discernment principle no. 5

 

Feelings, Experiences, and Mysticism

 

 

I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies in my name. They say, “I had a dream! I had a dream!” How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions of their own minds? Let the prophet who has a dream tell his dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. [Jer 23:25-26, 28]

 

Discerning questions to ask: 

1.   Is there an unreasonable reliance upon subjectivity (experiences, visions, dreams, imagination, current cultural mind-sets) to establish truth, or, in some cases, to supersede truth?

 

2.   Does it teach you to rely on feelings, or that your feelings will lead you to what is best for you?

 

3.   Does it emphasize the mystical—that which is highly subjective, fleeting, and dangerous—as well as impossible to validate (at least apart from Scripture)? [Eph 6:12; Jer 14:14]

 

4.   Does it train your focus on the here-and-now, on what is “seen” and temporary, with the emphasis on experiencing “spirituality” with your senses rather than on knowing and loving God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength? [Phil 3:7-11; Col 3:1-5; Heb 11:1,6, 12:2, 11; Mk 12:30-31; Rom 10:17; 2 Cor 4:16-18; 2 Tim 1:12; 1 Jn 4:16-17; 1 Pet 1:6-9]

 

5.   Are the proponents warning others not to challenge this presumptive “movement of God” (e.g., “because it is impacting so many lives;” or you are judged, labeled, and dismissed as being “critical,” “judgmental,” “divisive,” or a “resistor”) even though the teaching is lacking in biblical support and is clearly against Scripture?

 

 6.  Is the standard for determining truth more about one’s experiences, their strong emotions, or an “it works, so it must be true” type of mentality rather than the Word of God?

 

 7.  Is the chief goal to improve how you feel (or change your behavior so that this will lead to better feelings) rather than change the condition and content of your heart? [Gal 5:16-25, 6:7-8; Prov 4:23; Matt 15:8-9]

Always remember this primary principle of life: God values a sanctified heart infinitely more than favorable circumstances, desirable feelings, or thrilling experiences. But, we, in continual conflict with God, tend to highly value pleasing, but fleeting, experiences and feelings rather than a sanctified heart. This, then, is our monumental struggle. This is the flesh vs. the Spirit, my will vs. His will, the world’s lust vs. God’s blessings, His grand, perfect, eternal agenda vs. my transitory, infinitesimal, diversionary strategy. Which of these do we tend to seek out? Which one do you think will be emphasized within false teaching? 

Feelings are fleeting and frequently deceptive [Jer 17:9; Matt 13:20-21; Eph 4:22; Jas 1:14-15]. Experiences are unreliable and misleading, [2 Thess 2:9-10; Gal 1:8; Rom 1:21-32; Ps 73; Matt 7:21-23; Jn 6:26; 1 Tim 6:17] not to mention that they are “here today and gone tomorrow.” But the condition of our hearts is enduring—even eternal—and, therefore, infinitely more valuable [Lk 9:25; Matt 6:19-21, 33; 2 Cor 4:16-18; Mk 4:14-20; Heb 4:12-13; 1 Tim 4:7-8]. The undue stress on experience, performance, visions, feelings, and “signs and wonders,” then, becomes an attractive yet cruel distraction (deception) from what should be of supreme importance—knowing God by sanctifying our hearts [Phil 3:7-11; 1 Thess 4:3; 1 Jn 2:3; 1 Sam 16:7; Ps 51; 139; 23-24; Prov 4:23; Lk 6:45; Mk 7:6, 21-23].  

The biblical reality—in stark contrast to the feelings approach—is that the more our hearts are truly right, according to the Standard of what is right, the better our behavior, feelings, and experiences with God will be [1 Pet 1:6-9; Mk 4:20]. Therefore, Jesus tells us to minimize the temporal and, instead, emphasize and “treasure” the eternal things in our hearts [Matt 6:19-21; Lk 2:19; Jn 6:26-27; Phil 3:7-11; Col 3:1-10; Heb 11-12:15]. The world’s wisdom and the effective deceivers in the church will snare many followers by emphasizing the temporary, immediate gratification, quick fixes, and what feels good…now—all of which are powerfully appealing, yet none of which are right.

If a liar and deceiver comes and says, “I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,” he would be just the prophet for this people! [Micah 2:11]

It’s not that God cannot or does not speak to us, but rather how do we know for sure that it is God? Should we just assume it’s God because the person speaks passionately and confidently, or they say, “It felt so right,” or “God spoke to me,” or, “I have never had a deeper sense of God”? Don’t people of all faiths say the same things? Wouldn’t Satan (as well as our flesh and false teachers) take full advantage of such a nebulous area—the area where we are most susceptible to deception? What, then, should we conclude is more reliable for truth and for life: our feelings and experiences—or God’s Word of truth [Jer 17:5-9; Rom 3:10ff; Ps 19:7-11]?

It is not that feelings are bad or that we cannot experience God. Our experiences are what they are. We all have them. But it is our over-emphasis on and interpretation of these feelings and experiences—as well as the inability to back them up with God’s Word—that make it so problematic and deceptive. The Mormons have the “burning in the bosom,” others have their “word from the Lord,” and the New Agers, eastern religions, and Emergents have their “contemplative” and “centering prayer” that produces a very real trance-like state where they “experience God.” These are all true experiences, but are they true? Are they biblical? Do they determine what is truth, or is Scripture our supreme authority on what is true [2 Sam 7:28: Jn 17:17]? 

What we do know for sure is that we are exceptionally easy to deceive because our hearts are “deceitful above all things” [Jer 17:9] and “full of evil and there is madness in [our] hearts” [Ecc 9:3]. Furthermore, we are brimming with deceitful [Eph 4:22], corrupt, lustful, [2 Pet 2:10, 18], and evil desires [Col 3:5] that are perpetually at “war” with God and our soul [Rom 7; Gal 5; 1 Pet 2:11]. Therefore, we must always go above and beyond when it comes to biblically validating any “word from God” or new way to experience God—no matter how good or right it feels, and no matter how many people are following it [Acts 17:11; 2 Tim 4:3-4; Matt 7:13-14]. It if does not fit perfectly with Scripture, if the idea is from some other source, then we must ask, and conclude…

Should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.

[Isa 8:19-20]