The seven sons of Sceva were all about the show. The pomp and circumstance. The bravado and drama. But they were trying to command demons in the name of Jesus without being grounded in His Word. Without being in relationship with Him. Repeating His name is not some trick that forces demons to flee. It is a painful lesson the seven sons had to learn the hard way. I see some of the shenanigans going on at places like Bethel and can only imagine the evil spirits they invite into their church and into their lives. Do you think the Holy Spirit makes people roll around on the ground and laugh uncontrollably? Bethel runs a school for the supernatural to teach the gifts of the Spirit. They seemingly allow anyone to come up and "prophesy" over the congregation. They routinely invite everyone to lay hands on each other. These are frightening in their stupidity and disrespect for the spiritual war we are in. Considering the Bible says that the Spirit decides who gets which gifts and when, the entire premise is dangerously close to blaspheming the Holy Ghost. The experiential Christian talks a lot about the Holy Spirit without truly understanding who He is.
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. - John 16: 13-15 (ESV)
The object of the Holy Spirit is not to give you goose bumps and butterflies in your stomach. It is not to knock a congregation on its collective backside. He is not a magician here to convince people to give Jesus a try, as the "Holy Ghost" movie continually implies. One of the primary functions is to lead believers into all truth. What is the truth being referred to here? Scripture. That pesky little box experiential Christians keep trying to malign. When they say they want "no limits" what they mean is they want "no rules." When there are no rules, we can make it up as we go along. Bill Johnson can pretend there are angel feathers falling in his sanctuary. Kim Walker-Smith can pretend she has visited heaven. Joseph Prince can pretend that he gets direct revelation from God. Todd Bentley can pretend that the Holy Spirit instructs him to punch people in the stomach and kick people in the face. Mike Bickle can teach kids that Jesus is their lover. When you are not bound by the pesky little box known as Scripture, you can say just about anything and get away with it.
"The feathers are often caught by people and saved. The gold dust is so small - much smaller than glitter. It's tough to collect. Although I've seen it accumulate on clothing, shoes, etc. The gems are kept by those who find them." - Bill Johnson
In experiential Christianity this is all cause for celebration but when the Bible is held up to it, it simply does not pass the smell test. If your only argument is "God could do it" then you have no argument at all. Which brings us to our key verses for today. We must remember beloved, the predictions of the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. In these last day there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions. A scoffer is someone who mocks. Someone who calls people a Pharisee for example for merely insisting on biblical accuracy. Someone who accuses you of trying to put God in a box for simply insisting on biblical accuracy. They follow their ungodly passions. Such as supernatural manifestations that are not recorded in Scripture. To draw glory away from Christ. Make no mistake about it beloved. Regardless of whether they sit in a church and wrap themselves up in the name of Jesus - they are worldly people. Watch that Holy Ghost movie and you will see utter carnality on display and presented as if it is godly.
What do these worldly people seek to do? To cause division. There was one underlying message throughout the Holy Ghost movie. That message is that church sucks but their way is a direct relationship with God. If you listen to the Bill Johnson's and Mike Bickle's of the world - the message is the same. They have it all figured out and those that disagree are somehow limiting God. Joseph Prince has preached that those that follow his hyper grace heresy are the last generation before the rapture. The Benjamin Generation that will receive five times as much blessings and anointings as everyone else. Ironically, those that adhere to this Gnosticism are devoid of the Holy Spirit they claim to be following. They cannot discern between spirits because they have abandoned Scripture as their plumb line. Instead, whatever feels right is the new authority and damn anyone who dares to question it.
In closing it is important to realize that this is not speaking against a true move of the supernatural Spirit. I have seen God move. I have seen miracles and people healed. The difference however is that every move of the Spirit must remain true to Scripture. God cannot deny Himself.
The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him;if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us;if we are faithless, he remains faithful--for he cannot deny himself. - 2Timothy 2: 11-13 (ESV)
Beloved, Scripture does not place God in a box. It ensures that what we are experiencing is actually from God. We need to be on guard against this infiltration of experiential Christianity within the body of Christ. It invites in new age dogma, eastern mysticism, and exposes us to the darkness of the spiritual war we wage. Do not so casually toss aside the Word of God, which protects us and guides us:
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. - Hebrews 4: 12 (ESV)
The Bible discerns the thoughts and intentions of our hearts beloved. It is not some archaic set of rules. It is an indispensable bastion of all that is true. Our thoughts and intentions? Not so much. Do you want to know how nonsense like the Toronto Holy Laughter debacle happen? Or the false revivals at Lakeland and Brownsville? Or the heretical bridal paradigm at IHOP? Or the school of the supernatural at Bethel? Or the grave sucking anointing of Crowder? Or the fire tunnels of Jesus Culture? Or the disjointed false prophecies of the New Apostolic Reformation? Or the toking in the Holy Ghost nonsense? Or the Holy Ghost bartender theology? Or heretical movies such as "Holy Ghost?" How does all of this manage to happen right within the body of Christ? By accepting what we feel over what we know. By pursuing experience over doctrine. Do not fall for the persistent drum beat and calls for a shift in the rain. Do not fall for people being taught the gifts which the Bible says He distributes as He wills. Always make sure that experience stays true to the plumb line that is the Word of God.
Reverend Anthony Wade - September 21, 2014
