SOME THINGS I BELIEVE (4)
Writers describe John Piper as a Charismatic, I guess there are various definitions to this word, Let me define it as I see it, but firstly giving some background.
The Pentecostal Movement was born out of the “second blessing holiness movement” from the late 18th century. Atth e beginning of the 20th century people around the world began to speak in tongues as they were praying and seeking the Lord. Most were kicked out of their churches and Pentecostal churches were formed. The primary teaching was that the sign of when a person is “filled with the Holy Spirit” they will speak in tongues. There was much persecution from other Christians, plus sadly often extreme behaviour extreme teachings from the Pentecostals. Despite those things the church matured and is a large growing part of the Christian church around the world..
The “initial evidence” teaching was a major stumbling block to much of the Church and to most Theologians. Then in the 1960’s the phenomena of speaking in tongues began to happen in both Protestant and Catholic churches. Leaders had to look at this movement of renewal and see if it was truly of God.
A white South African Pentecostal minister called Rev. David Duplessis was greatly used to assist this renewal. Interestingly he had been prophesied over many years before and told he would be used to bring renewal to denominational churches, He did not understand nor knew how it would happen. He coined a Biblical statement which was a major key.
- ONCE YOU ARE SAVED YOU CANNOT RECEIVE MORE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT BUT HE CAN HAVE MORE OF YOU.
Many Pentecostals seem to think that somehow you received “some” of the Holy Spirit when you were born again and more when you were “filled” or “baptized in the Spirit”. You cannot cut up the third person of the Godhead and receive just some of Him.
Duplessis hit the nail on the head, the key to being filled with the Holy Spirit is to totally surrender yourself to the Lord (and learn to live a constant surrendered life) when we surrender the Holy Spirit fills the house (our being). As all the spiritual gifts (including speaking in tongues) are gifts of the Holy Spirit and already resident in our lives from that moment we were born again, with encouragement and teaching every believer (without exception CAN AND SHOULD speak in tongues.
So what is a CHARISMATIC ? He is a person who has surrendered himself to the Lord, lets the Holy Spirit fill his life, and he begins to use his prayer language primarily in private as part of his DAILY Quiet Time with the Lord.
Often Pentecostals saw speaking in tongues as the goal, but it is the GATEWAY to learning to live the Spirit filled life.
Sadly, through lack of teaching Pentecostals and Charismatics do not regularly use their prayer language, I believe the Scriptures teach God has no favourites, EVERY BELIEVER can and should use their prayer language why ?
- He that speaks in tongues edifies himself, we all can and should be edified this way (1 Cor. 14)
- At times know not how to pray (Rom. 8) can let the Holy Spirit pray through us.
So, although I have spent all my ministry life in the Pentecostal branch of the church I now prefer To call myself a Charismatic, not because it is popular, but because I believe every believer receives the Holy Spirit when he is born again, and when a believer surrenders himself to the Lord, and the Holy Spirit fills the house, he can and should speak in in tongues, and use his prayer language EVERY DAY.
Some of my Pentecostal fiends may not like this teaching, but here I stand.
