- Jan 23, 2013
- 334
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- United States
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- Single
I will first start another one of these little discussion (which, so far, seems to just be me talking to myself, but that's ok) with the fact my friend used to be a part of the occult. He would do magic, real magic, around games of skill with a small group of people in his hometown that used to convene with demons and demonic activity. He was endowed with what he had at first assumed was the discernment of spirits, which, as he thought would allow him to see demons. He used to observe demonic activity like it was air, however, it was the years with these magic users that caused his gift to flourish and he would have multiple conversations with demons who would promise him things. He would astral project and create meeting spaces in his mind when he slept that he would summon some of his friends to and they'd talk.
I remember one specific time after he had left the cult that we "found" a girl in the park who talked to us and brought us down a winding path and the air became violent until it was surrounding us from all sides. It turns out, she was a psychic with a pretty strong history recruiting for these same people, telling stories of demonic activity to get people to believe and follow her, the result, of course, being that the demon no longer showed up to the park anymore and she went home stripped for a time of her visions.
But I digress. The point of all this is that not all spiritual activity is of the divine and not everything that happens, every voice, every vision, every power, every miracles, supports the plan of God, furthers the message of Jesus, or does good in your life. When getting involved with the spiritual realm it is important to be able to discern between the demonic and the Holy Spirit and only a good time spent with the Lord and in His Bible is sufficient to allow you to discern when a preacher isn't necessarily preaching or doing things from God.
I start this way because I would like to discuss something that has been missing from most people's evangelism, but is very present and consistently preached throughout scripture, and that is the involvement of, not just the conviction of the Holy Spirit, but the finger of God to verify a speaker is from Christ. Now, it is true that in latter times some people will follow lying spirits, and that there will be false signs and wonders, but this is the result of sin and hardened hearts of hypocritical liars, rather than the theology that God will move for His speakers. Many of you, in fact, when preaching about God, have not necessarily had Him move as much as could be possible strictly because of a lack of faith or knowledge of or rightfulness to your words, but not every instance of sharing the gospel will come with an overt miracle, as God delights in those who believe without the need to "see." However, it is also imperative that a difference is made between those that preach a different gospel and those that are approved by God, and so, God also uses miracles still to do that. I am aware it says, "Jews seek for a sign," and "A wicked generation asks for a sign," but I read it in the premise that although they already had the proof they needed, as, the fact is, Jesus was doing many miracles already, they still asked for more and more from God to confirm things because they were unwilling.
So, what has your experience been (not, what do you believe about them)? (Although, if you have had experiences, I would like to know your thoughts on it in where you think God is leading you from it.)
I remember one specific time after he had left the cult that we "found" a girl in the park who talked to us and brought us down a winding path and the air became violent until it was surrounding us from all sides. It turns out, she was a psychic with a pretty strong history recruiting for these same people, telling stories of demonic activity to get people to believe and follow her, the result, of course, being that the demon no longer showed up to the park anymore and she went home stripped for a time of her visions.
But I digress. The point of all this is that not all spiritual activity is of the divine and not everything that happens, every voice, every vision, every power, every miracles, supports the plan of God, furthers the message of Jesus, or does good in your life. When getting involved with the spiritual realm it is important to be able to discern between the demonic and the Holy Spirit and only a good time spent with the Lord and in His Bible is sufficient to allow you to discern when a preacher isn't necessarily preaching or doing things from God.
I start this way because I would like to discuss something that has been missing from most people's evangelism, but is very present and consistently preached throughout scripture, and that is the involvement of, not just the conviction of the Holy Spirit, but the finger of God to verify a speaker is from Christ. Now, it is true that in latter times some people will follow lying spirits, and that there will be false signs and wonders, but this is the result of sin and hardened hearts of hypocritical liars, rather than the theology that God will move for His speakers. Many of you, in fact, when preaching about God, have not necessarily had Him move as much as could be possible strictly because of a lack of faith or knowledge of or rightfulness to your words, but not every instance of sharing the gospel will come with an overt miracle, as God delights in those who believe without the need to "see." However, it is also imperative that a difference is made between those that preach a different gospel and those that are approved by God, and so, God also uses miracles still to do that. I am aware it says, "Jews seek for a sign," and "A wicked generation asks for a sign," but I read it in the premise that although they already had the proof they needed, as, the fact is, Jesus was doing many miracles already, they still asked for more and more from God to confirm things because they were unwilling.
So, what has your experience been (not, what do you believe about them)? (Although, if you have had experiences, I would like to know your thoughts on it in where you think God is leading you from it.)