My God Is a Sugar Daddy
Dena Dahl, formerly of Harvest Haven reviews Jesse Duplantis’ book, Heaven: Close Encounters of the God Kind. And what a pack of lies that is! But they are lies people love to hear about God, so they stand in line to pay for deception from a man who is simply “jess duplicitous.”
Dena Dahl writes:
A customer lent me Heaven: Close Encounters of the God Kind by Jesse Duplantis. Jesse Duplantis is a prosperity preacher from Louisiana.
This book entails several incidents that Jesse claims happened to him, supposedly from God. It culminates in a trip to Heaven to see God.
In his first story, Duplantis credits his mother for the reason he is a preacher:
“One night before praying for us, Mama said, ‘Lord, I want a preacher. Which one will be my preacher?’
The Lord answered, ‘Jesse.’
Jesse’s mother then laid her hands on him and asked the Lord to follow Jesse wherever he goes.”
Duplantis claims he received an anointing that night, as a young boy. He says that he was aware of the Lord’s Spirit being around him at all times afterwards, regardless of what he was doing or whether or not he understood it:
“As I grew older, I couldn’t seem to go anywhere without feeling God’s presence. But I still got more and more into sin.
I had started playing in a rock band. I would be getting ready to play in nightclubs or rock concerts, and I could hear the Lord talking to me in my mind. I kept yelling out, ‘Leave me alone! Leave me alone!’
We might be smoking dope or snorting cocaine, and I just kept hearing God’s voice. It was audible to me. Looking at my drummer, I would say, ‘Did you hear that?’ But he hadn’t heard a thing. Then I would scream out, ‘Man, God’s in this place!’ I just kept feeling God’s presence.”
Jesse’s experience is opposite to what the Scriptures show us. Sin separates us from the Lord. He doesn’t simply follow us around like some wimp, hoping that we will one day follow Him.
The fact that Jesse is the only one who heard the voice doesn’t mean the Lord was with him, either. Many drug users experience hallucinations or have devils, or they just make up stories.
Duplantis says that, while traveling with his band, he was in a hotel room with his wife, listening to Billy Graham, when he “gave his heart to God.” (To learn what this experience was about, read How the Lord Exposed Billy Graham.) And here’s what he said happened next:
“After getting saved, I had to submit to the authority of a pastor and become a part of a local church in order to learn about God.”
The Lord tells us to come out of the church system to learn about Him, not to go find a local church, like Billy Graham teaches.
“Therefore, come out from among them and be separated, says the Lord, and do not touch the unclean thing. And I will receive you and I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty” (2 Corinthians 6:17-18).
Duplantis then went back to Louisiana and started attending a local church. Jesse decided that he wanted to see the Lord:
“I said, Now, God, You showed Yourself to men like Adam, Abraham, Noah, Moses, Peter and Paul. Why won’t You show Yourself to me? What’s wrong? I’m just a Cajun from South Louisiana, but I would like to see You. You said You’re no respecter of persons, but it looks like You are.”
He says he was a little angry with God.
At a revival meeting, a minister told Duplantis that the Lord would grant him a visitation and that it would occur quickly. After two weeks, Duplantis was again angry with the Lord for not having shown Himself, when he had what he calls a “close encounter.” He claims this was the Lord. Here’s what he relates:
He was in bed at 3:00 a.m., and the wind started blowing in his bedroom. He could feel the wind blowing through his pores, and he was unable to move. He heard a voice saying, “You asked to see Me; turn around!” (“This was an awesome experience!” Jesse exclaims.)
Jesse heard this two more times, and he says that his body was hurting from tremendous physical pressure, and the room went quiet. Duplantis was then upset with himself for not having looked at God.
He got out of bed to make himself a sandwich; the experience made him hungry. Duplantis says that the Lord spoke to him in the kitchen, saying that He was glad Jesse didn’t turn to see Him because he wouldn’t be able to handle His glory, as the body is a corruptible vessel. Yet, the Bible tells us that when we have the Spirit, we have His treasure in an earthen vessel.
“For to them God would make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the nations, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27 MKJV).
Victor adds: Why would God command someone to do something three times if He didn’t expect obedience? And couldn’t He control His manifestation so as to not be hurtful? Several things here are unscriptural, ungodly, illogical, and plainly fictitious.
Duplantis describes this as an awesome experience. How did believers in the Bible react when meeting the Lord? Did they revel in physical feelings and get hungry?
No. Isaiah called himself a man of unclean lips because he had seen the Lord. John fell prostrate before Him, as did Saul. Jacob and others also saw the Lord.
“Then I said, Woe is me! For I am undone; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of Hosts” (Isaiah 6:5 MKJV).
“And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as one dead. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying, Fear not; I am the First and the Last” (Revelation 1:17 MKJV).
“And Jacob called the name of the place Face of God; for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved” (Genesis 32:30 MKJV).
Much of Duplantis’ book contains what he claims was a visit to Heaven. There he supposedly met David, Abraham, the apostle Paul, Jesus Christ, and God.
Jesse saw Jesus Christ and God as separate entities, with God appearing as a ball of light energy, although he could see huge hands and feet within the light, and Jesus looking like a man, who could walk in and out of the light energy of God. There was a whooshing sound when Jesus walked out of the light, which came from the power of God. Jesse didn’t see the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit was on the earth.
This description of the Lord as three separate beings goes against what is taught in the Bible, revealed by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Read The Asininity of the Trinity.
When meeting David, Jesse asked where David got his ideas for his songs. David told him that it was from the Lord, and they both laughed. David said that his songs were better when he “allowed the lordship of God” to come out more than the troubles he wrote about.
Jesse writes:
“He did use Psalm 23 as an example as he explained; ‘I allowed God and the anointing to come through in that song. In other songs I sang strongly about my troubles. I think I should have allowed more of the answer to come through, instead of the complaining.’ Those weren’t his exact words, but I knew that was what he meant. Then he added, ‘I wish I had written more songs about God’s answers than about my problems.’”
Yet we find in the New Testament:
“All Scripture is God-breathed, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfected, thoroughly furnished to every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 MKJV).
“For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4 ESV).
David’s life (and his corresponding Scriptures) portray the path that every saint will tread; the path of sorrow.
“But the one who endures to the end will be saved” (Matthew 24:13 MKJV).
Even though David wrote about his suffering; that is not all he wrote about. Even during his turmoil, he was able to praise the Lord:
“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him, my salvation and my God” (Psalms 42:11 ESV).
Many of David’s psalms prophesied of the sufferings of the Messiah. A few examples:
“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me, and are far from My deliverance, and from the words of My groaning?” (Psalms 22:1 MKJV)
Psalms 22:11-17 MKJV
(11) Be not far from Me; for trouble is near, for there is none to help.
(12) Many bulls have circled around Me; strong bulls of Bashan have surrounded Me.
(13) They opened wide their mouths on Me, like a ripping and a roaring lion.
(14) I am poured out like water, and all My bones are spread apart; My heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of My bowels.
(15) My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and My tongue clings to My jaws;
(16) and You have brought Me into the dust of death. For dogs have circled around Me; the band of spoilers have hemmed Me in, piercers of My hands and My feet.
(17) I can count all My bones; they look and stare at Me.
“Deliver Me not over to the will of My enemies; for false witnesses have risen up against Me, and he that breathes out cruelty” (Psalms 27:12 MKJV).
Psalms 41:5-9 MKJV
(5) My enemies speak evil of me, saying, When will He die, and His Name perish?
(6) And when he comes to see Me, he speaks vanity; his heart gathers iniquity to itself; he goes out and speaks of it.
(7) All those hating Me whisper against Me; they plot evil against Me.
(8) They say, A wicked thing is poured out on Him, and He Who lies down shall rise no more.
(9) Even a man, my friend, in whom I trusted, who ate of My bread, has lifted up his heel against Me.
“For the zeal of Your house has eaten Me up; and the reproaches of those who reproached You have fallen on Me” (Psalms 69:9 MKJV).
“They also gave Me gall for My food; and in My thirst they gave Me vinegar to drink” (Psalms 69:21 MKJV).
Duplantis then says he met the apostle Paul:
“Paul asked ‘Jesse, what are they saying about my gospel?’ (He still calls it his gospel.)”
This is yet another instance where Duplantis goes against Scripture in describing his experiences. Paul readily acknowledges in the Bible that the Gospel he preached came from the Lord; it wasn’t his own.
“For I would have you know, brothers, that the Gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ” (Galatians 1:11-12 ESV).
Duplantis told Paul that he thought he was the greatest intellectual mind that was ever drawn to Christianity, for which Paul thanked him, saying that the Lord has been gracious to him.
However, Paul says in Philippians:
Philippians 3:4-8 MKJV
(4) Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other thinks that he has reason to trust in the flesh, I more.
(5) I was circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews. As regards the Law, I was a Pharisee;
(6) concerning zeal, persecuting the Church; regarding the righteousness in the Law, blameless.
(7) But whatever things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
(8) But no, rather, I also count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for Whose sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them to be dung, so that I may win Christ.
Jesse praises Paul as though Paul figured out doctrine and knowledge of the Lord because of his intelligence, yet in Scripture (as in the two sections noted above), Paul takes credit for nothing. Rather, he acknowledges that he received what he knew, because the Lord revealed it to him despite all his book learning and smarts.
Victor adds: It was strictly the gift of revelation from God, and nothing whatsoever to do with the carnal mind, even as Paul wrote to the Romans:
Romans 8:5-8 MKJV
(5) For they who are according to the flesh mind the things of flesh, but they who are according to the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
(6) For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace
(7) because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can it be.
(8) So then they who are in the flesh cannot please God.
Duplantis next describes seeing the Lord. He says, “Jesus is beautiful – not just handsome, but beautiful. His eyes are like pools of love and He is the color of light.”
That’s not what the sinners in Revelation saw in the risen Lord:
Revelation 6:15-17 MKJV
(15) And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every freeman, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains.
(16) And they said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him sitting on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb;
(17) for the great day of His wrath has come, and who will be able to stand?
And that’s the only way Jesse can see the Lord, given all the lies he is telling in the Name of God.
Duplantis then says that he saw the Lord preaching in Heaven:
“All my life as a minister, I thought of Jesus as a teacher, a mild-mannered, calm person.”
“I had always thought of Jesus as being a quiet teacher, but He was full of power and preached with authority.”
Scripture had already made known the Lord’s authority:
“And they were astonished at His teaching: for He taught them as having authority, and not as the scribes” (Mark 1:22 ASV).
If Duplantis knew the Lord, like he claims, would he not know how the Lord truly is? No, Jesse’s idea of the Lord Jesus Christ is that of a sappy, mild-mannered wuss, the way religion paints Him. If Jesse knew Him on earth and was a true servant of the Lord’s, he would know better.
Jesse says that Jesus revealed His heart’s desire to him:
“He asked me to tell others that He’s coming back to earth. He was filled with compassion and was waiting for me to respond to Him.
I said, ‘Lord, I’ll do everything I know to do. I love you with all of my being. But I’ve made some mistakes in my life.’
He said, ‘I don’t know that you did. I washed them away. You’re free.’
‘Thank you!’ I said.”
True believers testify of something very different. Isaiah called himself a man of unclean lips; the apostle Paul said that he was a chief sinner. Jesse simply claims that he “made some mistakes.”
Duplantis admits that it took many years to speak of his supposed Heavenly experiences and what he says Jesus wanted him to tell others. He had said, however, that he would do everything he could to tell people about the Lord and His coming. If he truly meant this, why didn’t he immediately start talking about what supposedly happened to him?
Instead, he waited many years, and eventually wrote a book, for which he charges money, in order to give people this information. Can you imagine the apostle Paul charging people for what the Lord showed him for the salvation of their souls? Jesse doesn’t charge for actual truth, however, but rather for falsehood. Don’t be deceived into buying his goods!
Duplantis then says, “Have you ever noticed the word ‘gospel’ is only in the New Testament? That’s because gospel means ‘good news’ and there isn’t any good news in the Old Testament. Before Christ died for us, it was ‘do or die.’ The Old Testament only shows us the law that we cannot keep. But Christ was bruised for our iniquities and by His stripes we are healed! By His grace we can approach the throne of God and be reconciled to the Father and to His glorious plan to bless us.”
Yet while Duplantis claims this, he is actually quoting from the Old Testament:
“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5 MKJV).
Isn’t that good news?
A few other examples of good news in the Old Testament:
Psalms 34:4-9 MKJV
(4) I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
(5) They looked to Him, and were filled with light; and their faces were not ashamed.
(6) This poor man cried, and the LORD heard, and saved him out of all his troubles.
(7) The Angel of the LORD camps round about those who fear Him, and delivers them.
(8) Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him.
(9) O fear the LORD, His holy ones; for there is nothing lacking to those who fear Him.
Ezekiel 36:24-27 MKJV
(24) For I will take you from among the nations and gather you out of all lands, and will gather you into your own land.
(25) And I will sprinkle clean waters on you, and you shall be clean. I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from your idols.
(26) And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.
(27) And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you shall keep My judgments and do them.
Look what great promises there are for all people – every person will, in their time, come to know and to worship Him:
“Turn to Me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. I have sworn by Myself, the word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that to Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear” (Isaiah 45:22-23 MKJV).
“All nations will remember the LORD. From every part of the world they will turn to Him; all races will worship Him” (Psalms 22:27 MKJV).
“For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14 MKJV).
Isaiah 60:1-5 MKJV
(1) Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen on you.
(2) For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the peoples; but the LORD shall rise on you, and His glory shall be seen on you.
(3) And the nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawning.
(4) Lift up your eyes all around, and see. All of them gather themselves; they come to you. Your sons shall come from far, and your daughters shall be nursed at your side.
(5) Then you shall fear and become bright, and your heart shall throb and swell for joy; because the abundance of the sea shall turn to you, the wealth of the nations will come to you.
Victor adds: The Old Testament is full of good news, forming the foundation for the New. If there was nothing good in it, why would Jesus and all the apostles have constantly referred to it as prophesying of the good which was to come, especially of the Messiah? Where has Duplantis been, but in Hell, and what has he been, but a lackey of the prince of darkness, who is a liar through and through?
When describing the Lord, Duplantis says, “Jesus couldn’t tell me when He is coming. I could see why the Father hadn’t revealed to Jesus when that day of judgement will be. I felt Jesus would have told me if He had known the day, so we could all be prepared. I don’t think He could keep that secret because His love for mankind is so strong.”
It is ludicrous to think that the Lord, Who is perfect in all things, would behave in such a manner. Because Jesse believes the manmade notion of the trinity, he portrays the Father as an ogre who won’t let Jesus in on the judgment day, and Jesus as an impotent, emotional softy who wants to save everyone now.
However, the true Lord and Saviour is one God with one mind and heart. He is in complete control of every detail and has an appointed time for every person to come to Him. He isn’t conflicted by sappy carnal love the way Duplantis describes. As the Lord says, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways” (Isaiah 55:8-9).
Victor adds: Besides, wouldn’t the Father, Who gave His only begotten Son, love people every bit as much? Is not Duplantis a blasphemous liar?
Duplantis claims he then had an appointment to see the Great Throne Room. According to Jesse, “There was a cloud that looked like smoke going up from the Throne and I heard that massive sound, Whoosh! It was power like I’ve never experienced in my life. Then I saw God’s finger barely move and when it moved, an angel that was flying near Him was thrown up against a wall. Bam! It didn’t hurt the angel, but I felt if God just barely moved, a universe could be annihilated.”
There is no Scriptural agreement with Duplantis’ description, even though there were prophets, such as Moses, who had seen God. Isaiah was also visited by the Lord, and the kinds of things Duplantis described didn’t happen. And they didn’t occur with any other believers in the Bible. His notions are totally carnal.
Throughout the visit to Heaven, Duplantis never called the Lord by His Name, nor did any of the prophets or others that he met. Instead, they simply refer to Him as the great Jehovah God or God. Even in a supposed face-to-face meeting with Jesus, Duplantis simply calls Him God. Yet, in the Bible, Saul immediately called Him Lord, when he met Him on the road to Damascus, and He identified Himself to Saul as “Jesus.”
Knowing the Lord Jesus means knowing that the Father and Son are One, not separate entities.
“I and the Father are one!” (John 10:30 MKJV)
“One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, Who is above all and through all and in you all” (Ephesians 4:5-6 MKJV).
“And there is salvation in no other One; for there is no other Name under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12 MKJV).
“Remember former things from forever; for I am God, and no other is God, even none like Me” (Isaiah 46:9 MKJV).
“I, I am the LORD, and besides Me there is no savior” (Isaiah 43:11 ESV).
After preaching about his so-called trip to Heaven, Duplantis said, “One woman told me she didn’t want to go to heaven if she couldn’t live with her husband.” Duplantis told her he saw families reunited in Heaven and that they live together like they did on earth.
What does the Lord say about this?
Matthew 10:34-39 MKJV
(34) Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth. I did not come to send peace, but a sword.
(35) For I have come to set a man against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
(36) And a man’s foes shall be those of his own household.
(37) He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
(38) And he who does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me.
(39) He who finds his life shall lose it. And he who loses his life for My sake shall find it.
“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:26 MKJV).
Duplantis repeatedly describes family unity, riches, and carnal desires being fulfilled in Heaven. That is why he wants to preach about his so-called trip to Heaven, saying that if people understood what they would get in Heaven, they would be looking for God’s blessings now. In essence, he is only preaching about getting what you want from God in this world, not about serving Him. Serving the Lord is about doing His will, not our own. It’s not about getting what we want.
These are just a few of the many examples that show Jesse Duplantis is a false preacher. There is nothing in the book about the cross, sin, obedience, holiness, sanctification, or truly serving the Lord; it is all about sensationalism, with carnal notions and rewards. He minds the things of this world while pretending to serve God:
1 Timothy 6:3-8 MKJV
(3) If anyone teaches otherwise, and does not consent to wholesome words (those of our Lord Jesus Christ), and to the doctrine according to godliness,
(4) he is proud, knowing nothing. He is sick concerning doubts and arguments, from which comes envy, strife, evil speakings, evil suspicions,
(5) meddling, of men whose minds have been corrupted and deprived of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness. Withdraw from such.
(6) But godliness with contentment is great gain.
(7) For we brought nothing into the world, and it is clear that we can carry nothing out.
(8) But having food and clothing, we will be content.
Dena Dahl