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Combating The Strongholds of Satan By Malcolm B Heap, Midnight Ministries Copyright © Midnight Ministries Copyright of Midnight Ministries may be waived and this publication duplicated without asking permission, if full credit is given to the source (with the address) and if the contents are not altered. Likewise, publications of Midnight Ministries may be translated into any other language without asking permission, provided that the translation is as accurate as possible to the meaning of the original text, and full credit is given to the source (with the address). The distribution of God's truth should not be restricted by copyright.. |
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The validity of your life is measured not by what you do outwardly (your ‘performance’), nor by what you say (your ‘confession’), nor even by what is in your head (your thinking), but by what is in your heart. While what you do outwardly is important, and what you say or think is equally vital, all these are qualified and established by what is in your innermost being – your heart. That is the seat of the spirit, and where the Spirit of God either finds a home – or doesn’t. False Christians I remember a very good sermon given at an Elim Bible week by Loren Cunningham, the director of the international ministry called Mercy Ships. It’s funny how some statements stick in your mind, for decades afterwards. What he said in that message was one of those things. It wasn’t a profound suggestion. It wasn’t untrue. It wasn’t outrageous. It wasn’t a ‘new truth’. It was rather plain and ordinary. But God’s truth is simple. He just commented that in the audience listening to him that day were some Christians who were false. They were not truly converted. Now, we all know that, from Jesus’ parable of the sower. He said that the tares or weeds would be present amongst the wheat up until the day when the harvest would finally be brought in (Matt 13:30,38). Loren wasn’t making a big deal about it. He wasn’t trying to expose the charlatans. He was just making the comment as an aside. It is one of those facts of life that we have to live with, that the sons and daughters of the enemy are alongside us. They are there to test you, to niggle you, to aggravate you, and to help you resist evil. If you didn’t have evil to resist you would become weak, spiritually speaking. You don’t build muscle by sitting on a sofa eating chocolates. You build it by exerting a force against an obstacle, by exercising your will to do what is right when wrong is in front of you. It involves consistent effort. Notice the words underlined. That’s the key ingredient to developing as a Christian. Some people want a cushy, comfortable, easy ride into the Kingdom of God. There’s no such route. The easy road leads to perdition. Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it (Matt 7:13,14, NIV). Only a few choose what is right! True Christians Overwhelmingly outnumbered by those with wrong motives, true Christians have pure hearts – right motives. They are poor in spirit. They don’t have a high opinion of themselves. They are meek or teachable. God can reach them and correct them. They want righteousness above all else in life. They don’t want revenge, but to show love and mercy. They are pure in heart (Matt 5:3-9). But they are persecuted for seeking what is right (Matt 5:10). Isn’t that ironic that for doing what is right, the sons of God are victimised, abused, falsely accused and vilified? And among our chief persecutors are false believers. Paul used this analogy: ...the son born in the ordinary way persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now (Gal 4:29, NIV). There are various reasons for persecution. It’s not something anyone seeks, but it will come. It’s inevitable to all who will live godly by the power of the Spirit. When you pursue the righteousness of God as first priority, hostilities are sure to come. If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed My teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of My name, for they do not know the One who sent Me (Jn 16:20,21, NIV). False believers persecute the true. One cause of that unrest is due to true believers confronting the strongholds of Satan. Darkness does not want further light. It can only tolerate so much. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God... (2 Cor 10:4, NIV). And aren’t false Christians pretentious? Don’t they think themselves important? They do not like to be put down, and for that reason they vigorously resist correction. They oppose pure truth. And they reject true prophets. What follows is a sequence of e-mail correspondence which I had with just such a person. He is a missionary. You wouldn’t think from a cursory meeting that he could be protecting the devil’s design, but when confronted with correction and revelation from God about what is in his heart, the strongholds he holds dear are exposed. This is biblical, in case you didn’t know: Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them (Eph 5:11, NKJV). The margin gives an alternative word for expose. It is reprove. It is very appropriate. You expose someone by reproving them. If their heart is right with God, they will accept the reproof. If it is not, they will reject you and the truth you present to them. It’s a very simple test, but it works every time. I’m not suggesting that you go out of your way to challenge everyone you meet. God can show you whom to challenge, but there are times for such confrontations with the enemy. Remember, the enemy is not merely human flesh and blood. The enemy is spiritual, but housed in a body. When God calls upon you to expose him, do it. The Lord knows those who are His... Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity (2 Tim 2:19, NKJV). In a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honour and some for dishonour (v 20). The honourable vessels “call upon the Lord out of a pure heart” (v 22), the dishonourable ones don’t. They are hypocrites. It is your duty, when there is a need to protect the Church (the people of God – not organisations of men) from wrong concepts and from false ministers, to oppose what is wrong and expose it. In humility, correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth (2 Tim 2:25, NKJV). Those [church leaders] who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest [of the believers] also may fear (1 Tim 5:20, NKJV). Reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself towards godliness (1 Tim 4:7). For to this end we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God... (1 Tim 4:10, NKJV). What follows will illustrate the reproach which the righteous suffer for exposing reprobates. But it is a necessary exercise in the pursuit of godliness. God Sets Up The Situation
I will call the correspondent 'Alan'. Alan wrote to me on 12th July 2005 with an update on a situation in Malawi which had involved both him and me the previous year. I replied:
13th July 2005 Dear Alan,
You are right about Joe not repenting yet. God has a timing for all things, and repentance can often take some considerable time.
If I may, perhaps I can remind you of the input God gave about this situation through dreams?
I have cut and pasted part of our dream diary below. H = Helena's dream. M = mine.
In the dream of 14th Jan 2004, the person coming towards us in the pick-up is you. It depicted your contact with us at that time. Your pick-up represents your ministry. The piece of furniture represents what you want to keep from your past teachings / doctrinal perceptions that are dear to you.
The dream of 15th Jan 2004 conveys the deception of Joe M and those who have sided with him in his deceit.
The dream of 30th January 2004 portrays the punishment which God will eventually allow to be inflicted upon him by demons. THAT is what will bring him to repentance. But first, God gives time, so that all people involved can choose their route. Many are being tested through this situation, not just Joe M. The church prog wants to humanistically cover up and perpetuate a bad situation, and doesn't have the proper spiritual discernment to know how to handle the matter; those involved there are being judged, too. They should examine their motives, particularly with regard to their church agenda which is intertwined with pride, control, manipulation and other unsavoury aspects of impure human behaviour. Very subtle deceptions are involved in church operations, so it is unlikely they or you will see them for what they are. However, I present this for examination, though undoubtedly the majority will trash it as usual. So be it. Their problem not mine.
God bless those who love His truth! Malcolm
Church In Need Of Reform 13th January 2004. H. 2) We went to see an old mansion which we inherited. The building was very old with lots of rooms, run down and in need of a lot of renovation. I feared it would take a lot of work to refurbish it to make it liveable and comfortable. I met some women sleeping in their beds.
Meaning: This represents the whole Church in a state of confusion and disrepair. God's truth could bring order and unity, resulting in revival.
Malawi 14th Jan 2004. H. Dream of Malawi situation. Someone arrived in a pickup [a missionary we know of] delivering a piece of furniture. There were two boys on the side, one of them needed some attention.
Meaning: God is watching over the difficulties in Malawi. The boy on the side is Joe M. [See also The Price of Disobedience below.]
15th January 2004. H. More on the Malawi situation. 1) I saw men with hoods over their heads, unable to see.
Meaning: This is to do with a minister in Africa who has deceived and told lies in order to gain money for himself. He is under condemnation. God is bringing him into judgement. Part of that judgement is spiritual blindness so that Satan abuses him.
God Will Cut Wayward People Down 2) I saw a Man cutting down trees [churches & ministers].
Meaning: Trees dominate and prevent light getting through. Many churches and ministers dominate and prevent Truth reaching the people. Truth brings light. God will bring down the mighty to humble them. God resists those who resist Him. This is further confirmation that God will punish the minister in Malawi who has lived covetously.
Malicious Police Attack 16th January 2004. H. Malcolm fell down as someone tripped him up. His keys fell out and when we tried to find them they were gone.
Meaning: God is preparing us for the attack that will cause us to trip up and fall down. The car keys symbolise our ability to move on. We will lose our freedom. The family and the ministry will be attacked, but as we trust God in the outcome the enemy will be defeated as revealed in other dreams.
MM's Next Workplace 19th January 2004. H. We moved into another property. We had to make some changes and alterations. There were some plants which were maturing and they needed to be protected.
Meaning: The plants represent people, they need spiritual protection from the wicked one.
People Resist Restoration 21st January 2004. H. 1) People resist healing of church division. There were many people on the road. They were dressed differently and travelling different directions, ignoring each other and refusing to learn from one another.
Meaning: God is not happy with the present situation. His people are divided and don't love the truth which would unite them. God wants His Church to be united in Truth and Spirit and to become His Bride. Contrary to what people often say, doctrine does not divide. True doctrine unites. It's false doctrine that divides. When people RESIST the truth, that divides! Acceptance of truth restores.
A Woman Resists More Truth 2) I saw a woman's face and her eyesight being jarred. New Truth forces us to alter our previous ideas and doctrines. This gives us better vision if we are willing to change our ways. Growing in maturity requires changes. This woman was later challenged but refused to respond. [Related in the article STOP Confronting US!] It was given prior to what occurred. [Notice how most of these dreams applied to Alan.]
Major International Outreach Ahead 20th January 2004. H. We found ourselves among a big crowd of people from different nations and backgrounds. I was looking after some seed trays.
Meaning: Miracles and publicity will help us to reach out to other nations. The seed trays depict helping new people to grow spiritually through teaching and encouragement. This is mainly done through sowing truth via MM literature.
Missionary Given New Truth 22nd January 2004. H. Man's eyes opened. I saw a face of an older man, his eyes being opened and the obstruction on his face disappearing.
Meaning: We sent literature to a missionary in Africa and shortly after this dream, his eyes were opened to the truth about the Sabbath. Deception will be removed as soon as we make a decision to accept the new truth and obey it. Obedience keeps us close to God through the Holy Spirit helping us to put on the garments of righteousness. He saw the truth but he didn't want to live by it. [This was Alan.]
The Difficulties In This Work 23rd January 2004. H. Difficulties in this Work. I was on my journey to the supermarket (Sainsbury's). I was taking the shopping trolley but had great difficulty getting there because the roads were muddy [from heavenly rain].
Meaning: This shows our present situation where there are many obstacles and we are not able to move forward much. The supermarket represents a situation where people will be able to receive spiritual food – the literature to spiritually feed people's minds.
We need support to get the job done. The time is very short.
Like A Lightning Bolt 25th January 2004. H. Lightning bolt! 1) I saw a row of concrete boxes. A bolt of lightning hit one of the boxes. It looked like a fireworks display.
Meaning: This portrays the miraculous deliverance which will come to someone who is in prison. It will coincide with his acceptance of God's ways. God is a Master of Timing!
Difficult For Muslims 2) Visions of the face of a Muslim from the Middle East. The demons were like bees and were pressing upon him from every side but his eyes were beginning to see the light.
Meaning: It's a struggle for Muslims to come out of false religion and receive the truth which sets free. This dream depicts one Muslim person we know of.
Protesters 3) Protesters. There were several people lying down in protest against something.
Meaning: Many people are becoming dissatisfied with life, with politicians and with wrong treatment by 'authority'. Many are choosing to speak against the trends in today's society.
This was fulfilled months later in the protests against the banning of fox hunting. It represents the over-regulation of society. Why should Whitehall bureaucrats decide how the country people should run things on their land?
The Next Phase 27th January 2004. H. Moving into a new property. We moved into a new property. [The new phase of 'our' work for God.] It was a long shed-like house. [Allegoric of the work involving many publications stored and sent out. The publications are presently stored in a long shed.]
We kept some plants indoors, these needed to go outside by the path. [Plants represent different people who will become visible to outsiders.] We needed curtains [for privacy, because of the coming publicity]. The next stage of the work will need some changes.
A lady and her husband arrived [S & co]. They were glad to join us [God is showing their willingness to sacrifice to do His work]. God will bring more people to help us do the work. I needed to get ready to meet friends from our former church.
Preparing To Reach Millions! 18th February 2004. H. Getting ready to reach millions! I was busy tidying up and putting everything into a pickup vehicle to go on a journey or our next place of work which will be a new phase. The time is very short, there is a great work to be done to reach millions with the gospel message! God has shown that MM's work will reach millions through the coming publicity when 'we' raise people who have been dead for years!
The Price Of Disobedience 30th January 2004. H. Judgement on Malawi minister. I saw a face with African features. The mouth was emphasised and the lips were exaggerated. A worm got into the lower lip and wormed its way through his lower face. It caused disintegration of flesh with serious cancer-like damage to the area about the mouth. [See also Malawi, earlier]
Meaning: This is about a minister who, through corrupt behaviour and greed for money, departed from God's ways. God is dealing with this man to humble him and bring him to repentance. He is under God's judgement now.
Perhaps the dream portrays some sort of cancerous growth which he will develop on his face, paralleling the evil way he has used his mouth to promote deceit. Lies grow like cancer!
Malcolm
Comment: God set up the 'meeting'. It was a meeting via correspondence. He caused Alan to write to me, and then had me respond with input that presented a challenge to Alan. After he read the dreams, he was convicted that he had done wrong in rejecting my input previously.
I had sent him Our Sabbath Rest, and Sunday Versus Sabbath. He could not refute the truth therein. But he had made excuses and did not obey God's command. Instead he accepted a substitute.
God Then Convicts Of Sin
Now God was challenging him on his wayward- ness. Alan was convicted in his heart that he had been wrong and had sinned by prejudging me. At first he 'repented'. But, as you will see, the 'repentance' was for his own peace of mind. It was selfishly based and would not survive. He wrote:
13th July 2005
Dear Malcolm
Thank you for your response to my e-mail of yesterday... I did own a pick-up while I was in Malawi in January 2004 and did use it occasionally for moving furniture and I usually had one or two helpers, but I don't remember telling you all that [he didn't tell me; God revealed it to us], so perhaps some of us have been too quick to misjudge you, for which I ask your forgiveness.
With all blessings to you and Helena, Alan
But God Aims At The Root Of Evil
I replied:
14th July 2005
Dear Alan,
Of course you have my forgiveness. You don't even have to ask.
I suppose your comment is an indication of the rejection of 'my' words previously by all others involved. It's the usual response. Prophets are not accepted, not invited, and not listened to.
It's funny how God works. He treads on toes all over the place! to expose the unbelief, the pride and hardness of heart. Good to hear from you.
M
He then responded:
Thursday, July 14, 2005
Dear Malcolm
Thank you for your e-mail and your kind acceptance of my apology. I should also have said in my last e-mail that, of course, I realize that Helena's dream about me delivering furniture in a pick-up had a prophetic, not literal, meaning but as God uses 'natural things' to illustrate spiritual truths (e.g. the Samaritan woman drawing water to show her that Jesus is the Living Water in John 4), I was impressed that He gave Helena a 'natural' illustration that was accurate in several details!
...Thank you again for your input and interest.
Alan
Comment: I then probed further about what was at the root of his previous dismissal of truth. Jesus reminds us all that if we accept those whom He sends, we accept Him. If we reject them, we reject Him (Matt 10:40). And if we reject a prophet, we reject the message the prophet brought FROM GOD and so we lose the prophet's reward (Matt 10:41), which is understanding the message.
Rejecting a true prophet is akin to rejecting God. It's serious. It leads to deception, apostasy and falling away – losing the Holy Spirit. That's what followed!
If You Reject A True Prophet
6th July 2005
Dear Alan, Does that mean that you accept me as a prophet? Malcolm
Sunday, July 17, 2005
Dear Malcolm In answer to your question, you will agree, I know, that we are to "Test all things" and I try to do this whenever I hear a 'prophetic word'. My experiences in this area have not always been positive and the Church that I attended on first arriving in South Africa did little to increase my confidence that all such 'utterings' are from God. This group practises Prophetic Prayer, Prophetic Worship, Prophetic Singing, Prophetic Visions and it even has a Prophetic School. They say that the 'movement' has been around for about five years and is an extension of, although different from, the gift of prophecy in 1 Cor. 12. It seems as if there are three types of prayer – prayer in one's native language, praying in tongues, and prophetic prayer. In one meeting that I attended of about 40 people, exactly half the number present were told to 'prophesy' to the other half – needless to say, I was one of the 'other half'! This alone seems contrary to 1 Cor 14:29! They also seemed to be fairly inward-looking with a lot of individual prophecy to members with problems and not much was said about missionary work or needs outside this particular Church. On checking the Internet, I see that there is a fair amount of information about this 'movement', so you may be familiar with it. I now attend an AOG Church (back to my 'born-again' roots!). I wrote to a minister friend and received this reply: "I can't claim to be an expert on the 'prophetic movement' but the language makes me a bit nervous. 'Prophetic' I suppose emphasises the spontaneous inspiration from God which is good as long as it does not replace study of the Bible and preparation. There is also the danger of pride (élitism) that comes with fads – 'the rest of the church has prayer but we have prophetic prayer', etc! Calling everything 'prophetic' is not particularly Biblical. It's not too harmful in itself, the main danger, as you point out, is a lack of balance in being caught up in one concept (and neglecting other things). Personal prophecies are a very secondary (and inaccurate) method of guidance in the Bible and should not replace the Bible and inner witness. It is more for confirmation. Ask them when they are going to become apostolic!" So, to respond to your question, I do believe that you and Helena walk in the prophetic [he's carefully dodging the question] and that you have an important message for the Church today [which he rejects!] I would have difficulty sometimes with personal prophecy, especially if, as my friend says, I have no inner witness and it refers to something that the Lord has not already laid on my heart. I have no wish to 'rake up history' but you will recall that I found some of what you said hard to accept as it relates to certain people in ministry (such as Billy Graham) although this does not reflect adversely on what I see in your published literature as a 'warning' to the Church at the present time.
I trust that this clarifies my position! With all blessings to you and Helena, Alan
18th July 2005
Dear Alan, Like you, we have seen much that passes for 'prophetic' but which is frankly self-elevating and pathetic. It's not of God. I haven't come across the so-called Prophetic School that you mentioned. Do they also get involved in prophetic meals, prophetic driving, and prophetic toothbrushing as well? Maybe they should have prophetic joke telling. They might get more truth out of that! It's good that your friend could see right through them. On a completely different subject, I heard from a London based church leader yesterday that he sent £10,000 to Joe M. These were his exact words: "Two years ago as I tried to assist an African missionary to open a food resource centre in Malawi, I lost all of my life's savings which was just over 10,000 pounds." Today he said that the police are looking for him. I guess he means in Malawi. I wonder who has filed a complaint against him with the Malawian authorities? Anyway, God will sort Joe out in time as He has shown in dreams. On the matter of the prophetic and prophets, etc., I'm sending you some e-mails after this one, which contain some revelations given to various people whom I have never met, but to whom God spoke in dreams about me and the work of MM. I'd like to ask you "What do you make of them?" Malcolm
[I sent him the leaflets, What God Said About MM, Revelations From God About MM, and Raised From The Dead At Midnight which explains about the three people whom David Isaac has raised from the dead.]
Monday, July 18, 2005 10:13 pm
Dear Malcolm Thank you for your e-mails and your amusing observations about the 'Pathetic Movement', as another friend calls it! I would like to come back to you at a later time about your other e-mails as I am preparing to leave for the UK this weekend. However, I am interested to know of any further information that you may have, such as a contact or e-mail address, about the London-based Church leader. I believe that I should share my [Malawi] experiences with him and also let J and P know about him when I see them in the UK. Anything further on this would be greatly appreciated, especially by his Oxxxxx supporters!
With every blessing, Alan
19th July 2005
First things first. M
19th July 2005
Dear Malcolm Your e-mail came through with just the note below [what is in my e-mail message above] I think the rest of it has gone missing in cyber-space! I'm interested (particularly on behalf of J and P) in the London-based Church leader's connections with [Malawi]. I leave for the UK on Sunday.
Many thanks, Alan
July 19, 2005 2:39 pm
Dear Malcolm Thank you for your last two mysterious messages which I am at a loss to fully understand! If you mean that I should read the four other e-mails that you forwarded to me yesterday before you answer my concerns about Joe M, I can report that I did so when you sent them to me the first time in the early months of last year! [But he rejected what they contained, and refused to acknowledge the prophet who had come to him with a message from God for him!] I included you in my 'circular' e-mail of 12th July 2005 because I wanted you to be aware that the '[Malawi] gang' had again made approaches to Kim and I wished to inform you of Church and school developments [in Malawi] in case you received a similar request for funds. If you have now further information relevant to the situation, it seems appropriate that you should share it with those who have been its 'victims' in the past. However, I now live some 3500 kilometres from Malawi and I have no intention of returning there to resolve, or confront anyone about, these issues! In fact, without substantiating evidence from you, I will not mention your comments about "a London based church leader" to J and P when I see them next week! Therefore, Malcolm, my wish to engage in correspondence with you is limited to our mutual, although past, involvement with [Malawi], but please let me know if you would prefer not to be included in any further reports that I may receive. In the meantime, if you are willing to back-up your quoted statement of yesterday, I will decide whether or not to pass it on...
Every blessing May God bless you and Helena, Alan
Comment: Notice how 'shirty' he gets when someone else tries to call the tune! He wants to be pre-eminent, the top dog, and he resents my coming along and pushing him into a corner.
Time To Expose & Reprove 19th July 2005
Dear Alan, If you don't understand what I mean by "first things first", it is this. Spiritual things take precedence over physical. And to be more specific: I asked you if you believed I am a prophet. You have not committed yourself to a full 'yes' in reply. You only perceive that Helena and I "walk in the prophetic", so I take that to mean that you don't accept me as a prophet of God, merely one who receives from God from time to time like anyone else can do who is part of the Body of Christ. But I asked you if you accept me like you accept that John the Baptist was a prophet, or Elijah, Elisha, Amos, Hosea, Jeremiah, etc.. I wonder whether you do. I'm not concerned for my own sake. It doesn't make a hill of beans of difference to me one way or the other, in personal terms. But it does matter to your spiritual comprehension. Because if you don't accept the prophet, you won't comprehend his message, as Jesus said (Matt 10:39-41, etc.). Do you think God is going to get 'any old fool' to raise the dead who have been under the ground for years – some of them for 20 years?! Or will He have an earth-shaking divine purpose and commission attached to such occurrences? Every true prophet comes with his divinely given signs to authenticate him. This is mine – the raising of the dead:
These people will be coming back from the dead to witness to Jesus, and to tell the Church to 'get sorted', because so much of the Body of Christ just doesn't want to accept fulness of truth, nor the purity of the Word of God. They would rather give their loyalties to some church than properly to Jesus in the way He wants. They commit idolatry by worshipping men and tolerating a false system that was passed on to them from the Mother of Harlots who is condemned in Revelation 17 and 18. God wants purity of truth restored to His Church, and He promised that He would send Elijah the prophet at the time of the end to restore all things. My reason for sending you those four missives is because you didn't properly respond earlier. Perhaps you think I'm a false prophet, because of my view about Billy Graham not being a man of God. Well, Jesus said that we would know them by their fruits. He was talking about spiritual fruits, not physical ones. Billy Graham got a lot of limelight. He was a good speaker, a good public performer. But so have been a host of unconverted entertainers. Did he do what he did because Jesus called him? Yes. Did he feel a compulsion to honour the name of Christ? Yes. Did he effectively preach Christ to millions? Yes. I was in one of his crusades in the 60's. But what developed from his evangelistic efforts? Were there many people filled with the Spirit? No. What level of conversion did many accept? Minimal? Where did most people brought to Christ in his crusades end up? In truly Spirit-filled churches, or in ones that were only half alive, if that? Was there a great attrition rate? Yes. Were people healed at his evangelistic meetings? No. Did he then move on in the Spirit when the healing evangelists hit town? No. Did he accept healing as a part of the Atonement? No. Ray McCauley preached a sermon at one of the Faith Camps (Colin Urquhart's) in the early 90's, where he made the apt analogy about one who backslides. He put it like this. Jesus is constantly moving forwards. But people don't keep up with Him. Many become content with what they've got and don't want any more. They stop moving forward. They stand still, where they are, to try and simply retain what they've already got. While they stand still, complacent and content with their position (which is not related to Jesus and where He is taking them into fulness of truth), Jesus moves ahead. Thus, without actually seeming to move back, they HAVE backslidden because the gap between them and Jesus has widened. He has moved ahead and they simply refused to keep up with Him. There are many who have backslidden like that. In the process of time, even what they had previously, they lose. Bit by bit, spiritual attrition sets in and understanding departs. The Spirit leaves because their lives revolve around themselves, not Christ. They may talk about Christ, they may believe He lives in them, but they are deluded because their motivation is self, not God. They become blind, and like it says of Sardis, they are dead. That is why I said Billy Graham is no longer a true Christian. He fell away. It may not look like he fell away, because he established a huge institution called the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association or something like that. But it is an edifice to glorify him, and in turn, anyone else who comes along after him in his name. He has unwittingly usurped the name of Jesus! The devil led him ever so gradually in that demise, and it all began when he didn't have the humility to accept the further truth that someone else brought him. In his case, it was probably the truth about healing as part of the Atonement. One day in the nineties, I was writing to Derek Prince Ministries about their failure to do something. As I wrote, Jesus spoke to me through a word of knowledge. He said, "I am not found in the institutions of men." Helena and I were given a number of dreams about Derek Prince and his ministry. They were not flattering. They centred on the fact that the institution of DPM that is established, glorifies him more than it glorifies Jesus. And so it is often the case with many large churches, church corporations, and ministry organisations that grow large. They have left their first love and got sidetracked to the point where they can receive very little more. They are not moving ahead spiritually. Many of them are only moving ahead physically, projected by the inertia of the 'machine' that runs on money and fame. Paul wrote in 2 Cor 10:18 about the necessity of having divine approval. That's why I sent you what I did in those 4 e-mails, to demonstrate that this commendation is my divine seal of approval. I have not personally met any of those mentioned who received dreams about me or the work of Midnight Ministries. There's even one there from Joe M's wife! She received a dream showing what God wants in Malawi, but neither the Oxxxxx Bible Church nor any other evangelist or church worker in that area cares a hoot about what God wants. They think they know what God wants, but they are working with the impetus of the organisational machine that has got rolling and is steaming ahead fuelled by money and human inertia. But where's the divine seal of approval? Where's the commendation given to third parties? Most of the 'confirmation' for this sort of church activity and outreach is subjective and open to debate, because the agenda is based largely on human reasoning and assumed objectives. But God has not set the objectives. Men have. They will find out that they were doing what they wanted, more than what God wanted. When it comes to church outreach, most churches don't seek input from prophets, because they don't recognise the prophets. They have their own 'prophets'; people who are not really prophets, but who have from time to time received bits of revelation from God. And if they did ask true prophets for input, in most cases they would reject it, because it wouldn't fit their preconceived notions or plans. Anyway, I hope you haven't gone to sleep by now. All I am trying to find out is whether you are willing to accept God's agenda for His Church, and the restoration of the purity of His truth, or whether you want to do 'a Billy Graham'?
God bless. Malcolm
His Pride Is Pricked Into Retaliation
Tuesday, July 19, 2005 9:30 pm
Dear Malcolm Thank you for your e-mail and for taking the time to write in such detail. I appreciate your efforts on my behalf. Perhaps I am missing something, but I have carefully re-read your 'Raised from the Dead' e-mails and I can see no mention of the following which you claim to be the "divinely given signs which authenticate" your calling to be a Prophet:
Could you please let me know the dates and circumstances in which you raised these five people from the dead and whether they are all still alive today. [He's just trying to find fault, because he doesn't believe they will come back from the dead. He rejects me; rejects the prophecies of raising the dead; and rejects God's word through me.] I will then be able to answer your question about whether I believe you to be a Prophet like John the Baptist, etc. from a position of informed knowledge. I assume that your earlier reference to Joe M and "a London based church leader" was no more than an attempt to keep our correspondence going!
With all blessings, [hypocritical words] Alan
Tuesday, July 19, 2005 11:00 pm
Dear Alan, You are an old sinic, oops cynic, aren't you? Can't you read? Or don't you want to understand? I didn't say they HAD been raised from the dead. I said THEY WILL BE! I wrote: "These people will be coming back from the dead..." And when it happens, then you can believe my signature which is in Ezekiel 33:33. You could have understood the inference of what was in Raised From The Dead At Midnight if you had wanted to. You could have read what David Isaac said was the reason for his being able to tap the power of God to this level, if you had wanted to. And you could believe what God said to all the other witnesses about MM and this work of God, but you'd rather not, because of the implications for all who don't subscribe to 'our' message. Well, that's just rebellion. It may be smothered with smarmy dressings of nicety and hypocritical 'apologies', but it doesn't change the state of your heart, which is what I wanted you to know. You admitted that you (and doubtless several others) might have misjudged me. It's a pity we can't walk in harmony, but where there is resistance to the Last Move of the Spirit, I can do nothing more to help you. No, what I said was not an attempt to keep our correspondence going. God timed that information coming in, to coincide with your latest communication, which I appreciate. I still would like to know what goes on in [Malawi], if you can cc me in... if I haven't caused you too much offence by this straight talk. The man is Xxxxxx Xxxxx, the co-leader of the [name of church]... That's basically all he mentioned about the incident. He didn't say how he lost the money other than he was swindled by Joe M. I have told you all he passed on to me about the incident.
God bless. Malcolm
Out Comes The Arrogance
Arrogant people won't receive input which humbles them. So his response was predictably sour:
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
Dear Malcolm Many thanks for your e-mail which I am sorry to say has done little to reassure me! Firstly, may I point out that your 'long' e-mail includes the following statement: "Every true prophet comes with his divinely given signs to authenticate him. This is mine – the raising of the dead". The word 'comes' and the word 'is' are in the present tense, indicating that your 'divinely given signs' are in operation at the time of writing. If they are a future event, 'comes' should be replaced with 'will come' and 'is' with 'will be'! [No, writers have licence to alter the tense for effect, and anyway, Paul wrote that God calls those things that be not as though they were. See Rom 4:17.] Similarly, your statement that "These people will be coming back from the dead" comes after "And there are others, but God has not told us their names" which means that the first sentence qualifies the one immediately preceding it, not the list of five names! [Poor, deluded soul! As if arguing about semantics would thwart a move of God!] I trust you will see therefore that rather than being 'cynical' or having difficulty reading, I am applying to your missives my old Oxford Grammar School lessons in English! Malcolm, would you ask a man to build you a house if he told you that he will obtain the necessary skills at a future unknown date? [God does that when he raises up prophets and other workers in His vine- yard. He takes 'babes' and makes them wise. He gives them skills and the ability to do the job.] Or would you entrust your financial Tax affairs to a person who informed you that one unspecified day, he will have his Accountancy qualifications? I don't think so, and yet this is what you are asking me (and presumably others) to do! Most of the prophets who we read about in the New and Old Testaments had their ministries authenticated by 'signs and wonders' BEFORE they 'went public' [no they didn't] – they didn't say, 'Believe what I am prophesying now, and many years later, you will see me perform a miracle'! [The miracles are HERE ALREADY, but he chooses not to perceive! He dismisses them. What about the thousands of dreams from God to us? Those are all signs and wonders, too.] I was recently asked to edit a friend's thesis for his Master's Degree in Theology and one of his tutor's criticisms was the use of what he called 'unsupported statements given as facts'. I have no particular 'axe to grind' regarding Billy Graham [oh yes, he does] or Derek Prince but I am unhappy with 'sweeping generalizations' such as "Where did most people brought to Christ in his crusades end up? In truly Spirit-filled churches, or in ones that were only half alive, if that?" or "The institution of DPM that is established, glorifies him more than it glorifies Jesus". There has undoubtedly been considerable analysis of Billy Graham's ministry over the years (probably not so much about Derek Prince) so are you basing these comments on your reading of such material and on investigations that you have personally conducted? In which case, to satisfy a 'tutor', you would need to quote 'chapter and verse'! By the end of the decade in which you and I were born, both of these ministries were well on their way to being established and I would be very reluctant to comment on the results of their preaching at a time when I was still running around in short trousers! Incidentally, didn't you tell me once that you do not have the gift of 'speaking in tongues', so why the comment about Billy Graham: "Did he then move on in the Spirit when the healing evangelists hit town?". Jesus promised both 'signs' (Mark 16:17,18)! [I explained in Holy Fire! that God has not given me the gift of tongues. I was given greater gifts, including inspired writing, to restore truth to the Church.] A comment about 'Raising the Dead' in Africa. I know that you have not been here [an assertion of his perceived superiority and experience] and I did read David Isaac's report, and one of the blessings about working in African countries is the ease generally with which people respond to the preaching of the Gospel and accepting the miraculous. [Oh yes? Not when you present the truth which we are bringing, chum!] This is often because they have seen the devil's healing power through their 'witch-doctors' (now more commonly called 'African doctors') and thus when they hear of the Great Physician, they have no difficulty 'transferring' to Him their new understanding of spiritual matters. [No, that's rubbish. It's because of humility that they have faith, or because of need or desperation that God shows mercy.] It is for this reason that a Worship Service is almost always followed by prayer for the sick with positive results. [But these people were not raised up in such a meeting. They were due to the prayers of one man – see James 5:17] I have not personally witnessed a 'raising from the dead' but I know of several Africans and a few missionaries who have. Let's thank God that he still continues to work with those who 'simply believe'! [But he doesn't, nor will he.] In conclusion, I would like to think that you are a prophet of God [that's an arrogant lie], rather than "merely one who receives from God from time to time like anyone else can do who is part of the Body of Christ" (although many of us consider that alone to be a great honour!) but you have not yet supplied sufficient evidence to convince me that your gift is different from that described by Paul in 1 Corinthians 12 and 14. [The evidence is staring him in the face, but he's too proud to accept it.] Until such proof is forthcoming, I will continue to listen to what you say and write, and I will judge it, as we are told to do. Thank you for the additional information regarding [the London pastor] and if you are able to give me his e-mail address, I would like to write to him.
With every blessing, Alan
God Then Gives A Dream
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
Dear Alan, I will begin my response to your dismissiveness with the dream God gave me about you last night. He depicted you in a slum area in an African country. You were in a small shanty, lying there, doing nothing. There were others like you in their shacks, too. You were shut in, surrounded by your four walls of flimsy whatever – perhaps it was wood, but it was just bits and pieces of stuff, probably half rotten wood. Something to do with three was also conveyed, but it was dropped in without specific association. You couldn't get out. You couldn't do anything about your situation or circumstances. But nor did you try to. I trust you realise that what God is saying is that you are shut in by your very limited preconceptions, and are not willing to come out of the very inadequate spiritual situation which you regard as 'home'. Because of that unwillingness, which is rooted in pride and is coupled with spiritual rebellion, you can't get out now. That's the reason you argue with me about semantics. The figure three portrays the finality of it all. But it's your choice, and I wouldn't be able to change your mind, so that's where you will stay, in your spiritual squalor. << Firstly, may I point out that your 'long' e-mail includes the following statement: "Every true prophet comes with his divinely given signs to authenticate him. This is mine – the raising of the dead". >> You are arguing like the close-minded Pharisees argued with Jesus. He gave them plenty of signs, just as I have given you already, but you choose to overlook those. I will give you one more at the end of this missive – not that you will believe. Because they overlooked what was already staring them in their faces about this Man of God, Jesus gave them a sign that they would see and know when it would be too late for them to change. That is what I have done with you, by giving you a sign which will be fulfilled in due course in the next few months probably, or next year, (the timing is not known to us, that is in God's hands of course). When the Pharisees saw the sign Jesus gave them fulfilled (Matt 12:39,40), they were condemned. Even the Roman sentry by the cross believed, but those evil Pharisees didn't. << The word 'comes' and the word 'is' are in the present tense, indicating that your 'divinely given signs' are in operation at the time of writing. >> And so they are, but you choose to ignore the facts. David Isaac gave more glory to God than you are doing, which is why God used him and not you. He wrote in those accounts about raising the dead that it would not have been possible without the Spirit-inspired MM literature. THAT'S WHY GOD RAISED THE DEAD THERE IN NIGERIA THROUGH HIM – to validate Who inspired MM literature. But you missed it, because your mind is closed to anything further from Him. You're staying put spiritually like the old stodgy Pharisees. When you ran into that child in your vehicle and she was killed [a child ran out in front of his vehicle and was killed], God spoke to me about that situation. I felt a very strong urge inside of what God wanted you to do. You should have not departed from the scene for fear of reprisals but should have prayed for her and God could have raised her from the dead. The miracle would have been a huge witness to the many Muslims. MANY could have come to Christ if you had not loved your life more than hers. << I was recently asked to edit a friend's thesis for his Master's Degree in Theology and one of his tutor's criticisms was the use of what he called 'unsupported statements given as facts'. I have no particular 'axe to grind' regarding Billy Graham >> It certainly sounds like it. << I am unhappy with 'sweeping generalizations' such as "Where did most people brought to Christ in his crusades end up? In truly Spirit-filled churches, or in ones that were only half alive, if that?" >> Well then, you had better pick your bone of contention with the Almighty over that one, because I was writing what He put in my mind at that time. I have read NOTHING about Billy Graham by other critics. I have only seen snippets of his ministry on video clips, and my remarks were not based on what I humanly knew. At that point in my writing I received a succession of words of knowledge about his ministry, which is what I wrote to you. So, continue arguing, because you are not just arguing with me. God is furious. Romans 1:18. He commands us to trust in Him with ALL our heart, and NOT to lean on our own understanding (Prov 3:5), but you are not living those words. "In all your ways acknowledge Him..." One way we acknowledge Him is by acknowledging the prophets He uses (Matt 10:40,41). << In conclusion, I would like to think that you are a prophet of God, >> No you don't. Those are more empty words. Don't bother writing to me again. I'm fed up wasting my time with people who don't have the humility nor the love of the truth to accept what God is now doing. You will see the completion of the signs in due course, but from which vantage point? That of a believer or a rebel?
Goodbye. Malcolm PS Here is what I promised you above: From The Bible Speaks, Vol 4: Nos 93, 99, 100, 106, 111.
God Then Involves A 2nd Witness
The Spirit moved me to send all this correspondence over the ocean to Steve and Mila. God then spoke to Mila about it and stirred her up. She wrote:
21st July 2005
...it looks like I am going to write a "second witness" letter to Alan. Yesterday, as I was reading your heated exchange, something was bugging me, but I did not understand what exactly it was. Anyway, last night I had a bunch of dreams (which will also find their way to you), and one of them seems to be about him... It is very similar to the dream you had about him recently. This morning I began to pray for you, and pretty soon found myself arguing with the faulty arguments Alan had made. At first I thought to write this down and just send to you. But then a thought came, "Why not write him a letter yourself? It will be a second witness to him."
Mila
Comment: I forewarned Alan:
22nd July 2005
Dear Alan, A prophetess in America has received a dream about you and for you. So that she can relay it directly to you, her e-mail address is above in the cc box.
God bless. Malcolm
Comment: His arrogant sarcasm only deepens:
22nd July 2005
Dear Malcolm My first thought was, 'I hope she comes with more credentials than you have' but perhaps I should wait to see what she has to say, although I hope she will include a reference to what she thinks are her qualifications to 'dream about' me! It was not my intention to write to you again and I was rather glad when you asked me not to! However, like the devil's advocate, you seem to provoke a response from me which I believe needs to be said. Firstly, I cannot allow to go unchallenged your remark that "raising the dead [in Nigeria] would not have been possible without the Spirit-inspired MM literature". Irrespective of what David Isaac says or believes, people are not healed or raised from the dead by a man reading anything, EVEN THE WORD OF GOD! [I didn't say that. He's twisting what I said.] A miracle occurs when God supernaturally intervenes in the affairs of men! Show me anywhere in the New Testament where someone had to read something before they received from God! [OK. Let's start with Romans 10:17. I won't waste my time refuting his specious reasoning. He's only trying to muddy the waters.] I know that you are not widely-read in terms of other people's writings [how does he know? he doesn't know what I have read; the comment is a deliberate put-down], but there are hundreds of Christian books on the market dealing with God's gift of healing (and several about raising the dead), but I don't know of one which claims that reading it will guarantee a miracle! [I do. It's called the Bible. It's a pity he doesn't believe it!] To say that you are able to raise the dead because someone else did who read some of your literature is totally unacceptable. [It might be unacceptable to him, but it's what happens on occasion.] If, living in South Africa, I were to write a biography of Ray McCauley (to whom you referred), would I be entitled to announce that I have had the same experiences with God that he has, simply because I wrote about them! [Rubbish. That's not what I am saying. He's deliberately twisting things.] Secondly, a brief reference to your mention of the poor young girl who ran in front of my car: I admit that I do not have the faith to raise her or anyone else from the dead, ANY MORE THAN YOUR RECORD TO DATE SHOWS THAT YOU HAVE! That level of faith and the working of miracles are special supernatural gifts that God gives in particular circumstances (1 Cor. 12: 9,10 and 29, 30). [Yes, and Alan dismisses the truth that God has given us that faith. If we didn't have it, like he falsely claims, we would not have prophesied of such occurrences for more than 12 years!] Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly in your case, is your failure to understand the African 'mindset'. [Oh yeah? Another arrogant put down. He thinks I'm ignorant about that.] Again, I know that you are not widely-travelled [he knows nothing about where I have been] but you need to listen to those who have spent more time in Africa than a two-week 4 x 4 safari! [I do, and I have listened to him. It's a pity Alan won't listen to us.] Africans are a nation of 'men-pleasers' especially in their interaction with white people [I agree], and they are good at 'picking up' on the interests of those with whom they converse and correspond. As most of your writings refer to dreams which you and Helena have, it is inevitable that you will receive replies from Africans along the same lines! This is their way of pleasing you, of showing that they have read what you've written, of trying to copy what you are doing! [No. It is a rare thing for us to get a letter from someone fabricating 'a dream'. When it comes, we can see through that. MANY people in touch with us DO get dreams once they start to accept what we are bringing them.] To attach the significance to these responses that you do is unwarranted [I haven't attached that significance to it – GOD HAS, hence His very witness in those dreams, which Alan REJECTS!], and not only would a white person who lives here tell you that, but a black person would too, when you have become his friend! As you know, I agree with you in respect of J and P's continued financial support of [Malawi] – "The church prog that wants to humanistically cover up and perpetuate a bad situation, and doesn't have the proper spiritual discernment to know how to handle the matter... they should examine their motives, particularly with regard to their church agenda which is intertwined with pride, control, manipulation and other unsavoury aspects of impure human behaviour" – but can you not see that you are doing the same [the shoe fits him better] thing in your refusal to accept that the 'dream replies' from Africa (from people who you admit that you have never met) are undoubtedly spurious! This can be proved by the importance which you attribute to the 'dream' of Joe M's wife. [Not so.] Let me tell you about my last visit to [Malawi] – I went with several Malawian friends who spoke in Chichewa for some time to a group of women, including Joe's wife, his mother, sister-in-law, his nephew's wife and others who, I was aware, were looking at me in unbridled contempt! As we left the village, the friends advised me to never again go to Sxxxxxx on my own because these women "hated" me for preventing money coming to them (note, 'to them') from charities which had been deceived by Joe during the preceding years! Do you really believe that GOD would give a dream about you or your ministry to Joe's wife when she was as much a participant in fraud as Joe and the others! [Yes. God alone decides, not us. And He had good reasons for doing so. He was showing them what would help them, if they listened. But they didn't. They rejected what God gave in the dream, just like Alan does.] Does God entrust spiritual insight to those who are walking in the flesh and the desires of the flesh? [No, she didn't get spiritual insight from it. She rejected it, like Alan did.] Does He not test our honesty, truthfulness and dealings with others BEFORE giving us spiritual revelation? [Not always. Read about Balaam in Numbers 23 and 24. He was a false prophet in rebellion against God's will.] "The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God" (1 Cor. 2:14) but unfortunately you are so anxious to have verification of 'your ministry' that you cling to any straw that happens to blow along! [Alan is anxious to totally undermine our credibility. Why? Because he's a son of the devil.] Your articles, 'Revelations from God about Midnight Ministries' and 'What God said about Midnight Ministries' would be laughed to scorn by whites and blacks alike living in Africa, because they are written almost entirely by Africans, whose motivation we understand! [You won't be laughing when more dead are raised. God will!] You seem unable to grasp that a prophet does not prove that he is one by saying that he will perform a miracle (such as raising to life your list of five) at some time in the future, but that when God calls, He also gives the anointing and ability to fulfil the calling (Acts 1:8). As I've said before, your writings tell me that you have been blessed with the occasional gift of prophecy as described in the New Testament but that like many so-called 'prophetic utterances', they are sometimes of the flesh. [Earlier, he insisted I gave him chapter and verse, while he ignores chapter and verse for such a blatant and false allegation. I haven't uttered any 'fleshly prophecy'.]
Now, I have to pack my suitcase for England! God bless, Alan
Comment: Now Mila comes in with her input from God:
July 21, 2005 (USA times are behind ours)
Dear Alan, My name is Mila Thompson. My husband Steve and I live in Georgia, USA and have a small family- based ministry. Yesterday our friend Malcolm Heap was moved to forward to us your latest email exchange. Having read your last letter, I was shown a flaw in your argumentation and reasoning, as well as the root of your error. I also received a dream about you last night. Today as I prayed, I was moved to write to you. I believe it is for your benefit and ask you to hear me out and pray about what I have to say. In your letter of July 20, 2005 you write: "Most of the prophets who we read about in the New and Old Testaments had their ministries authenticated by 'signs and wonders' BEFORE they 'went public' – they didn't say, 'Believe what I am prophesying now, and many years later, you will see me perform a miracle'!" This is a wrong statement. It completely disagrees with the Word of God. What miracle did Jeremiah perform before he 'went public' to confirm that he was speaking for God? Or let us take Isaiah, what miracles did he do to prove his commission? Please correct me if I am wrong, but I cannot recall any miracles, performed by John the Baptist either. Did he not just come out of the desert and begin to preach repentance? What miracles did Ezekiel do? What do we know of any miracles performed by the so-called 'minor prophets' to authenticate their ministries? With a few exceptions (Moses, Elijah and Elisha), the Old Testament prophets did not perform miracles. It was NOT their job! Their job was to speak for God, calling the unfaithful people of Israel to repent and reform their ways. God did give each one of them a sign of His commission, but most of those signs were either not known to the 'general public' (like in the case of miraculous births of Samuel, John the Baptist and Jesus), or they were ignored by the rulers and authorities, as well as the majority of the people (Moses, Elijah, Elisha, Jesus). No, people have never believed any prophet of God because of signs and wonders! As a matter of fact, the majority have always disbelieved despite the signs given to them! Malcolm has already mentioned unbelief of the Pharisees and Jewish authorities while Jesus was healing the sick, raising the dead, and performing other miracles that had never been done before. If you consider the obstinacy of mankind, having denied God for 2000 years after Jesus' sacrificial death and resurrection, you will have to agree. You write: "I would like to think that you are a prophet of God… but you have not yet supplied sufficient evidence to convince me that your gift is different from that described by Paul in 1 Corinthians 12 and 14. Until such proof is forthcoming, I will continue to listen to what you say and write, and I will judge it, as we are told to do." Those who believed John the Baptist's message did so without any signs. Do you know why? Because they were truly seeking God! And God has promised in His Word: "The LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever." Those who truly desired to know God and His will listened to John's preaching and discerned that he was saying the truth. And the truth comes only from God! It is just the same today – whoever sincerely seeks to know God's truth and His will do not look at names and reputation. They do not trust in humanly earned diplomas and degrees, but listen to messengers of God and yes – prove all things through the Word of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit in humility and prayer. You seem to hold formal education in very high esteem. You are obviously very proud of your Oxford schooling; otherwise you wouldn't have made such a big deal of it in your letter. May I remind you that Jesus did not have any formal education? The only schooling He had came from His complete surrender to and constant unity with the Father in the Spirit (Jn 7:15-18). So, if you hope to impress the Lord with your degrees and reputation, you are in for a big disappointment. Forgive me for reminding you such common- knowledge things, but "knowledge puffs up". And pride blinds. Not man, but God condemns pride and the proud. I believe I do not have to give "your tutor" chapter and verse to prove this statement. The Pharisees could not see the obvious, because their pride and selfish interests blinded them. They had all the knowledge of the Scripture that the best formal education could give, but the majority of them failed to believe. So, my question is: what type of proof do you require? Are you saying that you cannot discern the truth in MM publications you have read? If you do, then why do you doubt that he speaks for God? And if he does speak the truth for God, then he IS a prophet of God, whether you like it or not. Before I set up to write this letter I asked the Lord for guidance again, and I requested a verse for you. Here is what He showed me to give you in conclusion: "Who is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them. The ways of the LORD are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them." I deliberately did not give you references to chapters and verses in the Bible for my quotations. Does it make them invalid in your opinion?
May God bless you as you humbly seek Him. Sincerely, Mila Thompson
The Dream To The 2nd Witness
22nd July 2005
Dear Alan, In my previous email I did not include a dream I had about you on the night of July 21, 2005. It follows. Sincerely, Mila Thompson
Dream about Alan July 21, 2005
I joined a group of women and went to visit one of them at her place. Her place seemed to be located in the attic of a shabby wooden barrack. The entrance was a rather narrow hole cut in the wall. I had a hard time getting inside. Once inside, I found myself in a crowded room with no windows. The ceiling was so low that we could not stand on our feet but had to crawl about.
The women were intellectuals. They proceeded to have empty talks about nothing, showing off their erudition. I wanted to talk about Jesus and His works today, but felt very ill at ease. At some point of time I found an opportunity to introduce the topic. They 'politely' mocked me and actually shut me down. They were not interested in the subject of God and His will for His servants.
Interpretation: This dream is about [Alan] whose e-mail to Malcolm I read the day before. The women represent ministers and ministries, which put a lot of trust in intellectual knowledge of Theology (Alan is one of them). They go to seminaries and universities, study what the generations of other people have written or understood in the living Word of God, and are very proud of their achieved degrees and diplomas. They do not realize a very simple truth that it takes the Spirit of God, as well as our humble submission to learn His Truths. These are not found in any formal educational institutions.
The 'place in the attic' shows their proud attitude. They think high of themselves and their own kind. They seek approval and praise of men. In their loftiness they do not see that there is NO LIGHT in their life. (There were no windows in the room, all the light was artificial). Their understanding is limited by their arrogance (the low ceiling and little space). God showed in the dream that such people are not interested in the input of others who receive from the Spirit of God. Unless a person is one of their own kind they will mock their words. Their talks were shown as shallow, empty and having NOTHING to do with God and His will for this late hour.
Jesus said: "He who is not with Me is against Me" (Mat 12:30).
Mila Thompson
Alan Still Asserts His Superiority!
22nd July 2005
Dear Mila Thank you for your e-mails but may I start by correcting a misunderstanding. I did not suggest that all the Biblical prophets performed miracles – I said 'signs and wonders' which was intended to include the FULFILMENT OF THEIR PROPHECIES. [NO. He is trying to wriggle out of his mistake here, and adds more error to his argument. MOST PROPHETS DID NOT HAVE SIGNS AND WONDERS TO JUSTIFY THEIR WORDS BEFORE THEY WENT PUBLIC.] John the Baptist had his ministry authenticated by Old Testament prophecy concerning him (Mark 1: 2,3); Ezekiel was popular because many of his prophecies came to pass as he spoke them (33:30) [that reference does not say what he claims], but the greatest testimony to the accuracy of the Prophets' writings was that were divinely (a 'sign and wonder') included in the Canon of Scripture and by which time many of their prophecies had been fulfilled! The problem that I have with people like you and Malcolm [is his pride] is that you seem unable to accept that the NEW TESTAMENT gives a very accurate description of the role of prophecy under the New Covenant (1 Corinthians 12 and 14) but this doesn't appear to be good enough for you! [That's not the NT story on prophets.] Malcolm refers to those with this gift as "merely one who receives from God from time to time like anyone else can do who is part of the Body of Christ". However, whether you like it or not, that is the way that God now speaks to His people and, much no doubt to your consternation, we are told to "judge it" (14:29)! [It's not to our consternation. But that is NOT the only way God speaks to His people, through the Spirit individually, otherwise Eph 4:11 would not include prophets in the list, nor would Agabus be mentioned in Acts, nor would the two witnesses be found in Rev 11, nor would the blood of the prophets be mentioned in Rev 16:6 and 18:24. His little essay on NT prophecy is pathetic. We detail it more comprehensively in Prophets and Prophesying.] I believe that you have gone 'well over the top' concerning my Oxford education – having lived in the USA, I know that Americans go 'weak at the knees' at the mention of OXFORD which many see as the height of secular anti-Christian learning! I did not attend the University and I left school at sixteen with three GCE 'O' levels! My 'correction' of Malcolm's English came as a result of his following remarks which perhaps he forgot to forward to you: You are an old sinic, oops cynic, aren't you? Can't you read? Or don't you want to understand? I didn't say they HAD been raised from the dead. I said THEY WILL BE! I wrote: "These people will be coming back from the dead..." And when it happens, then you can believe my signature which is in Ezekiel 33:33. You could have understood the inference of what was in Raised From The Dead At Midnight if you had wanted to. You could have read what David Isaac said was the reason for his being able to tap the power of God to this level, if you had wanted to. And you could believe what God said to all the other witnesses about MM and this work of God, but you'd rather not, because of the implications for all who don't subscribe to 'our' message. Well, that's just rebellion. It may be smothered with smarmy dressings of nicety and hypocritical 'apologies', but it doesn't change the state of your heart, which is what I wanted you to know. I'm sure you will agree that my response was fairly 'measured' and polite in comparison! Incidentally, I don't have a 'tutor' – if you read my e-mail again, you will see that I was referring to a friend's Theology degree. In the light of the above, you will appreciate that I do not consider that 'your dream about' me yesterday is from God, particularly as I have not "achieved degrees and diplomas"! It must be just the product of your over-active imagination! [This is rebellion against God's input! He is being judged. The dream portrayed his arrogance and assertion that he is intellectually superior to us.] This, of course, raises the question of why should I accept anything that you or Malcolm say as being from God? [Go ahead and reject it.] The only 'evidence' that Malcolm produces is that one day in the future, he will raise five people from the dead, and you have not given any! I wrote the following to Malcolm today (the first sentence refers to you!). Thank you for your concern and interest and I pray that God will lead you in the way that He orders and ordains in His Word.
Alan
Comment: He then includes what he wrote to me (Malcolm) on 22nd July 2005 (deleted for brevity):
"Dear Malcolm, "My first thought was, 'I hope she comes with more credentials than you have'..." Etc.
Comment: I added:
22nd July 2005 Thank you for calling me the devil's advocate and for insulting Mila. I won't waste my time addressing the errors in what you have written yet again. You're just a time waster. Yours is just an attempt to find fault and rebel against truth. It is clear which side you favour. I leave you with Ezekiel 33:33. Good bye. MBH
He Has To Have The Final Say
23rd July 2005
Dear Mila Thank you for your e-mail even though your analysis of me is entirely misguided – in fact, you sound an exact copy of Malcolm's ramblings! You both talk about humility and yet seem unable to accept that it is you who may not always be hearing accurately from the Lord! You both suffer from the delusion that anyone who 'rejects' your dreams is also rejecting the Lord! As I said in my last e-mail, your dream about me and its interpretation cannot have been from God because it contains so many inaccuracies regarding my very ordinary school education and, having lived among Oxford University students, my distrust of intellectualism! Malcolm and I began our correspondence about eighteen months ago and, both then and now, it ceased soon afterwards when he was unable to address the challenges that I presented to him. [That's not what happened. The truth is on page 15.] This was his rather sad response of yesterday: Thank you for calling me the devil's advocate and for insulting Mila. I won't waste my time addressing the errors in what you have written yet again. You're just a time waster. Yours is just an attempt to find fault and rebel against truth. It is clear which side you favour. I leave you with Ezekiel 33:33. Good bye. I recently told Malcolm that I believe that he and Helena walk in the prophetic and that they have an important message for the Church today. [But he will not say what that message is, because his comments are merely hypocritical window-dressing.] I also said that I would have difficulty some- times with personal prophecy if I have no inner witness and it refers to something that the Lord has not already laid on my heart. [So Alan has to be the sole determinant or judge of what is appropriate. In other words, 'the Big I' refuses to be humbled and to step down off its pedestal.] I mentioned that I see his published literature as a 'warning' to the Church at the present time. [But he refuses to see it as a warning to himself about HIS waywardness and rebellion!] This is within the remit of New Testament prophecy as described by Paul in his Corinthian letters but it does not mean that I accept you or Malcolm to be 'prophets' in the Old Testament sense. I have given you one reason for this and another is Hebrews 1:1,2: "God who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son...". God's way of speaking to us now is by the Holy Spirit residing within us and through "two or three prophets" during the assembling together of His people (1 Cor. 14: 29). It is because you and Malcolm flagrantly ignore these Scriptures [which is a blatant lie] that I cannot accept your ministries as they apply to personal prophecy. Therefore, like Malcolm, I must politely ask you not to correspond with me again until you allow the Lord to open your eyes to the truth of His precious Word.
With best wishes, Alan
And with that, fortunately, Mr Fault-Finder went away, having felt that he had won the 'argument'. What he doesn't see is that the Holy Spirit has departed from him. Mr Self-Righteous has lost what righteousness he had, and has become blind. He prefers his self-will to God's will for him.
Humility Is The Beginning
No one can enter the kingdom of God in such an arrogant state. Jesus declared:
I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven (Matt 18:3, NIV). The qualities that Jesus was alluding to in that analogy include:
You know, people will 'accept' Jesus, and become 'Christians' for selfish reasons. But unless they change, that profession of faith is worthless. The change God requires is a change of heart – an internal transformation of the spirit, from being self- willed to being pliable like a little child.
A person may appear outwardly religious, but inwardly can be a hotbed of vileness to God. It's all a matter of the heart, of the spirit, which is why Jesus said you must be born again (Jn 3:3) – renewed, regenerated, restored.
The sinful, self-willed heart, which thinks so much of itself, and is stubbornly proud, independent and resilient, must die. Your ego must go.
The way God worked with Job is a paradigm. Job was clever, highly accomplished, diligent, and devout. But his abilities and self-achievement lifted him up inside. He couldn't see what was wrong with himself. But after God had worked with him through his trials, he was humbled and came to see himself as God did. He felt ashamed (Job 42:5,6).
There is no short-cut to humbling. It can only come through difficulties that God must allow, the severity of which is determined by the Omniscient One.
Characteristics of False Believers
However, false Christians don't change. Their spirit cannot be 'conquered' by God. They refuse to alter course. To them, THEY are more important than God. Of course, they wouldn't say that, but the way they behave displays such an arrogance and independence that they defy God. Lucifer was like that. He thought so much of himself that he even deluded himself that he could depose God!
Hypocrisy, control, selfish motivation, deceit, seeking pre-eminence, pride, fear, intimidation, manipulation, domination, hostility, immoral habits, tale-bearing (gossiping), fault-finding (unjustified criticism), malice, unforgiveness, stubbornness and self-will are among the characteristics of unconverted people. There are others, of course, but they all stem from one root. They revolve around the self taking precedence over God in your life.
Here is a list taken from Testing The Spirits:
In the case of Alan illustrated above, he began to go wrong after he was presented with new truth. He was a Sunday-keeping Christian, so I sent him two MM publications that prove that Sunday is NOT a real substitute for keeping God's biblical Sabbath. Weekly Sunday observance is not sanctioned in Scripture.
I sent him: Our Sabbath Rest and Sunday Versus Sabbath: The Final World Crisis. He read them and could not refute what they contained. They are irrefutable! He admitted what he read was truth.
The only way anyone can deny the veracity of what they contain is to rebel against obeying the truth. And that's what he did.
Naturally, he didn't see it as rebellion. He justified himself. He made excuses that, because there wasn't a Sabbath-keeping church in his locality, he needed to fellowship with others on Sunday.
By doing that, he was saying that fellowship with Jesus was not good enough. He wanted to be with other people, and they meant more to him than Jesus did.
The truth is that where believers have no one to fellowship with on the Sabbath, Jesus can make up for any lacks you may experience. Our fellowship is first with Him, and then with one another (1 Jn 1:3-7). Our booklet Meetings With Jesus explains this topic. To put people before Jesus – to consider being with them more important than being with Jesus, or to rely upon them more than on Him – is to commit idolatry.
Of course, if you told him, Alan wouldn't admit he was doing that. Doubtless he would deny he was. But actions speak louder than words. What you do is a barometer of what is in your innermost being – what motivates you. So... Do you live for God, or for yourself?
False believers live for themselves, while they take God's name on their lips.
To the wicked, God says: 'What right have you to recite My laws or take My covenant on your lips? You hate my instruction and cast My words behind you...' (Ps 50:16,17, NIV.)
That is what all false believers do in some way. They won't submit to His will. When they refuse to obey, and rebel against doing what God says, the Holy Spirit departs. (Genuine deception or misunderstanding is a different matter which is covered somewhat by God's grace. That is explained in Understanding The Mind of God: A Message To Worldwiders and Understanding The Mind of God: A Message to Sabbatarians.)
Jesus warned:
I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him (Luke 19:26, NKJV).
In other words, if you don't use what He has given you – His Holy Spirit – you will lose it.
We are witnesses to these declarations, as well as the holy Spirit which God gives to those yielding to Him (Acts 5:32, Concordant Literal NT).
Take heed what you hear (Mark 4:24, NKJV).
Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden His face from you (Is 59:1,2, NIV).
If you had responded to My rebuke, I would have poured out My heart to you and made my thoughts known to you. But since you rejected Me when I called... since you ignored all My advice and would not accept My rebuke, I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you... Then they will call to Me but I will not answer; they will look for Me but will not find me (Prov 1:23, 24, 25, 26, 28, NIV).
Alan was quick to criticise and pour scorn on us because we claimed to come in Jesus' name. He thought he was the one who came in His name. Had he had humility, he would have been slow to speak and quick to hear. Like Mary, who pondered the divine words that were strange to her (Luke 2:19), he would have considered not condemned.
But these speak evil of whatever they do not know [understand spiritually] (Jude 10, NKJV).
Evil motives always produce such outbursts.
For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean' (Mark 7:21, 22, NIV). [See also Romans 1:29-30.]
Combating Strongholds Of Satan
MM's booklet, Apostasy In God's Church! gives an overview of the mortal dangers that face believers, both from without and from within what is commonly called 'the Church'. There are false ministers and false teachings; heresies and heretics. Deception is the poison of the Church, and deceivers are the ruin of many. You need spiritual protection! You need to know how to test the spirits, how to recognise deceivers, and how to guard yourself against spurious teachings that can mislead.
These are the strongholds of the enemy which he uses to try to subjugate God's people and bring them to spiritual ruin. Jesus emphasised the danger by reminding us of our need to pray regularly:
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one (Matt 6:13, NIV).
Watch out that no one deceives you, for many will come in My name, claiming 'I am the Christ' and will deceive many (Matt 24:4,5 NIV).
You are not deceived by those who literally claim to be Christ, but MANY are deceived by men who have come in His name, usurping His position, putting themselves in His place as our Teacher, Lord and Mediator. Autocratic ministers and church hierarchy pose the greatest danger to your spiritual growth. (Explained in God's Church, Whose Authority?)
A stronghold is an area in which the devil and demons can exert their grip over you. They achieve this by appealing to your pride, or your desires or your fears. When you give in to their prompts, they come on board and take a 'ride'. They live with you.
Christians can have demons residing in them, as explained in Casting Out Demons. The way to get rid of them, and let God's light in, is by:
Humbling yourself (Jas 4:6) – being willing to do whatever God says.
Renouncing whatever you desire that is wrong and not part of God's will (Jas 4:7).
Resisting the selfish wrong desires (Jas 4:7-8). Demons incite and inflame your lusts and cravings.
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds (2 Cor 10:3,4, NKJV).
Paul then explains how you combat the power of the enemy. It is a spiritual and mental struggle:
...casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor 10:5, NKJV).
Demons argue against doing God's will. They will tempt you to do wrong, appealing to your pride and cravings. Your duty is to resist. As you are willing to resist, God gives you additional help so that you can – but only according to your willingness. If you are not really willing to give up whatever it is that is wrong but which you like, you can forget about combating that stronghold of Satan. He's got you!
The principle of overcoming is simple, although the struggle is not easy. You crave God's love and help, and you set your will to NOT do what is wrong.
If it's deceit and lying – which is a big problem in Africa, although not exclusive to that continent – you determine NOT to lie against your neighbour (Ex 20:16), even if it hurts you to do so (Ps 15:2-4). You exert your will to DO what is right! You reprogramme your mind to HATE the wrong and LOVE the right. By doing it, you cement that principle in your character.
When tempted by self-interest to lie, you don't. You don't try to win for yourself. You let the other person 'get the better of you'. Honesty can only be practised where people really have God's love in their hearts for others. So you let God's love come in. That occurs alongside your willingness to humble yourself.
That's why Paul talked about pulling down the high things in you that exalt themselves... Getting for the self, self-aggrandisement, seeking what you want at others' expense – all that is OUT! When you are prepared to pay that price of self-sacrifice, of dying to oneself, God's love for others comes in. And that Spirit-imbued love overcomes all demonic power.
The principle is the same with any weakness or sin that you need to overcome.
The newness of life that Paul talked about in Romans 6:4, "that we should no longer be slaves of sin" (6:6), becomes a reality as we surrender our wills to His. When you are willing to be "united together in the likeness of His death" (6:5), you will find yourself being "freed from sin" (6:7).
The strongholds which demons held over you start to subside, because you are choosing what is right instead of what is wrong. You are combating evil spirits through a combination of your resolve and the power of God's Spirit in you. As you yearn in your heart for God's ways, God enters with His love to release you (Rom 5:5). Read Paul in Romans 5-8. He writes cogently about it there.
Malcolm B Heap, July 2005
Further Reading Help In Trials (HIT) Casting Out Demons (Dem) Testing The Spirits (TTS) Apostasy In God's Church! (Apo) God's Church, Whose Authority? (GC) Our Sabbath Rest (S) Sunday Versus Sabbath: The Final World Crisis (SS) Prophets and Prophesying (PP) An Introduction To The Spiritual Gifts (ISG). Holy Fire! (AA 3-7). The Bible Speaks Vols 1-5 (TBS1-TBS5).
Click Here for Complete Literature List
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