AWAKEN THE POWER OF THE UNTAMED LIFE Lioness Arising - by Lisa Bevere
Lisa Bevere is a Christian author and speaker who, together with her husband John Bevere, runs the Colorado-based ministry, Messenger International.
This article takes a critical look at one of Lisa's books entitled, Lioness Arising: Wake Up and Change Your World to see if there may be a hidden - and dangerous - message within.
RADICAL CHANGE - This article is about not only Lisa and John Bevere’s message to radically ‘change the world’ but also that of many other ‘Christian’ leaders in the church at large.
Focusing on the interfaith intent behind Lioness Arising however serves as a cautionary example of what is happening throughout the church today, and across all denominations.
UNTAMED? - An alternate tagline for Lisa Bevere’s book has been: Awaken the Power of the Untamed Life. This directive should be quite troubling for any discerning Christian.
In Lioness Arising, Bevere writes: "God did not save you to tame you." (p. 53) However, as Christians, we are meant to do just the exact opposite of leading an 'Untamed Life'.
TAMED! - We are meant to tame our tongues (James 3:8); to live 'circumspectly' and to be sober, humble, wise and prudent; to walk uprightly and to have the fruit of Self-control.
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" (1 Peter 5:8)
A LIONESS ARISING IS HUNTING! - The way a Lioness hunts is to silently close in on its prey - this being the herd, ...or the 'flock' in this case.
After stealthily drawing near, it RISES UP out of the tall grass to close in for the kill - Yikes!
FALSE TEACHING - False teachers such as Lisa Bevere, and her husband John, have likewise stealthily "crept in unawares" to the church and to the flock:
"For there are certain men crept in unawares, ungodly men, ...denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ." (Jude 1:4)
LION OR BEAST - Lions are known as 'beasts', and are called ' King of the Beasts'. This brings to mind two verses in the Bible that mention both a 'Beast' that rises, and a ‘King’.
In Revelation 9:11 it reads: "They had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit." And Revelation 13:1 mentions the "Beast that rises up out of the sea...".
TWO LIONS - Ordinary lions are simply animals, but they are also used in the Bible as a symbol both for Christ and for the devil.
The image of a lion (or lioness) may not at first seem all that alarming, but we know that there are two Lions in the Bible.
ROARING LION - One of these is the Lion of Judah, but the other is the Roaring Lion "...that seeks whom he may devour". (1 Peter 5:8)
Perhaps we can discern which one of these two Lions it is that is being referenced in Lisa Bevere's book.
LION OR LIONESS? - First of all, Lisa Bevere quotes Numbers 23:24 (NIV) as the basis for her book which in the NIV states, "The people rise like a lioness..."
While Bevere cites the NIV, in the KJV it actually reads, "Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion..." This is a very big difference! (Numbers 23:24 KJV)
FEMINIZATION - In Lioness Arising, Bevere chooses to use the verse from the NIV (New International Version) which changes the masculine 'lion' to the feminine 'lioness'.
Lisa Bevere has incidentally also been very active in bringing 'Feminine Empowerment' to the Church, specifically through her women's leadership conferences called 'ARISE'.
GOD OR GODDESS - If we allow that Lioness can be interchangeable for Lion in the Bible, can the use of goddess in place of God be far behind? (And there is a big push for this!)
Bevere's use of the term Lioness is no mistake or simply preference of Bible version, but rather a part of the agenda to 'feminize' both the Church and the entire Word of God itself.
VISION? - We will see more about the importance of this change as we continue to unpack the 'vision' that Lisa Bevere claims to have received about a 'lioness'.
There are similar stories of other 'Christian' women who have had false visions which they also take to be 'revelations' from God. One of these is Jessa Bentley of Lakeland Church.
NEO-PAGANISM - In Bentley's case, the vision was more related to a vision of the false Hindu elephant 'god' Ganesh than to the almighty God.
In the case of Lisa Bevere, there is similar 'new age' symbolism and neo-pagan ideology as well, both in the imagery and the numeric symbology in her own ‘vision’.
NEW AGE - Also, other than two or three occasions where she quotes the NIV (such as above), Bevere mainly quotes the new-age 'Message Bible' throughout her entire book.
Let's see if Bevere's book, and the ‘vision’ of a lioness that inspired it, has any additional 'new-age' undertones. In this recent critique of her book it states:
Lisa Bevere is a Christian author and speaker who, together with her husband John Bevere, runs the Colorado-based ministry, Messenger International.
This article takes a critical look at one of Lisa's books entitled, Lioness Arising: Wake Up and Change Your World to see if there may be a hidden - and dangerous - message within.
RADICAL CHANGE - This article is about not only Lisa and John Bevere’s message to radically ‘change the world’ but also that of many other ‘Christian’ leaders in the church at large.
Focusing on the interfaith intent behind Lioness Arising however serves as a cautionary example of what is happening throughout the church today, and across all denominations.
UNTAMED? - An alternate tagline for Lisa Bevere’s book has been: Awaken the Power of the Untamed Life. This directive should be quite troubling for any discerning Christian.
In Lioness Arising, Bevere writes: "God did not save you to tame you." (p. 53) However, as Christians, we are meant to do just the exact opposite of leading an 'Untamed Life'.
TAMED! - We are meant to tame our tongues (James 3:8); to live 'circumspectly' and to be sober, humble, wise and prudent; to walk uprightly and to have the fruit of Self-control.
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" (1 Peter 5:8)
A LIONESS ARISING IS HUNTING! - The way a Lioness hunts is to silently close in on its prey - this being the herd, ...or the 'flock' in this case.
After stealthily drawing near, it RISES UP out of the tall grass to close in for the kill - Yikes!
FALSE TEACHING - False teachers such as Lisa Bevere, and her husband John, have likewise stealthily "crept in unawares" to the church and to the flock:
"For there are certain men crept in unawares, ungodly men, ...denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ." (Jude 1:4)
LION OR BEAST - Lions are known as 'beasts', and are called ' King of the Beasts'. This brings to mind two verses in the Bible that mention both a 'Beast' that rises, and a ‘King’.
In Revelation 9:11 it reads: "They had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit." And Revelation 13:1 mentions the "Beast that rises up out of the sea...".
TWO LIONS - Ordinary lions are simply animals, but they are also used in the Bible as a symbol both for Christ and for the devil.
The image of a lion (or lioness) may not at first seem all that alarming, but we know that there are two Lions in the Bible.
ROARING LION - One of these is the Lion of Judah, but the other is the Roaring Lion "...that seeks whom he may devour". (1 Peter 5:8)
Perhaps we can discern which one of these two Lions it is that is being referenced in Lisa Bevere's book.
LION OR LIONESS? - First of all, Lisa Bevere quotes Numbers 23:24 (NIV) as the basis for her book which in the NIV states, "The people rise like a lioness..."
While Bevere cites the NIV, in the KJV it actually reads, "Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion..." This is a very big difference! (Numbers 23:24 KJV)
FEMINIZATION - In Lioness Arising, Bevere chooses to use the verse from the NIV (New International Version) which changes the masculine 'lion' to the feminine 'lioness'.
Lisa Bevere has incidentally also been very active in bringing 'Feminine Empowerment' to the Church, specifically through her women's leadership conferences called 'ARISE'.
GOD OR GODDESS - If we allow that Lioness can be interchangeable for Lion in the Bible, can the use of goddess in place of God be far behind? (And there is a big push for this!)
Bevere's use of the term Lioness is no mistake or simply preference of Bible version, but rather a part of the agenda to 'feminize' both the Church and the entire Word of God itself.
VISION? - We will see more about the importance of this change as we continue to unpack the 'vision' that Lisa Bevere claims to have received about a 'lioness'.
There are similar stories of other 'Christian' women who have had false visions which they also take to be 'revelations' from God. One of these is Jessa Bentley of Lakeland Church.
NEO-PAGANISM - In Bentley's case, the vision was more related to a vision of the false Hindu elephant 'god' Ganesh than to the almighty God.
In the case of Lisa Bevere, there is similar 'new age' symbolism and neo-pagan ideology as well, both in the imagery and the numeric symbology in her own ‘vision’.
NEW AGE - Also, other than two or three occasions where she quotes the NIV (such as above), Bevere mainly quotes the new-age 'Message Bible' throughout her entire book.
Let's see if Bevere's book, and the ‘vision’ of a lioness that inspired it, has any additional 'new-age' undertones. In this recent critique of her book it states:
"The author begins by telling of a vision in which she believes God was telling her that, 'She would awaken a lioness after the birth of her son'.
She began to study the lioness and eventually came to the conclusion that in order to make the world a better place, all Christian women much unite.
She explains that this (uniting women) became a passion of hers after a vision she had while pregnant with her 4th son - a vision she believes was a revelation from God.
In the vision she saw 'radiant light everywhere', and a perfect lioness on a platform with Numbers XXIII written under it.
She finds what she is looking for in verse 24. Later she feels the Lord telling her, '...with the birth of your son, you will awaken a lioness.'
Let's begin to unpack this 'vision' supposedly had by Lisa Bevere:
DREAM OR NIGHTMARE? - First, SHE believes that God was telling her that she would become a 'lioness'. The vision, she admits, was actually a 'dream' she had one night.
After this dream, she follows her own secular research on the lioness, rather than searching the Bible, to form her own idea of what she thinks God is telling her.
KJV OR NIV? - Of course, she couldn't consult an accurate version of the Holy Bible on this matter, as the word 'lioness' does not even appear in Numbers 23:24 in the KJV.
God has preserved His true word, which is ultimately our only source of Truth and Holiness: "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." (James 17:17)
THE LIONESS IN THE KJV - The word lioness does appear in the KJV, however, but not in this particular verse. It shows up twice, once in Nahum 2:12, and again in Ezekiel 19:2.
Both times, it is a reference to lamentation and to God's judgment upon his people - not to empowering women in the church:
Nahum 2:12-13 (KJV)
12 The lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his holes with prey, and his dens with ravin.
13 Behold, I am against thee, saith the Lord of hosts...
Ezekiel 19:1-3 (KJV)
1 Moreover take thou up a lamentation for the princes of Israel,
2 And say, What is thy mother? A lioness: she lay down among lions, she nourished her whelps among young lions.
3 And she brought up one of her whelps: it became a young lion, and it learned to catch the prey; it devoured men.
UNITY: Nonetheless, Bevere concludes that her vision of a 'lioness' really means that ALL Christian women should UNITE to 'make the world a better place'.
However, our God is not a God of UNITY, but of DIVISION. He calls on us to, "Be (ye) separate." 2 Corinthians 6:17 And that there will be division, not ‘unity for all’:
“Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division.” (Luke 12:51)
ECUMENISM - Bevere's message for women to 'unite' is one that is ecumenical, and even inter-faith, one which she gives at many churches throughout the country each year.
Additionally, not only is her message a part of the one-faith movement, but also the one-church movement, with the eventual goal as a whole being a one-world religion.
THE WOMAN - This universal goal of 'unity', and of women rising up in the leadership of the church that is being promoted by the Bevere's and many others, is not coincidental.
Empowering women is one of the U.N.'s Development Goals to 'transform the world'. This is exactly in line with the directive that Lisa Bevere gives to women in Lioness Arising, to:
"...Wake Up and Change Your World." (Cover, Lioness Arising)
A WOMAN & THE BEAST - Throughout Revelation 17 we see reference to the false Pagan system that will bring in the one-world religion, and to 'the woman' who rides the beast.
The Bible tells of this woman saying, “…Upon whose forehead was written: MYSTERY BABYLON.” (Revelation 17:1–18)
MYSTERY BABYLON - The root of all pagan idolatry. It is significant that the emphasis in this passage is upon the symbolism of the writing upon the forehead of a 'woman'.
The forehead is also mentioned in Revelation in regard to the numeric symbolism of the mark of the ‘beast’. God also seals his own in the forehead. It will be a choice for good or evil.
FALSE LIGHT - Unpacking Lisa Bevere's 'vision' a little further, we see even more reference to the feminine. She envisions a 'female' Lioness on a platform surrounded by 'radiant light'.
This 'radiant light' should already be a huge 'red flag' for falsehood and deception: "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." (2 Corinthians 11:14)
The rest of this passage in 2 Corinthians 11 is also very 'enlightening' to our study:
"For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ ...Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works." (2 Corinthians 11:13,15)
FEMININE DNA - In even further reference to the feminine, or 'the woman', Lisa Bevere describes the Lioness in her 'vision' as being on a platform with the Roman Numeral XXIII written upon it.
Oddly enough, this numeric symbolism seems to have reference to female DNA. The double XX denotes the DNA of a female, which has two X chromosomes within the DNA strand.
NO BOYS ALLOWED - Conversely, male DNA has one X and one Y in the chromosome pair. So, reference to a double XX seen in the 'vision' of XXIII would be decidedly female.
The Roman numeral XXIII (23) is even itself also a reference to DNA as each RNA strand is made up of 23 chromosomes which are then paired to make a complete DNA helix.
MORE NUMERIC SYMBOLISM - There is additional symbolism in Bevere's vision of the Roman Numeral XXIII (as she saw it written in her dream) of the III or Roman Numeral 3.
We saw that human DNA is a double helix consisting of two strands of RNA nucleotides. In the way that God created it, DNA exists as a combination of only 2 of these strands.
TRIPLE HELIX - The 'triple helix', which can be symbolized as III, is one in which a third strand has been added to the normal two-stranded human DNA.
Genetic scientists are currently attempting to create this very thing, triplex DNA, for the supposed purpose of 'gene therapy' and to fundamentally change human DNA from that which God has created.
ABOMINATION - The goal of adding a third strand to human DNA in order to change it and essentially create 'transhumans' would be an absolute abomination in the eyes of God.
Triple DNA is often associated with that of the fallen angels. The Bible tells us in Genesis 6:4 of a time, "When the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them."
MINGLED SEED - We can therefore see that these fallen beings have 'seed', or DNA. This further relates to the verse in Daniel 2:43 "They shall mingle themselves with the seed of men..." (See more on this HERE.)
We now have 'unity', and mingling of an even more deeply evil and diabolical nature. Jesus also speaks of the mingling of both 'good' and 'bad' seed in his parable of the wheat and the tares.
UNIFICATION - The wider subject of 'fallen DNA' is beyond the scope of this article, but suffice it to say that this idea of mingling and unification has deep spiritual ramifications far beyond just physical genetics.
We can see this symbolized in the Triple Helix, or triquetra, which is used in other 'spiritual' places as well. This symbol, a depiction of three intertwined 6's, is displayed prominently in both pagan witchcraft as well as in many 'churches'.
'MIXED' MESSAGE - We can now perhaps start to see the somewhat more deeply evil and diabolical nature of the unity and mingling that Lisa Bevere promotes, and symbolizes, in her book.
One can't be sure if the depictions by Lisa Bevere of a 'feminized' lion as well as the double XX and triple DNA III are intentional, but there is certainly a dark side to her empowerment movement.
JEZEBEL - The 'evil' in Lisa Bevere's feminine empowerment movement is filled with the 'Spirit of Jezebel' which seeks to have a 'voice' and to have power over the church ('the vineyard').
Jezebel likewise sought to deceitfully take over and to use her power to obtain the vineyard for her husband Ahab, an act which only brought her to terrible destruction. (See 1 Kings 21)
AHAB - While Lisa Bevere's husband is not 'King Ahab' as was Jezebel's, he is however a Pastor. This only makes the subtitle on Lisa's book 'Awaken the Power of the Untamed Life' all the more disturbing.
We had also noted earlier Lisa's quote from p. 53 in her book: "God did not save you to tame you." In 1 Timothy 3:11 that the requirement for a bishop's wife is that she be: "Grave,... sober, faithful in all things." - NOT 'Untamed'!
BISHOP'S WIFE - All Christian women, but especially one that is the wife of a Pastor, should display these characteristics of grave sobriety.
It is especially concerning then as Lisa Bevere is not only disobeying the admonition to be sober as a woman of God, but also as the wife of a Pastor.
AN EXAMPLE - In the Church, the 'aged women' are be an example and to, "Teach the young women to be sober..." Titus 2:4. Lisa Bevere is teaching just the opposite!
Further disturbing bylines from Bevere's campaign for empowering women in churches throughout the country have been: 'I am dangerous and fully awake' and 'Exalt Her'.
DANGEROUS! - 'I am dangerous'... We are not called to be 'dangerous' but, "Harmless as doves." Matt. 10:16 and to be "blameless and harmless...without rebuke." Phil. 2:15
We are also called to be "...holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners." Heb. 7:26. To state that, 'I am dangerous' is none of these things, and is certainly not 'without rebuke'.
AWAKE - 'Fully awake'... We see so much mention today about the New Age concept of 'awakening' in the Emergent Movement that is bringing New Age practices into the Church.
Although being 'awake' is a biblical concept, it's not being used in a purely Christian context by Lisa Bevere, especially as it has also been paired with being 'dangerous'.
EXALT HER - The idea of wanting to be 'exalted' is just plain blasphemous and apostate. We are to exalt the Lord only; we ourselves are to be humble in His holy presence.
In rebuking Satan, Jesus said: "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." (Matthew 4:10)
PROWESS - Lastly, Lisa Bevere has been quoted as saying, "Discover your hidden prowess and make a difference in your world."
We do not have to 'discover' our 'hidden prowess'. All that we need to know about ourselves and what God expects of us is in his word, the Holy Bible:
"...What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" Micah 6:8
HOME - Instead of going 'out there' somewhere to make a difference, why don't we as Christian women instead make a difference in our own homes for our husband and children with a humble, sober, and quiet spirit.
This will greatly impact our 'world' for God and for future generations of Christian men and women far more than being so busy 'out there' that we have no time for the precious families which God has given to us.
"Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands." (Proverbs 14:1)
*This article has been written by a woman, to help other women be aware of some of the apostate teachings from Lisa Bevere and her ministry.
RSS Feed
