Are coincidences signs from God?

[OBASBTO]

Oh goodness, thank you so much!! Looks like you guys really do care about each of your forum members!!!

 

[OBASBTO]

Some of the coincidences I experienced after I received the Holy Spirit, and was convinced our Father is and is in total control.
After receiving the Holy Spirit during the day, I went later, that night to an on/campus coffee house. Moved by the Holy Spirit I left my table and went to and through a door. It led to a store room, and in this room was a book opened and face down. It was a light blue book and thick so I assumed it was some text book. Picking it up and reading I was immediately overwhelmed by the warmth of the Presence of the Holy Spirit. Reading, I found myself saying over, "that is right, that is right, that is right..etc. I closed the book to look and it was the Oxford Study Bible. I was readin in Isaiah.

The following day i went to the student store and bought my own copy of this Book. I read it for years after.

Here ae some of the other coincidences. I would share all I was learning with anyone who would hear me in the Student Union. I would sit a a table for two at the entrance of the cafeteria. No matter how busy it was that table was always empty. One person would come to me at this table and aske me about this or that and I found I had just read the subject for the first time, and shared what I had learned. This happened time and time again, again my first time through the Word. +

One day I went to the bathroom. There was a card, like a business card, stuck in the mirror frame. I took it with me back to that deuce, and lo, reading it, it had the very sentence I had just underlined having read it for the first time. You all know the one, "He who will gain his life will lose...."

Las coincidence for this time. One day I came to the Union to my usual deuce, and it was occupier. My heart sank, and speaking in my mind to the Lord, I asked if I had been offensive in any manner. Then He made me aware of a very large table empty in the midst of a very crowded cafeteria. I thought, I guess I will sit down here, still feeling a little bad. I began to read and after a short time I realized someone was standing next to me, then, looking up, my the table where I was seated was encircled by a bunch of frat guys from ZBt, a Jewish fraternity. They had heard of some of my experiences and wanted to know just what I had to say. It was wonderful, and they were very polite and orderly as we sat for some time and I was given to share, and well for it was not I. I would open my mouth and speak. This also happened a lot while going through the Word for my first time, and I would read what I had shared only after having passed it on by the Holy Spirit.

There have been coincidence's ever since but never so many as my first three years of traveling and sharing the Word, many states and many countries.

Okay WOW. That is like...I mean it sounds trite but that is literally so cool. It’s amazing to see the things we can accomplish when God is in control. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your story; I’m wowed!!!

 

[OBASBTO]

I’ll share a bit about my situation. It’s not so serious particularly; I’ve just been trying to figure out when God is trying to tell me something and when it’s my own head. I apologize in advance in case this is long, and also if this post isn’t in the right thread. It was the most relevant one I could find; sometimes the “search” feature on here doesn’t give you quite what you’re looking for.
Anyway, the other day a thought came into my head about giving up a favorite show of mine. (It may have occurred to me during prayer, but I don’t remember exactly.) Didn’t really make sense and I didn’t want to think about it so I just brushed it off. Might be more accurate to say that I tried brushing it off, because thoughts of “should I keep this show or not?” kept swirling through my head over the next few days. I prayed about it several times and tried to not have my guard up at the same time, but I wasn’t super successful, if you get what I mean.
A day or so into this dilemma, and I asked God to just speak to me through His Word. (Having dealt with intrusive thoughts and anxiety type of stuff before, I tend to not pay much attention to thoughts in my head telling me to do stuff, even if I think it might be God.)
These verses stood out to me over the next two days (they’re too long to type out so I’ll just put the references): Job 33:13—30, and Job 36:9—12. Seems like there was one in Proverbs too but I can’t remember which one.
Do these seem to be pointing me towards giving up something?

Over these past few days, however, the thought somewhat faded. I even had a Funko POP of a character from the show in my hand yesterday and almost bought it, but then a thought came to my head of the story in the Bible where Saul didn’t wait for Samuel to make the sacrifice, and because he didn’t wait, he caused irreparable damage. I ended up putting the Pop back on the shelf, even though I really wanted it and didn’t really feel guilty about buying it.
I would also like to add that the show in question isn’t like an immoral show. It’s a cartoon (okay, an anime), and it’s funny, a bit heavy at times, and also really relatable and inspirational. Really the only thing that spoils it are two side characters: one acts like a pervert (and is often reprimanded for his behavior), and the other character wears an inappropriate costume.
Feel free to ask any questions about parts of this that weren’t clear; I’d be happy to help explain it further.

Ooookay this is a really long and kind of nonsensical post so let me see if I can sum it up in a TL;DR: I’m trying to figure out if God is asking me to get rid of something in my life. After asking Him to speak through His Word, the passages Job 33:13—30 and Job 36:9—12 stood out to me. Do these verses seem to apply to my dilemma?

 

[Butterflyyy]

The bible says it is an evil generation that seeks after a sign. But what if I wasn't seeking a sign? What if I'm minding my own business and some coincidental even happens? For instance if I had prayed about something and then the pastor preaches a sermon on the same topic, or what if i wanted to go somewhere but i didn't want to go by myself and then someone invites me to go to said place with them? Am I right to say God is talking to me or He's showing me signs that He's with me and know my thoughts? Or is it the devil trying to lead me astray?

Have you experienced anything like this, and how did you interpret it?

Stuff like that happens to me a lot, usually more when I’m walking closer with the Lord... If I neglect prayer and the Word my spiritual ears can become more dull. The Bible says those that are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God and that His Sheep year His voice. It also says to test every spirit and I think it’s wise to test and see if it’s the Holy Spirit leading you and ministering to you or not, but if we belong to Him then surely this will be happening in our lives. I get a witness inside when the Lord is quickening my spirit whilst listening to a preach for example or reading the Word; nevertheless our enemy is a subtle deceiver. I think it’s part of growing as a Christian to be tested like this and it is this very challenge that makes me desire a deeper, closer walk with God.
If it’s edifying you and there is good fruit from it then I can’t see that being from the devil.
I reckon the best thing is to always look to Him asking for His leading in all situations and to trust that He will 🦋x

 

[Kim82]

Ooookay this is a really long and kind of nonsensical post so let me see if I can sum it up in a TL;DR: I’m trying to figure out if God is asking me to get rid of something in my life. After asking Him to speak through His Word, the passages Job 33:13—30 and Job 36:9—12 stood out to me. Do these verses seem to apply to my dilemma?

Im not seeing how those scriptures applies to what you should watch on TV.

But there is hardly any thing you can watch on TV that does not go against the word of God. Some Christians don't watch TV, they don't use the internet, and they don't listen to secular music and so on. They see these things as evil.

But for me, I think you must do things in moderation. Its either that or live under a rock. Now mind you, there are certain things that Christians should avoid. Like movies with nudity and profanities.

And you have to watch with discernment. If you see something bad happening on your TV, you can't let it influence you to the point where you will carry out the same actions in your own life. Kids may do this, that's why adults have to ensure that they don't watch certain things.

I even had a Funko POP of a character from the show in my hand yesterday and almost bought it, but then a thought came to my head of the story in the Bible where Saul didn’t wait for Samuel to make the sacrifice, and because he didn’t wait, he caused irreparable damage. I ended up putting the Pop back on the shelf, even though I really wanted it and didn’t really feel guilty about buying it.

The scripture that you mentioned has nothing to do with you purchasing an item.

If random scriptures just keep popping into your head at odd times that does not relate to anything, then this seems related to your intrusive thoughts.

 

[Joy4N8cher]

Wow, I LOVE this thread!

I have soooo many stories of Him doing incredible things like the ones Kim has mentioned, and others in this thread.
My favorite is:
A Chinese friend in a Bible study, I'll call her Ellie, was struggling so much with 'if God was really real or not'. The Bible study was for women who most of them had never read the Bible before, and we did inductive Bible study with them."
I had told a dear believing friend of mine about Ellie and we had been praying for her to know the Lord. She had never met Ellie.

Well, this dear friend of mine sensed a prompting to just get up from her quiet time with the Lord one morning and go to the park. It was an urgent sensing, like, now, just go. So, she went. She walked into the park and noticed a person pretty far away wearing a jacket with a hood, couldn't see anything else about them, but had a heavy burden for them that God wanted them to know His peace. She started to walk towards the person and they were walking AWAY, so she had to almost run after them, from across like a field. She caught up to the person, and told her that she knew it might be a little strange, but that she just wanted her to know that God wanted her to know His hope. The girl was Chinese. She was so overwhelmed by this kindness and started to tell my friend that she had been in a Bible study, describing it a bit, and shared that was having a hard time believing that God was real!!!! And after a bit of conversation, it was pretty obvious what had happened and my friend was like...wait are you Ellie!???
It WAS HER!!!
This soooo moved Ellie and when she came to Bible study later that day and told the story, I just cried my eyes out. God was sooo kind and AMAZING! And guess who gave her life to the Lord?? AND HER HUSBAND did too!!! And they were both baptized and took their faith back to China and were a part of a house church.

So, I think we know it's God when there is fruit. God is glorified, and the one who we are in awe of, and His Kingdom is added to and Kingship recognized.

It reminds me a bit of Matthew 12:26-28 (not that this about casting out devils, but I think it applies)
If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

 

[Kim82]

This soooo moved Ellie and when she came to Bible study later that day and told the story, I just cried my eyes out. God was sooo kind and AMAZING! And guess who gave her life to the Lord?? AND HER HUSBAND did too!!! And they were both baptized and took their faith back to China and were a part of a house church.

That's amazing. So had it not been for that experience, she might not have believed. Thank God for what He did. I'm sure she will always cherish that experience.

 

[Lion222]

The bible says it is an evil generation that seeks after a sign. But what if I wasn't seeking a sign? What if I'm minding my own business and some coincidental even happens? For instance if I had prayed about something and then the pastor preaches a sermon on the same topic, or what if i wanted to go somewhere but i didn't want to go by myself and then someone invites me to go to said place with them? Am I right to say God is talking to me or He's showing me signs that He's with me and know my thoughts? Or is it the devil trying to lead me astray?

Have you experienced anything like this, and how did you interpret it?

I used to drive for a living when younger.
I would hear local preacher on the radio in one state preaching on on verse or topic and then the next state and the next preacher save verse or topic and the next state going one want and going the other
Like a spiritual wave washing back and fourth across the country.

Stuff happens!
I look at it like this.
If you see something say something to God.
What is this God?
It may be of God or it may be a distraction from God.
You may not understand its purpose or meaning but if it persists, persist in seeking what it is from God.

 

[Lion222]

Wow, I LOVE this thread!

I have soooo many stories of Him doing incredible things like the ones Kim has mentioned, and others in this thread.
My favorite is:
A Chinese friend in a Bible study, I'll call her Ellie, was struggling so much with 'if God was really real or not'. The Bible study was for women who most of them had never read the Bible before, and we did inductive Bible study with them."
I had told a dear believing friend of mine about Ellie and we had been praying for her to know the Lord. She had never met Ellie.

Well, this dear friend of mine sensed a prompting to just get up from her quiet time with the Lord one morning and go to the park. It was an urgent sensing, like, now, just go. So, she went. She walked into the park and noticed a person pretty far away wearing a jacket with a hood, couldn't see anything else about them, but had a heavy burden for them that God wanted them to know His peace. She started to walk towards the person and they were walking AWAY, so she had to almost run after them, from across like a field. She caught up to the person, and told her that she knew it might be a little strange, but that she just wanted her to know that God wanted her to know His hope. The girl was Chinese. She was so overwhelmed by this kindness and started to tell my friend that she had been in a Bible study, describing it a bit, and shared that was having a hard time believing that God was real!!!! And after a bit of conversation, it was pretty obvious what had happened and my friend was like...wait are you Ellie!???
It WAS HER!!!
This soooo moved Ellie and when she came to Bible study later that day and told the story, I just cried my eyes out. God was sooo kind and AMAZING! And guess who gave her life to the Lord?? AND HER HUSBAND did too!!! And they were both baptized and took their faith back to China and were a part of a house church.

So, I think we know it's God when there is fruit. God is glorified, and the one who we are in awe of, and His Kingdom is added to and Kingship recognized.

It reminds me a bit of Matthew 12:26-28 (not that this about casting out devils, but I think it applies)
If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

Sweet!

 

[Lion222]

My life has been full of such things. They are encouraging and faith building.

I was working off site and staying the hotel with the rest of the staff.
There was a brother in Christ who I met there and God led me to stop by his room.

So i knocked on the door, no answer.
I turned to walk away and God said knock again.
So I did.
He answered saying sorry he did not answer because he was praying and he never lets anything interrupt his prayer time.
But God told him to answer the door.
I told Him, God told me to knock.
We had an wonderful evening together with God.

 

[Lion222]

Everything God does, satan imitates.

It seems to me that no one knows 100%

I really try to get understanding in this area, because I don't understand as I should. (Many things I don't understand, to be honest with you.)

This is what I found to be true.
If you think it is God and there is something for you to do then pray and act on it.
Better to fail in loving obedience then in fear and uncertainty.

It has always been in the going, the doing that I have found out what is God and what is not.
That is how we learn to discern the Spirits.

You develop a familiarity with Gods spirit and come to recognize the other guys.
It is almost like taste or smell or the sound of a voice or the persistence of someone you know behind you.
So yes at some point you can move with certainty that it is God.
But it takes practice and trusting God with the outcome even when you are unsure or sure and wrong.
Just go carefully and with prayer acknowledging Him in all your ways, or goings.

My Sheep hear my voice and follow.

 

[OBASBTO]

Im not seeing how those scriptures applies to what you should watch on TV.

But there is hardly any thing you can watch on TV that does not go against the word of God. Some Christians don't watch TV, they don't use the internet, and they don't listen to secular music and so on. They see these things as evil.

But for me, I think you must do things in moderation. Its either that or live under a rock. Now mind you, there are certain things that Christians should avoid. Like movies with nudity and profanities.

And you have to watch with discernment. If you see something bad happening on your TV, you can't let it influence you to the point where you will carry out the same actions in your own life. Kids may do this, that's why adults have to ensure that they don't watch certain things.
The scripture that you mentioned has nothing to do with you purchasing an item.

If random scriptures just keep popping into your head at odd times that does not relate to anything, then this seems related to your intrusive thoughts.

Thank you so very much for your reply. I think sometimes I get so caught up in my own head and worries about whether I’m hearing God’s voice or not that I just forget to take a step back and look at something with a more logical lense. I also agree with your advice on being careful with what we watch. Thank you again!!

 

[OBASBTO]

Wow, I LOVE this thread!

I have soooo many stories of Him doing incredible things like the ones Kim has mentioned, and others in this thread.
My favorite is:
A Chinese friend in a Bible study, I'll call her Ellie, was struggling so much with 'if God was really real or not'. The Bible study was for women who most of them had never read the Bible before, and we did inductive Bible study with them."
I had told a dear believing friend of mine about Ellie and we had been praying for her to know the Lord. She had never met Ellie.

Well, this dear friend of mine sensed a prompting to just get up from her quiet time with the Lord one morning and go to the park. It was an urgent sensing, like, now, just go. So, she went. She walked into the park and noticed a person pretty far away wearing a jacket with a hood, couldn't see anything else about them, but had a heavy burden for them that God wanted them to know His peace. She started to walk towards the person and they were walking AWAY, so she had to almost run after them, from across like a field. She caught up to the person, and told her that she knew it might be a little strange, but that she just wanted her to know that God wanted her to know His hope. The girl was Chinese. She was so overwhelmed by this kindness and started to tell my friend that she had been in a Bible study, describing it a bit, and shared that was having a hard time believing that God was real!!!! And after a bit of conversation, it was pretty obvious what had happened and my friend was like...wait are you Ellie!???
It WAS HER!!!
This soooo moved Ellie and when she came to Bible study later that day and told the story, I just cried my eyes out. God was sooo kind and AMAZING! And guess who gave her life to the Lord?? AND HER HUSBAND did too!!! And they were both baptized and took their faith back to China and were a part of a house church.

So, I think we know it's God when there is fruit. God is glorified, and the one who we are in awe of, and His Kingdom is added to and Kingship recognized.

It reminds me a bit of Matthew 12:26-28 (not that this about casting out devils, but I think it applies)
If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

This is SUCH a neat story!!! Thanks for the share!!!

 

[OBASBTO]

Stuff happens!
I look at it like this.
If you see something say something to God.
What is this God?
It may be of God or it may be a distraction from God.
You may not understand its purpose or meaning but if it persists, persist in seeking what it is from God.

This is good advice.

 

[Kim82]

This is what I found to be true.
If you think it is God and there is something for you to do then pray and act on it.
Better to fail in loving obedience then in fear and uncertainty.

It has always been in the going, the doing that I have found out what is God and what is not.
That is how we learn to discern the Spirits.

You develop a familiarity with Gods spirit and come to recognize the other guys.
It is almost like taste or smell or the sound of a voice or the persistence of someone you know behind you.
So yes at some point you can move with certainty that it is God.
But it takes practice and trusting God with the outcome even when you are unsure or sure and wrong.
Just go carefully and with prayer acknowledging Him in all your ways, or goings.

My Sheep hear my voice and follow.

Amen. Thanks for your beautiful words.

 

[Lion222]

Amen. Thanks for your beautiful words.

I would add one thing.
If you think God is telling you to say or do something that involves other people.
Communicate to them your level of uncertainty and that you are still trying to figure out how this all works and are just trying to be obedient to what you believe may be the Spirit of God.
You will find a lot more grace from others coming in humility, then declaring thus says the lord.

Seriously please do not say "Thus says the Lord", unless God specifically tells you to.
If your words are of the spirit they will will make it clear who is doing the saying.

Standing on a city street corner a group of young men out to have fun on a weekend approached.
As they walked by God gave me a word for one who was looking at me.
I spoke one short verse and that was it. The young man stopped and diffident move for a long time.
His friends pulled at him and he just ignored them and they eventually abandoned him to continue to the next pub I guess.
He eventually responded to me saying "I had not considered that" then gathered himself and walked off.
Gods things tend to make a powerful impact.
If nothing happens, like its no big deal, it's less likely that it was Gods words.

But we don't always get to see the real results.
So stay obedient to faith and walk in care and fear and prayer.
Trust in God to lead and correct and keep humble so you don't get duped and end up bring shame to Christ rather then Glory.

 

[Lion222]

Do you remember your first car?
I remember after I got mine suddenly my car was everywhere?
The grandma had one. the pizza guy. everywhere I went there was my car.

That is just how our brains work.
When you are focused on something that is what you see.
So one test for me when i started to walk in these things was to be sure that what I thought was God was not this.

Test 1 - Was it what I was currently focusing on or thinking about.
Test 2 - Was it connected to my recent thoughts, concerns or fears.
Test 3 - Did it seem all too familiar like the theme of a recently binged watch movie series.
Test 4 - Did i have a lot of pepperoni pizza the night before?

The more out of nowhere it came the more I tended to consider it from God.
Especially if it just kept showing up, in more impossible ways the better.

But these are just a baby tools, toys of reason.
You come to discern the Spirits in the following.
Eventually you will just recognize his voice.

ALL Christians are to do this!
It is just coming under Christs leadership of your life.

Those who have a Prophetic gifting just have this in quantity for a different purpose.
For the equipping of the saints.
To help them grow in hearing and following for their own spiritual walk.
To speak directly to those stubborn sheep going there own way
To speak to ones lost pointing them in the right direction.
To head out into the wilderness and meet those crying out to God with their answer.
To deliver a message of Gods life to the dying.
To operate as a watchman in and over your fellowship.

Unfortunate the place of the prophetic has been dishonored in the Church and She is worse off because of it.
I do believe God is changing that, restoring.church, bringing back what was lost to the centuries.

 

[Kim82]

I would add one thing.
If you think God is telling you to say or do something that involves other people.
Communicate to them your level of uncertainty and that you are still trying to figure out how this all works and are just trying to be obedient to what you believe may be the Spirit of God.
You will find a lot more grace from others coming in humility, then declaring thus says the lord.

Seriously please do not say "Thus says the Lord", unless God specifically tells you to.
If your words are of the spirit they will will make it clear who is doing the saying.

Standing on a city street corner a group of young men out to have fun on a weekend approached.
As they walked by God gave me a word for one who was looking at me.
I spoke one short verse and that was it. The young man stopped and diffident move for a long time.
His friends pulled at him and he just ignored them and they eventually abandoned him to continue to the next pub I guess.
He eventually responded to me saying "I had not considered that" then gathered himself and walked off.
Gods things tend to make a powerful impact.
If nothing happens, like its no big deal, it's less likely that it was Gods words.

But we don't always get to see the real results.
So stay obedient to faith and walk in care and fear and prayer.
Trust in God to lead and correct and keep humble so you don't get duped and end up bring shame to Christ rather then Glory.

Yes, it reminds me of this scripture: Luke 14: 7 He went on to tell a story to the guests around the table. Noticing how each had tried to elbow into the place of honor, he said, 8 "When someone invites you to dinner, don't take the place of honor. Somebody more important than you might have been invited by the host. 9 Then he'll come and call out in front of everybody, 'You're in the wrong place. The place of honor belongs to this man.' Red-faced, you'll have to make your way to the very last table, the only place left. 10 "When you're invited to dinner, go and sit at the last place. Then when the host comes he may very well say, 'Friend, come up to the front.' That will give the dinner guests something to talk about! 11 What I'm saying is, If you walk around with your nose in the air, you're going to end up flat on your face. But if you're content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself."

 

[Kim82]

You come to discern the Spirits in the following.

There is only one spirit.

 

[Kim82]

There is only one spirit.

I misunderstood what you were saying.