Will God or the Holy Spirit Reveal
Unknown People’s Thoughts and Circumstances
To Work As a Sign or Miracle
To Bring Them to Faith?

Will God or the Holy Spirit Reveal​​ 

Unknown People’s Thoughts and Circumstances, to Work as a Sign

​​ Or Miracle, Bringing Them to Faith?

JAN LILLEBY

 ​​​​ To be more specific – a short​​ time ago (December 2023) I listened to a speech, in which a pastor told of an incident regarding his father.

His father was a very active Christian believer and liked getting in contact with people to tell them about Jesus.​​ He had been a pastor.

His father told his son of this​​ incident, - it started as he entered an airplane to travel home again, after participating in a Christian meeting campaign in western Norway.

He had by chance gotten a seat next to another man. As he introduced himself to him, he meant to have been​​ told by​​ the Holy Spirit, that he had certain personal problems in marriage, - and so he told him this in details. And the man was surprised and impressed over this. (He had told this pastor first, that he was going home from a conference held by a secular humanistic organization, and he was not a Christian) – and the pastor told him what his occupation was.

So, here we have an example of a Christian pastor, who was​​ told by the Holy Spirit​​ things that normally only the other one knew about.​​ 

The end of this incident was that the secular humanist accepted Jesus there as they sat as passengers in the plane. He got convinced that God had spoken to this pastor and told him in details of things only those who knew him would know about. It all looks very bright, doesn’t it?​​ 

Then I ask: Is this Biblical at all? ​​ Do we find any words in the New Testament supporting such practices or ‘gifts’?

JESUS AND NATHANAEL

Yes, we can find something​​ close​​ to this, even if it is not really the same.

Jesus had been told by the Holy​​ Spirit (in a vision) of Nathanael’s whereabouts shortly before he was introduced to Him,

John 1:43-51, New International Version (NIV),

“43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”

44 Philip, like Andrew​​ and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida.​​ 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

46 Nazareth! Can anything good come from​​ there?” Nathanael asked.

“Come and see,” said Philip.

47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”

48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.

Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”

50 Jesus said, “You believe[a]​​ because I told you I saw you under the fig tree.​​ You will see greater things than that.”​​ 51 He then added, “Very truly I tell you,[b]​​ you[c]​​ will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’[d]​​ the Son of Man.” ​​ (Editor’s emphasize)

We have to be​​ careful here, and not thinking we can copy Jesus. No one can.

So – next question must then arrive: Did any of the apostles operate by exposing supernaturally what anyone had in mind, or what was going on in their lives, for the better or the worse?

PETER CONFRONTING ANANIAS AND ZAPPHIRA

This incident of judgement on the two liars is an example for the worse. Peter was told (revealed) by the Holy Spirit that they had lied to the Holy Spirit and taken aside a sum of money – and they both died because they denied it when Peter confronted them!

Acts 5:1-11​​ - New International Version (NIV),

“Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property.​​ 

2 With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but​​ brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.

3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?​​ 

4 Didn’t it belong​​ to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”

5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all​​ who heard what had happened.​​ 6 Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.

7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.​​ 

8 Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?” “Yes,” she said, “that is the price.”

9 Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”​​ 

10 At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband.

​​ 11 Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.” (Editor’s emphasize)

All very well,​​ - considering that two thieves/liars were caught in the act ‘red handed’. But still,​​ no one​​ today can go copying Peter and his way of action like we see here. No one. I actually haven’t ever heard of anyone trying to.

God revealed it all to Peter, who saw​​ that Satan had filled their hearts so that they lied​​ directly​​ to God. Paul called this gift for ‘word of knowledge’. It was used to expose lies and fraud and things like that, (1 Cor. 12:8).

WE FIND NONE OF THE APOSTLES ‘USING’

REVELATION OF ANY PERSON’S​​ MIND AND ACTIONS

TO CONVINCE HIM OF FAITH IN CHRIST!

There isn’t one singular example of an apostle operating like that pastor I told you of above.​​ 

We simply cannot think that it is Biblical doing things which are​​ not at all​​ found in Scriptures. What we​​ as Christians believe and practices must have basis in the Bible.​​ 

In Acts we can find how God and the Holy Spirit operated by the apostles. They had the sign-gifts to perform outstanding miracles so that Israel and the Jews could know they were sent by Him.

The sign-gifts cannot be found as something given to the whole world freely. It was a ‘package’ given to the Jews only, as Paul wrote in 1 Cor. 14:21 as he used the tongue gift as example. This was prophesied in the Law of Moses, ​​ AMP,

“It is written in​​ the Law, “BY MEN OF STRANGE TONGUES AND BY THE LIPS OF FOREIGNERS I WILL SPEAK TO THIS PEOPLE, AND NOT EVEN THEN WILL THEY LISTEN TO ME,” says the Lord.”

Mark 16:17-20​​ also tells of signs given to Israel’s Jesus-followers, ​​ AMP,

“These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will​​ speak in new tongues;​​ 

18they will pick up serpents, and if they drink anything deadly, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will get well.”​​ 

19So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.​​ 

20And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord was working with them and​​ confirming the word by the signs that followed.]”​​ (Editor’s emphasize)

When Jesus sent out His apostles He did not tell anyone to expose supernaturally (by the Holy Spirit) any person’s private life, thoughts, marital problems or other issues.

He told them to go and perform signs like,​​ 1.​​ Speaking in tongues ​​ 2.​​ Laying on of hands for healing the sick ​​ 3.​​ If they were bitten by snakes it would not harm them. ​​ 4.​​ If they by accident drank poison they would not get hurt ​​ 5.​​ They could cast out demons.

The snake-sign can only be found once, and it was Paul at Malta, Acts 28:3-5. Drinking of poison cannot be found anywhere in the New Testament. I don’t know why. Casting out demons​​ can be found a few times.

In Acts we find that​​ healing miracles are the most frequent​​ sign-gift reported.​​ 

And Paul’s known teaching on the nine sign-gifts in 1 Cor. 12-14 is in line with this. He also laid out​​ additional details​​ regarding sign-gifts than​​ what Jesus said in Mark 16. But again, - we cannot find anything on Christian pastors or evangelists telling supernaturally of a person’s private life. It simply was not practiced at all.

So this​​ must not​​ be practiced in our time. It is entirely heretical​​ and has no support in the Bible. It borders in on white magic/soothsaying and occultism. All Christians should stay away from such things, since it is obviously a sphere in which we find Satan operating.

Eph. 6:12-17​​ exhorts us so that we can make the right resistance against evil, AMP,

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness,​​ against the spiritual​​ forces​​ of wickedness​​ in the heavenly (supernatural)​​ places.​​ 

13Therefore, put on the complete armor of God, so that you will​​ be able to [successfully] resist​​ and​​ stand your ground in the evil day [of danger], and having done everything [that the crisis demands], to stand firm [in your place, fully prepared, immovable, victorious].

​​ 14So stand firm​​ and​​ hold your ground, HAVING TIGHTENED THE WIDE BAND OF TRUTH (personal integrity, moral courage)​​ AROUND YOUR WAIST and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS (an upright heart),​​ 

15and having strapped on YOUR FEET THE GOSPEL OF PEACE IN PREPARATION [to face the enemy with firm-footed stability and the readiness produced by the good news].​​ 

16Above all, lift up the [protective] shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the​​ evil​​ one.​​ 

17And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”

Paul sums it up: We shall take the sword of the Spirit, which is the WORD OF GOD. The Bible rightly divided so that we know what is promised us, the body of Christ, the Church, and not confusing this with what was once promised and given to Israel.

WE CANNOT FIND​​ ANY SIGN-GIFTS POST-ACTS

After the fall of Israel as a nation for God, shown to us in Acts 28:25-28, we can no longer find any sign-gifts. Miracles, healings, and everything else seen with the apostles in Acts time was gone!

It had become a new dispensation after the fall of Israel. Check my free book on the topic,​​ “The Book of Acts – The Story of Israel’s Falling Away From God”.​​ It is published on this web site.

In our time, since Paul came with the new free Grace Gospel (Eph. 3:1-9) starting the dispensation of the Church, no such Holy Spirit miracles and healings are found. Jesus promised such gifts/powers ONLY to the believers of Israel during the time of the apostles, 28 – 62 CE.​​ 

The Acts and all epistles written in this time were under these miracle​​ promises of Christ. The sign-gifts accompanied them to convince Israel of Christ as their king, the Messiah of God promised by Moses and the prophets. In this time interval the Messianic believers were under the Law of Moses as well as the​​ New Covenant in​​ the blood of Jesus. This was laid on top of the Law. See Rom. 3:31; Acts 21:20. See also Acts 15:19, 20 on the Apostle-conference in Jerusalem deciding what to teach the Gentile proselytes in relation to the Law of Moses, AMP,

“Therefore it is my judgment​​ that we do not trouble​​ and​​ make it difficult for those who are turning to God among the Gentiles [by putting obstacles in their way],​​ 

20but that we write to them that they are to abstain from anything that has been contaminated by [being offered to] idols and from sexual impurity and from [eating the meat of] what has been strangled and from [the consumption of] blood.​​ 

21“For from ancient generations [the writing of] Moses has been preached in every city, since he is read​​ aloud​​ in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

Does it say that the Law was now out of practice?

No, it says that​​ certain ordinances​​ from the Law must be kept by the proselytes: They must not eat meat which had been used as offerings to false idols, and they should keep away from sexual impurity (including same-sex-practices), and not eat meat coming from animals which had been strangled, and finally – they could not digest blood in any form or manner. ​​ Food ordinances and restrictions in regard to offerings originate from Lev. 17, - the entire chapter. The Law of Moses was kept by the apostles and their assemblies throughout Acts period, ​​ 28-62 CE.

This means that the Messianic believers in Acts time had two covenants with God: The continued practices of the Law of Moses with its commandments and ordinances, plus the New Covenant (Heb. 9:15) put on top of the Law.

Only believers under​​ these circumstances​​ and context were given sign-gifts in ministry. And these gifts were​​ restricted​​ to certain elect ministers; firstly the apostles, secondly Stephen the martyr, and Philip the evangelist, as well as a few others​​ not mentioned in Acts​​ but never the less were ministering under the supervision of an apostle.

But in the dispensation (see Eph. 3:1-5) of the Church we find that not only was the​​ sign-gifts gone, but Christ had​​ abolished the Law of Moses​​ and its ordinances! These two factors go together – when the Law was in effect, then also the sign-gifts were in effect. But with the Law gone, so are the sign-gifts!

It happened actually as Jesus​​ was crucified in 28 CE, but kept concealed and hidden to the Acts-believers, UNTIL Paul in 63 CE had this revealed to him and thus taught clearly in Ephesians and Colossians. Even if Jesus had the Law ‘killed’ along with Himself on the cross, we can find many clues in Acts that the believers kept the Law still. They did not know that it was abolished at Christ’s crucifixion. Jesus had this fact kept to Himself, to test Israel whether they would​​ come to faith in Him, the whole nation. This test​​ ended negatively​​ as Israel denied the Lord to the bitter end, and the Romans destroyed them in 70 CE.

Christ abolished the Law, so that He could create a new ‘body of believers’ – the ‘one new man’, the Body of Christ for which He is the Head.

Eph. 2:14, 15 ​​ and Col. 2:13-17 has all about this. Paul explicitly holds forth that all Mosaic ordinances were cancelled due to Christ killing the Law at the cross.

Eph. 2:14 - 16,​​ AMP,

“For He Himself is our peace​​ and​​ our bond of unity. He who made both​​ groups—[Jews and Gentiles]—into​​ one body and broke down the barrier, the dividing wall [of spiritual antagonism between us],​​ 

15by abolishing in His [own crucified] flesh the hostility​​ caused by​​ the Law with its commandments​​ contained​​ in ordinances [which He satisfied]; so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thereby establishing peace.​​ 

16And [that He] might reconcile them both [Jew and Gentile, united] in one body to God through the cross, thereby putting to death the hostility.”

Col. 2:13-17,​​ AMP,

“When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh (worldliness, manner of life), God made you alive together with Christ, having [freely] forgiven us all our sins,​​ 

14having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of legal demands [which were in force] against us and which were hostile to us. And this certificate He has set aside​​ and​​ completely removed by nailing it to the cross.​​ 

15When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities [those supernatural forces of evil operating against us], He made a public example of them [exhibiting them as captives in His triumphal procession], having triumphed over them through the cross.​​ 

16Therefore let no one judge you in regard to food and drink or in regard to [the observance of] a festival or​​ a new moon or a Sabbath day.​​ 

17Such things are only a shadow of what is to come​​ and​​ they have only​​ symbolic value; but the substance [the reality of what is foreshadowed] belongs to Christ”. (Editor’s emphasize)

When the Law thus was effectually ‘littered’ and cast away by Paul’s revelation of the Mystery, it​​ created​​ the Church: A congregation NOT under​​ the Law or any ordinances at all, but given a free​​ Grace salvation by faith alone, an unmerited favor of God, a gift.

Eph. 2:8, 9, ​​​​ AMP,

“For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given​​ eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God”.

Check out my other articles on this topic…there is much to be learned​​ so you can rightly divide the Word of God.

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