What people think it is the Holy Spirit is often a cheap imitation.

Think about the pigeon and the dove, even though they are in the same family they are quite different. It was not the pigeon that came down on Jesus when He was baptized it was the dove, symbolizing the Holy Spirit.

Many claims to be in the presence of the Dove are no more than, a counterfeit to the Holy Spirit.

You can really see the difference when you compare the two.  Pigeons can be trained, domesticated and manipulated. They can be easily controlled and made to conform. Not true with a Dove.

When the Holy Spirit truly falls in a church or an individual, it’s not going to be scripted. Christ teaches us in John 3:5-8…..

Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Focus on the last part “the wind blows where it wishes….but you can not tell where it comes from”

So, when a leader stands on stage and tries to imitate the Spirit, hoping the It will blow their way, that person has no concept of how the Holy Spirit works. I even question their commitment to Christ. When you have a relationship with Him, you don’t have to pretend.

The Word of God was given as a guideline. Paul wrote many letters to the churches teaching them about the Holy Spirit. The word ignorant is in the Bible 32 times, and the majority of the occurrences are written to His followers educating them so they would not be ignorant.

Google is not a substitute for reading the actual Bible. Nor is studying how others present themselves on stage and mimicking their actions hoping for the same result.

Every one of us has been a student at one time or another. We learn at a young age that there is always a punishment plagiarism.  My daughter, for example, was always an exceptional student, but when a teacher asks her to write a poem she copied and pasted one from the internet. The teacher typed a few words on google and found that she had plagiarized the assignment. This caused her embarrassment, and she got a ‘0’ on the assignment. She had to work twice as hard not to fail the whole class.

Spiritual Plagiarism is no different. It is a complete disrespect to the Holy Spirit.

There were people in the Bible that tried to mimic the power of God. One man even tried to cast an evil spirit away by copping what Paul always did. He had no personal relationship with God himself.  Acts 19, explains that story: “And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them and prevailed against them so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 

The imitater ended up running it the street naked. Satan knows when you have the power of God behind you. If that man would have had a relationship with Christ, then Satan would have run away instead of chasing him.

When you imitate the presences of God it is for self-gratification.  You are stilling God’s glory.

Herod took Gods glory, “And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and died.” -Acts 12:23

The Bible teaches us about them 2 Timothy 3:

“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,  having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!”

Did you catch that “A form of Godliness, DENYING its POWER.” You may only struggle with one thing on this list, but it is still on the list. Take “lovers of themselves,” to thought and ask, Why are you in ministry? Do you seek the glory? Do you love the spotlight? Do you worship to an audience of One? Can you just close your eyes give God the praise He deserves and not look at how the audience responds? Who is it about when you grace the stage with your presence?

As you read the rest of that chapter, He teaches us that, ….”always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth….. progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all…….

You cannot grow Spiritually if you are not willing to put in the effort of praying and seeking God.  Just because people praise you for your talent, does not mean God is pleased with you. Just because you have a ‘fan club’ does not mean God is a fan.

God doesn’t share HIs glory with no man!

“I am the Lord, that is My name, and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to carved images.” -Isaiah 42:8

All throughout the Gospels, we learn how He sent the Holy Spirit for us. He would guide, comforts, and lead you into all truth.  We have all been guilty at one time or another of being impatient and trying to do things on our own. However, that is not how God wants things, its His way, not ours. When you have a relationship with Him, you don’t question rather it is God or not, and you want to be humble, not defiant.

Christ teaches us “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” -John 10:27 

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” -1 Peter 5:6-7

“For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” -Luke 14:11