THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2024

GUARDING YOUR DESTINY IN THE AGE OF DECEPTION

MEMORISE: “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.” 2 Corinthians 11:14

BIBLE READING: 1 JOHN 4:1-3

1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try 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 that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

INTRODUCTION: THE WAR AGAINST INWARD WITNESS

The world we navigate today is a spiritual minefield. It is an era where the lines between truth and falsehood are deliberately blurred, and where authentic faith is constantly challenged by clever counterfeits. The Apostle John gives us a sober warning that is more relevant now than ever: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).

The failure to heed this warning—the lack of the gift of the discerning of spirits—has been the downfall of countless children of God. As our memory verse reminds us, the devil’s primary strategy is not to appear terrifying, but to appear attractive: “Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14).

He sends his messengers not dressed in rags and horns, but cloaked in piety, charm, success, and harmlessness. They often seem highly likeable and trustworthy, causing believers to let their guards down and commit the fatal error of misplacing their trust. By the time the true nature of these agents is revealed, major damage would have been done, and believers would have lost ground concerning their divine destiny.

The discerning of spirits is not a spiritual luxury reserved for a few elite Christians; it is a survival necessity for every believer who wishes to protect their marriage, their finances, their ministry, and their relationship with Christ.

I. THE NATURE OF SATAN’S DISGUISE

To understand discernment, we must first appreciate the sophistication of the enemy’s deception. He is a master of camouflage, turning darkness into the appearance of light.

A. The Transformation into Light

Satan’s transformation into an “angel of light” means his agents often manifest in ways that are highly appealing to the natural senses, the flesh, and even the carnal Christian mind:

1: Religious Camouflage: They speak Christian jargon, quote scripture, attend services, and even hold positions of religious authority. The Christian lady who marries an occultic man disguised as a born-again believer, or the person who enters a dangerous business partnership, does so because the outward appearance passes all basic moral and religious checks.

2: Harmful Attractiveness: These agents appear harmless and very likeable. Their external charisma disarms the believer’s natural caution. They are often highly skilled, highly charming, or highly successful, drawing the trust of others through impressive, though spiritually empty, credentials.

3: Targeted Deception: The devil doesn’t send random people; he sends agents who perfectly fit the void or desire in a believer’s life. If a believer seeks wealth, the agent comes dressed in financial wisdom. If a believer seeks partnership, the agent comes dressed in compatible charm.

B. The Result of Undiscerned Deception

The result of lacking discernment is that we commit the error of making an enemy a friend and a friend an enemy. The enemy is embraced because he wears a smile, and the true friend or prophetic warning is rejected because it is challenging or unappealing.

The powerful personal testimony of the author illustrates this perfectly: the close friend who was welcoming, offering food and souvenirs, yet God’s inward witness—the gift of discernment—broke through the deception with a direct warning: “He is your enemy.” Without that divine gift, years could have been spent trusting a saboteur, leading to potentially catastrophic damage to destiny.

II. THE GIFT OF DISCERNING OF SPIRITS

Discerning of spirits is one of the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit listed in 1 Corinthians 12:10. It is a supernatural ability given by the Spirit to perceive the source of an impulse, manifestation, or person.

A. Beyond Natural Judgment

Discernment is not psychology, human intuition, or judging by feelings. Human judgment is fallible; the gift of discernment is divine. It is the ability to look past the flesh, the words, and the actions, and see the spirit operating behind them.

Discerning of spirits allows a believer to identify:

1: The Spirit of God: That which originates from the Holy Spirit (truth, life, power).

2: The Human Spirit: That which originates from the human will, intellect, or flesh (pride, fleshly ambition, carnal wisdom).

3: The Demonic Spirit: That which originates from Satan or his agents (deception, oppression, confusion, antichrist spirit).

B. The Inward Witness

The gift often manifests as an inward witness or a warning. It is a divine alarm bell in the soul, a sudden sense of spiritual incompatibility or danger that defies natural reasoning.

In the testimony shared, the author was “shocked” because the friend was so close and seemingly well-known. The natural mind fought the spiritual witness. The essence of the gift is that it provides supernatural knowledge that overrides emotional attachment and logical assumptions, leading the believer to tread carefully around the devil’s agents.

III. THE THEOLOGICAL TEST OF DISCERNMENT (1 JOHN 4:2-3)

The Apostle John, recognizing the dangers of false prophets and the spirit of Antichrist, provides a clear, infallible, theological test for trying the spirits. This test is crucial for discerning doctrine and the spiritual climate of ministries or movements.

A. The Test of the Incarnation

“Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God” (1 John 4:2-3).

This test focuses on the Incarnation—the core doctrine that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, truly became a man, possessing both true deity and true humanity.

Why is this the ultimate test?

1: Legal Victory: The devil was defeated by a man—the God-Man, Jesus Christ. The Incarnation validates Christ’s legal right to substitute for humanity on the cross.

2: Humiliation: The proud, demonic kingdom despises the fact that God humbled Himself to become a man. They will do anything to deny or dilute this truth (e.g., claiming Jesus was only a great prophet, or only a spirit who appeared to be human).

3: The Spirit of Antichrist: This is “that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” This spirit operates by denying the full deity and full humanity of Christ. Any doctrine or ministry that diminishes Christ’s sufficiency—either denying His physical death or His divine nature—is carrying the spirit of Antichrist.

B. Applying the Test to Movements

This test allows believers to judge religious movements, teaching, and doctrines: if the teaching elevates human achievement, technology, or any other authority above the final, sufficient work of Jesus Christ as the God-Man, it fails the test of the spirit.

IV. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS OF THE GIFT

The discerning of spirits is not just for identifying false prophets in pulpits; it is an essential tool for navigation in daily life.

A. Protecting Destiny and Relationships (Marriage and Friendship)

The lack of discernment has led some Christian ladies to marry occultic men, or believers to enter disastrous business dealings. These mistakes occur because they looked only at the qualifications (charm, wealth, religious talk) and not at the spirit being carried.

Marriage: When considering a life partner, one must be sensitive to the spirit that drives them. Is it the Spirit of God, characterized by humility, love, and a desire for truth, or a deceptive spirit masked by charisma and temporary kindness?

Friendship/Partnerships: As the author’s experience shows, friendship can be a cover for enmity. When choosing business partners, employees, or close friends, Christian employers should not only look at the qualifications but should be sensitive to discern the kind of spirits they carry. A person with high technical skills but a destructive, divisive, or dishonest spirit can impact an organization negatively and lead to massive loss of ground.

B. Discerning the Source of Thoughts

Discernment is needed not just for other people, but for our own minds. We constantly receive input:

Is this thought from my flesh (carnal desire, pride)?
Is this thought a demonic suggestion (fear, discouragement, accusation)?
Is this thought an impulse from the Holy Spirit (courage, peace, instruction)?

The gift of discernment helps us to quickly label and reject thoughts that do not originate from God, preventing major spiritual damage before it starts.

V. THE NECESSITY OF ASKING AND RECEIVING

Given the extreme danger of deception, the gift of discerning of spirits must be diligently sought and cultivated. This is not a passive ability; it is a gift that must be activated through a combination of prayer and practice.

A. The Command to Ask

The closing prayer point is the most important practical step: “Father, please give me the gift of the discerning of spirits.”

James 1:5 states: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” Discernment is a form of spiritual wisdom, and God is more than willing to grant us the ability to protect ourselves and His Kingdom. Ask boldly, believing that God desires for His children to walk in safety and victory.

B. Cultivating the Gift

Asking for the gift is the start; cultivating it is the lifelong work:

1: Immersion in the Word: The Word of God is the ultimate spiritual detector. “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). The more deeply you know the voice and character of the True Light, the easier it becomes to spot the angel of light’s counterfeit.

2: Consistent Prayer and Fasting: These disciplines sharpen the inward ear and spiritual sensitivity, allowing the Holy Spirit’s warning signals to penetrate the noise of the flesh and the world.

3: Obeying the Inward Witness: The gift grows stronger through obedience. When you feel that subtle inward witness—even if it seems illogical or inconvenient—obey the caution. The author’s decision to start “treading carefully” around the friend, despite his feelings, was an act of obedience that ultimately saved him from deeper entanglement.

CONCLUSION: WALKING IN SUPERNATURAL SAFETY

The devil’s agents are around us, often disguised as friends, colleagues, partners, or helpful sources. The world is filled with the spirit of antichrist denying the sufficiency of Jesus Christ. But God has not left His children defenseless.

The gift of the discerning of spirits is your supernatural security system. It is the grace that exposes the enemy and protects your destiny. I pray that as you ask God for this vital gift, every devil disguised as an angel of light around you will be exposed, in Jesus’ name. May you walk in the full light of Christ’s wisdom, making friends with the righteous and safely navigating the subtle deceptions of the wicked.

PRAYER POINT: Father, please give me the gift of the discerning of spirits, and sharpen my inward witness so that I may walk in absolute safety and protect the destiny you have planned for me.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: ACTS 6-7