A Simple Test

Let me start by saying that I am blogging with the Care Bears blasting behind me, so if this is incoherent I apologize!
___
I had a great conversation with a friend of mine yesterday about the dynamics of the "invisible" realm and how we should engage it as followers of Jesus. And so this morning when I awoke thinking about 1 John and the testing of the spirits I was not surprised. However, I was pleasantly surprised when I gained some new insight into identifying those 'invisible' personalities.

I have long been aware of the truth found in 1 John 4, when it says that "This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God.". I knew that if faced with a demon possessed person or engaged in spiritual warfare I could draw on this simple test to determine if the spirit I was encountering was friend or foe. But today I gained a new perspective on that timeless truth - it should be useful for disarming every kind of argument and quarrel as well!

Have you ever had a heated conversation with another follower of Jesus and felt like you were on completely different pages? Well I believe that by asking one simple question we should effectively be able to determine the spirits at play. What is the question? ..."Is Jesus Lord?"

(Now for the sake of communication I am going to speak as though the other parties motives/heart is in question, but I am in no way saying that the person asking the question is not in the wrong.)

When I ask the question "Is Jesus Lord?" to a person who is opposing what I believe to be truth, or the Way or the will of God it effectively plays the trump card of Lordship. If we are seeking to do the will of the Father, doing only what we see Him doing (just as Jesus did) then that Spirit, the Holy Spirit which Christ sent to us to guide us into all wisdom, will whole heartedly agree with the fact that Jesus is Lord! It will testify that our hearts are indeed surrendered to Jesus (or at least attempting to do so as best as we can). However, every other spirit, the spirits that wage war for our souls, vi for our thoughts and attentions, and lead us astray (though it be ever so subtly) will be arrested by such a question. I am quite certain that they will be marked by justification, defensive words and charges against the questioner about their own motives and self-righteous behavior.

I know that whenever I am pursuing something with selfish ambition the question of "Is Jesus Lord?" is sure to cause me to hesitate for a moment. I am not saying that it has the power to correct my selfishness, or immediately draw me to repentance, but you can be sure that it will quiet the roars of my pride a few decibels!

Ultimately it is my choice as to which spirit I will manifest through my flesh, but I believe that any person who earnestly seeks to do the will of the One True God will welcome that question. I am equally confident that anyone who's heart is not set on pleasing God will be ripe with objections to this probing suggestion.

So I would encourage you to enter today with spiritual eyes to 'see' the invisible realm being manifested in and around you. I think you'll be amazed at what you see!