TEST THE SPIRITS

“Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. YOU MUST TEST THEM TO SEE IF THE SPIRIT THEY HAVE COMES FROM GOD. For there are many false prophets in the world.”
I John 4:1 (NLT)

• The truth is known through the knowledge of the Word of God. In other words, the Word of God is the truth (John 17:17).

• In addition, the truth does two major things: it sets free, and it sanctifies, that is, it makes holy—it consecrates.

“And you shall know the truth, AND THE TRUTH SHALL MAKE YOU FREE.”
John 8:32 (NKJV)

“SANCTIFY THEM BY YOUR TRUTH. YOUR WORD IS TRUTH."
John 17:17 (NKJV)

• Freedom from deception is through the knowledge of the truth, which is the Word of God.
• Those who are victims of false prophets are mostly those who lack the knowledge and understanding of the Word of God, those who are gullible and desperate in getting their needs met (2 Timothy 3:6,7).

• Knowledge of the Word of God counteracts deceptions, and it exposes the heinous acts of the false prophets.

• Every believer should be a student of the Word of God, have understanding of it, in order not to be a victim of the false prophets.
• Whatever spirit someone who claims to be a prophet might be speaking through should be tested (1 Corinthians 14:29; 1 John 4:1).
• There are many spirits and there are many voices in the world.
  EVERY believer should be able to discern, differentiate between the Spirit of God and that of satan, the voice of God and that of the devil (John 10:2-5).

1. “But he who enters the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
2. “To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
3. “And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, FOR THEY KNOW HIS VOICE.
4. “Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, FOR THEY DO NOT KNOW THE VOICE OF STRANGERS.”
   John 10:2-5 (NKJV)

IT is not that they would not hear the voice of the stranger, but they would not follow because they can discern, differentiate the voice of the stranger from that of the Shepherd—Jesus Christ (John 10:7).

• When you have the knowledge of the Word of God, you will be able to differentiate the false from the truth.

• The devil is a counterfeiter.

• The devil is a supernatural being, he could transform himself into an angel of light, and his ministers also do transform themselves into ministers of righteousness (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).

1. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, TRANSFORMING THEMSELVES INTO APOSTLES OF CHRIST.
2. And no wonder! FOR SATAN HIMSELF TRANSFORMS HIMSELF INTO AN ANGEL OF LIGHT.
3. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.”
   2 Corinthians 11:13-15 (NKJV)

• The facts that someone or a so-called prophet told you certain things that are known to be true about your life does not mean such has spoken by the Spirit of God (Deuteronomy 13:1-3; Acts 16:16-18) .
• A number of so-called prophets are operating through the spirit of divination—familiar spirit (Acts 16:16-18).

1. “Now it happened, as we went to prayer, THAT CERTAIN SLAVE GIRL POSSESSED WITH A SPIRIT OF DIVINATION met us, WHO BROUGHT HER MASTERS MUCH PROFIT BY FORTUNE-TELLING.
2. This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.”
3. And this she did for many days. BUT PAUL, GREATLY ANNOYED, TURNED AND SAID TO THE SPIRIT, “I COMMAND YOU IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST TO COME OUT OF HER.” And he came out that very hour
   Acts 16:16-18 (NKJV)

• The girl in the above Bible passage was a fortune teller, and she does that through the spirit of divination—a familiar spirit.

• What she said or prophesied about Paul and his team was right and correct but the spirit with which she prophesied was a spirit of divination—demonic spirit.
• The fact that somebody told you through prophecy what had happened to you in the past, or what you are passing through presently, which could not have been known to him or her if it were not by supernatural means, does not mean such has spoken by the Spirit of God.
• You could easily know someone who operates through strange spirit, demonic spirit, by what the person tells you to do after such has told you a vision or prophecy.
  WHAT the person would ask you to do would be contrary to the Scriptures, especially the New Testament (Zechariah 10:2; Matthew 24:24).

1. “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
2. “YOU WILL KNOW THEM BY THEIR FRUITS. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?
3. “THEREFORE BY THEIR FRUITS YOU WILL KNOW THEM.”
   Matthew 7:15,16,20 (NKJV)

• If somebody told you a vision or prophecy, and what the person told you to do afterwards is contrary to the Bible, the New Testament in particular, do not believe the person and do not do whatever he or she told you to do.

• If someone says you should bring money in order to get solution to your problem, you should not do it.
• If someone wants to have an affair with you, commit immorality with you, in order to get solution to your problem—such is not a prophet of God, he operates through demonic spirit.
• If you are asked to bring animals, cloths, candle, soap, or you are asked to buy a special oil or water, consider the person who says THAT a false prophet.
• If you are told by someone to bath in a river in order to get solution to your problem, count the person a false prophet.
• If someone told you to buy a particular incense, cloth, or whatever brought from one holy land at an exorbitant price, you should reckon the person a false prophet.

“BEWARE LEST ANYONE CHEAT YOU THROUGH PHILOSOPHY AND EMPTY DECEIT, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.”
Colossians 2:8 (NKJV)

• Having said that, it does not mean there are no genuine prophets of God in the body of Christ.

• There are prophets of God in the Church of Christ who operated by the principles of the Bible.
• Prophet is one of the Ministry GIFTS Jesus gave to the Church, and there are genuine, proven men and women who operated in the office (Ephesians 4:11).
• The office of the PROPHET is still existing in the body of Christ, and the gift of prophecy has not ceased as some claimed to be.
  IF tongues and knowledge mentioned or listed alongside with prophesy in 1 Corinthians 13:8 have not ceased or vanished away, then prophecies have not failed or ceased also.
• Apostle Paul admonishes us: “Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. TEST ALL THINGS; HOLD FAST WHAT IS GOOD. Abstain from every form of evil" (1 Thessalonians 5:19-22).
• All we need to do in other not to be victims of false prophets and prophecies is to test all things, AND HOLD FAST WHAT IS GOOD.

• Allow God to solve your problems, whatever may be the predicament, in His own way.

• If you are desperate, you want to get solution to your predicament, without following the Word of God—the due process of God—you may find yourself in a bigger problem afterwards.
• Do not be anxious in getting your needs met, or getting solution to whatever difficulty you may have (Philippians 4:7; Matthew 6:25-27).
• You cannot care for yourself more than God does: “CASTING ALL YOUR CARE UPON HIM, FOR HE CARES FOR YOU" (1 Peter 5:7).
• If you did go ahead of God in getting solution to whatever problem or predicament, you may land in bigger difficulties.

• God has given us the Holy Spirit to help us, lead us, and guide us in our Christian journey on earth (John 14:16-18, 26; 16:13; Romans 8:9).

• If you built a good solid relationship with the Holy Spirit, He will always guide you, lead you, and give you a nudge, and alert you, when you are about to fall into the trap of the enemy—the devil.
• The Holy Spirit in you will tell you all things and reveal all things to you, if your fellowship with Him is cordial and you always acknowledge Him in all you want to do (Proverbs 3:5,6; Romans 8:9,14).

1. “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
2. FOR AS MANY AS ARE LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD, THESE ARE SONS [daughters] OF GOD.”
   Romans 8:9,14 (NKJV)

• Work on your fellowship with the Holy Spirit, grow in it, and be cordial with Him.

• You will not fail in Jesus’ name.
Peace!