He [C. Peter Wagner] states in Confronting the Powers that "certain people such as shamans, witch doctors, practitioners of Eastern religions, New Age gurus or professors of the occult on university faculties are examples of the kind of people who may have much more extensive knowledge of the spirit world than most Christians have." He goes so far as to advocate that Christians attempt "first-hand research into the world of darkness" and chides those who are unwilling to listen to "independent expertise in demonology." (Powers, Wagner. p. 147.) C Peter Wagner wanted you to investigate the New Age Movement! What is that, anyway?

Let’s start with a basic Wikipedia definition:

New Age is a term applied to a range of spiritual or religious beliefs and practices that developed in Western nations during the 1970s. Precise scholarly definitions of the New Age differ in their emphasis, largely as a result of its highly eclectic structure. Although analytically often considered to be religious, those involved in it typically prefer the designation of spiritual or Mind, Body, Spirit and rarely use the term "New Age" themselves...

First thing that stands out to you is the word “spiritual”, right? New Agers use that term differently than do Bible-believing Christians. I say “Bible-believing” because many “Christians” have an overlapping definition that includes many New Age ideas. They might be OK with the NAM definition of spiritual.

At best, the “spirit” of the New Age is the human spirit. For the Christian, we speak of the Holy Spirit in connection with our own. You can readily see how things get confused, and why we need to have discernment meters turned up on high.

More of the definition:

...A number of mid-twentieth century influences, such as the UFO religions of the 1950s, the Counterculture of the 1960s, and the Human Potential Movement, also exerted a strong influence on the early development of the New Age.

...Although the exact origins of the phenomenon remain contested, it is agreed that it developed in the 1970s, at which time it was centered largely in the United Kingdom. It expanded and grew largely in the 1980s and 1990s, in particular within the United States. By the start of the 21st century, the term "New Age" was increasingly rejected within this milieu, with some scholars arguing that the New Age phenomenon had ended.

Au contraire, Wikipedia. It didn’t end at all. Much of it was deposited into Christendom and lives on. Like the paganism of the Roman Empire supposedly ended? Oh no, Roman Catholicism imbibed much of it to keep it alive. Satan’s lies are long-lasting, but thankfully not eternal, and not undiscoverable, with those whose eyes will remain open.

One more quote from Wikipedia:

Despite its highly eclectic nature, a number of beliefs commonly found within the New Age have been identified. Theologically, the New Age typically adopts a belief in a holistic form of divinity which imbues all of the universe, including human beings themselves. There is thus a strong emphasis on the spiritual authority of the self. This is accompanied by a common belief in a wide variety of semi-divine non-human entities, such as angels and masters, with whom humans can communicate, particularly through the form of channeling... There is also a strong focus on healing, particularly using forms of alternative medicine, and an emphasis on a "New Age science" which seeks to unite science and spirituality.

A holistic form of divinity. Spiritual authority of the self. Semi-divine non-human entities, as angels and masters, with whom humans can communicate via channeling. Strong focus on healing. Unite science and spirituality. Hello?

How does the New Apostolic Reformation charismatic movement match with New Age?

Let’s begin with a blog at fanaticsforjesus.blogspot.com, August 11, 2010. And you will notice some other names and blogs within this one which it would be wise for you to check out on your own. So much information is being amassed! Don’t be deceived! God has raised up caring people within the Body of Christ to warn us of serious danger.

Here is the blog:

In an eye-opening post on the Herescope blog, the author writes about the parallels between the Latter Rain cult teachings (which were adopted by the New Apostolic Reformation), and the teachings which flow from the New Age movement. It was through the writings of Rev. Ernest Ramsey, an associate pastor of a New Age church, that Constance Cumbey learned of the connection between the New Apostolic Reformation's Manifest Sons of God and the New Age.

To recap: 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. Latter Rain prophets are now preparing multitudes for this transformation.

The blogger writes:

In the old Latter Rain cult heresies about a great endtime "harvest," there was an aberrant teaching about the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles which has since become very popular in some segments of the evangelical world. According to Pastor Bill Randles in his book critiquing the Toronto Blessing (laughing movement) Weighed and Found Wanting . . . Putting the Toronto Blessing in Context,

In 1951, [George Warnock] wrote his book, The Feast of Tabernacles, in which he laid out a specific doctrine for the Latter Rain Movement. He taught that the Church was about to usher in the completion of God's feasts through perfection of the saints and their dominion over the earth. Essentially, this Latter Rain teaching implies that the three great annual feasts of the Lord in Israel's worship (Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles) typify the whole Church Age, beginning with the death of Jesus on the cross, and consummating in 'the manifestations of the Sons of God' - the 'overcomers' who will become perfected and step into immortality in order to establish the Kingdom of God on earth. According to Warnock, this will be accomplished through the restoration of the Church in unity.... (p. 57)

This quotation was cited by Ed Tarkowski, a noted discernment researcher, in his 2000 paper titled "Prophecies Announcing The Birthing Of The Corporate Child: Part Four." He described the new doctrines that arose during the "Toronto Blessing" of the mid-1990s, a manic group phenomenon of uncontrollable laughing and other wild behaviors which quickly spread to Pensacola, Florida. These "revivals" were supported by the leaders of the present-day NAR. One particularly bizarre feature of the Toronto "blessing" was women writhing on the floor, acting out a mystical portrayal of the prophesied birth of a corporate "manchild" that would fulfill old Latter Rain prophecies. Why was it so necessary to do this? The answer may shed some light on the current prophecies about a great outpouring of wealth.

In his article, Tarkowski noticed that Constance Cumbey, renowned attorney and researcher of the New Age movement, had written that the Feast of Tabernacles had specific New Age significance, and was connected to a coming Year of Jubilee, in which the wealth of the world would be redistributed. He wrote:

POINT 5: THE TRUTH IS THAT THE LATTER RAIN FEAST OF TABERNACLES PARALLELS THE NEW AGE AGE OF AQUARIUS - In her 1985 book, A Planned Deception: The Staging of a New Age 'Messiah', Christian writer Constance Cumbey writes about Rev. Ernest Ramsey, an enthusiastic follower of the Alice Bailey and Benjamin Creme teachings. She says that his major report was entitled "An Evolutionary Basis For The Reappearance of the Christ and his Executives, the Masters of Wisdom." Cumbey writes,

"In his Research Report #2, he tells of something he was led to by a spirit guide - what he terms 'Neo-Pentecostalism.' An aberrant branch of Pentecostalism, this is more commonly known as the 'Manifest Sons of God.' . . . Ramsey concludes . . . that this is part of the New Age Movement."

Cumbey continues,

"The most interesting section of Ramsey's report dealt with 'Neo-pentecostalism.' Ramsey spent a semester at one of the Neo-Pentecostal or Manifest Sons of God seminaries . . . . Already familiar with the Alice Bailey writings, he was amazed to see that there was a branch of Pentecostalism that embraced the same teachings - albeit using sometimes different terminology.

"Like those seeking the 'Age of Aquarius' these people too were seeking a 'New Age.' Like the other New Agers, these people taught that 'The Christ' was an anointing - not necessarily one man. They taught that Jesus was a pattern son who was to be a sign of something even greater to come - the 'Manifestation of the Sons of God.' They too believed the earth was to be cleansed of evil. And chillingly, like the other New Agers, they believed they were to be 'God's' instruments to do such cleansing. The New Agers believed they were gods. The Manifest Sons of God likewise taught that if one accepted their 'new revelation' that they themselves would actually become Christ at the time of the unveiling or manifestation of the Sons of God."

Cumbey continues her eye-opener with this revelation:

"Ernest Ramsey excitedly pointed out in his report that [the Manifest Sons] had a teaching which indeed did parallel the Aquarian teaching of the Age of Aquarius - the Old Testament 'Year of Jubilee' as well as the 'Feast of Tabernacles.' The Year of Jubilee paralleled the redistribution of the world's wealth. The Feast of Tabernacles was the equivalent of the coming together of the world's peoples and varied religions under one tent or tabernacle - the equivalent of the New Agers' long-awaited 'New World Religion.' . . . ."

We must not miss this point: the Replacement Theology of the Manifest Sons of the Latter Rain has brought the Age of Aquarius into the Church under the guise of the Feast of Tabernacles and the Year of Jubilee.

Constance Cumbey's book A Planned Deception: The Staging of a New Age 'Messiah', which Tarkowski was quoting from, examined the concept of a Year of Jubilee from the writings of New Ager Jeremy Rifkin, who in the early 1980s had been promoted by Pat Robertson on his 700 Club. She wrote that "Robertson praised Rifkin's Entropy unpublished manuscript," which was part of the Bantam New Age book series."( p. 157) She quoted from Rifkin's book, which called for a "fundamental redistribution of wealth," observing, "One way Rifkin says we will have the moral courage to make this changeover or voluntary redistribution of wealth is through a new metaphysical orientation - a new world view."(p. 159)