In 1984, I was very shocked when God showed me Kenneth Copeland is one of the many antichrist in today's religious groups.
I do not believe Kenneth Copeland is born of the Spirit of God. What I see in him is another spirit, a fierce spirit.
It is like that described in the vision of Daniel concerning the end of this world.
Daniel 8:23 ... 23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.
24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power:and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.
25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many:he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.
Vinita Copeland (Kenneth's mother) was one of my friends at the time. I wrote to her and told her I did not believe Kenneth was born again. That spirit in Kenneth was not the Spirit of God. It is a fierce spirit.
Recently I saw an article in Wikipedia (Internet Encyclopedia) where Copeland had his arm on the shoulder of the Catholic pope and he was proudly associated with this man.
This is the type of thing we expect to see in the visions of Daniel concerning the end times. Men in religions showing "peace" by joining themselves with evil doers, especially evil doers in religion where Bible is cast aside and they violate many things of the scriptures, making themselves as "gods".
At the time, 1984, God showed me this about Kenneth Copeland, I didn't realize he was just one of many antichrists in church circles. Even when John was living, John stated there were already many antichrists in the church.
I John 2 ... 18 Little children, it is the last time:and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us:but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
They went out from the Holy Scriptures, adding to the word of God, presenting themselves as gods.
You cannot associate with evil religions and evil religious leaders who pervert scripture and conduct themselves as if they are gods.
Copeland is just one of many preachers doing this today, exalting themselves and flaunting themselves before the excitable, simple minded who are fleshly and are caught up in emotions of their own flesh.
Make no mistake. Don't deceive yourself. Those with the Spirit of God will not desire the pope and ungodly men like the pope who do not follow scripture but have respect of the masses of worldly religious people.
Those who seek such religious things cannot be of God. If they are of God they will flee such.
II Cor. 6 ... 14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers:
Who are unbelievers?
Here is one example of an unbeliever. This woman is very religious, attending her church (Catholic) faithfully. I went to Barnes and Noble to see if the following verse of scripture is in the Catholic Bible.
Mt. 23 ... Jesus says ... 5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men:they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, 6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, 7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. 8 But be not ye called Rabbi:for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. 9 And call no man your father upon the earth:for one is your Father, which is in heaven. 10 Neither be ye called masters:for one is your Master, even Christ. 11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
I was shocked to find verse 9 is in the Catholic Bible.
This woman was out of town at the time I found this and I sent her an email with verse 9, call no man your father ...
I sent her an email with this verse.
I didn't hear from her for about 3 weeks. Then she sent me an email "thanking me" for the "message" ... but I knew she did not believe the message for had she believed the scripture, she would have stopped calling those Catholic men "Father" and she would have ended up leaving the Catholic church.
This woman showed herself to be "an unbeliever" in the Bible.
Her belief is in the Catholic church.
Through God, I separated from her, as per II Cor. 6 ...
Concerning unbelievers, Paul instructs us ...
II Cor. 6 ... 14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers:for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean; and I will receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
When a preacher shows himself "unclean" by twisting and perverting scripture you must come away from that preacher for he has no fear of God and no respect for scripture and he exalts himself above God.
All you can do is leave that preacher.
What we are seeing in churches and TV-radio preachers today is a flaunting of themselves in the sight of all. Many will follow these men and women.
Jesus warned us this would be a sign of the last days.
Mt. 24 ... 1 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple:and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. 2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
3 And 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?
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. (They would come saying "Jesus is Lord" and would deceive many")
Paul warned us in the end time there would be a "falling away". Churches would fall away from scripture. Antichrist would reign in the hearts of the religious leaders and also in those who follow these men for they go against scripture and exalt themselves above scripture.
This is what Paul said: II Thess. 2 ... 3 Let no man deceive you by any means:for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4 Who opposeth (scripture) and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work:only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
In 1975, as a new Christian, I attended a church in Dallas where they taught tongues are of the devil.
One day I saw this scripture:
I Cor. 14 ... 39 Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.
The minute I saw this scripture, I said, "I'm not going back to that church again for they are teaching against the Bible."