True and Counterfeit Experiences of the Holy Spirit

 True and Counterfeit Experiences of the Holy Spirit

Beware of the Counterfeit Fullness of the Spirit

One of the parts of fruit of the Holy Spirit is self control (Gal.5: 22, 23).

1 Cor.14:32, 33, 40 reads like this: “ and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets; for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints... But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner”.

From the above verses, it is crystal clear that if somebody loses control over himself or herself, that can never be because of the Holy Spirit. Because Holy Spirit helps us rather to control ourselves better – like controlling our thoughts, tongue, eyes etc and makes us more like Christ Jesus.

Like Br Zac Poonen says Holy Spirit fills people, but demons possess people. The difference is that the Holy Spirit gives us more control over ourselves, whereas the evil spirit takes away the control we have over our lives. That’s why demon possessed people sometimes mutilate themselves (Mark 5: 5), for they don’t have any control over what they think or do.

Demon can push somebody down. But Jesus and the Holy Spirit always lift people up (See Luke 9: 42). “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, yes and forever” (Hebrews 13: 8). Today soulish “Christian” leaders push people down and call it the Holy Spirit! That is really tragic! But actually when they do opposite to what Jesus did, know that it is the spirit of antichrist! Beware of being part of all those Babylonian tricks of the devil!

Sudden shaking and shouting can also be a conscious attention-seeking behaviour, or it can be a dissociative trance.

Whatever that is, do not look down upon anybody, but rather discern what is of the Lord and not of the Lord. Compare Matthew 7: 1 and John 7: 24. The same Lord who said “Do not judge” in Matthew 7:1, said in John 7: 24: “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment”.

1 John 4:1 clearly warns us: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world”. If many false prophets were there in the first century itself, how many more would there be in this 21^st century, which is so close to the second coming of the Lord.

The first sign of the last days that the Lord told in Matthew 24:4 is: “See to it that no one misleads you”. He further warns us of the same thing in verses 11 and 24. If you read verse 5 without the inverted comas as in the original language, you will understand that the many false prophets will say that Jesus Himself is the Christ, and holding the Bible in their hands they will deceive people (as given in 2 Cor. 11: 4) with

i) another Jesus (who does not say anything about overcoming sin by the power of the Holy Spirit),

ii) another spirit (which pushes people down and induces all kinds of “holy laughter, barking, vomiting etc.)

iii) another gospel (which is a health- wealth- prosperity counterfeit, and begs for your money to build the preacher’s kingdom rather than that of the Lord)!

See Matthew 7:15- 23: "Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?

So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.

A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.

Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

So then, you will know them by their fruits.

Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.

Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'

And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'”

So discern a person by the fruit of the Holy Spirit, that is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control”(Galatians 5: 22, 23). See how humble, approachable and Christlike he is. See what his attitude towards money, women, honour, the poor and the rich. Compare that with the attitude Jesus had towards all these categories. Then you will understand whether he is a leader worthy to be followed. Otherwise “if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit” (Matthew 15: 14).

The strong commandment of the Lord in 2 Timothy 3: 5, especially for those living in the last days (see verse 1), is to avoid those who have a form of godliness (sheep’s clothing) but have denied its power. Instead, follow the Lord along with those who call upon the Lord from a pure heart (2 Timothy 2: 22).

Receiving the True Fullness of the Spirit

When we surrender everything to the Lord as a burnt offering and a living sacrifice (Romans 12: 1), the fire of the Holy Spirit will come and consume every part of our being. And we will be flooded with the love, joy and peace of heaven! (Romans 5: 5; Gal. 5: 22, 23). We will be endued with power from on high to be a witness of the Lord by our life and by our words! (Luke 24: 49; Acts 1: 8; 4: 31). That is the true filling of the Holy Spirit.

Even after being filled, we can lose the fullness of the Spirit with our own carelessness and pride, which are like holes in a vessel. We need to repent and plug those holes daily and ask the Lord to fill us with His Spirit again and again. That is the exhortation in Eph 5: 18 in the original language – to be being (continually) filled with the Spirit.

The Lord, in His sovereignty, will give us the gifts of the Holy Spirit as He chooses (1 Cor. 12: 7, 11). Gifts of the Spirit can be compared to vessels with which we can pour out the living waters of the Holy Spirit and bless others. We are commanded to desire earnestly for the gifts of the Holy Spirit, especially the gift of prophesying (that is, edifying and exhorting and consoling others through the specific Word from the Lord from the Scriptures, that is needed for the people at that particular point of time– 1Cor. 14: 3).

May the Lord help us to strike the right balance in the experience and emphasis of the fruit as well as of the gifts of the Holy Spirit!

May the Good Shepherd Himself guide us into true springs of living water of the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 49: 10; Rev. 7: 17)!

Beware of the Counterfeit

This is a modified version of the reply I gave to a person who needed some clarification on how we can keep ourselves safe from being not deceived by those who pretend to be the Lord’s workers:

I’ve seen through these years after I have come to faith that many of those who take Christ’s name are counterfeit! So, we have to be ‘shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves’ (Matthew 10: 16).

I have heard of a book circulated by apostles in the early centuries mentioning as to how to discern a false teacher! What they say is that whoever comes to you and asks you for money for themselves in Jesus’ name would be a false teacher, whatever else he says! In those times when there was no printing, and written manuscripts of the Bibles were not so much available as we have today, that principle was very useful to those early Christians! But I’ve to say that it is equally or rather more beneficial to today’s Christians also as they can write off vast majority of so-called ‘pastors’ today with this single test!!

So, if some money-loving counterfeit preacher approaches me for money, I do not want to give him even a single paise! As somebody said: “What these people are doing in Jesus’ name, is what Jesus Himself would never have done!” We are accountable for each rupee God has entrusted us! So we need to ask Him before we “help” others! I also have made many mistakes in the past in helping others without discernment!

Lord Jesus said in Luke 16:13: “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”

True gospel frees you from the love of money. Lord Jesus is with a whip today too, against those who are cheating people and extracting their money in His name!

The Lord has called only a few people to full-time Christian work and has given them the faith to trust Him for their daily needs! But the tragedy is that so many have ventured to do His work as a means of gain! (1 Timothy 6: 5). The Word of God clearly commands us to “avoid those who hold to form of godliness and deny its power” (2 Timothy 3:5). I never wish to be part of a church which is led by such covetous persons, because otherwise I’ll be disobeying His Word! Jesus told many things to people IN LOVE (Ephesians 4: 15) without caring whether they would get offended and leave Him. We have to follow His example.

The commandment in the Scripture is: “Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them” (Ephesians 5: 11).

At the same time, we need to be sensitive and generous to the needs of those who are sacrificially and selflessly serving the Lord and those who are really poor! Only the Lord can give us wisdom concerning these! So, though we have to be strict against sin and hypocrisy, we have to be loving and compassionate as well, because that’s the balance we see in our Lord Jesus.

Does the Word of God permit Sisters to Pray and to Share from the Word in the Church?

I am constrained by the love of the Lord to write this, after having recently interacted with some dear brothers who deny the privilege which the Word of God gives to sisters to pray and to share from the Word of God in the church.

Even though it is crystal clear from 1 Corinthians 11: 5 that sisters can pray and prophesy with their heads covered, some argue that the first 16 verses of the chapter is not an instruction for the church meeting, but a common instruction. Then we will have to say that even the commandment for sisters to cover the heads in the same passage also is not a commandment to be obeyed during the church meetings! If so, will the brothers with this argument teach that the sisters need not cover their heads in the church meetings? No. Then, even a small child will be able to understand the hypocrisy in this!

[Let me just mention at this point what prophesying in the New Testament is. It is speaking to others for edification, exhortation and consolation (1 Corinthians 14: 3) based on the Word of God, according to the heart of God and according to the need of the people of God. And it is not some kind of fortune telling as in many pentecostal and charismatic circles (like one would go to the Gulf countries or to the United States, or that so and so has done some black magic etc!)].

Another amazing, but hollow argument is that during the time a sister is praying in the church, she is like leading the church, which is not permissible! Then, brothers with such an argument will have to restrict sisters from praying even in their family prayers, because woman is not permitted to exercise authority over man at any point of time!! (1 Timothy 2: 12). Thus that argument also fails!

We read in 1 Corinthians 14: 24, 31 that Apostle Paul is encouraging everyone (including sisters) to prophesy one by one even in the church meeting. Peter quotes from Joel’s prophecy in Acts 2: 17, 18 unambiguously that both sons and daughters as well as male and female bond-slaves would prophesy.

Then the next natural, relevant question is why it is written in 1 Corinthians 14: 34, 35 that women are to keep silent in the churches and that they are not permitted to speak in the churches. Anyhow, there is no doubt that the Apostle who is writing inspired by the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 3: 16) would not contradict himself in 14: 34, 35 what he had already written in 11: 5 of the same letter.

Then let us examine a similar verse in 1Timothy 2: 12 about women having to be quiet: “But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet”. From this we can understand that the instruction for sisters to be silent in 1 Corinthians 14: 34, 35 is just to clarify that the Lord has not entrusted the sisters the ministry of teaching doctrinal matters in the church or to take up the leadership of the church. 1 Corinthians 14: 26 which just comes before these verses, mentions about teaching (and not about prophesying – that is, sharing from the Word of God). That also supports this interpretation.

Many people ask how sharing from the Word and teaching differs. Sharing from the Word refers to sharing what the Lord has spoken to us through the Word and during different life situations. Teaching refers to teaching the doctrines of the Word like water baptism, Holy Spirit baptism etc. Women can teach women (Titus 2: 3-5) and children, though not men. But as we saw, they can share from the Word and testify and pray even in church meetings with their heads covered (1 Corinthians 11: 5).

The same Apostle Paul, whom many allege to be against women’s ministry, is the one who unhesitatingly acknowledges in his epistles the names of many sisters like Phoebe, Prisca (Romans 16: 1-4), Tryphaena, Tryphosa, Persis (Romans 16: 12), Euodia and Syntyche (Philippians 4: 2, 3), who were active in the ministry of the Lord! Although the Lord has not given sisters the role of leading the church in terms of position (1 Corinthians 11: 3), gender is immaterial to the Lord when it comes to one’s worth, value, usefulness as well as eternal reward before the Lord! “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3: 28).

Suppose, a whole family with parents and children are gathered together in the house. And the father says to the girl children: “You are not supposed to utter a word”. How painful it would be! Exactly same is the situation where sisters are restricted from praying or sharing from the Word of God in the church! A real church is a family. May the Lord use us to build in all parts of our land such churches where sisters are not suppressed from fulfilling their call and ministry!

സഹോദരിമാർക്ക് സഭായോഗങ്ങളിൽ പ്രാർത്ഥിക്കുവാനും, ദൈവവചനത്തിൽ നിന്ന് പങ്കുവയ്ക്കാനും ദൈവവചനം അനുവദിക്കുന്നുണ്ടോ?

സഹോദരിമാർക്ക് സഭായോഗങ്ങളിൽ പ്രാർത്ഥിക്കുവാനും, ദൈവവചനത്തിൽ നിന്ന് പങ്കുവയ്ക്കാനും ദൈവവചനം  നൽകുന്ന അവകാശത്തെ (privilege-നെ) നിഷേധിക്കുന്ന ചില പ്രിയ സഹോദരങ്ങളുമായി സംസാരിക്കുവാൻ ഈയടുത്ത് ഇടയായതിൽ നിന്ന് ഇത് കുറിക്കുവാൻ ദൈവസ്നേഹത്താൽ ഞാൻ നിർബന്ധിതനാവുകയാണ്.

1 കൊരിന്ത്യർ 11: 5-ൽ തലയിൽ മൂടുപടമിട്ടു കൊണ്ട് സഹോദരിമാർക്ക് പ്രാർത്ഥിക്കുകയും പ്രവചിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യാമെന്ന കാര്യം സുവ്യക്തമാണെങ്കിലും, ഒന്ന് മുതൽ പതിനാറ് വരെയുള്ള വാക്യങ്ങൾ സഭായോഗത്തെ സംബന്ധിക്കുന്ന കാര്യമല്ലെന്നും പൊതുവിലുള്ള ഒരു നിർദ്ദേശം മാത്രമാണെന്നുമാണ് ചിലരുടെ വാദം. അങ്ങനെയെങ്കിൽ അതേ ഭാഗത്ത് പ്രതിപാദിക്കുന്ന സഹോദരിമാർ പ്രാർത്ഥിക്കുമ്പോൾ മൂടുപടമിടണമെന്നുള്ള കല്പനയും സഭായോഗത്തെ സംബന്ധിച്ചുള്ളതല്ലെന്ന് പറയേണ്ടി വരും. അപ്പോൾ ഈ വാദമുള്ള സഹോദരങ്ങൾ സഭയിൽ സഹോദരിമാർ മൂടുപടമിടേണ്ടതില്ലെന്ന് ഉപദേശിക്കുമോ? ഇല്ല. അപ്പോൾത്തന്നെ ഇതിലുള്ള ഇരട്ടത്താപ്പ് ഏത് കൊച്ചുകുട്ടിക്കും  മനസ്സിലാകും!

[ആത്മീയ വർദ്ധനയ്ക്കും പ്രബോധനത്തിനും ആശ്വാസത്തിനുമായി (1 കൊരിന്ത്യർ 14: 3) ദൈവ വചനത്തിൻറെ അടിസ്ഥാനത്തിൽ, ദൈവജനത്തിൻറെ ആവശ്യത്തിന് അനുസരിച്ചു, ദൈവഹൃദയപ്രകാരം സംസാരിക്കുന്നതാണ് പുതിയ ഉടമ്പടിയിലെ പ്രവചനം എന്ന് ഓർപ്പിച്ചു കൊള്ളട്ടെ; അല്ലാതെ ചില പെന്തക്കൊസ്തു- കരിസ്മാറ്റിക് കൂട്ടങ്ങളിൽ കാണുന്നതുപോലെ, ഭാവിയിൽ ഗൾഫിലും അമേരിക്കയിലും പോകുമെന്നും ഇന്നയാൾ കൂടോത്രം ചെയ്തിട്ടുണ്ടെന്നുള്ളതു പോലെയുള്ള പക്ഷിശാസ്ത്രസമാനമായ “പ്രവചനങ്ങള”ല്ല].

വേറൊരു കൗതുകകരമായ, എന്നാൽ പൊള്ളയായ വാദം എന്തെന്നാൽ ഒരു സഭായോഗത്തിൽ ഒരു സഹോദരി പ്രാർത്ഥിക്കുമ്പോൾ, ആ സമയത്ത് അവർ യോഗത്തെ നയിക്കുന്നതുപോലെയാണെന്നും അതുകൊണ്ടു അത് അനുവദനീയമല്ലെന്നുള്ളതുമാണ്.  അങ്ങനെയെങ്കിൽ ഈ വാദമുഖമുള്ള സഹോദരങ്ങൾ തങ്ങളുടെ കുടുംബപ്രാർത്ഥനയിൽപ്പോലും സഹോദരിമാരെ പ്രാർത്ഥിക്കാൻ അനുവദിക്കാതിരിക്കേണ്ടി വരും!!! എന്തെന്നാൽ ഒരു സമയത്തും പുരുഷൻറെമേൽ അധികാരം ചെലത്തുവാൻ സ്ത്രീയ്ക്ക് അനുവാദമില്ലല്ലോ (1 തിമോത്തിയോസ് 2: 12). അങ്ങനെ ആ വാദമുനയും ഒടിഞ്ഞുപോയി!

1 കൊരിന്ത്യർ 14: 24-ലും 31-ലും എല്ലാവരും (സഹോദരിമാരുൾപ്പടെ) സഭായോഗത്തിൽത്തന്നെ ഓരോരുത്തരായി പ്രവചിക്കുന്നതിനായി പൗലോസ് അപ്പൊസ്തലൻ ഉത്‍സാഹിപ്പിക്കുന്നു. അപ്പൊസ്തല പ്രവൃത്തികൾ 2: 17, 18-ൽ  പുത്രന്മാരും പുത്രിമാരും ദാസന്മാരും ദാസിമാരും പ്രവചിക്കുമെന്നും യോവേൽ പ്രവാചകനെ ഉദ്‌ധരിച്ചു സംശയലേശമെന്യേ എഴുതിയിരിക്കുന്നു.

അപ്പോൾ സ്വാഭാവികമായുള്ള അടുത്ത ചോദ്യം 1 കൊരിന്ത്യർ 14: 34, 35-ൽ സ്ത്രീകൾ സഭയിൽ മിണ്ടാതെയിരിക്കട്ടെയെന്നും സംസാരിക്കുന്നത് അനുചിതമാണെന്നും എന്തുകൊണ്ട് പറഞ്ഞിരിക്കുന്നു എന്ന പ്രസക്തമായ ചോദ്യമാണ്. പരിശുദ്ധാത്മാവിനാൽ പ്രേരിതനായി (2 തിമോത്തിയോസ് 3: 15) ദൈവവചനം എഴുതിയ അപ്പൊസ്തലന് ഒരേ ലേഖനത്തിലെ 11: 5-ൽ പറഞ്ഞ ഒരു കാര്യത്തിൻറെ വിപരീതമായ ഒരു കാര്യം 14 : 34 , 35 -ൽ രേഖപ്പെടുത്തില്ലെന്ന കാര്യം  നമുക്ക് വ്യക്തമാണ്.

അപ്പോൾ ഇതേ പോലെ സഹോദരിമാർ മൗനമായിരിക്കട്ടെ എന്ന് പറയുന്ന മറ്റൊരു വാക്യം 1 തിമോത്തിയോസ് 2: 12 നമുക്ക് പരിശോധിക്കാം: “മൗനമായിരിപ്പാൻ അല്ലാതെ ഉപദേശിപ്പാനോ പുരുഷൻറെ മേൽ അധികാരം നടത്തുവാനോ ഞാൻ സ്ത്രീയെ അനുവദിക്കുന്നില്ല”. ഇതിൽ നിന്ന് സ്ത്രീകൾ മിണ്ടാതെയിരിക്കട്ടെയെന്ന് 1 കൊരിന്ത്യർ 14: 34, 35-ൽ പറയുന്നതിൻറെ അർത്ഥം,  സഭയിൽ പൊതുവായി ഉപദേശപരമായ കാര്യങ്ങൾ പഠിപ്പിക്കുന്നതിനും സഭയുടെ നേതൃത്വം നൽകുന്നതിനുമുള്ള ശുശ്രൂഷ കർത്താവ് സഹോദരിമാരെ ഏൽപിച്ചിട്ടില്ല എന്ന വ്യക്തമാക്കുവാൻ മാത്രമാണെന്ന് മനസ്സിലാക്കാം. ഈ വചനങ്ങൾക്ക് തൊട്ടുമുൻപുള്ള 1 കൊരിന്ത്യർ 14: 26-ൽ ഉപദേശത്തെപ്പറ്റിയാണ് (പ്രവചനത്തെപ്പറ്റിയല്ല - അതായത് ദൈവവചനത്തിൽ നിന്നും പങ്കുവയ്ക്കുന്നതിനെപ്പറ്റിയല്ല) പ്രതിപാദിക്കുന്നത് എന്നതും ഈ വ്യാഖ്യാനത്തെ സാധൂകരിക്കുന്നു.

വചനത്തിൽ നിന്നു പങ്കുവയ്ക്കുന്നതും ഉപദേശിക്കുന്നതും തമ്മിൽ എന്താണ് വ്യത്യാസം എന്നു പലരും ചോദിക്കാറുണ്ട്. വചനത്തിൽ നിന്നു പങ്കുവയ്ക്കുക എന്നത് കർത്താവ് നമ്മോട് വചനത്തിലൂടെയും പല ജീവിതസാഹചര്യങ്ങളിലൂടെയും സംസാരിച്ച കാര്യങ്ങൾ പങ്കുവയ്ക്കുന്നതിനെ സൂചിപ്പിക്കുന്നു. ജലസ്നാനം, പരിശുദ്ധാത്മസ്നാനം തുടങ്ങിയ, വചനത്തിലുള്ള ഉപദേശങ്ങൾ പഠിപ്പിക്കുന്നതിനെയാണ്   ഉപദേശിക്കുക എന്നതു കൊണ്ട് അർത്ഥമാക്കുന്നത്. സ്ത്രീകൾക്ക് പുരുഷന്മാരെയല്ലെങ്കിലും, സ്ത്രീകളെയും (തീത്തോസ് 2: 3-5) കുഞ്ഞുങ്ങളെയും പഠിപ്പിക്കാം. നാം കണ്ടതുപോലെ, സഭായോഗങ്ങളിൽപ്പോലും അവർക്ക് തലയിൽ മൂടുപടം ഇട്ടുകൊണ്ട് വചനത്തിൽ നിന്നും പങ്കുവയ്ക്കാനും സാക്ഷ്യം പറയുവാനും പ്രാർത്ഥിക്കുവാനും അനുവാദമുണ്ട്.

സ്ത്രീകളുടെ ശുശ്രൂഷയ്ക്ക് എതിരാണെന്ന് അനേകർ ആരോപിക്കുന്ന അപ്പൊസ്‌തലനായ പൗലോസ് തൻറെ ലേഖനങ്ങളിൽ കർത്താവിൻറെ ശുശ്രൂഷയിൽ സജീവമായിരുന്ന അനേകം സഹോദരിമാരുടെ പേരുകൾ എടുത്ത് പരാമർശിക്കുന്നുണ്ട്: ഫേബ, പ്രിസ്ക (റോമർ 16: 1- 4), ത്രുഫൈനെ, ത്രുഫോസെ, പെർസിസ് (റോമർ 16: 12), യുവൊദ്യ, സുന്തുക (ഫിലിപ്യർ 4: 2, 3)! സഭയിലെ സ്ഥാനം വച്ചു നോക്കുമ്പോൾ, കർത്താവ് സഹോദരിമാർക്ക് സഭയെ നയിക്കുന്നതിനുള്ള ശുശ്രൂഷ നല്കിയിട്ടില്ലെങ്കിലും (1 കൊരിന്ത്യർ 11: 3), കർത്താവിൻറെ മുൻപാകെയുള്ള വില, പ്രയോജനപരത, നിത്യതയിലുള്ള പ്രതിഫലം തുടങ്ങിയ കാര്യങ്ങളിൽ ദൈവത്തിന് സ്ത്രീയെന്നോ പുരുഷനെന്നോ മുഖപക്ഷമില്ല. "അതില്‍ യെഹൂദനും യവനനും എന്നില്ല; ദാസനും സ്വതന്ത്രനും എന്നില്ല, ആണും പെണ്ണും എന്നുമില്ല; നിങ്ങൾ എല്ലാവരും ക്രിസ്തു യേശുവിൽ ഒന്നത്രേ” (ഗലാത്യർ 3: 28).

ഒരു വീട്ടിൽ അച്ഛനും അമ്മയും മക്കളും എല്ലാവരും ഒന്നിച്ചു ചേരുമ്പോൾ, അച്ഛൻ പെണ്മക്കളോട് "നിങ്ങൾ ഒന്നും ശബ്ദിച്ചുപോയേക്കരുത്" എന്ന് നിഷ്കർഷിച്ചാൽ എങ്ങനെയിരിക്കും? അതുപോലെയാണ് സഭയിൽ സഹോദരിമാർ പ്രാർത്ഥിക്കുകയോ ദൈവവചനത്തിൽ നിന്ന് പങ്കു വയ്ക്കുകയോ അരുത് എന്ന് പറയുന്നത്. യഥാർത്ഥ സഭ ഒരു കുടുംബമാണ്. സഹോദരിമാർ  തങ്ങളുടെ വിളിയും ശുശ്രൂഷയും നിറവേറ്റുന്നത്   അടിച്ചമർത്താത്ത അങ്ങനെയുള്ള സഭകൾ എല്ലാ പ്രദേശങ്ങളിലും പണിയുവാൻ കർത്താവ് നമ്മെ ഉപയോഗിക്കട്ടെ!

How the Lord Led Me to Specialize in Psychiatry

How the Lord Led Me to Specialize in Psychiatry

One of the questions many people ask me, is why and how I chose to specialize in Psychiatry. During the days of my training in MBBS, I did not have any interest in the field of Psychiatry. But rather, I was averse to Psychiatry because I got the impression from many spheres that this is a field for those who do not have any faith in God and that psychiatrists are those who try to explain faith also as a mere neurochemical phenomenon.

Anyway, the Lord Jesus had to intervene supernaturally in my life on 20th April 2009 through a vision in order to guide me to this fascinating and marvelous field of Psychiatry! (I need to add a sentence here that although there are genuine visions and dreams from the Lord, I am skeptical about the so many so-called visions and dreams many people testify, extending the boundaries of their imagination as well as trying to make up some meaning from their meaningless dreams). 

On 2009 April 19th night I was taking casualty duty in one Aravind Hospital, Chavara, nearby my native place. There were so many patients visiting casualty that time, that I could have my dinner only at about 12: 30 am. And there were patients till about 1: 15 am.

By about 1: 15 am, I came to the duty room very much tired physically, but afresh spiritually because that afternoon I had just finished a two and a half days’ Life Revision Seminar by Dr Kuruvilla Varkey from Christian Fellowship Hospital, Oddanchatram, Tamil Nadu. Though I thought of going to the bed soon (because one cannot predict when the next patient will come), I was prompted by the Lord to spend a little more time with Him, conversing with Him and worshipping Him.

I was just worshipping the Lord and delighting in His presence with my eyes closed. After some time I was seeing a vision of multitude of poor, helpless, needy people, sitting in darkness and pathetically crying out for help..... I saw two faces more or less clearly: one that of a 60 – 70 year old man and another that of a 7 – 8 year old little girl. The Lord flooded my heart with compassion for all of them, and I was convinced deeply in my heart that the Lord wanted to touch them through me. Suddenly the thought of specializing in Psychiatry became very much alive in my heart (because 12 hours ago, that is, around 1: 15 pm of April 19^th afternoon, Dr. Kuruvilla Varkey had suggested to me the option of specializing in Psychiatry, as I was speaking with him after the Life Revision Seminar. But I had no interest in it when he told me about this option).

After I saw this vision, I was telling the Lord: “Lord, if it is your will, I am willing to venture into whatever field You choose for me. But You need to clarify to me the same, because I do not want to drag a subject which I do not like all the rest of my life”. Immediately I felt an inner urge to open the Bible which was lying near me. I thought of turning the pages of the Bible to whatever portion the Lord was prompting me to go. The page I opened from the Bible was starting with Isaiah 50: 2, which reads like: “Why was there no man when I came? When I called, why was there none to answer? ...”. I understood that the Lord is indicating that He is calling me to something. The subsequent part of verse 2 and verse 3 spoke of the Lord’s almighty power. Verse 4 reads like this:

“The Lord God has given Me the tongue of disciples, that I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple”.

When I read the word ‘tongue’ in the 4^th verse, I was shocked, because it was just 12 hours ago that Dr Kuruvilla Varkey was speaking to me about Christian Counselling.  The phrase “how to sustain the weary one with a word” confirmed to me my calling to Psychiatry. And this is the best verse on true psychotherapy (counselling) that I have found in the entire Bible.

Another interesting thing is that even the rest of verse 4 about the Lord ‘awakening me morning by morning, and awakening my ear to listen as a disciple’ was literally fulfilled. It was the Lord Who literally woke me up morning by morning those few days as it was mentioned in that verse. Far earlier than the alarm clock rang, the Lord Jesus amazingly woke me up from sleep in the early mornings of three days before and one day after this vision; that is, 17^th, 18^th, 19^th and 20^th of April 2009. On some days, the Lord woke me up around 3 O’ clock and 5 O’ clock in the mornings although I had gone to bed very late in the preceding nights. I was so fresh in my mind when I was woken up by the Lord, that even though I tried to sleep after waking up, I was not able to do so. I could spend quality time with the Lord those mornings.

Even the subsequent portion of Isaiah 50 was literally fulfilled. Verse 5 and 6 speaks about opposition, which I initially faced from my parents because they initially did not like me specializing in Psychiatry. Verse 7 to 9 speaks about the Lord helping me, which was fulfilled when the Lord Himself suddenly changed their minds to support me about my new decision.

Verse 10 speaks about trusting in the Lord in the midst of uncertainty, which was fulfilled when there was a period of one month of uncertainty when there was no vacancy for Non PG seat in the department of Psychiatry in CMC, Vellore, where Dr Kuruvilla Varkey suggested me to join. Soon the uncertainty was over since the Lord Himself created a vacancy there when a doctor in the department chose to go for his Sabbatical leave exactly at the ‘right’ time. Amazing are the Lord’s ways!

In the evening that followed the night I had the vision, I phoned up my mentor and spiritual father, Br Geoji T Samuel, (who is the elder at Christian Fellowship Church, Kottayam – www.cfckottayam.org and Senior Editor at Malayala Manorama newspaper). He told me: “Three times in the last one week I spoke at three different occasions that ‘we need professional psychiatric help for this’ when different people approached us for different problems. So, brother, please do the specialization, be competent in the field and come back. The church needs your service. One more thing: usually when I hear testimonies about visions and dreams, I feel a bit skeptical. But when I heard about your experience, I felt so free in my spirit.” These words encouraged, blessed and strengthened me tremendously.

Eventually, by the Lord’s grace, I joined in CMC, Vellore as Non PG, cleared the entrance exams and did my DPM and MD in Psychiatry! Every day from April 20^th 2009 proves to me my calling into this field! I can honestly say before the Lord Jesus that I enjoy being a Psychiatrist, being an instrument in the Lord’s hands to perceive the depths of agony and anguish in many minds, and to bring a healing touch from the Lord in those numerous lives…

I am a witness to many miraculous recoveries, healings and deliverances (including demons being cast out! https://sandeeppsychiatry.blogspot.com/2018/03/casting-out-of-demon-in-psychiatry-opd.html) in my practice of Psychiatry. 

The very next day of my receiving the appointment order and joining in the Department of Psychiatry in CMC, Vellore, on May 23^rd, 2009, Saturday morning, the Lord paraphrased John 15: 16 from my daily Bible meditation, like this: “You did not choose Psychiatry, but I chose it for you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, that your fruit may remain, that whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give to you”. Looking back I am seeing the fruit that remains. And I am expecting all the more fruit in the days to come, leaning on the Lord’s marvelous mercies and abundant grace!

Casting out of a demon in the Psychiatry OPD

Casting out of a demon in the Psychiatry OPD

Dear friends, I just wanted to share an encouraging incident of a demon being cast out in my Psychiatry OPD a few weeks ago.

One man of more than 60 years, with history suggestive of Dysthymia and Possession attacks, was the patient. After prescribing medicines, he requested me to pray for him, since he knew about my faith.

As I was praying binding the activities of the devil, I was hearing noisy deep breaths. I opened my eyes to see the patient staring at me in fierce anger, telling me “I will not leave, I will not leave”. I just commanded the evil spirit to leave him in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ Who defeated the devil on the Cross, and stated that the devil has no authority over him. 

There was no need for any noise or clamour, that even patients waiting outside the room, did not know what happened inside! There was no need for any shouting or screaming characteristic of many similar so-called casting out of demons, because demons, anyway, have no hearing deficits and they are not afraid of our screaming, but rather scared of the name of the Lord Jesus Christ!

And the patient fell on the floor, without resulting in any injury (as we read in Luke 4: 35). His fast breathing slowed down, and he opened his eyes. I told him to sit on the chair. He sat on the chair. 

I asked him whether he remembered what he told me. He said he did not remember, but that he felt intense, fierce anger against me during prayer. I smiled at him and explained what happened. (I refreshed a great spiritual lesson that anger is the character of the devil, and that we are holding hands with the devil when we become angry).

A few similar encounters have occurred like this in my Psychiatry practice. I just shared this to reinforce the fact that our faith is not based on some old, historical mythology, but on the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is very real and ever present with us through the genuine fullness of the Holy Spirit!

Praise be to the Lord Jesus alone, on Whose name alone the demons tremble with fear! (James 2: 19). And praise God for the authority the Lord has given us in the name of Christ Jesus, over all the activities of the devil! (Luke 10: 19). 

Worship and Work

Worship and Work

Question 1: “Work is worship” is a common saying we hear everywhere. Is that true Biblically?

Answer 1: Even among the apparently good works, there are two types:

1)   Works done to earn money, honour, to satisfy our conscience, done out of compulsion, pressure or obligation etc

2)   Works done out of a simple and pure devotion to the Lord Jesus (2 Corinthians 11: 2, 3), in a spirit of worship. We might earn money as a remuneration for such works as in our regular job, but we do that work as unto the Lord (Colossians 3: 23, 24).

The first type of works, even if they are done under the name “Christian work or ministry” are “dead works” according to the standard of the Bible. So a "good" work done to impress anyone other than the Lord Jesus Christ, is a dead work! See Matthew 6: 1-17; 7: 21-23; 15: 13; 1 Corinthians 3: 12-15; Hebrews 9: 14; Isaiah 64: 6.

 The second type of works only will have any value before the Lord and lasts for eternity! Those are the works that are done by a person who is worshipping the Lord in his heart. That is why Lord Jesus rightly quoted the order to the devil in Matthew 4: 10: “You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only”. First worship and then serve.

The promptings and motivation of such works originate FROM the mind of the HEAVENLY FATHER. They are done THROUGH the power and strength of the HOLY SPIRIT. And they are done TO the glory of the LORD JESUS CHRIST! That is what Romans 11: 36 says: “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen”.

Such works are the gold, silver and precious stones described in 1 Corinthians 3: 12-15, that will form the Bridal garment of the Bride of Christ (Revelation 19: 8). And such works alone will have any reward at the judgement seat of Christ! (Revelation 22:12).

This is not dichotomization of worship and work. But both would be integrated (that is, our work can be an act of pure worship to the Lord), only if we are first a worshipper! But beware: all work is not worship at all…

Question 2: How can we balance worship and work?

Answer 2: Genesis 1: 5 says “…And there was evening and there was morning, one day”. That was the original order of the Lord. Even today Jewish day begins at 6pm with evening and is followed by the morning. This teaches us to rest with God (worship Him) first and then go out to work for Him along with Him.

When God created Adam and Eve at the end of the sixth day of creation, for them the seventh day of Sabbath was their first day, in which they rested with (worshipped) God (Genesis 2: 2, 3). From that energy derived from being with God, they were supposed to work in the garden for the Lord (Genesis 2: 15).

Lord Jesus said: “…he shall go in (worship) and out (work) and find pasture” (John 10: 9).

As Dr Kuruvilla Varkey says, this is the balance we see even in our human body: there is resting membrane potential and action potential in our cells. There is diastole (relaxation) and systole (contraction) in our heart.

If worship is the root of a tree, then work is the shoot. If worship is being, then work is doing. If worship is the foundation of the building of our life (hidden from all others –Matthew 6:6), then work is the superstructure, our powerful external testimony like the city set on a hill which cannot be hidden (Matthew 5: 14). A tree without deep roots and a building without a deep foundation will fall down when the trials and temptations come (Matthew 7: 24- 27). And so will a life with much works and no or scanty worship!

If worship is the oil (love of God through the Holy Spirit –Romans 5: 5) in the lamp of the wise virgins in Matthew 25: 1-13, which nobody could see, then work is the light in the lamps. So those who have only works and no or meagre worship, are like the foolish virgins who did not have any extra oil in their lamps, who were not eventually ready to meet the Bridegroom, the Lord Jesus Christ!

So let worship be the driving force behind all our work! And when we worship God, we will find God is working, and we will also be prompted to do what He is showing us. That is what Jesus is saying in John 5: 17, 19, 20: “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working… Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel”.

These words were the secret of how Jesus walked on this earth (1John 2: 6), in helpless, childlike dependence on the Heavenly Father every moment! His words remind me always of a little child clinging on to his or her dad, saying “I cannot do anything on my own. I just do what I see my papa doing. I just do it exactly like how my papa does. I will do all that my papa is doing. And my papa will show me greater works than these that you all will be amazed”.

Young, humble Solomon at the beginning of his kingship was like this. He said: “… I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in… Give Thy servant an understanding (Hebrew word ‘shama’ means ‘listening’ heart” (1Kings 3: 7, 9). But when he became wise and great in his own eyes, he went astray.

So, let us follow the bloodstained footsteps of our Master who always listened to every Word that proceeded from the mouth of His Father for every decision (Matthew 4: 4; John 5: 30; 8: 16; Isaiah 11: 3).

And so, a true worshiper would really be a very hard working person as God is (2 Timothy 2: 6), and not a ‘hardly working’ person as many people are!!

Question 3: What is true worship?

Answer 3: As Br Zac Poonen teaches, worship is much beyond prayer, thanksgiving and praise. True spiritual worship (worship in the spirit) starts with  surrendering to the Lord Jesus every part of body –tongue, eyes, ears, hands, feet etc, soul and spirit as a living sacrifice (like the burnt offering in the Old Covenant) (Romans 12: 1, 2, 11). There our self will is torn just like the olives were beaten to yield oil for the temple (Exodus 27: 20). Then the fire of heaven, the Holy Spirit will fall upon us and consume us with His love. The river of the water of life (Revelation 22: 1), which is the same Holy Spirit, will immerse us in His ocean of love.

And we will join ourselves to the Lord and will be one spirit with the Lord then (1 Corinthians 6: 17), delighting in the presence of the Lord (Psalm 37: 4; 16: 11), just like a little child rejoices in his mother’s or father’s presence! (Psalm 131: 1, 2). We will be flooded primarily with the fruit of the Holy Spirit, especially the love, joy and peace of heaven (Galatians 5: 22, 23). It will be a foretaste of heaven, being in the Most Holy Place of the Tabernacle in the very presence of God! We will be seeing a glimpse of the glory of God in our spirit and will be falling prostrate, giving all glory to Him!

Nothing and no one on earth matter to us then. And we will be exclaiming like Asaph: “Whom have in heaven but Thee? And besides Thee I desire nothing on earth” (Psalm 73: 25). Our desire would be like that of David who said: “One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD and to meditate in His temple” (Psalm 27: 4).

And such true worshipers are the ones whom the Heavenly Father is earnestly seeking for (John 4: 23). And that is the worship in the (Holy) Spirit, in accordance with the Truth (Word of God) (John 4: 24).

This is the worship in our human spirit (not just in our soul and body as in the Old Covenant) (see John 4: 23), because our self-will or flesh (the veil –Hebrews 10: 19, 20) is surrendered, mortified and torn over there on the golden altar of our will power (Exodus 30: 6).

And this worship is in truth or reality (the other meaning of the Greek word aletheia used in John 4: 24), because the worshiper comes to the Lord just as he is, without any mask or hypocrisy or acting! And this worship is not something that occurs just during some church meeting, but something which should take place every moment in the life of a true worshiper through the continuous flooding of the Holy Spirit in his life!

Such a true worshiper will see his own unChristlikeness in the increasing light of the glory of the Lord Jesus, especially in the mirror of the Word of God (James 1: 23), and will be continually cleansed by the blood of Christ as he repents before the light of the Lord (1John 1: 7). And the same Holy Spirit who showed Him the glory of the character of Christ, will transform him also into that Christlikeness in an increasing measure from one degree of glory to another (2 Corinthians 3: 18; Proverbs 4: 18).

Yes, we will be beholding the blessed face of the Lord Jesus in our spirit and will be reflecting His glory and nature in our character more and more, - a miniature of eternity as we read in Revelation 22: 4: “The bond-slaves shall see His face and His name shall be on their foreheads”!

How different this true worship is from the so-called worship in many churches with so much pomp and show and worldly music and styles and fashions to impress mere mortals!  

That is why, A W Tozer (1897-1963), a great man of God said: “We're here to be worshipers first and workers only second. We take a convert and immediately make a worker out of him. God never meant it to be so. God meant that a convert should learn to be a worshiper, and after that he can learn to be a worker...The work done by a worshiper will have eternity in it.”