If we want to find out what the purpose of this revival is, we need to look at what is being taught by its leaders. You might be forgiven for thinking that a spiritual revival in the Church would result in Christians coming into a closer relationship with Jesus Christ. This is not the case with the Florida Outpouring. In fact Bentley says that God has specifically instructed him not to teach people about Jesus Christ. Instead he believes that God wants him to teach about "the angel". Bentley related this fact at one of his meetings. "God, why do I want people to believe in the angel?", he questioned, "Isn't it about getting the people to believe in Jesus?". Even Bentley seemed surprised by this unusual request from the Father. The response came back, "The people already believe in Jesus, but the Church doesn't believe in the supernatural". You will not see Bentley read from the Scriptures. You may not even hear him talk much about God or Jesus Christ, despite all the miracles that seem to be taking place. But you will hear him talk about angels and the supernatural. And so it seems that the purpose of this revival is to get people focused on the supernatural.

Of course we know that there are two types of supernatural forces, the angelic and the demonic. The question then must be asked, which side is Bentley advocating the Church believe in? To answer that question we must look to the Scriptures for evidence of how to recognize which side is which. We can't always trust our own judgement, for 2nd Corinthians 11:4 states that Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light in order to deceive. Just because someone mentions the name of Jesus Christ and says they are a Christian, or just because people are claiming to be miraculously healed, that doesn't mean to say that this movement is of God. Pharaoh's magicians were able to replicate some of the miracles that Moses performed by the power of God through their demonic power (Exodus 7:8-11). And in the book of Acts, a woman possessed by a spirit of divination followed Paul and Silas through the streets, crying out, "These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation", Acts 16:17. Paul cast the demon out of her as he was not prepared to receive the testimony of a demonic spirit. Neither did Jesus Christ allow the demons to speak when He cast them out for this same reason (Mark 1:34). The Bible warns us to "believe not every spirit, but test the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world", 1st John 4:1. How do we test the spirits to see whether they are of God or not? "Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that [spirit] of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.", 1st John 4:2-3. Demonic spirits do recognize the authority of Jesus Christ, but they will not glorify Him. Todd Bentley's ministry stands or falls on the Person of Jesus Christ. Does Jesus Christ have the pre-eminent place in his life, or do angels have the prominent place? Is Jesus Christ glorified through these healings, if that's what they are, or is Todd Bentley glorified? In the next article we will have a look at some of the angels in Todd Bentley's ministry.