How to Test the Spirits?

[Hobie]

How do you test the spirits, and prophets to see if they are false, as we have many that say they have the 'spirit' or the 'spirit allows them to speak in tongues', or they were told to do or say things 'by a spirit', or give 'prophecies or interpretation from a spirit', etc.. Scripture definably tells us to do this...
1 John 4:1
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

There are indeed many false spirits and false prophets out in the world today, which are deceiving many. So how can we recognize a false spirit or the spirit of a false prophet or teacher and don’t be taken in by them. And how do we test them?

Well the Bible lists a series of tests that can be applied to test the spirits or prophets to determine whether they are genuine or not. Taken individually, it is possible to counterfeit many of these tests, but collectively, they provide an impassable barrier to these false spirits or prophets, as even in Bible times we see them at work.

Acts 16:16
And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:

Those with these false spirits can quote scripture or have demons help them and have some of their 'divinations' come true, but they can still be false and lead God's people astray. John says that we must test the spirits to see whether they are from God and this means that we must test what the spirits are saying, or doing, or telling us to say. So lets see the tests..

1) A true spirit or prophet's message will be in complete harmony with the word of God and the law of God.
Isaiah 8:20
To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

2) A true spirit or prophet's will produce the attributes given us in the scripture, goodness, righteousness and truth as well as love and more.
Ephesians 5:9
(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth
Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance:..

3) A true spirit or prophet gives counsel to edify the church, and has a grace and wisdom from God.
Luke 2:40
And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.
1 Corinthians 14:3-5
3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
5 I would that ye all spake with tongues but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

4) A true spirit or prophet will exalt Christ as the Son of God and the Saviour of mankind, and lift up the church, the body of Christ.
1 John 4:11-15
12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

Ephesians 2:11-13
11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world
13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

5) The true spirit or prophet will bear good fruit and give Gods truth with great authority.

Matthew 7:20
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Matthew 7:29
For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Mark 1:22
And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.

Luke 1:17
And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

Jesus is the supreme example, and He spoke those things which He had seen and heard from the Father, and we see the spirit preparing and turning the people to Christ.

 

[Josh II]

How do you test the spirits?

I first measure everything against the written word of God and the example of Jesus because whatever else the Spirit might say it will never contradict what is written. Neither will untoward spirits or people influenced thusly.

, and prophets to see if they are false, as we have many that say they have the 'spirit' or the 'spirit allows them to speak in tongues', or they were told to do or say things 'by a spirit', or give 'prophecies or interpretation from a spirit', etc.. Scripture definably tells us to do this...
1 John 4:1
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

There are indeed many false spirits and false prophets out in the world today, which are deceiving many. So how can we recognize a false spirit or the spirit of a false prophet or teacher and don’t be taken in by them. And how do we test them?

Well the Bible lists a series of tests that can be applied to test the spirits or prophets to determine whether they are genuine or not. Taken individually, it is possible to counterfeit many of these tests, but collectively, they provide an impassable barrier to these false spirits or prophets, as even in Bible times we see them at work.

Acts 16:16
And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:

Those with these false spirits can quote scripture or have demons help them and have some of their 'divinations' come true, but they can still be false and lead God's people astray. John says that we must test the spirits to see whether they are from God and this means that we must test what the spirits are saying, or doing, or telling us to say. So lets see the tests..

1) A true spirit or prophet's message will be in complete harmony with the word of God and the law of God.
Isaiah 8:20
To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

2) A true spirit or prophet's will produce the attributes given us in the scripture, goodness, righteousness and truth as well as love and more.
Ephesians 5:9
(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth
Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance:..

3) A true spirit or prophet gives counsel to edify the church, and has a grace and wisdom from God.
Luke 2:40
And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.
1 Corinthians 14:3-5
3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
5 I would that ye all spake with tongues but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

4) A true spirit or prophet will exalt Christ as the Son of God and the Saviour of mankind, and lift up the church, the body of Christ.
1 John 4:11-15
12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

Ephesians 2:11-13
11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world
13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

5) The true spirit or prophet will bear good fruit and give Gods truth with great authority.

Matthew 7:20
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Matthew 7:29
For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Mark 1:22
And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.

Luke 1:17
And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

Jesus is the supreme example, and He spoke those things which He had seen and heard from the Father, and we see the spirit preparing and turning the people to Christ.

All of which proves the Word, and not the Spirit is the first place to seek confirmation and the two should never be considered to the exclusion of the other.

 

[EarlyActs]

How do you test the spirits, and prophets to see if they are false, as we have many that say they have the 'spirit' or the 'spirit allows them to speak in tongues', or they were told to do or say things 'by a spirit', or give 'prophecies or interpretation from a spirit', etc.. Scripture definably tells us to do this...
1 John 4:1
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

There are indeed many false spirits and false prophets out in the world today, which are deceiving many. So how can we recognize a false spirit or the spirit of a false prophet or teacher and don’t be taken in by them. And how do we test them?

Well the Bible lists a series of tests that can be applied to test the spirits or prophets to determine whether they are genuine or not. Taken individually, it is possible to counterfeit many of these tests, but collectively, they provide an impassable barrier to these false spirits or prophets, as even in Bible times we see them at work.

Acts 16:16
And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:

Those with these false spirits can quote scripture or have demons help them and have some of their 'divinations' come true, but they can still be false and lead God's people astray. John says that we must test the spirits to see whether they are from God and this means that we must test what the spirits are saying, or doing, or telling us to say. So lets see the tests..

1) A true spirit or prophet's message will be in complete harmony with the word of God and the law of God.
Isaiah 8:20
To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

2) A true spirit or prophet's will produce the attributes given us in the scripture, goodness, righteousness and truth as well as love and more.
Ephesians 5:9
(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth
Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance:..

3) A true spirit or prophet gives counsel to edify the church, and has a grace and wisdom from God.
Luke 2:40
And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.
1 Corinthians 14:3-5
3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
5 I would that ye all spake with tongues but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

4) A true spirit or prophet will exalt Christ as the Son of God and the Saviour of mankind, and lift up the church, the body of Christ.
1 John 4:11-15
12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

Ephesians 2:11-13
11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world
13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

5) The true spirit or prophet will bear good fruit and give Gods truth with great authority.

Matthew 7:20
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Matthew 7:29
For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Mark 1:22
And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.

Luke 1:17
And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

Jesus is the supreme example, and He spoke those things which He had seen and heard from the Father, and we see the spirit preparing and turning the people to Christ.

It would be good to have a collection of list statements from the NT about this. We also have to be sophisticated enough to know that there are more tricks thrown at the Bible, or through it, than ever.

Here's one that sounds so innocent: 'God gave me this verse.' Well, He gave all of them. But the thing often is more annoying than that: the same verse has charmed others simply because it is ear-candy like 'I know the plans I have for you.'

I believe that we must frequently update our criterion and sharpen it. This past year I was immersed in three things that were aggressive statements of NT truth, which otherwise gets stated in a dull or worn-out way:
1, that the 40 days between the Res and Pentecost were the best in-person explanation of our faith, best found in the early messages of Acts. This is a much more grounded statement about early Christianity than trying to explain the printed text and letters and decisions 4 centuries later.
2, that the destruction of Israel in the 1st century is an astonishing support of the NT, but somehow has become a taboo that many do not want to know about, or that they block by irrational references to modern events.
3, that the Pentecost event was proof of an important invisible truth: that Christ has been enthroned. This message--that He is the king and it rightfully belongs to Him--was catapulted out to the nations through the people who returned home from that Pentecost event. I mention this not only to strengthen the unity of the Bible but to clarify mistaken practices and beliefs about tongues (it was a miracle that was heard, not spoken--follow the text closely).

 

[jeremiah1five]

Every one of your submissions in which to test I can definitely agree with except number 2.

Case in point: Jeremiah is one of the major prophets sent to Israel to "let 'em have it" from God. And there are Jeremiah's out in the church today called in spirit and power of the prophets named in Scripture. But if one of these 'spirit and power' Jeremiah's ever crossed your path and you applied your list you would have a problem with someone sent with the same ministry as Jeremiah today. First, every true prophet sent by God was rejected by the people they were sent to serve and New Covenant prophets are no different.
Take Saul. He was sent by God in the spirit and power of Jeremiah and look at his life against what the physical Jeremiah experienced. Saul lists those experiences in his second letter to Jewish Christians at Corinth:

23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; tin labours more abundant, in stripes above measure,
in prisons more frequent,
in deaths oft.
24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
25 Thrice was I beaten with rods,
once was I stoned,
thrice I suffered shipwreck,
a night and a day I have been in the deep;
26 In journeyings often,
in perils of waters,
in perils of robbers,
in perils by mine own countrymen,
in perils by the heathen,
in perils in the city,
in perils in the wilderness,
in perils in the sea,
in perils among false brethren;
27 In weariness and painfulness,
in watchings often,
in hunger and thirst,
in fastings often,
in cold and nakedness.
28 Beside those things that are without,
that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
29 Who is weak, and I am not weak?
who is offended, and I burn not? (pissed off. Holy indignation)
30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.
31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.
2 Cor. 11:22–31.

And Christ told him (through Ananias) when he was called the suffering he would endure for his Lord:

16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.
Act. 9:15–16.

And if you met the apostle/prophet/teacher Saul you would be among those that would add to his cross because of his coming in the spirit and power of Jeremiah.

And if you did indeed meet someone today who was called in the spirit and power of Jeremiah you would call him a false teacher/prophet/Christian/brethren. Now, let me show you Jeremiah's calling and you tell me if someone came with the same spirit and power if you would see them as in their ministry:

9 Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.
10 See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms,
to root out,
and to pull down,
and to destroy,
and to throw down,
to build,
and to plant.
Jeremiah 1:9–10.

If you met someone who was always "rooting out" and "pulling down" and "destroying" and "throwing down" things long-held as belief's because of the constant lies of the false prophets he had to deal with in his people you would seek his destruction or his imprisonment, or his muzzling, or his death because if anyone didn't come with the "love of Jesus shining in their face" and did and said what he did and said you would be against him.

And as far as number one is concerned. If you hold to false doctrine you would be in no position to judge whether a prophet in his (or her) ministry was speaking the truth of God's Word - even if speaking against your heresy (doctrine) or lack of love (schism.)

Good post. I hope my addition help you see some things that have been overlooked.

 

[Bob Carabbio]

How to Test the Spirits?​

Knowing what the BIBLE SAYS will get yo 90% of the way there.

 

[prism]

Knowing what the BIBLE SAYS will get yo 90% of the way there.

That leaves 10% error. I'd rather go 100% with Christ's imputed righteousness.

Romans 4:5 KJV
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

 

[Mr GLee]

How do you test the spirits, and prophets to see if they are false, as we have many that say they have the 'spirit' or the 'spirit allows them to speak in tongues', or they were told to do or say things 'by a spirit', or give 'prophecies or interpretation from a spirit', etc.. Scripture definably tells us to do this...

Tongues is prophecy .

We can test the spirits to see if of dying mankind false prophets sent as false apostles . . or the Spirit our living God the Holy Father.

Rightly dividing (interpreting )according to his instructions so we can seek His approval (2 Timothy 2:15) .
Not adding or subtracting from the perfect (sola scriptura) through the oral traditions of dying mankind

They make scripture to no efect

1 Corinthians 2:12Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

Therefore comparing the spiritual unseen eternal things of God to the same faith of Christ the power of God

1 Corinthians2: 13-1413 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.. . . .(faith to faith) the gospel But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. . .Christ's faith not of our own.

In that way we defend that (sola scriptura the living word) which defends us as the armor of God ..

Mankind the elect (Christians) were warned beforehand as a witness of two .Mathew and Mark that when the perfect the who book of prophecy comes

Matthew 24:23-25King James Version23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Behold, I have told you before.

Mark 13:21-23King James Version And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not: For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.

Sola scriptura the flaming sword of the Spirit guarding the way to the tree of life born again salvation

Many will continue to follow after the oral traditions of dying men seen and not the Spirit of Christ who works mutually in those born agin .

Genisis 3: 24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
.

 

[Bob Carabbio]

That leaves 10% error. I'd rather go 100% with Christ's imputed righteousness.

Romans 4:5 KJV
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Off topic.

 

[Hobie]

I first measure everything against the written word of God and the example of Jesus because whatever else the Spirit might say it will never contradict what is written. Neither will untoward spirits or people influenced thusly.

All of which proves the Word, and not the Spirit is the first place to seek confirmation and the two should never be considered to the exclusion of the other.

True or else you end up with this..