Supernatural Experiences: Are they from Heaven or Hell?
- Jivel Tousand
- 4 days ago
- 10 min read
The Supernatural Is Real, But Is Everything Supernatural From God?
I've noticed that when some Christians encounter something they cannot naturally explain, their first response is discomfort. If someone experiences healing, deliverance, a prophetic word, a vision, a miracle, a sign, or a wonder, the reaction can quickly become, "God doesn't do that anymore," or even worse, "That's the devil."
But is that biblical?
Jivel moment: I find it both strange and dangerous when people automatically declare that a supernatural work is not from God without first examining it through Scripture. Certainly, praying to seek understanding from God seems too time-consuming or unnecessary for some of these people. The Bible never tells us to assume every supernatural manifestation is from God, but neither does it tell us to automatically assume it is from the devil.
In fact, Scripture warns us about the serious danger of attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan.
Jivel moment: Can you imagine how terrible it is to give credit to the devil for something beautiful that God did? Isn't that disturbing to think about? I find it interesting that someone could believe God parted the Red Sea, created the world, and so on, meaning that we serve a BIG GOD, and then when something small happens, like someone's back being healed or someone falling under the power, say, "Oh no, the little devil did that." The devil can only try to duplicate and deceive what God does for real. Some people speak as if the devil has more power than GOD. Anywho, I'll get back to my point.
Let's see what the Bible says.
Don't Call God's Work the devil's Work
Matthew 12:22–32 — After Jesus healed a demon-possessed man, the Pharisees said:
"This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils." (v. 24, KJV) Jesus responded by explaining that a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. He then warned them about blasphemy against the Holy Ghost (vv. 31–32).
Mark 3:22–30 records the same event and tells us exactly why Jesus issued this warning:
"Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit." (Mark 3:30, KJV)
Luke 11:14–23 also records the accusation that Jesus cast out demons by the power of Beelzebub.
These passages should cause every believer to pause before carelessly labeling something as demonic simply because it is supernatural.
Scripture Calls Us to Test, Not Assume, Then Accuse
Scripture does not say to reject every supernatural experience, but it does say...
"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." 1 John 4:1 (KJV)
The Bible gives us several ways to do that:
1 Thessalonians 5:19–22 — "Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good."
Acts 17:11 — The Bereans searched the Scriptures daily to verify what they were taught.
Matthew 7:15–20 — Jesus said false prophets are recognized by their fruit.
Deuteronomy 13:1–3 — Even if signs or wonders occur, they are not from God if they lead people away from Him.
Deuteronomy 18:21–22 — A prophet whose word does not come to pass has not spoken for God.
A Biblical Balance
Matthew 12 teaches us not to wrongly call God's work demonic.
1 John 4:1 teaches us not to believe every spiritual manifestation without testing it.
Scripture calls believers to discernment, not fear, skepticism, or gullibility. We are to test every spirit by the Word of God, examine the fruit, and remain submitted to the Holy Spirit.
Rejecting what is truly from God can be just as dangerous as accepting what is false. The mature believer does neither.
Instead, they exercise biblical discernment and allow Scripture, not assumptions, tradition, or personal comfort, to be the final authority.
Do you know who I find to have been very wise? Gamaliel!
Have you heard of him? Read this...
"Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space; And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men. For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought. After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed. And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God. My experience is that most of the people who respond that way are struggling with something or lacking something. There could be serveral reasons but I've summed up what I believe to be the most common issues with accpeting and believing in God's supernatural power." Acts 5:34-39
As I said, Gamaliel was a wise man.
In a nutshell...
Don't believe everything.
Don't reject everything.
Test everything according to Scripture.
I'll add this; ask God.
Someone who believes that God's supernatural power is still active today is commonly referred to as a continuationist. There are sincere Christians who hold a different theological view.
In my experience, I have found that many who reject God's supernatural work do so because of personal experiences, poor teaching, fear of deception, or a lack of biblical understanding.
I want to share with you some common conversations I've had with fellow scholars on the subject. Many of those conversations went something like this:
Them: "God stopped the supernatural when the twelve apostles died."
Me: "Huh? What about Paul? And what about Stephen, Philip, Ananias, or the seventy disciples? Judas was one of the original twelve. Was he somehow more equipped than Paul?"
Them: No answer.
Them: "God's supernatural power stopped after John died. Now we only have Scripture to read about those supernatural works."
Me: "Huh? Which passage of Scripture says that?"
Them: No answer.
Them: "God isn't performing miracles today."
Me: "What about when someone is prayed for and is healed?"
Them: "Either they weren't really sick, or they only think they're healed. It'll come back."
Me: "But what if there's documented medical evidence they were sick and they remain healed?"
Them: "I'd have to see that for myself."
I'm not sharing these conversations to mock anyone. These are conversations I've personally had with people I know, some of whom I care about deeply. Many are well educated in theology and have devoted years to studying Scripture.
So, what's happening?
That question became the focus of my own study. If sincere, educated believers can arrive at such different conclusions about God's supernatural power, then the issue deserves careful biblical examination.
In the table below, I've organized common reasons people reject God's supernatural power into three categories:
Biblical instances where people rejected God's power: These examples help us understand how and why people witnessed God's mighty works firsthand yet still rejected them.
Theological viewpoints that have developed over time: Understanding these perspectives helps us recognize how misinterpreting Scripture or conforming Scripture to fit one's comfort level can lead to rejecting God's supernatural power.
Personal or heart-related reasons: Through the years, I've found that many objections ultimately stem from personal struggles rather than theology alone. Understanding these reasons can provide valuable insight into the root of the issue.
Understanding these distinctions can help us approach the subject with both biblical discernment and humility.
Rejecting God's Power: BIBLICAL INSTANCES | Rejecting God's Power: THEOLOGICAL ISSUES | Rejecting God's Power: PERSONAL ISSUES |
Unbelief — Mark 6:5–6; John 12:37; Hebrews 3:19 | Belief that miraculous gifts ceased with the apostles (cessationism) | No personal relationship with Jesus Christ |
Jealousy (Envy) — Matthew 27:18; Mark 15:10 | Misapplication of certain biblical passages | Spiritual immaturity |
Pride — John 5:44; John 9:39–41 | Belief that Scripture replaced supernatural gifts | Lack of faith |
Hardness of Heart — Mark 3:1–6; John 12:37–40 | Fear of false prophets or deception | Past disappointments or unanswered prayers |
Lack of Knowledge of Scripture — Matthew 22:29; John 5:39–40 | Confusing counterfeit miracles with genuine works of God | Poor or incomplete biblical teaching |
Religious Tradition Above God's Word — Mark 7:8–13; Matthew 15:3–9 | A naturalistic worldview that explains away miracles | Personal bias from previous church experiences |
Fear of Losing Authority or Influence — John 11:47–53; John 12:19; Luke 20:19 | Trusting human reasoning more than the supernatural power of God | Fear of the unknown |
Accusing God's Work of Being Demonic — Matthew 12:22–32; Mark 3:22–30; Luke 11:14–23 | Ignorance or misunderstanding of the gifts of the Holy Spirit | Valuing intellectual knowledge over experiential knowledge of God |
Refusing to Accept Jesus as the Messiah — John 10:24–26; John 12:37–43; Luke 19:41–44 | Assuming that because they have never experienced something, it cannot be from God | |
Demanding Signs Instead of Believing — Matthew 12:38–42; Matthew 16:1–4; Mark 8:11–12 | Judging before testing biblically | |
Fear of People's Opinions More Than God — John 12:42–43 | A critical or accusatory spirit | |
Love of the Praise of Men More Than the Praise of God- John 12:42–43 | Focusing more on Satan's counterfeits than God's genuine work |
Before we can determine whether a supernatural experience is from heaven or hell, we must first understand what Scripture teaches about God, His supernatural power, and the supernatural activity of the enemy. A biblical foundation is essential because discernment begins with knowing the character of God, recognizing how He works, and understanding how Satan seeks to counterfeit His work. Only then can we rightly evaluate supernatural experiences according to the Word of God rather than our emotions, assumptions, or traditions.
Who Is God?
God is supernatural.
He is not limited by the natural laws that govern His creation because He is the Creator of those laws. In the beginning, "God created the heaven and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). He is Spirit (John 4:24), eternal (Psalm 90:2), all-powerful (Jeremiah 32:17), all-knowing (Psalm 147:5), and present everywhere (Psalm 139:7–10).
From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture reveals a God who acts supernaturally. The Bible is filled with divine encounters that demonstrate His power, authority, and involvement in the lives of His people.
God's Supernatural Power
Throughout Scripture, God healed the sick, delivered the oppressed, performed miracles, and displayed signs and wonders. He parted the Red Sea, provided manna from heaven, caused fire to fall from heaven, shut the mouths of lions, and raised the dead. During His earthly ministry, Jesus healed diseases, cast out demons, opened blind eyes, multiplied food, walked on water, calmed storms, and raised the dead, revealing both His compassion and His divine authority.
However, God did not limit His supernatural work to His direct intervention alone. Throughout Scripture, He also chose to work through people.
Moses stretched out his hand over the Red Sea, and God parted the waters (Exodus 14:21).
Elijah prayed, and God answered with fire from heaven (1 Kings 18:36–38).
Peter commanded a lame man to rise and walk in the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 3:6–8).
Paul performed extraordinary miracles through the power of God (Acts 19:11–12).
This distinction is important. Sometimes people witness God working through a believer and immediately conclude, "God doesn't do that," or worse, "That can't be from God." Yet Scripture repeatedly demonstrates that God delights in accomplishing His purposes through ordinary people who are yielded to Him.
This brings us to an important question...
Is It From Heaven or Hell?
I'll admit, it can sometimes be challenging to determine whether someone is genuinely being used by God or merely displaying a counterfeit supernatural power. Not everything is immediately obvious, which is why biblical discernment and dependence on the Holy Spirit are essential.
I remember watching a man online who regularly prayed for people on the street. Everything appeared legitimate. People claimed they were being healed, and at first glance, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. After watching several of his videos, however, the Holy Spirit prompted me to stop watching him and revealed that what he was doing was rooted in witchcraft.
I was surprised because I hadn't discerned it immediately, and I typically recognize spiritual deception rather quickly. I asked God to show me what He saw and to teach me through His Word rather than relying on my own understanding. He faithfully answered that prayer.
Several months later, a hidden video surfaced revealing how the man trained people behind the scenes. What had appeared to be genuine ministry was exposed as something entirely different, confirming what the Holy Spirit had already revealed.
That experience taught me an important lesson: even the spiritual discernment God has given me is not a substitute for continual dependence on Him. Something can appear authentic on the outside while being empowered by the wrong spirit or driven by the wrong agenda. Discernment is not about making quick assumptions; it is about listening to the Holy Spirit and measuring everything against the truth of God's Word.
The question is not simply, "Was it supernatural?"
The real question is, "What is the source?"
Thankfully, Scripture does not leave us guessing. God has given us clear biblical principles to help us discern whether a supernatural work is from heaven or from hell.
One of the clearest indicators of a supernatural work's source is where it leads you.
If someone's ministry continually points people to themselves rather than to Jesus Christ, something is wrong. True servants of God may be used mightily by Him, but they understand that they are merely vessels. Their desire is not to build their own kingdom, gain personal glory, or create dependence on themselves. Their goal is to lead people into a deeper relationship with Christ.
Even the Holy Spirit does not seek to glorify Himself. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit "shall glorify me" (John 16:14, KJV). Likewise, Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would "teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you" (John 14:26, KJV).
A genuine work of God consistently exalts Jesus, aligns with His Word, and draws people closer to Him, not closer to a personality, platform, or ministry. Regardless, seeking God is necessary.
Where could biblical mentorship help you most in your pursuit of success?
0%Hearing God clearly about my next move
0%Building confidence in my calling
0%Developing a stronger, Kingdom-focused mindset
0%Turning what God has given me into action
You can vote for more than one answer.
Ready to Move Forward With Greater Clarity?
Biblical success requires more than ambition. It requires clarity, wisdom, disciplined thinking, and the confidence to move in the direction God is leading.
If you are a faith-driven leader who knows there is more for you but needs greater clarity concerning your next move, stronger alignment between your faith and leadership, or support governing the mindset required for where you're going, mentorship may be your next step.
I help faith-driven leaders hear God clearly, govern their mindset, & walk confidently in their calling.
💜💜💜