Conflicting Messages or Throwing Blame...A Common Practice

Word Faith teachers knowingly keep their followers in a state of confusion by teaching conflicting messages. Their basic premise is working the word correctly will work for you. The messages are about how YOU have to believe and SAY the correct positive confession in order to live the abundant life God has intended for you. Sickness and lack is not an indication of success and you can’t help build the Kingdom if you don’t….look the part. The King’s kids should look like they are children of a king…so they say.

One night, I was thinking about how blessed I am that the Lord opened my eyes to see the darkness I was in. But when I think about my blessings, I always think about the people I know who are still being lulled to sleep and being fed poison week after week with word faith teachings.

I remember many times leaving church service on “Cloud 9″. I just knew everything was going to be perfect because I made my confessions. I was thinking positive and I spoke that I was blessed and highly favored. Eventually life kicked in and I had the same problems everyone else had. Why wasn’t the word working for me?

While thinking about all the mess that I still have to detox from, I remembered the pulpit corrections. That is when someone publicly says what they couldn’t say privately. It’s a cowardly move.

I remember seeing pulpit correction growing up in COGIC. I heard my mother, and anyone who disobeyed the pastor, talked about and corrected from the pulpit. I started hearing corrections meant for me at about 13 years of age and it continued until I left in 2001. I do not remember hearing pulpit correction when I first started attending In Christ new Hope Ministry. It happened gradually.

I hope I haven’t lost you. This line of thought does pertain to the conflicting messages.

Even though names are not mentioned, somebody’s conversation is being referenced. And the true response or feelings for that conversation come out across the pulpit. Take a listen for yourself (video length 2:38). 

OK…so maybe you didn’t hear it and you think I am being overly critical.

Here is what happened. He’s feeding off the congregations desire to live the abundant life…to be successful…greed. Eventually, people are going to realize abundance is not coming to them, so they need a dose of correction. The pastors message is always correct, the listener has the problem. The enemy is keeping them SELF-occupied and not Christ-occupied. Well now, doesn’t that go against the whole positive confession principle? Positive confession is about stating what you want. “Words will change or establish YOUR circumstances”.

You cannot make positive confessions and NOT think about YOURSELF. 

In the video, the speaker says one who says they are “getting through the struggle” or says their day is “tough”…well…they are immature and need to grow up. They need to be focused on Christ. Because when you are “thinking about Christ you’re not thinking about any struggles.”

Not only is this confusing, it is subtle behavior modification. The congregation is being taught to think a certain way. The congregation should not confess their bad day. That’s a negative confession. That is focusing on self when he just said not to. It’s a horrible cycle of deception.

The congregation is also making a mental note that you should not let the pastor hear you talk in this manner. I remember many people secretly sharing a problem but not wanting anyone to know. They did not want to be seen as doubting the promises of God. After all, everyone is supposed to be blessed and highly favored.

This practice is a misinterpretation of 2 Corinthians 4:18. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. But even reading verses 16 and 17 show this verse teaches us to be strong in the midst of struggles because of the reward of eternal glory outweighs everything.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For the light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

Although the gospel is not about us. Ignoring the problems and struggles of life is not the answer. There are many scriptures that reference the real struggles of believers.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecution, and calamities. For when I a, weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a strong in times of trouble. Psalms 9:9-10

I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Psalms 16:8

You are my hiding place; you will protect me trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Psalms 32:7-8

I sought the Lord and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. Psalms 34:4

I am still growing. I have not arrived, but I have come to understand that it is not healthy to ignore the struggles of life. We are to rest in Christ. He will either remove the struggle or strengthen us to be able to endure. Life can hurt and we need to run to Jesus. He is our strong tower. He is our refuge.

Many individuals in the word faith may never see the light of truth. That hurts. But they’re refusing to seek the truth. I refused at one time, but by God’s grace, I can now see. For individuals under the word faith teaching or any doctrine contrary to the simple truth of the gospel, the bible shows:

For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

To the believers, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. So one day you’ll be able to say I‘ve fought the good fight, I’ve finished the race and kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

I urge you to seek the truth! God is faithful and will open your eyes.

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