WAR OF RELIGIONS Brian Tamaki shares his experiences battling anti-Christ influences in his homeland of New Zealand. Could the U.S. be the next battleground for this war of religions? Has the war already begun?

By way of background, my country of New Zealand is a Commonwealth nation with a rich Christian heritage. In 1840, a treaty covenant was made between the British Crown and Maori (New Zealand’s first people) whereby the Queen of England was granted sovereignty in exchange for the protection of Maori land, life and resource by the covering of Crown law. This covenant effectively became the founding point of my country when two nations became one. Not only were the concepts of constitutional law and government introduced to this land, but so too was the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Interestingly, Maori relinquished its many

— Bishop Brian Tamaki —

gods and embraced Christianity with power and passion. The significance of our Christian heritage is no better demonstrated than at the 1953 Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, who is the Head of State of the Commonwealth Realms. She was presented with the Bible and admonished with these words, “Our gracious Queen: to keep your majesty ever mindful of the law and the Gospel of God as the rule for the whole of life and Government of Christian Princes, we present you with this Book (the Bible), the most valuable thing that this world affords…. Here is Wisdom; This is the royal Law; These are the very Oracles of God.” This admonition was followed with Holy Communion.

I have presented this brief historical background for a reason. Because despite my country’s rich Christian heritage, today’s reality is that the message of Christ is under intense attack like never before from a plethora of ideological religions that are aggressively contending for political, social and religious dominance. This phenomenon is not unique to New Zealand but in my view is at the root of global upheaval, the rise of Islam, New Age Spiritualism (“Green” movements, yoga and witchcraft, etc.), Nihilism (total denial of the existence of God) and Secular Humanist movements around the world. The ultimate aim in this ‘battle of beliefs’ is to win the minds and hearts of the coming generations.

My church has been contending in the public domain on four primary fronts – social, political, religious and media. Our message has been simple, ‘God is not dead and neither is His Church. There is one true God and only one way to Him through His Son, Jesus.’ Sadly however, it pains me to admit that up to this point, the religion of Secular Humanism, (yes, Secular Humanism is a religion) has secured positions of major influence throughout my country while the Church, by and large, has become significantly marginalized.

To that end, I believe the advance of Secular Humanism is directly proportionate to the retreat of the Christian Church from the public domain, which has happened for several reasons. Many churches and denominations have accepted and even married the very culture that Christ came to confront, to the point where today there is no definitive difference between sections of the Christian Church and secular society. The ordaining of homosexual ministers is probably the most prominent example that comes to mind. James 4:4 says, “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” (NASB)

 Much of the church has also been bewitched into believing that it has no place in modern society and that an individual’s faith should be kept private. So while believers have lived a ‘covert’ form of Christianity, advocates of other ideological religions have saturated the public domain, thus gaining traction and influence.

In recent years the government in my country has aggressively imposed anti-Christian legislation with little opposition, if any, from the Church. Examples include introducing the fastest same-sex marriage laws in the world (which have literally redefined hundreds of existing laws to accommodate same-sex relationships) and drafting legislation that describes lesbian partners as ‘fathers.’ Child abortions are permitted without parental knowledge or consent (notwithstanding New Zealand currently faces an epidemic of teenage pregnancies, births outside of marriage, abortion rates and sexually transmitted infections), and the decriminalization of prostitution. Current political developments include anti-smacking legislation (which effectively criminalizes law-abiding parents who administer proper corrective discipline), and hate-speech legislation, the ultimate aim of which is to silence the pulpit altogether.  It will be of no surprise, then, that many homosexuals, lesbians and liberal secularists dominate key positions of political influence, with New Zealand being home to the world’s first transsexual Member of Parliament.

Besides attacking the institution of marriage to undermine Biblical family structure, the spirit of Secular Humanism has been largely responsible for ushering in a plethora of false religions and strange gods in order that they might contend for religious dominance. These false religions have used the ‘human rights’ agenda to establish themselves under a guise of ‘tolerance,’ ‘modernism,’ and ‘multiculturalism,’ (which to the liberals really means multi-religions or multi-beliefs). Hence, we’ve witnessed a proliferation of mosques, shrines, temples and many ‘foreign religions’ that increasingly dominate the landscape of what used to be a Christian society.

In this climate of tolerance and inclusiveness no single religion, particularly Christianity, has the right to lay claim to the truth. I came to experience this intimately when I was reprimanded by our state broadcasting censorship authorities for declaring on my nationally televised program that Jesus Christ is the one true God and therefore all other religions are false. (I am tired of being politically correct to the detriment of the truth.) As a result, my series of programs on this topic were forbidden from future screenings and it was only a matter of time before my long-standing program was taken off the state-owned channel for good.

The spirit of Secular Humanism has one driving agenda: to dethrone God and enthrone man, thereby establishing man as the paramount authority on matters of truth and morality. As I’ve already alluded to, the global human rights movement has been a primary driving force behind this agenda to create a culture of rights over personal responsibilities, whereby an individual is elevated above moral law to do what they want, when they want, to whom they want. And this is particularly the case in my country. Let it be known that human rights become human wrongs when they violate the laws of God and any human right that violates the laws of God is evil.

So in the political domain, traditional concepts of truth and morality are currently being redefined according to the new dominant ideology that is being institutionalized, normalized and outworked through government and media into the public domain. It is no coincidence then that New Zealand is hemorrhaging under the intense weight of social dysfunction that shows no signs of abating but rather, getting worse. Statistics just released today show that the number of murders in my country over the last year jumped by nearly a third. But nobody will connect the rising crime, violence, dependency, poverty, fatherless families and abortions to one fundamental thing – a departure from Christ and His Word. 

Recently an extremist Islamic group (The Holy Jihad Brigades) kidnapped a New Zealand photographer in Gaza and held him captive. Before his eventual release he was forced at gunpoint to confess Islam as the true religion. The kidnappers later issued a statement saying “Any infidel who comes to Palestine will be killed unless he converts to Islam.” This confession was subsequently broadcast globally. I heard a distinct message in the spirit that day. Often the enemy will tell you what the Church is failing to hear. I believe that this message has been sounded globally to the Church in the same manner that caused Elijah to respond with this challenge: “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal is God, follow him.”  The Church must stand and contend for our nations – socially, economically, politically and educationally because the future of our children and grandchildren depends on what we do today!

My friend, it would be easy to get disheartened and disillusioned based on what is happening in our world. But I am tremendously excited because the Church is moving into greater Kingdom revelation than ever before, to unite together and stand – not just for morality and God, but also against false religions, beliefs and ideologies that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God.

Sometimes who we stand for only becomes known by what we stand against. Just ask Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego (Daniel 3). Their God became known throughout the whole land simply because they had enough conviction to stand up and against the idol advocated by King Nebuchadnezzar. I am also reminded of the circumstances surrounding the birth of the Church in the Book of Acts, where the Church grew powerfully under intense social, religious and political scrutiny. We were born for such as time as this!  I see that this battle of beliefs is taking place on three major fronts: Church battles, a war of religions and ideological warfare.

Church Battles – A Battle with the Brothers: 2 Samuel 3:1 says, “Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. But David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.” I know this point will raise some eyebrows, and while I don’t mean to take a position that appears contrary to Church unity, this is the reality. Joseph had to contend with 11 jealous brothers, as did David with the ignorance of his brothers. There are many other Biblical examples of brotherly divisions. Sadly, all too often elements within the present Church will be the greatest hindrance to the new move of God.

So there will be Church battles whereby the old religious order will not let the new order take its place without a fight. That’s right, there are many churches that God can’t use because they are steeped in religious traditions, they refuse current revelation and do not discern the times that are upon us. But the old order must give way because it cannot contain the new wine.

Unfortunately, churches will rise up against each other, as will denominations and believers. Jesus had it and so did Paul. What is important is that our reactions must be correct because God will give light to the unenlightened. But those of us who have revelation must be determined to act on what God wants done in this hour.

Next, the war of religions. 1 Kings 18:21 & 24 says, “And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” Elijah challenged a whole nation about who they ought to believe was their God. Today we are facing religious invasions like never before. Because we have the truth we can rightfully conclude that there is no room for man’s opinion. The Bible doesn’t need debate or opinion but it must be upheld once again in the public domain through declaration and model lives. God requires a people who are not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and who are equal to the task presented in this hour. In Psalm 94:16 God asks, “Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? Who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?” This was the question that God put to me that resulted in my whole Church standing en mass at parliament grounds to declare Jesus Christ as Lord. This act of obedience was largely responsible for bringing the Gospel back into New Zealand’s public domain.

Finally, let’s discuss ideological warfare. 2 Corinthians 10: 3-5 says, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down strongholds; casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ…”

Philosophies, ideologies and secular belief systems are rampant in our society, contending for dominance and influence. The Bible regards these as “teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” 1 Timothy 4:1 describes them as deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. The Bible classifies any teaching that fosters a belief system that men adhere to (that is outside of the Bible) as demonic and a high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. We, the people of God are clearly exhorted to pull down and engage such beliefs – head on! I believe the Church confusion and withdrawal from such ideological confrontation has resulted in the rising influence of these demonic beliefs in politics, education, the media and even parts of the modern Church.

I need to make it clear that I am not against people, but I am certainly against every stronghold and high thing that is feverishly at work through such people.  While we love and accept people for who they are we are not obligated to accept their beliefs and ideologies when they oppose the truth. In the same way Joseph was sent ahead of his family and nation for them (Genesis 45:7), so too are we being sent into the future to safeguard a future and a hope for our posterity. Ultimately, the battle is over tomorrow – who is going to influence and be in charge? Who is going to get the minds and attention of the next generation? It is time for the Church and the Kingdom to come out of the four walls and take its rightful place once again in the centre of society and our nations. 

Bishop Brian Tamaki is a prominent Christian leader and advocate of the Gospel. He is the Senior Minister of Destiny Churches New Zealand. Besides pioneering the local church, Bishop Tamaki has planted churches around the nation. He is responsible for Destiny Television, New Zealand’s first home-grown Christian broadcast. He has appeared on all major Prime Time News and Current Affairs broadcasts and tabloids defending and upholding the faith and traditional Christian values in New Zealand. In 2002 he birthed  a Christian political party that challenges secular political entities responsible for driving blatant anti-Christian law and policy. He can be reached at www.destinychurch.net.nz.