Book Review: Break Out!, by Joel Osteen
Joel Osteen, Break Out! 5 Keys to Go Beyond Your Barriers and Live an Extraordinary Life.
FaithWords, 2013. 243 pages. $26.00
Detroit’s freeways are framed by dozens of billboards featuring happy, young, successful people enjoying a night of games and entertainment at one of the city’s casinos. The sleek, enticing images preach an alluring message: “Greatness awaits you in the casinos.” “You were born to be lucky.” On and on it goes. A closer look reveals the 1-800 number for Gambler’s Anonymous. And if you ever went to a casino, you would find that the reality does not quite match the billboard.
For
years, potential casino operators attempted to get gambling legalized
in Detroit. On three different occasions, they got an initiative on the
ballot, but there was one pastor in the city who stood in their way. He
knew what gambling would do to this city. He organized and educated, and
each time the initiative was defeated. Then this pastor had a serious
heart attack, and the initiative for casinos in Detroit was back in
play. This time, the organizers did not have the pesky pastor to contend
with. But they did something else. On this fourth attempt, the
organizers gathered a number of pastors from Detroit together and
offered them stock in the casinos in exchange for their support from the
pulpits. They were told to sell this idea to the people as something
that will be good for the economy and will save our city. The pastors
did, and on the fourth try, the initiative passed.
Today you can visit the casinos. Go to the slot machines and watch the glazed-over faces of old people whose reverse mortgages freed up some money so they could buy tokens for the slot machines. Hour after hour, they pull the one-armed bandit, awaiting the glory the billboards promise. Fear sets in. They think, “If I get up from the machine, the next person will come and win.” So they sit, hour after hour, until their clothes are soiled and their tokens are gone. Next month, after the social security check arrives, some of them will be on the first bus back to try again.
And in case you haven’t heard, Detroit is bankrupt.
The promises of the prosperity gospel are like the billboards of Detroit’s casinos. It looks so good. It seems so appealing. One of its most influential voices is Joel Osteen, the pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas who recently released a new book called Break Out! If Disneyworld was a church, Joel Osteen would be the pastor. Break Out! is basically a combination of “When You Wish upon a Star” and “A Whole New World.”
The problem is, Joel is a pastor, and his sermons and books are presented as truth, not fairy tales, and thousands of people really believe what he says. Some may be in our churches.
THE MAIN MESSAGE
Break Out! is a collection of twenty-five chapters (presumably sermons) organized into five sections. I could not discern much difference between the first four sections: (1) Believe Bigger; (2) Consider God, Not Circumstances; (3) Pray God-sized Prayers; 4) Keep the Right Perspective. The chapters basically follow the formula of stating the principle, supporting it with a story, inserting a vague reference to the Bible, and closing with a few more stories and exhortations.
Joel’s message is clear: God helps those who help themselves. “Right now, something is looking for you. Something already has your name on it. As long as you’re doing your best to honor God and you have a heart to help others, an explosive blessing will find its way into your hands” (Ch. 4).[1] “If you stay on the high road and just keep being your best, you will see the hand of God at work in amazing ways” (Ch. 9). “But God is saying to you...If you only believe, I will turn the situation around. If you only believe, breakthroughs are headed your way. When you believe, the surpassing greatness of God’s power is released” (Ch. 13) “When God sees you do your part, He will do His part” (Ch. 16).
Faith is the dream in your heart. “God did not create you to be average….He created you to do something amazing. He’s put the seeds of greatness on the inside” (Ch. 25). But Osteen consistently portrays greatness as success in business, wealth, health, and overcoming addictions. Rarely, if ever, is “looking like Jesus” even mentioned.
If you listen carefully, Osteen is telling you that you can be your own Savior. Like the little engine that could, you can do it. You can do it. But the message of the Bible is that you cannot do it. That is why Christ came to this earth. He did what we could not do, dying on the cross to pay for your sins and rising from the grave to give you life if you repent and believe in him. If you keep telling people that they can do something they really can’t, you are not helping people. You are putting them in bondage.
In the fifth section, “Don’t Settle for Good Enough” there are some moments where Joel says some things that could have some value. The problem is that they not only sit in a context of other errors but they blatantly contradict what he says earlier in the book.
THE MAIN PROBLEMS
The chief problem of this book is that Osteen centers life on achieving the American Dream—success, prosperity and health. But the Bible never presents the Christian life like this. Instead, our lives are centered upon Christ and the gospel. This chief problem is reflected in these other serious problems.
1. Break Out! constantly distorts the Bible at a basic, factual level.
First, Break Out! constantly distorts the Bible at a basic, factual level. In chapter 7, Osteen recounts the story of Moses leading the children of Israel out of Egypt, through the desert, in order to get to the Promised Land. He claims that when Moses became discouraged along the way, God asked him what he was holding in his hand. He goes on to tell the story of how Moses threw down his rod, which God turned into a snake. The problem is, this did not happen when Moses was leading the children of Israel out of Egypt, but in Exodus 4 when Moses was at the burning bush.
Also in chapter 7, Osteen retells the story of the lepers who went in search of food from the Syrians in 2 Kings 7. He claims that the Bible says (and he puts this in quotes), “As they marched toward the enemy, God multiplied the sound of their footsteps and caused them to sound like a vast army.” The text simply does not say this. This twisting of the facts fits Joel’s point of believing in yourself and seeing God do amazing things. But how can you trust Osteen to interpret the text correctly if he cannot get the simple facts of the story right?
There’s plenty more of this, but one of the most egregious examples of twisting Scripture is in chapter 10. Osteen claims that when Job was in the midst of his adversity he said, “God, I know You have granted me favor.” He presents this as a bold declaration of faith in the favor of God upon his life in the midst of a trial. But in Job 10, Job is bitterly complaining to God. Yes, Job does say in verse 12 that, “You have granted me life and steadfast love, and your care has preserved my spirit.” But Job was talking about what God had previously done for him, only to now crush him and destroy him. Job was not declaring a word of faith, he was screaming out at the seeming injustice of God for giving him life and blessing, only to take it all away. In verses 18-19 Job says, “Why did you bring me out from the womb? Would that I had died before any eye had seen me and were as though I had not been, carried from the womb to the grave.” At that moment, Job was not exactly feeling the X-factor.
2. Break Out! is full of bad theology.
Second, Break Out! is full of bad theology. Osteen presents the stories in the Bible as being all about us, instead of about Christ. The great hope of the Bible is in what Christ has done, but in Break Out! the great hope is in all that we can do. If you speak it, it will happen. The still small voice in you is God giving you insider information (Ch. 10).
Additionally, problems are never in our hearts. Instead, our problems come from our failure to believe in ourselves (see Chs. 13 and 15). “You have the seeds of greatness on the inside” (Ch. 20). Fighting the good fight of faith is believing in yourself. Osteen claims in chapter 22 that “these present sufferings” that Paul speaks about in Romans 8:18 are not “accidents, tragedy, cancer, injustice or abuse.” He offers no support for this claim, but just says it. According to Osteen, the good work that God is doing in your life and has promised to complete is seeing your visions of greatness come true. However, in the Bible, God’s good work in us is progressively forming the character of Christ in the life of every one of his children.
Osteen’s theology has no room for sin. In fact, in twenty five chapters, the word “sin” is not even mentioned. Therefore, you should not be surprised that “the cross” of Christ, “gospel,” and “repent” are nowhere to be found either. At the very end of the book, Osteen does encourage his readers to pray a prayer of faith in order to establish a relationship with God through Christ. The prayer that he writes out does mention “sins” and does have the concept of repentance in it. The problem is that for twenty five chapters, we are led to believe that all our problems either are outside of us or result from our failure to believe in our own greatness.
3. Break Out! is marked by blatant contradictions.
Third, Break Out! is marked by blatant contradictions. In chapter 12, “Remind God of What He Said,” Osteen says that prayer is “Not nagging God, not begging God, but in faith going to God and reminding him over and over what He promised you.” But a few lines later, he says “You have to be a pest when it comes to reminding God what he promised you.” So, we are not supposed to be a nag, but we are supposed to be a pest?
In chapter 13, “Power of Believing,” Osteen talks about all of the great things that will happen if you only believe. According to Osteen, God says, “If you only believe I will turn the situation around. If you only believe, breakthroughs are headed your way.” But in chapter 24 Osteen claims that believing is not enough. You have to “put actions behind your faith.” For example, “...when He sees you bypass the cookie jar because you’ve been believing you’ll lose weight—that is when extraordinary things will happen.” But then in chapter 25 Osteen claims that if we give up on a dream, that does not mean God gives up on it. In fact, “You will not go to your grave without seeing your dreams come to pass—even the secret petitions of your heart.”
So let’s get this straight. All we have to do is believe. Everything happens when you believe. Except that you have to put action to your belief. But, don’t worry, if you stop believing, God won’t stop believing in you, and he will make it all happen anyway. So, does the “break out” happen because of my faith, my action, or neither, because God was going to do it anyway?
WHY THIS MATTERS
In Break Out!, God is not glorious in majesty; he is your personal genie and your voice inside. The real power belongs to you. When you speak, things happen. When you believe, things come true.
Osteen’s twisting of Scripture to encourage and inspire greatness comes at a great cost, the cost of truth. The truth is, I cannot be my best. If I cannot be my best, and therefore do my part, what hope can I have that God will do his part?
These present sufferings do include abuse, rape, terminal disease, tragedy, accidents, personal bankruptcy, miscarriages, corrupt officials, and being persecuted for the faith. Joel has no message of hope or comfort for people in these. His principles and exhortations create more laws and commands that are rooted in our determination, but have nothing to do with the gospel of grace. In the end, we are left to save ourselves from our unfulfilled dreams.
For the faithful pastor who does not have an audience the size of a stadium, or the believer who never makes it to CEO, Osteen’s message of “hope” is actually one of condemnation. Either you do not dream enough or something is wrong with your faith.
While his message is popular because you are your own savior, it simply is not true. Pastor, some of your people may like what he has to say and may feel that he is a nice guy with a positive message in a negative world. The problem is, when we accept his horrible theology, our entire understanding of Scripture is warped.
Joel probably is America’s pastor. Sadly, Break Out! pastors people to be narcissistic, biblically illiterate, and theologically confused. In other words, Break Out! tells you to suspend biblical discernment and enjoy your day at Disneyworld.
So just keep putting in your tokens. Keep believing and declaring that you have already won. The machine just hasn’t realized it yet.
Bob Johnson is senior pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Roseville, Michigan.
[1] I read the book on my phone, so I’ll provide chapter instead of page references.
Following in the footsteps of Bishop T.D. Jakes,
Prosperity Gospel preacher Joel Osteen, Pastor of Lakewood Church, the
biggest congregation in America, has now joined Oprah Winfrey’s life
classes to teach New Age heresy to the masses. Once again, a Christian
pastor has come on Winfrey’s series and preached a message that had no
mention of the Biblical gospel, forgiveness of sins or Jesus Christ.
As we noted in our Apostasy Alert article on T.D. Jakes, Oprah Winfrey has been one of the biggest promoters of the New Age movement in the world. Through her talk show, television network and multi media empire Winfrey, who claims to be a Christian, has launched books such as The Secret into all-time best sellers. The Secret, a book that teaches the ancient witchcraft technique, The Law of Attraction is not in line remotely with Biblical Christianity. Rather than looking to Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God, The Secret teaches that a person has the power to attract success, wealth, romance and all sorts of earthly benefits through their own words and rituals.
Here is Oprah promoting the book on her show:
The book popularized “The Law of Attraction”, an occult technique that involves visualizing a certain goal, constantly focusing and doing certain practices as if it has already happened and then “attracting” it by your constant thoughts and focus. Its author, Rhonda Byrne writes: “All good things are your birthright! You are the creator of you, and the law of attraction is your magnificent tool to create whatever you want in you life. Welcome to the magic of life, and the magnificence of You!” (p. 41)
Of course the Bible says of Jesus Christ: “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:3). Jesus Christ is the Creator. Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. A person is blessed through faith in Christ who is the heir of the Universe. And Jesus teaches that constant focus on material gain should not be a Christian’s life:
The Secret reveals its true message later on in the book:
In our first article on Joel Osteen’s witchcraft, we detailed that the Law of Attraction is precisely what Joel Osteen preaches to his congregation and television audience on a regular basis. This is nothing more than witchcraft being given a “Christian”veneer. The Bible of course prophesied that as the end times approached there would be an apostasy – a falling away in the church, where pastors and their congregations would abandon Biblical Christianity in favor of their own man-centered, mystical doctrines. 2 Timothy Chapter 4 issues a directive to pastors to stand for the Biblical, Gospel-centered preaching in this age of Apostasy:
The Power of “I Am”
Osteen in this portion of the class is using principles from his new book “I Declare.”
What is being preached here is that a person has the power to affect
change within themselves and attract success by using the phrase “I
am..”
None of this is in the Bible. Notice there is no mention of God, Jesus Christ or the Gospel in anything that is being preached. Just like T.D. Jakes before him, Osteen is preaching a Christ-less Gospel that is completely centered on worldly, material gain. According to Osteen speaking negative statements “sets the tone for your life” and attracts bad situations to your life and therefore we should not even make negative statements like “I am depressed” or “I am sad.” This once again, is the Law of Attraction at work.
Here is a quote from a New Age book based on The Secret that explains the same principle Osteen is preaching:
If a person is facing life problems, Osteen’s solution is to just make positive statements. By simply repeating the phrase “I am confident” the insecure person will be “healed.” Lacking in creativity? Simply say “I am creative.” Beloved, this is not Biblical Christianity. Reciting words in a ritualistic fashion is not what God instructs. The Bible tells Christians to bring all of our pain, hurt and suffering to God in prayer:
The God of the Bible is merciful, compassionate and yearns to hear the cries of His children. Rather than ignoring our pain, the Bible instructs to share the problems and struggles of life with The Lord who hears and answers prayer. Compare this to Osteen who says the solution is all in the words you speak and their power. So by Osteen’s doctrine, the Bible passages above are all going to lead to more problems in your life since they are so “negative” and will “attract” more negativity. This is not Biblical teaching. It is New Age witchcraft. Here are excerpts from articles teaching witchcraft that make it clear that the Law of Attraction is an occult practice:
The Word of God strongly forbids any use of the occult or dabbling in witchcraft:
Here is a clip of a woman who is clearly struggling with her faith. She says that she is “a child of God” but does not speak to God.
As with many of the students in Oprah’s class, they are truly seeking spiritual answers. This is fertile ground for a true Christian pastor to share the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. Yet once again, Osteen gives his “advice” without a mention of the Savior. He does not encourage the women to pray more, read the Bible or attend a church. He does not even make sure that she is truly born again. He merely tells her to “stay in faith” and does more “I am” affirmations with her. Again, what he is teaching is that the power to change is within the person and not from God. This is the message of witchcraft and the New Age. Here is an excerpt from a New Age Yoga event that emphasized the Law of Attraction:
There is a way to healing in this world. There is joy that can be obtained before Heaven. But it starts with being born again through faith in Jesus Christ:
At the close of the class, Osteen, while promoting his book, again offers the advice that the power in life lies in the words someone says:
He tells the audience that if they are thinking any negative thoughts to “zip it up” and just not say them. And then he and Oprah close with more “I am” affirmations, encouraging the audience to repeat them every day, mantra-like, as the key to living a fulfilled life. Jesus Christ, in teaching how to pray, forbade Osteen’s methods: “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.” (Matthew 6:7-8).
In Osteen’s positive declarations, there is no mention of sin, forgiveness, eternal damnation or faith and eternal life. And absolutely no mention of the name Jesus Christ. It is just more declarations of your own greatness. In other words, the individual is the answer to their own problems. The solution and divinity all reside within.
Here, one of the many websites on wicca and witchcraft teaching these principles, mimics Osteen’s “preaching”:
As the church moves deeper into the apostasy it is more important
than ever for Christians to stand on sound doctrine. There are many
souls at stake. Heretical, New Age mystics like Joel Osteen are filling
pews every week and have audiences of millions through television and
the internet. But he is not preaching the real Gospel.
He is preaching a false doctrine that will tickle the ear, but
ultimately lead to damnation. Do not be deceived. Pray for these
apostate pastors to turn back to God, repent and preach the Bible. And
pray for their congregations to use Biblical discernment to see the
truth of the Bible over “positive affirmations”, the Law of attraction
and other fables. Romans 1:16 says: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;”
There is a power in words. But it is in the words of God when they are spoken to point people to Jesus Christ. For Christians, use this power and share the good news of forgiveness of sins and eternal life in Jesus Christ. If you are not a believer, take the time to learn the Gospel and cry out to God for forgiveness for the sins you know you have committed. Pray and say the “negative affirmation” that you are indeed a sinner but believe that there is forgiveness for those who put their faith in Jesus Christ. And The Lord will exalt you in eternity.
T.D. Jakes – Prosperity Gospel Preacher Goes New Age
Prosperity Gospel Preacher T.D. Jakes has now officially yoked
himself with the New Age Movement as he has joined Oprah Winfrey’s
roster of New Age mystics and gurus for her “Lifeclass Series.” Jakes,
who is famous for saying “Jesus is the product” when
referring to his multi-million dollar media empire which includes
books, movies and his Potter’s House Prosperity Gospel church, is now
selling his wares to Oprah Winfrey’s mega-audience of devoted followers.
And in Jakes’ preaching on “Purpose” and how to find it, there is no
mention of the name of Jesus Christ.
Oprah: New Age High Priestess
Oprah Winfrey has been called “America’s pastor.” She is one of the
most powerful and influential people on the planet. And to many she is
perceived as a voice of Christianity. But the spirituality she promotes
is New Age. The New Age Movement (the spiritual branch of the
Illuminati) is premised on 3 basic ideas: 1) God is in everything 2) You
have a divine spark in you which through various methods and rituals
can be accessed and utilized and 3) once utilized, you have the ability
to become a god. Oprah is one of the biggest promoters of New Age
doctrine. Here is Oprah denying the Bible’s teaching that salvation only
comes in Jesus Christ:
The belief in Jesus Christ is the basic principle of Christianity. However, Oprah is not a Bible-believing Christian. She has created a Jesus that suits her own personal tastes. In fact from her own statement, one does not have to believe in Jesus or God to go to Heaven. They can just believe in “The Light.” Here she is outlining New Age Doctrine once again through her prior series of online classes:
The term “Christ Consciousness” is a New Age term that does not refer to worshiping Jesus Christ, it refers to being godlike and the idea that people can access God from within themselves and do not need the teachings of the Bible. Luciferian New Age leaders like Benjamin Creme and Alice Bailey reference the Christ Consciousness in their teachings as what resides in certain special “ascended masters” who will help lead us to the New World Order. This is all the same deception from the Garden of Eden that Satan used with Eve:
Oprah also promotes Marianne Williamson and her book, A Course in Miracles. Williamson (who at one time had a show on Oprah’s radio network) writes the following in her book:
Of course the Bible says of Jesus Christ: “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:3). The Secret reveals its true message later on in the book:
T.D. Jakes Joins in The Heresy
Now given that Oprah has been so involved with the New Age, one would
wonder why T.D. Jakes would be doing a “Life Class” with her to begin
with? The Bible teaches Christians not to be yoked with unbelievers in
spiritual endeavors. And it specifically instructs pastors:
Jakes teaching on purpose in life:
Notice there is no mention of Jesus, sin or the fact that unbelievers are going to hell. Jakes is focused on “passion” as the source of finding purpose in life. The Bible teaches that our purpose as humans is to have a relationship with God eternally in Heaven. And that comes through Jesus Christ. So what is Jakes really talking about? He is focused on human-centered purpose which is just following one’s own personal desires and dreams with no regard for God or one’s sin. How can any true Christian preacher, teach on having purpose without God? The only scripture Jakes barely references was the Apostle Peter walking on water for a few seconds after Jesus empowered him. Jakes uses the reference to encourage listeners to follow their own passions. Peter was able to step on water because he was following Jesus. It was only when Peter looked down and let his heart take over that he sank. And that is what the false prophet Jakes is teaching. And he even states: “this is the good news!” No, it is not. It is a false gospel.
The Book of Ecclesiastes is almost a Biblical version of a “Life Class.” King Solomon, the wisest man on Earth, had it all. Immense wealth, a Kingdom of people who loved him, peace from wars and battles and hundreds of wives and mistresses. He pursued every vice, pleasure and lust that was in his heart. And yet he found it all was meaningless. He saw that in all the plans and aspirations people have, that life is just an endless cycle. A person works, obtains wealth, to then work more and obtain more wealth, only to grow old, die and be forgotten. Kings who built monuments a thousand years ago, are no longer remembered. Life in itself, is an utterly pointless cycle. Why? Because we are all going to die. Our time on Earth is brief. Without a relationship with God, who is eternal, who is infinite, who is outside of time, who is Spirit, we are just living out the same pattern of generations past. But Solomon finally learned that having eternal life and a loving relationship with God, truly makes life worth living. The wisest man finished his book writing:
The young woman says she was was raised to have faith but is struggling. This is a very legitimate problem. And Jakes’ advice is to “take baby steps?” What about praying to God or reading Scripture? The Bible says: “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. “ (Romans 10:17). Jakes tells the woman to conquer her fears on her own. The Bible says Jesus Christ fights the battles for you. T.D. Jakes is preaching heresy, denying Jesus Christ and proving to be a false prophet. The people in Oprah’s Lifeclass are dealing with serious challenges and problems. There is nothing wrong with seeking a way to stop abuse, get out of financial problems, repair a marriage or reconcile with your children. We all face problems and Jesus teaches us that God cares about us and wants to address them:
T.D. Jakes teaching on finding direction in life:
Again, no mention of God, Jesus Christ or the Gospel. He says that whatever fits your life, “if it brings you gratification, if it brings you fulfillment, if it seems to fits into the complexity of your life” then that is your purpose. So like New Age doctrine, Jakes is preaching that a person should just follow their hearts and live their life that way. What if a person is gratified in being a Buddhist and never believing in Jesus Christ? What if someone finds fulfillment in dating a married woman and all the “complexities” that come with adultery? Again this is heresy being taught by a false teacher. The bible says since our nature is sinful and in rebellion against God, we should not trust our hearts: ” The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). Until we have a right spirit in us, our own desires will lead us in a life where we try to achieve our own dreams and desires without God. And that is deception because it will never lead to fulfillment and it will never lead to eternal life. But yet Jakes continues to teach this New Age philosophy which offers many paths to Heaven and many roads to truth. However, that is not what Jesus Christ taught:
Pray for Jakes to return to the Bible and its truths. There are many
people in the world today who are hurting. Many people who are truly and
genuinely seeking purpose in life. And if you are a Christian, you know
the answer. It is in having peace with God
and getting to know Him and His love. And His greatest demonstration of
that was by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us. Jesus was
willing to suffer so we would no longer have to. There is a true
connection with the Divine. There is a way to receive God’s Spirit.
There is a way to have true joy in life today. But it starts worshiping
the true God and believing in Jesus – not worshiping yourself, releasing
a “divine spark” or thinking you are the Creator of the universe. Jesus
Christ said: ” I am come that [humanity] might have life, and that they
might have it more abundantly.”
It’s likely that many of the people taking Oprah’s Life class were the same people taking the last one in 2008. But they are still not fulfilled. Like junk food, the New Age can dazzle and amaze for a season, but always requires a new twist, method or ritual to keep searching for peace. Because as long as sin is an obstacle in between you and God there will be no peace. Even billionaire moguls like Oprah have to keep churning out new ways of trying to find it. Yet Jesus showed the true source: ” Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27. The peace that comes from Jesus Christ allows a Christian to know, no matter what pain or trial they are facing, God is with them and they are eternally secure. That is true peace. And this is why God’s message has not changed: He will provide a way to make peace for us. Share The Gospel. Give people the real truth and let The Lord change lives, eternally.
FaithWords, 2013. 243 pages. $26.00
Detroit’s freeways are framed by dozens of billboards featuring happy, young, successful people enjoying a night of games and entertainment at one of the city’s casinos. The sleek, enticing images preach an alluring message: “Greatness awaits you in the casinos.” “You were born to be lucky.” On and on it goes. A closer look reveals the 1-800 number for Gambler’s Anonymous. And if you ever went to a casino, you would find that the reality does not quite match the billboard.
For
years, potential casino operators attempted to get gambling legalized
in Detroit. On three different occasions, they got an initiative on the
ballot, but there was one pastor in the city who stood in their way. He
knew what gambling would do to this city. He organized and educated, and
each time the initiative was defeated. Then this pastor had a serious
heart attack, and the initiative for casinos in Detroit was back in
play. This time, the organizers did not have the pesky pastor to contend
with. But they did something else. On this fourth attempt, the
organizers gathered a number of pastors from Detroit together and
offered them stock in the casinos in exchange for their support from the
pulpits. They were told to sell this idea to the people as something
that will be good for the economy and will save our city. The pastors
did, and on the fourth try, the initiative passed.Today you can visit the casinos. Go to the slot machines and watch the glazed-over faces of old people whose reverse mortgages freed up some money so they could buy tokens for the slot machines. Hour after hour, they pull the one-armed bandit, awaiting the glory the billboards promise. Fear sets in. They think, “If I get up from the machine, the next person will come and win.” So they sit, hour after hour, until their clothes are soiled and their tokens are gone. Next month, after the social security check arrives, some of them will be on the first bus back to try again.
And in case you haven’t heard, Detroit is bankrupt.
The promises of the prosperity gospel are like the billboards of Detroit’s casinos. It looks so good. It seems so appealing. One of its most influential voices is Joel Osteen, the pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas who recently released a new book called Break Out! If Disneyworld was a church, Joel Osteen would be the pastor. Break Out! is basically a combination of “When You Wish upon a Star” and “A Whole New World.”
The problem is, Joel is a pastor, and his sermons and books are presented as truth, not fairy tales, and thousands of people really believe what he says. Some may be in our churches.
THE MAIN MESSAGE
Break Out! is a collection of twenty-five chapters (presumably sermons) organized into five sections. I could not discern much difference between the first four sections: (1) Believe Bigger; (2) Consider God, Not Circumstances; (3) Pray God-sized Prayers; 4) Keep the Right Perspective. The chapters basically follow the formula of stating the principle, supporting it with a story, inserting a vague reference to the Bible, and closing with a few more stories and exhortations.
Joel’s message is clear: God helps those who help themselves. “Right now, something is looking for you. Something already has your name on it. As long as you’re doing your best to honor God and you have a heart to help others, an explosive blessing will find its way into your hands” (Ch. 4).[1] “If you stay on the high road and just keep being your best, you will see the hand of God at work in amazing ways” (Ch. 9). “But God is saying to you...If you only believe, I will turn the situation around. If you only believe, breakthroughs are headed your way. When you believe, the surpassing greatness of God’s power is released” (Ch. 13) “When God sees you do your part, He will do His part” (Ch. 16).
Faith is the dream in your heart. “God did not create you to be average….He created you to do something amazing. He’s put the seeds of greatness on the inside” (Ch. 25). But Osteen consistently portrays greatness as success in business, wealth, health, and overcoming addictions. Rarely, if ever, is “looking like Jesus” even mentioned.
If you listen carefully, Osteen is telling you that you can be your own Savior. Like the little engine that could, you can do it. You can do it. But the message of the Bible is that you cannot do it. That is why Christ came to this earth. He did what we could not do, dying on the cross to pay for your sins and rising from the grave to give you life if you repent and believe in him. If you keep telling people that they can do something they really can’t, you are not helping people. You are putting them in bondage.
In the fifth section, “Don’t Settle for Good Enough” there are some moments where Joel says some things that could have some value. The problem is that they not only sit in a context of other errors but they blatantly contradict what he says earlier in the book.
THE MAIN PROBLEMS
The chief problem of this book is that Osteen centers life on achieving the American Dream—success, prosperity and health. But the Bible never presents the Christian life like this. Instead, our lives are centered upon Christ and the gospel. This chief problem is reflected in these other serious problems.
1. Break Out! constantly distorts the Bible at a basic, factual level.
First, Break Out! constantly distorts the Bible at a basic, factual level. In chapter 7, Osteen recounts the story of Moses leading the children of Israel out of Egypt, through the desert, in order to get to the Promised Land. He claims that when Moses became discouraged along the way, God asked him what he was holding in his hand. He goes on to tell the story of how Moses threw down his rod, which God turned into a snake. The problem is, this did not happen when Moses was leading the children of Israel out of Egypt, but in Exodus 4 when Moses was at the burning bush.
Also in chapter 7, Osteen retells the story of the lepers who went in search of food from the Syrians in 2 Kings 7. He claims that the Bible says (and he puts this in quotes), “As they marched toward the enemy, God multiplied the sound of their footsteps and caused them to sound like a vast army.” The text simply does not say this. This twisting of the facts fits Joel’s point of believing in yourself and seeing God do amazing things. But how can you trust Osteen to interpret the text correctly if he cannot get the simple facts of the story right?
There’s plenty more of this, but one of the most egregious examples of twisting Scripture is in chapter 10. Osteen claims that when Job was in the midst of his adversity he said, “God, I know You have granted me favor.” He presents this as a bold declaration of faith in the favor of God upon his life in the midst of a trial. But in Job 10, Job is bitterly complaining to God. Yes, Job does say in verse 12 that, “You have granted me life and steadfast love, and your care has preserved my spirit.” But Job was talking about what God had previously done for him, only to now crush him and destroy him. Job was not declaring a word of faith, he was screaming out at the seeming injustice of God for giving him life and blessing, only to take it all away. In verses 18-19 Job says, “Why did you bring me out from the womb? Would that I had died before any eye had seen me and were as though I had not been, carried from the womb to the grave.” At that moment, Job was not exactly feeling the X-factor.
2. Break Out! is full of bad theology.
Second, Break Out! is full of bad theology. Osteen presents the stories in the Bible as being all about us, instead of about Christ. The great hope of the Bible is in what Christ has done, but in Break Out! the great hope is in all that we can do. If you speak it, it will happen. The still small voice in you is God giving you insider information (Ch. 10).
Additionally, problems are never in our hearts. Instead, our problems come from our failure to believe in ourselves (see Chs. 13 and 15). “You have the seeds of greatness on the inside” (Ch. 20). Fighting the good fight of faith is believing in yourself. Osteen claims in chapter 22 that “these present sufferings” that Paul speaks about in Romans 8:18 are not “accidents, tragedy, cancer, injustice or abuse.” He offers no support for this claim, but just says it. According to Osteen, the good work that God is doing in your life and has promised to complete is seeing your visions of greatness come true. However, in the Bible, God’s good work in us is progressively forming the character of Christ in the life of every one of his children.
Osteen’s theology has no room for sin. In fact, in twenty five chapters, the word “sin” is not even mentioned. Therefore, you should not be surprised that “the cross” of Christ, “gospel,” and “repent” are nowhere to be found either. At the very end of the book, Osteen does encourage his readers to pray a prayer of faith in order to establish a relationship with God through Christ. The prayer that he writes out does mention “sins” and does have the concept of repentance in it. The problem is that for twenty five chapters, we are led to believe that all our problems either are outside of us or result from our failure to believe in our own greatness.
3. Break Out! is marked by blatant contradictions.
Third, Break Out! is marked by blatant contradictions. In chapter 12, “Remind God of What He Said,” Osteen says that prayer is “Not nagging God, not begging God, but in faith going to God and reminding him over and over what He promised you.” But a few lines later, he says “You have to be a pest when it comes to reminding God what he promised you.” So, we are not supposed to be a nag, but we are supposed to be a pest?
In chapter 13, “Power of Believing,” Osteen talks about all of the great things that will happen if you only believe. According to Osteen, God says, “If you only believe I will turn the situation around. If you only believe, breakthroughs are headed your way.” But in chapter 24 Osteen claims that believing is not enough. You have to “put actions behind your faith.” For example, “...when He sees you bypass the cookie jar because you’ve been believing you’ll lose weight—that is when extraordinary things will happen.” But then in chapter 25 Osteen claims that if we give up on a dream, that does not mean God gives up on it. In fact, “You will not go to your grave without seeing your dreams come to pass—even the secret petitions of your heart.”
So let’s get this straight. All we have to do is believe. Everything happens when you believe. Except that you have to put action to your belief. But, don’t worry, if you stop believing, God won’t stop believing in you, and he will make it all happen anyway. So, does the “break out” happen because of my faith, my action, or neither, because God was going to do it anyway?
WHY THIS MATTERS
In Break Out!, God is not glorious in majesty; he is your personal genie and your voice inside. The real power belongs to you. When you speak, things happen. When you believe, things come true.
Osteen’s twisting of Scripture to encourage and inspire greatness comes at a great cost, the cost of truth. The truth is, I cannot be my best. If I cannot be my best, and therefore do my part, what hope can I have that God will do his part?
These present sufferings do include abuse, rape, terminal disease, tragedy, accidents, personal bankruptcy, miscarriages, corrupt officials, and being persecuted for the faith. Joel has no message of hope or comfort for people in these. His principles and exhortations create more laws and commands that are rooted in our determination, but have nothing to do with the gospel of grace. In the end, we are left to save ourselves from our unfulfilled dreams.
For the faithful pastor who does not have an audience the size of a stadium, or the believer who never makes it to CEO, Osteen’s message of “hope” is actually one of condemnation. Either you do not dream enough or something is wrong with your faith.
While his message is popular because you are your own savior, it simply is not true. Pastor, some of your people may like what he has to say and may feel that he is a nice guy with a positive message in a negative world. The problem is, when we accept his horrible theology, our entire understanding of Scripture is warped.
Joel probably is America’s pastor. Sadly, Break Out! pastors people to be narcissistic, biblically illiterate, and theologically confused. In other words, Break Out! tells you to suspend biblical discernment and enjoy your day at Disneyworld.
So just keep putting in your tokens. Keep believing and declaring that you have already won. The machine just hasn’t realized it yet.
Bob Johnson is senior pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Roseville, Michigan.
[1] I read the book on my phone, so I’ll provide chapter instead of page references.
Book Reviews
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Book Review: The Pastor's Justification, by Jared Wilson
Reviewed by Bob Johnson Jared Wilson, The Pastor’s Justification: Applying the Work of Christ in your Life and Ministry. Crossway, 2013. 192 pages. $15.99 Read more >
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Book Review: The Bruised Reed, by Richard Sibbes
Reviewed by Nick Roark Richard Sibbes, The Bruised Reed and Smoking Flax. Reprint; Banner of Truth, 1998. 138 pages. $7.00 Read more >
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Book Review: Worship Leaders, We Are Not Rock Stars, by Stephen Miller
Reviewed by Matt Merker Stephen Miller, Worship Leaders, We Are Not Rock Stars. Moody Publishers, 2013. 128 pages. $13.99 Read more >
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Book Review: The Master Plan of Evangelism, by Robert Coleman
Reviewed by Nik Lingle Robert Coleman, The Master Plan of Evangelism. Revell, 1993. 191 pages. $10.99 Read more >
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Book Review: Manual of Church Order, by John L. Dagg
Reviewed by John Power John L. Dagg, Manual of Church Order. Reprint; Gano Books, 1990. 312 pages. Read more >
Must read:
Joel Osteen and The Prosperity Gospel
Dear Joel Osteen: About that “hoax…”Sorry!!! but serve you right COZ your gospel is also a hoax
http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2013/04/dear-joel-osteen-about-that-hoaxsorry.html
NEW AGE FAITH IS BEING
TAUGHT AS BIBLE FAITH
http://www.combineharvesting.com/new%20age%20faith%20%A0is%20being%20taught%20as%20bible%20faith.htm
http://www.combineharvesting.com/new%20age%20faith%20%A0is%20being%20taught%20as%20bible%20faith.htm
Joel Osteen Rebukes Apostles Paul, Peter, and John
Joel Osteen Says Mormons Are Christian
Apostasy Alert: Joel Osteen And Oprah Preach New Age Magic
February 20, 2013 By 139 Comments
Joel Osteen is once again teaching his New Age heresy.
As we noted in our Apostasy Alert article on T.D. Jakes, Oprah Winfrey has been one of the biggest promoters of the New Age movement in the world. Through her talk show, television network and multi media empire Winfrey, who claims to be a Christian, has launched books such as The Secret into all-time best sellers. The Secret, a book that teaches the ancient witchcraft technique, The Law of Attraction is not in line remotely with Biblical Christianity. Rather than looking to Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God, The Secret teaches that a person has the power to attract success, wealth, romance and all sorts of earthly benefits through their own words and rituals.
Here is Oprah promoting the book on her show:
The book popularized “The Law of Attraction”, an occult technique that involves visualizing a certain goal, constantly focusing and doing certain practices as if it has already happened and then “attracting” it by your constant thoughts and focus. Its author, Rhonda Byrne writes: “All good things are your birthright! You are the creator of you, and the law of attraction is your magnificent tool to create whatever you want in you life. Welcome to the magic of life, and the magnificence of You!” (p. 41)
Of course the Bible says of Jesus Christ: “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:3). Jesus Christ is the Creator. Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. A person is blessed through faith in Christ who is the heir of the Universe. And Jesus teaches that constant focus on material gain should not be a Christian’s life:
Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. – Matthew 6:31-33.
Joel Osteen is taking much of his material from this book.
“When you focus your thoughts on something you want, and you hold that focus, you are in that moment summoning what you want with the mightiest power in the Universe. The law of attraction doesn’t compute “don’t” or “not” or “no,” or any other words of negation, this is what the law of attraction is receiving.” – The Secret, p. 9.By the book’s premise, all power comes through the individual. A person can have whatever they want just calling upon “the mightiest power of the Universe.” Anything can be obtained. The Bible does not teach this. In fact it teaches that we cannot obtain anything of true meaning and significance without God:
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. – James 4:8-10.Notice the difference: the Bible acknowledges that God is the means to eternal satisfaction and true peace. And it also teaches that it is sin that is our main obstacle to God. It takes a desire for forgiveness and faith in God to forgive sin through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that is the message of Christianity.
The Secret reveals its true message later on in the book:
“You are God in a physical body. You are Spirit in the flesh. You are Eternal Life expressing itself as you.” (The Secret, p. 164)This underscores the message of The Secret and the New Age: that a person can become God. This is of course complete contradictory to the Bible and is following the deception of Satan.
In our first article on Joel Osteen’s witchcraft, we detailed that the Law of Attraction is precisely what Joel Osteen preaches to his congregation and television audience on a regular basis. This is nothing more than witchcraft being given a “Christian”veneer. The Bible of course prophesied that as the end times approached there would be an apostasy – a falling away in the church, where pastors and their congregations would abandon Biblical Christianity in favor of their own man-centered, mystical doctrines. 2 Timothy Chapter 4 issues a directive to pastors to stand for the Biblical, Gospel-centered preaching in this age of Apostasy:
I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. – 2 Timothy 4:1-4.Pastors are to preach “the word” – meaning preach The Bible and not their own ideas or methods, whether it is “in style” or “out of style” or “old-school” to just use solid, biblical preaching. The result of not doing this is that those coming to church will desire pastors who will tell them what they want to hear, rather than preaching what the Word of God has to say to all people. Examining Osteen in the life class, there are numerous examples of sound doctrine being rejected and fable being given instead.
The Power of “I Am”
The power is not in the words. It is with God.
None of this is in the Bible. Notice there is no mention of God, Jesus Christ or the Gospel in anything that is being preached. Just like T.D. Jakes before him, Osteen is preaching a Christ-less Gospel that is completely centered on worldly, material gain. According to Osteen speaking negative statements “sets the tone for your life” and attracts bad situations to your life and therefore we should not even make negative statements like “I am depressed” or “I am sad.” This once again, is the Law of Attraction at work.
Here is a quote from a New Age book based on The Secret that explains the same principle Osteen is preaching:
“In this chapter we turn our attention to using our I AM power to make our hopes and dreams become part of our reality. Starting with a brief discussion of the 2006 book and movie, The Secret, we’ll examine the question of our roles as co-creators of our experience of reality… When you say I AM the rest of that sentence cannot but help become your reality. That is because one of the manifestations of God is God as Law, the Divine Law of Cause and Effect, which Buddhism calls karma.” – (The Power of I Am: Claiming Your Inherent Power To Consciously Create A Life of Purpose, Meaning and Joy, Dan Shafer).Like The Secret, this book comes back to the conclusion that it is the individual person who can “be as God” and create their reality simply by reciting words that follow the phrase “I AM.”
If a person is facing life problems, Osteen’s solution is to just make positive statements. By simply repeating the phrase “I am confident” the insecure person will be “healed.” Lacking in creativity? Simply say “I am creative.” Beloved, this is not Biblical Christianity. Reciting words in a ritualistic fashion is not what God instructs. The Bible tells Christians to bring all of our pain, hurt and suffering to God in prayer:
O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. – Psalm 34:3-6.
The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. – Psalm 34:15-19.
I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. – Psalm 18:3-6.
And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. – Psalm 50:15.
The God of the Bible is merciful, compassionate and yearns to hear the cries of His children. Rather than ignoring our pain, the Bible instructs to share the problems and struggles of life with The Lord who hears and answers prayer. Compare this to Osteen who says the solution is all in the words you speak and their power. So by Osteen’s doctrine, the Bible passages above are all going to lead to more problems in your life since they are so “negative” and will “attract” more negativity. This is not Biblical teaching. It is New Age witchcraft. Here are excerpts from articles teaching witchcraft that make it clear that the Law of Attraction is an occult practice:
“By formulating a witchcraft ritual you are creating and therefore taking responsibility for the circumstances of your life. This is the main message that the Law of Attraction has been broadcasting. The Law of Attraction is something that has been very familiar with witches for thousands of years as a very elementary teaching in witchcraft. Now it’s time to take it to the next level.” (source).
“I also teach Law of Attraction on its own for people who just want to learn that. However I believe the the two subjects really do belong together. Whenever you are casting a Wiccan spell you are using the Law of Attraction and whenever a Law of Attraction practitioner says an affirmation, he or she is really doing magick.” (source).
The Word of God strongly forbids any use of the occult or dabbling in witchcraft:
There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch. Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee. Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God. – Deuteronomy 18:10-13.Why would a Christian pastor bring New Age teachings to the church? What spirit is leading a Pastor who is not using the Bible as a guide but instead leaning on the same methods used by witches for centuries? Do not be deceived.
The Bible warns Christians to beware of those who do not teach the Bible.
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. – 2 Peter 2:1-3.With a multimillion dollar media empire, Osteen has achieved unparalleled success teaching false doctrines. In the clip above he even says that determining your future is all a function of “the words you say today.” Compare Osteen’s teaching with The Secret:
If the words “I can’t afford it” have passed your lips, your power to change that is now. Change it with “I can afford that! I can buy that!” Say it over and over. Become like a parrot. For the next thirty days, make it your intention that you are going to look at everything you like and say to yourself, “I can afford that, I can buy that.” – (The Secret, p. 102).Osteen is clearly teaching New Age mysticism over the Bible. There is nothing wrong with a Christian making negative statements. Prayer is to be honest and if a person is feeling pain, insecure, weak or tired of it all, God in Heaven wants to hear all those words. We are to lean on God to save us, not ourselves or magical words. And for the person who is unsaved, salvation starts at the point that a person can say: “I am a sinner. I am guilty before God. I am in violation of God’s commandments.” Without those “negative” words, a person cannot receive free forgiveness that comes through faith in Jesus Christ. When a person cries out to God, rather than “attract” negative situations, they draw closer to the Almighty Creator and His love for them.
Here is a clip of a woman who is clearly struggling with her faith. She says that she is “a child of God” but does not speak to God.
As with many of the students in Oprah’s class, they are truly seeking spiritual answers. This is fertile ground for a true Christian pastor to share the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. Yet once again, Osteen gives his “advice” without a mention of the Savior. He does not encourage the women to pray more, read the Bible or attend a church. He does not even make sure that she is truly born again. He merely tells her to “stay in faith” and does more “I am” affirmations with her. Again, what he is teaching is that the power to change is within the person and not from God. This is the message of witchcraft and the New Age. Here is an excerpt from a New Age Yoga event that emphasized the Law of Attraction:
“The Law of Attraction states. . . ‘That which is like itself is drawn’. In other words, like attracts like. Your thoughts, your words, your feelings, your actions all put forth a specific energy vibration and thus attract to you that of like energy. . . whether it be positive or negative…The Law of Attraction, which is precisely what Osteen is preaching is witchcraft. Here is another quote from a witchcraft blog that is in line with Osteen’s teaching:
When you see something you would like to experience and you say, “yes, I would like to have that,” through your attention to it you invite it into your life experience. Likewise, when you see something that you do not want to experience and you say, “No, I do not want that,” you still invite it into your life. Where thoughts go, energy flows!” (source).
“I truly understand the universal law of attraction / like attracts like. After all, that was pretty much the very first lesson in Witch School. The law of the Universe is that like attracts like. Whether that me positive or negative. Do, act, think, speak, write, positive & more positive energy will return to you. You get back, what you put out into the universe.” (source).Thanks to Oprah Winfrey among others, New Age spirituality has seen an explosion in popularity in the past decade. Pastors should be protecting the flock and warning Christians about these false doctrines, not preaching them.
There is a way to healing in this world. There is joy that can be obtained before Heaven. But it starts with being born again through faith in Jesus Christ:
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; – 2 Corinthians 5:17-18.Once a person is born again, their eternal destiny is secure. The new Christian receives a new spirit (hence the phrase “born again”) that seeks to please God and live for Him. It is in this new birth that there can be a real joy. Because a Christian can look past their earthly condition and rejoice knowing that Heaven and eternal life await. Jesus Christ confirmed this when He said:
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. – John 14:27.The true peace comes when a person knows they are not facing eternal damnation. This is what Jesus Christ wants to share with the world. And it is a pastor’s job to spread this message so that people will believe. And instead of preaching the word, Osteen is promoting fables. How is this woman saying “I am worthy” going to save her soul? How is saying “I am valuable” going to bring her true peace? It won’t.
At the close of the class, Osteen, while promoting his book, again offers the advice that the power in life lies in the words someone says:
He tells the audience that if they are thinking any negative thoughts to “zip it up” and just not say them. And then he and Oprah close with more “I am” affirmations, encouraging the audience to repeat them every day, mantra-like, as the key to living a fulfilled life. Jesus Christ, in teaching how to pray, forbade Osteen’s methods: “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.” (Matthew 6:7-8).
In Osteen’s positive declarations, there is no mention of sin, forgiveness, eternal damnation or faith and eternal life. And absolutely no mention of the name Jesus Christ. It is just more declarations of your own greatness. In other words, the individual is the answer to their own problems. The solution and divinity all reside within.
Here, one of the many websites on wicca and witchcraft teaching these principles, mimics Osteen’s “preaching”:
“You can create your own affirmations for pretty much everything. Say you want a new job. You could use an affirmation like “I am getting a new job that I love.” Wanting to find a new partner in life? How about using “I will find my true love.” I started out using basic ones. I still use some of my original ones. “Calm” is one I use when I feel overwhelmed. Just one word that I repeat to myself. The biggest thing I do though is try to monitor the chatter in my mind. If a negative thought creeps in I try to dismiss it and replace it with a positive one. At first it can be time consuming, in time though you will wind up doing it naturally.Jesus Christ, preaching during his Earthly ministry, gave a parable that summed up and exposed the heresy and blatant error of Osteen’s teachings:
You are beautiful. You are amazing! You are perfect! You are you. and you are loved.” (source).
And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I AM not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. – Luke 18:9-14. [Emphasis added]The Pharisee made an “I am” affirmation to boast of how great he was and his testimony was rejected by Jesus. But the publican was humble and spoke negatively – willing to speak the truth, that he was a sinner. He confessed that like all people, he had fallen short of the glory of God and deserved God’s wrath. And he cried out for God’s mercy. And for this, he was exalted.
Declaring “bold affirmations” will not get you to Heaven.
There is a power in words. But it is in the words of God when they are spoken to point people to Jesus Christ. For Christians, use this power and share the good news of forgiveness of sins and eternal life in Jesus Christ. If you are not a believer, take the time to learn the Gospel and cry out to God for forgiveness for the sins you know you have committed. Pray and say the “negative affirmation” that you are indeed a sinner but believe that there is forgiveness for those who put their faith in Jesus Christ. And The Lord will exalt you in eternity.
Apostasy Alert: T.D. Jakes Joins New Age Priestess Oprah Winfrey Lifeclass
April 24, 2012 By 116 Comments
“Be
ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship
hath righteousness with unrighteousness?” – 2 Corinthians 6:14
“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. ” Matthew 7:15
T.D. Jakes – Prosperity Gospel Preacher Goes New Age
Oprah: New Age High Priestess
Oprah’s Lifeclass is teaching another gospel.
The belief in Jesus Christ is the basic principle of Christianity. However, Oprah is not a Bible-believing Christian. She has created a Jesus that suits her own personal tastes. In fact from her own statement, one does not have to believe in Jesus or God to go to Heaven. They can just believe in “The Light.” Here she is outlining New Age Doctrine once again through her prior series of online classes:
The term “Christ Consciousness” is a New Age term that does not refer to worshiping Jesus Christ, it refers to being godlike and the idea that people can access God from within themselves and do not need the teachings of the Bible. Luciferian New Age leaders like Benjamin Creme and Alice Bailey reference the Christ Consciousness in their teachings as what resides in certain special “ascended masters” who will help lead us to the New World Order. This is all the same deception from the Garden of Eden that Satan used with Eve:
Now the serpent was more [subtle] than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. — Genesis 3:1-6The promise of godhood has been one of Satan’s main seductions from the beginning of civilization. And since sin has rendered the inner nature of humanity in rebellion against God, the lure of doing away with religion and creating one’s own path to divinity or heaven is extremely tempting. If you are god, then your sin no longer matters. Your eternal fate is no longer at risk because you make up the rules and play judge. This is why the increasingly popular “all religions lead to Heaven” philosophy grown so quickly in society. And it is just what Satan wants for all people because it will ensure that they will go to hell.
Oprah also promotes Marianne Williamson and her book, A Course in Miracles. Williamson (who at one time had a show on Oprah’s radio network) writes the following in her book:
“There is no sin. . . ” pg. 9This again has nothing to do with the Bible. Williamson also claims the book was written via channeling ‘spirit guides’ a practice that is forbidden in the Bible. Oprah has also stated that she channels spirits and even knows them by name. Her show was the chief promoter of the best-selling book The Secret, a book that focused on New Age style witchcraft as the key to obtaining all sorts of material wealth and personal success. It popularized, “The Law of Attraction”, an occult technique that involves visualizing a certain goal, constantly focusing and doing certain practices as if it has already happened and then “attracting” it by your constant thoughts and focus. Its author, Rhonda Byrne writes: “All good things are your birthright! You are the creator of you, and the law of attraction is your magnificent tool to create whatever you want in you life. Welcome to the magic of life, and the magnificence of You!” (p. 41)
• A “slain Christ has no meaning.” pg. 10
• “The journey to the cross should be the last ‘useless journey.’ ” pg. 11
• “Do not make the pathetic error of ‘clinging to the old rugged cross.’” pg. 12
• “The Name of Jesus Christ as such is but a symbol… It is a symbol that is safely used as a replacement for the many names of all the gods to which you pray.” pg. 13
• “God is in everything I see.”14
• “The recognition of God is the recognition of yourself.” pg. 15
• “The oneness of the Creator and the creation is your wholeness, your sanity and your limitless power.” pg. 16
• “The Atonement is the final lesson he [man] need learn, for it teaches him that, never having sinned, he has no need of salvation.” pg. 17 (source).
Of course the Bible says of Jesus Christ: “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:3). The Secret reveals its true message later on in the book:
“You are God in a physical body. You are Spirit in the flesh. You are Eternal Life expressing itself as you.” (p. 164)This underscores the message of The Secret and the New Age: that a person can become God. This is of course complete contradictory to the Bible and is following the deception of Satan.
T.D. Jakes Joins in The Heresy
T.D. Jakes has received the Illuminati’s stamp of approval.
“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;” — 2 Timothy 4:1-5A Pastor’s duty first and foremost is to preach the Gospel, whether it is “in season” or in an area where it is not welcome. At a minimum, Jakes should make sure the audience knows his Christian beliefs are different from Oprah’s. But once hearing him present his lessons, it becomes obvious. Jakes does not preach the Gospel or mention Jesus Christ with Oprah at all.
Jakes teaching on purpose in life:
Notice there is no mention of Jesus, sin or the fact that unbelievers are going to hell. Jakes is focused on “passion” as the source of finding purpose in life. The Bible teaches that our purpose as humans is to have a relationship with God eternally in Heaven. And that comes through Jesus Christ. So what is Jakes really talking about? He is focused on human-centered purpose which is just following one’s own personal desires and dreams with no regard for God or one’s sin. How can any true Christian preacher, teach on having purpose without God? The only scripture Jakes barely references was the Apostle Peter walking on water for a few seconds after Jesus empowered him. Jakes uses the reference to encourage listeners to follow their own passions. Peter was able to step on water because he was following Jesus. It was only when Peter looked down and let his heart take over that he sank. And that is what the false prophet Jakes is teaching. And he even states: “this is the good news!” No, it is not. It is a false gospel.
The Book of Ecclesiastes is almost a Biblical version of a “Life Class.” King Solomon, the wisest man on Earth, had it all. Immense wealth, a Kingdom of people who loved him, peace from wars and battles and hundreds of wives and mistresses. He pursued every vice, pleasure and lust that was in his heart. And yet he found it all was meaningless. He saw that in all the plans and aspirations people have, that life is just an endless cycle. A person works, obtains wealth, to then work more and obtain more wealth, only to grow old, die and be forgotten. Kings who built monuments a thousand years ago, are no longer remembered. Life in itself, is an utterly pointless cycle. Why? Because we are all going to die. Our time on Earth is brief. Without a relationship with God, who is eternal, who is infinite, who is outside of time, who is Spirit, we are just living out the same pattern of generations past. But Solomon finally learned that having eternal life and a loving relationship with God, truly makes life worth living. The wisest man finished his book writing:
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of manFor a Christian, purpose is only found in God. Yet Jakes leaves God out of the equation.Here is Bishop Jakes answering a woman in the crowd who says she is suffering from a lack of faith:
The young woman says she was was raised to have faith but is struggling. This is a very legitimate problem. And Jakes’ advice is to “take baby steps?” What about praying to God or reading Scripture? The Bible says: “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. “ (Romans 10:17). Jakes tells the woman to conquer her fears on her own. The Bible says Jesus Christ fights the battles for you. T.D. Jakes is preaching heresy, denying Jesus Christ and proving to be a false prophet. The people in Oprah’s Lifeclass are dealing with serious challenges and problems. There is nothing wrong with seeking a way to stop abuse, get out of financial problems, repair a marriage or reconcile with your children. We all face problems and Jesus teaches us that God cares about us and wants to address them:
Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:25-33)Our blessings in life come by seeking God and His righteousness, which comes through faith in Jesus. The Christian life is not about “doing your own thing.” It is about letting your ego go and living life the way God has instructed. When John the Baptist started his ministry, proclaiming that the Messiah had arrived in Israel and baptizing hundreds, he saw some of his followers leaving him to go follow Jesus. Some of the people around John questioned him, to see how he felt about losing some of his followers and John replied:
He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. 30He must increase, but I must decrease. He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.” (John 3:29-31).John the Baptist recognized that he was not the “Groom at the wedding”, he was just a supporting cast member. Jesus is the star of a Christian’s life. So John rejoiced at seeing people going to Jesus. He recognized that he needed to decrease his ego and his “purpose” so that God could be glorified. The New Age promotes the idea that each individual is their own god and center of the universe so everything in this world should be theirs. And Jakes is falling right in line with that with this unbiblical advice. He is willing to sacrifice the Gospel and real Christian teaching to be a part of Oprah’s New Age classes and of course, have access to her millions of devoted followers (through the class, Oprah made several mentions of Jakes’ recently released book).
T.D. Jakes teaching on finding direction in life:
Again, no mention of God, Jesus Christ or the Gospel. He says that whatever fits your life, “if it brings you gratification, if it brings you fulfillment, if it seems to fits into the complexity of your life” then that is your purpose. So like New Age doctrine, Jakes is preaching that a person should just follow their hearts and live their life that way. What if a person is gratified in being a Buddhist and never believing in Jesus Christ? What if someone finds fulfillment in dating a married woman and all the “complexities” that come with adultery? Again this is heresy being taught by a false teacher. The bible says since our nature is sinful and in rebellion against God, we should not trust our hearts: ” The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). Until we have a right spirit in us, our own desires will lead us in a life where we try to achieve our own dreams and desires without God. And that is deception because it will never lead to fulfillment and it will never lead to eternal life. But yet Jakes continues to teach this New Age philosophy which offers many paths to Heaven and many roads to truth. However, that is not what Jesus Christ taught:
” Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” – John 14:6
Please leave your seat for Oprah’s Lifeclass empty.
It’s likely that many of the people taking Oprah’s Life class were the same people taking the last one in 2008. But they are still not fulfilled. Like junk food, the New Age can dazzle and amaze for a season, but always requires a new twist, method or ritual to keep searching for peace. Because as long as sin is an obstacle in between you and God there will be no peace. Even billionaire moguls like Oprah have to keep churning out new ways of trying to find it. Yet Jesus showed the true source: ” Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27. The peace that comes from Jesus Christ allows a Christian to know, no matter what pain or trial they are facing, God is with them and they are eternally secure. That is true peace. And this is why God’s message has not changed: He will provide a way to make peace for us. Share The Gospel. Give people the real truth and let The Lord change lives, eternally.
