May 12, 2008
The Biblical Roots of Revival: The Case for Lakeland
Who would you rather follow: someone who can quote lots of Bible verses or someone who lives out the words of scripture?
It’s not too hard of a choice.
One has mentally organized the words of scripture, while the other is living in the power of the Holy Spirit because he believed in the words of scripture, and God has decided to use him. One is able to tell you about the new life God gives, and one is able to impart it to you. One may change your mind, but the other may change your life.
A revival has broken out in Lakeland, FL through the ministry of Todd Bentley, and the usual skeptics are speaking out against this manifestation of God. Most who condemn these events have not participated in them in person, and this will especially be true for Lakeland because it’s broadcast on God TV. Curiously, miracles are happening over the internet, over the phone, and over the TV, but the problem is one need only watch a few minutes, find it unfamiliar and uncomfortable, and then write it off completely. The skepticism of “Bible-Answer Man” Hank Hanegraaff that this is all false hope doesn’t help.
To be frank, he knows not of what he speaks. Hank doesn’t know his Bible as well as he boasts.
I haven’t been to the Toronto or Lakeland Revivals, but I have experienced and witnessed some of what’s happening. A minister in healing and words of knowledge prayed over my legs and healed one that was out of line. I have received powerful prayer for emotional pain and been completely overwhelmed with what I can only described as a cleansing sobbing. I’ve been involved in prayer ministry where those receiving prayer become incredibly hot as the Holy Spirit cleanses them. I’ve seen these same people gently fall backwards onto the floor.
It’s different from what I grew up with, but I never found anything wrong with healing, the manifestation of the Spirit, and falling backwards. Instead of hitting this outpouring with unbelief, we should at least be glad that God is working to heal some people, even if we’re not going to partake in it… However I’m reminded of something used to chant when I was a Catholic, “If today you hear his voice, harden not your heart.”
When we reject revival, we often think of frauds who rely more on the show, on the donations that pour in, and on flashy preachers. There are plenty of these out there, just as you’ll find people who abuse the Bible to teach false doctrines and to preach the prosperity Gospel. Just because the gifts of the Spirit are abused, I don’t think we need to write them off completely, just as we wouldn’t write off the Bible after it’s been misused. If you do some digging, you’ll find that Todd Bentley is a pretty average guy whom God powerfully delivered from drugs, alcohol, Satanic worship, and just about every other vice. He’s loud and charismatic, but I think there’s a marked difference here because he’s really just trying to go where he senses the leading of the Spirit. Here is what his own ministry has to say about him:
The passion of Todd’s life and ministry: is to see others set free through the anointing of the Holy Spirit and to see others come into the reality of intimate relationship with Jesus. He also desires to see Christ’s body healed, equipped and rising up in the power of the Holy Spirit to fulfill the great commission.
We don’t have to like it, but we don’t have to be against it. Right after Jesus’ disciples argued about who was going to be the greatest, they tried to stop someone who wasn’t part of their group from driving out demons. Jesus surprised them by saying,
“Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.” Mark 9:39-41
So Bentley is doing miracles in the name of Jesus, and he certainly is not blaspheming God in the next moment. So what’s the big deal? Bentley is just obediently carrying on the ministry of Jesus:
At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.” Luke 7:21-23
And if that’s what Jesus did, he promised the his followers would do the same:
Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. John 14:10-14
The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed. Acts 5:12-16
And so we are left with our reasons for wanting to condemn Lakeland, and all I can find is the problem of unfamiliarity and the problem that started on a cool evening in a garden when Adam and Eve hid from God. Sure these manifestations are different and outside the norm. Sure it’s uncomfortable. Sure we have to face our sin and deception. Isn’t it easier to claim to follow Jesus just by reading the Bible, learning the Bible, and keeping God himself at arms-length? In fact, I think that is exactly what happens when we fight to keep God back.
Along those lines, I have a verse for those skeptical of the Holy Spirit’s work:
“And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” John 5:37-40
I’m not trying to call anyone’s commitment to Christ into question here. Only you and the Lord can figure that out. But I am criticizing a commitment to study the scriptures and to then reject the real life work of the Holy Spirit. It is a very good thing to study the Bible, but without the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives the words of scripture are just text on a page and not the new life that God wants to unleash in our lives. Lakewland is just one example of how God’s Spirit wants to work in our lives, and Jesus warned us against rejecting the move of God.
I am deeply saddened by all of this skepticism at a time of healing and restoration. It is terrible to see some followers of Christ so close to the truth, so close to the full, abundant life of God (which I believe this passage of John is about), and yet keeping the true power and healing of God at arms-length. I don’t want to get too sappy, but I earnestly plead with those who doubt this to first of all commit to not make unnecessary enemies of fellow believers. Please hold back your condemnation and look into it, remembering that if it’s from God it will produce fruit, but if it is not from God it will fall apart (see Acts 5:33-39). Secondly, I ask that you open yourself to God and whatever he may have for you. You just never know what will happen.
On a final note, I have tried to avoid condemnation of skeptics such as Hanegraaff, but I feel it is important to remind ourselves of the warning scripture gives us when we condemn the work of the Holy Spirit.
“He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters. And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.” Matthew 12:30-32
You can argue that I have misapplied this passage, but it occurs in the context of healing a demon-possession, so we’d best pay attention to the warning of Jesus. When the Holy Spirit is at work and we speak against the Holy Spirit, we are treading in dangerous territory. Doubting is one thing, but speaking against the work of the Holy Spirit appears to be far more serious.
I pray that those who call on the name of the Lord may be strengthened by this time of healing and restoration. All glory to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Ed,
This post surprised me. I am really torn about this because while I am very open to the supernatural work of God’s spirit, I don’t know why it always seems to come packaged in the charismatic hype of revivalism. I appreciate your thoughts.
Well, it doesn’t always look quite like this. I’ve experienced this kind of stuff in much more… what’s the word? Toned down settings.
You bring up a good question. I used to really, really skeptical of this stuff, and I’m not a huge fan of charismatic services. I think it can easily devolve into a lot of manipulation of the spiritual and a lot of man-centered efforts to make something spiritual happen. However, at least the charismatic circles are looking for God to move in visible ways, which is different from myself, as I come from a tradition that is skeptical of just about any physical manifestation of God.
I fear my answer is too simplistic, but perhaps it’s a matter of seeking and finding. They are seeking God to move physically, and sometimes God does it. That doesn’t mean revivals aren’t abused and healings are faked and charismatics aren’t guilty of shaky theology at times, but it does mean they’re open to meeting God in a very legit way. I think this is also an example of God meeting some people where they are at.
I can’t say why those open to the Spirit outside of revivalism aren’t seeing this kind of stuff, but at the same time I feel a need to warn people from simply writing it off.
[...] Ed Cyzewski speaks in favour of Bentley and the Lakeland revival, but I have mixed feelings. I’ve seen stuff that convinces me that there’s some of God in it despite the weirdness. And not necessarily because of the weirdness, I know too that there’s a lot that isn’t of God. By my observation, at the first hint of any stirring of the Holy Spirit, we seem pretty quick to start talking about airline charters and itinerant ministry. We may think it funny that first-century invalids camped out beside the Pool of Bethesda waiting for an angel to stir the waters, but we think nothing of hopping a flight to Toronto or Florida or Argentina if we get wind of the Holy Spirit moving someplace we’re not. And when he moves someplace where we are, we’re pretty quick to shout about it. [...]
Ed,
I share your concern for openness to the spirit of God and whatever manifestations that might include. It is all too easy to write off things that are unfamiliar or odd and miss that God was in the midst of them.
I wonder if there is potential to free supernatural experiences from the charimatic celebrity club that so often taints the motives of ministers and hijacks the attention of those needing healing and restoration.
I’m with you on that point. My mother-in-law had wise words along similar lines: “You can take the wine, but you don’t need to take the wine skin.” While that can be hard in certain situations, I’m all for an openness to the work of God, but I don’t have to accept revivalists completely.
However, we need to keep in mind that most Christians define themselves with qualifiers: “I’m Evangelical, but I’m not a republican or against evolution,” or “I’m interested in the emerging church, but I truly value scripture as my norming, norm and hold to historic Christianity.” So I think it’s fair to say we’re in support of the work of God in this revival even if we don’t buy into all of the methods and words used.
Thanks for balancing out my reaction here Grace.
This reminds me of something John Wimber wrote. He said that he did not believe that you had to speak in tongues to have a gift of healing, but he had never seen anyone with a powerful healing ministry that did not speak in tongues. We have to let the Holy Spirit do things His way, and not try to get Him to fit into our human logic.
The Bible also says to “test the spirits” (1 John 4:1) and that we’re supposed to question this sort of thing (1 Thessalonians 5:21). While there may be good things happening in Lakeland, it doesn’t mean that it’s always God at work.
Anyhoo, at the moment, I would be more apt to call this an “outpouring” than a “revival”.
Shelly, I agree with you. We should never turn off our brains or ignore our theology. I’m coming at the revival from the standpoint of challenging cessationists, who believe that God cannot possibly intervene in our world with miracles, prophecies, etc.
When I said, “Please hold back your condemnation and look into it, remembering that if it’s from God it will produce fruit, but if it is not from God it will fall apart (see Acts 5:33-39),” I’m asking that we not be critical of something that could potentially be the work of the Holy Spirit. Like I said, doubting is fine. So long as our doubting is in the context of testing to make sure it’s God, we’re in good shape. I never wanted to insinuate that we accept stuff like Lakeland uncritically, only that we not dismiss it out of hand without looking for God’s work in the midst of it. There are parts of this that are worthy of skepticism, but I think we should be very careful when it comes to rejecting the work of God today.
I hate to say it, but it’s a matter of balance. Thanks for adding that to the post.
[...] Ed Cyzewski favorably explores the Biblical roots of revival [...]
Jesus stood up to a bunch of Jews and said that unless they eat his flesh and drink his blood, they would not inherit the kingdom. That is NOT the way to gain friends and followers in the Jewish community.
It seems throughout scripture that God has made a habit out of choosing offensive men and methods to deliberately offend the sensibilities of people so that they will seek HIM. The package offends because the Lord is looking for people who will look past their offense into the heart of God and find something new and fresh there for them.
Good point. Of course we don’t want to say that God’s way always has to be offensive, but that we should merely be willing to overlook some things that may raise eyebrows or ring a bit odd. It is fascinating to read through scripture and to see how God moves both within and without the religious establishment.
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