Angels, the Occult and the Faith Movement

Contacting alleged angels is an increasingly popular activity in our culture as illustrated by the 1992 "American Conference on Angels." Unfortunately, the messages these "angels" give prove they are lying spirits which the Bible identifies as demons. Most Faith teachers also claim they have unique relationships to angels -- as, allegedly, anyone can who applies the principles of the Faith Movement. Faith teachers believe multitudes of angels are standing by just to do our bidding, anxiously waiting to be commanded by "Faith words" which, when spoken forth, puts them into action and brings miraculous results.

Gloria Copeland and Charles Capps suggest there may be 40,000 to 72,000 angels assigned to each believer just waiting to serve us.

But the idea that people can command angels to do their bidding is an occultic belief, not a biblical practice. The idea of having power over creation mediated through alleged spiritual laws and our own mental and verbal powers (mediated through the help of spirits) is a tenet of the occult, not Christianity.

Further, these angels are angels of a particular kind -- they are spirit beings who actively support Faith practice and teaching. This raises an interesting point. If we compare the principles of occult magic and those of the Faith Movement, we can see the similarities. The question is: Would godly angels endorse such a teaching?

If godly angels would not endorse the Faith principles, what kind of angels are those that do? We offer the following to show that the leaders in the Faith Movement at the least claim that they can manipulate angels to do their bidding (an occultic practice).

Kenneth Copeland teaches that through Positive Confession, angels "are obligated to follow your command"; Gloria Copeland says, "Your words put the angels to work on your behalf to bring to pass whatever you say."

Charles Capps asserts that God told him that he was to "give orders" to angels to accomplish our desires. He teaches, "You need the supernatural beings of God working for you here on earth." And, "Angels...will work for you! They will become involved in every area of your life -- your home, your business, everything -- but only to the extent that you allow them to operate."

Kenneth Hagin claims that Jesus appeared in front of him with an angel next to Him and told him that this was "his angel" who would guide and direct his life. Jerry Savelle says that when we apply the principles of the Faith Movement "...the angels come on the scene to see that what you say comes to pass." John Osteen [father of Joel Osteen] teaches that, "When you become a covenant-person, God assigns angels to watch you and your family..."

Robert Tilton says, "When you talk positively about your dream, you not only release its substance, but you release the angels to work for you, causing your dream to come to pass." For those who tithe faithfully to his ministry he says, "I prophesy these miracles are coming to pass even this very moment. Angels, I send you forth as ministering spirits to cause these supernatural miracle[s] to come into my friend's [life]." But for those who make vows to his ministry and later renege, he also warns, "If you say your vow was a mistake, your angels will hear it and the work of your hands and what you are believing God for will be cursed instead of blessed...It stops God from telling the angels to go out and round up the money..."

Benny Hinn also accepts the ministry of the "Faith" angels.

Of course, no one denies that the Bible teaches that angels do serve God's interest in the life of the believer, or that some believers have entertained angels unaware (Hebrews 1:14; 13:2). But this is the point: Angels serve God's purposes in the life of the believer -- and the Faith Movement/Positive Confession isn't one of them. And angels usually do operate unaware -- behind the scenes. We cannot command angels to bring us money, nor are we to pray to them, nor will they teach us and guide us into things that are against the Word of God.

(from The Facts on the Faith Movement by John Ankerberg and John Weldon)

False Claims of New Revelation from God!

Many of the leaders in this movement claim that God, Jesus, or angels appeared to them and taught them these ideas. But we must ask, "Are these revelations biblical if they condone actions that are unbiblical or foolhardy?" In fact, the supposedly divine visions, revelations, prophecies and interpretations are often so false or unbiblical that one wonders if these visions are from their own mind or, worse yet, from the devil. For example, the history of the Old Testament is not without persons claiming to be spiritual leaders who thought that the visions of their own mind originated in God. But God told them, "The prophets are prophesying lies in My name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries, and the delusions of their own minds." (Jeremiah 14:14, NIV).

Nevertheless, almost to a man, the Faith leaders claim God as their authority. Kenneth Copeland implies many of his teachings are a result of divine revelation. For example, his Prosperity: The Choice Is Yours "has been birthed by a natural flow of revelation knowledge from my heart to yours." The Jesus Copeland spoke to told Kenneth that he must "believe that your words have power, and the things you say will come to pass. The result is that you can have whatever you say when you believe."

Kenneth Hagin teaches "The Lord Himself taught me about prosperity ... I got it directly from heaven." For example, Hagin claims, "The Lord spoke to me and said, 'Don't pray for money anymore. You have authority through My name to claim prosperity.'"

Oral Roberts claims that his "Seed Faith" principles and other materials in his books were revealed directly to him by Jesus as, "fresh revelations straight from the throne room of God." Paul Yonggi Cho also claims his "fourth dimension" ideas and other teachings were given by God.

In Jerry Savelle's prosperity series we are told, "The revelation knowledge in this set was given to Brother Savelle supernaturally by God." Savelle himself claims, "The Lord supernaturally appeared to me in my hotel room...He said this to me 'My people are in financial famine and I'm giving you the assignment to go tell them how to get out.'" Savelle claims several other of his books were received "through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit."

In God's Creative Power, Charles Capps claims that God spoke to him directly in August of 1973: "The Word of the Lord came unto me saying, 'If men would believe me, long prayers are not necessary. Just speaking the Word will bring what you desire. My creative power is given to man in Word form. I have ceased for a time from my work and have given men the book of MY CREATIVE POWER...but for my Word to be effective men must speak it.'" Thus "Jesus" told Capps "I have told my people that they can have WHAT THEY SAY..."

In God's Miracle Plan for Man, Robert Tilton claims "In this book, God directed me by His Holy Spirit to write certain things to you. I have leaned on Him for every word...Contained in these pages are special words of wisdom, words of knowledge, and prophecies from the Lord..." In Solving the Mystery of the Miracle Money, Tilton claims, "The words in this book are not my words; they are the words of ... the Holy Spirit..." In God's Laws of Success he even implies that his books are on the same level as those of the New Testament. Thus, he does not blanch when he claims, "The Spirit of the Lord has given me this prosperity message to share with you."

In summary, all these men claim direct counsel from God. But is this really true? The inspiration supposedly given by Jesus and the angels and the words they spoke to these men do not sound at all like the biblical Jesus or the angels that speak for God in the Bible. Proof of this can be seen in the consistent misinterpretation of the Bible that such inspiration has produced.

(The Facts on the Faith Movement by John Ankerberg & John Weldon)