New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) - A story I know
Amy Spreeman shares Christopher's story of his journey out of the modern NAR movement that is prevalent in most modern charismatic and evangelical churches.
I have added scripture against each statement made by Christopher, the link to his full story is at the bottom of the page. Where you see "Amen", I am agreeing with him in my own understanding and prayer; prayer that more will see what is being shared here, that these statements are faithful and reliable. I am agreeing on purpose, there is no mistake.
But it came to a head: I had enough of Apostles and Prophets promising me that doing one more thing would unlock it all for me.
Amen.
Matthew 24:24 - For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
Ezekiel 13:9 - My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and who give lying divinations. They shall not be in the council of my people, nor be enrolled in the register of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord GOD.
It hasn’t been easy. Suddenly, God speaks to me mainly through His inerrant Word. Now, I’m understand Christ crucified and resurrected as the real power of God, and that someone being born again is much more exciting than someone being healed of a headache. I am more excited about proper exegesis and sound doctrine now than listening to a so-called Apostle or a Prophet sharing his latest chat with God.
Amen.
Today, instead of interceding against powers and authorities, I pray for sound preaching and a return to the Bible in our churches.
Amen.
I am content to sit under the ministry of men who actually open the Bible and read it - not just verses out of context, but entire sections, in context. I will stop trying to insert my personal situation into each passage, as I have been taught to do.
Amen.
2 Timothy 3:12-17 - Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
I don’t need to shake and roll on the church carpet. God has prepared such a great feast for His people. Why do we need or desire a “new move of God” when the old one is all sufficient?
Amen. Amen.
Revelation 7:16-17 - They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.
And in this process of renunciation, repentance, and reestablishing myself in God’s Word, I see that God is indeed mighty and powerful, that He still works wonders, but not according to the methods of charismatic, N.A.R. and Word Faith groups. He answers the fervent prayers of His Saints. He just isn’t in the entertainment business.
Amen.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 - But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
2 Timothy 4:3 - For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,...
I know that I can find my Joy and satisfaction with Him through His Word, far surpassing the pleasures of the world.
Amen.
Jude 3:3 - Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.
Thank God that He freed me from Spiritual bondage tying me to a counterfeit of the true faith. Thank God that His Word endures. Thank God for the best “new thing” that he ever did, Christ crucified for our sins; the only new thing that we need.
Amen. Amen.
1 Corinthians 15:1-11 - Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
Source:
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.