The New Apostolic Reformation & The Yoke of Religious Oppression

Imagine carrying an overloaded backpack, stuffed with rocks you never asked for, growing heavier with each step. You struggle forward, gasping under the weight, while the person who placed it on your back walks beside you—smug, self-satisfied, and unwilling to lift a single stone. This, in essence, is the spiritual reality Jesus described in Matthew 23:4:

“They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger.” (ESV)

Jesus spoke these words about the religious elite of His time, the scribes and Pharisees, who burdened the people with excessive laws, external righteousness, and a fear-based faith that ultimately distanced them from God rather than drawing them closer. Today, the same oppressive patterns are found in the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) and related movements, where false burdens weigh down sincere believers and leave them spiritually exhausted, disillusioned, and often deeply wounded, and in some instances, destroyed…

False Burdens in the NAR and Similar Movements

Legalism: The Performance Trap

Many in the NAR are led to believe that their spiritual standing with God is dependent on their ability to meet rigorous expectations. Instead of the freedom of salvation through grace, believers are shackled with religious obligations. They are told that unless they pray for a certain number of hours daily, they will not grow spiritually or experience God’s presence. Extreme fasting is heavily emphasized, with many being led to believe that only prolonged and excessive fasting can unlock spiritual breakthroughs, special anointings, and miraculous signs and wonders. It is often portrayed as the key to church growth and, most importantly, the highly sought-after ‘revival’—a concept dangled before believers as the ultimate proof (and reward) of their faithfulness and devotion.

Additionally, works-based favor is preached, pressuring believers into relentless spiritual striving to secure blessings, healing, or divine encounters—taught as ongoing efforts necessary for the “presence of God” to “rest upon them” just as it did on Jesus during His earthly ministry.

Another common burden is excessive service and church involvement. Many are expected to devote nearly all their time, energy, and resources to church activities, programs, and events, usually at the expense of their families, health, and personal well-being.

This unrelenting pressure for performance turns the Christian faith into an exhausting chore, rather than a source of peace and joy. While salvation is a gift received by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), the same grace that saves us also sustains us in our daily walk with God. We are not called to endless striving but to abide in Christ, who empowers us to live in Him (John 15:4-5). Our growth in faith is not a result of burdensome effort but of His Spirit working within us (Galatians 3:3, Philippians 2:13). True spiritual life flourishes not through relentless toil but through resting in the sufficiency of Christ’s finished work.

The Prosperity Gospel: The Weight of Financial Manipulation

A hallmark of the NAR is the belief that financial prosperity is a direct reflection of one’s faith. This leads to heavy burdens such as excessive giving demands, where people are pressured to sow “miracle seeds” of money to receive breakthroughs, healings, or prophetic words.

Congregations are often prompted to make “prophetic declarations” before tithes and offerings are collected, with these declarations heavily emphasizing the transactional nature of giving. Believers are led to see their financial contributions as “acts of faith” that supposedly guarantee divine rewards, such as financial breakthroughs and promotions, reinforcing the false belief that God’s blessings are secured through monetary transactions.

Fear of financial curses is another common tactic, with believers being told that failure to tithe will result in divine punishment or poverty. This again creates a transactional faith, where blessings are seen as something that must be bought or bargained for with God, rather than received freely through Christ. On top of this, another subtle yet effective manipulation tactic is frequently employed—church services regularly include opportunities for members to share “testimonies” about how their financial breakthroughs supposedly resulted from their “obedience” in giving. These testimonies reinforce the idea that sowing into the church guarantees divine rewards, creating social pressure for others to follow suit and further entrenching the belief that financial blessings are a direct result of “giving to the work of the Lord.”

Yet, the LORD Jesus NEVER demanded money in exchange for miracles, blessings, or help from God…! True prosperity is found in a life surrendered to the LORD, a life of godliness and contentment, not in financial gain or a transactional approach to God (1 Timothy 6:6-10; Matthew 6:33; 10:8).

Spiritual Elitism: The Tyranny of “Apostles” and “Prophets”

The NAR places heavy burdens on believers by elevating human leaders to “godlike” status. Instead of guiding people to Christ, many so-called “apostles” and “prophets” demand unquestioning submission, teaching (or insinuating) that disobeying the leader is equivalent to disobeying God. This unbiblical and manipulative doctrine is often justified under the guise of “being under godly covering” and promoting a “culture of honor” toward spiritual leaders within the church and its network. These phrases, while sounding noble, are frequently used to enforce unquestioning loyalty and submission, discouraging any form of accountability or discernment. This often extends to controlling personal lives, where leaders dictate who members can marry, where they should work, how they should live, etc. Many are also coerced into sacrificing their time, finances, and health for the movement, believing it is the only/sure way to please God.

A particularly insidious tactic used to enforce submission is the promotion of spiritual “fathers” and “mothers” within the local church. Often, the “senior” pastor and his spouse assume the roles of “father” and “mother of the house,” subtly demanding loyalty and obedience under the guise of “spiritual parenting”. Members are manipulated into believing that questioning or disobeying these so-called spiritual parents is an act of rebellion against God. This dynamic fosters unhealthy dependency, emotional control, and even spiritual abuse, where individuals feel trapped in a system that demands total allegiance rather than pointing them to Christ as their ultimate Shepherd and the One they should follow…!

But, Jesus taught servant leadership instead, not authoritarian rule (Matthew 20:25-28). True Christian leaders should LIFT burdens, not CREATE them.

False Teachings on Worship and Spirituality

In many NAR circles, worship is more about emotional highs than biblical truth. Believers are pressured to “feel” God’s presence, and if they do not have an emotional experience, they are led to believe their faith is weak, or that they are not “pressing in” enough. Worship is also often bound to rigid “formulas”, where only certain music styles, repeated phrases, or specific postures are deemed acceptable to God.

Another false burden placed on believers is the fear of not being “anointed enough,” where people are made to believe that unless they operate in supernatural gifts, they are spiritually inferior.

Additionally, there is a false expectation that believers must constantly display the “joy of the Lord,” often manifesting in exaggerated outward expressions such as forced happiness, uncontrollable laughter, or a perpetually upbeat demeanor. Those who do not outwardly demonstrate “holy laughter” or a visible sense of joy are often viewed as still lacking faith or spiritual maturity, or even being under demonic oppression. This creates an unhealthy pressure where believers feel they must fake joy to prove that they have truly “bought into” the “new move” of God, rather than experiencing the genuine, deep-rooted joy that comes from a true relationship with Christ.

Jesus taught that true worship and an authentic walk with God are in spirit and truth, not in forced rituals, formulas, or emotions (John 4:23-24).

Fear-Based Teachings: The Shackles of Guilt and Condemnation

Due to the constant twisted teachings, many believers in the NAR live under the crushing weight of fear, constantly striving to prove themselves worthy before God. They are led to believe that if they do not perform enough in spiritual disciplines—such as excessive Bible reading, long hours of prayer, worship (particularly NAR-style soaking worship), fasting, and emotionally intense services—then they will fail to experience God’s presence and power. The idea is deeply ingrained that unless they meet these extreme spiritual standards, God will not be fully pleased with them, He will withhold His anointing, and they will miss their destiny to do “greater works.”

This creates a performance-based faith, where believers feel enslaved to an endless cycle of striving, guilt, and fear of failure. They are made to believe that experiencing God’s presence is dependent on their ability to reach a certain level of intensity in their spiritual practices, rather than resting in the assurance that He is with them always.

This contradicts the gospel! There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). We are secure in His finished work, not our own efforts.

Jesus’ Answer: His Yoke is Easy, His Burden is Light

While the Pharisees, and now the NAR, load people with unbearable burdens, Jesus offers a radically different path:

“Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest… For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

Jesus did not come to enslave us to man-made rules, financial exploitation, or spiritual exhaustion. He came to set us free (Galatians 5:1). True Christianity is not about striving under unbearable weight—it is about resting in the finished work of Christ.

Breaking Free from False Burdens

If you have been weighed down by these false teachings, know this:

You do not need to earn God’s love—it is freely given.

You do not need to submit to controlling leaders—Jesus is your true Shepherd.

You do not need to chase spiritual highs—true worship is about knowing and obeying Christ.

You do not need to live in fear—God has fully accepted you in Christ.

The heavy burdens of the NAR and similar movements are not from Christ! If your faith has become exhausting rather than life-giving, it is time to return to the true gospel—one of grace, rest, and freedom in Jesus Christ.

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36)