Are they Holy Spirit Manifestations or STRANGE FIRE? Further to our previous post, this is the follow on chapter dealing with Holy Spirit Manifestations and being able to tell the difference between the genuine and the fake.
Many Christians are seeking a fuller relationship with the Lord and are hungering and thirsting for the impartation of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Therefore many will attend conferences and assemblies that focus on ‘Fire Visitations’ that are often named ‘Catch the Fire’ ‘Signs & Wonders’ ‘Fresh Fire’ or similar titles. The ‘Celebrities’ who bring the anointing are very well known amongst Charismatic circles and usually carry a gifting of healing or prophecy and seek to impart that to others. The Apostle Paul mentioned in Romans 1:11, 12
“For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established— that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me” NKJV So it is scriptural that a visiting Christian can bring impartation and up-building to a Church or fellowship of believers, but notice that Paul spoke about both being encouraged in a mutual exchange of faith. Spiritually hungry Christians want to be edified and nourished by the faith of others and this is natural.
They get so hungry for the impartation that they try and seek nourishment from ‘Spiritual Mc-Burger King’ type operations and expect to receive the ‘Mega Meal of the Holy Spirit with double anointing’. Maybe it is because we live in a very ‘instant’ World, where we want instant access to our mobile/cell phone or internet, so we often expect the same from our Church along with the fast food Coffee culture Society. So is it any wonder that Christians now want the quick and easy route to the ‘Spiritual’ blessings that seem to be on offer? The Bible however warns us that our God is a Holy God and expects us to worship him in Spirit and in TRUTH.
But all too often we now see the Holy Spirit portrayed as a giant vending machine who pours out the Holy Spirit in bucket loads. We have been to conferences ourselves where the speaker has ‘thrown’ a bucket of ‘Holy Spirit’ like water over us and got us to do the same to the people sitting near us. It may be fun, but the odd thing about this is that we do not find any reference to this in Gods written word. We are not judging everything that these people do and say; but if it is not Biblical, it is not from the true God. The worrying aspect of much of this teaching is that Christianity is starting to get merged with other ‘spiritual teachings’ that have more to do with New Age than the Bible.
Many Christians have been warning of the links the practices of the Hindu’s with much of what is so called Holy Spirit anointing at many of these FIRE events. Contemplative Prayer (Mediation) is based on Hindu types of Spiritual awareness introduced over the years as a ‘Christian’ version. The Bible says ‘What fellowship does darkness have with LIGHT?’ No wonder Gods people are sick and worn down. Notice the account in Leviticus how the Lord reacts when people disregard his laws regarding Holy Fire Leviticus 10:1
“Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them. So fire went out from the LORD and devoured them, and they died before the LORD”. We have no way of knowing what these two Priests actually did to profane the Holy Place of God, but we can be sure that it was offensive to the true God who wants untarnished exclusive devotion. The fire that they offered was ‘Strange Fire’ and totally unacceptable to our Holy God.
A number of ‘gifted’ personalities amongst the Charismatic movement have been dabbling in the teachings of angels, where they claim to have been told by an angel to do certain things that will bring them wealth and abundant blessings. Some Hyper-Charismatic leaders claim to have been to the third heaven and spoken to the Apostle Paul, Abraham and long dead Revivalist preachers of our modern times. Some from the Prophetic Movement claim that they have had visitations from William Branham, John Wimber, Aimee Semple McPherson, Katherine Kuhlman and others. The Bible clearly tells us in the Old Testament that Communication with the dead is strictly forbidden.
It is Necromancy and is associated with pagan cults and religions. Deuteronomy 18:11 There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritualist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD, and because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you.
As we can see from this section of scripture, talking with the dead is no laughing matter. God does not change and he has never rescinded this command in any part of the New Testament. The account of the transfiguration does not endorse talking with the dead as Jesus would not contradict the written word that condemns this pagan ritual. All Christians who seek contact with the dead - whether through mediums, séances or "prophetic visions" - are taking dangerous steps into Satanism and are making themselves subject to the wrath of God.
Read the account of Saul in 1 Samuel 27: 3-20 who disobediently went to the WITCH of ENDOR and see what happened to him after he enquired of the dead in disobedience to Gods word. Some extreme groups are even simulating the effects of being drugged or intoxicated by the Holy Spirit. Drug addiction is yet another part of sorcery and contact with the demons. We have heard Christians talk about their Spiritual high and that it feels better than drugs.
There is now a Hyper Charismatic group that, ‘preach’ in a very disrespectful manner about the Holy Ghost as they go on stage rolling around with what looks like a marijuana reefer between their fingers and they state that they are ‘Toking the Ghost’ Therefore we need to exercise caution in this area as we can sound just like people in the World. The Apostle Peter warns us in: 1 Peter 4:7 & 17 7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers…..For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? NKJV
Our love for the Lord is not measured by how violently we shake or contort ourselves; or how many times we fall on the floor and writhe around; but by our genuine heart felt desire; to worship him with all of our heart, strength and might.
During 2008 at the Lakeland ‘Revival’ in Florida, a man from Germany went onto the stage and claimed that an angel walked into a restaurant whilst he was eating a hamburger and took out his intestines and replaced them with a gold substance. Others have testified that angels took them to heaven and operated on them (very similar to alien encounters, which are demonic). Also many are claiming that angels are dropping feathers, gold dust and precious gems onto worshippers. Much of this is alchemy and associated with Occult wizardry and witches. Feathers are also used in Occult practices.
Very often the leaders of these events are living sinful lives themselves and yet they and others claim that they carry the anointing from our Holy God. It has even been reported that at a so called "worship concert" one of the musicians simulated a sex act whilst stroking a microphone and whispered sensual phrases to Jesus. What is next on the agenda - orgasmic worship? The ancient Temple was inhabited with male and female prostitutes and that is one of the reasons God brought calamity upon the Nation.
Therefore we really need to be aware of what we get involved with, even within ‘Christian’ groups. Make no mistake; these things are a contamination of what is Holy and Christians who engage in these things are in effect bringing reproach on the Lords name and are continuing in the same sins that the Baal worshippers did in ancient Israel and Canaanite Lands. So in order to get free from all of the forgoing we need to take the important step of renouncing and speaking off the curses imparted.
If we have been involved with any of this type of conduct and are feeling any kind of attack from the enemy, then we need to repent of being involved with strange fire and practices that are not God ordained. Since writing this book we have also come across another sinister practice that has been creeping into the ‘church’ and that is walking the labyrinth. The labyrinth has been touted by a number of churchgoers as a way to get closer to God. This practice is linked to Buddhism and other occult practices that they claim is very enlightening.
It sure is enlightening as it opens the consciousness to New Age practices and contamination by the demonic beings that seek to kill and destroy Gods people. This practice is very dangerous and can bring curses upon the unsuspecting Christian who gets drawn into this walk of death dealing poison. At the end of this chapter you will see a sample prayer of repenting and renouncing of any involvement with ‘strange fire ministries’ or ‘labyrinth walking’ of the type we have just mentioned.
However as some Spirit Filled and Spirit Led Ministries are not contaminated with the excesses of the hyper charismatic ‘strange signs and wonders phenomena’ we need to be careful that we do not denounce true encounters with the Holy Spirit in our zeal to be set free. Therefore we ought to seek the face of the Lord and keep testing the Spirits against the written word of God even before we enter into the area of breaking off curses. If you feel that you may have been to a conference and received some kind of impartation that has not brought you the joy and fulfilment that was promised, but rather you have seen the opposite, then ask the Holy Spirit to show you when and how you became contaminated with a false impartation. You can then seek the Lord and pray the following prayer.
Dear Heavenly Father, I repent of any involvement with any type of ‘Strange Fire Ministries’ that purports to take me into the third heaven and receive impartations from angels, dead prophets or dead relatives; which I now know is necromancy. I totally renounce any practice that is not in harmony with the Holy Spirit and your Holy written Word. Please bestow upon me real Holy Spirit encounters that will release me into the full blessings that you have in store for me. Thank you dear Father, through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour.
Keep on the watch and keep on the narrow way.. Blessings David
Many Christians are seeking a fuller relationship with the Lord and are hungering and thirsting for the impartation of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Therefore many will attend conferences and assemblies that focus on ‘Fire Visitations’ that are often named ‘Catch the Fire’ ‘Signs & Wonders’ ‘Fresh Fire’ or similar titles. The ‘Celebrities’ who bring the anointing are very well known amongst Charismatic circles and usually carry a gifting of healing or prophecy and seek to impart that to others. The Apostle Paul mentioned in Romans 1:11, 12
“For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established— that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me” NKJV So it is scriptural that a visiting Christian can bring impartation and up-building to a Church or fellowship of believers, but notice that Paul spoke about both being encouraged in a mutual exchange of faith. Spiritually hungry Christians want to be edified and nourished by the faith of others and this is natural.
They get so hungry for the impartation that they try and seek nourishment from ‘Spiritual Mc-Burger King’ type operations and expect to receive the ‘Mega Meal of the Holy Spirit with double anointing’. Maybe it is because we live in a very ‘instant’ World, where we want instant access to our mobile/cell phone or internet, so we often expect the same from our Church along with the fast food Coffee culture Society. So is it any wonder that Christians now want the quick and easy route to the ‘Spiritual’ blessings that seem to be on offer? The Bible however warns us that our God is a Holy God and expects us to worship him in Spirit and in TRUTH.
But all too often we now see the Holy Spirit portrayed as a giant vending machine who pours out the Holy Spirit in bucket loads. We have been to conferences ourselves where the speaker has ‘thrown’ a bucket of ‘Holy Spirit’ like water over us and got us to do the same to the people sitting near us. It may be fun, but the odd thing about this is that we do not find any reference to this in Gods written word. We are not judging everything that these people do and say; but if it is not Biblical, it is not from the true God. The worrying aspect of much of this teaching is that Christianity is starting to get merged with other ‘spiritual teachings’ that have more to do with New Age than the Bible.
Many Christians have been warning of the links the practices of the Hindu’s with much of what is so called Holy Spirit anointing at many of these FIRE events. Contemplative Prayer (Mediation) is based on Hindu types of Spiritual awareness introduced over the years as a ‘Christian’ version. The Bible says ‘What fellowship does darkness have with LIGHT?’ No wonder Gods people are sick and worn down. Notice the account in Leviticus how the Lord reacts when people disregard his laws regarding Holy Fire Leviticus 10:1
“Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them. So fire went out from the LORD and devoured them, and they died before the LORD”. We have no way of knowing what these two Priests actually did to profane the Holy Place of God, but we can be sure that it was offensive to the true God who wants untarnished exclusive devotion. The fire that they offered was ‘Strange Fire’ and totally unacceptable to our Holy God.
A number of ‘gifted’ personalities amongst the Charismatic movement have been dabbling in the teachings of angels, where they claim to have been told by an angel to do certain things that will bring them wealth and abundant blessings. Some Hyper-Charismatic leaders claim to have been to the third heaven and spoken to the Apostle Paul, Abraham and long dead Revivalist preachers of our modern times. Some from the Prophetic Movement claim that they have had visitations from William Branham, John Wimber, Aimee Semple McPherson, Katherine Kuhlman and others. The Bible clearly tells us in the Old Testament that Communication with the dead is strictly forbidden.
It is Necromancy and is associated with pagan cults and religions. Deuteronomy 18:11 There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritualist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD, and because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you.
As we can see from this section of scripture, talking with the dead is no laughing matter. God does not change and he has never rescinded this command in any part of the New Testament. The account of the transfiguration does not endorse talking with the dead as Jesus would not contradict the written word that condemns this pagan ritual. All Christians who seek contact with the dead - whether through mediums, séances or "prophetic visions" - are taking dangerous steps into Satanism and are making themselves subject to the wrath of God.
Read the account of Saul in 1 Samuel 27: 3-20 who disobediently went to the WITCH of ENDOR and see what happened to him after he enquired of the dead in disobedience to Gods word. Some extreme groups are even simulating the effects of being drugged or intoxicated by the Holy Spirit. Drug addiction is yet another part of sorcery and contact with the demons. We have heard Christians talk about their Spiritual high and that it feels better than drugs.
There is now a Hyper Charismatic group that, ‘preach’ in a very disrespectful manner about the Holy Ghost as they go on stage rolling around with what looks like a marijuana reefer between their fingers and they state that they are ‘Toking the Ghost’ Therefore we need to exercise caution in this area as we can sound just like people in the World. The Apostle Peter warns us in: 1 Peter 4:7 & 17 7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers…..For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? NKJV
Our love for the Lord is not measured by how violently we shake or contort ourselves; or how many times we fall on the floor and writhe around; but by our genuine heart felt desire; to worship him with all of our heart, strength and might.
During 2008 at the Lakeland ‘Revival’ in Florida, a man from Germany went onto the stage and claimed that an angel walked into a restaurant whilst he was eating a hamburger and took out his intestines and replaced them with a gold substance. Others have testified that angels took them to heaven and operated on them (very similar to alien encounters, which are demonic). Also many are claiming that angels are dropping feathers, gold dust and precious gems onto worshippers. Much of this is alchemy and associated with Occult wizardry and witches. Feathers are also used in Occult practices.
Very often the leaders of these events are living sinful lives themselves and yet they and others claim that they carry the anointing from our Holy God. It has even been reported that at a so called "worship concert" one of the musicians simulated a sex act whilst stroking a microphone and whispered sensual phrases to Jesus. What is next on the agenda - orgasmic worship? The ancient Temple was inhabited with male and female prostitutes and that is one of the reasons God brought calamity upon the Nation.
Therefore we really need to be aware of what we get involved with, even within ‘Christian’ groups. Make no mistake; these things are a contamination of what is Holy and Christians who engage in these things are in effect bringing reproach on the Lords name and are continuing in the same sins that the Baal worshippers did in ancient Israel and Canaanite Lands. So in order to get free from all of the forgoing we need to take the important step of renouncing and speaking off the curses imparted.
If we have been involved with any of this type of conduct and are feeling any kind of attack from the enemy, then we need to repent of being involved with strange fire and practices that are not God ordained. Since writing this book we have also come across another sinister practice that has been creeping into the ‘church’ and that is walking the labyrinth. The labyrinth has been touted by a number of churchgoers as a way to get closer to God. This practice is linked to Buddhism and other occult practices that they claim is very enlightening.
It sure is enlightening as it opens the consciousness to New Age practices and contamination by the demonic beings that seek to kill and destroy Gods people. This practice is very dangerous and can bring curses upon the unsuspecting Christian who gets drawn into this walk of death dealing poison. At the end of this chapter you will see a sample prayer of repenting and renouncing of any involvement with ‘strange fire ministries’ or ‘labyrinth walking’ of the type we have just mentioned.
However as some Spirit Filled and Spirit Led Ministries are not contaminated with the excesses of the hyper charismatic ‘strange signs and wonders phenomena’ we need to be careful that we do not denounce true encounters with the Holy Spirit in our zeal to be set free. Therefore we ought to seek the face of the Lord and keep testing the Spirits against the written word of God even before we enter into the area of breaking off curses. If you feel that you may have been to a conference and received some kind of impartation that has not brought you the joy and fulfilment that was promised, but rather you have seen the opposite, then ask the Holy Spirit to show you when and how you became contaminated with a false impartation. You can then seek the Lord and pray the following prayer.
Dear Heavenly Father, I repent of any involvement with any type of ‘Strange Fire Ministries’ that purports to take me into the third heaven and receive impartations from angels, dead prophets or dead relatives; which I now know is necromancy. I totally renounce any practice that is not in harmony with the Holy Spirit and your Holy written Word. Please bestow upon me real Holy Spirit encounters that will release me into the full blessings that you have in store for me. Thank you dear Father, through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour.
Keep on the watch and keep on the narrow way.. Blessings David
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