Discernment versus Deception

Many people these days are claiming to take regular trips to Heaven, see God face-to-face, and experience many other things that aren’t true. What does the Bible say about receiving visitations from angels, or even from Jesus Christ Himself? Does the Bible tell us what we need to know about receiving visitations from those in heavenly places? If it does, then why should that even matter anyways?

¹³ No one has gone up to heaven except the one who came down from heaven, the Son of Man who is in heaven.”
John 3:13 (NIV)

After hearing countless people I have known and trust, and those they trust—receiving revelation from actual visitations from Jesus, I left that all behind once I found out what the Bible says about these things—and yes …you and I better believe it really matters! The Number One claim that the Bible makes about itself is this: The Bible is the Word of God; its Scriptures are “inspired,” “infallible” and “inerrant” and they are His Words and not ours.

²⁰ Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. ²¹ For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” [emphasis added]
2 Peter 1:20-21 (NIV)

– Additionally, the KJV says that: “no prophecy of Scripture is of any PRIVATE interpretation…”  meaning that we are not to have individual, private, personal interpretations of Scripture, other than what has already been revealed in Scripture itself!

In other words, the Word of God is God “breathed,” “incapable of error” and “perfect.” The Bible is the sole objective source of all God has given us about Himself and His plan for humanity. As God’s infallible Word, the Bible is inerrant, authoritative, reliable, and sufficient to meet our needs—the main point being “sufficient.” We do not need anymore to be added to His Word nor to His revelation—it by its own admission is sufficient. So with this said and being true, what would you do if someone was to tell you they receive visitations from Jesus Christ and the messages that he tells them do not line up with the rest of the Scripture?

¹ Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,…”
1 Timothy 4:1 (NIV)