Try The Spirits
✅ Introduction
📖 1 John 4:1-6 (KJV) 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. 5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. 6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
We live in a generation overflowing with voices TikTok preachers, YouTube prophets, modern apostles, new revelations, feel-good teachings, and doctrines wrapped in emotion instead of Scripture. But God never told us to swallow everything that sounds spiritual. He told us to TEST it. Why? lets look at 2 Corinthians 11:13-15…
📖 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 (KJV) For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
The protection God has given us is His Word, read fully, understood in context.
1️⃣ Deception Is Real
Don’t be naïve deception is real, Jesus warned repeatedly…
📖 Matthew 24:4-5 (KJV) And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
If someone thinks they are the Christ or Messiah you can write that person off as a false prophet, and there have been many to claim this like…
1. Jim Jones (People’s Temple)
Told followers he was the reincarnation of Jesus.
Led over 900 people to mass suicide in Jonestown (1978).
A perfect example of Jesus’ warning: deception → destruction.Died: November 18 1978
2. David Koresh (Branch Davidians)
Claimed to be the “final prophet” and a messianic figure.
Led followers into a deadly standoff in Waco, Texas (1993).
Died: April 19 1993
3. Sun Myung Moon (Unification Church)
Claimed he was the new “Messiah” sent to complete Jesus’ mission.
Died: September 3 2012
4. Alan John Miller (Australia)
Claims openly: “I am Jesus incarnate.”
Runs a movement called “Divine Truth.”
Still Alive
5. José Luis de Jesús Miranda
Claimed to be Jesus Christ man and later claimed to be antichrist.
Had thousands of followers worldwide.
Died: November 17 2013
6. “Christ” Matayoshi (Japan)
Ran for political office claiming to bring the Kingdom of God.
died July 20, 2018 in Tokyo from kidney cancer
7. Apollo C. Quiboloy
Filipino religious leader
Claims to be the “Appointed Son of God”
Claims Jesus has already returned spiritually through him
Leads a movement called “The Kingdom of Jesus Christ”
Still Alive
This is a great issue that will continue as more as the end draws near…
📖 Matthew 24:23-24 (KJV) Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
But they won’t deceive the elect (saved) because we know when Jesus arrives it would be a spectacular entrance.
📖 Matthew 24:27 (KJV) For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
So Jesus will return from the sky where everyone will see thats how we know it’s Jesus.
Paul warned the churches…
Acts 20:29-30 (KJV) For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
So we know that even people of our own can turn against us for their own profit to draw away people after them, very unfortunate to have a mind that is against the welfare of a church by taking away disciples after them.
I saw this happen at a church I was following where the pastor and the church was planning to ordain someone who was going behind the pastors back and talking to church members saying “Hey look, when I start my church you should come to mine as I think you will grow a lot there, because lets face it, my preaching is better anyway” & what happened was the church told their pastor about it and he was exposed and put out of the church.
Peter warned:
📖 2 Peter 2:1-3 (KJV) But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
Money is another motivator that brings in false teaching because people will only preach what sells, so if you follow the ways of this world and tickle the world's ears then they would be favored more financially, and Peter talked a lot about this…
📖 2 Peter 2:14-15 (KJV) Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: 15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
Whats interesting about Balaam was that he got paid to do what the world wanted him to preach, but his sins caught up with him during Israel’s conquest of Midian the Israelites killed him.
📖 Joshua 13:22 (KJV) Balaam also the son of Beor, the soothsayer, did the children of Israel slay with the sword among them that were slain by them.
There are many churches built upon covetous leaders such as….
Charles Taze Russell (Jehovah’s Witnesses)
Sold “miracle wheat” at inflated prices
Used the Watchtower Society as a revenue machine
Court records show he sued newspapers for exposing his financial schemes
Again, money + deception = false teaching.
Jim Bakker (PTL Club)
One of the most famous prosperity scandals
Promised spiritual blessings for donations
Misused millions of ministry dollars
Served prison time for fraud
He is the definition of “making merchandise of you” (2 Pet. 2:3).
Modern Prosperity Preachers
These are the clearest modern examples of money-driven false teaching:
Kenneth Copeland
Net worth reported in the hundreds of millions
Owns an airport, jets, mansions
Teaches the “seed faith” doctrine where people must pay money to unlock blessings
Benny Hinn
Massive revenues from “healing crusades”
Family scandals involving misuse of funds
Has admitted at times that prosperity teaching was wrong — yet continues it
Creflo Dollar
Literally named Dollar
Famously asked for $65 million from followers to buy a private jet
Built a multimillion-dollar empire on the prosperity gospel
Peter Popoff
Claimed God gave him “personal details” of audience members
Exposed as using a radio earpiece
Currently sells “miracle water” promising financial breakthrough
Twisting scripture has been from the beginning with Satan to Eve, and even against Jesus in Matthew 4, and still today Satans number one business is to twist scripture.
2️⃣ How Do We “TRY THE SPIRITS”?
📌 Compare EVERY teaching with Scripture
We try the spirits by the word of God as the word is spirit.
📖 John 6:63 (KJV) It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
📖 Ephesians 6:17 (KJV) And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Its important to take your bible seriously as though your in a spiritual war for your soul.
📖 Acts 17:11 (KJV) These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
Something that needs to be done more is reading our bibles, the reason for false doctrines slipping through unchecked is because christians aren’t well versed in the Bible, but as we see in this passage the Thessalonians searched the scriptures daily whether those things were so.
Its important as a new Christian to start reading your bible ASAP believe the greatest attack is when your newly saved Satan knows its easy picking to knock you off your faith as we saw in the parable of the sower, and also with Jesus, as soon as Jesus started his ministry after being baptized Satan tempted him.
There is an illustration in the Old Testament about eating the passover in haste in the book of exodus before they make a exit and I believe its important as a new believer to read all the word of God and understand the main doctrines right away as this we save you from being tossed to and fro of every doctrine
📖 Ephesians 4:14 (KJV) That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
If you don’t know the Bible, anyone can fool you:
Emotional preachers
False prophets
TikTok theology
“New revelations”
Cults
Smooth talkers
False Christs
But a believer grounded in the Word cannot be shaken.
📌 Check consistency with the WHOLE Bible, not isolated verses
False doctrine always comes from:
Verses ripped from context
Experiences elevated over Scripture
Tradition placed above truth
📖 Matthew 4:4 (KJV) But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
If a doctrine contradicts any part of Scripture, it is not of God. This is how Jesus faced Satan face on, by the whole word of God.
Paul said:
📖 Acts 20:27 (KJV) I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
When you only know half the Bible, you are vulnerable.
When you know the whole Bible, you become unshakeable.
Why the whole bible matters
The Old Testament reveals God’s nature and expectations
The Gospels reveal Christ’s life and teachings
Acts shows how doctrine was practiced
The Epistles explain doctrine
Revelation warns the church about deception and things to come
A believer who only reads the New Testament will miss the deep truths of God nature because the Old Testament has all the stories that connect to the New Testament teachings and doctrines, most of the biblical examples are in the Old Testament which sheds light on the New Testament doctrines.
📌 Examine the fruit
📖 Matthew 7:15-20 (KJV) Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
To check the fruit of false prophets you need to talk to their follows and they will tell you their beliefs.
I remember in Auckland we had a Pentecostal type baptist church up the road from us and how I knew that pastor didn't have the right gospel is because all the doors we knocked in that area who said they came from that church didn’t know if they were going to heaven, this is the real fruit inspection.
3️⃣ The Holy Spirit Will Never Contradict Scripture
Many say:
“God told me…”
“I felt in my spirit…”
“I had a vision…”
But the Holy Spirit authored the Bible, so He will never contradict it.
📖 John 16:13 (KJV) 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.
The Spirit guides us into truth, not feelings.
If your experience says something different than Scripture, your experience is wrong.
4️⃣ What Happens When We Fail To Try The Spirits?
Churches fall into emotionalism instead of doctrine
Believers get carried by every “new teaching” (Eph. 4:14)
Christians become biblically illiterate
Wolves enter unnoticed
Entire movements rise built on false revelation (Mormonism, JW, Oneness, NAR, Prosperity Gospel)
Deception doesn’t look dangerous it looks exciting, spiritual, and new.
7️⃣ A Call To Return To The Book
If you want to avoid deception:
Read your Bible daily
Read it in full
Study it carefully
Compare Scripture with Scripture
Let doctrine shape experience, not experience shape doctrine
📖 Psalms 119:105 (KJV) NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
A lamp only works if you turn it on.
The Bible only protects you if you open it.
⏰ CONCLUSION
We are living in the last days.
The Bible says deceptions will grow stronger, not weaker.
Churches will fall away, not rise up.
False prophets will multiply, not disappear.
Question for the church:
Will you be a believer who follows feelings, or a believer who follows Scripture?
Will you chase every new “spirit,” or will you try the spirits by the Word of God?
Will you be deceived, or will you be grounded?
Now is the time to return to the Book.
