There are many areas in the church that are problematic but one that has done a lot of damage is the charismatic movement. Many have based their idea of what the anointing of the Holy Spirit (God’s presence) looks from the charismatic movement. Some then go through their lives thinking that what they have seen in the charismatic movement is actually God, while others reject what they see in the charismatic movement and want nothing to do with it. They then either keep their doctrines or develop new ones but denounce anything supernatural. You even see it in the manuals of churches where they say we do not believe what the charismatics believe (paraphrased). The problem with that thinking is not only do they reject the charismatic, a good thing by the way, but they also reject the available power of God to all who would believe which is rebellion against God’s word. Many have rejected anything supernatural because they think it is the work of the devil. The work of the devil is to deceive you and most, along with the charismatics have been deceived simply because God’s powerful word has been set aside for the powerless words of man. Many are leery of seeking God’s power and prefer to avoid the supernatural because of verses like this. We read yesterday Matthew 12:39 “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign!” So they do not want any signs. They even accused Jesus of being demonic. Matthew 12:22 “Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. 23 All the people were astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of David? 24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.” Not only did the Pharisees think this, so did the family of Jesus. Mark 3:20 “Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. 21 When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.” 22 And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.” Scripture also says Matthew 24:22 “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. 23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time.” Only a few surviving means that many people were dying because they did not believe what the bible said. Yes, false messiahs and false prophets have been performing signs and wonders, but this is why you must test the spirits. Your eternal life depends on knowing the difference. 1 John 4:1 “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. It doesn’t mean all signs and wonders are wrong.
The church is filled with false teachers, pastors, prophets, apostles and evangelists, which is why we must test the spirits because there are many counterfeits in the church. These men and women were supposed to be the anointed servants of God. Ephesians 4:11 “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.” Malachi 2:7 “For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, because he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty and people seek instruction from his mouth.” Malachi goes on to say that these priests did not continue to preserve knowledge. Malachi 2:8 “But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble; you have violated the covenant with Levi,” says the Lord Almighty. 9 “So I have caused you to be despised and humiliated before all the people, because you have not followed my ways but have shown partiality in matters of the law.” This is how satan works. He takes what God has made for good and distorts it. 2 Corinthians 11:13 “For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.” It is important to understand that for something to be counterfeited, there has to be something to copy from. A counterfeit ten-dollar bill means there is real ten-dollar bill. You don’t go into the store and buy something with an eleven-dollar bill. A good counterfeit will look almost the same as the real thing. To know what is false means you must know what truth is so that you can see the difference. The Bank of Canada said, “If you know your notes, you’ll be able to detect a counterfeit at a glance and protect yourself from fraud.” So it is obvious that if you do not know, you will be deceived. In the church the focus was placed on the counterfeit and not the real anointing of the Holy Spirit. People would see what they thought was God but didn’t check his word to see if it really was God. Others looked at the counterfeit and correctly said this is not God, but failed to look at scripture and know and seek God’s power that is available to all who believe. Both groups have placed the counterfeit above God’s word.
I thought the Bank of Canada had some good advice. They also said, “Any individual who, knowingly or not, accepts a counterfeit bears the loss. In other words, there’s no reimbursement. It’s the same in any country. In Canada, it is a criminal offence to knowingly use or keep counterfeit money. The financial loss from a counterfeit note can be significant for individuals and businesses alike. Whether it’s a small or large business, the loss incurred from accepting a single counterfeit $100 note can affect a day’s profits or lead to increased prices that are ultimately borne by the consumer. Counterfeiting not only causes a financial loss to whoever gets stuck with it, it can also seriously undermine public confidence in our currency. Confidence is essential because once lost, it’s hard to regain.” Now apply that to the church because the counterfeit could cost you eternal life. Also, the charismatic movement has done a lot of damage to those that do not go to church. One charismatic pastor that I heard said the community thought they were a bunch of drunks when talking about some of their craziness. He really didn’t care what the community thought because he felt God was blessing them with His presence. The problem was it was not God who was present and that really affected the community. In the end, turning people away from God is the purpose of satan.
We have to test the spirits with everything in the church. At first glance the charismatic movement looks authentic but if you know your scriptures, you will not be deceived. Sometimes it is easy, other times you really have to dig deep as the counterfeit almost looks like the real thing. This also applies to the non-charismatic, but our focus today is on the charismatic. The Pentecostal movement grew out of Methodism. Oddly I grew up in the dead and powerless church called Methodism. I was raised a Free Methodist and later would briefly become a Wesleyan. Thankfully I am not anymore. This is not a historical look at the charismatic movement but just showing what happens when you do not test the spirits. It basically started with people speaking in tongues. On the surface this sounds good because that is what happened in the early church. Acts 10:44 “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, 47 “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” We also saw this happen with Paul. Acts 19:5 “On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.” This sounds good until you realize that the foundation for tongues is found in Acts 2:4 “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken.” In most cases where you hear tongues being spoken, there is no language barrier.
The charismatic started with the right desire; there had to be more than what we were seeing in the church. I myself felt that and wanted more of God and I ended up in the charismatic but never part of it thankfully. I went on a journey (still on it) to find the power of God as I read in the bible. I thought I had found a place that God’s power was flowing but it looked nothing like the power of scripture. I have to say that part was confusing. Today I know why. One Sunday a lady at the back of the church was stomping on the floor while we were singing. It was off-beat and highly annoying, at least it was to me. The little kids had some flags and during the song were running in a big circle and ran right in front of this lady. I believe it was the purity of the children but has they ran by she shrieked, not loud and fell to the ground. Later I heard someone say you were stomping the timbers of hell. I thought no she wasn’t, it was satan doing the stomping. After, I told the leaders she had a demon. I will be honest that I had no idea what to do about it. This is part of my learning journey as God I believe took me to places to teach me. I even prayed I want this anointing, but it never came. This group truly thought God’s anointing was present, but I will never forget when I heard the words, this is not me. I won’t go into detail here, but I have seen lots of manifestations, but God was not present. You could have people spread all across the front of the church, speaking in tongues and falling backwards but people were not be healed. If the holy spirit was as present as they say he was, there would have been incredible power. I know this because it did not look like scripture. Again, that is how you can tell the counterfeit. For example, people who fall backward and say the Holy Spirit overcame them, but it was not the Holy Spirit but satan masquerading. Scripture makes it clear we fall on our faces before God. Falling on your back is sexual submission like an animal does when it is submissive to another. Some think people falling down is done on their own but don’t think for a moment that there is not a presence present.
The desire for more led to problems because like a drug it was never enough. You then had the signs and wonders movement / Vineyard. I remember resonating with something that John Wimber said. He was one of the key leaders of this movement. This isn’t the quote but close. Someone wrote “John had begun to attend a mainline denominational congregation. After the service, he would ask the minister when they did “the stuff.” The pastor would blink and ask what he meant. “You know,” John would reply. “Like in the Bible –water into wine –healing – miracles. “Oh, we don’t do that. We just talk about it.” John wanted more than talk, much more. One evening John flew into Detroit and was stranded because of bad weather. He got a room for the night and stumbled in feeling ill, exhausted and spiritually bankrupt. After getting ready for bed, he knelt down and read Psalm 61. “Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer,” the scripture said. “Lead thou me to the rock that is higher than I am.” At that moment, he felt the Holy Spirit speaking to his heart. “John, I’ve seen your ministry. Now, I want to show you mine.” That was not God speaking. In this movement the gifts of tongues were not stressed as much as prophecy and gifts of healing. I truly believe that most really want to be part of the power of God.
Then that wasn’t enough and here satan is just having a heyday. One writer said, “Many churches are reporting spontaneous, uncontrollable laughter erupting from their congregations, even during times of solemn ceremony or messages from the pulpit. Some report uncontrollable weeping, falling to the floor in ecstatic trances, and animal noises such as barking like dogs and roaring like lions. Some stagger and reel like drunken people, unable to walk a straight line. For simplicity's sake, all these have come to be called "holy laughter," since laughter is the pre-eminent phenomenon displayed. It is unthinkable that the Lord Jesus or any of the apostles would have gone around barking like dogs or roaring like lions or reeling like drunk persons or laughing uncontrollably.” Then you had the Toronto Blessing and Brownsville false revivals. They still do not test the spirits and the chaos still continues with the likes of Bethel Redding California with Bill Johnson a result of the Toronto Blessings. They are the ones with the fairy dust or glory clouds. There was nothing glorious about it nor was God present.
The charismatics did not test the spirits when speaking in tongues became a sign of the infilling of the Holy Spirit. One time I heard a speaker talking about a missions trip and using an interpreter but then when everyone spoke the same language in this country, he spoke in tongues for no purpose whatsoever. They did not test the spirits when prophets spoke when laughter and drunkenness broke out among them. All this chaos from glory clouds to gold fillings, people speaking gibberish, acting like drunks falling down and laughing like hyenas is not God. If they had tested what was happening by scripture, they would have put a stop to it. This is not God manifesting as we read in 1 Corinthians 12:7 “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” Even the charismatics who are not into all of this craziness think that speaking in tongues means the Holy Spirit is present with them, but this presence is not God, and you are not seeing God’s power to truly heal the sick, cast out demons. Usually when they say this healing has happened it is very questionable but since satan masquerades as an angel of light, healing is possible. Matthew 24:24 “For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” As we saw when Covid hit the world, the church, even the hardcore charismatics were exposed as powerless. Bethel Redding who say the power of God is with them, had to close. You had Kenneth Copeland executing judgment on COVID-19 and saying it was but then millions of people died. If you watch the video you will see satan at work but yet people still follow him and follow Bethel Redding. There are many more of these false prophets but people still do not test the spirits.
Having said that, the other side of the coin is the non-charismatic circles that do not even believe there is power available, yet they also say they are filled with the Holy Spirit. For example, you have a group in the church called cessationists who have rejected God’s word and state the church no longer has the power the disciples had as the power ceased after the disciples started the church. The problem with that thinking is that nowhere does the bible say that. That would then be called a doctrine of demons. 1 Timothy 4:1 “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.” Therefore, those who believe this have been deceived and deluded and there is no way that they can have the Holy Spirit, Jesus or God in their lives because of that rebellion of not keeping God’s commands. That means there is no power to defeat satan and satan doesn’t even have to masquerade as these people do not believe what God’s word clearly states. Paul said to Timothy concerning the last day people 2 Timothy 3:5 “having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.” So many churches are just a form of godliness and deny God’s power yet people flock to them.
Think about the millions who have been deceived, not only by the charismatics but by the non-charismatics. Even though there are verses that talk about satan’s power, we are told there is great power available to all who would believe. We must understand the power of satan but more importantly we must seek the power that God has available to the church to defeat the power of satan. Paul was sent just as the church is sent Acts 26:18 “to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of satan to God.” The problem is the eyes and ears of the church are closed. Ezekiel was told Ezekiel 12:2 “Son of man, you are living among a rebellious people. They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious people.” The church desperately needs open eyes and ears. Paul said, Ephesians 1:18 “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” Isaiah 32:3 “Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed, and the ears of those who hear will listen.”
The church has been deceived and deluded into thinking the powerless church is exactly how the church was supposed to be but that is not the church Jesus was building. Matthew 24:18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Jesus said to the disciples, Mark 16:15 “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” 19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. 20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.” Hebrews 2:4 “God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.” 1 Corinthians 14:1 “Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy.”
Jesus empowered His disciples because this was a prelude to Pentecost and the power that would be available to the church. Luke 9:1 “When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.” Matthew said Matthew 10:1 “Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. 7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons.” After Pentecost, Acts 5:12 “The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. 13 No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. 14 Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. 15 As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. 16 Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.” Acts 8:12 “The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. 13 No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. 14 Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. 15 As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. 16 Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.” Acts 19:11 “God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.” Paul said 1 Corinthians 4:20 “the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.”
Even during the life of Paul, the church decided the power of God was not for them. They followed a different Jesus and other gospels to their demise. Galatians 1:6 “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 11:4 “For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.” The paragraph above with those verses of power should be a description of the church. John sent his disciples to Jesus just before John was to die to ask Matthew 11:3 “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” 4 Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 6 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” The church mostly believes and yes there are some in the church who do not believe, that Jesus rose from the dead. Therefore since Jesus is the Messiah, this description should still apply. This then means that the church has rebelled and became powerless. That is the only explanation. The charismatics had it right to be looking for more of God, His power and all the gifts of the Spirit but got it wrong because they did not test the spirits and in the end would progress to false revivals like the Toronto Blessing and Brownsville. Because the church has rebelled, God allowed satan to decimate the church, both charismatic and non-charismatic.
The good news is the true church will rise again and go to the ends of the earth with the power and authority given to us from on High. Daniel 7:14 “He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.” Luke 4:36 “All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What words these are! With authority and power he gives orders to impure spirits and they come out!” Matthew 24:14 “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
