The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 18 April 2024
TOPIC: Test the Spirits
TEXT: 1 John 4: 1-6(AMP)
4:1. BELOVED, DO not put faith in every spirit, but prove (test) the spirits to discover whether they proceed from God; for many false prophets have gone forth into the world.
4:2. By this you may know (perceive and recognize) the Spirit of God: every spirit which acknowledges and confesses [the fact] that Jesus Christ (the Messiah) [actually] has become man and has come in the flesh is of God [has God for its source];
4:3. And every spirit which does not acknowledge and confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh [but would annul, destroy, sever, disunite Him] is not of God [does not proceed from Him]. This [nonconfession] is the [spirit] of the antichrist, [of] which you heard that it was coming, and now it is already in the world.
4:4. Little children, you are of God [you belong to Him] and have [already] defeated and overcome them [the agents of the antichrist], because He Who lives in you is greater (mightier) than he who is in the world.
4:5. They proceed from the world and are of the world; therefore it is out of the world [its whole economy morally considered] that they speak, and the world listens (pays attention) to them.
4:6. We are [children] of God. Whoever is learning to know God [progressively to perceive, recognize, and understand God by observation and experience, and to get an ever-clearer knowledge of Him] listens to us; and he who is not of God does not listen or pay attention to us. By this we know (recognize) the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of error.
Anglican Daily Fountain Devotional 18 April 2024 STUDY:
The problem of the world today is not necessarily demonic agents outside but the ones that have infiltrated the church. They are dressed in suits, carry the Bible, speak in tongues and prophesy in the name of God. They parade with titles such as Pastors, General Overseers, Apostles, Evangelists, and Prophets and proclaim sugar-coated messages.
The Bible noted that they are many and have been released into the world. Their god is their belly (Phil. 3: 19); they are sensual (Jude 1: 19) and Antichrist in nature. They are engaged in unimaginable things to feast on the vulnerable. Based on this therefore, our text today urges us to test all spirits.
How can we test the spirits? We must be certain of who is in us and also certain of our salvation. We must practise godliness with contentment and deliberately feast and meditate on the word of God daily. When we know the truth, falsehood will be exposed. We must also pray effectively so as not to be enticed and fall victim to such falsehood.
Finally, we must trust God in all circumstances and truly allow the Holy Spirit to be in charge.
PRAYER: My God and Father, please give me the grace to identify and shun agents of darkness in Jesus name. Amen
THOUGHT FOR TODAY:God says “Come close to Me and I will come close to you. James 4:8”