Podcasts about jehovah rapha

For Back Shed today, Cliff looks at the beginning of Israel's 40 years of wandering in the desert, and the lessons about life, themselves and the Lord that they would learn along the way.Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/sunrisecommunitychurchWatch live on Mondays at 10am: www.facebook.com/sunrisecommunityonline/liveSong: Fredji - Happy Life (Vlog No Copyright Music)Music provided by Vlog No Copyright Music.Video Link: https://youtu.be/KzQiRABVARk

Click here for more on this topic and other free resources - https://www.drjimrichards.com God is not hiding from you—He longs to be known and trusted. After all, how can we have a genuine relationship with someone we don't truly know? Even more essential is the faith factor. Without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). But how can we trust someone we don't understand? The question so many ask is this: How can I come to know Him? The answer begins with the very first commandment that says, “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain” (Exodus 20:7). This isn't just about using His name irreverently—it's about misunderstanding or misrepresenting who He truly is. Every name of God reveals an aspect of His character and a promise He has made to you. His names aren't just titles—they are truths backed by His integrity. When you know His names, you'll begin to understand His heart. And when you understand His heart, trust comes naturally. For example, when we call Him Jehovah Shalom, the Lord our Peace, we dishonor that name if we then accuse Him of bringing chaos into our lives. That is taking His name in vain. When we know Him as Jehovah Rapha, the Lord who heals, yet blame Him for our sickness, we are rejecting the very identity He has revealed to us. Most of us hold onto vain notions of God's character and nature. Therefore, we don't know Him as He is; we know a concept of Him that is man-made! We have accepted how religious tradition characterizes God, rather than knowing and trusting how He describes Himself. Join me this week as we discover The Ultimate Foundation—a journey that will open your heart to see God as He truly is. When you see God clearly: Your struggle with faith fades, Your confidence in Him soars, and His voice becomes unmistakable in your heart. God's promises are inseparably linked to His names. When you know and trust those names, you will walk with unshakable confidence in every promise He has made.

* Prayer*Jehovah-Rapha, The Lord who Heals!* Exodus15:26, Isaiah 61:1

After a devastating car accident left my daughter and son-in-law seriously injured, I've been walking closely with them through the slow, painful process of healing. In this solo episode, I share more about their story and how it brought me face-to-face with the lasting effects of trauma. Trauma doesn't just touch one area of life. It impacts our emotions, our bodies, our relationships, and our ability to function in everyday life. As I reflect on what it means to heal, I also want to speak hope. God has provided powerful tools through trauma-informed care and the expertise of trained professionals. Friends and loved ones can walk with us, and God Himself, Jehovah Rapha, is present in our pain. He wants to bring healing not only to our bodies but to our souls.  If you're struggling to make sense of suffering or wondering how to move forward after trauma, I pray this episode reminds you that healing is possible, even when it feels out of reach. God is near, and He is enough. To inquire about counseling, email Louise at Louise@louisesedgwick.com.  

Jehovah Rapha means the Lord God who heals. This Sunday, we will be exploring how God incorporated healing into God's creation, as well as the different ways humanity experiences God's divine healing. Group Questions:1. Read Exodus 15:22-26. Identify all the key players in this passage. What stands out to you regarding each of the key players' actions?2. Debate the statement that God wove healing into creation. At what point do you think the elements of healing were incorporated in the formation of the world?3. Can you recall a time of pain and suffering in your life? Have you healed from it? If so, how did you heal from it? Did you bury the emotions? In which ways did you not deal with it (denial, detachment, medicate)?4. Have you ever, or do you know someone who has experienced divine physical healing? Share the story!5. Read and discuss what Paul is saying in 1 Corinthians 15:42-57.

Freedom Sunday | The Names Of God | Message 3: Jehovah Rapha | Pastor Chad Dingess | 07/06/2025 by Bethesda Church

In this powerful message, Jeannie Burgess reveals the healing heart of God through His name—Jehovah Rapha. Discover how faith in God's Word and His willingness to heal can bring life-changing transformation to your spirit, soul, and body. Watch now and experience the power of divine healing!

Welcome to our Reveal PodcastToday, we're diving into a powerful topic: What is Biblical Healing? what it is, and why it still matters today.Biblical healing is more than just physical recovery. At its core, it's about restoration, body, mind, and spirit, brought about by the power and presence of God. Throughout the Bible, we see God as Jehovah Rapha, "The Lord who heals." From miraculous healings performed by Jesus, to the comforting words in Psalms, healing is often tied to faith, prayer, and God's compassion.So whether you're praying for healing today or supporting someone who is, remember: biblical healing is a journey of hope, trust, and God's timing.To support this ministry and help us continue our God-given mission, click here:Subscribe to our channel for the latest sermons:https://www.youtube.com/@revealvineyardLearn more about Vineyard Church Reveal Campus:https://www.revealvineyard.com/Follow us on social media!Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/vineyardrevealcampus Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/RevealVineyard

Scripture:  Exodus 15:22-27, Luke 4:18The Pulse Experience Chosen Camp 2025Speaker: Luke MaceTopic: Identity-Jehovah RaphaWednesday, June 25, 2025https://linktr.ee/thepulsewinfield

Welcome to our Reveal podcast,Today we're diving into a big, beautiful question—why does God heal? What'sFirst off, healing isn't just something God does—it's part of who He is. From the Old Testament to the New, God reveals Himself as Jehovah Rapha, the God who heals. Healing reflects His character: compassionate, restorative, and deeply invested in human wholeness—body, soul, and spirit.But let's be clear—it's not just about fixing a problem. When Jesus healed the blind, the lame, the leper, or even raised the dead, He was revealing the kingdom of God breaking into a broken world. Healing is a signpost. It points us to something greater, the restoration of all things.To support this ministry and help us continue our God-given mission, click here:Subscribe to our channel for the latest sermons:https://www.youtube.com/@revealvineyardLearn more about Vineyard Church Reveal Campus:https://www.revealvineyard.com/Follow us on social media!Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/vineyardrevealcampus Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/RevealVineyard

Message from Casey Andis on June 8, 2025

Message from Elder Ronnie Loudermilk on June 1, 2025

Join Lisa and Laura for our series Names of God. In biblical times, names were of great importance—they conveyed a person's essence, history, nature, or character. As we explore the various names of God in the Old Testament, we gain insight into His character. With each name, we will learn a new attribute, deepening our understanding of and growing closer to God. In today's episode, we explore our third name, Jehovah Rapha, the God who heals. The word “rapha” often refers to physical healing in Scripture, but it has a more expansive meaning, too, involving the entire person. Jehovah Rapha doesn't just heal the body. He heals the mind and soul. In a world desperate for healing, this is an episode you do not want to miss. Grab your Bible and invite a friend to listen. We all need Jehovah Rapha! Open your Heart to our key Scripture. Exodus 15:26: If you will listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and keeping all his decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the LORD who heals you. Open your Bible to other Scriptures referenced in this episode. Exodus 3:13–14: Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, ‘What is his name?' what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” Psalm 22:14–15: I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaves to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. Exodus 15:22–27 Romans 8:22: We know that all creation has been groaning with labor pains together until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for the adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. Romans 5:5: Hope does not disappoint us. Invite Him in with this episode's questions for reflection. Are you in the place between devastated hope and deliverance? Bring your heart to Jehovah Rapha and ask, what does He want to reveal and what He is longing to heal? Is it a physical illness? Sin? Trauma? Childhood wound? Unforgiveness?  Show mentions. Walking with Purpose, Virtual Group Webinar: A Learn about Leading Event, July 17, 2025, 7 p.m. ET Fr. Boniface Hicks, The Fruit of Her Womb Ignatius Catholic Study Bible Father John Riccardo, Acts XXIX, The Rescue Project Encounter School of Ministry Let's stay connected. Don't miss an episode. Subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform.  Want to keep the conversation going? Join our private Facebook community. Stay in the know. Connect with us today.  We are committed to creating content that is free and easily accessible to every woman—especially the one looking for answers but unsure of where to go. If you've enjoyed this podcast, prayerfully consider making a donation to support it and other WWP outreach programs that bring women closer to Christ. Learn more about WWP on our website. Our shop. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, X, and YouTube.

Jesus took our sin, our shame, and our sickness upon Himself on the cross so that we could be healed. It's a truth we can rest in because the Word of God is His will, and the Bible shows us who He is through His names. One of the names God declares Himself is Jehovah Rapha, which means “the Lord who heals.” We can have faith for healing because it's who our God is! Tune in as we trust that He will do what He said and reclaim the healing that belongs to us.

Jesus took our sin, our shame, and our sickness upon Himself on the cross so that we could be healed. It's a truth we can rest in because the Word of God is His will, and the Bible shows us who He is through His names. One of the names God declares Himself is Jehovah Rapha, which means “the Lord who heals.” We can have faith for healing because it's who our God is! Tune in as we trust that He will do what He said and reclaim the healing that belongs to us.

Jesus took our sin, our shame, and our sickness upon Himself on the cross so that we could be healed. It's a truth we can rest in because the Word of God is His will, and the Bible shows us who He is through His names. One of the names God declares Himself is Jehovah Rapha, which means “the Lord who heals.” We can have faith for healing because it's who our God is! Tune in as we trust that He will do what He said and reclaim the healing that belongs to us.

We all want healing from God, but few of us get it. How do we reconcile that experience with the revelation of God as Jehovah Rapha, which means God our healer? We try to answer this question by studying Exodus 15, where God first reveals Himself to be Rapha.

We all want healing from God, but few of us get it. How do we reconcile that experience with the revelation of God as Jehovah Rapha, which means God our healer? We try to answer this question by studying Exodus 15, where God first reveals Himself to be Rapha.

One of God's names in the bible is “Jehovah Rapha” which means “The Lord is my Healer.” We know that God does heal people of sickness and disease, but why doesn't He heal everyone? If I don't experience healing, am I being punished? Is it because I lack faith? In today's instalment of “You Asked For It,” pastor Dan shares how to think about physical, emotional and spiritual healing from a biblical perspective. -- GIVE: Visit www.connectcalgary.ca/give to help share #LifeOverflowing across Canada.

Esmeralda was concerned that she had been having numbness in her jaw. The day before she was in the ER and they had no answers for her. Praise God, with one touch from Jehovah-Rapha, her healer, all numbness immediately left her jaw! Psalm 30:2 O Lord my God, I cried out to You, and You healed me. www.cathycoppola.org https://mightywindtv.lightcast.com/ #healing #God #Jesus #miracle #ChristianTV #healingtestimony #church #deliverance #HouseofGloryChurch #Christian #prayer #signs #power #endtimes #faith #prophesy #miracleservice #Deliveranceministry #healingchurch #backpain #powerofprayer #viral #numbness

Esmeralda was concerned that she had been having numbness in her jaw. The day before she was in the ER and they had no answers for her. Praise God, with one touch from Jehovah-Rapha, her healer, all numbness immediately left her jaw! Psalm 30:2 O Lord my God, I cried out to You, and You healed me. www.cathycoppola.org https://mightywindtv.lightcast.com/ #healing #God #Jesus #miracle #ChristianTV #healingtestimony #church #deliverance #HouseofGloryChurch #Christian #prayer #signs #power #endtimes #faith #prophesy #miracleservice #Deliveranceministry #healingchurch #backpain #powerofprayer #viral #numbness

In our series, the case for healing, we are looking to see if my clients, God and Jesus, are guilty as they stand accused of making people sick, using sickness and diseases, killing, taking people in death, etc...do they, are they? Let us look and see if we can find any evidence of this, any eyewitness accounts, any quotes from my clients about this. OR is God a healer?  

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If we will believe that Jesus is God the Healer, Jehovah-Rapha, and believe that he has already paid the price for our healing, and if we will come to him in faith, asking him to heal and restore us, we can experience healing at his hands.

healing.

Deep in the heart of Israel, God desires to be known by His chosen people.  Revealing Himself to Moses as Yahweh, the Great I Am, a name too holy to utter, the Israelites call Him Jehovah.  Throughout the Old Testament, Jehovah responds to the faith of His people and shows Himself strong on their behalf.  In remembrance of Jehovah's power and love, the people give Him additional names describing His ability and willingness to help in their lives.  Each name describes the nature of the One True God!  Each is Jehovah!  Together, they are the J-Team!The son of the widow woman, whom God used to feed and provide a place for the Prophet Elijah to live, became very sick one day… and died.  His mother brought him to Elijah.#kids, #biblestoriesforkids, #storiesforkids,#bedtimestoriesforkids, #storiesforchristiankids, #biblelessonsforkids, #bestronginthelord, #namesofgod, #jehovahrapha, #thelordgodalmightyourhealer, #healing, #jesusourhealer,  #fishbytesforkids, #fishbytes4kids, #fishbites4kids, #ronandcarriewebb, #roncarriewebb

This week, Pastor Ernest Grant continues "The Great I AM" series with a powerful message on Jehovah Rapha—The Lord Who Heals.

In this message, Pastor Aaron discusses everything that encompasses God's ability to heal us.

OPEN HEAVENSMATALA LE LAGI MO LE ASO TO'ONAI 22 FEPUARI  2025(tusia e Pastor EA Adeboye) Manatu Autu:  Ieova Fa'amālōlō Ma'i (Jehovah Rapha) Tauloto -Tusi Paia–Esoto 23:25 ”A ‘ia ‘outou ‘au‘auna i le ALI‘I lo ‘outou Atua, ‘ona fa‘amanuia lea e ia lau mea e ‘ai ‘atoa ma lou vai; ‘ou te fa‘ate‘a ‘ese fo‘i ma‘i ‘iā te oe.”Faitauga – Tusi Paia – Ioane 9:1-7I tausaga ua mavae, sa faafuasei ona o'u iloaina ua faaletonu la'u faalogo. Sa ou valaau i se tasi o o'u afafine, o ia o se foma'i e sau e siaki o'u taliga. Ina ua siaki a'u e lē foma'i, sa faapea mai, “Auoi le Atua e!” ona fai mai lea o taliga uma e lua o loo i ai patu i totonu, ma sa ia fautuaina a'u ou te alu i le falema'i. Sa o'u ata ma fai i si o'u afafine e tu'u mai ni aso se fitu. A uma aso ia o i ai pea patu, o'u avatua loa le fa'atagaga ia te ia e fai ai so'ose togafitiga e mana'o e fai. Sa o'u iloaina o loo i ai lo'u Tamā o le foma'i o foma'i, ma sa o'u talanoa loa ia te ia ina ua alu lo'u afafine foma'i. Sa faapea, la'u tatalo, “Tamā faamolemole aumai ni o'u taliga fou auā e mana'omia lo'u lagonaina o le faa amene a tagata pe a ou tatalo.” Ina ua toe fo'i mai lo'u afafine i le aso lona fitu e vaai i totonu o o'u taliga, sa toe fai mai, “Auoi le Atua e!” Peita'i o le taimi lea o lana alaga o se tala fiafia auā ua faamalōlō a'u e Ieova faamalōlō ma'i.E te iloa e mafai ona e soifua e aunoa ma lou maua i se ma'i? E te iloa o le faamalōlōga o lau meatotino pe afai o oe o se atali'i poo se afafine o le Atua? Peita'i o le avea o le Atua ma Alii e faamalōlō ia te oe e tatau ona e matuā filigā e faalogo i lona siufofoga (Esoto 15:26). E tatau ona e faia soosemea e fetalai atu le Atua ia te oe e fai, ma usitai e aunoa ma le faatuai. Ina ua iloa atu e lepela e toasefulu Iesu, sa o latou augani atu ia te ia i le fia malōlō, ona fetalai atu lea o Iesu ia te i latou ina ia ōs ma faaali atu i latou i le ositaulaga (Luka 17:11-14). O se tulaga e lē saogalemu lea faiga auā afai e o atu I le ositaulaga o lepela pea i latou e le'i fa'amamāina e ona fetogiina i latou i ma'a ma feoti ai. Na usitai lepela iā Iesu ma ui i le ala e lamatia ma faamaloloina ai i latou. E faapenā fo'i le tagata na tauaso talu ona fanau mai, na malolō o ia ina ua fetalai i ai Iesu e alu e mulumulu i le taelega i Seloa (Ioane 9:7). Na filifili le tagata tauaso e usita'i iā Iesu ma toe fo'i mai ai lana taelega ua pupula ona mata.Le au pele e, o le finagalo o le Atua mo oe ia e ola fiafia i le manuia i vaega uma o lou soifua. O se fiafiaga I le finagalo o Tamā lou soifua maloloina, peita'i e tatau ona e filiga e faalogo i lona siufofoga. O a ni mea taumafa ma ni vaiinu o loo fetalai atu le Atua e tu'u aua ne'i e toe tausami ai? O le a se mea o fai atu le Atua e amata ona e faia? Usita'i nei loa ma fai ae aua le faatuai, ona e soifua lea ma fiafia i lana faamalologa, i le suafa o Iesu, Amene.

Healing and deliverance is a heart issue. Bitterness, offense and unforgiveness will prevent Jehovah Rapha from doing his wonderful miracle working power within your soul and physical being. When we root out offense and unforgiveness, healing occurs not only in our hearts but also in our lives and our health. Join Kathy in this Prophetic Spiritual Warfare TV episode with special guest Demontae Edmonds, known as the miracle man. They will teach and instruct you to receive your healing miracle.   Connect with Kathy on her website at https://www.kathydegrawministries.org/   Purchase Kathy's new book at: https://www.kathydegrawministries.org/healed-at-last/   Receive Free Prayer: https://www.kathydegrawministries.org/declarations-download/   Purchase Kingdom Scents anointing oil at:https://www.kathydegrawministries.org/anointing-oils/  or on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Kingdom+Scents&ref=bl_dp_s_web_0   Kathy's Deliverance and Kingdom Development intense mentoring and e-courses: https://www.kathydegrawministries.org/training/    Subscribe to Kathy's podcast on Apple or Spotify    Podcast title – Prophetic Spiritual Warfare | Kathy DeGraw   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathydegraw/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathydegraw/

The son of the widow woman, whom God used to feed and provide a place for the Prophet Elijah to live, became very sick one day… and died. His mother brought him to Elijah. Deep in the heart of Israel, God desires to be known by His chosen people. Revealing Himself to Moses as Yahweh, the Great I Am, a name too holy to utter, the Israelites call Him Jehovah. Throughout the Old Testament, Jehovah responds to the faith of His people and shows Himself strong on their behalf. In remembrance of Jehovah's power and love, the people give Him additional names describing His ability and willingness to help in their lives. Each name describes the nature of the One True God! Each is Jehovah! Together, they are the J-Team! #kids, #biblestoriesforkids, #storiesforkids,#bedtimestoriesforkids, #storiesforchristiankids, #biblelessonsforkids, #bestronginthelord, #namesofgod, #jehovahrapha, #thelordgodalmightyourhealer, #healing, #jesusourhealer, #fishbytesforkids, #fishbytes4kids, #fishbites4kids, #ronandcarriewebb, #roncarriewebb

The God Who Heals! What does mean to you? What kind of healing does God provide? In this message, we discuss our healing needs and learn of God who heals them.

Dr Onyi Okonkwo brings us our Sunday message this week titledJehovah Rapha from our series called ‘The Names of God'.You can follow the message along in the YouVersion bible app athttp://bible.com/events/49382709 and add your own notes!You can also watch the entire service on:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64LOQexq73g

The book of Exodus is an allegory for the spiritual condition of mankind, & God's response. We're in bondage and need deliverance, and only the Lord can provide salvation. But even with that, we can fall into grumbling--a red light indicator of a deficiency of faith and entitled indulgence.  Our flesh pushes us into the negative and forgets God's goodness.  But He proves Himself over and over as Jehovah Rapha--the Lord our Healer.  We can always trust Him to meet any of our needs.  Video of this service is also available:  https://www.youtube.com/watchv=n8rDpv0syi8&t=3511s

Getting To Know God | Week 3 | Ken Miller--Jehovah-Rapha is one of the compound names of God in the Bible, often translated as "The Lord Who Heals" or "The Lord Our Healer." God instructed Moses to throw a piece of wood into the water, making it sweet and drinkable. After this event, God declared Himself as "Jehovah-Rapha," promising that if the Israelites listened to His commands and kept His statutes, He would protect them from the diseases that afflicted the Egyptians.--Notes

Looking for healing in your life? In his message Healer, Pastor Trevor explores the profound truth that God is not only our provider but also our healer—Jehovah Rapha. Drawing from stories of physical restoration, he highlights how God's healing power, through the cross, brings restoration to our body, soul, and spirit, and is available to all who trust in His promises.

Presented by Lauren Stibgen What in your life needs healing? When we think of healing, we quickly think of our physical bodies—healing from sickness, recovery from surgery, or something worse like a diagnosis. But healing can be so much more. God is our great healer, and foundationally, the first thing he wants to heal us from forever is sin. On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:17). Maybe you don't feel sick with sin, or on the other end of the spectrum, maybe you don't feel like your sin rises to the need of a healer. Our ultimate healer is God, Jehovah Rapha. The truth of the matter is we are all sick with sin, not one greater than the other. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). It isn't that some of you sin; it is all. And, going back to omnipresence, God is in all places at all times at once. More than this, God is omniscient. Simply, God knows everything! There is no hiding this sin. Thankfully, God sent his only son, Jesus to die on the cross for our sins—the ultimate sacrifice of love for us! But what about the other healing—the physical or mental well-being healing we often turn to God for? Jehovah Rapha promises this too. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds (Psalm 147:3). Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security (Jeremiah 33:6). Not only does God want health and healing for us but he also wants for our abundance, prosperity, and security. Amid a trial, especially when you need physical or mental healing, it can be hard to imagine abundance, prosperity, and security. Ultimately, we won't fully experience this until heaven. We know God will wipe away every tear from our eyes in heaven. We are citizens of heaven here on earth and until we find ourselves in heaven, we need to lean into knowing more about God and all of his names. After all, he is Emmanuel, God with us, a provider, the best at seeing us at our best and worst, the very best listener, and the ultimate healer!

Presented by Lauren Stibgen Are you anything like me? I find myself wondering how another year is coming to a close. The older I get, the faster they seem to go. Honestly, sometimes I am just tired. Competing priorities of work, family and attempting to maintain some semblance of wellness during our most gluttonous time of year has me feeling weak. While I am in a good habit of starting my day in God's word and journaling, sometimes the time is hurried. How much do I “know” God? One of the ways I am drawing near to God this season is through studying his names. You have heard a lot about Emmanuel this season, as we celebrated the birth of Jesus. It's the beautiful name that reminds us God is with us, but this week I want to focus on some of the other names of God. Emmanuel reminds me of the one and only gift that Jesus is. God as man. He walked this life to rescue the sinner like me with the ultimate sacrifice of his life on the cross. This reminds me God is relational, and he wants me to know him and be in relationship with him. As working women, it is easy to let life get the best of us like I mentioned above. Perhaps as you approach year end, finances are tight. Maybe finances aren't only tight, but you are looking for work. With the end of the year, maybe you are in the process of performance evaluations at work. You feel like you have done so much but it is evident no one sees it like you do. As a working mom, maybe you are asking for some extra helping hands during the holidays from your spouse or children and they aren't hearing you. And, overall, you are feeling down, or maybe all of this has taken a physical toll on your body. The Bible is full of reminders about our God. He is our provider. He sees us. He hears us. And God is our healer. What I have come to understand is God wants to be my everything. The names he uses to describe himself to me are all reminders that he is truly all I need. If you need extra strength for this season like me, join me this week as we consider the names of God: Jehovah Jireh, El Roi, Elohim Shama, and Jehovah Rapha.

Jehovah Rapha : Exodus 15:22-27 : Pastor Raef Chenery : 12-22-24 by Park Community Church

Pastor Brian highlights the ever-present and faithful nature of God. Drawing from Ezekiel 48:35, he reminds us that God's presence is constant, even when we focus on problems rather than the Problem Solver. Through Psalm 139, we are assured that God is with us in our darkest doubts and furthest wanderings. Pastor Brian also reflects on Jehovah El Roi, the God who sees, using Genesis 16:13 to show that God's watchful care extends into the hidden and unseen parts of our lives. Faithfulness, he notes, is rooted not in our circumstances but in God's unchanging character. Finally, he introduces Jehovah Rapha, the God who heals, from Exodus 15:26, emphasizing that God's healing power purifies both body and soul, offering restoration and wholeness. Through these divine names, the sermon calls believers to trust in God's presence, provision, and healing.

Deception is simply taking a piece of the truth, and twisting it. That's what makes it so convincing. It sounds right... sort of. Almost. I believe I first read in one of C.S. Lewis's books, probably in several of them, that evil defines itself by the absence of God, just as darkness defines itself as the absence of light. Satan cannot create anything; all he can do is pervert something that God made, and intended for good.   The introduction of Jonathan Cahn's most recent book, "The Dragon Prophecy," puts this extremely well, so I'm going to just quote him. He writes, "If God is good, then how could there be evil? And if God is evil, then how could God be good? But if God did not create evil, then how could evil exist? Or how could God be God?... If evil was created, it would not be a problem, nor would it be evil. Evil is a problem for the very reason that it was not created. It should not exist, because it was not created, and yet it does. The existence of evil defies the created order. It is not of the creation and thus exists in opposition to the created order. Evil exists in defiance of existence... evil is not simply a force, like that of an earthquake, a hurricane, or a fire. All these bring calamity and destruction. But none would constitute true evil. Serial killers are. Why? The hurricane is an impersonal force. It acts without consciousness, will, choice, volition, or intent. But the serial killer commits his acts with conscious intent, will, an volition--and so is evil. And so evil is not an impersonal force--but a personal one, requiring consciousness, volition, will, and intent. Thus in our search for an answer to evil, we are led to personhood... Evil is an inversion--an inversion of truth, of reality, of existence. Evil is, by nature, inverted and, by nature, inverts. It twists, bends, and turns existence in upon itself. It exists as anti-existence. Its being is anti-being, and its nature, anti-nature. It is a negation and therefore seeks to negate, a nullification that exists to nullify. It has no true, ultimate, or absolute existence and therefore acts to bring that which exists into non-existence... Possessing no absolute or true existence of its own, evil is, as well, by nature, parasitic... Evil must use the good. And so though good can exist without evil, evil cannot exist without good. Truth can exist without falsehood, but falsehood cannot exist without truth. Laws can exist without crimes, marriage without adultery, and life without murder. But crimes cannot exist without laws, adultery without marriage, nor murder exist without life. Destruction requires structure, immorality requires morality, and sin requires the holy. The good is primary. Evil is the parasitic inversion of the good. And so the existence of evil inadvertently testifies not against the existence of the good--but for it. It bears witness, unwillingly, to the existence of the good--the existence of God" (9-10). So if evil itself is an inversion of something created to be good, then nearly everything God created for our pleasure and enjoyment can also become evil... but because it contains the seeds of something that was originally good, Satan can also use that kernel of goodness, or truth, to convince us that the twisted version is actually good and true, too... and if we don't know the truth well enough to tell the difference, we'll fall for it.  The Syncretism Trend According to Dr George Barna's research with the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, the dominant worldview of Americans (92%) now is syncretism (https://www.arizonachristian.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/CRC-Release-AWVI-2-April-23-2024.pdf): that is, an amalgamation of disparate and contradictory beliefs, pulled from multiple religious or philosophical ideologies, according to an individual's personal inclinations and emotions. Syncretism is therefore not a single worldview, but a mishmash of beliefs--hence the common phrase, "your truth" and "my truth." The implication is that these can be mutually exclusive, without any logical contradiction. This strategy of Satan's is nothing new. He is a liar and the father of lies by nature (John 8:44). He sticks with this approach because it works.  Syncretism in the Old Testament Syncretism has  been around since the days of the Old Testament, and was the main reason why the Israelites couldn't seem to stay on the "blessing" side of God's covenant (Deuteronomy 28). Literally the first of the Ten Commandments was "You shall have no other gods before Me" (Ex 20:3)--and al, the Hebrew word translated "before", also means "by" or "beside." So God wasn't saying they simply had to worship Him the most, but it was okay if they occasionally sacrificed to Baal or Molech or Asherah--so long as He was the most important. No; they were to have no other gods besides Him. Period. The entire Old Testament history is a cycle of the Israelites' disobedience of this one commandment. The first example after the Ten Commandments were given is the golden calf that Aaron made with the spoils from Egypt while Moses was up on the mountain receiving God's law (Ex 32). These Israelites had spent their entire lives in Egypt, where a pantheon of gods were worshipped (many of whom God specifically humiliated by the plagues chosen to eventually force Pharaoh to let them go). When they made the golden calf, the Israelites declared that this was God--the One who had delivered them from Egypt (Ex 32:4). So they weren't exactly abandoning Yahweh for some other god; rather, they were mixing Him with the gods they had grown up with. Then, the Israelites tended to mix worship of Yahweh with worship of the gods of neighboring nations, even before they ever got to the Promised Land. Israel's enemies feared God, and one of them (King Balak of Moab) sent for Balaam, a local seer, to curse Israel (Numbers 22-24). God wouldn't allow Balaam to curse Israel, but Balaam wanted Balak's money... so instead, he told Balak how to get the Israelites to curse themselves, by placing themselves on the "cursing" side of God's covenant (Deuteronomy 28). Numbers 25 shows the result: the Moabite harlots used sex to entice the men of Israel into idolatry. The issue in this case wasn't so much the sex, as it was that sex was used in worship of false gods.  The cycle repeats throughout the Old Testament: Israel falls into idolatry, they fall under the 'cursing' side of God's covenant as a result (bringing themselves out from under His protection, and subject to Satan's machinations), they get oppressed by their enemies, they cry out to God, and God delivers them. They renew their vows to and worship of the One True God in varying degrees, but then they forget again, fall into idolatry, and the cycle repeats. God had laid out very clearly that they would be blessed if they followed His laws, and cursed if they didn't (Deut 28), and the very first commandment was no gods before Him. It was the first for a reason: God knows that we were made to worship something, and we treasure what we worship. "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Matt 6:21), and our hearts guide the course of our lives (Prov 4:23).  Eventually Israel split into two kingdoms (Northern and Southern, or Israel and Judah) over this very issue. Most of the subsequent kings of both nations perpetuated idolatry, though a few tried to purge the nation of idolatry to varying degrees, and enjoyed the 'blessing' side of the covenant for a time as a result (Deut 28). But God sent prophet after prophet to the Northern and Southern nations (writers of most of the major and minor prophetic books of the Old Testament), warning them of impending destruction if they did not repent of their idolatry. They ignored the warning, and eventually both nations were taken into captivity because of their idolatry: Israel to Assyria and Judah to Babylon. (Though of course, God was not done with Israel, and His promises to them still stand--Ezekiel 37 prophesied their restoration to their own land as a resurrection of dry bones, which miraculously took place on May 14, 1948. And the nation of Israel takes center stage throughout most of the book of Revelation, from chapter 5 on.)  Syncretism in the New Testament  Syncretism was around during the time of the early church, too, particularly in Paul's ministry. God sent him as the apostle to the Gentiles, who practiced varying forms of pagan beliefs already. They attempted to mix Jesus with these beliefs, until Paul's preaching convicted them to follow Jesus only, burning their books of magic arts and getting rid of their idols of Greek and Roman gods (Acts 19:11-20--which turned into a big riot in the city, v 21-41). Paul described the end times as being a time of "unrighteous deception among those who perish" (2 Thess 2:10), so we can expect that as we approach that day, this will only increase. Jesus told us that in the last days, "if possible, even the elect" would be deceived (Matt 24:24). The Greek work for deception in these verses is planao, and it means "to lead away from the truth, to lead into error." This inherently means that there is such a thing as truth. If you believe something contradictory to that truth, that is deception. We're living in an age that largely borrows from postmodernism as part of the syncretic worldview. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, "Postmodernists deny that there are aspects of reality that are objective; that there are statements about reality that are objectively true or false; that it is possible to have knowledge of such statements (objective knowledge); that it is possible for human beings to know some things with certainty; and that there are objective, or absolute, moral values." Holders of this worldview are therefore confused about even observable or mathematical truths, let alone those that are not observable (such as whether or not there is a God, and if there is, how many, and which one, how do we get to Him, etc). So before we even approach the topic of how to avoid being deceived, we have to establish that there is such a thing as objective truth. If there isn't, then there is no such thing as deception, either, since deception derives its definition from truth (just as darkness derives its definition from light, by the absence of it). What Is Truth (i.e. Is There Such A Thing As Objective Reality?) The best argument I've heard on the topic of whether or not there is an objective reality comes from Dr Jason Lisle's "The Ultimate Proof of Creation" (which is a book, but here is his lecture on the argument https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQ_UxcV-xcM). While there is an abundance of apologetic evidence for the scientific and historical accuracy of scripture (here's the first in an apologetics series I did on the subject, https://www.drlaurendeville.com/anthropic-fine-tuning/), Lisle points out that none of these arguments can be definitive, because someone who holds a different worldview can simply invoke a "rescuing device" to explain away any evidence that seems to contradict his own position. We all do this, and it's not necessarily a bad thing--for example, if someone points out an apparent contradiction in scripture, my first reaction isn't, "Oh, I guess the Bible is wrong!" Rather, I assume there's additional information I don't happen to know about yet, which resolves the apparent contradiction, and then I go look for it. Even if I can't find it at the time, I am still certain it exists, and someone will find it eventually. That's a rescuing device, to preserve an otherwise deeply held worldview without logical contradiction. The real key to establishing which worldview is correct lies in that last statement: "without logical contradiction." There are laws that govern the way the world and the universe works--laws that we all have to believe in and abide by in order to know anything at all. C.S. Lewis expounded on this concept in "Mere Christianity" (https://www.authorcagray.com/posts/mere-christianity/) with respect to morality, in particular--the idea that we all know that there are universal laws of decency and conduct, and we further know that we don't live up to them. But, that being the case, who made those laws? Where did they come from? He argues that their very existence necessitates a lawgiver. Lisle takes this argument further--the existence of non-moral rules that govern how the material world works, such as the laws of logic, and principles of math and science, are the presuppositions upon which all knowledge is based. Everyone has to abide by these, no matter what their worldview is, or it would be impossible to know anything at all. But who made those rules? Where did they come from? Why does math work? Why do we all assume the laws of logic in order to have a coherent conversation? This, too, necessitates a creator. Many who abide by laws of math, science, and logic (and morality, for that matter) don't happen to have a theistic worldview, but that in and of itself is a logical inconsistency; they can't account for those rules in their worldviews at all. They have to borrow from the theistic worldview in order to make any of their other arguments.  This is the very place where postmodernism diverges, though. If there is no objective reality, then knowledge of any kind doesn't exist. Most of those who hold this worldview at least believe in morality of some kind. Lewis's argument might be most relevant here--you'll never get someone persuaded by postmodernism and religious syncretism to argue that murder, or genocide, or racism are fine, for example. They know these are wrong because they "feel" them to be wrong--and they're not just wrong for them, they're wrong for everyone. Now we have at least one absolute... which necessitates a lawgiver not only for morality, but also for at least one logical law: that of non-contradiction. This already establishes the existence of an objective reality. If there is an objective reality, then necessarily, some statements about it must be true while others must be false. The world is round and not flat, for example. If a world exists at all, both things cannot be true about it at the same time and in the same way, simultaneously--that would be a logical contradiction. Which Objective Reality Is It? (Can Anybody Know?) If some objective reality does in fact exist, how do we know which one it is? How do we know that our senses are reliable, first of all, and that we're not living in a simulation a la "The Matrix," for instance--one in which the laws of morality, logic, math, and science are simply foundational to the code? This argument goes back to Descartes, who concluded that at the very least, he must exist after some fashion, because his consciousness told him he must. C.S. Lewis in "Mere Christianity" used a similar line of reasoning, arguing that if there were a deeper reality, one that created this reality, we couldn't possibly find out anything about it through our five senses. Of course we couldn't; those senses are of the physical world, and can thus only give us information about the physical world. Our consciousness, however, has no identifiable physical reality. (To this day, science cannot explain what consciousness actually is - https://www.drlaurendeville.com/electromagnetism-vital-force/.) So Lewis argues that, if there were anything knowable about the world beyond our own, the only place where we might possibly expect to find clues about it would be in our own consciousness. And there, in fact, we do find such clues: specifically, we all have a sense of right and wrong. While we might quibble about the details therein--someone might say that under such and such a condition, killing someone is not murder, for example--no one will seriously argue that murder is morally fine. One might have different rules surrounding the morals of sex, but nobody is going to say you can just have any person you like anytime you like. This establishes several things, according to his argument: the existence of a moral law outside of our reality, of how we ought to behave (even though we know we don't, or at least not always, and certainly not perfectly), which necessitates the implied existence of a law-giver. The very fact that we do not keep the law (even though we know we should) is the whole point of the law of the Old Testament, too (Romans 7)--but even those who didn't know the Old Testament were aware of the moral law to this extent, so that no one is without excuse (Romans 1:18-2:16). Once we know that there is a moral law, and that we're incapable of keeping it on our own, that narrows down the possible religions considerably. We must choose one that hinges on the concept of grace, not works. There is literally only one of those. (More on that in this podcast: https://www.drlaurendeville.com/relational-apologetics/). That's why we call Christianity the gospel, which means good news: the good news is that, while you can't make yourself righteous no matter how hard you try, you don't have to make yourself righteous because Jesus did it for you. All you have to do is accept what He did on your behalf. Once you've gotten to this place, now all the scientific apologetics (start here: https://www.drlaurendeville.com/anthropic-fine-tuning/) can fall into their proper place: as corroborating evidence for the Bible. But the Bible has to be philosophically established as authoritative first. Once we've established that the Bible is truth (John 17:17, Psa 25:5, Psa 91:4, Psa 96:13, 100:5, 117:2, 119:142, 151, 160; 138:2, Prov 3:3, Col 1:5), we've got to learn what it says--well enough that Satan can't take it out of context and feed it back to us, or add a tiny bit to it to change the meaning. That's exactly how he works, though. He even tried that with Jesus (Luke 4:1-13). Fortunately Jesus was the Word made flesh (John 1:14), so He didn't fall for it... but the less we actually know the scripture, the more vulnerable we'll be to this strategy. Knowing the Truth Well Jesus warned us that as the last days approach, Satan will double down on this strategy: that false prophets will rise up and deceive many (Matt 24:11), claiming to be Jesus returned (Mark 13:6), some with signs and wonders. At the same time, Revelation suggests that in the last days, the church will become apathetic, so prosperous materially that we will be unaware of our spiritual emptiness (Rev 3:14-22). (This sounds a lot like the seeds choked by thorns in Jesus' parable of the sower: the seed is choked by "the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches, and he becomes unfruitful", Matt 13:22). Peter tells us that "scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, 'Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.'" (2 Peter 3:3-4). Paul tells us that the last days will be accompanied by a great "falling away" (2 Thess 2:3). Deception comes in many forms, but one thing they all have in common is that they act almost like a vaccine against the truth. There's just enough truth to them, mixed with a lot of untruth, that it's hard to tease apart the good from the bad. In that way, they can deceive "even the elect, if possible" (Matt 24:24, Mark 13:22). We protect against this, in a nutshell, by knowing the truth really, really well. This is the way bankers are trained to recognize counterfeit money: they don't study every possible counterfeit (there will always be a new one). Rather, they learn what the real thing looks like so well that they'll know when something seems off, even if they can't articulate what it is. In the same way, we're to renew our minds with the Word (Romans 12:2); that's how we will recognize truth from lies. Otherwise, it's all too easy for Satan to take a sliver of truth, mix it with a lie, and so deceive us. An Old Testament example of this is found in 2 Kings 18. The back story: in Numbers 21:6-9, the people had sinned, had come out from under the protection of God's covenant, and were dying from bites from poisonous snakes. God commanded Moses to make a bronze serpent on a pole, and told the people that if they would only look at the serpent, they would be healed. We know with hindsight that this was a type and shadow of Jesus, who was made sin for us, and became our substitutionary sacrifice ("by His stripes, we are healed," Isaiah 53:5). But the Jews didn't realize that; all they knew was that God ordained healing through looking at the pole, so the pole became a symbol of deliverance. But over the centuries, they made looking at the pole into a formula: the shadow without the substance of Jesus behind it. It became an idol, which they called Nehushtan. Back to 2 Kings 18, centuries later: verse 4 tells us that King Hezekiah had torn down the high places and broke Nehushtan in pieces. Later in the chapter, Judah is threatened with destruction by a messenger from the King of Assyria, Rabshakeh. This would have been especially terrifying, since Israel (by this point they has become two nations, Israel and Judah) had already been carried into captivity by Assyria, in punishment for the fact that the people kept falling into idolatry and had forsaken God. So when Rabshakeh threatened the people with destruction, he said, "You broke down God's symbols of worship! Why would He come through for you?" (2 Kings 18:22). The people of Judah had to know God and His word well enough to know that what Hezekiah did was actually right in God's eyes (2 Kings 18:5-7). God had originally ordained the serpent on the pole, yes, but the people had made it into an idol, which broke the first of the Ten Commandments. Hezekiah's actions had placed the Jews on the right side of God's covenant (Deut 28), so they, unlike their sister nation of Israel, could trust that God would come through for them. But if the people had not understood all the back story, they might easily have believed Rabshakeh's taunts. They could have lost faith that God would come through for them, convinced that they would go the way of Israel before them, and turned against Hezekiah, thinking he'd brought them out from under God's protection. This is how the enemy works. The serpent is subtle and cunning (Gen 3:1, 2 Cor 11:3-4). Satan tried to deceive Jesus not even by misquoting scripture, just by quoting it out of context (Matt 4:6). This happens to us today all the time. One common example is the teaching that God causes or (directly) allows sickness in order to discipline us, or to teach us something, or for the "greater good". This sounds so spiritual, and a host of out of context scriptures even seem to back it up--yet Deut 28 makes it clear that sickness is always considered a curse. Jesus became a curse for us and redeemed us from the curse (Gal 3:13-14), and even before that, He healed all who came to Him (Matt 15:30, Matt 4:23-24, Matt 8:16, Matt 9:35, Matt 10:1, Matt 12:15, Matt 15:30, Luke 4:40, Luke 10:9). Jesus He was a perfect representation of the Father (John 5:19, 5:30, 8:28, 12:49). So this cannot be right. He may take what the enemy meant for evil and turn it for good (Gen 50:20), but that doesn't mean He caused the evil in the first place. Not even close. (For more on this, see https://www.drlaurendeville.com/why-bad-things-happen-from-a-biblical-perspective/). Truth is the foundation of the spiritual armor (Eph 6:14)--it must go on first, before anything else. The Bible can testify to us that not only is the Word truth, but God is the God of truth (Isa 65:16), that Jesus is the truth (John 14:6). Only knowing the truth will make us free (John 8:32). If we focus on knowing the truth, we will recognize deception. It's important to also rely upon the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth (John 14:17, 15:26, 16:13, 1 John 5:6), to guide us, rather than on our own understanding (Prov 3:5-6), or the wisdom of the world (1 Cor 1:20-2:7), or any other spirit besides the Holy Spirit. The world is confused about what truth is (John 18:37-38) because they don't hear His voice--but we do. This shouldn't be a problem for us.  Cross-Reference What You Hear Along those lines, just because we hear a doctrine preached from the pulpit doesn't mean it's so. It's our responsibility to be like the Bereans in Acts 17--when Paul and Silas preached the word to them there, Luke writes of them, "These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. Therefore many of them believed" (Acts 17:11). They didn't just take Paul and Silas's word for it; they went straight to the source text to confirm it. Paul later wrote to the Galatians, "even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed" (Gal 1:8-9). He repeats himself, because this is so important. Forget him--even if an angel preaches it, let him be accursed! We are not to blindly follow any person simply because of his or her authority. (We're to respect authority of all kinds, Romans 13:1-7--that's a different issue. But when what someone in authority says comes in conflict with God's word, we obviously go with God's word, Acts 4:19). There are plenty of warnings about false teachers in scripture (though one important note here--there's a difference between a false teacher, and a good person doing his or her best who is simply flawed. None of us is going to get everything right. This is the reason why James says that not many should become teachers, as they will "receive a stricter judgment. For we all stumble in many things," James 3:1-2.)  A false teacher, though, is one who will distort the truth (Acts 20:29-30, 2 Peter 3:16), by mixing it with myths/fables (Titus 1:14) or "merely human commands" (Matthew 16:1-12) or the traditions of men (such as forbidding to marry, abstaining from certain foods, 1 Tim 4:3), according to the principles of the world (Col 2:4-8). They will pretend to be godly or moral, though (2 Cor 11:13-15, 2 Tim 6:5)--so we must use discernment. There are a few criteria we're given to distinguish a false teacher from just a flawed human being, in process like the rest of us: Anyone who denies that Jesus is the Christ is a false teacher (1 John 2:22-23, 4:2-3) Some may lie intentionally for their own gain (Deut 18:20, Ezekiel 13:9, Jer 14:14, Jer 23:16, Titus 1:10-11) or in hypocrisy (1 Tim 4:2-5), using "godliness" as a means of their own selfish gain. Others may be so blind that they truly believe they are doing God a favor in persecuting His true followers (John 16:2). Romans 16:18: Paul said in this verse that these individuals use good words and fair speeches and deceive the hearts of the simple. This means that they flatter people (2 Timothy 4:3) and appeal to the same selfish desires that they themselves have, to draw people after themselves (Acts 20:30). We can't judge another person's motives (Matthew 7:1-3), but we can, and should, judge the fruit of their lives and ministries (Matthew 7:15-20, 1 John 3:7-9). There are many who claim to be believers but aren't (Matthew 7:21-23) and they'll be among us until the end of the age, when God will finally separate them out (Matthew 13:24-30). Truth, "Signs," and Our Emotions We are the gatekeepers of our hearts (Prov 4:23), and have to guard its boundaries, careful of what we allow in. I always thought the parable of wheat and tares (Matthew 13:24-30) only referred to evil people sown amongst the good people of the church. But what if it also means good and bad ideas from good and bad spirits within a given individual-- in other words, we can bear good fruit and bad fruit from different 'trees' even within our own hearts? This might be why Jesus could tell Peter "get behind me Satan" (Matt 16:23) and James and John, "you don't know what spirit you are of" (Luke 9:55), but the men themselves were still His. This also probably goes along with the Parable of the Sower (Matt 13:3-15)... the 'tares' we allow into our own hearts are part of what can choke the word and render it unfruitful. Truth of course must correspond to an accurate description of reality (Gen 42:16)--which should negate any postmodernist philosophy, or syncretism, blending contradictory descriptions of reality. Once we know the truth, we are to continue in what we were taught (Col 2:6-7, 1 John 2:24), not mix a little Christianity with a little of some other contrary message. Paul rails against this practice in many of his letters. In 2 Cor 11:3-4, Paul is angry that the Corinthians' minds may be corrupted so that they receive the one preaching a different Jesus or gospel from the one he preached. In Galatians 1:6-9, as mentioned earlier, the Galatians are falling prey to a perverted gospel, and Paul curses those who preach such a gospel. In Eph 4:14, he writes that only "children" in Christ are tossed about by every wind and wave of doctrine, taken in by trickery and craftiness and deceit. We're supposed to guard against not just what we hear from other humans, but to test what the spirits say too--hence Paul's angel comment (Gal 1:8-9). John also tells us, "do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God" (1 John 4:1). In a lot of denominational churches that don't believe in the supernatural gifts of the spirit (1 Cor 12), this may not come up much. But in those that do, or for individuals who might ascribe to varieties of syncretism (believing in "signs from the universe" if they seem especially coincidental, perhaps), this will become important. Just because a prophet seems to be speaking from a supernatural source doesn't mean what they're saying is from God. It might be, but we have to test it. Just because an idea out of left field pops into our minds doesn't mean it was the Holy Spirit who put it there. Just because a black crow perches on a tree doesn't mean it's an omen foreshadowing our future. Just because we see the same state license plate on every car doesn't mean God is telling us to move there, etc. Solomon writes, “A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps” (Prov 14:15). Elsewhere "simple" is used as a synonym for "fool" (Prov 7:7, 8:5, 9:13). We have to remember that the physical world is a battleground. Until the earth lease is up, Satan is still technically the god of this world (2 Cor 4:4). So God can send us signs in the physical realm, yes--but so can Satan. God can whisper thoughts to our minds--but so can Satan (in fact, this is his primary tactic, 2 Cor 10:3-6). Peter writes that the scriptures are a "more sure word of prophecy" even than hearing an audible voice from heaven (2 Peter 1:19-21), probably for this exact reason: anything using the physical realm has the potential to be counterfeited. That doesn't mean God can't use physical means to communicate with us, but it's clear that the primary means He uses for His own are the scriptures, and the Holy Spirit (John 14:17, 26), who also often speaks to us by bringing the scriptures we know to our remembrance. He also will speak through the prophets (1 Cor 12:1-11), dreams and visions (Acts 2:17-18), but we have to check all of this against the Word. Scripture will divide between soul and spirit (what originates with us vs Him, Hebrews 4:12), as well as what might originate with a malevolent spirit sent to lead us astray. David tells us it's the scriptures that make the simple wise: "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple" (Psalm 19:7). What if an idea comes to us as an idea, a dream, a vision, a prophecy, or a "synchronicity" moment that seems supernatural, and it's something that isn't addressed in scripture at all, though? How do we know if it's from God, from us, or from the enemy then? The first thing to check there is whether or not the message is consistent with God's character. Jesus said we can ask anything in His name and He will give it to us (John 14:14). What's in God's name (https://www.drlaurendeville.com/names-of-lord-psalm-9-9-10-meditation/)? He is Jehovah Nissi (the Lord my Banner), Jehovah-Raah (the Lord my Shepherd), Jehovah Rapha (the Lord that Heals), Jehovah Shammah (the Lord is There), Jehovah Tsidkenu (the Lord our Righteousness), Jehovah Mekoddishkem (the Lord who Sanctifies You), Jehovah Jireh (the Lord who Provides), Jehovah Shalom (the Lord is Peace), Jehovah Sabaoth (the Lord of Hosts).  The next thing to check is the fruit that message produces (Gal 5:19-23, Romans 8:6-8). God won't lead us into anything producing negative fruit--if the fruit is bad, it's from the flesh or the enemy, and not the Spirit. If it passes those tests, though, then as we continue to pray about the message (dream, vision, prophecy, idea, etc) then it's also biblical for us to ask for additional confirmations of the message--Paul says in 2 Cor 13:1 that every word should be established by two or three witnesses. If the message is from God, He'll make sure you know it. His Spirit guides us into all truth (John 16:13). And as you continue to seek Him and pray about it, peace (a fruit of the Spirit) should grow, confirming that the message comes from God (Col 3:15). Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.