Pray then like this: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. - Matthew 6: 9 (ESV)
It seems you cannot walk a block in modern Christendom without tripping over someone claiming to have visited heaven and met the Father. One of the top best selling "Christian" books today is "Heaven is for Real." A fanciful story of a visit to heaven by a four year old who remarkably tells about his visit along the lines of the belief system of his pastor father who wrote the book. The book then became a major motion picture with Christians eagerly lining up to fork over $12 to hear what amounts to nothing more than fairy tales about a place we already should know exists through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
As if that is not enough, we have to endure the tales of those that claim the mantle of Christianity as well. David Taylor, who claims to be a prophet has written two books about his multiple visits to heaven and claims if you buy them, you will get a personal tour conducted by the Father Himself. Then there is Kat Kerr, who fancies herself a "seer" and apparently has an all access pass to heaven. She claims multiple visits and personal tours from the Father who she has seen face to face. Then there is the main worship leader from Jesus Culture, Kim Walker. Her personal testimony includes two waking visitations from Jesus, one of which ended up in the throne room to meet the Father. She further claims God the Father cut out a piece of His heart to mold a miniature Kim Walker to sing and dance for Him.
These are just some of the examples we see and there are many more. It seems as if Christians chase these false signs and wonders. We tend to pursue the supercarnal claiming it is supernatural. If anyone dares to point out the obvious falseness they are greeted with accusations of trying to "place God in a box" or the "God can do anything" defense. The problem with that defense is that God will never contradict His own Word. In this age of increasing biblical illiteracy we see more and more people falling for false signs and wonders such as these which lead the elect of God astray and get us to take our eyes off of Jesus. I will give the Kim Walkers, Kat Kerrs, and David Taylors the benefit of the doubt that says they are not lying about what they think happened to them. The Bible however reveals what truly must have happened:
And what I am doing I will continue to do, in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do. For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds. - 2Corinthians 11: 12-15 (ESV)
These false prophets and worship leaders want to be able to boast that they are somehow more spiritual than others. They want their carnal stature elevated. The Bible says that we fight spiritual authorities and the wickedness of evil spirits. The problem with all three accounts above and all the others out there is it simply does not line up with Scripture:
No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. - John 3: 13 (ESV)
But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live." And the Lord said, "Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen." - Exodus 33: 20-23 (ESV)
There is no way Kim Walker, Kat Kerr, or David Taylor saw Father God. If they did they would be dead. Moses only saw His glory from the back and he turned all white! Only Jesus has ascended into heaven. Which means these false prophets are either flat out lying or they cannot tell that they are being visited by demonic forces that disguise themselves as angels of light. It really is that simple. Either way, you should want nothing to do with them. The other way you can discern is the reactions of the deceivers upon entering heaven and meeting God. Once again, using Scripture as our guide we can see what happens when one has this experience because it happened to Ezekiel, Isaiah, the Apostle Paul and John when he received the revelation on the Island of Patmos. Here are their encounters:
Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking. - Ezekiel 1: 28 (ESV)
And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!" - Isaiah 6: 4-5 (ESV)
I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven--whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into paradise--whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows-- and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses-- though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. - 2Corinthians 12: 2-6 (ESV)
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this. - Revelation 1: 17-19 (ESV)
The Prophet Ezekiel falls on his face. When Isaiah realized what was happening he cried out woe is me! I am a man of unclean lips! He recognized his filth in front of a holy God. The Apostle Paul cannot even bring himself to speak about it in the first person! Look at what he heard! Things that cannot be uttered! John fell at His feet as if he were dead! What happens in every case is sheer and utter humility. A collapsing of the humanness in front of the Almighty. They could not stand before Him. They could not speak before Him. There was a supernatural reverence; not supercarnal boasting.
That is the real problem revealed by these people claiming divine visitations to heaven and meeting Father God. There is such an arrogant display of casualness to it. Kim Walker makes it sound like she had a latte with God while He commended her for worshiping Him. Kat Kerr describes walking in and out of heaven like it was a local 7-11. David Taylor acts like he is the booking agent for God and he is setting up appointments for Him with everyone who buys his book. Supercarnal Christians who think so little of God that they treat their alleged visits with Him like it was a trip to the amusement park. The two prophets and two disciples mentioned collapsed at the mere presence of His glory but these three walk up to God and give Him a high five?
This is the end result of the friend of God, purpose driven theology. God is so minimized. He is so marginalized. When you do not preach on His holiness you do not respect His holiness. When you do not preach on His sovereignty, you do not respect His sovereignty. When you do not preach on His wrath, you do not respect His power. God just becomes another prop in your life to promote your ministry, sell your book, or make you seem super-spiritual when you clearly are not. I chose the key verse today because part of our prayer life is supposed to be hallowing the mere name of God. That means we have such reverent awe for the mere name of the Lord that we consecrate it and set it apart. How much more reverent should we be treating the Father Himself? Don't fall for these supercarnal manifestations that do not align with Scripture. Do not even associate with them because they clearly cannot tell the difference between a true angel of light and the demonic forces that obviously manipulate them.
Rev. Anthony
