The following teaching on financial giving comes from the writings of Todd Bentley and Stephen Strader (the pastor of Ignited Church, Lakeland, and an associate of Todd Bentley). The full texts are given in the sidebar link. Here are some extracts:
Keys to grow in the Anointing by Todd Bentley
It’s a precious power that God allows to come on your life—a supernatural grace to enable you to do what you cannot do in the natural. The anointing is God’s power on your flesh, supernaturally enabling you to do the impossible and the supernatural.
Well, who wouldn’t want this - if this is of God?
A significant symbol of the anointing is oil, and certain servants of God possess it. The prophet Elisha was such a servant. So let’s learn more by studying 2 Kings 4:8–17 because this passage of scripture reveals how a prominent Shunammite woman found the oil [anointing/Elisha] and made a demand on “it” through her giving.
Emphasis mine …
She said she didn’t need anything! Yet, her generosity still made a demand on the anointing because when she honored the prophet she was due to receive the prophet’s reward! God attaches rewards to honor! (See Matthew 10:41.) What was the prophet’s reward? It was connected to Elisha’s question: “What is to be done for you?” That was the prophet’s reward. It was the blessing that the prophet would give—his prophecy: “About this time next year you shall embrace a son” (2 Kings 4:16). And she did!
Here, the Shunammite woman gave without thought for reward.
Now don’t miss this: To make a demand, you do that by giving. Now here’s one practical way for giving that I can share from my own experience: My wife and I make a demand by writing checks! We don’t just give to a ministry. We walk up to a man or woman of God and say, “This is for you.” We see that person’s anointing and realize, “Bam! I want it!”
Bam! Do you see the difference. By giving to a man of God, you will receive his anointing. If you want to receive, you have to give. (Checks or credit cards will do fine, thank you!). That is what Todd Bentley teaches.
Listen! We don’t, and we can’t, buy the anointing. But we can make a demand on the anointing, and that’s by giving. In other words, if you want to receive the anointing you need to give as you are led by God’s Spirit, and when you do you’ll start seeing the person/ministry that you give to, their mantle, coming on your life.
O.K., you can’t buy it - good! You just demand it, by giving - bad! Only an unruly child will demand of a father. The Lord said, ‘Ask, and you shall receive.’ He didn’t say: ‘Make a demand’! Only children who are disrespectful make demands. - ‘If you want to receive the anointing, you need to give.’ Todd Bentley said so, right here.
Now, Pastor Stephen Strader of Ignited Church, Lakeland provides:
Notes from Todd’s sermon … Squandering the Anointing!
Towards the close of the meeting, an illustration of giving to receive was used, as it became time for the offering:
These two young people demonstrated for all of us to SOW INTO REVIVAL. We have found a PRECIOUS TREASURE and BUY IT. Of course you can’t “buy” the revival… but you can make an offering that “costs you something” just like David did at the threshing floor.
We can’t receive until we GIVE. It’s more blessed to give than receive.
When Todd prayed for them – the Holy Spirit hit them so hard it knocked them AND the ushers back 10 feet and down on their faces!!!
TAKE IT FOR YOURSELF NOW!!!!
‘We can’t receive until we GIVE.’ - There, he said it again.
In the words of Todd Bentley, ‘Do you want it?’ - Consider wisely.
Norman, thanks for posting these extracts. I don’t fully accept this teaching, especially “To make a demand, you do that by giving.” However, I do believe that a generous attitude opens one up to receiving God’s blessings, see Luke 6:38. So I would correct this teaching to “To receive God’s blessing, you do that by giving.” I don’t consider the small errors in Todd’s or Stephen Strader’s teaching on this point to discredit their ministry because they are about a peripheral issue.
This was on Slice yesterday:
*Crosstalk Alert* Wednesday
I recently posted a message from Justin Peters (http://www.justinpeters.org) on the Word of Faith movement and its heretical teachings. This is the movement that has produced so many false teachers, including Todd Bentley and his Lakeland “revival”. …
Slice of Laodicea - http://www.sliceoflaodicea.com
If you are not familiar with Justin Peters, check out his site and see “demo” on the WoF movement… Its excellent! Justin spoke at my church and comes highly recommended by my pastor, Dr. John MacArthur.
Sorry, cls. I have reset the links setting so comments can have links up to 3 without moderation.
I have a high regard for John MacArthur’s views. Thanks again.
Peter, thanks.
‘However, I do believe that a generous attitude opens one up to receiving God’s blessings, see Luke 6:38.’ - About this much we agree.