Back when I was a student, I heard this joke that, despite being funny, made me stop and think. It went something like this: A man starts hearing an “inner voice” telling him to sell his house, move to Bucharest, and use all the money to bet on a black 13 at roulette. The man complies without question because the voice spoke with great certainty and directly to him alone, as if he were chosen. After he gambles and loses all his money, the inner voice exclaims sympathetically, “Such bad luck!”
This memory comes to mind when I hear testimonies of “enlightenments” and miraculous events that favour believers who are more sensitive to such supernatural messages. It makes one wonder if there is any way to discern between signs of divine origin and the falsehoods of the opposing force.
“Deeply spiritual” case studies
An American pastor wants to save humanity and triggers end-of-the-world hysteria by stubbornly relying on his own calculations of time and fate.
A woman who considers herself a graceful Christian practises prayers and meditations through which she believes she can remotely induce healing and energy in others, including her husband and lover.
A widow delights in the sensation of a cold presence near her, convinced that it is evidence of her late husband’s soul lingering in this world.
A family man and the sole breadwinner for his family becomes a monk, leaving his children and wife in abject poverty.
A young woman resorts to white magic, which she believes “works with the forces of good,” in order to persuade a man to marry her.
Someone consults clairvoyants who predict that he will die young. He therefore decides to live a life of pleasure in order to enjoy his short existence, which nevertheless continues to this day, beyond his youth.
An undecided believer sets signs for “yes” and “no” to the deity—if the bus comes to the station in the direction of her workplace, she will take it and not be baptised; if it comes from the opposite direction, she will be baptised.
Such people not only consider themselves deeply spiritual, but also inspired from above and guided in their actions by divine will. However, upon reflection, anyone can see the irregularities and cracks in this supposed communication with the divine. False prophetic messages, whether frivolous or solemn, can only have sad, tragic, or pitiful endings, even if those involved do not perceive them as such.
Antidotes for straying
Of course, this area of communication with unseen worlds is neither verifiable nor testable and has no user manuals. However, authentic faith will prevent us from straying if we take the Word of God as our guide. Then we will be able to discern falsehoods from true moments of grace, during which God’s children receive divine exhortations, signs, and miracles. A monk once compared the surrounding world to a vast, ever-changing encyclopaedia of symbols waiting to be deciphered. “The guide to this wonderful encyclopaedia of symbols is Holy Scripture. God’s revelation—always in our hands.”[1] The Bible provides evidence, guidance, and criteria for evaluating supernatural messages, as well as warning us of potential straying.
The first piece of evidence is the awareness that grace is an undeserved gift. This shows us that our actions cannot buy this gift, but it is received only through faith in the sacrifice of the Son. Our good deeds are prepared by God “in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10). The straying in this regard stems from self-righteousness. If love for one’s fellow human and for God does not motivate one’s actions, then they are fuelled by pride. By losing modesty, a person loses divine guidance and becomes convinced that they have earned the right to receive signs and wonders of all kinds. Another monk offered this warning based on his long experience: “Those who are humble in mind and heart, through true self-knowledge, will never consider themselves worthy of seeing angels, saints, or other visions; they will always think about their weaknesses and sins.”[2]
Repentance involves accepting trials, purification, refinement, and suffering at any time. For example, missionary Jim Elliot felt called to evangelise the members of the Auca tribe, and he was ultimately killed by them. However, he acted on the belief that “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose.”[3] Some people are confused by the idea that repentance is only necessary at the beginning of conversion and then becomes pointless. Supposedly, once converted, you can no longer make fundamental mistakes—you are pure and will always be so. Consequently, the signs and wonders you once experienced become a guarantee of your salvation when they are merely aids on the way. Two young people who, after hesitations and successive mistakes, entrusted their lives completely to God, declare: “It’s seeking Him on a daily basis, putting Him in first place at all times, discovering His heart. He may not come down with a bolt of lightning or paint a message for you in the sky, but as you truly get to know Him and His Word you will understand His desired will for you.”[4]
The test of humility is the realisation that human nature is an ever-present enemy that must be fought against. The Apostle Paul best illustrates this struggle: “I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize” (1 Corinthians 9:27). You stray when you lose humility by comparing yourself to others, becoming satisfied with yourself and considering yourself superior because of your special experiences and missions. Divinity becomes a source of signs and wonders for you, delivered on demand, with an abundance of guidance and assurance in front of everyone. This can have disastrous consequences for you and those who depend on you, as you neglect your duties (from family to financial) in order to pursue missions that have not been requested by Him. A third monk wrote on this subject: “Things done to please people cannot benefit the person doing them; on the contrary, they cause them great harm.”[5]
Spiritual fruit is proof that you are working according to God’s will if you have succeeded in bringing your fellow people closer to the knowledge of God through your deeds and words, while maintaining constant communication with Him in prayer. Pastor Doug Batchelor recounts how he came to preach in an unfamiliar church of another denomination, guided only by divine prompting through prayer, to the extent that the host church’s pastor asked him to replace him at the pulpit. The pastor thanked him for the message he had brought and confessed that he had prayed that day to be replaced by another preacher.[6] If, through your behaviour, you have distanced your fellow humans from Him, even if you have helped them with concrete matters, then your work is not guided from above and may be deceptive. St John Chrysostom offered this advice: “Truly, nothing stops the devil’s fury to destroy us more than our prayer and fervent request to God.”[7]
These instances of straying from the divine will and losing faith seem to occur when we create a personal god for ourselves instead of cultivating a personal relationship with God. When this happens, we lose interest in knowing God and understanding His will in our lives. Instead, we become preoccupied with establishing personal justifications amidst deceptive signs and symbols.
