How would you evangelize people who have had profound spiritual experiences in other religions?

not a easy thing to do.

Luke 11
14 One day Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. And when the demon was gone, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowds were amazed, 15 but some of them said, “It is by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons, that He drives out demons.”

Nothing changes, the christian believer is offering a person God's free gift of Eternal Life. By showing, telling, teaching people how and who (The Messiah) they can receive God's free gift of Eternal Life. When they trust in The Messiah.

No other religion can offer that. Spiritual experiences can be many times a front (from satan) to distract people from looking to The Messiah for Eternal Life. Instead they trust is some kind of spiritual experience, which offers noting but an emotional high.

Remember this:

My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. -- John 10:27

No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them -- John 6:44

He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.” John 6:65


Those who have been enabled do not need arguments about ancillary challenges...they need only hear the true, clear gospel, and they will respond to it. Those who are not enabled won't accept the gospel anyway.

I have a friend who, with his wife, has been an undercover missionary in Muslim countries for about 20 years now. He hides the fact that he's a missionary (he works as a contractor), but not that he's a committed Christian. But with regularity, a Muslim will approach him out of the blue, so to speak, with, "You seem to be a deep believer in Jesus. I want to know more about Jesus."

So my friend takes these people through scripture, first the gospels, then Acts, then Romans. He doesn't expound a lot of doctrine or theology, they just read the scripture and he answers simple questions that arise. This may take weeks or months. But if the person has come back again and again to keep reading, at the end of Romans my friend then asks, "Do you believe what we have read?" He reports that when Muslims have kept with him that far, 100% of the time they respond, "Yes, I believe this. I want to be baptized."

We never know who has been enabled. Even people who have been enabled are walking around not knowing they've been enabled. Anyone can be enabled, but not everyone is enabled.

TruthSeek3r said:

Spiritual experiences can play a very important role in shaping an individual's worldview and religious convictions. Just a single profound mystical experience can dramatically change a person's entire view on life and be the turning point that leads them to embrace an entirely new religious path. Without going too far, the best example in my opinion can be found in Christianity itself, in the conversion of the Apostle Paul, who went from persecuting the Church to becoming the greatest Apostle of all time, all because he had a dramatic "Road to Damascus" encounter (Acts 9).

But spiritual experiences are not exclusive to Christianity. People have reported profound spiritual experiences in all sorts of religions. And people who have had these experiences usually interpret them as evidence and confirmation of the truthfulness of the religion they follow. Of course, whether this interpretative leap is justified or not is a whole different question, but the fact remains that many anchor their religious beliefs in profound experiences they've had throughout their spiritual walks.

And this brings me to the question in the title: How should Christians approach the evangelization of a person who has deep convictions about a different religion because of profound spiritual experiences they've had while following said religion? How to argue against a strong conviction that comes from a profound spiritual experience someone has had in another religion?

______________________

Appendix: examples of spiritual experiences in other religions

1) Hinduism, Buddhism and Eastern Spirituality in general

• Kundalini awakening
• Samadhi
• Siddhis

2) New Age spirituality

• Astral projection
• Reiki
• Communication with spirit guides and other entities
• Manifesting their own reality (Law of Attraction)
• Mystical experiences through the consumption of psychedelic drugs: ayahuasca, DMT, mushrooms, etc.

3) Witchcraft & the Occult

• Magic: spell casting, etc.

4) Mormonism

• Inner witness of the Holy Spirit authenticating the Book of Mormon

Click to expand...

"All truth is God's truth."

Whether their experience is of God, or not, God will use it either to bring them to himself or to cause them to push him away, if only for a time. But whatever is good, true and real about their experience, that much of it is God's doing.

Our job is to tell the truth, not to convict, or even convince. But God uses everything, and he will use their experiences for his purposes. They may even begin to recognize him because of their experiences.

TruthSeek3r said:

But they have the evidence of their spiritual/mystical/supernatural experience in their religion. How can you prove to them that they are wrong?

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You should not be trying to prove a person wrong, but teaching them how to receive Eternal Life.

If a person believes in The Messiah for Eternal Life, it may be sometime before they completely abandon their old religion and belief system.

Some from every religion will be saved. But can they confess the Lord Jesus. Do they know that they are still sinners. Ray Comfort would walk them through the Ten Commandments and ask if they have ever lied or stolen, etc. Jesus is the Savior the forgiven of sins and the giver of eternal life.

SeventhFisherofMen said:

Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The god who answers by fire—he is God.” Then all the people said, “What you say is good." 1 Kings 18:24

Reminds me of that verse and I would say put God to the test, ask the people to (if they are willing) pray to God at least once and say (if you are God do this, but if my god is God may this happen.

If they ask our God something, and then ask their god something God is not one to be fooled He will prove Himself to be The One True God just as Elijah showed God was the true God and the worshippers of baal learned they were wrong.

27 At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.”28 So they shouted louder and slashedthemselves with swords and spears, as was their custom...But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention."

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Didn't work for the seven sons of Sceva. You have to be sure it's God's intention to do a magic trick at that point in time.

What God gave us was the gospel to be preached. Always start with the gospel, and don't let the fleshly urge to win arguments or do better magic tricks distract from getting the gospel preached.

SeventhFisherofMen said:

God doesn't use magic

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That's what you propose asking of Him. God is not a genie in our lamps. The Lord explicitly told us what to do: Preach the gospel, not urge God to do tricks.

TruthSeek3r said:

Spiritual experiences can play a very important role in shaping an individual's worldview and religious convictions. Just a single profound mystical experience can dramatically change a person's entire view on life and be the turning point that leads them to embrace an entirely new religious path. Without going too far, the best example in my opinion can be found in Christianity itself, in the conversion of the Apostle Paul, who went from persecuting the Church to becoming the greatest Apostle of all time, all because he had a dramatic "Road to Damascus" encounter (Acts 9).

But spiritual experiences are not exclusive to Christianity. People have reported profound spiritual experiences in all sorts of religions. And people who have had these experiences usually interpret them as evidence and confirmation of the truthfulness of the religion they follow. Of course, whether this interpretative leap is justified or not is a whole different question, but the fact remains that many anchor their religious beliefs in profound experiences they've had throughout their spiritual walks.

And this brings me to the question in the title: How should Christians approach the evangelization of a person who has deep convictions about a different religion because of profound spiritual experiences they've had while following said religion? How to argue against a strong conviction that comes from a profound spiritual experience someone has had in another religion?

______________________

Appendix: examples of spiritual experiences in other religions

1) Hinduism, Buddhism and Eastern Spirituality in general

• Kundalini awakening
• Samadhi
• Siddhis

2) New Age spirituality

• Astral projection
• Reiki
• Communication with spirit guides and other entities
• Manifesting their own reality (Law of Attraction)
• Mystical experiences through the consumption of psychedelic drugs: ayahuasca, DMT, mushrooms, etc.

3) Witchcraft & the Occult

• Magic: spell casting, etc.

4) Mormonism

• Inner witness of the Holy Spirit authenticating the Book of Mormon

Click to expand...

There is no point in comparing experiences with such people. "My spiritual experience is better than yours" won't fly. They need to know that experiences will not save them. Oddly enough a lot of people involved in the occult or people who embrace religions of another culture are seeking reality and truth. They are looking in the wrong places, of course. We need to pray for wisdom as to how we should approach them. Paul managed to get a church established in Ephesus. That many were into witchcraft and magic is stated in Acts, where 50,000 drachmas (a drachma was day's wage for many) worth of occult books were burned. You can imagine the cost of books in those days before printing was a thing.

We need to remember that we are dealing with demons. Bind all the wicked spirits before talking to the person. That's why its good to witness in pairs. One can talk while the other prays.

The Holy Spirit showed me the truth. I still had my old connections. They believed in spirit guides and practiced mediumship and automatic writing. There were a few strange encounters during my spiritual battle.

I prayed for my friend's healing. She'd injured her ankle in the past. I assumed it was okay but that's what He laid on my heart. But when I did she got upset. She wondered why I didn't seek a financial blessing instead. She revealed the ankle wasn't fixed. The procedures didn't work. She knew He told me.

They were doing something magical and told me in advance to shield. It hit my MP3 player. The glass was broken as if a rock had been thrown. I was outside when it happened. I was shocked. But there was so much supernatural stuff going on I didn't dwell on it.

There was the time when she said Mary Magdalene took her to the cross. I knew that wasn't Mary. I was at the point where I believed in God and Christ. But I didn't know the other stuff was false. He showed me.

The knowing increased. The 'guides' would have them ask if I had questions. But at some point I didn't. And I knew when she was speaking and when the spirit was speaking through her. I didn't understand why I did at the time but now I do.

One day the Lord led me to Leviticus 19:31 and Deuteronomy 18:9-12. I read them both and began to ponder. I remember being in the kitchen at the sink and said aloud, "If this is true...this cannot be true." And I heard a voice that said, "Oh s* she knows."

That's when everything changed. He opened my understanding completely and I never looked back. This is the primary reason I had to relinquish my friendships. I loved them dearly. But they were into things that would cause spiritual intrusions. I had to undo a lot of stuff they did trying to help me. It created bondage. I don't believe they knew that personally. But the spirits did.

~bella

TruthSeek3r said:

Spiritual experiences can play a very important role in shaping an individual's worldview and religious convictions. Just a single profound mystical experience can dramatically change a person's entire view on life and be the turning point that leads them to embrace an entirely new religious path. Without going too far, the best example in my opinion can be found in Christianity itself, in the conversion of the Apostle Paul, who went from persecuting the Church to becoming the greatest Apostle of all time, all because he had a dramatic "Road to Damascus" encounter (Acts 9).

But spiritual experiences are not exclusive to Christianity. People have reported profound spiritual experiences in all sorts of religions. And people who have had these experiences usually interpret them as evidence and confirmation of the truthfulness of the religion they follow. Of course, whether this interpretative leap is justified or not is a whole different question, but the fact remains that many anchor their religious beliefs in profound experiences they've had throughout their spiritual walks.

And this brings me to the question in the title: How should Christians approach the evangelization of a person who has deep convictions about a different religion because of profound spiritual experiences they've had while following said religion? How to argue against a strong conviction that comes from a profound spiritual experience someone has had in another religion?

______________________

Appendix: examples of spiritual experiences in other religions

1) Hinduism, Buddhism and Eastern Spirituality in general

• Kundalini awakening
• Samadhi
• Siddhis

2) New Age spirituality

• Astral projection
• Reiki
• Communication with spirit guides and other entities
• Manifesting their own reality (Law of Attraction)
• Mystical experiences through the consumption of psychedelic drugs: ayahuasca, DMT, mushrooms, etc.

3) Witchcraft & the Occult

• Magic: spell casting, etc.

4) Mormonism

• Inner witness of the Holy Spirit authenticating the Book of Mormon

Click to expand...

Speak little, pray mostly.

Michael Collum said:

Speak little, pray mostly.

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God sits on His throne and you upon the earth, so let your words be few. Proverbs

Jesus is my Superhero said:

God sits on His throne and you upon the earth, so let your words be few. Proverbs

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People have less patience than God, so speaking less than you pray is still a good idea.

The writings of St. Justin Martyr (2nd century) are good for this, as it is in them that we find foundational ideas concerning our religion's relation to other belief systems, and people who believe in those systems. He tells us that preexisting non-Christian religions, though they are not the way, still point to the way, containing what he calls "seeds of the Word", that is to say, seeds of Jesus Christ foretold.

We can and should still say the same, since the idea that anyone should come to us in a hermetically sealed bubble of ignorance is probably not very realistic. So we build from what our friend knows, showing how our religion is the fulfillment of all things, as God fills all in all.

It can be difficult if you have a very committed believer in something else, or perhaps even more difficult with modern people who generally are not firm believers in much of anything, and embrace instead a kind of omni-theology (or quasi-theology) which takes what they personally like from Christianity, Judaism, maybe Hinduism, Islam, or whatever. We know that such a mixture can be neither fish nor fowl, but we still must work with the people where they are, and not where we would instead like them to be. It is as St. Paul said to the pagan Greeks (we worship a God Who is known), so that we may hear the same response as the great saint did from some in attendance: "We shall hear from you again..."