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.

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, 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.

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.

For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. … Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. … Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good. … The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. … But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

1Co 12:7-8,10; 1Jo 4:1-3; 1Jo 4:4-6; 1Co 11:29, 1Co 14:29, 1Th 5:20-21, 1Ti 4:1, He 5:14

Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.