"TEST THE SPIRITS!"

1 John 4:1-3                                 (ESV)
"1 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. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already."



GOD can speak to us in a myriad of different ways.  I was recently blessed to be on the beach on the Gulf of Mexico and heard some sea gulls singing and chirping, but I was the only person in sight!  The Spirit of GOD told me that even the birds of the air praised HIM!  HE "inhabits" our praise, but do we do that enough?

Recently I observed a statement that said "That is not a picture of JESUS".  That picture got me to thinking about what "picture", or impression, my life was displaying for the world to see?  The Spirit of GOD lives within me.  We all should desire to have HIM discovered by others in our actions.  Do I praise and worship HIM enough to validate that I am HIS?

The spirit of the devil lives in people also.  JESUS readily identified the enemy in John 8:44 to the SCRIBES AND PHARISEES "You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies."  Being able to identify the enemy is imperative to living a Godly life.  As believers in JESUS CHRIST we need to be able to recognize and identity the enemy quickly to avoid being caught in struggles with him.

The enemy will flee (James 4:7) at the name of JESUS, so it is best for we are are fighting him to constantly proclaim JESUS wherever we go.  That may seem a bit "fanatical", but to me having the enemy flee is worth being labeled a fan of CHRIST!  Identifying and knowing the enemy is great characteristic of a well-equipped soldier.  If we "TEST THE SPIRITS" and find JESUS CHRIST, we find love and peace.  If we find any other spirit, we find the antichrist!  "TEST THE SPIRITS" and see who you find in your actions!