Chapter 2

II. Is The Charismatic Treatment Of The Holy Spirit Correct?

1. Acts 5:3,4 says, “But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the ________ __________, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto ______.”

2. Hebrews 9:14 says, “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the ______________ ____________ offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”

Note: Alfred H. Pohl tells in his book, “17 Reasons Why I Left The Tongues Movement,” “IN THEORY and in our articles of faith we subscribed to the personality of the Holy Spirit, yet IN PRACTICE we looked upon Him largely as a ‘Power’ or an ‘impersonal force.’ One of the main reasons for this was our emphasis on experience.

The Holy Spirit ‘fulness’ became a desirable experience. We became more occupied with THE GIFT than with THE GIVER. This appears in the oft repeated phrase, ‘Have you got IT?’” (bold letters added for emphasis) (17 Reasons Why I Left The Tongues Movement, by Alfred H. Pohl)

Normally, a church fails in PRACTICE before it fails

in DOCTRINE. If a church continues to disobey

something which the Bible clearly teaches,

then that church will eventually change

its doctrine to match its way of life.

Note: Most leaders in the charismatic movement will still maintain that the Holy Spirit is God, and that the Bible is their final authority (many even claim to hold to the King James Version of the Bible). But those are just EMPTY WORDS. That is what they SAY they believe, but that is not at all what they really PRACTICE. Because when you show them from the Bible where their experiences do not match up with what the Bible teaches, they finally say in frustration, “I don’t know about what that says (the Bible), BUT I KNOW WHAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED!”

3. James 1:22 says, “But be ye __________ of the word, and not ______________ only, __________________ your own selves.”

4. Notice the downward spiral in Mark 7:7-9, “Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for __________________ the commandments of ______. For laying __________ the commandment of ______, ye ________ the tradition of ______, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye ____________ the commandment of ______, that ye may ________ your ______ tradition.”

Note: If you place the teaching of man on the same level as the Bible, you will eventually set aside the Bible, and will follow what man says. That is exactly what the Charismatic Movement has done with the matter of man’s experiences.

 

The final authority in the Charismatic Movement

today is not the Bible, it is their experiences.

Charismatics, when confronted with Bible doctrine

that shows the errors of their movement, will reply,

“I do not know about that (what the Bible teaches),

but I know what I have experienced!”

Note: If you have talked to many Charismatics at all, then you know that the above statement is exactly the response that you get from them. They are testifying right there that their experiences are really their final authority, not the Bible.

 

If their experiences seem to disagree with the Scripture,

then they stick with their experiences. In their minds

and lives, their experiences are more sure

than anything — even than the Bible.

A. The Charismatics treat the Holy Spirit more like a “force,” than like God Almighty, as the Bible teaches that He is.

B. The Charismatics teach that the Holy Spirit is received sometime “after” salvation; instead of what the Bible teaches, that the Holy Spirit is received by every Christian at the moment of salvation.

1. Romans 8:9 says, “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have ______ the ____________ of Christ, he is ________ of his.”

The Bible is very clear that if a person does not have

the Spirit of God, then that person does not belong

to Christ — that person is not saved.

Note: The error of the Charismatics is that they build their doctrine of the Holy Spirit on transitional passages in the Book of Acts. Passages that are describing changes between the Old and New Testaments.

2. Luke 16:16 tells us, “The law and the prophets were until ________: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.”

Note: In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit came upon believers — but He did not indwell them.

3. I Samuel 16:13,14 show us, “Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the ____________ of the LORD came ________ David from that day ______________. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah. But the ____________ of the LORD ________________ from Saul.”

Note: You will notice that the Holy Spirit came upon believers in the Old Testament, but He did not necessarily stay upon them. In David’s case, He did; but not so with King Saul.

The Book of Acts becomes a transition between the Old and New Testaments, in regard to the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

4. In Acts 8:12-17, we see a good illustration of the transition period: “But when they ________________ Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done. Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might ________________ the _________ __________: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then ________ they their __________ on them, and they ________________ the Holy Ghost.”

Note: Laying hands on people was not the only way that people received the Holy Spirit in the Book of Acts. Notice the next passage.

5. Acts 10:42-48 says, “And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. While Peter yet __________ these words, the ________ __________ fell on ______ them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have ________________ the ________ __________ as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.”

Note: Jesus explained to the disciples what the changes would be in His ministry, and in the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

6. John 14:16,17 says, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may __________ with ______ for ________; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth ________ you, and __________ be ____ you.”

Jesus gave His disciples the clear word that

the Holy Spirit was WITH them, but in the future,

after He left, the Holy Spirit would be IN them.

Note: Jesus also made it very clear in those verses that the Holy Spirit would abide with them forever. He would no longer just come upon them for service, and then possibly leave again; but He would indwell them and never leave them.

 

When the transition of ministries was completed, the

Holy Spirit would indwell believers at the moment

of salvation, and would never leave them.

7. I Corinthians 6:19 says, “What? know ye not that your ________ is the ____________ of the ________ __________ which is ____ you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?”

8. I Corninthians 12:13 says, “For by one ____________ are we ______ baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been ______ made to drink into one ____________.”

B. The Charismatics teach that the Holy Spirit is received sometime “after” salvation; instead of what the Bible teaches, that the Holy Spirit is received by every Christian at the moment of salvation.

C. The Charismatics teach a doctrine of the Holy Spirit that causes a Christian to “imitate” sin; instead of what the Bible really teaches, that the Holy Spirit leads a Christian to true holiness, and to be “separate” from sin.

1. Ephesians 5:17, 18 says, “Wherefore be ye not ____________, but __________________________ what the will of the Lord is. And be not __________ with wine, wherein is excess; but be ____________ with the Spirit.”

The Charismatics are not obeying this Bible principle,

but are openly encouraging the imitation

and appearance of sin.

Note: A father of this movement, Rodney Howard-Browne, calls himself the “Holy Spirit bartender.” One of the current headquarters for this “revival” is the Brownsville Assembly of God, in Pensacola, Florida. John Kilpatrick is the pastor (when this research was done).

 

“Speaking before a meeting of the Peninsula Florida

District of the Assemblies of God in November 1996,

Kilpatrick testified that he has been so ‘drunk in the spirit’

that he has run his automobile into that of his youth pastor,

and that he has hit many garbage cans which were sitting

on the curb of the road. He said that his wife has been

so drunk (in the spirit) that she couldn’t cook.”

He has been so deep in his drunken stupors that he has had to be taken from the service in a wheel chair." (The Inkhorn, January 1997). (July 13, 1997 David W. Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061-0368, fbns@wayoflife.org)

At a Kenneth Hagin Holy Ghost Meeting, it was reported that he “Began to argue that one of the demonstrations of the Spirit is drunkenness.”

 

“At that point he (Kenneth Hagin) stopped preaching,

and for about 25 minutes he staggered about, laughing,

blowing on people, waving his arms at people,

and otherwise acting drunken. He repeatedly

tried to speak, but was unable to do so.

Large numbers of people in the crowd also began

to laugh loudly and some fell to the floor or staggered

about and acted foolishly like drunks.”

Women fell to the floor in all sorts of compromising positions and had to be covered with the assistance of ladies who are assigned that task.” (October 4, 1998, David W. Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061-0368, fbns@wayoflife.org)

 

The Holy Spirit is NOT given to Christians so that

they can imitate the sin of this world. The Holy Spirit

is given to the Christian so that he might have the

power to live differently than this sinful world.

2. I Thessalonians 5:22 says, “Abstain from all ____________________ of ________.”

3. I Corinthians 6:9,10 tells us, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall ______ inherit the ______________ of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor __________________, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”

The Bible clearly says that the drunkard is not going

to heaven, unless he gets saved. How would it then

be of God to imitate a person who is not going

to heaven? How could the Holy Spirit possibly cause

a person to imitate a very unholy thing?

4. Proverbs 20:1 says, “Wine is a ____________, strong drink is ____________: and whosoever is deceived thereby is ______ ________.”

Alcoholic drinks mock  a person; that is, it makes a fool

out of him/her. Is it the purpose of the Holy Spirit

to make fools out of Christians? Is it His purpose

to mock the children of God?

5. John 14:16,17 says, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another __________________, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the ____________ of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”

The Holy Spirit is given to believers as a “Comforter.”

Do you feel comforted  when you are made to look

like a fool in front of a crowd of people?

No, what you feel is betrayed  by such a person.

The Holy Spirit has come to comfort and strengthen us

that we might live holy lives — not to mock us by causing

us to act like sinful fools. The Holy Spirit never

encourages sinful behavior or the imitation of it,

but convicts us of such behavior.

6. I Timothy 3:15 says, “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to ____________ thyself in the __________ of God, which is the ____________ of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”

7. I Corinthians 14:33 says, “For God is ______ the author of __________________, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.”

8. Proverbs 24:9 says, “The thought of ______________________ is ______: and the scorner is an abomination to men.”

9. It is interesting that in Leviticus 19:30,31 we read, “Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and __________________ my __________________: I am the LORD. Regard ______ them that have familiar ______________, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.”

It is interesting to note that God’s people were told to

reverence His sanctuary, and then told not to regard

familiar spirits. In the Charismatic Movement, we are

seeing very irreverent behavior displayed and imitated

in God’s house: drunkenness, foolishness, immodesty,

and confusion. They claim to be doing all of this in the

name of the Holy Spirit. But the Holy Spirit never

produces unholy behavior. There is a spirit involved

in such confusion, but it is NOT the Holy Spirit.

10. Some try to find a scriptural basis for such foolishness in Acts 2:13-15, “Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine. But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are ______ ______________, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.”

The reason that some were saying the disciples were

that they were speaking. It was THE LANGUAGE FACTOR

ONLY as the basis of the accusation. The disciples were not

swaggering around acting drunk. The disciples were not

blowing upon people and seeing them fall down.

play it up big, and act even more drunk and foolish.

Note: What kind of a Christian testimony is it to be acting so drunk, that you smash into other Christian’s cars, or into garbage cans up on the sidewalk? Is that a good way to win your local policeman to the Lord? Do you think that is a good way to win your insurance agent to the Lord? If that is an experience highly regarded and sought after by Christians, then pretty soon agents will have to ask if people are Christians when they apply for insurance, because their rates will be much higher than those who are not even saved!

What kind of a Christian testimony is it to be acting so drunk that you cannot even cook? That sounds like a good way to get burnt very seriously, or to burn down the house. Does that sound like a good testimony for Christians to have? If that is the normal way for spiritual Christians to act, then their health and house insurance will also go up higher!

C. The Charismatics teach a doctrine of the Holy Spirit that causes a Christian to “imitate” sin; instead of what the Bible really teaches, that the Holy Spirit leads a Christian to true holiness, and to be separate from sin.

D. The Charismatics teach a doctrine called “being slain in the Spirit,” that is contrary to what the Bible teaches.

Note: The Charismatic definition of being “slain in the Spirit,” usually refers to “being knocked down” (supposedly, by the Holy Spirit). They testify that this happens to them when someone who is filled with the Holy Spirit, touches them; blows upon them; looks at them; when they hear certain music being played; etc.

 

The phrase “slain in the Spirit”

close to referring to “being slain in the Spirit.”

Illustration: One woman on the inside of the Charismatic Movement gives firsthand accounts of people laying on the floor for hours, unable to get up; people in dazed, woozy conditions; people with heads shaking and jerking uncontrollably; and “waves of something” hitting them. She described people being “slain in the Spirit” in the hallways, and she mentioned that they began to deeply “wail.” (Brownsville Revival: An Insider’s Report, Excerpts by insider Cathy Wood; Reporting by Dr. Ralph Colas, ACCC, P.O. Box 5455, Bethlehem, PA 18015. Calvary Contender, October 15, 1998).

Note: Is wailing something that people who are filled with the Holy Spirit do? The word “wailing” occurs in only 4 verses in the New Testament.

1. Matthew 13:41,42 says, “The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be ______________ and gnashing of teeth.”

2. Matthew 13:49,50 says, “So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be ______________ and gnashing of teeth.”

3. Revelation 18:15-19 says, “The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and ______________, And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and ______________, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.”

In the New Testament, the word “wailing” is only

filled with the Holy Spirit.

Illustration: The previously mentioned article also describes a person’s first-hand account of being “slain in the Spirit.”

 

“It was like a bolt of lightning hit me. I hit the wall,

...my head would jerk…”

“I was being filled with a fresh anointing of the Holy Ghost.” (Brownsville Revival: An Insider’s Report, Excerpts by insider Cathy Wood; Report by Dr. Ralph Colas, ACCC, P.O. Box 5455, Bethlehem, PA 18015. Calvary Contender, October 15, 1998).

Note: Another personal account, found at (http://www.tcsn.net/fbchurch/fbcpensa.htm), says,

 

“Children in the auditorium who usually could not sit

There's kids, moms and dads, on the floor.”

“‘God sent pandemonium in the church,’ he said.” (http://www.tcsn.net/fbchurch/fbcpensa.htm)

Note: The dictionary defines the word “pandemonium” as “hell; a wild uproar, tumult; the capital of Hell in Milton’s Paradise Lost.” (Merriam Webster’s Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary)

 

“Wailing” is not one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

The word “demon.”

5. In Matthew 17:14-18, it was a demon or devil that was causing such actions. “And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is a ______________, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he ______________ into the fire, and oft into the water. And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. And Jesus rebuked the __________; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.”

6. Mark 9:20-27 reinforces that scene. “And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the ____________ tare him; and he ________ on the ground, and wallowed foaming. And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. And the ____________ cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one ________; insomuch that many said, He is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.”

When the Charismatics touch  someone,

they GOT UP, or were healed.

Note: The word touch appears 48 times in the Bible, and the word touched appears 49 times.

7. Matthew 17:4-7 says, “Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. And Jesus came and ______________ them, and said, __________, and be not afraid.”

When the disciples were afraid, they fell on their faces.

and told them to arise!

8. Mark 7:32-35 says, “And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him. And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and ______________ his tongue; And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake __________.”

The Lord touched this man, and caused him to

experiences do not match up with the Bible,

they still follow their experiences.

Note: The second thing that amazed Kilpatrick was the large quantity of unsaved, rebellious youth attending the church service. He described immorally active, drug addicted, wild, scantily clad teenagers who would fall to the floor, shaking under the "power of the Holy Ghost." He said he became aware that an individual did not have to be saved in order to be a part of the "manifestations" of the Holy Spirit. He mentioned that many of the people in the audience who were experiencing the supernatural manifestations were not even Christians. (http://www.tcsn.net/fbchurch/fbcpensa.htm)

9. John 14:17 says, “Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world ___________ ______________, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”

The Bible clearly says that the world cannot

He has chosen experience as his final authority.

10. Micah 2:11 is an interesting verse about “being in the spirit.” “If a man walking in the ____________spirit and __________________ do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of ________ and of ____________ drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.”

Notice how the people were willing to accept those

plain teaching of God’s Word.

11. John 17:17 says, “Sanctify them through thy ___________: thy ________ is truth.”

12. Isaiah 8:20 says, “To the law and to the __________________: if they speak not according to this _______, it is because there is ____ __________ in them.”

Note: The Bible is very clear that if someone speaks or teaches contrary to God’s Word, then there is “no light” in that person. That person is not leading you to the truth and to the light, but to error and darkness. We have already seen how the Charismatics repeatedly reject the clear teaching of God’s Word, and follow their own experiences. That tells us that they are leading people to darkness, and not to light.

13. II Corinthians 11:13-15 says, “For such are __________ apostles, __________________ workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for __________ himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”

The common descriptions and accounts of people

people could display the same characteristics.

REVIEW:

1. The Charismatics treat the Holy Spirit more like a “__________,” than like God Almighty, as the Bible teaches that He is.

2. The final authority in the Charismatic Movement today is not the Bible, it is their own ______________________. Charismatics, when confronted with Bible doctrine that shows the errors of their movement, will reply, “I do not know about that (what the Bible teaches), but I know what I have ______________________!”

3. The Charismatics teach that the Holy Spirit is received sometime __________ salvation; instead of what the Bible teaches, that the Holy Spirit is received by every Christian at the ____________ of salvation.

4. Romans 8:9 says, “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have ______ the ____________ of Christ, he is ________ of his.”

5. The Charismatics teach a doctrine of the Holy Spirit that causes a Christian to “______________” sin; instead of what the Bible really teaches, that the Holy Spirit leads a Christian to true holiness, and to be “________________” from sin.

6. Ephesians 5:17, 18 says, “Wherefore be ye not ____________, but __________________________ what the will of the Lord is. And be not __________ with wine, wherein is excess; but be ____________ with the Spirit.”

7. The Bible clearly says that the drunkard is not going to heaven, unless he gets saved. How would it then be of God to ______________ a person who is not going to heaven? How could the Holy Spirit possibly cause a person to imitate a very unholy thing?

8. Proverbs 24:9 says, “The thought of ______________________ is ______: and the scorner is an abomination to men.”

9. It is interesting to note that God’s people were told to __________________ His sanctuary, and then told not to regard familiar spirits. In the Charismatic Movement, we are seeing very irreverent behavior displayed and imitated in God’s house: drunkenness, foolishness, immodesty, and confusion. They claim to be doing all of this in the name of the Holy Spirit. But the Holy Spirit never produces ____________ behavior. There is another spirit involved in such confusion, but it is not the Holy Spirit.

10. In the New Testament, the word “wailing” is only associated with people who are cast into ________, or with people who have everything invested in this life and have lost it.

11. The dictionary defines the word “pandemonium” as “________; a wild uproar, tumult; the capital of Hell in Milton’s Paradise Lost” (Merriam Webster’s Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary).

12. The Lord touched this man (in Mark 7:32-35), and caused him to be able to speak ______________. But when the Charismatic preachers claim to be touched by the power of God, they seem to have slurred speech, or cannot talk at all for some time. Their experience is ________________ to what we see in the Bible.

13. Isaiah 8:20 says, “To the law and to the __________________: if they speak not according to this _______, it is because there is ____ __________ in them.”

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