The Hunter and the Hunted: God was the Hunter and I was the hunted. If God didn’t hunt, I wouldn’t be writing this.
Black Magic
I often recall the moment I left my New Age exploration behind. And I’ve tried many times to describe what happened. Whenever I re-read what I wrote, I’m only partly satisfied. It’s hard to express the tension and feelings, while not understanding the unseen Spiritual Warfare—because that’s what it was.
For awhile I was excited with the effects of deep meditation, and weirdly intoxicating phenomena which was occurring around me. But one night, while going back to bed after going to the bathroom, I sensed a frightening presence. I invoked the name of Jesus and it went away. What irony!
Still thirsty
I’d given up on mainstream Christianity and read a variety of New Age books—especially those that purported to know Christ. They didn’t. I was thirsting for Him, but looking in the wrong places. It was like being ever-thirsty and drinking glasses of dust to quench it.
The moment I left the New Age was when I walked out that Theosophical Bookstore. I paced up and down the Tibetan Yoga shelves. But it was like being lost in a forest and getting turned around to the same old place. What was I doing there?
For two weeks, something tormented me—that’s the hard part to describe. It was like a fever coming to a climax. Then as I stood there dithering, it was as if a hand pushed me over to the meager Christian section. Yes, they had one.
I found a book I wouldn’t recommend now. But it was the first stepping stone to the truth found in God’s written Word. As I walked down those old wooden steps of that incense-saturated bookstore, I felt the great burden being lifted from me. I was now on the right track out of the forest.
The Hunter
For years I suppressed the God’s truth given to me. In fact, several times in different ways God answered prayer, revealing His existence. I avoided finding Christ in the bible because that would have required me to change my lifestyle. The New Age Jesus wasn’t as demanding. Sometimes we need to find ourselves at the lowest point, like the Prodigal Son, before we turn back Home.
This all came back to me as I read Piper’s chapter on John Calvin in “A Peculiar Glory.” He cites Calvin,
The testimony of the Spirit is more excellent than all reason. For as God alone is a fit witness of himself in his word, the Word will not find acceptance in men’s hearts before it is sealed by the inward testimony of the Spirit. The same Spirit therefore who has spoken through the mouths of the prophets must penetrate into our hearts to persuade us that they faithfully proclaimed what had been divinely commanded…
As stated above; I wouldn’t be here if not for God’s intervention. He hunted me down.
Praise God!
Maranatha!
Further reading
Where are you heading, friend?
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