Hyper-Charismatic Entertainment

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  • Hyper-Charismatic Entertainment

    Regarding the Jesus Culture Awakening 2011 video provided below. Although this content is mild in comparison to some available, this is only provided as an example to consider the topic addressed.



    There are indeed remnants seeking the Christ life in Spirit and Truth, even if temporary dislocated by occasional error. There is also a clear distinction between discernment & judgment when surveying the spiritual landscape. Being judgmental comes from an emotion-based, negative opinion that we tend to form with the “I’m right and your wrong mindset.” As for discernment: this developed skill is used when you choose to make an informed decision from an observer’s point of view, with no need to cast stones at those of opposing opinions.

    In my years of ministry, I find more seek the excitement of the physiological experience over the labor of the praying closet intercessor. A respected teacher stated "the Charismatic’s have introduced more error into mainstream Christianity than any other movement in church history...." When emotions replace Spirit, error abounds because it springs from the fallen nature. Reflect on 1 Kings 19:12, the mountains shook, the fire fell, but God dwells in a whisper, not in chaos.

    I dislike lowering myself, to express my qualifications to comment. I am 50 plus, ordained and pastored two church full time starting in 1988, author of expository commentary, write for Christian publications as an alias, current director of a international missions www.messiahmissions.org, and the accolades continue... As Paul lamented, must I brag about my credentials as a fool does to be considered? No... the truth is only attainable to those who can hear, credentials mean nothing.

    It is impossible to express the full dimension of concern as YouTube doesn't allow long comments. I wanted to comment on the strobing lights which are commonly used in mind conditioning, beating drums to stimulate eurhythmics, crowd chants with repetitious words to enter into a trance, stirred mass energy transmission like Shaman’s use in crowd seduction. The Holy Spirit doesn’t require technology and methods on a sensory level to generate His presence. He moves unexpectedly on His own, often ushered from lips of praying Saints.

    So few who call Christ their master, take time to dig deep into their hearts, to seek God’s touch for foundational change… the essential regeneration, as only He can create a new creature. Instead, it is easier to trust ecstatic experiences as a witness to our spirituality. I have been there, done that and it is a dead end.

    Attaining a trance-like or ecstatic state as many do at these entertainment revivals, doesn't immediately reveal anything about the origin of the manifestation. Every spiritual manifestation can have one of three different origins (divine, demonic or human). The discerning of spirits is necessary to identify the origin. Because the same manifestation, like the ecstatic dancing, falling down and shaking violently or tongues for example, can be caused either by God's Spirit, by a demonic influence or merely by the person's own propagations.

    Much of what is touted as Spiritual anointing by the charismatic’s is merely the awakening of the Kundalini by means of occult methods. Kundalini is a well known occult practice, deriving its origin from India. It involves bodily manifestations as a consequence to the ‘Awakening of the Kundalini.’ This is not a mystical fabrication or belief system, but a practice that is strongly promoted by the New Age Movement. The Kundalini awakening does contain the most unbelievable expanded states of reality, enlightenment, and absolute ecstasy and it is extremely contagious. However, like crack stimulates dopamine, a Kundalini awakening opens wide a person's spiritual core, removing safeguards placed by the Creator. The end results can traumatize one's spiritual fabric, leaving a soul damaged. Having worked decades in deliverance, it is impossible to relay every case directly associated with charismatic folly, but it is immense.

    The meetings which mystic Hindu gurus hold are called ‘Darshan’. At these meetings devotees go forward to receive spiritual experience from a touch by the open palm of the hand, often to the forehead, by the guru in what is known as the Shakti Pat or divine touch. Sometimes touch is not used, but sensory stimuli like this group is doing in the video. In a group setting, the transfer of this power will spread like fire to all in attendance who are mentally open and receive the touch which results in all manner of physical manifestations. Involuntary bodily movements; jerking, tremors, shaking; spontaneous vocalizations; burning sensation; sounds in the head; confusion and stupor; gyrating and pulsating; or when slain, unable to move. These manifestations are called 'Kriyas' by the Hindus. Often devotees move on to higher states of spiritual consciousness and become inert physically and appear to slip into unconscious stupor. This state is called 'Samadhi' and it leads to a deeper spiritual experience. The Buddhist suttas mention that samadhi practitioners may develop supernormal powers that can lead to very uncomfortable occult manifestations.

    The Hindus are not the only culture to master the techniques that weave the psyche with the pneuma. The techniques are as old as humanity itself, a spiritual doorway if you must. What we often see lauded as revival amidst these emotional displays, are nothing more than occult methodologies branded as spiritually aware Christians. Spiritually aware indeed, but of what spirit?

    "Real Eyes Realize Real Lies."

    I see today’s youth cast under a spell into this pseudo experiential phenomenon, they last for a time, ever seeking another emotional high, only to burn out in time, usually falling hard due to no spiritual substance in the heart. Johanna, my wife, said she saw young person after young person in her church in Chile, traveling this road, but later falling out disillusioned, more enraptured in sin than even before. Satan is aggressive after those who are truly seeking in truth, holiness, humility. But for those seeking an experience, like today’s zealous emotionalism, they are their own written demise without his assistance.

    Praying the Lord to lift up earnest prophets of Truth, unafraid of those who are seduced by arguments unto their own delusion. May the Lord lift up those who will be ever instilled with a clarity of discernment, able to clearly see the narrow chasm between truth and error. I pray the Spirit grant the seduced, those subdued by the powers of the air, held captive unto error, deliverance as only the Spirit of Yahweh can provide.

  • #2
    I thought I would expand on the comments above, written by the expository moderator of this forum.

    I grew up attending a Pentecostal church that was born out of the 1909 revival within the Methodist congregation in Chile. In this church, our pastors taught us that the Holy Spirit was the center of all our religious activities. Thus, I grew up observing my brothers and sisters dancing in front of the Lord as if hearing a divine, solemn praise rhythm (some of our churches have an organ but no musical instruments are used in general) and also others often delivered direct messages from God to individuals (words of knowledge). I listened to many testimonies of people that had never heard the Gospel before or that it was their first time attending a church. Someone approached them saying 'This is the Lord God, and I have brought you here tonight because I have chosen you to be my child' which resulted in the person's total surrender to God' Spirit and actual transformation right there right then.

    Not all of us were used by God in this way, but most of us did have a supernatural experience that was centered on the Holy Spirit transforming lives in a most dramatic way. Not at all like praying a 5 points systematic prayer, for example, as I've seen a lot of Christians do here in the U.S., which usually results in a pagan convert.

    Fast forward about 20 years. Our churches are still striving to keep the solemn and transforming presence of the Holy Spirit amidst the congregation, even though modernism pushes in with a very impactful force. One of the oldest pastors that I know was the senior pastor when I witnessed the presence of the Holy Spirit transforming lives as I described above. Steeped in maturity and experience, he stands firmly against the current 'manifestations' that are occurring in some of our local churches - mostly by young people who move to a rhythm that could be defined as either a seizure or motions having sexual connotations. Some stumble about as if drunk in the spirit or encourage others to drink this invisible wine. Such things the pastor rightly forbids. Among the false signs, there are those who promote messages as if 'from God' which fail the test of accuracy or results in emotional reactions which has no meaningful purpose for the Kingdom of God. Truly, these people feel very emotional for awhile, burning for God as some say, but the Christian life is too heavy for them maintain, and possibly a couple months later, they fall back into their carnal lifestyle.

    I have alway heard my pastors say that a true follower of Christ does not have lapses in their walk with Christ. They are by default dedicated to serve God in the good and bad times, with faults and all, and I have often wondered what's wrong with me because I fail to maintain my spiritual disciplines like reading the Scriptures or praying more often, or... you get the idea. This showed me that it’s not enough to ‘accept Christ in my heart’ as if my chanting a prayer or reciting a confession has any power. If my surrendering to God is not sealed by the Holy Spirit that results in my worshipping Him ‘in Spirit and in Truth’ I can expect to fall away in a short time... as many youngsters are doing who follow after these malevolent fade revivals. Trusting in the experiential while seeking a thrill verses the inner changing, dying as a seed. Dying to self by definition does not embrace the concept of emotional frenzies.

    I now know "knowing Christ in his power and suffering" is a higher calling and I want to know only that. Currently, I have been striving to rid myself of all those fictious traditions and peer group identification that far from the truth of the Scriptures and far from the Holy Spirit – I have wasted too many years conforming to a superficial idea of what a true Christian is and my prayer today is for the Holy Spirit to guide His Bride... his church. Everything else is simply not necessary. All this hype for emotional worship, lights and music, as if the Holy Spirit of God needs help to actually perform!

    I hope my ramblings make sense May God bless you all.
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    • #3
      I really appreciated how you articulated that commentary, S.E.Ray!

      I think it is a very appropriate and accurate summary of what the movement is about. And I do think, that there are those who very genuinely seeking after the Lord Jesus and are in some way touched but as you said, it is a dead end eventually. And I believe that the enemy is using it to set people up to be deceived in these last days.

      It can be very difficult to speak to the mind of a person who listens and responds only to emotion and feelings. Most of the young people have to learn the hard way. As a youth pastor of a large church, which has an incredible number of young people, I can tell you this seduction is sucking up youth by the thousands! Help us LORD!

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      • #4
        Greetings Everyone,

        I was a member of a Pentecostal Word Faith Church and experienced first hand much error, manipulation and deception. Most coming from the leadership as they directed the church further away from the Living God. In pursuit of success and fame, they would embrace nearly any new movements that were falsely accredited to God. Claiming desire for salvations it became more apparent to me that increased membership was their primary goal. Sadly this Church is promoted as a success story by themselves and others.

        Many church leaders are not grounded in sound Scripture and and are very controlling on what is taught. New believers are instantly bombarded with preferred methods over biblical teachings from all sides. Manipulation of Scripture and the constant babble of false prophesy as if uttered by God, ensures the flock to submit.

        Leaders from all around the World come and endorse the direction and doctrines of man that is taught.
        If you do not submit, then all types of skillful manipulation and/or bullying is applied. Appealing to fleshy desires has caused the Church membership to increase. Satan of course is working in the background, directing their course. The enemy is not without, it is often within.

        Some people are brought in to coerse and develope effective strategies while others are driven out as a threat to their schemes, all the while with shouts of ''Praise to the Lord''. Deviant groups are unaware that they are preparing themselves to embrace the anti-christ with open arms. For when a group decides to feed the flesh and starve the Spirit then what else can be their outcome. Tragic indeed.

        Galatians 6:7 "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows, that he also will reap."
        2 Timothy 3:13 "But evil men and seducers will go forward to worse, deceiving and being deceived. Sowing deception they reap deception."
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