49 Religious Lies Jesus Told Me to Stop Believing #12 Test Spiritual Experiences Against My Theology

Overview

Mark Virkler describes changing how he responds to spiritual experiences. Rather than judging them solely by his established theology, he recommends revisiting Scripture prayerfully and seeking fresh understanding. He cautions that Scripture can be taken out of context to support a preferred conclusion and encourages seeking feedback from trusted spiritual advisers.

Key Practices and Takeaways

• Pray over Scripture and ask God for insight, especially after a new spiritual experience.
• Look for a thoughtful, contextual scriptural basis for an experience rather than relying on isolated verses to force a conclusion.
• Stay open to revising your understanding while seeking confirmation or correction.
• Share your reflections with trusted spiritual advisers and ask for their discernment.
• Journal about what you believe you hear or learn, then review it with those advisers.
• Virkler points to the Bereans in Acts 17 as an example of eagerly examining Scripture. He encourages approaching new ideas with openness rather than automatically trying to disprove them.
• He closes with a guided affirmation rejecting the belief that established theology should be the sole test of spiritual experiences.

Presenters and Sources

• Presenter: Mark Virkler
• Sources discussed: Jesus, as represented in Virkler’s personal spiritual dialogue, and the Bible, especially Acts 17:2–3, 17:5, and 17:11.