Let me play Devil's advocate here, if I can guys. That's not the best expression for it, but I listened to Copeland for many years back around the turn of the century, and there is actually some value and truth behind what he is saying. Copeland was way off base to be publicly "prophesying" to Covid-19 and "blowing it away" during a televised service back several months ago. I knew he was going to fall flat on his face for that, and he did. He was taking his presumed "authority" way too far. But there is something to be said for a believer taking authority over his own life, and what will and will not happen to him. Paul said in one place that he would not be stopped or hindered until he had finally finished his calling (it's in Acts, I'd have to look it up), and this is the same attitude I take. I take Coronavirus seriously, but I can assure anyone with ears to hear that it is not going to stop me from fulfilling my own calling, nor will anything else for that matter.
In other words, I think part of Copeland's message is worth hearing. I just think there are other things attached to his message that are out of line and off base. Hopefully he IS learning a lesson about his ability to "prophesy." The faith crowd usually does a pretty horrible job in that department. But we are called to look upon the good in one another. Hence why I posted.
Who would swallow the poison if it was pure bitterness? Hide it in something sweet. The serpent did the same thing with Eve. Much of what he said was "true." If demons want to deceive someone, they hide a lie or two in with what is mostly true. Satan himself can quote Scripture.
Isaiah 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
God gave man free will. Jesus did not go around opposing the free will of others. If people make bad decisions and don't want to change, they have the "right" to be wrong. The most you can do is warn them. Ultimately you can't take charge of their decisions.
Let us suppose this coronavirus came about because of the wickedness of men. (I believe that myself.) If men bring a curse on themselves, do I have the right to remove it against their will? Copeland thought he had that right. He put himself squarely in opposition to the Will of God which is that all men and women have the right to choose. He thought he had authority even Jesus did not claim.
It might be worth it to discuss why Jesus allowed the Romans to crucify him and why he didn't want the Jews to kill him secretly. If the Romans went too far, exceeding their lawful authority by killing an innocent man, they had violated God's Law of Free Will. At that point, they lost their lawful authority; and their pagan state religion ultimately fell. Do I mind then if someone I have never injured sins against me? Not really. He has violated the Law of Free Will -- and that gives me the right to interfere with him, and I can interfere with him to bring him to repentance.
Copeland erred thinking he could interfere with the demonic when people wanted the demonic. That gives the demons the right to attack him.
I would not bother trying to cast out an evil spirit from someone without first getting him to agree to it. . . or unless I was certain he wanted it. Some people seem undecided, so we see Jesus sometimes asking people if they are willing to be made whole. They had to want it and say so. He wasn't going to force it on them.
I can almost guarantee someone will go spiritually off the rails if he thinks he has the right to go around making decisions for the whole world against their free will. It opens a door to becoming spiritually insane.