WHY NAR ESCHATOLOGY IS DANGEROUS

NAR eschatology presents a major paradigm shift from the eschatology found in the scriptures. The disparity between the scriptural account and "victorious eschatology" taught by false NAR dominionist "prophets" and "apostles" is a comprehensive departure from Jesus' teaching. This aberrant eschatology was introduced into Christian charismatic organizations by false "Apostle" C Peter Wagner (1930-2016). Wagner is well-known as the founder of the New Apostolic Reformation, a network in the Apostolic-Prophetic movement. NAR leaders vary in the details of their eschatological beliefs. However, in general terms, they have adopted a new optimistic eschatological revelation for the church, which they claim supersedes the scriptures and excludes the prewrath rapture of the church. (Matthew 24:31; 1 Corinthians 15:51-53; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). The NAR mandate involves removing "demonic forces" from worldly positions of power and replacing them with Christian "prophets and apostles" who will ultimately cause the kingdom of God to be established on the earth before Jesus' return. This agenda is known as the "seven mountain mandate" i.e., seven aspects of society that believers seek to dominate: family, religion, education, media, arts and entertainment, business, and government. Their agenda includes practicing various unbiblical "spiritual warfare" techniques, including "prayer walking", "spiritual mapping", and "prayer warriors" aggressively declaring various decrees against territorial strongholds held by demons to oust/destroy them from their alleged positions of authority. These practices supposedly facilitate "alignment with God" allowing the eradication of evil and the miraculous transformation of society, culminating in the ultimate merger of church and state. The reasoning behind victorious eschatology is that the church is given the mandate to take back dominion forfeited by Adam to Satan in the Garden of Eden. (Genesis 1:26-28). According to NAR doctrine, Jesus cannot, or will not, return until the church has achieved "your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven". (Matthew 6:10).1 In other words, NAR proponents separate Matthew 6:10 from the petitionary context of the Lord's prayer and reinvent it as a mandate to take dominion over the earth prior to Jesus' return. 

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.*
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

* may your kingdom come, may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. (NET Bible)2

Jesus' command to "keep watch" in the Olivet Discourse

No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark. And they were oblivious until the flood came and swept them all away. So will it be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.

Therefore keep watch (γρηγορεῖτε), because you do not know the day on which your Lord will come. But understand this: If the homeowner had known in which watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. For this reason, you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect. (Matthew 24:36-44).

The present active imperative verb γρηγορεῖτε  - watch, be vigilant, stay awake is a critical instruction to the church. Present active imperative verbs give commands. These commands have an imperfect aspect. In other words, they command an action to happen continuously or repeatedly. Γρηγορεῖτε is a recurring imperative in the New Testament that occurs frequently when associated with Christ's coming. (Matthew 24:42,25:13,26:38,26,41; Mark 13:35,37). The recurring emphasis of the command to watch relating to Christ's coming refutes those who claim that eschatology is a secondary issue! If believers are unaware of what they should watch for, how will they escape? Jesus repeated γρηγορεῖτε in the parable of the wise and foolish virgins:

Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch (γρηγορεῖτε) therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. (Matthew 25:1-13).

Jesus parallels "the days of Noah" and the end of the age in the Olivet Discourse. Both periods are defined by wickedness, corruption, moral decay, spiritual apathy, and apostasy. 

The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Genesis 6:5).

NAR eschatology is incompatible with the book of Revelation. Revelation 13 describes the rise of the beast (the Antichrist) and the false prophet. And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?” (Revelation 13:4). 

Revelation 16 describes the kings of the earth being assembled by demons for the battle at Armageddon, followed by further exhortation to watch (γρηγορῶν) in Revelation 16:15.

The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east. And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty. (“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake (γρηγορῶν), keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”) And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon. (Revelation 16:12-16).

Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. (Revelation 19:11-16).

NAR deviation from scripture should alarm Christians who believe in the authority and inerrancy of the word of God as the basis for all matters of life and doctrine. (2 Timothy 3:16).  

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. (2 Peter 2:1 cf. Acts 20:29-20; Romans 16:17-18; 2 Timothy 4:3-4).

1. NAR "Apostle C. Peter Wagner teaching its key doctrine of Dominionism
2. Matthew 6:10 Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.