In the Bible, the term “testing the spirits” means to evaluate teachings and prophets to determine whether they are from God or not. This becomes especially important in the context of the emergence of prophets and new teachings, because some of them may be misleading.
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What does it mean to test spirits?
In John chapter 4, verses 1 to 6, two different spirits are introduced. The first spirit is described by the titles “Spirit from God”, “Spirit of God” and “Spirit of truth”. The second spirit is known as the spirit of false prophecy, the spirit of antichrist, and the spirit of lies.
The first spirit, the Holy Spirit, is the Spirit of God that guides us to the truth. The Holy Spirit will never deceive or lead us astray. Instead, he always leads us to truth and a closer relationship with God.
The second spirit that John refers to is a deceiving spirit, a fallen spiritual being that works through a false prophet or teacher. The purpose of this spirit is to lead us away from the truth. This spirit may look very attractive and speak sweet words (2 Corinthians 11:14), but in reality they are ravenous wolves seeking to devour the flock (Acts 20:19).
The Practical New Testament Commentary explains, “In John’s day, there were many people teaching, preaching, and prophesying through various spirits. It is the same in the present time. We must check every man’s words. How do we check them? We compare them with what is written in the Bible. “If their words match what is written in the Bible, we can understand that they are speaking through the Holy Spirit.”
The Gospel of John tells us to test the spirits to see if they are from God. John’s meaning of testing spirits is testing their words. We must always check the words of anyone who claims to speak “through the Spirit” because there are many false teachers and prophets in the world who are constantly trying to deceive us.
Let’s look at some tests you can use to distinguish between a true spirit and a false prophet.
What is the fruit that this spirit bears?
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warns us about false prophets. “Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inside they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits” (Matthew chapter 7, verses 15 and 16).
Jesus tells us that one sure way to spot a false prophet is to examine the fruit he bears.
In Galatians chapter 5, verses 19-21, Paul lists some of the works or fruits of the “body”. The important thing about this list is that every action is something that works against the unity and edification of the church. These are signs of a person who puts himself first and uses others to achieve his goals.
And this is contrary to the standard that Jesus set for greatness. Jesus told his disciples in Matthew chapter 20, verses 26 and 27 that the great key is to serve others, not to be served. It’s really just something that comes from the Holy Spirit. A spirit that bears fruit that enables us to serve others and put them first (Galatians chapter 5, verses 22 and 23).
A false prophet may be able to hide his fruit for a while. But eventually, its true nature will be revealed. Don’t be fooled by their pleasant words. Pay attention to the fruit that comes to fruit. Is it good or bad for the church?
Do they preach from the Bible?
Peter warns us in 2 Peter chapter 2, verse 1 about false prophets who secretly introduce “devastating heresies.” Heresy is a teaching that is contrary to the teachings of the Bible. Sometimes the heresy is obvious, but sometimes it can be very subtle and have the flavor of truth.
Listen carefully to the words of a prophet or teacher. How does it match the Bible? 2 Timothy chapter 3, verse 16 tells us that all scriptures are given by inspiration of God. And since God does not lie (Titus chapter 1, verse 2), we can trust the Bible as a reliable guide to the truth.
For this test to be effective, we need a good understanding of the teachings of the Bible. This does not mean knowing more than a few favorite verses or passages. The false prophet often inserts phrases into his message that seem to support his position.
But those selected verses are often taken out of context or interpreted in a way that contradicts the bulk of the Bible.
Follow the example of the Lamb believers who searched the scriptures to confirm the truth of Paul’s words (Acts 17:11). Just because the person preaching or teaching is known or recommended by a friend is no guarantee that what he is saying is true.
Check the Bible for yourself to see how well their words agree with what God’s inspired Word says.
Proceed with caution. It is tempting to assume that anyone who disagrees with my understanding of the Bible is wrong. They may be wrong, or more likely, I am. But John is referring to those who find their “truth” outside the pages of the Bible.
They may include selected verses in their teachings, but in essence, these teachings are contrary to what is found in the Bible.
Does this spirit glorify God?
Another way to test spirits is to evaluate those who honor them. The Holy Spirit and those under His leadership seek to honor and glorify God. And this is true in all their words and actions (1 Peter 2:12).
On the other hand, the false prophet may glorify God only in words. But they have no real interest in glorifying God. Instead, they will focus their efforts on something else.
Their words and actions will show what is important to them. If they are constantly promoting “their ministry” instead of God’s work or themselves instead of the God of the Bible, this should serve as a warning sign.
Today in the article : What Does it Mean to Test the Spirits? (and How Can We Do It?) We reviewed useful information about the Bible and the way of Jesus. If you wish, you can view other articles of Ali Vahidi about Christianity
