Discerning God

[Raccoon1010]

I've been Christian since 1997. I was born into a church based family but we rarely went to church. It wasn't until 1997 that I took religion seriously.

Over the years I've had some imposter god spirits acting like God, and speaking as if they were God. I've tested these spirits and found them to be liars and false.

The only true God that I can recognize has been my one communication from God the Father which was awesome and difficult to describe. The other communication from true God as been filled with immense Love and Peace and sometimes Joy.

So watch out for the false gods. They speak as a man or spirit and may create the illusion of being God but aren't.

 

[Pathfinder7]

Good topic.
---
The 'gift of discerning of spirits' is.. one of spiritual gifts.
- 1 Corinthians 12:4-10.
More spiritual discernment/discerning of spirits is needed..nowadays.

 

[Karl Peters]

Discernment of spirits is a good topic to have, and one seeming to need some serious discussion!

God put before us both good and evil and we need to choose good - and note: only God is good. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Word of God, because He owns the words of God. They were given to Him by the Father. (See Jn 1:1 & Jn 16:15) So the Father gives the Son the Words of God, and as a possession. Then the Holy Spirit takes the words of God which belong to the Son and speaks them to our spirit. (Jn 16:14)

Yet as mentioned, the Holy Spirit is not the only spirit around - so yes indeed, test the spirits. We are told in the Bible to use a very specific test!!

1 Jn 4: 1-3 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.

Now most Christians who I have meet and talked to don't seem to use that test.

Some use 1 Cor 12:3: Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

A close reading of the above verse seems to actually be a test for a person, not a spirit, to see who that person is listening to - That is to note that the verse explains 'no one speaking by the Spirit...' - so it has to do with people speaking by a spirit and whether that spirit they are speaking by is the Holy Spirit who says that "Jesus is Lord".

Probably not enough to go on, but a quick look at the OP and we don't see Jesus Christ as Lord mentioned. Still according to Is 9:6 the son which was born to us also goes by, Wonderful Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, and The Prince of Peace, and much of that is seen in the OP. Still it might be good to test the spirits according to 1 Jn 4:1-3 which requires hearing a confession from the spirit we are hearing from to confess that "Jesus Christ has come in the flesh".

Now there is a whole lot more about discernment of spirits that just how to test them! Indeed the reason for all this is because we are trying to get to know Jesus Christ personally - and since God in omni-present knowing Him is not a "One" time bit of communication. Maybe again we don't have enough to go on, the in the OP is was written ":

my one communication from God

Perhaps it is to mean something like; 'The One God I communicate with..."

The point I am trying to make is that our Lord Jesus Christ is always with us to talk to!!! He explained that he stands at the door and if anyone hears His voice... (Rev 19:20)

Isaish put it like this:

Is 30:20,21... He, your Teacher will no longer hide Himself, but your eyes will behold your Teacher. Your ears will hear a word behind you, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the left.

And we also read that there is a day to hear from Him via the Holy Spirit, and that day is "Today" (Heb 3:7, 3:15)

So we need to be practicing hearing form the Lord everyday. This practice hearing Him and listening to Him through-out our day helps us get an idea (discernment) as to when to apply the test, because listening with our spiritual ears regularly makes us more aware of what is being said around us in the spiritual/heavenly relm. Not listening with our spiritual ears regularly results in dull hearing due to lack of practice!

Heb 5:11 Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.

Heb 5:14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

Yes, discernment is a gift from the Holy Spirit! But, doesn't that gift actually come from daily practicing listening to what is our Lord Jesus Christ says through the Holy Spirit??

Yes - the gift of discernment from the Holy Spirit is very much like the gift of an education which the Holy Spirit gives us by putting us in touch with our Lord and Teacher Jesus Christ!

 

[ShineTheLight]

I've been Christian since 1997. I was born into a church based family but we rarely went to church. It wasn't until 1997 that I took religion seriously.

Over the years I've had some imposter god spirits acting like God, and speaking as if they were God. I've tested these spirits and found them to be liars and false.

The only true God that I can recognize has been my one communication from God the Father which was awesome and difficult to describe. The other communication from true God as been filled with immense Love and Peace and sometimes Joy.

So watch out for the false gods. They speak as a man or spirit and may create the illusion of being God but aren't.

Psalms 82: 1-8

2 Corinthians 4: 4

There's many other scriptures, like the ones about not believing everyone who says I am Christ.

 

[Karl Peters]

Psalms 82: 1-8

2 Corinthians 4: 4

There's many other scriptures, like the ones about not believing everyone who says I am Christ.

Absolutely there are many other spirits around!! God has put before us both good and evil - and only God is good!

Yet knowing that is not discernment! Knowing that means we need to use discernment! The gift of discernment is from the Holy Spirit - so it is the Holy Spirit who brings us the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, which gives us knowledge and understanding on this subject. Leaning on our understanding does not! Now our Lord Jesus Christ, who sends His Holy Spirit to us with His words, is our Teacher. And He like to use a book, among other things. Yet Him using the Scriptures to teach us is not the same thing as our leaning on our understanding of the Scriptures!! We actually have to be listening to the Lord and talking back and forth with Him, via His Holy Spirit. WE need to practice that.

And this all being the case means that we hear from Him and are taught by Him (Jesus Christ, who is the Word of God and God- Jn :1) Thus He will start showing you that there are other spirits around, and then He will also go over how to discern!! Yet even after years (and I have been listening for over 20 years now) there is just too much to know about discerning spirits to lean on your own understanding. Evil spirits (fallen angels) have been around soooo much longer, have learned soooo much more, and from what all I have seen angels (even fallen angels) are smarter than people. Therefore the only way to handle the situation is to keep close to the Lord. God, as the creator, is on a whole different level than His creation.

The Lord will show you Scriptures, teach you about the Scriptures, will have you using the tests (1 Jn 4:1-3, 1 Cor 12:3), showing you some of he basic things about and tricks evil spirits use, and sooo much more, but never-the-less we have to stay in communication with Jesus Christ. Paul explained that He was taking all thoughts captive to Jesus Christ, and doesn't that mean talking to the Lord about all the thoughts that come to you?

That brings you peace, because it brings an understanding that God is so far beyond evil that even in their rebellion God uses them to accomplish His will, like using them to teach us things. Knowing evil exist then also tends to keep us closer to our Lord and be more dependent on Him. Evil being present tests us, to see how close we are staying to the Lord. The test is for our understanding, right?

So this is a great topic!! And there is soo much to discuss about it! So what amazes me most is that few even bring up the topic, and few still have much to say about it.

Therefore, I love the topic but I am also amazed that so little response comes from other Christians!! Even my response has been in general terms, with a few scriptures to test and understand what is out there. I have talk little about how there are more with us than against us - or about how evil spirit generally work hard at being unseen, not seen. If they do choose to reveal themselves they like to do it in big ways. Still, basically they hide because what happens if you find them out and bring in the power of God, like in the Kingdom of God, upon them? So while evil spirits can be extremely bold if they think they don't have anything to fear, they more times than not are extremely fearful because they also know they can be on the losing end very quickly. It is like a thief who is bold enough to try and steal but scared enough to come in the dark least they be found and reported to the police, be caught, and punished.

Nobody is discussing even this basic understanding. Why? Are we seeking the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ, our Teacher, like we should?

Yeah - they might appear like a spirit of light, but what you would do if you were afraid of being caught? Just like many thieves try to pretend they are the good guys, they try and pretend to be spirits from God or even God. Yet you can check their credentials, right? But do we ever do that? Do we even take our thoughts captive to Jesus Christ and listen to what He says?

 

[ShineTheLight]

Yet knowing that is not discernment! Knowing that means we need to use discernment! The gift of discernment is from the Holy Spirit - so it is the Holy Spirit who brings us the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, which gives us knowledge and understanding on this subject. Leaning on our understanding does not! Now our Lord Jesus Christ, who sends His Holy Spirit to us with His words, is our Teacher. And He like to use a book, among other things. Yet Him using the Scriptures to teach us is not the same thing as our leaning on our understanding of the Scriptures!! We actually have to be listening to the Lord and talking back and forth with Him, via His Holy Spirit. WE need to practice that.

How one person listens and hears from the lord will differ from another.

Nobody is discussing even this basic understanding. Why? Are we seeking the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ, our Teacher, like we should?

Yeah - they might appear like a spirit of light, but what you would do if you were afraid of being caught? Just like many thieves try to pretend they are the good guys, they try and pretend to be spirits from God or even God. Yet you can check their credentials, right? But do we ever do that? Do we even take our thoughts captive to Jesus Christ and listen to what He says?

Everyone receives counsel from the lord at their own pace.

Is the Holy Spirit convicting any in fault in you? And if you do have something, can you use it so that others can follow suit to do the same likewise with themselves? You don't want to open a door to hypocrisy. There's things Christians can do to lift themselves up without even realizing it. You don't want to open the door to that either.

 

[Brakelite]

There's a very simple test in discerning whether spirits, or men, are true or false. Compare with scripture. All of scripture. Not just those texts that seem to agree with ones preconceived opinions, or lying spirits will have a field day with your mind. Compare scripture with scripture. Plead, even demand from God that He reveal truth. When Jesus said that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness would be filled, He wasn't kidding. Nor was He suggesting that you would be filled without that hunger. That passion. A love for truth. A yearning for righteousness. Crying and sighing for the abominations done in Israel, knowing you also are capable of the same if circumstances allow. A haphazard Christianity will not suffice to withstand the deceptions that will only increase as we see the day of the Lord approaching.

 

[ChristisGod]

I've been Christian since 1997. I was born into a church based family but we rarely went to church. It wasn't until 1997 that I took religion seriously.

Over the years I've had some imposter god spirits acting like God, and speaking as if they were God. I've tested these spirits and found them to be liars and false.

The only true God that I can recognize has been my one communication from God the Father which was awesome and difficult to describe. The other communication from true God as been filled with immense Love and Peace and sometimes Joy.

So watch out for the false gods. They speak as a man or spirit and may create the illusion of being God but aren't.

Do you worship Jesus as God ?

 

[Karl Peters]

How one person listens and hears from the lord will differ from another.



Everyone receives counsel from the lord at their own pace.

Is the Holy Spirit convicting any in fault in you? And if you do have something, can you use it so that others can follow suit to do the same likewise with themselves? You don't want to open a door to hypocrisy. There's things Christians can do to lift themselves up without even realizing it. You don't want to open the door to that either.

The Lord has different purposes for different people, so of course what one person hears is not always going to be the same as another!!!

The point is that we need to listen to the Lord!!

The point I am trying to make is that our Lord Jesus Christ is always with us to talk to!!! He explained that he stands at the door and if anyone hears His voice... (Rev 19:20)

Now as far as if I get reproved by Him? Of course!! Indeed look at the verse before Rev 19:20!!

Rev 19:13 ‘Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.

So anyone actually practicing hearing from the Lord is going to hear "reproof!!!"

The Lord, being the Word of God and God, who is love - happens to be really good at reproving someone, but never-the-less if we hear we hear reproof. That is what makes us better.

Yet we tend not to want reproof, even from God!!!

Now consider the question you asked as to whether the Lord convicts me of my sins! Why do you ask? The subject/topic was on discernment not reproof. Did you ask because talking about hearing has a tendency to reprove you and you thus don't like it?

That is the problem with simply trying to convey information on the topic of hearing the Lord! We all know inside (including me) that we don't listen to the Lord like we should. So just the topic of hearing the Lord and trying to discern convicts us of our sins!! Still, it is a great topic that doesn't get discussed as much as it should (partially because just the topic reproves us) We need to get over that, and that is not a personal attack on anyone, but is something all of us need to consider! We just have to get over the fact that we are going to be reproved by the Lord. We have to realize that everyone who listens to Him gets reproved.

Is 1:18 “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the LORD, “Though your sins are as scarlet,
They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool.

Look if we actually go and reason with the Lord we are always going to find out that He is right and not us!! ALWAYS WE ARE GOING TO FIND THAT OUT!!

So on discernment - who tells you that someone doesn't get reproved? I never said that I didn't. I am saying listen to Him, because listening to Him more is the thing I know we (again that includes) to do more!! I usually hear from Him a dozen times a day, but that is very poor considering that He never leaves us (including me)!

So none of us want to make an excuse for ourselves not hearing from Him more! We just need to try an overcome that problem that we all have!!

It is a good thing!! And the first and foremost thing you will be reproved (and that also includes me) is that we don't listen to Him like we should!!

 

[Raccoon1010]

Do you worship Jesus as God ?

I worship the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. Jesus is the Son part of that God.

 

[ChristisGod]

I worship the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. Jesus is the Son part of that God.

Not to mince words but I would word if differently. The Son is God just as the Holy Spirit and Father are God, but God does not have " parts". So Jesus is not a part of God, He is God.

Otherwise I agree with you !

hope this helps !!!

 

[Karl Peters]

Do you worship Jesus as God ?

Jesus being Lord is an important test we can use!

1 Cor 12:3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

Now I believe it is important that we not only understand that Jesus is God ...

Jn 1:1,2In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.

... but that we also know Him as "Lord".

Knowing Jesus as "Lord" means we get instructions from Him. I suppose a person or spirit might be able to claim they believe Jesus is God yet still not ever get instructions from Him. After all we read in the Bible where people are going to come before Him and claim they did alsorts of things in His name only to hear Him tell them that they never knew them!! If a person is getting instructions from Jesus Christ, the King of kings, then they would get to know Him and Him them - but if a person never listened to Him then they would not know Him and know Him as "Lord". That would apply to spirits also!

There were evil spirits who said they knew who He was, but they were clearly not going to Him for instructions. So thinking Jesus is God is not quite the same thing as knowing Him as your Lord who gives you instructions.

 

[ChristisGod]

Jesus being Lord is an important test we can use!

1 Cor 12:3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

Now I believe it is important that we not only understand that Jesus is God ...

Jn 1:1,2In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.

... but that we also know Him as "Lord".

Knowing Jesus as "Lord" means we get instructions from Him. I suppose a person or spirit might be able to claim they believe Jesus is God yet still not ever get instructions from Him. After all we read in the Bible where people are going to come before Him and claim they did alsorts of things in His name only to hear Him tell them that they never knew them!! If a person is getting instructions from Jesus Christ, the King of kings, then they would get to know Him and Him them - but if a person never listened to Him then they would not know Him and know Him as "Lord". That would apply to spirits also!

There were evil spirits who said they knew who He was, but they were clearly not going to Him for instructions. So thinking Jesus is God is not quite the same thing as knowing Him as your Lord who gives you instructions.

Great point which is why I never present the gospel about Jesus as Savior without Him as your Lord. If anyone wants to be His disciple , If anyone is willing to come after Me he must deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow Me.

 

[Karl Peters]

Great point which is why I never present the gospel about Jesus as Savior without Him as your Lord. If anyone wants to be His disciple , If anyone is willing to come after Me he must deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow Me.

Yes :)

 

[Mantis]

I've been Christian since 1997. I was born into a church based family but we rarely went to church. It wasn't until 1997 that I took religion seriously.

Over the years I've had some imposter god spirits acting like God, and speaking as if they were God. I've tested these spirits and found them to be liars and false.

The only true God that I can recognize has been my one communication from God the Father which was awesome and difficult to describe. The other communication from true God as been filled with immense Love and Peace and sometimes Joy.

So watch out for the false gods. They speak as a man or spirit and may create the illusion of being God but aren't.

Me too. You know Jesus' voice. Gentle, kind, unmistakable. He is THE ONLY voice to listen to. Disregard all others. I do believe your testimony and can sense the Holy Spirit in you.

 

[Raccoon1010]

Me too. You know Jesus' voice. Gentle, kind, unmistakable. He is THE ONLY voice to listen to. Disregard all others. I do believe your testimony and can sense the Holy Spirit in you.

Thanks Mantis! Very encouraging:)

 

[Karl Peters]

Me too. You know Jesus' voice. Gentle, kind, unmistakable. He is THE ONLY voice to listen to. Disregard all others. I do believe your testimony and can sense the Holy Spirit in you.

Yes the voice of Jesus Christ our Lord is "Gentle" and "kind" and His sheep know His voice. They hear it. Still there is a bit more we are to know!

Jesus came preaching the Kingdom of God!! So we should also know something about that. Sometimes even those serving don't know about the Kingdom of God.

2 Kings 6:15 - 17 Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And the LORD opened the servant’s eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

In the above we see the attendant and servant of the "man of God" - and all this man can see it the enemy. Yes he can hear the voice of the man of God and can indeed talk back and forth with the "man of God", but he cannot even see that there is more with them than against them!!

Of course there is a reason for what is written in the Bible. We at the church can so often be like that servant. Indeed we are the attandants and servants of the true "Man of God"! Still, like the servant in the story above we are so fearful of the enemy that we can not even see that there are more with us than against us. Is it not written of the angels of God that He sends them to minister to those who will receive eternal life (us)?

Heb 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?

So though He came preaching His Kingdom, and though there are more with us than against us, and though He is faithful to do what He said and send those ministering spirits (His Holy Angels) we often don't even know that there is more with us than against us! We don't discern all this is going on around us!! So how is our discernment of spirits really?

Often when I get into the shower in the morning I will wind up in a conversation with the Lord. This morning an angel started talking to me. I check the spirit using the tests you will read in 1 Jn 4:1-3 and also 1 Cor 12:3. That spirit check out according to the test. The Holy Angel of God was quite helpful getting me going on my business this morning. Have we not read about what happens if we seek first the Kingdom of God and how by that we are provided for? Have we not even read anything about how we will see angels ascending and descending on our Lord? How is it that Christian who have been around Him and served Him who preaches the Kingdom of God do not know about the Kingdom of God? A new Christian I might understand, but those who have been around a lot? Perhaps we have not been praying that eyes would be open like we should? Perhaps we have not made the message about the Kingdom of God as clear as we should have? Perhaps we are not telling people to seek first the Kingdom of God? That is the first thing prayed for in the Lord's prayer is it not?

Jesus Christ is the King of kings and Lord of lords, and so does not a King have a kingdom? How is it we say we know the King and not the Kingdom of God.

Now it happens that my daughter is visiting me with my 8-month-old grand daughter. That little baby is so fearful that she usually cries if anyone other than her mom holds her. That is ok and understandable for a baby but not for all children of God, is it? And it is certainly not ok for Christian advanced in year to not know about the Kingdom of God is it?

Luke 1:18-20 Zacharias said to the angel, “How will I know this for certain? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years.” The angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. “And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”

In the above story we find Zacharias, a priest advanced in years, who get to go into the presence of God. He comes face to face with an angel, the angel Gabreil, who is bringing good news to him. Yet this experienced priest questions and does not believe the words fo the angel. Amazing isn't it, that this experienced servant of God does not believe that the angel Gabriel is not of God even when he was in the presence of the Lord! Wouldn't you say Zacharias discernment of spirits was poor? We are not like Zacharias, are we. We are not like the servant of the man of God who didn't know that there are more with us than against us because he couldn't see the army of God, are we?

Frankly, I have a hard time telling other Christians about the Kingdom of God. And frankly, I have to wonder if they are even coming close to staying under the wings of the Lord? That of course is not my problem or concern. Mine is to listen to my Lord, and He has told me that He also expects that I work with those He has watching over me.

Ps 91 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty..... No evil will befall you,
Nor will any plague come near your tent. For He will give His angels charge concerning you,

Is it really possible that a person can have His angels, those ministering spirits around them and guarding them and they not know and hear them ministering to them? It doesn't make sense to me. It is not how my walk with the Lord is. I mostly hear from my Lord, but most days He has me working with His angels. That doesn't mean I don't need to test the spirits, but indeed it means I need to test the spirits, but that just means my practicing using my spiritual senses give me more understanding about what is going on around me.

Heb 5:14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.
To guard you in all your ways.

And don't think that is bragging. It is a real effort to preach the Kingdom of God and get people to listen!! We not only have a King, the King of kings, but since the King has a kingdom, the Kingdom of God, we also have a Kingdom gaurding us, ministering to us, and so what excuse does an experienced servant of the most high have for not knowing this?

 

[Mantis]

Yes the voice of Jesus Christ our Lord is "Gentle" and "kind" and His sheep know His voice. They hear it. Still there is a bit more we are to know!

Jesus came preaching the Kingdom of God!! So we should also know something about that. Sometimes even those serving don't know about the Kingdom of God.

2 Kings 6:15 - 17 Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And the LORD opened the servant’s eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

In the above we see the attendant and servant of the "man of God" - and all this man can see it the enemy. Yes he can hear the voice of the man of God and can indeed talk back and forth with the "man of God", but he cannot even see that there is more with them than against them!!

Of course there is a reason for what is written in the Bible. We at the church can so often be like that servant. Indeed we are the attandants and servants of the true "Man of God"! Still, like the servant in the story above we are so fearful of the enemy that we can not even see that there are more with us than against us. Is it not written of the angels of God that He sends them to minister to those who will receive eternal life (us)?

Heb 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?

So though He came preaching His Kingdom, and though there are more with us than against us, and though He is faithful to do what He said and send those ministering spirits (His Holy Angels) we often don't even know that there is more with us than against us! We don't discern all this is going on around us!! So how is our discernment of spirits really?

Often when I get into the shower in the morning I will wind up in a conversation with the Lord. This morning an angel started talking to me. I check the spirit using the tests you will read in 1 Jn 4:1-3 and also 1 Cor 12:3. That spirit check out according to the test. The Holy Angel of God was quite helpful getting me going on my business this morning. Have we not read about what happens if we seek first the Kingdom of God and how by that we are provided for? Have we not even read anything about how we will see angels ascending and descending on our Lord? How is it that Christian who have been around Him and served Him who preaches the Kingdom of God do not know about the Kingdom of God? A new Christian I might understand, but those who have been around a lot? Perhaps we have not been praying that eyes would be open like we should? Perhaps we have not made the message about the Kingdom of God as clear as we should have? Perhaps we are not telling people to seek first the Kingdom of God? That is the first thing prayed for in the Lord's prayer is it not?

Jesus Christ is the King of kings and Lord of lords, and so does not a King have a kingdom? How is it we say we know the King and not the Kingdom of God.

Now it happens that my daughter is visiting me with my 8-month-old grand daughter. That little baby is so fearful that she usually cries if anyone other than her mom holds her. That is ok and understandable for a baby but not for all children of God, is it? And it is certainly not ok for Christian advanced in year to not know about the Kingdom of God is it?

Luke 1:18-20 Zacharias said to the angel, “How will I know this for certain? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years.” The angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. “And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”

In the above story we find Zacharias, a priest advanced in years, who get to go into the presence of God. He comes face to face with an angel, the angel Gabreil, who is bringing good news to him. Yet this experienced priest questions and does not believe the words fo the angel. Amazing isn't it, that this experienced servant of God does not believe that the angel Gabriel is not of God even when he was in the presence of the Lord! Wouldn't you say Zacharias discernment of spirits was poor? We are not like Zacharias, are we. We are not like the servant of the man of God who didn't know that there are more with us than against us because he couldn't see the army of God, are we?

Frankly, I have a hard time telling other Christians about the Kingdom of God. And frankly, I have to wonder if they are even coming close to staying under the wings of the Lord? That of course is not my problem or concern. Mine is to listen to my Lord, and He has told me that He also expects that I work with those He has watching over me.

Ps 91 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty..... No evil will befall you,
Nor will any plague come near your tent. For He will give His angels charge concerning you,

Is it really possible that a person can have His angels, those ministering spirits around them and guarding them and they not know and hear them ministering to them? It doesn't make sense to me. It is not how my walk with the Lord is. I mostly hear from my Lord, but most days He has me working with His angels. That doesn't mean I don't need to test the spirits, but indeed it means I need to test the spirits, but that just means my practicing using my spiritual senses give me more understanding about what is going on around me.

Heb 5:14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.
To guard you in all your ways.

And don't think that is bragging. It is a real effort to preach the Kingdom of God and get people to listen!! We not only have a King, the King of kings, but since the King has a kingdom, the Kingdom of God, we also have a Kingdom gaurding us, ministering to us, and so what excuse does an experienced servant of the most high have for not knowing this?

Good word Karl. You hear from the Lord and his angels much more than the average christian. I can count on my fingers the number of times I have heard from the Lord. It just happened the other day and lifted my spirits to know for sure that he is still here. I have talked to people like you that hear from him regularly and he is silent when they ask about me. When I discovered that I had an open channel to the Lord many other spirits tried to fill my mind with their voices. Always just a word or two from them. Never a conversation where I can ask them if Jesus is Lord. I realized they are doing this on purpose.

So I decided one day to not listen to any voice but the voice of Christ. Those other voices faded away never to return. Then I heard our Lord! For some reason he really chooses his words when he speaks to mean it is far and few in-between when it happens. I think he gives us what we need when we need it.

 

[farouk]

Good word Karl. You hear from the Lord and his angels much more than the average christian. I can count on my fingers the number of times I have heard from the Lord. It just happened the other day and lifted my spirits to know for sure that he is still here. I have talked to people like you that hear from him regularly and he is silent when they ask about me. When I discovered that I had an open channel to the Lord many other spirits tried to fill my mind with their voices. Always just a word or two from them. Never a conversation where I can ask them if Jesus is Lord. I realized they are doing this on purpose.

So I decided one day to not listen to any voice but the voice of Christ. Those other voices faded away never to return. Then I heard our Lord! For some reason he really chooses his words when he speaks to mean it is far and few in-between when it happens. I think he gives us what we need when we need it.

@Mantis I do love the fact that God speaks to us through His Word; this is why daily prayerful Bible reading is so important......

 

[Karl Peters]

Good word Karl. You hear from the Lord and his angels much more than the average christian. I can count on my fingers the number of times I have heard from the Lord. It just happened the other day and lifted my spirits to know for sure that he is still here. I have talked to people like you that hear from him regularly and he is silent when they ask about me. When I discovered that I had an open channel to the Lord many other spirits tried to fill my mind with their voices. Always just a word or two from them. Never a conversation where I can ask them if Jesus is Lord. I realized they are doing this on purpose.

So I decided one day to not listen to any voice but the voice of Christ. Those other voices faded away never to return. Then I heard our Lord! For some reason he really chooses his words when he speaks to mean it is far and few in-between when it happens. I think he gives us what we need when we need it.

The Lord is awesome! There is none like Him! He chooses His words carefully, and being God and even Him through whom we were created, He always knows the exact right thing to say!!

Never-the-less - He is also always with us, so how often should we hear from Him? Everyday called "Today", right?

Is it not written, "Today if you hear His voice", and something about encouraging each other "Today"?

So what day should we ask and expect to hear from Him and even His Kingdom? Is it not also "Today"?

Then when should we pray the Lord's prayer as instructed? Is it not "Today", when we get into that place with Him?

First, after giving glory to God "Hollow be thy name" don't we ask specifically for "Thy Kingdom Come"? He is not slow to answer like we think, is He? Therefore, the Kingdom comes upon our asking per His instructions to us!! Meaning we can hear from the King and those of His Kingdom He wishes to have ministered to us. Of course, we can test the spirit and should, but is not God faithful. So "Today" is the day we should always hear from the Lord, according to what is written in the Bible.

As for me personally. I do not hear from the Lord like I should. I usually only hear from the Lord a dozen times a day. Where as Isiah wrote:

Is 30:21 Your ears will hear a word behind you, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the left.

And Paul wrote that he took all thoughts captive to Jesus Christ. I am not so good as that and have much to learn. Yet "Today" is the day I hear from Him, and since He is faithful and true to what He says He also sends angels to minister to me and guard me. Yet not just me, but to all believers, meaning my mom, my wife, you, and all those who hear His voice. Those are His sheep, but do we listen like He wants us to?

Ps 81:13 “Oh that My people would listen to Me, That Israel would walk in My ways!

Oh how He wants us to spend time listening to Him. And as for discerning spirit, even He would take care of that if we do spend time listening to Him.

Ps 81:14 “I would quickly subdue their enemies And turn My hand against their adversaries.

So my battles really come because I don't listen to Him like I should, and I know I don't always. So I test the spirit and try to listen more. And because that is what I want for me, it is what I want for others. God bless you Mantis!