Supernatural Paranoia
A number of months ago, the church I attend became a part of the Global Legacy network of churches. This group is affiliated with Bethel Church in Redding, CA, which is pastored by Bill Johnson. Since that time, various members of our leadership team have traveled to Redding to be a part of various meetings and conferences. My pastor’s oldest son is currently attending the School of Supernatural Ministry there.
What has happened to our small fellowship since this affiliation is amazing. What we are doing corporately is chasing after the presence of the Lord. We want to experience God rather than just know about Him intellectually. And you know what? He like it! He really does. As Patricia King frequently says, “He’s a relational God.” He likes relationship with His kids. He wants us to know (that means experience) Him, not just know a lot of facts about Him and His Kingdom.
The western church has accepted a powerless gospel as the plan of God. We have come up with doctrines and theologies that justify our powerlessness and call it dispensationalism. We accept poverty and disease as the will of God rather than enemies of the Kingdom that are to be warred with and destroyed. Jesus Christ, scripture says, was made manifest to destroy the works of the devil. Destroy. Not work out a comfortable compromise.
The fruit of this compromise is that the western church has so perverted the gospel that we look at any supernatural occurrence as automatically demonic. God doesn’t heal today. Angels don’t talk to people or appear. Oh, really? There are over 370 references in scripture to angels alone. And those are just the references using the word “angel”.
Paul told the Corinthians that he did not preach to them with wise and persuasive words but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power. He wanted their faith to rest on the power of God. Isn’t that interesting? He didn’t say he wanted their faith to rest in the name of Jesus, but in the power of God.
It’s time we stopped being paranoid about the supernatual and start exercising true discernment. Discernment is a gift of the Holy Spirit that enables us to know the source of the power behind activity. It is not paranoia or a critical attitude. God is a supernatural being and when He comes on the scene, He is going to do supernatural things. Deal with it.
I think the saddest statement in scripture is from the children of Israel at Mt. Sinai. God shows up in power on the mountain and it freaks them out to the point where they say, “You go deal with him, Moses.” They didn’t desire the intimacy that Moses had with God because His power terrified them.
We need to be determined to experience and walk in all that God has for us, not just pick and choose those parts of scripture we like and are comfortable with. We have to consume all of the Lamb and leave nothing out. Nothing less will enable us to reach this generation.
Rahab's Place 
Thanks for your new post! I have been eager to keep reading your thoughts! It sounds like we are going through a very similar journey, although God has called me to be the bridge to my church. it isn’t operating in the supernatural quite yet!!
I am so glad that you wrote these thoughts down! I have been having the same thoughts and not enough time to put them into form. I have been reading The Supernatural ways of Royalty by Kris Vallotton & Bill Johnson and it discusses this very topic. Too many christians are living this meger existence because they think that is being humble. God calls us to a life that embraces His love, His power and His supernatural way!! When we begin to see those things and operate in those things, then the true Christian walk comes alive! Bless you!
PS. I can’t stand it when people suggest that God’s supernatural power is demonic. the Bible says that we shouldn’t greive the Holy Spirit. The last thing I think we should do is give credit to the wrong supernatural being.
Thanks, Meredith.
Jesus makes it pretty clear in His dealings with the Pharisees that attributing the works of the Holy Spirit to demons constitutes blasphemy. It is a very dangerous thing to do and I fear for those who are constantly bashing everything as being demonic.
God is far more able to lead us than satan is to deceive us. If we are chasing after the presence of the Lord, He will rescue us when we get off the track. The Father loves us and He will not abandon His children when they make mistakes along the way.
My pastor’s son is in Bethel’s Supernatural School of Ministry and is having a ball. I love talking to him and hearing what new stuff is going on.
The other day I lunch with a friend from work who does not know Christ. The conversation opened up to spirituality and I told him of an angel appearing in my bedroom one night. I expected him to look at me cross eyed as he is a well educated geologist with a wonderful sense of humor. He then told me of an experience that did not quite fit into my frame of reference. His pet dog was dying and he put a blanket on it and left the room to let it die. As he left the room he thought “that dog is going to a better place”. While he was in another room the dog came running out of the bedroom all healthy wagging its tail and it licked him on the face and left the room. This seemed so strange to him so he went into the bedroom and found the dog dead under the blanket!!! Right there my brain seized up as I was convinced that animals do not have spirits, another part of me said what if it was a demonic manifestation. But that does not compute as what does the devil gain from this thing? I think the Lord will give me wisdom on this. The gist of it is that rather than jumping all over this and calling it demonic and alienating my friend I choose to go with the flow. I said to him I am sure many people have spiritual experiences but never speak of them as they are afraid to be called weird. He agreed with me on that. When we were children we knew of a another world beside us and it was’nt our imagination but over time it was beaten out of us. No wonder Jesus told us we would have to come as children to enter into the Kingdom! I now know why Harry Potter is so popular with kids. The church has failed to present the true alternative as it has taken on the role of a “muggle” (for those of you who do not know what a “muggle” is, in Harry Potter a “muggle” is a person that lives totaly in a physical world and refuses to open up to the spiritual world). Do not get me wrong on this I do not endorse Harry Potter but the whole phenomena speaks volumes to the predicament we are in. I am 54 and I want to become more and more like a child and put away foolish adult ways.
Blessings – have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
BWA
BWA, you are absolutely right. By going with the flow, you gained an opportunity to speak life into your friend rather than alienating them. Some things are just not important enough to worry about. It doesn’t matter if animals have a soul or not, your friend does and it is very important to build bridges to them where they are at.
Hi
DO you think that Jesus would have said ‘deal with it’ to someone who crossed his path?
Isn’t consuming lamb something that should be confined to the dinner table?
Thanks for your refreashing blog.
I enjoyed reading it.. 🙂
Blessings – Spirit Fire
God is far more able to lead us than satan is to deceive us.
I have heard that said many times. Can you tell me where it’s found in scripture? Or is it one of those things that’s true just because it’s said at Bethel and other places? (Toronto, for example.)
It is the concept taught in John 10:1-18
1″I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. 3The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” 6Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them.
7Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.[a] He will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
11″I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14″I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
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The Lord Jesus takes care of his flock. They know his voice and will not follow another. Jesus also said that no one will take them out of his hand. So, I am pretty that makes him more able to lead and protect me than satan is able to deceive me.
It’s all a matter of who do you have faith in. My faith is in the Lord Jesus. If you believe satan is able to deceive you, then your faith is in satan, and he becomes bigger in your life than the Father is.
The thing is we shouldn’t be seeking after signs.. signs are a byproduct of those who seek after God. Signs are for Gods glory and not to the glory of man.
If we are living in close relationship with the Lord and obeying His words, then signs are a natural part of our lives in Him. It’s not about going to meeting after meeting to chase signs, it’s about living our lives unto the Lord FIRST.
The word of God tells us that signs will follow those who believe, not the other way around.