Charismatic Pentecostalism: A World of False Signs and Wonders?

I was raised in the Jehovah's Witness organization from a young age, but the "truth" never truly took root in me. After leaving, I lived a life of dissipation for a while. Eventually, I started attending a Charismatic Pentecostal church. While I was surprised by the "signs and wonders" there, I'd be lying if I said I didn't have doubts about the character of those in leadership. To be honest, I felt something was fishy, but I brushed it off, thinking, "Well, nobody's perfect, and they’re all much older than me anyway," and I began to conform and play along. That was a mistake.

Does the Charismatic Pentecostal Movement Originate from Fallen Angels?

Recently, a man known as Brother Hyeok has been traveling across Japan holding revival-style meetings. The atmosphere is typical of Charismatic Pentecostalism—people of all ages raising their hands, shouting in "tongues" like "bara-bara-hore-re-sandara," weeping, laughing, and screaming.

In these meetings, Hyeok breathes on people, and they fall down one after another, supposedly receiving the Holy Spirit. After leaving the JWs, I thought that since no church is perfect, it might be worth visiting a denomination where people don't constantly judge one another. That’s why I checked out the Charismatic Pentecostal scene, but I always felt a deep sense of unease with this "sports-camp-meets-self-help-seminar" vibe—the screaming, the crying, and the falling over.

In reality, there is a possibility that this is not the work of the Spirit of God. It often feels like a calculated performance designed to draw excessive attention to oneself. Even accounting for the fact that he is Korean and might be naturally expressive, the staging feels overly theatrical. There are far too many elements aimed at making oneself "look good" or creating a scene by shedding tears in front of others.

Brother Hyeok’s Mentor: TB Joshua

If you search for "Brother Hyeok TB Joshua," you'll find Hyeok praising TB Joshua as his mentor. The problem with this is illustrated by a certain girl at TB Joshua's church who claimed to see a vision of Jesus Christ. She described Jesus being surrounded by Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel, and claimed to hear the voices of the 24 elders saying to worship the Lamb. She then pretended to go temporarily blind and collapsed to the ground in a frantic, over-the-top performance. You can find plenty of these videos on YouTube. What’s bizarre is her claim that Michael was standing *next* to Jesus—when, according to the theology I was raised with, ➡Jesus *is* Michael.

It seems to me that this is just a gathering of people who don't bother to study or research the Bible properly. They chase after miracles, signs, and wonders, discarding the truth in favor of visionary experiences born from their own desires. It’s incredibly low-level. While you can't entirely blame a young girl for such a "vision," one has to wonder what kind of spirit is orchestrating these delusions. Instead of correcting her, the adults were making a scene, shouting "Hallelujah, Praise Jesus!" It blatantly contradicts the Scriptures.

Since TB Joshua has passed away, I have no desire to attack him personally. However, I believe identifying the true nature of the spirit operating behind these Charismatic Pentecostal movements provides a solid reason to avoid getting deeply involved and serves as a way to protect oneself. While the JW organization is driven by a "religious spirit," the Charismatic Pentecostal movement seems to be draped in a Satanic spirit—one that attracts and resonates with those driven by curiosity and ambition, much like Simon Magus.

On YouTube, there are videos of pastors unknowingly muttering "receive the mark of the beast" while speaking in tongues, then laying hands on believers and knocking them over. It makes you wonder if "Christendom" has become one of the many factories producing the 666.

Is the Intuition of "Fishiness" the Holy Spirit Warning of Lawless Apostasy?

For a long time, I’ve had gut feelings that certain people were "fishy," but I always compromised, telling myself that no one is perfect. Looking back, my intuition was right every single time. From now on, I intend to follow it. Human thoughts and words carry a certain "spirit." No matter how much a con artist decorates their speech, they cannot fully hide that underlying sense of shadiness. If you feel something is "off" or "wrong," it is likely the Holy Spirit working to help you discern the spirits of this world.

Much of the "Christian world" was spread by the lawless Roman Catholic Church. Since the martyrdom of the first-century apostles and Christians, it has been Hellenized—merged with Greek philosophy into a "blessing-oriented" religion focused on heaven and hell. Modern Christians claim they will be "raptured" before the Great Tribulation, but that isn't going to happen. In fact, they may be the ones lawlessly enthroning themselves on God’s throne.

Please be careful of excessive performances involving tongues or exorcisms. While it is good to pray proactively to bind demons in Jesus' name, doing so in a public, performative way to attract attention creates an opening for the devil. The fact that the following scriptures were written back then suggests that the seeds of apostasy were already present, and in these end times, we must be even more vigilant.

Isaiah 1:13: "Bring no more futile sacrifices; Incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies—I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. 14 Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; They are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them."

Amos 5:20: "Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light? Is it not very dark, with no brightness in it? 21 I hate, I despise your feast days, And I do not savor your sacred assemblies. 22 Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them, Nor will I regard your fattened peace offerings. 23 Take away from Me the noise of your songs, For I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments. 24 But let justice run down like water, And righteousness like a mighty stream."

Acts 8:17: "Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18 And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, 19 saying, 'Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.' 20 But Peter said to him, 'Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! 21 You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. 22 Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.'" 24 Then Simon answered and said, "Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me."

2 Thessalonians 2:7: "For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness."

Colossians 2:18: "Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body... grows with the increase that is from God."

No matter how much "performance power" someone has, if they are using it for show, it is clearly harmful. Ultimately, it is the motivation of the heart—whether one loves unrighteousness or truth—that is being questioned. Do not go to see a pastor who feels "off" just because you are curious or looking for signs and wonders.

Matthew 7:21: "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'"