SCRIPTURE: 1John (NIV) 4:1 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.
OBSERVATION: John was writing a letter to the church, the gathering of believers. They did not have Bibles and the few parts of the Old Testament were in the synagogue. John could not tell them to read the gospels about Jesus. They had not yet been written.
So, he gave them a good way to test the spirits and prophets. What do the prophets say and teach about Jesus! Some would say that Jesus is just a man. Others would say that He is just a Spirit-man. But the truth is that Jesus is God and is man. That Jesus was born of a woman, Mary, he is fully man. That Mary was impregnated by the Spirit, He is fully God. He was born without sin and had no sin for which he must die, so he could then die in payment for our sins. By resisting every temptation placed before Him, He defeated sin in His death. He defeated death in His resurrection! After completing His assignment, He returned to His Father and now awaits our arrival.
APPLICATION: Jesus is my example. But He is even more. He sent the Holy Spirit to live in me and help me live a life pleasing to God. I must follow the teaching of Jesus in the scriptures and listen to the Holy Spirit apply truth to my life.
PRAYER: Lord, thank you for coming to earth at great cost to yourself but for great benefit for me. Holy Spirit, Show me, speak to me, help me live a life that honors Jesus. Make my life a testimony to others, Amen
Pastor Leon
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