Exorcism; Can a Christian be Exorcist?

Playing with Devil is no joke at all. Spiritual warfare can be fought in our own world like we know how. Indeed, if you have a power to cast out the demon, you would love to do this proverbially whole day. However, the Christians are misunderstood the word of God and take up the name of Jesus and casting out the demons. Sometime, they even consider themselves as truly spiritual by being able to practice exoticism. What a piety spiritual pride. Here is a part of article written by David Powlison.

The classic texts on spiritual warfare - Ephesians 6:10-20; James 3:14-4:12; 1 Peter 5:6-11 - teach a mode of fighting the devils bid for lordship that centers on the Word of the living God, faith, repentance, prayer, and obedience in the power of the Spirit. There is no hint of exorcistic methods in these passages, because the Bible does not view the problem of sin, especially in Christians, as linked to an indwelling demon who must be evicted.

Although the practice of exorcism has enjoyed popularity at various times and places in church history, the use of exorcism as a means of accomplishing sanctification or creating conditions for successful evangelism is a recent innovation. Where did this demon deliverance approach to ministry and the Christian life come from? Who teaches it? This view of spiritual warfare has been developing only since the late 1960s. There are at least four varieties of demon deliverance ministry within the species. They share fundamental common features, though they diverge in various particulars of both teaching and method. All believe that spiritual warfare grapples with the danger of demonic residents taking over like computer viruses on the hard disk of the soul and thus holding people in bondage to patterns of sin. The labels used here are only intended as rough markers. Authors frequently cite one another across the spectrum, usually favorably. While there is intramural skirmishing on secondary matters, they are close enough in their distinctive emphases to be considered variations of one movement.

First; Early charismatics were the first popular exponents of this new view of spiritual warfare (many subsequent charismatics have repudiated it). Pastor Don Bashams best-selling Deliver Us from Evil (1972) created tremendous interest and notoriety.

Dispensationalists developed the second variety of demon deliverance ministry. A pointedly noncharismatic approach arose in the circles around Dallas Theological Seminary and Moody Bible College and Institute. Authors of well-known books include Mark Bubeck (The Adversary, 1975), Merrill Unger (What Demons Can Do to Saints, 1977), and C. Fred Dickason (Demon Possession and the Christian, 1987).

A third variety arose in what has been called the third wave of the Holy Spirit, centering around Fuller Theological Seminary and the Vineyard movement. Well-known leaders have included the late John Wimber, C. Peter Wagner, Charles Kraft, John White, and Wayne Grudem, and distinctive emphases include signs and wonders, church growth, and third world missions.

A fourth variety might be characterized as broadly evangelical. Neil Anderson (Freedom in Christ Ministries, The Bondage Breaker, 1990), Timothy Warner (Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Spiritual Warfare, 1991), Tom White (Frontline Ministries, The Believers Guide to Spiritual Warfare, 1990), Ed Murphy (OC International, the massive Handbook for Spiritual Warfare, 1992), and Ray Beeson (Strategic Spiritual Warfare, 1995) have all written fairly recent books weaving features of demon deliverance thinking into a more traditional evangelical perspective.

Holy Laughter? Drunk with Holy Spirit?

Some of youth has come to contact with "Holy Laughter" group by Innocent way. They have been influenced by these kind of experiences, so much so that it spread like fire among us. Here we stand, we can't tolerate this error but must test it out with God's Word.
'Holy laughter' is actually modern invention of sensational people like Rodney Howard-Browne and John Arnott who bring error by their miss-interpretation of the Bible. There is no such thing as lose control and chaotic behavior encouraged by the Scriptures. Instead, the Bible teaches us to be self-controlled and sober minded. Please do not be deceived by this kind of superficial, so called spiritual enlightenment. But rather we should be having simple faith that pleases God in our obedience and testimonial living. Here an article on this topic, written by Hank Hanegraaff the president of Christian Research Institute.

Counterfiet Revival-Article
STATEMENT DL045

Holy Laughter

What Bible verses are most commonly used to support “holy laughter,” and what is your response to them?

Acts 2:13. One passage frequently abused in the current Laughing Revival occurs in Luke’s account of the day of Pentecost: “Some, however, made fun of them and said, They have had too much wine.”
Leaders of this “Counterfeit Revival,” like Rodney Howard-Browne and John Arnott, seem bent on convincing their audiences that the apostles were manifesting all of the characteristics of drunkards. “Why did they think the believers were drunk?” asks Rodney Howard-Browne. “Because they must have acted like drunk people” (The Reality of the Person of the Holy Spirit, 24—25). Laughing Revival advocates argue that, if it happened during the First Pentecost, then it should happen today in an even broader and more spectacular fashion in what many are calling the “Second Pentecost.”
If you look at the passage, the first thing you see is that only some said they were drunk. Second, those who identified them as drunk were scoffers. Others, far from being convinced of their drunkenness, were instead amazed that “each of us hears them speak in his own native language” (NIV). Luke says that they were amazed because these unlearned Galileans were “declaring the wonders of God in a language they could understand. Thus, they were clearly not emitting incoherent noises in a drunken stupor or slurring their words, but they were cogently articulating “the wonders of God.” Peter, in fact, spoke so powerfully that 3,000 people stampeded their way to Calvary.
If the apostles truly were acting like drunks, Peter would have likely given an alternative explanation for their actions — attributing their bizarre behavior to an overwhelming “spiritual intoxication.” Instead, he corrected the scoffers by saying, “These men are not drunk, as you suppose” (v. 15).
In truth, the Bible gives no evidence that the believers “acted like drunk people.” The only behavior disclosed and discussed in Luke’s narrative is speaking in tongues (vv. 4—11). There is therefore no basis whatsoever in the text for imagining or attributing any other action or conduct (such as laughing, falling down, etc.) to those Spirit-filled believers.

Ephesians 5:18. Another verse commonly misrepresented by Laughing Revival advocates encapsulates Paul’s admonition that we should “not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead,” Paul urges, “be filled with the Spirit.” Being “drunk in the Spirit,” according to holy laughter factions, is the God-ordained counterpart to being drunk on alcohol — hence, the rationale for the inebriated-like state and behavior of those caught up in holy laughter.
A careful examination, however, reveals that in no way can this passage be legitimately used to support “spiritual drunkenness.” To begin with, there is no reason to equate being filled with the Spirit with any form of “spiritual drunkenness.” In fact, the context of the passage indicates a consistent use of contrasts to differentiate ungodly behavior from godly conduct. For example, sexual immorality is contrasted with holiness (v. 3). Coarse jesting is contrasted with thanksgiving (v. 4). Foolishness is contrasted with wisdom (vv. 15—16). Likewise, drunkenness is contrasted with being filled with the Spirit (v. 18).
To understand what “being filled with the Spirit” means, one need only read the next few verses which spell out the details in unmistakable terms: “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (vv. 19—20). Nowhere is there even a hint of the kind of erratic behavior promoted in Laughing Revival circles.
It is patently absurd to say that “spiritual debauchery” is the God-ordained counterpart to “plain old debauchery.” Or that precedents for indulging in “holy immorality,” “holy impurity,” and “holy greed” can be found in the Bible. Yet if “holy laughter” advocates are to stay consistent with their interpretation of verse 18, no other conclusion can logically follow — for the type of reasoning they use in claiming a biblical basis for so-called “spiritual drunkenness” can also be used to justify other “sanctified” acts of debauchery, immorality, impurity, and greed.
A representative picture of the Bible’s stance against the Laughing Revival phenomenon can readily be gleaned from various portions of Paul’s writings. The apostle listed, for example, “self-control” as one of the fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:23) — clearly the opposite of the uncontrolled and chaotic activities that are characteristic of “holy laughter” gatherings. “Let us be alert and sober,” Paul told the Thessalonians (1 Thes. 5:6 NASB) as he contrasted drunkenness with sobriety (vv. 7—8). And to young Timothy, he advised to “be sober in all things” (2 Tim. 4:5). With so much emphasis on “self-control” and sobriety, the burden falls upon holy laughter proponents to reconcile their views with Scripture — a formidable, indeed impossible, undertaking.
Despite this impossibility, some still appeal to personal experience to validate their behavior. This, too, is a dangerous premise from which to operate. As fallen creatures our personal judgments are all too fallible — particularly when it concerns spiritual matters. We should not test experience in light of experience; rather, we should test experience in light of the final court of arbitration, the Word of God. This is precisely why God directs His people to search His written Word for counsel in matters of doctrine and daily living. Faithful followers of Christ must therefore look not to their own personal experiences, but to the Scriptures as the ultimate measuring rod. As Scripture itself exhorts us, “test all things” (1 Thes. 5:21; cf. Acts 17:11; 1 Tim. 3:16).
Even a cursory examination of the Scripture-twisting tactics of men like Rodney Howard-Browne and John Arnott reveals their propensity for taking Scripture out of context to develop a pretext for their convoluted notions. This is why today, more than ever, it is incumbent upon believers to be so familiar with the truth that when a counterfeit looms on the horizon, they will know it instantaneously.
— Hank Hanegraaff

Sunday - the first Easter Bible Story for Children


This was the third day of Jesus' death. Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday morning. At dawn two of Jesus' followers, women, went to look at the tomb.

There was an earthquake. Well, it wasn't actually an earthquake , it just seemed like one. What happened was that an angel came down from heaven, rolled back the huge stone, and sat on it. The angel scared the soldiers (guarding the grave) so bad shook and passed out. They probably went #1 in their pants! The angel told the women not to be afraid. He said that Jesus had just risen from the dead like he said he would. He told them to check out the grave, then go tell the disciples to meet Jesus in Galilee. They did what he said.


On the way, they ran into Jesus! They started worshipping him. That was the right thing to do. He told them to do as the angel had told them. After the guards had come to, they ran to the preachers and told them everything that happened. They paid the guards to tell Pilate that disciples had stolen Jesus' body. There was only one thing they couldn't stop. Jesus was alive! Alive! They beat him, whipped him, nailed him to a cross, killed him, buried him, sat guards on his grave, but he came back! He truly is the Son of God! He didn't have to do it, but he wanted to pay for your sins. That's the only way he could pay for it, and he did. Jesus stayed on the earth for another 40 days.

Then he went to heaven and sent the Holy Spirit to be with us. He is still listening to your prayers today.

- Copyright 2000 by Gene Powell -

EASTER SUNDAY: The First Day of the Week

Scripture:

Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’” (Lk.24:1-3, 5-7)

Meditation: Glorify the Son: Risen Savior Jesus Christ!

Early in the morning, the first day, before dawn Jesus rose from the dead. The angel from heaven descended and rolled back the tomb stone and there was a great earthquake. The guards shook for fear became like a dead men. The first people who made discovery of Risen Savior were women, Mary, Mary Magdalene.(Matt.28:1-4) They ran back to disciples and told about the missing body of Christ. Peter and John (whose name was not mentioned in John the gospel due to authorship humility) ran back to empty tomb (Jn.20:3,4). They both were amazed and went back home.

Then Jesus the risen Savior appeared to Mary Magdalene and spoke her about His ascension.
Two followers of Jesus who walked with Him on the road way to Emmaus that same evening, Jesus spoke to them and ate with them. Now one of those two followers name was Simon. (Lk.24:13-34).

This first day at evening while disciples were assembled, when door were shut, Jesus appeared in their midst, saying “Peace be with you.” (Jn.20:19).

Then after eight days when Thomas was presented Jesus came in the midst while door were shut again (Jn.20:26)

Now this is the third time Jesus showed Himself after His resurrection at the Sea of Tiberias to His disciples. This time Jesus ate breakfast (fish menu) with His disciples. (Jn.21:1, 10-12).

Jesus ascended to Heaven on the Mount of Olive before many followers and proven that He is the Risen Savior. Two angels who stood by the crowd confirmed that Jesus would come again just as it was. (Lk.24:50,51; Acts 1:9-12).

The sign of Jonah is the theme for this resurrection Sunday. Jesus said, "This is a wicked generation. It asks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” (Lk.11:29). Exactly! Our generation today is wicked before God and there is no fear of God. For this generation, Jesus would give the same sign again, if we ask for a sign from Him. The sign of Jonah? Three days and three nights in the bally of fish? That is the greatest sign of Jesus to this generation, the death, burial and resurrection of the Son of God. Why is the greatest sign? Because there is no one in the history of mankind that has victory over the death, but Jesus does. Jesus said that even the wicked generation of Nineveh was repented by Jonah’s preaching, here is greater than Jonah. (Matt.12:41). Which is Jesus refers to Himself as greater than Jonah.

God sent Jonah, for His love upon the people, to the Ninevites before His judgment come upon them. The same manner, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ for the love that He has upon us, to this world.(Jn.3:16,17). If this world could repent from their sins, God would have saved it from the Judgment just like Nineveh. Scripture confirms this; “For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation.” (Lk.11:30)

Application:

Jesus said to Martha when Lazarus the brother was died, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believers in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believers in Me shall never die. Do you believe this? The same question that Jesus will ask to you and me, ‘Do you believe?’ It is the matter of faith that determines the destiny of a person. Jesus requires your trust in Him absolutely.

No matter how great His atoning work was if you refuse to accept it for you. Jesus was kind enough to teach the doubtful Thomas who said, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” (Jn.20:25). Jesus appeared to Thomas and other disciples saying, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving but believing.” Then Jesus added, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (Jn.20:27,29) Indeed, we are blessed.

Very important command that Jesus left to us that is the great commission; “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mk.16:15). Therefore, we are called to preach the gospel, are we preaching?

Jesus explains to us the passion of Christ as; “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things.” (Lk.24:46-48). Till Jesus Christ coming again! Amen!

Saturday Bible Story for Children

Jesus was dead and in the grave. The preachers were happy! But they were afraid that the disciples would steal the body. They knew that Jesus had said he would come back to life in three days. So they went crying to Pilate again. He ordered them to take a guard and secure the grave the best way they could. They made sure the body was there, made sure the huge stone was covering the grave, and put a seal on it. Then they left the grave guarded, so no one could mess with it.

- Copyright 2000 by Gene Powell -

Saturday (The Seventh Day of the Week)

Scripture:

“Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.” (John 19:40-41)

Meditation: The Quiet Day: Did Jesus go to Hell?

Now, Jesus was buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea who was a secret follower of Jesus. He was a prominent council member also known as Pharisees who was righteous man (Lk.23:50). There was another Pharisees came to bury Jesus that evening, whose name was Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night and asking how can he get to heaven? (Jn.3:1, 4, 9). Here we find that Jesus was crucified by the masterminding of Pharisees then buried by two Pharisees who were secret followers of Jesus (Jn.19:39-40). One thing for sure, Nicodemus was saved man after he heard from Jesus, “You must be born again” (Jn.3:3; 19:39).

Now the night was cool and silent. It looks like; the day itself was exhaled from this crucifixion event. Now at the early Sabbath hours, the high priest and Pharisees can not rest went up to request Pilate to secure the tomb. Indeed, they try the best just like Pilate said, “make it as secure as you know how.” (Matt.27:62-65).

Where did Jesus’ spirit go while His body was lying in the tomb? Today many believe that Jesus went to hell and defeated the devil and his army. They add without this conquest to hell, Jesus’ atonement work on the cross is not sufficient to save us. That is totally wrong and heresy.

Jesus said on the cross three things to make sure for us where He went while He was lying in the tomb physically. First, Jesus said, “Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit…” then He gave up His spirit. (Lk.23:46). So Jesus went to the Father. Second, Jesus told to the thief on the cross, saying, “Today, you will be with Me in Paradise.” (Lk.23:43). Again, Jesus went to Paradise which is Heaven where God the Father is. Third, Jesus said, “It is finished.” (Jn.19:30) He was proclaiming that the atoning work on the cross has completed. There is no further requirement needed for our salvation.

Application:

Once and for all, Jesus died on the cross and buried in the tomb. Now we are eagerly waiting for His resurrection on early tomorrow. The disciples must have been still hiding around fear of their persecution for just being follower of Jesus Christ. They must have been disappointed asking question in their mind, “Now what?”

Are we forgetting what Jesus has told us before? Are we not able to believe Him sometime like the disciples? Jesus said that He will rise again on the third day, if you were in the disciples’ shoes, will you be waiting for Christ? What would you do on this Saturday?

Friday Bible Story for Children

Jesus was taken to Caiaphas (definitely not a southern name). He was the head preacher (High Priest). The teachers of the law and elders were there. Peter followed the crowd there, and hid among the guards to find out what would happen.

The preachers started asking Jesus a bunch of questions, but Jesus wouldn't answer them. Finally Caiaphus asked Jesus, under oath, if Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus said that he was, and that one day they would see him sitting at the right hand of God. With that, Caiaphus said that Jesus was guilty of blasphemy (sort of taking the Lord's name in vain) and asked the others what they thought. They agreed and said that Jesus should be put to death. Then they started spitting on him, hitting him with their fists, slapping him, and making fun of him. Don't you know that when they died, and went before God for judgment, that Jesus was sitting there saying, "I told you so!"

Remember, Peter was sitting outside listening. 3 times people recognized him and said that Peter was with Jesus. He sore up and down that he had never even met Jesus! The third time he did this, a rooster crowed announcing that it was Friday morning. He had denied Christ 3 times, just as Jesus said he would. The preachers took Jesus to the governor, Pilate, to have Jesus killed. The preachers didn't have the authority to do it. At the same time, Judas realized he had messed up. He tried to give the money back, and the preachers wouldn't take it. Judas threw the money into the Temple and ran off and killed himself. The preachers used the money to buy a burial place for foreigners. That fulfilled a prophecy in Jeremiah.

When Jesus was in front of Pilate, he was asked if he was King of the Jews. Jesus said he was. The preachers brought evidence against Jesus, and Jesus wouldn't defend himself. Pilate had no choice but to go through with the plan to kill Jesus. He didn't want to. Even Pilot's wife went to him and said that Jesus was innocent, and have nothing to do with it. She had a dream about it.

Pilate had one more chance to get out of this mess. It was a holiday, and they had a custom. The governor could release one prisoner back to the Jews. He knew that only five days before, on Sunday, Jesus had come into town being treated like a king! The crowds loved him. Jesus had been performing miracles all week. Surely if he offered to let Jesus go the crowds would be happy. He made his odds a little better by offering them only two choices. Jesus or Barabbas. Barrabas was a murderer and was hated. But the preachers convinced the crowd that Barabbas should be released and Jesus killed. When Pilate asked which of the two should be released, the crowd yelled, "Barabbas!" Pilate asked what crime had Jesus done? What should be done to him? The crowd yelled that Jesus should be crucified. Pilate was shocked, and washed his hands. He said he didn't want Jesus' blood on his hands. The crowd yelled, "Let his blood be on us and on our children." So Pilate had Jesus beaten with whips, and turned him over to be crucified.

The governor's soldiers took Jesus away. A crowd of the soldiers circled Jesus. They stripped him naked and put a scarlet robe on him, made a crown out of thorns and put that on his head, and put a staff in his right hand. Then they started spitting on him, making fun of this "king of the Jews". They took the staff and beat him in the head over and over again. Then they put his own clothes back on him and led him away to be crucified.

You might not know what "crucified" is. If the government puts someone to death today, they use either electrocution or lethal injection. Fairly recently they would have used firing squad or hanging. In Jesus' day, the used crucifying. They used wood shaped like a T or an X. They would tie a prisoner to it. It was so high the prisoner's feet couldn't touch the ground. The person would hang by their arms until their lungs collapsed or they died because they had no food or water. It could take days for someone to die. But because the holiday was coming they had to speed up Jesus' death. There are several references in the New Testament that says that Jesus was nailed to the cross, not tied to it. That means they hammered huge nails through his hands and feet to hold Jesus to the cross.

Since Jesus was beaten so bad, he was not strong enough to carry the cross (as was custom) to the place they crucified him, Golgotha. So the soldiers forced a man named Simon of Cyrene to carry the cross. The soldiers nailed Jesus to the cross. They gambled for his clothes. Pilot ordered a sign to be put on the cross above Jesus' head. It said "This is Jesus, King of the Jews." The preachers wanted to add to it "this man claims to be" but Pilate wouldn't let them. Crowds of people came by and yelled insults at Jesus. There were two robbers that were being crucified beside Jesus. They were yelling insults at him. One of them ended up asking Jesus for forgiveness.

Some miracles were about to happen. The Jewish Temple had a special sanctuary called the Holy of Holies. Normal people like us weren't allowed in there, only the preachers. In fact, only special preachers. That part of the Temple was separated by a heavy curtain, and normal people weren't allowed to even look in there.

From noon until 3 in the afternoon, it was dark! It should have been daylight, but God was sending a sign. At a little after 3, Jesus died. Immediately, there was an earthquake. Rocks split, the curtain in the Temple split open. Tombs opened up and many holy people were raised from the dead. When the soldiers saw all of this, they were scared. They now knew that Jesus was the King. Several women were watching what was going on. They believed in Jesus and had been following him for a while.




A man named Joseph had a grave that he had just had made in the side of a mountain. It was solid rock. Joseph was a follower of Jesus. He asked Pilate if he could have Jesus' body, to bury him. Pilate agreed. He took Jesus' body, wrapped it in clean cloth, and put it in the grave. Then he rolled a huge rock in front of it. What Joseph didn't realize was that he wasn't giving Jesus the tomb, he was only letting him borrow it!

- Copyright 2000 by Gene Powell -