Quote:
Originally Posted by aron
I believe it was because of the weakening of the soul, by the so-called charismatic experience. We didn't practice tongues in LC meetings, but the shouting, repetetive chanting, arm-waving, jumping up and down, running around, yelling at each other, hysterical screaming, weeping, etc was so sensorily overwhelming that the natural defenses simply collapsed.
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Question: why the high? Why does God give us the overwhelming experience? "His glory broke upon us when we saw Him in the church"...? Why does God use this experience? And how do we tell the real one from the counterfeit? How do we 'scan' the spirit in question?
Certainly there is the ecstasy presented. The day of Pentecost was a real phenomenon, shared by many, viewed by others, dutifully recorded by the careful scribe Luke. but why the ecstasy?
To answer that, as well as address the issue of "real vs. counterfeit", look at Paul's words: "Do not be drunk with wine, but be filled in Spirit". The "being filled in Spirit" is analogous to the physical "being drunk with wine"; both are euphoric experiences. Pain is gone, fear vanishes, worry and anxiety and resentments flee as if they never existed. A great sense of peace, well-being, joy, love, pervade the human "vessel".
Then, the bright cloud passes, and the initiate is left where they were, with nought but the memory. They begin to chase the high, just like a crack addict or a meth head. Looking for the next hit.
All well and good. That is arguably a characterization of the Christian journey. "Wait in Jerusalem" until the Spirit comes, then revel in ecstasy, then off to find the next high.
Lee caught us in this paradigm, I argue. He made his ministry the source of the high. But the only one getting high was him. Selling books. Later, coffee mugs, posters, and so forth. If he'd been smart, he would have put a few outlines on the side of his Daystar motor homes, and sold them as spiritual wares. "Daystar for America". Tell people you'll become God, driving around the interstates.