Testing the Spirits

Welcome & Opening Prayer

Turn to 1 John Ch. 4

Open in Prayer

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I. Introduction: A Hidden Spiritual Reality

Our World:

We live in a world today dominated by a naturalistic worldview...

BY CHOICE—ANYTHING SUPERNATURAL DENIED

ATTEMPTING to EXPLAIN CREATION W.O. CREATOR!

💡Based upon WORLDVIEW CHOICE—NOT over WHETHER or NOT anything SUPERNATURAL EXISTS...

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Problem:

UNFORTUNATELY— THIS VIEW can IMPACT the CHRISTIAN

=> EVERY CHRISTIAN HOLDS to a SUPERNATURAL WORLDVIEW— to SOME EXTENT

✨Result/Problem: SOMETIMES WE HOLD to LEAST SUPERNATURAL VIEW POSSIBLE.

MUST AFFIRM GOD—CREATOR

MUST AFFIRM RESURRECTION of JESUS…

BEYOND THIS—WE MAY HOLD to NATURAL VIEWS

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Answer:

Essential Truth: BUT SCRIPTURE = CHOCK-FULL of SUPERNATURAL💡

=> EVEN a SUPERNATURAL/SPIRITUAL REALM of EXISTENCE— ANGELS & DEMONS

Key Takeaway: the DANGER of INCREASINGLY NATURAL VIEW = BELIEVERS LOSE SIGHT of BATTLE WE’RE IN...

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Transition: TODAY- APOSTLE JOHN WARNS of SPIRITUAL OPPOSITION—

— SOMETHING WE CAN’T LOSE SIGHT of...

READ PASSAGE:

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II. Passage Reading

1 John 4:1–6 (ESV)

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.

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.

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.

This is God’s Word for us this morning...

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III. Context Recap: Sacrificial Love

WK OFF 1 JOHN...

Overview/Recap:

JOHN FOCUSES on RIGHT BELIEF & RIGHT LIVING

2 GROUPS— CHILDREN of GOD,, CHILDREN of the DEVIL

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✨ Focus: ONE AIM of JOHN => GIVE HIS READERS ASSURANCE

RIGHT BELIEF & RIGHT LIVING TESTIFY—YOU’VE BEEN BORN AGAIN

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Last Time: JOHN SHOWED US— NEED for LOVE

LOVE = VERB— NOT JUST NOUN!💡

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W/ FOCUS on ASSURANCE—HE CONCLUDED:

1 John 3:24b (ESV)

24 And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.

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Transition: TODAY— John will WARN US — MORE SPIRITS than H.S.

LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 1

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IV. Passage Exposition

A. The Command: Test the Spirits (v. 1)

1 John 4:1 (ESV)

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.

REF INTRODUCTION: CAN QUICKLY LOSE SIGHT of SPIRITUAL REALITIES

C.C.: WE LIVE FAIRLY NATURAL/ROUTINE LIVES 🌍

ALARM CLOCK

CUP of COFFEE

PREP for WORK

COME HOME—PREPARE FOOD/EAT

WATCH T.V.

GO to BED.

**HOPE SOMEWHERE YOU SPEND TIME in PRAYER/BIBLE STUDY?**

✨Takeaway: OUR LIVES = VERY NATURAL/ROUTINE—CAN BE MUNDANE.

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Focus: BUT THERE’S a SPIRITUAL WORLD— & WAR — ALL AROUND US… 💡

Scriptural Support:

1 Peter 5:8–9 (ESV)📜

8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

Peter: BE AWARE! SATAN SEEKS to WREAK HAVOC in YOUR FAITH/LIFE…

?? Rattlesnake Illustration ??

IN THEORY THEY’RE THERE

AFTER SEEING—EXTRA CAREFUL

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Ephesians 6:10–12 (ESV)📜

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

RULERS

AUTHORITIES

COSMIC POWERS OVER PRESENT DARKNESS

SPIRITUAL FORCES of EVIL

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Exhortation:

👉 W/ FRAMEWORK — JOHN SAYS: DON’T BELIEVE EVERY SPIRIT (v1)

✨Reason: FALSE PROPHETS—ANIMATED BY EVIL SPIRITS—HAVE GONE INTO WORLD

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Background: CH. 2 — JOHN ADDRESSED GROUP WHO LEFT (antichrists) THEIR CHURCH(ES) — TAUGHT FALSELY CONCERNING JESUS…

Conclusion: DENYING CHRIST = DENYING FATHER

RIGHT VIEW of CHRIST = ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL — HE is SOURCE of SALVATION!

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JOHN BEGINS—WARNING: DON’T BELIEVE EVERYTHING,, BUT TEST IT.

C.C.: ESPECIALLY TRUE TODAY— INTERNET GIVES ANYONE a PLATFORM… YOU CAN HEAR CRAZY THINGS… 🌍

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Transition: TEST— BUT HOW?

JOHN PROVIDES CLEAR CRITERIA— V2-3

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B. The Criteria: Confession of Jesus Christ (vv. 2-3)

1 John 4:2–3 (ESV)

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.

Main Point: HOLY SPIRIT — TESTIFIES to CHRIST 💡

John 15:26 (ESV)

26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.

HENCE— APOSTLE PAUL CALLS HOLY SPIRIT “SPIRIT of JESUS CHRIST”

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HOW DO WE KNOW the TRUTH ABOUT JESUS??🤔

Apologetic: REMEMBER—CHRIST APPOINTED APOSTLES W/ HIS MESSAGE

JOHN SAID (1:1-3):

WE HAVE HEARD

WE’VE SEEN

WE’VE LOOKED UPON

WE’VE TOUCHED W/ OUR HANDS...

👉 APOSTLES HAD FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE—NOT JUST IDEAS (LIKE FALSE PROPHETS)

THEIR TESTIMONY — NOW ENCAPSULATED in PAGES of SCRIPTURE. 💡

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MAIN AREA of TESTING = PERSON & WORK of CHRIST

Christ’s Person:

SCRIPTURE PRESENTS CLEAR PICTURE— CHRIST is BOTH GOD & MAN💡

Theology: HYPOSTATIC UNION

2 EXTREMES/DITCHES:

DENYING DIVINITY— HE WAS a GOOD MORAL TEACHER

DENYING HUMANITY—HE JUST APPEARED to be HUMAN (v2)

Background: DOCETISM/GNOSTICISM

MANY BELIEVE THIS = PROBLEM in JOHN’S DAY…

History: 1ST CENTURY GREEK WORLD— DIDN’T HOLD to GOODNESS of NATURAL CREATION

Genesis 1:31 (ESV)

31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.

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🌍 MORE PREVALENT TODAY— JESUS = JUST GOOD MORAL TEACHER

SCRIPTURE PRESENTS—HE is INCARNATE WORD of GOD— CO-CREATOR of the WORLDS...

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II. CHRIST’S WORK

Quote: “the confession that Jesus Christ “has come” in flesh does not simply acknowledge that Jesus was a historical person, but expresses the redeeming significance of his incarnate life, death, and resurrection on behalf of the human race.”[1]

CH. 2: JOHN WARNED of THOSE WHO DENIED—JESUS as CHRIST/MESSIAH…

👀 Focus: ANYONE WHO SAYS—MULTIPLE WAYS to HEAVEN—DENIES the UNIQUE PERSON & WORK of CHRIST 👀

HE CAME DOWN to SAVE SINNERS—

— SALVATION = ONLY FOUND in HIM

JESUS isn’t ONE of MANY WAYS => HE is THE WAY.

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Conclusion: ANYTHING DENYING CHRIST’S PERSON or WORK— NOT FROM GOD 💡

SPIRIT of ANTICHRIST—ONE OPPOSED to CHRIST—TEARING DOWN HIS WORK…

Takeaway: REMEMBER— WE HAVE a SPIRITUAL ADVERSARY:

DOESN’T WANT US BELIEVING in TRUE JESUS:

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B.a. Gospel Connection

PAUL PUTS FORTH THIS IDEA CONCERNING UNBELIEVERS…

2 Corinthians 4:4 (ESV)📜

4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

god of this world— SATAN— AIMS to BLIND MINDS

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CHURCH CAN FORGET THIS:

WE CAN’T ARGUE PEOPLE INTO FAITH

WE CAN’T CONVINCE PEOPLE W/ REASONING/EVIDENCE

IT TAKES a SPIRITUAL WORK 💡

JUST as GOD “LET THERE BE LIGHT”

👉 SO HE NEEDS to ILLUMINATE the HEART —

— GIVE the LIGHT of the KNOWLEDGE of the GLORY of GOD in the FACE of JESUS CHRIST...

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✨GOSPEL = FOOLISHNESS to NATURAL MAN

1 Corinthians 1:18 (ESV)📜

18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

HOLY SPIRIT MUST REMOVE the BLINDERS…

MIGHT SEEM FOOLISH—BUT GOD’S PLAN

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SYMBOL of DEFEAT/SHAME — BECOMES OUR VICTORY💡

WE EXALT CROSS—ROMANS WOULDN’T TALK of THEM!

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Presentation:

CHRIST DIED for OUR SINS,, SUFFERING in OUR PLACE

RAISED to LIFE AGAIN…

SO WE MIGHT BE SAVED…THROUGH FAITH in HIM

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Invitation: PERHAPS GOD is WORKING on YOUR HEART—

— HOLY SPIRIT = ILLUMINATING YOUR UNDERSTANDING of CHRIST/HIS PERSON/WORK

I’D LOVE to SPEAK W/ YOU AFTERWARDS…

CHRIST JESUS CAME to SAVE SINNERS— NO ONE is TOO LOST THEY CAN’T BE FOUND…

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Transition: For THOSE WHO HAVE BELIEVED— EYES OPENED to LIGHT of GOSPEL — WE HAVE an ASSURANCE TODAY:

LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 4

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C. Assuring Believers—Overcomers (v. 4)

1 John 4:4 (ESV)

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.

AGAIN—JOHN OFFERS PASTORAL REASSURANCE

PEOPLE DEPARTING—CAUSED STRUGGLE

✨THOSE WHO BELIEVE: HAVE OVERCOME FALSE PROPHETS/ANTICHRIST SPIRIT— & ARE from GOD...

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Exhort: THERE is NO BLINDNESS the LORD CAN’T HEAL

Scriptural Testimony: CONSIDER SAUL of TARSUS—BECAME PAUL!

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NO REASON for BELIEVERS to FEAR:

GOD = ALL-POWERFUL

SPIRIT WITHIN = GREATER THAN SPIRIT in WORLD

Key Takeaway: YES—SPIRITUAL WAR = REAL…

… BUT OUR VICTORY = SURE!

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Take Courage:

YES SPIRITUAL OPPOSITION

I MUST BE WARY

I SHOULD BE WISE

=> BUT GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT GOES W/ ME & IS IN ME!

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Theology Point:

ALL BELIEVERS HAVE the HOLY SPIRIT 💡

Romans 8:9b (ESV)

9 Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

HOLY SPIRIT = DOWN-PAYMENT/GUARANTEE/FIRST-INSTALLMENT of HEAVENLY INHERITANCE

HE = GREATER THAN ANY SPIRIT OPPOSED to CHRIST…

Quote: “This fundamental truth [of God being with us and in us] can be found throughout Scripture and is the basis for Christian courage and composure in a fallen world.”[1]

OUR COURAGE & COMPOSURE COME—AS WE KNOW HE is W/ US!

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Transition: W/ THIS in MIND…

JOHN WILL CLOSE,, FEW THOUGHTS on THOSE FROM GOD

VS. THOSE FROM WORLD..

LOOK W/ ME @ VS.5-6

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D. The Contrast: Of the World vs. Of God (vv. 5-6)

1 John 4:5–6 (ESV)

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.

FALSE PROPHETS:

OF the WORLD…

SPEAK FROM the WORLD

WORLD HEARS THEM.

📜REMEMBER to LOVE the WORLD = NOT LOVE GOD. (2:15)📜

FALSE PROPHETS FIND ACCEPTANCE W/ WORLD—CUT from SAME CLOTH...💡

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PAUL ONCE WARNED:

2 Timothy 4:3–4 (ESV)

3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,

4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

Exhort: YOU CAN FIND a CHURCH THAT WILL TELL YOU WHAT YOU WANT to HEAR.

MIGHT NOT BE TRUTH

BUT THEY’LL TELL YOU YOUR SIN ISN’T SINFUL

TELL YOU: MANY WAYS to GOD…

MANY of THEM HAVE LARGE CHURCHES…

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OUR FAITH NEEDS to BE ROOTED in SCRIPTURE

JOHN POINTS OUT—THEY’RE FROM GOD—

— AGAIN HE WAS SENT BY JESUS— FIRST-HAND WITNESS & ACCOUNT…

FIRST-HAND APOSTOLIC WITNESS = ENCAPSULATED in SCRIPTURE💡

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✨(V6) CONCLUDES: BY TESTING the SPIRITS—KNOW the SPIRIT of TRUTH VS. ERROR…

ERROR (BDAG): “wandering fr. the path of truth, error, delusion, deceit, deception”[1]

FALSE PROPHETS ANIMATED BY ANTICHRIST SPIRIT — WILL TRY & STEER YOU AWAY from CHRIST…

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Transition: ALL in ALL—JOHN is SAYING to US…

Passage Idea:

· Don’t believe everything you hear but test it.

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V. Application: Testing Against God’s Word

WE MUST TEST the THINGS WE HEAR— SEE their SOURCE

Exhort: WE CAN’T LOSE SIGHT of SPIRITUAL BATTLE WE’RE IN. 👀

SPIRIT of ERROR—TRY to PULL US AWAY—YOU DON’T HAVE to GET FAR OFF a TRAIL to GET COMPLETELY LOST…

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WE MUST TEST WHAT WE HEAR AGAINST the TRUTH of GOD’S WORD.

GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT WILL NEVER CONTRADICT GOD’S HOLY WORD.

TEST WHAT YOU HEAR— SEE ITS SOURCE👣

BEREAN CHRISTIANS WERE PRAISED for FACT-CHECKING the APOSTLE PAUL! (ACTS CH. 17)...📜

💥NO PREACHER/TEACHER SHOULD FEAR BEING CHECKED AGAINST SCRIPTURE. 💥

NONE = BEYOND IT.

C.C.: PRESENT PROBLEM—THE INTERNET HAS GIVEN EVERYTHING & ANYONE a PLATFORM🌍

PEOPLE BELIEVE ABSOLUTELY CRAZY THINGS

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⚠️Disclaimer: GOOD BIBLE-BELIEVING CHRISTIANS WILL INTERPRET SOME THINGS DIFFERENTLY. ⚠️

I’LL NEVER CALL SOMEONE a FALSE-PROPHET for DISAGREEMENTS on SECONDARY DOCTRINES

BUT SOME HILLS = WORTH DYING ON

ONE WAY — JESUS

ONE JESUS — HE’S COMING BACK AGAIN

ONE GOSPEL—SALVATION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH

ONE GOD — CREATOR of ALL

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WILL WE REMAIN STEADFAST?

WILL WE BE ALERT to SPIRITUAL DECEPTION?

WILL WE STAY TRUE to CHRIST?

Challenge: IT TAKES TESTING SPIRITS—TESTING WHAT WE HEAR—AGAINST GOD’S WORD… 👣

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Conclusion:

IN our SPIRITUAL WAR—I’M THANKFUL to KNOW the GREATER ONE is WITH ME & IN ME… AMEN?

Close in Prayer