Spirit & Flesh: Diametrically Opposed

The following are some thoughts and perspectives I have as a result of my continued research into the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) and the New Age/Eastern Mysticism that has been steadily and increasingly infiltrating churches over a good number of years now. My Bible and commentary reading from this morning also caused me to give more thought to these things.

What does the Bible say about the flesh?

“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”(Galatians 5:16–26)

It is absolutely clear from what Paul writes in Galatians, that the Spirit and the flesh are completely at odds with and opposed to one another. In Scripture, the “flesh” is understood as being our sinful (old) nature. As Christians, that old sinful nature is to have been “crucified with Christ.” Basically, we are to die to ourselves and be born again (not in a physical sense, but a spiritual one), receiving a new nature.

“This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.”

“But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:17–24)

“For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.”

Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:14–21)

Our dying to self is for a purpose, to serve Jesus Christ and to live in obedience to Him. As He commands in Scripture:

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.” (Matthew 16:24–27)

(Now we know from elsewhere in Scripture that our works are not what saves us, but we are created in Christ Jesus for good works. (Ephesians 2:8–10) Also, faith without works is dead, and so good works are the result and the evidence of a true and living faith. (James 2:14–26)

We also know that the fruits of the Spirit and the works of the flesh are “contrary to one another.” For example, where the flesh would lead us into drunkenness and revelries, the Spirit grants us temperance, patience and peace. (See Galatians 5:16–26 above) In this way, we can be sure that the Holy Spirit will never mimic the flesh, (such as making people act drunk, or like animals). Why would God ever do such a thing? We are told clearly in Scripture that He is not a God of confusion, and we know He will not contradict His word.

This brings me once again to what many have been claiming (for years) is a true work of the Holy Spirit of God, this “drunkenness anointing” and “Holy laughter.” Why should we believe that those who claim such “manifestations” are of God are correct in their assertions? Please watch the video below (the first 3 minutes in particular).

The video begins with Marion Meares, and this is what she says:

“…You can laugh just like you can speak in tongues. If I told every one of you right now to speak in tongues, that’s baptized in the Holy Spirit, you could do it. You don’t have to wait for an anointing. And then the anointing hooks up with you. You start out in the flesh, but then He hooks up with you in the Spirit. It’s the same with the laughter. And so I began to laugh. I wasn’t anointed of God. But I said, in my spirit I was saying, ‘Jesus, this is a drink for you.’ And I began to laugh.” (forced laughter). “Jesus, this is for you.” (more forced laughter) “You know, He hooks up with you. If you’ll just give Him a drink first, He’ll hook up with you!”

So, according to Marion Meares, God “hooks up” with us when we start off in the flesh. But what does the Bible say? The Bible is clear that the flesh and the Spirit are entirely at odds with each other, and that we must actually deny ourselves, “crucify” our flesh and put on the “new man”. We are a new creation in Christ. (see verses above). Marion Meares’ claims are in direct contradiction to Scripture. This is false teaching. We cannot “start out in the flesh” to have God “hook up” with us in the Spirit. We must die to the flesh and our own sinful desires because the flesh always opposes the Spirit, it does not lead us to the Spirit or to any supposed “anointing from God.

After Marion Meares is finished talking, Rodney Howard-Browne comes onstage, and this is how he begins (reiterating what Marion Meares already taught). Amid uproarious laughter, he begins:

“Well go ahead and just take a drink now. The bar’s open, go ahead and take a drink. Go ahead, just take a drink. Just start off in the natural.” (The flesh). “You’ll end up in the Holy Ghost. Just start off in the natural. Just start off ‘Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha.’ Just start off in the natural, you’ll end up in the Holy Ghost. Just start off in the natural. You’ll end up in the realm of the glory.” (Forced laughter)

The remainder of this “service” is nothing more than mass hysterics and pandemonium, encouraged by Howard-Browne’s continued laughter, babbling and “imparting” of this so-called “anointing. The most Biblical thing he says is “Hallelujah.” There is absolutely no Scripture reading (he closed the Bible and set it aside when he came onstage) the entire service is chaos and disorder. This is in fact in direct contrast to and contradiction of the peace that Paul teaches in Scripture should characterize “all the churches of the saints.”

“How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.” (1 Corinthians 14:26–33)

Notice, true Spiritual gifts are for the edification and encouragement of the Church. As such, tongues must be interpreted, and people must not be speaking over each other or being disruptive. Yet, that is exactly what we find happening in the video above. Where is the order in this church service? Where is the edification and building up of the Church? There is none, it is nothing but an over emotional (perhaps even demonically influenced) experience, and yet, it is considered by many Christians to be part of a “great revival” to this day.

Now, I know the above video is about 20 years old, but please do not make the mistake of thinking this so-called “anointing” has gone away. It has not. Rodney Howard-Browne is still teaching, and even though most of his services in his current church (The River — Tampa Bay) are not as chaotic as this, he still “imparts” this “anointing” to his congregants to this day. (He also posts some of these old videos to his YouTube channel occasionally.) He has not distanced himself from any of this. Here is a recent video, posted to Howard-Browne’s Official Youtube channel:

Heartbreakingly, this video makes it clear that not only is Rodney Howard-Browne still teaching this to his congregation in general, but he teaches it (or allows it to be taught) to children specifically as well. (Notice when this little girl goes to read a Scripture reference, she has trouble speaking for a moment, and laughs it off, saying, “sorry, I’m drunk right here.”) Where did she learn this language? The whole time this girl is speaking, Rodney Howard-Browne is standing on stage, off to the side. At one point she turns toward him, and he tells her to pray over the people in tongues, and in response, she starts babbling. Are tongues something spoken on demand? Where is the interpretation? This is very dangerous and deceptive, and it is the result of people chasing after experiences, “encounters” and “signs and wonders.” Remember Jesus’ words to the Pharisees and Sadducees when they asked for a sign?

“A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophetJonah.” (Matthew 16:4)

Unfortunately, this stuff is continuing to spread throughout churches today. It is not found only in Charismatic or Pentecostal churches. I encourage all Christians to research Bill Johnson (Bethel Redding), Mike Bickle (IHOP), Rick Joyner (Morningstar Ministries), Todd Bentley (Fresh Fire), Heidi Baker (IRIS Global), Benny Hinn, and John Crowder, (among others).

Test the spirits, as the Bible says (1 John 4:1) and read Matthew 7 and Matthew 24 where Jesus warns of growing deception in the last days. There should be no teacher, or ministry, no matter how well known, that we are not willing to test in light of the Bible. We need to be awake, vigilant and sober-minded in these times, because Satan does masquerade as an “angel of light,” seeking to deceive many, including Christians. It’s time to wake up! This is not the time, (not that there ever was one) to be caught up in “drunkenness” or uncontrollable laughter. It is not the time to be chasing after strange and bizarre “signs and wonders.” This is a time to be prepared and ready, as our Lord and Saviour could return very soon, and we know not the day or the hour. And we must remember that God is never limited by His word. Seek inerrant and eternal truth in Scripture only, not in anything taught to you by anyone else. All the words of mankind must be taken to the Bible. Search the Scriptures and hide the word of God in your heart.

God bless all who read this. ❤