The enemy is like a roaring lion, friends. He seeks YOU. To devour YOU. If you are not wise to his game, he will disable you, disarm you, and isolate you so that you are no longer a threat to him. You might think you are on the right track - but end up seeking God so hard that you fall into the traps set for you of religious zeal and absolutism, man's theology, compromise, pride, and division.
What was the original sin? At it's core, Eve wanted hidden knowledge. If you are chasing deeper knowledge than what God has revealed to you in His word - on your own with Him - and you are spending more time googling and researching than you are in the Word, you are at HIGH RISK of falling into a trap. Accept that there are things you just don't need to know before the enemy's foothold in your life becomes the very passion you have for God. How very sad of a way to fall.
Don't go looking for a "better way to pray" or a more "proper name" or any of these rabbit trails. They all lead to deception. Trust God that the BIBLE we have is enough, and it is what HE ordained for us to have.
I've been there, I know. My discernment was once broken too (I still have to be cautious) - and I believed lies crafted by men because they were skilled at spinning the Word, but the enemy knows the Bible better than you or I EVER will. We have to keep our noses in the right book.
Don't get me wrong, I love to research, and I love to know the roots and origins of everything that I can - but there is always balance to be found - and many of us are not mature enough in our faith to know how to maintain that balance. It's a struggle I've faced since I fully submitted to God, to rein myself in when I run ahead of Him or to know when He is telling me to stop digging and trust Him. It's also important to look at both sides of any idea, movement, etc.
If you're determined to dig deeper and research extra-biblical theologies and movements, be sure at least to read and watch background materials that both persuade and warn - because for pretty much everything you can find both sides out there, and if you give honest time to both, you will have a better foundation for your discernment to function.
Even the greats fall. Henri Nowen was an amazing man of God, intercessor, prolific writer...but his quest to find the better way to pray led him to transcendental meditation and he began consorting with demons - not even able to recognize his peril - because his drive for hidden knowledge became more important than his actual relationship with God.
Other great men of God have fallen prey to schemes of the enemy and become cult leaders and led countless believers astray. It happens, friends - and we must be always on our guard.
Be alert! Your discernment may not be as fine tuned as you expect it to be, and it may even be compromised.
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