Thriving in the Out Pouring of The Holy Spirit in an Age of Counterfeit “Out Pours, Revivals, and Moves”

          In these last days, the Lord will pour out His Holy Spirit, and as His Word says, many great things will happen. The word AWAKEN has been on my heart for years now, starting several years back when the Lord was waking me up.

This past year I have felt, and continue to feel, that the Lord is awakening both Christians and the lost:

           Christians–to waking us up from our slumber, bringing us to repentance, reminding us to hold fast to our public profession of faith in Christ and to the things we were first taught, exhorting us to run the race and throw off every weight that would hinder us, and remembering that God is a GOOD God who withholds NOTHING good from those who walk uprightly (to depend on HIM for everything).

             For the lost–to an awakening of repentance that leads to salvation in Christ Jesus, transferring them from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of His marvelous light, making they who were once enemies now children and heirs of God, giving them His Holy Spirit as a seal (a down payment, a deposit, a guarantee of things to come) by which to cry, “Abba! Father!”

               How many know that in these last days, though, there will be many false prophets rise up, some even from among you, that will seem to have the appearance of godliness, but deny its power thereof? That many will come using the name of Christ, shouting, “Lord! Lord!” and performing many miraculous signs IN HIS NAME, which would seem to validate their authenticity, but are just counterfeit works of Satan trying to disguise himself as the Holy Spirit? If Satan will ultimately, in the last of days, sit himself upon the throne in Jerusalem and proclaim himself God, if he will mock Holy God and the Trinity by having himself an unholy “trinity,” then why would we even think for one second that he wouldn’t go so far in these last days, when the Lord is pouring His Holy Spirit out, to counterattack with a counterfeit movement of the spirit of antichrist, that seeks to delegitimize the genuine movement and work(s) of the Holy Spirit, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the ministry and message of reconciliation?

                   Do not get carried away by miracles or by those who claim to follow/know/be doing the will of Christ, but whose fruits and the fruits of their ministries are in direct opposition to the Holy Word of God AND TO the discernment of the Holy Spirit given to you as a child of the living God, by which we are to test the spirits/test prophecies/test all things. Likewise, do not get swept away by the rising tide of those who see this counterfeit movement with all of its signs and mistake it for legitimate moves of the Holy Spirit, thus saying that ANYONE in the body of Christ who allows the Holy Spirit to move in them in freedom and power, in peace and love, and in soundness of mind and doctrine through the gifts that He gives His church, are counterfeits as well and lump true Bible-believing, born-again, blood-bought and washed Christians in with those who APPEAR to be operating in or using the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

                      The wheat must grow alongside of the tares. The work of the Holy Spirit must continue IN SPITE OF the growing opposing movement of antichrist. We must NOT be afraid to be lumped in with those who are not genuine. Lumped in and working alongside of are not the same thing. We must not stop this genuine work of the Holy Spirit (wheat) b/c we have a counterfeit move ( the tares) occurring alongside it. Don’t “pull up” the bad, b/c in so doing, you may pull up the good. Recognize the tares. Recognize the wheat. Trust in the Lord to sort them out. Follow Him. Do good. Listen to the Holy Spirit. Abide in Christ and let His love and His words abide in you. Then you will know what His good, pleasing, and perfect will is. You will hear His voice behind you saying, “This is the way you should go. Walk in it.” You will move forward in faith, power, and confidence b/c this is where the personal walk w/ God that everyone preaches about truly DOES become REAL and REAL PERSONAL.

                          Christians, use discernment and leave room for the Holy Spirit to work in your life, other Christians’ lives, and the life of His Church b/c He is RESTORING LIFE to His Church. Operate in the power and the gifts that the Holy Spirit has given to you to edify His Church, edify yourself, and build His kingdom, for His glory, not for yours. Use caution but don’t be overly suspicious. Guard your hearts. Resist temptation. Stand in the knowledge and love of Christ. Rebuke Satan.

                            This is nothing new, as there have been counterfeit moves of Satan since the beginning of the church in Acts, even going back to the Old Testament. Satan has always tried to steal the glory of God, the power of God, and the people of God. Don’t let him do it. Don’t be silent. Flourish in the Word and flourish in your walk. WALK [literally in the Greek, “walk around in”] the Spirit. Don’t be scared or ashamed, embarrassed or disheartened when others, even in the church, falsely accuse you of being like the counterfeits. Know WHOM you have believed in and walk in the Spirit of the Living God– not by might, not by power, but by the Spirit of God– THRIVE

Now my heart feels a little lighter:)

In Christ,

Jessica Laird

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Matthew 13: 24-30 (NIV)

Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

The owner’s servants came and said to him, “Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?” “An enemy did this,” he replied.

One sure sign that distinguishes true Christians from counterfeit Christians is the presence or absence of humility.

The servants asked him, “Do you want us to go and pull them up?” “No,” he answered, “because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until harvest. At that time, I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.”