Charles Spurgeon on receiving messages from God.

[MoreCoffee]

I found this statement by Charles Spurgeon. It is located in a sermon published on 6th October 1872 in THE PARACLETE. The quote says:

III. And now, finally, let us utter SOME OBSERVATIONS UPON THE WHOLE SUBJECT.
First, to the Believer: Dear Brothers and Sisters, honour the Spirit of God as you would honour Jesus
Christ if He were present! If Jesus Christ were dwelling in your house, you would not ignore Him; you
would not go about your business as if He were not there! Do not ignore the Presence of the Holy Spirit
in your soul! I beseech you, do not live as if you had not heard whether there were a Holy Spirit. To Him
pay your constant adorations; reverence the august Guest who has been pleased to make your body His
sacred abode; love Him, obey Him, worship Him! Take care never to impute the vain imaginings of
your fancy to Him. I have seen the Spirit of God shamefully dishonoured by persons (I hope they were
insane) who have said that they have had this and that revealed to them. There has not, for some years,
passed over my head a single week in which I have not been pestered with the revelations of hypocrites
or maniacs! Semi-lunatics are very fond of coming with messages from the Lord to me, and it may save
them some trouble if I tell them once and for all that I will have none of their stupid messages! When
my Lord and Master has any message to me, He knows where I am, and He will send it to me direct—
not by mad-caps! Never dream that events are revealed to you by Heaven, or you may come to be like
those idiots who dare impute their blatant follies to the Holy Spirit; if you feel your tongue itch to talk
nonsense, trace it to the devil, not to the Spirit of God! Whatever is to be revealed by the Spirit to any of
us is in the Word of God already; He adds nothing to the Bible, and never will! Let persons who have
revelations of this, that, and the other, go to bed and wake up in their senses. I only wish they would follow
the advice and no longer insult the Holy Spirit by laying their nonsense at His door!

At the same time, since the Holy Spirit is with you, Beloved, in all your learning, ask Him to teach
you; in all your suffering, ask Him to sustain you; in all your teaching, ask Him to give you the right
words; in all your witness-bearing, ask Him to give you constant wisdom, and in all service depend upon
Him for His help. Believingly reckon upon the Holy Spirit. We do not continually take Him into our calculations
as we should; we reckon up so many missionaries, so much money, and so many schools, and
so conclude the list of our forces, but the Holy Spirit is our great need, not learning or culture! Little
knowledge or great knowledge shall answer almost as well if the Spirit of God is there; but all your
knowledge shall be worthless without Him! Let but the Spirit of God come and all shall be right. I would
we always took the Power of the Spirit into our calculations; you have a class at school and do not feel
fit to teach it; ask Him to help you, and you do not know how well you will teach! You are called to
preach, but you feel you cannot, for you are dull, and your talk will be flat, stale, unprofitable; bring the
Holy Spirit into it, and if He heats you, you shall find even the slenderest materials you have collected
will set the people on fire! We ought to reckon upon the Spirit—He is our main force; what if I say He is
our only force, and we grieve Him exceedingly when we do not reckon upon Him? Love the Spirit; worship
the Spirit; trust the Spirit; obey the Spirit, and as a Church cry mightily to the Spirit; beseech Him
to let His mighty Power be known and felt among you! The Lord fire your hearts with this sacred flame,
for as this made Pentecost stand out from all other days, may it make the close of this year stand out in
our history from all other years. Come, Holy Spirit, now! You are with us, but come with Power, and let
us feel Your sacred Might!

To the unconverted, these few words—Dear Friend, if you are ever to be saved, the Holy Spirit is essential
to you. Except you are born-again from above, you can never see the Kingdom of God, much less
enter it. Without the Holy Spirit you are dead! You will never come to any life unless He quickens you,
and even the Savior Himself upon the Cross will never be a Savior to you till the Holy Spirit comes and
gives you eyes with which to look upon Him, and a heart with which to receive Him! Remember that.
Therefore I charge you take care that you honor the Spirit and never say a word against Him, lest you be
found guilty of that sin against the Holy Spirit which shall never be forgiven, neither in this world nor in
that which is to come. And let me ask you, has He ever convicted you of the sin in not believing in Jesus?
Has He convicted you that there is no Righteousness but in Christ? Has He convicted you that God
will judge you and all the rest of mankind according to our Gospel by Christ Jesus? If so, since He has
done that much for you, beseech Him now to take of the things of Christ and show them to you; there is
hope for you there! All the Salvation of a sinner lies in Jesus, and when the Spirit of God brings Jesus to
the heart, He brings Salvation!

Oh, poor Heart, you will never get out of Doubting Castle, never cease to be a captive, till the Spirit
brings the things of Jesus to you! And I pray that He may, and that He may do so at once. Submit yourself,
now, to all that He teaches you; believe the Truth of God as He reveals it; above all, listen and be
obedient to that great command, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved.” “Incline
your ear, and come unto Me: hear, and your soul shall live, and I will make an everlasting covenant with
you, even the sure mercies of David.” “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his
thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him and to our God, for He
will abundantly pardon.” May the Spirit of God lead you in the way of humble confession of sin, of repentance
of sin, and of believing in Jesus, and then we will meet in Heaven to bless the Eternal Paraclete,
with the Father and Son forever! Amen.

 

[Alithis]

well then , he fairly clearly cancels out rome and the pope in that lot as certainly not being from the holy Ghost .. as he says .. he doesn't add to his word nor ever contradict it . you would do well to listen to the advice you've posted there

 

[MoreCoffee]

well then , he fairly clearly cancels out rome and the pope in that lot as certainly not being from the holy Ghost .. as he says .. he doesn't add to his word nor ever contradict it . you would do well to listen to the advice you've posted there

Seems to me that is target was folk who attended his meetings but thought they were gifted with revelations from God through the Holy Spirit which is is rather like charismatic and pentecostal folk. I don't doubt that he would condemn Catholics but - contrary to your supposition - they do not appear to be in his sights but Pentecostals (or their predecessors the Irvingites) likely were.

 

[Alithis]

if the shoe fits.....

i agree with what he is saying in essence . but the word of god is the final authority .

 

[MoreCoffee]

if the shoe fits.....

i agree with what he is saying in essence . but the word of god is the final authority .

Apparently not for folk who receive revelations from what they claim to be the holy Spirit.

 

[psalms 91]

Apparently not for folk who receive revelations from what they claim to be the holy Spirit.

Why, Are you saying the Holy Spirit doesnt speak today or has changed in some way? Many sat God doesnt speak as well, maybe because they choose to be busy rather than still

 

[MoreCoffee]

Why, Are you saying the Holy Spirit doesnt speak today or has changed in some way? Many sat God doesnt speak as well, maybe because they choose to be busy rather than still

If God speaks to somebody today then let them show the evidence.

 

[tango]

Why, Are you saying the Holy Spirit doesnt speak today or has changed in some way? Many sat God doesnt speak as well, maybe because they choose to be busy rather than still

That's a strawman rebuttal Bill.

There's a huge spectrum between "God doesn't speak today" and "Every nutjob who proclaims God's word actually speaks for God".

I believe God can and does speak today. I also believe a lot of people who speak as if on behalf of God are speaking utter garbage, just look at sites like The Elijah List for evidence of people spouting drivel and claiming it's the word of God. But hey, if you believe that Job 22:28 can be plucked out of context and means you can declare whatever you want and it will come to pass, give it a try. It won't work, but the endless stream of "jam tomorrow" type of "prophecies" on The Elijah List might make you think otherwise. If nothing is going as you expected, hey, God is preparing you for something even better. It takes the pressure off and maybe stops you questioning whether you've been sold a pig in a poke.

The crucial thing that must be done with prophecies is they must be tested. That doesn't mean, as The Elijah List once claimed, that you should look for a burning sensation in your bosom. It means it should be tested against Scripture to the fullest extent possible and the character of the person giving it should also be tested.

If I feel God is calling me to give $1 to a particular street beggar I won't test that very rigorously simply because if I got it wrong the worst case is that I gave $1 to someone who maybe didn't need it. Maybe that $1 got added to a few others and went up his nose. Maybe he bought beer with it. Maybe he bought food with it, who knows?

If I feel God is calling me to give $100,000 to support a mission you'd better believe I'm not doing anything until I'm satisfied that it really is God's will. If a self-proclaimed prophet tells me that God will reward me mightily if I sow into his ministry the chances are he won't get a dime. If he tells me I need to sow into his ministry while he's wearing a $5000 suit and $1000 shoes he's not going to like my response. If someone I don't already know and trust tells me anything while claiming to speak for God I'll test what they have to say. If I already know and trust the person in question I may test less strictly, depending on the scope of what's being suggested.

The trouble is there's so much junk out there, so much stuff presented as prophecy that reads more like a horoscope written with vaguely Christian-like language, that it's easy to see why people assume the charismatic church is all show. And as one who identifies as charismatic that grieves me greatly. It makes me very sad when I'm looking for a church that is open to the Holy Spirit moving and yet isn't into all the silliness coming out of places like Bethel and IHOP.

 

[popsthebuilder]

If God speaks to somebody today then let them show the evidence.

It's not for the sight of man, but wouldn't it be evident in their works? God shows things in many ways and is not limited in any way, especially not any way that must be observable by a third party.

Faith in selfless Unity for Good.

 

[popsthebuilder]

That's a strawman rebuttal Bill.

There's a huge spectrum between "God doesn't speak today" and "Every nutjob who proclaims God's word actually speaks for God".

I believe God can and does speak today. I also believe a lot of people who speak as if on behalf of God are speaking utter garbage, just look at sites like The Elijah List for evidence of people spouting drivel and claiming it's the word of God. But hey, if you believe that Job 22:28 can be plucked out of context and means you can declare whatever you want and it will come to pass, give it a try. It won't work, but the endless stream of "jam tomorrow" type of "prophecies" on The Elijah List might make you think otherwise. If nothing is going as you expected, hey, God is preparing you for something even better. It takes the pressure off and maybe stops you questioning whether you've been sold a pig in a poke.

The crucial thing that must be done with prophecies is they must be tested. That doesn't mean, as The Elijah List once claimed, that you should look for a burning sensation in your bosom. It means it should be tested against Scripture to the fullest extent possible and the character of the person giving it should also be tested.

If I feel God is calling me to give $1 to a particular street beggar I won't test that very rigorously simply because if I got it wrong the worst case is that I gave $1 to someone who maybe didn't need it. Maybe that $1 got added to a few others and went up his nose. Maybe he bought beer with it. Maybe he bought food with it, who knows?

If I feel God is calling me to give $100,000 to support a mission you'd better believe I'm not doing anything until I'm satisfied that it really is God's will. If a self-proclaimed prophet tells me that God will reward me mightily if I sow into his ministry the chances are he won't get a dime. If he tells me I need to sow into his ministry while he's wearing a $5000 suit and $1000 shoes he's not going to like my response. If someone I don't already know and trust tells me anything while claiming to speak for God I'll test what they have to say. If I already know and trust the person in question I may test less strictly, depending on the scope of what's being suggested.

The trouble is there's so much junk out there, so much stuff presented as prophecy that reads more like a horoscope written with vaguely Christian-like language, that it's easy to see why people assume the charismatic church is all show. And as one who identifies as charismatic that grieves me greatly. It makes me very sad when I'm looking for a church that is open to the Holy Spirit moving and yet isn't into all the silliness coming out of places like Bethel and IHOP.

None should ask for funding out right from man. We are not to follow the will of God because of a reward. I love the International House of Pancakes personally.

Faith in selfless Unity for Good.

 

[MoreCoffee]

It's not for the sight of man, but wouldn't it be evident in their works? God shows things in many ways and is not limited in any way, especially not any way that must be observable by a third party.

Faith in selfless Unity for Good.

Why is it that every charlatan and every confidence trickster asks 'faith' in their 'miracles' or 'voices' and runs away from evidence like it was a plague? I have no intention of following some 20th or 21st century 'prophet' or soothsayer who claims to hear voices from angels, saints, or God unless they can produce some credible evidence to back up their claims.

 

[popsthebuilder]

I agree. It is said that we are to test all things against scripture and what is placed on our hearts by God. What other type of proof do you seek, as it is stated that there i 'll be proofs in favor of the deceiver.

Faith in selfless Unity for Good.

 

[MoreCoffee]

I agree. It is said that we are to test all things against scripture and what is placed on our hearts by God. What other type of proof do you seek, as it is stated that there i 'll be proofs in favor of the deceiver.

Faith in selfless Unity for Good.

evidence is not proof but it is usually part of the proof behind any credible claim. You ask what type of 'proof'. The type that can be verified. Claims that are supported by more than one person's word for it. More than "God told me that you're going to be a mighty preacher of the word and bring many to salvation" and such 'words of wisdom'.

 

[popsthebuilder]

evidence is not proof but it is usually part of the proof behind any credible claim. You ask what type of 'proof'. The type that can be verified. Claims that are supported by more than one person's word for it. More than "God told me that you're going to be a mighty preacher of the word and bring many to salvation" and such 'words of wisdom'.

Don't think I'd put too much into what any man told me along those lines, even more so if he spoke of or asked for money in any way.

Faith in selfless Unity for Good.

 

[tango]

I agree. It is said that we are to test all things against scripture and what is placed on our hearts by God. What other type of proof do you seek, as it is stated that there i 'll be proofs in favor of the deceiver.

Faith in selfless Unity for Good.

We need to be careful when testing against "what God placed on our hearts", simply because we can so easily end up with a subjective test that is swayed by our own desires.

I think one thing that is sadly lacking in the church is a willingness to study for ourselves and a willingness to take responsibility for our final decisions. If some "great prophet" tells us that we are to be a missionary to Farawayland it's still ultimately our decision whether we go or not. Even if the "prophet" does speak in terms of doom and gloom if we delay obeying God's call on our life we ultimately have to accept responsibility for the decisions we make. So many people (both within and outside the church) seem to expect Someone Else to make decisions on their behalf and then take full responsibility if things don't work as they hoped. Of course they expect to take full credit themselves if it works out well.

Testing things presented as prophetic words can sometimes be problematic. There isn't a single verse anywhere in the Bible that will tell me whether I, as an individual, should be a missionary to some faraway land, a preacher, an investment banker, dedicated to ministering to down-and-outs or anything else. But if God wants me to do something God is quite capable of making that clear, and if the only message we receive is some highly proclaimed "prophet" telling us something that doesn't match anything God has been saying up to that point we should take it with a pinch of salt. If the highly proclaimed "prophet" says something that aligns with what a dozen other people have already said to us then it's more likely there is something more than chance in it.

 

[TurtleHare]

Don't think I'd put too much into what any man told me along those lines, even more so if he spoke of or asked for money in any way.

Faith in selfless Unity for Good.

People put trust into tv evangelists and mega church pastors who speak of and ask for money. Point fingers at all those other people too, will ya?

 

[tango]

People put trust into tv evangelists and mega church pastors who speak of and ask for money. Point fingers at all those other people too, will ya?

I think we should point fingers at high profile teachers if what they teach doesn't align with what they claim to be teaching. We should also expect people to point fingers at us if we teach something that contradicts what we claim to be teaching.

If my teaching doesn't align with Scripture I sincerely hope people will call me on it.

 

[TurtleHare]

I think we should point fingers at high profile teachers if what they teach doesn't align with what they claim to be teaching. We should also expect people to point fingers at us if we teach something that contradicts what we claim to be teaching.

If my teaching doesn't align with Scripture I sincerely hope people will call me on it.

Very true! There are numerous leaders out there guiding God's people down the wrong path. They lure them away or put the wrong fear into them instead of the truth of the Gospel message. It's absolutely horrifying. Don't you agree?

 

[tango]

Very true! There are numerous leaders out there guiding God's people down the wrong path. They lure them away or put the wrong fear into them instead of the truth of the Gospel message. It's absolutely horrifying. Don't you agree?

Very much so.

Sadly many people don't want reasoned discussion, they want to fall back on brainstoppers to shut down a discussion rather than address uncomfortable issues.

It can be scary to realise that the things you've believed for years aren't true at all, but for myself if something I believe is wrong I'd rather know so I can dump the errant beliefs. That seems to make so much more sense than insisting I'm going to continue to believe in it, even if it is wrong.

 

[MoreCoffee]

Don't think I'd put too much into what any man told me along those lines, even more so if he spoke of or asked for money in any way.

Faith in selfless Unity for Good.

One of the odd things about would-be-prophets is that many (probably the vast majority) want something for their services be it fame and importance or be it money in the end those who follow them pay for the 'privilege'.