There are Christians out there right now speaking in tongues, casting out demons, healing the sick, etc. and they're laughed at. They're called cultists. They're accused of demon possession. It's the same as what happened in Bible times. Nothing has changed. The signs are there and the masses reject them.
You would be correct. When a person or a group starts operating in the gifts of the Spirit like that, they are going to get hell's attention and hell's best shot.
I went to a Pentecostal church as a young man up until about age 22. It was a glorious time for a time. I was healed of a raging ear infection of all things which has been my only physical brush with the supernatural. I was sitting in the service and my ear was HURTING. I pretty much ignored the service as all I could think about was getting to a quick med place after it was over to get a round of antibiotics. When it was over, the pastor called for people who were sick to come up for prayer. I did not want to go because it would delay my trip to the doctor.....so I was not in any kind of super spiritual mood. Something clicked on the inside that I needed to go "give it a shot". I figured if nothing else my Dad would like it. I got in line and when I got to the pastor he asked what was wrong, I told him and he asked me did I believe the Lord could heal it. I said yes, but what I was believing inside was that the Lord was going to use the doctor and the antibiotics I was about to go get to heal it. The pastor put his hands on both my ears and said be healed in the name of Jesus Christ. The infected ear got hot and it felt like warm water gushed out of it. I must have looked dumbfounded because the pastor looked at me and grinned as if he knew what happened, gave me a big bear hug and a pat on the back and went to the next person. I grabbed my earlobe and tugged on it....no pain when a few minutes earlier if I barely touched it, it hurt.
Never had anything quite like that happen since that affected me in my physical body like that.
I had an awesome inward witness when my Dad passed that I needed to quit praying for him and rejoice and be happy for him because he was getting to go home. Dad had had a massive stroke and I had been praying for his recovery for about a day and a night. After the witness I had tremendous peace even though I was losing my earthly father, spiritual father, and best pal. I was able to take my eyes off myself and be joyful for what Dad was gaining instead of wallowing in self pity for what I was losing.
One night I was in bed praising the Lord, ie "saying my prayers" my mind was on him and the most far thing away from it was a rental house my Mother owns. Suddenly like an arrow the thought shot into my mind "you need to get your ass to that house first thing in the morning the gas is leaking out of the water heater". I went and guess what.....the gas was leaking out of a coupling going to the water heater. The old lady living there could not smell it but I sure could.
That is the sum total of my "out there" supernatural experiences. Ya'll believe what you want to believe.
The church where the Lord healed my ear did not last long. First a dispute over the pastor's salary started. One of the "elders" left the church over it, and his family and friends went with him. Next a dispute over whether or not women could teach or speak from the pulpit. People split over that. The Holy Spirit packed his bags and went somewhere else. The church died and the building was taken over by another group. That was 30 years ago. Last I heard the pastor that prayed for my ear, now getting on up there in age, is a missionary overseas. Not an uncommon scenario. I've been to other churches that have tried to force or fake what went on there for a short while but have never found one quite the same.
