Let's read from God's Word, Deuteronomy 13, and we're just going to read the first four verses.
If a prophet or one who foretells by dreams appears among you and denounces to you a miraculous sign or wonder,
and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place and he says,
let us follow other gods, gods you have not known, and let us worship them,
you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer.
The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul.
It is the Lord your God you must follow and him you must revere.
Keep his commands and obey him.
Serve him and hold fast to him.
Now with that in mind, please turn to 1 John chapter 4, which is on page 1227.
1 John chapter 4, verses 1 to 6.
On page 1227, 1 John chapter 4, verses 1 to 6.
Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirit to see whether they are from God,
because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
This is how you can recognise the spirit of God.
Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God.
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.
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.
They are from God.
Well, we have scripture before us.
Let us pray for God's spirit to be at work within us.
Let's pray.
The Apostle Paul writes,
We have not received the spirit of the world,
but the spirit who is from God,
that we may understand what God has freely given us.
Father, we ask that we would know the power of your spirit,
working amongst us,
working in our lives,
so that we know more about Jesus,
but also that we would experience Jesus,
that we would know the deep, intimate joy
of fellowship with God
to share in the fellowship of the Father and the Son.
we long to know that.
And so we ask for your spirit
to make that come about.
we pray it in his name.
Amen.
So is your computer virus protection in good order?
When was the last time you did an update?
Every so often I get sent a bogus email or a corrupt file,
but because my virus defense is up to date,
it immediately identifies the problem.
A little box will appear in the corner,
a pop-up,
and tell me
that something wrong
has arrived.
It tells me what it is
and what needs to be deleted
or removed.
Now we need to make sure
that we defend
our fellowship with God
from nasty attacks
because
look at the end of verse 1,
chapter 4,
end of verse 1,
because many false prophets
have gone out
into the world.
You see,
there are many false teachers
who want to download
their false message
into our lives.
And if we are not careful,
they will corrupt
and destroy
our fellowship with God.
John's great introduction,
if you have a look back to chapter 1,
his great introduction to this letter
tells us,
chapter 1, verse 3,
he's been talking about
or introducing Jesus.
He says,
we proclaim to you
what we have seen
and what we have heard
so that you also
may have fellowship with us.
And here it is.
And our fellowship
is with the Father
and with his Son,
Jesus Christ.
And we write this
to make your
or our joy
complete.
we have been invited
to join in the fellowship
the Father has with the Son
and the Son has with the Father.
We can share in
and we can experience
this deep,
personal and intimate relationship.
And it's within the relationship
of the Father and the Son
that our joy
is made
complete.
but
it is under attack.
Look at chapter 2,
verse 26.
Chapter 2,
verse 26,
he says,
I am writing these things
to you
about those
who are trying
to lead you
astray.
Chapter 3,
verse 7.
Dear children,
do not let anyone
lead you
astray.
False prophets,
you see,
have gone out
into the world
and through their message
they are spreading
a nasty virus
that can infect,
corrupt
and seriously damage
our relationship
with God.
So we need to be able
to protect
our joy.
we need to be able
to defend
our fellowship
with God
so that we continue
to live in
and thrive
in that deep
relationship
with Him.
So how are we
going to do that?
Well,
first of all,
we need to
test
the spirits.
We need to
test the spirits.
Let's read
verse 1
of chapter 4.
Dear friends,
this is a real
kind of
deep,
loving,
intimate
letter
to the church.
He's saying to them,
I love you so much.
The reason I'm
writing this to you
is because I'm
deeply concerned
for you.
Dear friends,
do not believe
every spirit,
but test
the spirits
to see
whether they
are from God.
You see,
there are two
kinds of
spirits that we
need to be aware
of.
There is,
verse 2,
the spirit
of God.
And then if we
look at verse 3,
we're told
in the middle
of verse 3
that there is
the spirit
of the
Antichrist.
So the spirit
of God
and the spirit
of the Antichrist.
And we've already
come across
that term
before,
Antichrist.
Have a look back
at chapter 2,
verse 18.
He reminded them
there,
Dear children,
this is the last
hour,
and as you have
heard,
that the Antichrist
is coming,
and even now
many Antichrists
have come.
And as the name
suggests,
Antichrist
is one who
stands in
direct opposition
to Jesus Christ
and the ways
of Jesus Christ.
So in chapter 4,
when he starts
talking about
the spirit
of God
or the spirit
of the Antichrist,
he's talking
about what
and who
is behind
the teachers.
Who's influencing
what they have
to say?
Who's guiding
their teaching?
Who's directing
their message?
What is the source
of their message?
In fact,
in verse 6,
we're told
what their influence
is.
Look at the end
of verse 6
of chapter 4.
This is how we
recognise the
spirit of truth
and the spirit
of falsehood.
You see,
the spirit of God
is a spirit
of truth
and the spirit
of Antichrist
is a spirit
of falsehood.
We have to
recognise
these two
spirits.
Now,
the problem
is,
these spirits
of influence
that stand
behind the
teachers
and are
at work
in the lives
of the teachers
are alive
and well
today.
Have a look
at 2 John.
Just turn over
your page there.
I'm sure it's just
turning over
one page.
2 John
verse 7.
2 John
verse 7.
Here's what he
writes.
Verse 10.
If anyone
comes to you
and does not
bring this teaching,
that is the
true teaching
about Jesus,
do not
take him
into your
house or
welcome him.
Anyone who
welcomes him
shares in
his wicked
work.
You see,
it wasn't
uncommon
for a teacher
to arrive
at some
unsuspecting
house church,
so turning up
at home group
on a Wednesday
night,
claiming to
have a message
from God.
And the church
wouldn't know
them from Adam.
So they had
to be able
to discern
who this
teacher was.
Was this
teacher
influenced by
the spirit
of God
or were they
a teacher
that was
influenced by
the spirit
of the
Antichrist?
Was this
message they
were going
to bring to
the church
family true
or was it
false?
Now we
might think
we don't have
that problem
anymore.
Well I
actually think
it's got
worse.
Any one of
us can turn
on the God
channel or we
can turn on
or look up
a church
or a
speaker on
the internet
but the
question is
are we able
to discern
and test
who are
the deceivers?
Who are the
true teachers
and who are
the false
teachers?
Can you do
that?
Suppose one
of you gets
an email
about an
amazing speaker.
You look it
up on
YouTube at
your friend's
recommendation.
You don't
necessarily
recognise the
speaker's name
but it
comes with
this title
at the
bottom of
the screen
Spirit
Inspired
Ministry.
Or you
order a
book off
Amazon
and the
blurb on
the cover
gets your
attention.
You're told
that the
author is
Spirit
Anointed.
You see
today if you
want to
authenticate
your message
or your
ministry
all you
have to
do is
attach the
word
Spirit.
Spirit
Carigoline
Baptist
Church
Spirit
filled
Spirit
empowered
Spirit
driven
But here's
the question
Can you
discern what
kind of
spirit they
are filled
empowered
and driven
by?
Or are we
just so
immature and
gullible
that we
will believe
anything and
everything that
comes out of
their mouth
or what's
written in
a book
simply because
it says
Spirit.
Go back
to chapter
4 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.
So how
are we
going to
test
these
spirits?
Well
in a
similar
vein we
must
discern
the
spirits
carefully.
We've
got to
apply a
very
simple
test
to
everything
that we
listen to
and everything
that we
hear
including
the person
that you
are listening
to right
now.
Just
because I
say it
doesn't
mean to
say it's
true.
We need
to be
listening
carefully
discerning
what are
the spirits
saying.
The first
test is
this.
What do
they say
about
Jesus?
What do
they say
about Jesus?
These are the
tests to
discern
who the
spirits
are.
Verse 2
chapter 4
This is
how you
can
recognise
the
spirit
of
God.
Every
spirit
that
acknowledges
that
Jesus
Christ
has
come
in
the
flesh
is
from
God.
But
every
spirit
that
does
not
acknowledge
Jesus
is
not
from
God.
Now
two
things
are
implied
here.
First
it's
telling us
something
about
the
identity
of
Jesus.
So
look
again at
verse 2
it says
Jesus
Christ
has
come
in
the
flesh.
He's
come
from
heaven.
He's
come
to
earth
in
the
flesh
as
a
person.
That
means
Jesus
is
both
fully
God
and
fully
man.
He's
not
a
half
man
and
a
half
God.
He's
fully
God.
He
is
the
divine
God
walking
on
planet
earth.
Keep
your
finger
there
in
1
John
chapter
4
and
go
back
to
the
other
book
that
John
wrote
John's
Gospel.
John
chapter
14
verse
10
Don't
you believe,
says
Jesus,
that I
am in
the
Father
and that
the
Father
is in
me?
The
words I
say to
you
are not
just
my
own.
Rather,
it is
the
Father
living
in
me
who
is
doing
his
work.
Believe
me
when I
say that
I am
in
the
Father
and
the
Father
is
in
me
or
at
least
believe
on
the
evidence
of
the
miracles
themselves.
Jesus
coming
in the
flesh
is
God
in
human
form.
That's
how we
know
who
God
is.
If we
want to
know
who
God
is,
well,
we
look at
who
Jesus
is,
because
Jesus
reveals
God
to
us.
Through
the
miracles,
Jesus
has
proved
that
he
is
God
with
absolute
power
and
supreme
authority.
Jesus
is
the
God
man
and
that
is
why
we
worship
him,
because
he
is
God.
So
listen
carefully
to what
the
teachers
say
about
the
identity
of
Jesus.
Do
they
say
that
Jesus
is
God?
The
second
thing
is
what
do
they
say
about
his
mission?
You
see,
here's
the
connection.
If we
get the
identity
of
Jesus
wrong,
we're
going
to
get
the
mission
of
Jesus
wrong.
Because
the
primary
reason,
the
primary
mission
of
Jesus
as
the
God
man
coming
into
the
world
was
to
do
what?
To
deal
with
our
sin.
That
is
the
primary
reason.
That
is
what
everything
that
Jesus
did
points
to
and
flows
to.
That
is
the
reason.
So
have
a
look
at
1
John
chapter
2
verse
2.
We've
already
looked at
this
in
past
weeks.
1
John
chapter
2
verse
2.
We're
told
there,
chapter
2
verse
2,
that
Jesus
Christ
is
the
righteous
one.
He
is
the
atoning
sacrifice
for
our
sins,
but
not
only
for
ours,
but
also
for
the
sins
of
the
whole
world.
How
can
Jesus
take
on
the
whole
sins
of
all
the
world?
Not
just
mine,
not
just
yours,
but
how
can
he
take
all
the
sins
of
the
whole
world
upon
himself
and
die
for
us?
Well,
Jesus
came as
a man
to
identify
with
us.
He
came as
a
human
being.
Jesus
as
man
takes
on
the
sin
of
me
unto
himself
and
he
takes
my
place
on
the
cross.
He
stands
in
for
me
as
my
representative
as
a
human
being
as
a
man
he
stands
in
for
me.
How
can
he
do
it
for
everyone?
Jesus
came
as
God
to
die
our
death.
Jesus
as
God
takes
the
punishment
for
our
sins
and
he
removes
the
judgment
from
us
so
that
we
can
be
set
free
and
live
with
him
and
know
him.
That
is the
primary
reason
why
Jesus
came
as
the
God
man
to
die
for
our
sins.
So
what
do they
say
about
the
identity
of
Jesus?
What
do
they
say
about
the
mission
of
Jesus?
Now
the
teachers
who
are
distorting
this
true
message
of
Jesus
go
back
to
chapter
4
verse
3
chapter
4
the
end
of
verse
3
the
teachers
who
do
not
accept
or
distort
this
true
message
of
Jesus
he
says
this
is
the
spirit
of
the
antichrist
which
you
have
heard
is
coming
and
even
now
is
already
in
the
world
they
might
mention
the
name
Jesus
they
might
start
talking
about
Jesus
but
be
careful
it's
a
different
instead
of
talking
about
Jesus
as
God
man
who
is
worthy
of
our
worship
they
talk
about
Jesus
as
some
benefactor
Jesus
will
do
whatever
you
ask
him
to
do
they'll
say
you
just
need
to
tell
Jesus
command
Jesus
and
he
will
give
you
whatever
you
need
and
whatever
you
want
just
tell
him
and
instead
of
talking
about
Jesus
who
has
come
to
die
for
our
sins
they
talk
about
the
personal
success
that
Jesus
will
bring
to
your
life
Jesus
has
come
to
give
you
health
and
wealth
in
abundance
just
tell
him
claim
it
it's
all
yours
right
here
right
now
this
teaching
is
often
called
the
prosperity
gospel
it
is
the
spirit
of
the
antichrist
it
is
false
so
listen
to
what
they
say
what
do
they
say
about
Jesus
the
second
test
that
we
must
apply
is
this
how
do
they
treat
scripture
how
do
they
treat
scripture
so
look
at
verse
five
they
that
is
those
who
have
been
influenced
by the
spirit
of the
antichrist
they
are
from
the
world
and
therefore
speak
from
the
viewpoint
of
the
world
and
the
world
listens
to
them
their
message
that
they
have
to
share
is
based
on
their
own
authority
their
own
words
they
ignore
what
scripture
has
to
say
on
the
other
hand
look
at
verse
six
we
that
is
John
and
the
other
apostles
so
John
who's
writing
this
letter
we
John
and
the
other
apostles
he
says
we
are
from
God
and
whoever
knows
God
listens
to
us
but
whoever
is
not
from
God
does
not
listen
to
us
he's
making
it
very
clear
he says
we
don't
speak
by
our
own
authority
we're
speaking
the
words
of
God
the
words
that
we
have
are
words
that
have
come
from
God
now
here's
a
question
how
do
we
know
they
spoke
from
God
because
they're
all
claiming
to
me
this
let
me
tell
you
how
do
we
know
well
John
is
part
of
what
is
called
the
apostolic
witness
go
back
to
chapter
1
verse
1
this
is
how
he
introduces
his
whole
letter
he
wants
us
to
be
clear
that
what
he
has
is
not
made
up
it's
not
from
his
source
it
comes
from
Jesus
so
look
at
verse
1
of
chapter
1
he's
talking
about
Christ
that
which
we
have
heard
so
they
heard
with
their
own
ears
what
Jesus
taught
about
his
identity
and
mission
which
we
have
seen
with
our
eyes
they
saw
Jesus
walking
they
saw
him
crucified
and
killed
they
were
witnesses
of
him
as
he
was
raised
again
from
the
dead
we
have
looked
at
him
they
saw
Jesus
heal
the
sick
they
saw
Jesus
calm
the
storms
they
saw
Jesus
silence
the
demons
which
we
have
looked
at
and
our
hands
have
touched
they
embraced
Jesus
they
could
touch
him
they
carried
him
when
he
was
risen
from
the
dead
they
could
put
his
fingers
where
his
nail
prints
were
John
and his
fellow
apostles
were
first
witnesses
to
the
person
of
Jesus
this
is
not
made
up
it
is
true
so
chapter
1
verse
2
the
life
appeared
Jesus
appeared
we
have
seen
it
we
testify
to
it
and
now
we
proclaim
to
you
the
eternal
life
which
was
with
the
father
and
has
now
appeared
to
us
well you
say
that was
great
for those
who knew
John
and who
were
alive
when
John
was
saying
these
things
what
about
for us
because
John
is
long
since
dead
how
do
we
know
who
speaks
from
God
today
well
what
they
heard
and
what
they
saw
and
what
they
looked
at
and
what
they
touched
they
wrote
down
so
we
can
read
their
testimony
for
themselves
that's
what
John
has
done
here
he's
written
it
down
in
his
letter
and
he
wrote
it
down
in
his
gospel
and
we've
got
this
testimony
for
ourselves
and
it's
what
we
call
scripture
that
means
we
must
weigh
up
everything
we
hear
against
scripture
including
what
you're
listening
to
right
now
is
what
we're
saying
from
scripture
so
when
you
listen
to
somebody
speak
on
the
internet
and
somebody
says
if you
listen
to
this
guy
speak
have
you
heard
this
on
the
internet
or
they
give
you
a
book
and
they
say
you
should
read
this
you
need
to
ask
two
really
important
questions
here's
the
first
one
does
it
come
from
scripture
or
does
it
come
from
another
source
are
the
teachers
opening
up
their
bible
and
teaching
from
god's
word
are
they
using
scripture
here's
the
second
question
does
what
they
have
to
say
come
from
scripture
or
is
it
made
up
you
see
many
teachers
will
come
along
and
they
will
actually
open
up
their
bibles
the
same
kind
of
bible
that
you
and
i
have
right
now
but
what
they're
saying
is
not
actually
in
the
bible
they
distort
it
they
deceive
people
by
making
all
kinds
of
false
promises
about
financial
blessing
and
successful
living
and
how
everything
can
all
be
made
nice
and
right
be
very
careful
of
those
who
say
with
such
commanding
authority
the
spirit
has
told
me
to
tell
you
if
anybody
ever
says
that
to
you
be
very
careful
the
spirit
has
told
me
to
tell
you
that
shorthand
for
saying
i
have
something
to
say
from
my
own
thoughts
but
it's
got
nothing
to
do
with
what
the
bible
has
to
say
because
god
has
given
to
us
his
apostolic
witness
he
has
given
to
us
scripture
so
that
we
can
discern
the
spirit
so
that
we
know
what
is
right
and
what
is
wrong
of
course
if
the
spirit
says
and
he's
speaking
and
saying
this
is
what
i
have
to
say
and
somebody
reads
from
the
bible
that
is
what
the
spirit
has
to
say
because
it
is
god's
word
but
if
it's
got
nothing
to
do
with
it
it's
got
nothing
to
do
with
god's
word
so
can
you
recognize
the
spirit
of
truth
and
the
spirit
of
falsehood
listen
to
what
they
say
about
Jesus
and
examine
everything
by
scripture
now
while we
must
treat
all of
this
very
seriously
we
need
not
be
afraid
you
see
the
danger
is
people
can
become
so
afraid
of
false
teachers
false
prophets
that
they
dare
not
listen
to
another
sermon
they'll
stop
going
to
church
and
stop
reading
books
because
well
how
am
I
going
to
know
I'm
so
scared
that
I'm
going
to
hear
the
wrong
thing
well
the
children
of
God
can
have
absolute
confidence
that
we
will
not
get
led
astray
have
a look
at
verse
four
you
dear
children
are
from
God
and
have
overcome
them
that is
the
false
teachers
because
the
one
who
is
in
you
is
greater
than
the
one
who
is
in
the
world
the
spirit
of
the
antichrist
and
a
falsehood
we
are
he
says
from
God
if
we're
from
God
that
means
God
has
given
to
us
a
new
status
we're
from
God
we are
his
children
and
he
is
our
father
look
back at
chapter
three
verse
one
this
brilliant
amazing
statement
how
great
is
the
love
the
father
has
lavished
on
us
that
we
should
be
called
children
of
God
and
that
is
what
we
are
we
now
belong
to
God
we're
incorporated
into
his
family
and
he's
telling
us
here
in
chapter
4
verse
4
that
if
we
belong
to
God
if
we're
belongers
we're
also
overcomers
just
as
God
has
overcome
the
evil
one
so
all
of
his
children
have
overcome
the
spirit
of
falsehood
and
the
spirit
of
the
antichrist
because
we're
in
God's
family
we
no
longer
believe
the
lies
and
the
distorted
truth
we
belong
to
the
father
and
we
now
listen
to
him
but
that's
not
all
we're
not
only
from
God
we
also
have
the
Holy
Spirit
so
look
that's
love
the
God
and
here's
the
reason
because
the
one
who
is
in
you
is
greater
than
the
one
who
is
in
the
world
we
belong
to
God
that's
true
but
God
is
also
in
you
if
you
are
a
Christian
God
lives
in your life. Chapter 4 verse 13. We know that we live in him and he in us because he has given us
of his spirit. Verse 15. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the son of God, God lives in him
and he in God. God has literally moved into our lives. You see the influence of the Holy Spirit
in the lives of God's children is far greater than the influence of the world, the spirit of falsehood
and the spirit of Antichrist. Because God is giving you his spirit, that is far greater than anything
else that may try and influence us. And God's spirit brings great confidence to God's children.
He enables us on the one hand to test and discern what is true as we examine scripture, as we read it,
as we listen to it. Then God by his spirit gives us understanding. He unveils our eyes so that we can
understand and grasp. But not only is it an intellectual truth that we can gather with our minds,
the spirit also enables us to experience the truth about Jesus.
The spirit not only opens up our eyes to the truth about God, he opens up our hearts to experience God.
That is what the spirit. That is what the spirit does. He brings the words alive so that it changes us on the inside
and helps us to see Jesus for who he is.
So let me encourage us all to be people who have got what we need. The two things that we need.
Scripture and the spirit. The holy word of God and holy scripture together. And those two working together,
we get to see Jesus for who he is in all his glory, in all his wonder. But not only do we just understand it.
God takes the truth about Jesus and makes it real in our lives. So that we can love him, know him, enjoy him,
and enter into that deep relationship between the father and the son. We have all of this.
children of God, we can be confident. But be careful. Test everything that you hear and listen to.
Let's pray.
Our Father God, we thank you that you have given to us
scripture, the very words of God.
And you have given to us your Holy Spirit.
Breathing life into these words on the page.
And breathing new life in our lives.
So that we can know you and enjoy you.
Father, please help us to be discerning.
Help us to be testing.
And help us to know Jesus.
In all his greatness.
And in all his goodness.
Amen.
Well, we're going to sing a song which reflects what we've...