stone or wood or stuff like that and Create images of your deity that you bow down to them.

Yeah, that's called idolatry. But the idolaters of today they are Completely and I mean just completely lazy the idolaters of today what they do is they just hijack the God of the Bible and they teach Doctrines that are contrary to scripture so they invent so the God they believe in well They believe in Jesus the God they believe in is the God of the Bible, but when you start paying attention to the details.

Their deity sounds nothing like the God of the Bible at all their Jesus is a different Jesus. Their spirit is a different spirit. And so the idea here is is that they are deceitful workmen masquerading as Apostles of Jesus Christ see now I've now I've done it.

I've like derailed myself here. We're going to stream of consciousness on this episode of fighting for the faith. Have you heard of the so-called super apostles? Yeah Rosemarie, what are you doing? I know just work with me here.

I was excited about being able to get some Bible teaching it. This is what keeps me sane is being able to actually teach something positive from the scriptures. Second second Corinthians chapter 11 the Apostle Paul talking about the so-called super apostles.

This is not a term where oh, wow. There's a thing thing called super apostles. I can actually do that I can become a suit. No, no. So back in the day before there was television. For books and things like that were very popular.

What would you do on a Friday night for entertainment? You know. You would listen to somebody who was skilled in oration and they can go on and on and they you know. They it's a form of thespianism, you know, you know.

Being they were good actors good at delivering Lectures and speeches and stuff like that and there were a group of guys who came into the Christian Church. Who are skilled in oration and they can command the highest dollar amount that you could possibly imagine for the time and they?

Mistreated people and they'd say yeah. Well Paul, he's an apostle me. I'm a super apostle. And these guys, you know, well, it was terrible. So the Apostle Paul Writing to the church in Corinth had to straighten him out a little bit and in straightenment straightening them out.

He He went pretty hard after these super Apostles and. And noted that there's a big difference between real Apostles and so-called super Apostles and that super Apostles. Their fate is hell. Yeah, no joke so here's what the Apostle Paul says in 2nd Corinthians 11, then we'll go to the prophets of all because I.

Yeah, it's just galling to me to have to report on coronavirus con men and not be able to give some. You know some kind of biblical teaching in the midst of all of this chaos. So 2nd Corinthians 11 I wish you would bear with me a little foolishness.

The Apostle Paul is gonna be foolish here to point out the foolishness of the church at Corinth in listening to these so-called super Apostles so do bear with me for I feel a divine jealousy for you since I betrothed you to one husband.

To present you as a pure virgin to Christ. But I'm afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning. Your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. So, I mean this is a concern of the highest magnitude.

That's the same deceit that the devil engaged in to deceive Eve now. He's deceiving these people and at the church at Corinth and he says if if someone comes and proclaims to another Jesus than the one we proclaimed or if you received a different spirit than the one you received or if you accept a different gospel or.

Or, you know from the one that you accepted you put up with it readily enough now, he's not commending them for this. He's condemning them for this because there isn't a different Jesus. There isn't a different spirit and there isn't a different gospel different.

Jesus can't save you. So we're dealing with the category known as idolatry. And so I think of it this way. Mormons claim to be Christians. They are the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, right?

They they say they believe in Jesus so you say there, okay, so you believe Jesus is God the Son second person of the Holy Trinity. No, I believe that Jesus is the spirit brother of Lucifer. One of the first firstborn of Father God and named Elohim.

Really okay. So tell me about Elohim. Yeah, he's been God from eternity, right? You know, he's the only true God. Well, no Elohim is. He was once a man and he became a god by obeying his God. Really? What's that doctrine called?

We call it the law of eternal progression as As man is God once was as God is man can become. Really you believe that you can become a god. Yeah, and that our God became a god by being obedient to his God.

Yeah. Okay, so we're doing we're believing in a different God here, although they use biblical like biblical language in terms like Elohim.

Yahweh.

Jesus Satan what they mean by those words. Totally different definitions altogether. This is called idolatry.

All right.

So the Apostle Paul noting that the so-called super Apostles they teach a different Jesus different spirit different gospel. And so he says so if someone comes and proclaims to you another Jesus than the one we proclaimed or you received a different spirit.

From the one you received or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted you put up with it. Readily enough indeed. I consider that I am NOT in the least inferior to these super Apostles.

Even if I am unskilled in speaking, I'm not in knowledge indeed in every way. We've made this plain to you in all things or did I commit a sin a little bit of a note here? So one of the things the super Apostles were saying about Paul.

As they're saying, oh that Paul, you know, he's an inferior Apostle. I mean because he doesn't even charge you for when he comes and ministers to you. We Charge a lot of money which shows you how important we are Paul.

He always preaches for free. Which should tell you something. I mean, he's really inferior. The reason why he preaches for free is because he's not skilled at public oration. That was literally their rhetoric so he says or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted because I preached God's gospel to you free of charge and.

So you'll note that the super Apostles were condemning Paul for preaching the gospel for free. Whereas they charge more a lot of money. So he says listen I robbed other churches by accepting support from them in order to serve you and When I was with you and was in need I I didn't burden anyone for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my needs.

So I refrained and will refrain from burdening you in any way as the truth of Christ is in me this boast of mine Will not be silenced in the regions of Achaia and why because I do not love you. Well, God knows I do and what I am doing I will continue to do in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission.

They work on the same terms we do for such men or false Apostles. Yep. They are deceitful workmen they disguise themselves as apostles of Christ and no wonder even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

So it is no surprise if his servants also disguised themselves as servants of righteousness. There and will correspond to their deeds. So note the danger within as as a Christian is False teachers false prophets false Apostles the workers of the devil who masquerade as servants of Jesus who because the devil himself Disguises himself as an angel of light.

So that's the idea here. So it's still idolatry no matter how you slice it. But it's an idolatry where they they use the same terms, but mean something completely different. Okay, that's the danger here they've invented their own deity their own God their own theology.

While using the same words as the Bible. Yeah, it's a it's a scary form of idolatry. So consider then the the the prophets of all at Mount Carmel and We will go there. Here. It is first Kings 18. Interesting account so after many days the word of Yahweh came to Elijah in the third year saying go show yourself to Ahab there been a there been a drought in Israel for three years because.

As the narrative went of those who believed in Baal Baal was the one who's supposed to bring the rain. Okay, which the major crops grow and stuff and so he's the one who brought the rain. Well, Yahweh decided to have a showdown with Baal and and told the Prophet Elijah you go and let Ahab know.

It's not gonna rain until you say so. You know in other words we're gonna prove that Baal is utterly powerless and so he says that in skedaddles and disappears for three years and and now there's a severe famine in the land of Israel as a result of this and.

And and now God has told Elijah to go present himself to Ahab so they can have the final showdown if you would. Anyway, I need some like metal music playing in the background. But anyway, so Elijah went and showed himself to Ahab now the famine was severe in Samaria.

Ahab called Obadiah who was over the household. Obadiah feared Yahweh greatly and when Jezebel cut off the prophets of Yahweh Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave fed them with bread and water.

Ahab said to Obadiah go through the land and to all the springs of water and all the valleys. Perhaps we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive. And not lose some of the animals. So they divided the land between them to pass through it.

Ahab went in one direction by himself. Obadiah went in another direction by himself and as Obadiah was on the way behold Elijah met him and Obadiah Recognized him and fell on his face and says is it you my lord Elijah now?

I'm not gonna read the whole part here. But Elijah basically says it's me. Obadiah is worried that he's gonna disappear. And he tells him to have everybody meet him at Mount Carmel and so Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him Ahab went to meet Elijah.

So when Ahab saw Elijah there they are at Mount Carmel, you know and Ahab sees Elijah says is it you you trouble of Israel? Yeah, it's it's not Elijah. Who's the trouble of Israel? It's Ahab and his wife Jezebel all anyway.

So he answered I'm not troubled Israel. But you and your father's house have because you have abandoned the commandments of Yahweh and you followed the balls now therefore send and gather all of Israel to me at Mount Carmel and the 450 prophets of all the 400 prophets of Ashera who eat at Jezebel's table.

So Ahab went to all the people of Israel gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. Elijah came near to all the people. And said how long will you go limping between two different opinions? If Yahweh is God follow him.

If all then follow him and The people did not answer him a word. Then Elijah said to the people I even I only am left a prophet of Yahweh, but balls prophets are 450 men. Let two bowls be given to us.

Let them choose one bowl for themselves. Cut it in pieces lay it on the wood put no fire on it. I will prepare the other bowl lay on it the wood and put no fire on it. And you call upon the name of your God.

All call upon the name of Yahweh and the God who answers by fire. He is God. So the people answered it is well spoken. So then Elijah said the prophets ball choose for yourself one bowl prepare it for you at first for you are many.

Call upon the name of your God but put no fire to it and they took the bowl that was given them and they prepared It and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon saying Oh.

Ball.

Answer us. But there was no voice. No one answered. They limped around the altar that they had made and at noon Elijah mocked them saying cry louder. He is God. Maybe he's musing or maybe he's Taking a dump in the toilet in the latrine.

Yeah.

That's what relieving himself means. Or maybe he's on a journey or perhaps he's asleep and must be awakened. So they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances until the blood gushed out upon them and As midday passed they raved on The time of the offering and the of the oblation there was no voice.

No one answered. No one paid attention. Now I'm gonna note here. There's a great story and as we know how this goes Elijah when he prays the fire falls. Prophets of all are slaughtered then after this account and so, you know, it's just a fantastic thing.

But all of that's to kind of come to this point. So we've already looked at 2nd Corinthians 11 about the so-called super Apostles false Apostles false prophets false teachers. Who teach a different spirit different Jesus different gospel and that they are servants of the devil.

Who? Masquerades as an angel of light they masquerade as true Apostles when they're not. But you'll note the prophets of all who were engaging in idolatry. Mm-hmm. They Let's just put it this way they Well, they were powerless.

They had no ability whatsoever. No ability whatsoever to call down fire from heaven their God didn't answer them and I'm gonna basically say we're seeing the same phenomenon now with the so-called prosperity preachers the Decree and declare the name it and claim it the blabbing and grab it group.

That all of their so-called ability to operate in miracles and signs and wonders is Kaput, I mean Sean Bowles last week had a Prohibit to prophecy conferences canceled postponed due to unforeseen circumstances.

That's a kind of awkward. Don't you think? Yeah. So we'll take another look at some of the the con men of the Of the charismatic movement and And note that they seem to be completely powerless. So what we'll start with the king of the powerless.

Yeah, Ken Copeland. He's utterly powerless. He's like one of the prophets of all put your hand on that television set. This is disgusting man. I I'm pretty sure he slathered himself up there and In oil from the Dalton tractor supply company.

Yes. Hallelujah. Thank you Jesus.

Thank you, Lord Jesus. He received your healing. Yes.

So how many people after this according to the CDC Received their healing from God and Ken Copeland by touching their hand to their computer monitors and television screens. And this is just creepy beyond all reason now.

Say it I take it. I take it. I have it. I notice they're not.

Praying to God, please. Heal me. They're just I take it. I have it. They're not praying. This isn't prayer. It's mine. It's mine. I.

Thank you and praise you for it. Yes, and I forgive if I have ought against any. And I praise you that I'm well and whole.

According to the Word of God.

I'm healed. Yes, and I consider not my own body. Yes I consider not symptoms in my body. I consider not symptoms, but only that which God has promised. Only that what the Word has said.

They're not praying and I would note the pandemic is getting worse. It's gotten significantly worse.

Since he did that by his stripes. I was healed and by his stripes I am healed now. I'm not the sick trying to get healed. I'm the healed and the devil's trying to give me the flu.

Yeah, false doctrine right there. Yeah, anybody sick with the corona virus is actually sick.

Train or whatever else kind of thing. He's trying. Yeah. Heal and well. Get that thing out of my face. Yes in the sweet name of Jesus.

Tell me he that man's not demon-possessed. He looks demon-possessed to me. Yeah, okay. Yeah while we're out talking about him, by the way, this will show you what this guy is really about. So Kenneth Copeland, what if you lose your job?

What if you're not able to work and you're not making a paycheck because Because of the corona virus. Well, whatever you do.

Don't stop giving money to him. This corona virus is faith in its ability to hurt you or kill you.

The fear of.

What are we gonna do? I'm getting laid off at work. Hey. Your job is not your source. If it is you're in trouble Jesus is your source. Whatever you do right now, don't you stop tithing? Yeah, I mean he's got.

You know jet fuel to buy and stuff. Yeah, cuz he never flies, you know. Traditional airlines he owns a couple of private jets, whatever you don't stop tithing. Uh-huh, by the way. In the New Covenant.

New Testament, there is no command to tithe. That's an old covenant command and If you pay attention to the details of the tithe in the Old Covenant the Mosaic Covenant. It wouldn't have allowed any Levites to buy private jets or to jet around the ancient world.

Even if there were jets at the time. Yeah, bringing the tithe to the temple in Jerusalem. You got to consume 90 of it. You know only a portion of it went to support the Levites. The rest of it was a big family meal.

It was like Thanksgiving. Mm-hmm. Yeah, that's in the Old Testament as well. New Covenant there. There is no command. You know you give what you've set aside in your heart. It's between you and God. God loves a cheerful giver.

He doesn't want you to give under compulsion. See 1st Corinthians 9 for details. But he said whatever you do, don't you stop tithing? Don't you stop sowing offerings? Yeah, don't you stop stop sowing offerings, you know to him.

Yeah.

Coronavirus con man indeed. All right now we're gonna go back in time 29 days ago. From the time I am recording this episode of fighting for the faith. We have this video of Rodney Howard Brown. You know from his periscope account.

He did a periscope and Let me hit the play button and then I got a fast-forward to the correct part and it's about five minutes in so I'm gonna back up to maybe like, you know, 452 and he's regaling us with stories about his.

You know, he had done like seven, you know 17 cities seven countries in 20 days of travel and as he was wrapping up he went to Singapore and. And so 29 days ago. He does this periscope session and listen to what he said.

It's just utterly fascinating and get up for the next week run. We went on to Singapore. We land in the middle of of course this corona virus nightmare. Everywhere you went people measuring your temperature.

They got like a temperature gun on your forehead and You couldn't if wind in restaurant hotels, whatever they'd measure anybody's temperature. They have these scanners shows the infrared body temperature heat.

Mm-hmm. And of course if anybody knows me, you know my sense of humor, of course, I walk in and go, you know I have a fever and then they check my temperature again, but.

You know.

I'll just say this about the Corona obviously this thing as hit Iran. Apparently hit Italy. Yes. Yeah. No, so 29 days ago.

29 days ago. There was maybe just a couple of cases in the United States. Just a few. Very very few and so it really hadn't hit here in the States yet.

Thousands of people. Quarantined in it and quarantined in Italy. Yeah, so we've been praying that this thing is cursed and it's at a level.

So you've been praying that it's cursed.

Again scriptures clear. God is the one who sends pestilences and I'll just say this year if you remember the time of the Zika virus Zika which our County in Tampa Hillsborough County was declared a Zika virus emergency and I remember that time that already ordered 250 ,000 hazmat suits for the city of Dallas alone.

And we just stood and declared we curse that thing.

You curse the Zika virus.

That's his claim. He cursed the Zika virus in the name of Jesus and Zika disappeared. Ah.

Just up and disappeared.

All right. Well, what about the corona virus? We are doing the same thing with the corona virus we do. Oh, yeah.

So they curse the corona virus. 29 days ago. How's that working out. Oh. Answer us answer us ball. Uh-huh. Yeah, you're decreeing and declaring doesn't seem to be very effective.

You know, you're not needed on these shores and obviously somebody said well, what about the red?

Oh, we don't need it on these shores.

So he's gonna protect the United States by cursing the corona of the world. Look we I mean, I can't be responsible for every City or whatever, but I can over America and over, Florida. I we you have a right every person.

So he cursed the corona virus and said that he he can't be responsible for the rest of the world. But you know the United States in Florida for sure. Yeah, you know, I'm gonna back that up because I mean this is mind-boggling mind-boggling that anybody takes this man seriously after this because 29 days ago he said he cursed the corona virus and that it wouldn't come to the shores of the United States or Florida and in the midst of saying that he said that he's not responsible for the other parts of the world and He said that he's the one responsible for getting rid of the Zika virus back when that thing was a thing.

So we've been praying that this thing is cursed and it's at a level and I'll just say this year If you remember the time of the Zika virus Zika Which our County in in Tampa Hillsborough County was declared a Zika virus emergency and I remember that time that already ordered 250 ,000 hazmat suits for the city of Dallas alone and We just stood and declared we cursed that thing in the name of Jesus and Zika disappeared.

Mm-hmm. Yeah, it disappeared. Huh? We are doing the same thing with the corona virus. We do not need it on these shores and obviously somebody said well, what about the rest of the world? Look, we I mean, I can't be responsible for every City or whatever, but I can over America and over Florida.

I we you have a right every person with authority needs to stand up.

Every person with authority needs to stand up. We have a right man. How's that working out for you see the the issue here is not that Christianity is false. The issue here is that this man is a Purveyor of a false form of Christianity.

He's a false prophet. He's a false apostle. He's a false teacher. He is one of the deceivers who masquerades Along with the devil as the good guy when he's not and he's an idolater of the highest rank his belief system as a whole his so-called signs and wonders the whole thing is flim-flam and.

Pray and take authority over the enemy and over the enemy's plans. And so without me going into many of the the four patterns out there about this virus and What has been planned behind it really to shut whole nations down We we curse it let every plan of the enemy backfire.

So 29 days ago. He he cursed that coronavirus. Very effective curse. That was there, you know, but notice the you know. What he didn't do was humbly ask God to have mercy on us. Mm-hmm. Yeah, and and then we got Chris Vallotton and let me let me make this a little bit bigger.

Since we're dealing with YouTube videos here Chris Vallotton From a few weeks ago, and we'll just listen to the theology here again Coronavirus con men seems to be our theme. Powerful word.

And I I just want to encourage you because it feels like you know this this coronavirus. It's it's real. Of course, you know, I want to it is it really is. I just want to reiterate reiterate like, you know I don't want to be like the Christian who doesn't believe in germs and we infect everybody.

It's like no. No, we need to be.

You mean like at Kenneth Copeland's?

Church, right?

They had an outbreak of measles there. Yeah vigilant.

We need to listen to what our leaders in government are asking us to do as much as we can. But we need to also be as vigilant about killing the virus as we are. As vigilant as we are about destroying this virus.

How does one? And show vigilance in quote-unquote.

Destroying the corona virus. We have to be about destroying the fear because okay, so we got to destroy the fear, too. Okay, even though the virus is real. Even though there there is a there's a threat to that virus and there's a small very small percentage of people.

What is the threat to the viral that that will catch it very much smaller that will actually have serious complications. But there's a large amount of people that are just terrified and I'd say right now that the economy is more Shut down out of the terror out of the fear of what might happen.

And this is two weeks ago by the none of the reality of what is happening. And I want to remind you in fact, we're gonna release a blog this afternoon that that fear is a great storyteller. You know fear is false evidence.

Appearing real and of course, there are real evidence that that this virus is.

Fear is false evidence appearing real.

Where'd you get that definition? It's not a biblical definition. This is a real virus, but it's not what happens to us. But the stories that we make up about what we fear will happen to us that actually creates so much anxiety in us.

And I just want to I just want to say to you like turn off.

That's.

A weird nervous laugh. Really weird kind of creepy weird.

Let's say turn off the news or if you're gonna turn it on, you know turn it on, you know once a day. Okay, so is there any new? You know progress is there anything else or my government wants me to do and then ditch the news and start meditating on the Lord.

What does the Lord say about this? What does the Lord want me to do and and just stay out of fear? You know wash your hands take precautions, but put on the full armor of God now. I find it weird here.

Chris Vallotton is one of the teaching pastors at Bethel and remember Bill Johnson has said I Refuse to create a theology that allows for sickness. Here's Chris Vallotton saying to us be sure to wash your hands.

Why aren't you telling them to. You know operate in signs and wonders and stuff. Why are you telling them to wash their hands?

And what. Don't leave the house without your armor on you. You don't want to go out there naked. I.

Know. If I went outside my house naked they'd arrest me and rightfully so I mean it would be an act of terrorism against my.

Neighbors and and my biggest concern is that when people live by faith. That they often attract by faith. We end up sick because I believe I'm gonna get sick.

You know, it doesn't work that way. So if you have the corona virus, it's because you believed you were gonna get it. No biblical text says that either and so this is a dangerous theology because if you come down with a corona virus.

This theology says it's your fault because you believed you were gonna get sick. Apparently your faith can create results one way or another. This is a natural phenomenon. Spread in the actual physical world.

Okay, and let me finish with this last idea. Fear is faith in the wrong kingdom. I Can't be afraid without fear. If a little child says I'm gonna beat you up I don't get afraid. And the reason why I don't get afraid is I don't believe him, but it you know is some big mugger You know wants to beat me up or my wife Wants to beat me up.

You know, I believe they can. So the only reason I I have anxiety is because I actually believe them. And what I'm getting at is this you can move mountains with faith, but you can also call a mohill and You can create a mountain out of a mohill and then wonder why your valley is so low.

So you can create a mountain out of a mohill and then wonder why your valley is so low. Ain't no mountain high enough.

False Faith, Fear, and the Coronavirus

Let's do this. Let's take precautions. Let's encourage our neighbors. Let's make sure that we we do what our what our leaders are asking us to do. But most importantly let us. Let's not catch this virus by faith.

Let's don't catch it by faith. And what's gonna happen when the people of Bethel? By faith say they're not gonna get the corona virus. And people at Bethel get the corona virus. This is gonna devastate them.