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Who is the Wicket Keeper?
Who is playing in the slips today and who is the wicket keeper? Is the wicket keeper's arm long enough to catch those who fall? Ok you're probably wondering where this is going as I'm not in to cricket but I am using this as an illustration to make an important point.
Let me get this straight. I'm not a cessationist and I do believe that all the gifts of the Spirit are relevant for today. We certainly shouldn't quench the Holy Spirit (1 Thess 5v19) but we must test the spirits whether they are of God (1 John 4v1). We must follow Biblical guidelines though. Tongues are primarily a sign gift to convince those who are non believers and prophesying is not for unbelievers but for believers (see 1 Cor 14v22) Also tongues should be interpreted!
So we go to worship meetings, people get zapped and supposedly fall backwards by the power of the Spirit, but are graciously caught by the fielders who are on standby to make sure that they don't sustain any lasting injuries! If the Holy Spirit does send us onto our backs can He not catch us, or has His arm been shortened recently? I wonder what Jeremiah might have said? 'Ah Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You.' (Jer 32v17) Is there a lack of trust or a concern there may be a few bruises the next morning?
In Scripture I haven't yet found a single example of a person slain in the Spirit and then fallen onto their backs. There's several examples of people falling on their face at the glory of God and they weren't caught! I'm not saying that God cannot knock someone on their back, but it is worrying that there is no Scriptural precedent for the same! I wonder if the accompanying hype was reduced and the fielders went back to their seats outside the boundaries how many people would be indulging in carpet time!
When Jesus was betrayed and arrested at Gethsemane, Jesus revealed who He was saying 'I am He, they drew back and fell to the ground' (John 18v6) but the troops, officers, priests and pharisees obviously weren't filled with the Spirit on that occasion!
So what am I saying. We should be open to the Holy Spirit, not open to suggestion! I'm not aware of much holy laughing or animal noises in Scripture! Scripture is authored by the Holy Spirit and is of no private interpretation (2 Peter 1v21) and John 16v13 tells us that the Spirit 'will guide us into all truth'. That helps me sleep at night because I know that the Holy Spirit will not lead me into confusion or fear, but will guide me into all truth! We need to examine the root and fruit of these phenomena and I believe that in the church today there is a blend of both the genuine and the counterfeit and furthermore the Bible teaches that too!
How do we spot the counterfeit. Well in the Bank of England the people that produce the notes study the real thing in great detail so they can spot the fake. By spending our time knowing Jesus who is the the way, the truth and the life and knowing His word, we will know when someone or something is fake and we'll spot it a mile off. Jesus warned of wolves in sheep's clothing (Matt 7v15) and Peter reminds us that there will be false teachers among the believers (2 Peter 2v1). Being led by the Spirit does not mean anything we can't explain, that happens in church, must be attributed to the Spirit, as we are called to test the spirits to determine whether they be of God!
God's arm has not been shortened, He preserves us, upholds us and guides us by His Spirit and His Son encamps around all those who fear Him! Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever! Amen! |
