Evidence for God from Science

Has anyone here had what they can only describe as a Holy Spirit experience? What happened and what did it feel like?

Just this last Sunday we were having a rushed practise for music before church, usually we have music practise on a Wednesday and a short follow up Sunday but this week Wednesday practise was cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. We got to church earlier than usual for the practice, we prayed and then started our music, mistake after mistake after mistake occurred, there was an uneasy feeling in the room, even our pastor who has played guitar all his life said he was feeling nervous about today's worship music. Well we practiced the best we could until we ran out of time, church started and all I could to was sit and nervously fidget while I prayed to God for it to be all o.k. News and announcements finished and we started out first song, it was like a peace settled over me, everything was ok, I could feel a well of blissful happiness rising up from within my heart, we played our hearts out and it was fantastic. After church finished I spoke to my pastor and asked him if he felt what I felt, he said he had the same experience of the calmness overcoming him.

That day we didn't lead the worship, the Holy Spirit did.

Edit. I wanted to elaborate what the blissful happiness felt like. It was a warm sensation within my chest, I am imagining a ball of light like a mini Sun, it was like when you lying in the sun on a cool summers day and you close your eyes, that feeling of warmth and security, the feeling that everything is ok in the world and you are at peace.

Danieltwotwenty wrote:Just this last Sunday we were having a rushed practise for music before church, usually we have music practise on a Wednesday and a short follow up Sunday but this week Wednesday practise was cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. We got to church earlier than usual for the practice, we prayed and then started our music, mistake after mistake after mistake occurred, there was an uneasy feeling in the room, even our pastor who has played guitar all his life said he was feeling nervous about today's worship music. Well we practiced the best we could until we ran out of time, church started and all I could to was sit and nervously fidget while I prayed to God for it to be all o.k. News and announcements finished and we started out first song, it was like a peace settled over me, everything was ok, I could feel a well of blissful happiness rising up from within my heart, we played our hearts out and it was fantastic. After church finished I spoke to my pastor and asked him if he felt what I felt, he said he had the same experience of the calmness overcoming him.

That day we didn't lead the worship, the Holy Spirit did.

Edit. I wanted to elaborate what the blissful happiness felt like. It was a warm sensation within my chest, I am imagining a ball of light like a mini Sun, it was like when you lying in the sun on a cool summers day and you close your eyes, that feeling of warmth and security, the feeling that everything is ok in the world and you are at peace.

Thank you for that mini-testimony. I can relate to that as I am a worship leader as well and sometimes we just have time to practice on the Sunday and it goes well anyway. Don't think I have quite felt the same feeling though that you did.

The most vivid moment I had was when I had the realization that the one issues that was keeping me from Christ was an issue that I was building a wall for.
It was the issue of pain and suffering, especially of children.
It was very hard for me to reconcile this, very hard.
Not to go into too much detail but the moment I realized why that issue was, the wall came crumbling down, His voice I finally heard and realized that it had been there all this time, His hand I felt and I realized that He had been there all this time, I felt this...warmth, this...completeness and perhaps the best way to describe it: I was home.
My heart was beating like never before, there was this "energy" that surge through my body, there was this "knowing" of a love so deep and profound...there was this sense of forgiveness, the tears flowed freely and..I really can't put it into words, wish that I could !
All I could say was, "I'm sorry"...all I could hear was, "I love you..."
My life changed that very moment.
I owe everything to Our Lord, I know that I will never be able to repay His gift, I don't know even where to start, but I made a promise to myself and Him that day:
I would love not because I have to, not because I want love in return, but because He loved me first and asked nothing in return.
When I saw my wife after that, when I saw my kids after that...well...
It was a very good day.

wow.

Thank you for sharing that.

Silvertusk wrote:wow.

Thank you for sharing that.

Well....I tend to be a very personal person and not very open to sharing things like that but sometimes you have to open yourself to those you consider friends and, well, I consider you guys just that.

Just thought I share also then why I started this topic.

I am on a different part of my Christian journey. I never came to Christ through a religious experience, I just beleived because having looked at the evidence it seemed the logical thing to do. I believe God exists, I understand what Jesus did for me and I want to be a good follower of Christ. The person I do want to know more of though is the Holy Spirit.

I am not looking to go all charismatic but I want to feel more of who he is, for instance knowing the inner witness of the Holy Spirit and being filled by the Holy Spirit. Although I believe I am saved I do not feel I am Spirit filled or know or understand what it is to be spirit filled. I have been to some charismatic meetings and to be honest they frightened me and felt very wrong. I don't believe speaking in gibberish counts as tongues and I don't get being slain by the Spirit and the point of it, but I want to experience something like Paul and Daniel mentioned to get that peace of certainty. Anyway that is where I am.

God Bless

Silvertusk.

Silvertusk wrote:

Just thought I share also then why I started this topic.

I am on a different part of my Christian journey. I never came to Christ through a religious experience, I just beleived because having looked at the evidence it seemed the logical thing to do. I believe God exists, I understand what Jesus did for me and I want to be a good follower of Christ. The person I do want to know more of though is the Holy Spirit.

I am not looking to go all charismatic but I want to feel more of who he is, for instance knowing the inner witness of the Holy Spirit and being filled by the Holy Spirit. Although I believe I am saved I do not feel I am Spirit filled or know or understand what it is to be spirit filled. I have been to some charismatic meetings and to be honest they frightened me and felt very wrong. I don't believe speaking in gibberish counts as tongues and I don't get being slain by the Spirit and the point of it, but I want to experience something like Paul and Daniel mentioned to get that peace of certainty. Anyway that is where I am.

God Bless



Silvertusk.

Thank God Silver! For a moment, I thought you were going all "Benny Hinn" on us.

Live by faith in Christ. Who He is and what He did. Then you are walking in the spirit. I personally don't believe in some "special anointing", or charismatic type "filling" of the Holy Spirit. As a believer, we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Walk by faith in Christ, be constantly in prayer. Read the bible.

That's my 1 cent, anyways.

I think Paul said it best when he said that a person can't believe and proclaim Christ unless they HS compels them to ( paraphrasing).
Every believer that truly believes has the HS but I think that sometimes, certain people are "set apart" for good works by God and that isn't just Christians mind you.
As for speaking in tongues, it has always been my understanding that was a gift of the HS to those set apart to preach the Gospel to people of a different language.
Speaking in tongues meant speaking a language a person didn't know and was never taught.
An example would be a French person speaking Chinese all of a sudden.
To outsiders in 1st century Palestine it would have seem like "gibberish" but it was just different languages that the observes had no notion of.

PaulSacramento wrote:I think Paul said it best when he said that a person can't believe and proclaim Christ unless they HS compels them to ( paraphrasing).
Every believer that truly believes has the HS but I think that sometimes, certain people are "set apart" for good works by God and that isn't just Christians mind you.
As for speaking in tongues, it has always been my understanding that was a gift of the HS to those set apart to preach the Gospel to people of a different language.
Speaking in tongues meant speaking a language a person didn't know and was never taught.
An example would be a French person speaking Chinese all of a sudden.
To outsiders in 1st century Palestine it would have seem like "gibberish" but it was just different languages that the observes had no notion of.

WLC does state and I agree that yes we do have the Holy Spirit indwelling within us - but being filled with the Holy Spirit is something different altogether than having the Holy Spirit. Being filled with the HS is having him take over as in when you are filled with rage or joy - the emotion takes over. With Pentacost just gone I guess I am wondering how to tap into some of that power - the type that Peter and the diciples experienced. Both yourself and Dan have just described wonderful moments where you almost tangiably felt the HS and knew with certainty that God is near. I want some of that please.

Silvertusk wrote:

PaulSacramento wrote:I think Paul said it best when he said that a person can't believe and proclaim Christ unless they HS compels them to ( paraphrasing).
Every believer that truly believes has the HS but I think that sometimes, certain people are "set apart" for good works by God and that isn't just Christians mind you.
As for speaking in tongues, it has always been my understanding that was a gift of the HS to those set apart to preach the Gospel to people of a different language.
Speaking in tongues meant speaking a language a person didn't know and was never taught.
An example would be a French person speaking Chinese all of a sudden.
To outsiders in 1st century Palestine it would have seem like "gibberish" but it was just different languages that the observes had no notion of.

WLC does state and I agree that yes we do have the Holy Spirit indwelling within us - but being filled with the Holy Spirit is something different altogether than having the Holy Spirit. Being filled with the HS is having him take over as in when you are filled with rage or joy - the emotion takes over. With Pentacost just gone I guess I am wondering how to tap into some of that power - the type that Peter and the diciples experienced. Both yourself and Dan have just described wonderful moments where you almost tangiably felt the HS and knew with certainty that God is near. I want some of that please.

Its not the force dude !
On a serious note, I believe that when we truly need it, He is there but that doesn't mean we get what we want. We simply get what He knows we need.
For me it was an understanding of love that "fed" off my love for my children.
The HS used that love and opened my spirit and heart to God's love for ALL and helped me to understand.
It wasn't what I wanted BUT it was everything I needed.

Although force powers would have been cool too !

Silvertusk wrote:

PaulSacramento wrote:I think Paul said it best when he said that a person can't believe and proclaim Christ unless they HS compels them to ( paraphrasing).
Every believer that truly believes has the HS but I think that sometimes, certain people are "set apart" for good works by God and that isn't just Christians mind you.
As for speaking in tongues, it has always been my understanding that was a gift of the HS to those set apart to preach the Gospel to people of a different language.
Speaking in tongues meant speaking a language a person didn't know and was never taught. An example would be a French person speaking Chinese all of a sudden.
To outsiders in 1st century Palestine it would have seem like "gibberish" but it was just different languages that the observes had no notion of.

WLC does state and I agree that yes we do have the Holy Spirit indwelling within us - but being filled with the Holy Spirit is something different altogether than having the Holy Spirit. Being filled with the HS is having him take over as in when you are filled with rage or joy - the emotion takes over. With Pentacost just gone I guess I am wondering how to tap into some of that power - the type that Peter and the disciples experienced. Both yourself and Dan have just described wonderful moments where you almost tangiably felt the HS and knew with certainty that God is near. I want some of that please.

Concerning the topic

It is how we as human beings assign terms to define scriptural concepts that produce confusion. This is true for the phrase commonly used today, Baptism of the Holy Spirit. In reality, when one is born again, they receive the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit that seals and sanctifies, etc. That is the true definition for baptism of the Spirit. It is all one needs to be sealed for heaven's work in the soul etc and etc.

However, the term, Baptism of the Holy Spirit (BHS) has changed with the passage of time so that it used to replace something else Jesus spoke about the need believers have to bear witness of Him and make disciples. What folks today mean by BHS is what Jesus said about being endued with power from on high. This is what is missing in many believers today: divine enablement. Think of it, the bible is clear; Jesus is the same yesterday and forever. He gives his gifts and callings and takes none of these back. He hasn't changed and notice the bible declares that God keeps his word. This he does when it comes to this empowerment.

So, Silver,if you seek to launch out into Holy Spirit experience, I suggest reading all of 1 Cor 12 and 1 Cor 14:1-30 and answer the question as why Paul inserted the LOVE chapter, 1 Cor 13, between the operational gifts/admonishment chapters? Answer is simple: 1 Cor 13:1-3 tells what people do with the endowment of Power and then goes on to describe how God’s Love is to govern the gifts and callings that will stop such abuses, neglect, and exploitation of the out workings of the endowment of HS power (baptism of Holy Spirit - those Holy Spirit experiences). The reason is that chapter 13 is between the two gift chapters is that God’s love must govern the HS gifts of wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing prophecy, tongues of men /angelic, miracle working, discerning of spirits, etc and etc as 1 Cor 12:7-12 mentions.

For example:

Gift of the word of wisdom is patient, kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. It does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Gift of word of knowledge is patient, kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. It does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Gift of faith is patient, kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. It does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Gift of tongues of men and angels is patient, kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. It does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Gift of discerning of spirits is patient, kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. It does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Gift of prophecy/teaching is patient, kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. It does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Get the idea? see how God's love within (shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit) is to train/mature us to use the gifts (empowerment of the Holy Spirit) appropriately and effectively?

How much of this endowment of power from on high, as it is in many places today, instead fit the word pictures in 1 Cor 13:1-3?

These gifts have not ceased as well meaning folk try to proof text 1 Cor 13:10 in order to stop the clamor/exploitation/abuse mentioned in verses 1-3. Hmmm, think of it, I can give you the knowledge to fix something, but after it is fixed, that knowledge has vanished away. Likewise, words we divinely speak and declare too will come too and end for the recipient and new refills are needed. The Wisdom God gives as a gift will cease after its intended use is over with. You know, oddly, we are told to ask and seek for Wisdom and Knowledge. Yet we are told these have ceased due to the death of the apostles. Therefore, should the writer James and Paul be taken seriously today when they tell us to ask for wisdom and knowledge if these ceased during the 1st century as the proof texters claim? Is it true that the Lord is the same yesterday, today, and forever?

1 Cor 13:8-10 does not support this, endowment ceasing argument. Instead, 1 Cor 13:11-13 tells us to mature and learn to uses this endowment appropriately governed by God’s love. Recall, After words spoken run their course, wisdom and knowledge used, you, I, we all need a refilling of the ol' fuel tank with more wisdom, knowledge, words, discernment, faith, etc, because these are fulfilled and newer task lay ahead. Why - well 1 Cor 12:7, 12-31 tells why - the church is about making disciples and as such all are part of a team, Each member has their team function and all work together in God's Church which is be a Hospital, a Rehab Training center, and an embarkation center. Where, people come in all batter and bruised. After a bit of healing in the hospital, comes the rehab training time where one learns new creation life skills so that after that, they are ready to embark into this ol'mean world shining God's light bringing the wounded home, reconciled to God. We need the gifts of the Holy Spirit, His endowment of power from on high to do the task He tasked us with

There is a problem, our fuel tanks are dry because those at the gas station stopped ordering the supply trucks to dispense at their stations. "Can't have any of that thar wild fire! better have an audience rather than an army overcoming the world, sin and the devil," they reason. Tired of this? So how to I get filled up - you ask?

Jesus says to ask, seek, and knock and it will be given. So go and do likewise. Try this, pray for someone and before you do, ask the Lord “how do I proceed?” I need a gift from on high, help!”

Then speak and pray… governed by God’s Love from within…

Whole new dimension will open to you after a little practice.

All kind of HS experiences follow too, like the ones others have mentioned.
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Silvertusk I believe I had a Holy Spirit experience a few months ago. I had been talking to a Christian about their faith and said I wished I could believe because I had tried and tried but I had barriers that stopped me from making that leap to conviction that there really is a God and that Jesus was actually raised from the dead and I was feeling quite upset that I couldn't overcome my "intellect". Later I was driving home and I felt (rather than heard although I sort of remember a voice) a message tell me "I am here, if you want me" and I started to cry. I went home and downloaded a bible app to my phone and started reading the Gospels. I really had no idea what was going on, it felt so strange and I didn't know what to do about it. I felt like I was changed from that moment and would never be the same again. Since then its like a fire was lit inside me. Friends comment about how happy I look, I am always smiling and thanking The Lord for saving me and for all the wonderful things he is doing in me. I have read the Bible every day since then and talk to God before I sleep each night. I was an atheist fro 43 years before this event and if you'd told me the week before that I was going to become a Christian I would have laughed.

I've had other feelings since then that have come in dreams or as I pray and I think they are from the Holy Spirit guiding me, like a "thumbs up" . The feeling is ecstatic and unlike anything I have ever felt before (I have, in my foolish youth, tried heroin a couple of times and it is way better than that). Maybe I am kidding myself, it sounds weird when I talk about it.

i could describe it as spirit filled, I am still a bit confused about the difference between Jesus and the Holy Spirit since they are one and I never know how to say it but I picture it as though Jesus has spoken words into my heart that are so precious that they make ME precious too. Whatever it is it is glorious!

It is so funny, I used to think people that talked like I did above were delusional

Love
Carolyn

Wow amazing testimony - thank you very much for sharing.

B. W. wrote:

Silvertusk wrote:

PaulSacramento wrote:I think Paul said it best when he said that a person can't believe and proclaim Christ unless they HS compels them to ( paraphrasing).
Every believer that truly believes has the HS but I think that sometimes, certain people are "set apart" for good works by God and that isn't just Christians mind you.
As for speaking in tongues, it has always been my understanding that was a gift of the HS to those set apart to preach the Gospel to people of a different language.
Speaking in tongues meant speaking a language a person didn't know and was never taught. An example would be a French person speaking Chinese all of a sudden.
To outsiders in 1st century Palestine it would have seem like "gibberish" but it was just different languages that the observes had no notion of.

WLC does state and I agree that yes we do have the Holy Spirit indwelling within us - but being filled with the Holy Spirit is something different altogether than having the Holy Spirit. Being filled with the HS is having him take over as in when you are filled with rage or joy - the emotion takes over. With Pentacost just gone I guess I am wondering how to tap into some of that power - the type that Peter and the disciples experienced. Both yourself and Dan have just described wonderful moments where you almost tangiably felt the HS and knew with certainty that God is near. I want some of that please.

Concerning the topic

It is how we as human beings assign terms to define scriptural concepts that produce confusion. This is true for the phrase commonly used today, Baptism of the Holy Spirit. In reality, when one is born again, they receive the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit that seals and sanctifies, etc. That is the true definition for baptism of the Spirit. It is all one needs to be sealed for heaven's work in the soul etc and etc.

However, the term, Baptism of the Holy Spirit (BHS) has changed with the passage of time so that it used to replace something else Jesus spoke about the need believers have to bear witness of Him and make disciples. What folks today mean by BHS is what Jesus said about being endued with power from on high. This is what is missing in many believers today: divine enablement. Think of it, the bible is clear; Jesus is the same yesterday and forever. He gives his gifts and callings and takes none of these back. He hasn't changed and notice the bible declares that God keeps his word. This he does when it comes to this empowerment.

So, Silver,if you seek to launch out into Holy Spirit experience, I suggest reading all of 1 Cor 12 and 1 Cor 14:1-30 and answer the question as why Paul inserted the LOVE chapter, 1 Cor 13, between the operational gifts/admonishment chapters? Answer is simple: 1 Cor 13:1-3 tells what people do with the endowment of Power and then goes on to describe how God’s Love is to govern the gifts and callings that will stop such abuses, neglect, and exploitation of the out workings of the endowment of HS power (baptism of Holy Spirit - those Holy Spirit experiences). The reason is that chapter 13 is between the two gift chapters is that God’s love must govern the HS gifts of wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing prophecy, tongues of men /angelic, miracle working, discerning of spirits, etc and etc as 1 Cor 12:7-12 mentions.

For example:

Gift of the word of wisdom is patient, kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. It does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Gift of word of knowledge is patient, kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. It does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Gift of faith is patient, kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. It does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Gift of tongues of men and angels is patient, kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. It does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Gift of discerning of spirits is patient, kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. It does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Gift of prophecy/teaching is patient, kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. It does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Get the idea? see how God's love within (shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit) is to train/mature us to use the gifts (empowerment of the Holy Spirit) appropriately and effectively?

How much of this endowment of power from on high, as it is in many places today, instead fit the word pictures in 1 Cor 13:1-3?

These gifts have not ceased as well meaning folk try to proof text 1 Cor 13:10 in order to stop the clamor/exploitation/abuse mentioned in verses 1-3. Hmmm, think of it, I can give you the knowledge to fix something, but after it is fixed, that knowledge has vanished away. Likewise, words we divinely speak and declare too will come too and end for the recipient and new refills are needed. The Wisdom God gives as a gift will cease after its intended use is over with. You know, oddly, we are told to ask and seek for Wisdom and Knowledge. Yet we are told these have ceased due to the death of the apostles. Therefore, should the writer James and Paul be taken seriously today when they tell us to ask for wisdom and knowledge if these ceased during the 1st century as the proof texters claim? Is it true that the Lord is the same yesterday, today, and forever?

1 Cor 13:8-10 does not support this, endowment ceasing argument. Instead, 1 Cor 13:11-13 tells us to mature and learn to uses this endowment appropriately governed by God’s love. Recall, After words spoken run their course, wisdom and knowledge used, you, I, we all need a refilling of the ol' fuel tank with more wisdom, knowledge, words, discernment, faith, etc, because these are fulfilled and newer task lay ahead. Why - well 1 Cor 12:7, 12-31 tells why - the church is about making disciples and as such all are part of a team, Each member has their team function and all work together in God's Church which is be a Hospital, a Rehab Training center, and an embarkation center. Where, people come in all batter and bruised. After a bit of healing in the hospital, comes the rehab training time where one learns new creation life skills so that after that, they are ready to embark into this ol'mean world shining God's light bringing the wounded home, reconciled to God. We need the gifts of the Holy Spirit, His endowment of power from on high to do the task He tasked us with

There is a problem, our fuel tanks are dry because those at the gas station stopped ordering the supply trucks to dispense at their stations. "Can't have any of that thar wild fire! better have an audience rather than an army overcoming the world, sin and the devil," they reason. Tired of this? So how to I get filled up - you ask?

Jesus says to ask, seek, and knock and it will be given. So go and do likewise. Try this, pray for someone and before you do, ask the Lord “how do I proceed?” I need a gift from on high, help!”

Then speak and pray… governed by God’s Love from within…

Whole new dimension will open to you after a little practice.

All kind of HS experiences follow too, like the ones others have mentioned.
-
-
-

Thanks for that Brian.

Much to think upon there......