How to Recognize the Spirit of God

1 John 4:1-6

Key verse 2

"This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God..."

Today's passage teaches us how to recognize the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God is a spirit, and does not have  body or physical form so that we can say, there he is! The Spirit of God seems to be a mysterious person to many. But John doesn't want us to be confused because God has given us of his spirit. In the previous passage, John mentioned that we know that God lives in us by his Spirit. But we might not know how to recognize him. 

There are many misconceptions. Some people even say that the Spirit told them something. But later they said it was just their feeling. They could not distinguish their feeling from the Spirit of God. So now we can learn how to recognize so that can be led by him and not be led astray but continue as children who have overcome the world.

Look at verse 2. "This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God..."

John gives one defining characteristic, that the spirit acknowledge that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. That spirit that does so is from God. If the spirit does not acknowledge Jesus in this way it is not from God. 

I found one book that offers 27 ways to judge prophecy to see if the Spirit of God is speaking. But here John simply teaches 1 way to judge if the Spirit of God is speaking. 1 is better than 27. The US treasury applies to same approach to identifying real vs counterfeit money. They do not study counterfeits, but they study and know what a real note looks like. When they know the genuine one and why it is genuine, they can easily spot a counterfeit. This passage is very short. It is because John didn't spend time to elaborate on all the false teachings or spirits that do not come from God. He wants us to know God's spirit and follow him only. 

First, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits (1). 

Look at verse 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.

This verse points out the need to test the spirits. There are spirits that are not from God that are at work in this world. And the children of God believe everything too easily. 

Most of the time when people think of evil spirits at work, they think of something spooky like in a horror movie. Thats one reason why those movies aren't good to watch. They deceive us as to the real work of the devil. The warning here is that they don't usually work like that. Rather, they work through people, as it says, many false prophets have gone out into the world, and they work in ways that are deceptive and sometimes very subtle. So, to test the spirits doesn't mean that we can interview each one and ask how they acknowledge Jesus Christ. But we can check what kind of message people give and whether it comes from the Spirit of God or not. 

There are so many messages coming at us. We are more susceptible to receiving these messages than in John's day. We can pick up our phone and all kinds of messages come at us. We're always connected. And the obvious ones are obvious to point out. But John is writing to the children of God to not believe every spirit. This points out that children of God may be too naive. We have to be careful that we are not too naive and just believe everything. Of course, it is good to learn from others. But that is different from just believing everything without testing it. We cannot just believe everything no matter how it is labeled or what people claim to do. We need to be wise and make sure that we are being led by the Spirit of God.

So many claim that they are Christian and from God and some even that the Spirit speaks to them and gives them messages for others specially. There are so many books and musics and internet sensations and concerts that are getting pumped out one after the other. Many take them in because they are simply labeled as Christian or because they heard that the people prayed a lot. But verse 1 says that we shouldn't just believe everything but to test it. 

Next, John tells us how to clearly recognize the Spirit of God. 

Second, how to recognize the Spirit of God (2-3). 

Look at verse 2.

This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,

This verse tells us that we can recognize the Spirit of God by what that spirit acknowledges about Jesus, particularly, that he came in the flesh. It is not by some vision or feeling, and not by signs or wonders, but by the message or teaching's acknowledgement about Jesus. 

Let's think about what this means to acknowledge that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh.  

1) acknowledging Jesus as the "Christ". It means that Jesus is the Christ, the promised savior of the world, according to God's will. It must acknowledge that Jesus is the only savior who is the Lord that saves all men from their sins and establishes God's kingdom, and that he came according to the Scriptures, fulling all the promises and words spoken about the Christ. 

2) "has come..." this means acknowledging where Jesus came from and how he came to this world, namely, it acknowledges his divinity. To say that he has come in the flesh means that he came from God, for he is God who became flesh. 

3) "...in the flesh". This means acknowledging that Jesus Christ really had flesh like you and me. It acknowledges then all the things he did in the body, such as his virgin birth, all his teachings while in the flesh and so upholds them all, and his sufferings, death and resurrection. In so doing it tells us that the spirit must acknowledge how Jesus saves the world. He saved us by coming in the flesh and dying for the sin of the world that our sins might be forgiven and taken away and that he was raised from the dead and is alive now and at the right hand of God in glory. He came in the flesh to redeem our flesh so that we would live for God. And we have the perfect example in our savior Jesus Christ. 

This is why many false prophets add or take away from Jesus' teachings. They don't acknowledge Jesus Christ as having come in the flesh for they don't acknowledge and obey his teachings or want to live like him, in love and obedience to God. They want to please their sinful nature. 

Jesus coming in the flesh testifies to his love and humility and sacrifice. He suffered and died and rose from the dead. And this same Jesus taught that if anyone comes after him, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow him. If there is any teaching or idea or thought that does not acknowledge this then it is not from God and we are not to believe it. 

When we think about the previous passages of this letter we can see what John is referring to here. He wanted these children of God to have the fellowship with God through Jesus Christ and not chase people or ideas or pleasures. We have to check if we acknowledge Jesus in our love for God and for each other, our obedience to the word of God. We have to check if we acknowledge Jesus in our repentance and in confessing our sins and in living as Jesus did, using our bodies according to Jesus' life, example and teachings. 

This was the personal challenge and message that stuck out to me from this passage. I need to acknowledge Jesus by my own love and obedience. 

Here we see how important it is for each person to know what the bible says--not what other people say that the bible says, but that we know ourselves what is written. For example, last year some self proclaimed prophets tried to alarm people about rumors and earthquakes. But Jesus specifically taught that earthquakes would happen but to see to it that you are not alarmed. 

"[6] You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. [7] Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places" (Matthew 24:6-7). Jesus said don't be alarmed, but the prophet was saying to be alarmed and to move away from the west coast. 

For this reason I strongly encourage everyone to read the bible everyday and write a bible testimony on the passage. Following the passage schedule of the daily bread books or that on the website is a good way to get started and keep going. First, you write about what the passage says and teaches, and then you write about how to obey it and put it into practice. One of the daily bread passages this week from Proverbs says that the purpose of the teachings is so that we would know and have faith in the Lord (Proverbs 22:17-19).

"[17] Pay attention and listen to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach, [18] for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart and have all of them ready on your lips. [19] So that your trust may be in the Lord, I teach you today, even you" (Proverbs 22:17-19).

He emphasizes to apply one's heart to all the teachings, meaning to accept them, keep them in one's heart, and bring them out in obedience at the right time. 

So let us be wise in the scripture and knowledge of Jesus, not naive and so led astray. Something may seem good, but that is not enough. We have to test the spirits according to them right measurement. Let's read verses 1-3 again. 

[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. [2] This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, [3] but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

Third, the one in you is greater than the one in the world (4). 

Look at verse 4.

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

The one who is in you refers to God by the Spirit he has given us (1 John 3:24). He says that he is already in the children of God and that they are from God and have overcome. By the Spirit of God in them they have overcome the world. He does not say, "Will overcome," but "have overcome." Because he is in them they have overcome. 

This tells us that He is enough. In him, and by he in us, we have all we need so that we have overcome and to only go to higher heights--that is, if his spirit is in you. Many false prophets attract people because they promise to help people overcome this issue, or that problem, offering spiritual help or knowledge that only they can offer so that people would depend on them and seek them. But here it says, "The one in you is greater than the one in the world." Jesus is all we need. In him we are dear children who have overcome the world because he has overcome. He has forgiven our sins. He is greater. And he is in those who believe in Jesus. 

Look at verses 5-6. 

[5] They [the false prophets and spirits] are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. [6] We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.

There are two points of view, that of God and that of the world. The one who is from God shows that he is because he obeys God, he listens to God, according to the Bible. Here John also says, and listens to us. Jesus sent his apostles out, and John was one of them. They were the eye witnesses and firsthand servants of God sent out by Jesus himself. Through through, and other apostles like Peter and Paul, we get the new testament Scriptures and the teachings about and from Jesus. They are from God and represent his point of view and whoever listens to them shows that they are from God, otherwise they are not. Right now it is the graduation season. But we can never graduate from the word of God. 

The spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God. To acknowledge that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh means to acknowledge that Jesus:

1) is the Christ and the only Savior of the world

2) Is from God and the only Son of God--that is, to acknowledge his divine nature

3) He had flesh like you me, and so acknowledges and upholds his birth, death, resurrection, life and teachings in the flesh. He saves us. He paid the price for sin, which is death. He loves us And is humble. 

Those who know God obey the Bible and live as Jesus did. This truth calls us to know the Bible and to obey it. It calls us. To live by faith in him because he is greater than the one in the world. Summer sessions are starting. Let's use this time not to take a break, but to do what Jesus did. He came in the flesh to save us. We ought to follow his example by humbling ourselves and going to the sheep and taking care of them. Still there are many on campus. Let us be wise in regard to the spirits, so that we may be led by the Spirit of God and do his work. 

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