Testing The Spirits
Notes
Transcript
Reading:
8 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream,
9 for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, declares the Lord.
Introduction:
There was a game the youth would play on trips.
I’m not sure the name of it but i’ll explain the jist.
Everyone would tell a story about themselves.
It could be anything; but it needed to be made up.
? What kind of stories do you think kids would come up with?
I don’t know how many kids were related to or met and hung out with famous people.
Among all of the lies, there one person chosen ahead of time who had to tell a truthful story.
The game was to figure out who’s story was real.
All the kids could ask questions to anyone when it was their turn as they tried to narrow down who’s story was true.
It wasn’t easy, with exceptions to those who told ridiculous stories.
Transition:
Life can be similar to that game.
We have to depend on our experience, ability, and skill to figure out the truth among all the lies.
It would be really nice to have a source of information that didn’t have any lies.
We do: the Bible!
The bible tells us the truth about the world, we can’t know it all; but at least it will help us sift through the lies to find the truth.
In 1 John 4 we are told about this process for our life and our spiritual health.
We must:
Test The Spirits (1)
Test The Spirits (1)
1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
We are given a message which begins with a term of endearment: Beloved.
John the son of Zebedee wrote to those whom he knew and had a close relationship with.
Typically when someone loves and cares for us we aren’t as skeptical towards what they have to say.
It is understandable that John’s beloved people would be attentive towards his message.
The readers were contending with the gnostics, who believed salvation was knowledge based not based on the cross.
They also taught that all matter was evil and since it was all evil there was no way the Son of God could’ve come in the flesh.
John asked them to exercise caution and wisdom towards the things they were hearing taught.
1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Do not believe every spirit.
Be skeptical right off the bat, keep your guard up.
Unless you know the person and have proven their beliefs don’t just accept what they say.
Illustration:
We have many “pastors” and many different “churches” in our day and age that can help us understand this statement.
Just because someone is called pastor doesn’t necessary mean what they teach is biblical!
Just because it is called a church doesn’t mean that they worship Jesus and hold the bible as truth!
How are we to sift through it all to find truth?
You test the lies against the truth!
A side by side comparison per say.
One of the biggest lies people could believe is that we don’t matter or we are accidents, meaning we are insignificant and worthless.
Genesis 1:27 tells us something different.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
Hear what God says about you!
You are made in His image, something worthy to reflect Him!
God made us on purpose and with a purpose!
Which is what we find in more detail in Psalm 139:13-15
13 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
God made each and every one of us.
He hand crafted you in your mother’s womb.
Personality, appearance, everything!
We aren’t accidents.
We matter!
What does John say about what we evaluate?
1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
See whether or not they are from God.
Everything that represents God will not contradict any part of God’s character or the bible.
We have to asses whether or not they are from God since:
1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Many false prophets have gone into the world.
There are a lot of false teachers who proclaim to be from God, yet their message is contradictory to His word.
We have to be careful who we believe and follow.
Illustration:
There was a process in the time of Jesus for people going to the market to purchase containers for water or liquid in general.
They would get to the clay pot maker/seller and would begin inspecting the jar.
They would feel it, tap it, and hold it up to the light.
Why would they hold it up to the light?
Sometimes the pots would get cracks and the potter would fill the cracks in with wax then paint over them.
When you held it up to the light the daylight would be visible through the wax lines.
Connection:
When you are testing the spirits you need to hold them up to the light and see whether or not areas have been filled in with wax to deceive you into buying something not worthy!
This means we evaluate pastors sermons, whether or not they adhere to scripture.
This means that we see if the ministry is focused on Jesus or man.
Transition:
Test the spirits and their messages so you don’t find sometime down the road that you have given of your time, finances, and efforts supporting something that Jesus is against.
This testing requires that we:
Know The Differences (2-3)
Know The Differences (2-3)
2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,
3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.
We can know the spirit of God and whether or not what we are spending our lives on is valuable or worthless.
What is the base line, where do we start?
Jesus Christ is God in the flesh!
The early church fought a lot against those who said Jesus was just a man.
That He was a prophet of God
He was a good teacher.
He was, etc...
Because we are so long removed from Jesus many people just want to portray that Jesus was made up and wasn’t real.
Obviously Jesus is a big contention for those who aren’t believers.
One thing you can do is:
Ask who Jesus is to them and you’ll find out what spirit they follow.
When people are presenting to you something that seems like truth run a quick checklist:
Does it honor God?
What is their personal testimony like?
Are the fruits of the spirit present in their life?
These questions will reveal whether or not they are compromised or firm on the truth.
A big question: Does the bible specifically say No?
When people say the follow God; but don’t like or agree with Jesus what they have to teach about scripture or Jesus is null and void.
They don’t know the Jesus of scripture.
What kind of things were the Gnostics teaching?
The Gnostics were pushing for people to come into the “gnosis” of God which would awaken their true divine nature hidden within them which was forgotten because of the material world they live in.
They twisted passages to support what they believed:
20 Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed,
21 nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”
The kingdom is “within you”.
And also Mark 4:10-11
10 And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables.
11 And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables,
There were a few different groups at this point and their messages were this:
Jews:
Was Jesus the Messiah and had the Messiah come yet?
Gnostics:
Did He really come in the flesh, in true human nature, or was it an figment of the imagination?
Believers:
Jesus was God in flesh who came to His creation and lived as they do yet without sin!
He was perfect in every way.
Revealing that He was God through showing His attributes:
Omnipotent:
He performed miracles and forgave sins.
Omnipresent:
He saw Nathaniel under the fig tree.
Omniscience:
He knew everything and His wisdom was unmatched!
So we appeal to John’s statement in verse 2.
2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,
Those who proclaim the truth of Jesus are from God, those who don’t aren’t.
Jesus also told us this, when speaking of those who won’t believe in Him.
23 He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.
24 I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”
This message was to the Jews; but it is recorded and it is valid for us as well.
If you don’t believe in Jesus you will die in your sins.
And the truth is that you follow another master.
According to verse :3
3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.
The truth is for us.
We are to cautiously evaluate what people are saying about Jesus.
Especially when it comes to those who call themselves religious.
“Pastors” included.
Many of their messages are full of great stories and funny jokes.
Their way more entertaining than I am.
The music is a professional level production.
The passage reminds us that if it isn’t about Jesus, it isn’t from God.
It is from satan.
Notice the tidbit of information about how satan is working:
Through a spirit of anti-christ.
What does that mean?
Illustration:
On the surface it seems hard to understand but it’s something that all of us know; but may not acknowledge right off the bat.
When you are around different groups of people there is a “spirit” about the gathering.
Whether it is a sporting event
A concert
A festival
Maybe a Reunion
A retirement party
Each one of us recognize there is a spirit about those events.
We also recognize the truth about a phrase we all know:
“Birds of a feather flock together”.
The Gnostics had a spirit about their beliefs which was based on themselves.
The Jews had a spirit about their faith which was based on their traditions.
We as believers are those who have a spirit about our faith that is firmly planted on Jesus’ grace extended to us.
When the passage states how satan is working, we can understand he is working through a grouped spirit of deceit and lies.
And those who are part of it all say and do the same things.
It isn’t about God, it’s about man!
Transition:
We know because we have the truth but the world doesn’t realize that the spirit of satan has been in the world for a long time and many anti-christs have risen with their teachings
We don’t have to fall for it, we have the truth of scripture and the Holy Spirit to reveal it to us.
That should build boldness in us having the truth and immune to Satan's lies.
Be thankful since we can:
Trust The Holy Spirit (4-6)
Trust The Holy Spirit (4-6)
4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
5 They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them.
6 We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
In verse 4 we find hope:
4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
We are given a title:
Little children.
Who’s - God’s Children.
Adopted Ephesians 1:5
5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,
Jesus is our Father.
He protects
He provides
He is always present and cares!
We are given boldness from this truth.
Jesus has overcome the spirit of anti-christ which we once agreed with and followed.
15 What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!
16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?
17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed,
18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.
Jesus broke the chains and gave us the victory and opportunity to trust Him as we follow Him.
At that moment He gave us the seal of approval to our redemption and salvation.
22 and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.
We are sealed by Him, and no one can remove it!
He is greater than satan.
They are not equal or opposite sides of the coin.
Something created cannot be equal with it’s creator.
God’s in charge.
Both groups know their own kind.
5 They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them.
The wisdom is something that the popular opinion from the world echoes and a lot agree with them.
6 We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
We know and have the truth, so we should see through the world’s perversions of God and His word.
since we have a relationship with Jesus.
Because we fellowship with believers, those who are likeminded.
Since we have scripture.
We get to study together, hod each other accountable as we learn the differences between the spirit of the world and the spirit of Jesus.
Conclusion:
We are asked by John to be skeptical of every spirit.
We should test them and measure them against Jesus and scripture.
We can know the differences between lies and the truth.
Because we study scripture to know our God and we have that relationship with Him.
Trust the Holy Spirit’s leading.
If something doesn’t seem right and He is raising some flags about what your hearing.
Dig into the word and chase down the truth.
But be encouraged by knowing that you are His and He will never leave you or forsake you.
If you need wisdom about something, ask for it!
If you need a measure of grace because you realize what you have believed was wrong, He has grace immeasurable!
He will forgive and His love is unconditional.
You’re not alone in this testing, ask your church family.
- Pray!
