Spread the Fire - January 2008 - (Page 20)

So how are we doing today after fourteen years? In the natural, the older we get the more important it is to have a physical check up to see how well the body is functioning. The same is true in the spiritual. One of the simplest and most important parts of a physical check up is taking the temperature of the patient. A normal temperature of 98.6º is an important sign of good health. Here are three questions that, asked in the light of Scripture and past revivals, can help us take our spiritual temperature to see how we are doing fourteen years later. Lindsay would introduce Branham in low-key manner while acknowledging that God was using him in a remarkable way. Once, when Lindsay was away, a “Brother Baxter” replaced him in emceeing the services. Baxter would give Branham a flowery introduction and refer to him as a special end-time prophet of God. When Lindsay returned, Branham said to him, “Brother Lindsay, I would like for Brother Baxter to introduce me from now on.” Branham began to surround himself with people who pumped his ego, telling him that he was a special endtime prophet. Branham eventually began to believe that he was Elijah, the fulfillment of God’s promise in Malachi 4:5 which says, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. He also identified himself with angel of the seventh church in Rev. 3:14. Lindsay tried to reason with Branham, but he would not listen and Lindsay decided to go his own separate way. Branham went on to embrace and teach other bizarre doctrines. His “serpent seed” doctrine said that Eve’s sin involved sexual relations with the serpent with people descended from this event and, therefore, destined for hell. “As one rises higher and higher in spiritual power and blessing, he must ever seek to become lower and lower and lower and lower,” declared Gordon Lindsay, a wellknown leader in the healing revivals of the 1940s-50s. He made this statement after observing the tragic collapse of the lives and ministries of several men who had been powerfully used of God in healing and prophetic ministries. In each case, Satan’s door of entry had been an inflated idea of their own importance because of God’s blessing and power in their lives. Instead of humbling themselves, they became enamored with their own success and pride opened the door to demonic deception. The most startling example of this is William Branham, the most prominent healing evangelist of the 1940s-50s. For several years, beginning in 1947, Lindsay managed the ministry of Branham, setting up citywide crusades and giving him special promotion in the magazine he (Lindsay) founded called The Voice of Healing. Lindsay would emcee the meetings, attended by thousands, and teach in the morning sessions. Those who would receive his teachings were the seed of God and destined to become the bride of Christ. Christians who did not receive his teachings may still be saved but would not be a part of Christ’s bride and would go through the Great Tribulation. He also taught that denominationalism was the mark of the beast; and he denied the Trinity, insisting that baptism must be in the name of Jesus only. In spite of his bizarre self-concept and erroneous teachings, miracles continued to occur in his meetings. In 1963 Kenneth Hagin walked into the Voice of Healing offices in Dallas, TX and handed Lindsay a prophecy he said God had given him. After he left, Lindsay read the prophecy aloud in the presence of his wife, Freda. The prophecy stated that the leader of the healing/deliverance revival had gotten off track and would shortly be removed off the scene. Freda asked her husband, “Who is S TF - 2

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Spread the Fire - January 2008

Spread the Fire - January 2008 Contents In the River Thriving Between Times of Revival How the River Changed Our Church Taking Our Revival Temperature Therefore, Go... International Itinerary Resource Center Catalogue Upcoming Events Visitor Information

Spread the Fire - January 2008

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