Bethel Counterpoint

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jaydam
Posts: 343
Joined: Thu Aug 08, 2013 8:29 pm
Location: Portland, OR

Bethel Counterpoint

Post by jaydam » Fri Apr 15, 2016 1:48 pm

The church I attend was having a worship and prayer night last night, and I was doing my usual of sitting in the back. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the service, I'm just one who enjoys it from a private spot of contemplation and prayer rather than overt, front row visibility.

Personally, I've been in a short time of discouragement and reflection regarding some persecution issues in my life. Over the first 30 minutes of the service I read the first several chapters of Acts, and considered the shaking of the room in Acts 4 as the people prayed for boldness.

Its been awhile since I have experienced the voice of God or seen a visual move by him in some manner - and I'm ok with that, I don't find myself needing such things although I enjoy when they occur. In my discouragement, I prayed that perhaps God could give me a sign that he is with me in the place I am at, and could boost my confidence that I'm heading in the right direction on some things by bringing a physical shaking like what happened in Acts.

In the middle of my prayer that God might offer me reassurance through a physical sign such as the room shaking, a young man I had never met came into the church right then, walked over beside me, and commenced jumping up and down so violently that the floor under me flexed and shook. Ironically, my reaction was to be perturbed at this person coming in and interrupting my private time. Then a thought invaded my head that I was just in the middle of asking God to let me experience a physical shaking as a sign and then this began to happen.

The young man stopped jumping after what was really several seconds, and walked away to take a seat.

Now, some Christian friends of mine would chalk this up to coincidence since they do not believe God moves in such ways, other personal friends of mine say it is actually demonic because God would not do such a silly thing.

There is no way to prove necessarily what it was or was not. However, I do believe it was divinely orchestrated.

I provide this testimony as a counterbalance to my Bethel thread to offer that charismatic events can occur and one does not need to steal tuning forks or grounding shoes from the occult to "make" them happen, nor does one have to go jump onto the latest charismania movement to try and experience them. You can quietly sit in the back and God will reach you.

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TK
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Joined: Mon Aug 25, 2008 8:42 pm
Location: North Carolina

Re: Bethel Counterpoint

Post by TK » Fri Apr 15, 2016 5:17 pm

Amen-- thanks for posting. I have no problem whatsoever believing that God did that for you. Who cares what other people think, what matters is what YOU think. That is what matters, after all. In fact, a lot of the charismania could be lessened considerably if people kept their experiences to themselves or a tight circle.

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jaydam
Posts: 343
Joined: Thu Aug 08, 2013 8:29 pm
Location: Portland, OR

Re: Bethel Counterpoint

Post by jaydam » Fri Apr 15, 2016 7:11 pm

Thanks. I agree that what matters is what I think. For all my personal experiences, none can be proven except that each has moved me further from a suicidal drug abuser to a better Christian.

That they happened can be doubted by others, but the evidence in my life that they have moved me to God is undeniable.

I debated about sharing, but figured it balanced well with some of the things I post in the Bethel thread to make sure people understand I am not denying charismatic events happen.

Interestingly, two Bethel students came to the prayer event later last night and the meeting died. You could physically feel a change in the room when they entered. People who had fallen to their knees got up off their knees, others left. Meanwhile the Bethel students attempted to sprinkle and throw the Holy Spirit into/onto a few people. It was rather sad. It's the first personal encounter I have had with Bethel in a long time.

The spirit upon them was readily identifiable before they even did anything. Soon as they came in I knew it was the Bethel spirit. I told my wife. She said there was no way to know for sure, even after they started their antics. I checked today and found out that yes, they are deep into the Bethel culture.

Bethel has really been invading the churches in Portland this year. Mostly through the 20-30 year olds. It was troubling that it appears to have just reached, as of last night, the church my wife and I just settled into.


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