TOPIC: TEST EVERY SPIRIT
Read Acts 16:16-24
16 Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling.
17 This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.”
18 And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour.
19 But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities.
20 And they brought them to the magistrates, and said, “These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city;
21 and they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe.”
22 Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods.
23 And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. 24 Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
MEMORISE:
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world (1 John 4:1)
EXPOSITION
The Spirit of God carries about the person, power, authority, and all that God is. He has all that God has because He is equal with God. He represents the Trinity. That is, wherever He is, God the Father and the Son is present with Him. The Spirit of God is of truth, righteousness, and holiness. He bears witness in conformity with the Word of God, and can never be against the Truth.
Every spirit must be tested by the Word of God, and proven by the undiluted Truth of Christ. Many spirits are in operation in this end time, and every believer must be spiritually sensitive to discern rightly whether they are of God or not, lest we fall victim of the effect of falsehood in the world. How about these Mark 5:1-9; Acts 16:16-19?
The spirit of the devil is manifesting in the life of false prophets and teachers. Little wonder they deceive many and populate the kingdom of darkness through their deceitful devices (cf. Jn. 8:44). They disguise as apostles of Christ, cunningly entering into many lives for destruction and death in hell (cf. 2 Tim. 3:5ff). Should we be surprised? No! Even Satan disguises as an angel of light. So, we shouldn’t wonder that his servants do same and even worse. In the end however, they will get the due punishment for their wicked deeds like their father, the devil, did and would ultimately be condemned in hell.
Anyone who claims He is speaking according to the Spirit of God must acknowledge that Jesus Christ came in the body. He must believe in His virgin birth, atoning death, resurrection, ascension and unstoppable return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Do you have the convincing Spirit in you Who testifies that you are a child of God (Rom. 8:14-16)? Check your spirit, and test every spirit to know which is true.
PRAYER POINTS
1. Lord Jesus, give me grace to know You and discern Your Spirit.
2. Father, help me to keep Your Word in my heart for guidance, every moment of my life.
3. Father, punitively expose the spirit of falsehood and its proponents pervading churches today, in Jesus’ name.
EXTRA READING FOR TODAY:
Isa. 54:12 – 58:11; 1 Thess. 5:10 – 5:28; 2 Thess. 1:1 – 1:2
HAVE A PLEASANT SATURDAY……………..SHALOM