In the history of the church, there have been a few stages of charismatic movements. Most of them arose when spiritual life was cold, and believers longed for revival. At such times, leaders emphasized time and again pursuit of the power of the Holy Spirit. It is true that their effort brought about revival in the churches in some places. But the fact that some of them stressed visible, supernatural spiritual gifts has also brought deviation, confusion and straying from Scripture. A few points are briefly outlined here:

       Seeking certain charismatic experiences as primary goal: They seek gifts such as speaking in tongues (a language acquired not by learning, or the so-called “angelic language”), experience in being “slain in the Spirit,” spiritual dancing, or making prophetic predictions. These may sometimes be true gifts of the Spirit, which can be used to build up the church. Yet, when people begin to consider a certain experience as an indicator of being filled with the Holy Spirit and even stir up their emotions to force pursuing it, many false manifestations can appear, and they are prone to being utilized or manipulated by evil spirits.

       Extending Demonic Activity: Some charismatic pursuits place a strong focus on deliverance ministries. They often say that believers are being harassed or possessed by demons in certain respects, and that they need to receive deliverance. Some even attribute various kinds of emotional and behavioral issues such as anger, hatred, or gluttony to demonic influence. The processes of deliverance ministries can be deeply unsettling for believers and may fail to address the real psychological or medical roots of these problems.

        Generational Curses: Some charismatic leaders believe that not only are believers responsible for our own sins, but we also inherit and bear the consequences of sins of our ancestors. They lead people to search for the so-called hidden family curses and go through processes of repentance and “release” one by one.  The Bible is clear in Ezekiel 18 that the child will not share the guilt of the parent. The consequence of sin is to be borne by the one who sins. Chasing down supposed generational curses often leads to greater anxiety, confusion and restlessness, hindering believers from a deeper filling of the Spirit.

        We need to be vigilant against the pursuit of these deviations. But the church today faces another danger: not attaching due importance to the work of the Holy Spirit. In trying to avoid past mistakes, believers lose the zeal of seeking the filling of the Holy Spirit. After His resurrection, Christ fulfilled His promise by sending the Holy Spirit, who genuinely dwells within believers: “Give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever” (John 14:16). However, many Christians today live as if they do not have the in-dwelling Holy Spirit. They do not “live in accordance with the Spirit” and be guided by Him, nor do they live “in the Spirit” or draw from the Spirit’s power to follow the Lord. The Scripture tells us clearly: “Be [always] filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). How can we stay filled with the Spirit? The Book of Acts shows us that Peter chose to obey God rather than human beings, and the Holy Spirit filled him more. He boldly testified, “We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him” (Acts 5:32). When we walk in obedience to God, speaking and acting in step with God’s will, the Spirit will fill us more and more. Our lives will be marked by strength and bear many good fruits of the Holy Spirit.