Lakeland Revival

[angel885]

Do any of you know about the Lakeland Revival going on? Is it a real revival? I have heard some wacky things coming out of that revival.

[Anna Marta]

Do any of you know about the Lakeland Revival going on? Is it a real revival? I have heard some wacky things coming out of that revival.

After having done some homework, IMHO you used the appropriate adjective. Listened to the "main man" doing his thing on a few videos and he appears as genuine as a 3 dollar bill.

Doesn't anyone hear the creaking wheels of the snake oil salesman's wagon pulling into town? :rolleyes:

AM

[outcast]

I agree with the previous post. I went to the revival's main web page and once I saw all the big name superstar charismatics who are supporting this revival I was convinced it was just another sham like all the other great revivals from the late 90's.

I don't mean to sound judgmental. I know people personally whom God touched through those revivals despite the people who were in charge of them. But, on the whole I'm sure millions were manipulated and used because people got carried away by their own lust for power and greed.

If I were you I would steer clear of this one. It looks great on the outside but I fear it is just another glossed over experience.

[leelees]

ive been watching it quite a lot...perhaps im not there enough to discern properly, ive always been quite skeptical of things like that but mainly cos my old church was...it was not of God to them...i have to admit, ive quite enjoyed most of it...time for something else maybe?

[Hope 98]

This stuff can get me really stirred up & I know that "stirred up" is not a good thing for me at the moment. I feel like it's time for a familiar phase I like to use to remind myself how to look at things that might fall into the supernatural category.

If you seek God, you may find miracles and supernatural manifestations of all kinds that really come from Him. But if you seek miracles and supernatural manifestations, you will probably find THEM, but miss God, whether He is in them or not.

God is Supernatural and all-powerful. He can do anything He wants. The way I understand it, He wants our love more than anything else. He'll display or withhold miracles of all kinds based on His perfect wisdom of what is best for each of us, because of His love.

My head must be getting just a little clearer...

[ex-shep]

[QUOTE=Hope 98;60688]This stuff can get me really stirred up & I know that "stirred up" is not a good thing for me at the moment. I feel like it's time for a familiar phase I like to use to remind myself how to look at things that might fall into the supernatural category.


It can be triggering for me as well. I have lost count of the times I have had to walk away from it. Too much for me.

[hornblower]

If you seek God, you may find miracles and supernatural manifestations of all kinds that really come from Him. But if you seek miracles and supernatural manifestations, you will probably find THEM, but miss God, whether He is in them or not.




I like that Hope.

This is what I know about God too..........if you seek Him with your whole heart you will find Him in abundance.........you dont need a snake oil man. God does miracles all of the time, we are breathing arent we?

[Spiny Norman]

Perhaps we ought not to be too quick to judge? Scripture tells us that miracles and things like the gifts of the spirit are important as a sign for unbelievers. I've had a number of people buttonhole me for an opinion on what's going on in Florida. I just tell them "Look, I really don't know, and I'm sorry but I'm really not all that interested in it". My reasoning is that signs are for unbelievers, and I'm not in that category any longer. But if it is genuine and it helps other people to genuine faith, well then fair enough. You may recall that when the Pharisees were discussing Jesus they decided that if God was "with him" then they'd be fighting God if they opposed it ... and if God wasn't with him, then things would sort themselves out of their own accord. I feel the same way about this scenario I guess. If its false, I hope that people don't get burned by it.

[leelees]

i must be the only one who likes watching it....great :(

[outcast]

i must be the only one who likes watching it....great :(

Don't feel bad. I used to like watching it too. I think it really depends on where you are at. If God is using these services to minister to you personally, great. For me, I could never watch something like this and get ministered to because I am now too cynical because I've been through too much. The big name people backing this revival used to back my pastors too. I have great reason to be cynical.

I guess I am like Spiny. I don't really care about this revival in Florida. I didn't even know about it until I read this thread and went to their website.

[ex-shep]

I did cursory internet searches. I could not recommend it. The leaders had some questionable pasts. The revival is out of a pentecostal movement which feels it is responsible for bring the Second Coming. It ties in movements of groups I was in the early 80s. It seems to be a combination of faith healing and new age.

I suspect more accurate exegesis will be forth coming from the evangelical cult watch and apologetics research groups as well as the secular cult research groups.

[leelees]

The big name people backing this revival used to back my pastors too. I have great reason to be cynical.
.

thats put me off it now then cos if it hurt you then i dont want to know!
it kind of made me feel like i can watch something like that because im not in the church anymore, i havent got them telling me im doomed to hell for raising my hands to God..i think thats why i liked watching it...i dont trust it when they fall over when the todd guy touches them, it makes me feel a bit dubious?!

[Spiny Norman]

Assumption: lets say its "genuine revival" (whatever that is).

If the focus is Jesus, then there's a fair chance it will all turn out okay.

If the focus is anything other than Jesus (leaders, miracles, money, whatever) then eventually the Spirit will be grieved and the revival will end when the Spirit withdraws His blessing. Then all that will be left is the empty shell of a revival and people will get disappointed and probably hurt.

So where is everyone's focus at the moment? I haven't seen the Lakeland thing at all and still have no desire to do so. But is the focus on Jesus, or something else like miracles?

[hornblower]

thats put me off it now then cos if it hurt you then i dont want to know!
it kind of made me feel like i can watch something like that because im not in the church anymore, i havent got them telling me im doomed to hell for raising my hands to God..i think thats why i liked watching it...i dont trust it when they fall over when the todd guy touches them, it makes me feel a bit dubious?!


I wish I understood that being slain in the spirit thing? Its happened to me many times many ways and I have to say I do like it but I also never sought it to happen to me at all. I have literally seen rows and rowws of people fall with a preacher standing on the stage just simply blowing at them. It was beautiful. There was like a white cloud all over the place inside it was but here he was just blowing towards them and down they went. Its hard to not believe that could be God doing that you know? It put me in awe like so many other things.

I can honestly say with my whole heart that Im fine without it though. If its happening its exciting and it feels good but for me it feels so much better to be at home alone and having God speak to my heart..........I really love that the best of anything.

Truth is God does make me feel good. Yes God does make me feel very good and so because of that I stay pretty hungry for Him but then I dont seek Him. I know its my flesh doing that to me what else can it be? So then knowint that I myself fight God and feeling good then whos at fault for everything that goes wrong in my life?

It has to be me doesnt it?

Knowing that doesnt make me any better.
There are so many things I dont understand the list is endless.
I give up. I just cant wait to finally be with Him and for all of this to be a thing of the past.

[Spiny Norman]

I wish I understood that being slain in the spirit thing?
I've also experienced this and have seen it many times. I don't know how much of it is genuinely spiritually initiated and how much is the individual's reaction to their circumstances/environment, but there's probably something in it. For example, John 16 says:

1 When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was an olive grove, and he and his disciples went into it.
2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples.
3 So Judas came to the grove, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.
4 Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, "Who is it you want?"
5 "Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "I am he," Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.)
6 When Jesus said, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground.
In the Greek it basically means "they fell backwards, prostrate" when Jesus identified himself to them. Perhaps there's also something in the fact that "I AM" is God's name? Not sure about that, I don't know enough about Greek to know whether it would be written the same way in that case.

There are also plenty of Old Testament references to people falling prostrate (or prostrating themselves voluntarily) in the presence of the Lord (or the Angel of the Lord).

[leelees]

this will get me confused i think, i dont know whats right and whats not?
sa church always said that you shoulf fall forward as fall backwards is a sign of the devil?

[Spiny Norman]

this will get me confused i think, i dont know whats right and whats not?
sa church always said that you shoulf fall forward as fall backwards is a sign of the devil?
I don't understand why that would be. But the best recommendation I can offer you is to pray a simple prayer: "Holy Spirit, guide me into the truth on this matter". That's one of the reasons Jesus sent Him to us. Take His word on the subject (not mine, not others).

[hornblower]

this will get me confused i think, i dont know whats right and whats not?
sa church always said that you shoulf fall forward as fall backwards is a sign of the devil?

Oh my gosh leelees you really were in a very messed up place like anyone can fall a certain way...........now ask yourself if a person is falling down and past out then why would they fall frontways or on purpose fall back either ? like you can't plan these things..............or can YOU?

Now that tells me something.

Just like an evangelist once told me that he listened to people speaking in tongues for days and weeks before it happened to him???????????????????????????????????????

Now this stuff is really scary to me, like move out of the way when the real Holy Spirit comes because Im sure these will be hit by lightning or something.

[hornblower]

I've also experienced this and have seen it many times. I don't know how much of it is genuinely spiritually initiated and how much is the individual's reaction to their circumstances/environment, but there's probably something in it. For example, John 16 says:


In the Greek it basically means "they fell backwards, prostrate" when Jesus identified himself to them. Perhaps there's also something in the fact that "I AM" is God's name? Not sure about that, I don't know enough about Greek to know whether it would be written the same way in that case.

There are also plenty of Old Testament references to people falling prostrate (or prostrating themselves voluntarily) in the presence of the Lord (or the Angel of the Lord).

Yeah thats the scripture I was always given for it and it makes sense to me like its a sign or something like in the last days there will be signs and wonders.
I always fell backwards and I knew it wasnt me because I simply would never do such a thing.
I remember when the laughing thing started I secretly told the Lord "NO way thats is so irritating to me I cant stand that and I dont want it to happen to me at all God ok?"

A few weeks later it happened to me and I couldnt stop laughing...........like a river of joy that came over me.
How can joy ever be bad?

Ive had a lot of experiences and I have had a lot of trials. I hope my next thing will be Him coming back and picking me up and carrying me away on His white horse.
I dont care if it does sound like a fairy tale. It was a true tale that came true for me the day I saw Him so Ive never been the same since.

[leelees]

yeah hornblower, it was a very confusing place!
i love laughing so that laughing thing would suit me very well!
its interesting to here all the different thoughts whereas before i would have said no one was right except the sa church!