Don’t Trust Every Spirit

ByJim Stephens

Scripture: 1 John 4 TPT

1 Delightfully loved friends, don’t trust every spirit, but carefully examine what they say to determine if they are of God, because many false prophets have mingled into the world. 2 Here’s the test for those with the genuine Spirit of God: they will confess Jesus as the Christ who has come in the flesh. 3 Everyone who does not acknowledge that Jesus is from God has the spirit of antichrist, which you heard was coming and is already active in the world. 1 John 4:1-3 TPT)

Here are four things we know about the term “spirit”:

  • Spirit = breath = life source. Genesis 2:7 “God formed a man’s body and breathed into it the breath of life.” Life comes from the Spirit of God. As God’s breath is breathed into us, that breath becomes the spirit of man.
  • Spirit = breath = inspiration. The Bible is Inspired (spirit-breathed), Jesus is Full of the Spirit, Believers are Spirit-filled and Spirit-led. Everything comes from a source and if you trace a “life-related” thing back to its origin you’ll find Spirit.
  • Spirit = attitude = enthusiasm. For instance “We’re going to have a rally before the game to stir up some school spirit.”; or “That’s the spirit! You’re doing great! Go for it!”; or “It’s hard to encourage him, his spirit is so low!”; “It was a spirited debate!”
  • Kinds of spirits: The Spirit of God, the spirit of man, spirits related to God (angels), spirits related to Satan (demonic spirits).

Delightfully loved friends, John tells us:

  • Don’t trust every spirit, but carefully examine what they say to determine whether they are of God. Slow down! Don’t swallow what they say hook, line, and sinker! Where is this coming from? What is the intent? What is next if I believe them?
  • Here’s how to test the spirit of the person and their message and to see if God is the source: Do they confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior of the world, the Son of God and the Son of Man, fully divine and fully human? If Jesus, the real Jesus, is at the center of the motive and the message, OK. If not, then the spirit behind the person and their message is an enemy of Christ, an antichrist.
  • Who guides us and teaches us in the process? The Holy Spirit of God living in us will teach and guide and prompt and direct us!

Prayer:

Father, Thank you for your Holy Spirit, our life-source, our teacher, and our guide. May we always look, listen, and yield to the direction and prompting of your Spirit. Amen.