My Elijah List Experience
- Elijah List Intro: Prelude to My Story
- Elijah List 1: In the Beginning
- Elijah List 2: First Impressions Crumble
- Elijah List 3: My Experience with Todd Bentley
- Elijah List 4: Dismantling the Wall
- Elijah List 5: Mortar in the Wall
- Elijah List 6: Wicked Roots
- Elijah List 7: Lack of Discernment Has a Price
- Elijah List 8: The Next Generation
- Elijah List 9: My Way Home
- Elijah List 10: Post-Prophetic Rehab – How to Get Back On Track
Judge NOT His Anointed?
Leadership in the prophetic movement, including the Elijah List, has constructed a cleverly crafted wall of deception that has kept them above accountability and immune from criticism and reproach. This wall of deception revolves around the misinterpretation and the misapplication of Matt. 7:1-5 (“Judge not lest ye be judged ….”) and other verses like it.
As a result, no one is able to say that they (the “prophets”) are doing anything wrong. If someone should mention that they see anything wrong with the behavior or deeds of a particular “prophet”, they are immediately told that they are not walking in love, and that they should give “grace” to the prophet (more on this later). They’re also told that they shouldn’t judge, because they do not want to be judged in like manner … that they should remove the plank from their own eye, rather than point out someone else’s faults (more on this later). And because it’s really easy to put these leaders on a pedestal (in essence, “idolizing” them), it’s really easy for most people to swallow this reasoning and to ignore the sin.
This dynamic also carries over into our (the church’s) relationships with each other. We’re all afraid to say anything about the sin in each others lives because we don’t want to be perceived as “judgmental” or “mean”. Because of this fear, sin in the Body goes unchecked and actually thrives! Why do you think our divorce, abortion, porn use, and drug abuse statistics are equal to the world? Because no one fights for purity, holiness, or the Holy Spirit’s Fire in our congregations! Do you know that witches and satanists can actually come into our “houses of worship” and feel comfortable? God have mercy on us!
The following verses are conveniently downplayed and/or ignored by the “prophets” and their followers:
1 Cor. 6:3 “Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?” – This verse allows us to discern/judge issues concerning this life.
1 Cor. 6:5 “I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren?” – This verse allows us to judge issues between brethren.
1 Cor. 11:31 “For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.” – This verse allows us to judge the sin in our own lives.
To Rebuke, or NOT to Rebuke?
Not only does the bible say we are to judge behavior/issues, it also gives us permission to REBUKE!
Luke 17:3 “Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.” - This verse allows us to rebuke our brother/sister who is in sin.
1 Timothy 5:20 “Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear.” – This verse allows us to rebuke an ELDER who is in sin (read prior scriptures for backup).
2 Timothy 4:2 “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.” – This verse allows us rebuke as a vital part of our preaching!
Titus 2:15 “Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.” – This verse allows us to rebuke with authority!
Most ministries associated with the Elijah List, the “prophetic” church, and much of the rest of the church, can’t stand it when you bring up these scriptures, because then the possibility of exposed sin creeps its way into their “salvation equation”. The weirdest thing is, they want to keep the sin hidden, and yet they wonder why they are some of the most battered, bruised and confused people in the church. I experienced it too! During my 7 years at the Elijah List, I had never experienced such defeat, sickness and confusion in my whole life! Whenever one experiences this, they are told that they are just experiencing “spiritual warfare” … that it’s enemy’s fault they are experiencing this trauma. That sounds great to a carnal mind, I mean, after all … who wants to take the blame?
Wisdom Cries
Wisdom would say something else though. In Proverbs 1:22-31, Wisdom is crying (listen to her!):
Proverbs 1:22-31 “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge. Turn at my rebuke; surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you. Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded, because you disdained all my counsel, and would have none of my rebuke, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes, when your terror comes like a storm, and your destruction comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently, but they will not find me. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the Fear of the LORD, they would have none of my counsel and despised my every rebuke. Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled to the full with their own fancies.”
That’s not to say that “spiritual warfare” doesn’t happen; we ARE in a war with spirit beings (Ephesians 6:12). But the bible is clear that He will protect those who walk in the Fear of the Lord and that the battle will be a victorious one, not a continual excuse for the consequences of poor behavior and decisions.
It is clear, the North American church must re-introduce judging and rebuke (based upon the Word of God) back into our “christian culture” post-haste. If we do not clean our house, God will come and clean house for us, and it will not be a pleasant thing. When John Crowder can introduce “huffing the baby jesus” as a means of getting spiritual jollies, it’s time to set a standard.
Well, What About Jesus’ Words?
I’m not going to ignore Matthew 7:1-5. Jesus DID say, “Judge not lest you be judged” but it doesn’t mean what you’ve been taught! Let’s take a look at these scriptures in detail.
“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.“
I clumped all the verses together to help assist us in understanding that this is one continuous thought. This passage does not tell us NOT to judge. The main idea is that we shouldn’t judge someone if we have the same issue in our lives, otherwise we will be judged by the same standard and found to be hypocrites. If we repent of the sin and no longer have it clouding our vision, we are in a place to be able to effectively help remove the sin from our brother. If we’re not supposed to judge, why would Jesus even give us the option to “see clearly” and “remove the speck”?
Hopefully by now you see that when they use the phrase “Judge not lest you be judged” to keep you from exposing sin is to take the scripture completely out of context. The Word says in Ephesians 5:11, “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.” So, if you see something, say something!
PS: I’ve also created a 3 part teaching series on the misuse of the “Judge Not” verses entitled “Judge Not – or “Just Do It”? Feel free to check it out!
For the Love of the Search,
Kevin Kleint
Email: kevin@honorofkings.org
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My wife and I drove 400 miles (round trip) in 2008 to sit down with John Crowder and his wife to discuss why he was using his own name to receive money for a certain orphanage that my wife and I helped to start in 2006. Crowder did send support to the orphanage. But, it already had a name. We left the meeting with no resolution. In my opinion there is a lack of integrity in Crowder’s ministry, such as that is.
The stuff on that video is so sick, I am surprised he is still alive w/ all that blasphemy.. May God save him from that evil and grant him grace of TRUE REPENTANCE!
Hey Kevin, I’m sorry you had to go thru all that with those fakes who claim to be Christians. I watched TBN for years before I was brainwashed enough to enter those kinds of churches. But once I got really into it all on a personal level with these people, big red flags went up. That’s when I started studying up on their doctrines. What I found was shocking.
And the whole “counting heads” when it comes to those who made a “decision for Christ”—-started way back in the late 1800′s when mere “professions” took precedence over real-life changes (evidences of regeneration). In fact, the whole “doctrine of regeneration” went out the door. No wonder we are seeing all this today.
Regarding the “Judge not…” scripture. I wish a had a dollar for every time that has been thrown at me, even when not directly confronting an offender. Example: Simply for agreeing that homosexuality is a perversion and an abomination, brings condemnation on me for having been judgmental. Yet those who condemn me as being judgmental, do not see that they are doing the very thing they condemn me for.
Two of the most significant words that Jesus spoke were: “Follow me!” He called twelve men to be his disciples that way, and even today he continues to utter the same call to those who profess Christ. When I follow in his manner, I am condemned for it, even by Christians. When I am told “Judge not…” I tell them some of the things Jesus said to the Pharisees:
“You hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.” –Matt 23:13 NIV
Oh, my! Jesus is telling the religious folk they are going to hell!
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites ! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean.” –Matt 23:27 NIV
Having told my critics of the things that Jesus said, they fire back with, “Yes, but you’re not Jesus!” True, but I have the Spirit of God in me and have every right and authority to condemn sin. Too many Christians are afraid to say what needs to be said. Oddly enough, the world knows little about the scriptures, but many of them know the “Judge not…” verse, and they don’t hesitate to misuse it. We do not judge the world because it is already under condemnation, but we ARE to judge those who claim to be of Christ.
Regarding John Crowder: The video mentions “Crowder’s brand of Christianity…” This man is a Christian? I find him to be most offensive and blasphemous! I even consider him to be taking God’s name in vain. I went and looked at some of his other videos. He is a showman who, in my opinion, preaches Christ out of envy. (Phil. 1:15) I see no respect for the holiness of God in his vile “Toking the Ghost” nonsense.
Regarding Satanists and witches feeling comfortable in our houses of worship: I have worked with – and continue to work with – hundreds of Satanists and witches over the past eleven years. It is true that some of them feel comfortable in a church service. It is also true, and sad, that many of them are condemned when a minister finds out they are into the occult. They are driven away and find more solace in their covens than in what is supposed to be the house of God. Some of them even became occultists after giving church a try and feeling unaccepted.
I am often asked: “Why would I want to be like one of you?” They are turned off, as well, by boring church services that are simply religious, or those that jump up and down, wave their arms around and babble like babies. They do need to feel comfortable but also need to hear the Word of God and the love of Jesus Christ without condemning them.
Many of them also cannot accept Christ even though they may want to. Most are not able to just walk away from the covens as Christians think they should because the evil spirits in them will not allow them to do so. This is what I deal with in deliverance. And this also shows a need for greater understanding of the spirit world and what it does to those entrapped in the occult, but it is something that so many Christians don’t want to hear about or deal with. Jesus dealt with it, though!