EXAMINING WORLD RELIGIONS PART TWO: Mormonism: Are Mormons Christians?

In my continued look a world religions, today I will examine Mormonism, aka The Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints (LDS). 

Recently I received a knock on my door. When I answered there stood two Mormon missionaries. They told me they were there to discuss their church with me. I thanked them for stopping by but I was a born again Christian and was very sure of my faith in Christianity. 

One of the young missionary men quickly responded with telling me that Mormons are ALSO Christians. I told him that with all due respect that I didn't agree. In this post I will share some of what I told the missionaries about their claim to "also being a Christian."

"Is Mormonism Christian?" The answer is simple.  No. Mormonism is not Christian.

If you are a Mormon, please realize that I am not trying to attack you, your character, or the sincerity of your belief.  If you are a non-Mormon looking into Mormonism or if you are a Christian who is simply researching Mormonism, then this post should be of help.

The reason Mormonism is not Christian is that it denies one or more of the essential doctrines of Christianity.  Here is a basic list of what true Christianity teaches as essential doctrine according to the Bible.

1. There is only one God in all existence (Exodus 20:1-4; Isaiah 43:10; 44:6, 8; 45:5). 
2. Jesus is divine (John 1:1, 14; 8:24; Col. 2:9)
3. Forgiveness of sins is by grace alone without works (Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 3:28; 4:1-5)
4. Jesus rose from the dead physically (John 2:19-21; Luke 24:39)
5. The gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus (1 Cor. 15:1-4)

Mormonism denies that there is only one God in all existence and also denies the forgiveness of sins in Christ alone. Therefore, it is outside Christianity.  It is not a Christian religion.

What does Mormonism teach primarily?

Mormonism teaches that God the Father has a body of flesh and bones  and that Jesus is a creation who was begotten in heaven as one of God’s spirit children. This is in strict contrast to the biblical teaching that he is God in flesh (John 1:1, 14), eternal (John 1:1, 2, 15), uncreated, yet born on earth (Col. 1:15), and the creator of all (John 1:3; Col. 1:16-17). Jesus cannot be both created and not created at the same time. Though Mormonism teaches that Jesus is God in flesh, it teaches that he is "a" god in flesh, one of three gods that comprise the office of the Trinity . These three gods are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. This is in direct  contradiction of the biblical doctrine that there is only one God (Isaiah 43:10; 44:6, 8; 45:5). 

Because Mormonism denies the biblical truth of who God is, who Jesus is, how forgiveness of sins is attained, and what the gospel is, Mormonism is not Christian.

What else does Mormonism teach?

Mormon theology teaches that God is only one of countless gods, that he used to be a man on another planet, that he became a god by following the laws and ordinances of that god on that world, and that he brought one of his wives to this world with whom he produces spirit children who then inhabit human bodies at birth. The first spirit child to be born was Jesus. Second (though this is disputed among some Mormons) was Satan, and then we all followed.  But, the Bible says that there is only one God (Isaiah 43:10; 44:6, 8; 45:5), that God has  been God eternally (Psalm 90:2)--which means he was never a man on another planet.  Since the  Bible denies the existence of other gods (and goddesses--there is a mother goddess in Mormonism), the idea that Jesus is  the product of a god and goddess couple is rejected.  The Bible tells us that Jesus--The Jesus of Mormonism--is definitely not the same Jesus of the Bible. Therefore, faith in the Mormon Jesus is faith misplaced because the Mormon Jesus doesn't exist.

Mormonism says Jesus' Sacrifice is not enough

Mormonism teaches that the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross itself (and receiving it by faith) is not sufficient to bring forgiveness of sins. It teaches that the forgiveness of sins is obtained though a cooperative effort with God; that is, we must be good and follow the laws and ordinances of the Mormon church in order to obtain forgiveness. Consider the late James Talmage, an LDS apostle who said, "The sectarian dogma of justification by faith alone has exercised an influence for evil," (Articles of Faith, p. 432), and "Hence the justice of the scriptural doctrine that salvation comes to the individual only through obedience," (Articles of Faith, p. 81).  This clearly contradicts the biblical doctrine of the forgiveness of sins by grace through faith (Rom. 3:28; 5:1; 6:23; Eph. 2:8-9) and the doctrine that works are not part of becoming salved (Rom. 4:1-5) but a result of them (James 2:14-18).

To further confuse the matter, Mormonism states that salvation is twofold.  It maintains that salvation is both forgiveness of sins and universal resurrection. So when a Mormon speaks of salvation by grace, he is usually referring to universal resurrection. But the Bible speaks of salvation as the forgiveness of sins--not universal resurrection. Where Mormonism states that forgiveness of sins is not by faith alone (2 Nephi 25:23; Moroni 10:32), the Bible does teach it is by faith alone (Rom. 3:28; 4:1-5).  Both cannot be true.

Mormonism and the Bible

In order to justify its aberrant theology, Mormonism has undermined the authority and trustworthiness of the Bible.  The 8th Article of Faith from the Mormon Church states, "We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly."  This means that when the Bible contradicts Mormonism, the Bible isn't trustworthy.  This allows them to say and teach whatever they want even when it contradicts scripture.

Therefore...

Mormonism is not Christian because it denies that there is only one God, denies the true Gospel, adds works to salvation, denies that Jesus is the uncreated creator, distorts the biblical teaching of the atonement, undermines the authority and reliability of the Bible, says that God used to be a man who came from another planet, that we can become gods, that there is a goddess mother in heaven, etc.

I do not deny that Mormons are decent helpful people, and that they do many good things.  But that isn't what makes someone Christian--nor does putting "Jesus Christ" in your title make you Christian if you deny who Jesus really is.  Jesus said in Matthew 7:21-23, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name? And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!".

Notice that Jesus condemns those who combine their faith with their works in order to be saved.  If you doubt that, see also Luke 18:9-14 where Jesus teaches the same thing again.

Becoming a Christian does not mean belonging to a church, doing good things, or simply believing in a god from another planet. Being a Christian means that you have trusted in the true God for salvation, received the True Jesus--not the brother of the devil, not the god of Mormonism, not the gospel of Mormonism.  Becoming a Christian means believing the gospel of Christ, who is God in flesh, 2nd person of the Trinity, who was sent by the Father, bore our sins in his body on the cross (1 Pet. 2:24), died, was buried and rose again (1 Cor. 15:1-4).  You must trust Jesus.  Believe what he did. Put your faith in him.

In my next post I will discuss the founder of the LDS church, Prophet Joseph Smith.

Ghosts, Spirit Guides and my personal experiences with the paranormal

Once again, a reader of my blog has a question for me, this time regarding my last post on the difference between a psychic and a prophet. I figure if she has this question, then perhaps other readers are also asking the question so I've decided to answer her question here.

Her question is this, " How do we know that psychics/mediums are consulting with demons and not real spirits of deceased loved ones?" This particular reader has often watched "The Long Island Medium" and has consulted psychics herself. She finds the idea of a demon pretty far out there and a bit ridiculous. Therefore I have posted this video that I highly recommend that everyone watch. Additionally I am going to explain about my personal experiences dealing with demons and I pray that you will read about them and consider the implications of what I'm about to describe.

Before I became a Christian I would laugh at anyone who proposed the idea of Satan and Demons.  I felt the ideas of Satan, Hell and Demons preposterous. However I can now assure you that Satan and his demons are real and they are masquerading as deceased loved ones, ghosts and they can and will brew up paranormal experiences in the lives of those who invite them in.

As I have described, before becoming a Christian I had dabbled in the occult. I (like many) was drawn into the idea of being a "Spiritual" person and was drawn in to The New Age Movement. I consulted psychics, I owned crystals to "guide me"and asked my "spirit guides" to lead me to all things good.  During that time I had many dark and very scary things happen to me and I now realize without a doubt that these scary occurrences were the result of the fact that I had unknowingly opened a portal to demons and they were not only in my life, but they were messing with it.

At the age of 19 I left home to move away and attend a university. I meditated on my crystal day and night asking the universe to send me to the "perfect" room mate and place to live near campus. Once I found the room mate and room to rent I sought the counsel of psychics to guide me through my college experience. I was thrilled to learn that my room mate was also very interested in being a "spiritual" person and had also sought the advice of psychics.

Without going through every harrowing experience one by one let me just tell you that I had many very scary experiences in our shared condo. The least of which was hearing my name called out throughout the home by a voice that can only be described as demonic in nature. This demon would wait till I was alone for maximum effect in being sure it scared me half to death.

Completely unaware that I was dabbling in the occult, I continued to bring these demonic forces into my life for many many years. I had some terrifying experiences and I felt helpless to stop them. In fact the worse the scary experiences got the more I would call to my "spirit guides" to guide me to safety. I had no idea that I was continually inviting this dark presence into my life as I did this! My room mate also had experiences that were dark and unwanted. I'm happy to say that my ex room mate and I are both now Christians and looking back we know exactly what was going on in our lives and in that condo.

Fast forward to 2012. I've now been a Christian for ten years. I know that Satan and his demonic forces are real. We moved into an older home in a beach city in Southern California. This was a dream house for me. It was light yellow with a white picket fence. The yards were perfection. We immediately signed a lease and moved in.

Within a few months of living there I felt what I can only describe as a  "presence" in the home.  Nothing was actually happening at that point other then I would occasionally see a shadow in a corner and feel that something was "off". Then things started getting a little more odd. Out of nowhere pictures started falling off of walls. In our guest room we had a small tv plugged in for guests. I could be in the kitchen and I'd hear the tv on and turned up very loudly in the guest room. No one else was home, so it had turned on all by "itself". Pictures falling off of walls and the tv turning on and off were becoming a daily thing.  My son and husband also witnessed these things. Oddly, I wasn't scared at all I felt protected by God.

This went on for about a week and then one night my husband, son and I were all awoken by what was a very loud crash coming from the attic. My husband and son bolted out of bed, got the ladder and went up to see what was going on. They found nothing. The "experience" had kept us all up half the night and low and behold we missed church the next day as we were so tired. Interesting.... The next day I was in my craft room and I was standing there watching tv while preparing to work on my scrap booking. I literally watched as a bottle of Windex that was sitting on the window ledge fall to the floor. It was like it was pushed off the ledge.

I decided right there that these two full weeks of bizarre activity was enough. I went to the Lord in deep prayer asking Him what to do. Immediately he told me that I had opened a demonic portal in the home because I had been watching "The Long Island Medium" and "Hollywood Ghost Stories" on a regular basis on tv. Additionally I had struck up an acquaintance with a woman who worked at Whole Foods who was a follower of Wicca and called herself an "Earth Witch". She was the nicest, sweetest lady in the world and I had mentioned my "haunting" to her the week prior. She had advised me to burn sage and wave it from room to room. I actually bought the sage hoping it would work!  I try really hard to befriend, love and witness to all of God's children regardless of their religious beliefs, but God reminded me that by engaging in conversations with her about her Wicca religion over the past several months I was opening myself back up to the occult. It then dawned on me that I started watching both ghost shows and having conversations with the  someone who follows Wicca only AFTER moving into the house. I knew I shouldn't be watching those shows but I found them so fascinating. Even after 10 years of being a Christian there was a part of me that still wanted to believe that we could somehow contact our deceased loved ones. I was still allowing myself to be pulled into the darkness of the occult even though I knew better!!  This desire came from the fact that I had lost my mother 5 years before. Even though I knew what the Bible said and deep down I knew that these mediums were most likely communicating with demons....I still had hope that perhaps the experiences were real. I had real hopes of reaching the Wicca lady for Christ as well, but realized then that by allowing myself to listen to her talking about her witchcraft and it's practices I was opening myself up to things I shouldn't. The fact that I followed her advice with the burning sage only drew me in further.

Once God revealed all of this to me, he prompted me not only to stop watching the shows and to no longer engage in conversations with the Wicca lady regarding her religion; but to go through each room and pray over it. So I did. I went from room to room and in a loud, authoritative voice I said the following,

"Through the power of my Lord and savior Jesus Christ I renounce you Satan! I am telling you and all of your demons to leave my house NOW!"

I even stood directly under the attic opening in the ceiling and yelled it up at the attic!

After praying over every room of the house, I went back to the Lord in deep prayer and continued for the rest of the day to repent of being lured back into the occult. Low and behold, the strange activity stopped THAT DAY. This is after having pictures falling off walls, a tv turning on and off, strange shadows lurking in corners and crashing noises coming from the attic had gone on for well over 2 weeks.

If that does not prove the power of Jesus Christ over demonic behavior than I don't know what does. Each and every believer in Jesus Christ has the power of the holy spirit within them and has authority over Satan and his demons. All we need do is exercise our power and let the demons know that we have the power of Jesus within us!

God tells us in His word about our authority through Jesus over Satan.

Luke 10:19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 


James 4:7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Ephesians 6:11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.

Luke 10:17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."


These are just a FEW of the verses that God has given us regarding Christ's  power over Satan in His name. If you or someone you love is seeking the advice of psychics, playing with the Ouija board or dabbling in the occult in any way, shape or form I admonish you to take serious heed. I promise you that I have lived through some very dark and scary experiences as a result in  times where I dabbled in The New Age Movement and even recently as a very strong believer in my faith in Jesus and Christianity I was very easily and quickly drawn back in.

Satan does NOT want you to know the truth about Jesus. He wants you to follow him and his schemes. Remember how the crash in the attic happened on a Saturday night and kept my family from going to church the next day? These demons are not fooling around. They want to keep you away from God and His people and that includes church. We must always be on the alert and guard our hearts and minds.

In addition to my experiences I have spoken to several friends and family members who have also had paranormal experiences as a result of dabbling in the occult. One family member was living with a group of 3 girls while away at college. The girls decided it would be fun to buy a Ouija board and try to drum up "spirits" one night. After dimming the lights, lighting candles and all sitting around the board they began to play the "game". It wasn't long before they had opened a portal to demonic activity and one of the doors in the back of their apartment slammed shut! Next thing they knew they heard loud foot steps walking down the hall coming towards them. They screamed and ran out of the apartment. It scared them half to death. They got rid of the Ouija board and were so scared for the next several weeks they all slept together in the same bed! There was no one in the apartment with them and in speaking to these girls personally they are all positive this was a real experience with a real demon.

Another friend who had dabbled in New Age activities also had an experience where one day she was sitting at her computer writing an email. Out of nowhere she felt something squeezing her arm very forcefully and hard. There was no one there. She hopped up and told the "spirit" to go away. The experience terrified her and in talking to her about it she felt it was the spirit of her mother in law who had recently passed away. Since they always had a difficult relationship she felt her ghost had come back to haunt her. What she didn't realize is that her adherence to the New Age Lifestyle had opened a portal to a demonic presence.

These are only two examples out of many I could share. If you are a saved believer in Jesus Christ and you stay clear of all occult practices, including entertaining yourself with watching shows on mediums, reading New Age books, following your horoscope, seek out help from someone who follows Wicca or anything else that is strictly forbidden by God in the Bible, then you should never have to worry about being affected by a paranormal activity brought on by a demon. 

"When you enter the land which the LORD your God gives you, you shall not learn to imitate the detestable things of those nations."There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer,… Deuteronomy 18:9

"Do not defile yourselves by turning to mediums or to those who consult the spirits of the dead. I am the LORD your God......Leviticus 19:31

Thank you for reading A Spirit Filled Life and may God bless you!

The difference between a Psychic and a Prophet.

A friend and reader of my blog recently read through my posts on the New Age Movement and asked  me, "what's the difference between a psychic & a prophet?" .... They both claim to foretell or foreknow information concerning the future ........"

l told her, the difference between the two is the SOURCE  from which they receive their information. A prophet knows information as it has been revealed to him/her by God, whereas a psychics source of information is revealed through a "familiar spirit"  ....

In times of such uncertainty we all want to know what will be the outcome of our future, we, in our human nature want to know the details of our lives ..... the who, when, where & what of our existence/future, so it can be tempting & easy for one to get caught up and not realize they're opening Pandora's Box & potentially dancing with the devil when they seek out a reading with a psychic. In the past I have consulted with psychics and although these "seerers" seemed to know things about my past and were anxious to foretell my future; I know now that the" familiar spirits" that were giving the psychics information were not to be trusted.  

"What are familiar spirits?"

The word familiar is from the Latin familiaris, meaning a "household servant," and is intended to express the idea that sorcerers had spirits as their servants ready to obey their commands. Those attempting to contact the dead, even to this day, usually have some sort of "spirit guide" who communicates with them. These are the" familiar spirits."

Leviticus 19:31; 20:6, 27, and Deuteronomy 18:9-14 refer to “mediums and familiar spirits” and forbids being involved with them, as they are an abomination to the Lord. The medium was one who acted as a “go-between” to supposedly contact or communicate with the dead, but in reality they were contacting demons who convinced the mediums that they were “familiar” and could be trusted and believed.

The word "psychic" is from the Greek word "psychikos"-"of the mind" "mental", also called sensitive is a person who professes an ability to perceive information hidden from the normal senses through extrasensory perception  (ESP), or is said by others to have such abilities.

The word “prophesy” is from the Greek word “propheteuo” and means “to foretell events, divine, speak under inspiration, exercise the prophetic office”, “to hold the office of a prophet; to do the work of a prophet, i.e. to speak forth, in declaration, warning or exhortation, as directed by the Spirit of God” 

The word “prophecy” means “1. a. a message of divine truth revealing God’s will. b. the act of uttering such a message. 3. the function, activity, or charismatic endowment of a prophet or prophets” 

Have you ever wondered why Christians behave as they do? What factors motivate our actions? One important answer is the nature of a believer’s spiritual gift. Whatever you do in life, you will do your best and find the greatest sense of fulfillment by using your gift in the power of the Holy Spirit. The gift of prophecy is one of seven motivational gifts identified by God’s Word in Romans 12:6-8:

"We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith."

Prophecy means much more than to foretell the future. It also means “to speak the truth” or “to proclaim.” For some with this gift they are able to hear God speak to them in many ways. Audibly or through an internal "voice" that they clearly hear,  through dreams, visions,  etc.. For these operating in this aspect of the gift, God reveals future events and information with great clarity.  For most however, the motivational gift of prophecy is primarily concerned with speaking forth the truth. The Word of God helps us to understand characteristics and avoid misunderstandings associated with the gift of prophecy, and it shows us how we use that gift when we walk in the Spirit.

At Pentecost (after Jesus died, he sent his Holy Spirit to dwell in all his followers), his disciple Peter addressed the crowd and said,

“‘In the last days, God says,

I will pour out my Spirit on all people.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy,

your young men will see visions,

your old men will dream dreams.

Even on my servants, both men and women,

I will pour out my Spirit in those days,

and they will prophesy.

I will show wonders in the heavens above

and signs on the earth below,

blood and fire and billows of smoke.

The sun will be turned to darkness

and the moon to blood

before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.

And everyone who calls

on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

Acts 2:17-21

The Gift of Prophecy functions when a Holy Spirit-filled believer is “in tune” with the Spirit of God, perceiving and discerning what God wants spoken out in a particular place or time amongst a certain people. He has to use those who are available to His promptings . . . who are willing to step outside their “comfort zone” and allow the Lord to speak through them in a public manner with an audible voice. God has chosen this means to “communicate” His word and will amongst the people! Prophesying is speaking forth under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, sharing a love message (or letter...or blog post!) from the heart of Jesus Christ to the people. We as believers  become a delivery person speaking on behalf of God. Because it is Holy Spirit inspired, it is a message from God through us to the people. If those with this gifting fail to stir up, and step into, the exercising of the Gift of Prophecy, then we are “robbing” others of the opportunity to hear God speaking to them in such a way that they will do something about their present situation or lifestyle. Below is a list of attributes that are typically found in someone with the gift of prophecy.

1. Those with the gift of prophecy have a strong need for verbal expression. Believers with this gift are likely to be the very first to speak in any situation. They rise and state their feelings, particularly when they observe some act of injustice. Peter is an excellent example of someone with the gift of prophecy, because he was always the first disciple to speak out. Those with this gift don’t necessarily speak publicly, but they often give counsel. They tell us exactly what we should do, then they check with us to see if we did it.

2. Those with the gift of prophecy have a strong ability to discern the character and motives of other people. Christians with this gift may walk into a room and immediately sense any harmony or discord among those present. They are very sensitive to the hidden motives of people, because the Spirit of God has given them the power of discernment. They are also committed to God, and therefore prone to correcting behavior that isn’t true to His Word. Christians with the gift of prophecy are often misunderstood because of their quick judgments.

3. Those with the gift of prophecy become wholeheartedly involved. Believers with this gift devote all their effort to every activity in which they become involved. Their nature is to pay whatever price is necessary to get a job  done. Therefore, they have little patience with those who continue to spend valuable time laboring too much over a decision. They make their choice quickly, get to work, and expect others to do the same. Peter exemplified this tendency when he jumped into the water at Jesus’ invitation to step from his boat and walk on the sea (Matthew 14:25-29)  These believers work with all their heart and conviction. 

4. Those with the gift of prophecy are open to correction. Because they are committed to obeying God’s Word, these believers are willing to be shown their spiritual shortcomings. They enjoy seeing righteousness in the lives of others, but they want to see it in their own lives as well. Therefore, they are dedicated to doing the right thing. Peter doubted Jesus when He told him to go out to sea and put down the fishing nets, but when the bounty of Jesus came through, Peter saw his mistake, and fell at the feet of Jesus saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man” (Luke 5:8) A highly recommend as believers that we have an "accountability partner" or a mentor. Someone who is a very mature believer that you trust to "call you out" so to speak if you need it! For me, my friend Beverly J is that person. I have given her permission long ago to lovingly and obediently admonish and correct anything that she sees me doing or hears about me doing that is not following God's word for righteous living. 

5. Those with the gift of prophecy are extremely loyal. In marriage, among their children or parents, or in any other setting, believers with the gift of prophecy always show loyalty. The gift will not allow them to be fickle, and they will stand beside even those friends or leaders who have done wrong, not to justify their sin but to help them. Jesus once asked His disciples if they, too, were going to desert Him when so many others did. Peter replied, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life” (John 6:68).

6. Those with the gift of prophecy are willing to suffer for what is right. Believers with this spiritual gift are greatly opposed to wrong and injustice. They will take a stand for what is right, even if it requires sacrifice. Peter wrote, “But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed” (1 Peter 3:14) How many Christians today are willing to stand by the church during hard times?

7. Those with the gift of prophecy are persuasive in defining truth. You will never be in doubt about the beliefs of someone with the gift of prophecy. They speak their convictions with great clarity. They also validate their beliefs through the Word of God. Believers with this gift will always make certain that their words are understood, because they want their listeners to do the right thing. Therefore, they will take care to speak at the level of understanding that is appropriate for that audience.

8. What are some common misunderstandings about the gift of prophecy? Those with the gift of prophecy are often seen as being intolerant because of their strong sense of right and wrong. They are thought to be poor listeners because they are eager to proclaim the truth. Their frankness may be viewed as harshness, and their interest in the whole group may be misinterpreted as lack of interest in a particular individual. Because they find new methods of accomplishment, they are accused of using gimmicks. These believers focus on their personal decision, and others accuse them of neglecting spiritual growth. Finally, their public boldness and strict standards can hinder them from experiencing intimate personal relationships.

9. What if someone with this gift fails to walk in the Spirit? Those with the gift of prophecy are always truthful in the Spirit, but walking in the flesh will make them deceptive. Their sincerity in proclaiming the truth will quickly become hypocrisy when they are not allowing the Spirit to direct their lives, and their strong commitment to living morally will give way to impurity. Although this gift encourages boldness, when we live in the flesh we become fearful and ineffective. When walking in the flesh, this believer will be less forgiving and more prone to cruelly reject others.

Walking in the Spirit makes all the difference in your life. We are joyful and fulfilled when we let God guide and direct how we use the gifts He gives us. Yet we are ineffective and frustrated when we try to live under our own power. My friend, it is essential that you and I walk in the Spirit every day, whatever we do. When we walk in His power, we keep in step with God’s plan for our lives. Then, when we need to be corrected, God will send someone with the gift of prophecy to correct us in a loving and constructive way. Do you have a humble, correctable attitude? If so, you will grow stronger and more obedient, and then you can begin to operate effectively through your spiritual gift, whatever it may be.

       As wonderful as the gift of prophecy is to those who are blessed to have the God given ability,  there are many dangers of prophecy that need to be considered. Prophecy is particularly dangerous in the key areas of life. There is so much risk, and so much damage has been done in God’s name by unwise, unsafe prophecy. 

We should avoid, in almost every case, what I call “hatch, match or dispatch” prophesies. What’s a hatch prophesy? A hatch prophesy is when you go up to a lady and say, “I really believe God is going to give you a baby.” Not wise. 

A match prophesy is, “I think you two should get married,” or worse still, when a guy goes to a girl and says, “God has told me that we’re going to get married.” Not wise. The girl might well reply, “Well, He hasn’t told me!”

Dispatch prophesies are about predicting death—not good.But just as dangerous also are those prophecies where someone has a fatal illness and a foolish person says, “I really feel God has said you’re going to be healed.” Not helpful—it can be very dangerous. Avoid sharing these kinds of prophecies like the plague.

Prophecy can be misleading and very damaging in foolish hands. Lives can be destroyed by the response of someone to a careless word. In fact, because of this risk, I can understand why at various points throughout history, the cry has gone up, “Ban it!” But the Bible does not allow us to do that. Because of the dangers of prophecy, I would encourage you, if you do have a prophetic word for someone, to have a witness present to confirm or correct what is being said and to relieve any pressure that the person might feel. It’s very wise to say things like, “Well, I need you to weigh this,” or, “Please check this with your pastor,” or, “Does this make any sense to you?”Sometimes people deliver a prophetic word and they say, “Does that make any sense?” and the answer is no. “What do you mean, it doesn’t make any sense? It was God, wasn’t it?” Well, not necessarily.How do we recognize true prophecy, then?

It is not the prophet who we test; rather, it is the prophetic words. A powerful word can sometimes come from a new Christian. Equally, however, no word is true simply because it came from someone who has a good track record of hearing from God. We are not told to test the Bible. The Bible, we know, is true. But we have to test prophetic words by what the Bible says. For those who operate in this gifting, they typically know it. However, they should still consult each and every prompting from the Lord to His word before delivering prophetic messages to others. 

Do you feel YOU have the gift of prophesy? If you do, then I strongly suggest that you not hide from this God given ability. There are many books that can help you to strengthen your spiritual gift and speaking to your Pastor or another trusted believer who also has the gift can help you as you begin to utilize your special gifting bestowed upon you by the Holy Spirit.

I encourage all believers to find out what their spiritual gift(s) is and use it wisely and effectively to serve the Lord. In a future blog post I will be discussing more on spiritual gifts. In the meanwhile, if you are a believer I encourage you to take a spiritual gift assessment test. I have provided the website to a trusted and accurate test site below. A large part of living a spirit filled life is knowing your spiritual gifts and using them to serve God. Nothing brings more fulfillment in life than doing what it is that God sent you here to do!

                                                   www.spiritualgiftstest.com

Unfortunately I was unable to get the above website to link here, so you will have to type it in yourself on your search field.

A special thank you goes out to my reader who asked me the question about what is the difference between a psychic and a prophet. This blog post now completes my examination of the New Age Movement and I will now move on to looking at another prominent world religion/movement which is Mormonism.Thank you for reading A Spirit Filled Life and may God bless you.

Newsboys - God's Not Dead

 GOD'S NOT DEAD HE'S SURELY ALIVE!!!!!

The Documentary that convince Atheists to believe in God ...

I've decided to interrupt my series of examining world religions to share this important documentary. I recently asked an atheist to watch this and report back to me. The atheist said this to me a short time after watching...

"If an atheist truly opens their mind, watches this, examines and studies the claims and STILL denies the existence of God then what they have is a pride problem. Either that or they just don't want to believe, because to believe means having to possibly change their life or what they have always held true"

Therefore I challenge anyone who is an atheist/and or believes in evolution to not only watch this, but by all means pick it apart! Take every claim, every speaker, every experiment and hypothesis and test it.

If you still don't believe, well than I have to agree with my friend (now a former atheist I might add) and her quote. Don't let pride, or your disgust with a political party or any group of religious people and their actions keep you from the truth.

God's not dead. He's surely alive.



*Note: this documentary is approximately an hour long. Take the time to watch it and by all means take notes and research it's claims. Please note this video has french subtitles and has been spliced together from a series. There is a few 30 second pauses with french subtitles. Just fast forward through.