1 John 4

1 John 4:1-6

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see wheather they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; and thisis the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming , and now it is already in the world. You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; becuase greater is He who is in you than he who is in th world.”

“ by this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error”.

Read again: 1 John 2:18-19

This week as I started reading in 1 John 4, I was reminded again that the days are numbered for us all here on earth. Reading 1 John 4 and the text that cross reference verses 1-6 most of them are all talking about the end times and how we as believers will recognize the times when they are apon us. It really is about what we as believers need to realize so that we won’t also, be carried away by the decieving spirits. This is one of the many signs of the times- False Teachers rising up among us.

I have had my share of false teachers in my life and have wondered how someone could say they were a christian and do the things they did, let alone say and teach. When I was a young christian I remember, Kay Author speaking about false teachers and how we as young believers need to learn how to decern between the spirits. Learning how to know when truth is being taught and when it is a lie.

Discern? what does that really mean? I looked up in my handy computer dictionary and it says, "Discern means : preceive, pick out, make out, recognize, detect, observe, notice, determine, distinguish."

I think the worse thing that happens in todays churches and bible studies is that we as teachers, leaders, and students do not encourage people to challenge us. What if, what I was saying was just not RIGHT! What if, I had made a statement wrongly, either willingly or by accident? Would any one challenge me? Not likely. In our society today, we have people who would just either give a teacher the benefit of the doubt but keep studying under their teacher or they would leave.

Never standing up and challenging the issue or statement.

I recognize not everyone would just sit back and not ask questions. But can you think of a time in your own church or bible study that the Pastor or teacher spoke about a verse in the scriptures and you thought, that just doesn't sound right! Did you go and talk to him?

This is my point.

As believers- We need to learn how to study the word on our own. We need to not be so dependent on others to give us the “teaching” or “instruction” but allow the Holy Spirit to teach us and the only way He can do that is if you and I are studying ourselves and searching the word. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t study under someone, on the contrary, the Lord has said, He has given some the gift of teaching, prophecy, .... 1 Cor. 12 but just because there are teachers to teach and preachers to preach does not mean that we only study under them. We should also be studying on our own and truly seeking the scriptures ourselves.

I’m also not saying we need to be challenging every word but we need to learn how to spot the TRUTH and to recognize false teaching. As I have been over seas for 10 years now and my only source of study’s has been on my own and reading the word I have found that I know more and have a better understanding of the Word because I have spent countless hours in it reading it, studying it, searching through it. I am familar and I understand more because I have spent time with it and in it.

This is our goal for this week! I pray that as you read the word and study 1 John 4 that you will search the scriptures to understand its meaning. Pray for Understanding and learn how to ask questions. If you hear me or anyone else quoting wrongly, or stating something out of context, speak up! Proclaim TRUTH! Don’t allow someone who is weaker in the group be miss lead.

A godly teacher will welcome reproof and correction when it is done in LOVE and even if it is done wrongly, he or she should welcome it.

Today- let verse 4 be our strength !

This verse speaks directly about false teachers and people who are antichrist and how we can have confidence to speak truth and proclaim what is right! So, be confident and don’t shrink away!


“You are from GOD, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world” 1 John 4:4

May you have confidence to proclaim the truth to all!