Apostolic annointing

[Amanah]

My Mom was Catholic, Dad tagged along and slept in church. Dad was in the Army and we lived in Virginia for a while. Mom started going to a prayer meeting and was invited to an AOG church, I went with her. The first time I stepped into a Pentecostal church, having never heard of the Holy Ghost, God filled me with the HG, speaking in tongues.

Fast forward a few years, I’m 15 and we are living in Florida. A young man approaches me in the Mall and shows me Acts 2:38 and asks me to come to the Pentecostal Lighthouse. God refreshes me in the HG and I get baptized in Jesus name by Pastor Joel Velie.

Since that time I’ve attended apostolic churches. But have on occasion visited AOG churches too.

Now, remember I said I received the HG in an AOG church. I’ve seen AOG ministers and churches operate in the gifts of the spirit and felt a sweet presence of God there.

But, I’m convinced there is a depth of power and anointing in a one God Jesus name church that I have yet to experience in an AOG church.

I can feel the difference in the Spirit when worshipping with the people of the name. Has anyone else had a similar experience?

[Esaias]

I have been to charismatic churches, trinity pentecostal churches, twoness pentecostal churches, and oneness pentecostal churches.

Every church where folks are NOT baptized in the name and believe Jesus is the one God ... and I mean EVERY such church... was lacking in the manifest presence of God to one degree or another, compared to apostolic meetings. They might have a lot of noise and hubbub, but nothing like the "drop you to the floor on your face before the Holy One" kind of presence.

Of course, plenty of apostolic churches have lost what they once had, but the ONLY places I've seen or felt or experienced the fullness of the presence are among one God Jesus name believers.

[Esaias]

I attended an AoG that was supposedly in the midst of massive big time revival. Folks from hundreds of miles away coming, standing room only.

One of my kids asked me halfway through the worship, "You sure this is a pentecostal church?"

Which about sums it up.

[LOVE JESUS]

What kind of church do you attend now? Just out of curiosity.

Originally Posted by Amanah

My Mom was Catholic, Dad tagged along and slept in church. Dad was in the Army and we lived in Virginia for a while. Mom started going to a prayer meeting and was invited to an AOG church, I went with her. The first time I stepped into a Pentecostal church, having never heard of the Holy Ghost, God filled me with the HG, speaking in tongues.

Fast forward a few years, I’m 15 and we are living in Florida. A young man approaches me in the Mall and shows me Acts 2:38 and asks me to come to the Pentecostal Lighthouse. God refreshes me in the HG and I get baptized in Jesus name by Pastor Joel Velie.

Since that time I’ve attended apostolic churches. But have on occasion visited AOG churches too.

Now, remember I said I received the HG in an AOG church. I’ve seen AOG ministers and churches operate in the gifts of the spirit and felt a sweet presence of God there.

But, I’m convinced there is a depth of power and anointing in a one God Jesus name church that I have yet to experience in an AOG church.

I can feel the difference in the Spirit when worshipping with the people of the name. Has anyone else had a similar experience?

[votivesoul]

Originally Posted by Amanah

My Mom was Catholic, Dad tagged along and slept in church. Dad was in the Army and we lived in Virginia for a while. Mom started going to a prayer meeting and was invited to an AOG church, I went with her. The first time I stepped into a Pentecostal church, having never heard of the Holy Ghost, God filled me with the HG, speaking in tongues.

Fast forward a few years, I’m 15 and we are living in Florida. A young man approaches me in the Mall and shows me Acts 2:38 and asks me to come to the Pentecostal Lighthouse. God refreshes me in the HG and I get baptized in Jesus name by Pastor Joel Velie.

Since that time I’ve attended apostolic churches. But have on occasion visited AOG churches too.

Now, remember I said I received the HG in an AOG church. I’ve seen AOG ministers and churches operate in the gifts of the spirit and felt a sweet presence of God there.

But, I’m convinced there is a depth of power and anointing in a one God Jesus name church that I have yet to experience in an AOG church.

I can feel the difference in the Spirit when worshipping with the people of the name. Has anyone else had a similar experience?

Is it possible that as a child/young adult, your ability to discern and ascertain levels of anointing was not as mature and precise as when you became older?

Or, maybe the difference is the anointing that is on you?

[Amanah]

Originally Posted by votivesoul

Is it possible that as a child/young adult, your ability to discern and ascertain levels of anointing was not as mature and precise as when you became older?

Or, maybe the difference is the anointing that is on you?

I don't think the difference is me, I think its the name of Jesus and the oneness of God.

[votivesoul]

Originally Posted by Amanah

I don't think the difference is me, I think its the name of Jesus and the oneness of God.

It could be that. But that is just as subjective a thought as anything. Some things to consider:

1.) If God is God according to the oneness position and interpretation of Holy Scripture, that selfsame God is filling more people, year after year, with the Holy Spirit, in, through, and among Trinitarian churches, ministries, and organizations, than He is in, through, and among Oneness churches, ministries, and organizations.

This being the case, how is it that God is pouring out His forgiveness, grace, favor, and Holy Spirit on people who don't even understand, much less acknowledge, the truth of Who He Is, and how He Exists, more so than on people who allegedly do understand and acknowledge the truth of Who He Is, and how He Exists?

2.) Why is that when Oneness believers sing songs written by Trinitarians, that those songs and the people singing them, verily using them as a means to worship the Lord, are anointed, but when Trinitarian believers sing songs written by Trinitarians, that those exact same songs and the people singing them, verily using them as a means to worship the Lord, are not anointed?

Anointing is a highly subjective concept. If asked to describe it, or how one perceives it, a lot of different, hard to articulate answers are given.

Please understand, I am not challenging you, or saying you're wrong, I'm just trying to open up a horizon of new possibilities, to give you something to ponder and even pray about, if you should like to do so.

For the record I am not a Trinitarian. I never have been, and I don't think I ever will be, if I can guess at my own future. But I am quite sympathetic to the Trinitarian position, and I have great compassion for and toward people who sincerely believe God to be Tri-une.

I am not Oneness, either, and I feel the same way, but for different reasons.

To me, no matter how hard one argues for their understanding of the Godhead, and of Jesus, the Son of the Father, underneath it all, is a sincere, vigorous drive to know and understand their Creator and His Redeemer better.

As contentious as it gets, I salute those who strive for such things, because what I see, past all the nasty things that might get said, or are done in the name of orthodoxy, is a longing and desire for the Truth.

And I don't think anyone should be ashamed of that, no matter what camp they currently inhabit.

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by votivesoul

It could be that. But that is just as subjective a thought as anything. Some things to consider:

1.) If God is God according to the oneness position and interpretation of Holy Scripture, that selfsame God is filling more people, year after year, with the Holy Spirit, in, through, and among Trinitarian churches, ministries, and organizations, than He is in, through, and among Oneness churches, ministries, and organizations.

1. Please demonstrate this claim.

2. Please demonstrate how you know who or how many are 'receiving the Holy Spirit' in either camp.

3. Please demonstrate that it is impossible for anyone to receive something other than the Holy Spirit while thinking it is indeed the Holy Spirit.

[votivesoul]

Originally Posted by Esaias

1. Please demonstrate this claim.

2. Please demonstrate how you know who or how many are 'receiving the Holy Spirit' in either camp.

3. Please demonstrate that it is impossible for anyone to receive something other than the Holy Spirit while thinking it is indeed the Holy Spirit.

Start here: http://www.pewforum.org/2011/12/19/g...denominations/

and here: http://www.pewforum.org/2006/10/05/p...resource-page/

For a more specific target, that is, the AoG, see here: http://www.charismanews.com/world/50...-growth-trends

and for Oneness, see here:

https://www.amazon.com/Our-God-One-T.../dp/1888251204

Roughly half a billion Pentecostals and Charismatics in the world today, and Talmadge French estimated that of that number, only about 30M were Oneness.

This worldwide growth of Pentecostals and Charismatics has been happening for the last century or so. Having this many people claim a Pentecostal or Charismatic identity, which, as a movement or subgroup of Christianity proper, is chiefly recognized for its belief that when one receives the Holy Spirit, they speak in tongues, indicates that some very large number self-identify this way because they have themselves spoken in tongues as they received the Holy Spirit.

Now, if we subtract French's estimates from the total number, we still have about 500,000,000 people in the world today claiming a Pentecostal or Charismatic heritage.

But, if even less than half of these 500M have actually received the Holy Spirit and spoken in tongues, that's still over 200M more than those in the Oneness camp.

If even only 1/5 have done so, that' still way over the number of Oneness who have, by about 70M.

If merely a tithe have done so, that's still 20M more.

I suppose, if one were so inclined, one could conclude that all the research done by French and the Pew Forum folks is faulty beyond hope, and therefore, these numbers can be rejected out of hand.

And as far as the impossibility of proving one thing or the other, if you're looking for some ace in the hole to prove your point, then more power to you. Play your card.

But before you do, remember the creator of this thread admitted she received the Holy Spirit in a Trinitarian church. Didn't you say the same about yourself? My memory is a little foggy (I think you addressed it in one of Originalist's threads about Jimmy Swaggart a few months back. Not sure, though).

And speaking of Originalist, he was a licensed member of the AoG, and received the Holy Spirit there. I'm sure he can assure you that the people in the AoG, to pick a group, are by and large receiving the genuine article.

Maybe navygoat can chime in here, if even comes around anymore.

My cousin received the Holy Spirit in an AoG church. So did my mother in law, and my wife, when she was five, and going with her mom to an AoG Sunday school. They've all converted to Oneness since then, and none of them have needed to exchange what they had already received.

Are there charlatans and fakers out there? Of course, in every movement, even among Oneness. Remember Borat, or the so-called Cracker Barrel revival video with the old guy getting in on the prayer action, spazzing out and doing stuff either in his flesh or worse?

Here it is in case you haven't seen it before (skip to the 2:00 minute mark):

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by votivesoul

I am not Oneness, either, and I feel the same way, but for different reasons.

HOLD. THE. PHONE.

You are NOT Oneness? Why are you an Administrator on a Oneness forum? And as such, why are you challenging a Oneness person's experience?

"Apostolic" as defined by AFF

Apostolic doctrines have been defined as the following:

There is one person of God revealing Himself as Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
The Son is God himself in a human form, or "God manifested in the flesh."
Every sinner must repent of their sins.
Jesus name baptism is the only biblical mode of water baptism.
The Holy Ghost baptism is for Christians today and may be received by faith with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues.
The saint will strive to live a holy life, pleasing to God.

The Ten Commandments of the AFF:

1. Don't argue about basic Apostolic doctrines anywhere except The Debate Room.