I Don’t Get It…
by Echo Bodine
I got a very sweet but sad email today from a woman who has denied her psychic gifts all of her life, for fear of what her Christian family would say. After a lot of praying, she decided to tell her family about her gifts. She said she felt so much better coming out of the “psychic closet” and for being true to herself and God, but the bummer is that her family will no longer let her see her grandchildren.
Will someone explain to me what Christians have against the Gifts of the Spirit?
When and where in the world did all of this get so screwed up? People claim to be Christians, yet they denounce the Gifts of the Spirit? Are they so stuck in the Old Testament that they haven’t gotten to Corinthians yet?
Don’t they know that the Gifts of the Spirit, which include the Gift of Prophecy and the Gift of Healing, both come from the Holy Spirit? Since when did people decide these gifts come from Satan?
What is this all about?
I don’t get it.
False prophets – is that it? The Old Testament tells us to beware of false prophets, and I totally agree with that. Don’t be taken by low-lifes claiming to have psychic abilities but the Old Testament is full of positive stories about the prophets. That’s where the priests got their information is from the prophets and their visions.
Priests and prophets used to hang out together. They were pals.
I have a question for you folks who believe the Gifts of the Spirit are evil or satanic: If Jesus does come back, how are you going to recognize him, since he too has these gifts? What if he shows up Sunday at your church telling you about the value of the gift of prophecy and healing?
Are you going to throw Jesus out? Call him evil?
Oh wait. I think I know the answer.
You’ll look to the minister or priest and ask him what you should believe. Here’s a guy, claiming to be the returned Messiah, using Gifts of the Spirit to minister to you and you’re going to do … what?! Maybe you haven’t thought that far. Maybe you want to keep it simple and put everyone that has these gifts in the category of evil or demonic because that would make life easier.
Well, that’s just not realistic. More and more people are coming out of the “psychic closet.” Many of the young children that have been born in the last few years are very gifted and I hate the thought that they are going to grow up thinking that they have to deny their god given gifts because the very people that should be embracing these gifts are calling them demonic.
Christians. Really? You call yourselves Christians? I don’t get it.
The people I would really like to address are the millions of gifted people out there who are afraid to tell your loved ones you have spiritual gifts. I have met many of you who pray and ask God to take your gifts away, and what happens is that they get stronger.
To learn more about how to develop your gifts in 2016, visit Echo’s calendar or study with Echo online. The next e-course begins January 25, 2016.
I went through this many times throughout my career, when long time friends would stop being my friend because their minister told them to stay away from me.
Please – stop feeling like you’re guilty of something. Stop feeling that you have to defend yourself. Check your own self for your beliefs about these gifts.
Maybe there’s a part of you that thinks these are bad gifts to have. That you are somehow going against what God wants you to do. It’s really important for us to check our own beliefs because as long as we have doubts about these gifts, we will attract people that have the same doubts.
When you stand in your truth and know this is a God given gift and God wants you to use your gifts for the good of others, people will no longer try to convince you otherwise.
Every time I was attacked one way or another by someone claiming to be Christian, my mom would always tell me to pray for them. Like Jesus on the cross when he said forgive them Father for they know not what they do.
As we begin the year 2016, my hope is that we get closer to everyone recognizing and embracing the gifts God has given them. I want everyone that has these gifts to experience the amazing calmness inside when the struggle is over. It’s so worth it.
God bless and Happy New Year!
To learn more about how to develop your psychic spiritual gifts in 2016, visit Echo’s calendar or study with Echo online. The next e-course begins January 25, 2016.
Amen!
It’s amazing. I loved what you have posted here, Echo. PREACH! And happy new year!
Thank you for your gifts of healing, love and light, Echo. You are a gift to the world and such a blessing in my life.
I’m very sorry this woman, who had the courage to stand up and be straight and authentic about who she is and what she believes, was met with defensiveness, if not even punishment (disallowing her to see her grandchildren) by her family. I can’t imagine the sorrow, anger, frustration and grief she must be feeling. I am so very sorry for her painful experience.
And yet, I think this is a story that may as of yet, have many more chapters to completion.
There’s a professor at Harvard (my apologies, dont recall his name or the study) who explored what he called the process of individuation. It’s about spiritual growth and the process of maturation. He basically came up with the theory that humans have three distinct mindsets; the group mind, individuated mind and the transformative mind.
Roughly, the majority of society fits into the group mind. This means we do what others do because we want to be part of the group. Not only do we do what they do, we think alike, worship alike and join groups of like-minded others. We form bonds and create systems of social and religious order to keep us safe and to maintain inclusion with others. People of thus mindset, which is not good or bad, tend to enjoy very specific ways of viewing and relating to the world as is told to them be someone they consider to be of higher authority. Rules, doctrine, etc are not generally questioned too deeply because that would upset social order of the group.
The second group, the people who exhibit individuated mind have stepped away from group mind and are questioning laws of governance, laws of religion and their place in society. They’ve raken the risk to move away from group mind and in so doing, risk alienation, ridicule and sometimes desperate attempts by the group in order to get them to return. It’s an intetesting place to be because those living in the place of the individuated mind wrestle with living in ambiguity and navigating life in shades of grey. Group mind tends to think in terms of absolutes, black and white, good and bad, right and wrong. Individuated mind people think in metaphor and symbols.
The third group, the transformative mind, about I think about 3 percent of us, literally think, behave, and move in the world that is deeply transformational for all of us.. think Ghandi, Mother Theresa and probably Steve Jobs, Oprah, etc. These are the people that create new paradigms of knowing and being.
So, with all that said.. most any time when someone challenges the group mind, he/she will not be met with cheers and applause, most likely, the quite opposite.. there is an element of “comfort in numbers” and a not only “we are the world” mentality, but a false sense of “we really ARE the world” belief system. Discention from the group is threatening to the group and like I said before, is often met with ridicule, if not open hostility. I know that kind of rejection, it hurts.. hurts to the very core.
So I guess reading this post from Echo got me thinking AGAIN about transformation and how change can be so scary and threatening to self and others.
Unfortunately, the Harvard study didnt give a roadmap or directions as to how to navigate one’s way through all the twists and turns of the messy and painful and unknown outcomes of the process of development and transformation. I suppose the answers will be revealed to each of us as we live into and through the next chapters of our lives… one intuitive step at a time.
You could not have said this better Echo! Thank you for speaking your truth!
Thanks Echo…. You nailed it! Hopefully more Christians will soon experience and come to understand that these are Blessed gifts of the Holy Spirit. Such a sad and common experience it is being looked down upon by people professing their life in Christ. In a dream I had where I was being ridiculed and condemned by some family, friends and other religious people to the point that I was weak and unable to stand , Jesus dragged me from their midst and helped me to stand and keep on going along my path. Let’s be true to ourselves. He may even be counting on our support for one another.
Love, and Live TG
My gut feeling is it is a mixture of dogma, fear and control. All religion is man-made in my opinion. And I mean “man” literally (otherwise women wouldn’t have been subjugated in the manner they have been for 1000’s of years).
What I would find interesting is to know the denomination of this woman’s family. Christianity has a broad range of tolerance levels for lack of a better term. Progressive denominations are evolving, both in spirit, in acceptance and in embracing “new age” concepts more readily. Religious fundamentalists, or very conservative churches, fear anything that contradicts their man-made truths. They see this as some sort of occult influence, even though the very gospels and scriptures they claim to profess their faith in were derived from the very same type of people, circa 2000+ years ago. I find it absolutely fascinating and depressing at the same time.
I sense a time of great growth and awakening running simultaneously with a significant amount of fear and resistance to a consciousness that is evolving. For those stuck in the old ways, it must be downright terrifying to see the world as they know it crashing in around them. Groups that were once fringe and marginalized are now coming into their own, being accepted by society (finally). The gray world that these people have tried so hard to suppress, deny and ignore is spreading. It cannot possibly fit their narrowly defined black and white construct, and it must absolutely frighten the living hell out of them.
It must be very hard for this woman to be shunned by her own family, but my instincts tell me after the initial storm of denial and fear passes, slowly her family will come to their senses. Perhaps it is the spouses of her biological children who are causing this schism, and her children are either too afraid or too programmed to see through the manipulation. These people have lived in a closely monitored and controlled spiritual environment, and her “psychic tornado” just shook up Oz. The silver lining I see is that her grandchildren have part of her same DNA pulsing through their veins. It is only a matter of time before they are drawn to explore their gifts and realize these blessings come straight from God / The Source. They will seek her out once they are out from under whatever influence(s) bind them to that kind of narrow thinking.
I am so glad that you shared this. My friend called me to tell me that the signs I get from my father were not my father that he is in heaven and cant communicate. That it was Satan. That Satan hides in the light. Not to go to a psychic because they are from Satan. That she was bothered by Satan for five years that he would wake her up at night shacking the bed. That she does bible studies and talked to god. If I have any questions to contact her. I was so upset after are phone conversation. I felt such negative energy. It bothered me for days. I am being honest that the bible sometimes scares me and confuses me. There has been so much killing and evil from religion. Salem witch trials, Isis, KKK, homosexuals that have been murdered for being gay. The list goes on and on. I choice to have a person relationship with god and he is love. I love in your book A still small voice where it says to write down your feeling about god. This helps develop a better understanding. I have been doing a lot of reading on developing psychic abilities, and have read a number of your books ( love them ). I have been meditating and when I meditate I can feel my dads love coming through and gods love. It makes me smile. I cant describe it , its wonderful. unconditional love. This is coming from my third eye. I have asked god while meditating to help me quit smoking . I have it has been almost two months since I have smoked a real cigarette. I am using the electric, but that it amazing because I have been under extreme stress. Today is hard one. I havent talked to my friend since, I know she meant well,but I now my dad has given my signs not Satan. I really want to take your online psychic development classed that are starting in January. I do not think I will be able to now due to the situation that my daughter is in. Please say a prayer for her. I am very concerned about her safety. Send some healing prayers. Also wondering if you still do any ghost busting. I grew up in a haunted house. Im still scared to go upstairs and down stairs by myself. There was a incident in 2008 where things came flying out of the pantry, even pop cans that were on the floor in the case, four chairs around the dinning room table were were tipped right over onto their backs. Scarry. It is a old farmhouse located in shorview . I have bought some smudge sticks and want to smudge the house. I have never done this before, but thought it would be good to get some of the negative energy out. I feel bad for this woman who came out of the psychic closet and is shunned by her family. I think a lot of people really dont understand what it is about. Thank you so much. Glod bless you echo. Your amazing. I hope things turn out for me and that I am able to take your classes.
The Gifts of the Spirit are plainly seen in the Bible. Think back to when John the Baptist baptized Christ. (Tomorrow is the Feast Day in the Catholic Church) The HEAVENS opened in front of thousands, golden fire and triumphant music, a white flame that was like a white flame of fire, racing toward earth. Then it slowed near Jesus, onto his shoulder where it appeared as a white dove. Quickly this vision vanished! when the Voice from Heaven said, “This is My Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased!” and let’s not forget his gentle loving ways and so many miracles passed down through the centuries. Let’s think about the Saints whose families shunned them as well because of their own spiritual gifts. I guess it comes down to you can’t please all the folks all the time, so keep on doing the good.
NOW, if you were in a dingy, dark basement night after night, with loud music and started painting your nails and lips black and listening to Metallica constantly, being secretive with strange friends, I’d truly worry! Love yourself and others will follow. I wish you the best.
I can totally understand how it feels to be miss understood by this in the body of Christ who do not understand the spiritual gifts.But i believe what needs to be made clear here, for the woman.Is if she is a christian her pcychic gift, should not be refferred to as thus but a gift of the prophetic.As in Gods word it expressly forbids any form of spiritism / seeking contact with the dead.Saul in ( 1 Samuel 28:3-25 )
We read, that although king Saul had banned mediums and sorcerers from the land, in desperation he visited one and instructed her to call Samuels spirit.We see a sovereign act of God at work as an opportunity for pronouncing judgement on a rebellious Saul for doing this.And Saul got what he asked for, he got his future given to him.Even the Witch was surprised and cried out when it was Saul who really apperead .And God said through Samuel.
“the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbour David.Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord….therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day.More over, the Lord will give Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines,
And tomorow you and your sons shall be with me.The Lord will give the army of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines.(vv.17-19)
The very next day, Sauls army was caught and Saul committed suicide, so the prophecy was fulfilled.
So doing pcychic is banned.But if you move in the prophetic thats different.
If the lady is not yet a christian she would function as a psychic and her family being christian, that would make sense why they felt uneasy.
But if she is christian she needs to know her gift is prophetic not pcychic and she should let them know that.
Otherwise the family eitherway should pray for her.If she is not saved that she will come to know Jesus most importantly cause he loves her but so her gift can be used in the correct way.
Most psychics are people who have a gift of prophecy from God that is being used by Satan for his purposes.Once they realise about the Truth of Christ and repent of using thier gift the wrong way (Witch craft) in time when they know more about the Bible ( Become strong in thier faith) can use thier gift as it was originally designed, to help the body of believers in Jesus Christ.Unless of course they did not have the gift per say but just chose to learn n practise witch craft.If thats so, after repenting.They may not nessarily have the prophetic gift.But you ll know if you do.
She should talk to her Pastor or an elder in the church (being mature in the knowlege of the bible) for proper direction.This will give her clarity and peace of mind.