The word for "test" means to put on trial... to prove, discern, weigh out, examine. The idea is simply to determine if it is genuine or fake... so that is all that means.anyone have experience in this?
How does a person test a spirit?
Such as speaking in Tongues... do we test those and how? Is it best to have a mature believer test them or can any believer do it?
Ready... go!
You don't.... think of an old time scale. You take all the evidence and put it on the scale and allow it to tip in whichever direction the evidence demands. We examine what is before us, ask questions, be secure enough to consider more than one answer or "our" answer. That is what we do when we have information before us... we are studying and we have a number of different possible answers. So, we lay it all out, pray about it, and allow the Father to lead us. The word for "test" can simply be "examine." Is the information before us in accord with the character and authority of God, or does it stand in contrast with it? Discerning which is what testing the spirits is.
Yes, exactly... actions. To the Hebrew (and this matters since the writers of the books in the bible and our messiah were almost all Hebrew) the word love demands action. Faith demands action. Professing Him as Lord demands action/submission. So all we do in word or deed should be done in His name (in His character, in His authority, in a manner that adds to His reputation). Testing/trying/ examining the spirits is being able to tell if what we are seeing or hearing is in line with God's character, reputation, and authority (His name) or likewise in line with His words... at least not at odds with it.
No, you're fine.
I pointed out the "love" point only because in our culture (I assume you are in the west?) love can include actions, but doesn't have to.... in fact, it is more often than not just an emotional feeling. But to the Hebrew, it simply isn't love without actions. This is why messiah said, "if you love me keep my commandments" and why John wrote, "this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments." Like faith, love without works/action is dead... to the Hebrew. And again, that matters because we are reading a Hebraic book. 
