Holy Spirit Manifestations

Just a note:  This is not intended as a complete article on the Holy Spirit. It is quite long, but don’t let that intimate you or keep you from reading all it has to say, even if you need to make more than one visit.  

While I chose to call it Holy Spirit Manifestations, it’s really an article in argument as to the truth of the Holy Spirit.  So while it’s purpose is to address those strange bodily manifestations we get all excited about, it does so in light of the scripture as a comparison to what is claimed by man and taught by God through His word. 

As God will not violate His character or His word I felt it was important to look at not only manifestations, but also the fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit.   When we see the truth as a whole it is easier to recognize the counterfeit.

Be blessed.   mk

For a great number of years Christians have been experiencing strange manifestations of the body. These often, but not always, happen while another person prays for them in the “laying on of hands”.  They have also been known to happen during times of deep worship. Such strangeness include falling down, (aka “slain”), odd bodily sensations, the feeling of heat or cold,  shaking, and other strange involuntary movements of the limbs often without the power of thier own to stop them.  These are attributed to the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.  But are they?

In addition, the Holy Spirit is explained as a weighty, tangible presence which is not only felt but can be passed from person to person.  You have to wonder if God, the Most High God who spoke all that we see into existence can actually be passed like a football.

In doing my own research, here is what I came up from using the Word of God, rather than the word of man.

The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is given upon salvation to empower the believer to fulfill the great commission.  We are told in the Word to be filled with the Holy Spirit.  Here is how Jesus taught of the Spirit’s coming, He would bring truth and glorify Jesus, testify of Jesus and convict the world of sin.

John 16:13-15

¹³ “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and he will tell you things to come.  ¹⁴ He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. ¹⁵ “All things that the Father has are Mine, Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.

John 15:26-27

²⁶ “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.  ²⁷ And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

John 16:8-11

⁸ “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment; ⁹ of sin, because they do not believe in Me; ¹⁰ of righteousness because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; ¹¹ of judgment because the ruler of this world is judged.

These teachings regarding the Holy Sprit and even His character are quite different than what we are being taught and are experiencing today.  The Holy Spirit does not have His own personality. He is not a tangible presence that can be passed to another believer through touch (impartation) or by breathing or blowing on a person. He cannot and will not be commanded to do things by people. He is God, not a genie at our disposal.

Anointing From God

 1 John 2:20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.

1 John 2:26, 27

²⁶ These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you.     ²⁷ But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

Luke 4:18

The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor: He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed.

Gifts and anointing are given to born again believers directly from God as He wills and to aid the believer fulfilling the great commission. They are given for the sole purpose of completing God’s plans and purposes on the earth and for no other reason. Spiritual gifts cannot be passed around from person to person or imparted from one person to another any more than the Holy Spirit can be. We cannot “will” a gift into a person simply because they want it, nor can we impart a teaching to another through the laying on of hands.

Gifts are not given as “mantles” by praying at someone’s grave site, nor is there any biblical indication that a believer has rights to or should ask for a mantle or gift of someone who has died.  Yes, Elisha received the “mantle” of Elijah but again, this is by way of the old covenant, not the new, and under what seemed to be very special circumstances.

Holy Spirit Manifestations

 1 Corinthians 12:7-11

⁷ But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: ⁸ for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, ⁹to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, ¹⁰ to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

The Holy Spirit does not manifest through water or electricity or grant us power to manipulate the atmosphere by the movement of our hands.  His presence does not cause a believer to fall to the ground or to become frozen as in a trance-like state or to shake, jerk, convulse, groan, moan, bend at the waist, go into a giving birth-like state, jump up and down, shout, scream or run around the room. He does not cause the believer to act like or to make sounds of an animal or snake, or to experience sensations of hot or cold or electricity.  He does not cause a feeling of drunkenness, slurred speech or other similar impairments, nor does He cause fits of uncontrolled laughter or tears.

There is nothing in the bible to substantiate these manifestations to be of the Holy Spirit, or to even be Godly.  Instead they seem to mimic death and various diseases and drunkenness and even behaviors of those who are demon possessed.

Isaiah 29:9-10

⁹ Pause and wonder! Blind yourselves and be blind!

They are drunk, but not with wine; they stagger but not with intoxicating drink.

¹⁰ For the Lord has poured out on you the spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes, namely, the prophets; and He has covered your heads, namely, the seers.

 Holy Spirit Fruit

Galatians 5:22 – 23

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

If Jesus came to bring us freedom, would the Holy Spirit who reveals all truth and testifies of Christ cause us to act in such oppressive and uncontrolled behavior?  These manifestations do not match ones listed in scripture, nor do they prove they are actually from the Holy Spirit as they are in violation of His fruit and the characteristics of God. Think about it!

In my research I have found these manifestations to be of Satan, the occult and different religions, specifically in Hinduism, known as Kundalini. The similarities in the Kundalini Awakening and what we have been calling manifestations of the Holy Spirit are shockingly similar. See this article http://endtimesdeception.com/?p=509  I know it sounds crazy but these are crazy deceitful times we are in.

I still believe we can feel the power and presence of God in some situations. Spiritual things are spiritually discerned, not physically.  We are assured of our faith because the Word of God is true, not because our flesh is.  Much, if not all, of this manifested behavior is not truly biblical, cannot be found in scripture, or proven to be characteristic of God, so whose manifestations are these?  And if such manifestations come upon a believer, how did it happen?

1 Timothy 5:22 Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in other people’s sins; keep yourself pure.

Ephesians 5:6-7

⁶ Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. ⁷ Therefore, do not be partakers with them.

When we allow a person to lay hands on us, and come into agreement with that person, or when there is a “blanket” impartation happening in the room, again that we agree with, if we continue to be subject to false teaching and doctrine we allow that person to impart their demons.  Some time later we can begin to experience false signs and wonders, false prophecy, false tongues, gifting, etc., and the demonic manifestations.  They take up a presence in the spirit because we have agreed to it. This is why there is a mixture of spirits or spiritual manifestations and gifts, etc. Where in the word does it say that the Holy Spirit is tangible?

Like I did, the next time you feel yourself manifest, you may want to question who or what has touched you.

2 Corinthians 11:3-4

³ But I fear, lest somehow as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. ⁴ For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted – you may well put up with it!

Please become familiar with the truth behind the Toronto Blessing, which took place in 1994.  This is when and where much of the demonic was released upon the charismatic church and is taught and encouraged to this day.  Many of the leaders, teachers and prophets involved are the ones teaching false doctrine and prophecy today. (Other places with similar experiences were Brownsville and Dudley (UK) revivals.) Not only is this an accepted practice, but those who manifest are considered more spiritual or gifted than the ones who do not. This is a lie!

There is much to this deception and it is far reaching. Some believe this event was only a taste of what is to come; the great falling away.

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4.

³Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, ⁴ who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.  This speaks of the anti-christ who is to come.

Matthew 24:15 “Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads let him understand)…

Consider this is an unholy person occupying a place reserved for God here on earth.  How closely related is this to a person who has been overtaken by another spirit in the place that should have been reserved and kept only for the presence of the Holy Spirit.  This person is given to fleshy manifestations and doctrines of demons who believe his experiences are from God!

Many of us have been taught that a Christian cannot be deceived. What foolishness!  The New Testament is full of scriptures that warn of deceitful teachings, teachers and false prophets and of those bringing another gospel or another Jesus!  We are also told to expose them for what they are!

Weighed and Found Wanting, a free on line book which I highly recommend, an account of the Toronto Blessing written by a pastor can be found here – http://www.kevinreeves.org/

 For understanding and dealing with manifestations seeFinding Freedom From The Spirits Of “Revival” When Evil Perseveres By Ed Tarkowski https://mkayla.wordpress.com/freedom-from-false-spirits-of-revival/

This is not an area to fool around with.  Please be wise!  Repent and return to your first love.