Has this ever happened to you?

[Guest Bro David™]

we do have to remember also, that there are times that the Lords presence is so strong that even the priest could not stand in His Glory.

remember Moses and the Israelites, they could not even look upon the FADING Glory of God, Moses had to cover his face when he was in the presence of the people, and that was just the fading Glory of God from his backside... not even His Face

mike

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree but that is instigated by the spirit of God.

This is instigated by the pracher and the laying of hands.

There is a diff right Sir ?

[Deez131]

Seriously......don't go back. They're doing the whole "slain in the spirit" thing. Not good. Some churches roll around on the floor and bark like dogs. Others crawl around babbling. Doesn't sound like a church led by the Holy Spirit. Sounds like a church filled with seriously misguided people.

[Guest nodnarb]

i dont think I would go back either. We can all sit here and tell you our two cents and experiences in the Holy Spirit but I recomend just reading scripture. There are plenty of descriptions about the holy spirit, and I dont think you will find a parrallel description with your story. The lesson though is scripture is our sword. I am not a bold person, but in scripture I am! How did Jesus answer the devil during his temptations? I dont know about you, but Ive heard wonderful advice from wonderful christians. The advice helped a lot, but the comfort I feel when I feed upon the word of God better and sufficient always.

[irishcowboy]

what I am trying to say, ( if i can say this right ) is that we have to hold it against the Holy Word of God, if it does not hold water, or does not line up with the Word of God then we are to discount it as being not from God.

The Written Word of God is the Final Written Authority we have on this earth.

mike

[Guest Bro David™]

what I am trying to say, ( if i can say this right ) is that we have to hold it against the Holy Word of God, if it does not hold water, or does not line up with the Word of God then we are to discount it as being not from God.

The Written Word of God is the Final Written Authority we have on this earth.

mike

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hey you know what I agree.

[Ovedya]

I wish that someone would examine the Scriptures and show me where the receiving of the Holy Spirit is connected with a feeling.

Now before you run off to your Bible's please note that I did not claim that the Holy Spirit cannot illicit certain feelings within a believer. What I want to see is where the Bible demands that we respond to the Spirit with a certain kind of feeling or "manifestation" of His presence.

I have a bit of a problem with folks who try to say that evidence of the Spirit's presence always has to be through some outward manifestation. Can the Spirit not be present in silence just as well as it can through these outward manifestation? Yes. In fact, I think it is such much more often. Not that the Spirit is dead - far from it. But that the Spirit doesn't require any physical proof of its presence.

You know, oftentimes we look for some emotional response to the Spirit when we should not be looking at all. I remember once when I had backslidden for a couple of days, and I rejected the Lord's prompting me to repent. Finally I submitted to the Lord, repenting of my sins and asking Him to wash me in His blood. After praying I waited for a feeling of being cleansed. AQnd when I ddn't get any feeling that I had been cleansed I began to wonder if I had indeed been forgiven of my sins. I never received a peaceful feeling. I didn't really even feel like God had touched me.

But did that mean that I had not been forgiven? I had to ask a brother. I went to a brother with my problem and he shared with me that there is a "fact" in the Bible concerning God's forgiveness. There is a promise of God's forgiveness everytime we confess our sins. The Bible says that God is "faithful and righteous" to forgive us our sins if we confess them. Faithful means that He will do it. And righteous means that He will fulfill His promise according to his blood. This brother shared with me the objective "fact" of our forgiveness before the throne of grace. That "fact" does not require a personal feeling to verify its effectiveness. And it does not depend on a certain feeling either.

Sometimes we may have a certain feeling as the result of God's grace. Other times we may not. But our slavation does not depend on a feeling. It depends upon a wonderful fact. That "fact" is contained within a testement - a promise - like a "last will and testament" that has been signed in the Lord's very own blood.

So the bottom line here is, whether you get a certain feeling or not, does not mean that the Spirit is not present within you or among you. Many times the Spirit is there (In fact the Lord is always present in us) and there is no feeling one way or another. Other times you respond to the Spirit through emotion. We are emotional beings, after all. But much more, we need to be spiritual people, responding to the Lord with an "amen" from our spirit, not our emotions. Emotions are fickle things and should never be relied upon as evidence of the Spirit's workings.

[Guest Bro David™]

  Not that the Spirit is dead - far from it.  But that the Spirit doesn't require any physical proof of its presence.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It is indeed true.

Just like paul says, where is the edification in that.

I speak in tounges just for your info, but I do not do it in a loud and flamboyant way or in any way that would attract attention mind you.

I also do not understand the concept that you need to have a preacher present and someone to break your fall behind you in order for these acts of the spirit to be carried out.

[Jacqueline]

Every single one of you are absoluetly right. I know that the Holy Spirit is with us even when we can't feel Him. It's been so many times that I've told my self the same thing. As for the concert that I went to. How do I know that it was the Holy Spirit and not just the music or energy from the people around me? Very simple. Two years ago when I accepted Christ into my life I was going through alot of doubts. God can't use me I'm to messed up sort of thing. Well it was the night before Valentine and I was watching TBN. This Valentine special was on about husbands and wifes and it dawned on me that I've never had an Valentine. Not once have I been with someone during that time of year. I began to feel sad, but instead of dwelling on the past I looked up and said it doesn't matter Father, You are my Valentine forever. I did feel much better after that.

The next day I was coming home my work. I use to catch the bus to and fro. Thank You Father for blessing me with a car now. I was standing at the bus stop and I'd just missed my bus. This car pulled over and when he stopped I thought he was either going to asks me for my number or for direction. He didn't do either one. He leaned over the passager side seat and handed me roses. Red and white roses. He said to me remember peace and love and he drove away. I've never seen this man before or since. A few minutes later the bus arrived. A few stops after mine a woman got on the bus. This woman was everywhere. She was messing with the other passengers. She asked if anyone could give her change and I pulled out a dollar to give her when this man who was sitting next to me told me not to give it to her because she had money. I told him that you never know what a few more dollars in her pocket can do and I handed the dollar to her. I sort of went into my own world after that as I listen to the gospel CD I had with me. Sometimes blocking out the world is just want the Lord proscribe. It was a few stops before I was to get off the bus and I watched this woman for a moment. She was still everywhere. She was now even touching a mans ear that she didn't know and he was trying to be as prolite as he could to her. Any way I thought that I should give her a rose and I said to my self of course I can't. People will think that I'm crazy. But the thought was already planted in my mind. I got up to get off the bus and I kept thinking give her a rosa. Then I'd think no I can't what if she doesn't except it I look like a fool.

The bus stopped at my stop and as I turned to walk off the bus this amazing feeling came over me. It was so strong. He didn't take over me. He took away all the fear that I had about what others would think of me. He strenghten my desire to give the woman a rose. Instead of walking off the bus I turned to the woman and asked her if she would like a rose. She said yes and as she reached to take it from my hand. Jesus loves you slipped out of my mouth. Her hand stopped just before it touched the rose and she stared at me surprised at what I'd just said. I in turned stared right back at her just as surprised that those words had come out of my mouth. After a few seconds she took the rose out of my hand and sat down. I in turn almost ran from the bus. I didn't run because of what I thought the other passengers thought. I ran because of Who I could still feel inside me. I ran because His presences was such a shock and was so strong that I was not only taken back my whole body was shaking. As the bus moved away I watched the woman until I couldn't see her any longer and for the first time since she got on the bus she was actually sitting still. Who I felt that day is the same Person I felt at that concert. The only differences is at the concert as I stood there watching the people around me and as I felt His presence I fought Him. He felt right, but I was so blinded by me and my pride that I wouldn't let Him into my heart. After the concert the only thing I said about it was that Kirk was a good singer.

I learned a lot of things because of this. I learned that God can use any one. I learned that what ever we need Him to be He is able to be it. I learned that He walks with us no matter where we are in life. I learned that God will bless us only to turn around and use that blessing to bless someone else. Thank you all for reminding me.

God Bless You

Jacqueline

[irishcowboy]

i watched a guy go down one time, and there was no one there to catch him, and he fell straight back.... his hands in the air, and it was as thou there were people behind him catching him, but there was not.

there are many ways the Spirit manifest Himself in us, there is no specific one way to do it. some will say different, but it is like the way the Lord speaks to each of us, in our own ways, but yet , it is the same.

mike

[nebula]

That is a very sweet testimony, Jaqueline!

I can't evaluate the church service as to what was going on based on just the info given.

It seems, though, that different people have different sensitivites.

I've been to prayer meeting where those around me where having what has been termed "physical manifestation," yet I had no physical reactions myself.

But I notice I pick up on the Lord's presence in different ways - sometimes I have to reach for it, other times it's just there.

But the times I feel overwhelmed by His presence are times that I need to experience His touch.

I was at a Christian concert many years ago where the Lord's presence fell over me like a healing rain - not to use the cliche, bu I could literally feel the healing!

I was at a church were "everyone" was falling over and all that, but I didn't "feel" anything. Yet, after leaving, I discovered that something in my spiritual walk that had been broken was healed! I don't know when or how it happened, but it just was!

Am I making sense to you?