"God told me..."

[1stCenturyLady]

I have an old friend that thought everything she thought was the voice of God, therefore, absolute truth. She would always say, "God told me..." Anyone relate? I can. I remember that era when everyone was saying that. Of her, I was skeptical. So I can understand the skepticism that people have with me, because of the gift of the Spirit I have since being baptized in the Spirit. I can tell the difference between my thoughts and what is of God - she couldn't. She has a religious spirit, and by her fruit I know she cannot be saved - she could even be a sociopath with no conscience. And the other side of the coin are those who believe no one can hear God, therefore, cannot believe when I now say "God told me..."

I just finished watching a foreign film on Netflix (dubbed) called The Wrath of God. I have goosebumps. It was the most influential movie I've seen in a long time. And I related to the madness so much. You must watch it in one sitting. Powerful. We must really guard our minds, and reading into things what is false, and what is truth. Let me know what you think. BTW, this is a secular film.

 

[Behold]

So I can understand the skepticism that people have with me, because of the gift of the Spirit I have since being baptized in the Spirit. I can tell the difference between my thoughts and what is of God - she couldn't. She has a religious spirit, and by her fruit I know she cannot be saved

Let see....... you are so """spiritually Gifted""", that you came to tell us that your "Old Friend" can't be saved?
You made the Final Judgement, and God has no say?
So, That is sort of like your Theology.

Also, Is that why you dont tell us how you have been praying for her Salvation, for years?.... As she is an "old friend".

Its a bit late now, 1stCenturyLady, to run back in here and try to tell us about how you have been praying for her Salvation.

Listen...

God forgives SINNERS
IF He saved you, then surely He can save your "old Friend".
The Cross is Jesus come to earth to "save SINNERS"..... remember?

So, your "old Friend", can be saved.......her "fruit", is just the fruit of being a SINNER.
You were that also, remember? And it could be that people thought of you..>"that one is hell bound".

So, what isn't possible for man, is possible for God.

 

[1stCenturyLady]

Let see....... you are so """spiritually Gifted""", that you came to tell us that your "Old Friend" can't be saved?
You made the Final Judgement, and God has no say?
So, That is sort of like your Theology.

Also, Is that why you dont tell us how you have been praying for her Salvation, for years?.... As she is an "old friend".

Its a bit late now, 1stCenturyLady, to run back in here and try to tell us about how you have been praying for her Salvation.

Listen...

God forgives SINNERS
IF He saved you, then surely He can save your "old Friend".
The Cross is Jesus come to earth to "save SINNERS"..... remember?

So, your "old Friend", can be saved.......her "fruit", is just the fruit of being a SINNER.
You were that also, remember? And it could be that people thought of you..>"that one is hell bound".

So, what isn't possible for man, is possible for God.

I never knew for decades that she wasn't saved. I went straight to her when I discovered it. It destroyed our friendship as you might guess. But better the wounds of a friend, than the kisses of an enemy.

 

[1stCenturyLady]

I never knew for decades that she wasn't saved. I went straight to her when I discovered it. It destroyed our friendship as you might guess. But better the wounds of a friend, than the kisses of an enemy.

What's the matter @Behold, can't you think of something else to judge me about?

 

[Episkopos]

I have an old friend that thought everything she thought was the voice of God, therefore, absolute truth. She would always say, "God told me..." Anyone relate? I can. I remember that era when everyone was saying that. Of her, I was skeptical. So I can understand the skepticism that people have with me, because of the gift of the Spirit I have since being baptized in the Spirit. I can tell the difference between my thoughts and what is of God - she couldn't. She has a religious spirit, and by her fruit I know she cannot be saved - she could even be a sociopath with no conscience. And the other side of the coin are those who believe no one can hear God, therefore, cannot believe when I now say "God told me..."

I just finished watching a foreign film on Netflix (dubbed) called The Wrath of God. I have goosebumps. It was the most influential movie I've seen in a long time. And I related to the madness so much. You must watch it in one sitting. Powerful. We must really guard our minds, and reading into things what is false, and what is truth. Let me know what you think. BTW, this is a secular film.

This has to do with the offense of the cross. As in...

"And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me." Matt. 11:6

People are not offended by the cross if it's seen for Jesus only and not for ourselves. In any group of believers there are at least half that are offended by the idea that they might not belong to Christ. People who are offended at this still live in their own strength and want to be saved in THAT state.

The offense is the cost of belonging to Christ. People will argue and show their true colours by their carnal reaction to the truth.

Being OF Christ is very difficult...hence it's lack of popularity. Jesus said we should count the cost.

In the above verse it says..."whosoever shall not be offended IN Me". How can we be offended if we are in Him?

We can be in Him as part of His Body without abiding in Him. We can follow Jesus from a safe distance without belonging to Him. And this idea is very offensive to those who have not experienced the cross in their lives.

"And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." Gal. 5:24

Those that belong to Him no longer live from themselves. They have been crucified with Christ.

And this is hard to take. We want our lives to be easy not hard. We want a free salvation into glory. We want, we want, we want.

Can we handle the truth?

 

[stunnedbygrace]

I never knew for decades that she wasn't saved. I went straight to her when I discovered it. It destroyed our friendship as you might guess. But better the wounds of a friend, than the kisses of an enemy.

One old saint said something like…when others see Gods Spirit in us, they will do one of two things. They will either draw near to us or they will want to kill us.

 

[Karl Peters]

I have an old friend that thought everything she thought was the voice of God, therefore, absolute truth. She would always say, "God told me..." Anyone relate? I can. I remember that era when everyone was saying that. Of her, I was skeptical. So I can understand the skepticism that people have with me, because of the gift of the Spirit I have since being baptized in the Spirit. I can tell the difference between my thoughts and what is of God - she couldn't. She has a religious spirit, and by her fruit I know she cannot be saved - she could even be a sociopath with no conscience. And the other side of the coin are those who believe no one can hear God, therefore, cannot believe when I now say "God told me..."

I just finished watching a foreign film on Netflix (dubbed) called The Wrath of God. I have goosebumps. It was the most influential movie I've seen in a long time. And I related to the madness so much. You must watch it in one sitting. Powerful. We must really guard our minds, and reading into things what is false, and what is truth. Let me know what you think. BTW, this is a secular film.

I love the thread!!!

This is a topic that needs far more attention on Christian forums, and in the church!!!

There are 2 issues I see in the OP;

The first is simply hearing with our spiritual ears:

May people don't hear with the spiritual ears, so they don't know Jesus Christ!! They might know the Bible. They might go to church regularly. They might even desire and pick up high positions in the church, but none of that means they personally know Jesus Christ unless they are talking with Him.

Is 30:20,21 Although the Lord has given you bread of privation and water of oppression, 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.

So Isaiah wrote about what it is like to actually hear from the Lord Jesus Christ, our Teacher.

That brings us tp the second problem, which is discernment of spirits!!

The Holy Spirit is not the only spirit around!! So the Bible talks about the need to discern what we are hearing. In the OP it seems like we find a person who the Lord gave ears to hear and does hear, but she is missing the discernment part. When that happens the enemy is also going to be able to plant his words (religious words) into a person!

The subjects of both hearing from the Lord with our spiritual ears, and honest conversations about discernment of spirits are needed!!

Now there are a couple of things we all need to understand. The first is that we must seek Jesus Christ and listen to what He says. And the second is that we all have our battles!!

Eph 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

All of us has our struggles against the dark forces in heavenly places!!!

So a person is hearing but is having a struggle with religious spirits - well that is no big surprise. Pretty much anyone who turns to the Lord is going to come under attack from religious spirits - which is to say the devil is going to try to turn those seeking Jesus Christ to getting them to seek the things of Jesus Christ instead of Jesus Christ. And on that same line - if the devil can get you thinking that everything you hear is from the Lord so that you now don't make any mistakes, the devil can really mess you up.

We read the example of the tare going up with the wheat, right? So if the word of God is like seeds being planted, then the tares from from the enemy planting in the field, and we are the field since that is where all those words wind up. And note: the Lord can't just have His angels pull up the tares because the good words from the Lord which the wheat came from will also come out. Yet maybe if we keep talking about discernment and getting other Christians to use the tests in the Scriptures (1 Jn 4:1-3, 2 Cor 12:3) while they practice hearing the Lord, then perhaps the wheat with grow over and stronger than the tares and choke them out, as opposed to vis versa.

 

[Michiah-Imla]

“And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.” (Deuteronomy 18:21-22)

And if someone claims that God told them something contrary to the holy scriptures ignore them without question.

 

[Mantis]

The Lords voice is unmistakable. A gentle small still voice. It is not your voice. It is a precious thing to hear our Lord. I cherish the times that are few are far in between that I hear him.

 

[amigo de christo]

“And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.” (Deuteronomy 18:21-22)

And if someone claims that God told them something contrary to the holy scriptures ignore them without question.

Exactly my friend .

 

[amigo de christo]

Let see....... you are so """spiritually Gifted""", that you came to tell us that your "Old Friend" can't be saved?
You made the Final Judgement, and God has no say?
So, That is sort of like your Theology.

Also, Is that why you dont tell us how you have been praying for her Salvation, for years?.... As she is an "old friend".

Its a bit late now, 1stCenturyLady, to run back in here and try to tell us about how you have been praying for her Salvation.

Listen...

God forgives SINNERS
IF He saved you, then surely He can save your "old Friend".
The Cross is Jesus come to earth to "save SINNERS"..... remember?

So, your "old Friend", can be saved.......her "fruit", is just the fruit of being a SINNER.
You were that also, remember? And it could be that people thought of you..>"that one is hell bound".

So, what isn't possible for man, is possible for God.

 

[amigo de christo]

Hey behold . pay attention to what follows THAT IF .

 

[LearningToLetGo]

I can tell the difference between my thoughts and what is of God

I believe you. In my prayers I have also heard the voice of God but as others have mentioned, the Devil is equally capable of planting his thoughts so it's necessary to practice diligent discernment. When I hear a word or phrase that I suspect to not be my own, I measure it against Jesus' teachings in Matthew 5-7. If the voice is one of love, kindness, empathy, unity and compassion then I know it to be from God, but if the voice is one of fear, anger, jealousy or separation then I know to cast it out.

Also, regarding voices. They don't always come when praying. Often they present themselves during that period between sleeping and waking. For example, you may wake up from a dream but not remember what it was but still have a lingering thought or feeling. Be very careful of such thoughts because although they may feel like your own, oftentimes they aren't. If you awake feeling restless or anxious then immediately give it to God in prayer.

 

[farouk]

The Lords voice is unmistakable. A gentle small still voice. It is not your voice. It is a precious thing to hear our Lord. I cherish the times that are few are far in between that I hear him.

Hi @Mantis Always good to be able to check things against Scripture......

 

[Karl Peters]

“And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.” (Deuteronomy 18:21-22)

And if someone claims that God told them something contrary to the holy scriptures ignore them without question.

When a prophet speaketh

The above verse very specifically applies to "a prophet"!!!

There is a whole lot more to hearing from the Lord than just hearing prophecy!!!

And if you are a prophet - it almost certainly means that you have been already speaking to the Lord for sometime and have gotten to know the Lord pretty well at that point!! Indeed, you would know about the test in 1Jn 4:1-3

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 a close look at the above verses shows first that we are not to believe every spirit!! That means that if you indeed have ears to hear you can hear from the Holy Spirit and also other spirits! In the OP, it seems that there is a testimony about someone who had not figured out that with ears to hear you can hear from both good and evil spirits, and only God is good. So that person seems to need to friendly advice from others who really do have ears to hear and have been at it awhile - so they can advice the person to test the spirits.

Then also looking at 1 Jn :1-3 we find out that one of the main reasons to test spirits is specifically to check of spirits (not people but spirits which you have to heard with your own spiritual ears) that are spirits of false prophets!! This is not a test for people, but a test for believers who actually do have ears to hear spirits. So there are things in the Bible for believers, who as Jesus said, hear His voice, and there is information for those who don't yet actually know the Lord.

At the time of Deuteronomy being written, the people then had said, "Let not God speak to us", so they were trying to get to heaven via the Law as opposed to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. So who is looking to the verse? Consider and it tells us things.

I already wrote about two problems: one being that many to not listen to the Lord and actually know Him personally, and the other is that some start hearing and don't yet understand that there are two sides in the heavenly/spiritual realm and we need discernment of spirit (not people but spirits). You don't have discernment of spirit if we your spiritual ears you don't hear.!! So then you might need to test the person that claims to be a prophet according to Deuteronomy 18:21-22, yet Jesus Christ went to the cross and so He stands at the door for anyone willing to open up to Him.

 

[Karl Peters]

Hi @Mantis Always good to be able to check things against Scripture......

Actually it is good to check things according to the Scriptures!!

Checking them against the Scriptures implies that a person is to lean on their own understanding - yet the Scriptures explain tests to use and advice like taking all thoughts captive to Jesus Christ.

Sadly, too often people don't actually use the test for spirits in the Bible, nor do they take thoughts captive to Jesus Christ, like the Scriptures say to do!! In that case their testing the spirits is actually testing other people as opposed to spirits, and is nothing more than leaning on their own understanding!!

Prov 3:5,6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.

The fact is, that if you are going to do what the Bible tells you, you are going to turn to the Lord and seek what He has to tell you!!

Let me explain how I try to do it - which is according to the Scriptures:

When I pick up a thought that doesn't seem to be mine I ask - "Tell me Jesus Christ is Lord and that Jesus Christ came in the flesh", then I listen with my spiritual ears for the next thought. Now it usually comes back that Jesus Christ is indeed the Lord of lords and King of kings and that He took on flesh, went to the cross, died, and rose again. -- That is usually but not always!! I have had spirits just quickly leave, and I have had spirits actually tell me, "I can't tell you that." - which if weird.

Now there can be a number of ways things can actually go, because I am dealing with beings. The spirit might just try to ignore the question, or the Holy Spirit might first tell me, "Yeah Karl, I Am here and Jesus Christ is Lord" and when He says the "I Am" a power hits me cause a significant jerk to go through me. Also I have had a thought, "Yeah, Jesus Christ is Lord of lords and came in the flesh" only to find out that it was just me confirming what I believe, and so I was not actually picking up another spirit.

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

There is a lot to learn about discernment of spirits!! That learning happens from practicing seeking your Lord Jesus Christ and learning from Him by practicing using your spirit senses!!!

I have been hearing from the Lord for over 20 years now, and I still don't feel I have a great understanding about discernment of spirits!! The main thing I have figured out is to seek the Lord and try to do what he says! Yes, He will go over Scriptures with you but not so you can lean on your own understanding, but because the Scriptures tell you to seek Him!! Have we not read that discernment of spirits is a gift from the Holy Spirit?? The Holy Spirit speaks the words from our Lord Jesus Christ, and so by hearing Him we get discernment of spirits!!

 

[Behold]

I never knew for decades that she wasn't saved.

I can't really relate to having an old friend "For decades", and not knowing if they are saved.
I guess, if you didnt talk about Jesus with her for decades, then that would explain it.

 

[stunnedbygrace]

I have been hearing from the Lord for over 20 years now, and I still don't feel I have a great understanding about discernment of spirits!!

You probably have more understanding about it than you think you do.
If I say, Karl, you are an idiot who can’t read nor comprehend English! Have I spoken by Gods Spirit in me?
No. I have spoken by another spirit who is manipulating my as yet uncrucified flesh with all its ugly lack of humility.

 

[Karl Peters]

You probably have more understanding about it than you think you do.
If I say, Karl, you are an idiot who can’t read nor comprehend English! Have I spoken by Gods Spirit in me?
No. I have spoken by another spirit who is manipulating my as yet uncrucified flesh with all its ugly lack of humility.

Practice using our spiritual senses like hearing is important, and anyone actually seeking the Lord Jesus Christ regularly does that. It is written, "Today if you hear His voice", and so today all believers should hear from their Lord. So it is that we learn things just from regularly seeking to hear from Him.

One thing we learn is that He reproves us! So might He say, 'Karl, you are an idiot who can't read nor comprehend English'? If He did it would come across in the form of humor. He actually has a great sense humor which you also find out about. So what if I looked and read something and just completely messed it up? Jokingly, might He say "Karl, you are an idiot who can't read nor comprehend English'? Not the 'idiot' part because He created us, so by calling me an idiot He would be saying something about Himself, but He might joke about me not comprehending English. Of course that would most like come after I already noted it to myself first. The thing is; what ever he said wouldn't tend to offend me! Have we never had a friend joke with us after we messed something up, and we understood that it was just part of a friendship?

Remember how the Lord showed up to Abram and Sarah telling them they would have a child, and then Sarah laughed. She thought He was joking, and while He was going to give them a child He was also joking - making them wait so long then showing that He was God. He knew what He was doing! He was developing a friendship with Abram and Sarah. So Isaac (which means humor) was born.

So to absolutely say that the Lord would not tell me, "Karl, you are an idiot who can't read nor comprehend English." might not be right. You need context, and we need to listen, test the spirits like instructed, and above all practice seeking the Lord and hearing what He says!! It is by that you get to know Him, and knowing Him helps you know who is who in the spiritual realm around us!

 

[amigo de christo]

I believe you. In my prayers I have also heard the voice of God but as others have mentioned, the Devil is equally capable of planting his thoughts so it's necessary to practice diligent discernment. When I hear a word or phrase that I suspect to not be my own, I measure it against Jesus' teachings in Matthew 5-7. If the voice is one of love, kindness, empathy, unity and compassion then I know it to be from God, but if the voice is one of fear, anger, jealousy or separation then I know to cast it out.

Also, regarding voices. They don't always come when praying. Often they present themselves during that period between sleeping and waking. For example, you may wake up from a dream but not remember what it was but still have a lingering thought or feeling. Be very careful of such thoughts because although they may feel like your own, oftentimes they aren't. If you awake feeling restless or anxious then immediately give it to God in prayer.

I am sure you will agree with what i say next . I noticed you said if the voice is one of love , kindness , empathy , unity and compassion then you
know it to be of GOD . YET the devil himself has a version to everyone of these words . Your answer should have been this
WHEN i hear a word and it confirms the biblical version of love , unity , empathy , compassion . IF IT AGREES and does not contradict
the biblical pattern , THEN YOU KNOW ITS TRUE . Many show a false empathy to folks . example
they seem compassionate , they seem to have empathy , they seem to have kindness and unity , YET it wont correct the one in error
but rather agrees with them and their error . We better watch out that we are not being led of a sensual version of truth
of compassion , of unity . I mean THE CC and many woke folks preach unity . BUT SINCE when do we have UNITY
with the table of darkness or those who sit at such a table . I KNOW it might seem compassionate , but its not .
CAUSE COMPASSION is concerned with the good of the people ,
HERE is a good example of true compassion . IT WOULD do all to pull one out of danger . IT would not just hug folks
to hell and not correct them . ANY COMPASSION that wont correct one in error , IS NOT COMPASSION but rather MURDER .
WE have to be CONCERNED with the SOUL of the person , Not what makes them FEEL comfortable , but with what will save them .