Talking to the Holy Spirit?

[John89]

hi my friends girlfriends mom, who is a protestant pastor claims that whenever she wants to know something, she’ll pray and when she goes to bed, the holy spirit will answer her questions in her dreams… my friend really believes this, what should i make of this whole thing ??

 

[Daniel_Marsh]

Acts 2 says that God will give people dreams whereas Hebrews 1 indicates that such dreams are past and that now God speaks to us via his Son. Most likely, many of her dreams are not the Holy Spirit, but are most likely her own immagination. But, if the Holy Spirit choose to speak that way to someone, he could. Wait until, she tells you that the Holy Spirit told me to tell you. Then give her a funny look and say thats funny thats not what he told me.

 

[MarcoPolo]

Unfortunately, she probably doesn’t accept the book of Sirach, but for your reference:

**Sirach 34:5-6 **
Divination, omens and dreams all are unreal; what you already expect, the mind depicts. Unless it be a vision especially sent by the Most High, fix not your heart on it;…

I guess I’d ask what makes her think it is God speaking and not her own wishes? And if you want to challenge her on her own terms…ask her where the Bible says that God will communicate to us in our dreams. Maybe it’s in there somewhere, I’m sure not aware of it.

 

[GandalfTheWhite]

hi my friends girlfriends mom, who is a protestant pastor claims that whenever she wants to know something, she’ll pray and when she goes to bed, the holy spirit will answer her questions in her dreams… my friend really believes this, what should i make of this whole thing ??

I would be very very careful. Sure we should pray for the guidance of the holy spirit but she suggests that she is **infallible **, which she is not! Only Pope is in matters of Faith and morals.

First, she can’t know that her answers come from the Holy Spirit (even devil can dress as the Angel of Light) and second many Protestant pastors might say the same things yet they would be still be part of different denominations that disagree with each other. The fact is however that the Holy Spirit doesn’t contradict itself.

 

[blessedstar]

Utter pish!

This is not the way to pray to the Holy Spirit, Who is God Himself. We ask for the gift to discern, but we use our faculties and God imparts His wisdom to human hearts. God has no need to sneak up in a dream and give answers to situations. God gave us the freedom of will to choose and gives us the Gifts of His Spirit to help us to discern good from evil and right from wrong.

Rarely God will grant special graces for good reason but not simply day to day living.

I wouldn’t waste any more time taking any notice of this persons claims. However treat her gently and steer her towards prayer that will deepen her faith.

In the Living Prayer of my life

 

[Coreopisis]

I have to agree with all the posters and say that I don’t think the holy spirit talks to people in such ways for all the reasons everyone gave.

In all the reading I’ve done (and I am no expert but I’ve read a few books) the only people who get talked to by the holy spirit are Saints and some sort of miracles somehow always result.

Has she converted sinners, walked on water, dug a spring like St. Bernadette and healed thousands of the sick and lame, or whatabout made the sun zoom out of the sky like the children of fatima? Does she live a completely sinless life like Padre Pio? Even he was talked to by Jesus (from what I understand) and not the holy spirit. What miracles has she performed or what holiness does she live her life by that would indicate that the holy spirit is having daily conversations with her?

It could be wishful thinking, regular dreaming, posession, psychophrenia (misspelled,) bi-polar disorder…the list goes on…
Have all the other possible causes been ruled out?

 

[Didi]

This is why discernment is so important. Is anything she is saying from these dreams contrary to the Sacred Scriptures or Church teaching? Pray for her that she will be cautious in these matters.

 

[John89]

i will pray for her… her and the rest of her family know im catholic, and when they see me they give me weird looks… i want to bring up the holy spirit thing to her if i see her again… but want to make sure i know what im talking about when i do

 

[ANGELIC_PEACE]

hi my friends girlfriends mom, who is a protestant pastor claims that whenever she wants to know something, she’ll pray and when she goes to bed, the holy spirit will answer her questions in her dreams… my friend really believes this, what should i make of this whole thing ??

it is always possible that if you pray for help and advice that god will some how give you the advice in your dreams…but thats not guaranteed and you can’t snap your fingers and make him do it either…he will only do this if it something that is his will…

also some dreams that we think are really realistic and seem to be warnings and premonitions can just be nonsense…they may not mean anything…

also it sounds a bit new age to me…they ask for answers in their dreams…

i’m not saying its wrong to pray to god if you are in need…and if god see fit to send an answer in your dream then that is obviously his will because he wouldn’t do it if it wasn’t…alot of people would be grateful and thankful if god did that for them

… but it would be wrong if you TRIED to MAKE god or other spirits contact you through your dreams…using psychic/newage techniques…

thats what i think anyway

ANGELIC PEACE

 

[LISA_Annette]

Wait until, she tells you that the Holy Spirit told me to tell you. Then give her a funny look and say thats funny thats not what he told me.

that’s funny! … :yup: and a good point. I used to know people who used to tell me those things too.

I would be very wary to depend on my dreams for receiving messages from God—it is way to simple and open to error in judgement. I would be afraid of delusion.

 

[JRKH]

hi my friends girlfriends mom, who is a protestant pastor claims that whenever she wants to know something, she’ll pray and when she goes to bed, the holy spirit will answer her questions in her dreams… my friend really believes this, what should i make of this whole thing ??

I will not limit the power of God to answer prayers in His own time and way.

James

 

[LISA_Annette]

Utter pish!

This is not the way to pray to the Holy Spirit, Who is God Himself. We ask for the gift to discern, but we use our faculties and God imparts His wisdom to human hearts. God has no need to sneak up in a dream and give answers to situations. God gave us the freedom of will to choose and gives us the Gifts of His Spirit to help us to discern good from evil and right from wrong.

Rarely God will grant special graces for good reason but not simply day to day living.

I wouldn’t waste any more time taking any notice of this persons claims. However treat her gently and steer her towards prayer that will deepen her faith.

In the Living Prayer of my life

very well said. In the life of St.Therese who is now a Doctor of the Church for the spirituality of the “little way” , she never depended on such grand gifts. Not to say that if God DID do this for her she would not listen to Him, but never would she ever presume to depend on it on a daily basis. She is a good example of simplicity.

I think also St.Teresa de Avila, the great contemplative mystic, prayed vocally and mentally never expecting to be elevated to mystical union. She prayed simply, not depending on great graces, although she was given them.