Watching out for wolves in sheep’s clothing
Discerning God's Voice
“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God.”
These verses remind us that not every voice, feeling, or message we hear is from God. Sometimes what we think is guidance from God may actually come from our own emotions, from worldly influences, or even from evil that is trying to confuse and mislead us during spiritual warfare. Because of this, the Bible urges us to “test the spirits.”
How to "Test the Spirits"
Testing the spirits means measuring everything we hear, feel, or believe against the truth of God’s Word. God will never contradict himself.
In contrast, false teachers and evil spirits try to distort the truth. Their messages and ideas may sound wise and persuasive, but the meaning of their words doesn’t line up with God’s Word. We may hear messages like this often in our fallen world.
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