“SPIRIT OF GOD!”

 1 John 4:1-6                          (ESV)

Test the Spirits

“[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. [4] Little children, you are from GOD and have overcome them, for HE WHO is in you is greater than he who is in the world. [5] They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. [6] We are from GOD. Whoever knows GOD listens to us; whoever is not from GOD does not listen to us. By this we know the SPIRIT of Truth and the spirit of error.”

My devotional writing was limited last week. Even though I don’t always succeed in my efforts, I was torn between being IN THE “SPIRIT OF GOD” and the current events that consumed my thoughts last week.  On Monday our youngest “puppy” (over twelve years old) was discovered to be ill and on Thursday we decided to have him put down .  Relinquishing something that has been a part of your life for over twelve years is tough, especially when that part is so precious!

Identifying “evil” spirits is probably the most avoided things that Believers attempt in their CHRISTIAN walk.  We typically don’t “identify” the spirit of “the enemy” probably because we don’t have the SPIRITUAL MATURITY to understand that he has been defeated!  Avoiding him and identifying him are vastly different objectives.  Knowing what is evil is paramount to abstaining from it (1 Thessalonians 5:22), so for us to play the game of being nice to “every spirit that does not confess JESUS is not from GOD” is not in our best interest!  

The “SPIRIT OF GOD” is a safe haven that is unable to be duplicated by “the enemy”.  Although he is the master deceiver, there is nothing else that can match the LOVE and PEACE afforded by knowing JESUS!  Knowing HIM is a COMFORT that is unmistakable.  The “SPIRIT OF GOD” is usually found when we are QUIET and LET GO of all of the encumbrances of “this world”!  It is difficult to LET GO of something we love, but the “SPIRIT OF GOD” is able to fill the largest of gaps in life!!!