There are polls that suggest that roughly half the world's people believe that they have had divine encounters at various points in their lives. Though most skeptics will mock the very idea as something that is completely detached from reason and scientific proof, actual scientists will admit that their instruments and methods have revealed but little of the universe and that there is much they do not know. If you're among the many who believe that you've had spiritual experiences with God, you need to learn how to confirm the fact.
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.
The scholar Ignatius long ago described another critical aspect of the discernment process. His teaching concerned the current spiritual state of the person in question. For people who are believers trying to live according to their faith's dictates, no supernatural encounter should leave them feeling cast off or separated from their Creator. For such people, God is an ever-present consolation in their lives.
It is critically important to compare the nature of such encounters to what the Scriptures say. Often times, people claim to have experienced the Divine presence, and then begin to relate prophetic utterances or commands that run counter to God's own Word. Scripture should inform believers about such encounters, since no real divinely inspired interaction would ever run contrary to the Creator's revealed Word.
People who have such encounters should be aware of critics who doubt their accounts. Those critics will call them delusional or members of mythological cults, but those words are no substitute for evidence. The truth is that science confirms that we know almost nothing about our universe when compared to that which remains unknown.
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.
The scholar Ignatius long ago described another critical aspect of the discernment process. His teaching concerned the current spiritual state of the person in question. For people who are believers trying to live according to their faith's dictates, no supernatural encounter should leave them feeling cast off or separated from their Creator. For such people, God is an ever-present consolation in their lives.
It is critically important to compare the nature of such encounters to what the Scriptures say. Often times, people claim to have experienced the Divine presence, and then begin to relate prophetic utterances or commands that run counter to God's own Word. Scripture should inform believers about such encounters, since no real divinely inspired interaction would ever run contrary to the Creator's revealed Word.
People who have such encounters should be aware of critics who doubt their accounts. Those critics will call them delusional or members of mythological cults, but those words are no substitute for evidence. The truth is that science confirms that we know almost nothing about our universe when compared to that which remains unknown.
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.
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