Testing Of The Spirits

[Walter and Deborah]

1 John 4:1-21

1 John 4 English Standard Version (ESV) Test the Spirits. 4 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God.

Testing Of The Spirits 1-6, Love As Christ Loved 7-21.

1 John 4 - NKJV Bible - Bible Study Tools

 

[Nick01]

How do you personally test the spirits? Do you hear their voices? It says don't believe every spirit. To me that implies that you can actually hear them. What would there be left to believe?

 

[Francis Drake]

How do you personally test the spirits? Do you hear their voices? It says don't believe every spirit. To me that implies that you can actually hear them. What would there be left to believe?

Of course people can hear the voice of evil spirits.
How can there be deceiving spirits if they have no voice?
How can there be doctrines of demons if they cannot speak?
How can demons tempt men if we cannot hear them?

It is through our thoughts that demons insert their whispers, and people indulge in what they think is just turning ideas over in their heads when in reality, they are having a conversation with a demon who is trying to entrap them into obeying their plans.
That's why we are told to take every thought captive!

 

[Nick01]

Of course people can hear the voice of evil spirits.
How can there be deceiving spirits if they have no voice?
How can there be doctrines of demons if they cannot speak?
How can demons tempt men if we cannot hear them?

It is through our thoughts that demons insert their whispers, and people indulge in what they think is just turning ideas over in their heads when in reality, they having a conversation with evil spirits who are trying to entrap them into obeying their plans.
That's why we are told to take every thought captive!

Do you ever hear spirits other than evil ones?

 

[Francis Drake]

Do you ever hear spirits other than evil ones?

I hear the spirit of God frequently, but I am also aware of demons trying to mislead.

 

[Nick01]

I hear the spirit of God frequently, but I am also aware of demons trying to mislead.

I know the bible says "always in prayer" ... is that the case for you? By hearing God, do you mean have conversations, like the bible talks about in the Old Testament? Or does he just say "hey" every now and then?

 

[Francis Drake]

I know the bible says "always in prayer" ... is that the case for you? By hearing God, do you mean have conversations, like the bible talks about in the Old Testament? Or does he just say "hey" every now and then?

Calling it conversation might be a stretch, but I have heard the Lord speak to me many times over more than 50 years.
When I pray, I also listen for that still small voice of the Spirit. He speaks in words, pictures or visions, dreams, and on rare occasions an audible voice.
Sometimes he interjects when I least expect it. Sometimes when I'm speaking to someone else, I realise that my words were not my own, but God speaking through me.

Scripture promises that he will direct our path if we trust him, and that's been my experience for the last 50 years or so.

Unfortunately most Christians never listen, even being taught that God doesn't speak anymore. Do these fools imagine that demons have stopped speaking also, just to be fair to God?

 

[Nick01]

Calling it conversation might be a stretch, but I have heard the Lord speak to me many times over more than 50 years.
When I pray, I also listen for that still small voice of the Spirit. He speaks in words, pictures or visions, dreams, and on rare occasions an audible voice.
Sometimes he interjects when I least expect it. Sometimes when I'm speaking to someone else, I realise that my words were not my own, but God speaking through me.

Scripture promises that he will direct our path if we trust him, and that's been my experience for the last 50 years or so.

Unfortunately most Christians never listen, even being taught that God doesn't speak anymore. Do these fools imagine that demons have stopped speaking also, just to be fair to God?

I see things as well. Images and text shown to me as light, or mental imagery. Sometimes flashes of different color light, blue, yellow, green, red etc.

 

[Nick01]

Philippians 3
20For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

It says our conversation is in heaven. Food for thought...

 

[1watchman]

Of course people can hear the voice of evil spirits.
How can there be deceiving spirits if they have no voice?
How can there be doctrines of demons if they cannot speak?
How can demons tempt men if we cannot hear them?

It is through our thoughts that demons insert their whispers, and people indulge in what they think is just turning ideas over in their heads when in reality, they are having a conversation with a demon who is trying to entrap them into obeying their plans.
That's why we are told to take every thought captive!

This is an important point for Christians to understand. -1watchman

 

[WebersHome]

.

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God

If there were a step-by-step, fool-proof, fail-safe method for carrying out the above, then Christianity wouldn't be so divided into such a large variety of cults, isms, and denominations. In reality, when people test the spirits; the only thing they're really doing is seeing if the other guy believes the same way they do; while it's quite possible that they and the other guy are both wrong.

"If a blind man guides a blind man; both will fall into a pit." (Matt 15:14)
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