Connecting False Teaching to False Worship

I was the lead intercessor for the Vancouver Prayer and Healing Rooms, which was located in Vancouver, WA. They were under the “umbrella” of the International Association of Healing Rooms, in Spokane, WA, headed by Cal Pierce, whose doctrine and beliefs mirror that of Bill Johnson, Bethel.

Like many others I loved to worship God to sing to Him. I began to collect an assortment of worship CD’s to use while we “soaked” to prepare for the “prayer ministry”. My favorite was Misty Edwards of International House of Prayer, Mike Bickel. I wasn’t crazy about Bickel’s teaching, but I loved IHOP’s music. And so I used it as often as I could, along with a mix of other popular artists at that time.

Jesus warned us in Matthew 24:4-5 to see to it that no one deceives us. It is a statement that is of utmost importance, yet one that is easily overlooked. However, I had often prayed that prayer, and though I was allowed to be involved in some very bad teaching and crazy supernatural experiences, God eventually opened my eyes to the truth and by His grace and love led me out.

The bible gives us a great number of warnings about false teachers and false prophets. We are told to test these things, to flee and to warn others to do the same. See 2 John, 2 Peter 2, Romans 16:17-18. Paul called them out by name, 2 Timothy 2:16-18, and warned others day and night for years in tears so they would not be taken in Acts 20:28-31.

Music is an extremely powerful force and is one that will be used to worship the Beast when the time comes. See Daniel 3, Revelation 13. I believe we are seeing pre-cursors to that and have been for some time. It is so important we leave behind what sounds good to us, or what feels good and right to us and test these things according to the word of God – Acts 17:11, 2 Timothy 2:15.

I am fully convinced that the demonic uses “worship” music as a type of conjuring, to bring up the demonic forces that are part of these organizations’ false teachings. Where false teaching exists, false worship follows along side, and the bible calls such teacher accursed – Galatians 1:8-9. It is a widely known fact that the most beautiful music comes from organizations who teach of another gospel.

Just as with false teaching there is a bit of a lie, the same holds for the music. Oftentimes the false teaching is accepted because it sounds good. The same applies to their music – it sounds good. It appeals to our flesh, to our senses and we are pulled in and trapped. It does not matter that the words they sing are true because the foundation is false. There will always be a mixture of truth and the lie. This is why I understand that when we sing these songs we are worshiping the false jesus, the one Paul warned about. He also stated if we allowed it, we would put up with it- 2 Corinthians 11:4. If you are drawn to this music and feel you need it for worship, this is what he spoke of, to be taken in and controlled by it.

Worship is about God. It should never be about how it makes us feel, but how it lifts up the truth of the Lord in telling Him how great He is for all He has done for us! There is such a huge difference. And there is more to worship than music, it is how we live our lives in submission to God and not to ourselves.

I often hear Christians defend the music of Bethel, Jesus Culture, Morningstar, IHOP, Hillsong, and all the rest because it’s so beautiful and uplifting to the hearer. But my friends, we are told that Satan comes as an angel of light with a great power to deceive, 2 Corinthians 11:14, he is beautiful, and he once held the place of worship leader in heaven- Isaiah 14:11-14.

This should give us great pause to question who we are truly singing about and where it comes from. If the doctrine is false the worship is false, and the two cannot be separated. Please don’t be deceived. We are called to be pure. Bust up your CD’s and delete your links! Sing your own songs! Be blessed in your freedom from all the works of darkness while there is still time. God is a jealous God and we must worship Him in spirit and in truth!