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The Revival Of John G. Lake’s Ministry Healing Rooms  
Following Toronto, Brownsville, Bethel Church: What’s really being revived?  

January 1, 2000 - Re-published August 18, 2021

By Greg DesVoignes

August 18, 2021 update:

I wrote this article over 20 years ago, but it is still relevant today because Lakes "Healing Rooms" are now over the whole world.  Also because when he had his ministry, the "Spanish Flu" pandemic was going on and hit Spokane in 1918.  We now have Covid. The responses and reactions between the two are remarkably similar. Not much wisdom then or now.  While I am not a fan of the medical /health system of today and believe that we have departed from the original intent that God has for his people, I am not a believer in the doctrine and antics of the "faith healers" now and of the past.  We have to be careful and understand that Satan has powers to do signs and wonders and pretend to be of God as an angel of light.  What we can see in the ministry of John Lake and his healing rooms is that he and what he did fall into the realm of false teachers and those who take advantage of people and get monetary gain from them.  It continues today among those of the old "Latter Rain", "Kingdom Now", "Dominion Theology" and "New Apostolic Reformation" (NAR) who are associated with churches such as Bethel Church, Redding, CA, "The Elijah List", and many others.

One thing to note is that during the beginning of the Covid virus shutdowns, the Healing Rooms also shut down and when they reopened, masks were required.  One must ask, if these are true places of the true healings of God, then why the shutdown, why the masks?  What are these followers of Lake afraid of?.  And, "Where are the healings of the virus out of these rooms that would deliver man from this pandemic and bring about a revival?

John G. Lake

The Prophecy

In the late 90s I had heard there was prophecy that the faith healing ministry of the late John G. Lake was going to be revived in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Lake had this ministry in the early 1900s in Spokane, Washington, and briefly in Portland Oregon. He claimed to have healed over 100,000 people in Spokane while he ran his "Healing Rooms" at what he called "The Divine Healing Institute". He is said to be one of the founders of the Apostolic Church, which appears Lake started in South Africa before he came to Spokane around 1914.  Lake died in 1935.

These prophecies had turned the Pacific Northwest of the United States into the proposed continuation of the activities and doctrines of "Toronto Blessing" and the "Brownsville "River". Interestingly, many of the same motivating forces [including people] of Toronto and Brownsville are also behind this new one. They were calling it, "The Pacific Northwest Revival".

Initially there were two prophecies concerning a revival, by Lake himself. One was made in 1920 while Lake was in Portland. Another was uttered in Spokane in 1929 based upon a vision he said he was given in Portland in 1924. More recent at that time was a vision that Bobby Connor said he had in 1997 that was somewhat "interpreted" by Rick Joyner, announcing the revival of Lake’s ministry. Bobby Connor had a ministry called A Demonstration of God’s Power, in Moravian Falls North Carolina, and Rick Joyner is associated with the Kansas City Prophets and has The Morning Star Bulletin and Morning Star Church. Word of this more recent prophecy was also heard at the Brownsville gathering in Pensacola Florida. As we will see, there are interesting connections and commonalties with Lake, Brownsville [and Toronto], Kansas City, and the groups behind them.

In Portland, Lake claimed to have had a visit from an angel while in Mt. Tabor Park. Mt. Tabor is a, for now, extinct volcano in Portland. I won’t go into the whole prophecy, but it said in part that this angel appeared to Lake, opened up a bible to the second chapter of Acts and spoke to Lake saying,

"This is Pentecost as God gave it through the heart of Jesus. Strive for this, contend for this. Teach the people to pray for this. For this alone will meet the necessity of the human heart and have the power to overcome the forces of darkness."¹

The second by Lake was made in Spokane in 1929, but he refers to it coming to him in 1924. Lake was angry because of dissension among his ministry leaders after he left Spokane and went to Portland. He said to them.

"Five years ago when my heart was broken, in the agony of my heart I disappeared into the woods of Oregon for 21 days with God, and he showed me a church in Spokane that would be as pure as Jesus Christ. When it will come, I don’t know, but it will never come from a lot of slop and evangelistic mess, but when we live our lives on God’s alter."²

I’ll go further into these two prophecies later.

Connor’s vision had to do with seeing an intense white light, hearing a voice and seeing a train coming down some tracks through an area of snow capped mountains. On the front of the train were the words "Judgment" and "Mercy". Connor said the voice told him this train was God’s "Gold and Diamond Train" and then called it "God’s Goal Train". But Connor said he saw the train was not filled with gold or diamonds, but with coal. Connor said the voice told him,

"There will be plenty of true diamonds and real gold after the heat and pressure that are coming". Connor said of this, "I knew he was speaking of refining, and the passage of Malachi 3 came into my heart."

Connor then quoted Malachi 3:1-3 that says;

"Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come into his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.

But who shall abide the day of his coming? And who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fuller’s soap: and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness."

Connor then said that the voice told him that some coming volcanic activity in Bend, Oregon would be the announcement of one of the greatest healing revivals in history. He said that the voice told him the revival would start around Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, go across Canada to Vancouver, down the Northwest coast of the U. S. and then to the Far East. Connor continued;

"I was then told to spell locomotive, "local-motive". The Lord said that this local area in the Northwest was a seedbed of the healing anointing that was upon John G. Lake. The sign of the volcanic activity around Bend, Oregon, is that the Lord is turning up the heat, but it will bring about a refining and purifying of His people so He can release healing in the earth in an unprecedented way. The voice which was speaking then said to me, ‘Have you ever seen anything like this?’

I looked and saw the very top of a mountain which was covered with pure white snow. I was carried the rim so that I could look over into the large open top of the mountain. It was filled with beautiful, clear boiling water. I knew that this was the word of God. The last thing I saw was a light shining on a diamond, which brought Out the brilliant colors that were in the diamond."³

Rick Joyner’s interpretation of this vision was basically that; [1] What is coming will take both truth and spirit to keep it on track, [2] There will be obstacles to overcome, [3] There will be the flesh mixed with this move of God in the beginning due to immaturity, [4] It will be opposed by some, but don’t be put off by it, [5] It will cause great controversy, [6] Both judgment and mercy will be with it, [7] Different churches will come together to be a part of this healing movement, [8] People are to walk in purity to be a worthy bride for the Son, [9] There will be a new revelation and illumination of the Scriptures.⁴

Examine Everything Carefully

The Word of God is explicit in warning us concerning false teachers, prophets and prophecy in the last days. While saying not to despise prophetic utterances, the Word also warned to "examine everything carefully". When one hears of such seemingly excessive claims of healing 100,000 people, prophecies of a revival of this healing ministry and some of the way it was presented, the "spiritual" experiences, and the interpretation, it would be folly not to look into these and the other things involved in it. This is the content of this newsletter.

First we need to consider Lake’s prophecy of 1920. The "being" told Lake "This is Pentecost". That was almost 80 years ago. What happened to this "Pentecost"? Did John G. Lake have "favor with all the people" as those in the real Pentecost Did? Did it "turn the world upside down" as the real Pentecost did? Or did it die, as opposed to Pentecost? What happened in the Portland area, in the Spokane area?

Why would this being, who Lake said was an angel, say that time, May 20, 1920, was Pentecost, when the an angel would know that Pentecost happened almost 2,000 years ago? Why would the angel tell Lake to "strive", "contend", and "pray" for it when the real prophesied Pentecost was to "…wait for the promise of the Father.." [Acts 1:5]. It was a promise of the promise. No striving or contending for; just waiting.

And why, now, 80 years later, do we have those saying Pentecost is coming; again? It is supposed to be coming with new revelation and illumination of scripture? Didn’t the apostles have it back then? We also have to ask then, if this 1920 Pentecost died [it must have because there is supposed to be a revival], then what kind of revival of Lake’s ministry and Pentecost is this supposed to be? A revival of death?

It is interesting that the promoters of Toronto called their experiential manifestation, "the revival"; Brownsville was called the revival by the same group. They faded. Now on the shirt tales of these former experiential things, the same group was calling the Lake ministry a revival; Pentecost, based upon something that did not last then.

There appears to be another problem with Connor’s prophecy. He said this revival would start in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, go across Canada and down the Pacific Northwest. It appears it started in Toronto [just up Lake Ontario from Hamilton], but the next large notable sequence in this revival went down the East Coast of North America to Pensacola, Florida. Then, from Florida to the Pacific Northwest. If these were messengers of God, why would the sequence and location of events not fit their utterances?

If you look at this whole phenomenon, it really started in South Africa, where Rodney Howard Browne (Brownsville) came from, then brought it here. And, if you will also notice, South Africa is where Lake founded his Apostolic church and also brought his doctrine and ministry to Spokane in the first place. There is a notable connection.

I also noted that the being in the vision of Connor’s seemed to explain or interpret what Connor claimed he saw in this vision, but not all of it. Why? Now, in steps Rick Joyner to explain the symbolism that the being did not. Joyner’s interpretations of the symbols in this vision are subject to interpretation themselves. For instance, when speaking a certain aspect of the vision Connor described, like the mountains, Joyner would say, "I think they represent obstacles". "I think" sounds like guesswork, not a definitive absolute. The symbolism of the train meaning to "equip" is another. What is the source of the definition? There is nothing in scripture to compare a train with in visions of the prophets. Does God play clever phonic and spelling games like changing the spelling of "locomotive" to fit another interpretation?  Actually this word association game is a common thing among those out of Bethel Church, Redding, CA who call themselves prophets.

Then was Joyner’s view that the boiling water in the volcano [which represented God], was representing the Word of God. Joyner said, "We often think of living water as being cool and refreshing, but it may be very hot! We are washed by the water of his Word. Baths are usually hot, and it is hot water He is using to cleanse his church. The pool of hot water Bobby saw within the mountain also indicates a new level of revelation and illumination from the Scriptures."⁵

Is there a problem here? There seems to be two interpretations of hot water. One, representing cleansing by the Word, the other representing a new level of illumination of scripture. How is it both? The other problem is that neither of these are representative of scripture! Hot water is not there in reference to cleansing. There are no references to boiling water in the scripture with the exception of 1 Kings 19:21 [Elisha boiling meat] and 2 Kings 6:29 [a man boiling his son to eat him]. Nor are there references to hot water, warm water, or bathing in either of these. There is also no reference to water; cold, warm, hot, or boiling, ever representing a new illumination of scripture. Nor are there prophecies stating there were to be "new" revelation and illumination of scripture. Therefore, these prophetical interpretations are suspect and must be viewed as additions to scripture. Didn’t Joseph Smith do this too?

Remember that the Word says, "For the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy"⁶

It is clearly seen that this prophecy was not in accordance with the testimony of Jesus.

Joyner’s generalizations of the prophecy need to be looked at also. Some of them appear to be excuses for what is supposed to come so the problems that come with the fulfillment of it can be overlooked. For instance he says it will be controversial. Not hard to imagine. It was controversial in the time of Lake. He says it will be mixed with flesh because of immaturity and this should be overlooked, and then says don’t be put off by those who oppose it. In other words, don’t listen to them.

A Set Up For Deception

The late Bob Jones, another self-proclaimed prophet also put out a pre conditioning warning not to listen to anything that speaks contrarily toward this new revival. He said he received a vision of a rattlesnake being released against the body of Christ, and that he was supposed to reveal this to the church. Jones said this snake represented confusion that was intended to "rattle the minds of the people and clouding the vision" [of the revival]. He also said its purpose was "to make concise decision-making more difficult" etc.

If someone says that there are problems with the doctrinal and experiential aspects of this revival, they are symbolic of the rattlesnake in the vision. It is interesting that if there is no testing of the spirits, there is no decision making to make! You only have one thing to choose from; and that is not choice. The symbolism of the rattlesnake "rattling the minds" is also one to ponder. In reality, the rattle is a warning. However, the jest of this vision is; don’t listen to those who say anything contrary to the revival; don’t test; you will only get confused. If one truly has the spirit of God, one should not be concerned about this. But Bob Jones’ words do not say test, only to pray for victory over "this spirit". Why?

What about new revelation of scripture? This is a concern too. Does this mean a different interpretation of what is already been revealed; or will it be an addition? Who will be the revealers of this new revelation of scripture? No doubt the self-proclaimed apostles and prophets of this movement. How about testing the spirit, the word? It appears that this interpretation is a preconditioning just to accept what is said, what is done. By the way, this is also a New Age belief.

Perhaps you have seen the danger in this thinking as I have. A number years ago a Jehovah Witness came to my house. I recognized him as a childhood friend, whom I had not seen in over thirty years. He came over four separate times, each time dropping off more Watchtower publications, each time trying to convince me to become a Jehovah Witness. Each time I shared the truth of the scripture, he shared a quote from the Watchtower. However he had no answers to my questions concerning several areas of why the teachings of the Jehovah Witnesses contradict, even their own bible version interpretation of other verses.

The fourth day he arrived and I suggested that he put his Watchtower away and he and I just use the Bible alone to discuss the truth. I told him he could even use the Jehovah Witness version [which is a perversion of truth]. He said he could not do this. I asked him, why?

His answer was that only the prophets and apostles of the Jehovah Witnesses had the ability to discern the truth, and that truth was in their writings of the Watchtower. I asked him if he then thought that the Holy Spirit could not give him the truth. He said, "No", not without the writings in the Watchtower, through the spiritual leaders of the Jehovah Witnesses. You see, he had been warned of opposition too; and it kept him from the truth.

When I pointed out scripture to him [John 14:15-26] that show the follower of Jesus has the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth that teaches the believer all things, he got mad and left. He did not want to hear the truth! Nor, as with any cult teaching, did the spiritual leaders want him to know it either. I guess the truth confused him. People, this is the way to deception.

Ungodly Associations

The next thing that enters in examining these prophecies is; what are the associations and doctrines of the people making them, both past and present? In this I must also ask if this is something I want to follow based upon the associations and doctrines of the motivating forces of these prophecies.

The primary forces behind these prophecies and revival are those in the Apostolic/Prophet Movements.  The main one now is called The New Apostolic Reformation (NAR). These people declare they are the chosen apostles or prophets of God. Their belief is that of Dominion Theology, also known as Kingdom Now, and Manifested Sons of God. This belief system declares that the church will have to go through the Tribulation Period, that the church will be perfected [through the apostles and prophets], the church will perfect the world, then and only then can Jesus return to a worthy bride.

The "dominion" part comes from these believing they, and those who follow them, have dominion over all things, people, sickness and even the powers of Satan. In order to justify this belief, within their declarations are the statements that true Christians are "gods". If we believe this, we are in trouble.

Do you think God made himself clear on this? Should we then want to follow someone, or a belief system that declares these things? There is also one very large fallacy in this teaching that even undermines the very apostleship of those who profess it. That is, if I have dominion, if I am a god, then what do I have to do with some person who declares they are an apostle or prophet? If I am a god, why do I need them? Wouldn’t I have the same power, the same word? Not according to their church government setup.

Did Lake believe in and teach this Dominion Theology? If he did, then what kind of revival is there going to be, if as the being told Connor, "…the Northwest was a seedbed of the healing anointing that was upon John G. Lake.", ? If Lake believed and taught this, what grew out of this seedbed, and what would come? Let’s progress further and see.

Lake’s Foundation: John Alexander Dowie

John Alexander Dowie

Lake’s beliefs and healing ministry was largely the result of having John Alexander Dowie as his mentor and instructor. Dowie, a self-proclaimed healer, apostle and prophet, was founder of The Christian Catholic Church, and large commune called Zion City in the Chicago area in the early 1900s. Dowie was a highly followed person in the Pentecostal Movement in his early years; but was he a man to follow and pattern after?

While highly esteemed among those in this movement, the people of Chicago saw a different side of what was happening back then. One report in 1895 said of Dowie;

"Dowie’s whole scheme of money making is founded upon the natural gullibility of a large proportion of the people and the advantages to be obtained from skill and sailing just inside the limits of the law. His scheme seemed perfect, He claimed to charge nothing for his personal ministries he established what he called his ‘Divine Healing Homes’. To these he invited the sick and crippled to come for healing ‘as his private guests’, not as patients. Of course it would only be fair to contribute toward the rent of the building and pay for the food, so a charge of $10.00 a week was imposed on these ‘guests’."⁷

Dowie had these "guests" renounce doctors, medication, alcohol, etc. He told them that all illness was the work of the devil and was the "invisible evidence of possession". Dowie told them their cure would come from God only by Dowie’s request. We need to ask if these things are scriptural. That answer is, "No". There no scriptural basis to say all illness is evidence of possession. And, Jesus is our only mediator, not any man.

I found it interesting that the Word shows us that the healings of God were not performed in repeated visits to Jesus, the disciples, or apostles, but were complete at the time they were healed. Yet Dowie had these people in a captive process of healing little by little, and eventually [charging the food and rent] became wealthy. It was said of this,

"When the slow days lengthened into weeks and no visible cure has been effected, the ‘Dr.’ plays his master card. Sorrowfully but firmly he informs the unfortunate one it is evident the devil has effected too firm a lodgment, that the patient’s piety and confidence in Dowie are sadly lacking in strength and that under such circumstances nothing can be done."⁸

There are two things to note here. First, Dowie’s reason for failure was based upon the patient’s confidence in Dowie [not God]. Second, is the untruth Dowie has when he suggests that the Devil has more power than God does. As one observer of Dowie at that time said,

"Well directed suggestions greatly intensifies natures efforts to establish health conditions, and the presence and bearing of the healer and the ‘testimony’ of others are powerful aids to all unfavorable agencies… Neither Dowie nor any other of these dispenses with natural means accomplishes more in the healing of the sick than pagans, spiritualists, or Mormons"⁹

What is being seen and suggested here is that these healings were more of a mind manipulation than a healing of God. The fact that Dowie’s ‘patients’ had to stay weeks in order to be healed strongly supports this observation. Note this: it will come up later.

Two of the most important aspects of concern cannot be overlooked in determining Lake’s foundation. Dowie, as many others in the Apostolic/Prophetical NAR movement today, claim for themselves as Dowie claimed; he came in the spirit of Elijah. Now while many at that time thought Dowie had lost it, this is still a part of the Dominion Theology today, and those pushing this new revival. Recall that the verses in Malachi concerning Elijah came to the mind of Connor in his vision. And there are many "Elijah" type ministries out there today, some involved in this very movement.

Dowie claimed that his Zion City was the "New Jerusalem" and would be the capital of the world, "the starting point of the restoration, the city from which God would personally direct the affairs of his kingdom."¹⁰ The theme of Dominion is still in this as well as the declaration of a spiritual center for revival. Not much difference in this prophecy and that of the one’s of Lake’s ministry revival; spiritual centers. By the way, those in the occult also have them.

So, after Zion City, and a mission stay in Africa where he founded the Zion Apostolic Church, John G. Lake came to Spokane.

The Silence Of The Ministry of Lake

Now since I was born in Spokane, Washington and had lived here 50 years at that time, I wondered why I had never heard of John G. Lake until 1997? You would think that a man who ushered in Pentecost, and healed 100,000 people, would have a sacred place among Spokane’s history and be some sort of man of renown, his deeds carried on through time. But as I started researching, I found this was not the case.

The Spokane Library had only a few old newspaper articles on Lake. The Spokane Historical Society had less. For a man who made all these claims, he did not leave an impressionable impact, I thought! And what of the fruit of this early ministry in Spokane?

"I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain…." John 15:16

There did not appear to be any evidence that this Pentecost and the healing ministry remained. It seems quite the opposite has happened, both noted historically, and through time observation. When Billy Graham came here with his Crusade in the early 80’s, he said there was a dark cloud over the area. He was right. Yet, even after the crusade, this dark cloud remains. Here are some examples.

The Mormon influence in the area is such that they built a temple in Spokane.

The church most sought out when it comes to spiritual matters and public influence is the Catholic Church. The region is an immigration place of Christian Identity [Aryan, white supremacist, constitutionalists], and similar type persons. It is also considered a spiritual site by those in the occult. So they grow in numbers here. In 1988 there were about 1,500 practicing witches in Spokane¹¹. How many more today along with the other occult influences? Many.

And what about health and healing? Spokane is known for it’s medical facilities and the medical field is one of the largest "industries" in Spokane [Lake considered anyone who went to doctor a heathen]. Spokane is also noted for having the second highest rate of MS in the world.

Where did this Pentecost go? Doesn’t the Word of God say that light overcomes the darkness? Why was there so little information on Lake’s time in this area other than the claims uttered by himself and reprinted in books and newspaper advertisements I found? Lake himself said,

"I traveled around the United States evangelizing until April 1928, when I returned to Portland and took up the old work. But I found it so wrecked, so depreciated in faith, and the fire of God gone out of it to the degree that it would not be any harder to have gone into a new field and established a new work; than it would to rebuild the old one." John G. Lake – His Life, His Sermons, His Boldness of Faith, Kenneth Copeland Publications, 1995, pg xxv

We again must ask if this being that spoke to Lake and the one that spoke of the revival to Connor were of God. So, in less than four years, despite all the professed miracles, despite the angel’s declaration of Pentecost, Lake says there was no more faith, no more fire, nothing but a wreck. This does not say much about signs and wonders keeping things going; does it? Or, did the signs, wonders, and experiences cease and take faith away?

The first prophecy died and was seemingly swept under the carpet. God’s true messengers do not tell fables or exaggerations. We are instructed, for a good reason, to test the spirits. There is no indication from Lake or Connor that they did this.

Then let’s consider the concept of "revival". Revival is not needed unless something is dead, is it? So the second 1997 prophecy comes into question; Pentecost of a wrecked Pentecost [a dead one?]. This did not seem to make sense.

The further I researched into Lake’s sermons, claims, and the historical aspects of his time in Spokane and Portland, I found more reason to question the prophecies, past and present. I began to understand the "why" of the silence in this area concerning Lake in that era.

The Fruit Of The Poisonous Tree

There is a law doctrine that says anything in a criminal procedure that comes after an act not according to law, is tainted because its source is bad. It is called "The Fruit Of The Poisonous Tree" doctrine. The concept came from the account in the garden of Eden where, after following that which God said not to, everything after was poisoned by it. The tree was bad, so was the resulting fruit.

Lake’s sermons, statements and activities had many questionable and contradictory aspects to them. But there is one area in looking at this whole revival concept and Lake’s ministry, which is at the top that we need to address. It should be enough in itself to see the need to question the rest, if not reject it. It was uttered in the garden, Adam and Eve fell for it, and everything went sour after it. That was falling for the lie of lies.

You Can Be Like God

Let’s look at some of the things John G. Lake said.

"It is not honoring to Jesus Christ that sickness should possess us. We do not want disease. We want to be gods. Jesus said, ‘I said ye are gods’ [John 10:34]. It is with the attitude of gods in the world that Jesus wants the Christian to live."¹²

"The power of God, the Holy Ghost, is the Spirit of Dominion. It makes one a god."¹³

"I want you to hear what Jesus said about himself. God was in Christ, wasn’t He? An incarnation. God is in you, an incarnation, if you were born again. You are incarnate."¹⁴

"You are following in the footsteps of a God that says to the things that are not, and they become, and who says to the things that are and they stop being."¹⁵

"For God’s purpose through Jesus Christ is to deify the nature of men, and thus forever make them like unto,…Thus he becomes the Son of God, a Saviour and Redeemer forever."¹⁶

So, the foundation of Lake’s theology is laid, yet in opposition to the very scriptures of God that we brought forth previously out of Isaiah: there are no other gods! But I want us to look further into one of those verses out of Isaiah that reveal something very interesting of what God says about "gods".

"Is there a God beside Me? yea, there is no God. I know not any." Is 44:8

Please note that God said He did not know any. Now see what Jesus said.

"Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?’ And then I will profess unto them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity.’." Matt 7: 22-23

Does God know one who professes to be a god? Do we follow those who profess this teaching? What of all their works? Look at the previous noted verse and how many times these tell Jesus what they did were in His name. He still said He did not know them. What else should this tell us: that not all things those do in the name of Jesus are of Jesus. Thus, if Lake professes godhood, then everything else is tainted. For God knows no other God. Like in the garden of Eden, Lake’s statements reveal The Fruit of The Poisonous Tree. Just because a person quotes scripture, performs miracles, and does them in the name of Jesus, does not mean they are of God.

Thus it would be wise to question the source of the beings that Lake and Connor said spoke to them. If we are to believe that there was going to be a revival based upon a person who has the godhood theology, what is going to be revived in the Spokane and Portland areas? People, this is a teaching of the New Age doctrine! I have heard Kenneth Copeland utter statements similar to Lake’s. Since the Copelands compiled this book on Lake’s sermons, it is not hard to see why, or where he got this same doctrine.

Dominion And The Manifested Sons Of The New Apostolic Reformation

If you are to believe that you are going to be a god, the obvious doctrine that goes along with this is that of "Dominion Theology" and "The Manifested Sons Of God" of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR). Both require putting aside the scenario of prophecy in the Bible for another.

Lake reveals his connection to both these beliefs when he said,

"Beloved, God is calling men and women to a holier consecration, to a higher place in God, and I am one of God’s candidates for that holy place in God. I want to get to the throne of God… And that is the experience that is going to make the sons of God in the world. That is the reason they will take the world for Jesus Christ, and the Kingdom will be established, and they will put the crown on the Son of God, and declare him, ‘King of kings and Lord of lords…"¹⁷

Without going into depth in this newsletter on it, Dominion Theology has the belief that, through the Manifested Sons, the church will be perfected and then perfect the world. This doctrine states that Jesus cannot come back until such time as this happens.

Lake continues in this thinking by saying;

"It is this spirit of DOMINION, when restored to the Church of Christ, that will bring again the glory-triumph to the Church of God throughout the world and lift her to a place where, instead of being the obedient servant of the world, the flesh, and the devil, she will become the divine instrument of God."¹⁸

The fallacy of the Dominion Theology is obvious, the Manifested Sons thinking foolishly dangerous. Does the Word of God support the church being perfected, perfecting the world and being the power behind Jesus coming back? Let’s see what the Word says.

False Teachings

"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of demons." 1 Tim 4:1

"And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. Matt 24:11-12

"For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders: insomuch that if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." Matt 24:24

The World At Jesus’ Coming: Apostate

"But as the days of Noah were, shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Matt 24:37

"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped…. 2 Thess 2:3,4

"I will utterly consume man and beast…I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem: and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarim with the priests; and them that worship the hosts of heaven…and that swear by the Lord, and that swear by Malcham; and them that are turned back from the Lord; and those that have not sought the Lord, nor inquired for him…. The great day of the Lord is near…." Zeph 1:3, 4-6, 14

Does this sound like revival or that dominion has been restored to the church? In the days of Noah the world was apostate. Zephania shows the type of worship prophesied for the last days, which was false worship and reason for judgment.

The doctrine of Dominion and its relatives [Manifested Sons, Restoration of Apostles/Prophets, etc.] follows the post tribulation rapture belief. In other words, the church goes through the Tribulation, then Jesus comes back. Does this make sense? If the church has been perfected, and the world has been perfected, why is there a Tribulation Period, the Day of the Lord, the Day of The Lord’s Wrath? What are Jesus words concerning the world before He physically comes back?

"For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened… And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." Matt 24:21-22, 30

So, is the world in revival? Did the church get perfected as well as the world which resulted in Jesus coming back? How does revival go along with Jesus saying that unless the days are shortened, there would be no flesh is saved? It cannot be this perfect revived church and world that brings him back at the time He comes. It is his grace for the sake of the elect during a time of apostasy and wickedness and judgment. If you read the book of Revelation, you will see the attitude of the people during this time, and it is not a reverence for the church or God.

In view of Lake’s teaching that Christians are gods, his Dominion and Manifested Sons doctrine, he said.

"That incarnation that God has given through the new birth has bestowed upon us the lost authority of the Garden of Eden."¹⁹

It is interesting that the teachings of Lake are the reason for man’s lost relationship with God. And what did Adam and Eve listen to and believe that moved them to do what they did?

"For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing both good and evil." Gen 3:5

Isaiah 14:14 also has Satan declaring what? That he would be like unto the Most High! The same fruit is being passed out today in doctrines such as these. It looks good and people are eating the lie, yet it is plainly seen that, as true prophecy said would be taught, a doctrine of demons. Now listen. Who does the Word say has Dominion in the last days, during the Tribulation Period; the church?

"Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?… And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him. whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." Rev 13:4,8

Does this show that the Dominion thinking of these apostles and prophets is going to come to pass? And what else do we see of this time concerning the anti-Christ?

"Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness of them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved, and for this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie." 1 Thess 2:9-11

"And the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as it wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed; and all the world wondered after the beast." Rev 13:2, 3

You mean God says that Satan has the power to heal too? What else does it say? He deceives with signs and lying wonders. And who is impressed with it? ALL THE WORLD! Let me ask you; if this person were on the scene now, would you be able to tell the difference between the healing of God and his? Would you be able to discern if some sign or wonder is of God or Satan?

Now think strongly here! Who has dominion here? First, we have the so called apostles and prophets, using signs, wonders and healing to accumulate a gathering and say this church will have dominion through them. But on the other hand, God says that the ant-Christ will use signs, and wonders and accumulate ALL THE WORLD, and he will have dominion until the physical return of Christ. We need to note that the anti-Christ even comes with his own prophet; an Elijah type.

"And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on earth in the sight of men. And he deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do…saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live." Revelation 13:11-14

Do you see the similarities here between the Revival/Dominion and that of the scenario of the anti-Christ? Signs, wonders, healing, Elijah's preparing the way, and dominion of the earth. Think hard again. If the prophecies are true of this church having dominion through a world revival [through the aid of signs, wonders, ect], and the prophesy of God is true about all the earth being deceived by the anti-Christ [through signs and wonders] and it is he who has dominion; then where are those who follow these Revival and Dominion teachers being led? The only other alternative is that the spirits that speak of this revival and in the signs and wonders that draw people; lie! Both cannot have dominion!  It is sad because God does heal today, but this true power of God through the gifts of the spirit is overshadowed

However, God’s word tells us of a world wide ecumenical spirituality; the false church, who ushers in the ant-Christ. God refers to this false church as "Mystery Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots…" [Rev 17:1-3] who basically has a short control over affairs of the earth for a short time [Rev 17:18], until the rulers and the anti-Christ take away it’s power [Rev 17:16]. No dominion for the church here either. It’s all Satan’s.

Is this ecumenical spirituality forming? Yes it is. It is starting within the coming together of various denominations. It is coming together under the guise of common causes such as environmental issues and ministries, diversity, tolerance, peace, oneness, etc. It is coming together in the form of common doctrinal teachings such as "you can be like god", and as we will see further, in experiences and other occult teachings.

One has to wonder what type of spirit prophesied a revival that contained the foundational doctrine that caused the fall of man. I find it interesting there is not much to say in their teachings about the anti Christ. Trustworthy? And going back to the godhood thinking; please note that this has always been the philosophy of the Eastern religions and comes in the form of New Age teachings today.

A Look At The Teachings Of Lake

As one looks at some of the statements of Lake, you cannot help being disturbed at the many things he said that contradict the basic foundations of the Word of God. More disturbing is that, even though these things are written, people don’t seem to see how they contradict, they just follow blindly today’s personalities that promote these things. Let’s look at a few of many.

Contradictions of Scripture

Light in the Occult?

We go now from the Eastern philosophy of godhood to an insight into what Lake says about Eastern philosophies [which he said he studied]. Lake said,

"Many of the ancient philosophies have marvelous light. One of the Indian philosophies, Bhagavad, were written five hundred years before Isaiah. In it they predicted the coming of a Son of God, a Redeemer, who was to come and redeem mankind." Buddha presented his philosophy five hundred years before Jesus. Pythagoras wrote four thousand years before Christ. In each one you will find many of the teachings of Jesus.

The teachings of Jesus were not unique in that they were all new. They were new because they contained something that none of the rest possessed. It was the divine content in the word of Jesus Christ that gave his teachings their distinguishing feature from the other philosophies."²⁰

How can the philosophies of occult religions have a "marvelous light"? This statement indicates a lack of understanding of the basic foundation of the teachings of God. God’s word is light, all others are of darkness. The Bhagavad is the Eastern Indian teaching and its philosophies followed by the Hare Krishnas. This is light that predicted the coming of a son of God? What warning did God give to Israel concerning other religions?

"When the Lord your God cuts off before you the nations which you are to dispossess…beware that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How do these nations serve their gods, that I may do likewise?’." Deut 12:20-30

Did God think these had light? Truly this statement shows something in the lack of knowledge of God. Speaking of the Word of God, John said,

"If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him Godspeed: For he that biddeth him Godspeed is partaker of his evil deeds." 2 John 10-11

Why did Lake commend false teachings as having light? Lake was somewhat correct when he said that these philosophies spoke of the coming of a son of God: But not The Son of God. Remember, these teachings are false and speak of a false messiah. Each religion had a God, a "Mother" of God, and a Son, who was many times referred to as the Husband, yet son of the Mother. The Word speaks of this in a way that shows the truth of the darkness of it.

"Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? The children gather wood, and the fathers knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven… that they may provoke me to anger." Jer 7:17-18

Will we, as Lake stated, find the teachings of Jesus in something that is opposed to Jesus and who he is? The queen of heaven [and Tammuz] is only one example of an ant-Christ god that Israel got into. Tammuz was the son of the "queen of heaven".

"Then He brought me to the door of the Lord’s house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz." Ezekiel 8:14

Lake said that the teachings of Jesus were not unique in that they were all new. They were not new at all! They were given beforehand in the scriptures, not in the false religions in the world, which even today, wait for the coming of their false messiah. Jesus said that the Scriptures testified of Him. In John 1:1 it says, "In the beginning was the Word. and the Word was with God and the Word was God." Their uniqueness is that Jesus was true; Bhagavad, Buddha, and Pythagorias were false. Is there light in one who says there is light in darkness, and says the darkness speaks truth?

"And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers… All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them." John 10:5, 8

How many have come to know Christ through these Eastern and other pagan teachings? Perhaps this is where Lake received his belief that Christians are gods, because that is where it came from.  It is plain to see that the sheep will not follow these things, will not listen; because the sheep know there is no light in them.

Necromancy is all right?

After Lake’s first wife died, a woman with a bad eye contacted him. Lake said that the "Spirit" came over her while she was sitting in a chair. Lake gave this account;

"She arose from her chair, her eyes quite shut, and came in my direction. I got up and moved my chair. She walked right around and came to me. She slipped her fingers down, gave me a little chuck just like my late wife would have done, and said, ‘Jack, my Jack, God is with you all the time. Go right on. But my baby, my Teddy, I am so lonesome for him, but you pray so hard, you pray so hard’."²¹

According to Lake, this was his deceased wife talking to him. Also, according to Lake, there is nothing in the Word that says contacting the dead is wrong. Lake said,

"Listen, it is not dragging spirits up, and it isn’t dragging some spirits down. There is nothing about calling spirits down from God in the Word; only about calling them up out of the depths."²²

"Now I want you to fix this in your mind. The blood washed always go there [3^rd heaven] and if you ever talk to anyone that is over there you will GO TO THEM. They are not going to leave the throne, but they will say, ‘Brother, come up here’. That is the only way you will ever communicate with them."²³

This is quite a misuse of scripture to fit an occult practice. Another New Age teaching of today. What does God say about mediums and contacting the dead, period?

"…thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you one that…useth divination, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord…." Deut 18:9, 10, 11, 12

Was Lake right, or again did he contradict scripture? How can the next spiritual phenomenon be excused away?

Spiritism

In one of his stories, Lake told of a sick man in the woods of Kellogg, Idaho who was going to die. Lake said,

"The son had been in much prayer about this matter. One day he stood on a log road and presently he said a man appeared a little distance ahead, and as the gentleman approached he addressed Mr. Hunt saying, ‘I am Mr. Lake. I have healing rooms in Spokane.  If you will bring your father there, the Lord will heal him.’ He was so impressed, that he got his father and brought him to me for prayer, and the Lord healed him…."²⁴

If this story is true, whatever spoke to the son was not Lake, yet it said it was. Therefore it lied, and was what? A lying spirit. Lake had many such stories of this type, including the following example of several.

Speaking of the same woman who acted as a medium to channel a spirit that was supposedly his wife, the following is a continuation of the instance; same time, same room. Lake said,

"After a while she sat down and the Spirit came upon her [Wait a minute; Lake had previously said the spirit was already upon her!] Presently she said it seemed as if she escaped out of herself and traveled so far and so fast…. Presently she said, ‘I observed I was being approached by a beautiful lady who was tall…She said her name was Jean…’." Being said, "You come with me. I will take you to Jesus…."²⁵

Lake said that all this happened in his office. He gives several instances of this type of Out of Body Experience, more commonly known among the occult as soul travel. Some are of him traveling by spirit from Africa to America to heal someone, or being lifted up over Africa and seeing the state of the country, or being projected into the future into Africa and seeing the church building he was going to minister in, etc.

More Power Than Jesus? The Force be with you.

Speaking of a time when he was preaching in Africa, Lake said,

"A powerful anointing of the Spirit was present. A small man arose from the back and came forward. When about ten feet from the altar, the Spirit of the Lord struck him and he fell flat on his face. One man after another came up and was struck down until there was a pile of fifteen men. I was troubled for I was afraid the little fellow on thebottom would smother…Then the Lord spoke to me and said, ‘If God has slain these can you not trust him to keep them from smothering?’ I replied, ‘Excuse me Lord."²⁶

"In 1908 I preached in Pretoria South Africa, when one night God came over my life in such power, in such streams of liquid glory and power, that it flowed consciously off my hands like streams of electricity.  I would point my finger at a man and that stream would strike him.  When a man interrupted the meeting. I would point my finger at him and say, "Sit down!". He fell as if struck, and lay there for three hours…"

I ministered to sixty-five sick who were present, and the streams that were pouring through my hands were so powerful the people would fall as they were hit… And the Spirit said, "You do not need to put your hands on them. Keep your hands a distance away’.  And when I held my hands a foot from their heads they would crumple and fall in a heap on the floor.²⁷

"At other times the anointing on him became so strong that people would fall under its power simply by coming within six feet of him."²⁸

I find it interesting that Lake claimed these god- like powers; of Thor. We need to realize that, here is a man who claims the presence of the Spirit of God was in such power that this force field caused people to fall. Yet with Jesus, the presence of God was always present [he is God], but people did not fall down as he walked by, he did not shoot electricity out of his fingers and knock down those who opposed him as in scenes we see today in the occult/science fiction movies, or read in the myths. This is obvious extra biblical phenomenon generating from the occult. However, one thing that was apparent in the study of Lake; his awareness of the power of suggestion.

Another interesting thing is that while some observers of Lake’s meetings noted many things, none of these claims of superpower were noted as happening publicly at all in Spokane.

Assimilated Sin Nature

In another claim of spiritual things, Lake says something that contradicts what he otherwise claimed, and contradicted what the Bible says. One of the things that he professed was, "Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world." Understandable, but in the spiritual world of Lake’s claims, he forgot about this. Lake said at one point when he was sick [we’ll talk on this subject later], a man laid hands on him and prayed for him. Lake said that he received the nature of this man upon himself, which was bad.

"I rose from that chair with one of the most tremendous passions in my nature, one of the most terrible conditions of sensuousness in me.  It was days before I felt that I got back again where I was pure and holy in the sight of God…. I received the vileness of that person in my nature. It seemed my soul was soiled for days in consequence."²⁹

Does this fit the Dominion belief? No. Scriptural, No. Why does Lake make a claim that contradicts both his Dominion claims and scripture? Remember what Lake said?

"The power of God, the Holy Ghost, is the Spirit of Dominion.  It makes one a god. It makes one not subject to the forces of the world, or the flesh, or the devil. These are under the Christians feet."³⁰

To Lake, his own sin was not his fault, it was that of the man who laid hands on him. How far would one whom committed adultery, get with their spouse with this one? However, this is not what the Word says about sin. Another thing to consider is that if this were so, then there were thousands that received Lake’s sin nature when he laid hands on them! Why? Because Lake was not without sin!

Psychic Healer?

Lake does something that we do not see in the Word of God, but we do see in the occult methodologies, which God said to stay away from. He tells of instance where a woman had an appendicitis attack. Lake claimed he prayed for her, then stuck his hand in her side and held the appendix between his fingers. This method of passing one’s hand through the flesh into a person is a well-known activity and healing method claimed by the psychic healers and shamans.

A Pattern Of Contradictions

The more I compared Lake’s teachings, claims, and checked on the reality that was not told in books, or books on his sermons, the more contradictions among these I found.

Gods Don’t Get Sick

Since much of Lake's ministry was healing, and that is the focus of the prophesied revival, let’s start with this; sickness. Here are a few of Lake’s statements about this.

"It is not honoring to Jesus Christ that sickness should possess us.  We do not want disease. We want to be gods…."³¹

"What is sin? It is disease. It is dis-ease. He is not talking about sin, because if there is any sin in you it is not in your body. If there is any sin, it is in your spirit or in your soul, isn’t it? It is somewhere in your active thinking process…Sin is a broken physical law in your body…"³²

"Do you know when my legs straightened out it taught me the beginning of one of the deepest lessons that ever came to my life. It taught me God did not appreciate a man with crooked legs any more than He does with a crooked soul."³³

"The Christian, the child of God, the Christ-man, who has committed his body as well as his soul to God, ought not to be a subject for healing."³⁴

"The reason people become sick is the same reason that they become sinful, the surrender to the suggestion of the thing that is evil…. The suggestion of oppression is presented, and becoming frightened, the disease secures a foothold. ‘In the Name of Jesus Christ I refuse to have this thing’."³⁵

There are several things to note here. First is Lake’s reasoning[s] for sickness. One is sin, the other is suggestion. Which is it? Also, In Lake’s view, God has a poor view of those who are sick. The final one is: gods don’t get sick. Are any of these things true?

Recall the disciples asking Jesus if a man’s blindness from birth was because of his or that of his parent’s sin. His answer to this was,

"Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him." John 9:3

So, blanketing all infirmities as the result of sin, is not present. We must also ask, how can a newborn child get sick and have the sickness remain? Does it have a consciousness of being able to "surrender to the suggestion of the thing that is evil"? Does God not appreciate his newborn creation? And what about those people who are not Christians? How many do you see that, despite not being Christians, never get sick?

The thing many miss with this, is the life of Lake himself, which contradicts his own doctrine and also shows the fallacy of this doctrine of being gods. Was he a subject of continuous abiding health, which he said showed a person was filled with the life of God? Didn’t we see previously that Lake said he was sick and a man laid hands on him and he also claimed the man’s evil nature came into him? Isn’t there something suspicious with this? One person observed this at one of Lake’s healing meetings in Spokane.

"Frequently he had to pause to cough or sneeze, as he was suffering from a cold. Once he had to go out into the hall to stop a spasm of coughing."³⁶

I find it ironic this happened at a meeting for healing. Lake himself stated that he had some nervous breakdowns while ministering. He also had a stroke and eventually died from one. If we really believe what Lake said about Christians not getting sick, about being in continuous health because the Christian is a Christ-man and committed to God, and filled with the life of God, what can be said of Lake since he did get sick, and "In the Name of Jesus Christ I refuse to have this thing", did not work? We would have to say, because Lake said it, his life was not filled with God because he himself could not demonstrate his own doctrine. Or, we have to say his doctrine is not of God.

We have a choice of which to believe; either the teaching is not of God, or Lake was not in God, or perhaps both. Either way, Dominion did not work here, did it? Now, how could a person who claimed to have dominion over evil, perform the massive healings he claimed, shoot people down with his finger or very presence, yet get sick himself and even receive a sin nature transfer?

Christ Consciousness A Requirement For Healing?

One area I found where Lake flip-flopped in his doctrine was in the area of what must be present for a person to be healed. One thing Lake said was,

"But beloved the victory only came when the consciousness of the power of the living Christ took possession of the woman’s heart.³⁷

Lake claimed that it was only when a person had this "Christ consciousness", could they be healed. Yet in other instances his stories of his healing contradicted his doctrine. Let’s look at one.

He said that while he was in Africa a man was brought to him who had tried to commit suicide by shooting himself in the mouth. Lake said the bullet came out the back of his head "strangely without killing him". he said,

"I put my hands on him and prayed, and the power of God came down upon him and instantly the joints became loose, and the neck pliable, the pain gone. Looking up into my face, he said, ‘Who did that?’. I said, ‘That was the Lord Jesus Christ’…. He said, ‘Brother, show me how to find that Christ, I want to know him’."³⁸

It is obvious that this man had no consciousness of Christ when he had to ask "who did that". Yet, according to Lake, this man was healed in contradiction to his own stated doctrine of Christ-consciousness.

Claims Of Discerning Diseases

Lake claimed to have the power to discern when a person had a disease and even where it was. Lake said,

"My nature became so sensitized that I could lay my hands on any man or woman and tell what organ was diseased and to what extent."  "Lake tested this new wonder by going to hospitals and touching patients to determine what their ailments were. And even to make it more challenging, most of them were cases that even the physicians could not diagnose."³⁹

Quite a claim, but what of the reality we see in other areas? In one instance Lake claimed to have healed a non-Christian with a bad leg. Lake said,

"I laid my hand on his knee, and began to pray. As I did I was conscious that he was healed." However, the man then told Lake he also had a bad shoulder. Lake said, "That was the first time I knew he had a bad shoulder…."⁴⁰

Not much discernment here. Lake also stated that he was "conscious that he was healed"; but the man wasn’t healed, was he? Lake contradicted his own claims; making them false.

An incident in 1916 in one of Lake’s healing meetings also showed the need to question this discernment claim and Lake’s healing claims credibility. Speaking of this instance, a reporter that was attending the meeting said,

"Teresa Luther, a pretty little girl…was next in line. She was stone deaf – so they said. After a few minutes of violent praying the child cried, ‘I can hear – I can hear’. ‘Praise God, praise God’ chanted the onlookers.  ‘Yes – I can hear wonderfully now’, the pretty little girl told the reporter.

She was still with her grandmother. ‘So your granddaughter is healed?’ asked the reporter. ‘What?’, said the grandmother. ‘Why she’s never been deaf. She can’t hear any better now than she ever could. We went for a walk tonight and the child dragged me in here. Before I knew it she was up on the platform. She’s never been deaf.’."⁴¹

One must ask how it is that there was no discernment here? If diagnoses could be made, even determining where, why wasn’t it discerned that there was no problem present? Why was a claim of healing made when no healing took place?

One of these failed claims of the ability to discern and heal disease ended tragically. In Portland a woman died after not receiving medical care for what turned out to be flu induced pneumonia, which Lake could not diagnose, nor heal. Lake was arrested in this instance. One account of the trial proceedings said,

"He said when he found Mrs. Anderson was in a very serious state, he called in Dr. C. H. Law to diagnose the case. Dr. Law said it was ‘flu’ but was not asked to treat it. He said on the stand that he had expected Lake to report it [note: Flu was considered a serious disease then and by law had to be reported to the health departments] No report was made and Mrs. Anderson died two days later."⁴²

Lake had an excuse for her death and why he could not heal her. Her fault! He said,

"When I arrived the woman was delirious and had visions that the world was coming to an end on Easter Sunday. I attributed these visions to her delirium, but because the woman believed that she was going to die she was not receptive to the spirit of God or to healing."⁴³

So much for dominion and the grace of God! In her delirium, how could she be conscious of anything? I also found this a contradiction to some other statements we discussed earlier. We need also to ask, why Lake called for a doctor, since he did not believe in them? And why did he call a doctor to diagnose, when he said he could make diagnosis even when doctors could not? I found these things were just some instances of some of the not so credible healing and power claims.

Were Lake’s Claims Exaggerated?

When a person makes a claim like John G. Lake did of healing 100,000 people in a five year period, it bears looking into. Some have even said these are all documented. Documented would mean that 100,000 people were diagnosed by a doctor as being ill or having some infirmity, then diagnosed by a doctor again after the healing was claimed to have happened. However, I have not been able to find where these 100,000 documents exist; people just state it. I did however find some problems and patterns with Lake’s healing ability and claims, aside from what we just covered.

Let’s start in the subject of "documentation" since it is important. In an article titled "X-ray Belies Healing" out of the Oregonian in Portland, we find a story of Lake claiming to heal the broken leg of a young girl. After the "healing", the girl got worse but the mother refused to take the girl to a doctor. A judge finally ordered medical treatment. The article said,

"The X-ray photograph disclosed a very bad fracture of the thigh, which if not treated would have made the young girl a hopeless cripple for life."⁴⁴

A healing claim that was false, that would have resulted in crippling a girl for life, had it not been diagnosed by a doctor. This is a documented diagnosis, but not in the sense that has been stated. It was documentation of a false claim of healing, and reputes Lake’s claims of consciousness of a healing taking place. Now lets look at some group scene observations.

The article in a Spokane paper in 1923 said, "Miracles Fail, Imp of Tragedy Stalks In Tent. Hope grows dim in eyes of many as faith cures are not accomplished"

"No healings were witnessed of blind, dumb and deformed, only disappointment…. The tragedy of it all left him [the reporter] suspended in a whirl of emotions somewhat the same as those experienced by theatergoers who have just witnessed one of Shakespeare’s tragedies."⁴⁵

In another 1924 an article in the same paper said,

"They brought to Mr. Lake idiots, epileptics and paralytics. There were no instances last night of any improvement…."⁴⁶

Was it different in Portland, Oregon? No. "Miracles Not Seen", was the subtitle of the article about a meeting with three hundred in attendance in a meeting in May of 1924.

"There were a number of cripples and paralytics who did not appear to have received any special benefit and the greater number of those asking for treatment seemed to be hypocondriacs."⁴⁷

Again it must be asked, if the Dominion doctrine is true in the way those who follow it state it to be, and if Lake had all the things he said he had, why was there no dominion over the disease and visible infirmities in these public settings? Lake also said,

"Now I want to teach you something of the inner things of healing that people are not aware of. There is a conscious dominion that Jesus Christ gives to the Christian soul. It was that thing in the soul of Peter when he met the lame man at the Beautiful Gate. Instead of praying for the man’s healing, he said to the lame man, ‘In the name Of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk’.

No prayer about it, no intercession. He exercised dominion that was in his soul. The divine flash of power of God went forth, and the man instantly rose…. There is dominion in the soul of the real man of God."⁴⁸

Would not have the real man of God exercised this dominion in a public setting too? And what about the woman who died of pneumonia? Why couldn’t he exercise this dominion in that case? Yet even on the same page of this previous quote, Lake says something different concerning this no prayer, no intercession needed.

"We always prayed for a person until we were satisfied that the healing was complete."⁴⁹

Very contradictory to the previous statement. And, as in the methods of John Alexander Dowie, sometimes this praying and visits would take months as shown in several newspaper articles. The pattern seen in the claims of healing was that, the extreme in the spiritual experience and healing claims were in the more private settings. However this was not the case in the public settings where any outward evidence of healing was noted. Was there public documentation of healing? Yes but documented according to Lake in advertisements he had in the paper. They too leave one wondering.

Not Verifiable

John G. Lake was a marketer and used the newspapers as his medium to attract attention. This was even noted back in his time. In one article about Lake titled "Spokane Record Is Stormy", the writer said, "…and has had much newspaper space by skillful press-agent work."⁵⁰ He was correct. Lake devoted large space to promote his healings. However any positive articles were either written by Lake, one of his staff, or staged announcements. His article on a documented healing was such one.

The large, almost half page ad in the Spokane Press in June of 1918, gave the story of a woman who had a gangrene type condition for several years. Lake claimed she was examined by 735 doctors who pronounced her incurable. She had her arm amputated [which did not stop the disease] and suffered four years according to the article. The person said that Jesus appeared to her at her bed and healed her [not restoring the amputation]. The ad listed the names of a few doctors that examined her and associations that pronounced her well, but nothing to substantiate the 735 examinations. Although this was a testimony of a healing, she was not one of Lakes patients.

In another ad in the May 19^th, 1918 Spokane Press, Lake printed a testimonial letter to himself from a woman who said she was healed by one of Lake’s associates, Rev Westwood. However there was no documentation from any in the medical field. And this is the way it went. Lake had testimonials of people at his meetings and even parades in downtown Spokane to display them. But again, documentation only was in the form of the claims of the people, not the medical field to verify these claims.

Healing Methods: Divine Or Induced?

A letter to the Spokane Press in 1924 from a person who was a professor at Newberry where Lake was a student in 1889 said,

"His scientific mind soon marked him as a leader in chemistry and electricity. It was his discovery of natural law in the spiritual world that impelled him to search into the secrets of the nature of God and man and discover the harmonies of that relationship. 

John G. Lake comes before the Spokane public with a treasure of spiritual, scientific and experimental knowledge of God beyond that of any other man it has been my privilege to know, and my many years of acquaintance with him leads me to believe that Lake is one of the master mystic minds of the age."⁵¹

As many are attempting to do, Lake mixed science with the Bible [combining science and religion is also a New Age teaching]. Lake tried focusing on the electrical and chemical side of science. What was really noticed in many of his stories of supernatural occurrences was the use of electrical terminology such as the lightening of God, referring to Paul’s handkerchiefs as storage batteries, healing experiences as electrical shocks, vibrating, and powers of streams of electricity shooting from his fingers, etc. The following statement relates his own experience using this concept.

"Lake was sitting in the chair when a downpour of electrical currents surged through his body, causing him to convulse nearly out of control."⁵²

It is interesting that a student of electricity would have God’s power also manifested in the form of electricity. Based on experiments he did with biofeedback type apparatus, Lake turned this into his own doctrine, his own "science". It was a science with overtones of Toronto and Brownsville.

His New "Science"

"This new science is known as pneumatology; the science of spirit… In the operation of prayer they [scientists] declare that the cortex of the brain cells expand, and as they expand they receive and retain the Spirit of God. That through the action of the will, or the desire of the heart, the Spirit is transfused through the whole personality, so that the cells of the brain and the cells of the body and the cells of the blood become supercharged by Divine Spirit…produces a chemical interaction."⁵³

This is no different than the purpose of biofeedback today or the mind over body techniques of the yogis. And it does not take God’s spirit, only the action of the will, as Lake said, to produce some sort of physiological change. Disturbingly, Lake takes this another step.

"I believe the reason people do not see the possibilities of divine healing is that they are not aware of its scientific aspects…Atonement through the grace of God is scientific in its application… Science is the discovery of how God does things"⁵⁴

So Lake’s view is that one must understand science, his mind science, to be able to see the possibilities of healing, AND atonement! He takes this a step further on the next page of the book on his sermons, but now contradicts his statement on the need to understand the science of it.

"It is not necessary for the soul desiring Christ’s touch or blessing to have any knowledge of the scientific process by which healing or salvation is accomplished."⁵⁵

Salvation is scientifically accomplished? We need to analyze the way he looked at things deeper. He also said, "Jesus laid his hands upon the sick in obedience to the law of contact and transmission." The Word tells us something opposite concerning the creator of all things; that is, all things are subject to obedience to God, not God being obedient to some law of nature. Even the centurion that went to Jesus to ask him to heal his daughter understood this. This statement of Lake coincides with the occult’s view of Jesus as an ascended master, a god, not the God.

Is this entire concept biblical when Lake says that "science is the discovery of how God works"? Is it truth when he says that people cannot see the possibility of healing is because they are not aware of its scientific application? Isn’t it knowing God that leads us to discover Him?

"Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?  For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom. But we preach Christ crucified…" 1 Cor 1:21-23

"O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:  Which some professing have erred concerning the faith." 1 Tim 6:20-21

Yet in obvious opposition to these verses, Lake sought through science, the wisdom of the world, to discover how God does things. And how many others today are caught up in requiring a sign [wonder, miracle]?

When you really analyze Lake’s "science" and his other views, such as opposing medicine and doctors, the fallacies of his confused beliefs in this are plainly seen. Wasn’t it by "science" that people discovered ways to cause the body to react to facilitate healing through medication? And wasn’t it "science" that sought to discover how God worked, that gave the ability to do genetic engineering whereby healing discoveries are being made, people can be cloned, and we can do what God did and also; be gods?

Science Of Mind

A method that was common between Dowie and Lake was the need for a person to have as many as thirty visits, or stay in Dowie’s homes a month, before any claim of healing was accomplished. This leads one to believe that mind science was the methodology. It is a common practice of holistic healing today. Lake more or less stated this himself.

"That which is in the inner life will also be revealed in the outer life.  That which is fact in the mental and psychological will become fact in the physical also."⁵⁶

"The reason people become sick is the same reason that they become sinful. They surrender to the suggestion of the thing that is evil, and it takes possession of the heart. Sickness is the same…The suggestion of oppression is presented, and becoming frightened, the disease secures a foothold."⁵⁷

"The attitude of his mind will be in accordance, and the condition of his body will be a revelation of the attitude of mind. That is the reason I have always endeavored in my preaching to bring before the mind of man the consciousness of triumph, the consciousness of victory, the power of mastery."⁵⁸

It can be seen that much of Lake’s view of illness in this setting is that it is a mind problem; that illness is a state of mind, a succumbing to suggestion. Some of Lake’s stories indicate that the "healing" was not so supernatural as it was mind manipulated.

In one case, a member of Lake’s staff, John de Witt, tells of taking a man with a crippled arm to Lake. The man tells Lake that he has no faith. Lake tells the man that he has enough faith for both [contradicts his own consciousness of Christ and science application requirements here]. The account says that Lake prayed for him then turned him over to his assistant Charles Westwood, who ministered to him probably six times. It was after these some six visits the man "believed" he was well and was going to get checked by some doctors. Mind or miraculous?

Concerning the fact that many of Lake’s patients were not healed immediately, he would say that Jesus did not always do an immediate healing. One of the areas he cites is the ten lepers that were healed by Jesus as they went on their way. But we cannot compare this to Lake’s methods of many days and many visits; this was not the case in the Bible.

The following account is another example of this same method. But as we read the time line of the "healing" we have it ask if it was miraculous, suggestion induced, or just plain natural? In this account a man was struck by a car and had compound fractures of one leg. He ended up in Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane where the news article said the doctors wanted to amputate his leg. Keep in mind the accident happened March 31.

The first article is from the Spokesman Review, April 22, 1929. In part it reads,

"The Rev. Mr. Lake attended Mr. Toms three times yesterday, spending 15 minutes each time in prayer and ‘laying his hands upon’ Mr. Toms.  ‘I find quite an improvement in Mr. Toms’ condition’, the Rev Mr. Lake reported last evening."

However the hospital said something different.

"It was reported at the Sacred Heart Hospital…that he seemed about the same as on the previous days; no better and no worse."

Now lets move ahead in time to July 7, 1929, four months after the accident and about three months after Lake visited him. The Spokesman Review said on this day;

"John Toms…will have complete recovery, it is believed at his home…Two weeks ago the cast was removed from his leg and he can now get around on crutches…He cannot put is weight on his foot yet…."

Four months and still not healed? Now let’s move ahead to August 23, 1929, six months after the accident. The Spokesman Review article said,

"HEALER SAYS TOMS RECOVERS: Absent Treatments Gives Spokane Man From Portland".

"Under absent treatments of the Rev. John G. Lake, divine healer of Portland, John Toms…is recovering nicely from the automobile injury several months ago, the minister stated in Spokane Thursday."

Six months later and this man is still recovering, "nicely" by the "absent treatments" of Lake? This was supposed to be a miraculous healing of God? Or did it take this long for the man to get his mind right and facilitate this still- not - quite- recovered stage? Or was this six-month period more of a natural time of healing of such an injury? Was there something else involved along with this suggestion practice?

One unfortunate device that is raising its head within some leadership in this revival is the use of the occult practice of visualization to facilitate healing. One such person’s advise is that if you are not healed immediately, practice visualization until it happens. And this has nothing to do with God, but comes out of Eastern mysticism and other occult practices, including witchcraft.  For information on this occult practice, see our Commentary; "Visualization".

How Believable Was Lake?

As I researched the claims of Lake, I noticed there seemed to be so much difference in what was in his sermons [healing claims, spiritual manifestations, dominion, man of God attributes, and others], and what was not said in the sermons or other pro Lake writings concerning the real historical life of Lake. Aside from all the previous noted frauds and contradictions, more things were evident that make all of his claims and motives suspect.

Where Did Tithes Go?

Lake said,

"The ministry of God must ever be without money and without price… For ten years God has privileged me to preach the gospel without salary without collections. I never asked a man for a cent in my life, and I have lived, bless God, and been able to minister every day. God has met me every time…."⁵⁹

This sounds all rather good, righteous, spiritual and displays integrity. But is this the way it really was? What Lake said was not happening in 1921 as seen in the following accounts. The headlines in the Oregonian read;

"STOCK BONUS FOR TITHE; Letter From ‘Healer’ Lake Offers Gift For Money; Early payment of religious dues by Spokane couple urged to get mining shares"⁶⁰

Is this how God met Lake every time, by Lake taking tithe money and investing it in his own mining company and giving a bonus to those who gave him their tithe? Is this how he was able to minister without collections and follow his own statement that the ministry of God must ever be without money and without price? It seems that the historical does not match the books; does it?

Lake was arrested in violation of stock laws. The methodology he used was revealed in a letter he sent to one of his church members. The letter was printed as part of the article in the previously mentioned headlines. In part it read;

"In my conversation with you…you told me it was your plan to pay $500 tithes this year…. If you will pay the $500, if possible, in one installment, by October 4, I would make you a gift of the note for $200 that you gave to….

…I want to advise you to hold that stock until such time as I tell you to sell it….  Trusting that you will see the advantage of this offer and regard it as the fulfillment of God’s promise to him who faithfully and honestly keeps the covenant with God in tithing.

Of course you understand that to do this it will be necessary for your tithes to be paid to me for this work. Let this letter be a matter of confidence between ourselves, as I would not want to arouse jealousy on the part of others."⁶¹

Of course this was not honest. It was, in fact, fraud. Tithes were deceptively given directly to Lake for stock investment. This was not honest, nor was his statement to the people he wrote the letter to; there was nothing faithful or honest to think that one would receive God’s promise as a result of deception as Lake told these people. There was an advantage to the offer; but only to Lake. Why would he want to keep this transaction a secret if, as he said, giving tithes to him would bring about the fulfillment of the promise of God. Wouldn’t he want the rest to know this? No, because he would be found out!

If it was God’s promise, then God was a liar, because several people did not get any of the promised returns. They sued Lake; one couple asking for the return of $58,000. In one such instant;

"Though $1000 was paid, Lake refused to deliver 2000 shares of unsubscribed stock"⁶²

One former member of one of Lake’s churches said in an affidavit that Lake,

"…used his church work to promote his various mining schemes with the idea of first gaining the confidence of people through the common ground of religion and then selling to the members of the congregation stock in which he was interested in."⁶³

Describing false teachers, the Word says,
"And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not." 2 Peter 2:2

There are many making a lot of money from this Pacific Northwest Revival and the streams of people flocking to it.  Jack Hayford's Cleansing Stream Ministries is one.  Seminars teaching people the heretical "Deliverance" ministry are charging over $200.00 to attend.  And people are paying for it along with many other things attached to this "revival"!

Angrily rebuking the people in His temple, Jesus said, "Take these things hence; make not my Father's house a house of merchandise." John 2:16  BUT THEY ARE DOING IT!

A Story Teller’s Charade

Ten years after the tithe and stock incident, the deception was still present; this time in the form of advertising and charade. Lake’s church placed an ad in The Spokesman Review on November 21, 1931 advertising a guest speaker who was supposed to speak at his church. The ad said,

Lake masquerading as Arab preacher

"Hear our great Arab preacher and Bible story teller in native costume, ABDUL BEN SHINANDAR"

With this ad was a photo of this Arab with a long full beard down to his chest, full mustache, head wrap that covered the eyebrows, and a full length gown. The caption under the photo said, "Abdul Ben Shinandar". But as it turned out, this was not the truth.

Three days after Shinandar’s first appearance, a reporter called the church and asked to talk to Shinandar over the phone because another ad also said Shinandar was a friend of Lawrence of Arabia. The reporter asked if Shinandar was going to appear at the tabernacle that night. One of Lake’s staff said,

"I can’t say for sure, you see, he hasn’t been going over very well….  You see…Abdul Ben Shinandar is Mr. Lake."⁶⁴

After the staff member had this conversation with the reporter, Lake went in person to the newspaper to attempt to explain the deception away. How much of the ministry of Lake, the claims, the experiences spoken of, were as deceptive as what some of these historical writings have revealed? How honest were they?

The Final Analysis

One of the larger problems in the realm of the church today is that many are people, personality, and experience followers. Because of this, many just believe everything without considering that there just may be something amiss. Impressed by boastful claims of miraculous signs and wonders, the need to have spiritual experiences, and the hope that some good will happen, also can blind us to the reality of what is happening today. And as I read the so-called prophecies from the self-proclaimed prophets of today, it is disturbing that people awe at what they say without any reservation.

Let me tell you something; God is not offended if you test or question anyone who claims to be a prophet or apostle. God is not offended if you test or question their prophecies, their teachings, their signs and wonders, because God commanded us to do so. Why? Because God said there would be deception in the last days, false signs and wonders, false prophets and prophecies.

But this whole revival movement and all that is associated with it speaks different and in opposition to what God said; Question, Test! Some leaders in this movement have warned their members not to question as we have seen. Some use fear tactics, saying if you don’t follow, don’t agree, it may effect your being in the kingdom. Some in this group of prophets and apostles say if you do not listen to them, you are opposing God. Some say to question, to say anything they consider negative about their prophecies or teachings, is touching "God’s anointed". Some say, just like the occultists say, if you do not listen to the prophets and apostles, you will be removed from the earth. All these oppose what is true and are in opposition to the command of God. Do not listen to anyone who tells you, do not question!

Let me ask you something. If they are of the truth, what would they have to be concerned about with people questioning and testing? Why don’t they want you to do what God told you to do? You don’t have to be in a commune in Waco or South America to be deceived into bowing to the words of the self proclaimed chosen voices of God today. Are not they saying, "follow me or else…?". The reason that they do not want any questioning is they stand a chance of loosing control, control of what is true, and control of the people. The true prophecies of the last days are written in the Word of God.

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine;  but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." 2 Tim 4:3-4

"An wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means;  and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?" Jer 5:30-31

An Outpouring Based Upon Falsehood

After reading this, we must decide if this revival is based upon truth, or fables, and if the prophecies that started this whole thing are false. To be sure, people are seeking after these things, and the prophets are putting out the lusts to attract. Some of the prophecies I have read concerning this outpouring were God’s promise of wealth and prosperity. Perhaps they are right.

"Because thou sayest, ‘I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing: and knowest not that thou art wretched , and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked…." The Laodecian church. Rev 3:17

But then again, perhaps they are wrong. Why would God prophesy wealth and prosperity when He already tells with this last days church that riches are the reason for their apostasy? How was Lake able to get people to give tithe money to him? As he said, a monetary reward. Lust. What is the attraction to follow these prophets and teachers? They tickle our ears with money and prosperity, and we like it because of our lust for these things. We lust for sensuality, experiences, phenomena, and power. They provide it. It is loved to the point of becoming angry at anything that questions their teachings, to the point of following a fable rather than even wanting to see if it is true or not.

Almost Believable…Almost

The prophecies of this revival based upon the early ministry of John G. Lake would be almost believable except for, the foundation of his doctrine that he and all Christians are gods; except for the fact that while claiming dominion power, the historical accounts and his own showed he had none; except for the fact that he said there was light in religions that oppose God; except for the fact that he said mediums and channeling the dead were all right; except for the fact that he said in his sermons he could discern diseases, but some stories showed otherwise; except for the fact that he claimed he soul traveled like those in the deep occult claim; except for the fact that in opposition to scripture Lake claimed science could discover the ways of God; except for the fact he was deceptive; except for the fact that the being that gave the prophecy to Lake was wrong about "Pentecost", except for the fact that none of this is scriptural.

In short, this proclaimed revival is based on the legend of a person, and a person who proclaimed more New Age doctrine that truth. Would God give a prophecy of the return of something filled with falsehoods, deception, and doctrine that is contrary to His own Word? Yes, but noting his opposition to it. However, these current prophecies were not negative about it. They looked forward to it. But what is their source?

Prophesied Unity… But With Whom?

One of the aspects of this prophecy of revival was that there would be unity among churches. So it seems this is so, according to the reports of joy about it. However it is a unity of even those denominations that do not adhere to the basic tenants of true doctrine. Along with this, there is an underlying unity in the realm of these prophecies.

Some of these revival Apostolic prophets are claiming God has told them the Pacific Northwest, and particular Spokane, is "the safe place" during the tribulation period. It is supposed to be place where survivors can come and be ministered to. They are a little late in this prophecy, but do join in unity with others.

For years ago, those in the occult have said that the "spirits" have told them the same thing. If it were not "spirits", it was the little men in the UFOs [spirits?] who said the same thing; this is the safe place where survivors can come as it will be untouched by the cataclysmic events [as the New Age teachings portray it]. And so they migrate here.

Why do we have two different "spirits" telling supposedly two different groups of people the same thing? Why are they both summoning people to this geographical area? How safe is it from the potential of being effected by cataclysmic events? No much.

Upwind from much of the Northwest is a large flaky nuclear reactor reservation. Just south a couple of hours is one of the largest chemical weapons storage areas in the United States with decaying weapons of destruction. Any problems with these and most of the population of Washington, Oregon and Idaho could be reduced. Then there are the volcanoes, lots of them. Those who lived in the Pacific Northwest during the Mount Saint Helens eruption know the power and devastation they have when they blow. And that was not necessarily a big one in historical comparison.

That the being that prophesied the beginning of the healing ministry would be announced through volcanic activity in the Bend Oregon area is interesting. Just south of Bend is the Newberry volcano. It has not erupted for over 1,400 years. The last time it did, it shot rocks all the way into Idaho. By the way, using this volcano as an announcer would not be a good indicator of a prophetic fulfillment. Bend Oregon is in a volcanic area and volcanic activity happens! So, speaking in a geological and man made potential for disaster sense, the Pacific Northwest has great potential.

Now, in the occult, the spirits are demonic. The bible refers to them as "lying spirits" that people would listen to in the last days. So these lying spirits are telling those in the occult to come to the Northwest because it will be safe. Are they telling the truth? One must then question the prophecies of those Apostolic prophets that say the "spirit" told them the same thing. Still want to listen to them? Still want to follow them and come?

The unity of this whole thing goes even beyond denomination unity the prophecy speaks of. There is also a broader spiritual unity. The occult also believes that man is evolving into gods, they believe in integrating science and religion, they use mediums and channel the dead, use suggestion, mind power, convulse on the floor, and even see gold dust fall from the sky. Jesus even appears and speaks to them, but not the true one; Their view of Jesus is he is one of the Ascended Masters. But this one tells lies. And we must not forget the unity of the godhood doctrine.

Some even use the volcanic symbolism in their religions, which were also part of the prophecies of this revival. As part of a spiritual commissioning ceremony recently, based upon the Lake prophesy, a group of people associated with two of these Lake ministries prayed "prophetically" into the Mt. Tabor volcano. This is paganism.

Does God heal today? Yes. However in what we are seeing happening with all of these previously mentioned things, there is a more than a shadow of doubt as to God being involved in this.

I have often wondered why we do not see more of the true things of God happen. I wonder why there are so many ill in the body. Then I see how much the church is incorporating into it, how far astray it is going, and has gone, from the truth as foretold by the true prophecies, how people are seeking experiences and following after signs and wonders, and I think I understand.  Jesus said,

"An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall be no sign given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah." Matt 13:38-39

This is the message of repentance and salvation, the death and resurrection of Jesus coming to pass. And what is the basis of salvation? Faith. And what is Faith?

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Heb 11:1

And recall those of the scriptures listed in Hebrews of whom it was said,

"And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect." Heb 11:30-40

So in ending this newsletter I encourage those of you who follow these things and the people who teach them, to realize the inconsistency and distorted legend that this revival, it’s doctrines and experiences are based upon; and to question. But I know that some of you will not see this, but continue with it, succumbing to these prophets warnings not to check out information such as this, and like the Jehovah Witness that left my house when shown the truth, will get mad; even to the point overlooking the lie of lies that is the root of the beliefs; you can be like god. I hope this is not you.

References