A Charismatic Paradigm "God Is Doing A New Thing"
Much to the embarrassment of classical Pentecostals, the people of the Charismatic religious movement are viewed as modern Pentecostals. The truth is that there is almost no similarity between the two religious groups. The reason Charismatics are viewed as Pentecostals is that their founders first called themselves neo-Pentecostal. Other than the name and the belief in the supernatural gifts of the Holy Ghost as recorded in the book of Acts, nothing else matches.
There is almost no record of any great awakening that did not incorporate faith in the sovereign operation of the Holy Ghost and its empowering presence in the consecrated believers. Martin Luther, John Wesley, D.L. Moody, and great leaders before and after the named individuals were men and women of the Book who experienced the supernatural of God operating in their lives. I believe there were some very consecrated leaders in the early stages of the Charismatic renewal. Many of the churches that were impacted were previously lifeless with little more than a theological system to identify them as Christians. I certainly do not question that there is still a great number of very sincere Charismatic believers who cling to Jesus Christ as their only hope and love the Holy Bible.
Modern Charismatics Have Mostly Experienced a New Paradigm
The word paradigm means a new way of looking at old ideas. When a religious movement as a whole has experienced this new paradigm, everything changes. From the beginning the Charismatic movement had no core theological foundation. It was a smorgasbord of different people from many backgrounds united only by their belief in a new experience which they called the "gift/gifts of the Holy Spirit." They actually believed that their theologies did not really matter, but that unity could be established on experience and a kind of simplistic view of the rest of the Bible. It’s easy to see how this has led to Toronto, Pensacola, and even worse manifestations of the paranormal. Experience is always the one changeable source that nothing can be established upon.
From this foundation of shared experiences, the Charismatic world has shifted from one trend to another. Almost every phenomenon or trendy idea or experience has moved like a tidal wave from Charismatic church to Charismatic church. Three women (Kathryn Kuhlman, Mary Etterworth, and Amy McPherson) are credited with starting the slaying phenomenon. They were quite undiscerning in who they slew; from the unconverted Jewish Rabbis, Catholic Priests, and nuns to whoever got touched or close enough to be touched or to the touching. There has been a long list of these different trends, most of which did not last long and always left a trail of the discouraged, disillusioned, and disgusted.
Many classical Pentecostals have been victims of the same trends and ideas. These same kinds of fanatical experiences surfaced at other times during church history, especially in times of revivals where there was no solid theology base as a point of discernment. Revival without fanaticism has never been easy. If Satan cannot keep you from a consecrated relationship with Jesus Christ, then he will push you passed a relationship to an emotional dependency on some religious feeling, which can often begin in total innocence. Music and worship is an intimate part of our lives when we are truly converted to Jesus Christ. We must learn to enjoy both to the max without ever living by anything but faith and the Word of God together.
This New Charismatic Paradigm
What has now occurred in Charismatic circles is accepted by the majority as "God doing a new thing." The word "paradigm", "new world view", or "new way of interpreting the Scripture," is totally oblivious to most Charismatics, yet it is exactly what the words, "God is doing a new thing" means. It’s a clever way that the Charismatic leaders, either knowingly or not, are hiding the paradigm shift they have experienced. Many individuals sit in these congregations and hear the same words of the past and do not recognize that they no longer mean the same things.
I have received hundreds of telephone calls since I did the video on "The False Anointing" which confirms what I am saying to you. These dear pastors or lay people will say to me, "My pastor or leaders are using the same words, preaching what sounds like solid theology, but what is happening at the same time is so different that I know I do not belong any longer." "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." (John 10:27). Do not reject that inner voice that tells you something is wrong when your church has passed into this Charismatic paradigm. After a few times of hearing that still, small voice and rejecting it, that voice will become too dim to discern.
This Paradigm Shift is of Occultic Origin
The word paradigm first surfaced as a term for world change in the New Age language. Its origin is clearly the work of the Antichrist. To prepare a religious world to totally shift from a "Biblical World View" to a "New Age World View" had to be the master stroke. The church world had to keep a core of theological terms and names because those terms and names were basic to acceptance.
But, they had to be reinterpreted to mean something totally different to the masters behind the change. It did not matter if the sheep used the same words as long as the experiences could be totally revamped. One core thing had to be changed and that was the music. The music had to create a new emotion because the experiences were absolutely going to be different. There are certainly power and personalities that are assisting this shift of emotion. Men like Benny Hinn, with his ability to slay the masses with a slight of hand, are clearly an example.
Rock and Beatle’s Music is Master of the New Paradigm
This clever stroke of Satan in the church could not have occurred until Satan had subtly altered the music. Very few people enjoy rock or Beatle’s music the first time they hear it. The emotion is a foreign emotion to the western world steeped in Biblical values and thinking. This kind of religious music is addictive because it awakes an emotion that is locked in the fallen nature of man. African witchdoctors have long used it to create altered states and to mesmerize their subjects. It is a Babylonian or heathen emotion that invites evil spirits to the control and master of those who participate. The paradigm shift could not occur until there was a change in the emotions.
Same Biblical Words, but a Paradigm Shift
This makes it easy to understand how this paradigm change has occurred in Charismatic churches. Please understand that it is moving far beyond the Charismatics to reach the Baptists, Methodists, the Church of England, etc. The Catholics are embracing it by the millions and now Catholics, Pentecostals, Charismatics, Evangelicals, etc. are all blending together, because the emotions of their experiences are from the same source. It does not matter if their theological words have a different meaning as long as their emotions are exactly the same. This is the new "One World Religion"; which has different theologies or a different meaning, but the same emotions.
It is amazing that this shift has allowed the use of Jesus or Jesus Christ or the Biblical names of Jehovah or the Heavenly Father and, yet, the experience and emotions are totally unbiblical and foreign to Holy Scripture. This had to occur for Satan to be called God and worshipped as God by an unsuspecting world during the coming Great Tribulation. "Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God." (II Thessalonians 2:4).
When John the Revelator was given a vision of this coming "One World Religion", he was overwhelmed by its grandeur. It was so masterful and glorious in worldly allurement that he said, "and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration." (Revelation 17:6b). The angel of God gently rebuked John by saying, "Wherefore, didst thou marvel?" (Revelation 17:17). The angel had to show John the beastliness of this character (false anointing) that carried her and the mystery of the religious system itself before John understood. I believe we are watching this scarlet colored woman prepare for her ultimate ride on this beast of the false spirit masquerading as the Holy Ghost of God.
The Paradigm is Not Yet Finished
This shift is not complete. When it is, every Bible-believing and uncompromising disciple will be hated with a passion. Those of us who dare question this "new thing" or new height of spiritual attainment are being cursed with their "anathemas" by the deceived crowd.
Jesus said, "All these [are] the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." (Matthew 24:8-13).
The list of abrupt changes in many churches has left a large number of its members staggering in unbelief. Pastors that loved the flock and would gladly give their life for each member are now saying, "Get in this new move or get out!" Thousands are being thrust out of church after a lifetime of dedication and service because they know in their heart that this new emotion is not from the Lord of the church. Remember that the emotions of our relationship with God must be just as Biblical and pure as the theology of our teachings and doctrines.
The End Results of This Paradigm Shift
If God is doing a new thing, where will it end and who has the right to say what is truly from Him or not from Him? The church world is left with no anchor and no source of absolutes and no discernment. This shift of mindset places the Evangelical and Charismatic world in an even worse position than the Catholic church and the right of the Pope to declare "God’s latest mandate or position." At least in Catholic circles only one man can claim to declare what God’s new thing represents. In this new Charismatic paradigm anyone with the personality and charisma to demand a crowd can be a "vicar of Christ" and declare His new "things" to the church world.
The list of what is "God’s latest actions" is already so ridiculous and insane as to be absurd. Women and men in fetal positions birthing a revival like birthing a baby. Young girls and young men shaking so violently as to suggest possession by an alien spirit, while women are howling like wolves and crowing like roosters and men are crawling around with dog leashes around their necks. What has happened to God that His "new thing" is totally contrary to the revelation of Paul the Apostle as He directed the church in the order of spirituals. Such thinking can only result from a paradigm shift orchestrated by demons from the kingdom of Antichrist. Are the people sincere? Absolutely. Are they deceived? If God is sovereign, absolutely; and He is sovereign. "Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name." (Psalm 138:2b).