What are the manifestations that are shown in today’s Christian religion worldwide that are falsely claimed as the exploits of the Holy Spirit? Here are a few:

Prophesying of future events unrelated to the Church: Preachers foretell a generally expected outcome (after carefully making a detailed analysis of the ‘newspaper stories’, and other sources of information, which the common people would not have taken pain to study) like an election trend in a country or economic or social state of affairs. If something happens (2/10?) as predicted, they boast of the fulfilment; if the study was based on false information or if there was a complete turn of events, then the prophecy would fail (for e.g., it failed in the case of the last US Elections). Now, the ‘servant of god’ has an excuse: The lord has changed His mind (?!) in the last moment. (They still maintain that they were right and so, throw the blame on their ‘lord’). Some ‘ministers’ miss very important happenings (like Covid19) but they just brush it away as if nothing has really happened! Some dare not call themselves prophets but just say that as a ‘minister of god’ they are foretelling the future (same as prophesying!). This gives them an escape route if the ‘foretelling’ fails. Prophesying is always for the edification, exhortation and comfort of the church – useful for many believers – not the world (1 Cor 14:3, 4). Even impending calamities are foretold to prepare the church for the inevitable (like what Agabus did in the 1st century church). The Lord never changes.

Physical healing takes precedence: Faith healers pray for a ‘touch from the lord’ so that sick people might be healed; People are said to have been healed of most common ailments like headache and knee pain after the ‘minister’ prays for ‘all kinds’ of physical healing. Today, no lame men walk, no blind see, no lepers are cleansed, no withered hands are made whole, and no dead are raised. (A lot many are stage managed; investigators have found numerous fake healings being publicised as genuine). No ‘minister’ is concerned about spiritual healing / salvation of the souls that gather to see him / her in person. Why would God heal a person at all if they will continue in sin?

Temporal benefits are promised: ‘Ministers’ pray for a job / promotion, houses and (rich) brides / grooms for the believers. ‘You are a child of the King’ is a cliché preached from the pulpits by ‘spirit filled godmen’. And there are those who write a testimony for publishing or who come on stage to testify of the ‘miracle’ the lord performed for them. God does not promise temporal worldly prosperity for His children. He has blessed us with all heavenly blessing in Christ Jesus. “You will have persecutions in this world” said our Lord, not ‘comforts’. Hunger, thirst, pain and sufferings are a part and parcel of Christian life, the absence of which tells you that you are not a believer!

Slaying of the Spirit: People fall (mostly on their backs) as a mark of being touched (or filled) by the holy spirit; this happens when ‘the minister’ touches their (fore)heads with his / her hand or a CD/DVD or a Bible or throws his blazer / jacket into the crowd. (Some ‘minsters’ have failed to push some watchful folk who refuse to fall at his many ‘slaying’ attempts. Funny!).

Baptism by fire: This is defined as a special experience when a person receives the Holy Spirit and is considered exclusive for those that the Lord considers as special! However, when the Holy Spirit comes upon a person, the (tongues of) fire that accompanies consumes all that is spiritually filthy to make the believer clean. (Luke 3:16). This is a common experience for all who are filled by the Spirit. Only spiritual people can discern this fire descending (not a normal phenomenon), not natural folk. (Acts 2:3).

Vomiting publicly: Those that are ‘filled’ with holy spirit throw up (sometimes some black stuff signifying ‘sin’?) publicly as they are being cleansed by the ‘holy’ spirit. Even many ministers are said to have vomited in large gatherings with a super-spiritual man on stage! Sin is not physically black; it corrupts the soul and kills the spirit of man.

Dancing and shouting in frenzy: A holy spirit baptism meeting (tarry meeting!) is often noisy, loud, and chaotic with people shouting meaningless words at the top of their voices, each one exceeding in volume than the other; some run around and dance in worldly fashion (with vulgar moves as depicted on stage by ‘Rock and Roll’ and ‘disco’ performers; baratham or kuththaattam in Tamil Nadu). The fruit of the Holy Spirit comprises gentleness (Gal 5:22), not unruly behaviour.

Losing control of oneself: People filled with the ‘spirit’ fall on each other often exposing their body (and the concealables); some so called ‘mature’ believers help in dressing the ‘exposed’ believers. Let all things be done decently and in order. (1Cor 14:40).

A special holy spirit session: Most Christian conventions include a ‘tarry meeting’ / holy spirit session in the agenda. It is during this time that believers who are not filled with ‘the spirit’ are encouraged to attend to receive the ‘baptism’. Why tarry when the Holy spirit is already given? And, can’t He baptize in other sessions or during private prayer?

Women preaching in the church: Many women pastors, women teachers and women prophets (and women apostles?) have mushroomed on Christian pulpits, podiums and daises preaching ‘the word of God’ daringly violating the principle laid down by Paul forbidding women to even speak in the church.

Calling out names of people from the crowd: ‘Ministers’ filled with the holy spirit call out names of people with their physical infirmities or worldly needs declaring that the lord is healing them or solving their problem instantly. Usually, these are names of people who have already contacted the ‘prayer tower’ or ‘prayer mountain’ with such prayer requests and were invited to the meeting to meet the ‘minister’ in person. Who would want to miss such an opportunity to meet their hero? Healing or solution to the problem is secondary; a direct touch by the ‘minister’ matters the most for such gullible fanatics.

Asking witnesses to testify on stage: All those whose names have been called out or otherwise are asked to come on stage to ‘glorify god’; whether a miracle or healing happened is a different story altogether; some are stage-managed with people set up in the crowd ‘for the sake of encouraging the others who hesitate to come on stage’; This is a subtle method of ‘fishing for compliments’ and increasing the fanbase. Even if a miraculous bodily healing has taken place, this is dealt with all of the time; repentance from the old sinful lifestyle, forgiveness of sins, assurance of salvation and submission to the Saviour are not even mentioned in the testimonies. Scripturally, life and prosperity of the soul must take precedence over everything else; forgiveness of sins is the more difficult one than healing of the body as per the Lord’s statement, which only He can offer. “Sin no more” is the commandment for everyone who has received a physical healing, not physiotherapy, diet control or ‘bring your offering'. Setting up people is a shameful, abominable, and deceptive activity adopted by a hawker selling his fake goods on the streets.

Spirit filled online worship, sermons, prophecies and healing: Pastors, prophets and evangelists preach from a decorated stage, the ‘actions’ of which are shown live elsewhere in different church locations or are broadcast through YouTube or Facebook (or any other social media). Worship leaders conduct spirit-filled worship session for a certain time with scantily clad girls (with complete make-up) on stage singing ‘spiritual’ (film?) songs with (un)goldy music by (un)godly men. Attendees receive healing, miracles and other ‘blessings’ from wherever(?) they are, by closing the eyes, touching the affected organ, or palm on the chest. While the Lord is omnipresent and can see the heart from far off, is this online engagement not a mockery of the working of the Spirit? Paul asked the believers at Corinth why they were asking for his presence while they already had enough spiritual leaders around. He also said to the Colossian believers that it is the same Christ Who is in him Who was powerful in them too. Can’t there be other ministers close by these (mostly lazy!) believers to edify and exhort?