Charismatic Bible Studies - 1 Peter 4:7-11

[Guardian Angel]

I also know what you are saying about some people in church being dead. Sometimes I would be standing next to someone during worship and it was like trying to worship next to a concrete pole. Very bad feeling, like I wanted to move, but I didn’t want to seem impolite.

 

[Guardian Angel]

In answer to question 1, I have been in many services where a prophet called out and identified people by name. And it was very real. Sometimes things were revealed that only the person knew and they had told no one, and these were regulars in the church so we knew they were not faking it.

About question 2, I have received dreams about my husband speaking/ teaching before a very large number of people. Maybe this will be fulfilled online, I do not know, but it was when we first met.

I have also received a number of dreams that were scary. I once received a dream that a wicked woman with bloodshot eyes was holding my and my husbands wedding rings in her hand, and she was rolling them around with her fingers and looked at me and said, “l own him already.” My husband told me he had been talking with a woman online and they were getting close, but that that was most certainly not happening. He and I are still together today, and that was eight years ago.

#3. I have not prayed for dreams and visions, no. Maybe I should. It’s not that I don’t feel unworthy, I just don’t think to pray for them.

 

[RandyK]

I remember when I first went to a Pentecostal church. I thought it was strange and kinda scary, but at least they gave interpretation of tongues. The Charismatic churches I went to later did not, and I could never really tell if the tongues being spoken were of God or not.

My mother grew up in a pagan household of Europeans who had largely given up their Christian beliefs. Somehow she became attracted to Christianity, and went into a Pentecostal Church, which frightened her off. Then she attended a Lutheran Church, which was less frightening, and stuck there ever since.

And so we were raised in Lutheranism, though my Mother's brother later became Pentecostal. The Christianity of both my uncle and my Mother were sincere, but Lutheranism was so weak that it didn't prevent me from participating in my generation's waywardness. Only when I ended up in detention did I begin to seriously repent and return to Christian living.

I was the 1st in my family to turn to Pentecostalism/the Charismatic movement (about 17 years old). Since I was not raised up in a Pentecostal Church I was more Charismatic than Pentecostal, not seeing much of a dividing line between Christians, whether Pentecostal or other.

I did recognize, however, that the Pentecostals, in focusing on the Holy Spirit, seemed to more often have a deeper commitment to Christian living. But it was not exclusively so, there being many Baptists, and Holiness Church members, as well as others, who were as committed to Christian living as Pentecostals.

Tongues was pretty much being forced on me, doctrinally, and so I ultimately turned against it for myself. I felt like I was performing, and not being led, and found, at any rate, that Paul taught a diversity of gifting, as opposed to what the Pentecostals taught, that "all" should speak in a prayer language.

Anyway, I don't let small issues like this and other peripheral differences divide me from other Christians. I'm Postrib whereas most of my friends are Pretrib, and I simply state my beliefs and let others believe as they feel led.

I love honesty, and walk away from emotional outbursts over doctrine. Setting an example of love and temperance is, I feel, very important. Our example is what witnesses to others, who are looking for "the Way."

 

[Hidden In Him]

I'm Postrib whereas most of my friends are Pretrib, and I simply state my beliefs and let others believe as they feel led.

So am I.

 

[RandyK]

I also know what you are saying about some people in church being dead. Sometimes I would be standing next to someone during worship and it was like trying to worship next to a concrete pole. Very bad feeling, like I wanted to move, but I didn’t want to seem impolite.

It's terrible when you're worshiping in church, and someone near you evidently dislikes it. I can literally feel the hostility from such people. I know I don't have a great voice, but at least I can sing on key! ;)

But in all seriousness, some are like David's wife Michal, who was embarrassed by David worshiping God in public. Some people are simply turned off by someone who walks in God's presence.

On the other hand, to avoid appearing to be pretentious and self-glorifying, we should, I think, reduce our volume, or we may appear to be exhibitionistic.

I do think that those who have sinned can hold back a service, as well as God's presence. On the other hand, we should let the Spirit reveal Himself as He pleases--we are given "down" times.

 

[JLB]

I'm Postrib whereas most of my friends are Pretrib, and I simply state my beliefs and let others believe as they feel led.

If you ever feel led to share with someone who is wanting to hear the truth, use this one simple scripture to get them to think.

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 1 Thessalonians 4:15

• that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.

The resurrection and rapture happen at His coming;
The Second coming of Christ.

• For this we say to you by the word of the Lord

Paul is teaching the word of the Lord, the same thing Jesus taught in Matthew 24.

It’s simple. No need to mention the tribulation. Just simple truth.

From there just encourage them to read the whole context from
1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:4

His coming is the Day of the Lord; The Day of Christ.

 

[Hidden In Him]

I remember when I first went to a Pentecostal church. I thought it was strange and kinda scary, but at least they gave interpretation of tongues. The Charismatic churches I went to later did not, and I could never really tell if the tongues being spoken were of God or not.

Not sure if this is still the trend now or not. I know many of the "Pentecostal" churches have largely distanced themselves from their Pentecostal roots and Pentecostal practice in general, going with the mega church model instead (high powered professional worship, watered down preaching, and a non-offensive all-inclusive approach). Other genuinely more Charismatic churches that I know of have kind of come back in the direction of taking the Biblical commands seriously.

 

[Hidden In Him]

I also know what you are saying about some people in church being dead. Sometimes I would be standing next to someone during worship and it was like trying to worship next to a concrete pole. Very bad feeling, like I wanted to move, but I didn’t want to seem impolite.

Yes. I would especially notice this when I was playing guitar and leading worship. My head would often be more towards the ground cuz I was using pedals, but I could still see people out of the corner of my eye, and sometimes new people who came in and stood on the front row would have SUCH a worldly spirit around them that it would effect me. I didn't even have to see them clearly to feel them, and I'd be sitting there playing and think, "Who on earth is THAT." You can tell when people are in the world or in the Spirit without even seeing them sometimes.

 

[Hidden In Him]

In answer to question 1, I have been in many services where a prophet called out and identified people by name. And it was very real. Sometimes things were revealed that only the person knew and they had told no one, and these were regulars in the church so we knew they were not faking it.

Yes. I often tell this story, but it is how I came to find out that this phenomenon was not being faked, albeit without attempting to; just something the Lord wanted me to know.

I was in a service once where a prophet was calling out people by name, and everyone was responding when their name was called. But I was hoping for a word that night, and I was the only non-Hispanic in the service, sitting on the back row with my wife. He got through with talking to someone and it's as if he stopped, like he was trying to hear what the Lord was telling him. Then he called out the name "Costas." No one answered. He tried again, saying the same name, and no one answered. It seemed to shake him a little, but he went on to the next name and finished out the service.

Afterwards, a friend who knew me came up to me and said, "I think he was trying to call your name." My last name is Coultes, a derivation of the English name Coulters, and when I stopped to think about, it sounds a lot like "Costas," especially if I were a Hispanic man assuming everyone in the congregation was Hispanic and trying to make it fit.

This told me it wasn't fake. He was hearing the voice of God speak, but because He speaks to our minds rather than to our ears, we can sometimes reinterpret and miss what is actually being said. That's the day I found out identifying people by name is real, and not just something people are faking.

 

[D-D-W]

Not sure if this is still the trend now or not. I know many of the "Pentecostal" churches have largely distanced themselves from their Pentecostal roots and Pentecostal practice in general, going with the mega church model instead (high powered professional worship, watered down preaching, and a non-offensive all-inclusive approach). Other genuinely more Charismatic churches that I know of have kind of come back in the direction of taking the Biblical commands seriously.

Sad but true.

 

[Hidden In Him]

Sad but true.

Yeah. The change was especially noticeable to people of our age, because we saw what Pentecostalism was back in the 70s and 80s versus what it is today (in areas anyway). There was an excellent book on this called "Quitting Church" by Julia Duin, and yeah, it is pretty sad. I remember what the churches were like, and even the watered down ones were more on fire than what I see today. But that's only in the States. I don't think it's as true in Central and South America, or China, or in other areas of the world where moves of the Spirit are still at the forefront.