Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 1 John 4:1 (NKJV)
Many have been wrongly taught and so wrongly believe that anything and everything packaged, labeled and presented as “Christian” “church” “gospel” “preaching” “teaching” “prophecy” “sermon” “spiritual” “miracle” “supernatural” etc is of or from God. The Scripture has told us no to go with the labels but rather tear them off, open the package and find out for yourself whether what’s presented outwardly is the real stuff inside otherwise you could be ripped off or even ripped apart.
Don’t believe every spirit, but test every one of them whether they’re of God. Don’t believe anything and everything because the one saying it claims to be an anointed man of God, an apostle, the right reverend, prophet, archbishop or senior founding pastor. Don’t believe every dream and vision because a tall handsome man in very white robes appeared to you and there was a very bright light.
The devil himself can parade himself as an angel of light.
2 Corinthians 11:14-15 (GNT) Well, no wonder! Even satan can disguise himself to look like an angel of light! So it is no great thing if his servants disguise themselves to look like servants of righteousness. In the end they will get exactly what their actions deserve.
How do we know what’s of God?
1 John 4:2,3 (NKJV) 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 is now already in the world.
In John’s time the litmus test or conclusive test was about the incarnation or coming in the flesh of Jesus Christ. The false antichrist spirits denied the humanity of Jesus and in consequence denied His work of redemption. Because if Jesus didn’t come in the flesh then He wasn’t crucified, He didn’t die and therefore there couldn’t be a resurrection yet this is the basis of our Salvation.
It’s the same thing in our day but in a slightly changed and updated version. Every false antichrist spirit doesn’t focus you on Jesus Christ and what He accomplished for you in His physical body in His Crucifixion, death and resurrection. Yes they will preach and teach that Jesus came in the flesh, died and rose but they won’t agree concerning what He finished for you in His sufferings. They’ll constantly tell you of what you have to strive to do to attain salvation, forgiveness, holiness, blessings etc apart from or in addition to what Jesus Christ accomplished in His physical body in his crucifixion death and resurrection.
The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Revelation 19:10
If the teaching, preaching, prophecy, vision, dream, ministry doesn’t testify of Jesus, if it doesn’t point you to Him, if it doesn’t lead you to totally rely and rest in what Jesus has already accomplished for you then it’s not from God. Ditch it.