The Latter Rain Movement: Truth Or Lies?

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly,

that in the latter times some shall

depart from the faith, giving heed

to seducing spirits, and doctrines

of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy;

having their conscience seared with

a hot iron; forbidding to marry, 

and commanding abstain from meats,

which God hath created to be

received with thanksgiving of them

which believe and know the truth.

1Timothy 4:1-3

     Paul expressively states that the "Spirit" speaks and then gives what the Spirit speaks. Therefore, we ought to take time to investigate and examine the words of the Spirit. Before I begin writing about a doctrine that may seem obscure for too many Church leaders will speak words laced with sugar but will not address false teachings. This leaves the congregants only knowing some things good, but does not lead them to be able to know how to defend their faith. Paul was not afraid to tell the truth about that which is only hypocrisy and seducing spirits, so, we should not be afraid to do the same thing using his inspired words from the Spirit to guide us so that we do not fall into being seduced, to have departed from the faith. Many have fallen and are fallen, have departed from the faith: will you learn so to be able to properly address this hypocrisy? These doctrines are doctrines of the devil. These doctrines are lies! 

     Can you think of a religious group that teach celibacy? Do you know of those who claim that it is godly to be celibate? The Roman Catholic Church comes to my mind. How about a religious group that teaches that it is wrong to eat meat? The Seventh Day Adventist comes to my mind. How can they believe they are in the will of God when Paul wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, in fact says that these words are from the Spirit? This is lies, this is hypocrisy, and this is departing from the faith, teaching doctrines of the devil. 

     Now, for this doctrine you may have heard something about but know little about it and how you are to understand whether or not this doctrine is of the devil. This doctrine is: The Latter Rain Movement. There are some Scriptures used to promote this doctrine: "Be glad then, ye  children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God; for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month" (Joel 2:28). 

     Over 50 years ago, William Branham, George Warnock, Paul Cain and others attempted to introduce Latter Rain/Manifest Sons of God teachings into the Pentecostal movement. In 1949, however, the Assemblies of God officially rejected the Latter Rain/ Manifest Sons of God doctrine as “heresy.” The cult went underground but surfaced again in the 1960’s as the Manchild Company. Disregarding the Assemblies of God decision, Paul Cain, the Kansas City Prophets and Vineyard Ministries have subsequently reintroduced and successfully established this false doctrine in the Pentecostal churches.

The Latter Rain/Manifest Sons of God doctrine “involved a man-child elite group of Overcomers taking dominion over all nations and reigning in the heavenlies while overseeing drastic judgment on all who remained in the ‘old generation’ — i.e., the denominational churches! The Latter-Rain teachings promised a Second Pentecost outpouring to empower this elite group, and to incarnate the Christ within them to the degree that they will become perfect and invincible, even to the overthrow of heavenly powers.” Today, few recall the controversy surrounding Latter Rain/Manifest Sons of God doctrines fifty years ago and their repudiation by the Church. Of necessity, they are now camouflaged and Christians must have an accurate understanding of Scripture to discern these counterfeit winds of doctrine. Charismatic churches are well-established in Latter Rain doctrine and Evangelical churches are currently being indoctrinated via numerous parachurch organizations and movements. Latter Rain teachings include: Kingdom Now/Dominion Theology, Progressive Revelation, Revival/Harvest, Joel’s Army, Replacement Theology, Post-Millennial Eschatology, Signs and Wonders, Territorial Warfare, Ecumenism, Restoration of Apostles and Prophets, Jubilee/Feast of Tabernacles, and the Post-denominational Church.

      Latter Rain doctrine is a modern version of the classic heresy of Gnosticism, which taught that a spiritual elite possessed “hidden knowledge” of the divine realm which placed their personal revelations, spiritual experiences, and private interpretation of Scripture above the ordinary revelation of God’s Word. In Latter Rain doctrine, Pentecost was the “former rain” or outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the Church must yet receive a second Holy Spirit visitation. At this time, the Sons of God will be glorified and manifested to all as they establish the Kingdom on earth before Jesus Christ returns bodily. Latter Rain prophets are now preparing multitudes for this transformation.

      To defend their unbiblical exposition of many doctrines, Latter Rain prophets and apostles claim that “new” teachings, prophecies and interpretations of Scripture are progressively being unveiled which have heretofore not been revealed to the Church. Even though such visions, prophecies and revelations are unsupported by the Word of God, they are nonetheless canonized as doctrine because they were accompanied by spiritual experiences. However, Hebrews 1:1,2 states, “God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son.” Since Jesus Christ is the Word of God, I Corinthians 14:29 contains the provision that all prophecy in the church be tested and judged by its conformity to Scripture. Isaiah 8:20 declares, “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.”

     I will bring out more about this Movement for it has infected many denominations and many Churches seducing people to believe a lie. We need to prepare ourselves to defend the faith given to by the Holy Spirit, not some "new revelation" which is only doctrines of the devil.

Thus saith the LORD, keep ye

     judgment, and do justice:

 for my salvation is near to come, 

    and my righteousness to be 

revealed.

                 Isaiah 56:1

Be watchful: The devil is roaming

Richard L. Crumb