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Psychic Abilities
- Thread starter Tobias
- Start date
Why? Why do we always assume that spirits are doing someone else's bidding?
I know I walk around each day doing mostly what I want. I am a citizen of the USA, but I am not specifically doing the bidding of the president... ever!
As also a member of the Kingdom of Heaven, I still have free will. I can choose to accept an assignment from God, or simply never make myself available. If I accept an assignment, then there are additional requirements that I fulfill the assignment faithfully, or I will be in trouble.
Why can't the same system apply to the angels who are also in God's Kingdom? That they get to choose whether or not they want to fulfill an assignment (similar to the situation above where some chose to be lying spirits to Ahab).
What I have noticed, is that both people and angels who are on assignment from God (carrying either His message or to perform a task) carry an anointing of His Glory as a signature mark of God's approval. These same individuals when not on assignment are simply whoever they simply are: some beautiful creatures in their own right and some are more rough around the edges.
Most humans however, are neither a part of God's kingdom nor of Satan's. I do not know where we seem to get the idea that every spirit out there is an angel, and is either a robot serving God or a robot serving Satan. We know that, just like humans, the Judgement for angels is yet to come. So why do we reject the concept of free will for angelic beings? Or that there might be numerous other types of spirits that are neither angel nor human, and who can most certainly be unaligned from either God or Satan?
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Are they of God, of the Devil, or could they be natural born abilities of Man?
I guess it all depends upon what we define as psychic abilities. Obviously someone who is in the business and takes on the identity of "A Psychic" is using enhanced abilities fueled by spirits that are not in league with God. But there is a big difference between being psychic and being A Psychic. Just like there is a difference between prophesying and being A Prophet.
There are also quite a number of psychic abilities, which are not necessarily all relate so perhaps the rules don't apply the same to all situations. But just for starters (especially for those who are unfamiliar and don't yet understand what I'm talking about), the major psychic abilities coincide with the 5 physical senses. Those who can see things in the spirit realm are called "clairvoyant." Those who hear things in the spirit realm are "clairaudient". Clairsentience is feeling, and there are others for smelling and tasting. "Clair" meaning "clear", and "voyant" meaning "vision", "audient" meaning "auditory"... I think it's origins are in the French language. There are dozens of others, namely precognizance and claircognizance (knowing the future and knowing facts for no explainable reason), but I think thats a pretty good foundation to get this discussion started.
Personally I think the major psychic abilities are similar to artistic abilities and are natural to Man. Not everybody has them in equal amounts. Artists can relate to musicians and poets, but each of the fine arts are their own thing, and either you have what it takes to make it in those fields or you don't. Same goes for the senses that allow us to perceive things in the spirit realm. On some level they are each an ability and a form of art, and most people that have them operate in more than one, but each is unique in it's own right.
What usually happens though is we are inspired by unseen forces whether we want to or not. Many artists look for their muse, which often times is a spirit that enhances their natural abilities and makes their work stand out. People with psychic abilities do the same. In Church we are taught to listen for the voice of God, so those who see, hear, feel, smell, sense the future, or just know stuff can be influenced accordingly by the Kingdom of Heaven. Those who want to use their abilities for the other side (often without realizing it), might tune their senses in to spirits of the dead, spirit guides, or pagan gods. Go to a church of Spiritualism and they will teach you how to become a medium, which essentially is being a prophet for the dead.
As a musician I have learned how to yield my talent to the HS and allow inspired worship to flow through me. As someone who's clairaudient I have learned how to tune into the voice of my God and be obedient to Him, and how to speak on His behalf to other people. But I have also learned how to hear quite a number of other spirits, some appear to be rather neutral and some are clearly not. But just like when I'm playing guitar, the talent is my own unless I am inspired by other forces.
I guess where I'm making the distinction is the difference between the ability to HEAR God, and yielding to Him. Many hear His call, but few answer. Or on the flip side, hearing spirits and yielding to them instead. For those with the natural born ability, the hearing part happens regardless. But just like everything else in life, we choose whether we submit our talents to God or not.
An ancient spiritual wise man
once said…zealously seek the spiritual gifts … 1 Cor 14:1 … especially the gift of prophecy.
That same man said to test the spirit.
The above assumes those abilities can be accessed and cultivated.
It also assumes that there are counterfeits.
There are 3 wills to choose from. God's will… man's will … satan's will.
Jesus demonstrated the above in his interaction with Peter. On one occasion Jesus told Peter that God had revealed the words Peter spoke... "You are the Christ" ...on another occasion Jesus looked at Peter square in the eye and said "get behind me satan".
...Bible says that one of the things that Jesus did as a direct result of his victory over satan was to "give gifts to men" He took all that satan had stolen when he gained access to Adam's power to rule the Earth... through Adam's sin … and restored it to us. Paul, the Apostle encourages us to take hold of those gifts and learn to use them wisely. He clearly states that all of the gifts, in order to be used correctly, first and foremost require an understanding of love.
Satan can counterfeit the real deal… and people do get deceived.
I have found that the key to accuracy is to keep myself humble before God.
Jesus had authority because he was under authority. He is the example of how it works for us. Jesus said that everything he did came directly out of his love relationship with his Father. Perfect love always drives out satan and his minions. I keep first things first… "enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise". satan cannot follow you there and it is the place where the Holy Spirit will meet a person with the power to overwhelm the darkness.
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It is clear from the Bible that magic and fortune telling, etc are forbidden. If you do such it is on you. Spreading deception is something you will answer for.
If it is a gift of the spirit then it should be in submission to the body of Christ. Who are you in submission to? No one I suspect. How is the church edified?
If it is a gift of the spirit then it should be in submission to the body of Christ. Who are you in submission to? No one I suspect. How is the church edified?
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Isn't that exactly what denominations that teach the spiritual gifts have ceased are doing?
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We are all under the headship of Yeshua, not a local church board. Most of the times I had major gifts operating through me I was living far from my home church while in the military living clear across the country.
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Because I understand the hierarchy of the enemy realm. Spirits serve under principalities that allow them out to influence the world. They are sent on assignments by those over them in authority. Basically this is how different spells work in witchcraft. They summon specific types of spirits to do the function they want.
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I don't even acknowledge that any evil spirits are angels. They are just spirits, bodies entities. The major principalities are generally spirits of dead Nephilim whereas angels already have an immortal body.
Now can Yah's angels come to earth with just their spirit? Of course just as we can be caught up into heaven in our spirit. A spirit can be separated from the body.
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The problem I run into constantly is that people who have the natural ability to perceive the spiritual realm feel expelled from being Christians. They hear it constantly that they cannot be Christians unless they find a way to make it stop. So, they are forced to seek out other religions and forms of spiritual guidance, because Christianity does not welcome them.
It used to be a great honor to be the type of person who could perceive the spiritual realm. But in today's society, we are all taught that if we just ignore it, it will go away. Which as a matter of fact, does tend to work for most of us most of the time. The spiritual realm can be ignored, and we can manage to keep our attentions purely on the physical world around us. But is that God's command, or simply Man's solution to eliminate the realities of God's Kingdom out of our lives?
Some people are hypersensitive to the spiritual realm, and cannot find a way to shut it of. Doctors offer them drugs. so that they can be "normal" like the rest of us. It's like all of society is blind, so the solution for those who can see is to give them blinders or pluck out their eyes just so they can be like everybody else! Because... being normal is ever so important...
It really bothers me that people unwilling to take drastic measures to shut off their connection to the spiritual realm feel they cannot be Christians. They feel accepted by most any other religion (except perhaps Islam), and have to choose between witchcraft, paganism, New Age, Buddhism, Hinduism, Spiritualism, or any of the other isms that are out there in competition with Christianity in the West.
Why can't they remain Christians? Doesn't Jesus have answers for ALL who seek Him? Where does the Bible teach us that we must take drugs to shut off any connection we may have to the spiritual realm, even when that includes making it so we can no longer hear the voice of the Holy Spirit as well?
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Well yeah. That is how it works with some spirits. But it's a real leap to assume that is how it works with every spirit.
When I was very active in spiritual warfare I would have agreed with you; because it seems like that was the only type of spirit I'd meet. But after God had me quit going on the offense and lower my defenses, I started seeing that there is a whole 'nother world out there besides what little I knew as a warrior.
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Have you read “Needless Casualties of War” by John Paul Jackson? Just wondering what your thoughts were on it.
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PersephonesTear
Junior Member
I'm pretty much in agreement with most of what Tobias has said in this thread so far. Taking an extreme God vs. Demonic ONLY view toward all things that seem kinda spiritual is kinda heavy handed.
It's also easy to mistake things that are totally within the realm of the natural for something that is spiritual or supernatural. Empathy, for example, has been mentioned. Humans are naturally empathetic, some more than others. I'm on the extreme high end of that, to the point that I can sense and feel what other people are feeling. I don't for one second believe this is spiritual. It has to do with noticing and interpreting subtle clues in others' behavior, mannerisms, speech patterns, tones of voice... and a whole lot of other things that you don't consciously process. But you still process it, and that's where you get your "gut feelings" about that person from.
Similarly, there are subtle cues in our natural environment that some of us interpret and process as easily as if it is second nature that others may miss. That might look like a supernatural ability to someone who doesn't get it, but that doesn't mean it is.
And yes, there are those who are also more sensitive to spiritual things. A subtle touch can do a world of good, and plowing through any spirit that gets in your way, warrior-style, can cause harm. Discernment is needed.
It's also easy to mistake things that are totally within the realm of the natural for something that is spiritual or supernatural. Empathy, for example, has been mentioned. Humans are naturally empathetic, some more than others. I'm on the extreme high end of that, to the point that I can sense and feel what other people are feeling. I don't for one second believe this is spiritual. It has to do with noticing and interpreting subtle clues in others' behavior, mannerisms, speech patterns, tones of voice... and a whole lot of other things that you don't consciously process. But you still process it, and that's where you get your "gut feelings" about that person from.
Similarly, there are subtle cues in our natural environment that some of us interpret and process as easily as if it is second nature that others may miss. That might look like a supernatural ability to someone who doesn't get it, but that doesn't mean it is.
And yes, there are those who are also more sensitive to spiritual things. A subtle touch can do a world of good, and plowing through any spirit that gets in your way, warrior-style, can cause harm. Discernment is needed.
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As a teenager I was taught that God wanted to speak to me, and that all I needed to do was listen to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit to hear Him. I soon realized that this system was working quite well for me, and asked God what I should do about sharing what He was doing in my life with others. I knew that constantly going around telling people "God told me to do this" would only make me sound like a crazy person. But really, is there a limit on how much of our lives we are supposed to submit to Him?
He reminded me of the story of Joseph, and how his brothers got jealous when he told them his dreams. And how his father rebuked him for telling his brothers, which is what led to him being sold into slavery. I felt God showing me that I needed to be silent when it came to revealing the full extent of how much I was following His leading. So I learned how to give the people close to me other reasons for what I did besides blurting out; "God told me so" every time they asked. As it turns out, He would always give me some of His reasons for having me do it, which I could then use as my own justification for pursuing the choices that I made.
This system worked fine for a couple decades; with people rarely finding out how much I leaned upon the wisdom of God. Except that more and more, it felt like I was being dishonest. I remember briefly speaking with a police officer one day, not in an official way, but just in passing. And somehow I knew that he could tell that I was a person with many secrets to hide. This troubled me, because I never meant to become a liar. My intentions were purely to be obedient to God's advice on keeping things hidden till their proper time. The few times I was permitted to step out in open obedience to the Spirit, it felt like such a relief to be open and honest. The things would always go back the way they were, with me obeying Him quietly from the sidelines.
Working from the sidelines has been rewarding for me. Those in the spotlight have so many other troubles and temptations, I don't care to ever have to endure them. As long as God is pleased and His Kingdom is furthered, I'm fine. I keep trying to find a happy medium between being silent about what He's done for me, and becoming dishonest through omission. More and more I feel His good pleasure through me telling of the things God has done for me, so perhaps there is a right time for that too.
I guess it's all a delicate balance, and getting things right takes just as much care as I've always had to apply to follow Him all these years up till now. Moving forward doesn't look like it will be any different!
He reminded me of the story of Joseph, and how his brothers got jealous when he told them his dreams. And how his father rebuked him for telling his brothers, which is what led to him being sold into slavery. I felt God showing me that I needed to be silent when it came to revealing the full extent of how much I was following His leading. So I learned how to give the people close to me other reasons for what I did besides blurting out; "God told me so" every time they asked. As it turns out, He would always give me some of His reasons for having me do it, which I could then use as my own justification for pursuing the choices that I made.
This system worked fine for a couple decades; with people rarely finding out how much I leaned upon the wisdom of God. Except that more and more, it felt like I was being dishonest. I remember briefly speaking with a police officer one day, not in an official way, but just in passing. And somehow I knew that he could tell that I was a person with many secrets to hide. This troubled me, because I never meant to become a liar. My intentions were purely to be obedient to God's advice on keeping things hidden till their proper time. The few times I was permitted to step out in open obedience to the Spirit, it felt like such a relief to be open and honest. The things would always go back the way they were, with me obeying Him quietly from the sidelines.
Working from the sidelines has been rewarding for me. Those in the spotlight have so many other troubles and temptations, I don't care to ever have to endure them. As long as God is pleased and His Kingdom is furthered, I'm fine. I keep trying to find a happy medium between being silent about what He's done for me, and becoming dishonest through omission. More and more I feel His good pleasure through me telling of the things God has done for me, so perhaps there is a right time for that too.
I guess it's all a delicate balance, and getting things right takes just as much care as I've always had to apply to follow Him all these years up till now. Moving forward doesn't look like it will be any different!
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psychic abilities = being led by the carnal mind which is not the mind of Jesus Christ but is in fact the blindness satan has put in man's mind to keep him from God ways and God's knowledge.
Sure, there will appear to be some good things in psychic abilities as satan seeks to use this to deceive. If he doesn't use some good in with his deception... then everyone would run to Jesus since nobody in their right mind wants evil.
And no, the gifts of the Holy Spirit are not psychic abilities
Sure, there will appear to be some good things in psychic abilities as satan seeks to use this to deceive. If he doesn't use some good in with his deception... then everyone would run to Jesus since nobody in their right mind wants evil.
And no, the gifts of the Holy Spirit are not psychic abilities
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HisSparkPlug
Offspring of a Genius
I agree Yahu!
Why would we rename the gifts of God and call it being 'psychic' or 'clairvoyant' etc? Those are worldly terms used to describe those who get their knowledge from the dark side.
Your entire post here is spot on.
At this link: http://www3.telus.net/trbrooks/LatentPowerofSoul.pdf are 65 pages of a book by Watchman Nee in which he explains the dangers of functioning in psychic power and soul power.. I recommend it.
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