Fear for the unknown is something, not strange to anybody, so I think. The workings of the Holy Spirit are unknown for many people and that is why I observe a fear for the Holy Spirit amongst Christians I do observe it among Old Reformed, Reformed, Reformed 'made free', ( a Dutch specialism), but...remarkably: I also observe it among ....Evangelicals.
I think, that the indulgences as - for instance- 'the Toronto movement' are due to it. Up there people begim to fall spontaneously. They begin talking in tongues. They are going to tremble. They are beginning to laugh out loudly and more of that kind of things, as I have heard.
Are there people, recognizing themselves in this 'fear'. Or are there perhaps people, embracing the Holy Spirit in love, daring to give the leading in their lives in his hands.
My answer;
Hello Tijn,
How I am reading all sorts of difficult things: - falling and trembling - laughing out loudly- sounds of animals , produced by man
I was baptized as a 37 - year man in the Holy Spirit, in this way, that Christians lay their hands on me, according to Acts 19. And in the 49 years after I have never experienced situations as desciribed hereabove. And I don't agree with them either.
Immediately I spoke in tongues, ...(In Holland they call it soundspeech´nowadays and I think this to be a nice word).
I have always considered ´soundspeech´ as something, belonging to the normal equipment of a reborn Christian, baptized with the Holy Spirit .I shouls wish ´soundspeech´to everyone, for 1 Corinth 14 v 4 says, that you are edifying yourself with it, you build yourself. And whoever in the whole world does not need edifying and that in this time, in which so much is demolished.
And how is my situation now,49 years afterwards. Let me say it quite frankly: I am not so far as I should want to be. But my bibleknowledge is deepened indeed, for besides 'tongues' and 'interpretation of tongues' there is so much more: prophecy, knowledge, wisdom, ability to distinghuish between spirits.Read more about it in 1 Corinth 12. And on a now - after 8 years- deleted forum I could answer 3000 questions, with always this as 'basic founding rule': Jesus Christ, Son and man, Redeemer. And I am active in America, Flanders and Germany. And with 'the fruit of the Spirit' from Galatians 5 v 22 I have- glory to the Lord- also made progress, in the field of: - love, joy, peace - patience, kindness, goodness - faithfulness, gentleness - and self-control.
In 1959 , the year , in which I began with my explorations, I felt sometimes as a grub, ( I don't know the English word for the Dutch 'rups'). Sometimes I lifted my head, but principally I remained fettered to that tree - branch. I went to purpate myself. And in 1960 a butterfly began with his exploration of the world as it was ' outside that tree- branch'.
God has so many wonderful things standing ready for us.. He has a glorous goal with us: becoming equal to his Son,(Romans 8 V 29). All these blissed developments are very necessary to reach that great goal. The heroes from Revelation 11 will succeed in this: ( they are NOT: Moses and Eliah, Joshua, the highpriest and Zerubbabel, the governor. No...what they are indeed: the spearhead of the congregation). - killed like Jesus, 7 - 3½ days in the grave, like Jesus,9 - roused, like Jesus, 11 - ascended to heaven, like Jesus, 12
For that great endwar, warriors are made ready, Later on ( Isaiah 32 v 1), in 'the thousand years' they will be kings.
Come forward for the army of Jesus, which is capable of fighting in the invisible world, the army, which can encounter satan in his own realm.
