I think it was around 1985 when I returned to my home church for a visit / furlough. This was the church (Full Gospel / Pentecostal) that send me out & blessed me to go work as a missionary in Eastern Europe & Soviet Union. To my shock & horror this church was divided; there was division over a new "blessing" that was introduced into the church world & was spreading worldwide like a virus. It was tragic, this church had send out quite a few other young people like me, I think around 10, was open to the gifts of the Holy Spirit (but not extreme, quite balanced) & last but not least had regular Biblical teaching on end-time doctrine & Israel.
But there were quite some heated arguments, people left, people were hurt & confused. And the ones who claimed to have gotten "it" (The Holy Spirit is a person not an it) were changed in a way that I didn't recognise them. They were pushy, overbearing & mocking Christians that didn't go along or had doubts & questions. Some even mocked those who didn't go along as being baptised in lemon juice. This so-called "Toronto Blessing" might have started sincere seeking God's presence & renewal but the fruit was ugly & the manifestations un-biblical. Those involved often claimed: "But I felt something" or "It felt good" or "I was touched". That can be combined with a Biblical experience but it is not proof in itself that is from God. This example is not an isolated incident but similar things happened worldwide & there is no good lasting fruit.
Even though Toronto Airport Church eventually closed it's doors, unfortunately I have observed that the same teachings & manifestations pop up over the years, under different names, movements & so-called "revivals" (Revivals starts with repentance, not with strange un-Biblical teachings & manifestations) The only people in the Bible that fell backwards where the people who came to arrest Jesus.
There are many teachings, practices & supernatural manifestations that have been introduced over the last years, but the Word of God / The Scriptures are the final authority in testing manifestations, healings and doctrine: If something can't be backed up from the Bible in the right context, it is not an acceptable doctrine, manifestation, prayer or practice. Some of those teachings & practices are: Prosperity "Gospel", Praying to the Holy Spirit, Falling or "Slain" in the Spirit, Fire tunnels, Sozo (or so called "healing" rooms), they might sound spiritual, but have no sound Doctrinal Biblical support. This does not mean we don't believe in the supernatural, signs wonders & miracles, but they need to backed by the Scriptures & we need to test the spirits
1 John 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
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