A few years ago, if anyone had told me that I would speak in tongues, dance around in church in front of all, weep when reading the bible or a story of someone overcoming hardship with grace, or hurting for others, or rejoicing when someone came into the Kingdom, or just having the peace that I have now in spite of some tough personal situations, I would have told them they were crazy.
But they would not have been, since all of these things and others have and do happen to me now. They just do not happen as often as they seem to do to others. I know that the Holy Spirit has come to live in me, guide me, comfort me, teach me, and love me. I know that the ‘baptism of the Holy Spirit’ is real and for this ‘day’ and that Jesus has baptized me in Him.
But what spirit is this we see all around us today?
If you read any of these theological blogs or forums much at all you will find this topic being discussed. This Holy Spirit baptism is misunderstood and much maligned. Most Christians on the internet seem to vociferously denounce the workings and gifting that we, the Pentecostals, know as certainty. And forget about the non believers ever accepting or attempting to understand what is going on.
You might wonder why all this is so.
I believe a lot of things lend themselves to this mind set. But I believe it is mostly our own fault. We sometimes in our zeal add to the unbelief. We do this by presenting what I have termed false manifestations and manipulations of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. There is just no way that everything that is happening and being displayed is really from God. Instead, I believe it to be another enemy tactic. He just loves to take the things of God and pervert them, so we can be deceived and ultimately killed.
I know this is harsh and it is not easy for me to write. I have both friends and family that will probably get a little mad at what I am saying here. But the truth has to be put forth if the enemy is to be defeated.
Why do I think this is happening? No, why do I know this is happening?
It is because I am inherently a skeptic. I spent most of my life doubting or in unbelief, so one of the main things I have asked God for is to experience everything He is, does, and has for us to experience. I also continuously ask for the wisdom and gift of discernment. And He has given me these things.
When I see a person that I know is not living for the Kingdom but at just the right moment manifests a gift, I know it is not the Holy Spirit. Some are just deceived and some are probably fully aware of what they are doing. Why would someone fake the gifts of the Spirit?
There are probably many reasons but, I believe at the top of the list is the need to be accepted, loved, part of something. If someone is not saved then they are naturally not filled with the Spirit of God. Still, there are a lot that, although not willing to submit to our Lords leadership, want desperately to belong.
Then there are the deceived. They have just never spent enough time with God or the Word to fully comprehend what is sent from Him and what is not. They jump from one revival or movement to another; seeking a personal emotional experience that the enemy has them convinced is not only good, but good for them.
Those that are deliberately faking the things of God are the most detestable and will probably suffer the most someday for their alliance with the enemy. If you do not believe they can easily deceive, then look up Marjoe Gortners younger days as a “healing evangelist’. Then look up some of the modern movements and see if there was any fruit. I am going to stop there and be nice, for now.
So what are we to do?
Counter attack strategies against false manifestations and manipulations of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The first step towards defeating this enemy tactic is something called discernment. Paul told us to test everything and keep only the good. (1Th 5:21) Good is from God and bad is from our enemy. A really simple test is therefore, the aroma and the flavor of the fruit coming from all spiritual manifestations. If God is involved in any experience, some good should come from it.
Gal 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…
Are any of these coming from those observed?
For the second step we must go way back. All the way to Mt Sinai. We have been given a commandment to never covet what anyone else has. (Exo 20:17) This goes for spiritual gifts also. Stop faking tongues because someone else has that gift. Stop falling down because everyone else is. Stop pretending to talk for God just because the prophet is getting all the attention. God already has something special in mind just fro you, if you submit.
My third suggestion would be to never, ever exalt a man for doing the work that only God does. No man heals. No man prophesies. No man imparts gifts. God alone does these things. Sometimes through a man. But He doesn’t have to. He can and will do it for you. You do not have to chase a prophet, or an evangelist, or sell the car to get to a certain revival, to have God work the supernatural. If He is going to do it for you, He will do it where you are.
I believe that there are probably many leaders today displaying bad fruit now but they didn’t always. They started out with Christ like motives and pure Godly hearts, but we lifted them up on pedestals with our adoration so high that they couldn’t help but lose sight of the narrow way.
Mat 7:22-23 “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles? And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’
Deceivers, deceived, and the improperly motivated are treading on dangerous ground. Let’s do our part by not fueling ‘strange fire.’
Love you all
Halloween just passed and I ignored the topic here and am not actually writing about it now either. But it did come to my mind when I started thinking about today’s town hall discussion.
