Originally posted by SpiritualMadMan:
Ah, Claudia, a very good question...
All I know is deep within there is a witness that I am 'active' in the Spirit instead of just a 'lurker'.
But, the real problem is knowing God's Word well enough to ward off deception...
I believe that when a person is 'Spirit Filled' they become Open to the Spirit Realm in ways most people are not aware of and potentially afraid of.
Therefore, I believe there are higher risks involved, specifically for those who fail to test the spirits to see if they are of God or not.
The other way I know is, because I continuusly check my Loyalties and Motives as harshly as possible.
Before I was Spirit-Filled I was attending an Independent Baptist Church and was extremely active in evangelism.
I took God's Word at face value and had an intimate fellowship with Him as I hitchhiked from place to place witnessing...
So, I learned His Voice quite well before I even got Spirit Filled...
Many Baptists also have as intimate or possibly more intimate fellowship with Christ and know His voice quite well, too. Without being Spirit-Filled.
SMM
Mike,
I had just intended on asking you that question and leaving it at that. But then after thinking about it for a while I realized, why am I asking Mike how to tell it his experience is from God when I know how to tell myself?
I am going to say something to you and I am hoping that somehow you will just ponder over what I say and consider that I could be right.
Mike, we can only go by what the Word of God tells us, we cant rely upon feelings, emotions, experiences, since there is a Devil out there would works to deceive us. There are demonic spirits out there too. I have done a whole lot of research on New Age Spiritualism and you seem to be following along the same trail as they are.
I cant help but to notice that you have a real negative reaction to the Law of God whenever it is mentioned. It is more pronounced than with anyone else here that I have conversed with. And you always act as if you were in fear that I were trying to make you have to keep the Law. I almost want to run for cover when you get that way.
Please just read this and take time to think about it. The Bible gives us a test whereby we can test the spirits to see if they are of God...
Isa:8:
19: And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?
20: To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
The Ten Commandments were meant to serve as a 'mirror' that we could look into- to see where we fall short of God's perfect character, but New Ager's have substituted God's Law for 'Love'. This so-called 'Love' is based on whatever you may 'feel' is the right thing to do; there is no definite right or wrong.
'It is true that spiritualism is now changing its form and, veiling some of its more objectionable features, is assuming a Christian guise... but the bible is interpreted in a manner that is pleasing to the unrenewed heart, while its solemn and vital truths are made of no effect. Love is dwelt upon as the chief attribute of god, but it is degraded to a weak sentimentalism, making little distinction between good and evil. God's justice, his denunciations of sin, the requirements of his holy law, all are kept out of sight.' -Great Controversy, page 558, Ellen White
'The teaching of the demon-gods in ancient times fostered the vilest license. The divine precepts condemning sin and enforcing righteousness were set aside; truth was lightly regarded and impurity was not only permitted, but also enjoined. Spiritualism declares that there is no death, no sin, no judgments, no retribution; that men are unfallen demigods; that desire is the highest law; and that man is accountable only to himself... does not such teaching suggest an origin similar to that of demon worship?' -Ellen White, Signs of the Times, June 30, 1890
1Timothy 4:1: 'Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils' Spiritualist teachers set aside the Law of God. They teach that the sinful, erring nature of man is the only standard of character, and that 'They affect great pity for minds so narrow, weak, and superstitious as to acknowledge the claims of God and obey the requirements of His law.' -Great Controversy pg. 560 And now, let's see what top New Age Personality, David Spangler has to say about the Law of God:
'The evolution of the race is for man to learn not how to obey the law but how to be the law. There is a vast, vast difference. If you are the law it means that you are at one with the whole. For divine law simply exists. When a person understands this, then he begins to have that attunement, when he is the law, he is not going to act in any way that will disturb or distort the true balance of the true wholeness... The New Age is an age where there is needed that group of people who through attunement can be self-governing, act as the law, as the divine, as the right, as the love.'-David Spangler, 'Relationship and Identity', pg. 89,91,93
As you can see, New Agers see 'keeping-the Law' as doing everything that they can to 'keep in tune with the Great Universal All', and not in keeping God's Ten Commandment Law. They also believe that they themselves are 'The Law'. David Spangler, New Ager, makes it even clearer in this next statement about how he really feels about God's Law:
'We can take all the Scriptures and all the teachings, and all the tablets and all the Laws, and all the marshmallows and have a jolly good bonfire and marshmallow roast, because that's all they are worth. Once you are the law, once you are the truth, you do not need it externally represented for you.' -David Spangler, 'Emergence: Rebirth of the Sacred', Findhorn Publications, pg. 144
The Ten Commandments were meant to serve as a 'mirror' that we could look into- to see where we fall short of God's perfect character, but New Ager's have substituted God's Law for 'Love'. This so-called 'Love' is based on whatever you may 'feel' is the right thing to do; there is no definite right or wrong.
I cant help but to worry about you, please take this in the best possible way in that I feel concern for you.
