Important Preamble
Why am I writing this article? This author believes in talking in tongues, signs, wonders, dreams and God's prophetic word. I have seen these things in person. I have even been the recipient of some of these. Not small, untestable, vague miracles but ones that were medically proven to exist before and medically proven to be gone afterwards without explanation. In curable at the time. The author is not attacking anyone who is involved in this movement. My intent is clarity, not criticism. I have seen people harmed by this system and have spent some time counselling and reconciling. Please weigh this article carefully. The article investigates, with impartiality, the doctrine and practices of this movement. This article is not describing the movement as a “cult” in the modern sense of the word. However, it does align with the term’s historical meaning, and some congregations show patterns that come close to the modern definition, as this article will explain. It is important to note that not every congregation/organisation will have all of these elements. This article addresses the pure form, the perfect storm. It should be noted that most Pentecostal Churches do hold some of these ideas even if they are unaware of their origins and ultimate logical conclusions. Elements have even made its way to other Evangelical Denominations as well. It is slowly becoming the norm as people seek more and more 'experiences' of God. This article is there for you to be aware of the hidden dangers of such doctrine and be vigilant to weed it out of your relationship with Jesus. Keep the baby, but throw out the dirty water. Remember that one degree off still gets you lost in the woods. If you have deep feelings about this subject and feel very defensive, try and remember this extremely useful proverb and pray for peace and an open mind. “The first to present his case seems right, until another comes and examines him.” (Prov 18:17 ESV) If I am wrong, email me a logical and biblical rebuttal and I will apply the last sentence to myself and humbly examine your argument with fresh eyes.
The Word of Faith (WoF) movement teaches that believers can shape reality by positive confession, faith declarations, and spiritual laws. It often emphasises guaranteed healing, guaranteed prosperity, and modern “prophets” who speak God’s will with authoritative power. Although many in WoF churches love Jesus sincerely, the teaching system has serious departures from biblical Christianity, especially concerning Jesus, the Holy Spirit, suffering, and the nature of faith.
1. What Word of Faith Teaches
WoF theology generally includes:
- Positive Confession — your spoken words create or cancel spiritual outcomes.
- Guaranteed Healing — all sickness is from Satan; God always heals if you have enough faith.
- Guaranteed Prosperity — poverty is a curse; financial success is a faith result.
- Faith Laws — the universe operates by spiritual principles you must learn and apply.
- Sowing and Reaping — financial giving ensures multiplied financial blessing.
- Little Gods Doctrine — some teachers say humans share God’s creative authority.
- Modern Prophets — prophetic voices speak new revelation alongside Scripture.
- Redefines key Greek words and reinterprets key scriptures - Words like "logos", "Rhema", and "Sōzō" are redefined. Scriptures like Isaiah 53:5 and 1 Peter 2:24 are reinterpreted Eisegetically.
The result is a highly experiential, technique-driven form of Christian practice where outcomes depend on your performance rather than God’s sovereignty.
2. How WoF Diminishes Christ
WoF often shifts attention away from Jesus’ divine identity and toward His role as an example of “perfect faith.” Key problems include:
- “Jesus emptied Himself of divinity” teaching — claims He stopped being fully God during His earthly ministry. Not just restricted himself to the constraints of being human for a time. (A subtle but important difference).
But Scripture says: Col 2:9, Heb 1:3. - “Jesus died spiritually (JDS)” doctrine — claims Jesus took on Satan’s nature in hell and was “born again.” On the cross He stated: “It is finished!”, not that “I have just two more things to do before it’s finished.”
But Scripture says: John 10:17–18; John 19:30; 1 Pet 1:19; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 10:10–14; Luke 23:46. - Jesus as Faith Technician — Jesus becomes a model of how to use faith laws rather than the Lord who commands them. (Again, subtle difference, He can still be your Lord and demonstrate how to use your faith.)
These teachings diminish the honour, deity, and finished work of Christ.
3. The Holy Spirit in WoF Teaching
3a. How WoF Diminishes the Holy Spirit
Instead of recognising the Holy Spirit as a sovereign Person who acts according to the will of God, WoF often describes Him like an impersonal force that responds to human speech, even command.
- The Spirit becomes a power to activate — not a divine Person to obey.
- Human declarations override divine will — “speak it into existence.”
- Prophetic words treated like superior revelation — sometimes equal to Scripture or supersedes it.
Biblically, the Spirit is a person and fully God, just as the Father is — He leads, convicts, teaches, sanctifies, and distributes gifts as He wills (John 14:16–17; John 16:13–14; 1 Cor 12:11). You can even attempt to lie to Him (Acts 5:3–4). He does not wait for human technique, nor can you dictate what He must do. In fact, He directs people, not the other way around (Mark 1:12; Acts 2:4; 4:8–12, 24, 31; 8:29; 10:19–20; 16:6–7; 20:22–23; 21:11; Judges 14:6; 1 Sam 10:6; Num 24:1–14).
3b. WoF and Tongues — A Two-Tier Christianity?
Many WoF teachers divide believers into two functional classes:
- Tongue-speaking Christians — viewed as empowered, Spirit-filled, victorious, able to use faith-laws and “pray in the Spirit”. Some groups openly teach that if you do not speak in tongues it is proof that you are not saved. Tongues is the evidence that you have the Holy Spirit and have been saved fully.
- Non–tongue speakers — viewed as spiritually weaker or missing a vital element of faith. Some groups maintain that they are unsaved. The remedy is to make sure they are baptised "in the Spirit". Therefore you must have two baptisms to be saved. Water and Spirit.
In practice, this creates a two-tier Christianity.
Why this is unbiblical:
- Not all Christians speak in tongues — “Do all speak in tongues?” (1 Cor 12:29–30). The implied scriptural answer is No.
- The Spirit gives gifts as HE wills — not as believers “activate” them (1 Cor 12:11).
- There is one body, not two classes — Eph 4:4–6; Rom 12:4–6.
- Spiritual maturity is measured by love — not tongues (1 Cor 13:1). (Note, this is how Paul opens the topic!)
- All Christians are to pray in the Spirit on all occasions — Paul calls all of us to put on the full armour of God and then calls all Christians to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions” (Eph 6:10–18). Given that not all believers speak in tongues (see above), then “praying in the Spirit” is not just praying in tongues. We are called to refrain from talking in tongues in certain circumstances, which drives home this point (1 Cor 14:27–28).
The WoF elevation of tongues creates pressure, guilt, and a false hierarchy, contradicting Paul’s teaching that every part of the body is indispensable and honourable (1 Cor 12:22–25).
✅ So what does “pray in the Spirit” mean?
From the NT context, it means:
- praying under the Spirit’s influence
- aligned with His will
- guided by Scripture
- empowered by the Spirit instead of the flesh
- dependent on Him
- attentive to His leading
- in faith, reverence, and submission
- not a self-generated technique or formula
It includes:
- silent prayer
- spoken prayer
- worship
- intercession
- lament
- thanksgiving
- tongues when appropriate… but it is not limited to tongues.
3c. Baptism of the Holy Spirit — Salvation or Second Blessing?
In the New Testament, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is not a later upgrade for advanced believers but a gift given to every Christian at the moment of salvation. Paul teaches, “For we were all baptised by one Spirit into one body” (1 Corinthians 12:13), meaning no believer is left waiting for a second stage of empowerment.
At Pentecost, when the crowds were “cut to the heart” and asked what they must do (Acts 2:37), Peter replied, “Repent and be baptised… and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38–40). Receiving the Spirit was tied to turning to Christ, not to mastering a technique or displaying a particular gift such as tongues.
The real evidence of the Spirit in Scripture is transformed character — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22–23) — and a new obedience to Jesus. Therefore tongues cannot be made a universal requirement or a marker of “higher-level” Christianity; the Bible presents salvation, Spirit-baptism, and new life as a unified work of God’s grace given to all who believe.
3d. WoF (and other Pentecostal beliefs) in Generational Curses & Possession
Generational Curses & Possession — A Biblical and New Covenant Perspective
Some modern deliverance ministries teach that Christians must break “generational curses” in order to be free from sin patterns, sickness, or demonic influence. This idea is usually based on passages where God “visits the sins of the fathers upon the children” (Exod 20:5; 34:7). But in the New Covenant, Scripture explicitly overturns this interpretation: “The soul who sins is the one who will die… the son shall not share the guilt of the father” (Ezek 18:1–4, 19–20).
Through Christ, every believer is transferred from darkness to light (Col 1:13), made a new creation (2 Cor 5:17), fully forgiven (Col 2:13–14), and sealed with the Holy Spirit (Eph 1:13–14). No demonic or ancestral curse has legal authority over someone who belongs to Jesus. (The same can be said for a Christian who is “possessed”.)
While families can certainly pass down learned behaviours, trauma, patterns of sin, and even illnesses (like Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, infants born addicted, etc.), these are pastoral and discipleship issues — not spiritual chains needing ritual “curse-breaking”. The New Testament never instructs Christians to break generational curses, but it does call them to repentance, renewal of mind (Rom 12:2), resisting the devil (James 4:7), and walking in the Spirit (Gal 5:16–25).
What these teachers are doing is diminishing the power of the Cross and Jesus’ work being finished. They are diminishing the power and strength of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus was talking on this very subject He said:
Luke 11:21–22
“When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his goods are safe; but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armour in which he trusted and divides his spoil.”
They are essentially saying that the Devil and his demons are stronger than the Holy Spirit and that He is incapable of defending you by Himself. The curses and demons remain even when you have given your life to Jesus. Is that how you view the Holy Spirit?
Why “Deliverance” Sometimes Seems to Work
Sometimes people genuinely feel lighter, freer, or more hopeful after a “deliverance” session. This doesn’t necessarily mean a demon was cast out. Often the human heart responds powerfully when someone listens, prays, pays attention, and names a struggle out loud. In many cases the shift comes from courage, not a spirit leaving—courage to face grief, trauma, fear, guilt, or long-avoided decisions. Psychologists call this the placebo effect, but in pastoral care it is often simply the moment a person feels safe enough to acknowledge their pain and take the first step toward healing. God meets people in their honesty, not in theatrics. A compassionate environment can give someone the confidence to grow, even if the theology behind the “deliverance” was confused. Again, you have a good good Father who only wants the best for his children. In Jesus we can have life, and life in abundance!
4. WoF and Works-Righteousness
WoF appears to emphasise faith, but in practice it reintroduces works:
- Correct “faith formulas”
- Maintaining perfect positive confession
- Financial sowing to unlock blessings
- Visualisation and mental certainty
When healing or prosperity do not appear, WoF teachers often blame the believer for:
- not enough faith
- negative speech
- hidden sin
- not sowing enough seed
- generational curses that we have to be “delivered” from
This turns Christian life into a technique-based performance system rather than life under grace. Salvation and blessing are subtly placed back on human effort.
But the New Testament paints a very different picture. We live in a fallen, sin-damaged world where sickness, ageing, and death are still realities for all people (Rom 8:20–23; Heb 9:27). Even faithful disciples were told to expect trials, afflictions, and hardships (John 16:33; Acts 14:22; 1 Pet 4:12–13). Suffering can serve a purpose in God’s hands: it produces perseverance, character, maturity, and a deeper dependence on Christ (Rom 5:3–5; Jas 1:2–4; 2 Cor 12:7–10). The Bible never promises that every sickness will be removed in this life—only that God will walk with us through it, use it for good, and ultimately heal everything in the resurrection when Christ returns. If you want to feel better about your situation have a read of what Paul went through, what his prayers were and their results. (2 Cor 6:4–10; 11:23–28; and finally Paul's personal prayer: 2 Cor 12:7–10.) There is his wonderful promise that he reminded us though in Romans 8:28. Just hang in there!
5. Redefined key Greek words and reinterpreted scriptures
Logos, Rhema & Sōzō — New Testament Meaning vs Word of Faith Teaching
1. Logos — NT vs Word of Faith
In the New Testament, logos refers broadly to God’s revealed word — His message, His truth, His commandments, and ultimately Christ Himself as the eternal Word (John 1). It is authoritative, objective revelation. Word of Faith teaching often narrows logos to mean “the written word only” in order to contrast it with rhema, creating a false division not found in Scripture.
This manufactured split elevates personal impressions (rhema) above the normal biblical pattern, where logos and rhema overlap and both are rooted in God’s already-given revelation.
In New Testament Koine Greek, “Logos” can be either spoken or written, but it usually refers to an intact topic or subject — the whole message.
2. Rhema — NT vs Word of Faith
In the New Testament, rhema simply means a “spoken word,” commonly referring to Scripture spoken aloud or a specific statement within a narrative. It is not a higher or more powerful class of revelation than logos.
Word of Faith teaching transforms rhema into a personalised prophetic download that supposedly carries creative force when declared. This shift places subjective impressions above Scripture and teaches believers to treat speech as a spiritual law, whereas the NT uses rhema in normal linguistic ways tied to God’s revealed truth.
In New Testament Koine Greek, “Rhema” is something actually spoken at the time. It may be just a fragment or a quote and rarely represents the whole message delivered at once.
3. Sōzō — NT vs Word of Faith
In the New Testament, sōzō is a flexible verb meaning “to save, rescue, deliver,” and in some contexts “to heal,” with its primary usage being salvation from sin and reconciliation with God. Word of Faith theology expands sōzō into a guaranteed package in which salvation includes physical healing, prosperity, and total wholeness available now if “claimed” by faith.
This overextends the word beyond its contextual meaning and builds doctrine from lexicon possibilities rather than biblical usage, which overwhelmingly points to spiritual salvation, not automatic physical health or material blessing.
Sōzō is a polysemous verb: it carries multiple, overlapping senses depending on context — spiritual, physical, existential, relational. You cannot simply count the number of times “saved” or “healed” appears in an English translation. English usage is too pliable. Only careful contextual exegesis can determine meaning in each instance.
For example, a lexicon count in the KJV shows 110 uses: sōzō is rendered “save” 93×, “make whole” 9×, “heal” 3×, “be whole” 2×, with a few miscellaneous uses. This seems to show the majority used for spiritual salvation, but translation counts alone are insufficient. The table below offers a more context-accurate picture:
| Category | Meaning | Count | Approx % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spiritual salvation | saved from sin, judgment, wrath, eternal death | ≈ 70× | ≈ 64% |
| Physical healing | healed / made well / restored physically | ≈ 20× | ≈ 18% |
| Rescue from danger | saved from drowning, death, disaster, etc. | ≈ 10× | ≈ 9% |
| Ambiguous / both | spiritual + physical intertwined | ≈ 9× | ≈ 8% |
High-level takeaway: Even this shows that the majority of NT uses relate to spiritual salvation and not physical healing. The “combined package,” in the sense promoted by some Word of Faith teachers, appears in only a small minority of cases. Where is prosperity? Enough said.
Summary — Biblical vs Unbiblical Usage
Biblical:
- Logos = God’s full message (truth, doctrine, Scripture, Christ). Written or spoken.
- Rhema = a specific verbal statement or saying (sometimes God-spoken, sometimes ordinary speech or a quote). No difference in power or authority between logos and rhema.
- Sōzō = takes its meaning entirely from context. The only way to know what it means is to examine the surrounding verses.
Unbiblical (modern WoF meaning):
- “Rhema” = a personal revelation you can declare to create a miracle.
- This is not supported by the language or context of Scripture.
- “Sōzō” = salvation as a guaranteed package of justification + health + wealth (if you have enough faith and “claim” it).
This leads to statements such as:
- “I got a rhema word for your healing.”
- “You need a rhema to unlock your miracle.”
- “Once you speak the rhema, heaven is obligated to perform it.”
Problem:
That is not how the NT uses the terms. Paul and Luke never created this system. It begins to sound more like Simon the Sorcerer in Acts than the actions of the apostles. There is a noticeable lack of humility in the entire system.
5b. By His stripes you are healed
“By His Stripes You Were Healed” — What Do These Verses Actually Mean?
Primary verses often quoted by WoF teachers:
Isaiah 53:5 (Aimed especially at Israel, later everyone.)
“But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.”1 Peter 2:24 (Aimed at every follower of Jesus)
“He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; by His wounds you were healed.”
How these verses are often used in Word of Faith teaching
Word of Faith preachers commonly cite these verses to claim that the finished work of Christ guarantees automatic physical healing in this life, and that every sickness is already paid for. In this framework, if a believer remains sick, the problem is usually attributed to a lack of faith, negative confession, or failure to “claim” the healing that supposedly already belongs to them.
What these verses actually refer to in context
Both Isaiah 53 and 1 Peter 2 clearly anchor the “healing” to sin, transgression, iniquity, and being restored to right standing with God.
The New Testament reference (1 Peter 2:24) explicitly connects the phrase to forgiveness and salvation, not to physical health:
The healing is moral and spiritual: “die to sin,” “live to righteousness.”
The wounds spoken of are the means by which Christ carried our sins.
Peter is interpreting Isaiah directly — and he applies it to atonement, not physical wellness.
This does not mean that God cannot heal physically. Scripture affirms that He can and does. But these two passages cannot honestly be used as a blanket guarantee that all sickness will be removed in this life. Both passages are about the removal of sin, not the eradication of disease, and they describe the core of the Gospel — Christ restoring us to God by taking our guilt upon Himself. Always be careful to let Scripture speak to you and not you speak into Scripture. Scripture is our measuring tool to test teachings and prophesy. Not the other way around. Check out this article for more.
6. Why Christians Are Concerned
- Scripture is sidelined by modern prophecy and spiritual laws.
- Suffering is denied despite strong NT teaching (James 1; 1 Pet 4).
- Believers carry crushing guilt when prayers are not answered.
- Leaders often gain high authority but little accountability.
- False hope leads to disillusionment when healing/prosperity do not occur.
The New Testament calls believers to trust God’s sovereignty, not manipulate outcomes (Phil 4:11–13; 2 Cor 12:7–10).
7. Comparison Table — Word of Faith vs Biblical Christianity
| Topic | Word of Faith Teaching | Biblical Christianity |
|---|---|---|
| The Nature of Jesus | Jesus set aside divinity; operated only as a man with perfect faith. | Jesus is fully God and fully man at all times (Col 2:9; Heb 1:3). |
| The Holy Spirit | A power that activates when believers speak in faith. | A divine Person who acts according to God’s will (John 16:13). |
| Faith | A force governed by laws; your words control outcomes. | Trust in God’s character and promises; God controls outcomes. |
| Suffering | Always from Satan; should never happen to believers. | God uses suffering for growth and maturity (James 1; Rom 5:3–4). |
| Healing | Guaranteed if you have enough faith. | God heals according to His sovereign will; not all are healed (2 Cor 12:8–10). |
| Prosperity | Poverty shows lack of faith; giving money guarantees blessing. | God may bless materially but also calls believers to contentment (Phil 4:12–13). |
| Authority | Humans share God’s creative authority; speak realities into existence. | Only God creates; believers pray in submission to His will. |
8. Control, Manipulation & Misuse of “Spirits” in Some Groups
While not every Word of Faith or Charismatic congregation behaves this way, some expressions of the movement drift into patterns of control, power imbalance, and spiritual manipulation. These behaviours are not unique to WOF, but they appear often enough to require careful attention.
Common Control Tactics
- Questioning leaders is discouraged, framed as “dishonour,” “lack of faith,” or “rebellion.”
- Spiritual authority is exaggerated, where leaders function as gatekeepers to God’s power or blessing.
- Exclusivity — implying “We are the ones with true revelation,” creating dependence on the group.
- Fear-based loyalty — people are warned that leaving the group brings judgement, losing protection, or spiritual danger. They often ask people "What/who is your 'covering'?" You have to have a covering! (Odd, as I thought that the blood of Jesus was our 'covering' but there you go.)
- Isolation — outsiders (or even family) are labelled as “negative,” “religious,” or “holding you back.”
Misuse of Labels: “Spirit of Religion,” “Jezebel Spirit,” etc.
When some believers raise legitimate questions about teaching or behaviour, they are dismissed with accusations such as:
- “You have a Spirit of Religion.”
- “You’re operating under a Jezebel Spirit.”
- “You’re resisting the move of God.”
These labels often serve as conversation stoppers, shutting down concerns without addressing Scripture. They can become tools of manipulation and control, implying that disagreement equals spiritual attack. Biblically, none of these accusations are meant to be used as a shield against accountability or healthy correction.
Is There a “Spirit” Behind Everything?
Some groups assign a demon or spirit to nearly every struggle — a “spirit of alcoholism,” “spirit of addiction,” “spirit of poverty,” “spirit of distraction,” etc. While the Bible affirms the reality of spiritual warfare, it does not teach that every human problem comes from an attached spirit.
Scripture presents a far more balanced view: temptation can come from the world, the flesh, or the devil (James 1:13–15; 1 John 2:15–17). Not every issue is demonic, and labelling everything as a spirit can divert people from genuine repentance, accountability, wisdom, and sanctification.
Biblical Checks and Balances
The New Testament commands believers to use safeguards that prevent manipulation and spiritual abuse:
- “Test the spirits to see whether they are from God” (1 John 4:1).
- “Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said” (1 Cor 14:29) — even prophecy must be evaluated, not accepted automatically.
- Check all teaching against Scripture (Acts 17:11 — the Bereans were “more noble”).
- Judge a tree by its fruit (Matt 7:15–20). Behaviour matters more than claims of spiritual power.
- Leaders must be accountable, not untouchable (1 Tim 5:19–21).
Healthy Christian communities welcome questions, test teachings, allow Scripture to correct them, and do not use spiritual accusations to silence concerns. When spiritual labels replace biblical evaluation, manipulation has taken the place of discernment.
9. Pastoral Guidance — How to Help Someone in WoF
- Be gentle and patient — many are sincere and hurting.
- Affirm their desire for God’s power, but redirect to Scripture first. Remind them lovingly of Paul's warning “do not go beyond what is written”. (1 Cor 4:6)
- If they use the argument that "I have seen that it works, therefore it must be right" you can gently remind them that 1. God is a good, merciful Father and we don't always get what we deserve. 2. Remind them of the two tests of a false prophet: a. The accuracy test. (Did it happen? Deut 18:21-22) & b. The loyalty test, it did happen, but are they steering people toward the real Trinity or away? (Deut 13:1-5).
- Explain suffering biblically — not every hardship is unbelief. Growth only comes from hardships.
- Show the security of God’s sovereignty, not frail human technique.
- Encourage Scripture reading in context, not isolated “promise verses.” Show them how to do proper self discovery bible study (SOS).
- Provide them with a genuine source to find out their gifts and use them the right way. To get them started you can point them to this article on discovering your gifts.
Above all, present a Jesus who is sufficient, sovereign, compassionate, and fully God.
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