Starsman

How do you think Jesus received revelation, though He was a man like us? What do you think was happening in Gethsemane, when His prayer was so intense He sweat blood? What about the prophets? How do they receive their knowledge from God? Do you know? What about the man Paul describes who was caught up to the 3rd heaven? What about Peter, while as he prayed he fell into a trance?

If it is something that is not bringing you closer to God, I can tell you with near 100% accuracy what it is

It doesn't matter if I am willing or not, but if God wills it for me. I just obey.

You guys are funny! (c= Why are you calling that system of beliefs "Liberal Christianity" when it isn't Christianity but heresy? Don't we come to Christ on His terms and not our own? Have we gotten so far away from the truth that we now accept sticking extra labels on top of Christ as though He alone isn't good enough? I don't know about you, but I won't stand for letting that word "Liberal" come near the name of my God!

There are plenty of other ways we can look after our bodies without resorting to a practice that is rooted in such questionable origins.

May God give you boldness and conviction where there is fear and uncertainty. I've seen His hand bring people through mental disorders, and I know He can do the same for you. We're here for you (c=

Hey J, I am neither for or against you, but I do have some advice for your good if you are willing to listen. I've been through this kind of stuff you are facing now many times, and I would like to share what I've learned from my own journey. I hope this helps you. (c= First, I would strongly recommend that you get to know the forum's rules before posting. If you had been aware of and this, you may have been able to take a stand for your post. As far as I remember, your post seemed to be a mix of both. I believe you intended to share a prophetic perspective, but it was a complicated one and thus required explaining. Does this mean you were teaching, and especially as that guideline mentions as teacher / student format? The line seems a bit fuzzy, so this may have been a good post to ask for input or permission from a moderator before posting. Second, as a matter of principle, being new somewhere means you have to work on building relationships and favor with people before they may become open to your words. Of course, this is barring God giving you some special authority or favor in advance. Your method of interpreting things is far outside the norm and because of that if you want people to accept your message you need to do a lot of extra work in building bridges. Thirdly, I remember you said you believed God wanted you to post this here. Now, I don't know you... but this is what I see of God's purpose here. I actually do believe it was His will for you to post that here, but I think you may have been totally off the mark for the reason why He told you to do this. Look, any serious Christian is going to believe Jesus is coming back soon and will be doing all they can to be ready. So why would God have you come tell us this again? Do you really think it is for us? Could it not have been so you'd have this experience of having your message rejected? Indeed. I personally believe God had you post that because it puts you in a position where your approach and methods will be refined. If someone else here is edified, great! But, truly, God's main intent is to bring you closer to being made into the image of His son. So, you made a few mistakes, no big deal. You'll learn from them and next time you'll do better. I would strongly advise that you stick through this process so that God can make you into a messenger worthy of carrying His word - knowing how to approach people with wisdom and delivering the words of God with stunning accuracy. I am glad to see your humble attitude, it gives me hope that God is working in you. If you believe God has no more for you here, then so be it. But I would recommend you truly search your heart to see if it is really God or the spirit of rejection that is telling you to leave. Peace to you, Starsman

Ah, the question of identity.. Just let God tell you who you are. We are made in His image and are much more complex than any test is ever going to be able to figure out, and as such, we will only find satisfaction in what He says about us. Also, if you are on the path of being made into the image of Christ, then what does this stuff mean anyways? You tell me! What myers-briggs type is Jesus? Find that out so I can be just like Him

Hey F.S., I've been down the same road you're on right now, and it can be quite a struggle to be faithful with such a gifting. Not many Christians have any clue anymore about matters of the spirit. But, you are blessed, and this gift is something the church desperately needs! Now, you just have to survive long enough to become wise in using it (c= There are some really simple answers to your questions: 1) How do I grow in this gift? If you want to grow in this gift, you use it. It's like a muscle, the more exercise you do with it the better it will become. You don't even need a bible verse to understand this, spiritual gifts are like any other ability. You just gotta go out there and use it. Practice, practice, practice!! But if you want bible verses to support this, there is: Hebrews 5:14 - "But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil." Also, there is Jesus' parable of the talents. If you want your talent to grow, you don't bury it in the ground - you go out and put it to use. Another big help in this is if you find someone to mentor you. Jesus mentored a bunch of fisherman, and they changed the world. Ask God for someone who will pour their life into yours. They will accelerate your growth exponentially. Furthermore, pray and ask God about this. Earnestly seek Him to help you grow and understand. 2) How do I test the spirits? The answer to this is not quite as clear, but it is still straightforward. One biblical test is to question the spirit: "Do you testify Jesus is Lord and Messiah? Did He come in the flesh?" If the spirit answers no, toss it out. But, a big part of this, is back in the answer to your first question. As you grow in discernment through practice, you will learn more in how to test the spirits. There are a few key things you can pay attention to that will help you: You can judge it by the fruit of the spirit: Is it one that brings peace, or fear? Do you sense love, or anger? Get to know the list the St. Paul wrote in Galatians! If the spirit has bad fruit, toss it out. And another key point in this from Hebrews 4:12 - "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." If that isn't discernment, I don't know what is!! So, get to know the word of God. Both the written word and the Living Word (Jesus). As you get to know the written word, the Holy Spirit can use it to quicken your spirit to tell you what is up with the spirits you are sensing. As you get to know the Living Word (Jesus), you will come to know Him and His ways. This is the best way, because by knowing the True One you will have a much easier time being able to spot the false ones. Jesus said, "my sheep hear my voice, I know them and they follow me." The better you know the voice of the shepherd, the better you will know when it is His voice vs another. You'll be able to eventually tell, "this just doesn't seem like Jesus.... there's something off about this" Also, you absolutely must be able to tell the difference between the soul and the spirit. Right now, a bunch of it is probably muddled up and may affect your discernment. How do you improve this? Well, your flesh and soulish desires must be crucified. God must deal with your fallen nature, and in time He will do this work in you. You must yield to His hand as He purges you. Once this is done, you will be able to tell the difference between a thought from the soul and one from the spirit - both in yourself and others. Early on it is very easy to get it mixed up. Another point in this is that the word of God will help accomplish this work in you. Study the word, and draw near to God. Futhermore: You will mess up a lot as you practice and put to this gift to use. If you are not in a safe place to do so, be careful. Perhaps find a place where you will have the freedom to practice and wise elders to oversee you. But, by all means, follow Jesus in this. Just be obedient to His voice, wether or not you have it 100%, and He will take care of the rest. And, I could be wrong in this, but it actually sounds more like you have a prophetic gift than the gift of discernment. The prophetic gift can "see and sense" while the gift of discernment goes "okay, I know EXACTLY what that is. That's a spirit of accusation." Perhaps you have both Blessings on you! Starsman