Verse – 1 John 4:1
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.
Thoughts
The world is a fallen place. The sins of Adam and Eve meant that we were born in a sinful world. In a sinful world a lot of things can go wrong. The people you allow into your circles are the people who end up hurting you the most.
This reality extends even to the house of God; and that is, there are “snakes” in the house of God. Sadly, there are those who use their position as “men of God” to exploit believers, driven by greed rather than genuine faith. All their motivations and teachings are steered towards getting more and more money out of the children of God.
The Bible warns us not to believe every person who claims to speak in God’s name. Instead, we are called to “test the spirits” to see if they align with God. But how do we do this? Just as you’d test a material’s strength by comparing it to something stronger, we must test prophets and teachers by holding them up to the example of Christ, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). Christ showed compassion, welcomed sinners, healed the sick, raised the dead, and accepted all.
If someone claiming to be a prophet doesn’t reflect these attributes, they fall short of Christ’s example, revealing their true intentions. Christ’s life is our ultimate standard; anyone who does not embody His love, humility, and compassion cannot be trusted as a true servant of God.
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Declaration
I will walk in spiritual discernment. I will test what I hear against the teachings of Jesus. I will not follow misleading spirits.
Prayer
Dear Lord,
Grant me a discerning spirit.
Help me recognize those who are truly from You.
Open my eyes to see through false prophets.
Teach me to hear Your voice clearly.
Guard me from falling prey to deception.
Keep my heart humble, and let Your word be a sweet melody in my ears.
Amen.
