The Supernatural

Many people I know right now are looking for the supernatural. I know how they feel, for I have often myself hungered for the supernatural to happen to me. It is just too bad that many of these people are either looking in the wrong place for TRUE, GOOD supernatural things. For example, Jonathan Edwards on tv, ghost hunters, and even Harry Potter do not constitute the best supernatural experiences a person can have. Or people who know the Lord Jesus (the ONLY TRUE source of good supernatural experiences) want to hold onto their past sins or petty complaints about others or they let disobedience, doubt, and unbelief keep them from experiencing all that God has for them. Many people I know who claim to be followers of Yeshua do not grow at all spiritually and wish only to stay in a spiritual baby state, forfeiting all that could be theirs if they give up childish ways and grow in their walk with the Lord.

The reality is that there is a supernatural realm. Just as there is this natural realm that we can see, there is also an unseen world that is even more real than the natural realm, for the unseen realm will go on forever. If we could peel back the curtains of this dimension, we would see a great supernatural war taking place- that between God, His holy angels, and the devil and his fallen angels. Therefore, the truth is is that there are only 2 sources of supernatural occurances: God and the devil. Both are fighting for the souls of men. Both have power. Both have the ability to appear attractive to man. Even the devil himself appears as an angel of light, the Bible says. The difference that seaparates these 2 is that the supernatural occurances that have their source in the One True God- Jesus of Nazareth, are true and are designed for the ultimate glory of God and for the ultimate good of those who love Him. They are original. For He is all powerful, all knowing, and almighty. He never does anything that goes against His written word, for God is not a man that should lie. Conversely, every supernatural manifestation that comes from the devil (even though people may THINK come from God but actually do not) is false and designed for the ultimate destruction of man. They are counterfeits of the real thing. They are a lie designed to entice man and then to trap him. Jesus said of those who rejected Him as Lord, "You are of your father the devil". The devil is the father of all lies. He can lie so well because he has been doing it for millenia. He usually mixes some truth with deception so as to appear true. And he is very subtle and extremely cunning. In the Garden of Eden, when enticing Eve to take of the forbidden fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, all the serpent had to do was plant one seed of doubt against God's word: "Surely...you shall not die" and thus causing Eve to question whether or not what God told her was true. She paid the ultimate price for believing a lie. We are all affected by her decision.

There will be many people who will seek after the supernatural, but because they do not go to the true source, nor do they believe He is who He says He is, they will perish for all eternity. In the book of the Revelation, God says that many will not repent of their magic arts. Many people will be decieved into believing a lie. In fact, at the end of the age, the Bible teaches that many people will devote themselves to and follow the devil's ultimate representative on the earth. This person is what the Bible calls the "lawless one", or "the anti-christ". So full of supernatural abilities will this person be that people will actually believe he IS God. And they will worship him as god. These people will be those who have rebelled against the one True God and His Messiah, Jesus, who indeed IS God and God's only way to the Father. (Jesus said, 'I and the Father are one') They will be those who have rejected God's provision of salvation through Jesus of Nazareth and His death on the cross as payment for their sin. They will be those who either passively or actively reject Him. And they will be given over to believing a lie. It will not be God's fault. It will be theirs.

Even today our world is filled with evidence of the supernatural. Witchcraft and the occult have been portrayed by many in society to be harmless, even a fun recreational activity. (After all, we devote a holiday to making elements of the occult seem harmless to little kids- Halloween). Even when I was a pre-teen, girls my age were opening themselves up to the occult by playing such seemingly harmless games as Ouiga boards and "Stiff as a feather, light as a board". Even horror movies and books on spells and witchcraft can be open doors to the enemy of your soul. God told His people the Israelites, to have nothing to do with sorcerers or those who practice divination. By extension, this command applies to all who are followers of Jesus Christ. And yet we give those who do practice these things our money at the box office and sold out book signings. The Harry Potter craze is evidence that our society idolizes those whom God has said to have nothing to do with.

False teaching is also a wide open door that will lead to the wide way to destruction that Jesus talks about. In fact, He said, "See to it that you enter through the narrow gate". Jesus taught that many would follow false teachers to the way that leads to eternal separation from God. The Bible teaches that even those who thought they were Christians will fall away in what is referred to as the Great Apostasy (more on that topic later).

Today our world is filled with false religions and false teachings that emphasize things man has to do in order to reach God. Eastern religions have gained influence in our culture as never before since the 1960's. Today, Hollywood A-listers are considered ultra-chic and cool if they say they are a Buddhist or a Hindu or even a scientologist. Even Oprah, as influential as she is, endorses a way that has nothing to do with the God of the Bible. None of these people follow Jesus. And none of them, lest they turn from the way they are going and put their trust in Jesus alone, will enter into Heaven when they die. But don't take my word for it....read it for yourself. Dust off your family Bible and spend time getting to know the true Source of wonderful supernatural experiences. But I warn you- seeking a supernatural experience is not what pleases Him most. Believeing in Him whom you do NOT see based upon the truth of His word is what pleases God.

Rest assured there will be many more so-called signs and wonders to be exhibited in the times to come by people claiming to be from God or who even claim to BE God. But they are webs of deception spun purposely to entice people into having a supernatural experience. People may even experience supernatural things. But the devil's offering of supernatural experiences will entrap a person and without a miracle from God, they will not be able to escape.

Does this mean God NEVER exhibits supernatural signs and wonders? No. On the contrary. It is the norm for Him. He is a God of glory and all power. He holds the universe together by His Word. He spoke and the world came into existence. In fact, it is becoming the norm for those who love Him and who walk with Him by faith to have supernatural experiences with God that out-trump anything the devil could possibly come up with. The Bible says that these signs will follow those who believe: "...In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well" (Mark 16:17). God said the signs will follow in order to confirm His Word. Especially in these last days. But it is He who does the confirming. I could fill an entire book with all of the supernatural experiences I have had since becoming a follower of Jesus Christ. Not to mention including others I know or reliable stories I have heard. Nevertheless, I do not NEED these experiences in order to know God. He has given me His word. And He is gracious to show His love and power to me in unique ways that I am grateful for nevertheless. My salvation is the most supernatural experience that could ever happen to me anyway. Jesus said blessed are those who have NOT seen and yet who believe. But one day...we ALL will see Him coming on the clouds with great glory, with signs and wonders. The Bible says that EVERY knee will Bow and EVERY tongue will confess Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father. By then, everyone will have had to make up his or her mind whom they will follow: the One True God, or a counterfeit. Don't wait until then to decide whom you will follow. It will be too late.

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