Feeding the Lambs - Test the Spirits

Don’t Believe Everything You Hear

"My dear friends, don’t believe everything you hear. Carefully weigh and examine what people tell you. Not everyone who talks about God comes from God. There are a lot of lying preachers loose in the world."
-The Apostle John
1 John 4:1

[17th message of the New Believer Series]

We have already touched on the Holy Spirit in previous messages of this series. Now if there is God's Spirit, there are also other spirits loose in this world. And they are not of God.

In the excerpt above from a letter by John, one of the closest disciples of Jesus, written to the early believers He was warning them that not everyone claiming that they have the Spirit of God, actually does.

Examine Everything

Before John left this world, he wanted to leave parting words to believers that he will leave behind, like Jesus did to them.

What John basically wanted to say is that believers should not be blind followers.

John told them to think, test, examine and see what kind of spirit the teacher has and it should be easy enough to determine. If it is not in line what Jesus have said and who Jesus is, then it is not the Holy Spirit.

The Apostle Paul in one of his letters to the early believers in Thessalonica even told them to test everything.

Falsehood, Lies, Deception

Since that time, false teachers, false prophets and deceitful people have already started going out into the world.

Their purpose is to mislead anyone who would listen to them and to give those who are teaching the gospel a bad rap. But very early on, contrary to what unbelievers are saying today, believers weren't taught to be a herd of mindless sheep.

In fact, everyone hating on Christianity should follow their own advice and investigate what agenda and purpose their own teachers have (whatever school or institution it may be). 

People are not only being deceived in church but also everywhere else. The irony is that the very ones who are pointing their fingers at another as being brain washed are the ones who are brain washed but are oblivious to it. What is worse is that some know they are being deceived but they fall in line anyway because of the fear of being canceled.

Since the first century, Apostle John, Paul and the other early church leaders have reminded those in their flock to not become blind sheep.

The teachings of the early church leaders totally belie what detractors of Christianity have been saying through the years up until today.

Warning

Before John passed on (he was the last of the first followers of Jesus to die), he reminded the believers of his time to don't just believe anyone who claims to have the Spirit of God. And believers of today should be doing the same thing.

The "other" spirits which have gone out into the world are out to deceive, seduce and manipulate people whether they are inside the church or outside of it. Everyone is a target. 

Image Credit: religious-symbols.net

New Believer Series