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The True Workings of God, and
Counterfeits of Satan
"Knowledge and all discernment; so that ye may prove the things that
differ, that ye may be sincere and void of offence. . . ." Phil. 1:
9,10, m.
| True. |
Counterfeit. |
| 1. The Baptism, or Fullness of the Spirit:
An influx of the Spirit of God into the human spirit, which
liberates the spirit from the soul (Heb. 4: 12), so as to become a
pliable organ or channel for the outflow of the Spirit through the
believer, manifested in witness to Christ and in aggressive prayer
service against the powers of darkness. It is a true baptizing
into the Body of Christ, and oneness with all the members of the
Body. Its special mark and result is known in power to witness for
Christ, and in conviction of sin in others, and their turning to
God.
The highest manifestation of the Fullness of the Spirit is
co-existent with the use of the faculties and self-control.
There is but one reception of the Holy Spirit: with many
succeeding experiences, developments, or new crises, resultant on
fresh acts of faith, or apprehension of truth; various believers
having varied degrees of the same Infilling of the Spirit, according
to individual conditions. The enduement of power for service is
often a definite experience in many lives. Pages
50,
291,
297. |
1. Counterfeit workings of evil spirits may
accompany a true reception of the Fullness of the Holy Spirit, if
the believer "lets go" his mind into "blankness," and yields his
body up passively to supernatural power. As a "blank
mind" and "passive body" is contrary to the condition for use
required by the Holy Spirit, and is the primary condition necessary
for evil spirits to work, the anomaly is found in the Holy Spirit
responding to the law of faith, and filling the man's spirit, at the
same time that evil supernatural powers respond to the law of
passivity fulfilled in mind and body. They then can produce in the
senses manifestations, which seem to be the outcome of the
Holy Spirit's entry to the spirit. The results of the
counterfeit manifestations are varied, and wide in their
ramifications, according to individual conditions. The abstract
result is great "manifestations" with little real fruit;
"possession" by evil spirits of the mind and body in varied degrees;
a spirit of division from others, instead of unity, etc., etc.
Pages 54,
97,
106,
107, 108. |
| 2. The Presence of God: Known in and
by the human spirit, through the Holy Spirit. When He fills the
atmosphere of a room the spirit of the man is conscious of
it, not his senses. The faculties of those present are alert and
clear, and they retain freedom of action. The spirit is made
tender (Psa. 34: 18), and the will pliable to the will of God. All
the actions of a person moved by the true and pure Presence of God
are in accord with the highest ideal of harmony and grace. Pages
104,
107. |
2. The counterfeit of the Presence of God is
mainly felt upon the body, and by the physical senses, in conscious
"fire," "thrills," etc. The counterfeit of the "Presence" in the
atmosphere is felt by the senses of the body, as "breath," "wind,"
etc., whilst the mind is passive or inactive. The person
affected by this counterfeit "presence" will be moved almost
automatically to actions he would not perform of his own will, and
with all his faculties in operation. He may not even remember what
he has done when under the "power" of this "presence," just as a
sleep-walker knows nothing of his actions when in that state. The
inaction of the mind can often be seen by the vacant look in the
eyes. Pages 109,
112,
124,
128,
130. |
| 3. God in and with man in the spirit:
John 14: 23. The Father in heaven is realized to be a real Father
(Gal. 4: 6), the Son a real Savior, the Holy Spirit a real Person;
manifested as One in the spirit of the believer, by the Holy
Spirit: with resulting effects as in Rom. 8: 9-11. Pages
103,
130. |
3. Evil spirit's counterfeit, as the occasion
serves them, each Person of the Trinity, and can thus obtain access,
and become in and with a man in manifestations given to the senses,
in which the real spirit-sense may have no part. Pages
52,
103,
104, 105, 108. |
| 4. Christ manifested in the believer
by His Spirit, so that He is known as a Living Person on the Throne
in heaven, and the believer joined in spirit to Him there, with the
result that Christ's life and nature is imparted to him, forming and
building up in him a "new creation," (Gal. 1: 16; 4: 19. Col. 1:
27), the believer growing up into Him in all things.
note
1 Pages 103,
107,
126, 127,
289. |
4. Christ apparently manifested inwardly as a
"Person," to whom the soul prays, or with whom he holds communion,
yet there is no real evidence of the expression of the Divine
nature, or true growth of the Christ life, with a deepening
fellowship with the Christ in heaven. On the contrary the Christ in
heaven seems far away. The counterfeit centers and ends in an
"experience" which keeps the person introverted or self-centered
(spiritually). Page 107. Cf.
pp. 289,
290, 291. |
| 5. Consciousness of God: Felt in the
spirit, and not by the physical senses.
Pages
107, 108. |
5. "Consciousness" of "God" in bodily
sensations, which feed the "flesh" and overpower the true
spirit-sense. Pages 106,
130. |
| 6. The Holiness of God: when realized
by the believer produces worship and godly awe, with a hatred of
sin. On the ground of the Blood of Calvary God draws near to men,
seeking their love, but His presence does not terrorize.
Page 289. |
6. Evil spirits counterfeit this by giving a
terror of God, which drives men away from Him, or forces them
into actions of slavish fear, apart from the use of the mind, and
volition, in glad voluntary obedience to Him.
Page 143. |
| 7. Surrender to God: Of spirit, soul
and body, is a simple yielding or committal to Him of the whole man,
to do His will and be at His service. God asks the full co-operation
note
2 of the man in the intelligent use of all his faculties.
Rom. 6: 13.
Page 70. |
7. Passive yielding of spirit, soul and body
to supernatural power, to be moved automatically, in passive, blind
obedience, apart from the use of volition or mind. Evil spirits
desire "control" of a man, and his passive submission to
them. Pages 68, 69. |
| 8. Fellowship with the sufferings of Christ:
The result of faithful witness for Him, and in such "suffering," the
joy of the Spirit breaks forth in spirit. (Acts 5: 41). The
fruit of true conformity to Christ's death in the "fellowship of His
sufferings" is seen in life to others, and growth in tenderness of
spirit, and Christ-likeness in character. 2 Cor. 4: 10-12.
Page 89. |
8. "Suffering" caused by evil spirits is
characterized by a fiendish acuteness, and is fruitless in
result--the victim being hardened instead of mellowed by it. The
demons can cause anguished suffering in spirit, soul or body.
"Possession" manifested in abnormal suffering, may be the
fruit of (unconscious) acceptance of sufferings caused by evil
spirits, often under the name of the "will of God."
Pages 88,
89, 90. |
| 9. Trusting God: A true faith given of
God in the spirit, having its origin in Him, without effort
reckoning upon Him to fulfill His written Word. Co-existent with the
full use of every faculty in intelligent action. "Faith" is a fruit
of the Spirit and cannot be forced. Gal. 5: 22. 2 Cor. 4: 13.
Page 275. |
9. "Trusting evil spirits" comes about
through trusting blindly some supernatural words, or revelations,
supposed to come from God, which produces a forced "faith," or faith
beyond the believer's true measure, the result being actions which
lead into paths of trial never planned by God. Pages
129,
135,
274, 275. |
| 10. Reliance upon God: An attitude of
the will, of trust and dependence upon God, taking Him at His word,
and depending upon His character of faithfulness.
Page 127. |
10. Reliance upon evil spirits means a
passive leaning upon supernatural help and experience, which
draws the person away from faith in God Himself, and from active
co-action with Him.
Page 143. |
| 11. Communion with God: Fellowship
in the Spirit with Christ in the glory as one spirit with Him.
The consciousness of this is in the spirit (John 4: 24) only,
and not in "feelings" in the senses. See for conditions of true
communion with God, 1 John 1: 5-7.
Page 291. |
11. "Communion" with evil spirits may take
place by retiring within to enjoy sense communion, in
"exquisite feelings" which absorbs and renders the soul incapable of
the duties of life. The "flesh" is fed by this spurious spiritual
"communion" as really as in grosser ways. Pages
124, 125,
155. |
| 12. Waiting on God: The spirit in
restful co-operation with the Holy spirit, waiting God's time to
act, and a waiting for Him to fulfill His promises. The true waiting
upon God can be co-existent with the keenest activity of mind and
service.
Page
62-63. |
12. A "waiting for the Spirit to come," in
hours of prayer, which brings those who "wait" into passivity, which
at last reaches a point of "séance" conditions, followed by an
influx of lying spirits in manifestations.
Pages 62,
63. |
| 13. Praying to God: Having access to
the Holiest of all, on the ground of the Blood (Heb. 10: 19).
Penetrating in spirit through the lower heavens to the Throne of
Grace. Heb 4: 14-16. True "prayer" is not directed toward God as
within the believer, but to a Father in heaven, in the Name of
the Son, by the Holy Spirit.
Page 126. |
13. Praying to evil spirits comes about by
praying to "God" in the atmosphere, or within, or possibly to
"pictures" of God in the mind; instead of approaching the Throne of
Grace according to Heb. 10: 19. Pages
95,
130.
|
| 14. Asking God: An act of the will in
simple faith, making a transaction with God in heaven, on the ground
of His written Word. "Answers to prayer" from God are usually so
unsensational and so unobtrusive that the petitioner often does not
recognize the answer. Cf. pages
249,
276,
279.
|
14. "Asking" evil spirits, by speaking to
some supernatural presence in, or around the person. The
"answers" are generally "dramatic," sensational, calculated to
over-awe the person, and make him feel he is a wonderful recipient
of favor from on high. By this means the demons gain control over
him. Pages 118, 119,
142. |
| 15. God speaking: Through His Word, by
His Spirit, in the spirit and conscience of the man,
illuminating the mind to understand the will of the Lord.
Page 136. |
15. Evil spirits speaking, wither puffing up,
accusing, condemning or confusing the person, so that the is
bewildered or distracted and cannot exercise his reason or
judgment. The "speaking" of accusing spirits resembles the
"thinking," or speaking to oneself, when the words are not uttered
audibly.
Pages
170, 171. Also "Listening" on pages
119,
125,
136,
142, 143. |
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