How do you test the spirits, and prophets to see if they are false, as we have many that say they have the 'spirit' or the 'spirit allows them to speak in tongues', or they were told to do or say things 'by a spirit', or give 'prophecies or interpretation from a spirit', etc.. Scripture definably tells us to do this...
1 John 4:1
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
There are indeed many false spirits and false prophets out in the world today, which are deceiving many. So how can we recognize a false spirit or the spirit of a false prophet or teacher and don’t be taken in by them. And how do we test them?
Well the Bible lists a series of tests that can be applied to test the spirits or prophets to determine whether they are genuine or not. Taken individually, it is possible to counterfeit many of these tests, but collectively, they provide an impassable barrier to these false spirits or prophets, as even in Bible times we see them at work.
Acts 16:16
And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:
Those with these false spirits can quote scripture or have demons help them and have some of their 'divinations' come true, but they can still be false and lead God's people astray. John says that we must test the spirits to see whether they are from God and this means that we must test what the spirits are saying, or doing, or telling us to say. So lets see the tests..
1) A true spirit or prophet's message will be in complete harmony with the word of God and the law of God.
Isaiah 8:20
To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
2) A true spirit or prophet's will produce the attributes given us in the scripture, goodness, righteousness and truth as well as love and more.
Ephesians 5:9
(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth
Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance:..
3) A true spirit or prophet gives counsel to edify the church, and has a grace and wisdom from God.
Luke 2:40
And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.
1 Corinthians 14:3-5
3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
5 I would that ye all spake with tongues but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.
4) A true spirit or prophet will exalt Christ as the Son of God and the Saviour of mankind, and lift up the church, the body of Christ.
1 John 4:11-15
12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
Ephesians 2:11-13
11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world
13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
5) The true spirit or prophet will bear good fruit and give Gods truth with great authority.
Matthew 7:20
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Matthew 7:29
For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
Mark 1:22
And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.
Luke 1:17
And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
Jesus is the supreme example, and He spoke those things which He had seen and heard from the Father, and we see the spirit preparing and turning the people to Christ.
1 John 4:1
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
There are indeed many false spirits and false prophets out in the world today, which are deceiving many. So how can we recognize a false spirit or the spirit of a false prophet or teacher and don’t be taken in by them. And how do we test them?
Well the Bible lists a series of tests that can be applied to test the spirits or prophets to determine whether they are genuine or not. Taken individually, it is possible to counterfeit many of these tests, but collectively, they provide an impassable barrier to these false spirits or prophets, as even in Bible times we see them at work.
Acts 16:16
And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:
Those with these false spirits can quote scripture or have demons help them and have some of their 'divinations' come true, but they can still be false and lead God's people astray. John says that we must test the spirits to see whether they are from God and this means that we must test what the spirits are saying, or doing, or telling us to say. So lets see the tests..
1) A true spirit or prophet's message will be in complete harmony with the word of God and the law of God.
Isaiah 8:20
To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
2) A true spirit or prophet's will produce the attributes given us in the scripture, goodness, righteousness and truth as well as love and more.
Ephesians 5:9
(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth
Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance:..
3) A true spirit or prophet gives counsel to edify the church, and has a grace and wisdom from God.
Luke 2:40
And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.
1 Corinthians 14:3-5
3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
5 I would that ye all spake with tongues but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.
4) A true spirit or prophet will exalt Christ as the Son of God and the Saviour of mankind, and lift up the church, the body of Christ.
1 John 4:11-15
12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
Ephesians 2:11-13
11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world
13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
5) The true spirit or prophet will bear good fruit and give Gods truth with great authority.
Matthew 7:20
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Matthew 7:29
For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
Mark 1:22
And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.
Luke 1:17
And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
Jesus is the supreme example, and He spoke those things which He had seen and heard from the Father, and we see the spirit preparing and turning the people to Christ.
