This page has been accessed since 7th June, 1996.

 Taken from Biblical Fundamentalist, Po Box 5010, Brendale, Qld 4500, Australia, (Ph 61-7-3205-7100). Available by subscription, $20/year ($30 overseas sea-mail, $35 economy air-mail)


THE TORONTO CURSE
by
Sydney W. Hunter

Satan is not concerned with people whose lives revolve around pubs, casinos, horse racing, illicit sex and other self-centred and selfish activities. He already has them. They are just as hell-bound as was Judas (John 6:70) and like him will one day be with their father the devil.

 Satan is not even concerned with religious people who depend on their baptism, mass, good works or some other unscriptural way to gain acceptance with God and get them to heaven. He knows they are on the broad way which leads to hell (Matt. 7:13). They have chosen the "way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death" (Prov. 14:12). Why should Satan waste time with people who love sin, hate God or follow a false hope? They are his already.

 Satan is very concerned about people who have a heart toward God, those who want to know Him and enjoy His blessings. Satan is also clever enough to know his most effective attack against them is to use deceit. Was it not effective against Eve (Gen. 3)? Did he not try to use it against our Saviour (Matt. 4 and Luke 4)? Be sure he is using it effectively to wreck havoc in many churches today.
 
 

GOD WARNED

God warned that this would happen. "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils..." (I Tim. 4:1).

 Christ even told how Satan would deceive, "False christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before" (Matt. 24:24,25).

 Why are people deceived? Why is it that Satan can sift them as wheat? The Bible answers this question also. "Because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie" (11 Thess. 2:10-11 ).

 Few people realize how active Satan is. A constant stream of new versions and updates of God's Word have effectively resulted in many people not reading it at all. After all, how can they know what it means if it changes as often as the tide and is interpreted by religious leaders to accommodate every whim and fancy of man from women preachers to homosexuality?

 Neglecting the Bible as their source of instruction, people then depend on feelings or emotions. True Christian experience certainly brings emotion but it must always be based on God's Word. Experience based on emotion is as the house built on a foundation of sand which is destined for destruction (Matt. 7:26,27). It will ignite and spread as wild fire, destroying all in its path.

 Satan knows if he comes up with something altogether new it will be recognized as being false. Instead he introduces counterfeits. Bryce Hartin rightly points out that Satan has replaced:
 
 

THE SATANIC SUBSTITUTE

Satan's "satanic substitute" for revival is the so-called Toronto Blessing.

 It is reported that last year some 2,200 pastors from around the world gathered in Toronto, Canada. They had heard that God had "touched down" there with revival. These pastors neglected the admonition of I John 4:1, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." As a result they received "another spirit" (I Cor. 11:4) which is not the Spirit of God, but Satan.

 These pastors returned to their churches with this counterfeit revival. Congregations which were accustomed to a diet of frothy, emotional hyped up "worship," lacking sound Bible teaching, doctrinal hymns and Godly reverence experienced the new "revival." Others have caught the plague and it is spreading in epidemic proportions.

 People have contacted us explaining "Our pastor went away to a meeting and has returned with something not of God. Can you help us?" Some have left even charismatic churches as they have fled the curse. It has jumped denominational barriers and infected Baptist churches to the extent that the Baptist Union of NSW has endorsed this movement from hell.

 Satan's prime instrument in spreading this demonic revival is Rodney Howard-Browne, a South African evangelist who has recently held meetings in Australia. Howard-Browne refers to himself as "The Holy Ghost Bar-tender." In his meetings he commands people to drink and get drunk on the "new wine of the Spirit." Walking among his congregation, he puts people under trances which result in them barking like a dog, being "glued to the floor" for hours, crowing like a rooster, shaking violently, jumping up and down, laughing uncontrollably at Hell, etc.
 
 

NO LAST DAY REVIVAL

The Bible does not teach a last day revival. Jesus asked the question "When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on earth?" (Luke 18:8).

 Satan knows his time is short. He is effectively deceiving millions, yea billions, through false religion.s such as Roman Catholicism, other cults, islam, etc. Millions of others are gathering under the umbrella of the New Age Movement which accommodates all religions except Christianity. Sincere, deluded, Scripture-starved people are also joining the highway to hell under the influence of people like Rodney Howard-Browne, Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, Benny Hinn, Kenneth Hagin and other demon-inspired religious clowns.

 The coming of our Lord draweth nigh. Satan's last-day evangelism is in full swing. God's people must study His Word, proclaim it, stand on it and, if necessary, die by it.
 


"When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on earth?"