Discerning in a Deceptive Age

Well, good morning. Good morning. Good morning. Welcome to coffee and devotions this morning We are going to be talking about the spirit of truth and the spirit of error How do you know if it's the truth or error? Let's have some coffee. We'll pray. We'll read the Bible and find out you want some coffee Hmm Okay, let's pray. God, thank you so much for this day. Thank you for the blessing it is to get to spend time with you, to be in your word. Pray that you would please teach us and help us in Jesus' name, amen. Oh, now you do want some coffee? I thought, I didn't know if that was gonna last long. No, only a little bit. Okay, that's enough, that's enough, that's enough. All right, it's a low octane stuff this morning, so. All right, here we go. 1 John, chapter four.
Beloved, we do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of 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 of God. And every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming and now already is in the world.
You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world, therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us. He who is not of God does not hear us. By this, we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
All right, so we got three questions. A, what is this? About. B, what's the? First step in. That's first to summarize. And C, what are we? Called to do. All right, so what's this about? B, what is the first step? A, what's this about? So what do you think this is about? So he says there's different spirits in this world, different people who are trying to say things and teach things. And how do you know if they're of God or of the devil? Is that bad they think you're in the bed?
No, that's not what it is. Well no, here he's specifically saying, if they've tried to tell you that Jesus didn't actually come in the flesh, he didn't come with a body like ours, does that come from God? Nope. And we also know that they didn't come from God if they won't listen to the teaching of the apostles. Right? So if they're more concerned with what other people are teaching than what the apostles and the prophets were teaching, are they of God? no no he says they would have listened to us right oh no no nope so uh but you're able to overcome them you're able to beat them you're able to conquer and why are you able to conquer yeah because he who is in you is greater than he who's in the world who's he who's in the world Satan, our adversary, Satan, right? And so we can say with confidence, oh, no, no, no. I believe Jesus came in the flesh.
He really was a man. He was the God-man. He really loved me and gave his life for me, and I love him, and I'm gonna follow him. And so when somebody comes to you with an evil spirit that says, you know, Jesus really didn't actually exist, you can say, why don't you go chew rocks? No, I believe Jesus was real. Truly man and truly God. Right before Abraham was, He was. All things were created by Him. He was an icon of God.
When Satan said to God to go jump off a a no eat make the stone into bread why did he not why did jesus not make the stone into bread because he said do not put the lord your god to the test oh no he no that one he said uh man does not live on bread alone but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of god and then why did he say and then why did um when Satan said, go jump off the temple. Yeah, jump off the temple wall because then the angels will keep you from striking your foot against the stone. Jesus said, because the Lord has said, you shall not put the Lord your God to the test. Jesus said, I don't need to have God prove himself. God is God and you're just a wimpy little Satan. You go get out of here.
And then what would be the other one? Oh when he took him up to the very heights of all of the mountain he showed him all these Areas, and he said if you bow down to me. I'll give you all these kingdoms He said mm-hmm love the Lord and serve your God only Like Jesus went to the word Jesus went to the word Jesus loved this God his father in heaven Mm-hmm and can we believe that that Jesus was real?
Mm-hmm. And can we believe that he really did die for us? Mm-hmm. And so we test the spirits, right? Do we believe everything anybody tells us? We test it, right? We try to be like the Bereans. We go to the Bible and find out, are these things so? We don't listen to antichrists. Those who come and say... We don't listen to antichrists. Those who come and say that Jesus didn't really come in the flesh. Well, in my Bible, you see what I have underlined here? He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
You're guessing. Are you trying to yawn? No. Is this a sneeze? Oh, you're trying to hold your sneeze. Okay, let's go ahead and pray before that sneeze gets out. God, we thank you so much that you are greater than he who is in the world. You have conquered Satan, and someday you will also ultimately conquer death. God, give us your spirit that we would not follow in the ways of the Antichrist. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory in Jesus' name. Amen. May God bless you, and may you have a great day, and let's try to sign off before Ellie sneezes. You want to say bye? Bye!