CHAPTER 3-
False spirits and experiences
False spirits can provide feelings and experiences. Most revivals seem
to be followed by the same problems: religious zeal and fanaticism. This means
that people are eager, judgemental, and talk a lot about their experiences, but
the fruit of their life is not good in the long term. Many of them are not even
born again. Such stray souls may visit a congregation, speak about their
experiences and feelings, but they also do extreme things. Since there is no
humility and balance in their lives, they cause division and confusion and turn
many people away from God. This is a common result because it is not always
easy for people to distinguish genuine activity from false.
The quote below about Orivesi
Revival in Finland in the 18th century describes well how people can
be led astray. The revival was genuinely of God but the enemy came and sowed
tares among the wheat (Matt 13:25: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the
wheat, and went his way.). Some people were misled by false spirits.
1. Lord the Christ has an enemy, the prince of
darkness, who cunningly lets people believe that they are building the Lord’s
congregation. Henrik Erkinpoika Eerola was a medium of evil.
2. A power that cannot be seen from the outside
encourages people, teases them, corrupts their minds, sometimes speaks like
Lord the Christ or an angel and sometimes entices them as the father of
darkness.
3. Christians burning in spirit are rare. The
external signs are usually expressions of natural man, not of faith. If they
are tested, it can be seen that they are products of humans or caused by mental
illness.
4. If a revival is strong, the awakened souls
will be distraught and may fall into the temptation of ecstasy. Teachers of a
congregation need to be careful to be able to help such people. If a revival
turns into ecstasy, the teacher of the congregation is in trouble. The teacher
should be like a burn-beater, using fire to make the ground fertile. Sometimes
the fire gets out of hand and races into the forest. This is because a
dangerous outside fire has spread to burn more than was intended. This is what
happened to me. I rejoiced in the beginning of the revival but not at the end.
The damage would not have occurred if my fellow priest had been careful.
5. When the fervour dies down, you are left with
people whose souls and bodies are hurt – particularly the people who are easily
ignited in mind and soul, and whose feelings quickly change from anger to
sorrow to joy to fear to hope, falter between the spiritual and the carnal.
Utter’s supporters thought that once having received the Spirit of God, a
person was no longer in his own control – this meant that everything was good,
even if it was madness. Certain fervour may be good, provided that the person
keeps it in reign, it comes from the word of God, it listens to reason and it
follows the right path.
6. There are many broken hearts and humble
Christians who fear God and love His word among those who were heart by the
Word. There are many who are much worse than before, who are full of spiritual
pride, who think that they are gods in human form and who think that they have
the right to do anything they like in the name of spirituality. This causes
some of them to do coarse and visible acts of the flesh. When their fervour
ends, they become liberal, atheist even. If a person makes himself a god, what
else could you call it than atheism?
7. When a revival is influencing people, nothing
is as bad as disputes among teachers. They should be the persons who keep the
newly awakened in check when one among them wants to rule others and others
claim that some people have not turned to God. With such accusations, people
who consider themselves most pious can crush the holiest and humbles. People
are divided into two groups: the bad and the good. This is not the way to build
a congregation of God; in such a situation, godlessness will win. I hoped that
I would never have to experience such dispersion – but that was what happened.
I have already noted that if the dangerous fire had not been kept in check, it
would have led to major madness. (16)
HAS ANY CHANGE OCCURRED?
People misled by false spirits may fervently talk about their
experiences. They may talk about their visions, about how Christ came to them
and about their religious feelings. All of these may be good experiences as
such if they truly are of God, but it is also possible that the experiences
came from Satan. Jonathan Edwards wrote in his book The Experience that Counts that this was what happened during the
great revival in the 18th century.
Next, we will study some
points that need to be considered when assessing all spiritual activities.
Let’s start with teachings.
Are the lessons correct? Lessons must be
evaluated. Are the things being taught in line with the Bible and do they focus
on Jesus Christ and not people? If the lessons are of God, they will lead
people to freedom in Christ and cause them to seek God and His will.
Fruits
- (Matt 7:15-20) Beware of false prophets,
which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16 You shall know them by their fruits. Do men
gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit;
but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither
can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that brings not forth good fruit is hewn
down, and cast into the fire.
20 Why by their fruits you shall
know them.
Another way to assess people is to look at the spiritual fruits that are
being produced. There are no verses telling us that visions of Christ, fervour,
state of rapture, talking about spiritual things or religious experiences are
sure signs of conversion. We can deduce something about the quality of the
fruits being produced, however. If a fruit is good and a person continuously
changes for the better, that is a good sign. It proves the presence of a living
faith much more surely than experiences, visions, boisterous fervour or
descriptions of one’s spirituality.
Self-satisfied thinking (a
deceived person may make a huge fuss over his or her own humility, sinfulness,
love of Christ or closeness to God) or selfish, envious, quarrelling and angry
spirit clearly prove that the person is not influenced by God. These are sins we may all commit but the
question is, into which direction are we changing?
Wisdom coming from above is pure, peaceable, gentle, full of
mercy and it produces good fruits; if no change into this direction is
evident even after years have passed, then we should ask ourselves whether the
person has actually been saved. If there is seen no Christian humility, peace
and love and the person brags about his or her spiritual experiences, then we
should question his experiences.
- (James 3:14-17) But if you have bitter
envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
15 This wisdom descends not from above, but is
earthly, sensual, devilish.
16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion
and every evil work.
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle,
and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without
partiality, and without hypocrisy.
- (Gal 5:22,23) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
long-suffering, gentleness, goodness,
faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against
such there is no law.
Yonggi Cho wrote about this same thing. If a person is bitter, fiery and
judgmental or if the person boasts about him/herself or his/her spirituality,
God has probably not yet touched the person’s life.
If a person who claims to have received the gift
of the Holy Spirit does nothing other than threaten and blackmail others, if
the person curses and uses insulting language without hesitation, we must be
careful.
A
sister who claimed that she had received the Holy Spirit travelled in a cloud
of horror instead of love and peace. If someone corrected her, she cursed. How
could God's Holy Spirit, a humble and gentle spirit, live in a person who uses
such words?
How could a person (who claims to speak for the Holy Spirit and
claims that she has received a special blessing) knock on the doors of people
who believe, whisper slander about other members of the congregation into their
ears and unscrupulously demand payment in return for silence? (17)
Testing spirits
- (1 John 4:1-3) Beloved, believe not every
spirit, but try the spirits whether
they are of God: because many false prophets are gone
out into the world.
2 Hereby know you the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that
Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
3 And every
spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and
this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof you have heard that it should come;
and even now already is it in the world.
One way to see whether or not some action is or is not from God is to
test the spirits. This is a lesson we rarely apply. Only a few of us have
experience in testing spirits. However, the Bible teaches us about testing
spirits. Sometimes doctrine may seem right and you cannot draw major
conclusions about the person’s fruit right away. Anyone can test the spirits
thought to be influencing an activity, however. We can ask "Is Jesus Christ (the Messiah), who came in the flesh, who is God
Almighty, who died on the cross and rose from the tomb on the third day and now
sits on the right side of the Father God, is this Jesus Christ their
Lord?" If the answer we receive is
“no” or the answer is vague, it is a bad spirit.
Donald Gee described his
experiences during the early stages of the Pentecostal Movement:
There is a way to test it. I
have seen it time and time again. When phenomena of the spirit have come forth
through a person and we have asked whether or not the phenomena are of God, we
have turned to the person while the person was influenced by the outside force
and said to the spirit, “Has Jesus Christ become flesh?” Sometimes the answer
given by the person is remarkable. A bad spirit never gives a clear answer to
this question. Even though I believe that this is the right way to test a
spirit, I want to point out that we must be very careful in this procedure.
(18)
Advice from
others. One way to avoid mistakes is accept advice from others. If a person
does not want to listen to what others have to say, then they will soon make
mistakes. .
Many people who have been
influenced by false spirits are completely sure that they are right; they
believe that God came to them and that they have a special direct connection to
Him, even though others can plainly see the conflicts in their lives. They are not
ready to listen to others, which leads them astray.
The following description of a
meeting illustrates this. All phenomena observed in meetings are not of God;
they may be from humans or the devil and they should not be allowed. For
example, Kathryn Kuhlman removed all fanatical activities and disturbing
phenomena from her meetings. Yet, the Holy Spirit powerfully influenced in
those meetings.
Michael Howard described how
he addressed such a situation and the person’s humble reaction to his advice:
If people refuse to be taught and corrected in
the spirit of humility, they should be reprimanded. (...) Once in a conference,
I looked in horror at what a woman did. She rose and started to squirm in a very
sensuous way, like an Egyptian belly dancer. Each and every one of her
movements was demonic and an abomination to the Lord and the service in
progress. I expected one of the congregation’s leaders to rectify her actions,
which were clearly inappropriate, but the rectification never came. Finally, I
marched to the young woman and told her, “Stop that stupid wiggling right away
and sit down.” She shook her head. She was clearly in a demonic ecstasy.
However, when she was spoken to, she immediately returned to the here and now
and humbly sat down. Everybody was extremely relieved about my actions.
Unfortunately, the leaders are more ready to eliminate entire procedures than
reprimanding a single person for fear of hurting the person in question. If
such a person is hurt because somebody tells them what they should do as told
by the Bible, it is bad because such a reprimand is fully justified and in line
with God’s order. (19)
What about feelings? Spiritual meetings might drift into two
extremes. One is tinder-dry: preachers
speak in a monotone voice and people criticize all expression of emotion and
spiritual phenomena. In such meetings, usually no gifts are used, people are
not cured from their ailments, and many times people are not even saved.
The other extreme is
fanaticism where feelings (if God touches a person, feelings are naturally
quite a different matter), crying and all kinds of weird actions overpower
everything else. In such meetings, undisciplined phenomena are not interrupted.
There is plenty of energy, pretension, self-assertion, and emotional fervour
but no signs of godly love and goodness.
The following description,
taken from the biography of T. B. Barrat, describes such activity. Barrat
himself was “the apostle of Northern Europe’s Pentecostal Movement” and had
received a powerful baptism of the Holy Spirit including talking in tongues
right before this experience.
During the first meetings in New York, he paid attention
to some special “cries” and the behaviour of some people, which he deemed
inconceivable. Only a couple of days after the wondrous day of November 15th,
1906 – with its crown of fire, tongue of fire and speaking in tongues – he
participated in a meeting in New York. “A foreign spirit crept into the meeting
which I attended in Monday evening as someone was giving his testimony. It was
a complete opposite of the Spirit God gave me. I cannot participate in the
carnal noise some people make neither the wild jumps, as if on a playground. I
left the meeting with my sister who – due to a strange coincidence – was also
there. I rejoice and can cry hallelujah with other happy souls in Zion but wild
crying is a completely different thing.
I do not judge anyone but I do not have to work side by side with people
who allow their flesh to rule instead of the Spirit, unless I can lift them
higher or provide their hearts with greater light of the Holy Spirit. When I
laid my head on my pillow at home, an unspeakable peace came over me. God wants
to protect me with His grace.” (20)
What is the biblical model, then? Naturally, it includes feelings
because dead people are the only people without feelings. It is a mistake to
believe that when God touches people it does not influence their inner being in
some way. It may cause crying or other emotional reactions simply because that
is how God created us. We react with emotion to many things because they touch
us. If somebody does not have any reaction towards hearing the gospel, it is
only because the Word has not deeply touched the person.
We can see this in the life
of Paul. Before being converted, he was hostile and cruel but he changed into
another man when God’s love touched him. He learned to love others and often
preached with tears in his eyes. George Whitefield, a well-known and powerful
preacher of the 18th century, also often cried when preaching about
the cross.
- (Acts 20:19,31) Serving the LORD with all
humility of mind, and with many tears,
and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:
31 Therefore watch, and remember,
that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day
with tears.
- (Phil 3:1) Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not
grievous, but for you it is safe.
What is stressed? A person ruled by
false spirits is always driven to extremes. Such a person may harm himself or
others, flaunt his spirituality, or believe that visions, phenomena and ecstasy
are the most important things in Christianity. Such a person pays attention to
matters that the Bible does not stress, and activities that may occur without
having any connection to God.
The Bible places great significance upon
one’s actions. The greatest person is not he or she who has had wondrous
experiences but is that person who serves others (Matt 23:11,12: But he that is greatest among
you shall be your servant. And whoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and
he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.). Jesus said ”If you love me,
keep my commandments.” (John 14:15), and
this is a guide for spiritual life. It means that a person who does not live by
the will of God and Christ in his or her everyday life is far from perfect. Nobody
can do this alone but if we do not even strive for it, we surely have not been
saved. Many verses teach us about the significance of our actions:
- (James 1:22) But be you doers of the word, and not hearers only,
deceiving your own selves.
- (Matt 7:22,23) Many will say to me in that
day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? and in your name have
cast out devils? and in your name done many wonderful works?
23 And then
will I profess to them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work
iniquity.
- (Tit 3:14) And
let our's also learn to maintain good works
for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.
- (2 Tim 2:20,21) But in a great house there
are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some
to honor, and some to dishonor.
21 If a man therefore purge himself
from these, he shall be a vessel to honor, sanctified, and meet for the
master's use, and prepared to every good work.
- (Tit 2:7,8) In all things showing yourself a
pattern of good works: in doctrine showing soundness, gravity, sincerity,
8 Sound speech, that cannot be
condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil
thing to say of you.
REFERENCES:
1. Viljam
Kuosmanen: Jumalan ihmeitä, p. 13
2. Viljam Kuosmanen: Jumalan ihmeitä, p. 15
3. Mary K. Baxter: Näkyjä tulevasta, p. 222
4.
Paavo Hiltunen / Leo Meller: Eksyttäjät, p. 183,184
5. John Bevere: Turvapaikka (Under Cover), p. 242
6. Bob Mumford: Suunnitelma sinua varten
(Take another look at guidance), p. 91
7. Colin Qrquhart: Eksytys (Explaining Deception), p. 74
8. Rick Joyner: Petos, taistelu, voitto (Final Quest), p. 29
9. Rebecca Brown: Astiaksi jaloon käyttöön (Becoming a Vessel of
Honor), p. 223,224
10. Bob Mumford: Suunnitelma sinua varten (Take another look at
guidance), p. 91
11. Gordon & Emily Binning: Olkaa Jumalalle alamaiset (Submit... to
God. Resist the Devil and He Will Flee from You), p. 109,110
12. Michael Howard: Pelasta kansakunta (To Save a Nation) p.
133-135,275
13. Gordon & Emily Binning: Olkaa Jumalalle alamaiset (Submit... to
God. Resist the Devil and He Will Flee from You), p. 14
14. David Yonggi Cho: Kokemuksiani rukouksesta (DR. CHO’S PATTERNS OF PRAYER), p. 39-41
15. Nicky Cruz: Juokse henkesi edestä (Devil on the Run), p. 27
16. Oriveden seurakunta 450
vuotta: Juhlakirja 1990. Oriveden seurakunta 1990 (Quote from ”Väkevä eksytys”,
Jouni Forsström)
17. Yonggi Cho: Pyhä henki ja sinä, p. 106
18. Donald Gee: Hengen lahjoista, p. 78
19. Michael Howard: Ylistä ja palvo (Praise and Worship), p. 117
20. Martin Ski: T.B. Barratt – helluntaiapostoli (T.B. Barratt – Dopt I
Ånd Og Ild), p. 149,150
