Every "big time" minister
I know of had an advertising agency promoting their ministry.
Early in the 1980's I had one of
the biggest agencies promoting me on radio. At that time they also
represented Kenneth Copeland, Marilyn Hickey, Robert Tilton and many other ministries where
they thought the minister had potential of many radio/TV stations. My
pastor at the time, Robert Tilton strongly recommended them to me and said, "Joan
... They can do a lot for you." They accepted me as a
client. For a few months they promoted me as they did their other
ministry clients.
But the problem was this.
They began telling me to do things that were opposite from what God had told me
to do and I could not do what they instructed. So after a very few
months, they contacted me telling me they were letting some of their clients go
and I was one they decided to release.
I was devastated. I thought I
had failed. Until God gave me the following scripture to show me what
happened.
Mt. 4 ... 8Again, the
devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the
kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9And saith unto him, All these
things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10Then
saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt
worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 11Then the devil
leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
I saw immediately this is what had
happened with the ad agency. When they saw I wouldn't obey them, they cut
me loose. I had not failed a test. Instead I had passed for I
didn't bow down to man and I continued to do what God told me to do, resisting
things opposite to those instructions from God.
One thing I couldn't do.
The agency told me they could fill Soldiers/Sailors auditorium in Pittsburgh
but there was just one thing. I must not offend anyone with my
messages. (Can you imagine a prophet not offending
anyone. It is really laughable. Prophets are an offense in the
religious circles. Always have been. Always will be. Because one of
the primary roles of prophet is to deliver messages of correction to the
church and evil doers in the church do not want to be corrected.)
Such is the life of a prophet of
God. They are always speaking messages which make religious people
unhappy. It is the way of a prophet in the church. (Please
read: The New Testament Church)
Jesus encouraged HIS prophets and
others with these words: Lk. 6 ... 22
Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate
you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name
as evil, for the Son of man's sake. 23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap
for joy:for, behold, your reward is great in heaven:for in the like
manner did their fathers unto the prophets.
...26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.
==========
When I was still on radio in Seattle, Washington, the radio station manger was waiting for me outside the door of the meeting room. George said: "Joan, you have many wonderful messages. Just speak those messages ... but if you continue to speak these judgment messages, I don't know what is going to happen to you. We might have to put you off the air."
Out of my mouth came the following word from the Holy Spirit:
"George, If I don't speak the message I believe to be from God then I don't have a message and I may as well be off the air."
This has been the defining word for me for the remainder of my life.
==========
Mt. 23 ... 14Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. 15Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
==========
Mt. 24 ... Jesus warns ... 3And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
4And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5For many shall come in my name, saying, I (Jesus) am Christ; and shall deceive many.
...26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.
Another thing which upset the ad
agency is the following. My ad person met with me and another person who
was in our ministry at that time. The agent said: "Oh ...
just one thing ... We want you to add this to your envelops and your writings
... Send me your prayer requests ..."
I was shocked and horrified.
I said: "I don't want to do that".
The
agent and the person who was
with me at that time were shocked when I said I did not want people
sending
their prayer requests to me. My point was they should pray. They
were to pray to God directly, not through me but through Jesus.
Secondly, there is no way I would be able to pray properly over prayer
requests. There would be far too many for me to deal with in a truthful way. No one could do this. It would be hypocrisy to request such.
The agent replied: "Joan
... You're missing a good bet ... For when they send prayer requests they will
usually enclose money with the request." (They were using
prayer requests to get money from the church.)
I would not do this.
==============
Another real problem is the agency
told me not to send writings or messages to anyone without first sending the
message to the ad agency for approval.
But when you are a real minister
appointed by God the messages you speak are from God.
What they wanted to do was to rule
over God so I could be popular, saying words that would make me popular with
church people and pastors.
Of course I refused.
They released me from their client
list.
There are so many evils being done
today in ministry.
Please read:
Evil from pastors.
==========
When I was still on radio in Seattle, Washington, the radio station manger was waiting for me outside the door of the meeting room. George said: "Joan, you have many wonderful messages. Just speak those messages ... but if you continue to speak these judgment messages, I don't know what is going to happen to you. We might have to put you off the air."
Out of my mouth came the following word from the Holy Spirit:
"George, If I don't speak the message I believe to be from God then I don't have a message and I may as well be off the air."
This has been the defining word for me for the remainder of my life.
==========
Mt. 7 ... Jesus
says ... 21Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into
the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in
heaven. 22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied
in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many
wonderful works? 23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you:
depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
There are so many works being done
today by ministers and individuals which are not authored by God.
Those doing such works will be
turned away by Jesus at the day of judgment.
We see in above scripture that "many" will come to Jesus saying: have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
We see in above scripture that "many" will come to Jesus saying: have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Many works were never
authored by God.
They were ideas conjured up by "ministers" and individuals in church groups. Often these people even use scripture to justify works that are not of God. These people will be turned away by Jesus. They are workers of iniquity although they represent their works as "good". Unless God authors the work, the work is not good but evil. But it will be too late for them then.
They were ideas conjured up by "ministers" and individuals in church groups. Often these people even use scripture to justify works that are not of God. These people will be turned away by Jesus. They are workers of iniquity although they represent their works as "good". Unless God authors the work, the work is not good but evil. But it will be too late for them then.
==========
Mt. 16 ... 26For what is a
man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what
shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 27For the Son of man shall come in
the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man
according to his works.
Mt. 23 ... 14Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. 15Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
==========
Mt. 24 ... Jesus warns ... 3And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
4And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5For many shall come in my name, saying, I (Jesus) am Christ; and shall deceive many.
They will come saying Jesus is Lord
and because they say that they will be in a position to deceive many.