Now, on to Todd Bentley's tattoos....
I have heard so much garbage about this, and some of it is just down right ridiculous! Of course, much of what I have heard against Bentley and this movement is ridiculous, but let's start with his tattoos. There is one tat that I am unsure of on his leg. It does look a bit odd to be on a evangelist's leg, but if I asked Todd why it's there, I'm sure I would understand his answer - I trust his judgement, as a man of God, he would not put something on his body to distract and desecrate his body as it is a living temple to the Holy Spirit ( for those of you who do not believe that he is a man of God, keep reading and pray for wisdom, understanding and insight. ) You can see pics and read thier version here > http://www.scribd.com/doc/2909690/AN-ANGEL-CALLED-EMMA
**As I stated before, this blog is not meant to offend or discredit anyone who is opposed to Bentley or the Florida Outpouring. I am simply supporting him and this movement and giving the answers that God has given me as I have studied all that has been said, read The Word and sought after God and His guidance. If you have not done these things, then I suggest that you do. Do not let man sway you one way or the other, simply look straight ahead to the Father and his will **
1.On his right forearm is a Star of David ( Jewish Symbol - Star with six points ) that has been called a pentagram. This is FAR from the truth!
2. Even the ring on his middle finger of his right hand ( Lion ) has been linked to the occult by some. I have a REALLY big problem with this considering that Jesus himself is described as being a mighty lion, and THIS is what Bentley is symbolizing here.
3. The Hebrew letter stands for "The Spirit of the Lord." It symbolizes Divinity and Gentility. This letter appears twice in the full Name of God and, together with yod, forms the Divine Name YAH. According to tradition, the World to Come was created through utterance of the letter yod. This World was created through the sound of hey, which is pronounced as a mere exhalation of breath, requiring little movement from tongue or lip.
4. Flames shooting down towards his hands - Many people have described the feeling they have when healed as "fire"
5. Revelation 4:7 - and this is bad , why??
6. The all seeing eye(?) First of all, we can not see the full context from which this was taken. Secondly, there are many symbols which were once used for things of God that got twisted into pagan ideas.
7. They claim that there is an inverted cross on his left hand, however, that depends on how you're viewing it now doesn't it? It sure looks right to me.
8. "On thumb letters can't read them." FAITH - across his fingers it say's " Love " and " Hope" respectively.
9. "An alien gray by the watch" I don't know how people come up with this stuff sometimes! I see NO alien and the only thing that could even possibly be askewed enough is called tribal, in blue.
10. They speak of a rose being an occult symbol - I'm really beginning to think that they could find an occult definition to go with virtually anything that we give 'em.
11. "King of...Lord" - It's King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
12. A demonic face (?) The only thing I see thats questionable is the one on his leg that I've already addressed.
13. They also mention the eagle on his arm, and at least they don't completely call it pagan. I think of it as symbolizing freedom which we have through Jesus Christ.
14. They even have something to say about the sun.
The point here is this - Each of these things COULD be translated into a few different things, so why must we assume that it's the wrong one? Honestly, I think that there is so much controversy because of a few things.... I believe that it's the more conservative branches that are picthing a fit because it's something different. I remember when I was a kid and went to a fundamentalist Baptist church, I thought they were going to pass out when we have a revivalist come in and people raised thier hands to praise and spoke in tongues! These things are spoke of in the Bible! But we'll get to that. I also think that this is such a controversy because the enemy is making it one. God is showing His people His power, He is showing the lost miracles and proclaiming his territory through healings and salvations, and the enemy simply can not stand that so many people are realizing who they are in God. So many Christians are finding that through the blood of Christ, there is power! They are realizing that they have the authority to proclaim healing and take charge of thier lives through Jesus. The enemy is using us against ourselves, and we are letting him!!
Let's move on to learn about the Holy Spirit.
Many believers are resisting this movement and calling it a work of the devil because it is unfamiliar to them. They only see demon possession as being the answer to people shaking or simply lying down. Do we assume that the devil and his minions are so strong that they can do this to a person and the Holy Spirit isn't so strong? I sure hope that's not what anyone would think. The thing is that demons overtake a person by force, they often times kick them out, so to speak, in that they ( the person ) doesn't even know what they are doing and have no control at all. The Holy Spirit comes when asked. Yes, He resides within us at all times, but we do not feel His presence all the time. When we ask, and praise and desire the Spirit to show himself, he does. This affects each person a bit differently. For some people it may be such a strog feeling that they pass out for a few minutes, but most of the time, they are aware and are not passed out, but instead simply basking in the presence of God, knowing they are safe and not wanting to move. During fervent prayer and worshiping, I sometimes find my hand shaking, and I know that I rock back and forth when seated while praying and worshiping. Anyhow - The Spirit may make Himself known in any number of ways, it depnds on how you open yourself to Him.
The Bible tells us many times of the Holy Spirit. Let's look at a few of those passages.
On speaking in toungues and groans:
" In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." Romans 8: 26-27
"Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues." 1 Corinthians 14: 39
On The gifts of prophesy and tongues read 1 Corinthians 14: 1-25
" For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants." Isaiah 44:3
" And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both mena nd women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days." Joel 2:28-29
" I baptize you with water for repentance, but after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandles I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire." Matthew 3:11
On visions of Jesus, we have Stephen..." But, Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God." Acts 7:55
Acts 8:15-19 "When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might recieve the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptitized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed thier hands on them and they recieved the Holy Spirit.. When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money and said," Give me also this ability so that everyone on whome I lay my hands may recieve the Holy Spirit." Now we know that we can not buy the Spirit and Simon was told as much too.
The Word is full of passages on the Holy Spirit. We should remember that Gog can and will show himself any way He so chooses.
I've heard a lot saying that a revival isn't for the believers but to save the lost. I must differ here. First of all, it's for both. The revival itself helps to fire up the believers. The word "revival" means to bring back to life, to revive.... such as to bring the life back into the body of Christ. Without life in the body, the body can not grow. Without the church and it's members being on fire for God, then souls will not be won and lives will not be saved!! I believe that these people have confused revival with evangilism. Evangelism is spreading the gospel to unbelievers so that they may know the Lord, but Revival is bringing life back into a lifeless church, by the conviction and guidance of the Holy Spirit in order that they may have a closer walk with God.
We'll cover what revival means and what it looks like more later. We'll also examine other facets of this current revival that some are uncomfortable with. Please feel free to leave me comments, ask questions, etc.. Thank you!
" Dear, Heavenly Father, I come before you now, lifting up all those who read this blog, Lord. I thank you, and I praise you for each person, I thank you for Your Spirit which works in them for them to read this. I pray Lord for Your Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation for each of us. I pray, Abba, for Your Spirit of Truth and Understanding, that we may see, and recognize all that is of you and rebuke all that is not of you. Thank you, Daddy, for all that you are, and for all that You make us through your Son, Jesus. It's in His name that I pray. I plead the blood of the Lamb upon my family and upon my readers, open closed eyes, heal wounded hearts and save lost souls, in the name of Jesus, I pray, Amen. "
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