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The Charismatic movement and all of the baggage that comes along with it, has endeared many and
offended most. It is unfortunate that what the Word of God says regarding the dispensation of spiritual
gifts received through the out-pouring of the Holy Spirit has been overshadowed by theatrics,
showmanship, and self-edification. This is further complicated by humanistic need to understand that
which we invest in and commit to mentally. It is my prayer that this moment of sharing will enlighten
some and awaken others regarding the biblical perspective on what we have labeled Charismatic.
That said, whether we refer to it as Pentecostal, Full-Gospel, Holiness, Charismatic, or something else,
what we are truly referring to is yielding to the power of the Holy Spirit to lead us in all things and most
of all, worship. For a moment, let us set aside our presuppositions about the manifestations of the Spirit
and see what thus says the Lord prior to the Holy Spirit descending to indwell mankind.
I will conclude that there is little to no debate about whether Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John got it
right. I think this also provides a clear illustration of how we receive from God. Jesus was first baptized
and then the Spirit of God descended. From this we can see the two-step process of coming into full
fellowship with God through His Son. Salvation occurs by confession of faith in Christ as the Son of God
and believing God raised Him from the dead; but, transformation of the heart to live a Holy life requires
a new birth. Am I saying that you must be filled with the Spirit to be saved? Absolutely not; because,
only the Spirit of God can bear witness to the Christ within a person’s heart. Just remember that
salvation is tied to water baptism in preparation for spiritual baptism.
The following scriptures provide support for what John affirmed in the wilderness and was foretold
through by the prophets:
Pr 1:23 23 If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known
ESV
The Call of Wisdom to you.
Eze 39:29
29 And I will not hide my face anymore from them, when I pour out my Spirit upon the house of
ESV The Lord Will Restore
Israel, declares the Lord God.”
Israel
Joel 2:28 28 “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and
ESV The Lord Will Pour your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see
Out His Spirit visions.
Joel 2:29
ESV The Lord Will Pour 29 Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit.
Out His Spirit
In Peter’s first sermon after Pentecost, the Holy Spirit confirmed through spoken words that the Joel
2:28 prophecy had just been fulfilled:
37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.
38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ” 39 Now this he said
about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was
not yet glorified.
Acts 1:8 affirms this promise of power to witness of Christ, which is essential to Holy living and results in
“effective” worship. The victory over Satan and the curse of The Law is realized through the indwelling
of the Holy Spirit which empowers us to live victorious lives. This power has been referenced in scripture
as rivers of living water that springs up and out of spirit-filled believers. This power can manifest in any
of the gifts recorded in scripture, as God wills.
It is important to note that scripture records an account in Acts the 19th chapter, of believers (disciples
of Christ) that were preaching and teaching in Jesus’ name. Here is that account:
1 And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he
found some disciples. 2 And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have
not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.”
4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after
him, that is, Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands on
them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. 7 There were about twelve men in
all.
The charismatic movement for all of its faults and occasional abuses of God’s authority cannot diminish
the intent of the Third Person of The Trinity entering the world. The church has somehow removed
itself from operating in the FULLNESS of the power afforded the church to overcome all the power of
the enemy (Luke 10:19). God is fully capable of calling to account those that bear false witness of these
manifestations, but we should be careful to not indict God for man’s behavior; especially if it results in
us failing to fulfill our divine purpose. Here are the gifts given for the edifying of the Body of Christ:
1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans you
were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of
God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are varieties of gifts,
but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the
same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to
one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit,
9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to
another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the
interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he
wills.
Interestingly, the Lord had Paul address the greatest gift of all in 1 Corinthians 13. Could God have
foreknown that our self-righteous, self-actuating, self-reliant, judgmental, divisive, fleshly nature would
be a problem in yielding to the gifts that accompany His Spirit. May we remember that love saved us
and that love never fails. We need the power to fulfill the mission. If it were not so, then Jesus would
not have instructed His disciples to wait on the Holy Spirit. Let us pray for our beloved brothers and
sisters that will fall under the judgment of God and at the same time acknowledge that He has called all
of us to live a “Pentecostal” life; not as the world has portrayed it, but as the Word of God has recorded
it.