Pastor Takes Credit for Texas Flooding, Says He Prayed Too Hard
An Oklahoma pastor has suggested that his anti-drought prayers inadvertently caused massive flooding in the Midwest.
John Benefiel, who founded and pastors Church on the Rock with his wife, Judith, explains that he used a "divorce decree" to remove a demonic hold that had kept rain from Texas and Oklahoma in 2007.
"There was no rain in sight, no rain forecast at all," Benefiel said on the Christian Internet broadcast Generals International on Monday.
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"But literally, the day after we first used this Baal divorce decree in 2007 — we declared it in a meeting together — the rains came. And we ended up having more rain between February and June of 2007 than any other 12-month period in history."
According to Benefiel's theology, Baal is a "counterfeit Jesus," the ruler of the demons, who controls not only the United States, but also much of the world. He asserts that ancient Egyptians settled North America thousands of years ago and claimed the land for Baal, as evidenced by the petroglyphs seen across the country.
Benefiel has performed divorces in different locations of the country to remove what he claims is Baal's hold over a particular region. In 2007, in addition to his home state, Benefiel says he performed these ceremonies in Missouri, Texas and Kansas, where the results were nearly immediate.
"And at one point, every lake of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri were at or above flood stage," Benefiel shared. "And that's what Chuck [Pierce] had prophesized, that when you see this happen, those are areas targeted for a Holy Spirit invasion."
The floods killed at least 22 people in 2007 and destroyed thousands of homes and businesses.
Benefiel also added that the divorce decree also shielded Oklahoma from the effects of the 2008 economic recession.
According to the Oklahoma Apostolic Prayer Network, which Benefiel helms, "God's will is for all men to be saved and that none should perish.
"Over 10 years ago, we began praying as David prayed in 2 Samuel 21, when he sought the Lord for the reason Israel's prayers had gone unanswered," Benefiel writes in a statement.
"Since that point in time, the path the Lord has taken us on has been an amazing journey that brings us closer each day to seeing all of Oklahoma, the heartland, and all of the land of the red man fully saved and transformed. As the Lord continues to show us how to see His will accomplished here on earth as it is in heaven, we invite you to join us in this truly marvelous adventure."
The movement also claims that Baal is behind "sexual perversion."
"Homosexuality was and is one of his big strongholds. I believe all of the sexual sin and perversion in America is, to one degree or another, under Baal's orchestration. You will continue to see God expose leaders in the church who aligned themselves with this spirit," documents on the website state.
It also suggests that Baal "goes after the next generation" and "is a violent spirit and even required human sacrifice" such as abortions that are killing off young generations of Christians. He also believes that Baal is controlling the "the vampire and goth movement," "the death culture" and "witchcraft and occult spirits."
