After the Second World War, a special, God-blessed revival began, reminiscent of the days of the Apostles and our Lord. God used William Branham as a trailblazer, who was one of the first having divine authority to appear on the scene. Later, a wide variety of directions developed from this. Impressed by Brother Branham's powerful meetings in Durban, South Africa, in 1951, David DuPlessis followed the man of God to the United States. There he found a home in Dallas, Texas, with Gordon Lindsay in the ministry "Voice of Healing" and thus contacts all over the world through the international connections.

David DuPlessis, who comes from South Africa, became known worldwide as "Mr. Pentecost". I met him in the USA and in Rome, in the church of John McTernan, and also in Germany. He is regarded as the founder of the charismatic movement, which he brought especially into the Catholic Church. He was an observer at the Second Vatican Council. Since that time, many men have appeared who made special claims and spoke of the work of the Holy Spirit. On this point too, the question must be asked: What does Scripture say about this? What does Scripture say about the following questions?

1.) May a man come forward and say, "I am here in place of the Holy Spirit? I represent the Holy Spirit? …"

2.) May someone breathe on people who come to pray and say, "Now you have received the Holy Spirit?"

3.) Is the charismatic man allowed to command when the audience should laugh, clap their hands, jump, etc.?

4.) Is there any indication in Scripture that people would have fallen on their backs in the presence of God?

Each of these questions must be answered in the negative, on the basis of the authority of the Word, and such a practice must be rejected as unbiblical:

1.) No man represents the Holy Spirit, who alone works the supernatural. Such a claim is false.

2.) It is only the risen Lord, in whom the fullness of the Godhead dwelt bodily, who baptizes with Spirit and fire. HE alone breathed on His disciples and said, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost."

3.) The preachers are committed to the preaching of the Word, and bring the audience not under their influence, but under the divine influence. The connection is not made by the preacher to the people, but the people are connected to God. No one has the right to deceive the audience in various ways and to present all this as the work of the Holy Spirit.

4.) There is not a single case in Scripture where people have fallen backwards in the presence of God—that only happened under divine judgment. Every man fell on his face before God – Abraham, Moses, Elijah, Daniel, right down to the crowd that bowed their faces down on the stone pavement at the dedication of the temple in Solomon's day [2 Chronicles 7:3]; also Peter, Paul and John on the island of Patmos. This is what we are told in the Holy Scriptures. So what happens in the charismatic assemblies is, measured by the Word, unbiblical and the work of men, a great deception and temptation.

Then the charismatic takes off his jacket, swings it with all his might and shouts: "This is how the Holy Spirit blows." People fall on their backs, their hands and feet outstretched, thinking they are experiencing the power of God. The strange thing is that the leaders themselves are not, as they claim others say, struck down by the power of God—they remain firmly on their feet; the power of God does not seem to have any effect on them. Maybe they need to keep everything under control? That is peculiar. Actually, they should be seized first. The whole thing is actually a deceptive manoeuvre that many fall for. The only bad thing is that people who hunger and thirst for God are deceived and fooled in such a way and then still think that they have received the Holy Spirit. All this will, at the latest, become apparent as a deception at the return of our Lord. What then? Then it is too late to experience the genuine work of the Holy Spirit, which always happens in connection with the promised Word. Then they will no longer fall on their backs, but on their faces, and in their disappointment they will cry out: "Lord, Lord, open to us…"

One would like to sound the wake-up call with the voice of a trumpet. It is such a deceitful age in which we live. Truth is presented as error and error as truth, what is right is denounced as wrong and what is wrong is presented as right. As Pilate did then, so too can it be exclaimed today: "What is truth?" Which is correct? What is real? What is biblical? After all, it is about one's own salvation, which has to be worked out with fear and trembling. Since there is so much imitation and deceit in the religious field, Biblical teaching is urgently needed. If you were to ask all these "Hollywood evangelists" and "show masters" specifically: "When and where did the Lord call you? What commission has He given you?" then great silence would come over them. Or one would talk about impressions and give an evasive answer, which is always the same: "I believe that the Lord has called me…"

The emphasis on the Trinity in their meetings also speaks for itself and is a clear evidence that these people are not found in the Holy Spirit, who is always the Spirit of the Word, but in the Catholic tradition. When would a man of God ever have ruled over the Holy Spirit, commanded Him, or prayed to Him? All this is done in order to bring the various denominations under Roman influence. There is a lot of wind being made, but God is not in the wind.

There is also enthusiastic talk and writing about "fire conferences", but God is obviously not in the fire either. He is not available to men, but does everything according to His Word; and what is not done according to His Word does not come from Him. The charismatics, including the people of the Toronto Blessing, do not preach biblical repentance and conversion, nor do they practice biblical baptism of faith or celebrate the biblical Lord's Supper. They do not even include the fundamental teachings of the New Testament church in their preaching. They are completely outside the Word.

Hands are laid on all people so that they may receive the Holy Spirit, without first preaching of Christ crucified and conversion to Him. According to the clear testimony of Scripture, they are the ones who appear as anointed ones of the end times, as false Christs. They prophesy, cast out devils, do great things, but it is to them that the Lord says: "I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity!" [Matthew 7:23] Such men may easily be classified as the shopkeepers to whom the bridegroom sends those who will not find their way into the wedding feast.

Whoever comes to the Lord now and has his experiences with Him will then be allowed to go to Him. Those who now make their experiences dependent on people will also be sent to them. The elect cannot be deceived. They are the Word-Bride of the Word-Bridegroom and will be sealed with the Holy Spirit on the day of their bodily redemption. Thank God for leaving us with His clear and true Word. Everything that happens in the spiritual field must be put to the test. The Holy Scriptures are the sole guideline for teaching and life.

After the Second World War, a special, God-blessed revival began, reminiscent of the days of the Apostles and our Lord. God used William Branham as a trailblazer, who was one of the first having divine authority to appear on the scene. Later, a wide variety of directions developed from this. Impressed by Brother Branham's powerful meetings in Durban, South Africa, in 1951, David DuPlessis followed the man of God to the United States. There he found a home in Dallas, Texas, with Gordon Lindsay in the ministry "Voice of Healing" and thus contacts all over the world through the international connections.

David DuPlessis, who comes from South Africa, became known worldwide as "Mr. Pentecost". I met him in the USA and in Rome, in the church of John McTernan, and also in Germany. He is regarded as the founder of the charismatic movement, which he brought especially into the Catholic Church. He was an observer at the Second Vatican Council. Since that time, many men have appeared who made special claims and spoke of the work of the Holy Spirit. On this point too, the question must be asked: What does Scripture say about this? What does Scripture say about the following questions?

1.) May a man come forward and say, "I am here in place of the Holy Spirit? I represent the Holy Spirit? …"

2.) May someone breathe on people who come to pray and say, "Now you have received the Holy Spirit?"

3.) Is the charismatic man allowed to command when the audience should laugh, clap their hands, jump, etc.?

4.) Is there any indication in Scripture that people would have fallen on their backs in the presence of God?

Each of these questions must be answered in the negative, on the basis of the authority of the Word, and such a practice must be rejected as unbiblical:

1.) No man represents the Holy Spirit, who alone works the supernatural. Such a claim is false.

2.) It is only the risen Lord, in whom the fullness of the Godhead dwelt bodily, who baptizes with Spirit and fire. HE alone breathed on His disciples and said, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost."

3.) The preachers are committed to the preaching of the Word, and bring the audience not under their influence, but under the divine influence. The connection is not made by the preacher to the people, but the people are connected to God. No one has the right to deceive the audience in various ways and to present all this as the work of the Holy Spirit.

4.) There is not a single case in Scripture where people have fallen backwards in the presence of God—that only happened under divine judgment. Every man fell on his face before God – Abraham, Moses, Elijah, Daniel, right down to the crowd that bowed their faces down on the stone pavement at the dedication of the temple in Solomon's day [2 Chronicles 7:3]; also Peter, Paul and John on the island of Patmos. This is what we are told in the Holy Scriptures. So what happens in the charismatic assemblies is, measured by the Word, unbiblical and the work of men, a great deception and temptation.

Then the charismatic takes off his jacket, swings it with all his might and shouts: "This is how the Holy Spirit blows." People fall on their backs, their hands and feet outstretched, thinking they are experiencing the power of God. The strange thing is that the leaders themselves are not, as they claim others say, struck down by the power of God—they remain firmly on their feet; the power of God does not seem to have any effect on them. Maybe they need to keep everything under control? That is peculiar. Actually, they should be seized first. The whole thing is actually a deceptive manoeuvre that many fall for. The only bad thing is that people who hunger and thirst for God are deceived and fooled in such a way and then still think that they have received the Holy Spirit. All this will, at the latest, become apparent as a deception at the return of our Lord. What then? Then it is too late to experience the genuine work of the Holy Spirit, which always happens in connection with the promised Word. Then they will no longer fall on their backs, but on their faces, and in their disappointment they will cry out: "Lord, Lord, open to us…"

One would like to sound the wake-up call with the voice of a trumpet. It is such a deceitful age in which we live. Truth is presented as error and error as truth, what is right is denounced as wrong and what is wrong is presented as right. As Pilate did then, so too can it be exclaimed today: "What is truth?" Which is correct? What is real? What is biblical? After all, it is about one's own salvation, which has to be worked out with fear and trembling. Since there is so much imitation and deceit in the religious field, Biblical teaching is urgently needed. If you were to ask all these "Hollywood evangelists" and "show masters" specifically: "When and where did the Lord call you? What commission has He given you?" then great silence would come over them. Or one would talk about impressions and give an evasive answer, which is always the same: "I believe that the Lord has called me…"

The emphasis on the Trinity in their meetings also speaks for itself and is a clear evidence that these people are not found in the Holy Spirit, who is always the Spirit of the Word, but in the Catholic tradition. When would a man of God ever have ruled over the Holy Spirit, commanded Him, or prayed to Him? All this is done in order to bring the various denominations under Roman influence. There is a lot of wind being made, but God is not in the wind.

There is also enthusiastic talk and writing about "fire conferences", but God is obviously not in the fire either. He is not available to men, but does everything according to His Word; and what is not done according to His Word does not come from Him. The charismatics, including the people of the Toronto Blessing, do not preach biblical repentance and conversion, nor do they practice biblical baptism of faith or celebrate the biblical Lord's Supper. They do not even include the fundamental teachings of the New Testament church in their preaching. They are completely outside the Word.

Hands are laid on all people so that they may receive the Holy Spirit, without first preaching of Christ crucified and conversion to Him. According to the clear testimony of Scripture, they are the ones who appear as anointed ones of the end times, as false Christs. They prophesy, cast out devils, do great things, but it is to them that the Lord says: "I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity!" [Matthew 7:23] Such men may easily be classified as the shopkeepers to whom the bridegroom sends those who will not find their way into the wedding feast.

Whoever comes to the Lord now and has his experiences with Him will then be allowed to go to Him. Those who now make their experiences dependent on people will also be sent to them. The elect cannot be deceived. They are the Word-Bride of the Word-Bridegroom and will be sealed with the Holy Spirit on the day of their bodily redemption. Thank God for leaving us with His clear and true Word. Everything that happens in the spiritual field must be put to the test. The Holy Scriptures are the sole guideline for teaching and life.