Some years ago, someone said something to me that stunned me, left me speechless… and for me to be speechless is quite something! It was someone I knew very well, they’d been around church all their life, so ‘theoretically’ a Christian, early 50’s, involved in charismatic churches since the dawn of the charismatic renewal in the United Kingdom in the mid-70’s, involved with some of the leading figures in worship, prophecy, healing, speaking in tongues – you name it, it had been practised. Most people thought this person was such an ace Christian.

It goes to show that discernment is a sadly missing gift in the church. Some people had ‘seen through the sham’, but probably 90%+ hadn’t. It also shows that the enemy can imitate many – most – of the gifts of the Spirit (don’t forget he HAD been a leading angel in heaven), which is why discernment is such a vital gift. Many of the prophecies given by this person sounded very credible, accurate, as did words of knowledge. There’d been involvement in foreign mission, and many miracles and healings, many salvations, had been witnessed.

Then, one day, over a cup of tea, came that statement that stunned me. ‘I’m bored with salvation, I’m bored with miracles, and with healings, and I don’t want God in my life anymore’. I couldn’t believe it. Having seen the raw power of the Holy Spirit at work, I don’t believe it’s possible to ever make a statement like that. All I can conclude is that the person was never ‘saved’ in the first place. I wonder how many more people there are in our churches like that?

I know for myself that however frustrated – even angry – I’d get with God, for not doing what I want him to do when I want him to do it, I could never say I don’t want him in my life anymore….and to be bored with salvation  – people finding light in darkness: bored with miracles – people being healed of cancer, etc.,  – I could NEVER turn my back and walk away.

The sad thing is that I know others who’ve done it – so it’s not as uncommon as you might think…..