5.18 Physical Senses Should Not Feel God's Presence

Acts 22:18 π Rev. 1:10-12 π Rev. 1:10-19

It may be said deliberately, that it is never safe in any case to feel God's presence with the physical senses, for it is almost beyond doubt a counterfeit "presence" - a subtle snare of the enemy to gain a footing in the man. This is one reason why some who have urged upon other believers their need of a "realization of God" - meaning a felt presence in the atmosphere, or within them - have, to their grief and dismay, lost the "realization" they themselves had, and sunk into darkness, and numbness of feeling. These believers not knowing this to be the direct result - either quickly or at some distant period - of all supernatural manifestations to the senses; the victim looking for the cause of the breakdown, or "deadness" to spiritual things, in "overstrain" or "sin," and not to the realization experience he rejoiced in.

The normal condition of the faculties for use, is plainly to be seen in all Bible records of men in direct communication with God. Paul in a "trance" ( Acts 22:18 ), had full possession of his faculties, and intelligent use of mind and tongue. Especially so is this recognizable in John on Patmos. His physical being was prostrate from the weakness of the natural man in the unveiled presence of the glorified Lord; but after the quickening touch of the Master, his full intelligence was in use, and his mind clearly at work, in power to grasp and retain all that was being said and shown to him. ( Rev. 1:10-19; top )

The difference between the Bible records of the revelations of God, and the conditions of the men to whom they were given; and the records of many of the supernatural manifestations to-day, lies in a principle which reveals the distinction, in striking contrast, between the pure Divine working, and the Satanic counterfeits of God: i.e., the contrasting principles of,

1. The retention of the use of the will, and faculties;
   
   
2. The loss of personal control through passivity.
   

We may take as example what is called "clairvoyance" and "clairaudience"; i.e., the power to see and the power to hear: the first meaning the seeing of supernatural things, and the second the hearing of supernatural words. There is a true seeing and hearing, and a false seeing and hearing of supernatural things; and they result either from a Divine gift, which is the true ( Rev. 1:10-12; top ); or an evil passive state, which admits the counterfeit.

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