TEXT: ACTS 16:17 KJV
“The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. ”
Discussion
Today, we shall look at the importance of discerning the spirit behind any action or message we receive. The spirit of discernment is very important, and it is something we must have as believers.
Our Bible text today is a story about a certain damsel who was saying the right thing about Paul and his brethren: “These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation.”
She was right about who Paul and his brethren were, and she was right about their mission in Macedonia. As a matter of fact, God had revealed this to Paul in a night vision when a man stood before him, asking him to come over to Macedonia and help them (Acts 16:9).
The girl was correct in what she was saying, but she was saying it by the spirit of divination. This means that the fact that something seems right does not necessarily mean that it is approved by God. Outstanding results do not necessarily mean that something is from the Lord. Unfortunately, man is wired to judge things by their results, but as believers, we must ensure that we look beyond the physical and examine things through the lens of the Spirit.
Believers must not be deceived into believing that because something is right, it must be from the Holy Spirit. That is why we must always test every spirit (1 John 4: 1). Every spirit must be put to the test by asking questions through the lens of Scripture.
What does this mean? If anyone gives you a prophecy, whether good or bad, you are allowed to ask questions to be sure of the source of the prophecy.
Prophecy can come from three main sources:
1. The Spirit of God
2. The demonic spirit
3. The spirit of man
That is why we must be able to discern the source from which any prophecy is coming. There are ways to recognise true prophecy:
1. The source must be pure, that is, the vessel must have a track record of holy living.
2. The message must be consistent with the Word of God.
3. It must glorify God alone and not the flesh.
Generally speaking, if we take the time to study the characteristics of the Holy Spirit, we will be able to read between the lines of every word of prophecy and discern its source.
The objective today is for us to be aware of falsehood and to be able to discern things more quickly than ever before. As believers, we must read our Bibles daily and pray continually if we do not want to be deceived. There is no other way to know God than to know His Word.
Brethren, it is not arrogance to ask God to reveal the spirit behind any word of prophecy, irrespective of who says it, as long as you are asking with genuine sincerity of heart before the Lord.
The prophet may also get it wrong. Even the prophet Samuel got it wrong seven times in one day (1 Samuel 16:10).
We must also be careful not to pass a right message to a fellow believer from the wrong spirit, such as envy, pride, or any other ungodly motive.
Beware!
Declarations:
I shall not be deceived and I shall not deceive others in Jesus’ name. I shall read my bible and pray continually.
Light Up Christian Fellowship
