Date: 12-Feb-1995 07:52pm
EST
Subject: Your Messages
Arthur, thanks for sending the article by Tricia Tillin of Banner Ministries and the Vision by Richard Smith, warning that the Toronto Phenomenon is satanic in origin. Separately, I am sending you a response of mine to some of Tricia Tillins's criticisms of the revival.
The vision by Richard Smith, if genuinely from God, would be very disturbing. But this vision is extrabiblical. Don't the critics of the revival take extrabiblical dreams and visions with a grain of salt? I don't often take dreams and visions with a grain of salt, but in this case, I will do so, because the fruit that I have seen resulting from this revival has been excellent. People are becoming Christians by the thousands. The lives of multitudes of people are being turned around for the better. People are being healed of longstanding physical and emotional wounds. Satan doesn't do these things. Not only that, but people are re-orienting their lives in such a way as to put God first. Their passion for Jesus is being renewed. Why would satan want to do these things?
May the Lord enlighten the eyes of your understanding with respect to these things.
With warm personal greetings in the Lamb,
Richard M. Riss
RRISS@DREW.EDU