ECT The operation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Totton Linnet

Totton Linnet

New member
Silver Subscriber
It has often occurred to me that almost every truly saved Christian experiences or has experienced the Holy Spirit in some kind of communicative way as the Pentecostal/Charismatic experiences Him in the operation of the gifts of the Spirit.

All Christians receive guidance, a teaching, perhaps an admonition from the Lord. And they often testify to it.

They say stuff like "I just KNEW God wanted me to do so and so" or "God showed me something I was doing that displeased Him so I quit doing it" sometimes these intimations from the Lord are quite dramatic.

I was sharing with some dear Plymouth Brethren, some of the soundest bible believers in the body of Christ, PBs and sweet. Of course they were critical of Pentecostalism.

But I knew that part of their ministry are what they call Readings, where all the brethren gather to study a doctrine or subject [such as Abraham] systematically. They read a passage and then one by one the breths will give their insight into the passage, howsoever many brethren there are [the sisters do not speak.]

I knew that these contributions they believe came by direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit going from one to another, giving insight into the passage being studied.

But that is exactly the Pentecostal experience in the meeting, that is how the gift of the word of knowledge or word of wisdom is operated, even prophecy.

See when this illumination or guidance comes to evangelical christians in their private life, it may be a scripture is brought to mind, or just a thought or strong impression but the saint knows it is the Lord.

Often the gifts of utterance in the meeting comes in one sentence. But if it is longer then quite obviously it has to be dressed in way to make it suitable for sharing to the assembly....but still it comes to the one who speaks it line by line, one sentence at a time. This is the same when tongues are interpreted. You will just receive one line, when you share it the next line, then the next etc.

But it is still all operating upon exactly the same principle and in the same manner as guidance or admonishment came to the individual.

Or else someone may feel led to get up and go pray for a bro or sis.
 
Jacob

Jacob

BANNED
Banned
Very good, but though I was Plymouth Brethren until the age of 25 I'm not sure I know what you mean about readings. Certainly in the Lord's Supper which basically involves communion or the Lord's Table, there are men who teach or share what they have learned from the scriptures. That is my perspective growing up Plymouth Brethren.
 
D

Deane

New member
I'm from New Zealand, where the Plymouth Brethren are much stronger numerically than in most other countries (188 assemblies and 20-30,000 members out of a population of 4 million — about 0.5 to 0.7 percent of the total). What you call "readings" are practiced by only a tiny splinter of the Brethren movement here, and most Brethren would not know what you are talking about.

Otherwise, what you've said is largely historically accurate. When I was growing up among the Brethren, they were uniformly non-Charismatic (there was only ONE exception in the entire country), they didn't believe in having pastors (there were a few local exceptions, not many), and women did not participate audibly in worship (again with a few local exceptions).

Times have changed. Most Brethren assemblies in New Zealand now have pastors. Most allow women to participate audibly in worship, and some of them even allow them to preach and serve as Elders. The charismatic movement is now widely (though not universally) accepted — and in some cases actively promoted — in Brethren circles today. A recent Brethren conference on the work of the Holy Spirit featured teaching that was WILD even by Pentecostal standards, to say nothing of Brethren standards! It blew all my fuses — and I say that as one who has attended a Pentecostal church for more than 15 years.

Admittedly, not all Brethren are happy with these changes. Conservative elements are trying to regroup. But with just a handful of exceptions, they represent a dying brand — more than 60 conservative assemblies have closed down over the last 20 years, and most of the remaining ones are struggling. Those that have embraced the changes that I have described, however, have grown — some of them dramatically so — and for the first time in Brethren history we are seeing the rise of Brethren mega-churches of around a thousand members.
 
Last edited:
S

Squeaky

BANNED
Banned
Christian churches are changing all over the world. Is this a good thing or a bad thing?


Heb 13:8-9
8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
9 Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.
(NKJ)

2 Tim 3:13-14
13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them,
(NKJ)


1 Tim 5:24-25
24 Some men's sins are clearly evident, preceding them to judgment, but those of some men follow later.
25 Likewise, the good works of some are clearly evident, and those that are otherwise cannot be hidden.
(NKJ)
 
Aimiel

Aimiel

Well-known member
I have no experience with the Plymouth Brethren, but I do have experience being used in the gifts of The Holy Spirit. Every church I've ever been to, Pentecostal or otherwise, is different in what they practice in worship and trust of The Word of God. I attended one church where they handed out a bulletin to all visitors which listed what they did NOT believe in and upon having read about half of it I got my family up and we left. I've seen God do many signs, wonders and miracles but believe that He always saves His best for last. There are signs of revival all over the world, not the least of which is in China. I'm excited to think that we might be living in the end times.
 
Cross Reference

Cross Reference

New member
Aimiel said:
I have no experience with the Plymouth Brethren, but I do have experience being used in the gifts of The Holy Spirit. Every church I've ever been to, Pentecostal or otherwise, is different in what they practice in worship and trust of The Word of God. I attended one church where they handed out a bulletin to all visitors which listed what they did NOT believe in and upon having read about half of it I got my family up and we left. I've seen God do many signs, wonders and miracles but believe that He always saves His best for last. There are signs of revival all over the world, not the least of which is in China. I'm excited to think that we might be living in the end times.
Click to expand...


Amen! I, too, am of that persuasion. Thanks for sharing!
 
S

Squeaky

BANNED
Banned
Signs And Wonders
Rev 13:11-18
11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon.
12 And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.
14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived.
15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.
16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads,
17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.
Rev 16:13-14
13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
Rev 19:20-21
20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.
21 And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.
Matt 12:39
39 But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
(NKJ)

SIGNS AFTER YOU BELIEVE

Acts 2:17-22
17 'And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams.
18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy.
19 I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath: blood and fire and vapor of smoke.
20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.
21 And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.'
22 "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know--
(NKJ)

2 Cor 12:12
12 Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds.
(NKJ)

Heb 2:2-4
2 For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward,
3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,
4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?
(NKJ)
 
andyc

andyc

New member
Totton Linnet said:
It has often occurred to me that almost every truly saved Christian experiences or has experienced the Holy Spirit in some kind of communicative way as the Pentecostal/Charismatic experiences Him in the operation of the gifts of the Spirit.

All Christians receive guidance, a teaching, perhaps an admonition from the Lord. And they often testify to it.

They say stuff like "I just KNEW God wanted me to do so and so" or "God showed me something I was doing that displeased Him so I quit doing it" sometimes these intimations from the Lord are quite dramatic.

I was sharing with some dear Plymouth Brethren, some of the soundest bible believers in the body of Christ, PBs and sweet. Of course they were critical of Pentecostalism.

But I knew that part of their ministry are what they call Readings, where all the brethren gather to study a doctrine or subject [such as Abraham] systematically. They read a passage and then one by one the breths will give their insight into the passage, howsoever many brethren there are [the sisters do not speak.]

I knew that these contributions they believe came by direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit going from one to another, giving insight into the passage being studied.

But that is exactly the Pentecostal experience in the meeting, that is how the gift of the word of knowledge or word of wisdom is operated, even prophecy.

See when this illumination or guidance comes to evangelical christians in their private life, it may be a scripture is brought to mind, or just a thought or strong impression but the saint knows it is the Lord.

Often the gifts of utterance in the meeting comes in one sentence. But if it is longer then quite obviously it has to be dressed in way to make it suitable for sharing to the assembly....but still it comes to the one who speaks it line by line, one sentence at a time. This is the same when tongues are interpreted. You will just receive one line, when you share it the next line, then the next etc.

But it is still all operating upon exactly the same principle and in the same manner as guidance or admonishment came to the individual.

Or else someone may feel led to get up and go pray for a bro or sis.
Click to expand...

I remember when I first started going to church. Wasn't baptised in the Holy Spirit, but when the pastor taught on the word during the bible study, it just burned within me. I used to get so excited, and it really confused me how people could talk about useless things after the meeting, when we'd all just received a feast. Strangely these people were not that fired up and passionate about what they believed, but God still used the ministry of the word to bless me to the max.
The ministry gift of a teacher is a wonderful gift. Oh that people would be hungry for the word, like I was all those years ago.
 
L

Lazy afternoon

LIFETIME MEMBER
LIFETIME MEMBER
Aimiel said:
I have no experience with the Plymouth Brethren, but I do have experience being used in the gifts of The Holy Spirit. Every church I've ever been to, Pentecostal or otherwise, is different in what they practice in worship and trust of The Word of God. I attended one church where they handed out a bulletin to all visitors which listed what they did NOT believe in and upon having read about half of it I got my family up and we left. I've seen God do many signs, wonders and miracles but believe that He always saves His best for last. There are signs of revival all over the world, not the least of which is in China. I'm excited to think that we might be living in the end times.
Click to expand...

Yes we are living in the end times, but I am not too excited about it, but I am about the drawing near of my own change.

Exo 1:8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.
Exo 1:9 And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we:
Exo 1:10 Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.
Exo 1:11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.
Exo 1:12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.
Exo 1:13 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour:
Exo 1:14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.
Exo 1:15 And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah:
Exo 1:16 And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.
Exo 1:17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.
Exo 1:18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive?
Exo 1:19 And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them.
Exo 1:20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty.
Exo 1:21 And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.
Exo 1:22 And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.
 
God's Truth

God's Truth

New member
Totton Linnet said:
It has often occurred to me that almost every truly saved Christian experiences or has experienced the Holy Spirit in some kind of communicative way as the Pentecostal/Charismatic experiences Him in the operation of the gifts of the Spirit.

All Christians receive guidance, a teaching, perhaps an admonition from the Lord. And they often testify to it.

They say stuff like "I just KNEW God wanted me to do so and so" or "God showed me something I was doing that displeased Him so I quit doing it" sometimes these intimations from the Lord are quite dramatic.

I was sharing with some dear Plymouth Brethren, some of the soundest bible believers in the body of Christ, PBs and sweet. Of course they were critical of Pentecostalism.

But I knew that part of their ministry are what they call Readings, where all the brethren gather to study a doctrine or subject [such as Abraham] systematically. They read a passage and then one by one the breths will give their insight into the passage, howsoever many brethren there are [the sisters do not speak.]

I knew that these contributions they believe came by direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit going from one to another, giving insight into the passage being studied.

But that is exactly the Pentecostal experience in the meeting, that is how the gift of the word of knowledge or word of wisdom is operated, even prophecy.

See when this illumination or guidance comes to evangelical christians in their private life, it may be a scripture is brought to mind, or just a thought or strong impression but the saint knows it is the Lord.

Often the gifts of utterance in the meeting comes in one sentence. But if it is longer then quite obviously it has to be dressed in way to make it suitable for sharing to the assembly....but still it comes to the one who speaks it line by line, one sentence at a time. This is the same when tongues are interpreted. You will just receive one line, when you share it the next line, then the next etc.

But it is still all operating upon exactly the same principle and in the same manner as guidance or admonishment came to the individual.

Or else someone may feel led to get up and go pray for a bro or sis.
Click to expand...


The Holy Spirit reveals God's Truth and gives understanding to the scriptures.

Such as understanding what tongues were and what they were used for; and understanding that prophecies and tongues have ceased.
 
Jacob

Jacob

BANNED
Banned
God's Truth said:
The Holy Spirit reveals God's Truth and gives understanding to the scriptures.

Such as understanding what tongues were and what they were used for; and understanding that prophecies and tongues have ceased.
Click to expand...
Why do you think so? Is this correct doctrine?
 
Jacob

Jacob

BANNED
Banned
Cross Reference said:
Very important, however, not without the input of the Life of the indwelling Holy Spirit, can it be accomplished.
Click to expand...
It is by the Spirit of God that a Christian knows what the scriptures say.

1 Corinthians 2:14 NASB - 14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.

But we must examine the scriptures to know that which is true.

Acts 17:11 NASB - 11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top