Try The Spirits
By Jim Murriner
1Jo 4:1 "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world."
Many today claim to be spiritual, and in some way they are, but exactly what spirit are they following?
I John 4:1 - 4
1 "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world."
2 "Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:"
3 "And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world."
4 "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world."
In John 16:13 - 14,we are given some insight into what the Holy Spirit was to do following the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord.
13 "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come."
14 "He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you."
We as Christians are so called because we act like Christ. When we as the sons of God are being led by the Holy Spirit, we too are more interested in giving Glory unto God, than we are in getting glory ourselves or in giving glory unto another .
There is something in our society that takes away from God, and gives glory unto another.
1Ti 4:1 "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;"
This context deals with a certain religion and as we look at the next verses we can see some of the things that they teach.
1Ti 4:2" Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;"
3 "Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth."
There are however other things which if we are not careful will lead us to giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils .
We must keep away from all wizards and such.
Lev. 20:6
“And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.”
Deut 18:9 - 12
9 “When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.
10 “There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,
11 “Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
12 “ For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.
We are not to have fellowship with such but we are to condemn them.
Eph. 5:11
“ And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them”.
I Cor. 10: 21 - 22
21 “Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.”
22 “Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?”
God commands us that we are to serve Him alone, and in doing so He condemns those who follow after wizards and witches.
Lev. 20:26 -27
26 “And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.”
27 “A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them.”
We see God over and over punishing the children of Israel for their going after another god. Yet when we look at these other gods which He condemns, they are no different from witches and wizards.
II Kings 17: 16 – 17
16" And they left all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal".
17" And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger."
There are things mentioned here that are commonplace in our society today, and though others do such things we must not become involved with them if we desire to be pleasing to God.
Astrology - - "..worshiped all the host of heaven.."
Divination -- "used divination,," Duet 18:10
Enchantments -- those who believe that when certain things happen, that it is a good or bad omen, for instance, if a black cat crosses your path or if you walk under a latter, it is supposed to be bad luck, a four leaf clover is supposed to bring good luck.
For a hen to crow is considered bad luck, but a double yoked egg is considered to be good luck.
We as children of God must understand and understand well that physical things have no way of telling us anything.
Roosters and caterpillars cannot predict the weather
Divining rods cannot point us to water.
However evil men can use these things to convince us that they have special powers.
Duet. 29:29 Secret things such as what the future holds belongs to God.
“The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.”
Acts 1:6 -7
6 “When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?”
7 “And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.”
We most certainly need to try the spirits concerning those things we see around us today.
2 Cor 11:14 ;
“And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.”
We are to avoid witchcraft and such.
Ex. 22:18
Ex 22:18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
Lev. 19:26( The thought here is different from, other places such as Gen 9:4 & Lev.3:17 etc where we are told not to eat blood.
“Ye shall not eat [any thing] with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times.”
Here in Lev. 19:26 It indicates not the eating of flesh with blood in it , but eating in the presence of blood.
The ancient pagan people would place blood in a vessel or a bowl and eat sitting around the blood, believing that by doing so they could communicate with the devil., and gain knowledge of future things.
Notice that when King Saul, consulted with witches it brought great hurt unto him.
I Sam. 28:3 & 7
3 “Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.”
7 “Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, [there is] a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor.”
and I Ch. 10:13
“So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it; “
Gal 5:19 – 21
19 “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,”
20 “Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,”
21 “Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”
We are not to have fellowship with such
Eph. 5:11
“ And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”
Early Christians burned their books on witchcraft and sorcery.
Acts 19:19
“Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.”
As Children of God our duty is to always bring Glory unto God.
It is not our duty to have a good time in this world.
It is not our duty to be the largest church in this town.
It is our duty to bring Glory to God.
I Cor. 10:31
“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
