Part I
The Lord is moving in cycles of mercy and judgment to reveal Himself in these last days. The early to mid 80's saw cycle of mercy. The late 80's and early 90's was a period of judgment. The refreshing of the mid 90's is a time of mercy. Another time of judgment is imminent. Another term for this is cycles of warfare and blessing.
The present move of the New Wine refreshing [Isa 28:12] is a cycle of mercy. It is the Lord showing himself as a God of mercy. It may seem to be out of balance or tending to error because it is only one side of his nature. But to reject this move is a mistake. To feel that it is "just not God" or that somehow it is a great deception misses what God is doing. This puts you in the seat of the scornful. Psalm 1 says blessed in the man who sitteth not in the seat of the scornful .... " So to scorn or reject what God sends is to not be blessed. It is missing the blessing.
Those of us who reject the Toronto blessing are therefore put in the seat of the scornful. And may perhaps be wearing the Crown of Pride. "Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom." (Proverbs 13:10). These are the scornful men who rule in Jerusalem [Isa 28:14] .
Conversely when judgment comes we must see it as that, judgment from God, lest we be among those who despise the chastening of the Lord. Saying that the Judgment is 'not God', or especially, blaming the judgment on the sinners in the world, will cause us to miss opportunities to cry out in repentance and to receive redemption [mercy]. We need to repent for the sins of the Church and the world. Even worse to say that this judgment will not come against us is to make lies our refuge [Isa. 28:15]. Yet when Mercy and Judgment meet and we become mature enough to receive them both then His throne is established in us, the Church.
Then we will see the fruit of this revival, enter into the kingdom of god, in a spiritual sense, and be able to proclaim "Our God Reigns!".
This blessing movement is God revealing Himself but only in part. "we know in part, and we prophecy in part, but when ....." That is the Revelation of Jesus Christ as a God of Mercy.
When judgment comes, as it must begin at the house of God, it is the Revelation of Jesus Christ as a God of judgment. The Lord is made known [revealed] by the judgment he executeth.
When mercy and judgment meet or come together it is the Revelation of Jesus Christ as the Lamb upon the Throne.
Part of the reason for this judgment is the rejecting or scorning of the mercy! To be in balance on this issue is to behold both the severity of the Lord and his lovingkindness. Most of us are usually out of balance. We only get into deception if we stay out of balance.
And what is the judgment that is coming? "Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste." (Isaiah 28:16) The cornerstone is the Lord himself. As the Church is founded on the Lordship of Jesus, He will take his place as the Head of the Church, the chief cornerstone, the headstone, and exercise His authority over it.
The point of The Final Quest by Rick Joyner is that the judgment [warfare] is to bring us to the judgment seat of Christ. There, as we behold Him, we will see that it is also the Throne of Grace. Then we receive mercy and grace [power to obey].
The seat of the scornful tends to make us hostile and bitter. I have been there and done that and repent when I find myself thinking that way. Sometimes we are quick to criticize something. It may be a teaching, a prophecy or a movement because 'we just don't see it in the scripture'. This doesn't mean that it's not there in the bible somewhere, just that we don't see it!
There is a lot in the bible that we don't see if we were humble enough to admit it.
God is not seeking those whose doctrine is right, but those whose heart is right. None of our doctrine is completely right, when you get down to it. Compared to revelations yet to come it can't really measure up because there is so much more of the word yet to be revealed. The book is still mostly sealed to us, ( and this is not just the book of Daniel, but the entire bible.)
But if you can come before His throne He'll give you what you need to know and His grace is sufficient. It is the faith to believe and the ability to obey Him.
Sometimes we know in part because He only reveals in part. The 5 blind men who studied the elephant each came away with a different description. Their disagreement is like a lot of our doctrinal squabbles. Based on our pride. Who can know all about God?
These 5 blind men have one common failing. In their pride they forgot they were blind. There was a limitation on what they could know and comprehend..
Thence the squabbles among us in our last day Laodicean Church . Or
do we only think that the others are Laodicean? We need to admit that we
are the Laodiceans, especially those of us with prophetic or intercessory
gifts. This alone will pave the way for intercessory repentance. We need
to admit being Laodicean before we can repent of being Laodicean.
Part II
I have been aware of the New Wine outpouring since early spring of 94 and partaking of it since Sep 94.
Only recently have I really dealt with any critics of the New Wine, or New Wind, on a personal level. Specifically I refer to the writings of Andrew Strom found on his Web site, the New Zealand Revival Bulletin. I read a lot of his material but it really didn't sink in till I had a long conversation with a brother from Indiana named John Webster. Then the next morning the Lord gave me the above thoughts about cycles of mercy and judgment. Till then I guess I just couldn't comprehend what they were getting at. It gradually dawned on me that these brothers actually believe that the New Wine is a deception! And from this, following along in logical order, that it is of the devil, and those involved are false teachers and false prophets! And all this leading to some pretty serious charges! And this from spirit filled brothers! (Our ultra conservative brothers said pretty much the same things about speaking in tongues, prophesying etc. )
Then the second day after my talk with John Webster, the Lord showed me that it was because of a stumbling block! These brothers have been offended! ["A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle." (Proverbs 18:19)]
The New Wine has been a stumbling block and rock of offense to some Christians because it does not meet their expectations of what Revival is to be like. This is exactly the same kind of problem the Jews have in receiving the gospel. "But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness;" (1 Corinthians 1:23) It is a stumbling block to the Jews that Messiah should have to suffer and die. This was a case of God revealing Himself in a manner that they did not expect, doing things they could not understand. It was an offense to their national pride. So they could not accept Jesus as having been sent by God. Even his closest disciples couldn't see it till He opened the word to them on the road to Emmaus. [Luke 24:13-32]
So some of our brothers are offended because expectations are not being met. Just a the Jews expected Messiah to restore the Kingdom to Israel, many of us are expecting an awesome holiness revival like we see in history. This has not yet happened. [Pensacola excepted.] And so frustration and rejection come forth; but it's only rooted in pride.
The Awesome Holiness aspect of God is yet to manifest in this move. This will likely come as the judgments come. "The LORD is known [revealed] by the judgment which he executeth: .... (Psalms 9:16)
This is not the only stumbling block facing us today. The idea that Messiah must suffer and die is a stumbling block to the Jews. So also is the idea that Christians must suffer and die a stumbling block to the Church. Yet, as the Lord has clearly shown me, this is the price that must be paid in order to remove the veil of spiritual blindness on today's Laodicean Church.
Recall that the Laodicean Church which receives the sternest rebuke from the Lord also receives the greatest promises. "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." (Revelation 3:21-22) "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death." (Revelation 12:11)