hi, i was just reading the site and i saw a post that said if you ask god to reveal himself to you he will, well how are you supposed to recognized his sign and not pass it off as a coincidence. I think it would best help if someone could give me of an example of when god revealed himself to them.
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recognizing god
- Thread starter thepretender
- Start date
Well I'll tell you how I became a Christian.
I was raised in a Christian family but it never really clicked. There was a time in 1995 when there was this thing called the Toronto blessing and even in England God was really pouring His Spirit upon everyone. Every sunday almost the whole church would be flat out on the floor experiencing the Spirit. My Dad would arrive at home 3 hours later because he had been filled with the Spirit. But it wasn't happening with me. I ended up thinking people were just foolish and just getting caught up in something that wasn't there. So my reason for disbelieving was because I had not experienced what they were experiencing. After a while I doubted the whole of Christianity and thought to myself 'this is phony'. So I decided that I wasn't going to follow it and go on by myself. I did this for about 3 years but I got pretty depressed with life but didn't believe that it was because I without God (Christians can get depressed anyway, so its not only non believers).
Then one year I went to a Christian camp which has about 30,000 christians there worshipping God, its great fun but I just went to see friends. However, during the week it was night and I was sat in a circle with my friends. Then I saw two guys walking towards us. I was wondering why they were coming towards us. Then one of them said 'I was told by God that there is a demon in an area a few hundred yards away'. The area was a woodland clearing which had a path leading to a shed. I again thought this is a joke. But he said to me do you believe that this is true and for some reason I said 'well yeah'. He then asked for our torch and walked down to the path with his friend. They took a few minutes and walked back. Both looked pretty scared. They said that while they were walking down the torch, which had pretty full batteries, kept flickering. It turned off randomly and then turned on. While they were getting closer to the shed the torch completely turned off and they were unable to turn it on. However, this wasn't the worst thing. They were scared out of their wits, the closer the got to the shed the more pain they felt. They said it was the most scary thing they have ever felt. These guys were about 20 and I thought that they wouldn't get scared by much. Then they asked me to go and see. So I thought, 'yeah I'm cool, I'll go and do it'. So I walked the same path and exactly the same events happened. It was the most petrifiying thing ever to happen to me. So after the event I went back to my caravan and thought that I have just felt something that I didn't think was possible. From then on I believed that there things we couldn't see. So the next night I went to a christian seminar thing and it was a worship time. Basically, I said to God 'OK, Lord I really believe in You, I really want to know You, please help me.' Then I got filled with the Holy Spirit. I lost all concerns and pains that were in me and felt a complete peace. Another strange thing that happened to me where that my eyelids were moving so fast. From then on I knew that God was real because after asking Him to come into my life He showed me Himself.
That's not the end of it. I have also called for God to appear to me and then He sent a real hot heat through my body until I had to stop recieving. God has also talked to me and provided me with visions and dreams. So it's not as if I have been convinced by one thing. Also, I asked for the gift of tongues. I seeked God with a thirsty heart and got filled with the Spirit to the point where I was almost on the floor in awe of God. After a while words came out of mouth, words that I have never heard of before. I was talking in tongues for about 20 minutes, it was amazing. I have experienced God now for 4 years and 4 years of experiencing God isn't coincedence. I have seen God pour His Spirit on people in so many ways. He is awesome.
So my advice to you is that if you want to experience God, be in faith that you will hear from Him and be thirsty. In the Bible it says 'Knock and then door will be opened to you'. You can scratch the door or stroke it but God is waiting for you to really hit the door so He knows that you really want to know Him.
Hobo
I was raised in a Christian family but it never really clicked. There was a time in 1995 when there was this thing called the Toronto blessing and even in England God was really pouring His Spirit upon everyone. Every sunday almost the whole church would be flat out on the floor experiencing the Spirit. My Dad would arrive at home 3 hours later because he had been filled with the Spirit. But it wasn't happening with me. I ended up thinking people were just foolish and just getting caught up in something that wasn't there. So my reason for disbelieving was because I had not experienced what they were experiencing. After a while I doubted the whole of Christianity and thought to myself 'this is phony'. So I decided that I wasn't going to follow it and go on by myself. I did this for about 3 years but I got pretty depressed with life but didn't believe that it was because I without God (Christians can get depressed anyway, so its not only non believers).
Then one year I went to a Christian camp which has about 30,000 christians there worshipping God, its great fun but I just went to see friends. However, during the week it was night and I was sat in a circle with my friends. Then I saw two guys walking towards us. I was wondering why they were coming towards us. Then one of them said 'I was told by God that there is a demon in an area a few hundred yards away'. The area was a woodland clearing which had a path leading to a shed. I again thought this is a joke. But he said to me do you believe that this is true and for some reason I said 'well yeah'. He then asked for our torch and walked down to the path with his friend. They took a few minutes and walked back. Both looked pretty scared. They said that while they were walking down the torch, which had pretty full batteries, kept flickering. It turned off randomly and then turned on. While they were getting closer to the shed the torch completely turned off and they were unable to turn it on. However, this wasn't the worst thing. They were scared out of their wits, the closer the got to the shed the more pain they felt. They said it was the most scary thing they have ever felt. These guys were about 20 and I thought that they wouldn't get scared by much. Then they asked me to go and see. So I thought, 'yeah I'm cool, I'll go and do it'. So I walked the same path and exactly the same events happened. It was the most petrifiying thing ever to happen to me. So after the event I went back to my caravan and thought that I have just felt something that I didn't think was possible. From then on I believed that there things we couldn't see. So the next night I went to a christian seminar thing and it was a worship time. Basically, I said to God 'OK, Lord I really believe in You, I really want to know You, please help me.' Then I got filled with the Holy Spirit. I lost all concerns and pains that were in me and felt a complete peace. Another strange thing that happened to me where that my eyelids were moving so fast. From then on I knew that God was real because after asking Him to come into my life He showed me Himself.
That's not the end of it. I have also called for God to appear to me and then He sent a real hot heat through my body until I had to stop recieving. God has also talked to me and provided me with visions and dreams. So it's not as if I have been convinced by one thing. Also, I asked for the gift of tongues. I seeked God with a thirsty heart and got filled with the Spirit to the point where I was almost on the floor in awe of God. After a while words came out of mouth, words that I have never heard of before. I was talking in tongues for about 20 minutes, it was amazing. I have experienced God now for 4 years and 4 years of experiencing God isn't coincedence. I have seen God pour His Spirit on people in so many ways. He is awesome.
So my advice to you is that if you want to experience God, be in faith that you will hear from Him and be thirsty. In the Bible it says 'Knock and then door will be opened to you'. You can scratch the door or stroke it but God is waiting for you to really hit the door so He knows that you really want to know Him.
Hobo
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God actually reveals Himself in millions ways.The next time you open your eyes,try to figure out who designed the human eye.And then there are all those uniquely designed snow flakes out there.But you're looking for a more personal revelation aren't you?Well there are a couple ways that can occur - your call or God's call.After a peson receives the baptism of the Holy Spirit which is an absolute requirement for salvation (John 3:3-9) God sometimes reveals information to people in order to help others.As an example,I was contacted by a young girl who was being abused by her father but she was afraid to leave her home.The Holy Spirit put the name BOYS AND GIRLS TOWN (all you Protestant bigots out there should know this is a Catholic organization)in my mind.In fact even as I am typing these words,the Holy Spirit is confirming to me that this referral came from God Himself rather than from my mind.So I passed the name on to the girl.I don't know anyone else who could help her because of her circumstances.
God will also reveal Himself to us according to our instructions.For instance,wanting God's opinion on an extremely popular American sport - war - I kept praying and asking God to reveal to me His position on this cultural fad.One day,the name SERMON ON THE MOUNT kept going through my mind for no explainable reason (the key factor to know you're being contacted by God)Since I had no idea what the words meant,and since I was getting bugged by the repitition of the words over and over and over in my mind I finally looked the words up in an old bible - in the alphabetical index.Wait a minute,old bibles don't have an alphabetical index.Well this one did when I picked it up,but several weeks later,it didn't,having been returned to it's orginal
condition.But on the day God directed me to it,it told me exactly what page to turn to.And there I found some astonishing teachings of Jesus that I had never heard before.Like LOVE YOUR ENEMY,DO GOOD TO THOSE WHO HATE YOU,and BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS.
It's also possible to ask God to reveal His will to you by creating a sign that you yourself invent,something unusual, so if it appears,you'll know it's from God rather than something that just happened by chance.The sign can be anything from your imagination,but don't overwork this one.God will comply with your request but this one takes alot of faith and persistent prayer to get action on.
The bottom line is that contrary to some people's beliefs,God does respond to us personally if we have the faith and patience necessary for a custom-built personally autographed answer from the Almighty Himself.
God will also reveal Himself to us according to our instructions.For instance,wanting God's opinion on an extremely popular American sport - war - I kept praying and asking God to reveal to me His position on this cultural fad.One day,the name SERMON ON THE MOUNT kept going through my mind for no explainable reason (the key factor to know you're being contacted by God)Since I had no idea what the words meant,and since I was getting bugged by the repitition of the words over and over and over in my mind I finally looked the words up in an old bible - in the alphabetical index.Wait a minute,old bibles don't have an alphabetical index.Well this one did when I picked it up,but several weeks later,it didn't,having been returned to it's orginal
condition.But on the day God directed me to it,it told me exactly what page to turn to.And there I found some astonishing teachings of Jesus that I had never heard before.Like LOVE YOUR ENEMY,DO GOOD TO THOSE WHO HATE YOU,and BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS.
It's also possible to ask God to reveal His will to you by creating a sign that you yourself invent,something unusual, so if it appears,you'll know it's from God rather than something that just happened by chance.The sign can be anything from your imagination,but don't overwork this one.God will comply with your request but this one takes alot of faith and persistent prayer to get action on.
The bottom line is that contrary to some people's beliefs,God does respond to us personally if we have the faith and patience necessary for a custom-built personally autographed answer from the Almighty Himself.
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Rafael
Only time enough for love
The revelation and recognition of God is as simple as seeing the life and awesome design that surrounds us each day and second we have of this gift of life. The power that binds our conscience and being together along with ths dimension and universe is recognizable to those that have eyes of faith. For some reason, sin makes man proud enough to think that by reason of waking up in the morning to life they have created the world before themselves, making them blind by their pride and lack of humility. This is the pride of life and the blindness we, as a race, have inherited along with death from Adam. True faith comes from God, and true sight comes from that faith He is the author and finisher of. The only ones that demanded a sign from God in the Bible were those that had already made up their minds and were wicked. Jesus would not respond to demand then, and probably does not today, but does according to His own perfect will. He is the creator, after all.
This is why humbling oneself, bowing the knee, and asking God for eyes that see by faith is necessary. Ask and receive; knock and the door will be opened.
Matthew 16:1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.
Matthew 16:4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.
Romans 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
This is why humbling oneself, bowing the knee, and asking God for eyes that see by faith is necessary. Ask and receive; knock and the door will be opened.
Matthew 16:1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.
Matthew 16:4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.
Romans 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
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HeatherJay
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The Bible says that God will reveal Himself to those who EARNESTLY seek Him. If your heart is true and you earnestly search for God...God, not proof of God...that's where you'll find your personal 'evidence'.
Love, Heather
Love, Heather
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thepretender,
Be careful. God is not the only spiritual being who is able to give you signs and wonders. An spiritual experience can come from the devil.
I was on my way home, a 1000 miles away. I was worried about driving with 6 kids by myself. Suddenly I felt what can only be described as a "ping" in my belly {where your spirit lives, do not ask about this, I really can not explain it} and I immeadiately heard in my mind that I was going tio crash or the car was going to get wrecked or something else.
I became very fearful but I kept praying. Logically it did not make sense to me, because why would God tell me about an accident about to happen, when He could prevent it from happening? God does not usually warn me about preventable things. He warns me about preventable sins but not usually things like that which are out of my control.
So I prayed with fear and trembling and went home. Of course nothing happenned. I was completely fine and would end up making this same trip of 1000 miles 2 more times. Altogether 5 times and nothing ever happenned. The trips and the destinations were great blessings to me and my children.
That is just a warning against trusting all spirits. I have problems with this to this day. God has given me dreams that I am arrogant against demon spirits. I used to be terrified of them because I can see them so clearly. Well after much self-therapy {preaching the word to myself} and much repeated chanting {I rebuke you in the name of Jesus} I then went from terror of them to arrogance about them and began to spiritually ignore them. That is when God showed me in a dream, seeing some demons and arrogantly turning my back on them, like your nothing for me to worry about and not even bothering to rebuke them or pray about them. So be real careful about what "spirit" is talking to you.
If the Spirit does not refer you to the bible, then it is not of God.
As far as signs from God Himself. They would be far too numerous to list here. The more you walk in faith the more you will see them.
Be careful. God is not the only spiritual being who is able to give you signs and wonders. An spiritual experience can come from the devil.
I was on my way home, a 1000 miles away. I was worried about driving with 6 kids by myself. Suddenly I felt what can only be described as a "ping" in my belly {where your spirit lives, do not ask about this, I really can not explain it} and I immeadiately heard in my mind that I was going tio crash or the car was going to get wrecked or something else.
I became very fearful but I kept praying. Logically it did not make sense to me, because why would God tell me about an accident about to happen, when He could prevent it from happening? God does not usually warn me about preventable things. He warns me about preventable sins but not usually things like that which are out of my control.
So I prayed with fear and trembling and went home. Of course nothing happenned. I was completely fine and would end up making this same trip of 1000 miles 2 more times. Altogether 5 times and nothing ever happenned. The trips and the destinations were great blessings to me and my children.
That is just a warning against trusting all spirits. I have problems with this to this day. God has given me dreams that I am arrogant against demon spirits. I used to be terrified of them because I can see them so clearly. Well after much self-therapy {preaching the word to myself} and much repeated chanting {I rebuke you in the name of Jesus} I then went from terror of them to arrogance about them and began to spiritually ignore them. That is when God showed me in a dream, seeing some demons and arrogantly turning my back on them, like your nothing for me to worry about and not even bothering to rebuke them or pray about them. So be real careful about what "spirit" is talking to you.
If the Spirit does not refer you to the bible, then it is not of God.
As far as signs from God Himself. They would be far too numerous to list here. The more you walk in faith the more you will see them.
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I have always said different people have different experience,thepretender said:
You see as God tells us He is who He is,
by this in the Hebrew it also tell us He will be who He will be
So to does He apply this to us, He tell us we are ourselves, and the people we are to be.
Ok I bet your wondering now what this has to do with your question?
What trying to be explained is that there no one way he manifests himself.
He is who He is and He reacts on you in a special way, your own special manifestation, this special relationship can not be explained because it has no beginning and no end, it simply is what it is. If it doesnt work, it was not suppose to work!(God does not fail!)
You must also realize that what constituted asking, simply getting down on you knees and praying may not be enough, God demands as special request from you as he gives unto you. It is what it is
Also I think you should know, that asking God to manifest himself is perhaps not to know God, The best way is to open your eyes and ask question, allow the question to build and the question shall come froth and around and all come the same conclusion, God is everywhere all you must do is open you eyes and start seeing the light from the dark.
Ke'th
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I would like to share how God revealed himself to me in a time of extreme distress.
I'm going to skim the details a little for decency's sake. My husband abused my daughter and went to jail for it. During the time immediately following the discovery of the abuse and a few weeks following, I burned with white hot rage. That began to burn itself out, and I started to feel very uneasy. What I discovered was that my uneasiness was due to the fact that when I married, I meant it! This man was my family. My daughter was safe. I was safe. That left him. I chose to forgive him. (This does not mean that I would bring him back into my house if he were out of prison.. just that I sought to love his soul and to show him that a love like that of Christ did in fact exist.) Anyway.. this forgiveness I showed him infuriated my friends and family. Alot. I was accused of taking his side over that of my daughter.. of slapping her in the face. All kinds of horrible things.
One day, I was alone in my apartment packing. His arrest left me minus about 2/3 of the family income, so I had to move. I was starting to feel some doubt about my decision. I wouldn't say I was intentionally praying.. but I was pacing my apartment "talking to myself." I knew that God was real and would provide for me, but I desperately wanted to know that I was on the right track. I was saying things like "What if they're all right and I'm wrong about this." I was quite upset. I decided to sit down and watch the episode of wrestling that I'd recorded a few days before but hadn't yet watched. (I know.. not exactly the most wholesome entertainment
) Wrestling fans take signs when they go to the shows. Usually they say things having to do with different wrestlers' catch phrases or who they do and don't like. As I was watching, still upset, something caught my eye during one of the matches. It was a sign that popped up in the audience. It said "Christi is right." A most unusual sign to see at a wrestling event! More unusual is that Christi is my name.. and that's how I spell it! You could call that a coincidence, but I don't. I was rewarded for my faith with reassurance within minutes of my asking to know if I was on the right track.
Anyway.. my point is that God can use anything to reveal himself. You just have to be looking. He can and does use anything he wants to accomplish his purpose. In my case, his purpose was to encourage me to keep up my attitude of forgiveness. As a result, (at least partially) three people came to know Jesus.
I'm going to skim the details a little for decency's sake. My husband abused my daughter and went to jail for it. During the time immediately following the discovery of the abuse and a few weeks following, I burned with white hot rage. That began to burn itself out, and I started to feel very uneasy. What I discovered was that my uneasiness was due to the fact that when I married, I meant it! This man was my family. My daughter was safe. I was safe. That left him. I chose to forgive him. (This does not mean that I would bring him back into my house if he were out of prison.. just that I sought to love his soul and to show him that a love like that of Christ did in fact exist.) Anyway.. this forgiveness I showed him infuriated my friends and family. Alot. I was accused of taking his side over that of my daughter.. of slapping her in the face. All kinds of horrible things.
One day, I was alone in my apartment packing. His arrest left me minus about 2/3 of the family income, so I had to move. I was starting to feel some doubt about my decision. I wouldn't say I was intentionally praying.. but I was pacing my apartment "talking to myself." I knew that God was real and would provide for me, but I desperately wanted to know that I was on the right track. I was saying things like "What if they're all right and I'm wrong about this." I was quite upset. I decided to sit down and watch the episode of wrestling that I'd recorded a few days before but hadn't yet watched. (I know.. not exactly the most wholesome entertainment
) Wrestling fans take signs when they go to the shows. Usually they say things having to do with different wrestlers' catch phrases or who they do and don't like. As I was watching, still upset, something caught my eye during one of the matches. It was a sign that popped up in the audience. It said "Christi is right." A most unusual sign to see at a wrestling event! More unusual is that Christi is my name.. and that's how I spell it! You could call that a coincidence, but I don't. I was rewarded for my faith with reassurance within minutes of my asking to know if I was on the right track. Anyway.. my point is that God can use anything to reveal himself. You just have to be looking. He can and does use anything he wants to accomplish his purpose. In my case, his purpose was to encourage me to keep up my attitude of forgiveness. As a result, (at least partially) three people came to know Jesus.
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