Dutch Sheets: Governmental Authority and Kingly Intercession

Are Christians destined to rule the world? Will the world be a better placed because spirit-filled Christians are occupying the White House. Dutch Sheets seems to think so.

He writes here on the Elijah List: Fifteen years ago, God unequivocally and undeniably gave me Isaiah 22:22 as a life-verse. "Then I will set the key of the house of David on his shoulder, when he opens no one will shut, when he shuts no one will open." After 40 plus confirmations over a two-week period - yes, more than 40 - I became thoroughly convinced this verse was both a promise and a weapon for me. I have since used the verse hundreds of times throughout America - in all 50 states and in Washington DC - to open and close spiritual doors for the Lord. Dutch Sheets even quotes a verse of scripture Isaiah 22 v22, but who in this verse is the he to whom Isaiah is referring?

In context Isaiah was referring to Eliakim, son of Hilkiah but the verse has eschatological meaning. These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no-one can shut and what he shuts no-one can open. Revelation 3 v7. Clearly it refers to one person and one person only. I turned round to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone "like a son of man" dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash round his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were blazing fire. Revelation 1 vv12-14. The description clearly describes the Lord Jesus Christ in his heavenly glory. It is he who uttered the words about "keys" in Revelation 3 verse 7.

However, nowhere does Dutch Sheets say that he tested this word that he had had. He just says that God unequivocally and undeniably gave me Isaiah 22:22 as a life-verse. This was not just a word which would be forgetten within a month, no, it was a life-verse. Would that not need fully testing against the Word of God? Ah, but Dutch tested it with his subjective nature. Everywhere he went he saw or heard confirmation of this word, forty times in fact. Yet, he does not give one example of this so-called testing.

He then writes: After receiving the Isaiah 22:22 key for impacting the nation, much of my time was spent in the nation's capital, carrying out very specific and strategic prayer assignments. So this was also a key for impacting the nation! Heaven's endorsement on these missions was without question, with confirmation after confirmation being given to affirm the assignments. Oh, the stories I could tell from that season of my life - amazing! So there was confirmations galore but not one is cited as an example. Well, this article was an opportunity to detail some of these confirmations, as Dutch tells us: Within the past year, however, I have sensed the Lord asking me to wield the Isaiah 22:22 key in our nation's capital once again. Through my recent recommissioning, and other prophetic revelation, the Lord has confirmed to me that the door to the governmental arena - and to Washington DC, specifically - is again wide open. And where Holy Spirit leads, I will certainly follow. There is even more prophetic revelation and presumably confirmation but this too is ignored.

Now we find out why this is on the Elijah List. Dutch writes: This invitation to cross the threshold back into the sphere of governmental intercession has not only been extended to me, but to the entire Body of Christ. As we mentioned, a key, symbolizing governmental authority is first mentioned in the book of Isaiah, within a prophetic passage concerning Jesus, the Messiah; but the second time keys, symbolizing spiritual authority, are spoken of in Scripture is at Jesus' first mention of the Church. If this is so important - not only for Dutch - but every member of the Body of Christ, why does he ignore all the confirmations?

What is governmental authority? Dutch Sheets has an end times theology. This theology goes something like this:
God gave Adam dominion over all the animals (Genesis 1 v18);
Adam sinned and handed the dominion to Satan;
Jesus' death on the cross was to empower man to retake that dominion from Satan;
The weapons of warfare would be spiritual and include items such as spiritual mapping, strategic-level spiritual warfare and more;
Taking the seven mountains of culture (business, government, education, media, arts and entertainment, family, religion);
Finally peace on earth and the dominionists will invite Jesus back to reign over the earth.
It should be added to this that dominionists will pray down the bowls of God's wrath (of Revelation 16) at the appropriate time. So governmental authority is the taking of the political helm of as many countries as possible, starting, of course with America. None of this appears in scripture which paints a very different picture of the end-times. Most importantly there is a concept in scripture which says: Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labour in vain. Psalms 127 v1. It is a principle we see throughout scripture. Salvation was brought to the peoples of this earth without the prayers of men. There were no prayer meetings, no intercessors binding Satan to ensure Jesus' birth. Not even his disciples understood the meaning of his death, until after his resurrection. So why is God going to rely on sinful men to complete his salvation and usher in His Kingdom?

But Dutch Sheets writes: When Jesus said He would build His "Church," - His ekklesia - He was speaking of a Body of people that would legislate spiritually for Him, extending His Kingdom government and influence on the earth. He quotes scripture as his support: I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; and whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven. Matthew 16 vv18-19. In fact, Dutch Sheets has made the same mistake as the Roman Catholic Church over this verse. Surely the main interpretation of this verse refers evangelism: The person with the gospel has the keys to the Kingdom of God ready to pass on to an unbeliever. Dutch Sheets believes that this verse confirms governmental authority upon him.

The Lord has called Dutch Sheets Ministries, and other similar ministries, to partner with Him by making bold governmental decrees, strongly supporting Godly leaders, strengthening the Church, and releasing Divine strategy for reigniting a prayer movement that will shift our nation toward righteousness. I believe these strides toward Kingdom governance will birth revival in America. As members of His ekklesia you, too, are called to be a part of this. By allegorising the verses that Dutch Sheets has used in his article, he has arrived at this conclusion. Where in scripture are we empowered to make decrees? It simply isn't there. Where in scripture are we told to release a divine strategy? It isn't there. Where in scripture does it mention kingdom governance? It isn't there. Will it bring about revival in America? No. Why will it not bring about revival? Because there is no fear of God in America. Why is there no fear of God in America? Because preachers like Dutch Sheets will never preach it. They have no fear of God themselves.

5th May 2015