Tgirl4real: Good morning everyone.

It's been a while I did this. Lol

I saw this thread this morning (https://www.nairaland.com/1831971/how-pastors-hear-voice-god#25024510 ) and I thought to start a discussion on <b>"Hearing the Voice of God".</b>

A lot of havoc has been caused in christiandom, homes, marriages, businesses and even in individual lives because of this short phrase "thus sayeth the Lord" or "the Lord spoke to me".

If you claim to have heard from God before or you do hear from him constantly, could you please explain to us:

- how to identify the voice of God

- how does the voice of God sound?

- do you have examples similar to your experience in scriptures?

- do you have witnesses who could testify to have heard God's voice when he spoke to you like Saul on the way to Damascus in Acts 9.

- what is the purpose of His speaking to you today?

- what is the place of God's word - Holy scriptures in the lives of believers today?

Kindly provide answers with enough scriptural backing.

Thank you.

First, I think it is necessary to state clearly that God does speak "outside" of the Bible. Jesus spoke to Paul at his encounter with Him on the road to Damascus. God spoke to Ananias another disciple concerning Paul in a vision. The Holy Spirit spoke to a group of bishops including Paul and Barnabas to specifically instruct them to consecrate those two to apostleship. The Holy Spirit specifically prevented Paul from going into Asia. The Holy Spirit spoke through prophetess sisters to tell Paul what awaited him in Jerusalem.

Paul received a message by an angel of the Lord about the welfare of his fellow seafarers. God spoke to Peter concerning Cornelius. God spoke to Philip concerning the Ethiopian eunuch. The list stretches on incredibly. God speaks and speaks and speaks.

What does His Voice sound like? I don't know. I've never heard it audibly. I've never seen a vision or had a prophetic dream. But I've heard Him a few times. Once when I got saved in January 2007. I still haven't found a better way to describe it beyond that I just knew that I had been marked finally as God's child. I remember that I went on my knees to say the sinner's prayer afterward because I felt that that was what I should do and there was a very sharp rebuke in my spirit that I simply got off my knees and went back to celebrating that day.

The thing to note is that whatever we see or hear "mystically" must agree with what the Scriptures say. They cannot contradict the Bible since both are shown and spoken by the same non-lying Person.

To discount that God is vitally involved in our day-to-day affairs is to live a very difficult, very lonely life in the world today. God does speak but we must listen and believe that He does speak or we will not hear anything intelligible. We will only hear unintelligible thunders.

To answer some of the other questions...

There may or may not be witnesses to one's experience of hearing God. God spoke to Jesus from heaven when He was with the Jews but they only heard a thunder. There were no witnesses that I know of when I heard Him myself.

I have already alluded to God's purpose for speaking today. Every time that God spoke to an individual or group of people in the Scriptures it was to address some issue in the current moment, particular or specific matters that were not addressed specifically in the more general writings in the Scriptures. God will speak specifically to direct specific details of lives that are consecrated to Him.

The Scriptures are a safeguard. They constitute the boundaries of God's Will for us in this world. Everything is judged by it. Whatever is not endorsed by it is not to be accepted by the Christian.

Tgirl4real:

Yes, they did. Go and read Acts 9.

Now you are talking...it's a dream.

If you read my initial post again, u will understand the question I am asking.

Paul said they didn't - Acts 22:9.

shdemidemi: God has a course, His calling is to achieve His course. Christians have personal agendas to improve self, coupled with God's course. The Christian walk demand that we abandon personal agendas for God's course, easier said than done, right? Most Christians, almost all Christians have invented a way of dealing with the problem. We tend to make Gods course a wrapping to disguise our personal agenda, consciously or otherwise.

As Christians, we have a biological life that reacts to medicine and any soothing the world can offer is connected to this. We also have a soul life connected to God, this life reacts only to God's word.

False teachers make a living by telling us how God is so concerned in fixing our biological life.

My concussion, anyone who comes out to teach or represent God or says He was sent by God or told by God to give messages that is fixed on issues that affect the biological part of life is false.

God is concerned with the specific details of our life and does come in sometimes to run particular interferences. See my first answer to Tgirl4real for a more detailed explanation.

EnlightenedSoul: Anybody who nowadays claims to have heard from "God", should be declared clinically insane on the spot. No further examination necessary.

For instance, when you hear a "man of God" openly tell us that "God" told him to impregnate his congregation, we should all assume that he was holding a very holy and convincing conversation with his penis_ the night before.

Why should he be declared insane? What constitutes insanity in such a claim?

God doesn't speak to people.

It's only in stories or imaginations those things occur.

Yeah, you guess it, he does not exist.

shdemidemi:

It all stopped at Paul... Paul was the last person He spoke to. Paul was not alone, he had soldiers and workers like Epaphroditus, Timothy, silas who did not have his kind of experience. They revert to Paul whenever they had issues regarding the faith.

Paul never taught us to wait and listen for our own revelations, he asked us to stay within the confines of what he had taught. Anyone who teaches anything outside what the bible teaches must be accursed. Personal revelations and experiences are not the gospel, they can't substitute nor add to Gods word. God's word is so full and it is sealed, it makes it needless for any personal additions today.

Shdemidemi, this is a tragic falsehood. Did it end at Paul and God still spoke to Philip, to Agabus the New Testament prophet, to the seven prophetess daughters of Phillip, to the elders that consecrated Paul and Barnabas for ministry?

How did it end at Paul? Why would you even think that it ended at Paul?

ihedinobi2:
Shdemidemi, this is a tragic falsehood. Did it end at Paul and God still spoke to Philip, to Agabus the New Testament prophet, to the seven prophetess daughters of Phillip, to the elders that consecrated Paul and Barnabas for ministry?

How did it end at Paul? Why would you even think that it ended at Paul?

No oh! It didn't end at Paul oh.

They all shared the same schizophrenia that's why the Bible is so screwed.

/
All of you are right.

All of you are wrong.

One common denominator--your minds are playing tricks on you.

To craze no hard, na the waka waka wey follow join be the real work.

\

Now that's Mah Nigga!!!====>

InvertedHammer: /
All of you are right.

All of you are wrong.

One common denominator--your minds are playing tricks on you.

To craze no hard, na the waka waka wey follow join be the real work.

\

ihedinobi2:
Why should he be declared insane? What constitutes insanity in such a claim?

You're not serious?

A "divine" voice spoke to you above everyone else, singled you out. Of all the things it could've said to you, and all the purpose it could've given you in this world as we know it, it only conveyed that you must impregnate the entire female population of your congregation??

He's either insane, or spinning an incredible self-serving lie in the hopes of being as lucky as some of his ilk - no thanks to the flock-of-sheep mentality of the masses -, the likes of which tell their congregation that they must eat grass to receive "God's" salvation, or another who devoutly conveyed "God's" express irritation with female undergarments as he dutifully delivered his Sunday sermon from his pulpit, telling us that female churchgoers must desist from wearing those deplorable bras and panties within the parameters of his holiness's church goddamit

All these and more are perfectly sane Godly revelations, I'm sure.

EnlightenedSoul:

You're not serious?

A "divine" voice spoke to you above everyone else, singled you out. Of all the things it could've said to you, and all the purpose it could've given you in this world as we know it, it only conveyed that you must impregnate the entire female population of your congregation??

He's either insane, or spinning an incredible self-serving lie in the hopes of being as lucky as some of his ilk - no thanks to the flock-of-sheep mentality of the masses -, the likes of which tell their congregation that they must eat grass to receive "God's" salvation, or another who devoutly conveyed "God's" express irritation with female undergarments as he dutifully delivered his Sunday sermon from his pulpit, telling us that female churchgoers must desist from wearing those deplorable bras and panties within the parameters of his holiness's church goddamit

All these and more are perfectly sane Godly revelations, I'm sure.

You were not speaking only of the foölish man when you said that "anyone" who said that God had spoken to them should be declared insane, were you?

Also, why can God not speak to individuals? What's wrong with singling anyone out?

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You better get outta here, this is a thread on God

Tgirl4real:
.

DrummaBoy:

.

If u say God doesn't speak outside his word, can u answer the following

1. If he Christian is about to board a plane that has been earmarked to crash, how will God speak to him thru his word

2. If I have a choice between two sisters for marriage, how do I chose using his word assuming they both pass the requirement of being believers, peaceful, committed in church etc

3. How does God speak to me thru his word on the investment to make

the bible doesn't have clear direct instructions for certain events in life, school to go to, course to read, city to move to

So how do find instruction from the bible when it doesn't talk about these things

nannymcphee:




If u say God doesn't speak outside his word, can u answer the following

1. If he Christian is about to board a plane that has been earmarked to crash, how will God speak to him thru his word

2. If I have a choice between two sisters for marriage, how do I chose using his word assuming they both pass the requirement of being believers, peaceful, committed in church etc

3. How does God speak to me thru his word on the investment to make

the bible doesn't have clear direct instructions for certain events in life, school to go to, course to read, city to move to

So how do find instruction from the bible when it doesn't talk about these things

Hello McPhee

I didn't say God doesn't speak outside his word. Rather I say God speaks PRIMARILY through his word. That means there is a secondary way he speaks which by Gods grace I will touch on as your questions borders on that.

My trouble is with the "God told me..." sort of phrase that has taken over much of Christendom. The impression we are getting is that God is a talkative and scripture does not teach this. Another trouble I have with this phenomenon is the impression many are giving: making what they hear of higher authority above scripture. This is a grave error because it is the source of the heresies we have today and there is no space to go into that right now (see the discussion I am having presently on WOF: www.nairaland.com/1790500/word-faith-movements-doctrine-proponents)

So what is expected of you as a Christian?

1. Commit your life to Jesus in simple trust and walk by faith through life, not by sight and definitely not by "hearing" spirits.

2. Be a voracious reader of scripture. The bible is God breadth. If you place your breadth on a piece of glass, and you look at it, you will see midst. Same with reading God's word, it leaves Gods impression on us, and that is Gods word to us for the moment.

3. The bible is infallible. Whatever you hear or whatever anyone else said he heard is very fallible. Scripture cover every known subject on human life. When you study scripture prayerfully, and we consider decisions in life, God always mercifully directs us on the right part. As if we are literally hearing God say "this is the way, walk in it".

4. As to the three scenarios you listed. Will God speak on specific occasions. Yes and no. Yes but very rarely, and it won't be at occasions we expect. No. In the sense that the Christian walk is by faith. God will more likely lead us providentially. And in bad occasions, mercifully guide us out of death. But it leads us to something very important: will God allow a Christian experience plane crash or any evil? The answer is yes. Follow me to my last point:

5. We are in a season when a false gospel is being taught all over the place. Its a gospel of health and wealth. Its a gospel that teaches that God will never allow evil befall his child. It is adherents of these gospel that use this "God told me..." phrase a lot. The bible teaches a doctrine of a sovereign God who does all things as he wishes. It doesn't teach a doctrine of a goody goody God. Jesus died at 33; there was a reason. Two prominent apostles: James and John. One was beheaded almost "carelessly". The other survived all the apostles, including Paul, was boiled in hot oil according to history, saw Jesus and wrote Revelation to complete cannon of scripture. Why God allowed it, we don't know.

What we know is that there is a God who works all things out after the counsel of his good pleasure. So, whatever happens to the Christian, the blame is not "he didn't hear God"; neither is God to blame. We should blame ourselves for believing a false gospel.

If you are a Christian, God will speak to you. Primarily through scriptures. Secondarily through providential life dealing. And very rarely directly. Please don't go around looking for voices. You will hear them bc many spirits have gone into the world. All these "God told me..." all around should be held suspect bc these men live lives outside scriptural boundaries and teach false doctrine; so what God is talking to them?

I read Gods word. I have a sanctified mindset. I know what God's will is on issues of life. When I am not sure, I pray and wait and somehow my heart is drawn to one and I take a step of faith and it is God. When I make mistakes, God ensures I am restored as I seek him in repentance. I do not teach "God told me..." all around. I used to but found out its false doctrine and stopped.

I trust God to direct you into all truth by his word.

Stay blessed.

ayobase:

thanks
never knew u are this religious/spiritual

I wasn't at all...far from it, wetin concern me with awon kiriyo's like my Mum calls them...I was Saul jejely going to Damascus oh...until my MIL started tinkering... so God stepped in...and I have been trying to renegotiate with God...

ihedinobi2:

You were not speaking only of the foölish man when you said that "anyone" who said that God had spoken to them should be declared insane, were you?

Also, why can God not speak to individuals? What's wrong with singling anyone out?

So we agree he's a foolish man? In all honestly, the way you phrased your question suggested otherwise ('And why should he be declared insane?').

That aside, I'm not even saying that people cant have strange inexplicable experiences, but to attribute it to a higher power speaking to you specifically is reaching to say the very least.

EnlightenedSoul:

So we agree he's a foolish man? In all honestly, the way you phrased your question suggested otherwise ('And why should he be declared insane?').

That aside, I'm not even saying that people cant have strange inexplicable experiences, but to attribute it to a higher power speaking to you specifically is reaching to say the very least.

You gave the man as an instance. I didn't care to address your instance, just the point you made.

Again, I ask why any such person would be reaching. What makes such a claim so improbable?

nannymcphee:

If u say God doesn't speak outside his word, can u answer the following

1. If he Christian is about to board a plane that has been earmarked to crash, how will God speak to him thru his word

2. If I have a choice between two sisters for marriage, how do I chose using his word assuming they both pass the requirement of being believers, peaceful, committed in church etc

3. How does God speak to me thru his word on the investment to make

the bible doesn't have clear direct instructions for certain events in life, school to go to, course to read, city to move to

So how do find instruction from the bible when it doesn't talk about these things

Absolutely simple and straightforward.

Q1. Lol. If he is truly a child of God, then he knows that "all things work together for his good because he loves God and he is called according to His glory"

If you love God, death shouldn't be a problem, infact, it means an end to this sinful world.
"For you to live is Christ and to die is gain"

Also, God determines whether or not you die in the plane crash. No matter the amout of speaking in tongues and anointing oil deliverance, if that's how you gonna go, that's how you gonna go.

But pls note that God keeps His own.

3 things that could happen:

- you don't board the plane by sheer providence and not "thus sayest the Lord". "As many that are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God". If God wanna get you to do something, He sure knows how to get it done. You just act, someone may delay you, you may have a terrible stomach upset, you may be robbed, anything to just keep you from boarding the plane. Usually, it's after the incident that you will realise what God saved you from. Most times, we don't even get to know.

A member of my church was to be on board the last Dana plane that crashed, but he didn't board by sheer providence.

Got to go now. I will continue later.

ihedinobi2:
You gave the man as an instance. I didn't care to address your instance, just the point you made.

Again, I ask why any such person would be reaching. What makes such a claim so improbable?

Like I said, your statement(s) implied it.

Reaching by assuming. Who says it's "God"? On what grounds?

I've heard/read about instances where people have said that they heard the audible voice of "God(s)", and it always fits into either one of two categories: [outrageous] mission assignments "God(s)" gave them, or "faith affirming" consoling experiences. Remarkably, these faith affirming episodes don't discriminate the religion.

If you can call those Christian pastors foolish, and dismiss the other nonChristian people who claimed "God" told them they were on the right path, then what kind of case can you build for what remains?

Why would "God" troll us like that?

thegoodone2: dont miss understand me. i was a musilm then.its a gift. if i tell u what God told me about GEj u will not belive me

Please dont go that side, you will just render this inspirational thread useless if you bring GEJ into it. There are many people just reading and learning now, they will not mind politicizing it at the mention of GEJ, either for good or for bad.

EnlightenedSoul:

Like I said, your statement(s) implied it.

Reaching by assuming. Who says it's "God"? On what grounds?

I've heard/read about instances where people have said that they heard the audible voice of "God(s)", and it always fits into either one of two categories: [outrageous] mission assignments "God(s)" gave them, or "faith affirming" consoling experiences. Remarkably, these faith affirming episodes don't discriminate the religion.

If you can call those Christian pastors foolish, and dismiss the other nonChristian people who claimed "God" told them they were on the right path, then what kind of case can you build for what remains?

Why would "God" troll us like that?

If some person you did not know were to tell you that your sibling said something, on what grounds would you believe or dismiss them?

My statements did nothing to imply the sort at all. You made a point. You illustrated your point with an example. Why should you expect a response to your comment to address your illustration rather than your argument?

Busybody2:


I wasn't at all...far from it, wetin concern me with awon kiriyo's like my Mum calls them...I was Saul jejely going to Damascus oh...until my MIL started tinkering... so God stepped in...and I have been trying to renegotiate with God...

u got me cracked up...I like ur sense of humour....no dulling moment.

you are one of those lucky ones.

no going back....no renegotiation. ....God shall perfect all.

ayobase:

u got me cracked up...I like ur sense of humour....no dulling moment.

you are one of those lucky ones.

no going back....no renegotiation. ....God shall perfect all.

Awwww, thanks, but you call this lucky, me that I cannot pray one minute without falling asleep, Church sef I no dey go, I was dropped right in it, like a lightening bolt, its was like a parallel existence to me before, I used to think it was Nollywood stuffs and fake, so was rooted to the spot for a year 100% sure I was dreaming it all...in all I just thank God because the lack of serious bone in my body helped cushion the effect otherwise making me sole resident of yabaleft sef no go fit contain me...


Hmmm, seems like it, although I fought God so hard, I really kicked off...that why is my own different, that why don't I get my own free will too like others, that for example not everyone can be Doctors, Lawyers, etc so why should I tow the line He has earmarked for me, that He should please free me as not everyone comes first in a race and I am happy to take last position, etc...and when my bribing and pleading didn't work, I started asking around what happens if one refuses to do the will of God and I was told na hellfire straight, cos the will wasn't for my own benefit alone...I was still grumbling and contemplating and thinking that hmmm maybe I should start preparing for hell then, but I would need to commit more sins and "j'aiye ori mi to the fullest" to make my punishment more worthwhile...that was when I heard "disobedience is worse than witchcraft" and I was shocked to see this confirmed in the Bible too that was when I knew I don enter am I have been giving God the side eye look since then and have told Him - me and Him go enter one knicker when I get to heaven

Tgirl4real:

Absolutely simple and straightforward.

Q1. Lol. If he is truly a child of God, then he knows that "all things work together for his good because he loves God and he is called according to His glory"

If you love God, death shouldn't be a problem, infact, it means an end to this sinful world.
"For you to live is Christ and to die is gain"

Also, God determines whether or not you die in the plane crash. No matter the amout of speaking in tongues and anointing oil deliverance, if that's how you gonna go, that's how you gonna go.

But pls note that God keeps His own.

3 things that could happen:

- you don't board the plane by sheer providence and not "thus sayest the Lord". "As many that are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God". If God wanna get you to do something, He sure knows how to get it done. You just act, someone may delay you, you may have a terrible stomach upset, you may be robbed, anything to just keep you from boarding the plane. Usually, it's after the incident that you will realise what God saved you from. Most times, we don't even get to know.

A member of my church was to be on board the last Dana plane that crashed, but he didn't board by sheer providence.

Got to go now. I will continue later.

Wow!!! You just proved what I've been saying all along.

Check it out: https://www.nairaland.com/1807622/gods-omniscience-gods-problem

Busybody2:


Awwww, thanks, but you call this lucky, me that I cannot pray one minute without falling asleep, Church sef I no dey go, I was dropped right in it, like a lightening bolt, its was like a parallel existence to me before, I used to think it was Nollywood stuffs and fake, so was rooted to the spot for a year 100% sure I was dreaming it all...in all I just thank God because the lack of serious bone in my body helped cushion the effect otherwise making me sole resident of yabaleft sef no go fit contain me...


Hmmm, seems like it, although I fought God so hard, I really kicked off...that why is my own different, that why don't I get my own free will too like others, that for example not everyone can be Doctors, Lawyers, etc so why should I tow the line He has earmarked for me, that He should please free me as not everyone comes first in a race and I am happy to take last position, etc...and when my bribing and pleading didn't work, I started asking around what happens if one refuses to do the will of God and I was told na hellfire straight, cos the will wasn't for my own benefit alone...I was still grumbling and contemplating and thinking that hmmm maybe I should start preparing for hell then, but I would need to commit more sins and "j'aiye ori mi to the fullest" to make my punishment more worthwhile...that was when I heard "disobedience is worse than witchcraft" and I was shocked to see this confirmed in the Bible too that was when I knew I don enter am I have been giving God the side eye look since then and have told Him - me and Him go enter one knicker when I get to heaven

u gat me cracked up again......lolz

he will never fail you.

but u should know that he doesn't take shyte......Moses a case study.

walking in His directives and making your petition known will do.

God also negotiate.

a case of a man who was denied entry to Deliverance Programme at Prayer City cos he went late to register. Due to that he determined never to near the church again.

one day God asked him to attend the church. The church he attends shares the same road with mfm, but a bit ahead. he has been getting this message from God, but he kept turning deaf ears.

on a particular sunday, his car broke down just in front of this mfm church. he did all he could to get the car fixed, but the car wouldnt. he heard the voice again, "here is the church before you now. go attend". he succumbed, but negotiated with God, "you are going to do three things for me if you want me to attend this church"

God did those for him with a month......his testimony.


as God takes the lead, one can also ask questions.......He loves you, so He will respond.

ayobase:


u gat me cracked up again......lolz

he will never fail you.

but u should know that he doesn't take shyte......Moses a case study.

walking in His directives and making your petition known will do.

God also negotiate.

a case of a man who was denied entry to Deliverance Programme at Prayer City cos he went late to register. Due to that he determined never to near the church again.

one day God asked him to attend the church. The church he attends shares the same road with mfm, but a bit ahead. he has been getting this message from God, but he kept turning deaf ears.

on a particular sunday, his car broke down just in front of this mfm church. he did all he could to get the car fixed, but the car wouldnt. he heard the voice again, "here is the church before you now. go attend". he succumbed, but negotiated with God, "you are going to do three things for me if you want me to attend this church"

God did those for him with a month......his testimony.


as God takes the lead, one can also ask questions.......He loves you, so He will respond.

I Love this. I am trying to understnd the secret behind negotiating with God. There so many things i am trusting God for...may God help me.

DrummaBoy:
.

Tgirl4real:
.

Wow!! Insightful

I got born agin in 2003, tried all I could to hear that "voice" after much ado, I gave up

Personally I strongly believe in doing what the word instructs, anything outside that I take my hands off regardless of whether it works/produces result or not reason being if u are drifting away there will be nothing to guide u

but I believe there are people who hear or know things from God maybe thru word of knowledge etc there are times ministers want to pray & they are able to know what to say or do at that point in time at the leading of Gods spirit, I personally haven't really had such encounters so I settle for what I have which is Gods word!!

Pls how do u explain those deliverance minister who are able to see/know what happened in the past that's causing the deliveree's present circumstance?? It could be as simple as revealing that the person was dedicated to an idol by their grandparent stuffs like that?

Thanks

nannymcphee:

but I believe there are people who hear or know things from God maybe thru word of knowledge etc there are times ministers want to pray & they are able to know what to say or do at that point in time at the leading of Gods spirit, I personally haven't really had such encounters so I settle for what I have which is Gods word!!

Pls how do u explain those deliverance minister who are able to see/know what happened in the past that's causing the deliveree's present circumstance?? It could be as simple as revealing that the person was dedicated to an idol by their grandparent stuffs like that?

Thanks

Well I hope you got something from the last discuss I presented.

As to people who hear things; those who claim a word of knowledge; I would not disprove them. I have not had any such experience myself but I have had occasion I received clear impressions which when I worked on turned out to be God but these are still my experiences which are subjective. One of the things I discourage greatly is basing the Christian life on experiences. Recently I learnt two new terminologies along these lines: subjective and objective. Something is subjective when it's based on experiences, etc. Something is objective when its based on verifiable facts. The fact we should base all things in the Christian life on is the bible which is objective. Whatever experience we garner or anyone garners from even following the bible is subjective. Faith is standing on Gods objective statements in scriptures not on subjective experiences of men or even ours.

Now these men whom you claim to have word of knowledge or see things in deliverance are pentecostal ministers. They pervade every sphere of our lives now. They are the ones who have turned Christianity from a very objective faith to a subjective one. And this is grave error. So that rather than rest on the said word of God concerning life issues, Christians run from pillar to post looking for thus saith the lord; anointing; etc.

Now subjective issues can not be divorced from Christianity. When we walk with God, we would see him at work. But the anchor of our faith is in what he said in the bible not these things because what if we trust God and things don't work out, do we loose faith? No.

So let's approach a very practical matter. An individual is experiencing some oppression, maybe demonic and it's affecting his total well being. What do we do?

In our world today, the normal thing is to ship him off for deliverance, etc. But is this what's needed? The world that Jesus ministered in had a lot of demon possessed people bc their forefathers had been involved with occultism for centuries. Our own world is similar. The solution too many times requires a wholesome change and not a quick fix. If the individual is in a family, there maybe a need to access family history and ascertain the genuineness of the faith in this family. When this is certain. The individual should be led through counselling and if there has been sin there must be repentance. If the individual is not saved, he should be made to understand coming to Christ. Then the elders, like James 5 instructs, will gather and pray for him and the prayer of faith will heal the sick. Care must be taken that former lifestyle is not returned to. Rather individual must be integrated in the Christian community and discipleship begins.

I do not find a record of people gathering around demoniacs screaming themselves hoarse in the bible; where they see visions and hear voices. I do not know what informs it today and I do not recommend it.

The scenario I painted above is not stereotyped. God mostly will grant direction on what to do as we trust him and follow his leading in our hearts.

So trust your own walk with God. If it pleases him to give you subjective experiences. Fine. But don't preach them or use them as yardstick for a successful Christian walk. A successful Christian walk is a walk of faith only God can testify to at the end of our lives.

My greatest fear is that much of what goes around in our churches in the name of Pentecostalism are demonic activities. I have no proof of these. I only ask that Christians are wary of them. Know your bible; know your God; walk by faith; trust your God; and leave him to direct your path. Look not on others.

Shalom.

nannymcphee:



Wow!! Insightful

I got born agin in 2003, tried all I could to hear that "voice" after much ado, I gave up

Personally I strongly believe in doing what the word instructs, anything outside that I take my hands off regardless of whether it works/produces result or not reason being if u are drifting away there will be nothing to guide u

but I believe there are people who hear or know things from God maybe thru word of knowledge etc there are times ministers want to pray & they are able to know what to say or do at that point in time at the leading of Gods spirit, I personally haven't really had such encounters so I settle for what I have which is Gods word!!

Pls how do u explain those deliverance minister who are able to see/know what happened in the past that's causing the deliveree's present circumstance?? It could be as simple as revealing that the person was dedicated to an idol by their grandparent stuffs like that?

Thanks

First all, deliverance ministry is not scriptural. Scriptures does not encourage us in anyway to dabble into things we have no knowledge of. True deliverance comes from the knowledge of God's word, I.e. U are delivered the moment you got born again. That's the primary deliverance every one needs. If we have this in mind, then we can easily place where deliverance ministers are.

I will refer you to Acts 16 from 16, you will see the spirit of divination at work.

Mintayo:
I Love this. I am trying to understnd the secret behind negotiating with God. There so many things i am trusting God for...may God help me.

Negotiating kwanu?!!!

God help us!

Reiyvinn:


Wow!!! You just proved what I've been saying all along.

Check it out: https://www.nairaland.com/1807622/gods-omniscience-gods-problem

Thanks. I will.

ihedinobi2:

Paul said they didn't - Acts 22:9.

Ac:9:7: The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone

Acts 22:9

9 My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me.