Hi VCO,
Thanks for your response.
I watched the video and was aware of the various groups mentioned. --- I actually met Tod Bentley once, so when you hear of someone you tend to listen the next time you hear his name. --- The last I had heard was that he was separating from his family, which tends to send a signal. --- I didn't know he had returned to ministry in any capacity.
--- Since I worked for many years in Interdenominational Ministry, I have been invited to and have visited many Churches, conventions and rallies.
I have been in dead Churches where they need the Spirit of God, --- and in lively ones where I would be asking the Lord, during the activities, "Is this of You?"
Here is a simple answer: --- When Jesus came to earth He glorified God the Father, --- When He was departing He said to His disciples in John 16:
12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.
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,
--- Notice the pattern, "When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth, --- He will tell you things to come, --- He will glorify Me.
So, the Holy Spirit always glorifies Jesus. --- The Holy Spirit does not glorify Himself. --- So it is 'man' that glorifies the Holy Spirit, with the desire to draw some of that glory unto themselves.
--- When men praise the messenger more than the message, --- it is not of God.
Jesus said, "The Holy Spirit will guide into all truth."
However, there had to be the genuine before there could be a counterfeit.
As the speaker mentioned the 'speaking in tongues' in Acts 2:
12 So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?”
13 Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.”
14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words.
15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.
16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,
That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;
Proverb 20:1 "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler,
And whoever is led astray by it is not wise."
--- Wine can make people happy and foolish --- and strong drink makes people angry and aggresive.
Jesus said, "You don't put new wine in old bottles," ---which referred to the filling of the Holy Spirit.
Consider that scene on the day of Pentecost, --- These men who had been keeping a low profile since the crucifixion and who were told to wait in Jerusalem till they were 'endued with power from on High,' --- After Christ ascended there were perhaps few smiles for the next ten days. --- Finally the Day came and they were filled, --- They were happy and joyful and began praising the Lord no doubt in their own language, and miraculously in the language of the people from all the countries represented.
--- They were no doubt acting foolish in the sight of men and had the effects of drinking new wine.
But the end result of Peter preaching (the first time he ever preached or quoted Scripture), --- there were some three thousand saved.
--- Here is another way you can distinguish the genuine, --- "By their fruits you shall know them."
Other places the Apostles went they had meetings where people were filled with the Spirit and spoke in tongues.
--- Jesus said the Apostles would do the same works that He did. --- And Peter in Acts 5:
14 And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,
15 so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them.
16 Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.
--- Yes, there is the genuine, and it is still going on today.