The Counterfeiting Of Spirit-Filled Christianity

sermonindex Jul 15, 2013

Though God is always working in different ways and with different means, it is still only by the Spirit of God that the Church will grow. Over the past 50 years particularly originating in Western countries there have been such excesses and abuses of what is considered Spirit-filled Christianity that many true believers have been repulsed completely from even seeking the Lord for the true filling of the Spirit. This is not only a tragedy but one of Satan’s tactics to hinder the growth of the true Church of Jesus Christ. The genuine believer should never feel scared to call out to God for fresh infusions of the Spirit of God for service and to foster a dependence on the Holy Spirit of God daily in his life.

We have to remember that Satan is the father of lies. He is a murderer from the beginning and dwells in falsehood.

He never wants the glory to go to Jesus Christ but rather twists the truth and deceives those in the Lord’s work to take glory to themselves.

He is also the master counterfeiter who has been deceiving God’s people since the beginning. He spoke to Eve and deceived her by twisting the truth of God saying: “Has God indeed said?” Such twisting of the truth is his normal activity.

Since the earliest days of the Apostles, even with our Lord Himself there were deceivers and false brethren present. Those who secretly come into God’s flock for personal gain and to infiltrate the liberty of the believers. Betrayers, deceivers, false brethren, false prophets, and those desiring preeminence among the saints. We must have a strong trust in the Lord to see these individuals purged away from the flock of God as believers meet in gatherings under the Headship of Jesus Christ.

from: http://gospelfellowships.net/principles-book/

lovejt Jul 15, 2013

"And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken." (Acts 4:31).

There are many churches where they never pray the kind of prayer that you read of here. A church that does not know how to pray and to shout will never be shaken. If you live in a place like that, you might as well write over the threshold: 'Ichabod"--"The glory has departed from Israel!" (1 Sam 4:21). It is only when men have learned the secret of prayer, power and praise that God comes forth. Some people say, 'Well, i praise God inwardly,' but if there is an abundance of praise in your heart, your mouth cannot help speaking it. The shout cannot come out unless it is within. The inner working of the power of God must come first. It is He who changes the heart and transforms the life. Before there is any real outward evidence, there must be the inflow of divine life. When all the people come and pray and praise as did these early disciples, there will be something happening. People who come will catch fire, and they will want to come again. But they will have no use for a place where everything has become formal, dry, and dead.

The power of Pentecost came to loose men. God wants us to be free. Men and women are tired of imitations; they want reality; they want to see people who have the living Christ within, who are filled with the Holy Spirit power.

Our Christ is risen. He is a living Christ who lives within us. We must not have this truth merely as a theory. Christ must be risen in us by the power of the Spirit. The power that raised Him from the dead must animate us, and as this glorious resurrection power surges through our beings, we will be freed from all our weaknesses. We will 'be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might' (Eph 6:10). There is a resurrection power that God wants you to have and to have today. Why not receive your portion here and now?

I find people who become discouraged even when they are praying simply because they are just breathing sentences without uttering speech. You cannot win the victory that way. You must learn to take the victory and shout in the face of the Devil, 'It is done!" There is no man who can doubt if he learns to shout. When we know how to shout properly, things will be different, and tremendous things will happen. 'They raised their voice to God with One accord' (Acts 4:24). It surely must have been a loud prayer. We must know that God means for us to have life. If there is anything in the world that has life in it, it is this Pentecostal revival we are in.

excerpt from Spirit-Filled Living: Smith Wigglesworth

rufnrust Jul 16, 2013

If our children ask for bread will we give them a stone? Of course not......... If we being evil, give good gifts to our children, how much more will our heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask.

It has often grieved my heart that many motivated by fear are more confident of the enemy's ability to counterfeit than in our loving heavenly Father's sure promise to give us the true and pure.

Ruf