Leave TD Jakes Alone
Recently, an online video of Bishop T.D. Jakes ministering deliverance to a woman at his church went viral. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fc0K9YPD7P4 In front of a sizable crowd, Bishop Jakes spoke for nearly 12 minutes, addressing the woman and her spiritual bondage. Using a variety of styles—at times, he was forceful, at other times he was preachy—while at other, elegant words swirled across the room like a smoking gun. The footage became ammunition from detractors who questioned his method, accused him of grandstanding, and concluded his attempts as a resounding failure. Here’s my take on it.
Different Days/Different Ways
As a deliverance minister with over twenty years of experience, I clearly know that deliverance can be a hit-or-miss affair. Some deliverances take minutes, while others drag on for hours. Some occur instantaneously, while others appear fruitless after long prayer only to have the person go through a private purging once they arrive home. We’ve seen demons manifest by merely coming into proximity with the oppressed. There are times when we’ve received a word of knowledge—a supernatural revelation from heaven—and demons leave as the Spirit identifies them. Still, there are times when candidates are interviewed and guided through the process of confession and renunciation of secret sins, unforgiveness, hidden vows, oaths, allegiances to lodges, occult involvement before casting out demonic bondage. As it is with healing, there is no cookie-cutter formula.
Humble Beginnings
As a struggling, impoverished pastor, Jakes established a ten-member storefront named The Temple of Faith Church in Montgomery, West Virginia. He rose out of obscurity after speaking at Azusa Street, an annual convention hosted by Carlton Pierce, and later gained enormous popularity after appearing on TBN, hosted by the late Paul and Jan Crouch. Eventually, Jake left West Virginia with some 50 families and founded a 30,000 person megachurch in Dallas, Texas. With such a meteoric rise to the top, Jake is no stranger to such animosity, and I am sure that the criticism rolled off like water on a duck’s back.
While passing the torch to his daughter Sarah Jakes as the new head of the Woman Thou Art Loosed in a moving ordination, Bishop Jakes charged her by saying, “...Some will make a career out of trying to kill you...” Upon being anointed, Sarah wept tenderly before accepting the torch, taking the mic, and preaching like a hurricane. https://youtu.be/5loxNl7CgO4?si=vQMpCCsPIy8Y2kup
A Word to the Wise
The Word clearly states that when we compare ourselves to others, we are not wise (II Corinthians 10:12). Moreover, criticism is not a fruit of the Spirit but frequently a work of the flesh, much of which is rooted in envy. Envy is a hostile or resentful feeling toward another because of their perceived advantage (like beauty, possessions, or stature in life). There’s plenty of that going on in the church, especially when someone gets an unusual anointing to accomplish heaven’s unique plan on earth. If God hasn’t been allowed to deal with envy within our hearts, attack and criticism will become our natural responses to another’s success. It has been said that envy is the hurt that we feel at another’s success. The church will lambaste fornication and drug abuse while the hidden sin of envy slithers between the pews each Sunday and Sabbath like a venomous snake.
Impressive Resume
Bishop Jakes is arguably one of the most proclaimed ministers of the gospel in the 21st century. He is the second minister to grace the cover of Times Magazine. (Evangelist Billy Graham was the first in 1970.) With a plethora of global followers, he averages 250k to millions of viewers and subscribers on his online sermons. (His critics may have 67k followers, if that.) A multiple best-selling author, Bishop Jakes has stakes in the movie and fashion industries, foreign missions (digging wells in drought-stricken countries), business, higher education, and real estate development. An advisor to three presidents, he hobnobs with politicians, CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, rap stars, Hollywood moguls, and famous athletes alike. With such a resume, could his critics harbor an envious heart?
The Evil of Envy
The Apostle Paul lists envy as a work of the flesh in Galatians 5:21, but the sin of murder follows it. Anyone who has ever been behind the eight ball of envy can attest to its viciousness. (Just be the prettiest woman in an all woman Bible study.) Men are not exempt from this heinous sin. Proverbs 27:4 says, “Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous, but who is able to stand before envy?” Based on this scripture, Abel, the first homicide victim in the Bible, couldn’t; Joseph, the eleventh son of Jacob, couldn’t; David, who dodged the javelin of King Saul twice, couldn’t; and alas, the Lord could not escape this diabolical spirit seething within the bosoms of the religious rulers of His day. Even Pontius Pilate, the Roman Governor, discerned their hearts. “For he (Pilate) knew that the chief priests had delivered him (Jesus) for envy” (Mark 15:10, parenthesis mine).
Envy vs. Jealousy
Frequently confused grammatically, one of the simplest methods to distinguish between the two words is to follow this rule: jealousy involves three or more people and entails a threat of losing what one already has; envy involves two people and seethes over what someone has. For instance, a nanny cares for a toddler who responds to her voice but ignores the mother. The mother fires the nanny because she is jealous of her. In the same scenario, upon returning from work, the husband compliments the young, attractive nanny but says little to his wife. Once more, the nanny receives the pink slip out of jealousy rather than envy. But say the nanny comes to work svelte, full of teenage vitality and plenty of friends--the mother is reminded of her single and slender days, and she dismisses the nanny out of envy. (Gee, fired three times in one day!) Therein lies the difference between the two, and according to the Bible, both are treacherous.
God Can Be Jealous
God can never be envious (what on earth could a God who owns the cattle upon a thousand hills envy)? But He can certainly be jealous. “For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God” (Deut. 4:24). In fact, El Quanna is one of the many covenant names of God, and it means jealousy. The name speaks of a marital relationship between Him and mankind, and He does not take kindly to us chasing after other “gods”. God’s jealousy flows from a pure love, while human jealousy flows from an evil heart. Solomon says, “Jealousy is cruel as the grave” (Songs of Solomon 8:6); therefore, both jealousy and envy unacceptable Christian traits and need to be confessed, repented of, and nailed to the Cross. Now back to Jake’s critics.
Body Consciousness
The Body of Christ must stop hurling stones at other members while the devil sits in a pedicurist’s chair, laughing. When one is elevated, we all rejoice. If one member is cast down, we all mourn because it is the fall of us all (I Corinthians 12). We are family. The key is learning to accept, respect, and appreciate those who don’t operate the way we do. One day, John, the beloved disciple of the Lord, saw a man casting out devils independent of their circle.
And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us. But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. (Mark 9:38-39)
The Lord’s response served both as a rebuke to John and as wisdom to the other eleven disciples. Variety is the hallmark of the kingdom. The anonymous man did not have to be with the original twelve, do as they did, or walk as they walked to be authentic in the deliverance ministry. The Lord’s command, “Forbid him not,” in our modern-day vernacular is the same as saying, “Leave him alone.” After searching our hearts and renouncing any envy, hatred and pride, we should do the same—and leave TD Jakes alone.
Originally Posted: June 5, 2023
