However, spirit-to-Spirit encounters with God have become much too rare among Western Christians. Since rationalism has taken over the Western world in the past few hundred years, the Church has also come under its influence and has not given the attention it should to the work of the Spirit in our lives. Therefore, we are often bound by rationalism and miss the fullness of relationship with our Father that the early Church enjoyed. Mark Virkler
In my love for the Scriptures, I had made them God rather than a book that God had written to me about other people’s experiences with Him. I had been willing to live out of the Bible, rather than out of God Himself. Mark Virkler
As I began to examine my own life, I realised that I often took antagonistic and adversarial attitudes toward people with whom I didn’t agree. I felt it was what God wanted me to do. However, finally it dawned upon me that the accuser’s stance is satan’s attitude (the word devil literally means “accuser”) and the comforter’s stance is the Holy Spirit’s position. Mark Virkler
When I learned to recognise the voice of God as the bubbling flow of spontaneous ideas that welled up from my heart as I fixed my eyes upon Jesus, I discovered a new way of living, that of living out of the Spirit of God rather than simply the laws of God—not that they are in any way opposed to each other. Mark Virkler
It is absolutely essential that you not miss this step of recognising two or three spiritual counsellors in your life, and that you go to them on a regular basis to confirm that what you felt you heard from God actually came from God. The Lord has created us to live in relationship with one another. Mark Virkler
We shall not concern ourselves with how many cults are also drawing upon biblical concepts. We shall concern ourselves only with encountering fully and completely the God of the Scriptures. Mark Virkler
Instead, Christians have discovered the freedom simply to rest in the Vine, experiencing the flow of the river of life that wells up within them by the Holy Spirit as they cease from their own labours and simply attune themselves to God. Mark Virkler
New Agers contact demons, familiar spirits, and evil spirits. Christians who are covered by the blood of Jesus and guided by the Holy Spirit are led into the throne room of God as John was in Revelation. Mark Virkler
Christianity is much more than a code of ethics; it is much more than a religion. It is a love relationship with the King of kings. It is a direct encounter with Him through the indwelling work of His Holy Spirit, which we freely receive as His gift to us. Mark Virkler
The essence of prayer is my love relationship with the King of kings, not simply going to Him to get things. Mark Virkler
