Is it the Pentecostal Movement really based on emotion?
As an outsider, this could be the immediate conclusion of anyone based in the failing rate of those who claim healing powers, new birth, etc.
After my years of experiencing Pentecostal Groups, I can say emotion does play an important role, especially among new converted. Sometimes, even ourselves may think that some experiences may had been lead by emotion.
But the true is that you can't deliberately come with a genuine manifestation of the Spirit by faking it. People can gibberish, but they can't not overcome with joy, suddenly start crying with tears and feel compassion for others the way the Spirit does in a true manifestation of the Spirit. People hug each other like children, all worries, conflicts, sadness are wiped out in a true Pentecostal service lead by the Spirit. Tongues are not just talking, but also emotions transmitted to you to intercede for others. You know it's not from you and you don't say what comes to your mind. In a way, you are like an spectator, where you allowed yourself to be used.
Sometimes, it feels like fire. Some other times feels like love, like peace, like joy. It can come with tears, with desire to pray, with feeling grateful, with deep sorrow for someone else, with tongues that you can stop or that you can't stop, with praises and worship, with dancing or kneeling down.
We often see so called ministers in the pulpit forcing a revival by screaming, enticing the people to move or falsely promising that God is going to do something that in reality will not happen, because God did not say anything.
We see that frequently in many if not all Pentecostal churches. Some old fashion experienced pastors are very jealous with their congregation and quickly would kit out a person who try to fool their churches. But, because of business relations, and some other modern rules nowadays, you do not see this type of pastors any more. Prayer meetings are not the main thing as they used to be. A complete transformation and a direct calling from God are not requirements to enter ministry any more.
If you had been in the Pentecostal church long enough, you will know that it's not up to you. God decides when and how people receive the Spirit. Some people pray for years. Some others just enter the church. It can come while praying, while worshipping or any time. I had heard stories of people who just came to laugh at expenses of the church.
A true Pentecostal Church would be lead by the Spirit. It means, you don't try to force praises, dancing in the Spirit, healing or any other manifestation of the Spirit by other means than prayers, call for sanctification and obedience to God.
God gives the Spirit to whoever he wants; the main requirement is repentance and sanctification.
There is a traditional Pentecostal phrase for this " God does not dwells in dirty vessel."
