Bob Thiel repeatedly points to a December 15, 2011, anointing by LCG minister Gaylyn Bonjour. During a routine laying on of hands, Bonjour (moved, he said, by the Spirit) prayed that God would grant Thiel a "double portion" of His Holy Spirit—explicitly likening it to Elisha's request from Elijah in 2 Kings 2:9. Thiel has treated this as divine validation of his prophetic office, a mantle-passing from Herbert W. Armstrong's era, and proof of special end-time anointing for his "work" in the improperly named "Continuing" Church of God (CCOG).
1. The OT "Double Portion" Was About Inheritance and Succession—Not a Bigger Dose of the Spirit
Elijah's ministry involved dramatic miracles (fire from heaven, drought, etc.). Elisha did perform notable acts, but the Bible doesn't frame it as "twice the Spirit"—it was about carrying forward the prophetic office in a new era.
This was a unique transitional moment in Israel's history under the Old Covenant. It has nothing to do with New Covenant believers claiming graded levels of the Spirit.
Thiel (and some in COG circles) rips this out of context and treats it like a magical upgrade prayer that magically confers super-prophet status. That's not how Scripture works.
2. The New Testament Knows Nothing of a "Graded" or "Double" Holy Spirit
Given without measure: John 3:34 (speaking of Christ, but the principle applies to the Spirit's fullness in the new era).
All believers participate equally: 1 Corinthians 12:13 – "For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body... and all were made to drink of one Spirit."
Varieties of gifts, same Spirit: 1 Corinthians 12:4 – Different manifestations, but the same Spirit distributing as He wills. No hierarchy of "Spirit levels" among believers.
Poured out on all flesh: Acts 2:33, Joel 2:28-29. Pentecost was a historic outpouring with signs appropriate to that moment in salvation history—not a model for individuals claiming bigger helpings later.
Jesus Himself: "If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" (Luke 11:13). No fine print about "double portions for self-appointed prophets only."
The New Testament presents the Holy Spirit as the same undivided gift to all who believe (John 7:38-39; Romans 8:9, 14-16; Galatians 3:2-5; Ephesians 1:13-14). There's no biblical category for "double portion," "triple anointing," or any such invented hierarchy. It's a human invention—often used in charismatic or restorationist circles to claim special status. God the Father isn't bound by our formulaic prayers. The Spirit blows where He wishes (John 3:8).
Even if we grant the 2011 prayer happened exactly as described, the fruit and fulfillment tests destroy any claim of special anointing:
Matthew 7:15-20: "You will recognize them by their fruits." Look at the scandals in CCOG's African congregations (adultery, persecution of Priscilla, witchcraft allegations, arrests, cover-up accusations involving named leaders like Evans Ocheing, etc.). Thiel's responses often involve deflection, attacks on critics, and doubling down rather than humble repentance or correction. Narcissistic patterns, heavy emphasis on his own dreams/interpretations, and authoritarian top-down control don't scream "double portion of the Spirit of Christ" (who was meek and lowly).
Galatians 5:22-23: The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Contrast that with the biting, accusatory tone often directed at ex-members, other COG groups, and anyone questioning his office.
4. It's Just Another COG "Mantle" Fantasy
Armstrongism has a long history of claiming special succession, restored truths, and unique anointings while rejecting the plain New Covenant reality: the veil is torn, the Spirit is poured out on all believers (Jew and Gentile, male and female, great and small), and we are all priests in Christ (1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 1:6). No need for modern "Elijahs" with double scoops of Spirit to mediate.
Thiel's "double portion" is self-serving mythology—much like other failed prophets in the movement who invoke dramatic Old Testament imagery to prop up their authority. It becomes meaningless theater when the life, teachings, and outcomes don't match the New Testament pattern of the Spirit-filled church.
Bottom line: The Holy Spirit isn't a quantifiable resource you level up like a video game character. He's a Person—the same for every believer who asks in faith. If Bob Thiel did receive the Holy Spirit, he received the same offer as every other Christian. The evidence shows he hasn't operated in any special double-portion power. The biblical record, the fruit, and the failed prophecies prove it.
This fits perfectly into the broader pattern of Armstrongist leaders inventing extra-biblical mechanisms to claim superiority. The real freedom is in the New Covenant: one Spirit, full access through Christ, no graded anointings required. Keep exposing the wackiness—it's a public service.
The notion of a double portion of the Holy Spirit intrigues. The phrase “double portion” comes from Elisha’s request to Elijah: “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit.” (2 Kings 2:9
)
As a double portion was the legal right of the firstborn son (Deut 21:17).
Elisha was asking: to be Elijah’s successor, to inherit the prophetic office. This is not the same as asking for twice as much of the Holy Spirit. Something entirely different.
In the NT in areas where we read of the Holy Spirit we see: One Spirit (Eph 4:4); Poured out (Acts 2:33); Given without measure (John 3:34); All believers drink of one Spirit (1 Cor 12:13) - there is no hint or record I can find of a double portion or a triple portion or any such notion of a graded amount.
SO one must conclude It all seems to be an invention of men . One is left wondering whether prayers invoking a ‘double portion’ etc have any theological meaning at all? God the Father is the One who gives the Spirit, and does not get bound by some prayer of mere men. It becomes meaningless. The Spirit given is the same for all. “The Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.” Jesus said. (Luke 11:13); (“There are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.” (1 Cor 12:4
) and at Pentecost what is evident was a burst of manifestations appropriate to that moment in salvation history. The signs increased, not the Spirit Himself. So again there is no biblical record of a ‘bigger Spirit,’ a ‘double portion,’ or any graded hierarchy of Spirit‑levels. The Spirit remains one, undivided, and given without measure.)
9 comments:
Good warning for potential victims, but it won't do the job we'd like to see done, like causing Bob to reconsider and to cease and desist from doing damage. His particular psychology is what's driving him, and he has proven himself resistant to outside counsel.
Jesus may be able to correct him one day. Kind of hard to tell, though. Revelation gives examples of people actually fighting Christ. Heck, the Pharisees did that right in public back during the first century!
Does Bob even TRY to document or research all the past prayers or fellowship chat for requesting double-portion holy spirit occurring during the 20th century WCG days?
I would think during the holocaust, plenty of requests for holy spirit's double portion occurred.
Endless events similar to Gaylyn B.'s likely occurred.
oops, I used a Bob-ism...it may be, likely, possibly, we could soon see,...
Dear Bob,
A double-portion of bullsh!t is still bullsh!t.
The mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech) is a definition of Hebrew peh, or pi, translated "portion" in 2Kings 2:9. And "spirit", ruach, could be translated "wind".
Uh-oh. The same Hebrew word ruach is in the phrase Holy Spirit in Isaiah but could the above definitions help explain Bob? Maybe more than a double....of wind? There must be way more than 780,000 words (about that many in the Bible) on Bob's website.........
Elijah responds to Elisha's request with "Thou hast asked a hard thing:," in 2Kings 2:10. In my view, this points to a larger portion of the holy spirit.
This is in harmony with "stir up the spirit" in 2Tim 1:6, and Christ himself having had a larger portion of the spirit than others.
If I stir up my salad dressing, does it become larger? No.
To stir is to make active, not to increase.
Christ had the Spirit without measure, not in a larger measure.
The text explains why Elijah called it “a hard thing” (2 Kings 2:10).
- the “hard thing” was Elijah could not grant it, Only God could decide.
Elijah had no authority to appoint his own successor, so the difficulty was God’s sovereign choice (not the size of the Spirit).
Anon, Monday, June 8, 2026 at 9:36:33 AM PDT, wrote:
The text explains why Elijah called it “a hard thing” (2 Kings 2:10).
- the “hard thing” was Elijah could not grant it, Only God could decide.
Elijah had no authority to appoint his own successor, so the difficulty was God’s sovereign choice (not the size of the Spirit).
******
God is busy, and He decides lots of things. How? By His Spirit (Zech 4:6). God just does it.
Thinking of Elijah, it would have been a hard thing for him to choose who to anoint to be a king of Syria, a king of Israel and a prophet. Here is an example of how God did such things through Elijah:
I Kings 19:15 "And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael [to be] king over Syria:"
:16 "And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint [to be] king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint [to be] prophet in thy room."
God made the decisions, "hard decisions," and told Elijah to follow-through, which he did. Elijah had no choice on who does what. Now, what did God then accomplish through Hazael, Jehu and Elisha? Well, that is one reason we have all of this in the Bible: one may study it and learn what God accomplished with these men.
Now, Bob Thiel, like a Dave Pack, is so wrapped up in SELF, me, I, me, I,I...self...almost as though they think that they might glory in God's presence, but God says:
"That no flesh should glory in his presence." 1 Co 1:29
It is God who gives out His Spirit to accomplish His purposes. Jesus Christ received God's Spirit. The Apostles received God's Spirit. People in the Old Testament received God's Spirit, but not as a begettal, like it is with God's Firstfruits, who are sealed by God's Spirit, just as Jesus was sealed.
What is it that changes in the lives of Christians? It is not just receiving God’s Spirit, and God is not a respecter of persons when it comes to sons. What changes is fruits that God bears/works out by His Spirit in their lives. Christ had a fulness of the fruits in His life; the rest of us don't have that.
Consider faith (one may choose any fruit), which God gives out by measure:
Romans 12:3 "For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think [of himself] more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith."
Bob Thiel, similar to hirelings who fled the former WCG, appears to think of SELF more highly than he/they ought to think, but time will tell.
Bob Thiel wants a double portion of God's Spirit? What's wrong with just a single portion of God's Spirit?
In case Bob Thiel, or any of the former fleeing hirelings of the WCG, have a problem with the word "measure," God inspired the word "proportion."
:6 "Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, [let us prophesy] according to the proportion of faith;"
God is not necessarily giving out His Spirit by proportion/measure, but He sure does give out the fruits of His Spirit that way, depending upon what He wills to accomplish in their lives.
One can't get good fruit from an evil tree, or evil fruit from a good tree.
Both Bob Thiel, and Dave Pack (and other hirelings of the former WCG), have been breathing out, blowing out (Ref: Anon 8:50:09 PM) lies for some time now; time has been telling.
When will the lies cease and the fruits of God's Spirit become more evident in their lives?
Time will tell...
John
Bob Thiel has shown through his fruits of lies and deceit and strong arm tactics that God's spirit is not with him, he is totally or willfully blinded by the God of this World Satan the Devil. And Bob will keep doing the will of his Father of lies unless he repents which is unlikely. Let's see what stupid picture show of Big Boss Man Evans Malawi trip Bob publicly proclaims in his lies to the Brethren. Will he how , Machemba, Wahela, some leadership from Hope of Israel that somehow said they want Bobs truth? Will they show some leaders from Mozambique? They can't thankfully show Priscilla, she was put out of their reach. Bob wasted thousands of CCOG members money on a complete farce of Bribes and manipulation. Bob banned tells the truth and you got caught. Stop trying to cover your Henchmens sins. You said to Priscilla in your own Words , Radson will Probably marry again - he's all ready married in an Adulterating Marriage and many Concubine. Marry him to another woman, I don't think the people will be fooled with Patricia Sambani, we already know what she looks like. Just encourage him to get married again and make a worse fool of yourself - please just do it......🤣🤣
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