"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove 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 Jesus is not of God: and this is the spirit of the antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it cometh; and now it is in the world already. 4 Ye are of God, my 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 as of the world, and the world heareth them. 6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he who is not of God heareth us not. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error" (I John 4:1-6).
As we have already seen in a former study, there were certain ones associated with the group of believers to whom John wrote, and who were animated by the spirit of the Antichrist. For some reason these unregenerated people withdrew fellowship from the body of believers. Regarding them John said that they had been with them but were not of them. Evidently the atmosphere created by believers was of such a spiritual nature that the unbelievers were uncomfortable in association with them. According to I John 3:7, John urged the believers not to be led astray by these false ones.
Believe Not Every Spirit
"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world" (I John 4:1). People who want truth must be open to conviction and must listen to any messages that purport to be of the truth. An excellent example of earnest truth seekers is found in the case of the people of the Jewish synagogue of Beroea (Acts 17:10-15). Paul went to them and preached the Word of God, expounding the Old Testament Scriptures. These Jews did not swallow down without question what the Apostle said, but listened attentively to what he declared. Since Paul claimed to be preaching the Scriptures, they examined the sacred writings daily to see whether or not he was accurately preaching the truth. As the result of their open-mindedness and their quest for the truth, many of them believed… "also of the Greek women of honorable estate, and of men, not a few."
People who want the truth must realize that in many instances those who purport to be religious leaders and guides are inspired by evil spirits. As an example study careful I Kings 22:1-23. Ahab king of Israel wanted Jehoshaphat king of Judah to join with him in battle against Ramoth-gilead. The prophets of Baal unanimously foretold a sweeping victory for Ahab. But Jehoshaphat would not agree to go unless Micaiah, a true prophet of God, approved the plan. When asked concerning this venture, the prophet of God, in irony, foretold a sweeping victory for the allied kings. At the same time it was evident to all that Micaiah did not mean what he said. Then, being pressed to speak the truth in plainness, Micaiah showed that the prophets of Baal had been inspired by an evil spirit, and that Ahab would be utterly defeated. Thus an evil spirit in this instance spoke through recognized leaders to misguide the people.
Knowing that spirits do work in and through degenerated and evil men, John insisted that the Christians to whom he was writing should prove the spirits speaking through men as to whether or not they are of God. This exhortation becomes necessary since many false prophets have gone forth into the world. One of the acid tests by which spirits speaking through religious leaders may be proved is the subject regarding the nature of Christ: "Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God…" (verse 2). Everyone through whom a spirit speaks, and who confesses that Jesus the Messiah has come in the flesh is of God. Thus those speaking and denying that Jesus the Messiah has come in the flesh are animated by an evil spirit. If a person doubts the records of the Gospel and denies the historicity of Jesus, the spirit animating him is of the devil.
Moreover, John declares in II John 7-11: "For many deceivers are gone forth into the world, even they that confess not that Jesus Christ cometh in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Look to yourselves, that ye lose not the things which we have wrought, but that ye receive a full reward. 9 Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth in the teaching, the same hath both the Father and the Son. 10 If any one cometh unto you, and bringeth not this teaching, receive him not into your house, and give him no greeting: 11 for he that giveth him greeting partaketh in his evil works." The deceivers mentioned in these verses from II John are not those who deny the historicity of Jesus, that He came nineteen hundred years ago in the flesh and was God manifested in human form, but are the deceivers who deny that He is coming again in the flesh. In other words, they deny the very thing which the angels announced to the apostles when Jesus ascended: "And while they were looking steadfastly into heaven as he went, behold two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 who also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was received up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye beheld him going into heaven" (Acts 1:10,11). Those who deny that He will return in the same manner in which he departed from this world at the Ascension are animated by the spirit of the Antichrist, who will according to II Thessalonians, chapter 2, go to Jerusalem in the middle of the Tribulation and sit in the Jewish temple, opposing all that is called God or that is worshipped as God, claiming that he himself is God.
The deceivers animated by evil spirits of whom John warns the believers in I John 4:1-6 are those who deny the historicity of the Lord Jesus Christ. John, therefore, warned them to prove or to put to the test such teachers as gave evidence of superhuman powers. Usually, when God works in a miraculous manner, He allows Satan to duplicate the miracles—up to a certain point, as was true in the case of Moses and Aaron. After two of the miracles had been duplicated, Moses performed a third one which the magicians immediately attempted to perform, but had to acknowledge their inability. Moses continued to perform his wonders. The Israelites saw by actual observation that Moses and Aaron were true servants of God, whereas the magicians of Egypt were false and were animated by evil spirits. The Apostle John told the believers that they could know what spirit was animating and speaking through religious leaders by testing them with the questions regarding whether or not they believed that the Lord Jesus Christ had actually come in the flesh. Those who denied this proposition were, asserted John, speaking by an evil spirit, whereas those speaking by a superhuman spirit and confessing that Jesus Christ had come in the flesh were speaking by the Holy Spirit.
The Apostle Paul dealt with the same question in his letter to the Church at Corinth. "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. 2 Ye know that when ye were Gentiles ye were led away unto those dumb idols, howsoever ye might be led. 3 Wherefore I make known unto you, that no man speaking in the Spirit of God saith, Jesus is anathema; and no man can say, Jesus is Lord, but in the Holy Spirit" (I Cor. 12:1-3). According to verse 1 of this quotation, the Church at Corinth had written to Paul for information concerning how to detect the true from the false. He declared: "Wherefore I make known unto you, that no man speaking in the Spirit of God saith, Jesus is anathema; and no man can say Jesus is Lord, but in the Holy Spirit." If a teacher came and gave evidence that a superhuman spirit was animating him and speaking through him, the believers were to inquire of such a one what he thought of Jesus Christ. If he, speaking by a spirit, declared that Jesus was anathema, it was quite evident that he was speaking by an evil spirit. On the other hand, if to this question he replied "Jesus is Lord," It was obvious that he was speaking by the Holy Spirit. (Note carefully that the Apostle was not talking about ordinary people, but teachers who gave evidence of superhuman powers working through them.)
Spirit Activities in the Last Days
"But the Spirit saith expressly, that in later times some shall fall away from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 through the hypocrisy of men that speak lies branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron; 3 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by them that believe and know the truth" (I Tim. 4:1-3). In this passage the inspired writer warns against the activity of evil spirits. Working through men and deceiving the people. To my mind, the Apostle had in mind especially the founders of cults and the like—off-color brands of religion.
The Apostle Peter likewise spoke of false teachers who are inspired by demons and of their activities in the last days: But there arose false prophets also among the people, as among you also there shall be false teachers, who shall privily bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master that bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many shall follow their lascivious doings; by reason of whom the way of the truth shall be evil spoken of. 3 And in covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose sentence now from of old lingereth not, and their destruction slumbereth not, (II Peter 2:1-3). As there were false prophets in Israel, declared the Apostle, so there will arise false teachers who will bring into the body of believers "destructive heresies, denying even the Master that bought them." The battle through the Christian centuries has been fought concerning the deity of Christ. This battle is raging today and will continue in increasing intensity, until the very end, when the Lord will appear in power and might and show that He is Lord.
In I John 4:3, the Apostle declares that: "And every spirit that confesseth not Jesus is not of God: and this is the spirit of the antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it cometh; and now it is in the world already." The people who do not confess Jesus are animated by the spirit of the Antichrist.
Victory through Christ
"Ye are of God, my 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 as of the world, and the world heareth them" (I John 4:4,5). The Apostle John several times states that the believers may have victory in Christ over the powers of Satan and his evil hosts. They can, however, have victory only if they trust the Lord implicitly. The Apostle Paul in Ephesians 6:10-21 shows that the Christian life is a warfare against the powers of evil. The only way one can wage a successful warfare against Satan and his hosts is by taking the whole armour of God.
The Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error
"We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he who is not of God heareth us not. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error" (I John 4:6). Those who are of God hear gladly the message of His servants. Those who are not of God refuse to listen to God's messages. According to this verse there are two spirits in the world, the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. The Holy Spirit is the spirit of truth; The devil and his emissaries foster the spirit of error.
Demon Activity in the Tribulation
In Revelation 9:1-11, we have a prediction of the opening of the pit of the abyss, and of the coming forth of a mighty host of evil spirits that John describes in different ways and by various comparisons. For five months these infernal spirits will torment men and women who will be driven to the point of desperation, so that many of them will try to take their own lives, but will not be able to do so.
In Revelation 9:13-21 is another prediction of a mighty host of two hundred million evil spirits that will be let loose upon the world a little before the middle of the Tribulation. These spirits will destroy one third of the world's population of that time.
In Revelation 16:12-16 is a prediction that three evil spirits, called the spirits of demons will go forth into all the world to move the kings of the earth to go into conference, laying the plan for "the war of the great day of God, the Almighty" (verse 14). These demons will gather them together in the place which is called in Hebrew Har-Magedon.
At the end of the Tribulation, these evil spirits, "the high ones on high," the hosts of evil spirits infesting the atmosphere around the earth, will be incarcerated in the pit of the abyss with Satan "many days" (Isa. 24:21-23). When this passage is read in the light of Rev. 20:1-6, it is seen that the evil spirits and Satan will be incarcerated in the pit of the abyss for a thousand years. These spirits will be loosed for a short period following the Millennium, during which they will deceive the nations and cause a rebellion against Christ. After that, they will be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where they will be tormented forever and ever (Rev. 20:7-10).
