The Manifest Sons of God Theology
WE AFFIRM all born-again believers will be ‘manifest’ as sons of God after the Second Coming of Christ.
WE DENY that we will experience the fullness of our inheritance as sons of God before Jesus returns.
Explanation:
Some uphold the false teaching that in this age believers can have
faith that will enable them to attain to qualities of life that are
reserved only for believers in the resurrection.
The Latter Rain
WE AFFIRM
the Church will experience the greatest outpouring of the Spirit in
history before Jesus returns (Joel 2:28–32). This outpouring will
result in a great ingathering of souls and a renewing of the Church so
that it walks in godliness as declared in the Sermon on the Mount
(Matthew 5–7). We affirm the presence of the 5–fold ministry for the
equipping of the saints (Ephesians 4:11–13).
WE DENY
the distinctive doctrines that go beyond Scripture that are often
associated with the Latter Rain theology that was popularized in the
1950s.
Explanation:
Some have wrongly identified our ministry today with the false
teachings that were popularized by some in the Latter Rain movement. We
have had no relationship at all to this past movement.
Dominion Theology
WE AFFIRM
that God’s purpose is for Jesus to come back to fully establish His
Kingdom rule over all the Earth. After the Second Coming, the saints
will rule the Earth under the leadership of Jesus Christ when He sets
up His government on the Earth in the Millennial Kingdom (1 Corinthians
6:2; Revelation 5:10 and 20:3–6). We believe that believers in this age
are called to serve Jesus in politics and to help establish
righteousness and justice in legislation. We do NOT have the assurance
that ALL laws and governments will be changed until after the Second
Coming of Jesus to establish His Millennial Kingdom.
WE DENY the Church will take over all the governments of the Earth before the return of Christ.
Explanation:
some teach and believe that all governments on the Earth will be
transformed by the Church before the Second Coming of Jesus.
Joel’s Army
WE AFFIRM
that the army in Joel 2:1–11 was an ungodly Babylonian army that
destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC. We believe that this passage has a
double fulfillment as it points to the Antichrist’s army that will
attack Israel at the end of the age. We affirm that Joel was
prophesying of the lifestyle of godly believers in Joel 2:12–17.
WE DENY Joel 2:1–11 describes the end-time church.
Explanation:
The term "Joel’s Army" has been used to signify the people who walk out
the principles of prayer with fasting as taught in Joel 2:12–17. The
term has been used much like "Joseph Company", "Gideon Band" or "David
Company" to signify the people who embraced the godly qualities that
Joel taught about prayer, fasting and wholehearted obedience. Paul Cain
had a prophetic word about a “Joel's Army in training,” referring to a
group of people who would give themselves to prayer and fasting
according to Joel 2:12–17. When used like this, “Joel's Army” does not
refer specifically to the destroying army mentioned in Joel 2:1–11, but
to people who walk out the Joel 2:12–17 lifestyle. The misunderstanding
comes from giving the title “Joel’s Army” to both the destroying army
(Joel 2:1–11) and the group of people who give themselves to fasting
and prayer (Joel 2:12–17).
The use of Prophecy
WE AFFIRM
the Bible is the inerrant and sole objective source of direction and
wisdom for the life of a believer. We believe in the operation of the
prophetic ministry as a source of edification, exhortation, and comfort
from the Lord (1 Corinthians 14:3). We believe that the subjectivity of
the prophetic ministry must be vigorously tested against the inspired
and infallible Scriptures that God gave for doctrine, reproof,
correction and for instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).
WE DENY
subjective prophetic experiences are equal to the inspired Word of God.
In other words, all personal prophecy must uphold and honor the
Scripture.
Explanation:
Simple prophecy is limited to edification, exhortation and comfort (1
Corinthians 14:3). It is to enrich our spiritual life, rather than give
direction in the domestic areas of our life. Edification speaks of
spiritually building or edifying someone’s spirit by confirming their
destiny or God’s purpose for their life. The most common way to edify
through simple prophecy is to give a Scripture that has been previously
important to them. Exhortation includes calling people to persevere and
not give up on their promises in God in hard times and to not give into
sin. Comfort speaks of making known God’s perspective in a great
disappointment or set back in their life by giving God’s perspective in
telling people that God has a plan in their pressure.
We
urge people to avoid giving others prophetic direction in the domestic
areas of their life. This includes issues related to spousal
designation, bearing children, changing jobs, moving, buying or selling
(i.e. house) or leaving one church for another, etc. We may give godly
counsel to one another in domestic areas without presenting it as a
prophecy. Personal prophecies should be given with others as witness
(we request that prophecies be recorded when possible). Some have an
over-reliance on dreams for direction in their domestic lives. God
never intended to direct people mostly by dreams. Yes, God does use
dreams to give some direction; however, they are not to be a substitute
of gaining wisdom from Scripture. Some rely on dreams for decisions
because it absolves them from the responsibility for lacking wisdom if
the decision turns out wrong (Ecclesiastes 5:3, 7).
The Tabernacle of David
WE AFFIRM
the Holy Spirit is orchestrating a global worship and prayer movement
that will operate in great authority (Luke 18:7–8; Matthew 21:13;
Revelation 5:8, 8:3–5, 22:17; Isaiah 62:6–7; Joel 2:12–17 and 32). This
prayer movement will operate in the spirit of the Tabernacle of David.
WE DENY the restoration of the tabernacle of David is the same as the end-time prayer movement.
Explanation:
In the days of King David, he established a tabernacle that had singers
and musicians who ministered to the Lord day and night. Today, the
prayer movement is in the spirit of David’s Tabernacle. This means that
the prayer movement will have some components of the Tabernacle of
David, specifically pertaining to singers and musicians.
The
promise of the restoration of the tabernacle of David refers to the
governmental restoration of David’s international rule as part of the
restoration of national Israel in the Millennial Kingdom.
The context of Amos 9:11–12 is the governmental rule of Jesus over all the nations from Jerusalem.
In
Acts 15:13–18, James referred to Amos 9:11 declaring that Gentiles
should be accepted into the predominantly Jewish Body of Christ,
without needing to convert to Judaism. The apostles understood that in
the End Times, God would re-establish the Messianic kingdom over all
the nations. God has just visited the Gentiles with salvation at
Cornelius’ house (Acts 10). This was in agreement with Old Testament
prophecy. James quoted Amos to prove that many Gentiles will be saved
in context to the restoration of the Davidic dynastic reign. This
restoration will of course include David’s heart for worship and
prayer. Though Amos 9:11 is not prophesying primarily about 24/7
intercessory worship, it will be a foundational reality in the release
of Jesus’ worldwide rule over the nations. The prophetic word given to
Mike Bickle in May 1983 was that “God would release 24 hour-a-day
prayer in the spirit of the Tabernacle of David.” In other words, it
would involve prophetic singers and musicians. Worship and intercession
is not in itself the actual restoration of David’s tabernacle!
