Posts
According to some polls, as many as half of all people alive today claim to have experienced some sort of interaction with the Divine during the course of their lives. While some may scoff and suggest that such things run contrary to logic or science, true scientists readily acknowledge that there is far more to the universe than their experiments and instruments can ever hope to understand. If you've ever felt that you've had spiritual experiences with God, there are ways to confirm it.
You should first understand that there are nefarious spirits in the world, so not every supernatural encounter is necessarily from the Creator of the universe. This belief is confirmed by the major Western faith systems, which all attest to the fact that evil spirits often contact people to tempt them and sway them from the paths that they should be following.
It is critically important, therefore, to examine the nature of any such encounter. If a spirit's presence leaves you questioning your own worth or thinking evil thoughts, that is generally a sign that you've encountered one of those darker forces. After all, faithful people understand that God's intent is to add to the love we feel for others, promote goodness, and console us in times of need.
At the same time, the opposite is generally true for people who have turned from faith. Evil spirits will often tempt those people to justify their misdeeds through excuses rather than take responsibility for their own sins. God's Spirit, on the other hand, will speak to the person's conscience so that his own heart convicts him and drives him to seek forgiveness.
Ignatius was a scholar who aptly described the fundamental issue that must be addressed for such discernment. To succeed, the person must first know himself and recognize where he is at in his own spiritual journey. When you are actively seeking God and trying to live by faith, His presence will leave you feeling loved and consoled, and not separated from Him in any way.
Scripture can assist in this discernment, and should be referred to as a guide when judging such encounters. Many claims of divine meetings involve strange prophecies or commands that simply do not match God's Word. By referring to the text of Scripture, people of faith can better discern false encounters and real ones simply by considering whether the nature of the encounter comports with the Word.
Skeptics, of course, would have us believe that all of these claims are merely delusional rants from people who have become too invested in ancient mythologies. Those arguments fall flat for most believers, since they are never supported by objective evidence or anything remotely resembling rational consideration of those things that continue to remain unknown to science.
Regardless, even serious people of faith can face difficulty discerning such encounters. By considering their own state of belief, the results of that encounter, and its fealty to the revealed Word of God, however, any believer can better determine the likelihood of his having been contacted by God's presence.
You should first understand that there are nefarious spirits in the world, so not every supernatural encounter is necessarily from the Creator of the universe. This belief is confirmed by the major Western faith systems, which all attest to the fact that evil spirits often contact people to tempt them and sway them from the paths that they should be following.
It is critically important, therefore, to examine the nature of any such encounter. If a spirit's presence leaves you questioning your own worth or thinking evil thoughts, that is generally a sign that you've encountered one of those darker forces. After all, faithful people understand that God's intent is to add to the love we feel for others, promote goodness, and console us in times of need.
At the same time, the opposite is generally true for people who have turned from faith. Evil spirits will often tempt those people to justify their misdeeds through excuses rather than take responsibility for their own sins. God's Spirit, on the other hand, will speak to the person's conscience so that his own heart convicts him and drives him to seek forgiveness.
Ignatius was a scholar who aptly described the fundamental issue that must be addressed for such discernment. To succeed, the person must first know himself and recognize where he is at in his own spiritual journey. When you are actively seeking God and trying to live by faith, His presence will leave you feeling loved and consoled, and not separated from Him in any way.
Scripture can assist in this discernment, and should be referred to as a guide when judging such encounters. Many claims of divine meetings involve strange prophecies or commands that simply do not match God's Word. By referring to the text of Scripture, people of faith can better discern false encounters and real ones simply by considering whether the nature of the encounter comports with the Word.
Skeptics, of course, would have us believe that all of these claims are merely delusional rants from people who have become too invested in ancient mythologies. Those arguments fall flat for most believers, since they are never supported by objective evidence or anything remotely resembling rational consideration of those things that continue to remain unknown to science.
Regardless, even serious people of faith can face difficulty discerning such encounters. By considering their own state of belief, the results of that encounter, and its fealty to the revealed Word of God, however, any believer can better determine the likelihood of his having been contacted by God's presence.
No comments:
Post a Comment