Redefining Prophesy

As I've said before, I consider many 'practicing' charismatics to be brothers and sisters-in-Christ. Even so, I'm still unable to reconcile the habit of redefining prophesy as illustrated in this post, "Spontaneous and Prophetic Songs" (Please remember that questioning, examining, or challenging a teaching and/or a practice in light of Scripture is NOT an attack upon the person.)

I've always wondered--even during my days as a 'full blown" charismatic--what this practice is intended/hoped to accomplish that Scripture apparently is assumed to be deficient in?

Wherein I sound the charismatic 'alarm' AGAIN

Dan Phillips over at Pyromaniacs has once again written several clear, Biblically sound, compassionate (and passionate) posts--What I think about "the Florida revival", and Know how to think, and the what takes care of itself --regarding how we should view and evaluate the on-going behavior and practices within the charismatic church today.

I imagine there are those who will charge me with being 'overly concerned' about the charismatic movement and think I should 'get over it', and there are those who dismiss my concerns merely as the reaction of someone who was possibly 'hurt/wounded' by my past charismatic experience. If only they knew that all that remains of any past 'hurt/wound' from my charismatic experience is the pain of seeing and hearing how our holy God continues to be misrepresented and 'manipulated' by people crafting a God of their own appetite(s). If only they had seen the disillusioned masses filtering in and out of the charismatic church(es)--seeking hope and help, only to 'receive' some thing other than the holy, loving, sovereign God.

I cannot stress enough how subtle and damaging to the spiritual health and maturity of brothers and sisters-in-Christ the charismatic movement has been and continues to be, not to even mention how the movement continues to drag the very character of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit through the mud every time one of their 'prophesies' turns out to be bogus, or at best impotent.

The over-emphasis on pursuing feelings and unique experiences above Biblically-based sound-minded living has created a culture in the church of discontent, elitism, sensationalism, and dependence upon externals. I've taken note recently how more and more charismatics (most notably those calling themselves 'reformed' charismatics) who find themselves separated from opportunities to pursue and continue their pursuit of certain feelings and unique experiences, have confessed to being unwilling/discontent to yield those facets of their theology and practice even though sound Biblical teaching and preaching is readily available.

So, yes, I'll continue to sound the charismatic 'alarm' as long as I see evidence of the growing emphasis on pursuing/anticipating feelings, and pursuing/esteeming unique experiences characterized by the movement.

The sovereignty of Satan

If you're a regular reader here, the title of this post most likely caused you to say, "What???!!" (at least I hope it did)! I'll admit, I want the title to "grab" you--it certainly grabbed me when I read it over at Pulpit Magazine just a few minutes ago.

Because I'm a former charismatic, I knew instantly what they were talking about because I lived it for a number of years.

During those years, I was taught (and believed) that Satan reigned supreme and it was my job to "show him who was boss"--that being me, not God. It was a life filled with uncertainty, would Satan "trick" me into marrying the wrong man (see my post HERE), would Satan cause me to misuse my money and not be able to pay my rent, would Satan make me sick so that I couldn't go to church, would Satan control my family or friends and cause me emotional pain, the list went on, and on, and on. Looking back now, many of those times are even comical, like the time my roommate and I "rebuked" Satan from her plastic Mickie Mouse bank!! That's a story for another day--when I'm feeling very unconditionally loved and accepted by fellow-bloggers and blog readers!

I cannot begin to tell you how freeing it was when by God's grace I began to understand God's true nature and character found in His Word! I no longer had to be "on the look out" for Satan and what He would throw at me next. Instead, God gave me a confidence that He in fact was in control--just as His Word says.

Even if you don't consider yourself to be "charismatic", I want to urge you to read THIS article. Believe it nor not, there are non-charismatics who act and talk as if they believe that Satan is "sovereign"--nothing could be farther from the truth of Scripture!

What is charismatic theology?

This post is another follow-up related to my post, Invitation to dialogue on Reformed charismatics . Today we look at what charismatic theology holds/practices.

While I can tell you from personal experience what charismatics believe and practice, I thought it might be better that I provide quotes and/or links to publicly accessible sources.

Here is a portion of what Wikipedia offers,

"Charismatic is an umbrella term used to describe those Christians who believe that the manifestations of the Holy Spirit seen in the first century Christian Church, such as healing, miracles, prophecy and glossolalia (speaking in other tongues or languages), are available to contemporary Christians and ought to be experienced and practiced today."

And, here is a general summary drawn from a variety of charismatic websites and literature:

The major doctrinal distinctives of the charismatic movement are; the baptism in the Holy Spirit, tongues-speaking, prophecy, the gift of healing, and the emphasis on having a personal experience.