Arnie Manitoba said:
whoever made those videos is twisting things to say what they want
you people are a bunch of suckers
yes you are
What a bigoted comment! Give your head a shake. You people? That is what is known as a shotgun approach. Fire away and maybe some of the pellets will hit the appropriate target.
I, for one, have my roots in the charismatic movement of the 80's. I have seen it all (or close to all), and can tell you that not all that I saw was from God and not all was fake. But as I shared, through the gift of discerning of spirits, I saw things that were being called manifestations that I know were not of the Spirit of God. They had apparently come from the so called "Toronto blessing" phenominon of that day.
The problem with this kind of subject is that for the most part the people involved in these dynamics are real believers, many of whom are Spirit filled. I do not agree with those who say that they can be harmed by these "manifestations". But I do question many of the individual motives for going after these "signs".
Many people go from meeting to meeting looking for a high, or an experience that may heal or change them. In my many years involvement with God and with the church and with the study of His word, it is my observation that these events by and large come and go and fade away, leaving many or most completely unchanged. There is a biblical method to our transformation. If it is too boring for some, then I feel sorry for them.
Before entering onto the faith, I was involved in the drug scene and the party scene, and the rock scene. When I was first filled with the Spirit, I experienced a high like none of my former life had given me. It was clean, and I was in complete control. To this day I can feel the presence of God within me. As far as I am concerned,
many of these so called "manifestations" and experiences are a poor and temporary mimic of the real thing.
However, I have also seen those who were thrown down and knocked out cold. without any idea that this was a possibility. There were no catchers in these cases and the person was unhurt. Do these things happen? I guess so. Do we go out and make them into a public show? To our shame!
The gospel is given to convict a person of sin and cause him to turn to God for forgiveness, with the intention that a relationship with Him will be the outcome. I think with all the hubub of these meetings, and all the wildness and sensationalism surrounding them, the point of the gospel often gets lost in translation. What is it that people are going after anyway? What message are they receiving? We should think about these things.
In my case, when still seeking, In a church service I went up to the front in an alter call, and a little old lady stood in front of me. She looked very dingy and haggard, as it were. Without warning she was thrown back into my arms, and I was flabbergasted that I could not contain her 90 lb. frame, as I was young, tall, and strong back then. She went right through my arms as though I was not even there. She then began writhing and moaning, and several men took her into a back room to pray for her. When I saw her the next week I barely recognized her. Her countenance was completely transformed. I then knew she had been demon possessed and had been delivered. To me this was a confirmation that this was all real and legitimate, and that God was indeed real and powerful.
I share that story from years ago to say that I admit that for some people seeking the truth they may need some evidence that will sway them towards God. That was true in my case. The difference is that this old woman was taken out of the public and dealt with privately. It was not a sensational showcase. It was discreet, orderly, and respectful of both her and of the Holy Spirit. That is the difference.