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All (579) Scripture Commentary (115) Theology (31) Mike Winger (430) Pulpit (3)
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-11

Biblical faith is not groundless belief but trust based on revelation and evidence; the response to psychological doubt is to exercise trust grounded in good reasons.

How to respond to psychological doubt

Abraham faith fulfilled prophecy
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-11

Mike identifies as charismatic (gifts active today, cessationism rejected) but not hyper-charismatic; he opposes fabricating gifts and "Acts 2.0" theology.

Question clarifying what Mike means by calling himself charismatic

cessationism Holy Spirit tongues
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-11

The year of Jesus's death (AD 26-36, with 30 and 33 as top candidates) is difficult to pin down precisely due to ambiguity in reckoning Tiberius's regnal years in Luke 3.

Question about the exact year of Jesus's death

Daniel 9 Luke 3 Daniel 9 messianic prophecy chronology of Jesus
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

Brian Simmons (Passion Translation author) has uttered false prophecy on record — Mike found hours of footage while researching for his Passion Translation project and plans to release a video exposing this.

Announcement during Q&A transition.

Brian Simmons Passion Translation False Prophecy
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-18

Bethel's primary export is false revival — fake gifts, prophecy, healings — mixed with genuine-sounding worship music that ranges from theologically neutral to theologically dangerous.

Mike's own view on Bethel, offered after establishing the meat-in-marketplace frame.

Bill Johnson Discernment / Heresy Worship Music and Discernment
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-01

Eschatology as the field most prone to overconfident errors; lessons from misapplied messianic expectation

Continuing Q12 on fear of theological error

Matthew 24 hermeneutics eschatology second coming
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-08

John 16:13 has primary application to the apostles; broadly applying it to all Christians sets the bar for Spirit-guidance too low

Question from Rocketman Sean about the extent to which John 16:13 applies to Christians today

John 16:13 apostles Holy Spirit prophecy
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-08

A rearview mirror test for Spirit-led claims: look back at past "God told me" moments and evaluate their accuracy

Practical tool for evaluating claims of Spirit guidance

Holy Spirit discernment false prophecy
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-15

Though gifts cannot be taught, believers can grow in their expression and use of already-given gifts

Nuanced development of the spiritual gifts question.

1 Corinthians 14 2 Timothy 1:6 1 Corinthians 14 Elijah Spiritual gifts
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-29

Charismatic conundrum of 2020: mass false prophecy and its root cause in lack of checks and balances

First pre-selected topic before viewer questions. Mike addresses widespread false prophecies in charismatic circles regarding Trump re-election and COVID-19.

charismatic movement false prophecy prophecy testing
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-29

Bethel Church's role in the false prophecy conundrum: uncritical embrace of all positive prophecy regardless of source

Continuation of the charismatic false prophecy discussion. Mike names Bethel specifically as a contributing factor.

discernment prophetic accountability Bethel Church
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-29

Why care about false doctrine (prosperity gospel, word of faith)? Because doctrinal error has real-world spiritual consequences

Question from Tony about why false doctrine matters if it does not compromise salvation.

discernment prosperity gospel apostasy
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-29

How to test a prophecy before it is fulfilled: track record matters more than individual accuracy; errors are disqualifying

Question from Omar Barr about testing prophecy before it is fulfilled, including the 2020 Trump prophecies.

discernment charismatic movement false prophecy
Mike Winger idea 2018-10-31

Mike argues that the best approach to the question of hell is not direct empirical evidence but rather a two-step argument: establish the trustworthiness of Jesus through the resurrection and fulfilled prophecy, then accept his teaching on hell as credible.

Response to viewer demanding evidence for hell

apologetics resurrection of Jesus hell
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-12

Q5: How to view false Trump prophecies — identified as wrong, traced to pride, competitive prophetic culture, and spiritual dysfunction

Viewer Crystal Peck asks about Christians who falsely prophesied Trump's 2020 electoral victory.

testing prophecy charismatic movement false prophecy
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-12

Christians must stop following those who prophesied falsely about 2020; those prophets should repent and abandon their prophetic status

Mike gives practical counsel on what to do in response to the false prophecies.

sola scriptura repentance false prophecy
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-12

Q15: Matthew 11:22-24 — If Sodom would have repented at Jesus's miracles, why didn't Jesus go to Sodom? Christians need not have an answer to every question

Viewer Lawrence H asks why Jesus did not perform miracles in Sodom to prevent its destruction, given Jesus's statement in Matthew 11.

Matthew 11:22-24 apologetics divine judgment Sodom and Gomorrah
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-19

Rebuilt temple does not need to be ritually valid — prophecy requires existence, not divine approval

Clarification of what prophetic fulfillment requires regarding the third temple.

eschatology prophetic fulfillment futurism
Mike Winger idea 2021-02-19

Question: Is it okay to sit quietly and write down what you hear from God (journaling/listening prayer)?

Viewer Mackenzie McEwan asks about the practice of trying to hear God and writing down what comes.

spiritual disciplines confirmation bias listening prayer
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-04

Listening prayer is not condemned in Scripture but formulizing the Holy Spirit's work is dangerous and can produce fabrications.

Question from Susan Krieg about whether the Bible endorses listening prayer.

Bethel Church Holy Spirit Listening prayer
Mike Winger idea 2020-12-04

Baptism of the Holy Spirit as a post-salvation experience with mandatory tongues is not supported by Scripture; authentic gifts are preferred over formulaic fake ones.

Question from Lauren Breon about whether the baptism of the Holy Spirit as a separate experience with prayer language is scriptural.

1 Corinthians 12 Cessationism Baptism of the Holy Spirit 1 Corinthians 12
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-22

Religion as social control: a compliment, not a refutation

Summer Monsoon asked how to respond to the claim that religion is just a mechanism for social control and helps people cope with death.

Mormonism Islam resurrection
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-22

Testing whether a vision or impression is from the Holy Spirit

UK Dove Girl asked how to know whether a lucid open-eyed vision comes from the Spirit rather than the subconscious.

Holy Spirit discernment prophecy
Mike Winger idea 2021-01-22

Political prophecies, false prophets in 2020, and the antichrist

Joe Burton asked whether the wave of false political prophecies might be setting up the antichrist to appear as a savior.

Deuteronomy 18:22 1 John 2:18 Jeremiah Johnson discernment prophetic accountability eschatology
Mike Winger idea 2021-03-05

Christianity has a mountain of evidential support — fulfilled prophecy, unity of Scripture, historical verification

Closing the apologetics discussion by pointing to positive evidence for Christianity

apologetics biblical inspiration fulfilled prophecy
Mike Winger idea 2021-04-30

The Holy Spirit speaks through fruit, track record, and confirmation from other believers; not every decision requires supernatural direction.

Question 14 from Gel Stapper (Netherlands) about how the Holy Spirit speaks personally, after leaving a hyper-charismatic church.

Ezekiel 13 Holy Spirit discernment wisdom
Mike Winger idea 2020-01-08

Drew's arbitrary cruel God is defeated by evidence: Christianity has historical verification, prophecy, testimony, and wasn't made up on the spot. A maximally cruel God would send everyone to hell with no heaven, giving no reason to worship. This is the "Pascal's mugger" objection, already addressed in literature.

Response to Q2 — arbitrary claims vs evidenced claims

evidence for God evidence for God Pascals wager
Mike Winger idea 2020-03-04

Q: Why did Jesus curse the fig tree (Mark 11)? It's a Markan sandwich — the cursing of the fig tree frames the temple cleansing. The fig tree represents Israel: no fruit (not ready for Messiah), so judgment comes. The temple similarly had no spiritual fruit. The temple was destroyed in 70 AD, but Israel will be restored per NT prophecy.

Q&A — cursing the fig tree (Mark 11)

Markan sandwich Mark 11 fig tree cursing Markan sandwich temple cleansing
Mike Winger idea 2020-03-04

Q: Evidence for the virgin birth? Not as strong as resurrection evidence, but that's okay — not every doctrine needs the same burden of proof. Mike believes it because Scripture teaches it. The argument chain: resurrection → inspiration of Scripture → virgin birth. The central claim (resurrection) carries the secondary claims.

Q&A — evidence for the virgin birth

virgin birth inspiration of Scripture virgin birth
Mike Winger idea 2020-04-15

Matthew 27:46 ("My God, why have you forsaken me?") — Jesus is quoting Psalm 22, which his Jewish audience would mentally load in full. Psalm 22 describes crucifixion in detail (pierced hands/feet, bones out of joint, garments divided, dehydration), then shifts to RESCUE and resurrection, followed by Gentiles from all nations worshipping God. "Forsaken" = given over to suffering and death, NOT Trinitarian separation. The Father/Son cannot ontologically separate without violating God's nature.

My God why have you forsaken me — Psalm 22

Psalm 22 Psalm 22 Matthew 27:46 Psalm 22 Psalm 22 Matthew 27:46
Mike Winger idea 2020-04-19

Mike presents 24-26 ways Passover was prophetically fulfilled by Jesus. Passover is a typological prophecy — not direct prediction/fulfillment but symbolic correspondence between OT events and Christ's work. 1 Corinthians 5:7: "Christ our Passover lamb has been sacrificed." Jesus chose to die during Passover week — his timing was deliberate.

Introduction — Passover as prophetic type

1 Corinthians 5:7 Passover Passover Passover as prophecy
Mike Winger idea 2020-04-19

Points 1-2: (1) A sacrificial lamb — Jesus is the lamb offered for us (Hebrews 9:12-14, 10:1-14). OT sacrifices were shadows; Jesus is the reality. He offered himself ONCE vs yearly repetition. (2) Purpose: avoiding punishment for sin — Passover was explicitly a judgment (Exodus 12:12). Israel needed the lamb too because they were also guilty of idolatry (Ezekiel 20:7). The cross saves us from God's wrath.

Points 1-2 — sacrificial lamb and dealing with sin

Exodus 12 Hebrews 9:12-14 Hebrews 10:1-14 wrath of God substitutionary atonement wrath of God
Mike Winger idea 2020-04-19

Points 3-5: (3) Lamb had to be male — Jesus as male representative of all humanity, as Adam represented all (1 Cor 15:22,45). (4) Without blemish — Jesus was sinless (Hebrews 4:15, 1 Peter 1:18-19: "precious blood of Christ, like a lamb without blemish"). YOU didn't have to be holy; your SACRIFICE had to be holy. (5) Lamb was examined/inspected before sacrifice — Jesus was examined by Pilate, Herod, Sanhedrin and found faultless (John 19:4-6).

Points 3-5 — male, without blemish, inspected

1 Corinthians 15:22 1 Corinthians 15:45 Hebrews 4:15 1 Corinthians 15:22 1 Corinthians 15:45 Hebrews 4:15
Mike Winger idea 2020-04-19

Points 6-7: (6) Lamb was one year old (prime of life) — Jesus began ministry at 30, the age of full maturity for priestly/sacrificial service. (7) Lamb selected on 10th of Nisan — Jesus entered Jerusalem on the same day (Triumphal Entry, Palm Sunday). The crowd cried "Hosanna" (Psalm 118) = "save us" — presenting himself as the Messianic King. He was then "inspected" for 4 days through questioning by religious leaders, found faultless.

Points 6-7 — age, selection date, triumphal entry

Psalm 118 Passover Passover triumphal entry
Mike Winger idea 2020-04-19

Points 8-12: (8) Lamb substituted for the firstborn — Jesus is God's firstborn/only-begotten (John 3:16, Col 1:15, Heb 1:6). (9) No bones broken — Exodus 12:46, fulfilled in John 19:33-36 when soldiers didn't break Jesus's legs. (10) Offered for the household/family — Jesus creates a new family of God (John 1:12). (11) Lamb had to be slain/die — the death was required, not optional; Jesus said he MUST be killed (Mark 8:31). (12) Had to be at Jerusalem — Deuteronomy 16:5-6; Jesus crucified in Jerusalem.

Points 8-12 — firstborn, bones, household, death, location

John 1:12 Mark 8:31 Colossians 1:15 firstborn John 1:12 children of God
Mike Winger idea 2020-04-19

Point 13: Blood applied to the doorposts — possibly in the shape of a cross (top lintel and two side posts). Jesus says "I am the door" (John 10:9) — entry through him means salvation. The blood-covered door is the access point to safety from judgment, just as Jesus is the access point to God.

Point 13 — blood on doorposts and Jesus as the door

John 10:9 Passover Passover John 10:9
Mike Winger idea 2020-04-29

Q&A: How to evaluate modern self-proclaimed prophets who get prophecies wrong. Mike's position: if they get one wrong, he no longer trusts they're hearing from God (Deuteronomy 18:22 principle). He gives leeway to sincere believers who may have confused their own heart for the Holy Spirit, but consecutive failures warrant stronger stance.

Q&A — evaluating modern prophets

Deuteronomy 18:22 Deuteronomy 18:22 modern prophecy testing prophets
Mike Winger idea 2020-08-21

Are tongues overrated? Yes, in many circles. Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:1: tongues without love = noisy gong. 1 Corinthians 14: tongues should be limited in gatherings, require interpretation, and if an unbeliever enters they'll think you're crazy. Paul explicitly says prophecy is BETTER than tongues because it edifies the whole church. Tongues as a status symbol or proof of salvation is completely unbiblical.

Tongues overrated — 1 Corinthians 13-14

1 Corinthians 13:1 1 Corinthians 14 tongues speaking in tongues 1 Corinthians 13:1 speaking in tongues
Mike Winger idea 2020-08-31

Zechariah 9:9-10 is the key OT prophecy behind the entry — the messiah comes humble on a donkey bringing salvation through service, not military conquest. The donkey vs. war horse contrast is central.

Old Testament prophetic background for the Triumphal Entry

Zechariah 9:9 Mark 10:45 Zechariah 9:9-10 Zechariah 9:9 Mark 10:45 Zechariah 9:9-10
Mike Winger idea 2020-08-31

Solomon's inauguration on a donkey (1 Kings 1) and Genesis 49:10-11 provide additional donkey-messiah connections that Zechariah 9:9 likely draws from.

Additional OT background on donkey symbolism

Genesis 49:10-11 Psalm 20:7 1 Kings 1 typology typology Genesis 49:10-11
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-15

The "outsider test of faith" (apply your reasons for rejecting Thor to Christianity) backfires for informed Christians because the evidence for Christianity specifically doesn't work for pagan deities.

Responding to the street epistemology version of argument 1

Luke Barnes William Lane Craig biblical prophecy William Lane Craig
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-15

Argument 4 — "Religion is desperation, fear of reality" (Nietzsche) — is circular (assumes atheism is reality) and actually describes Buddhism more than Christianity. Atheism itself denies key realities.

Fourth argument from Nietzsche: religion as escapism

Daniel Dennett circular reasoning atheism Sam Harris
Mike Winger idea 2020-09-28

Faith for miracles is different from saving faith — it's initiated by God (a spiritual gift), not fabricated by the believer. Jesus had a responsive ministry to the Father, not initiatory. You respond to what the Spirit reveals.

Theological framework: miracle-faith as God-initiated response, not self-generated belief

1 Corinthians 12:8-11 John 5:19 1 John 5:14 1 Corinthians 12:8-11 John 5:19 1 John 5:14
Mike Winger idea 2021-05-14

Discerning false prophets by their "fruit" (Matthew 7:15-20) — fruit is defined IN the passage as whether their teaching leads people to do God's will vs. lawlessness. It's not about charismatic experiences or emotional reactions.

Q4: How to practically use Matthew 7:15-20 to discern people?

Acts 2 Matthew Matthew 7 Acts 2 Jesus prophecy
Mike Winger idea 2021-06-18

About the “5-Fold Ministry”: Have you heard of the "5-Fold Ministry" way of thinking about apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers exercising those gifts today? And if so, what are your thoughts about it?

Q&A question: About the “5-Fold Ministry”

prophecy pastoral ministry Apostles
Mike Winger idea 2021-06-18

About 1 Kings 13: In 1 Kings 13, what are we supposed to learn from this passage? It seems as though the prophet lied to the man of God, tricking him so that he wouldn’t stay the course. Why lead him into this trap?

Q&A question: About 1 Kings 13

prophecy
Mike Winger idea 2021-06-25

Explanation of Ezekiel 14 – Prophets: In Ezekiel 14:9 it says if a prophet is deceived, it’s the Lord who deceived him. Could you offer some explanation to this verse, as it seems out of character for God?

Q&A question: Explanation of Ezekiel 14 – Prophets

Ezekiel prophecy Ezekiel
Mike Winger idea 2021-06-25

Promises vs. Prophecies: Is there a difference between a promise and a prophecy? Are all God's promises prophecies? Am I responsible if a prophecy told about me doesn't come to pass? A church leader told me these things.

Q&A question: Promises vs. Prophecies

church leadership prophecy
Mike Winger idea 2021-07-23

About Ezekiel & OT Prophecies: What does Ezekiel 40-48 mean for us? What about OT prophecies about future sacrifices?

Q&A question: About Ezekiel & OT Prophecies

Ezekiel prophecy Ezekiel
Mike Winger idea 2021-07-30

About “Rhema” (Sword of the Spirit): Can you explain the Greek word Rhema in Ephesians 6 when it talks about the “sword of the Spirit is the Word of God?” Is it Scripture, or like a word of wisdom, knowledge, or prophecy?

Q&A question: About “Rhema” (Sword of the Spirit)

Ephesians 6 prophecy Ephesians 6
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