In this conversation, Fr. Ivan Shandra joins Michaela Nikolaenko to unpack one of the most important questions in the Christian life: how do we know what’s truly from God, and what isn’t?
Coming from a background in the occult and New Age spirituality, Michaela has witnessed firsthand how easily people mistake emotional or mystical experiences for the Holy Spirit. Even within Christianity, especially in charismatic movements, people often speak of hearing God’s voice, receiving prophetic messages, or having supernatural encounters. But how does Orthodox Christianity understand these experiences—and how can we discern truth from spiritual deception (prelest)?
Fr. Ivan, an Orthodox priest serving in Toronto and host of Orthodox Talks, offers profound Orthodox insight into the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the discernment of prophecy, speaking in tongues, casting out demons, and experiencing the true presence of God within the sacramental life of the Church.
Together, they contrast the Orthodox approach—rooted in humility, obedience, and community—with the emotional, individualistic spirituality often seen in charismatic settings.
If you’ve ever wondered whether your spiritual experiences are from God or from your own mind, this episode will help anchor you in the truth of the Holy Spirit’s work through the Church.
📖 Referenced Scriptures:
1 Corinthians 12 — The Gifts of the Spirit
1 John 4:1 — “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits…”
Matthew 7:15–23 — “Beware of false prophets…”
John 16:13 — “When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth.”
💡 Key Takeaways:
- The Holy Spirit is a person, not just an energy or force.
- We receive the Holy Spirit through chrismation in the Orthodox Church.
- True discernment comes through humility and obedience, not emotional highs.
- Prophecy in Orthodoxy is about witnessing truth, not revealing new doctrine.
- The charismatic promise of instant transformation differs from the Orthodox path of repentance and theosis.
- The true presence of God is found in the liturgical and sacramental life of the Church.
#OrthodoxChristianity #CharismaticChristianity #HolySpirit #SpiritualDiscernment #OrthodoxChurch #FrIvanShandra #RaisedandRedeemed #MichaelaNikolaenko #Prelest #FalseProphets #OrthodoxTalks #GiftsOfTheSpirit #OrthodoxFaith
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Follow Orthodox Talks with Fr. Ivan Shandra 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@OrthodoxTalks
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🌐 Explore More:
ALL LINKS → https://beacons.ai/michaelanikolaenko
Website → www.michaelanikolaenko.com
🎙️ Listen to the Podcast:https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/raisedandredeemed
🎥 Subscribe on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn2x_6If3KUo5d9aA_7ALLw
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⏳ TIMESTAMPS:
00:00–01:45 Intro
01:45–04:44 About Fr. Ivan Shandra
04:44–08:26 Who is the Holy Spirit?
08:26–14:02 Receiving the Holy Spirit
14:02–15:46 How a Person Changes with the Holy Spirit
15:46–23:21 Discerning the Holy Spirit’s Voice
23:21–30:12 Orthodox Understanding of Prophecy
30:12–36:27 Orthodox Understanding of Speaking in Tongues
36:27–42:02 Orthodox Approach to Casting Out Demons
42:02–45:19 Healing After Deliverance
45:19–51:26 Experiencing the Holy Spirit in Church
51:24–52:05 Closing