Daily Encounter: A Week-day Devotional by a staff of ACTS International.

Monday, August 26, 2013

"Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world."¹

A few years ago Ralph Blodgett, who has researched psychic predictions for several years found that in a given year out of 250 specific predictions by 30 of the nation's leading psychics, less than three percent could be listed as "reasonably fulfilled."

Blodgett said, "I used to think psychics had to be led by either God or the devil. Now I'm convinced that they are being led most of the time by no one at all."

Sometimes, too, I can't help but wonder about some Christians who claim that God has given them a special word. I've had articles sent to me in the hopes that I would accept them for publication, the writer of whom assured me that their message was given to them by God and they wanted him to have all the glory for it. Frankly, I don't think God wanted the glory for some of this material.

On one occasion one fellow informed me that God had told him he was to work for me. I didn't give him a job. He was neither trained nor qualified for our type of work. I've heard others claim they had a word from the Lord … and what they "prophesied" never did happen.

In Old Testament times the test of a true prophet was 100 percent accuracy. The punishment for a false prophet was extremely severe. It was death.²

Today, in New Testament times, we are warned not to believe every spirit, but to put them to the test to make sure their word is from God. Of one thing we can be certain, if what a person claims is a word from God and it is contrary to God's Word, we know it is not from God.

So does God still speak to people today? Yes, mostly through his Word, the Bible. It can also be through circumstances, through an inner convictionâ€"the still small voice withinâ€"and on occasion through an audible voice. I recently wrote about a friend who, during a storm, was awakened in the night by an audible voice that said, "Sit up and take in a deep breath." She thought she was dreaming so went back to sleep. The third time she heard the voice, she sat up, took in a deep breathâ€"and smelled smoke. Their house had been struck by lightning and was on fire. The entire family barely made it out of the house when it exploded in flames and was totally destroyed. 

However God speaks to you and to me, we need to be certain it is in harmony with his Word, the Bible. If not, dismiss it immediately, as there are many crackpots who, among other things, raise a lot of money from ill-informed and sometimes gullible people. Remember, too, "where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty"³â€"not compulsions!

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please give me a desire to read, study and know your Word so that I will not be led astray by false prophets, or by my own mis-leadings. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. 1 John 4:1 (NIV).
2. Deuteronomy 18:20 (NIV).
3. 2 Corinthians 3:17.

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