Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world (1 John 4:1).
Many false prophets are in the world today.
They are delivering messages that sound good and promise all kinds of wonderful things.
How do we know if their message is true?
The Apostle John made it very simple for us to know.
He wrote, Every spirit that confesses that Jesus came in the flesh is from God. Every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God (1 John 4:2, 3a).
Jesus is the litmus test.
What a prophet says about him tells you all you need to know about the validity of their message.
If you hear someone denying Jesus, denying that he is God in human flesh, and denying that he physically died and was raised again, turn and run.
He is not delivering the truth, the truth that will set you free.
John gives this encouragement to every believer: Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).
You have the Spirit of God living in you. He will guide you into all truth. He will make the things of the Lord Jesus known to you. He will give you discernment to "test the spirits." Rely on him and you will be able to spot the "spirit of error" that is in the world.
In Him,
Bob Christopher