Holy Spirit came to me and delivered a message during service.

Originally posted by XtraTL
reply to post by Fatgoblin

 

I do not claim that the end will come in my lifetime, let alone claim that I have an idea of a date that it will happen.

You should go back and read what I wrote because I think you got the wrong idea. I think Christians in every generation have felt that the end is near. We are told in Scripture to be prepared *even if it doesn't come in our lifetime*. There should be two very obvious reasons for this.

1) It might just happen in our lifetimes.

2) We are all going to die eventually otherwise and have to give an account for what we have done.

So basically you have absolutely no clue when 'the end' is coming but you want to be prepared just in case. That's exactly how to keep the sheep in control. Keep them scared throughout their lives because 'the end' is coming so they fall in line without much of a fuss.

And what sort of 'account' do we have to give exactly? How do you even know we have to give an account of anything because the last time I checked no one has ever returned from the dead to tell us what exactly happens when we kick the bucket. (Please don't say Jesus now)

Suppose we do have to give an account of what we've done to Mr.Solar Stalin what are you going to tell him exactly? Doesn't he already know every minute detail of our lives? What happens to people from other religions? Do they face the same god you face or do they automatically go to hell for not believing in your god?

You don't have answers for any of this. No one does. You know why? Because it's a fairy tale that's gone too far. It's just like the boogeyman. You live in fear every single night hoping he won't pull you under the bed because you've been bad so you try your best to be 'good' not because you want to be good but because you're afraid of what he might do to you. That right there is the delusion.

I may be wrong about this, but I took what the OP said to mean that he felt that the end was near (as many Christians before him have) and that it felt so near that he thought it could be in our lifetimes and that we are being called to prepare -- but that it might not be in our lifetimes either, but we should still prepare because it is closer now than ever. It draws near, in our lifetimes.

Listen to yourself. You seem like an intelligent person but I can't for the life of me understand how you can even swallow the hogwash you just typed.

Maybe I'm wrong about that. I'd pay a lot less attention to the OP if they insisted that no they definitely believed God had shown them that the end would definitely come in their lifetime. I'd have some serious reservations about that. There are warnings in Scripture that the end cannot come until certain things have happened. But I didn't get the impression that they were insisting on that. I got that they were just describing their personal impression of how near it felt.

OP please correct me if I'm wrong!

Err that's like asking Napoleon Dynamite to give a lecture on quantum physics.

Of course I couldn't arrogantly claim that God has not shown the OP something about the end. If the OP started giving dates on which they thought the end was coming, then I'd claim that they were definitely mistaken. But again, I didn't get the impression that they were doing that.

The fact of the matter is you doubt yourself because you don't know. You could be right you could be wrong. You go back and forth in your own head worrying about 'the end' and 'the signs' and an invisible ghost while life passes you by. At the end of the day it's ALL IN YOUR HEAD.

In fact, if you review the first followup post the OP made, I think they make it abundantly clear they are not trying to give a date. Just that to them it felt so very, very near. I think they fully understand that no one knows when it will happen.

I never said the OP mentioned a date. My point was how people over thousands and thousands of years have always claimed the end is near but nothing has ever ever everrrr happened.

I'm quite sure people felt the end was upon them during the first and second world war as well. And as devastating as those were the world is still chugging along. While people are suffering in places like Africa year after year, for them 'the end' has already come but on the flip side there are people lounging on the beaches of Ibiza with a martini in their hands.

reply to post by NiNjABackflip


That sort of experience is pretty hard to describe. But there are a few Christians who have tried, over the centuries.

I mentioned this to the OP but it might be useful to you as well. Look up the phrase "evangelical humiliation". There were quite a few Christians who described in detail the experiences they had as best they could, and they make pretty interesting reading.

Many great *Christian* preachers don't believe that such experiences even happen. A famous example I think was Lloyd-Jones, a great British preacher. He seemed to go through some experiences very late in his life, and his perspective on being filled with the Spirit changed radically. It's actually hard to find much about it in his voluminous writings, so you kind of have to know where to look. But it is a well-known example of someone who was surprised later in life by powerful experiences of the Spirit of God.

There's another famous example to look up. Jonathan Edwards. He was another great preacher and during his time lots of people were having amazing experiences. It sort of became folklore that you weren't really converted unless you had one of these experiences, and so people began to expect it to happen as a sign of conversion! Others wanted to believe, but they just didn't feel anything, and so they waited, and waited to have one of these experiences to convince themselves that they had really been converted.

Jonathan Edwards wrote a book on the subject, called the Religious Affections. It's not for the feint of heart. It's pretty intense going. I've never made it through the whole thing. But he mentions that the feelings aren't what people should be focused on. Right feeling follows right thinking. But there is no reason to suppose that you need some experience to "feel" converted. Feelings are just a natural physical manifestation of what's going on in your head. I'm completely paraphrasing. His argument is much more complicated than that. But that's about the essence of it.

At various times since then, there were revivals and more or less feeling. There were the Welsh revivals, the Weslyan revivals, the rivivals during the time of Finney, and many others. Quite often they were attendant with much emotional outpouring and very intense spiritual experiences. Many modern churches take the view that such emotional experiences are just excessive and should be curtailed. It matters what you believe, not what you feel about it.

Tozer wrote on the subject too (again its pretty tough going reading his stuff). He says that the balance has gone much too far the other way. People are all about right thinking and not really seeking God and his presence. Any kind of experience of Christianity has essentially been pushed right out in favour of purely theological correctness, or book learning. People prefer to argue about doctrines and the meanings of words and completely miss out on the experiential aspect of Christianity. They don't yearn after the presence of God or to have the experience of being continually filled with his Spirit.

However, this wasn't unique to Tozer's time. He quotes an earlier preacher, Milton, who said pretty much the same thing.

So even the Christian church has not always known what to make of these sorts of things happening. It's not much wonder the rest of the world has the view it does.

I am utterly convinced though that when it happens it is so undeniable that you don't need anyone else to validate it. You can't explain how powerful the feeling is. It totally exceeds all your expectations and you could happily be swept up into heaven right then and there. Oddly enough, it doesn't just happen in churches where there's pumping music and some preacher up the front saying emotional and suggestive stuff. Sometimes it can happen when you are sitting in a chair watching something on TV or when you are reading a book or lying on your bed. You can take your pulse, check your breathing, pinch yourself and check it is really happening to you. It's totally unexpected, and it has happened to the most boring preachers you can imagine. Lloyd-Jones once gave an entire sermon on a semicolon in the Bible! It's certainly not what you think it is.

Of course the experience the OP had was in a church because he was given a word for that church at that time. He was meant to bring it forth and present it to the church so the elders could evaluate it and so God's people could be encouraged by it then and there. That sort of "prophecy" as we call it (doesn't mean predicting the future as people think it does) is explicitly for the "body", i.e. for the believers that are there. It is for their edification.

Unfortunately in some churches they do try to whip it up somehow. They try to counterfeit the real thing. They get in an emotional frenzy and try to make it happen regularly. When it happens for real it can be totally unexpected.

It's often easy to identify the counterfeit because a message is brought forth that contradicts the Bible. Unfortunately the counterfeit is all too prevalent.

reply to post by Fatgoblin


I agree with you that people during the first and second world wars felt that the end was very close, even upon them.

The rest of what you say just seems to be your assertion that you think we are wrong. I think we get that by now.

You can't possibly know what is in my head and what is real because you are not me. So you can rant and rail against Christianity all you want. It's not going to make any difference. We don't need you to validate what we believe. It's not dependent on what you think.

One reason I think that ATS is not the right place for a message like the one the OP brought is 1 Corinthians 14:22, which says:

"Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for believers."

I think this shows that prophecy (as it is understood in the Bible) is not something you want to throw out there for the whole world. It is something that is for the edification of other believers when they are gathered together.

It does go on to say that if an unbeliever comes in and sees you prophesying they may be convicted of sin and say that God is really with you.

So I don't think it has its place here on ATS, but in church, where God causes it to occur.

Originally posted by XtraTL
reply to post by Fatgoblin

 

I agree with you that people during the first and second world wars felt that the end was very close, even upon them.

The rest of what you say just seems to be your assertion that you think we are wrong. I think we get that by now.

You can't possibly know what is in my head and what is real because you are not me. So you can rant and rail against Christianity all you want. It's not going to make any difference. We don't need you to validate what we believe. It's not dependent on what you think.

I know it's not dependent on what I think and I know at the end of the day what I or anyone else says will not make any difference. It's the same way you guys tell us non believers to repent and all that. Won't change our minds either.

I just have questions and I have never ever received a straight answer to any of them.

reply to post by Fatgoblin


It is good that you have questions. So do I.

Originally posted by Fatgoblin

Originally posted by hawkiye
reply to post by lonewolf19792000

 

we are His tools and it is not our place to question why the maker does what he does.

What intelligent father would not want his children to question so they could learn? Question everything! God is not looking for mindless robots, or blind believers, he wants people that can think for themselves so they can one day grow up to be like thier father.

What you experienced was mainly for you it is what is supposed to happen to you within. Luke 17...

This is like an episode of Maximum Exposure

Sorry I don't watch much TV so this was totally lost on me. However if this is an attempt at ridicule well good for you. I try to speak to people in terms or a vernacular they might understand so I am sure you have no clue what I was trying to say so you assigned something to it based on your own sphere of experience or lack thereof.

Originally posted by flyingkitty
I totally respect you had an experience, are excited, and are relaying that lonewolf, however:

* It's not conceivable to me the Holy Spirit would cause you to be drained. To me that makes no sense at all, and sounds more like demonic activity, most likely influenced by the church you're in (there are *many* such churches).

There are plenty of Biblical examples of mortals being physically spent/exhausted after encounters with Holy Spirit. Moses comes to mind. Jacob.

Certainly Holy Spirit energizes, as well and certainly He CAN leave one feeling filled, energized, rested.

However, our mortal physical bodies--whether it's fight, flight, a thrilling ball game or sex--the adrenaline etc. wind-up takes its toll--particularly if it goes on for any significant length of time--doesn't matter how POSITIVE and spiritually energizing it is.

If experiences are Biblical . . . if the spiritual beings confess that Jesus came in the flesh and the basic doctrines of Christianity--PRAISE GOD.

Otherwise, run.

reply to post by lonewolf19792000


Lonewolf,

I just wanted to say, what an awesome and amazing gift that was given to you. I too have had a few experiences such as yours. To me, though I am not Christian, your news brings a bit of sadness and a great joy that what I have known since the age of so young, the prophecy is coming forth.

Please ignore the nay-sayers and be mindful of those around you. Unfortunately with what has happened to you, you may be under greater attack, remember Job. I feel in you that you have a great faith and this will not be the last message delivered through you.

Keep the light with in you and share it so others may hear. Blessings and protection over you and yours.

Ainge

reply to post by lonewolf19792000


Checked out some of your previous posts. You indicate that you have had interactions with or seen demons, as recently as a month ago. How do you know that you were not demonically influenced during this service. Do you not think demons walk right into church with you?

I'd check yourself and deal with something going on in your life right now.

Originally posted by hawkiye

Originally posted by Fatgoblin

Originally posted by hawkiye
reply to post by lonewolf19792000

 

we are His tools and it is not our place to question why the maker does what he does.

What intelligent father would not want his children to question so they could learn? Question everything! God is not looking for mindless robots, or blind believers, he wants people that can think for themselves so they can one day grow up to be like thier father.

What you experienced was mainly for you it is what is supposed to happen to you within. Luke 17...

This is like an episode of Maximum Exposure

Sorry I don't watch much TV so this was totally lost on me. However if this is an attempt at ridicule well good for you. I try to speak to people in terms or a vernacular they might understand so I am sure you have no clue what I was trying to say so you assigned something to it based on your own sphere of experience or lack thereof.

Of course I got what you were trying to say hence my response, which was obviously an attempt at ridicule.

Watch Max X a couple of times and you'll know what I'm talking about

Since there has been only one god to believe in there has been killing in his name, now why oh why would the great creator create evil???
Thats right people have free will so evil will always exsist!
Now that we have that cleared up if we have free will then we have the ability to change our future....correct???
But prophecy says otherwise and our fate predetermined so how in the hell do we have free will???
Is it just me or is this just one big contradiction??

Originally posted by lonewolf19792000

The message was "the Lord has NOT forgotten us, he is coming right now, we WILL be rescued, make way, make way for the King is coming!"

He is coming right now? He has been coming "right now" for the last 1,9xx number of years. What part of you claim is any different from all the other incorrect claims that have been made over the last 2 mellinnia?

Originally posted by KeeperOfGenisis
Since there has been only one god to believe in there has been killing in his name, now why oh why would the great creator create evil???
Thats right people have free will so evil will always exsist!
Now that we have that cleared up if we have free will then we have the ability to change our future....correct???
But prophecy says otherwise and our fate predetermined so how in the hell do we have free will???
Is it just me or is this just one big contradiction??

You bring up a good point.

Prophecies are exactly that, prophecies. They are viewed excerpts of any given timeline. We were supposed to have free will but what we view as 'free will' is in fact 'a very limited amount of options'. TPTB have led us donw this path and helped fulfil these prophecies. If you look back, the prophecies are warnings, to steer clear of certain behaviours, or endeavours. This obviously hasn't happened.

I can give you a small example, and you can believe this or not. During the WWII, the US government infiltrated the vatican. The infiltrated the vault and read the Fatima Prophecies. From these prophecies they deduced that in fact what was written was truth, the truth being what was being taught around the world was infact not the truth about God, the Universe and our history, and because of these lies the end-times will infact happen.

Due to this discovery The MJ12, Bilderbergers, whatever you want to call them, had a meeting. In this meeting they drew up something called 'The Jason Alternatives'.

These were:

1. Fire a Nuclear bomb into the atmosphere, creating a hole in which the planets heat can escape, reducing global warming, but risking Nuclear fallout. This would also go hand in hand with a Worldwide shift in consciousness and change to a single belief.

2. Build Underground bases as big as cities, fully operational and stocked, to survive any sort of catastrophe.

3. Populate the Moon and Mars with buildings and facilities for the continuation of population

After these were drawn up, they decided the first was too risky and almost impossible to implement so they went with options 2 and 3.

So, in other words, it is quite possible we have never been taught the truth, and therefore this outcome is actually out of our hands and has been brought about by other forces.

Originally posted by KeeperOfGenisis
Since there has been only one god to believe in there has been killing in his name, now why oh why would the great creator create evil???
Thats right people have free will so evil will always exsist!
Now that we have that cleared up if we have free will then we have the ability to change our future....correct???
But prophecy says otherwise and our fate predetermined so how in the hell do we have free will???
Is it just me or is this just one big contradiction??

Because we DON'T have free will. It is a contradictory statement. You will can't be free of causes. EVERYTHING you do is a result of or caused by external influences. Certainly humans possess the ability to make choices, but that it not a definition of free will. There is only ONE entitity who is free of this limitation of making choices based on external influences and that is God. And, yes, God did create evil. The question you need to ask yourself is why.

reply to post by lonewolf19792000


Greetings to you, lonewolf19792000. The "Holy Spirit" you speak of is your own Higher Self, friend. I have met and seen mine, perhaps you have too? My "Holy Spirit" talks to me all the time, offering advice, warnings, and providing information needed at the time and occurrence. See, that is the big fallacy here. Christians will tell you that the "Holy Spirit" is part of the Trinity, and that you, an individual sinner, can only have this "Holy Spirit" if you do certain things, things like give over all of your free will and power, and an offering of your very soul, coupled with the eating the flesh of, and drinking the blood of, an Ancient God, or the God's son, things get confusing here. I have had people look me straight in the eye and tell me I did not have a Soul. That I need the Holy Spirit to "come in and dwell within me." I have to ask, if I have no Holy Spirit, then what is it that animates me, and provides electrical current so that I may think, and be?

If you just realize that the Christians do not have a lock on all knowledge and things of the Spirit, and instead of just inviting an unknown Spirit to "dwell within," realize that YOU ARE THE SPIRIT. Say it. "I am Spirit." And so you are.

reply to post by XtraTL


Good post homey!

reply to post by autowrench

reply to post by autowrench

Prophecies are exactly that, prophecies. They are viewed excerpts of any given timeline. We were supposed to have free will but what we view as 'free will' is in fact 'a very limited amount of options'. TPTB have led us donw this path and helped fulfil these prophecies. If you look back, the prophecies are warnings, to steer clear of certain behaviours, or endeavours. This obviously hasn't happened.

I can give you a small example, and you can believe this or not. During the WWII, the US government infiltrated the vatican. The infiltrated the vault and read the Fatima Prophecies. From these prophecies they deduced that in fact what was written was truth, the truth being what was being taught around the world was infact not the truth about God, the Universe and our history, and because of these lies the end-times will infact happen.

Due to this discovery The MJ12, Bilderbergers, whatever you want to call them, had a meeting. In this meeting they drew up something called 'The Jason Alternatives'.

These were:

1. Fire a Nuclear bomb into the atmosphere, creating a hole in which the planets heat can escape, reducing global warming, but risking Nuclear fallout. This would also go hand in hand with a Worldwide shift in consciousness and change to a single belief.

2. Build Underground bases as big as cities, fully operational and stocked, to survive any sort of catastrophe.

3. Populate the Moon and Mars with buildings and facilities for the continuation of population

After these were drawn up, they decided the first was too risky and almost impossible to implement so they went with options 2 and 3.

So, in other words, it is quite possible we have never been taught the truth, and therefore this outcome is actually out of our hands and has been brought about by other forces.

That's pretty interesting but I really want to know what TPTB hope to achieve from all this.

I mean what exactly is the point of this whole thing? Of course if all this is indeed true I'm sure they do have a point but until them I'm still scratching my head about why they're going through all this trouble for an ultimately futile exercise.