SOZO
This is a made up ministry by Bethel & exported to the world just because…
There are six tools that the SOZO team uses:
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Father Ladder
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Four Doors
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Presenting Jesus
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The Wall
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Trigger Mechanisms (Advanced Tool)
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Divine Editing (Advanced Tool)
From what I can understand this is a system defined by these different elements each developed by persons outside of Bethel & put together as healing strategy & presented as their own.. for example Patricia King of XP extreme prophetic & friend of Bentley uses ”Divine editing” in her minstry… it is odd & certainly unbiblical.. it uses guided visualisation – trance like states ) altered concsciousness. hypersuggestability & regressive therapy which is pretty much outlawed in the USA & the UK .
One of the Problems is that if a person isn’t completely healed or delivered through the HR they can access Sozo (for a fee) & if still after that they have not come into freedom- they are referred to do Shabar… which is even more indepth….
Can we see here that this is a never ending roundabout- we will never be in “perfect holiness” this side of being in Heaven- who says & who knows what full release & freedom is ?- & what about bearing our cross – laying things down & putting to death the things of the flesh – with its passions & desires in order to follow Jesus very carefully in accordance with biblical instruction… all of these things work out differently in each of our lives to produce growth. Now I’m not saying – dont bother with healing & deliverance – thats not my heart at all. & I do believe that these things are available & that we have a mighty God able, to do these things
However, we must have balance with God’s will v our will – if we are living in complete submission to him- there are different considerations to be made that may require our understandings to be outside of the emphasis of these “river” teachings we have been sitting under. If they are not weighted in the full counsel of scripture for our application then there will be the outworking of error… One size definitely does not fit all- we are all called to different things & grow in different ways too… sometimes, & although difficult this includes suffering & trials….. No one in their natural mind (& flesh) wants this. But the word of God does say that these things are necessary for our growth in him Hebrews 12 v 7- 11 says:
Endure suffering as discipline: God is dealing with you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? 8 But if you are without discipline—which all receive—then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we had natural fathers discipline us, and we respected them. Shouldn’t we submit even more to the Father of spirits and live?10 For they disciplined us for a short time based on what seemed good to them, but He does it for our benefit, so that we can share His holiness. 11 No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the fruit of peace and righteousness to those who have been trained by it. (HSBC)
Being people that live for truth & live by the Holy Sprit – we absolutely must take this into account…in our understandings.
the underpinning mindset in these circles is that perfection & complete physical wholeness can be “achieved” through this ministering…in part because BJ teaches that Jesus paid for that as part of the “atonement”- whilst yes we can be made “complete” in Christ.. it does not mean that bodily healings & emotional restorations to the point of perfection are our “right”.. BJ’s teaching here is “off centre”… the atonement is for Salvation, made whole & redeemed from sin… & (re) connected to the Father through Jesus sacrifice… the above passage demonstrates how far these teachings have drifted.
SOZO hasn’t come to the UK in all its fullness yet but it will do, Bethel are already marketing the training manuals & providing the training courses. Leaders who are into all things Bethel will adopt it in time.
The problem with all of this methodology is that it is more to do with, the law of attraction- in declaring things over people/Guided visualisation/hyper -suggestability than it is the word of God.
Healing Rooms
Originated in Spokane under the ministry of John G Lake & was revived in recent years. Many Churches including mine- decided to adopt a HR practice simply because it had been modeled by Bethel.
What happens is they make use of 2 large ish rooms one for prayer & ministry & one for worship. Lights are dimmed to make it cosy… People are vetted & trained up before they can minster at HR.. Then individuals come along for prayer.., they first fill in a card stating what they would like prayer for.. & the card has a measure of a disclaimer about it .. like you have to declare if you are on related medication for the ailment you wish to have prayer for.. & that you would see your GP before testifiying to a healing… & confidentiality clauses where no one is permitted to discuss out side of the room what has been prayed for… that kind of thing.
People would come for prayer for life issues & emotional needs too.. So it’s done on a rota basis if there are too many clients for the ministry team… in the other room, people who are waiting join in with the worship. The time I was on ministry – the prayer room was very, very intense… there were about 10 prayer teams of 2-3 people all praying for clients at once. People were ministered to in the same fashion as is common & this more than any other time produced kundalini style manifestations…
I did not hear any reports of anyone making a definate claim of healing in all the time I was at the church from HR… People feeling better maybe or having subjective joy/peace…. that kind of thing… the worship room though…. that was a place where we played Bethel songs over & over & over.. especially the slow soft ones – The lights were dimmed & there was a large carpet area with cushions set out for soaking… people were doing lots of creative art in that space too… the idea was that we created a worship environment… It was not congregational worship. as people were free to mill around, soak & engage in small conversation or do prophetic art or a combination of these activities…
Virtually every client being prayed for, we placed a different colour silky cloth on their heads, some were doing an extreme bowing thing & some had other capes draped around them…On reflection it just looked sooo odd out of place weird… the other thing I noticed was that most of the clients being prayed for when I had first done a ministry session were the very same people back for more… I absolutely knew at that moment something very odd & very wrong was happening. Clearly not much healing or they wouldn’t have needed further prayer. The night this happened was one of the 1st times I really started to question what was really going down….
In the UK I feel that many churches who are in deep- will extend their HR to become TRANSFORMATION CENTRES which in time will include Sozo & Shabar.. This is why we need to find out about these “ministries” before they really get entrenched.
Acts 3 v19 says:
Therefore, repent & turn back, so that your sins may be wiped out, that seasons of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.
Seasons of refreshing & being FREE in Christ do NOT come from paying a fee to have a made up method imparted in your life.
Please don’t part with your money, time & the treasure of God’s truth for this false stuff.
Related articles
- http://www.wordconnect.org/page_background_healing_rooms.php
- Inner Healing – Christian or Occult? (thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com)
- Lake, John Graham (1870-1935) (digilib.bu.edu)
- http://mkayla.wordpress.com/2011/03/14/a-note-re-sozo/
- http://closingstages.net/2012/07/31/victims-of-johnsons-sozo-ministry-speak-out/
Rooftops & Rafters 
I what I’m trying to work out is where does the scriptural basis come from with the father ladder? Thanks Carey
Me too
I went to one of these Sozo sessions. Total waste of time. They told me I had to forgive my Dad as he hsdnt represented God in a right way to me. My dad passed away in 1978 but he was the most godly and humble man I have ever known. He had found the Lord in a Brethten meeting when he wad 16 and taught me much of the Christian path.
The decernment of this sozo session was totally false and I refused to do what they said I had to do because there was nothing to forgive. A waste of £30. Keep away
I totally agree…..jesus is the only way the truth n the light….anything not from the scriptures are to be approached carefully ..cloaked in christianity but may be from the mystery religions..or new age movements.
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This is what I understand from the Bible (correct me if I’m wrong): God is one. But, at the same time, He is: the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit.
The Bible tells us that no man can see God and live.
So, in order that we can stand in His presence AND live, He came on this earth as Jesus.
In order to stay with us on this earth, after He(Jesus) went to heaven, he came as the Holy Spirit.
So, God was, is and always will be God. He cannot stop being God as I cannot stop being who I am.
I felt sad reading your experience with The Healing Rooms in your area M’kayla. I worked for The Healing Rooms in Australia for two years and it certainly wasn’t what you’ve described.
There was no signing of forms, no payment (apart from voluntary donations), no wearing of cloths, no clients joining in worship, no kundalini style manifestations and no milling around and engaging in conversations and no people continually returning because they didn’t get healed. This all sounds totally wrong as far as the way other Healing Rooms operate all over the world. God gave John Lake a vision and it was orderly, ethical, respectful and biblical.It is a prayer ministry, not a counselling or deliverance ministry.
I saw many healings take place – cancers go, feet straighten, pain go (physical and emotional) . Nothing we did , we were just there to pray and wait on the Holy Spirit. It was simple prayer always with a positive result, maybe not always the result we expect but if you trust God you don’t give up you keep praying which is why people are invited back if they want more prayer.
God wants to heal the unseen things even more than the seen, as often they are the reason for the physical illness. These signs shall follow them that believe. In My name they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover Mark 16:18. If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear Ps 66:18 It is God’s will for you to be healed. You must free your heart of anger and bitterness to anyone so your prayers will not be hindered Matt 8:2-4 So much sickness comes from unforgiveness and such healing and freedom from forgiveness. It was my joy to see this for people and I never found it hard to give of my time to this ministry because God gave me the heart for it.
We were all Christians but from different denominations. The really exciting thing was the nine people who came for prayer who weren’t Christians, gave their hearts to the Lord. For me this was the main purpose of the healing rooms and healing generally. To show God’s love ,His power, His sacrifice and lead them to salvation. Having the time and privacy to pray for people with others with the same purpose was wonderful and I am hoping to get another one going close to home.
It is good to be discerning and ‘discriminating’ is not the dirty word as portrayed in today’s vocabulary. As you said we should check everything with God’s word and also observe the fruit coming out of various ministries. You might like to read The Copelands publication of John G. Lake’s life and ministry, it’s very inspirational.
Thanks for your thoughts and observations of Sozo ministry. I haven’t had anything to do with it and wont. I hope you get to experience a real Healing Room at some time and are blessed by it.
God will free His people in Love… Jn8.32 “The truth we shall know n will set us free”
Dear Kali,
You tell other contributors to this site to ‘read the Scriptures more.’ Please could you show me where in the Bible I can find the following terms and ideas?
The Holy Guest
growing out of religious thinking
keeping your heart calibrated to God
I have come across these terns and ideas from Bethel, but I haven’t read them in the Bible.
This troubles me, as the Bible repeatedly tells us to be very wary of teaching that is different to the gospel we have heard – see particularly Galatians 1:6-10 and 2 Cor 11:4, and Proverbs 30:5-6 states:
Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Do not add to His words Or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar.
Thanks.
My work involves inspection and testing, which means that my equipment must be calibrated. I do have duplicate instruments, together with a couple of home made test boxes, but in order to be able to issue a proper certificate that is not acceptable. My kit must conform to an established standard. In matters of faith the same rules apply. We cannot compare ourselves against some arbitrary standard. The standard reference is The Word of God. Brianamansfield
Hello, thought you might find this blog on Sozo interesting. Please feel free to share on your own site: http://biblehealing.wordpress.com/
Timothy says: GOD has Given us a Sound mind… NOT the spirit of Fear.
While GOD says HE gives GOOD Gifts, He is not SANTA….. geeps Church grow up. Stop fighting and start Believing aright.
Even satan can Heal but its false Healing, he Satan always looks for more payments! and seems there are many accept the price of $100 a session than to make proper commitment every day to GODS word in Prayer…..
SOZO is just another fad, Pyramid, carefully Marketed gimmicks from using GOD’S word dime a dozen, oh and they always have lest 1 Qualified…. while the 99% are not.
in saying this one simply has to be dedicated to reading the word of GOD to Allow the HOLY spirit to work, you DONT need the middle man! Christ is GODS man GODS Son! and HE always is and should be the centre from the start.
If a person did not get a good standing in the WORD right from the start, their foundations do tend to be shaky, thus they feel ( or made to feel) they should go and just see, um just like EVE said to ADAM JUST HAVE A LOOK… JUST HAVE A BITE! look how nice and shiny the fruit is, so good… it must be good… it even taste good…..
But then people are never satisfied.
GODLINESS WITH CONTENTMENT IS WHAT? GREAT PAIN? – NO , does it say we need SOZO? NO If we are GODLY WE GET AND HAVE GREAT GAIN.
But all people see is discontent grumbling people because they choose another way….. mans way with nice sounding things attached that sound like Christian talk, and it Appeals to their EYES.
BUT: The word of GOD says that CHRIST had not form that we should DESIRE HIM…
was because enter HIS beatings, he was never to be the same…. and he is also a stumbling block…. also the Bible says that People wont endure “sound doctrine”.
People either accept that GOD is the same today tomorrow and for ever, OR they are never happy.
So go figure folk…
GALATIONS 4 13-25
THOSE HERETICAL TEACHERS GO TO GREAT LENGTHS TO FLATTER YOU< BU THEIR MOTIVES ARE ROTTEN,THEY WANT TO SHUT YOU OUT OF THE (FREE WORLD) OF GODS GRACE
OH YOU FOOLISH GALATIONS: who has BEWITCHED YOU,, GO read that.
So yes people can have a certain type of Charisma…. which means you just have a certain Charm….. BUT SO DID THE SNAKE in the gardend of EDEN!
They have LOST their FIRST LOVE their walk if they every had one has GROWN COLD. REPENT, sit down and be grounded GODS word. Christ said IF you have FAITH as small a a mustard SEED! through HIS name YOU can also make monitions move in HIS name through HIS Blood HE has paid the price full stop, and as FAR as the EAST from the WEST HE has removed ALL our TRANSGRESSIONS.
If ANY so called MINISTRY has been lifted up, uses GODS NAME it would be a very naive person to think it is all what it appears to be, because it sounds smooth. Do your own research, its so EASY to turn and REPENT, its a matter of the will, you wither will or wont.
I note things – things attack those who are IMPATIENT AND IMMATURE IN THIER FAITH, or who Love the touchy feely Experience and the highs JESUS may give…..just another junkie for JESUS, but never growing up in the FAITH strong, and too often off beam when it comes to being able to feed themselves with the word of GOD, they don’t have habits of their own commitment, rather chose to flit here and there….. following every wind of others doctrine….
Where you have the Pure and true, you will have Satan as well working it to deceive many …..
Christ said the WAY IS NARROW and very few will find it….. But the Road to HELL is wide….
been tossed to and fro but nice sounding smooth talk and shiny things, like gold Dust
Well read Exodus 32 When the people where impatient and told AARON to do make the GOLDEN calf as the people could NOT WAIT FOR MOSES INSTRUCTION.
THEN WHEN MOSES CAME HE TURNED THE GOLDEN CALF BACK IN TO DUST POURED IT IN TO THE WATER AND MADE THEM DRINK IT!
That was NO blessing from Toronto…. that was people wanting party and GODs expense! IS it wrong to have JOY of corse not as the JOY of the LORD is our Strength, but they people where shallow in their KNOWLEDGE they had NOT waited for MOSES to return….
EXODUS 32 V 16 says MOSES , thats the sound of war in the camp!
V16 BUT MOSES SAID….. Those aren’t Songs of Victory
And those are songs of defeat,
I hear songs of People throwing a party….
(The people were dancing around THE GOLDEN CALF….)
We are to WAR against the flesh, we are to RESIST the devil the Bible says as the DEVIL will FLEE!
SO where is the Encouragement to RESIST in the Church?? if it sounds and feels GOOD then GOD is a GOOD father who will Give it? um thats deceptive.
Satan the BIBLE says is like and is the angel of LIGHT
The BIBLE say we are to REPENT to turn back to GOD…. its a simple act of our will, but GOD knows Human nature more than a person the,selves it seems, as HE says we are weak, we are just like a flower here to day and gone tomorrow.
(GOD allowed them to be turn over to their own deception as they choose not to fools his commandments, and only showed that they where impatient.
No shame : SEEK GODS WORD FIRST and simply BELIEVE UPON CHRIST!
We are all to be grounded properly in the word of GOD.
When we fool with another method we have strayed full stop, what the person is saying is that they Really don’t believe GODS WORD in its whole entirety, and that they may feel some what not as GOOD as some SOZO person who gives the allure of a quick fix, or simply come back and back for more does not mean its right.
Our church is following a BSSM big time, we and others are so confused, praying for the Lord to give us discernment about this and Sozo’ as a dear friend is now teaching it at her church,
Hi DM praying with you at this confusing time… Im sure that you are already, but now is the time to dig deep into Gods word… standing with you – please do keep in touch.. Z
If I had been in. SOZO session … No matter the outcome, I would plead the blood of Jesus over my mind and body … There is no doubt this approach is laden with New Age that ushers in the “wrong” spirit .. My heart aches for all that are deceived … Particularly those seeking healing … In all the wrong places. Those who head these ministries up will stand before a judgement seat one day .., I pray their eyes are open, that the repent and renounce the unscriptural and even heretic teachings concerning their role as “little Gods” and decrying the divinity of Jesus … and run from the New Age spirit that attaches itself to this confession.
The healing rooms are very legitimate and if you’ve never yourself been in one, I’d encourage you to check it out. I’m perplexed by the witchhunt and assumptions here. I first was instantly and permanently healed at a healing room in the International House of Prayer where 24 hour praise, worship and intercession take place. I walked in with sciatica, limping from the pain. I met with 3 people who were going to pray; they asked if I had anyone to forgive, and I said yes and forgave them. I was prayed for and the pain completely disappeared, though you could say, I had real reason for it. My son in utero was sitting on the artery that ran down my leg, but I never felt more pain. I also was healed at the Bethel Healing rooms. Never in my life have I felt such a thick presence of love and joy and peace concentrated in one place. There was a place to take communion, a place to dance before the Lord, which my children did, a place to draw things God put on your heart, and my son drew Jesus dying on the cross for him. (please let me know if these raise red flags?) There was prayer over the world concerning things that break God’s heart such as abortion and slave industries, and singers worshiping. I went in when my turn came, to be healed, (that was the waiting room) and I asked for prayer for my hand I think, (can’t remember?) but one of the praying people said God was showing him that I had panic attacks and today I would be healed of it. I DID though I never mentioned it, (word of knowledge, spoken of in Bible). He told me the root of it, in my childhood, which I knew was true. I never have had a panic attack since that day of prayer. I give Jesus Christ all the glory and honor and thanks, because his gift on the cross paid for it, and these loving ministers prayed through my receiving it. I was set free from the things holding me back from receiving. I still thank and praise God for all he’s done through Bethel and IHOP for me. I pray you’ll understand someday. Bless you!
I went to Bethel for sozo ministry. I had just been prescribed medicine for bipolar disorder. I only took one pill, never needed another, and left with what had felt like a 1000 pound burden lifted off my shoulders. I felt free from all the lies of Satan, and full of the fire of the Holy Spirit to share the gospel and came home a changed happy full of joy person again. God touched me more than I’ve ever been helped at Bethel. The anointing in that place is thick and God’s love is more tangible than any place I’ve visited. This judgment saddens me and divides once again, the body of Christ. I’m sure maybe some people actually needed medicine, and I am sorry for those it did not help. God restored me at Bethel, and I am going to a sozo training conference to help others as I was helped. This is all about being set free, walking in the fullness of the victory Jesus paid for on the cross, and being full of joy in the love of the Father. Sozo ministry transformed me, and I attest to the beauty and freedom in Christ I found.
Hi Amy thank you for posting honesty, that’s I appreciated… I’m very pleased that you feel that you have received your healing.. although Im sorry you feel as though the things we have shared in this thread are judgemental & divisive… I wonder if you could take the time to explore scripture & find out where this formulaic model of these “Sozo tools” are presented… you see thing is – that either the Authority of the word of God is final & we submit to it or we don’t… which is it to be…?
can you see a problem- in that however well intentioned, however reputable, however effective a “scheme of man” seems to be & however we feel it has “transformed” us as you say… the very fact that it is a scheme, a method, means that its development & deployment is forever shifting to be yet more effective… & these conditions & evaluations are determined by man, based on tangible results…
The dividing line is & always has been the authority of the word of God – once we start making things up – well people could preach & teach & develop any practice they want…. & its all OK because IT WORKS! Similarly, what’s the point in even having a final authority if we ‘re not going to stand by it… Can you see that thinking like this leads us straight into a New Age mindset… I hope you can… the line in the sand here is not what “I’m” saying – its what God in his word is saying!
please be encouraged to seek truth, my heart is one of blessing for you…
Z
Dear Amy,
I’ve read this discussion. Please could you explain why you think Zazzy’s response to your first post is ‘a witchhunt’? Zazzy is expressing strong concern about the biblical basis for the SOZO ministry that you have experienced at Bethel. Do you know that Bill Johnson teaches that Jesus was not God when he was on earth, claiming, ‘He laid his divinity aside as He sought to fulfil the assignment given to Him by the Father’ (When Heaven Invades Earth, p.79) and that, ‘He performed miracles, wonders and signs, as a man in right relationship to God…not as God (ibid, p.29). Do you agree with this teaching? Does it not clearly contradict the Bible; for example, Colossians 2:9: ‘For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form’ and John 8:58: ‘before Abraham was born, I am’? Whatever you have experienced in his church, If Bill Johnson is contradicting the Bible, does that not concern you?
Amy these are important points here, that 2esword is making. I know you will make the distinction that “Healing Rooms” is not Bethel church & that the church is not Healing Rooms- additionally that you have received ministry through IHOP… BUT..
do you know that BJ is high up on the oversight team/board of Healing Rooms. He is a personal friend of Cal Pierce & instrumental in the
establishment & promotion of modern day Healing rooms globally through his personal reputation around the globe… which is why I believe that Bethel has a healing rooms ministry..
I would like to clarify, my involvement with healing rooms – if you have not yet read the story of my journey – on this blog, it explains that my church did indeed set up their own version of healing rooms – based on Bethel’s model & yes I did participate in ministering to others directly, within the prayer room… so Im not speaking these things from a place of ignorance or from a platform of troublemaking for the fun of it. believe me I have not got the time in my life to spend blogging these things just to cause division…. this is a dire warning because I have seen the truth of whats really going on here.
I do agree with those teachings that Jesus was made man, yet was empowered by the the Holy Spirit to perform healings, and miracles. Jesus was not the “Christ” without the empowering of the Holy Spirit. The word “Christ” itself means anointed One, why would Jesus need to be anointed by the Holy Spirit if He walked in full deity? He surrendered His deity according to Heb. 2, unless I’m completely misreading this text. Jesus, Himself, says that He cast out demons with the Spirits power, is He lying to us? Did God use various techniques to bring healing (i.e. dunking several times in the river to be cleansed from leprosy, looking at the bronze serpent, a spit/mud mixture to restore sight etc.)? We are commanded to lay hands on the sick, commanded, but yet again, we use scripture as an excuse to do nothing, and make scriptural principles into law! And we remain the powerless, legalistic “body”.
Heb. 2:1-13 “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, & every transgression & disobedience received a just reward, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, & was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, 4 God also bearing witness both with signs & wonders, with various miracles, & gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?
5 ¶ For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. 6 But one testified in a certain place, saying: “What is man that You are mindful of him, Or the son of man that You take care of him? 7 You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory & honor, & set him over the works of Your hands. 8 You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. 9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory & honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.
Luke 4:1 ¶ Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
Luke 4:14 ¶ Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.15 And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.
Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.”
Matt. 12:28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
Oh and the whole comment from Gal.4 that was posted by “Anonymous” was completely taken out of context yet, for a group of people so concerned with the integrity of the Word, did not correct him/her. I find that interesting.
hi cooper – thanks for your comment… I’ll let 2 esword respond in his own time.. however I will comment on the most important aspect of your understanding about Hebrews 2.. can I make it clear that the bible DOES NOT teach that Jesus laid down his deity or had a moment in time where he became “GOD” through a special anointing.. to believe so undermines the premise of the Virgin Birth… Jesus was from the get go GOD-MAN – Mary was impregnated by holy spirit… to believe otherwise makes Jesus MAN-MAN just like us & therefore this would invalidate his perfect sacrifice & our ability to be redeemed.. perhaps you don’t believe this… but holding the position that you do invalidates Jesus sacrifice & the entirety of the Gospel… ..
please be careful where your conclusions lead you… as I will have no undermining of the Gospel on this blog!
Z
for those of interested in what is being taught to facilitate a SOZO session – train practictioners – check this out…. its the Sozo training manual
Click to access Moultrie.pdf
Good post! Thanks. This has really helped me.
Theophostic Prayer: founded in 1996 by Ed Smith, a Southern Baptist pastor in Campbellsville, KY, who had to adjust his inner healing ideas and pull his suspect training manuals off the market (although he formerly claimed they were revealed by God). This was due to the theological and legal challenges he faced when False Memory Syndrome (FMS) was occurring with clients. Yet, the original hypnotically suggestive approach used in Theophostics is now resurfacing in many evangelical churches and organizations disguised as “Sozo Prayer.”
Sozo: the Greek word for save, heal or deliver
It’s a crucial time for God’s people when theological thoughts are being distorted by Theophostic thoughts, where a victim mentality is fostered by emphasizing a need for inner healing of memories and self-esteem boosting rather than the need to be humbled under the mighty hand of God, leave the past behind, take up one’s cross and follow Jesus. But in an attempt to Christianize a man-made system based on false psycho-therapeutic theories of memory, Theophostic thought is invading Christendom under the guise of “Sozo Prayer.” Like all other occult practices, sozo sessions require mental passivity in order to seek truth experientially through guided imagery, visualization and spirit encounters, which is why “Soaking Prayer” (last month’s topic) is commonly used in preparation for sozo sessions. Human mediators are also required, who facilitate “visions of Jesus” so He can supposedly “speak into the pain” to help people forgive the past. But in reality this is where “experiential truth” subtly begins to replace gospel truth and the authority of Scripture.
http://godlee4life.wordpress.com/2012/04/01/discernment-column-article-3/
Zazzy … Was shocked to read about this practice at Bethel … When my daughter was 15 she was “ministered” to in a similar approach as SOZO by a couple who attended our church. Carrie had been hospitalized with a severe chemical imbalance, and this couple came to the hospital to visit her. After taking her thru “memories” from birth to age “8” they helped to create a “false memory” which, without going into all the details, threw her into deeper psychosis. My daughter was finally diagnosed with psychotic depression that she was supposed to have the rest of her life … At that time, Carrie was a beautiful teenager who sang like an angel. The “SOZO-like” approach and the memories that resulted were finally overcome as Carrie gained stability thru love and support of family and friends and appropriate medication. We dealt with the couple very firmly. They apologized, but we learned later that they continued in this “ministry,” after leaving our church. So much more to the story … I will tell you that years later , Carrie married a wonderful young man who was a Bio-medical engineer, and he took on her depression with a vengeance to see her medication free and whole! Carrie had been told she should never get pregnant due to the danger of serious post-partum depression due to her psychotic illness. Brett, Carrie’s husband, worked hand in hand with her doctor, weaned the medication down over a year, with much prayer going up, and Carrie was medically and divinely healed of any depression. She is, to this very day … She’s now 38 with two wonderful boys. She never suffered post-partum or psychotic depression again. I must give The Lord praise in the midst of a serious warning to those who practice SOZO. We are certain that demonic oppression came over our precious daughter thru this heretic practice, and severely complicated her journey to true healing. Thankful … But always sorrowful and even angered when I hear of this New Age horror invading the church! Please BEWARE!
welcome to the blog Sharon, yes praise God as this is a true miracle, that Carrie is able to stand to today whole & healed… we are hearing more & more reports about how Sozo creates more spiritual & physical problems than it ever solves which makes it Obvious that its NOT of GOD… if it were, there simply would be none of these issues… false memories, trading money for healing, & a push for more & more of the same – a perfect God provides perfect healing… thanks for posting Z
Our Father Creator In Heaven, I Praise you and Thank you for directing my path to this post. People are destroyed for lack of knowledge, HSA 4:6. I’m humbly greatful for reading these post; In our Anointed Messiah, Yeshua Jesus, Emanuels name I pray and recieve your scripture Matt 24:24 & Mark 13:22
thank you for the resources on this page. I love Bethel. I have grown leaps and bounds out of religious thinking and learned how to keep my heart calibrated to God, and my Savior Jesus, with the Holy Guest (Spirit) walking with me everyday……..Sozo is awesome but not for everyone. Read the Scriptures more and love more on the Lord, critical spirits will bug you less…..
Hi,
Sozo, one of my areas of utmost concern with the Bethel mvmt, (mostly because it can “prey” upon people during a weak/vulnerable time, when they are asking for help. and it charges them money, you never read about Jesus delivering someone, then asking for a $55 donation) article here.
http://cicministry.org/commentary/issue78.htm “How Deliverance Ministries Lead People to Bondage”
I agree, to the utmost!!
Remember my comment (not sure if I made it here): I have a friend/acquaintance who interned a Bethel Transformation Center (I was a part of Bethel for two years) and he even admitted that they “can’t get people healed up all the way” and that was one of the sticking points/frustrations with the ministry. hmmmm. (but yet, it’s my understanding that they’re still promising that…) sounds like false advertising!! (Again, because the actual Sozo ministry is not found in the Bible. Sure, the word Sozo is, but not this ministry) R- U – N.
SOOO many things in this article are worth reading – reiterating many points that people have already made on this thread, one should note.
http://www.wordconnect.org/page_background_healing_rooms.php
“Trusting in the location of Lakes Rooms: Pierce intended to locate his first Healing Room at the site of the original “Healing Room” set up by Lake in the belief that this would enable him to tap into Lakes healing power; which clearly isn’t scriptural. We receive the anointing of the Holy Spirit directly from God and cannot bypass this or gain anointing any other way. Although Pierce got the location of Lakes original Rooms wrong the very attitude of attempting to seek healing ability like this will have opened him and his organisation to the occult realm. Looking to man and past ministries in this way, particularly to the deceased, and to locations instead of seeking and trusting in God is also a form of idolatry. This practice and attitude was not seen in the lives of any of New Testament believers. No one in the Old Testament ever sought the anointing of the Holy Spirit in this way either. This is, however, a practice that parallels that engaged in by unbelievers involved in the occult. Peirce has made a serious spiritual error here that will have opened him and his entire network to an occult spirit.”
more from Arwen4JC
“Christianity is being attacked on several different fronts from within — we have the hyper-charismatics on one end and the extremely theologically liberals on the other, but both groups are attacking Christian orthodoxy, the gospel, Jesus Christ, and can be traced back to gnostic type doctrines, and the demons behind those doctrines.
Their tactics are different, as each group appeals to a different Christian population, making the packages look different, but inside, both packages contain the same rotten fruit. The result is the same — people are pulled away from the true God, and they start accepting occult methods and doctrines. Both belief systems open the follower up to the world of spirit guides, occult practices, and abandoning Christian orthodoxy.”
yes because there is a bigger agenda to converge christians into one big melting pot… ecumenicalism for all denominations which heralds the rise of the false church..
if a ‘system’ such a SOZO can funnel people into believeing they have a spiritual crisis so big that it can only be resolved by the perpetuation of exclusively these methods – effectively the system has purchased the vulnerable & bound them to it…. this is only the tip of this ice burg too…
the Good NEWs is that the blood of Christ was spent at a greater cost & purchases us OUT of all curses..
I read something from this article that made me think. http://notunlikelee.wordpress.com/2011/03/28/deliverance-from-extreme-pentecostalism-a-personal-testimony-regarding-bethels-influence/
Arwin4CJ wrote: (a comment)
“So, my question is, do you think that some of these questionable deliverance ministries are sort of a demonic spiritual business — demons manifest, pretend to be cast out (or might actually be cast out, only to return later), keeping people in constant bondage to this kind of deliverance ministry. Individuals who are caught up in this bondage are never able to really be free, and they never find any confidence in Christ?”
“The theology surrounding it just keeps people in constant bondage, making it so that people need to be exorcised regularly.”
“o, yes….it would be wonderful if Christians were educated in the correct kind of spiritual warfare — in the biblical kind. However, I think most deliverance ministries today are more like the Francis MacNutt version.
I praise God for how He is opening your eyes to some dangers within Christianity. The addiction to mountain top experiences isn’t something that only hyper-charismatics fall into — any Christian can fall for it, if we begin to think that emotional experience defines both reality and truth. That’s the real danger — when we think that our feelings are an indicator of our relationship with God.”
AMEN!!
Anthony, Yes Merchandising is a big part of this:
Remember when Jesus Turned over the traders tables in the temple complex…. in Luke 19 v 45
Jesus entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling, saying to them, “It is written, ‘And My house shall be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a robbers’ den.”
These traders were merchandising Doves & other small animals for sacrifices so that people could come to the temple- who didnt have their own & purchase one ( probably at exorbitant rates too… * thinks of modern day ticket touts *) Remember that people were not permitted to enter without such. This practice of selling a sacrifice will have been going on with the full endorsement of the Chief Priests… so someone was making quite a bit of cash out of people’s spiritual need.. So what Jesus is saying here is on two levels of depth:
1) dont cheapen My Temple- my house by turning it in a common market place with your dishonest – “rip the people off” mentality & personal greed
& 2) which is more serious: “Dont place restrictions on people from entering my house & praying to God”- see the traders had been allowed to facilitate a practice that effectively excluded anyone who couldn’t afford to do it… they were excluded from obtaining, freedom – being of a repentant heart & seeking intimacy with the Father. As this point in time Jesus had not atoned for sin yet – So these traders were robbing ordinary people of any chance they had to get right with God.
This makes the chief Priests & leaders ultimately responsible for promoting oppression, injustice, in equality & places themselves in the position of who should be “in” & who should “not”
once you have any leader creating environments where this is not just permissible but abounding in the outworking of it… they are in effect (& whether they realise it or not-) saying to God… I decide better than you who should come in “& recieve” & what the criteria for that is.. They have then SET THEIR OWN THRONE HIGHER… & this is why when we see this underlying attitude in our modern day contexts we can be sure that it is not of GOD & actually is anti God- this is the spirit of anti Christ. very much at work…
No wonder Jesus went mad…angry mad…. His whole mission was to come & be the absolute opposite of what he sees happening..
now – are we seeing with this practice of Sozo & Shabar & other inner healing ministry that is actually keeping people bound- they feel they need more & more & more – that no freedom is ever free enough… when does it end? all the while there is revenue – a hard cash income perpetuation from planting this idea into a persons mind….
no one wants to be on the golden gallopers for more than a few minutes – you’ll get dizzy & confused after that!
PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR A NEW BUZZ…….
THERE IS NOTHING SCRIPTURAL ABOUT THIS…..ITS DANGEROUS…..
ITS LEADERS ARE MERCHANDIZING0 THE IGNORANT & UNLEARNED……
n 1997 Randy Clark, a healing evangelist, held meetings at Bethel Church. At that time, Pastor Clark would send a team to train a congregation how to be prayer servants. A small portion of that training was a model of ?deliverance? from Argentina. This model became our first tool ?The Four Doors?.
Dawna DeSilva, the leader and founder of the Sozo Ministry, attended this training at Bethel. Afterward, Dawna began to use the concept of ?The Four Doors? when she prayed for people. Seeing a miraculous difference in people?s level of freedom, the ?Sozo Ministry? was birthed. As the Sozo Ministry developed, the Lord introduced other tools that have aided in people being healed and released from the wounds and lies which have hindered those individuals from the Godhead and their destiny.
In 1998 other churches and organizations requested the Sozo Ministry to share what God had started. Thus, the Bethel Sozo Ministry started traveling to train and equip other churches and organizations to start their own Sozo Ministry. We have traveled international and to numerous states for this training and equipping.
In 2005, the Bethel Sozo Ministry so covered the global, the International Bethel Sozo Organization was created to aid and support all the Bethel Sozo Ministry Teams around the world.
John G Lake: the SECRET – command & demand…. in other words tell God what he should do..
please could anyone supply scriptures to back up this practice.. thanks x
I agree with Curry Blake entirely, and below are scriptures to back up what he affirms.
Luke 9:1-2 Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. (KJV)
Isaiah 45:11 Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me. (KJV)
Luke 10:19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. (KJV)
1 John 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. (KJV)
John 14:12-14 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. (KJV)
Ask and you shall receive. All things are possible to those who believe.
Sallie, thank you for posting these scriptures.. The word of God is our final authority & cannot be argued with for or against… this is the truth.. & as such I believe God can & does heal today, sometimes using his people to facilitate that – the issue we have with Sozo & healing rooms is not the truth of the scriptures but the extra biblical methods that have mutated around the edges…
curry blake for those that may not know – heads up John G lake’s ministry into the present day… Sallie you may agree with whoever – that’s your prerogative although – it concerns me when you say “below are scriptures to back up what he affirms” the point is that he should be affirming the scriptures – first & foremost … see the difference…? how can the ultimate truth “back up” certain (feel good – ego stroking) teachings.. any teaching presented to the church should be from the scriptures plain & simple – not teachings & methods qualified, by scriptural precedents – made to fit… the word becomes less of a final authority & more of a goalpost that keeps shifting… please be careful which teachers you sit under & agree with entirely…
I listened to this video. I didn’t hear what you did or see what you concluded. He doesn’t say tell God what He should do. He says from the position of being in Christ, baptized in the Holy Spirit, carrying the authority of the name of Jesus that we command the devil or sickness to go. This is also what we see the early church doing in the book of Acts. I see no problem here.
re : M’kayla – the whole Whitedove article is reproduced under a new page “Articles: please discuss..”. so please everyone, lets have really good root through it & see if we can get to the bottom of what is really being said here about INNER HEALING & associated subjects in the context of the scripture…? lets get to the Truth… because we absolutely must be people of the Truth… I do not want to invite or accept anything false into my life & I don’t want that for you either..
looking forward to it
Zazzy
Zazzy, I don’t have time right now to read the link at white dove, but I did take a glance. There is some very dangerous teaching there and these men are followed as tho they are Christ himself, taken that seriously. It would be a great article to take apart.
As far as SOZO, it is a doctrine of demons. Stay away, find nothing right with it, nothing to agree with. Satan knows the word of God. Pray for discernment. There is nothing we have faced in our lives that God cannot help us to overcome – and other things are left there within us for His reasons to build us up in Him. Think soberly.
Blessings.
“The purpose of inner healing is to remove all the thoughts, feelings and beliefs in our hearts that make us incompatable with the Lord so that ultimately we can become one with him. The work of inner healing is best accomplished by the Lord in His presence.” Scott Flanagen
WaheeeY; you know WE ARE ALL incompatable with the Lord.. every single last one of us…. because of SIN… Jesus came & made a way for us to be restored… ONLY through acceptance this offer of saving grace & our repentance of sin can we become COMPATABLE with him.. THERE IS ONLY THE ONE WAY!
Oh & we aren’t going to be one with him in this suggested context – Scott…. you are not in agreement with the scriptures
He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. 1 Colossians 1v28 (NIV)
http://www.whitedoveministries.org/Index.cfm?zone=docs/TheRoleofinnerhealinginthechurchtoday.htm&page=Articles
“Truthfully, there are some good parts from sozo – such as forgiving others and confessing sin. But the other parts are not based on God’s Word – and this is how the devil operates – take a little bit of truth, add some deception, wrap it in Christianese and boom – new teaching.” – Shawn
That’s the problem with Sozo…At first you’re like, “Oh, Forgiveness!!” that’s Biblical!!! But then it gets wrapped with some other stuff…
What is wrong with going to pastoral counseling or going to professional Christian counseling?
Forgiveness or the concept of forgiveness…. I think needs to be explored… what does it really mean? as my version of it may be different to someone elses in perspective of their & mine understanding…. so is it a “word” we fling about in assumption of that – is it a defined action – is it a process… how do we know when it has been achieved… have we the right to indicate or assume someone else is not living in a place of forgiveness…?
sorry to ask so many questions on a deep level but my head has been “messed with” through many years of erroneous teachings (often contradictory)… that for me certainly & I know, then others for sure- we need to go back & look at these things again…
x
Be Aware of the Changes at “The Freedom Resource”.
Summary
I wanted to write a letter to you on behalf of myself and the Freedom Resource (TFR) board to let you know of some changes we will be making. For a number of great reasons the Freedom Resource will be changing the name of our approach to inner healing to “Freedom Prayer” from “Sozo”. This letter tells you why and what that may mean to you.
History
Since we began well over a decade and a half ago the web site http://www.thefreedomresource.org has had over 200,000 hits, thousands have purchased Freedom Tools, and thousands more have downloaded materials. A large number of churches and individuals around the world have benefited from the message of freedom through Sozo-based freedom prayer offered through the Freedom Resource. We have received testimonies from nearly every continent and “flavor” of Christianity.
In the time since the Freedom Resource began, the Sozo ministry model originated at Bethel church in Redding, CA has grown from a fairly simple use of the “Four Doors” to a more full-bodied ministry using different tools borrowed from others and modified to fit our ministry approach. Early on TFR determined to provide a strong biblical basis for this ministry model and, seeing an immediate need, published a training manual and materials on Sozo ministry. The manual was extracted and used in the Bethel school of ministry. The book Freedom Tools now in its fifth printing was written with Bill Johnson authoring the forward and Bethel Sozo leadership providing detailed review and comment. It was also endorsed by many conservative leaders including Dr. Neil T. Anderson and Rich Sterns, the president of World Vision.
In the years since, some differences in ministry focus or style and in organizational requirements have also grown up within the Sozo family. There are variations in how different ones do “Sozo” and teach it. Bethel has morphed its own practice to one focusing much more strongly on using the Father Ladder (first conceived by a pastor named Alan Ray) as the preferred framework for most ministry sessions. Growing along with the international Bethel “brand” is a formal Bethel Sozo network with regional leaders and specific requirements on what is “Bethel Sozo” and what is not, who is authorized to train, etc. This has helped to spread a consistent message of Bethel-style Sozo.
Many have adopted the Sozo model, but not wanting to take on the additional complexity of association with a network or the Bethel brand, have simply renamed it something else for their local or city-wide use. Others trained in Sozo and perhaps even long practicing it but not part of that network may have faced some confusion about whether they are really practicing “Sozo” or not leading to some unintentional misunderstandings.
Rightly or wrongly strong Internet-based opposition has grown up against Bethel and Bethel Sozo at times creating an insurmountable hurdle to a local congregation adopting much needed ministry capabilities. Others, reading these sources, lack the perspective to assess their accuracy and simply walk away.
We all want to avoid that.
What is Changing and Why?
In the last five to eight years the Freedom Resource has been seeing that its strength and calling has begun to include many believers and churches from more traditional and denominational settings: Baptist, Presbyterian, Church of Christ, Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist and others. For these brothers and sisters the ability to tie such ministry directly to biblical truth and teach it as such, and to retain an overall approach and feel with which pastoral staff can feel comfortable may be very important – all without sacrificing the core values of freedom ministry. It is also important for many not to tie the freedom ministry of their church to a specific church or ministry that may contain other teachings or practices that may cause some discomfort.
For those reasons, and after discussions with Bethel Sozo and many other church leaders, we have all felt that it would be best that we make some changes to our public presentation of the ministry we all love. As such we are beginning the transition of the name of what we do from “Sozo” to “Sozo based Freedom Prayer” or simply “Freedom Prayer”. We will continue to teach, essentially unchanged, the messages and truths found in Freedom Tools and in the materials carried on the Freedom Resource web site.
We understand that one or more multi-church ministries have used that name in the past (though they are not presently active, at least on the web) and several churches currently call their prayer ministry freedom prayer. We feel that this is both a proper name (Freedom Prayer) and simply a description of what we all do – pray for freedom.
This change provides some significant advantages or differences that may be seen as attractive to many:
Organization. A loose and voluntary association of friends who share a mutual passion for freedom ministry without the formality of structural membership, hierarchical constraints, branding requirements; and free from perceived associations that may seem less compatible with the local church’s belief and practice.
Support. TFR can support through materials, training, consulting, and friendship a more generic and strong biblically-based freedom ministry in any denominational and non-denominational setting.
Local Control. A church or other organization can retain more of a sense of ownership if their local ministry changing its presentation to fit their unique circumstances while, hopefully, retaining all those key things that make this ministry so successful.
Reduced Confusion. For those within the Bethel network there may be less confusion, fewer “I am of Paul” situations, and more focus on freedom ministry. Network members, indeed anyone, can continue take advantage of TFRs materials and support as many now do.
Thus we believe this change will also position us better to minister both among river churches and also within the more traditional realm where we are seeing great opportunity. It will also better allow us to transfer the simple message of freedom more easily to more diverse places.
Is Bethel Good with This?
Yep. We travelled to California to powwow about all this.
This is a direct quote from Dawna DeSilva a great friend, current TFR board member, and one of the Bethel Sozo leaders: “Thank you for honoring the Bethel network and changing the name of the ministry. It will lessen confusion. I continue to bless and love you, your family, the Freedom Resource Team, and all you do for setting the captives free!”
What Might This Mean to You?
If you practice Sozo outside the Bethel network and are fine with things the way they are it will mean little to you, though you may experience some confusion from others as you inevitably spread outside your own organizational walls in welcoming others for ministry, or in training others.
If you are part of the Bethel network and happy there it will, perhaps, reduce any potential confusion while you retain the ability to access TFR materials. It will probably be neutral to good for you.
If you like the ministry model and do not care what it is called, or already call it something different; or if you are considering entering this kind of ministry locally but are not interested in joining a formal hierarchical structure then this will be good news for you.
Please contact us at admin@thefreedomresoucre.org with any questions.
Next Steps for TFR
The web site http://www.thefreedomresource.org has begun to transition to the new name. Over the next weeks the materials will also be transitioned, retaining some information about the relationship between Sozo and Freedom Prayer, but moving ahead with the Freedom Prayer terminology and providing some better biblical basis information, etc.
In the near future you will see a transition to a new URL called http://www.freedomprayer.org and an eventual discontinuation of The Freedom Resource URL. Many of the materials and other offerings will also be transitioned to that site and name.
Our board make up will change. We will consider creation of an advisory board of both traditional and river-based leaders to form. We will continue to offer training, consulting, materials and friendship.
We will identify and continue to list those who perform this ministry and want to be listed. If you are currently on the list at the network tab and want to keep being listed let us know.
We will continue to retain our friendly relationships, and to work together for freedom everywhere we go.
We will continue to believe that where the Spirit of the Lord is there is unity, where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom.
Thank you for this clarification, it is quite useful & informative.
however I would like to clarify our position at R & R in summary for quick communication.
* we have long since been aware that “Sozo” has been a term used by many ministries to describe this kind of freedom/inner healing ministry & has not been exclusively used by Bethel (until now of course)
* the highly successful development & export of SOZO by Bethel is merchandised… therefore this particular aspect of ministry is a tradeworthy business.. its a high end money spinner… thus we have to ask the obvious question about how FREE this FREEDOM ministry is & what its ultimate objective actually is. Of course Bethel, is going to be fine with the streamlining of the term SOZO – they now effectively OWN it… think through what the implication is of that!
* we have discussed on this blog before about inner healing, practices that include guided visualisation & generational curses & our view is that these things although highly practiced in the church are in fact un necessary & anti biblical… when we have a proper understanding & make a genuine response (based on a thorough understanding) of Jesus’s redemptive work of the cross… generational curses, for example are not just invalidated, they are obliterated…
* I notice that, structurally, freedom resource has included on its board both traditional & river based leaders.. this is completely indicative that actually, & as we have suspected for quite a time now that names & terms of various practices change in order (we believe) to create unity & to appease those who – seemingly have a problem with various things but essentially erroneous practices & thinking becomes even more entrenched. In addition, the ground is prepared that in this “joined up thinking approach” – when it occurs amongst all groups pertaining to be Christians – paving the way for a one world church..
* we feel freedom resource/freedom prayer has played right into the hands of this agenda.
Aiko Hormann developed the Divine Editing & Trigger Mechanisms we see incorporated in SOZO..
She describes the Law of Attraction as simply being a part of the “supernatural realm” & subsequently endorses it. It would be fair to say then that some of the principles she has believed in & helped develop would be strongly present in the techniques presented as inner healing formulas…
We see behind the marketed shopfront of Bethel’s spiritual practices that they are exporting to the world as “Fresh Revelation from God” is all this NEW AGE deceptive stuff which leads us away from th Risen Saviour Christ rather than to him..
Here is An excerpt from Patricia King’s new book “CREATE YOUR WORLD Activating your God-given power to create realms and atmospheres”
Dr. Aiko Hormann, a doctor of mathematics and physics, has practiced in her field since 1967. I met her when she was 83 years of age and she was youthful, vibrant, and mentally sharp. She had been a scientist for 44 years at the time we were introduced. As a scientist, she understands the functions of biophotons and the biophoton fields found in and around the human body. The biophoton field is a created realm of light within the body that radiates beyond it and goes wherever we go.
She explained that each individual creates the essence of this field as their DNA molecules receive and transmit light frequencies. For example, if you are thinking negative thoughts and meditating on stressful things, the energy created in this field will have negative effects on your body and life. However, if you meditate on God’s love, joy, and peace, and think on good things, the field of light produced will support health, favor with others, and strength in your body and life.
She further teaches that the scientific Law of Attraction operates through the frequencies of the biophoton field. Consequently, if your mind is filled with negativity, fear, and stress, you create a negative field of energy within and around you that acts like a magnet attracting more negativity, fear, and stress. Science is confirming the Word of God. http://xpmedianetwork.com/the-science-of-believing-patricia-king/
Please be wise in your choices….
THE ROOTS OF SOZO
Mission Statement – by Dr. Aiko Hormann
Ever since the risen Lord Jesus came into my life and started to reveal His heart’s desire with visions and revelations, God’s call on my life is being formed into two projects for His Kingdom:
To establish “Healing & Training Centers” in the US, Canada and other locations where leaders from all nations can come, experience healing and be trained with “Tools of the Spirit”, then go back to their own countries to heal and train more co-laborers.
These “Tools of the Spirit” (over 30 of them) were given to me, one-by-one, by the Lord Himself, showing me how to deal with life-controlling problems such as rage, chronic depression, addictions, low self-concept, and damaged emotions; and how to “edit out” painful memories and “edit in” supernatural nurturing. The results are truly life-transforming and much faster than conventional psycho-therapies and counseling.
http://www.aikohormann.org/index.php/about/my-mission
What rubbish! Having taught physics, I find this talk of Biophotons a joke. The most basic law of physics is that a negative will repell, not attract a negative. Like charges repel opposite charges attract.
So where did Dr Hormann get her degree?
Brian – she feels, from her online comments, that the “revelation” she gets from God is enough of a qualifier.. yes she has got some substantiated qualifications in the scientific field, – as do many others… & what tends to happen is that they come out with these ideas & then wait for “science” to catch up… certainly Benni Johnson holds to this method of weighing a thing… sometimes – after the fact scripture is then searched out, de- contextextualized & used as a “proof” that God said it or created it after all – so where is our surprise,,, this of course legitimises – mostly anything…. including the ideology of “light energy” — this in a nutshell is syncretism… mixing new age – pagan ideas in with a bit of pop – science – throw in a scripture or two (or maybe not) & off we go…
I have a problem if the Sozo leaders/inventors don’t “walk in the Spirit” (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control)
Obviously *no one is perfect* but I begin to wonder…
http://planksandnails.hubpages.com/hub/Christianity-Dressed-Up-In-White-Magic
Okay, I’m going to be a little bit of a hypocrite because I’m going to say – I love the Healing Rooms. Jesus prayed for sick people, so it is definitely in the Bible. But I question SOZO (it’s not in the Bible) although I was originally a fan (but Sozo is not in the Bible)
Plus, I do know a woman, she lived in my house for about a month. before she got saved, she was a part of the occult and she said she would heal people all the time with her occult powers. So, the enemy is an imitator. I’m not sure there are any examples of the enemy healing in the Bible, BUT I’m sure that those “healings” would come with strings (the demonic) attached.
Also, just my observation (which, I know, it’s subjective) but they do not seem like very spirit-filled people. love, joy, patience, self control.
“You must be blameless before the Lord your God. The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the Lord has not permitted you to do so” (Deuteronomy 18:9-14).
God set us apart so, again, we should not imitate anything in this world. Including if they use divination/sorcery.
My struggle with Sozo (again, I am so sorry, I am not even British, so technically this blog is not intended for me) is the character of the Sozoist *outside* of the Sozo room/appointment –
The three sides of witchcraft are: lies, manipulation and intimidation. If they use lies/manipulation outside of the appointments. (in my experience – and this went all the way to the top…Theresa Leibshure used manipulation and called me a “whore spirit” when I am a virgin woman – more on this later. but I believe she said that just to “shut me up” on a matter (but that is manipulation…) I have not so much as french kissed anyone — > yet Theresa Leibshure calls me a “whore”? I have no intention to seduce anyone. She is sorely mistaken.
So, then I think, if they tell lies/use manipulation outside of the appointment, then maybe it is witchcraft inside of the appointment as well. what is to differentiate it?
I believe the following (read below) is from bible.com Note: Paul warns people who are already saved…how interesting. Galatians 5:19 – 21
From another post but relevant to here
Jupeter24 said:
I also worry about the wholesomeness of SOZO. Does it really do what it says it does? (It seems to me it is a bunch of women with father issues…) The people who get a lot of Sozos seem somewhat “under a trance” (that’s my impression of them) Could it be sorcery? I don’t know.
why would you need a lot of sozos if it is effective & does what it claims??
there is no end to the amount of issues any of us could have… we could go on for ever? digging up stuff & getting more bogged down — the sozo practitioners will love that – because it affirms them & keeps them rolling in the £££$$$… so its all about CONTROL win:win for them but not necessarily for the client….
dictionary definition of SORCERY=
the art, practices, or spells of a person who is supposed to exercise supernatural powers through the aid of evil spirits; black magic; witchery.
yes so any supernatural practice which is not rooted squarely in Christ Jesus upholding, affirming & adhering to his word is indeed Sorcery.
so when will we ever be free?, the answer is simple Truth & freedom is found in Jesus – He said so
being in a trance is right… this can happen when guided visualization is used – because a person literally gives their spirit over (to be influenced by deceptive demonic spirits…) The Holy spirit at work in a person honours & respects & never would dominate them in this way…
there are people loads more qualified than me to comment on that one as I have not been trained in Sozo, but others on this blog& round about have been & have come out from this… however I know they would be in agreement that what you have seen here is a accurate perception.
ARE ALL MIRACLES & HEALINGS FROM GOD?
Oftentimes, Christians involved in praying for & witnessing healings in people will take the position that the Devil cant heal or why would the Devil heal? if he is evil then surely he would not – thus – all healing we see is automatically of God..
this video testimony blows the lid off of that mindset
yes the Devil can heal in order to decieve… He will do absolutely anything in order to lead people away from the Risen Lord Jesus. why? because he wants to set himself up on the throne as God…
Don’t be decieved
Hi,
When I tried to play the video it came up with a message “This video is private”.
Hi Jo, thanks for that.. seems the owner may have taken it down… its the testimony of Johanna Michaelson who assisted in psychic surgery under a spirit guide within the ministry of one who claimed to be healing in the name of JESUS..
HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN INNER HEALING
http://rekindlingthereformation.com/S-deception_Sanford_Freud_Jung.html
Agnes Sanford began a healing ministry in the ’40s; received Pentecostal experience, in ’53/54; pioneered teaching for the ‘healing of memories’; part of the ‘positive thinking’ movement she presented God’s healing work as following the laws of nature and positive thinking; she believed that God could work through ‘good’ spirits as well as the spirits of people who have died; she taught that God used some mediums to heal; she believed that angels and dead saints could ‘speak and act in and through us.’
Her views were directly passed on to a succession of ‘Christian’ writers including Francis McNutt, Ruth Carter Stapleton, John and Paula Sanford, Thomas Merton, Morton Kelsey, and Richard Foster.
‘Christianized’ inner healing internally regresses a person into his/her past and, by various mystical and outright shamanistic procedures, then introduces the ‘actual, real, living Jesus’ within the person’s altered state of consciousness. By this procedure the past mystically becomes the present. This conjured Jesus figure will not only heal the past, but will change the facts of history in order to bring about the desired healing.
Healing of the memories, or inner healing, or healing of the emotions has its roots in the teachings of anti-Christian and occultist, Agnes Sanford. It was carried on after her death by those she influenced…
Among the most deadly are “regressive” therapies designed to probe the “unconscious” for buried memories which are allegedly causing everything from depression to fits of anger and sexual misconduct, and must, therefore, be uncovered and “healed.”
The basic teaching of inner healing is the theory that salvation or healing comes through the uprooting of negative memories or ‘hurts’ caused by others in early childhood that are supposedly buried in the ‘subconscious’ from where they tend to dictate our behavior without us even knowing it. Thus, the blame for one’s bad behavior (a.k.a. ‘emotional problems’) in the present is placed upon others (who are perceived to have sinned against us in the past) rather than upon ourselves where it belongs (cf. Ezekiel 18). In order to ‘heal’ these ‘diseased memories,’ the occultic technique of visualization (which is in reality a type of sorcery or divination which has been used by shamans, witchdoctors, and sorcerers for thousands of years, and is specifically forbid by the Bible) is frequently used to recreate the distressful childhood scene, ‘image’ Jesus (if one is a professing Christian), bringing Him into the past situation as a ‘spirit guide’/ ‘healing agent,’ and then causing Him to sanctify the event, forgive the person who supposedly caused the hurt, and in most cases, even alter the reality of the situation in the subject’s mind, all so that the subject might be ‘delivered’ from the ‘crippling emotional pain’ associated with the past negative experience that supposedly ‘diseased memory’ in the first place.
One of the seemingly attractive forms of inner healing is to have Jesus enter a painful scene from the past. The inner-healer helps the person recreate the memory by having Jesus do or say things that will make the person feel better about the situation. For instance, if a man’s dad had neglected him when he was a boy, an inner-healer may help that man create a new memory of Jesus having played baseball with him when he was a boy. Through verbal encouragement, he would regress him back to his childhood and encourage him to visualize Jesus pitching the ball and praising him for hitting a home run. Some inner-healers regress people back to the womb and lead them through ‘rebirthing’ by guided imagery and imagination. Thus, through these psychoanalytic/occult techniques, inner-healers should not be surprised at the possibility of actually altering or enhancing the memory in their zeal to replace bad memories with good memories. Inner-healers are always in danger of unwittingly enhancing or engrafting memories through words or actions that mean one thing to the inner-healer, but may communicate something else entirely to the highly vulnerable subject.
Inner healing is based upon the implication that we clearly need something more than God’s love and forgiveness in order to love and forgive others who are perceived to have wronged us in the past. Since the Bible distinctly teaches that Jesus can never be called-up and forced to ‘perform’ at our command, any ‘Jesus’ actually visualized would have to be a demon spirit and not of God. Of course, that is precisely the danger of the occult technique of visualization—subjects are being taught to experiment with things that God has repeatedly condemned in both the Old and New Testaments alike, not because the phenomena visualized (i.e. ‘spirit guides’) are not real, but rather because they are produced by demons determined to lead one into the worship of other gods and ultimate destruction (Deut. 13 ff.). The Bible repeatedly warns against becoming involved with the occult on any level, because of what the Bible identifies as ‘spirits of demons working signs’ for the purpose of deceiving the whole world (Rev. 16:14; cf. 13:14). This exposure to the occult, however unintentional and innocent, could easily lead the undiscerning into far more serious spiritual or ‘emotional’ problems than they ever dreamed possible. Unfortunately, the research is replete with such cases of demonic/occultic influence experienced by first-time dabblers.
Inner healing practices of regressing into the past, fossicking about in the unconscious for hidden memories, conjuring up images, acting out fantasies and nightmares, and believing lies, all resemble the world of the occult, not the work of the Holy Spirit. An imaginary memory created under a highly suggestible, hypnotic-like state will only bring imaginary healing. It may also plunge people into a living nightmare.
What is being taught as inner healing/healing of memories is nothing but basic sorcery, which is an attempt to manipulate reality in the past, present, or future, and denies God’s omnipotence by implying that He needs our ‘creative visualization’ in order to apply effectively His forgiveness and healing, while simultaneously, sets us up as gods who can, through prescribed rituals, use Him and His power as our tools. In fact, inner healing/healing of memories is nothing but ‘Christianized psychoanalysis’ that uses the power of suggestion to solve so-called problems, which the technique itself has many times created.
Great article, Zazzy! Thanks a lot! I can understand now why someone behaves like they do…..so clear….
It is claimed that Cal Pierce reopened the “wells of healing” that JG Lake began. He said the Lord told him to go to his grave site every year to pray. I think this may be the reason we see so many flocking to tombstones for anointing. Yes, Bethel has this practice as does Benny Hinn, at the grave of Kathryn Kuhlman. It is outrageous the growth of the healing rooms. When I left I think they had about 700 but it could have been more. I can’t quite remember, but they are world wide.
As far as SOZO, it is a dangerous teaching taken from healing methods outside biblical teaching. It was made famous by Agnes Sanford and Jimmy Carter, a former US president had a sister who was quite involved too. I can identify with the roots of inner child work or inner child healing that was popularized in the 1990’s.
It is really very simple to see their error when we take one simple teaching and compare it with the bible. So many are unwilling to see it, maybe they are unable, but they simply will not listen. Apparently, they do not have ears to hear and will one day find themselves ousted from the presence of the God they claim to serve. I am glad you are taking this stand. Blessings on your work!
Thank you Mkayla, Im so grateful to God that he showed you so clearly his Truth x
Hi MKayla,
My name is Harry phelps the director of Padstow healing rooms in sydney Australia. I think the G Lake grave site is a misunderstanding about cal. Apparently he did not know anyone in the city and just went to the grave sight to pray becouse It is a beatiful place, its a huge place. I herd him personally speaking about it. Its got chairs to sit on and relax.
In the healing rooms I run, its all about Jesus Jesus Jesus. We workship him then pray for healing in his name. We have seen much healing and creative miracles, which I get people to get up in church and give glory to him, not healign rooms. Its just a tool to teach the church to pray for the sick in shopping centeres, workplaces etc.
I know I am not decieved, its all genuine.
If we workship, him, quote and use his word, and command healing in his name how can we be decieved. Maybe there are bad healing rooms.
Harry
I love the work of the body of Christ in restoring wounded souls. Bless you for what you do.