When I was first wrought upon by the Spirit of the Lord, I was shown that I would be brought in contact with those who claimed to see visions, but that the Lord would not permit me to be deceived. My work was to unveil this falsehood, and to rebuke it in the name of the Lord. As the end drew near, I was to see more of these manifestations.
(2SM 76.1)
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Letters have come to me from different ones, relating visions that they said God had given them; but the Lord Jesus tells me, “Believe them not; I have not sent them.” Some write to me, saying that God has revealed to them that Sister White is in error, that she is influenced by the leaders to believe some things that are not true, and to reject some things that are true. But the word comes again, “Heed them not; I have not spoken by them, nor given them any word or message. They have spun lying words, from the suggestions of Satan.”
(2SM 76.2)
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Some have come to me claiming to be Christ, and have apparently worked miracles. They have said that the Lord led me in many things, but the Sabbath was not a test question; that the law of God was not binding upon men; all we had to do was to accept Christ, and they themselves were Christ. I have had experience with all these pretentious claims, and I have no faith in them. “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isaiah 8:20).
(2SM 76.3)
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In one place, four in one family professed to have communications from the Lord, reproving wrong, and they predicted things that actually did take place. This inspired confidence in them. But the things that did not take place were kept in the dark, or were treated as something mysterious, which would be understood later. Whence did these receive their inspiration?—From satanic agencies, which are many. The Lord laid it upon me to meet these things, and bear a decided testimony against them
(2SM 76.4)
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The enemy is preparing to deceive the whole world by his miracle-working power. He will assume to personate the angels of light, to personate Jesus Christ. Everyone who teaches the truth for this time is to preach the Word. Those who cling to the Word will not throw open the doors for Satan by making unguarded statements in reference to prophesying or to dreams and visions. To a greater or less degree, false manifestations have been coming in, here and there, since 1844, after the time when we looked for the second coming of Christ. We have had them in the Garmire case, in the statements of K, and in the Stanton movement. [See Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 32 to 62.] We shall have them more and more, and like faithful sentinels we must be on guard. Letters are coming to me from many persons concerning visions which they have had and feel it their duty to relate. May the Lord help His servants to be cautious.
(2SM 96.1)
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When the Lord has a genuine channel of light, there are always plenty of counterfeits. Satan will surely enter any door thrown open for him. He will give messages of truth, mingling with the truth ideas of his own, prepared to mislead souls, to draw the mind to human beings and their sayings, and prevent it from holding firmly to a “Thus saith the Lord.” In God’s dealings with His people, all is quiet; with those who trust in Him, all is calm and unpretending. There will be simple, true, earnest believers in the Bible, and there will be doers of the Word as well as hearers. There will be sound, earnest, sensible waiting upon God. The believer will hang his helpless soul on Jesus Christ. Christ will be exalted. Working and praying, watching and waiting, is our position.—Letter 102, 1894.
(2SM 96.2)
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