What about the Manifestations?

Since the beginning of the outpouring on January 20, 1994, many people at our meetings have been affected in unusual ways, falling down under the power of God, becoming "drunk" in the Spirit, laughing uncontrollably, or in some cases, even roaring like lions.

What about these manifestations? Are they of God? Should they be permitted in Christian meetings? Could they be demonic? If one considers the fruit, then one could hardly conclude that they are demonic. People are becoming renewed in their passion for Jesus, and they are recovering from longstanding emotional wounds. They are being brought to a place of obedience to Christ, based upon a new appreciation of His love for them as individuals. In vast numbers of cases, these things are happening during the very times that these outward manifestations become evident. In some cases, there are also physical healings.

At the Catch the Fire Conference in St. Louis during the first week of May, 1995, Vinson Synan, Church historian and Academic Dean of Regent University in Virginia Beach, Va., indicated that many of the same phenomena that have become associated with the "Toronto Blessing" were part and parcel of most of the earlier revivals and awakenings in North America, and that he had witnessed some of the very same things when he was growing up in the Pentecostal Holiness Church. A videotape of his presentation is available from the St. Louis Vineyard Christian Fellowship, 2923 Telegraph Rd., St. Louis, Mo. 63125  Ph: 314 487 2223

A history of these manifestations during the revivals and awakenings of the past several hundred years has been examined in detail by Richard Riss.