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.
That begins by understanding that the Creator is not the only spirit that contacts man. The West's three primary faiths all agree that there is some level of evil supernatural activity working against man's interests. As a result, it is quite possible that you may have encountered a dark spirit that intended to bring harm to your life and your spiritual walk.
Because of that fact, the first thing to consider during any supernatural encounter is its nature. Often times, these encounters leave those who experience them with dark thoughts or worries about their own self-worth. For people of faith, such interactions are almost never divinely oriented, for the works of God are designed to console His people and increase their love for others.
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 once described perhaps the most important step to discerning spirits when he wrote about knowing and recognizing your own current state of spirituality. If you're a believer striving to please your Creator, no encounter of this kind will ever leave you feeling any separation from Him. Instead, His presence is always a consoling and reaffirming one that provides comfort and security in your life.
The Scripture is the best benchmark for such judgments, since those encounters cannot run contrary to the Word. When someone lays claim to an encounter that contradicts those things taught by Scripture, the spirit involved was most definitely not of a divine nature. The fact is that all encounters of this kind must not contradict the Word if they are truly from the Creator of the universe.
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.
Remember also that even the most experienced believers find this discernment challenging at times. However, if you remain aware of your own level of faith, examine the actual encounter, and search the Scriptures for guidance, you can invariably determine if you have truly been blessed by contact from God.
That begins by understanding that the Creator is not the only spirit that contacts man. The West's three primary faiths all agree that there is some level of evil supernatural activity working against man's interests. As a result, it is quite possible that you may have encountered a dark spirit that intended to bring harm to your life and your spiritual walk.
Because of that fact, the first thing to consider during any supernatural encounter is its nature. Often times, these encounters leave those who experience them with dark thoughts or worries about their own self-worth. For people of faith, such interactions are almost never divinely oriented, for the works of God are designed to console His people and increase their love for others.
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 once described perhaps the most important step to discerning spirits when he wrote about knowing and recognizing your own current state of spirituality. If you're a believer striving to please your Creator, no encounter of this kind will ever leave you feeling any separation from Him. Instead, His presence is always a consoling and reaffirming one that provides comfort and security in your life.
The Scripture is the best benchmark for such judgments, since those encounters cannot run contrary to the Word. When someone lays claim to an encounter that contradicts those things taught by Scripture, the spirit involved was most definitely not of a divine nature. The fact is that all encounters of this kind must not contradict the Word if they are truly from the Creator of the universe.
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.
Remember also that even the most experienced believers find this discernment challenging at times. However, if you remain aware of your own level of faith, examine the actual encounter, and search the Scriptures for guidance, you can invariably determine if you have truly been blessed by contact from God.
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