This conclusion summarises the various deceptions contained within “The Final Quest” and the way in which they are likely to impact the body of Christ in the future. The separate visions, dreams, trances and other spiritual experiences in this book are all merged together and presented as one continuous experience, without any mention of where one ends and another starts. This distracts the reader and hinders them from weighing these up against scripture as prophetic. It gives the book a continuous story like quality that reminded me in places of Tolkien’s fantasy novel “The Lord of the Rings.” This encourages the reader to go quickly through the book, reading it as if it were a novel. Joyner informs us in the introduction, however, that these visionary experiences were ministered to him separately from one another and at different times. The shear length of the book, (158 pages), will also deter many readers from weighing these “prophecies” up as they should. Most of the main messages are also obscured in the text by the vast array of symbolic imagery, little of which is given any down to earth interpretation by Joyner. There are a many different types of demonic entities described, secret passages, spiritual doors, spiritual stones, ascending levels up a mystical mountain and new spiritual weapons that are not recorded anywhere in scripture. Most of this is accompanied by scant, if any, explanation as to how it relates to the real world. As a result it is not at all obvious to the casual reader what Joyner actually believes. Instead many readers will be inclined to impose their own interpretation on to this symbolism and mistakenly assume that they agree with Joyner as a result when in most cases this will not be the case. The fact that Joyner’s side are accompanied by angels and the opposing Christians depicted with demons riding on their backs produces the same effect. I believe this is the main reason this book was able to become so popular in the 1990’s - because most of its Christian readers did not recognise what it was actually teaching. When the first dream is examined in detail though, and understood , most readers will find that they are part of what Joyner calls “the terrible horde from hell,” (p. 16). They will therefore be the targets of Joyner’s side’s spiritual warfare, those whom he believes he needs to rescue, over time, from deception and convert to his alternative spiritual beliefs. When time is taken to establish what exactly Joyner’s main messages are, and to weigh these with discernment and against scripture, it becomes clear that none of these can be of God. Instead it transpires that all of Joyner’s spiritual experiences, in this book, are counterfeit and have come from the occult realms. Joyner is himself, the victim of a massive degree of deception, orchestrated by demonic spirits for a specific purpose.

Joyner calls for his readers to focus on fighting a “Christian Civil War”, (p. 22), against other believers in the end times. This is in direct contradiction to Jesus prayer for unity in Jn 17; 20, 21. His side aim is to gain control of the entire church and then lead it as prophet judges in the age to come. Joyner claims that his side will also bind up Satan themselves and go on to rule the entire world, including all unbelievers, on Gods behalf. He makes no mention of Jesus’ return to earth at His Second Coming in any of this. Joyner’s new revelations are clearly not scriptural.

The nature of the spiritual warfare Joyner advocates is to project his side’s new “revelations” onto other Christian’s in a bid to influence them, secretly, against their will. This spiritual practice is extremely controlling and identical to the way in which unbelievers involved in witchcraft send their spells onto others in a bid to influence them in like manner. Neither Jesus nor any saint in scripture ever engaged in such a practice. Joyner’s spiritual warfare is not biblical but is in fact witchcraft and of the occult. It is not surprising that Joyner observes that, contrary to what he originally hoped, his sides spiritual warfare will prove unsuccessful in converting most of the opposing Christians. Instead he states that in his dream his side “did wound many of our own brethren”, (p.129). Joyner continues with this harmful spiritual warfare against other Christians because, in his dream, this is linked with him advancing on to greater revelations and finding and learning how to use more powerful spiritual weapons which he discovers as he continues to climb higher up the spiritual mountain. Joyner describes a whole series of failed spiritual warfare strategies of a witchcraft nature that his side pursue in their bid to gain control the body of Christ. This is despite the harm Joyner is aware these will do to the Christians targeted.

It is only when Joyner reaches the very top of the spiritual mountain that he discovers a strategy that works. This, however, involves him calling upon the spirits of deceased people, those who have died, to return to earth as great white eagles. He alone then commands these spirits into the battle on his side’s behalf. It is this strategy that final secures the victory for Joyner’s side and gives them control of the entire church as judges in his dream. Calling upon the dead for spiritual help in this world, however, is spiritualism, of the occult and forbidden by the bible. Unless the reader studies the text carefully most will not notice that these white eagles are the spirits of deceased people, instead most will mistakenly assume they are angels but this is not the case according to Joyner’s own text. It is likely that Joyner has been engaging in this type of spiritualism as well as witchcraft spiritual warfare, secretly, since at least as far back as 1995 when he was directed to do so by his deceptive dream. Joyner aim is that this warfare will send the spiritual influences he has opened himself up to onto other Christians and the parts of the church that he targets. This is likely to happen but these influences will be occult in nature and not of God as Joyner mistakenly believes. Deceptive visions from demonic spirits have therefore led Joyner into New Age teachings and an occult form of spirituality that bears little resemblance to anything recorded in the bible. He is unwittingly sending curses onto other Christians by targeting them with this practice and influence from another spirit. This explains why Joyner’s own dream prepares him to continue with this practice despite the harm he witnesses it doing these other believers in his dream.

Joyner’s side are also guided by the spirits of deceased/dead people, (the white eagles), instead of Gods Holy Spirit, (I could not find a single mention of Joyner’s side being led by the Holy Spirit anywhere within this book). These spirits of people provide his side with increased prophetic vision in much the same way as spirit guides assist New Agers. In both cases these are really demons which imitate deceased people, they are not really the people themselves. Joyner believes that most of his other prophetic messages in the book were also received from people who have died. One of the main messages comes from a spirit claiming to be St Paul which informs Joyner that he cannot trust two thirds of the New Testament for teaching. This was obviously a deceptive spirit and not the real St Paul. The same spirit tells Joyner that St Paul and all the New Testament Apostles were failures in their ministries and that he should seek new revelations to add to and replace their teachings in scripture. Since the original Apostles did not experience the same type of New Age spirituality that Joyner is advocating the message from this spirit is simply reinforcing Joyner’s belief in deceptions he had already received.

Joyner’s visionary experiences promote the false prophetic teachings of the main Kansas City Prophets that he was closely linked to in 1995, (the leading one being Paul Cain whose Mother, Grandmother and Great-grandmother had all been gifted occult psychics). Their spirituality is reflected by Joyner claim that we should “open our own hearts and minds to realms we do not now even know exist. This is what Satan is attempting to counterfeit through the New Age Movement,” (p.127). These errors are presented in a vivid visionary form in Joyner’s book which has been specifically designed by deceiving spirits to impress a Christian audience. Many people appear to have been taken in by its use of Christian terminology. At the same time these visions are obscure enough to have avoided most of the biblical criticism that had already exposed these same errors amongst this same group of Kansas “prophets” in the early 1990’s. The “Manifest Sons of God” false teaching is an example. It is as if the devil has used “The Final Quest” to keep these deceptive messages alive in a more subtle and obscure form after the main Kansas City Prophets Movement had fallen into disrepute back in the early 1990’s.

The parallel between the events that happened to these Kansas based “prophets” at that time and the events described at the start of Joyner’s dream in 1995 is uncanny. Although Joyner doesn’t mention them by name the evidence suggests that he identifies his fellow Kansas Prophets as the few outnumbered “dreaded champions” (p. 58), on his side in the start of his dream. They are seen as heroes in Joyner’s visions. In the real world though most of their predictions failed to come to pass, their new revelation based teachings contradicted scripture, they promoted many of the errors of William Branham and the 1930’s Latter Day Rain Movement, and manifest the bad fruit of much sexual immorality amongst them. To Joyner no doubt sees them as heroes because they promote the same form of spirituality that he advocates. In 2008 we saw how Joyner help quick track Todd Bentley back into ministry even after it emerged that he had been having an affair during his healing crusade and had lied about more thirty people being raised from the dead through his ministry. Bentley holds to all the same wayward spiritual beliefs as Joyner.

The Kansas City Prophets came under sustained biblical criticism from other leaders in the real world from 1990 onwards as their ministries grew in influence and attracted more attention. This was part of what led to the demise of their group at that time. In Joyner’s dream this is paralleled by the few warriors on his side coming under a torrent of arrows fired from the opposing Christians side. In the real world these “prophets” then went largely underground with their new “revelations” due to their inability to win their case biblically through public debate. This is also paralleled within the dream when Joyner is led to use his spiritual warfare to influence other Christians from then on, instead of openly dialoguing with others about his new “revelations.” Since that time the popularity of “The Final Quest” has helped promote Joyner’s ministry and he has gained a large following online and increasing trust amongst many Christians as a result. Many mistakenly believe him to be a mainstream charismatic when nothing could be further from the truth.

In recent decades deception has increased rapidly within the church of the western world with an increasing number of ministries now experiencing the same types of New Age spiritual experience as Joyner. The ranks of those who appear to be willing to follow Joyner and other ministries like his have swelled as a result just as his occult visions and dreams predicted they would. It is surely only a matter of time before Joyner and his compatriots feel secure enough to present their form of spiritualism more openly to the Christian public. This is likely to coincide with a great wave of deception impacting the church of the western world. Many are likely to fall away due to disillusionment when they realise exactly how deceptive the type of spirituality that Joyner and others actually is.

Joyner appears to be preparing his online Christian audience for this form of spiritualism already. Every year he holds a conference to honour the deceased healing ministers from the last century. He claims that this is the way to receive these deceased ministers healing anointing’s and birth a healing revival in our day. This however is idolatry as the anointing only comes according to Gods will as we honour Him not any person, no matter how great their ministry may have been whilst they were alive. Such a practice could open Christians up to a counterfeit, false anointing. This could contain New Age, occult power with the potential to impress and lead many astray just as the bible has warned will happen in the end times, (see 2 Thess 2; 9).

Joyner’s visions depict these white eagle spirits with healing in their wings which is surely no coincidence. Who else can these eagle spirits be apart from the deceased Christian healing ministers that Joyner already honour’s each year at his conventions? Joyner claims that both the eagles in his dream and these deceased revivalists are key to the birthing a healing revival today. When the time is ripe Joyner is likely to invite his Christian audience to join him in calling upon these deceased healing ministers to return to earth in line with the instructions he received in his deceptive dream.

For many years now Joyner’s companions, Todd Bentley and Bob Jones, have been calling upon the spirit of deceased healing revivalist, Sundar Singh, to return to earth to minister to them. They also experience an angel named Emma who Jones credits with starting the Kansas City Prophets Movement. Bentley claims that this “angel” looks exactly like Kathryn Kuhlman in those old videos, (link article). Kathryn Kuhlman was, of course, a major healing revivalist in the last century. Since Joyner has never spoken out against his associates spiritual practice this suggests that he probably agrees with them. The subtle way in which “The Final Quest” is written indicates that Joyner is probably just being more cautious than they are when it comes to revealing these beliefs in public. There can be no doubt though that both Joyner and his companions have already opened themselves up to a considerable amount of spiritualism and witchcraft. This recording of Bentley suggests that when they feel that the time is ripe they will attempt to introduce this to the wider body of Christ. Today there is a plethora of other ministers becoming popular online who also believe that deceased Christian ministers from the past will return to earth as angelic type figures. This parallels Joyner’s descriptions of the white eagle spirits. It is not difficult to find evidence of their beliefs by studying their teachings and statements online. Unfortunately most Christians who follow these ministers so not appear to take the time to test these things and instead simply accept their own testimonies about themselves.

During one of his supposed visits to “heaven” Joyner is shown a minister seated on a great throne in a position of high honour. This is despite the fact that even Joyner admits that this minister fell into deception whilst he ministered on earth. From the long detailed description this can be none other than William Branham. Branham, of course, was also a healing revivalist from the last century. People still debate whether or not Branham’s healing gift was of God or counterfeit. However, most Christians today recognise that he was extremely deceived. Branham even claimed that the pyramids and signs of the zodiac carried as much spiritual authority as the bible. Like Joyner Branham believed that his many visions superseded scripture. A “Christian” loosely associated cult grew around him with his followers becoming known as “Branhamite’s” or “The Messengers.” They believe Branham to be a great prophet who will return to earth as an angelic type being in the end times. This sounds identical to Joyner’s descriptions of a great white eagle. Furthermore, as we saw in Chapter 7, Joyner claims that he followed this man’s teachings and ministry when he was a child, long before he found “faith” in Christ. Joyner also informs us in a video on his Morning Star website, (the “Featured Video of the Week” Oct 10th 2012), that one of the first things he believes the Lord told him after he was saved as a young man, was that he should find and assists “The Messengers.” Joyner would have known that this term referred to the Branhamite’s. It appears; therefore, that Joyner is a Branhamite of sorts himself. Paralleling Joyner’s associate Kansas City Prophets drew heavily from the errors of the “Latter Day Rain Movement” whose leading figure was Branham. Paul Cain also claims to have ministered with Branham when he was younger, and has said that Branham was the greatest prophet since bible times. Another of these “prophets,” Todd Bentley, also harks back to Branham and claims that seeking after his angel is the key to birthing revival in our day. It would appear that Joyner not only expects Branham to return to earth as a great white eagle spirit in the end times but that many of the other deceased healing revivalists will return with him as eagles as well. Honouring Branham and other deceased healing revivalists, seeking ministry from the deceased and an intention to call upon the dead to return to earth as angelic eagle spirits in the future are all common beliefs amongst these ministers. An undercurrent of spiritualism is clearly flowing through the church of the western world today.

Bad fruit accompanies most of the main “prophets” linked to Joyner which should also set our alarm bells ringing. In 1994 Bob Jones had to step down from ministry after he admitted using his spiritual gifts to manipulate and solicit sexual favours from women in his congregation. In 2006 Paul Cain was exposed as an alcoholic drunk, illicit drug user and active homosexual. In 2008 Bentleys was found to be having an affair with a woman who shared the platform with him during his revival crusades. He also lied about dozens of people being raised from the dead during those three months of his ministry. Joyner does not appear to have been involved in any such sexual sin. However, the self centred nature of his visions and dreams, in which he alone stars in the central, glorified role throughout, is evidence of the flesh and another indication of deception.

Joyner believes he has visited heaven on multiple occasions eclipsing the rare times that St Paul and John did so according to the bible. The encounters of Joyner and his companions sound more like the astral projection experiences that New Agers have than anything biblical. His close associate “prophet,” Bob Jones, even claims to visit heaven, at will, several times every day which obviously can’t be of God, (video link). Patricia King was taken in by these rather fickle descriptions of heavenly visits in this video. During one of his own “heavenly” visitations Joyner is told by some rather depressed saints that they had been sent to the fires of hell for a period of torment before being allowed into the outskirts of heaven. This was despite them all having had good reputations whilst on earth. Joyner claims that there is a great multitude of Christians in heaven today who were tormented in hell fire for a season like this. This appears to reflect Joyner’s disdain for more ordinary bible based forms of Christianity. It appears that ordinary Pentecostals and charismatic’s Christians who stick with the bibles teaching on the spiritual gifts and other manifestations of the Holy Spirit would be included amongst these “foolish virgins” as Joyner describes them. Chapter 10 looks at some of the quotes Joyner has made about himself in his book and these reveal a similar disdain for Christian’s who will not move on into his own deceptive forms of spirituality. These are the Christians who become the targets within Joyner’s descriptions of a spiritual civil war. Joyner’s belief concerning hell also appears very similar to the Catholic view of purgatory. Historically the Catholic has also had little tolerance for those believers who will not accept their leadership and authority.

Joyner claims that the eagle spirits of the dead will also give his side control of the entire church. This is likely to coincide with the emergence of a full blown, counterfeit, pseudo “Christian” Movement in the end times, a twisted fulfillment of Joyner’s prediction that his side will emerge as judges over the entire world. Joyner has already emerged as a leading figure within the very powerful Catholic Order of the Knights of Malta and in so doing has sworn allegiance to the Pope and promised to promote the aims of the Catholic Church. I believe that the Lord has shown me that the Catholic hierarchy will submit to the antichrist in the very end times, (see this article, “The Coming One World Religion"). Joyner’s deceptive visions therefore appear to line him up with Satan’s plans for the end times not the Lords. There are also signs that Joyner is willing to engage in the persecution of other Christians which is also something the Catholic Church engaged in historically. Joyner believes that Jesus has said of St Paul, “It was because of my grace that I allowed him to persecute My church,” (p. 138), as if Jesus agreed with this persecution. The biblical account, in Acts 9; 4, reveals something very different with Jesus claiming that He was being persecuted by Paul in this. The scriptures are constantly being twisted in ways like this throughout Joyner’s book.

There is a lot of evidence to suggest that, at the highest levels, the Catholic hierarchy already adhere to interfaith beliefs and will accept other religions as ways to God so long as the Pope gains authority over this. 1 minute 30 seconds into the following video shows scenes of a major Catholic meeting, overseen by the Pope John Paul II, involving leaders of Buddhist and pagan religions, including witch doctors, (video link). There are also many indications in “The Final Quest” that Joyner is a Unitarian and probably already adheres to the belief that there are many ways to God which should perhaps not surprise us. It is somewhat odd that that someone masquerading as a protestant charismatic prophet would also become a leading figure within the Catholic Church.

Joyner believes that he and the judges will go on to bind up Satan themselves and then govern the entire world at the end of this age without any mention of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and His physical return to earth. This reflects the deceptive Manifest Sons of God teaching, (which is based on a very crude misreading of Romans 8), that was propagated by the same Kansas City Prophets group back in the 1980’s. The danger is that these false teachings are already lining Joyner and his followers up with Satan’s plans for the end times. According to the bible, it is the antichrist and his beast empire which will rule the world at the end of this age not the church as Joyner believes, (see Rev 13).

Joyner believes he is doing God’s will but it is likely that he has always been off beam and has never really accepted the authority of scripture despite what he claims in his book's introduction. His deceptive spiritual experiences are a reflection of the way in which the occult and spiritualism are infiltrating parts of the church today. This is bound to lead many into apostasy as the end times approach. Many of the predictions contained within Joyner's book will appear to come to pass to those who going astray but these will be warped occult fulfilments of his visions. Ironically, because of this, a close study of "The Final Quest" can give us a rough idea of what Satan is planning for the coming season with particular reference to the church of the western world, (see chapter 5 of these notes). As it pertains to be prophetic “The Final Quest” should not, therefore, be treated lightly or read as if it were merely an entertaining Christian fantasy novel. Instead it will probably prove to be one of the most deceptive and dangerous Christian books of the modern era.

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