Is that the power of Holy Spirit?
- Thread starter Elisabet
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I think that some of your advice to Elisabet was actually pretty decent. I never got the chance to respond to some of your earlier posts or Roger's because the thread moved so quickly while I was offline. I think it's good advice that Elisabet and her friends look into the doctrine and beliefs of the churches they are attending. You are right that it's important to find a church that teaches things that line up with Scripture. No experiences or gifts of the spirit can be good if those operating in these gifts deny the deity of Christ, etc I don't think that any of us were advocating that they attend these churches without doing some research first.
You were also right that we shouldn't base our decisions to attend a church because of a desire for excitement. That is fleshly and carnal. There is a difference though between searching for something powerful and alive like Willie said and being bored with hymns and traditional services like Elisabet's friends ( as she described them).
In fairness to all of us, we were trying to present a positive view of spiritual things. What Elisabet was describing did sound questionable, but we were trying to show from our personal experiences that there are real and genuine experiences.
I think the issue in this thread was that some of your responses to others came across as antagonistic. Maybe that was not your intent and was the result of poor communication. However, for those of us who do believe in speaking in tongues, we don't feel really comfortable engaging further in this discussion. It's not pleasant for any of us to have our beliefs ridiculed.
You were also right that we shouldn't base our decisions to attend a church because of a desire for excitement. That is fleshly and carnal. There is a difference though between searching for something powerful and alive like Willie said and being bored with hymns and traditional services like Elisabet's friends ( as she described them).
In fairness to all of us, we were trying to present a positive view of spiritual things. What Elisabet was describing did sound questionable, but we were trying to show from our personal experiences that there are real and genuine experiences.
I think the issue in this thread was that some of your responses to others came across as antagonistic. Maybe that was not your intent and was the result of poor communication. However, for those of us who do believe in speaking in tongues, we don't feel really comfortable engaging further in this discussion. It's not pleasant for any of us to have our beliefs ridiculed.
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Elisabet, what you are describing: (when the priest touch the shoulders of some people, they will suddenly fall down, move uncontrollably and start saying weird languages.) i cant find in the bible, and i would not hold it for the Holy Spirit who is behind that. Yes, its charismatic. Yes, in 1 Cor. 12-14 you can read about talking ore praying in tongues. But it is nowhere in bible said that you receive it in this way.
If someone wants to start fights, why resist them?
I think resistance confirms their argument. I would always try to understand what their point
is because it could well be a legitimate point they are making.
Some I have found just want to be heard. They are convinced their perspective is crucial.
Often just showing love and acceptance is enough. When you come to things on a rules basis
you often find you create a problem rather than resolve it. This is why Jesus talked about giving
your shirt, do not resist the evil person, turn the other cheek.
But maybe these ideas are too spiritual for some, because they have spent their whole life putting
people in their place, and just transferred this into the christian arena.
By the way I am sure I will be put in my place, but God bless you, the Lords ways are our ways.
David was cursed by a man, and his response was, maybe God sent this man to do this, leave him
alone.
I think resistance confirms their argument. I would always try to understand what their point
is because it could well be a legitimate point they are making.
Some I have found just want to be heard. They are convinced their perspective is crucial.
Often just showing love and acceptance is enough. When you come to things on a rules basis
you often find you create a problem rather than resolve it. This is why Jesus talked about giving
your shirt, do not resist the evil person, turn the other cheek.
But maybe these ideas are too spiritual for some, because they have spent their whole life putting
people in their place, and just transferred this into the christian arena.
By the way I am sure I will be put in my place, but God bless you, the Lords ways are our ways.
David was cursed by a man, and his response was, maybe God sent this man to do this, leave him
alone.
I probably want to give an update here. I am currently going to a Protestant church and no such things happen here. I am still not sure if the whole falling down and laughing is from the Holy Spirit, i have found no parts of the Bible specifically says that. And to be honest i find it against my conscience.
My friend went to a Christian event and he got pushed so hard by the preacher but he refused to fall down so eventually the preacher left him. And that makes me even more sure that it's not how the Holy Spirit is supposed to work.
Even if falling down and laughing is the work of the Holy Spirit, i would not focus on that. It may seem magical or awesome but i don't think people will turn to God when they see others lying on the floor and moving uncontrollably. So, why don't we emphasize other things that are done by the Holy Spirit? like guiding people to live a holy life, giving them bravery to do ministry, comforting them and making them realize that God is always with them, etc.
I guess that's what i am gonna do. Making people fall down (if that really is the work of the Holy Spirit) is such a small work compared to transforming people's lives. So yeah, i guess that's what we need to start paying more attention to
(although the whole falling down, laughing, and crying hysterically is pretty cool and scary to see, i have to admit)
My friend went to a Christian event and he got pushed so hard by the preacher but he refused to fall down so eventually the preacher left him. And that makes me even more sure that it's not how the Holy Spirit is supposed to work.
Even if falling down and laughing is the work of the Holy Spirit, i would not focus on that. It may seem magical or awesome but i don't think people will turn to God when they see others lying on the floor and moving uncontrollably. So, why don't we emphasize other things that are done by the Holy Spirit? like guiding people to live a holy life, giving them bravery to do ministry, comforting them and making them realize that God is always with them, etc.
I guess that's what i am gonna do. Making people fall down (if that really is the work of the Holy Spirit) is such a small work compared to transforming people's lives. So yeah, i guess that's what we need to start paying more attention to
(although the whole falling down, laughing, and crying hysterically is pretty cool and scary to see, i have to admit)
I saw something like this at my brother's church once. A visiting preacher was pushing on people's foreheads to make them lose balance and fall backwards. One fellow refused to fall and took a step back every time the preacher pushed. This went on so long that one of his helpers placed a chair right behind the standing person so that when he was pushed again the chair forced him to lose balance and fall into the chair. It's evil what these people are doing. GOD will judge them in due time.