Divining Wealth The False Gospel of Prosperity

There are two avenues by which divine matters occur. One must be called supernatural because it is the action or activity of the one and only true God, the God of Holy Scripture. The other must be called paranormal or magical because it is a substitute or imitation of the true God and is the work of the idiot god, Satan, and his minions. Every magical act of Satan and his kingdom is the work of deception for the one purpose of imitating God and the work of His kingdom. Satan is a deceiver, who labors tirelessly to frustrate and defeat those who serve the Lord Jesus Christ. He, also, binds the unsaved in all kinds of bondage, spiritual blindness, and false religious activities.

All Magic and Psychic Powers are Cruel Hoaxes
The definition of paranormal or magic powers is, "the art of producing marvelous results by compelling the aid of spirits, or by using the secret forces of nature, such as the power supposed to reside in certain objects as ‘givers of life’: enchantment: sorcery: art of producing illusions by legerdemain: a secret or mysterious power over the imagination or will." (Chambers English Dictionary, W & R Chambers, Ltd., 1990, p. 857.) There can be no question but that magic and paranormal powers are evil and originate in darkness.

We have grown accustomed to magic by the constant presence of light illusions and tricks that have permeated books, television programs, and even much conversation. As our society has lost its sense of discernment, the magic has become more intense and overwhelming and, presently, it is mostly accepted and enjoyed. In fact, the odd people in our churches today are those who refuse to allow magic things, toys, programs, books, etc. into their lives or homes. Even worse is that magic or psychic powers are now being incorporated into theology and church life and have become a substitute for the supernatural. (When I use the term magic henceforth in this chapter, I am incorporating the ideas of magical, paranormal, or psychic powers.)

Always remember that the line between the supernatural and the magical is extremely thin. Only biblical and spiritual discernment can determine that line or even how quickly the Supernatural can be twisted into the magical. The deceived individual will usually use the language of the supernatural in describing their magical experiences. I remember a very special lady that attended a church we pastored over 30 years ago that especially loved our children. She would often baby sit for us and on one occasion one of them received a cut and had a lot of bleeding. Her background was part Indian and she, without our knowledge, used an old idea for stopping the flow of blood. It involved reading a Bible verse and following certain methods, which I do not now remember. The blood stopped immediately and she told us later about the incident. Although I had no prior knowledge of this method, I knew it was superstition or magic and, of course, taught her the truth and received complete commitment that it would not happen again.

There are many such magical ideas that Satan has inspired and used to put his bondage on lives who engage in them. Every act of magic has a consequence. It may be subtle and benign in its inception, but will grow into an overwhelming power of control if it is allowed to continue unchecked. The only way to break such control is confession, repentance, and complete faith in the blood of Jesus.

Divining Water, Etc.
As I explain the background for this chapter on divining wealth, it is important to understand the idea of divination. A divining rod for discovering water or metal is a perfect example of magical powers at work. The dictionary described a divining rod as follows: "a rod, usually of hazel, used by those professing to discover water or metals under ground." (Ibid., p. 416.). Also, notice the meaning of divination under the same definition: "the act or practice of divining: seeking to know the future or hidden things by magical means." (Ibid.). If a person can divine water or metal with this method, they can also use this method for other activities. The right individual under the control of a spirit can perform and accomplish results. There is a Bible story of a deceiver and manipulator who did that very thing before he became the converted man called Israel.

Jacob, The Supplanter
Today, Jacob would make a perfect television evangelist manipulating the people out of their wealth and himself becoming filthy rich. In fact, he actually used a similar magical trick to accomplish the same results. He divined (by an evil spirit) the wealth of his father-in-law and counted it the blessing of God. That is always the saddest part when men use their trickery and then convince the unsuspecting that it was all of God.

Let’s read the Scripture so we can see his divining rods at work. Laban actually fell into Jacob’s trap just like millions of good people have fallen into the trap of those that teach what is known as the prosperity gospel. "And he [Laban] said, What shall I give thee? And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me any thing: if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep thy flock: I will pass through all thy flock to day, removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such shall be my hire. So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me. And Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according to thy word. And he removed that day the he goats that were ringstraked and spotted, and all the she goats that were speckled and spotted, and every one that had some white in it, and all the brown among the sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons. And he set three days’ journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban’s flocks. And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chestnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods. And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink. And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted. And Jacob did separate the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the ringstraked, and all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put his own flocks by themselves, and put them not unto Laban’s cattle. And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods. But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in: so the feebler were Laban’s, and the stronger Jacob’s. And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses." (Genesis 30:31-43).

Jacob told Laban, "so shall my righteousness answer for me," using the identical kind of language of our modern day ministers. The rod that Jacob used was to be made from a hazel tree, as well as green poplar and chestnut. Please note in the definition of the divining rod that it was also to be made of a hazel tree. Jacob was actually stealing his father-in-law’s wealth by using witchcraft. No wonder that when Jacob repented at the brook, Jabbok, God changed his name. The angel of the Lord spoke to him, "And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob [supplanter or manipulator], but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed." (Genesis 32:28).

The Prosperity "Gospel," Divining Wealth
The methods of today’s prosperity preachers are accomplishing the same things for them as Jacob’s tricks did for him. The ideas behind the methods are the same, but the devices they use are extremely different. Instead of divining the animals and manipulating their conception and markings, these modern-day Jacobs are divining the minds of the people and using mesmerizing ideas. Psychic or soulical powers have become the chief method and style of a large portion of today’s church.

Some of the great writers of the past have written prophetically of this trend that would occur as the end approached. Let me quote a few exceptional persons whose reputation cannot be questioned; persons like F. B. Meyer, Watchman Nee, G. H. Pember, and Mrs. Jessie Penn-Lewis. The quotes that I use will clearly show that Satan can control the souls of anyone under the power of a spirit and by that spirit control others.

Watchman Nee quoted the great F. B. Meyer as saying, right before his death, "This is an amazing fact that never has there been so much spiritualism outside the church of Christ as is found today . . . Is it not factual that in the lower part of our human nature the stimulation of the soul is quite prevailing? Nowadays the atmosphere is so charged with the commotion of all kinds of counterfeit that the Lord seems to be calling the church to come to a higher ground." (The Latent Power Of The Soul, Watchman Nee, p. 8.)

If this was true almost 100 years ago, how absolutely overwhelming is it today? The secular world is at the verge of being totally given to magic and soulical powers. Rock music, New Age forces, toys and children’s entertainment are mainly occultic affairs. Notice again that one sentence by Dr. F. B. Meyer, "Is it not factual that in the lower part of our human nature the stimulation (the stirring up) of the soul is quite prevailing?" (Ibid.)

The Holy Ghost warned of this End Time phenomenon. John the Revelator stated that the New World Order would merchandise the "souls" of men (Revelation 18:13) and that this would be accomplished by using sorceries to deceive (Revelation 18:23). It is a perfect picture of the false anointing, holy laughter, and many other activities, including this idea of divining wealth. We established in chapter four that these new religious leaders are actually admitting that their powers are "psychic" and "altered states of consciousness." Let me develop an understanding of soulical or psychic powers and how easy it is to be deceived. It is clear that this is the main channel that the Antichrist will use to deceive millions. Your willingness to learn the Scripture and then a strong prayer life until you are covered by His blood and Spirit-controlled will be your defense against what is occurring. Soulical activities are almost an exact duplication of the real. It is like an untrained eye trying to see the difference between a masterpiece and a professional forgery. You can see the difference if you know the author of the masterpiece.

Satan Seeks to Give Psychic Powers to the Soul
Watchman Nee spoke eloquently of the soul and how hidden soulical powers can be manipulated by evil spirits and then manifested to others. Listen to his great words of wisdom as he was taught by the Lord. "In other words, the living soul, which is the result of the coming together of the spirit and body, possesses unthinkable supernatural (better called paranormal) power. At the fall, though, the power, which distinguishes Adam from us, is lost. Yet this does not mean there is no longer such power; it only denotes that though this ability is still in man, it is nonetheless ‘frozen’ or immobilized. According to Genesis 6, after the fall man becomes flesh. The flesh envelops the whole being and subjugates him. Man was originally a living soul; now, having fallen, he becomes flesh. His soul had been meant to submit to the spirit’s control; now it is subject to the dominion of the flesh. Hence the Lord said, ‘My Spirit shall not strive with man for ever, for that he also is flesh.’ (Genesis 6:3)." (Ibid., p. 19.)

Satan’s plan in these End Times is to confuse the difference between spiritual power of the Holy Spirit and false powers of evil spirits reflected in the soul. Here is Watchman Nee’s description. "Today in each and every person who lives on earth lies this Adamic power, though it is confined in him and is not able to freely express itself. Yet such power is in every man’s soul just as it was in Adam’s soul at the beginning. Since today’s soul is under siege by the flesh, this power is likewise confined by the flesh. The work of the devil nowadays is to stir up man’s soul and to release this latent power within it as a deception for spiritual power." (Ibid., p. 20.)

All false religions perform miracles in exactly this fashion. Voodoo doctors can walk on fire, the sharp points of spikes, drive sharp objects throughout vital parts of their body, and do multiple magical things. Gurus lead their worshippers in dances and vigorous body exercises until they achieve "altered states." Spirit surgery is performed by men using these soulical powers under demonic control where diseased parts are removed and the body temporarily healed. Almost every miracle that has ever been performed by the Lord Jesus or a Spirit-filled person has also been imitated by these false spirits, using false prophets or prophetesses.

Transcendental meditation and other Eastern paganism offer their subjects ways to achieve "altered states" that subject the flesh to the soul and give a false sense of great peace and magical powers. Different expressions of this same idea have provided extrasensory perception or ESP, astral travel, and a multiple list of strange abilities, such as lost objects being found from great distances and information revealed about someone’s past or present that was impossible without magical aid, to name a few expressions of these strange abilities.

Psychology and the Soul
Psychology, as we described in a previous chapter, has opened up the church to this incredible deception. I quote Watchman Nee. "What is psychology? The word itself is the combination of two Greek words: ‘psyche’ which means soul and ‘logia’ which means discourse. Hence psychology is ‘the science of the soul’. The research engaged in by modern scientists is but a probing into the soul part of our being. It is limited to that part, the spirit not being touched. Modern parapsycholgy began with Franz Anton Mesmer. His first discovery, made in 1778, is now known as mesmerism (hypnotism as practiced by Mesmer himself). His disciples excelled him through their own discoveries, just as the green, which is derived from the blue, excels the blue. Some of their experiments are almost unbelievable in results. Their method not unexpectedly is to discharge that hidden power within man’s soul. For example, in clairvoyance (the power to perceive things which are out of the natural range of human senses) or telepathy (communication by scientifically unknown or inexplicable means, as by the exercise of mystic power), people are able to see or hear or smell things thousands of miles away." (Ibid., pp. 24-25.)

Mrs. Jessie Penn-Lewis wrote a book entitled Soul And Spirit. Her information helps us understand this incredible fact, so we can now understand the powers of the prosperity preachers and the multiple list of wealth diviners. Mrs. Penn-Lewis said mesmerism or hypnotism (mind control of others) "is the rock from which all mental sciences . . . were hewn." Listen as she describes the results of the Mesmer discovery.

"A list of some of the ‘discoveriesÂ’, which followed the obtaining by Mesmer of the basic knowledge of the mysterious forces latent in the human frame, shows how amazingly the movement advanced, once man had obtained the key. In 1784, a pupil of Mesmer’s discovered ‘clairvoyance’ as the result of Mesmeric sleep, and incidentally stumbled upon ‘Thought Reading’." (Mrs. Jessie Penn-Lewis, Soul and Spirit, Poole, Dorset, England, Overcome Literature Trust, 1968?, p. 67.)

She then describes a following discovery as psychometrics, ". . . the discovery that the mind can act outside the human body and that the ‘psychometric sensitive’ can read the past like an open book. Then came a discovery, called statwolism, signifying a peculiar condition produced by the will, in which the subject can ‘throw his mind’ to any distant place, and see, hear, feel, smell and taste, what is going on there. Then . . . came a discovery . . . called ‘Pathetism’ . . . By this the mind could withdraw itself from the consciousness of pain, and cure diseases.

"At first, scientific men only followed up these ‘discoveries’ as branches of Natural Science . . . " (Ibid., pp. 67-68.)

Please forgive me for belaboring this point, but it is important that you understand what we are facing in the church. The false anointing of the present so-called revival is spreading confusion throughout the church and the minds of millions. The strange events are impossible to understand if you do not know about the soul and these psychic abilities hidden in man’s flesh. The great author, G. H. Pember, wrote in his book, Earth’s Earliest Ages, the following, "It appears that there are two methods by which men can acquire unlawful power and knowledge, and gain admittance to a prohibited intercourse. He who would follow the first . . . must so bring his body under the control of his own soul that he can project his soul . . . the second method is by a passive submission to the control of foreign intelligences . . ." (Earth’s Earliest Ages, G. H. Pember, pp. 251-254).

It is breathtaking to read what these saints of the faith said many years ago. It had to be prophetic, for it describes our day perfectly. Read carefully, "All who have spiritual insight and sensitivity know the reality of this statement. Soul power is rushing towards us like a torrent. Making use of science (psychology and parapsychology), religion, and even an ignorant church (in her seeking excessively supernatural manifestations and in her not controlling supernatural gifts according to the guidance of the Bible), Satan is causing this world to be filled with the power of darkness. Yet, this is but Satan’s last and final preparation for the manifestation of the Antichrist. Those who are truly spiritual (that is, those who reject soul power) sense all around them the acceleration of opposition from the evil spirits. The whole atmosphere is so darkened that they find it hard to advance. Nevertheless this is also God’s preparation for the rapture of the overcomers." (The Latent Power Of The Soul, Watchman Nee, pp. 33-34).

Mrs. Penn-Lewis added a postscript to this extremely clear picture.

"’Soul-force’ versus ‘Spirit-force’ is the battleground today. The Body of Christ is by the energy of the Holy Spirit within her, advancing heavenward. The atmosphere of the world is thickening with psychic currents behind which are massed the aerial foes. The only safety for the child of God is an experimental knowledge of the life in union with Christ wherein he dwells with Christ in God, above the poisonous air in which the prince of the power of the air carries on his work. The Blood of Christ for cleansing. The Cross of Christ for identification in death. The Power of the Risen Ascended Lord by the Holy Ghost, continually declared, laid hold of and wielded, will alone bring the members of the Body through in victory to join the Ascended Head." (Mrs. Jessie Penn-Lewis, Soul and Spirit, Poole, Dorset, England, Overcome Literature Trust, 1968?, p. 70.)

A new book, entitled Quenching The Spirit, by William DeArteaga was endorsed by a list of present New Wave leaders. The list includes Judson Cornwall, Francis Frangipane, Jack Haywood, Oral Roberts, the late Lester Sumrall, Karl Strader, Vinson Synan, and many others. Mr. DeArteaga says some shocking things. For instance, he says, "More difficult to understand within the structure of God’s ongoing revelation and activity is the role of the heretic. Common sense says that heretics go against the teachings of the church and thus must have nothing truthful to say . . . Heretics can be used by God whenever the elect (the church) are too stubborn to hear the voice of the Lord directly or pay attention to its prophets." (Quenching The Spirit, William DeArteaga, p. 150.)

He, then, quoted another author as saying, ". . . just how extensive heretics have forced the church into the discovery of its deepest truths." (Ibid.)

Further, he stated, "The fact that throughout church history heretical groups have at times introduced truth is often unrecognized." (Ibid., p. 151.)

This kind of foolish talk in the above three sources has given rise to all kinds of things being attributed to God that does not fit His Word or character. No wonder the enemy has stolen the souls of much of the church world.

"Soul Force" Versus "Spirit Force"
The battle for the church of Jesus Christ is now being fought in this duel of "Soul-Force" versus "Spirit-Force". The true church and believer will quickly reject that which is psychic and soulical. While it may appear to be real, the fact is that it is giddy, cheap, overly loud, and dependent on the emotional. The energy of the Holy Spirit is pure, peaceable, holy, and as deep as a river. The Holy Scripture has established the model in the life of Jesus Christ and the early church. If it does not fit that model perfectly, it is not real.

In a previous chapter, I established the clear acceptance of psychic powers by the New Wave of Charismatics/Pentecostal, Charismatic/Catholics, and even many Evangelicals. The church has never needed the power of the Holy Spirit as urgently as today. We must not reject the real biblical expression and activities of God’s paraclete (helper, sustainer) to His body. He is Divine; He is God; and He acts in all the holy attributes of the Godhead. He is not silly or cheap. He does not take our bodies and turn them into robots acting like drunken fools. He wears our sanctified vessel to show the world the nature and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. When He baptizes and manifests Himself in us, the world sees the irresistible Redeemer, Who wants to be the lover of their souls.

Fill us, Lord, with Thy Spirit until the world sees You instead of us.

The Prosperity "Gospel" is Church-Endorsed Robbery
Jacob, the supplanter, is alive and well in the church today. Using their psychic powers, these ministers literally control the action of the crowd. These modern Jacobs are masters of deception. They live like kings and brag about it. When you understand Scripture, the entire ideas they promote are utter blasphemies. Satan has invaded the church by means of these clever charlatans. Do not be their fools another day!

LetÂ’s move from this idea of divining wealth by soulical and psychic powers to the One World Religion that is quickly developing.