Part 1: Joseph Prince lied he teaches from the word of God.
Part 2: All the texts that Joseph Prince uses to prove his ‘I believe and therefore I speak’ doctrine are out of contexts. (Dated 12 May 2025)
Featured YouTube Comment:
@bahnhen
“Yes, Mr Paul Tan, you are right.
Joseph Prince has no substantial counter-arguments
to Rev George Ong’s precise, scriptural expose
of his false teachings.
Joseph Prince talks and acts
as if he is an anointed preacher,
constantly declaring that he hears from God.
Yet, when Rev George Ong exposed his half-truths,
Joseph Prince had no powerful rebuttal.
A true man of God, if indeed led by the Spirit,
would have responded
with truth, authority and conviction.
But Joseph Prince didn’t.
Instead, he played the victim
– pretending to be unjustly attacked,
and sidestepping the real issues.
That’s not the response of a true servant of God.
That’s the reaction of a fake preacher caught in the act.
His abject failure to defend himself
with truth and spiritual clarity
exposes him for what he is:
a pretender wrapped in theatrics,
wearing a mask of spiritual authority
that has fooled the multitudes.”
Announcement:
There are 9 videos on Joseph Prince
& 1 video on Mike Winger.
(This article was also sent to Rev Dr Ngoei Foong Nghian, General Secretary, National Council of Churches of Singapore (NCCS) office, and for the attention of the Executive Committee Members.)
Part 1: Joseph Prince lied he teaches from the word of God.
In the sermon yesterday, 11 May 2025,
Joseph Prince said:
“Come to a church like New Creation, number one.
It’s quite a good church.
Why?
Because the word is being preached.
The word of God.
Not tradition. Not tradition.
Alright, we believe this, we believe that.
Or our denomination believes this,
but we teach you what the word of God says.
Now, I think I am one pastor
that gives more scripture verses than people realise.
And sometimes even when I’m not showing,
I’m still preaching the verses.
We like to tell you what the word of God says.”
Joseph Prince asked people to come to his New Creation Church
for one reason stated in 4 different ways:
“Because the word of God is being preached.
The word of God.
…. but we teach you what the word of God says.
…. We like to tell you what the word of God says.”
Let’s see whether Joseph Prince is lying or telling the truth.
First, did Joseph Prince really preach the word of God
when he said that holiness is by accident and without effort?
Please click on the link below to view:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QyYf8RLjkc7AoEMCQensNIan9Ns51ipz/view
“And the result is holiness by accident.
Have you seen holiness by effort?
This blatantly contradicts
what the scripture clearly states in Hebrews 12:14:
“Make every effort… to be holy;
without holiness no one will see the Lord.”
Second, did Joseph Prince really preach the word of God
when he said that Jesus doesn’t tell you about your faults?
Please click on the link below to view:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1E3ugMkewGSwVCCBEt2Wwm9MluvSSujmG/view
“And one thing about Jesus
is He doesn’t tell you about your faults.”
Joseph Prince had told a blatant lie
because if there is anyone who has no trouble
confronting believers about their faults,
it was Jesus.
Didn’t Jesus tell
the Church of Ephesus (Rev 2:4-5), Pergamos (Rev 2:14-15),
Thyatira (Rev 2:20), Sardis (Rev 3:1), Laodicea (Rev 3:15-16)
about their faults?
Third, did Joseph Prince really preach the word of God
when he said the spiritual blessings in Ephesians 1:3
translates into something material as well?
Please click on the link below to view:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rBjrIq0lFAIPHc7frquxNBCyJJXNcn8B/view
“We are seated with Christ in heavenly places
and we are blessed with every spiritual blessing
in heavenly places in Christ (Eph 1:3b).
And these spiritual blessings,
mind you, this wisdom that
translates into something material as well.”
Please read through the entire Ephesians chapter 1 for yourself
and see if you can detect any material blessings
that are mentioned in that chapter.
The answer is none.
All the blessings that are mentioned in Ephesians chapter 1
are spiritual blessings of sonship, redemption, forgiveness,
experience and assurance of the Holy Spirit, etc.
None are material blessings.
Fourth, did Joseph Prince really preach the word of God
when he said
that those who prophesy comfort under the Old Covenant
and those who prophesy judgement under the New Covenant
are false prophets?
Please click on the link below to view:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zUB_PO0Huhp_HtqBfY309Zop5KHJkb3a/view
“It’s as much as false prophecy
if you are under the Old Covenant,
you prophesy comfort, you are a false prophet.
Okay, any more than
if you are under grace (New Covenant) now,
you prophesy judgement, judgement, judgement,
you are a false prophet.”
as Old Testament prophets, besides judgement,
also prophesied comfort
(Isa 12:1; 40:1-2; 49:13; 51:3; Jer 13:13; Ezek 14:23; Zech 1:17).
The New Covenant prophets, besides comfort,
also prophesied or speak about judgement
(Rom 2:2-5; 1 Cor 11:29, 32; 1 Tim 5:11-12; Heb 3:2-3; Jas 3:1; Jas 5:9).
These are 4 reasons
amongst many others, which I have not highlighted
that Joseph Prince has not only not preached the word of God,
but he also lied on God’s word time after time.
Part 2: All the texts that Joseph Prince uses to prove ‘I believe and therefore I speak’ doctrine are out of contexts.
Part 2a: Philippians 4:13
In the sermon yesterday, 11 May 2025,
Joseph Prince said:
“Inflamed so much that everything I can’t, I can’t.
The Bible says
I can do all things through Christ
who strengthens me (Phil 4:13).
Believe, speak. O Salah (mistake), the other way round.
Believe, speak. Believe, speak. Believe, speak,
even before you see it happen. Believe, speak.”
Joseph Prince use of Philippians 4:13
13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,
as the text to support his teaching
that if we speak what we believe, we will receive it,
is severely out of context.
Philippians 4:10-13 NKJV
10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. 11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:10-13 NCV
11 I am not telling you this because I need anything. I have learned to be satisfied with the things I have and with everything that happens. 12 I know how to live when I am poor, and I know how to live when I have plenty. I have learned the secret of being happy at any time in everything that happens, when I have enough to eat and when I go hungry, when I have more than I need and when I do not have enough. 13 I can do all things through Christ, because he gives me strength.
Joseph Prince uses Philippians 4:13
to teach that you can have anything you desire
by speaking what you believe into existence.
This is because according to his teaching,
God wants every Christian
to be wealthy and healthy,
and never in need, always having enough,
and that no Christian should ever be poor
and be in need.
But the context of Philippians 4:10-13,
goes right against Joseph Prince’s doctrine:
Philippians 4:12-13 NCV
12 I know how to live when I am poor… and when I go hungry… and when I do not have enough. 13 I can do all things through Christ, because he gives me strength.
It is so clear from the text that Philippians 4:13
is not to teach that once we speak our belief
we will be wealthy or prosperous.
It does not mean that we can accomplish anything
as long as we believe and speak.
It does not mean that once we believe and speak,
God will bless us with a new car, a new house and long life.
Rather, in context, the
13 I can do all things through Christ, because he gives me strength,
is referring
not just to prosperity, but also poverty;
not just when my stomach is full, but also empty;
not just when I have more than enough,
but when I do not have enough;
not just when I am rich, but I am poor:
Philippians 4:12-13 NCV
12 I know how to live when I am poor… and when I go hungry… and when I do not have enough. 13 I can do all things through Christ, because he gives me strength.
In other words, regardless of our situation,
whether they be good or ‘bad’,
we can triumph over every situation, because
13 I can do all things through Christ, because he gives me strength,
Paul knew that he could endure any circumstance,
no matter how disastrous they were
because he knew that his hope was not found in things,
but in Christ.
Paul wasn’t giving the promise
that bad things will never happen to Christians.
As a matter of fact,
Paul was in prison when he wrote the letter of Philippians
Paul was exhorting us that whatever happens,
Christ is our only hope.
In other words, our best accomplishments,
or our worst ‘failures’
doesn’t make much difference in the end,
as long as we have Christ
who has redeemed us by His blood
and because of that,
13 I can do all things through Christ, because he gives me strength,
Part 2b: Romans 4:17
In the sermon yesterday, 11 May 2025,
Joseph Prince said:
“So, the next thing he (Abraham) learned about God,
God calls those things that are not as though they are (Rom 4:17).
So, if you want to see something happen,
God’s way is like this; Man’s way is always what?
I must see first then I speak what I see.
God’s way is that I speak what I want to see.
So, Abraham learned God calls those things
which do not exist, exist physically.
God calls those things that don’t exist
as though they exist.
And when God does that, they exist.
So, God said learn the way I do things.”
Let’s take a look at Romans 4:17
in the context of Romans 4:16-22 NKJV:
16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all 17 (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed – God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; 18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” 19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. 22 And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
From Romans 4:17 in yesterday’s sermon (11 May 2025),
and what Joseph Prince said in his other sermons
and written in his books,
he teaches that
believers can do like what God did in Romans 4:17,
to “Speak those things that are not as though they are.”
He advanced this false doctrine
that we can speak nothing into something:
over our finances that we can become wealthy,
over our bodies that we can become healthy,
over our desires that they will come into fruition, etc.,
and see the miraculous results.
Now, it is one thing to pray to God
and be grateful to see how He answered our prayers
when these prayers are prayed according to His will.
But it is quite another in using the argument
that just because we are made in the image of God,
an argument used by most Prosperity Gospel preachers,
including Joseph Prince,
gives believers the right to say that we can now be like God
to speak nothing into something.
Wanting to do what God do
regarding what He and only He can do
is blasphemous.
Joseph Prince lied when he said:
“So, the next thing he (Abraham) learned about God,
God calls those things that are not as though they are (Rom 4:17).
… So, Abraham learned God calls those things
which do not exist, exist physically.”
Abraham never learned that just as God
calls those things which do not exist, to exist physically,
he could and should to do the same
as Joseph Prince had lied.
There is nowhere in the text that says that.
The real lesson Abraham learned was his faith
– that he didn’t waver in his faith to trust God
to give him a son even though it is humanly impossible
– that would made him to be the father of many nations (Rom 4:18-20):
18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations,
19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old),
20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.
Joseph Prince blatantly lied when he said:
“… So, God said learn the way I do things,”
that just as God calls those things that are not
as though they are (Rom 4:17),
Joseph Prince now wants Abraham
and believers to do the same.
There is nowhere in the passage that God ever said that.
Joseph Prince has daringly added that into the text.
Romans 4:17 is not about the power of our words
to create something out of nothing
– which is purely God’s part.
Calling out those things which do not exist into existence
is God’s part, not ours (Rom 4:17):
– God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;
Abraham’s part and our part is to believe God (Rom 4:18):
“I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed
The crux of the matter is
never because Abraham spoke or declared certain words,
Isaac was born.
It is about the power of God
to bring forth His promise to Abraham
that a son, Isaac, would be born to him
even though it seems to be humanly impossible.
Real faith is not about speaking nothing into something.
It is about our trust in the promises of God
– made to Abraham that Isaac would have a son.
Real faith is about not wavering
and hanging on to the promises
– that God would bring them into existence (Rom 4:20-21):
20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.
So, it clear that Joseph Prince
in trying to prove his word of faith doctrine
– just as God can speak something into existence
– and so we can and must follow Him
has clearly gone out of context.
Part 2c: 2 Corinthians 4:13
In the sermon yesterday, 11 May 2025,
Joseph Prince said:
“Alright, 2 Corinthians 4:13,
since have the same spirit of faith
according to what is written,
I believe and therefore I speak.
Now, notice he used the word same spirit of faith,
same spirit with who?
Ka Kee Nun.
Right, someone like me, same spirit of faith.
Paul was referring,
this verse is taken from Psalm 116 I believe it is.
It’s a Davidic Psalm.
David is speaking these words first
and Paul is quoting David.
Paul, saying I have the same spirit as David.
No, Paul didn’t just say for himself,
we having the same spirit of faith.
How does it operate?
I believe and therefore I speak.
We also believe and therefore speak.”
Joseph Prince claims 2 Corinthians 4:13
supports his word of faith doctrine
because it teaches that
just as Paul believes and speaks,
we must do the same
when Joseph Prince said:
“I believe and therefore I speak.
We also believe and therefore speak.”
Joseph Prince has brazenly gone out of context.
Let’s look at 2 Corinthians 4:13
in the context of 2 Corinthians 4:8-18 NKJV:
8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death is working in us, but life in you.
13 And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak,
14 knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. 15 For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. 16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
In 2 Corinthians 4:8-12,
Paul was describing the persecutions and severe trials
he had to go through in his ministry:
8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death is working in us, but life in you.
Then Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:13:
13 And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak,
So, what is Paul believing and speaking in 2 Corinthians 4:13?
It has nothing to do with the rubbish that Joseph Prince teaches
– that believers have the right
to first believe something that we want
and then to speak them into existence.
There was never a hint to that.
Joseph Prince said:
“Paul was referring,
this verse is taken from Psalm 116 I believe it is.
It’s a Davidic Psalm.
David is speaking these words first
and Paul is quoting David.
Paul, saying I have the same spirit as David.
No, Paul didn’t just say for himself,
we having the same spirit of faith.”
Although Joseph Prince quoted the text of Psalm 116
that Paul took in his exposition of 2 Corinthians 4,
he dared not showed you the passage on screen
because it will expose his lies and out-of-context preaching:
Psalm 116 NKJV
I love the Lord, because He has heard
My voice and my supplications.
2 Because He has inclined His ear to me,
Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.
3 The pains of death surrounded me,
And the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me;
I found trouble and sorrow.
4 Then I called upon the name of the Lord:
“O Lord, I implore You, deliver my soul!”
5 Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
Yes, our God is merciful.
6 The Lord preserves the simple;
I was brought low, and He saved me.
7 Return to your rest, O my soul,
For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.
8 For You have delivered my soul from death,
My eyes from tears,
And my feet from falling.
9 I will walk before the Lord
In the land of the living.
10 I believed, therefore I spoke,
“I am greatly afflicted.”
Psalm 116:10 RSV
10 I kept my faith, even when I said,
“I am greatly afflicted”;
Psalm 116:10 NABRE
10 I kept faith, even when I said,
“I am greatly afflicted!”
Psalm 116:10 NOG
10 I kept my faith even when I said,
“I am suffering terribly.”
In the context of Psalm 116:1-9,
David, like Paul,
was going through a severe crisis in his life:
3 The pains of death surrounded me,
And the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me;
I found trouble and sorrow.
4 Then I called upon the name of the Lord:
“O Lord, I implore You, deliver my soul!”
5 Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
Yes, our God is merciful.
6 The Lord preserves the simple;
I was brought low, and He saved me.
7 Return to your rest, O my soul,
For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.
8 For You have delivered my soul from death,
My eyes from tears,
And my feet from falling.
9 I will walk before the Lord
In the land of the living.
But like Paul, David never lost faith in God,
always believing that God will deliver him even from death (V8).
And that was why David said in Psalm 116:10:
Psalm 116:10 NKJV
10 I believed, therefore I spoke,
“I am greatly afflicted.”
Psalm 116:10 RSV
10 I kept my faith, even when I said,
“I am greatly afflicted”;
Psalm 116:10 NABRE
10 I kept faith, even when I said,
“I am greatly afflicted!”
Psalm 116:10 NOG
10 I kept my faith even when I said,
“I am suffering terribly.”
What was David speaking?
David wasn’t saying as Joseph Prince teaches
that he believed his desires would come to pass
and therefore, he spoke them into existence.
Nothing of that sort!
David was saying even though he had suffered greatly (V10b),
yet, he had the faith to believe that God will deliver him:
Psalm 116:10 RSV
10 I kept my faith, even when I said,
“I am greatly afflicted”;
David trusted and believed God and kept his faith
even though he was going through severe distress:
Psalm 116:10 NKJV
10 I believed, therefore I spoke,
“I am greatly afflicted.”
Psalm 116:10 RSV
10 I kept my faith, even when I said,
“I am greatly afflicted”;
And that’s the same line or argument
that Apostle Paul took (I believed, therefore I spoke),
and he applied it to his own equally distressing situation
of trusting and keeping faith with God in 2 Corinthians 4:8-12,
culminating in 2 Corinthians 4:13.
2 Corinthians 4:8-13 NKJV
8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
12 So then death is working in us, but life in you.
13 And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,”
we also believe and therefore speak,
2 Corinthians 4:13 NLT
13 But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, “I believed in God, so I spoke.”
So, the resilience of faith to trust God
despite overwhelming odds,
is the same tune that both David (Psa 116:10)
and Paul were singing (2 Cor 4:13).
It has absolutely nothing to do
with Joseph Prince’s teaching
about believing our desires
and then speaking them into existence.
Part 2d: Mark 11:23
In the sermon yesterday, 11 May 2025,
Joseph Prince said:
“And you notice that all the principles of faith
“I believe and therefore I speak,”
is all based on many scriptures.
Jesus says you want the mountain (Mk 11:23),
whether the mountain is a cancer or a lump or a goitre,
whatever it is,
you want that problem, you want that financial lack,
whatever it is to be removed in your life,
speak to it, Mark 11:23.”
Joseph Prince said:
“And you notice that all the principles of faith
“I believe and therefore I speak,”
is all based on many scriptures.”
This is a lie
as I have already demolished Joseph Prince’s arguments
when he tried to invoke
Philippians 4:13, Romans 4:17 and 2 Corinthians 4:13
to justify his doctrine regarding,
“I believe and therefore I speak,”
That leaves us with the final text in Mark 11:23.
that Joseph Prince was alluding to:
Mark 11:22-25
22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. 23 “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
This text is simply a teaching on prayer
and the faith to believe what we prayed for.
The description about Jesus asking us to say or speak
to the mountain
is not what is most crucial.
The crux of the matter is that as long as we have the faith
to believe what we prayed for and not doubt,
God will answer it
regardless of whether we say or speak to the mountain.
Conversely, you can speak and say to the mountain
a thousand times,
but if you don’t really believe what you say or speak,
you wouldn’t receive what you ask for.
If Joseph Prince is of the view
that saying and speaking to the mountain
is so crucial in prayer,
is he also saying that every time we pray,
we must speak to the mountain,
or else, our prayers won’t be answered?
If that is so,
this would bring Mark 11:23 into a contradiction
with many verses on prayer
that were taught by the same Jesus,
in which simple faith (generally speaking) is enough
to get our prayers answered:
John 14:13-15 NIV
13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
John 15:16 NIV
16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you
John 16:23-24 NIV
23 In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
Did Jesus say that we must speak to this or that
in the 3 above passages
that Joseph Prince would want us to believe
in order to get our prayers answered?
Of course not!
Generally speaking, simple faith is all that is required
for our prayers to be answered.
So, in our understanding of prayer,
never let Joseph Prince confuse you
regarding the core issue (faith)
and peripheral issues (speak here and there).
Joseph Prince said:
“Jesus says you want the mountain (Mk 11:23),
whether the mountain is a cancer or a lump or a goitre,
whatever it is,
you want that problem, you want that financial lack,
whatever it is to be removed in your life,
speak to it.”
But what one needs to note is that
especially from Mark 14:35-36,
35 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from
him. 36 “Abba,[f] Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
and the teaching of prayer in 1 John 5:14:
14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us,
Mark 11:23 is not a blank cheque
that God must answer our prayer,
especially if the request is not in accordance with God’s will.
We must never presume that all our asking
is in accordance to God’s will.
In a teaching session, Mike Winger said;
Please click on the link below to view:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Rq3VdW_Z1–8xJBYgjF6a22F-wvLN4ET/view
“Mark presents this blank cheque kind of teaching on prayer (Mark 11).
Is there anything that counterpoint this?
Is there anything that’s going to balance this out
for times when God simply says no?
And the answer is yes.
And it’s in the gospel of Mark in chapter 14
when Jesus prays the following and God says no.
So, here we are, Mark 14:35.
This is the counterpoint.
This is the missing piece of the puzzle.
And He went a little beyond them and fell to the ground.
And He fell to the ground and began to pray
that if it were possible, the hour might passed by Him.
Jesus wants to avoid this suffering.
And He was saying.
Wants to, doesn’t mean He is choosing to.
But of course, there’s a desire to.
And He was saying Abba Father
All things are possible for You;
Remove this cup from Me;
yet not what I will, but what You will.
This is, in a nutshell, exactly the prayer
that is anathematized by the Prosperity preachers,
and the Word of Faith guys.
And it’s prayer on Jesus’ lips.
Look when they’re telling me
to not pray the way Jesus prays,
something’s wrong with your teaching.
Mark 14 presents the perfect counterpoint
and filling out, not disagreeing
but filling out the rest of the story of Mark 11.
And that’s what we need.
Let’s apply Mark 11, right.
Does Jesus have unforgiveness in His heart?
No, of course not.
Is there sin in His life?
No, of course not.
Does He have true and genuine faith towards the Father?
Absolutely. Absolutely, total, perfect faith.
And then He asked.
Now, Jesus is God, here.
But He’s standing here
as providing an example for humans
on how we interact with God.
Okay, that’s the point.
And so, Jesus has faith, no sin, no unforgiveness in His life.
And He prays and He believes all things are possible for You.
And then He adds this whole idea of,
but yet, let your will be done, Lord, not mine.
Father, He says, Father let your will be done, Lord, not mine.
And this is exactly what I’ve heard over and over
from the Word of Faith preachers never to do.
That it’s a prayer killer.
And that praying thy will be done to God
is a miracle killer.
And I think this is very bad.
This is where you’re wrong.
If you’ve taught people,
don’t say Lord, your will be done, not mine.
If you’ve taught that,
you’ve taught them to reject Jesus’ prayer.
You’ve also taught them to reject the Sermon on the Mount
where Jesus teaches us how to pray.
Jesus teaches you are to pray, God, Father in heaven
hallowed be your name, your will be done.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
So, the whole premises of prayer
is that God’s will not mine is being done.
So, while yes, faith is essential,
God’s will is the determiner
that ultimately will trump all of that
because Jesus, here,
He’s got faith.
He’s got perfect prayer.
And yet, the answer is no.
The answer is no.
And in a nutshell,
what I’m saying with all these
is that Jesus’ prayer in the Garden
stands as an intentional counterpoint
to the teaching in Mark 11.
It stands there under the inspiration of the Spirit
that was written down by Mark,
under the intentionality of Jesus,
making sure that the disciples
could experience and hear and see Him
struggling through this moment
so that they would learn that they have to suffer too
according to God’s will.
That’s the lesson.
Faith means not only I believe God for miracles.
Faith means I believe God in suffering.
And if you don’t have both of these,
you have a sub biblical view of believing.
Now there are those
who want you to be so emphasised, focused
on the idea of healing and miracles,
that they will argue against the Gethsemane passage.
And that is a problem.
Faith trust in suffering.
(Quoted someone) ‘What makes discipleship
in the Markan community so difficult
is not that it involves suffering
but that it involves suffering
by those who participate in God’s power
to do the impossible.’
The God who wills to move the mountain
does not always will to take away the cup.
Those who belong to Jesus’ true family
do the will of God
whether it involves miracles or suffering.
That is so right on.
The problem that Mark is dealing with,
Mark’s addressing, sort of behind the scenes
is you have this incredible access to God
where you believe and He works miracles,
and yet there are times
when you are believing He’s saying no.
Just like you thought faith was key,
key in accessing God’s miraculous power,
you must also believe that faith is key
in dealing with suffering when God says no.
If you think I believe God for healing and he says no,
do you really believe Him,
if you don’t believe Him when He says no?
Do I really trust Him?
Or was He just like a vending machine?
I put the coin of faith in and I get what I want
and if I don’t, I kick and punch the vending machine.
Vending machines don’t have wills.
It’s just input output machines.
God has a will and we must submit to that.
Now, here’s why I bring this up.
A distorted teaching on Mark 11 in prayer;
it makes it so that the miracles source in my will
instead of in God’s will.
The power of God to heal, to do wonderful things;
it comes from me and not from Him.
I think a biblical teaching
is that it comes from God and I respond.
Now another response to this though
is where the Word of Faith preachers are going to say,
but Mike it’s always God’s will to heal.
It’s just always His will.
And a lot of people do think this.
I don’t agree.
I don’t think that’s biblical and I’ve given lots of examples
in the Mark’s series of that sort of thing.
So Paul, he suffered physical ailments.
Timothy had regular stomach issues.
Now keep this in mind.
Paul, the apostle and he would go around and heal crowds
full of people, the handkerchief, right, heals people.
And yet, Timothy has regular stomach issues.
And Paul’s not like I’ll pray for you, you’ll be healed,
I have faith or Timothy you have faith.
Instead, it’s like drink some wine, not just water
because of your frequent stomach issues.
Erastus. Paul’s healing everybody, right.
But Erastus, he says he left sick in my leaders.
He just leaves him there.
Paul heals everybody
but he just leaves Erastus sick in my leaders.
Epaphroditus almost died.
He had a prolonged illness.
He was a missionary with Paul.
He had a prolonged and he almost died because of it.
Real faith, this brings in Mark 14 as well.
Real faith is believing,
believing when the answer is no.
And that God’s will for your life
does involve temporary suffering.
(If you are) Influenced by those who are teaching
that if you just believed enough, you will be healed.
And you have been trying to convince yourself
that God’s going to heal you,
that it is just simply according to God’s will
for whatever reason He has.
You fall back on who He is
and you say Lord I trust you.
I trust your goodness and I’m resting in you
so that with healing or not healing,
faith is the key.”
The trouble with many believers
is that just because they have a desire for God to fulfil,
they automatically think it must be God’s will.
If it is not God’s will,
you can speak all you want to the mountain,
and it will still be there staring in your face.
Lastly, Joseph Prince deliberately deceives us
that this prayer to move mountains
comes with no conditions:
Mark 11:22-25 NIV
22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. 23 “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
As it is indicated in the Markan version,
it comes with the condition
that we don’t harbour unforgiveness against others (V25).
And if we have not dealt with unforgiveness,
such mountain-moving prayers
would not be answered.
Rev George Ong