Every church claims that the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit is present in their places of worship and in those who call themselves Christians and worship there. It doesn’t matter what denomination or group, and all are vastly different from one another, all say that they are filled with the Holy Spirit, therefore God is dwelling in their midst. Yet, what we see happening in the Gospels and Acts is not happening in the church as there is no power to heal or cast out demons as seen in scripture. As Luke makes clear, power and authority follow the presence of the Holy Spirit. The Good news of the true Gospel is always accompanied with power from on High. The Good News was the Kingdom of God coming near. Luke 3:21 “When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased. 23 Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry.” Mark 1:14 “Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” The Kingdom of God coming near meant that the power of the Holy Spirit was present. Matthew 4:23 “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them.” Matthew 11:2 “When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples 3 to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” 4 Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 6 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” Luke 4:1 “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. 14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15 He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him. 31 Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath he taught the people. 32 They were amazed at his teaching, because his words had authority. 33 In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an impure spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, 34 “Go away! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” 35 “Be quiet!” Jesus said sternly. “Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him. 36 All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What words these are! With authority and power he gives orders to impure spirits and they come out!” 37 And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area. 38 Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. 39 So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them. 40 At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. 41 Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah. 42 At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. 43 But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” 44 And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.”

    The powerful presence of the Holy Spirit was not just in Jesus but in the disciples He would send out to do as He did. Matthew 9:35 “Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” The Gospels and Acts show us that this Good News when proclaimed by the disciples was also accompanied by power. When the workers are sent, they go out with power and authority to do as Jesus did. Mark 6:6 “Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. 7 Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits. 12 They went out and preached that people should repent. 13 They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.” Luke 9:1 “When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. 4 Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. 5 If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 6 So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.” Luke 10:8 “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’ 12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.” We are told that power and authority would accompany those sent out to proclaim the Good News. 

   Sadly, the church very quickly rebelled against the word of God and drifted away. The result is the Good News is not being proclaimed, which means there is no power. Instead, other gospels are taught and therefore not accompanied by signs and wonders, healing, casting out demons as described in the gospels. Yes, there are churches that have worldly power, but that power cannot defeat satan, it just gives the impression that satan is being defeated. Because there is no power, the only scriptural conclusion that can be drawn is that what is being taught is not the Good News that Jesus proclaimed but in fact a different God, other gospels, a different jesus and different spirits are proclaimed. Yes, other conclusions can be drawn like cessationism (power is no longer available to the church as it stopped with the apostle Paul), but that is a doctrine of demons because nowhere does the bible say that power and authority would stop, although scripture does make it clear that rebellion cause God to turn His face which is what happened to the church. We were warned very clearly not to be deceived by them. 1 Timothy 4:1 “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.” There are also those who won’t say they are cessationists and say they believe God can heal if He desires, but God is not for the most part healing like we saw in the Gospels nor are they seeking the healing as seen in the Gospels and Acts. God does desire for people to heal which is why He set up the church for disciples to heal. Many have been led astray by these false teachers.

   Scripture makes it very clear that there will be false teachers and prophets who will deceive many. Jesus said, Matthew 24:4 “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.” As soon as another gospel is preached or taught, a different Messiah, God, Jesus, Gospel is proclaimed. 2 Corinthians 11:3 “But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.” Galatians 1:6 “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!”

    Jesus and Paul talked about the wolves that would destroy the flock. Matthew 7:15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” Acts 20:29 “I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.” Moses said, Deuteronomy 31:26 “Take this Book of the Law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God. There it will remain as a witness against you. 27 For I know how rebellious and stiff-necked you are. If you have been rebellious against the Lord while I am still alive and with you, how much more will you rebel after I die! 28 Assemble before me all the elders of your tribes and all your officials, so that I can speak these words in their hearing and call the heavens and the earth to testify against them. 29 For I know that after my death you are sure to become utterly corrupt and to turn from the way I have commanded you. In days to come, disaster will fall on you because you will do evil in the sight of the Lord and arouse his anger by what your hands have made.”

    False teachers and other gospels are everywhere in the church, and this is why it is so important to test the spirits. 1 John 4:1 “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” Just because someone says surely the presence of the Lord is in this place, doesn’t mean the word of God is being preached, nor does it mean the Holy Spirit is present. Just because someone says this is what the Sovereign Lord says, does not mean the Sovereign Lord said it. Jeremiah 23:20 “In days to come you will understand it clearly. 21 I did not send these prophets, yet they have run with their message; I did not speak to them, yet they have prophesied. 22 But if they had stood in my council, they would have proclaimed my words to my people and would have turned them from their evil ways and from their evil deeds.” Ezekiel 22:26 “Her priests do violence to my law and profane my holy things; they do not distinguish between the holy and the common; they teach that there is no difference between the unclean and the clean; and they shut their eyes to the keeping of my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. 27 Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey; they shed blood and kill people to make unjust gain. 28 Her prophets whitewash these deeds for them by false visions and lying divinations. They say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says’—when the Lord has not spoken.” 

    Songs are sung, sermons are preached and doctrines are taught about the presence of the Holy Spirit. In most cases those listening will be told that God is present and they even may feel like God is present. This is where the testing comes in. If God was truly present, then it would look like the Gospels and Acts and there would be power. That means there would be healing and demons cast out. One thing I have thought strange with worship is with singing. Don’t get me wrong I love music, but I am also very emotional as I can cry at a good commercial, a sporting event or a pet video but that doesn’t mean the Holy Spirit is present. Emotionalism is a problem for the church because so much emphasis has been placed on worship. A well performed song or the sound of a beautiful song, and the musicians work very hard to make it perfect, can make people feel like God is truly in this place. If your group uses the song and altar together, many people headed to the altar when the altar call song was sung such as “Just as I Am.” Something I find odd is when you have a song with really weak lyrics, but great music and people have their hands up praising God, meanwhile a song with great lyrics but doesn’t quite elevate the emotions, there are no hands raised. Sadly, today a great worship team suggests a powerful relationship with the Holy Spirit but that is not true. At this point music should just be set aside because it gives the wrong impression about God’s presence. How can you come before God and expect His presence when other gospels and a different jesus are being taught. Isaiah 1:7 “Your country is desolate, your cities burned with fire; 9 Unless the Lord Almighty had left us some survivors, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah. 10 Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah! 11 “The multitude of your sacrifices— what are they to me?” says the Lord. “I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. 12 When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts? 13 Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations— I cannot bear your worthless assemblies. 14 Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals I hate with all my being. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. 15 When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening. Your hands are full of blood!” Amos 5:23 “Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps.”

    There are many songs about the Holy Spirit but songs like this one really illustrate the problem. “Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place, I can feel His mighty power and His grace. I can hear the brush of angel's wings, I see glory on each face; Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place. In the midst of His children, the Lord said He would be. It doesn't take very many, it can be just two or three. And I feel the same sweet Spirit that I've felt oft times before. Oh, surely I can say I have been with the Lord. There's a holy hush around us as God's glory fills this place. I 've touched the hem of his garment and I can almost see His face. And my heart is overflowing with the fullness of His joy. I know without a doubt that I have been with the Lord.” First of all the presence of God is more than a feeling and many have been deceived by their feelings. Feeling the Lord is present is different than God really being present. If you can see glory on the people singing it, which is questionable, then that means the glory of God is present like at the temple and Pentecost. That would also mean His power is present. When two or three are gathered is actually talking about discipline and the power that is available to do so. Matthew 18:15 “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. 18 “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19 “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Jesus told Peter about the power of the church He would build, Matthew 16:18 “on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” We are told that the apostle Paul was given great power. Acts 19:11 “God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.” We also know that Paul dealt with sinners. 1 Corinthians 5:1 “It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife. 2 And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this? 3 For my part, even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. As one who is present with you in this way, I have already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus on the one who has been doing this. 4 So when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, 5 hand this man over to satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.” 1 Timothy 1:18 “Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well, 19 holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith. 20 Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to satan to be taught not to blaspheme.” As some found out, you do not mess with satan unless you had true power. Acts 19:13 “Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” 14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15 One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” 16 Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.” What Paul did can only be done with the power and authority Paul was given by God.

    Another song talks about wanting the presence of God. Sure, the song touches the heart strings, but most are not prepared to have the presence of God among them. “Spirit of the Living God” - Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me. Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me. Break me, melt me, mold me, fill me. Spirit of the Living God, Fall afresh on me. From the Luke passage above, Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit and then ended up in the wilderness. Deuteronomy 8:2 “Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.” First many will give up during a time of testing and think that God has abandoned them. Read the book of Job to see how he never gave up. Second having the Spirit of God means that there will be truth and most will not be able to stand in His presence. Acts 5:1 “Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2 With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet. 3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4 Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.” 5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. 6 Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him. 7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?” “Yes,” she said, “that is the price.” 9 Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also. 10 At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.” That is in the New Testament and can still happen today and for sure great fear would once again seize the church. The problem is most have grown accustomed to a powerless church and their idea of the Holy Spirit being present is a good worship service.

    False doctrines are a huge problem when it comes to the presence and filling of the Holy Spirit. Both non-charismatic and charismatic churches say they are filled with the Holy Spirit except the filling is done differently and each group disagrees with the other on how it happens. One minister wrote about the question, from a Baptist perspective, what would the church look like if the Holy Spirit was present and at work? In his response to the question, he did not mention anything about the power of the Holy Spirit that was given to the church at Pentecost. The closest he came was to say, “Others (of a more charismatic stripe) would look for some kind of wild activity like people running the aisles, people speaking in tongues, or people laughing hysterically. Some in this group would look for signs and wonders, people being slain in the Spirit, prophetic words, and dramatic healings. Still others in this group would expect exorcisms and encounters with demons.” Basically because of the false teaching this writer has adopted as truth, he has rejected the power that was given to the church at Pentecost. Yes, the charismatic movement is a false movement, but the power given from on High as described in scripture is not. The answer to his question is simple; the church would look like the Gospels and Acts and do as Jesus did with the same power and authority from on High.

    When looking into the filling of the Holy Spirit, it is important to understand that power and authority to do as Jesus did is the end result of this filling. Neither the non-charismatic nor the charismatics have this power and authority although the charismatic have false manifestations and because they did not test the spirits, appear to have the power of the Holy Spirit in their midst; except it is not God who is dwelling. The Gospels were a prelude to the church going out in power. What we saw Jesus do, the church was also to do. There used to be a slogan called “doing church” which was focused on the mechanics of church, but did not point the church back to the true power and authority that was given to the church at Pentecost. At no time did it focus on doing as Jesus did with the same power and authority He had. Though it talked about being the church, you can’t be the church without power. Without power and authority, church is just a group of people meeting. The church was supposed to  continue destroying the work of satan because at Pentecost the church was given that power and authority to do so. Jesus said, John 7:37 “On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.” Jesus said to the disciples, Luke 24:46 “He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” Acts 1:4 “On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

    That day did come. Acts 2:1 “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?” John the Baptist already said Luke 3:16 “John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” 18 And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them.” Two things I find interesting about John the Baptist. First when he was about to die, he wanted to make sure that Jesus really was the Messiah even though he had said, John 1:29 “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33 And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.” Matthew 11:2 “When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples 3 to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” 4 Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 6 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” Also, John was given such a great task but his words were his power. John 10:40 “Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed, 41 and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign, all that John said about this man was true.” 42 And in that place many believed in Jesus.” Even John had to know who He had given His life for.

     The purpose of this blog is not to flesh out all the many conflicting beliefs of non-charismatics and charismaticsbut to show that if the church is as filled with the Holy Spirit as it states it is, why then has truth, as Daniel said, been thrown to the ground and why is there no power? Many doctrines will include rebuttals of differing faiths such as Baptist verses Pentecostal as we saw above with the Baptist writer saying. “Others (of a more charismatic stripe) would look for some kind of wild activity like people running the aisles, people speaking in tongues, or people laughing hysterically. Some in this group would look for signs and wonders, people being slain in the Spirit, prophetic words, and dramatic healings. Still others in this group would expect exorcisms and encounters with demons.” The non charismatic basically believes that you are filled with the Holy Spirit at conversion. The charismatic believes there is a second work of the Holy Spirit which is confirmed by speaking in tongues. The downside to both and I have been part of both types of churches is that all these people who are gathered say they are filled with the Holy Spirit but both sides teach other gospels and there is no power. For example, I have been part of services where most are speaking in tongues and even falling on their backs which supposedly suggests that God is present in a powerful way. But nothing happens other than some deceitful manifestations. If they had tested the spirits, they would know that people fell on their faces before God not their backs so it wasn’t the Holy Spirit they were filled with. When people did get up, they were still the same. Jesus said He would send the Spirit of Truth. John 16:12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.” That is not happening. If the Holy Spirit was that present, then all those false doctrines that are being taught like the rapture and millennial kingdom (both sides believe) would be shut down. If the Holy Spirit was so present, then truth would have been made known, but it isn’t. The same goes for non-charismatics. I have been to churches that are full. Songs are sung, sermons are preached, and people head for the doors unchanged or healed when the service is over. There is no healing or demons cast out because their doctrines say that will not happen and people believe it and do not expect anything to happen.

    The question is if both the non-charismatics and charismatics say they are filled with the Holy Spirit, each according to their doctrines, yet there is no power, how can it be that they are filled with the Holy Spirit? We know what the church is supposed to look like and the power and authority the church was supposed to have simply by looking at the Gospels and Acts. Paul also said 1 Corinthians 12:7 “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” If these gifts were in effect, and there is nowhere that says they shouldn’t be, then the church would look like the Gospels and Acts. The church looks nothing like the Gospels and Acts. False teachers have fixed that problem by teaching other gospels and decided to finish in the flesh. Those who call themselves Christians are still the same, yet they now go to church. When you look at most churches, they are filled with sick and medicated people and many die with their sickness, yet there is no healing. Yes, some, very few, are healed but that is similar to those healed outside the church.

    After Pentecost Peter was a completely different person. Before he put his foot in his mouth a lot, feared for his life and denied Jesus. After Pentecost he became a powerful and fearless man of God who had the power and authority to heal. Acts 3:1 “One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. 2 Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. 6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.” After they were put in jail, Acts 4:3 “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. 14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. 15 So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. 16 “What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it. 17 But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.” 18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! 20 As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” 21 After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. 22 For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.” Acts 5:12 “The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. 13 No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. 14 Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. 15 As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. 16 Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.”

    It wasn’t just the apostles who were filled and changed. Acts 6:5 “They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. 8 Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.” And then there was Philip. Acts 8:1 “On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2 Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison. 4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. 6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city. 7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.”

    This is the power and authority that was made available to the church at Pentecost. 2 Peter 2:1 “But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3 In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.” Zechariah 1:2 “The Lord was very angry with your ancestors. 3 Therefore tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty.” Instead of returning and seeking God to turn His face back to the church so that the power and authority given to the church at Pentecost would return, these false teachers teach other gospels and doctrines of demons and millions have fallen for their lies and the church lies in desolation. Many in the church see no need to repent and others refuse to repent and turn from their wicked ways. Jeremiah 8:4 “Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says: “‘When people fall down, do they not get up? When someone turns away, do they not return? 5 Why then have these people turned away? Why does Jerusalem always turn away? They cling to deceit; they refuse to return. 6 I have listened attentively, but they do not say what is right. None of them repent of their wickedness, saying, “What have I done?” Each pursues their own course like a horse charging into battle. 7 Even the stork in the sky knows her appointed seasons, and the dove, the swift and the thrush observe the time of their migration. But my people do not know the requirements of the Lord.” Jeremiah 9:12 “Who is wise enough to understand this? Who has been instructed by the Lord and can explain it? Why has the land been ruined and laid waste like a desert that no one can cross? 13 The Lord said, “It is because they have forsaken my law, which I set before them; they have not obeyed me or followed my law. 14 Instead, they have followed the stubbornness of their hearts; they have followed the Baals, as their ancestors taught them.” 15 Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “See, I will make this people eat bitter food and drink poisoned water. 16 I will scatter them among nations that neither they nor their ancestors have known, and I will pursue them with the sword until I have made an end of them.”

    Most have been told the powerless church is how it is intended to be because God no longer does what He did in the beginning as seen in the Gospels and Acts. Others have been told the manifestations such as speaking in tongues (babbling nonsense) and falling to the ground is a sign that the Holy Spirit is present. In both cases the spirits were not tested and they had been deceived. Add to that delusion of which God brings on His people when they rebel. 2 Thessalonians 2:9 “The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.” Yes, there is some deception that is hard to see through but for the most part simply reading the Gospels and Acts shows that when the Holy Spirit is present there will be truth, power, authority, healing and casting out demons and the good news will be proclaimed to the ends of the earth. Without the presence of the Holy Spirit, the church continues as it is on a road that leads to death. Ezekiel 18:30 “Therefore, you Israelites / church, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. 31 Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel / church? 32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!”