I Jn. 4 ... Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether
they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the
world. 2Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth
that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3And every spirit that
confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God:
and this is that spirit of antichrist,
The Holy Spirit sends thoughts to our minds ... but other spirits not of God also can send thoughts to our minds. The apostle John tells us we must try those spirits when they bring ideas to us to see whether they are of God ... many spirits are not of God ... And John tells us how to try those spirits to see if that spirit that brought that idea is from God. Every spirit that confesseth
that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3And every spirit that
confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God:
and this is that spirit of antichrist,
I Peter 5:8 ... Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour ...
People who relax and day dream and take in whatever thought comes to them are really in danger. Instead we are instructed in Bible to "be sober, be vigilant" ...
Often devil speaks something that can sound "wise" ... it can even sound "accurate", like we should do that ... It can even sound like a work of God ... I have no doubt some people have even gone into "ministry" and have left everything and suffered greatly when it was not of God for them to do such, they were not called by God to do this. But a spirit not of God was pressing them to do this thing.
So we are to try the spirits to see whether they are of God ... These lying devils often try to get us to do something that should not be done.
Jesus experienced this but Jesus recognized the spirit speaking was devil and Jesus resisted the ideas brought by devil...
Mt. 4 ... Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 2And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. 3And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 4But 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. 5Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 7Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 8Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Lk. 4:13 ... And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.
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Examples from Joan Boney:
# 1. Concept to tell a person "If I were you, I would be very concerned about myself." I said to the spirit that brought this thought: Do you confess Jesus Christ is come in the flesh? I heard: "No."
Some people are enroute to destruction by the will of God. God saves whom HE will but God also creates some people for destruction. Pharaoh is an example of vessel created for destruction. Romans 9
We, as flesh and blood, want to save everyone. But many are ordained by God to destruction.
Mt. 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
It doesn't make sense for us to try to save "Pharaoh". The devil will try to get us to spin our wheels to no avail. When we try the spirit as I did in this example, we can see that devils would take us in wrong way even in trying to "save" people.
# 2. Sometimes when I read I Jn. 4:1, "try the spirits" ... or when I am about to "try the spirits" ... I will hear: "Don't do that." Then when I say to the spirit that said that: Do you confess Jesus Christ is come in the flesh? I hear, "No."
Devils do not like to be "tried" (exposed).
Example from Pam Padgett:
#1 After being away from my house for a while, I noticed the light on my telephone answering machine indicating someone had left a message. I needed to take care of some things before being able to hear the message. During that time a thought came telling me that the message was something unpleasant. But when I asked "Do you confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh?" I heard "No". (the message was from a neighbor about going to the dog park, not at all unpleasant. I was spared unnecessary concern/fear)