HOLY SPIRIT OR DANGEROUS IMITATION

Whoa!  This is longer than I thought.  It’s just that I have so much to tell you and I am really afraid for so many souls who think they are save/saved but are lost in darkness.

The Lord has been teaching me some great lessons lately.  I want to share one with you.

I have been meeting many people who tell me that the Holy Spirit has revealed things to them and has directed their lives.   

OK, when I first hear this I think GREAT!  But as I get the details it often ends up that they are not following the commands of the Bible.  What they say cannot be “confirmed in the scriptures.”  I don’t know what spirit is inspiring them but it is either their own nature or Satan whispering in their ear.  Interesting that when I draw this to their attention and quote scripture to them they end up saying things like:

-        “this is what ‘I’ believe and it is as valid as anyone else’s belief” or

-        the “bible was written by men and is infallible” or

-        “I just can’t believe God would want this or say that and they reject the scriptures that disprove their beliefs. 

I have to tell you what scares me about these responses is that I hear them from pastors, lay leaders and regular church goers… “CHRISTIANS”.   What also scares me is that many mix the beliefs of other faiths into Christian beliefs.   Christ then becomes more of a prophet than God.  He becomes some kind of enlightened role model that we can follow.  Some refer to this enlightened state as the “Christ-Consciousness” or Christ’s version of a “higher consciousness” of goodness.  Christ then becomes a great teacher that shows us “one way or a way” of finding God.  It is no more or less valid than what other faiths teach whether they call it a “super consciousness” or “the collective consciousness,” or “the God consciousness” or whatever.   All are spiritual traditions talking about how you personally come to know “God” based on how you perceive God to be.  There is no absolute truth only truth based on your personal reality or how “you” know God or some say “how God has revealed himself to you”.  NONE OF THIS IS BIBLICAL.  It certainly isn’t Christian.  Oh, it sounds good by our fallen human perspective but it is not of God.

The other piece of this is that I notice that the Holy Spirit seems to be telling Christian “A” and Christian “B” two different things.  For instance, why would the Holy Spirit teach some people that Jesus is the ONLY way to God and then tell others there are many paths to God? 

If people are “being lead by “the Spirit of Truth” then why are they all believing different things?  Why did God bother writing the Bible?  Why did Jesus bother to step down from his glorious throne to suffer and sacrifice himself if I can follow any religion and be saved?  It would seem like a whole lot of bother and drama for nothing.

So who is the Holy Spirit and what exactly is his “JOB”?  I don’t think you can cover it all in one lesson.  There is so much to warn you about.  For right now, let’s just understand who the Holy Spirit is and what his job is on earth. 

The Holy Spirit IS GOD!!  He is part of the Triune God (the Trinity)…ONE GOD in three distinct persons (Father, Son and Holy Spirit).  Now, don’t hurt your mind trying to figure it out.  This information, how three distinct persons can be one person or one God has not been explained or revealed to us.  I’m guessing here….the reason is that our little minds could not comprehend it.  Some people use a three leaf clover as an analogy….three equal parts yet all one plant.  OK!  Good as anything else. 

So, what is the “job” of the Holy Spirit?

Well, Jesus was doing his thing and teaching his disciples the Ways of God and the Way to Salvation.   He was God’s “faithful and true witness”.  (Revelation 3:14) He was our sacrifice to God for our sins.  Jesus told his followers that he was going back to heaven but he would leave another here so that we could find our way to him and to God.  That “person” is the Holy Spirit. 

I really think it is important that you read this whole section of scripture.

John 14:15-28    15“If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— 17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. (when the spirit reveal the truth of Christ to you)  21Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”

22Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”

23Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

25“All this I have spoken while still with you. 26But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. (empty material possession or false peace of mind that will not lead to salvation) Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

28“You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. (So your faith will be strengthened and you will know he is the Messiah/the Savior given to man by God)

This passage of scripture talks about what you have to do to love Jesus, “obey what I command.”  It says that Jesus himself has advocated for us and asked the Father to send His Spirit; the Counselor or Advocate or Helper and that he is the “spirit of truth”.  It talks about how the world will not accept his truth (just like it didn’t accept Jesus and just like it doesn’t accept all who are faithful to the truth).  Other scripture tells us that the world gets caught up in what it wants to hear and rejects the truth for what our sinful nature wants.

2 Timothy 4:3 For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear (that which caters to their own passions and desires).

Jesus did not abandon to figure things out.  If we remain faithful to The Word the Holy Spirit will grow our faith and understanding.  But you have to submit your will and wants and desire and needs to God.  It’s hard because we human’s are sinful.  We are self-centered.  We also have Satan tempting us to follow what comforts us in this world.

John 8:31-32 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (This is the only truth that will free you; save you)

See brothers and sisters the Holy Spirit is not a here to help us know the truth by worldly standards.  He is here to point us to the “absolute truth”, the truth that will set us free from sin and give us eternal life.  He is here to point us to Jesus and to help us understand that Jesus is our Savior, our only way back to God and salvation.  Jesus alone is the Judge of every soul that ever existed or will exist.  This is NOT my opinion or what I believe base on personal experience or anything else.  This IS THE TRUTH, The ABSOLUTE TRUTH.  It is confirmed in the bible.  It is the truth.

So the Job of the Holy Spirit basically is:

-       To bring us to God by helping us see our sin or our sinful nature and help us with our desire to repent and rebuild our relationship with God.

-       To teach us who Christ really is and what he taught even though we have never talked with him or seen him we know he is God.

-       To encourage us and help us stand firm in the Truth and grow in our faith.

-       His job is to help you see the truth in the scriptures and no matter the hardship be secure in your faith.  He is here to help you follow Jesus and only Jesus.

NOW THIS IS IMPORTANT:  Holy Spirit will never tell you anything that is not confirmed in scripture.  The bible tells you to test ALL spirits to be sure they are of God.  This includes your own spirit.  Test what you believe, what you understand to be true against scriptures and if it doesn’t match God’s Word….CHANGE YOUR BELIEF! 

2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test?

1 John 4:2-3 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, (is God make flesh and is the only salvation for mankind) but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. (This person is NOT a Christian or a Christian teacher even if he says he love Jesus or does good works in the name of God)

Please, please, do not be tricked by false versions of the truth.  You will be called “intolerant” and “judgmental” for being faithful to Christ.  It doesn’t matter.  For your soul; your eternal life (which is the only thing of value you have) remain in the truth. Remember the bible says that the world doesn’t know the truth so it will twist it to fit its needs and desires.

2 John 1:7-11 Many people who deceive others have gone into the world. They refuse to declare that Jesus Christ came in flesh and blood. This is the mark of a deceiver and an antichrist. 8Be careful that you don't destroy what we've worked for, but that you receive your full reward. 9 Everyone who doesn't continue to teach what Christ taught doesn't have God. The person who continues to teach what Christ taught has both the Father and the Son. 10If anyone comes to you and doesn't bring these teachings, don't take him into your home or even greet him. 11Whoever greets him shares the evil things he's doing.

Scripture tells us that on judgment day many will claim that they called Jesus “Lord” but only the ones who “FOLLOW” his teachings will go to heaven.  The rest he will cast aside and tell them that they never “knew him”. (Matthew 7:21-23)

So what do you believe?  Can you back it up with scripture?

TO LOVE GOD IS TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER

Contrary to what non-believers think we Christians do not claim to be perfect or sinless.   One saying goes, “Christians are not sinless just saved.” 

However you do hear many Christians talk about, “Christian Perfection” in different ways.  But this is not about  “absolute perfection” because only God is perfect.  As long as we live here on earth we humans (Christians included) will always sin, always!  We will never be infallible.  We will never be perfect or without fault, or flaw or error.

To be perfect as God is perfect is to love as God loves.  To love like God is to go beyond loving our friends and neighbors and even our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Christian Perfection calls us to love our enemies.  It calls us to be completely devoted to God; to love him with all our heart, mind and soul; to grow in God’s grace and love and to live out that love in our daily lives.  This is how we walk with Christ and this is what God means to be perfect as he is perfect.  To be like our Father is to love like our Father.   Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:44-45  I say, love your enemies!  Pray for those who persecute you! 45In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. This is how you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Our mission as God’s children is to show the God of Love to all people and to show God’s Love for all people.

Children of God, let me share a few verses with you from  1 John 4.

(v16)  “God IS Love.  Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.”

(v10) This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

(v20) If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar.

(v21) The Lord has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.

Brothers and sisters, if we truly are who we say we are; if we indeed are “children of God” then we are “children of love” and “children that love.”   We are called in love to … love all people in all circumstances. 

This is NOT EASY but this is what makes us different than the love found in this world.  We love as our Father loves.  We love as Christ taught us to love. We love because God’s Holy Spirit of Love lives in us.

There is no fear of loss in God’s love.  No one receives rank or status for having material possessions in God’s love.  God’s love is not romantic.  God’s love cannot be lost in anger or in neglect or in forgetfulness.  God’s love does not get weaker with distance or time. 

God’s love is an “agape love.”  This is not a human way of loving but a divine way to love.  Agape Love is a love found only in God and is only given to us from God.   God’s Love, his agape love is a love that is totally selfless.  To love as God loves means to serve others and act in love even if the act does not benefit us in any way. To love as God loves is to love others even if that love is not returned.  Agape love is to love and pray for others even if they attack us. 

In John 13:34-35 Jesus says “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Brothers and sisters, God loves us — all of us — no matter how great our sins, no matter how broken our lives and spirits may be.  The Lord seeks out and loves his lost sheep; those who tend to wander away; those who don’t love him back, those who mock him and even those who do even not know him.

God’s love - His Mercy - His forgiveness is greater than our sins.  If we truly are the children of the loving God, if we truly walk in his image and reflect his love to the world, then our souls and hearts will be filled with his mercy and forgiveness.  It will flow from our hearts into the world and in loving devotion to our Father we will love our neighbor as ourselves no matter how lost or broken or unreasonable or irritating they may be.

I want to tell you about a 4 minute You Tube video I saw.  It was produced by Centerville Community Church in Ohio, USA.  One evening the members of the church went into the streets of the Business District of Dayton, Ohio to asked people on the street one question: “If you could ask God one question what would it be?”  One woman’s answer changed my life.  The interviewer asked her, “If you could ask God one question what would it be?”  Without hesitation she responded, “Why don’t you love me?”  The interviewer was taken back and said to her, “you know God loves your right.”  She looked back with blank eyes and a solemn face, shaking her head she said, “no, no I don’t” and then turned walked away into night.

John Wesley said, "I look upon all the world as my parish."  As children of love we have been commanded to go into the world and bring all people the good news of salvation.  The Good News is that God loves us and wants us back.  Children of love, tell all who will listen that our good shepherd, Jesus stepped down from his throne of glory to sacrifice himself for his sheep and that he still seeks them. Tell them that Jesus is the only way back to the loving arms of our Father.  Tell them God’s love story.  Tell them that GOD LOVES THEM not because they have earned his love or deserve his love but because of who he is and what he has done through Jesus Christ.  Tell them we know we are saved because the Most High God calls himself our Father and calls us his children.  He is faithful and has promised us that he will come get us.  Tell them that is the Good News of Jesus Christ.  

Precious children of God, go out into all the world show them agape love; God’s love so that they will know that all things good or bad in this world will pass away but as 1 Corinthians 13:8 tells us, “God’s Love Never Fails.” God’s love is eternal it never stops no matter what!  God loved us before we were born, he loves us now and he will love us through all eternity.

Mother Teresa said, “Spread the love of God through your life but only use words when necessary.”

Children of God!  Put your love and faith into action!

May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen!

 

“Slain in the Spirit,” not lifted up by God but pushed down by Satan!

Many Christians claim that they are overcome when the Holy Spirit of God rests upon them. They call this being “Slain in the Spirit”. These people fall back or collapse in joyful bliss when they believe that God’s Holy Spirit descends upon them. Some say when they are overcome by the Holy Spirit it causes them to run around frantically, some begin laughing uncontrollably, others convulse, some scream or cry, or roll around on the floor and some may throw themselves over chairs and objects and run into walls. In some services most of the church may engage in this type of behavior at the same time.
 
Brothers and sisters do not be deceived. This is not of God. This behavior is not confirmed in scripture. At best, being slain in the spirit is of man. It is “group hysteria” or a group of individuals feeding off of one another’s emotions causing erratic behavior. At its worst it is a demonic spirit, an antichrist spirit masquerading itself as God and attacking those who are not following the true faith. It is Satan’s version of what it is like to have the Holy Spirit upon you. It is his imitation of the TRUTH.

If you see this happening, PRAY! Pray, because you are witnessing darkness. Pray that God protects you so that it does not come upon you. You are NOT witnessing the work of the Holy Spirit. Protect yourselves and pray.

You have to start reading the bible so that you will know how God interacts with his children. You have to know the true nature of the Lord or you will be deceived and lead astray by Satan and his fallen angels. These people may call themselves Christians. They may go to church and do good works by worldly standards but they have been deceived.

The Lord tells us to “TEST ALL SPIRITS to see if they are from God” (1 John 4:1). Test All Spirits because Satan is going to try lead you away from all that is Godly. This “chaotic” behavior is not of God. Chaos is where Satan dwells. 1 Corinthians 14:33 “God is not a God of disorder but a God of PEACE. “ God tells use repeatedly in scripture that he does things in an orderly fashion. God does not create confusion. He tells us to stay alert and clear headed (self-controlled).

Think of those faithful followers that we read about in the bible. From cover to cover, the Bible never tells us that when man interacts with God or Christ or the Holy Spirit that the faithful of the church have fallen back in a state of euphoria? Can you find a time when any disciple of God ever ran around when they encountered the Spirit of God (The Holy Spirit). NO!! The Apostles never were “slain in the spirit” not even at Pentecost when all the disciples were gathered together and as scripture says, “tongues of fire rested upon them and they were filled with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:1-31  I mean really, if you were going to have a “Slain in the Spirit” moment that would be the time, right?

There are no scriptural references of Abraham or Moses or Daniel or any of the Great Prophets of the Bible being “slain in the spirit”. There are no biblical accounts of anyone being “slain in the spirit” when they met Jesus or when he healed them. This also would be a good time to have that moment of bliss, don’t you think? When God’s Holy Spirit fell upon the Virgin Mary she showed not one sign of being “slain in the spirit”.

Let’s look at a few more examples: Remember whenThe Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus when he was baptized the Spirit descended like a dove.

John 1:32 Then John testified, “I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him (Jesus).

To the Jews the dove is was the symbol of gentleness. When the Holy Spirit rested on Jesus there is no record of the Lord falling back or making noises or shaking.
Ah, now let’s look at a few examples of what happens when demon spirits come upon humankind…

Luke 4:33 In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an evil spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, …

Luke 3:35 “Be quiet!”Jesus said sternly. “Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him.

Mark 9:20 So they brought him (a boy). When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

Remember the bible tells us that there will be many false signs and wonders shown to us in order to deceive us. This is to make us follow false versions of the truth. Remember, what the bible tells us.  Satan wants to be worshipped as God, he is called the "father of lies", he is referred to as a deceiver, we are told that he "prowls around looking for souls to devour".  Satan is not going to be obvious in his attacks agains the children of God.  He is going to present himself in a way that makes us believe we are living holy lives.  Don’t you think Satan just loves it when we think we are worshipping God but we are really worshipping him?  This ticks me off. But many will buy into Satan’s dark imitation of the truth. It feels good. It feels powerful. So we think that it must be from God, right? Stay Awake! Satan will tell you what you want to hear. He will make you feel good. His way will make sense by worldly standards. Stop seeking the world’s version of Christianity, the “feel good” versions of the truth. Remember your faith is about God, it's NOT about you or your feelings or your prosperity in this world.   

Mark 13:22 For false Christ’s (false messiahs, preachers, teachers and false prophets) will rise up and perform signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God's chosen ones.

The Almighty God of the Universe does not interact in ways with his people that create chaos or causes us to lose control. You will not be thrashing about or convulsing on the floor when the Lord comes upon you. You will not roll around laughing. If anything, when his Holy Spirit rest upon you, you will fall down or bow down in fear and awe; in reverence and worship the Holy One at the sight and sound of His magnificent glory. Now that’s in the Bible!!

Today what is practiced as the Holy Spirit resting on us or being “Slain in the Spirit” is simply Satan mocking the Most High God. Don’t let Satan push you around or push you down. Listen to the God of the Bible who doesn’t tell you to fall back in bliss but to “STAND UP for your salvation is near” Luke 21:28 God tells us throughout scripture to STAND FIRM. The Holy Spirit comes to you so that you can stand up and witness to the Truth; to the love, the mercy and glory of the Lord. It is only Satan who wants to “slay your spirit”!!!

I read this on You Tube by an organization called Worlds Last Chance. “We were created in His image (Genesis 1:26) and we should always act that way.