Test the spirits Updated 2/6/11
1John 4 : 1 - 3 - "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. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world."
Soon the spiritual conflict that has raged on earth since the days of Adam will be fought out in the open before all mankind. This coming contest will truly be between God, the Author of all Goodness and Righteousness, who is the Ultimate Authority of the Universe, that He alone created, and the devil who leads the rebellion against God by turning men's hearts against the constraints of God's Righteous which has been written as a knowledge of what's right and what's wrong on the individual consciences of mankind. God is the God of Truth while the devil is the father of lies. Jesus, God's Son, came to give us life more abundantly while the devil is the thief who comes to steal, kill, and destroy lives. God offers His Love to His Creation and He wants us to love Him and to love one another while the devil offers small tastes of dark spiritual power and passing empty pleasures and says, "if it feels good to rebel against God, then do it."
God is the most powerful and most feared Spiritual Person in the Universe. He is the Creator of man's souls and spirits which to us is life, but the devil also wields immense power, much much much more then mankind is willing to admit or believe; and he never stops working to corrupt people's lives, and he never surrenders. God works out in the open while the devil's forces have, for the most part, worked in the shadows. That way they could steal, kill, and destroy and then blame God for the evil that they had done. How many times have you heard someone say, "If God was such a loving God then why did this or that happen?". Although God allows some people's evil to effect other people's lives, though the vast majority of it He has restrained, God is not it's author. Yes, God sometimes steps out of evil's way to let evil test, refine, instruct, punish, or discipline man to accomplish His Greater Purposes, but be assured that God hates all evil. Evil is by definition disobedience to God's Will and a rebellion against God's Heart of Goodness.
Since the knowledge of good and evil entered into the world with Adam, God has given mankind the choice as far as whose side that they will take in this great spiritual struggle, and in order for man to have an informed choice when deciding what he likes best between good or evil, the Lord has let evil firmly manifest itself on earth. Since the moment when Adam chose to disobey God, evil has become a part of everyone's life, and although we are all now tainted by evil's stain, some of us believe ourselves to be "good people" because we are seemingly less tainted then others. This makes sense from man's perspective, but from God's Perspective of Righteous Perfection, more evil or less evil is still evil, and God hates all evil.
Those who overcome the desire to be evil and choose to stand with, surrender to, and be cleansed by Jesus and His Goodness will soon be glad, while those who choose to stand against Christ for the sake of a little power or a few passing evil pleasures will soon be shut out from the Love of God and from all that is good.
In the end God will judge everyone as to whether they will go to Heaven to an eternal reward or to Hell to join the devil in eternal punishment. Unlike the angels, of whom some were inclined to follow God and some were not, mankind's sinful nature, inherited from the moment Adam sinned, has made all mankind inclined to choose rebellion. Thus God allows obedience and rebellion live side by side so that if a man, no matter how evil he is, wants to be God's Friend, he can reach out to Jesus from the deepest depths of his evil rebellion and choose, with the help of the Holy Spirit's Power, to control his own sinful nature's powerful inclination towards evil, by purposing in his heart to take God's Hand and walk with Him; and though he may stumble and get back up many many times along the way, once God has taken someone's hand He will not let go. It's very special to God to have relationships with people who He's created who have chosen freely to obey Him and to love Him back. Those who love God and what's good and reject what's evil; and who accept Christ's Payment on the cross so as to be cleansed from the evil that already stains their lives, they will stand with God and will be considered by God to be His Children, His Treasure; while those who stand against God by loving what's evil will be objects of God's Holy Angry Wrath, continually writhing in agony, covered with tormenting worms, lost, forgotten, never resting, and forever longing for just a single drop of water to touch their thirsty tongues, as they burn in the terrible fires of Hell.
Soon spiritual power will be on display throughout the earth, but just because something is spiritual doesn't mean that it's from God, and just because a spiritual experience is pleasurable also doesn't automatically mean that it's from God. The devil can use spiritual experiences to trick and divide Christians and sadly, he has been doing it for many many years. When we are walking closely with God and we have a strong spiritual experience we automatically want to believe that the author of that experience is God. One example of how the devil has tricked Christians with false spiritual experiences and then used that trick to divide the Body of Christ against itself is in the modern day understanding of "speaking in or praying in" tongues.
In Biblical times, speaking in tongues was not just babbling off a bunch of words, but it was actually speaking in a language that you did not previously understand to praise God or to relate some spiritual Truth to someone who also spoke that language. In the book of Acts, tongues were first used as a sign to God fearing Jews when they were foreigners in Jerusalem. As they were passing by they heard Jews from Jerusalem speaking of God in their own foreign languages. Acts 2 : 4 - 6 - "All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language."
God gave this sign first specifically to the Jews and then later He used this same sign to unite the Jews, who believed in Christ, with the Gentiles, who believed in Christ, into one Spiritual Family. Acts 10 : 44 - 47 - "While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, 'Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.'" The message from God by having the Jews first and then the Gentiles speak in tongues was clear. If the Gentiles had the same Spirit as the Jews then the Gentiles were approved by God and they were to be welcomed into the Family of God. It was done to bring unity, and someone must have been able to understand the language that the Gentiles were speaking because the verse says that they heard them praising God.
Today when someone rattles off some words that they claim as a tongue, how do they know who they are praising or what they are saying? How can they test that spirit to know if that spirit is acknowledging that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh when they don't know what is being said? How do they know that it's not coming from the spirit of the antichrist who's been at work in the world for a long long time? Just because it feels good to speak a bunch of syllables doesn't mean you're praising God. It feels good to the pagans as well. You could be praising or praying to a demon for all you know, and there's a good chance that you are. The disciples asked Jesus in Matthew how to pray and Jesus told them specifically do not be like the pagans and babble off a bunch of words.
(Side Note:) Who were the pagans praying to? False pagan gods, otherwise known as demons, who had the power to give people delusions and various levels of spiritual experiences. Psalm 4 : 2b "..... How long will you love delusions and seek false gods?" If people loved the delusions of demons they must have brought with them some form of pleasure or entertainment. People usually don't love something that gives them nothing in return. I believe that these delusions probably played out in people's minds much like we watch a movie, and I've heard that many modern day writers often envision the stories that they're writing in their minds while they write. Although these writers have no reason to believe that they're not being original, much of what we see on TV and in the movies may very well have been fed to the writers by dark spiritual forces that were beyond their understanding. I think that it's very likely that the programming that the devil uses to lower our tolerances towards evil are themselves the delusions of demons brought to life on screen and broadcast to a mass audience; and just like the people from the past we love to watch them.
(Side Note:) Although I don't know if the writers of the "Left Behind" series of books and movie screenplays used this process to write these stories; since the series is based on the false premise of a pre-Tribulation rapture, I would not be surprised if there are other false ideas throughout the whole work that were placed there unintentionally by the writers, but intentionally by dark forces, to confuse, deceive, and misdirect people who will soon be living through the end times period. Needless to say when the pre-tribulation rapture does not occur you should focus on what God says and and not what a fictional book series says about the days to come. Also needless to say, since most Christians are expecting to be raptured and gone, the end times experience is going to be very different then what they have been told in books and in movies to personally expect.
If the pagan false gods did not produce some form of pleasurable spiritual experience for their followers then why did so many follow them? Throughout the Old Testament these false gods were very skillful at ensnaring God's Children into following them, and sadly, just because we live in modern times doesn't mean that these enemies of our souls just went away. When Jesus gave his disciples an example of prayer He spoke clear words that the disciples could understand and at the very beginning He made it very clear that His Prayer was directed to His Heavenly Father. Matthew 6 : 7 -9 - "And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. This, then, is how you should pray: "'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, ......."
We should never pray things that we don't understand or to someone that we know not whom. In 1Corinthians Paul, who was trying to draw a sinful corrupt church back to the Truth, gave the Believers there the benefit of the doubt that the tongues that they were speaking were spoken to God as he graciously tried to convince them to stop speaking in tongues and to speak in a way that everyone would understand and could agree with. Paul also said in 1Corinthians 14 : 22 that "Tongues, then are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers. ......." Now how could the modern day understanding of tongues be a sign to an unbeliever when no one has a clue as to what is being said? For tongues to be a sign to anyone they would have to be understood, and since we don't have an example of Paul speaking in tongues to compare with pagans speaking in babble, how do we know if the modern day "tongues" people claim to speak are tongues like Paul spoke or are babble like the pagans babbled to pagan gods?
You may be asking why is this such a big deal? Who cares if people rattle off a bunch of words that they believe are to God if it makes them feel better? The answer is that sadly, the very sign that brought the New Testament Church together is now a stumbling block that divides the modern day Body of Christ. Many of those who speak in babble, and that's what tongues sound like to the rest of the Body of Christ, have been told that their tongues are evidence that they are now saved and that they are more spiritual then their non-babbling Christian friends, and without any "tongues evidence" the question of their non-babbling Christian friend's salvation is still in doubt. This reasoning can then turn people into evangelists for tongues within the Body of Christ and not ambassadors of Christ's Love. Once these evangelists for tongues get into a church they often have the desire, in their zeal, to bring everyone the same good feelings, to verify everyone's salvation through the speaking of tongues, and to get everyone that they know to seek the tongues experience through what they call a second baptism of the Holy Spirit. Sadly, this second baptism, that is suppose to be proven true by the evidence of speaking in tongues, that people are expected to speak upon it's completion, is also false and divisive, and it is not coming from God; nor is what's called the slaying in the Spirit where someone touches a person and the person who gets touched, faints. No matter how good it may feel or how powerful of an experience it may provide, it's author is not God and in this process people are opening themselves up to spiritual forces that intend to harm them in the end.
Those who lead people into these experiences of what is often called the charismatic movement are likely in danger of being found unfaithful by Jesus because they are potentially leading people to pray to and worship false gods with the babble that they encourage. This is why it's so important that you always know what you are saying, who you are praying to, and what you are praying, with every word, praise, and prayer. I think that Matthew 7 : 22 - 23 is one of the saddest Passages in the Bible because it speaks of those who are doing evil believing that they are doing God's Will. Matthew 7 : 22 - 23 - "Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" How could these "spiritual" people be so far from the heart of God that Jesus would call them evil doers? The only answer I can see is that their spirituality and what they perceived as spiritual results must have come from false sources.
On a side note, since it has been such a long time since God has sent any actual prophets among His People many today in the charismatic movement today claim to take on a prophet's role telling the people that God said this to them or that to them, claiming that their message to the people comes with the Authority of Almighty God. This also is not good and it shows that these people have completely lost their fear of God. God holds His Prophets to the very highest standard in Scripture and God knows whether He is speaking through someone or not. Those who think that they might be a prophet must be careful not to proclaim that they are speaking with the Authority of God unless God confirms that He is truly speaking through them with verifiable predictions of the future and or by obvious supernatural miracles. As for this Journal that I am writing; I do not claim it to be from God unless God performs the healing miracles that I have predicted and that I am specifically praying for to verify His Participation, and I don't want you to believe what I am writing unless the Lord obviously confirms me as His Messenger. For those who claim to be prophets I ask you to read this Passage in Ezekiel and listen to the standard that God holds those who claim to speak for Him. Ezekiel 13 : 2 - ""Son of man, prophecy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to those who prophecy out of their own imagination: 'Hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and see nothing! Your prophets, O Israel, are like jackals among ruins. You have not gone up to the breaks in the wall to repair it for the house of Israel so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of the Lord. Their visions are false and their divinations a lie. They say, "The Lord declares." when the Lord has not sent them; yet they expect their words to be fulfilled. Have you not seen false visions and uttered lying divinations when you say, "The Lord declares," though I have not spoken? 'Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because of your false words and lying visions, I am against you, declares the Sovereign Lord. My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations. They will not belong to the council of my people or listed in the records of the house of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.'" When someone claims to speak for God in Jesus' Name they had better know one hundred percent for sure and have it verified by the Hand of God that God is speaking through them or they risk being cut off from God's People. They are at risk of being the ones in the verse above that said they spoke prophecy in Jesus' Name and the Lord said to them, "I never knew you." If you have claimed to speak with the Authority of the Lord I ask you to take some time of deep reflection seeking the Lord and if the Lord convicts you that He was not speaking through you then repent, refuse the mark of the beast if it is being forced on you, and never claim to speak with the authority of the Lord again.
Back to the issue, I have been told personally by some who have received "the gift of the second baptism of the Holy Spirit", that they now have a greater faith then those who have not received "the gift". This also is not good. There are not two levels of faith within the Body of Christ, and there is no room for someone who now speaks in babble to feel somehow superior to those who do not, or for those who do not to feel somehow superior to those who do. If this gift were truly of the Holy Spirit it would inspire everyone who speaks in tongues to be more humble, not to think that they are superior. Furthermore, it's heartbreaking that the issue that God's Children fight over most is how His Holy Spirit manifests when it's His Holy Spirit who's suppose to make us all One with God. Just the fact that this issue of modern day tongues brings such division and disunity to the Body of Christ should be a big enough clue that modern day tongues are not coming from the Spirit of God but from a source that delights in divisions within the Body of Christ.
Although I know that several friends and countless Believers, who deeply love Jesus, speak in tongues, I want to challenge you to hold to the standard of always having someone right there to right away interpret what is being said or prayed in public, or in private, so that no babble can be called a prayer to God unless it truly is. It's interesting that so many have the gift of tongues in our day and so few have the gift of interpretation when they are suppose to work hand in glove in the church. I have never heard of anyone receiving the gift of interpretation when they are suppose to be receiving the "baptism of the Holy Spirit". It's almost like those who are providing the tongues don't want you to know what you are saying.
I believe that when the Holy Spirit of Power is poured out that the speaking in tongues as it is seen in Acts, speaking other languages, that we did not understand until we received the Holy Spirit of Power, that other people will understand, will be very common when we take the Gospel to the lost world during the end times harvest. However, I want to ask everyone, for the sake of the unity of the Body of Christ, to stop speaking words that no one, including yourself, can understand, and to stop promoting any speaking or praying with words that no one, including yourself, can understand. If it is not something that you can understand or have immediately interpreted, then it's not worth saying or praying either privately or publicly, and you could be doing much more harm by saying it then good. I also want to ask everyone to stop slaying each other in the Spirit and baptizing each other in the Spirit unless it is to pass along the Holy Spirit of Power one to another, and if this is the case the Lord will show you something truly supernatural like walking on water to confirm the transfer.
As you ask the Lord to come into your heart to shine His Light of Truth into every dark corner you may be prompted by God to repent for speaking in "tongues" as it is being done in the modern day, and or for the promotion of speaking in "tongues" to others, and if you are, do it. God knows what you've prayed and what you've spoken, and He knows if you have been praising false gods or not. Like a drug, I fear that some may be addicted to the good feelings that babble brings and that it will be very difficult for them to forsake babbling like the pagans.
Another example of a similar type of physical spiritual experience that is used to convince people that their faith is true is a warmness in the chest that the Mormon's call the burning of the bosom. This once again is a spiritual experience that people are told is from God, but it's not. When people get this experience they're told that it's proof that Mormonism is true and that with this feeling they then have a physical experience that they can think back to when their Mormon specific beliefs are questioned. I believe that there may be Christ followers within the Mormon Church, however, this physical experience then makes Mormons evangelists to reach Christians with their Mormon beliefs, believing that what they say is true because they could feel it. They then teach that if someone will open themselves up to spiritual forces that they do not understand, and ask for this spiritual experience, that they to will feel the same burning, and with that feeling believe that the Mormon way is true. Like speaking in tongues, this is also divisive and false. The Mormon chest burning does not come to anyone from the Holy Spirit but from a false source, and the false Book of Mormon and the whole Mormon experience is being used against people, who honestly want to love God and want to follow Him, to pit them against others who honestly want to love God and want to follow Him by the real enemy of both. The enemy's strategy is to divide and conquer, and the devil has spiritual and physical tools at his disposal to trick those who want to follow God into breaking into factions and struggling against each other.
In the future when Lutherans or Baptists or Mormons or Catholics or anyone who can receive Him, receives the Holy Spirit of Power, God will allow us to pray to see something supernatural happen to prove that this is not a spirit from the devil but the real Holy Spirit of God. It will not be a feeling in our chest or some babble that we speak, and not even a healing miracle that you've prayed for, because they are coming anyway at some point, but it will be something like walking on water, praying and suddenly being taken to another place, or uprooting a tree and throwing it into a lake by faith.
Those then who receive the Holy Spirit of Power will have no more divisions, and if God gives us dreams or visions by the Holy Spirit of Power we should confirm them with the input of God and through the Holy Bible. Don't just take a dream or vision and run with it without confirmation unless it is something that the Lord alone can assist you in doing. For example, if the Lord gives you a dream that He wants you to do something in Africa and you wake up and you are suddenly transported by God to Africa then I would say that it's a safe bet that that dream was from the Lord. (Note: Beware of dreams that cause fear, that cause other negative emotions, or that make you think that God wants you do do something that goes against the Bible. God will not lead you into sin.)
The devil can give dreams and visions as well. The devil can appear to us as an angel of light, so if what that angel says does not line up with the Bible, don't believe him. In the past there were some who listened to angels who told them spiritual things contrary to the Bible and people have been suffering because of it ever since. Just because an angel looks good and sounds good does not mean that he is a good angel. Soon spiritual power is going to be on display all around us. Remember, just because something is spiritual doesn't mean that it's from God, but it also doesn't mean that something spiritual is automatically not from God. We're dealing with powers greater then ourselves. One is True and the other is a deceiver who wants you to think that he is true, so we have to test the spirits by using the Bible through the Power of the Holy Spirit as our Guide.
(Note: To those who worship idols: God hates this. You are stealing worship from the One True God. The Lord says that these people are deluded who believe that what they made with their own hands has any power to help them, and it makes God very angry. Turn away from your idols and turn to Jesus the Son of God and He will save you from your sins. Isaiah 44 : 9 - 11 - "All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Those who would speak up for them are blind; they are ignorant, to their own shame. Who shapes a god and casts an idol, which can profit him nothing? He and his kind will be put to shame; craftsmen are nothing but men. Let them all come together and take their stand; they will be brought down to terror and infamy." )
