Let Us Cleanse Ourselves

Let us Cleanse Ourselves

Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.; (2 Corinthians 7:1)

I've read this scripture many times and only this time has it meant anything special - blessed be God who revealed its contents through His indwelling Holy Spirit, who uses His vessels to hold and pass on His glory, Godliness and love.

Coming out of the charismatic movement, my wife and I last night had the opportunity of watching a video of that familiar phenomenon, that of the laughing spirit spectacle that occurs in various of the "evangenical" churches of today.
This video had chiefly to do with a man called Rehab*, and while it's not the purpose of this ministry to revile any person, I believe that the secret of Rehab's power was revealed by his own lips when he relived the moment that he received this power.
Having seen this same power at work in the charismatic movement in various instances, we were shown its falseness and deceit by reading the Bible and through the mercy and comfort of the Holy Spirit.

The reading of the above scripture on this specific day, while on another task, was the catalyst of the writing of this article, because it shows so clearly where these "spiritual" evangelists have gone so wrong.

In his personal testimony in a Pentecostal church, Rehab starts off by saying - God wants to plug you into heaven's electric light socket. We see here that he is calling to those churchgoers who have not yet felt the gentle touch of the loving, Living God, the Holy Spirit, in their lives. They are searching, genuinely searching, but they don't want to do it God's way, they want to carry on with their normal selfish "me first" way of life and God cannot work with them.
He goes on to state with evident pride - I was eighteen years of age, I was in a room with Methodists, Baptists etc., there were no Pentecostals there and I said to god; I want your fire, the same fire of Acts two, I want you to touch me, because if you don't I'm gonna die and come up there and touch you. Tonight is my night; and I started to shout; g..o..d I shouted; I shouted so loud that I frightened everyone in the room. I shouted for about 20 minutes and then!!! Suddenly I felt as though someone had poured petrol on me and struck a light and I started to burn from my head down to my toes. I was speaking in other tongues, I was lost in the presence of god, it was so funny, it was like a river, I was crying, I was beside myself, I didn't care what anyone thought, heaven came down and kissed me, heaven came down and kissed me. One hour went by, two hours went by, three, four, five, six hours went by; one day went by, two, three, in the fourth day. . . now I'm not praying for God to send his power anymore, now he's heard my prayer, he heard me saying, I want your fire, the same fire of Acts two, I want you to touch me, because if you don't I'm gonna die and come up there and touch you; now he's gonna come down and kill me and take me home. Now I'm praying please don't kill me - the power of god was so overwhelming - that's why we are going to have glorified bodies otherwise we are going to crawl around heaven on all fours. . .

It says in the Bible that through the mouth of a man can one understand what his thoughts are:: And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable. And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.; (Matthew 15:10-20)

Now anyone that makes demands of God surely doesn't know Him, there is no fear of God in him.
Nowhere in Rehab's testimony did he mention God's requirement - repentance.

Another famous charismatic preacher stated that he could have replaced Jesus on the cross; and by his lips shows that he knows nothing about covenants, nor the reason why Jesus hung on the cross in the first place. Others believe that Jesus went down into hell for three days after His crucifixion, to be tortured by the devil; and actually teach this in their "bible" schools. By their lips do they condemn themselves - the blind leading the blind.: Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.; (Psalms 91:14-16); My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:; (Proverbs 3:1-3)

This same man once said in a church service where we were present; "don't spend so much time in the Bible; I'm not saying don't read it, but rather listen to the Holy Spirit." Now I knew this man by his words and sincerity and he was a very gifted preacher, but he preached contrary to the word of God, which shows that he was deluded.

These people might believe that they are God's anointed evangelists, but each has been deceived by the god of this world because of disobedience, perhaps pride or because of the "me" that they were not prepared to give up. They were either unprepared to relinquish the filthiness of the flesh, to repent Biblically, or they thought that they knew better than God, that they could do His work better than the next man, that they were someone special; they needed to be looked up to, to have a name - even if it was Pharisee.

Nowhere is a broken and contrite heart mentioned. From previous writings in this series we know that we must repent and change our ways, because if we don't we cannot receive God's promise of the Holy Spirit. This means that another spirit is present; it has to be or else God is a liar.


David knew God. Instead of making ultimatums to his Creator, let's see what he had to say. But first let's remember that he became king of Israel, and this because of the blessing of God. David was one of the few people in the Old Covenant who had been filled with the Holy Spirit. He knew God, even though there is no record of him speaking in tongues.: Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name. But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding. O LORD our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own. I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee.; (1 Chronicles 29:10-17)
This is what the New Covenant has to say:: Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;; (Philippians 2:12-15)

As disciples of Jesus Christ these modern Pharisees claim the following scripture for their own:: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.; (John 14:12-14)
But what did Jesus say in the same chapter?: If ye love me, keep my commandments.; (John 14:15); He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.; (John 14:21); Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.; (John 14:23-24)

Now there is very little fear and trembling, obedience, humbleness, charity, peace or gentleness amongst these men.

So what must we who are seeking God's face believe?: Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.; (Matthew 24:35)

So if these men willingly disobey God's word, they cannot be His disciples, not so. They must be the disciples of some other spiritual power.: according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:; (Ephesians 2:2b)

What is so heartrending though, is that these "Catch the Fire" meetings are just that; the fire is the fire of deception, of burning sulphur.

It is now four days later and something else has been revealed:: Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab. And after certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. And Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people that he had with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramothgilead. And Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Wilt thou go with me to Ramothgilead? And he answered him, I am as thou art, and my people as thy people; and we will be with thee in the war. And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day. Therefore the king of Israel gathered together of prophets four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for God will deliver it into the king's hand. But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might enquire of him? And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he never prophesied good unto me, but always evil: the same is Micaiah the son of Imla. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so. And the king of Israel called for one of his officers, and said, Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imla. And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah sat either of them on his throne, clothed in their robes, and they sat in a void place at the entering in of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them. And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made him horns of iron, and said, Thus saith the LORD, With these thou shalt push Syria until they be consumed. And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king. And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spake to him, saying, Behold, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one assent; let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speak thou good. And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, even what my God saith, that will I speak. And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said, Go ye up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand. And the king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou say nothing but the truth to me in the name of the LORD? Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace. And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would not prophesy good unto me, but evil? Again he said, Therefore hear the word of the LORD; I saw the LORD sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left. And the LORD said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one spake saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner. Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will entice him. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the LORD said, Thou shalt entice him, and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do even so. Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil against thee. Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and smote Micaiah upon the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee? And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see on that day when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself. Then the king of Israel said, Take ye Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son; And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace. And Micaiah said, If thou certainly return in peace, then hath not the LORD spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, all ye people. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramothgilead. And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and will go to the battle; but put thou on thy robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went to the battle. Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots that were with him, saying, Fight ye not with small or great, save only with the king of Israel. And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they compassed about him to fight: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him; and God moved them to depart from him. For it came to pass, that, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back again from pursuing him. And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: therefore he said to his chariot man, Turn thine hand, that thou mayest carry me out of the host; for I am wounded. And the battle increased that day: howbeit the king of Israel stayed himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the even: and about the time of the sun going down he died.; (2 Chronicles 18:1-34)

May it be that your spiritual eyes have been opened by these writings,: That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:; (Ephesians 1:17-21)


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* Why Rehab?