12 On Spiritual Drunkenness
WEIGHED AND FOUND WANTING by Pastor Bill Randies On Spiritual Drunkenness Why This Revival is Not a Laughing Matter
You may have observed by now, that though it is often tabbed "The Laughing Revival," this movement isn’t really so much about laughter as it is about spiritual drunkenness. After all, Rodney Howard Browne doesn’t call himself the "The Laughing Evangelist," but he does refer to himself as "God’s Bartender," and bids the people to come drink at "Joel’s Place!" The prophets and leaders up in Toronto, likewise speak of "partying in the Lord." "God’s throwing a party now and food and wine are free."
How are we to interpret spiritual drunkenness? What are we to make of "partying with God?" Is this a biblical concept? No doubt, it feels good, but is it really God honoring? To put the question in a different light, did Jesus and the disciples ever "turn people on" to this kind of intoxication? Can we really equate spiritual drunkenness with fullness of the Holy Spirit? I hope to fully explore these and other related aspects, and also to offer a biblical perspective of this experience for you to judge by.
Yes, Spiritual Drunkenness is Biblical
It is true, that the Bible speaks of the condition touted as "drunk in the Spirit." But, the interpretation, the significance of it, is different than the current one. The Old Testament prophets as well as Jesus and the apostles did speak of the phenomena, but warned of it as a judgement from God on an unbelieving people, which it would blind, deafen and render useless those so afflicted. The biblical descriptions of spiritual drunkenness given by the prophets are striking in their similarity to the manifestations I have seen in services and on videos.
Moses, for example, warned about the "man, woman, family or tribe" whose heart would turn away from the Lord to go after other gods, because of bitterness and discontent. Moses warned us that that one would actually "bless himself in his heart saying, "I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of my heart," and would go on to add drunkenness to thirst.". SeeDeuteronomy 29:18-21We have a lot of people today, who have drifted away from the God of the Bible, to worship and seek the presence of a god who exists in their own imaginations. But, they have learned to "bless themselves" in their hearts, or reaffirm to themselves that everything’s ok. Because they have left off the fountain of living waters, to drink out of broken cisterns that can hold no water, a tremendous spiritual thirst has developed. But, have they turned in repentance back to the God of the Bible? No way, that’s bondage," "doctrinal," and even "religious." Instead of doing that which would humble them, they have responded to thirst with drunkenness, exactly as Moses foretold.
Isaiah also speaks of this phenomena in stark terms. But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgement. For all tables are full of vomit andfilthiness, so that there is no place clean.Isaiah 28:7-8
Notice, it is the strong drink and the wine that caused the people to err, and go out of the way. Even the priest and the prophet "err in vision and stumble in judgement." I think that this is an extremely important thing to note, for much of the leadership of this "Mystical Revival" are composed of those who consider themselves to be prophets. Even if it were true that they are prophets, Isaiah warns us that those who participate in this become blind and go into error!
Isaiah is even stronger in his denunciation of this in his next chapter.
Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine, they stagger, but not with strong drink. For the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered. And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot: for it is sealed: And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying Read this, I pray thee; and he saith, I am not learned. Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.Isaiah 29:9-14 There are several remarkable details in this passage that I would like to emphasize.
Isaiah 29:9 is a strong teaching that it is spiritual drunkenness and not alcoholism that is being condemned in this passage.
Isaiah 29:10 tells us that this is a judgement, from the Lord, upon us, our "prophets," rulers and seers. The judgement consists of blindness, slumber, and staggering drunkenness, especially on leaders. What really throws many people off these days is the fact that in many cases, seemingly sound, solid, respectable leadership are suddenly endorsing all of this as a move of God. Or, at least, they are extremely reluctant to cry out against it. Now would be the "shining hour" for a group like the Assemblies of God to rise up and offer true leadership, as in days past, and soundly and scripturally take a stand against this heresy.
Isaiah 29:1-24 teach us that confusion, indecisiveness and inability to understand have brought us to the point where even learned men aren’t sure what the Bible says, even though the people look for leadership. Eventually, the Bible is delivered to unlearned people, as Isaiah 29:12 says. Notice that the unlearned don’t refuse to teach, they just say, "I am not learned." In other words, the time has come when theology and disciplined study of scripture is being held up as the antithesis of true spirituality and "unlearnedness" is being boasted of. As Rodney Howard Browne says, A diploma can’t heal anyone. Place your doctorate on a wheelchair patient in the name of Jesus and see what happens. The devil’s not afraid of a diploma. When you show him that piece of paper, he’ll pull out his diploma and say, "Join the gang, you and I went to the same school!" The power of God is not going to flow through those who have theory, it’s going to flow through those who have revelation. (1)
Now, who do you know whoever thought one minute that a diploma could heal anyone? And what does a doctorate have to do with the devil? And is knowing scripture well mere theory, as opposed to revelation? This is called setting up a straw man so you can boldly kick it down, and this is what these teachers do all of the time. They posture themselves as champions for "revelation knowledge" and cast those who want to be doctrinally scrupulous as dried up, highly educated, "dead heads." Jesus made no such distinction, remember it was He who said, You do err, not knowing the scriptures or the power of God. To him, knowing the scriptures was equated with knowing the power of God! This kind of posturing springs from an old American romantic ideal of the uneducated, backwoods preacher, who never had any book learning but, boy did he know God! I believe it was Peter Cartwright who once said, "The greatest hindrance to the gospel today, is an educated clergy!" In contrast to this is the stuffy, religious, theological expert who doesn’t have any faith. In many cases, this view may have some truth, but it has been taken to an extreme caricature! "Populist" preachers and prophets have almost set out a dichotomy between the Spirit and the Word! Jesus and the disciples may not have been formally trained, but they knew what the Word of God said, and weren’t relaxed about heresy or heteropraxy, either.
Even up in Toronto, you have this attitude. Marc DuPont complains about the church being a house of Bible study rather than a house of prayer, as though you have to have one or the other. Arnott castigates his critics saying, "They come in here, with no power, no revelation, just criticism..." What does this imply but, We are the ones with the power and revelation?"
Part of the problem is that many of these people are either in one ditch or the other. Either they themselves were at one time in the ditch of unbelief, "God doesn’t do miracles anymore," but they came out of that ditch, into the other ditch, "I’ve got to be open to everything! I’ve had a paradigm shift!" Listen, it wasn’t your emphasis on Bible knowledge that held you back from the supernatural, it was your unbelief! But Pastor, They Worship!
Isaiah 29:13-14 tells us that accompanying spiritual drunkenness can be some of the most beautiful worship you have ever seen! We have experienced in recent Western Christianity a powerful elevation of worship to its rightful place. There has been a virtual worship revival that has been so much of a blessing.
But, we need to begin to consider the possibility that perhaps worship itself has become an idol. By worship, I mean the services aspect of it. Christian worship is beautiful, the songs are fantastic, spirit filled groups of leaders are highly talented and let’s face it, worship is a pleasing experience. But, what happens to the "worship glutton" who can’t get enough of that "feeling," or the worshipper without repentance? Try to understand what I’m saying here, I am a worshipper also. But, it is possible to get more out of the worship service itself, then to actually seek the God who is supposed to be the focal point of worship. In a certain respect, "the presence" of the Lord has become what people are looking for in a worship service. "Wasn’t that good worship last night?" What do you mean by that? Can worship ever not be good? Or do you mean, "We could really "feel" the presence of the Lord?" Of course, God does often choose to manifest his presence at worship services, but whether or not he does, week after week, is no indication of whether or not you have worshipped.
Every Bottle Shall Be Filled With Wine
Therefore thou shalt speak unto them this word; Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Every bottle shall be filled with wine: and they shall say unto thee, Do we not certainly know that every bottle shall be filled with wine? Then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that sit upon David’s throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness. And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the Lord: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them, Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the Lord hath spoken.Jeremiah 13:12-15
God told Jeremiah that he would do exactly what the spiritual leadership boasted of, fill every bottle with wine. Now, we can see that spiritual drunkenness is a very deceptive judgement. It doesn’t feel bad to get drunk, at least not immediately. Drunkenness has an appearance of some kind of religious, mystical experience. You lose your inhibitions, expose yourself, feel less conscious, lose care and worry and can give yourself over to abandonment. God tells us inJeremiah 13:1-27that he would dash them one against another, (I have literally seen this phenomena in Toronto, people stumbling over and against one another, to the point that children had to get out of the way.) Jeremiah, like the other prophets, taught that spiritual drunkenness is followed by an unexpected and merciless destruction.
Think of Belshazzar’s feast inDaniel 5:1-31! It was at the very point in the party that the vessels of God’s temple were brought out and filled with wine of drunkenness, that the hand of God appeared, writing on the wall! There are countless reports that this spiritual drunkenness is being administered to the little children and new converts. I am afraid that the Word of the Lord unto us may well be, "You are weighed in the balances and found wanting," in other words you’re too light! Doesn’t that say it all? The New Testament On Spiritual Drunkenness
Much is being made of the New Testament phrase, the new wine, these days. The issue of whether or not Jesus was referring to alcoholic, intoxicating beverages, in his allegory of the new life that he offers, has been much debated over the years. I think we can all safely agree that physical drunkenness is soundly condemned in the New Testament. God doesn’t want His people to be dissipated, abandoned, and disorderly. I believe that what is true in the natural is also true in the Spirit, after all, how many times do Jesus and the apostles warn us to be sober, alert and watchful? Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking who he may devour.1 Peter 5:8
"But what about Acts chapter 2?" I hear someone saying. "If all that the disciples did was speak in tongues, they wouldn’t have been considered drunken," said the speaker at an Airport Vineyard service that I attended. "Now, who all is here from foreign countries? Stand up please and say something in your own language, please..." After they all did, some German, French, Korean, etc, the speaker asked, "Did they seem drunk to you?" He then went on to tell us that the disciples must have been staggering, laughing, hanging all over each other and falling down, as in a drunken state, in order to be accused of being drunk. He failed to realize, evidently, who it was that accused the disciples of drunkenness, the mockers.
Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine. But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men ofJudea, and all ye that dwell in Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.Acts 2:13-15 In a videotaped service from a recent prophetic conference held at Airport Vineyard, I even heard a better example of scripture being twisted out of shape. One of the "prophets" opened up his message by quoting Peter from Acts 2:13-15, but putting the emphasis on, drunk as you suppose... as the "prophet" progressed with his "insight" he taught that Peter was actually saying, "These men aren’t drunk in the way that you suppose they are, they are drunk in the Spirit, not on alcohol." Now, this is sheer conjecture and reading into the passage something totally different then the church down through time has ever seen it, just to justify this experience. Peter is simply denying outright the cynical suggestion that the 120 witnesses of Jesus were drunken. He then goes on to proclaim in a very clear, hardheaded sermon from the Psalms and Joel about the significance of the death and resurrection of Jesus. If he had been mumbling and swaying and falling over, like many currently are doing, do you really think anyone at all would have cried out in conviction, "Brothers, what shall we do?"
Ephesians 5:18is another passage of scripture being tortured to make a faulty point, lately.Ephesians 5:18And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit. Paul plainly is saying "Don’t be drunk with wine." Why? "Wherein is excess." Don’t give yourself over to an excessive lifestyle. Don’t throw away your inhibitions, clarity of thought, be sober minded, and self controlled, ready to discern, thankful, submissive, in a position to give and receive.Ephesians 5:18should not be considered a parallel between physical and spiritual drunkenness. Instead look at it as a contrast, nothing is further from a truly spirit filled life, than the life of a drunkard.
Jesus on Spiritual Drunkenness
Jesus also warned much about what a spiritually drunken state could do to you. After all, if there is such a distinction between good and bad drunkenness, why didn’t Jesus carefully qualify himself whenever he addressed the subject? Everything Jesus says about any kind of drunkenness is very negative. And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.Luke 21:34-36 The admonition is a constant, "Be alert, watch, be sober" in short, keep a very clear head, capable of watchful discrimination. But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; And shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.Matthew 24:48-51 In this passage, spiritual drunkenness is associated with people who have lost faith in the immanency of the return of our Lord. When the "otherworldly" concept is lost to Christians, all they have left to do is try to build earthly kingdoms. Thus, the misuse of men and maid servants (shepherding) and eventually partying with other spiritual wantons (hyperunity, ecumenism). As I said earlier, over and over again, the apostles admonish us to live simple, sober, and self-controlled lives. But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. Young men likewise exhort to be soberminded. In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works; in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.Titus 2:1-15 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.Titus 2:1-14 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love and of a sound mind.2 Timothy 1:7
Why Judgement? This is the difficult part of this chapter. I don’t claim to be a prophet, I’m a pastor. I will attempt to interpret the current situation in the church, notably the Western, Pentecostal/Charismatic expression of the church, for whatever my interpretation is worth. Maybe this will stimulate dialogue on the subject, if so, that would be worth it all. For the time has come that judgement must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?1 Peter 4:17-18 I believe that possibly, God is judging us for our rejecting of truth and the knowledge of God.
Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel: for the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shah be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of they God, I will also forget thy children. As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame. They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity. And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings. For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the Lord. Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.Hosea 4:1,Hosea 4:6-11
I have already spoken to you enough, I suppose, about the denigration of doctrine and the decay in the standard of teaching as well as the exaltation of experience over objective truth. "Head knowledge" is scoffed at as if it is contrary to truly knowing the Lord. Our God is a personal God and He has revealed Himself unto us through the holy scriptures and the coming of the Son of God. If anyone would know God, they must receive Him as He has revealed Himself in the holy scriptures, His own self revelation. They must come to Him by faith, through Jesus Christ. The current exclusive fixation on the Holy Spirit actually could be leading people away from God. We aren’t called to lead people into a relationship with the Holy Spirit, for the Spirit has come, not to testify of himself, but of JesusJohn 16:13-15To invoke the Holy Spirit as in, "Come, Holy Spirit," is not necessarily a false practice, but it can become so when the Holy Spirit becomes an isolated concept from Jesus. After all, how can you objectively test the Spirit? We know who Jesus is and what He says and does, because of His written testimony, of which the Spirit testifies. By subtly shifting the focus, from Jesus to the Holy Spirit, objectivity is removed and people are left at the mercy of their own subjective judgements, (ie "Well, it feels like the Spirit," or "The devil wouldn’t want to make me feel this way," or "I have never felt so much love for Jesus!") Could this drunkenness possibly come as a result of our acceptance of false prophets? I have already mentioned John Hinckle and his prophecy that June 9th all evil would be ripped off the face of the earth. In an incredible editorial in the December, 1994 issue of Charisma, a Charismatic leader shared her frustrations concerning the false prophecy. Her conclusion? She forgave God (Hrnmmrn!) and said we need to pray for these very prophets, that their ministries won’t suffer for false prophecies! If we pray for them, supposedly, maybe they’ll get more faith. Forgave God? How can you forgive God? May God forgive us for allowing these ministries to flourish, evidently we like it, they must be telling us what we’ve always wanted to hear. A major turning point leading to this judgement may come in the failed attempt to censure the Kansas City Prophets. Instead of shutting down when their false prophecies were exposed, they were covered "and brought into the Vineyard Ministries. Their erroneous doctrines and ministries have continued to be promoted to this day. Bob Jones, one of the "company of prophets" was eventually exposed for immorality. I wonder why the rest of the prophets didn’t have enough discernment to see through his ministry." In several instances, I have heard Bob Jones and his prophecies cited in a favorable light at "renewal" services! Though the injunction to stone false prophets is no longer in effect, the sin of false prophecy is no less serious! A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so; and what will ye do in the end thereof?Jeremiah 5:30-31 What Will Be the Consequences? As in physical drunkenness, spiritual drunkenness has extreme consequences. Is there any positive reference at all to spiritual drunkenness in the Bible? For that matter, do the prophets and apostles ever think to qualify which kind of drunkenness they are talking about in their denunciations of it? Aside from Isaiah 29:9-14; Isaiah 29:1 don’t know of any other scriptures that do. I will now discuss with you (in the early stages of this drunkenness revival, while the "wine is still red and sparkling" and the fun is going on) the manifold consequences of spiritual drunkenness.
Increased Selfishness. Drunkards are very selfish people. Whoever heard of getting loaded on behalf of someone else? So it is with spiritual drunkenness, people are becoming primarily concerned with having a "good time" in the Lord, feeling good, and their thoughts are being taken away from the Body of Christ, the lost and the poor and the needy. Shepherds who are promoting this are going to be rendered useless, sleepy, unable to bring forth the meat in due season," and congregations will suffer for it!
All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest. His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber, yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.Isaiah 56:9-12
Pity God’s flocks, they are about to be attacked by the beasts of the fields while their shepherd languish! The drunkard loses feeling and cares nothing for others, he will sell everything out for "that feeling." The Law of Diminishing Returns. It will take more extreme spiritual experiences to "cop the same buzz," spiritually speaking. This will take those given over to it, further and further from the simplicity of loving Jesus as he has revealed himself to be and worshipping on the ground of the cross. I predict that even now, as laughter in meetings is giving way to staggering drunkenness, it can’t plateau here, people will wander out further into the spiritual wilderness looking for that ultimate feeling.
Spiritual Hangover.
Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.1 Thessalonians 5:4-7
I predict that hangover time is coming for the spiritual drunkards. Even as the hungover sleep in, with the shades pulled to escape the light, the spiritually hungover are going to find themselves waking out of a deep sleep, in a bad mood (condemnation), and not wanting to be exposed to any light (preaching that exposes sin). The headache that accompanies "the morning after" is also coming, and consequently these will be difficult people to minister to. I predict a great crisis of faith, much confusion, condemnation, and even resentment toward those who are sober. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes in darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord; walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spiritis in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise. Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name our Lord Jesus Christ; submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of the Lord.Ephesians 5:1-33 Scorn, Derision, and Sorrow.
Thus saith the Lord God; Thou shaft drink of thy sister’s cup deep and large: thou shall be laughed to scorn and had in derision; it containeth much. Thou shalt be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, with the cup of astonishment and desolation with the cup of thy sister Samaria. Thou shalt even drink it and suck it out, and thou shalt break the shards thereof, and pluck off thine own breasts: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord God.Ezekiel 23:32-34
Ultimately, this spiritual drunkenness is designed to render the church useless and irrelevant in the last days. When the world more than ever needs to see a sympathetic sober minded, Christlike church, holding forth the Word of life, what does she see? A laughing, staggering, badly deluded, ridiculous and irreverent, mystically deceived body, with delusions of grandeur (world dominion, without Christ bodily present). I believe that we will soon regret our careless abandonment of principle and allowing false prophets to lead us into error.
Treatment Within Our Own Ranks. But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink and to be drunken; The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.Luke 12:45-46
What does a drunk become, but a bully? Wine is a mocker and strong drink is a fighter and who ever will be deceived by her is not wise. As people give themselves over to spiritual drunkenness, predictably they will begin to mistreat one another, speak harshly, and exercise some self given "authority" over each other. Jesus said it would be so!
Loss of Alertness. And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.Luke 2:1-6 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.Romans 13:1-14 As I said earlier, the New Testament is replete with the exhortation to "gird up the loins of the mind and be sober," and such like. Contrast that with Rodney Howard Browne’s exhortations to "shut off the mind" and enter into the Spirit. This will only result in an increased passivity, rendering people to be unable to discriminate holy and unholy spirituality. All of this at a time when alertness is the need of the hour! Ultimately, this passivity is leading people into the condition described in2 Thessalonians 2:9of strong delusion, whereby they can "believe the lie and be damned" not having received the sobering "love of the truth."
What Would I Say to a Person Involved?
If you are reading this now, and are saying in your heart, I’ve been involved. I’ve been "drunk in the spirit" and have actually experienced these things and thought they were beneficial," please hear me out. God has enabled you to read this book, which means He loves you and is not casting you out! There are so many good, well meaning, devoted, Christians being swept up in this, I know that God will call us to "come out of Her" while there is time!
But, it might be somewhat difficult to back out, because of considerations like this, "I thought I was "in the Spirit,"" or "Everyone considers me a spiritual giant," or even "But, I’ve led others into this, how can I renounce it now?" Please hear me out on this. Let’s consider the following possibility: You were wrong. So what? We know in part, anyone can be deceived. I think it is healthy for us to objectively evaluate every spiritual experience, holding it to the light of the holy scripture. You might have to eat some crow, and take yourself off the pedestal of superspiritual leader" and admit to some people that you were wrong! And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.Dan J 1:35
If you can just begin to agree with scripture that spiritual drunkenness is actually a judgement from God and not a blessing and use this all to turn to God with all of your heart, you’ll be all right. But, if you are proud and unable to turn away, or if you are "hooked on a feeling," and don’t want to give it up, reread the last section on consequences. Get away from churches given over to sensual experience beyond the Word. Go back to the basics, the Bible, the cross, prayer, witnessing, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, healing, the simple promises of God and waiting for Jesus to come, all of these are scriptural. This is where you began in the doctrine of Christ. Repent, go to those that you have influenced or acted foolishly in front of and apologize. Tell them you realize that this is not Christlike, that it is apostasy and you are turning from it. Find yourself a group of biblical, joyous, soberminded, old fashioned believers, (you know, the ones you were conditioned to scorn as "religious") ask them to pray for and with you, for there will be a detoxification process, I guarantee it. There will be a grieving for the damage done, influence rendered, opportunity lost, and even seasons of intense satanic accusation. With the help of sound, biblical, spirit filled believers and the holy scriptures, you will be able to come to terms with this whole drift away from God. There may well have to be a re-evaluation of what teachers and teachings you have exposed yourself to. I know of people who have actually gone through de-tox times where they even wonder if they have lost their faith. Don’t be afraid, you are drying out, detoxing. God is with you. If you even are concerned about it all, God is the one who has kept that concern alive in you. Just remember, And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.Revelation 12:10-11 The blood has been shed to wash away our sins, all of them, the pre-Christian ones, and yes, the ones we have committed since coming to Christ. The word of our testimony, do you agree with the testimony that the blood of Jesus is giving to God? They are forgiven, all who come to God through meHebrews 12:24"But, Pastor, I don’t feel forgiven." Well, that lust to feel everything spiritually is what got you in trouble in the first place, accept the Word of God! Out in the desert, with no goosebumps, "waves," laughter or incense, learn that we live by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
They loved not their lives to death. In short, don’t justify yourself or this false experience, give it up and renounce it!
O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. Take with you words, and turn to the Lord: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.Hosea 14:1-9
If you will do this you will find that our God is even more merciful than you ever imagined Him to be, and that believing Him at His word, is better than some cheap thrill in a hyped "church service" with false prophets.
I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him. I will be as the dew unto Israel; he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon. They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon. Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found. Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them; but the transgressors shall fall therein.Hosea 14:4-9 The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
End Notes 1. Rodney Howard Browne. The Coming Revival. Page 23. RHBEA Publications.