THE LANGUAGE OF 'MANIFESTATIONS' AND THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT

Prior to the 'renewal,' my experience with how the English language was used in Christianity regarding the word "manifestations" was very specific. That is, Christian teachers, missionaries, and other workers usually used the word "manifestations" in the phrase "demonic manifestations." This term was used in order to describe supernatural or compelled activity by demons upon the human body and tongue. An example would be the demon-possessed man in Gerasene (Mark 5: 1-7) or the woman who had a spirit of divination (Acts 16:16-18). When people assembled together in the Lord and each one had something to share for the edification of the Body, Pentecostal or Charismatic Christians called these 'gifts of the Spirit.' By automatically defining what was of the Spirit and what was not in these phrases, it was made clear what was from the Spirit and what was from demons.

This is extremely important because many an error is either started or reflected by incorrect use of language. Confusion begins with definitions that are over-generalized and unclear. Also, when one thing is inappropriately mixed with the other, it is judged as belonging to the other even when it does not. Without dividing the true from the false, there is no differentiation and no need to take the effort of discernment in order to identify the proper terminology or 'label' the results of the discernment.

So, until recent years, terminology did not call everything under the sun a 'manifestation' without defining the source. If one believed that the gifts of the Spirit were for today, then the gifts of the Spirit were expected to accompany Christians as they met together (see 1 Cor 14:26). Upon the preaching of the Word, miracles and signs came to spread the gospel (Mark 16:15-18). If the demonic showed up during the preaching of the Word, as with Paul in Acts 16:16-18, it was discerned as soon as possible and called what it was.

However, soon after 'renewal,' other spiritual phenomenon besides spiritual gifts began to be discussed. We began to hear the term, 'spiritual manifestations.' This is neutral and undefined. Perhaps this phrase was borrowed from secular accounts of revivalist activity. After all, the term 'spiritual manifestations' is used in secular books to describe 'religious' supernatural activity, including spiritual gifts such as speaking in tongues and physical healing--as well as blatantly occult activities or phenomenon.

Accepting and passing along the secular connotation may be easy to do, yet it presents difficulty for the Christian. This is because although the secular cannot be expected to differentiate, the Christian can. For instance, the Holy Spirit distributes the gift of distinguishing spirits (1 Corinth. 12:10) in order to differentiate what is demonic. Many of us have witnessed the occasional occurrence of demonic manifestations in various meetings or situations. Indeed, if true power of God is present one might expect that demonic manifestations might be provoked, just as with Jesus and the Gerasene or Paul with the fortune teller. These incidences should never be lumped together into one big happy family and under a huge umbrella called 'spiritual manifestations.'

For those who do not have the gift of distinguishing spirits, it would have at least be prudent to acknowledge that some things were demonic manifestations and some things were not. However, this never occurred in some renewal circles. Instead, all things were consigned to the 'flesh reacting' to God. Then, it was taken a step further by calling everything 'manifestations of the Spirit'.

Calling all spiritual phenomenon 'manifestations of the Spirit' just because it occurs in a 'renewal' meeting is presumptuous indeed. It clearly implies that all activity would be 'of the Spirit', just as the phrase states, and leaves no room for anything else. What is even more astonishing is that in the Bible, the gifts of the Spirit are "for the common good," and the term 'manifestations' is not applied to anything other than the spiritual gifts for this purpose (1 Cor 12:4-11). Therefore, it is misleading to use this phrase to describe laughing, crying, falling down, shaking or whatever else might occur, even if you credit them with the Spirit because they are a result of the Spirit ministering a changed life or heart in the individual. Regardless, they are still not the same as gifts for the common good and neither should they be treated as the same.

You may think I am too alarmist and nitpicking, but let me refer you to an example that can help explain the importance of language. In the Shaker false revival (spiritualism), I discovered that in every reference I found, the word 'gift' among the Shakers showed up quite often. Every inclination began to be called, 'a gift'. For instance, there were spiritual 'gifts' (visions of pleasant intangible items) being given from heaven or from the dead who came down from heaven. Laughter was said to be giving 'the gift of laughter' (as though it were the same as a gift of the Spirit), and as the false revival spread everyone was encouraged to be "open to the gifts."79 Finally, mediums to the dead were treated as though they were gifted. And all along these things were somehow accredited to the Spirit of God! So, you see the confusion the misuse of language can bring, and the deception it can reflect.

I did not want to lump everything so easily together. Therefore, while writing this document I have sometimes substituted the phrase 'spiritual phenomenon' for 'spiritual manifestations' for the Christian reader, even though some books used the phrase, "spiritual manifestations." I had hoped that by doing this, it would give the reader an opportunity to think about the difference between the wide variety of demonic manifestations possible, false spiritual gifts if they occur, and the real, true spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Unfortunately though, 'manifestations of the Spirit' have been used in many renewal forums to describe everything but the gifts of the Spirit. Eventually this has led to no expectation or discussion of gifts of the Spirit, in spite of the fact that the Scripture clearly defines gifts alone as the reasonable or expected outcome of meeting with one another as Christians! So if the Spirit is upon us and within us, is it too much to ask that they not only be joyfully expected, but allowed to operate in meetings where the Spirit is reportedly not quenched? Instead we turn our attention to something else as if this is the end-all of the Spirit's work?

Worse than that, some have taken it even further. Way back in 1995 came another term that was wholly alarming to me. That is, if the expected 'manifestations' did not happen to someone, they were called 'hard to receive'. Who invented this new, extra-Biblical, proof that the Holy Spirit is working in someone's life and they have been open to it, and why was it not corrected? I am certainly glad that not all renewalists opted for every new phrase that has come along! It is better to be conservative than to be swept away by every wind and doctrine.
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Footnote #79  pp. 70 The Shakers, by Jean Kinney Williams

© Copyright 2000  by Teri Lee Earl All Rights Reserved

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