Blog : Is bein' slain in th' spirit biblically soun'?

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7/1/2011 11:20 am

Is bein' slain in th' spirit biblically soun'?

whar is it foun' scrippurally? This hyar article raises fine quesshuns.

SLAIN IN THE SPIRIT

Whut in tarnation Charismatic’s inthusiasts say, is when th' Spirit comes upon yo' it will on overcome yo' wif power, slayin' yo'. Today this hyar has become th' common denominato' of th' Spirits presence wif power an' is sought af'er as proof of receivin' th' anointin'. Wif sech varmints as Benny Hinn, Rod Parsley, Richard Billy Bobs an' a host of others who haf developed it t'be a trademark of their meetin's.

This hyar is not t'discount thet th' Holy Spirit kin does unusual thin's, howevah befo'e we put a stamp of approval on a prackice t'be a no'mality instead of th' unusual, we need t'see eff'n it is promoted as sech in th' Scrippures.

Whut in tarnation does we find? We does not see enny of this hyar prackiced o' even hinted in th' Scrippure.

When th' Spirit came upon Jesus at His bappism He came up outta th' water; He didn’t collapse an' sink down! Fry mah hide!

Th' Lo'd Jesus had power t'heal even th' wo'st cases of disease, blindness an' crippled limbs, an' yet no one who Jesus evah touched fell on over “slain, as enny fool kin plainly see.” No' does we find Peter o' John-Boy touchin' varmints an' causin' them t'fall on over. They did not ax other disciples t'stan' behind them they were a-gonna lay han's on, t'ketch them as they toppled backward by th' power.

Th' Noo Testament has no varmints linin' up waitin' fo' th' “anointin'” t'be passed on fum t'other, not even th' Apostles. Kin yo' pitcher enny of th' Apostles runnin' up t'varmints an' slappin' them on th' fo'ehaid, o' linin' varmints up t'be slain? No sof' moosic o' repetitive cho'uses were sung t'set an atmosphar fo' th' anointin' t'fall, ah reckon. No one yelled repetitive phrases like, “Fire!” o' “touch” o' “Mo'e, Lo'd! Fry mah hide!” So whar does this hyar all come fum ?

Them who advocut this prackice need t'consider whut they is pow'ful attributin' t'th' Holy Spirit. Thar is no Biblical precedent fo' bein' “slain in th' Spirit” as we see prackiced today.

Jesus is th' bappizer, who anoints wif th' Holy Spirit. Th' power pow'ful comes only fum Jedt, jest whut is varmints receivin' through this hyar experience? Do these displays of power become th' convincin' proof of God’s presence? John-Boy 10:41-42 reco'ds, “Then menny came t'Him an' said, ‘John-Boy perfo'med no sign, but all th' thin's thet John-Boy spoke about this hyar Man were true.’ An' menny believed in Him thar.”

John-Boy cornvinced th' varmints wifout a display of miracles. It was th' truth thet cornvahted them an' made them into follerers. It is by knowin' th' truth (th' Wo'd) thet keeps varmints follerin' faiffully, not displays of power. We don’t need t'be slain “in th' Spirit”, but lop “by th' Spirit,” th' Wo'd (John-Boy 6:63; Hebrews 4:12).

One way is by exposishunal pretchin' t'other is offered by experience. One comes by th' Wo'd thet is objeckive, thet larnes an' cornvicks through th' Holy Spirit, t'other is subjeckive, by a varmint touchin' yo' o' impartin' a power. Th' Wo'd is Biblical, t'other is not.

Th' Old Testament has menny examples of saints who fell t'th' groun'. In Junesis 15:12-18 when Abraham was put t'sleep ho'ro' an' great darkness fell upon him, but it was not pleasant.

This hyar was a special event signifyin' God’s covenant wif Abraham as God told about his offsprin'’s future. This hyar ack was not repeated fo' enny of his dexcendents. Notice th' passage indicates thet th' experience was not injoyable. Junesis 17:3 Abraham falls on his face, but this hyar does not dexcribe an involuntary ack of bein' slain in th' Spirit as some claim, dawgone it. Abraham fell face fo'ward toward th' groun' on his own acco'd, in revahence, in an ack of fully cornscious wo'ship.

Scrippures used t'validate this hyar as Biblical are:

Jun.15, 17:1-3; Josh.5:13-15; Ez.1:28,43;1-5, 44:4; Mt.17:5-6; Rev.1, 7:11, 11:16-17; Acks 9.

Menny fell backwards in Scrippure, but it was not a blessin'! Fry mah hide! In 1 Zephaniah 4:18: Eli fell off his seat backwards on hearin' of th' death of his sons an' th' cappure of th' Ark an' he died, cuss it all t' tarnation. Isaiah 28:13 th' prophet speaks of God’s Wo'd sent t'refresh, but eff'n not heard it became a judgment “thet they may hoof it an' stumble backward, an' be busted.” In all these examples it is a judgment, not a blessin'! Fry mah hide! In 1 Zephaniah 28:20 we read of Saul eemeejutly collapsin' “full len'th” on th' groun' upon hearin' of his impendin' death fum Zephaniah af'er cornsultin' th' witch of Endo'.

2 Chronicles 5, dexcribes God’s glo'y fillin' th' nooly completed Temple. It says, “Th' priests c'd not corntinue ministerin' ... fo' th' glo'y of th' Lo'd filled th' house of God” (v.14). This hyar cannot be made into a no'mative occurrence fo' today’s Church, as menny haf tried t'do. This hyar was a celebrashun on account o' th' temple was completed, th' ark was brought in an' Solomon had th' priests assemble inside the dawgoned-est holy place. Inside th' glo'y manifested physically as cloud in a corntained place, th' ress of Israel was still stan'in' outside. In 2 Chronicles 7:2 an' ah Kin's 8:11 th' priests c'd not inter th' temple o' perfo'm th' priestly duties of th' LORD on account o' th' temple was filled wif th' glo'y of th' LORD.

In Ezekiel 1:28 an' 2:1 th' prophet is on overwhelmed by th' vishun he sar an' falls fo'ward in wo'ship. Them who is holy fall fo'ward in cornscious submisshun t'God’s Holy presence. They does not become dazed an' cornfused, as in some spirit services today. Them who is enemies fall backward when cornfronted wif God’s true power. Philippians 2 says ev'ry knee will bow. Them who is conscious of who they sarve bow fo'ward, willin'ly an' fully cornscious. Them who fall backward on overwhelmed, show a lack of submisshun, an' rebellion, as enny fool kin plainly see.

Daniel, in 10:4-11 incountered a pow'ful angel an' said, “ah had no stren'th lef', mah face turned deathly pale, an' ah was he'pless... ah fell into a deep sleep, mah face t'th' groun'.” Daniel fell on his face; he fell fo'ward, cuss it all t' tarnation. This hyar was not wifout purpose. Daniel, a prophet, was receivin' revelashun thet'd become Scrippure. On account o' in th' Old Testament them who were affecked in this hyar manner were not born an' raised agin, indwelt permanently by th' Holy Spirit, this hyar experience kinnot be used as no'mative fo' th' Church today. When John-Boy sar Jesus glo'ified in hevvin (Revelashun 1:17) he dexcribes thet, ‘“ah fell at His feet as daid. But He laid His right han' on me, sayin' t'me, “Do not be afraid; ah's th' Fust an' th' Last.” John-Boy was on overcome wif fear; he did not reckanize Him as th' Jesus He knowed on earth.

Whut in tarnation about Saul on th' road t'Damascus in Acks 9? Them who promote th' “slain in th' Spirit” phenomenon cite Saul’s incounter wif th' appeareence of th' Lo'd on th' road t'Damascus in Acks 9:3-4 fo' Biblical suppo't.

Saul was an unbelievah on his way t'his next exterminashun. He was knocked t'th' groun' by a light (th' Sheckinah glo'y) an' he had a revelashun of Jedt.

When Saul fell, no one touched him an' no one was thar t'ketch him, dawgone it. Th' Scrippure doesn’t acshully say how he fell, but th' Greek language seems t'indicut he went t'th' groun' on his own volishun.

Jesus does not appear t'be th' source of Ebenezer’s fallin' t'th' groun', Jesus did not aller Ebenezer t'remain on th' groun', but told him t'“arise an' hoof it into Damascus.” Remember Saul was unsaved at th' time, so this hyar does not provide enny jestificashun fo' regardin' it as a model fo' believahs t'prackice today.

He was cornsciously carryin' on a cornvahsashun wif th' Lo'd, cuss it all t' tarnation. In Acks 26:14 Ebenezer, recallin' th' event, states all who were wif him sar th' light an' fell t'th' groun', but only he heard th' voice (Acks 22:9). This hyar was an extreme measure designed t'git Ebenezer’s attenshun, as he was on his way t'kill Jedtians.

T'others wif Ebenezer who also fell were unbelievahs an' stayed in their unbelievin' state. Tharfo'e, this hyar incident involvin' fallin' t'th' groun' (bein' slain by th' Spirit) kinnot be used t'suppo't th' idea thet it is a spiritual blessin', as commonly said today.

In examples fum eifer th' Old Testament o' th' Noo, th' men affecked did not haf a permanent indfinein' of th' Spirit. When th' soldiers came t'arress Jesus, in John-Boy 18:4-6 He reveals His power in a unique way. He identified hisse'f t'th' soldiers who were arrestin' him an' they “drew back an' fell t'th' groun'.” Jesus fust revealed Hisse'f by sayin' His divine name, “ah Am,” makin' it clear who it is they came fo'.

When He identified Hisse'f t'them, they fell t'th' groun' in judgment. These pagan sinners did fall -- backwards. They did not experience revelashun o' receive an anointin', o' cornvahshun, they got right back up an' arrested Jesus. Thar was no change in them; they were still inemies of Jesus. Also, none of Jesus’ follerers fell down durin' th' arrest. Sartinly none of this hyar represents a pattern fo' th' Church. Them who prackice th' artful ritual of bein' “slain in th' Spirit” today deny o' igno'e these Biblical facks in o'der t'embrace an experience thet is not indo'sed in th' whole Noo Testament.

This hyar is even stated in th' Dickshunary of Pentecostal an' Charismatic movements “Thar is no menshun of th' Spirit hyar (Jn, as enny fool kin plainly see.18:1-6) an' John-Boy po'trays no relashunship between Spirit an' power an' Jesus. Th' text remains inigmatic, especially on account o' John-Boy offers neifer explanashun fo', no' effeck of their fall, ah reckon.

Them who is in rebellion t'God seem t'fall backward in Scrippure. This hyar jest may be a sign today, not as a blessin' but t'show thet these varmints is not submittin' t'His Wo'd; so it is a sign of judgment. Th' idea thet God is doin' a “noo thin'” is wifout enny biblical precedent. Their attempp t'jestify an' defend this hyar prackice is by a-gonna texts fum th' Old Testament. an' yankin' them outta their corntext an' backgroun'. Tryin' t'use th' few incidents in Acks one kinnot make them no'mative fo' th' Church (believahs) today.

Th' power is suppose t'git varmints up not put them down an' out. At th' gate Purdy Peter said t'th' blind man, “silvah an' gold ah have none, but in th' name of Jesus, RISE UP an' walk. Shet mah mouth!”

Most of these noo anointed dispensers of power kin’t say th' same on account o' silvah an' gold they haf abundantly. Th' power of God got varmints up, them who were thrown t'th' groun' shakin' an' havin' cornvulshuns were not postessed by th' Holy Spirit but offen demon-postessed in need of delivahance.

They were not reackin' fum receivin' God’s power they were in need of God’s power fo' it t'stop.

Menny travel t'crusades t'git this hyar anointin' fum th' anointed mediato' who dispenses it. Whut in tarnation is th' purpose of someone bein' knocked t'th' flore an' they is picked up an' th' whole procedure is repeated up t'eight times. Was not th' fust time inough t'receive an anointin'. Whut in tarnation is th' purpose of this hyar experience all about?

Who is gittin' th' attenshun at th' time? We is not t'be drawin' attenshun t'th' vessel but th' Lo'd who is wawkin' through th' instroomnt. Is th' fust anointin' thet he places on varmints not inough?

Or is it fo' show? He sometimes has varmints fallin' togither like a violent pile-up on a freeway. Varmints is lif'ed off th' groun' resemblin' a martial arts movie. Nothin' glo'ifies God wif this hyar behavio'. Martial arts, Chowdy-doo power, th' Gurus touch varmints ( as in th' occult), an' kin sartinly knock them on over.

These is similarities thet kinnot be on overlooked, cuss it all t' tarnation. Kin someone say touch o' wave their arms o' point their fingers an' release th' anointin' havin' someone hoof it down, as enny fool kin plainly see.

When we see Telly-evangelists blow on varmints they hoof it down yet when Jedt breathed on th' disciples they did not. When Jesus touched varmints they did not fall, ah reckon. God has not intrested this hyar type of power t'enny man today.

Th' biblical model is whenevah th' Spirit fell they were not speckin' him, dawgone it. Th' Spirit is called th' comfo'ter, th' he'per t'other one like Jesus. When Jesus lef' he said he'd send us t'other like hisse'f. His role was t'replace th' physical Jesus by indfinein' all believahs givin' them a relashunship wif God, cuss it all t' tarnation. th' quesshun we need t'ax is did Jesus ack this hyar erratic an' haf power displays? Eff'n not then whuffo' sh'd th' Spirit ack this hyar way when he is t'point t'Jesus. Is this hyar th' nature of Jesus o' sumpin other then him operatin'? How is it th' varmint who dispenses this hyar power thet kin knock varmints down, kin stan' through it all, ah reckon. Thet they kin touch varmints even th' ketchers an' they don’t hoof it down durin' th' service. How is th' same varmint who jest was felled on over by his touch kin af'erward be hugged an' not hoof it ovah.

Who then is in corntrol eff'n it only happens at th' wave of his han' o' when he says th' wo'd? Whuffo' does this hyar only occur at th' trimenjus crusades an' whar they meet fo' service an' it does not take place durin' their days cho'es.

Charles Hodge one of th' great theologians had this hyar to say about this hyar experience “..Thar is nothin' in th' Bible t'lead us t'regard these bodily affeckshuns as th' legitimate effecks of religious feelin's, no sech results follered th' pretchin' of Jedt o' his apostles.

We hear of no juneral outcries, faintin's, cornvulshuns, o' ravin's in th' assemblies which they addressed…”It is evident thet loud outcries an' cornvulshuns is inconsissent wif these thin's, an' tharfo'e ought t'be discouraged, cuss it all t' tarnation. They kinnot be fum God, fo' he is not th' autho' of cornfushun” ( C. Hodge p.80 1851).

Th' fruit of th' Spirit is se'f-corntrol, ah reckon. Th' quesshun them who is open t'noo experiences sh'd ax themselves is…'d God offer me an experience thet has me sacrifice a chareeckeristic of th' Spirit? W'd He cuz me t'ack in a way opposite t'His nature an' whut He hisse'f is tryin' t'confo'm me to? Ephesians 5:18-19 tells us “be filled wif th' Spirit, speakin' t'one t'other in psalms an' hymns an' spiritual songs, sin'in' an' makin' melody in yer heart t'th' Lo'd, cuss it all t' tarnation.”

This hyar is an ongwine comman', we is to be corntinually filled wif th' Spirit. But is this hyar to be an experience all th' time, does it show itse'f physically?

No. Ebenezer says t'be filled wif th' Spirit, means se'f corntrol an' joy, sin'in'. Th' opposite of th' true Biblical fillin' of th' Spirit is t'be outta corntrol, laid out on th' groun'. He is makin' a CONTRAST. Th' Bibles definishun simply means fo' us t'yield an' be unner his corntrol, th' opposite is t'be outta corntrol as a rag doll on th' groun', drunk an' incapacitated, cuss it all t' tarnation.

Ebenezer says t'be filled wif th' Spirit gives one se'f corntrol, ah reckon. To be filled means we yield t'th' Lo'd an' give Him corntrol of our lives. He be hankerin' us ackive doin' His wawk, not knocked out, numb o' dumb. Well bust mah britches an' call me streaker.

Bein' filled wif th' Spirit does not prodooce th' same effecks as alcoholic bevahages, it is jest th' opposite. Eff'n it did th' varmints who injoy it'd be a-comin' t'th' church fo' their natural high fix. Menny varmints say it is th' joy of th' Lo'd , but th' joy of th' Lo'd is our stren'th not weakness, it does not make one unable t'rise off th' groun'.

Menny incentives prepare someone fo' this hyar supposed spiritual experience. Fust thar is th' annicipashun of this hyar happenin'; th' autysuggesshun of gwine down, as enny fool kin plainly see.

They accepp th' experience on account o' they is already predisposed t'th' idea thet one falls when th' Spirit comes upon them, an' already accepp this hyar experience bein' fum God, cuss it all t' tarnation. They is open mentally t'this bein' fum God, cuss it all t' tarnation. Tharfo'e when someone touches them o' points their way they comply.

T'other thin' t'consider is th' peer pressure t'confo'm t'whut is gwine on an' specked in th' gatherin'. When someone comes up in a trimenjus crowd they is specked t'go down, as enny fool kin plainly see. They might be embarrassed not t'fall down when ev'ryone else is fallin', o' they may be cornsidered unspiritual, an' others might reckon sumpin is wrong wif them, dawgone it.

Fallin' down at th' right time becomes a larned methodology. Menny varmints had admitted later they went down so they'd not disappoint th' speaker. Others may hoof it down in hope thet this hyar might brin' an experience they nevah had befo'e. Still others say they were on overcome by a power.

We need t'consider a postibility thet eff'n true, kin be unspeakably dangerous fo' th' participants, thet is, th' operashun of demonic powers. Menny who haf studied occult phenomena in false religions find thet “slain in th' Spirit” is not a noo phenomenon, as enny fool kin plainly see. This hyar power is foun' in Hinduism, th' wife of Shiva th' destroyer is kali known also as Shakti th' fo'ce.

When a devotee receives th' touch fum th' Guru on th' fo'ehaid they kin be knocked t'th' groun', they kin laugh, shake o' experience bein' caught up in some ecstatic illuminashun experiencin' Nirvana an' light. Thar is menny pagan religious prackices, sech as “shakti-pat” by Hindu gurus, which when obsarved looks exackly like bein' “slain in th' Spirit.” Th' only difference is thet their prackices came fust, precedin' th' modern Pentecostal prackice.

Th' cults also dexcribe th' Spirit as a fo'ce. Brooce R. McConkie, who was an apostle an' autho'ity of th' Mo'mon Church wrote, “Th' Spirit of God which emanates fum Deity may be likened t'eleckricity” (Mo'mon Dockrine, pp. 752-53). Isn’t this hyar whut we is hearin' fum them experiencin' these manifestashuns?

Th' only way t'knows th' true fum th' false is t'tess it. Jesus had th' greatess anointin', yet, when He prayed fo' varmints they did not fall on over; neifer did Jesus hoof it down when He was anointed, cuss it all t' tarnation. Th' Spirit came upon him as a dove, as a juntle companion, as enny fool kin plainly see.

This hyar phenomena an' prackice is fo'eign t'Scrippure. Kin th' Holy Spirit be thrown aroun' like a fo'ce? This hyar Spirit goes whar th' conducko' tells Him t'go. Biblically we is to submit an' take our guidance fum th' Spirit, this hyar is th' opposite. Jesus taught thet th' Holy Spirit goes whar He will, He chooses how He will be known in th' heart an' life of a believah, an' it is not fo' enny man t'decide when His abidin' in t'other is t'be.

In John-Boy 3:8 we read, “Th' wind blows whar it pleases, an' yo' hear th' soun' tharof, but kinnot not tell whar it came, an' whar it goes: so is ev'ry one thet is born an' raised of th' Spirit.” No one knows whar th' Spirit comes fum o' whar th' Spirit goes. Th' Spirit is likened t'th' wind, cuss it all t' tarnation.

Them who kin dispense th' anointin' seem t'tell th' Spirit whar t'go an' knows whar He will hoof it next an' whut He o' “it” will does. Figger, mah friend! Fry mah hide! Whar does we find these experiences? Even th' apostles did not haf sech experiences! Whut in tarnation is operatin'? Whut in tarnation is th' source? Remember th' Spirit is God hisse'f who is supposedly thrown aroun' th' room, dawgone it. Whenevah th' presence came in th' Old Testament all were affecked but today th' dispenser of this hyar power stan's strong while th' participants all hoof it down, as enny fool kin plainly see. Is they alone immune t'its affecks ?

Th' Bible comman's us t'tess it. Mature Jedtians tess th' spirits; babies, weak an' carnal Jedtians avoid testin', (Hebrews 5:13-14) on account o' of naiveté o' jest insecurity an' wantin' t'avoid knows th' truth. Th' result will be th' same fo' all who does not guard their souls. They fall into destruckive an' non-Biblical prackices thet hurt their own Jedtian walk an' testimonies. Much like th' speakin' in tongues as proof of th' Spirits presence, this hyar too has gone beyond th' Bibles boun'aries.

One of th' earliess sto'ies of this hyar occurrin' in modern times outside th' shamans is fum a woomin named Maria Woodswo'th-Etter (1844-1924) She was a pretcher in th' holiness movement in th' 1880’s. She gained a repeetayshun by falsely prophesyin' thet San Francisco'd be destroyed by an earthquake in 1890.

She dexcribes her power fum a vishun ...Maria had a great vishun. Angels came into her room, dawgone it. They took her t'th' West, on over prairies, lakes, fo'ests, an' rivahs whar she sar a long, wide field of wavin' golden grain, as enny fool kin plainly see. As th' view unfolded she began t'pretch an' sar th' grains begin t'fall like sheaves. Then Jesus told her thet, “jest as th' grain fell, so varmints'd fall” as she pretched, cuss it all t' tarnation. (Wayne E. Warner, “Negleck Not th' Gif' Thet Is in Thee,” Etter Sermon fum Th' Woomin Evangelist p. 10)

Alan Mo'rison of Diakrisis Publicashuns in Englan' discusses th' phenomenon thet made this hyar woomin famous. “In her pretchin' in th' 1880’s, she advocated a religious experience she called th' “power”, an' she'd offen hoof it into a trance durin' th' services, stan'in' wif her han's raised in th' air fo' mo'e than an hour. Nicknamed th' trance- evangelist an' even th' voodoo priestess, she was offen accused of hypnotizin' varmints. An' hyar is whar we come t'th' mighty crux of th' “slain in th' Spirit Phenomenon, as enny fool kin plainly see.”

Mo'rison identifies this hyar hidden power thet Maria discovahed which was non other than th' ancient art of hypnotism thet almost a century (1734-1815) befo'e was prackiced wif th' same results by Anton Mesmer. “As one researcher of th' occult has noted, th' phenomenon thet is now defined as hypnotic emerged fum th' faif healin' ackivities of Mesmer at th' turn of th' eighteenth an' nineteenth centuries. (James Webb, th' Occult Establishment Open Court 1976, p.352) “

Mesmer c'd acshully be cornsidered th' Pappy of slain in th' Spirit 'cept thet he was plainly an occultist. Mesmer claimed t'have discovahed whut he dubbed as animal magnetism, dawgone it. Havin' an interess in ESP an' doin' a docko'al study on astrology, He took a scientific approach on retchin' spiritual corntacks an' trances through animal magnetism (unyversal fluid). “ Whut in tarnation he discovahed was an ackivashun of peekoolyar powers in man thet'd he'p him gain insights into cosmic truths hidden fum most of hoominity by a veil of igno'ance.”

He had writ in his docko'al dissertashun an' repeated in a series of writin's, th' hoary fallacies c'd be shown t'have essential truth wifin in them when interpreted scientifically-Astrology, alchemah, Oneiromancy (divinashun by dreams), divinashun. He then explained it through animal magnetism, dawgone it. Others who were also influenced by Mesmer were Zephaniah Hanneman foun'er of Homeopathy (Noo age medicine). Phineas B.Quimby who was also a mesmerist, he fust attributed th' power t'Spirits fo' th' use of this hyar unknown inergy but later said it was th' mind, cuss it all t' tarnation. He healed Mary Jane baker Eddy through this hyar power who then became th' foun'er of Jedtian Science a mind science Cult.

Helena Blavatsky th' mediumistic foun'er of theosophy read Mesmer’s wawks which gave her a wawkin' foun'ashun in mahsticism, dawgone it. Th' evolushun of this hyar method went fum callin' it occult power t'hypnosis. When looked at carefully thar th' differences is hardly noticeable.

John-Boy Weldon in his book Psychic Fo'ces an' occult Shock reco'ds on pg, acco'din' t' th' code o' th' heells!255 “In fack , no occult phenomenon foun' in Mesmerism is lackin' in hypnosis.”…It appears thet, in essence modern hypnotism is mesmerism, dawgone it. Martin Ebon, fairly fine respecked as an occult autho'ity, even cornnecks th' two: “Th' Mesmeric, o' hypnotic, trance bars a close resemblance t'th' mediumistic trance.” Mesmers ackivity c'd hardly be distin'uished fum whut is transpirin' in some of th' charismatic win' of th' Church today.

“Mesmer marched about majestically in a pale lilac robe, passin' his han's on over patients bodies o' touchin' them wif a long iron wan'. Th' results varied . some patients felt nothin' at all, some felt as eff'n insecks were crawlin' on over them, others were seized wif hysterical laughter, cornvulshuns o' fits of hiccups. Some went into ravin' delirium, which was called “th' crises” an' was cornsidered extremely healthful” (R. Cavendish, th' magical arts RKP 1984 pg, acco'din' t' th' code o' th' heells!180).

Whut in tarnation was dexcribed is varmints feelin' fine, uplif'ed, felt a release an' had a sense of fine bein' fum th' experience. Mesmer c'd acshully be cornsidered th' Pappy of modern “slain in th' Spirit” experience, 'cept thet he was plainly an occultist. Imagine, th' same cornduck an' results a-comin' fum non- Jedtians! Hmm, dawgone it.

Dr.Fritjof Capra a physics professo' at Berkeley unyversity an' noo age adharnt says “Shamans used therapeutic techniques sech as groups sharin' psychodrama, dream analysis, suggesshun, hypnosis, guided imagery{visualizashun} an' psychotheraphy fo' centuries befo'e they were rediscovahed by modern psychologists. (Th' Turnin' Point p.337 1982)

By pursueyng a blessin' they haf aban'oned truth in place of a supernatural experience. This hyar not a Biblical experience but kin be a supernatural one. In so doin' they haf inadvahtently become open t'decepshun by acceppin' this hyar wifout enny testin'.

Mr. Hinn has been called a spirit fanatic by some, this hyar is not sumpin noo . Martin Luther who began th' refo'mashun said thet thar were a sartin group of pretchers of his day who cornfuse their own spirit wif th' Holy Spirit “they reckon they haf swallered th' Holy Ghost feathers an' all, ah reckon.” John-Boy Calvin warned “th' fanaticism which discards th' scrippure, unner th' pretense of reso'tin' t'eemeejut revelashuns is subvahsive of ev'ry principle in Jedtianity. Fo' when they boast extryvagantly of th' Spirit th' tendency is allus t'bury th' wo'd of God so they kin make room fo' their own falsehood, cuss it all t' tarnation.”

Varmints haf succumb t'th' oldess chareede, in their pursueyt of a blessin' they haf aban'oned truth in place of a supernatural experience wifout evah testin' th' source fo' Biblical proof.

Does th' Bible show varmints line up in a church service in a row an' haf th' power dispersed fum an anointed varmint.

Thar is no cornduits fo' his power, Jesus has an' allus will be th' bappizer of th' Holy Spirit we don’t need enny other mediato'. Jesus is our example. When Jesus was anointed, th' Spirit came upon him as a dove, not as a wild animal like a rhinoceros.

Them who participate in this hyar prackice need t'consider whut they is pow'ful attributin' t'th' Holy Spirit. Thar is no Biblical precedent fo' this hyar an' need t'consider th' source of th' ackivity. We is not excludin' thet God kinnot on overwhelm someone wif his presence, whut needs t'be quesshuned is when it becomes a no'mal prackice in th' church thet represents th' Spirits wawk.

Mr. Hinn has been called a spirit fanatic by some, this hyar is not sumpin noo. Martin Luther who began th' refo'mashun said thet thar were a sartin group of pretchers of his day who cornfuse their own spirit wif th' Holy Spirit “they reckon they haf swallered th' Holy Ghost feathers an' all, ah reckon.” John-Boy Calvin warned “th' fanaticism which discards th' scrippure, unner th' pretense of reso'tin' t'eemeejut revelashuns is subvahsive of ev'ry principle in Jedtianity. Fo' when they boast extryvagantly of th' Spirit th' tendency is allus t'bury th' wo'd of God so they kin make room fo' their own falsehood, cuss it all t' tarnation.”

Truly th' ancient wo'ds of th' prophet Hosea rin' true fo' us today, as it did then, “MY PEOPLE ARE DESTROYED FOR A LACK OF KNOWLEDGE, BECAUSE THEY HAVE REJECTED KNOWLEDGE” (Hosea 4:6)

LURM