1 John 4:1
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.
It is actually not that difficult to test the spirits. Here are some major tests :
1. Does the spirit exalt Christ ?
John 16:14. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
2. Does the spirit guide to all truth of our Lord Jesus Christ ?
John 16:13-15. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come…he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
3. Does the spirit promote loving God and men more than gifts ?
1 Cor 13:1-2. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
4. Does the spirit oppose worldliness ?
Gal 5:17. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.
If you see any minister who exalt the Holy Spirit over our Lord Jesus (though the Spirit of God deserves the same worship but as stated in John 16:14, His ministry is to exalt Jesus.); elevate experience as authoritative over Scripture; and embrace worldliness; thereby diminishes the glory and deity of Jesus and undermines the true saving gospel on the contrary, we can safely say that he or she belongs to another spirit other than of the Holy Spirit.
