I remember it like it was yesterday, sitting in the back row of a Pentecostal church enduring one of those typical 20-minute outbreak of singing in the spirit, and a congregation all babbling some strange tongue on and off like it was a rock concert gone wrong. I was 14 and I had seen this all before, this time however something was wrong, really wrong. My heart began racing, my eyes fleeting around the room feeling like something was in the air, so I got up and raced out of the room to the back kitchen. One of the elders “A wonderful lady named Ruth” stopped me as it was very apparent I was not okay, so she instantly started to pray over me to “get rid” of whatever was the cause.

The Pentecostal movement was, mostly responsible for me departing a faithful life in Christ for most of my 20’s. For reasons unknown and unexplored I could not reconcile my experiences in the Pentecostal movement with the all-knowing all-loving creator of the universe. Surely the “truth” that I had known was not actually truth at all.

The Light Bulb Moment

Fast forward 10 or so years and I found myself in a wildly different environment, sitting in a school hall made into a church on Sundays. This independent Baptist church was light years from what I used to know. Equally prevalent in my memory was the moment I thought to myself, why is this pastor leaving the demons in his congregation? Why aren’t people shaking all over the floor? Where is all the hysterical laughter whilst singing in the spirit? I suddenly realized the con, and it hit me like a truck,

The Pentecostal movement does not rid its congregations of demons, it invites them into it!

Just a pinch of logical thought helped me to build a solid theory over the next 10 years that the Pentecostal movement is not what is claims to be. The basis for this theory is of course the word of God, however this page is based on logic, as that is all that is needed to counter this false movement.

All Pentecostal churches have one thing in common, feelings! This is the basis for their movement, the basis for their services, and the basis for what they offer their congregation in life. Significantly, all Pentecostal churches have different practices, different directions as their feelings lead them.

Are you starting to see a problem? If these churches are not being led by the word of God, and they all are being led differently based on their feelings, where are these feelings coming from? Which ones are right? Which ones are wrong? How do you tell the difference? Suddenly anything goes and the enemy has an open door to do as he pleases.

If you read my page on the Dangerous Doctrine of Tongues, you will see there isn’t one church today that practices biblical tongues. This means whatever is going on here is not of God. The following video shows a very scary semblance between the clear spirit of the enemy with the spirit of the modern Pentecostal church.

Similarities

Let’s take a look at what you can expect to experience in the modern Pentecostal church,

• Holy Laughter
• Being Drunk in the spirit
• Being Slain in the spirit
• New revelations
• Prophetic utterances
• Physical immortality
• A type of present day truth not revealed in the first century
• Jerking, spasms, hopping, rolling on the ground
• Dancing in the spirit
• Getting songs while in trances
• Cultural redemption
• Belief in their establishing the Kingdom of God
• Low to no Biblical emphasis or verses presented
• High experiential and emotional emphasis
• Equality of women in the ministry
• Ecstasy and intervals of tremendous joy, love, peace and compassion
• Energy rushes or immense electricity circulating the body
• Strange activity, and/or blissful sensations in the head, particularly in the crown area.
• Vibrating, tingling sensations
• Weeping; crying; anxiety because of the childhood traumas now being healed
• Uncontrollable Laughing
• Spontaneous vocalization of animal sounds
• Jerking, Tremors, Shaking
• yoga postures, stiffness
• Muscle twitches or spasms
• Postures or moving one’s body in unusual ways
• Emotional outbursts; rapid mood shifts; seemingly unprovoked or excessive episodes of grief, fear, rage, depression.

Reader, does this sound like a Godly church setup by Paul to you? Ask yourself what would Paul say to these churches if he attended their services today?

Fast forward another 10 years and I found myself being asked to attend a charismatic church in Liverpool Sydney. Normally I would simply reject such a request however I took this as an educational experience. I did not see any of the madness described above, but I did see a more subtle attack on the congregation. The singing and general service was exactly as expected, then the message begun. The preacher arrived at the pulpit and opened his bible, and I immediately became hopeful that the word of God would save the day. One verse, yes reader, one verse was all he read. Some arbitrary and random verse on prosperity, then he proceeded to educate the congregation for 30 minutes on how we can expect God to bring us prosperity, all the way down to your favorite team winning that football game that was so important to you. I asked myself a few questions,

Has anyone in this congregation ever actually worshipped God? Does anyone here know their rightful place on their knees in submission before their creator?

Conclusion

• Proverbs 25:28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.
• 2 Timothy 3: 1-5 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
• 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

The modern-day Pentecostal church is interested in one thing, Self-Promotion. The individual and their desires of their heart are of supreme importance. This movement at best will educate you away from God and his will, at worst it will give you a false salvation and lead you directly into the hands of the enemy.

Finally, the word of God directs us clearly on this topic,

• Philippians 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.