Manifestations are real enough. The question is, what is the source? We are warned about lying signs and wonders. Lord Jesus said that even the elect could be deceived.
How to discern? The keys are found in John 16 when the Lord Jesus tells us the role of the Holy Spirit. Lord Jesus also tells us what the Holy Spirit does not do. When our small group investigated the so-called Toronto Blessing (TB is good abbreviation. It produces terrible spiritual sickness), we found that it failed both in the positive and the negative.
I also had access to two videos of the launching of the Toronto Blessing. The two men involved are well known in Christian circles. The meetings were a farce. There was nothing decent or orderly. A senior pastor was hypnotised (yes, I know exactly what that is) and ridiculed as he paraded around the stage like a rooster. The man who was leading this farce proceeded to stop the pastor from speaking, insulting him at the same time.
Let me summarise the areas where the TB falls down. First, in brief, the Holy Spirit's role
1. The Holy Spirit will take what is of Christ and make it known to believers.
2. The Holy Spirit does not initiate. He speaks according to the instruction of Lord Jesus.
3. The Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus.
Now what the TB (and similar counterfeits) do:
1. TB places great emphasis on the Holy Spirit ("Holy Spirit bartender is how one promoter described himself)
2. TB places great emphasis on signs and wonders and zero on truth and reality.
3. TB promotes false "salvation" by people responding to manifestations, not to the gospel.
4. The promoter told people not to pray or exercise any discernment. "Just drink it in. Do your praying at home". What about testing the spirits to see if they be of God?
God has determined that the whole universe should be under the rule of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 1:10) Anything that in any detracts from God's determination is to be rejected as false and the work of the enemy. We live in an age when there is too little sound teaching and too much emphasis on experiences. I believe in miracles. I also know that there is much that is counterfeit and that leads Christians astray. Sincerity is not enough. The only defence we have is truth.
Thanks. I would offer.
We are warned about lying signs and wonders. . . . “beforehand”. Before the last new inspired word was given, before our Holy Father sealed up the possibility of any new revelations. The perfect spoken of in 1 Coriorinthians had come. Sealed (7) with a warning not to add or subtract from the whole, every inspired and moved to be written down word of prophecy written for us today ..
The Lord Jesus said that the elect
could not be deceived. They have the whole book of prophecy God's written law. The gospel of our salvation it alone is key the gates of hell could never prevail against..
Mathew like Luke are speaking from a prespective of the last days a unknown amount of time, The time of promised reformation had come as the promise to Joel at Pentecost, the pivotal point of the reformation restoring the order of Christ's government. . . men and woman from all nations seeking after the approval of God according to His loving commandment(
2 Timothy 2:15) To study as a way of seeking his approval . . . two walking in agreement as one .(our salvation, our covenant of grace with our Loving God, Emanuel )
Matthew 24:22-24 King James Version (KJV) And except
those days should be shortened, there should
no flesh be saved: but for the
elect's sake
those days shall be shortened.Then if
any man shall say unto you,
Lo, here is Christ, or there;
believe it not. For there shall arise
false Christs, and
false prophets, and shall shew
great signs and wonders; insomuch that,
if it were
possible, they shall deceive the
very elect.
Not possible to those who do not add or subtract from the perfect. By that test they can try the spirits to see if they are temporal men seen or of the eternal Holy Spirit not seen .Any person that says this is what the lord said or I had a dream or vision would prove false .John is the last that remains the last.
All Christians are apologists we can as new creatures defend that which defends us . . .
it as
it is written. It empowering us to put on the armor of his design, just like we would protect the apple of our own eye as that which sees the wounds coming beforehand. . We should try and keep the armor on which is .emphasized by the word as a commandment "
Put on the armor" the language of a one time event.
Seeing we are encircled by His love he as Light is the the lead guard and the rear guard creating darkness behind . We can see his backside prophecy fulfilled. but know man knows what is ahead save the father as prophecy not fulfilled. He reveals it by faith to those elected to salvation.
In that way our daily goal to keep it (God's armor ) on seeing it keeps us from the arrows of the evil one . . aimed to blind us of our savior Christ's love .Or first love. . the hearing of His understanding, working in us .The first and lasting experience. Its that love that we return to as it turns us towards him .The word of Gods faith working in mankind.
God does not heal or served using human hands. He has no needs but satisfies all. In that way according to
Job 23 he is of one mind and always does whatsoever His souls pleases .Who could turn Him? He performs that which he appoint to us. He makes our hearts soft and heals them .He does the work of turning.
Experience is
not the validator of the unseen eternal things of God.
That can be seen in Mathew 4 the beginning of the ministry of the father and Son. Not my will Jesus said be done but the will of the unseen father. .
When the thoughts of Satan, the father of lies brought what some would call out of the body experiences which simply is a lying spirts bringing a illusion into Jesus' fleshly mind. When approached with have you ever been experrnced and shown and propmised all the kingdoms and the glory . The Son of Man spoke the words of His father .As it is written again and again three times and the lying spirit left.
Three is used to indicate the end of the matter. "your'e out" back to the bottomless dugout.
Strike three struck him out .He did not even see it coming (no faith was given to him )Blinder than a Bat .
