Posted: 12/20/2007 10:50:08 AM EDT
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PLEASE, DO NOT POST HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT HAD A RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE, PLEASE Ok, here is the deal. Have you ever experienced the Holy Spirit? Have you ever had a feeling of the overwhelming presence of God? If so, how did it occur? I read an interesting survey, where Christians were far more likely to have a "religious experience" than all of the other major faiths. It did not include lesser faiths. That survey got me thinking of my own experience(s) and my thoughts on the subject. Thanks for answering! cujet P.S. If God found you that elusive parking spot right after you pray'd for it, I don't want to hear about it. I am only interested in hearing your story if you actually, significantly experienced the Holy Spirit, or God, or had what might be termed a "religious experience". Chrurch based events are OK. |
Yes, And it comes by belief, acceptance, and acknowledgeing Jesus as Lord of your life. Since Jesus rose from the dead that means he is alive and can do the same things that were written down in the Gospels about Him. In an instant Jesus took away my additions for nicotine, alcohol and pot smoking. Also kept me from suicide. Thats just a few things I experienced of many I could talk about. My life has been totally changed and turned around. The only thing I regret is I did not call Jesus Lord earlier in my life. |
That is just too cool....I have many aquaintances at my church that can attest to the same thing in their lives....God turned their lives around as soon as they "surrendered" themselves to His leadership. I say "surrendered" because in so doing they found true freedom. The chains of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco were broken so they no longer had to live thier lives day by day wondering when they could get the next joint. |
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I was a Christian for about 13 years (age 11ish-25ish), and never had a "holy spirit" experience. eta: since I WAS a Christian, this is just honest feedback and I don't mean to subvert your thread in any way. Only trying to provide more data points for your question. |
Oh my goodness. We got saved around the same time and we have similar experience. That's just interesting!!!!!! In a good way. I've felt the hand of God so much in my life that it has given me chills several times. I have been in services that felt something overwhelming. Some people say that it's just emotions. And I think they are right. Some times. I also think that the presence of the Lord shows up at times that are just hard not to acknowledge. I also believe God spared me of an early death, probably more than once. I can't even remember all the times I've felt God moving. There have been stretches too, where I felt nothing at all. But he says, "I will not leave you, nor forsake you". "This valley is so deep I can barely see the sun. I cry out for mercy Lord, and he lifts me up agaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinn!!!! I get down He lifts me up I get down, He lifts me up I get down....." Audio Adrenaline |
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I have truly felt the love and comforting spirit of God. I managed almost 10 years in EMS without losing a pediatric patient. On Superbowl Sunday 2001 that all changed. I did everything I could to try to save that little boy's life but he didn't make it. I had never felt so inadequate before. Nothing can prepare you for the emotions that follow a situation like that. So much guilt. I spent an hour in a rage in the ambulance garage when I finally hit my knees and tried to pray for some comfort. No words came, but a feeling of true peace came over me. God told me that it was His will that boy was taken. I hardly ate or slept for two weeks, but God comforted my soul. I faced nine similar situations over the next year. None were any easier than the first, but God provided me comfort through them all and assured me that I had done everything within my knowledge and power. |
Likewise, in my years as a Christian I never had a holy spirit experience. |
It is a hard lesson to learn but the lesson God is teaching me now is that not everything gets done under MY power. In fact, so many more good things happen when I'm not focusing on how much I can do, but let him do what he wants to. |
Amen. One of the most dificult things in my "Christian walk" has been the ability to say "Thy will, not mine, be done" and just leave it at that for things truly beyond my control. It is something I struggle with to this day. 
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I was taught to be driven, disciplined, competent, etc. etc. I don't think those things are bad because the Bible says to do everything to our best ability unto the Lord. But I think it got me thinking I could accomplish things on my own will and power. And I think God is setting me straight on that. Just like you said, his will be done. Of course, it's because I choose to honor and follow him. Not like he's making me. I just was going about it wrong for a while, IMHO. |
Thannk you for that! cujet |
Thank you! |
I have on four occasions. 1) upon a visit to Germany for two weeks. The skies had been overcast the entire time, making it impossible to get a picture of the castle on the mountain (well, large hill). I asked for 1 hour of clear weather and sun to get a good picture. I got EXACTLY one hour of clear skies. I don't have any idea where that picture is now, but I remember the image perfectly. 2) Once when I received communion during a very difficult time in my life. 3) Once as an altar boy - I felt hands on my shoulders (no jokes, please), turned to look and no one was behind me. 4) I was flying in a small prop plane by myself. I made a very rookie mistake (turning-skid stall) while turning final. My airplane departed controlled flight at about 400' and 60knots. Somehow, the airplane righted itself and I lived through it. I am the only person I know who has lived through that particular a mistake. Matt |
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Every so often I'll feel it's presence. Usually a particularly pretty sunset or some such. Can't remember being in something over my head and a feeling of being "rescued". But once I had a particularly nasty, knockdown, dragout argument with my dad. I said something I really shouldn't have said. As soon as it passed my lips I felt the Holy Spirit leave me. Believe me, you never, ever want to know how empty THAT feels.  I can't even describe the immense sense of loss and emptiness. A true "Pit of Dispair." It was over a month before I could even start to think of praying again. I've since made up to dad but that day I stepped over a line I will never again cross. |
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Yes, several times. Something I have recently become aware of is these experiences happened when I was either in desperation, or desperately seeking something. It seems that desperation is a way for a sinful man to fulfill this requirement: Jeremiah 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. The board atheists would probably say, "Yep, you were simply responding to yourself, affirming what you wanted to believe, and calling it the Holy Spirit". Not so. Here is an example. In 1993, I went gaga over a girl. This one was the one for me. Right in the middle of this, the Holy Spirit came over me in a most incredible way, and impressed upon me this message: Not my will, but thy will be done. It took me a while to finally figure out that God was telling me that this girl was not the one for me. Now, with the benefit of hindsight, if I had married that girl, my life would have been a living hell. I do find it interesting that our board's former believers/now atheists are saying that they never had a Holy Spirit experience. |
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Yes. Many times. Notable examples - - When I had decided to get married to my wife (now of 15 years), I prayed to know if it was right. I received a clear indication of the Spirit that it was. We remain best friends and our marriage is rock solid, and very happy. - A few years prior to that, during a time when I struggled over the decision to serve as a missionary, sitting in church one day I felt almost carried away by the feeling of the Spirit as the words of service, teaching, and sharing the gospel sank deep into my heart. I knew it was the right thing to do, and it has turned out to have been one of the best things I could possibly have done. - As I was reading the scriptures around Christmas of 2003, certain words and phrases caught my attention and the Spirit said to listen up. I continued to read and was shown a glimpse of certain future events. This experience continued on and off over the next few days as I read and reread the same passages to get more clarity. So far the impressions I got have proven to be accurate. - Most important of all, as I sat nearly 20 years ago, watching a simple video presentation about the atonement of the Savior, the Spirit testified of His divinity, of the reality of the atonement, and that it was personal, for me, that some of that blood that was spilt in the Garden of Gethsemane was for my sins. Each time I recollect that experience, the Spirit confirms that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that He brings the light of salvation from sin and death to all men. -grommet |
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It's important to remember (or know) that grace is not something we can naturally perceive with our senses or feel with our emotions. If we get those sensations, it's a blessing, a little miracle, but their absence does not mean there's no grace present. So feeling euphoric is nice....but not feeling euphoric doesn't mean God's not active in your life. The dark night of the soul - a purification is real and often involves ALOT of grace, a close presence of God without the bells and whistles. It's vital to not focus one's religious life on those 'highs' because they come and go and don't last. In Catholic theology they're considered 'consolations' and good to look at or hold on to for inspiration in tough times...but not something to actively seek for their own right. |
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Spring semester of '97. I would be graduating with my second degree in May from Bob Jones University in South Carolina. I live in CT. I was hoping to meet and marry a good Christian girl while at college (for the second time) but here I was a couple months away from having to make a big decision on my future. I had broken up with my then girlfriend after Christmas break and was left without any real chances of marrying at that time. Countless hours in prayer over the course of the late winter and spring months brought me within weeks of graduation. I don't think I ever prayed so earnestly over a single subject. Should I stay in SC? Try to find work there? Find a place to live 1,000 miles from my family? Or go back home where I had basically nothing but my family? One day very late in the semester while I was praying I received my answer: "Doug, I want you to go home because you are going to be needed there." It was almost an audible voice, so crystal clear that there could be no mistaking precisely what was said. Those are the words, verbatim. As it turned out, I did go home after graduation and here's what happened: 1. One of my dad's brothers (my uncle Dan) was wheelchair bound due to cerebral palsy and he was having severe health problems in early summer. I helped take care of him by staying with him at night in case there were any medical issues. He died on June 30, 1997, my birthday. 2. Within days of uncle Danny's death, my grandfather (my dad's dad) wasn't looking good so another uncle of mine took him to the emergency room where after a few hours a doctor told us gramps had liver cancer and he didn't have two weeks to live. He died July 27. 3. At the same time of gramp's death, a buddy of mine was on my case to go see a girl he had dated years before. He knew where she worked and finally got me to agree to go see her. I had gone on one date with this girl two years previous and nothing came of it. However, as soon I walked into the door of her workplace, I was smitten and October 3 of 1998 we were married. She is a fantastic wife and mother, and pretty too! If I had not obeyed God's command, I never would have gotten to spend any more time with my uncle or grandpa, and I never would have met back up with the girl who would be my wife. |
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I am good friends with the pastor of my church and he has been with people before they died in hospitals to comfort them. Anyways, he told me that several people (who were christians) have claimed to see very bright/brilliant light and they can see people they knew and looked up to while on earth as they were dieing. The other day my mom, bought this book and the author describes the same thing. http://www.amazon.com/90-Minutes-Heaven-Story-Death/dp/0800759494 I am skeptical of some of this but it could most def. be true what they see, I noticed similaritys in the Bible as well. |
OK, I can understand why you may feel that way. In my case, I find interesting things to observe in the universe. I truly enjoy looking through my telescope (a 10 in SCT Meade) or binoculars at the night sky. Simply thinking about it is a mind warping experience for me. But, I would hope you can be more specific. Is there something in particular that moves your soul? Even if it is on a daily basis! Maybe something that brings you to, what is often described as. an overwhelming feeling of God's love? cujet |
Take a look at your hand and just study it with your eyes and imagine everything it takes just to move one of those fingers. Electrical connections from the brain,sent down the spine to the tendons and muscles in the forearm which moves the finger. It amazes me that alot of doctors do not believe we are highly "designed" bodys |
When I was 11 my Grandmother was laying in my bed dying, all day no pain. Old age, but kept pointing up and asking,"why is that bramble there?" We stood by her for hours and listened to her eyes closed talk about the bramble branch...in my bedroom. Though she saw it elsewhere. I still live in this house, and my son lives in that room and on occassion I look to see the bramble branch. I see Jesus everyday. Not just in the pulpit from an old white guy on Sunday, I see him in rainbows and the joy of my son catching a fat toad, the look on my kids faces while they are occassionly getting along. I see God in the spirit of my parents knowing desperate they are to hang on to their youngest child as she battles cancer and time is not on her side. I have seen my last Christmas, took my kids to see Santa for the last time. Celebrated my son's birthday for the last time. I will again see that bramble, I will soon be home. 
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M_K, I am truly sorry to hear about your situation. |