Five Biblical Ways to Navigate the Supernatural

By Anthony Lee

It was a drizzly Oregon night in 1997, and I was in the covered picnic area at Eugene Bible College when I came face to face with something evil that I couldn’t explain. It took me years to process this encounter; it was a moment frozen in time that I would hide from for many reasons, including my own sanity.

I was afraid to tell anyone about my experience, both because I didn’t want to seem crazy and because I didn’t want to admit the reality of what I’d seen. I wasn’t sure if this evil creature was spiritual, physical, or both. What I know for sure is God was in control the whole time, and aside from my fear in the moment, I was not hurt.

Supernatural is defined as “a manifestation or event attributed to some force beyond scientific understanding or the laws of nature.” When we come across something supernatural, it can be perplexing because it is beyond what we can control or reason out; this can lead to discomfort and fear. Yet, on the other side of understanding is whimsy and mystery, which can be intriguing and exciting.

God is supernatural, and every day we are faced with the immensity of Him. Everything that exists in the natural world was created supernaturally, and nothing was or is out of His control. There are things we simply cannot understand right now. Paul says it well: “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known” (1 Cor.13:12 NIV).

Someday we will fully know what we currently don’t. For now, there will be moments when we experience the supernatural and have to wrestle with the unknown. It’s important for us to do this biblically and in partnership with the Holy Spirit. Here are a few insights for navigating unexplainable supernatural experiences:

1. Tell someone. There is no reason why you should bear this burden alone. The enemy would love nothing more than to isolate us. It’s in isolation that he can cause the most damage. If we combine forces with others, we can find solace in the arms of friends and loved ones. I would suggest you start with those you trust most and prioritize godly counsel.

2. Be completely truthful. When it came to recounting my own experience, I found myself withholding some finer details because of my fear of what others might think. Or conversely, I would stretch the truth at times to make a better story. These misrepresentations are not only wrong, but they also discredit our testimony. “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body” (Eph. 4:25 NIV). We owe our fellow brothers and sisters the blessing of our honest testimony. You may even set someone else free with your truth because they had a similar experience. There is great comfort in a completely truthful story.

3. Be bold enough to admit reality. On one occasion, I was asked to pray for a congregant after a church service. Another elder and I prayed for this woman’s broken foot. The next day, I got word that when she went into the hospital for her scheduled surgery, preliminary X-rays showed the bone had healed. Despite X-ray proof and my knowledge of God’s goodness, I became skeptical. It can be easier to choose denial or skepticism over belief. Don’t allow the enemy to pull you away from God’s ability or power.
 
4. Dig into God’s Word. Even though our experiences often are not reflected in exact biblical examples, the Bible is full of supernatural events! Dead people walking around after Jesus’ death on the cross, demons being cast out of a human boy and into pigs – this is crazy stuff. There is great comfort in understanding how supernatural the world really is throughout history and in Scripture. We need the stories of old to give us a broader understanding of a truly biblical worldview.

5. Give it time. Often what we do not understand right now will be illuminated in due course. I find when I am impatient, I jump to a lot of conclusions. This kind of hastiness can cause us to make decisions that will alter our paths in a way God did not intend. I almost dropped out of Bible college over my experience. I shudder to think how different my life would have been if I’d allowed the enemy to steal a life of ministry from me over an experience I could not explain.

If you ever experience something supernatural, know that God has allowed it to happen. He wants to be included in your experience, and He wants you to learn and grow from it. Be amazed at the wonder of God and His supernatural abilities and creation. I am convinced that your testimony may be the key to someone else’s deliverance. Our world is hungry for the truth and desperate to be set free.

About the Author

Anthony Lee resides in the majestic shadow of the Cascades (in Bend, Oregon, to be precise), where he juggles the delightful chaos of two teenage daughters, Juliana and Sophia, and is blessed by a beautiful wife, Eliza. Armed with a master’s in Christian leadership from Wheaton Graduate School and additional studies at Oxford, Anthony now serves as the lead pastor of Church of the Cascades as well as on the national board of Open Bible Churches. When not pondering the mysteries of theology, God, and the human condition, he can be found coaxing melodies from a trumpet, strumming a guitar, or occasionally subjecting the congregation to heavily auto-tuned vocals on Sundays. His writing, fueled by copious amounts of coffee and the occasional Haribo gummy bear, explores these profound topics with the same enthusiasm he brings to a fresh powder day on the slopes or a quiet afternoon fly fishing.