Informal Chats
Sometimes I am asked to write comments on various things that are not really applicable for a post or article.These are just thoughts, and I don’t mind sharing these bits and pieces to get our thinking going.
The past critics of this revival have interesting points to consider, but it does not detract from the revival having occurred. Worth keeping in mind.
This discourse reflects on the true nature of Christian experiences, noting that while there are genuine encounters with Christ, it can be confusing to differentiate them from experiences that are more intellectual, emotional, or physically exciting, which may not be aligned with Christian teachings. There is pressure to conform within groups, and disagreement on fundamental beliefs can lead to exclusion, often in the name of love. This is seen where deception strengthens false bonds.
I’d like to share some personal experiences, including a troubling dream about demonic spirits binding people. I would stress the importance of seeking genuine experiences from the Holy Spirit, as opposed to seeking spiritual experiences that excite the flesh or are not from God.
I also discuss the dangers of demonic encounters disguised as Christian experiences, such as people offering healing through demonic power, claiming to have special knowledge, or attractive deceptive teachings that prioritise personal methods or rituals over the true work of the Holy Spirit, highlighting the importance of discernment. I reflect on personal experiences with people who, despite appearing Christian, have deviated from Christ’s teachings. In conclusion, there is the need for a discerning spirit to recognize true Christian fellowship and reject counterfeit spiritual experiences.
As we encounter false Spiritual teachings or experiences, we become alerted. Then when reading the scriptures, or listening to mature Christian sources, we see plainly why those things are false and dangerous to the soul and spirit. In other words, we wait upon God, we see how we are reacting inwardly, and then see some clear things to back up our understanding. If not given the opportunity to do this, we may be misled.
There are genuine aspects of Christ we experience during our lives, but the question has always been what/which experiences. We receive teaching of course, such as fundamentals of Christianity, or the qualities and characteristics of the Lord.
However, as the pathway to follow is narrow, it is easy to have confusion as we wade through real issues constantly around us. Some may be side-tracked by a desire to experience intellectual, physical and emotional excitement that are outside day-to-day experiences, then viewing those experiences as what Christianity is, what should be the norm – even if struggling to replicate those let alone successfully in the long-run with others.
We also experience pressure to conform in groups. This is a very strong power. When we disagree on critical fundamentals, or instructions required, we may be removed from such a group, of course in the name of love and what is best for us in the Lord. This tragic experience occurs all the time in cults, where bonds of deception are strengthened.
I once had a dream where many people were at a gala event in Victorian costume in a huge stately ballroom. As I went to walk up a staircase, I noticed a panel in the wall that I pushed open. Inside were cubicles with demonic spirits without any expression, methodically binding people in all sorts of contraptions. These were so complex that it would be impossible to unravel to set the person free. As this was impossible, these entities could do any torture they wanted to the person as they were immobilised with no way of un-entangling themselves. I think it was the worst dream I ever had.
Well, I know of a person who is under bondage to drugs and many other things I cannot mention, but the comments made to me have been chilling. Living in strong darkness continually, is beyond a terrible state. The situation of the man is further entangled as subsequent perversion develops. Imagine a ball of twine that is completely entangled. How true, the later state of the man is worse than the first state.
I have more examples but will refrain.
There are people seeking spiritual experiences that are not from the Holy Spirit. For instance, a non-Christian person conveyed to me an experience with light, and on that basis was not going to look at Christianity. As the bible reminds, Satan can appear as an angel of light. Yet, I hear of a genuine experience with “light”. (The Apostle Paul had blinding light around him.) We do not seek this same experience or advise others they must too. Our experiences must be from the Holy Spirit, not from a questionable position that excites the flesh and which becomes a supposed “norm” under the name of the Holy Spirit. Weaker minds and the flesh coupled to it may seek such experiences. When the Holy Spirit enacts upon a man, he will know it! There is no doubt on that. But you cannot manufacture this. There are of course things we are to do, such as repenting, forgiving, and overcoming sin progressively in the Lord’s help with us, building faith and so forth – hence the fruits of the Spirit in evidence, not galloping all over the Universe with a disembodied spirit. (We are a tightly integrated whole being. Any such spiritual journeys must to be under the power of the Holy Spirit or it is excessively dangerous to the person. And those experiences must be validated in the Body of Christ and tested. A lot more we could say on this.)
This may seem a little demanding to discuss, but let’s look further. We want deeper communion with Christ. We want love, purpose, meaning. We want God’s presence. These inner desires seem to grow. But if we are looking for something else, that is where we will go. It is by a healthy respect of the discerning Spirit Jesus gave us when born of the Spirit that helps us as well.
There are people openly offering healing or words of knowledge about diseases through demonic encounters. One Church member was asked to invite a demonic power into him during this process and all I could say is that it would lead him away from Christ. So, these things are real and out there.
I recall as a youth, there were people who thought they had discovered how to make the Holy Spirit closer to them, and that if they did not do certain things, everyone else would miss out. What underlies these deceptions? It is obviously connected to root causes and historical contexts people experienced, but without a firm denial of deception up front, it sets in like concrete, and thereafter people build their foundation on that reference point. Even when they see it failing, even though it is in the name of the Lord, they may still hold these views their whole life. It does not mean however that the Lord may not chip away at the error, or that they do not experience the Holy Spirit, or even miraculous healing. But it does place a blockage on how people can interact with them and to what extent.
At school, our Chaplain was well received. Over time the Lord would not let me keep contact with him and his ministry. I never understood why it was a definite no. In his final years, a YouTube clip was released where he fully supported freemasonry, on the basis of it being harmless, and simply good male fellowship. Well, in Christ we are meant to have fellowship. Not in something else. This is where the Holy Spirit works with us to cleanse us from our sins and help us grow. Canon Jim Glennon was big on this point. But what I noticed was that his primary dialogues were never about the Holy Spirit, as how could it be, and why were there no YouTube clips on Jesus? Regardless of the endless arguments around these things, it is not acceptable in the spiritual life with Christ to be in freemasonry at all. So, what are we we each doing that needs the work of the Spirit who divides between soul and spirit, flesh and marrow? The knife’s edge is not always pleasant, and if we know a thing is sin, that discomfort should push us on towards repentance or progressive change. Regarding freemasonry, it is a matter of stopping it, rather than progressive sanctification.
There may be other reasons why we do not associate with certain people, that may or may not be revealed later in life. For example, it was only recently the Lord let me know that someone would have been misusing me and would not have cared about me at all. If someone is not on board with Jesus, then the fact is they are not. If someone is, our spirit and the Holy Spirit know this is so and there is a Christ like joy and love for the person, regardless of their issues. We all have issues.
There is a lot going around on YouTube now with excited, knowledgeable, great sounding Christians who are actually into occult experiences, priming their audiences through extensive teaching, getting them to agree to the logic, then eventually reaching a point where the money hits the table or they walk away. They ask people to bring into themselves a demonic spiritual experience that is cloaked under the name of the Lord and the Holy Spirit. Our Spirit discerns and witnesses the true work of the Lord and so we are shocked when we see others are asked to commit a gross sin. This is not from a basis of viewpoint or intellect, feeling or otherwise. It is full awareness in the Spirit that people are being asked to rebel against God. Unfortunately there was a really interesting YouTube podcast that greatly interested me, but over time, my spirit was being weighted, heavy, deep. I was no longer able to view the podcast – so it was not about many factors that surrounded the quality of the people or the broadcast, but the increasing darkness of the content not in line with a good Spirit.
There is no “new” form of the Christian Church. Jesus is consistent. The forces at play at the end of the age know the time is short and will show great signs and wonders. (As referenced in scriptures, to even mislead the elect if possible – but rather to beguile the whole world.) Derek Prince mentioned an increase in the occult since WWII. It is about power. Men are tempted by what they think is power. While we recognise our spiritual man as primary, he is integrated into our whole being. He is not for us to be groaning to gain supernatural power through ourselves or other powers, thus causing a dissociation of the Spirit from the body. Our power will rest in Christ, and be evident as higher power through the operation of the Holy Spirit as required, not orchestrated. There are those claiming power with the threat of otherwise missing out. This is an old trick. The Holy Spirit (should we pray for the same) will not be humiliated and allow us to “miss out”. He has already witnessed upon those things that would cause failure – for example, refusal to die to self.
In the early 2010’s I had a dream. The landscape was pseudo-like London. There were beautiful gardens, fountains, objects and pathways alongside traditional buildings. The problem was, everything was coloured green. Inside the buildings, everywhere, were comprehensive numbers of people both practicing the occult, as well as intentionally teaching it, and freemasonry.
To deceive as an angel of light. There will be ongoing delusions to impact the Church, but Jesus said in the end times, a specific delusion we currently do no know and cannot imagine – but it will be powerful, different, in magnitude across the earth. If we are with the Lord in Heaven prior to this, it is not our immediate concern, but there are those leading into this great deception which is sufficiently our concern to expose.
We already know there are many in the Church eager to experience the occult. The primary question is why? It comes back to the trials we face and if we push through those, reclaiming our position in Christ, and developing the wholeness of the person, which involves the Spirit. Watchman Nee reminds that when people move more into the spiritual realm, it is potentially the most dangerous part of our walk in the Lord. This is no simple or casual statement.
Think about this. If our spiritual life itself is invited to become corrupted and unto fallen angels and demons, things revealing as false light, enacted by very specific tempting and choices, we then have a perilous path to reverse out of choice made by the will power and then into the heart of a person. Once in sin, it is harder to come out than what it was to go into sin. We know as an aside, that once illness or infirmity takes hold, it is long and hard to come out of illness, so this is the nature of sin and death upon all.
If for example, you are excited by demonic powers giving knowledge about a personal illness, this has consequences. The Word of God, the Holy Spirit reveals and leads us into where and how we may heal. Do you want to consult tarot cards, or simply wait on God and learn to read the bible instead as part of the primary aspects of how your life works? Anything demonic is an intrusion into the mind, the body, or spirit, external in source. It is not integrated into Christ’s life within us.
The intertwining of soul, body, spirit is so complex under God, only God knows the way it is. We learn various things about it but basically we cannot pull these pieces apart and treat them separately. That is not how we are made. If we say the Spirit is its own identity and can be engaged as a separate being, we are in heresy and under deception. Such experiences or the desire to have them is only gained by definite forfeiture of sovereignty of the whole being. People who do these things have elaborate constructs of how it all works, and re-invent the terminology of Jesus, but the crucial aspect is the decision to invite a demonic spirit into one’s person or experience – an external decision. It involves an external entity coming into one’s being. This may come under the guise of prolonged teaching that eventually brings people to the choice of doing this. If the Holy Spirit is stronger within the man, the man will not allow this. It is illegal to have one’s spirit wandering all around the place. Examples where it was under God’s direct power is when the person’s spirit was taken to heaven, whether in the body or out of the body, I do not know, Paul and John said. This was to enable prophecy or powerful ministry or teaching. False ministry will claim the use of false power, even though a form of power. That power will increase as the age comes to a close.
As Christians some of us are very aware of these invitations to bring in other beings as we were growing up. It is absolutely shocking to hear people “trained” in some kind of knowledge construct around this, such a via pre-Adamic spirits, to invite congregations and audiences to commit an act of sin. We know immediately when the final crunch point comes, people are asked to break a barrier God has placed within us, and to sin.
People like this enjoy a sense of knowledge others do not have. This is not spiritual but a strong and convincing response from the spirit realm. It heightens emotions and a freedom of one’s person that is not actually the freedom Jesus teaches and brings us genuinely into. I recall vividly when younger the choice being very tempting to accept a kind of freedom that was attractive, but which I wrestled with in prayer to realise it was not Christ’s freedom.
I know of those who have experiences in the spiritual realm with light, or their spirit leaving the body, that either reject the Gospel because their experience is solid reality to them, or that believe this is Christianity – and so they want more of it. Faith and truth do not manifest in this specific ongoing way.
Man’s spirit is able to recognise another person’s spiritual presence if the Holy Spirit wishes to do that, but it is an awareness, not an action to accomplish it, or something via external mechanics such as projection. The Spirit realm with God is not understood well. God is the one who arranged how we would be. There is a connection to Christ in the heavenly realm we do not understand, but it is not a practice of separating our spirit to be in Heaven and then coming back to earth. We are known. Our spirit’s life is known. It works. We don’t make it work by occult-like practices.
Once we do this sort of thing, it is considered spiritual adultery. Things that happen are not miracles, but explicit knowledge from the demonic realm which includes lies and fabrications that lead people away from Jesus. This realm has incredible details that are then taken as proof for what one has engaged in. I have seen the kind of specifics that confirm to people these are the voices to listen to. If one has gone down this path, one does not know another path, so there is no true ability to discern and reject falsehood. The basis for so called “truth” becomes based on other foundations. Those who are spiritual, will see the point at which people are invited to adultery and discern, thus knowing not to break a spiritual law with God.
Concerning Adamic and pre-Adamic knowledge, I would mention that God works according to various ages and covenants, both past, present and future. All things will be made new, so we do not know what those things are yet. We are invited to remain in faith, not to seek occult-like experiences and their “promises”.
We do not know pre-Adamic knowledge, and why would we? We can say clearly there was such an age, and it makes sense that Jesus’ Cross has and is in the process of doing a lot concerning the entire creation. It makes sense to me this last age is very small in the overall timeline, and makes sense as the last age before all things are made new. But there is no mandate for knowledge of previous times. We will know what we need to know when this age passes, so we won’t miss out on anything we should know. God does not go against His own laws. Knowledge like physical elements erode over time. We cannot base truth on “facts” of the past, as it is impossible. There is a limit to the knowledge we have, and God made it specific that the Jewish people were able to pass down a body of knowledge just for that purpose. (And more of course.)
While some may have visions and dreams as a reality, most of us do not have these things in an overt way. Whilst some may have seen something of the Adamic age, it is not in conflict with anything we presently know. All things are to be tested by the Spirit. If a group is unique with special knowledge the rest of the Church does not know and never knew, there is a distinct problem, and there will be those who can test and discern it. Such groups will not permit public testing by the Church. As their foundation are built, time is invested in that. People do not want to be stripped of those foundations, yet should be prepared to do so if they are actually maturing in Christ, then see where Jesus goes with it. People are not used to devastation of their falsehoods. A.W. Tozer said there is nothing new in the Church. It has all been done before. When we look at these false activities, we see the same principles of occultism, demonic knowledge, excited experiences, heretical “doctrines”, and so on and so forth, all over again.
We must stress that the Cross of Jesus Christ deals with the human race and its sins/death that came through Adam. There is no biblical basis to have a pre-human race that we belonged to where there were wars and sufferings, failures and sins, now placing our spirits into new bodies called human/man. While it would also go against many scriptures, it would also mean we suffer unbearable pain again in this age. This is fatally unjust. Jesus died once. He did not suffer shocking brutality and traumas we can’t even imagine and that should not even exist. We now pain and suffering in this present age that is so bad it should not exist. People come up with narratives about the past to explain their “doctrines”. Weak Christians accept this on the basis they can be led to a deceptive choice at some point. Those developing well in Christ may come under deception if over time they entertain demonic teachings as something they do. Where are those exercising discernment as granted by the Lord at our spiritual birth? Do not substitute the basics such as faith simply because they are not physically or emotionally stirring up the person in the way that the occult entices. Once on that path, one will want more and more, as it never satisfies. Sin never does.
If people in deliverance are referring to past traumas before mankind’s existence, and cannot deliver them of these deliverance blockages, there are other realities going on. We also know the level of knowledge from demons is strikingly real and specific. If deliverance is only viable by substitution for another spiritual experience, the deception has succeeded. Of course a demonically controlled person (whatever form that is) will be able to drag up so called special knowledge to entice the person trying to deliver them. Is that any wonder? Satan lies. If we say the person’s spirit is a separate being with past knowledge of trauma, it presents a very alluring construct. A narrative always has its own logic, which ties in with how we are built to accept truth. The problem is that sin and non-truth is in the world, and the Church not escaping that. This is why we have to have the Holy Spirit witness to us, not a construct, and our granted inner-discernment. This is the way we do things, and confirm with how at odds something is with scripture and the Gospel. If we do not stand up to these falsehoods, which must exist, we never develop strength. In the spiritual realm, people have powerful experiences that are not from the Lord – we know this. If we pursue false teachings, they become heavy to our spirit, and heavier. This too is a signal. Jesus does not crush our spirit. He removes sin, which can include prominence of the soul, the ego, the flesh and so on. Those things must be true. We cannot simply evaluate another person because of their smile or narrative. The most handsome of men commit domestic violence – it is the heart that must change. If we do not sense those fruits, that is also a signal. Very few believers have been entrusted with apostolic spiritual insights and revelations. There is some around today, but it also confirms to the fruits of the spirit and testimony.
There has been limited knowledge about Adam, but primarily in the past two thousand years, it has been about Jesus letting certain spiritually dedicated people know in their hearts, not knowledge, that he really, really wanted to bring Adam back into his bosom, to redeem him and bring him back through Himself and unto God for the eternal plan of salvation. This is also a confession of love.
Wholeness of the person and the complex intertwining of the Spirit with man as a being is not about separation. Jesus said he will save our souls and this is in conjunction with our spirit, our unique identity that we do not lose. When we receive our new body at resurrection, our person will be in complete balance. Jesus had the ability to move around earth after his resurrection, before ascension, in various ways that reflect to our minds now, how there will be a marvelous way in which we will be constructed as a being, not as separate entities that can do their own thing.
The deceptions we mention will use new terminologies that the Lord and His Church has never used. This is one of the signs. These false practices claim great promises and separation from those who do not have the knowledge, of the need for that knowledge to be effective or miss out, and yet “taste” the same every time. We want our life to be rooted and grounded in the Holy Spirit, and as that develops, find the prominent position of our spirit above the wiles of the flesh, and yet be in union with our total being. So say us. Amen.
I would suggest in general, people may read some classic Christian authors regarding the Holy Spirit.
[Added 9th February 2025:]
The Holy Spirit is a seal upon/within us, of our redemption but also other qualities of direct union with us. Some people teach incorrectly about the Holy Spirit, or only see what they have experienced or narrow down their view based on the distinct description in the book of Acts, etc. God is not narrow. You will know when you are given the Holy Spirit, as you will be born of spirit, so how could you not know.
As we overcome sin in our lives, (some say they do not sin, or commit terrible sins, but sin is sin, and arrogance is also sin) we learn to live by the Spirit, and we see fruits of that. As this develops, so too does our guidance. Guidance is not a simply defined process such as asking the right question (who knows how to do that well anyway?) and getting an internal “audible” answer. There are situations where we are led into a direction but the substrata of our lives is stirred up and we get an emotional response. There are decisions we cannot make by depending on “give me a sign” or “God will show you” or some other methodology. We learn the presence of the Holy Spirit, and importantly, as we learn about being led by the Spirit over time, this means our ego, or self, all that stuff progressively dies. Then we find more aspects about the guidance of the Spirit.
So, being led by the Spirit, not developing a commitment to the ways of the flesh that directly oppose the Spirit, overcoming sin, all these things move us further into the guidance of the Spirit, and some of these directions will not be easy, will not have simple answers. In the context of all this, we will know personal things the Holy Spirit reveals to our inner awareness, our inner being that changes us. We may be concerned about something, but the Lord takes us into some aspect of awareness we did not expect. For instance, no sermon teaches us, but The Holy Spirit says to our inner being, we give honour and thanks to the Holy Spirit – not by the mind’s mechanical functioning or by a teaching, but by knowing, and so we do in a non-superficial way, as we now know there is a contrast of people honouring certain other things they should not and therefore we should not under any circumstances. We see that the Spirit is able to convey a lot of information quickly together, rather than a simplistic point by itself.
A number of people who are beloved and developing in the Spirit can be hurt by those who do not see a broader picture of how God operates. They may be told they are not baptised, fully immersed in the Spirit, and thus be hugely upset and defeated as a result. Some are told that they have to simply believe they are baptised and therefore launch out and speak in tongues or they are not baptised. There is a lot of harmful stuff going on. What is immersion? Lets remember to look at the reality of the operation of the Spirit who knows the mind of God (and these others who harm do not know God’s mind, of course) and trust, believe and give thanks for what really happens to us.
People use words, but literal interpretations are easily wrought with problems. If the Holy Spirit obliterates the existence of the “old man”, and you are regenerated, you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit. Jesus did not talk about immersion. He spoke of the indwelling river of life that grows and overflows. Jesus had the visible sign of the Holy Spirit come down upon him when baptised in water, and there was glory and power, and God’s voice from the heavens, but Jesus was not speaking in tongues. We have very few references in history, (we do have them though) of the flame of fire coming down upon people. Why would you call this immersion and then say everyone has to have the same experience as proof. God proves a man, not man.
The Book of Acts and the baptising of the first Gentiles practically had to have speaking in foreign tongues as it was God’s witness to mankind of the inclusive work of Christ. The Jews would have arrogantly disputed salvation for Gentiles otherwise. When people speak in tongues today, we do not hear those listening given a full array of languages in their own tongue. Does this mean they are by logic not baptised? No. In cases where there is a welling up of tongues, this is done by the Holy Spirit giving that. Division is by the flesh. If someone says you are therefore not baptised, well, all the more we can pray for powerful experiences of the Spirit in a just and righteous and meaningful way in the future and set our hearts on that as a great prayer, which would mean more to God than you being squashed and deemed as less than someone else. Justice has a way of being justice. And Jesus said God has promised to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him. Some say happiness is not a sign of baptism. Well, if it is without the knowing of the presence of the Lord, then it could be a temporary happiness without substance, but if the substance is there, of course there will be joy, because it is real.
Again, how people view and judge can be based on too simplistic criteria that leads to legalistic responses. I knew I was born again the moment I said hello to Jesus. My unregenerate man was destroyed completely and was removed from my memory. It is impossible for me to recall or re-experience that dead man, but I do know it did once exist. This did not mean there were not many challenges ahead. I have also had experiences in the Spirit that I do not express to anyone, and I have had extraordinary presence accomplishing what I only share in degree with some others – not by thinking I am special or anything like that, but because those experiences were for me, and aspects of that can be helpful at unexpected times in fellowship with others or my own development. We have to learn to give up jealousy and envy, and by saying the baptism of the Holy Spirit is only based on what a person knows and thinks can actually have an underlying layer of wanting others to be envious of them. This is subtle stuff, but so too can the Holy Spirit be very subtle and specific.
The general view presented from the 1970’s on is that when receiving Christ, one asks for the baptism of the Holy Spirit and then one in faith starts using ones words without understanding those words. I don’t have an issue with that, and one reason is that we are given a voice to express who we are and what is happening internally within us to God. If someone sings without pre-written words, is that not the same thing, excepting song is being added to the words. The Apostle Paul knew this was going on because he told people to be quiet if non-believers were present because they would think they were mad unless at least with interpretation. Unfortunately we get those who judge and think we have to do what they do. i.e. we have to conform to someone else’s extrovert personality. This is insulting but happens. Again, narrowness of mind and experience, and arrogance.
If someone is “immersed” in the Spirit and they can’t help but vocalise, great. That is fantastic. Why not? We also know of people who are not experiencing much of the Holy Spirit (as it seems to them) and it frustrates them, but in the mean time, they may be focusing on faith for a reason that is clearer later in their ministry when the Holy Spirit does come with more power into their life. We also have the palpable and tangible presence of God that fills the air in diverse ways. In some revivals this is strong and people are permanently impacted and changed forever as a result. There is a lot of variation here under God’s good will, grace, mercy and sovereignty.
The Bible gives prophecy that when Israel returns to the Lord, they will first want Him, and when He comes, a spirit of mourning will cover them. We can only imagine this like a story book narrative, because the actual experience will be directly from God via the Holy Spirit in a deep and real way that is highly specific. The Jewish people under this “immersion” of mourning will never forget and will be totally changed. So lets be a bit more careful about our definitions of baptism and guidance. There is a strong tendency for younger believers to distance themselves from others on the basis of their situation. “You cannot understand my grief”. “You do not know what depression is.” These are attitudinal positions that have serious problems. They are not just defensive either. A lot of side-stuff occurs when people are in pain.
Regardless of all this, we seek the Holy Spirit for a real relationship, and also do so because He is with us.
[27th January 2025:]
A smaller number of Christian people have trances, visions, or dreams where their spirit is in operation with the spiritual realm. There may be prophetic content or knowledge. But this is not what we are talking about. Nor are we talking about works of miracles, healing and the like.
We are discussing the Holy Spirit as counselor, advocate, helper, companion, the one who takes what is from Jesus and gives to us.
Jesus said his own will know his voice, and hence this goes directly to the Holy Spirit. The way we grow in our walk with the Lord will be consistent. Over time, we learn what is from Him, and the sense of that. We have this background to verify the familiarity of the Holy Spirit should something strange to us come along. You have a living spirit in communion with the Holy Spirit, so it is real. You can fight back challenges that are directly in conflict with this reliable history as how the Lord teaches is true to the line. Psychologically or emotionally it may be difficult. We even have times in our lives where we are utterly ripped apart and question everything, but that is another roadmap to discuss. Some get through the trial, and some even let a deeper part of sin continue to hold or take hold. This does not negate God and how He is provisioning for us to walk with Him.
What you “hear” or learn may be directly for you, so broadcasting that to others may carry no impact. It may be in the future you are able to comment on a matter because of what you previously learnt from the Holy Spirit, where at that time it does have impact.
You may even be given a word to say in an immediate situation that stands out. You know it is given of the Lord, even though we are limited vessels and have our own issues with focus or interpretation. Some people have trained themselves to think they have to say a thousand words for an effective prayer and so they drive everyone crazy. Some have not had Christian fellowship so given a needed opportunity they say stuff that really should be quite normal from a spiritual point of view. Some say they will only read the bible and nothing else, but this is highly problematic. Some open themselves up to other spirits literally letting them come into them because they desire or like a particular falsehood and experience impacting their flesh. Some consult other spirits because they do not want to know how the Lord leads us. Affirmation cards, tarot cards, are all things to give instant gratification, but to what? The level of shallowness and the constant lies from this approach are not worth the time that could be spent seeking God through his word in the scriptures and learning to walk with the Holy Spirit. You only have so much time on earth, so start the proper walk whenever you can. Many actually do go astray, learning in part the ways of the world that are only loss. This is not easy for many people.
Sometimes we know there is a difference between what we say is our experience of either God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit.
What we cannot do is force the Holy Spirit or ourselves to “hear” Him. As young Christians we did this all the time, to no avail really. People would force others to speak in tongues on the basis it had to happen to prove one was born and baptised in the Holy Spirit. Rather than loving and valuing the Holy Spirit and how He moves us into communion with Him, people would react negatively and then close off the Holy Spirit, with terrible consequences longer term.
When we face a situation we may be surprised at what we believe is from Him. Some people do get clear instructions at times, and there are people who are gifted in very precise details for the purposes of the works they are in faith doing that help many people. It varies, but is not without consistency. We may develop particular skills as the Lord’s people, so we move into those areas of expertise with more effect than others in the same areas. So it is not just saying, Holy Spirit, can you tell me if the answer is a, b, or c. And who is to say we even know what questions to ask. We cannot see ahead into the future, but God knows.
There are false voices. This is a bit lengthy to go over here. False voices do not carry the same sense as the Holy Spirit, and can be quite troublesome. There are those who proclaim the Lord’s word or who sound genuine but are not hearing the word from God at all. This means they are imagining, in communion with demonic sources for knowledge, or are simply fooling themselves, and so on it goes. What they do not have is the evidence of the communion with God, or the fruits that must grow from the same. There will also be doctrinal error, lack of God’s presence (some even pretend to have the presence by lighting up their eyes or having other spirits as a presence), and people sensitive to the Lord will detect and discern otherwise. These people may have a mix going on too. The essential problem will be Jesus saying he does not know the person, or they are off on a tangent, and thus not knowing Jesus.
So, there are aspects of the way we know the Lord’s voice, or differences between an emphasis on God or the Holy Spirit. Firstly, the presence of God is beautiful. There is no need to worry. It is lovely to be one’s self and peaceful in His presence. The word will not be judging and pointing the finger or using threat. Confusion will be conveyed by other thoughts that come along. As we grow, we learn not to “invent” things. We do not need to race off on our own bat. We are able to communicate a thing, rather than hide it.
What we hear is often an inner flow, where we know more “naturally” how to move with the flow, where things then unfold well. We often do not have to think, what is the Lord saying, because our inner being has been changing and responds to God’s spirit better.
We may initially have an emotional response, but we cannot revisit emotion every time we want to reevaluate if something was from the Lord.
We may have a distinct awareness, such as “let the other person do the following bit of work” – and so we do not interrupt them while they do that work. If we had have interrupted it would not have gone well. This is an example of awareness of the word to our heart rather than the actual words “do not interrupt”. We can get actual words but for most of us it is rare. For instance, while talking about refugees, a distinct word came, to pray for protection of Australia’s border waters. This was not imagination, not a voice external, but an inner voice that carried a stamp of approval at the same time it was given as being from the Lord. If it was simply a “voice” without that additional authority or approval behind it, it would have carried no weight at all.
We may have a crisis, but all we can do is what we are doing, as we are then growing in our faith and endurance. We may have a revelation about it by word or an implied word we know we can trust, but the pain or suffering of the crisis is still real.
Many times I have known what someone will say before they say it, so I am able to ponder and genuinely consider, so that when it does happen, I can be real about my response. And, sometimes there is just the surprise of the unexpected.
We often want detailed yes or no answers. For instance, do I put $1000 into Bitcoin today? Do I move to another city? These are usually difficult situations.
By experience, the Lord has always opened up what job I have, and where I live. It may be a job or place is necessary but has to be temporary, which means we are in an active situation, not necessarily what we though it should have been.
Let’s look at better examples. Say your car is too old to continue on the road, or it has been in an accident. The Lord may even let you know something not so good is coming about in order to prepare you or help. You obviously need to buy a new car, so you enter that process. This is where the Holy Spirit is helping, but you have to do your part too. You are not sitting back trying to filter out what is specifically from the Holy Spirit. You are in a process. The pieces come together amazingly, as God is working with you. You get one of the last cars of its type in the country, finances just work together or whatever, rather than road blocks at every turn.
I recall an incredibly strong reaction when I left Taiwan some years ago. I did not understand it as the people are so amazing. I wanted with every fiber of my being to be in the plane and have the wheels lift up off the tarmac. It was a very strong awareness. I don’t know what it means, but it was a real reaction. I don;t try to imagine what I cannot. I recall how strongly and deeply disturbed I was that our defense submarines were outsourced to France, so it was in my rare list of distinctly repetitive prayers. There are other example as well.
This whole process is different to asking the Lord what car do I buy, what price, and who from? This is like saying how much bitcoin to buy and when? It may be when making a purchase, you know who to go with even though there are other options around you.
We also hear the Holy Spirit in subtle ways. For example, a niggling feeling (but nice though) where you think, hmmmm, for some reason I am continuing to think I should check out the post parcels, even though I am not expecting anything. So you ignore or follow through. You cannot make a decision based on logic.
I like to say God never gets bored. How we hear and what we hear will keep varying but never be out of sync or alignment with who God is, who Jesus is, or how he has been teaching us. If you think God says to jump out of a boat, you are tragically mistaken and forcing yourself to drive off a cliff. You are not Abraham, and what God did with Abraham was very specific to the entire future of the world. God has done things that we now need to learn about under this covenant. God’s word will not cause deep disturbing conflict as if you are having to go against the word of God. There are many scriptures people misinterpret, but fundamentally, there will not be conflict. e.g. God will not say go and harm someone so you can benefit your self – that is what narcissists do. Their reward is that people think they like and worship them because they offer false security and leadership, still at a terrible expense to the person who falsely believes or even believes it is love. There will never be harmony because other things must conflict. There is no such awful characteristic with the Lord.
Even if you are wrong about something, you trust the Lord to help you over time. You cannot benefit from radicalisation or brainwashing. Others want to do that to you, all the time saying they have the formula or answers, so that in itself is a sign they are wrong. Their “self” has not died. There are many who want to hurt others to their own perceived benefit. This is the world you live in. If you are being threatened, blackmailed, abused, devalued, undermined, made to feel bad and useless, this is not how the Holy Spirit communes with you as his beloved in Christ.
The Holy Spirit may not say something is a sin, but there is a level of guilt that goes with the sin or an inner restraint even when in sin. He is in a sense neutral to the things we are used to being for or against in our willful desires. We do not hand ourselves over to sin because the Spirit within us is very real. This does not mean our life will not have a struggle with sin.
Sometimes we know a direction and find various confirmations, but still find it hard to follow this better direction because emotionally we have not dealt with that situation before. This is difficult. We have to grow or push through to the next area of growth before a decision becomes in scope.
As you can see, the whole topic is lengthy. Usually guidance and words come in a kind of natural way, and in the mean time we have to learn to let go of our own impatience or things of the flesh. If something has been promised though, regardless of how we feel or get disturbed, it is true. God will accomplish what he has promised to do. The stuff of life often gets in the way, but we are asked to learn how to maintain our faith in principle.
If we do not know God in our experience through faith in His Son, and the person and redemptive work of the Holy Spirit, then we do not know that. An inner yearning to know more than we are by ourselves leads people to seek something, some kind of experience. This is certainly a sincere reaching out of our souls, but in the absence of the experience God Himself provides for us, which is via His sovereignty, there are other experiences that take its place when at all possible – and hence false spirits, as they are not God. If we think there are no false spirits, or “bad” spirits in the spiritual realm, we have no defensive ability or discernment to protect us, yet in God’s wisdom there is protection. This is what we say from experience. We do not discount what people experience but where is it coming from?
The problem is that once a person experiences something outside of themselves, that is deemed as a reality, and nothing will remove that experience. Hence, why would a person believe in God if that substitution has already occurred. We can only testify of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, because we understand each sees as they see, and we have no power over another person and cannot change a person. A false spirit presents an experience such as light, or feelings in the body, so these are powerful sensations and aspects of which our minds cannot comprehend or explain.
But let our testimony be true, the Bible says Satan even presents himself as an angel of light. When we turn towards God, it is in faith, not in feeling. One that change towards God is real, from the heart, a definitive choice, the Lord reveals Himself to us, and then as scripture says, the sheep know his voice. If some other spirit comes along (the bible says to test the spirits) we know it is a false spirit that also does not confess Christ as Lord.
There are choices, and how willing are we to let go of these substitutionary spiritual experiences? This is the hard question. Everyone loves to experience something outside of themselves, something from a spiritual realm, but the spiritual experiences from Christ will be of more sufficiency than any other sources, and are genuine based on the Cross of Calvary, and the presence of the Holy Spirit.
As an example, one can either look to fortune tellers, cards, and so forth, or other areas that exist, or one can love God and look to Him. How is this going to work out in the long run?
The other problem is that we state that dark forces, other spirits, deceive men into believing death, darkness, even non-existence are not to be feared. These concepts are presented to people until they engage and choose to accept them. These become resolute beliefs that can only be removed by a shaking. If such views are stubbornly held, how is it possible to present the Gospel of Christ? The Body of Christ will be viewed by contrary experiences and views in judgement, and judgement is a sickly position to be in. It darkens and poisons the soul. One may not think so, but I state that it is. A spirit of judgement is not the same as right thinking. They are different.
If God on the other hand opens our hearts to His light, we do not have the same operations taking place within us. If they were correct positions from false spirits, they would not be shaken and crumble away, obviously. But they are.
We cannot understand why people choose to reject Christ, as he is the Truth and the Light, and everything he did is backed up in many ways. We are just not used to the Spiritual realm, and can only judge a book by the cover we look at. Be warned though, regardless of what each individual does, the Bible states the Gospel will be preached to the whole world, so God is not letting up on that, and no person will be able to say the Gospel was not presented to them. If we only view life according to our minds, our own limitations, our purported “spiritual” experiences from other spiritual entities, we believe one is in ignorance of the life God has and does offer mankind. God is not powerless or feeble. Our focus can spiral into our own views and what we call the flesh, and false spiritual experiences, which is no wonder why people get very angry at challenges when presented with the Gospel.
Another aspect to this is not only what happens to us during our life, but what happens to us after life. Christians may know there is resurrection life. This is a topic by itself. Those who are not under the work of Christ’s salvation will not be pondering over Christ’s resurrection and what that offers. Resurrection is God’s power and promise through Christ. Our spirits are able to respond to spiritual things. If God wants to do something with your spirit, it will be wonderful in experience. The “rapture” of Heaven will be marvelous. We will not want anything to do with how the Earth currently is at all, but not in knowledge of this concept, but in reality of us experiencing this in our spirit – so it is real, a knowing beyond doubt. This is prophetic and transcends any illusory experience from false spirits of “light”. We know by God’s revelation, that death is permanent, a totality of reality that has no reversal, or capacity to to undo past guilt and sins, or to go back and change anything. It is total. Knowing we have resurrection and no permanency in death is what God offers via His Son’s sacrifice and authority is the next reality outside of death. Those who reject it remain in that choice to reject as death is final in all things. There is no opportunity to change one’s will, one’s choices, or views. God will swallow up death in two ways according to the scripture. One is the power of resurrection, and one is a true judgement and second death, as described in part in the Bible.
While this is heavy stuff, consider the parable of the house that stood or the house that was washed away after the flood. We, as Christians, may know people in our own experience who proclaim to be Christian, but they are tares that grow up with the wheat. They know the experience of self-choice, rather than yielding in faith to God. They do know guilt that never goes away, and so they hide this via all kinds of behaviours that perpetuate and increase over time, in order to remove themselves from viewing God. They will use the name of God, but not in power. They offer no spiritual substance to those around them. Their false religion is ammunition for others to justify distaste towards the Gospel and Christianity. Each person in this predicament is fully known by God, and His judgement will not be flawed in any way.
We cannot build on pride. We can only build on loss of the self having its own stronghold and reign. We do pay a price to pick up our own Cross and follow Jesus, so there is no ability to boast in our own self or pride. The promise from God is beyond measure, and even during this life, we learn that He has abundance we were taught not to believe in. When under any form of bondage, we cannot remove the weights upon us that take away our freedoms. Christ’s sorrow and suffering have effect upon these matters. If we are rejecting these principles, how can we come out of our deepest burdens and darkness. This is often a mystery to us as each person has their own uniqueness and roadmap. Perhaps we can only pray to be ready to the call upon us, keeping in faith and mind that all is accomplished by God through His Son and He will not fail. We too become pained and in suffering to those around who who are in pain. We pray consistently for God’s presence and revelation to open up among us here on earth, to remove suffering, pain, sorrow, that we may experience God’s glory and freedom as a true and everlasting testimony. Come, Lord Jesus.
Amen.
No one is really able to discuss the ins and outs of “hell”. Jesus mentioned things about it so we would have a response and choice at a level we can identify with. But the reality of hell is not something we wish to know and cannot know here. This still leaves open the possibility of wondering about it.
Let’s take an example. If a person rejects God, and some even express that they hate God, then as we understand it, this carries over after death. The “State” of the person does not change once one passes on. The ability to repent, to change one’s state is a capability in this life. There are no conditions present after life to make these kinds of decisions, partly because in this life, the body, soul and spirit are intertwined in their required functions of how God created life and intended life to function. The occurrence of death is permanent with no ability to undo that finality. It is a total finish of life. This is why resurrection and grace is so important.
Another aspect is that people experience as through a veil, what hell represents and manifests already. Torment, bondage, burden, chains, addictions that carry all kinds of impacts to the person’s being, are tied into what we call sin and death, and the powers of darkness among men today. We have reasonably learnt that our physical and worldly sensations are dimmed from what they could be. For instance, if we had perfect sight, of which we were meant to have, we would see and experience the breath taking impact of the vault that covers the sky. Without this, that reality is still there in God’s creation but we can’t know that detail. After life, it is reasonable to believe the spiritual realm will not have such veils in a person’s experience. Everything will be of a clarity not known now. So, if in torment, it is partly from this more vivid experience.
It is said by some, if a person willfully blocks themself from God, who is the loving creator, this is intensified. Saying “Go away God” is now incredibly powerful and real – “GO AWAY GOD!!!!”. This should concern people.
Another aspect is that if we do not want to receive God’s love, it becomes intolerable to have that love in any shape or form. We recall the Bible’s description of the Jewish people yelling out to Moses, stop God talking, His presence is too much, we don’t want it!
A major stumbling block to personal development and spiritual growth is the love of sin. This is another discussion in itself. It is a very hard Cross to go down the path of removing sins we really like that have been such a full part of our lives, or how they manifest after a crisis, blocking recovery. Putting off the issues of the past means they become more dominant at some point. As we all have this problem, we cannot condemn others who face this as we must face it too. Few know this.
Rage against God, blaming God, guilt at our own failures that are in anger because we were not overcoming the “self”, not understanding our responsibilities as compared to Jesus’s responsibilities, these things create tragedy and deep, deep sorrow in the aftermath of crisis, trying to find life when in darkness. But, nothing is impossible with God, so there is a roadmap to finding, seeking life, which by the way has the reward of eternal life.
Another aspect is degeneration, from state to state, worse to worse, until a person is just blind and conformed to the power of evil.
Another aspect of hell has been described as the person’s particular sin remaining the focus, intensified, and without satisfaction, as hell cannot provide satisfaction to the flesh. The desire and focus remains permanent, and thus is torment. It is focused on the self to the exclusion of all other virtues that would normally interact or be aware of others.
There is a lot Jesus actually said, but the reader may see these references in the Gospels. I think there must be respect for what Jesus said about Hell, but our theological debates do not provide good answers as the basis for knowing what hell is. Discussion versus reality is different, and reality should pretty much scare anyone from continually deciding to refuse God. Refusal is a fact though, which Jesus said.
The Bible references the assembly or great assembly, which reminds us of “types” of what is in Heaven, or how we see as in a dim mirror now. Angels in festal gathering are not going to be deaf, dumb, blind, ignoring what God has created for our celebration.
Jesus will be singing in the great assembly with us. The 144,000 will have a song they specifically sing.
God has created the substance of music, which is incredible anyway we look at it. It is formed from some kind of supernatural basis that God made.
There is time and time again, wrong teaching on all that is true. To say our churches are not meant to worship in song is more than appalling. The Church receives the love imparted by the Holy Spirit in various degrees during worship. We even have video footage of angels singing in worship with worship in song.
The church has beauty as does music as an essential part of what was intended in creation.
Why do people present such bad error in doctrine and thought? Perhaps people get an emotional kick out of thinking they can expose something wrong when it is not wrong, and replacing with some imagined idea of the church. There is a psychology behind this, but also bad choices in development.
Without spiritual development, there will be those who take error on board.
We sing in the masses everywhere, such as in Jerusalem. Or in large USA convention centers with multiple thousands of saints. God reveals more of Himself over time, and we benefit in the response to that. Others in error want some kind of dry chalk board text book on what the church is supposed to be according to their own ignorance. May we be mindful these errors pop up all the time.
The early churches were springing up everywhere. As the Lord’s timeline on earth continues, things unfold, like the printing press. Did the early church use eBooks? We do! Hallelujah.
Unless one was in the world of the first churches, one cannot say what went on with many things, as it is not recorded. And we do not follow men’s laws as a substitute for the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who sanctifies us.
We must use good sense, common sense, spiritual sense. The early church DID sing songs, as the new testament says.
Jesus has joy and delight in us singing as His gathered people. And if it were otherwise, we would all know, as we recognise sin. The prophets and apostles would have told us too. We were built to sing together.
I once had a dream where a gathering of younger people were walking forward together in song. It was beautiful praise. Underneath it was a beating sound, regular, deep, distinct but not distracting. I asked the Lord what it was, as I felt it inwardly pretty deeply and could hear its perfect, regular beat, like the same rhythm of the heart. The Lord said it was heart beat of His people. Not the physical heart, but the true heart.
The heart produces what comes out of the speech and songs of the people.
We have those who also hassle over other matters that ARE in the new testament churches that are not in the churches today, except for some unwell and somewhat radicalised places. We do not have women wearing coverings sitting away from the men. We do not.
Where there is no sin, there is no judgement. Where there is sin, the question is whose sin is it causing these problems? Certainly from those causing disruption by saying the church is not supposed to have songs in worship.Fear, threat, accusations, false guilt – there are those who are pray to it, and as always, who want others to be bound to the same replacement of Spiritual freedom that pleases God, because they do not have anything else. The longer one stays under blindness, the longer is becomes compulsory, shaping and changing one’s thought patterns and sense of logic. Throw the water out of the bath with the baby. THis is not okay.
We have lots of people who have not grown up. Without growth, other elements of one’s wholeness do not develop. Things like compassion, empathy, love, all suffer at the hand of psychological or spiritual dysfunction. Those who have not been in trial and endurance, those who have a very small world around them come up with such ideas – but they are not just ideas, they are designed to be put into action and squash the church and the saints. If a man is not spiritual he will not see what absurdities he is proclaiming and the extent of harm.
Our liberty in Christ is constantly battered by the waves that would take away our genuine freedoms, one of which is worship in song. All the great church songs of past and present that we know well, would not have been written and sung if it was wrong. All the songs that provide comfort and hope and faith in Jesus. Amazing Grace, may we sing it with many other songs amongst each other without hindrance to our spirits.
Amen
We have plenty of YouTube videos and television services with messages for the Church that are very beneficial. I appreciate them a lot.
There are also bad videos that pull people away from Jesus. For instance, the non-Christian content on who Jesus “really was”, or content about aliens having created mankind, and more.
One video presented non-Christian views about Jesus, but throughout the discussion, there was no reference back to what Jesus actually said. Jesus’s words, and what was in the Old Testament prophecies conflicted sharply with what was being said. The presenter did not bring any of that content up for a response.
I am perplexed people can present narratives without concern for the work many others have done that counter their own arguments. But the ease at which a non-Christian narrative is presented, smoothly, gently, comfortably is what surprises me. Perhaps a point is reached at which a person commits themselves to a non-Christian position. That position has to be presented as calmly and nicely as possible in a public forum. Two things concern me regarding the fear of God – a judgement that is upon a person, not covered by the Cross of Jesus, and a decision to commit one’s life to a particular direction not within God’s permissive will.
I’m not saying people are perfect at all, but the fundamental decisions that unfold and become reality from some point onward, entirely impacting who the person is due to that commitment. What foundations are we building on?
As an example of a couple of arguments…
Jesus knew fully well who he was as sent by the Father, and he knew the Old Testament prophecies about himself. Jesus even showed these scriptures to the disciples. Jesus made reference throughout the Gospels on his crucifixion and resurrection. This was fundamental content all Gospel writers agreed on, and of course the exposition further provided by Acts, and the New Testament letters. Where the Gospels differ is not in conflict with Christ born of the Virgin Mary, crucified for our sins , resurrected, and salvation with eternal life.
The Gospels can either be honest written accounts to help with some service in mind, or as a worldly view that negates the Gospels, saying they are written with an agenda. Which is it? The negative is an incredibly shallow argument. You have to take a negative view in order to formulate statements that support a non-Christian view. All of this removes the Spirit of Testimony about Jesus, which is the Spirit of Prophecy. It takes a long time to understand more about how the mind works, where it fabricates or imagines, and what that feels like. This is no easy task as it is ongoing process as we personally submit more to the Cross of Christ. Presenters with various worldly views of Christ are not doing this.
If we take Luke’s account of the Gospel, my personal view is that he had a team of people working with him, that he collected as much written material as he could, and spoken accounts of people he and his team visited. This was a well considered and thoughtful project.
Testimony is vital to any legal case. Some lawyers when opposing a person, will try to remove testimony as being non-valid. Or, if trying to convict a person where testimony is critical, will insist on its validity. Regardless, it is valid. This is part of the construct underlying the whole human race and how it works. It is not possible to remove it. I don’t know who Luke spoke to, but he was honest in his account because of the way he writes. It is not an agenda for his own benefit, and if it were, to what end? Luke had personal accounts of Jesus. Were there living survivors of that time? I don’t know, but there were others in direct contact with the original witnesses who passed on those accounts. People were much smarter than we realise – a tax collector could speak more than one language, scribes could remember exact wording. People have to skip over these realities to present other viewpoints, or simply not talk about them. People have not learnt to expect details or what questions to ask when they are being told what is supposedly true.
There is also a lot of content already provided about scripture authenticity and the timeline and historical accuracy. To say the scriptures were written too long after the events of Christ is simply a false statement, which shows the person saying this is either purposely lying, or using such a statement to give credence to what they say. If you as a listener do not see a flagrant academic lie, you won’t know.
Briefly, the “gospel” of Judas Iscariot, is not a gospel of good news about Jesus and salvation. It is written from an original earlier language that has ties to worship of other “gods”, tied into Egypt and so forth. The document relates to non-Christian constructs about mankind and aliens etc. There is nothing Christian about it. Yet, we are told there is a newly discovered gospel, that it says who Jesus really is and what he said. There is no mention of the purposeful ties back to its ancient language and the aims of this for an organised construct. It is not a new gospel, and presenting it without this fuller context I briefly mention here, is in my view another fabrication or lie. If it cannot be said what something is, it is purposeful deceit. I do not need to be an academic or theologian to see where the obvious is being omitted. If you want to see what people do, read the current Chinese translation of the Bible which says Jesus murdered the prostitute. When we see in the Judas document that Jesus laughed, this is out of character with the New Testament documents, and the historical documents others wrote who met Jesus and his friends and wrote about him and his character. There was no special knowledge between Jesus and Judas Iscariot. Jesus did not laugh and murder the prostitute. Jesus had great joy when he saw Satan fall from Heaven.
Another example that is really bad, is twisting the mind around all sorts of theories of aliens creating mankind. None of this is supported by evidence either. One such person was in an interview with a respected senior Jewish scholar. The man presented his pet theory to the scholar. Immediately the scholar said, “No!”. He pointed out why he was wrong. However, this theory remained a pet view he did not want to give up. So, for the rest of his life he spoke of his idea as fact. He refused to give the counter arguments or to let it go based on evidence. Delusional spirits do this. If a man wants to get into demonic-inspired or other dark, bad stuff, there has to be severity of some kind somewhere along the way. And what does this achieve? Confusion, and a worldly view of Jesus. Something gets people intrigued and into these things.
Do you notice how uncomfortable someone can be when asked if they ever pray? Conviction does not go away when we have guilt or unresolved circumstance. When it does go away without resolve, we have to ask about these dynamics. Has it really gone away? Does it change the “organ” of conscience.
I think we will hear and see more about alien phenomena, and things that astound the world. I think we will see more about genetics. Such will have its own power and deception in the absence of the Holy Spirit’s testimony. I think we have to start tilling the ground for truth, now, if not already.
We are told of the Virgins who had lamps with oil, and those who ran out. Jesus returned, and some were not ready. They were left behind.
I feel the Church is being prepared for Christ’s return (which of course is scriptural), but in a real sense, not a theological sense.
I think we are given times and situations where we commit something to God and He commits to us, then when the time does eventually come to help us, those who are prepared will receive, and those who fail on their faith do not receive. There are different ways we can describe this. For instance, if you prayed for healing and do believe it will come, will there be faith at a later point when God is ready to provide on His promise. Some seed will fall on good soil, and some will not. I think we will see people in the Church who basically miss out.
In 2010, the Lord impressed upon me very firmly, do not miss out. What I was going through was part of endurance, my faith and energy in a strong direction towards God. It was a sense of imperative. It was urgent and very real. To me this meant there will be people who miss out. We are told in scripture, by Jesus, not to fall into a trap, not to miss out. This does not dismiss the pain and suffering we may go through, or how different things can rip us apart or wear us out.
The message remains clear.
There is confusion on what the scripture means when it says Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy. It says, in essence, true testimony to Jesus, is by the Spirit of prophecy, meaning anything else is not, meaning there is a spirit of prophecy, which of course is via the Holy Spirit who testifies of Jesus.
If we do not know this Spirit, we rely on teaching. Is a teaching true or false? When the New Testament prophets gave testimony, hence from the Holy Spirit, we were told we may discern if it was true or not, as there were many false prophets and people leading others astray. I believe all Christians on their spiritual birth have discernment built into them and a spirit of prophecy – which is about the testimony or voice of Jesus to His sheep, to know His voice by this inner testimony rather than being led astray.
It is fundamentally scriptural to think of Jesus as coming at any time. It is not about radicalisation or imbalance. I have prayed about this at various times, and it still remains as best approach. Jesus himself warns of not going of on weird tangents around this. It conditions the heart to be ready – and hence ready for anything that God wishes to bring upon mankind, either revival, ability to respond to something, meeting the Lord in our natural time, removing sins from our life as best we can, or meeting Him in the clouds of His great glory.
