Transcript Levels of Integrity

“Believe not every spirit”
Dr. William B. Smith SR
December 19, 2001
The church belongs to Jesus.
Matthew 16:18 (KJV)
18And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this
rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not
prevail against it.
I. The Apostle John is putting the
church on alert concerning
spiritual espionage within the
body of Jesus Christ.
1 John 4:1-3 (KJV)
1Beloved,
believe not every spirit, but try the
spirits whether they are of God: because many
false prophets are gone out into the world.
2Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every
spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come
in the flesh is of God:
3And 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.
1 John 4:4-6 (KJV)
4Ye
are of God, little children, and have
overcome them: because greater is he that is in
you, than he that is in the world.
5They are of the world: therefore speak they of
the world, and the world heareth them.
6We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth
us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby
know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of
error.
II. What is a spirit?
A. The natural definition:
spir•it (spir¿it)
1. the life principle, esp. in man, orig. regarded as inherent in the
breath or as infused by a deity b) soul (sense 1)
2. the thinking, motivating, feeling part of man, often as
distinguished from the body; mind; intelligence.
3. a supernatural being, esp. one thought of as haunting or
possessing a person, house, etc., as a ghost, or as inhabiting a
certain region, being of a certain (good or evil) character, etc., as
an angel, demon, fairy, or elf.
4. Frame of mind; disposition; mood; temper [in high spirits]
5. a divine animating influence or inspiration
II. What is a spirit cont.?
B. The biblical definition:
spir•it (spir¿it) pneuma
pnyoo'-mah
A current of air, that is, breath (blast) or a
breeze; or figuratively a spirit, that is,
(human) the rational soul, mental disposition
or (superhuman) an angel, daemon, or
(divine).
God, Christ’s spirit, the Holy spirit:—ghost,
life, spirit (-ual, -ually), mind.
III. John teaches the saints how to
test the spirit of false teachings.
A. Test the spirit by the content of the teaching
1 John 4:2-3 (KJV)
2Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every
spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come
in the flesh is of God:
3And 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.
III. John teaches to test the spirit
cont.
B. We can also test the spirit by the character
of the ones being taught.
1 John 4:5-6 (KJV)
5They are of the world: therefore speak they of
the world, and the world heareth them.
6We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth
us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby
know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of
error.
IV. So it seems we can tell what
spirit is working by it’s fruit.
A. Jesus told us to examine the fruit.
Matthew 7:17-20 (KJV)
17Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit;
but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18A
good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither
can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is
hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
V. It is true you will take on the
spirit of those you associate with.
A. The Word of God warns us about the
company we keep.
Psalm 1:1 (KJV)
1
Blessed is the man that walketh not in
the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth
in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the
seat of the scornful.
B. It is impossible to have close fellowship
with people who have corrupt spirits and not
be affected.
1 Corinthians 5:11 (KJV)
11But
now I have written unto you not to
keep company, if any man that is called a
brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an
idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an
extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
1 Corinthians 15:33 (KJV)
33Be
not deceived: evil communications
corrupt good manners.
C. How many times have we been warned
about getting close to the wrong person?
2 Corinthians 6:14 (KJV)
14Be ye not unequally yoked together with
unbelievers: for what fellowship hath
righteousness with unrighteousness? and
what communion hath light with
darkness?
D. Didn’t you know a spirit can be
transferred from one person to another?
1 Corinthians 6:15-18 (KJV)
15Know
ye not that your bodies are the members of
Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and
make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.
16What? know ye not that he which is joined to an
harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one
flesh.
17But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
18Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is
without the body; but he that committeth fornication
sinneth against his own body.
E. Just as in the natural realm “like father
like son” you can have your father’s spirit!
John 8:41 (KJV)
41Ye
do the deeds of your father. Then said they
to him, We be not born of fornication; we have
one Father, even God.
John 8:44 (KJV)
44Ye
are of your father the devil, and the lusts
of your father ye will do. He was a murderer
from the beginning, and abode not in the truth,
because there is no truth in him. When he
speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is
a liar, and the father of it.
IV. Spirits are identified by their operations
or activities. There are basically two
kingdoms – the kingdoms of light and
darkness. Good spirits operate from the
kingdom of light while evil spirits
operate from the kingdom of darkness.
A.
Examples of Evil Spirits
Familiar Spirits
Leviticus 20:27
Evil Spirits Judges 9:23, I Samuel 16:14,
Acts 19:15
Lying Spirit I Kings 22:22, II Chronicles 18:21
Perverse Spirit
Isaiah 19:14
Haughty Spirit
Proverbs 16:18
Seducing Spirit
I Timothy 4:1
Examples of Evil Spirits (cont)
Unclean Spirit
Dumb and Deaf Spirit
Spirit of Jealousy
Spirit of Error
Spirit of Fear
Spirit of Bondage
Zechariah 13:2,
Matthew 12:43
Mark 9:25
Numbers 5:14,30
I John 4:6
II Timothy 1:7
Romans 8:15
Examples of Evil Spirits (cont)
Spirit of Infirmity
Spirit of Divination
Spirit of Slumber
Spirit of Deep Sleep
Spirit of Heaviness
Spirit of Whoredom
Spirit of Devils
Luke 13:11
Acts 16:16
Romans 11:8
Isaiah 29:10
Isaiah 61:3
Hosea 4:12
Revelations 16:14
The nature of spirits are
manifested through their
operations
A1. Satanic invasion of body and mind.
Isaiah 14:3-6 (KJV)
3And
it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD
shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear,
and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to
serve,
4That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of
Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the
golden city ceased!
5The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the
sceptre of the rulers.
6He who smote the people in wrath with a continual
stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted,
and none hindereth.
A2. Satanic invasion of body and mind.
Isaiah 14:12-16 (KJV)
12How
art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the
morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst
weaken the nations!
13For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also
upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like
the most High.
15Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the
pit.
16They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and
consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to
tremble, that did shake kingdoms; , and the sceptre of the
rulers.
A3. Satanic invasion of body and mind.
Ezekiel 28:11-14 (KJV)
11Moreover
the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
12Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus,
and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up
the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.
13Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious
stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond,
the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald,
and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets
and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou
wast created.
14Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set
thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast
walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.
A4. Satanic invasion of body and mind.
Ezekiel 28:15-17 (KJV)
15Thou
wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou
wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
16By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled
the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned:
therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain
of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from
the midst of the stones of fire.
17Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou
hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I
will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings,
that they may behold thee.
A5. Satanic invasion of body and mind.
Matthew 16:13-17 (KJV)
13When
Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi,
he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I
the Son of man am?
14And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist:
some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the
prophets.
15He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
16And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the
Christ, the Son of the living God.
17And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art
thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not
revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
A6. Satanic invasion of body and mind.
Matthew 16:18-20 (KJV)
18And
I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and
upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates
of hell shall not prevail against it.
19And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom
of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth
shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt
loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
20Then charged he his disciples that they should tell
no man that he was Jesus the Christ.
A7. Satanic invasion of body and mind.
Matthew 16:21-23 (KJV)
21From
that time forth began Jesus to show unto his
disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and
suffer many things of the elders and chief priests
and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the
third day.
22Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him,
saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be
unto thee.
23But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee
behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for
thou savourest not the things that be of God, but
those that be of men.
A8. Satanic invasion of body and mind.
Luke 22:1-3 (KJV)
1Now
the feast of unleavened bread drew
nigh, which is called the Passover.
2And the chief priests and scribes sought how
they might kill him; for they feared the
people.
3Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed
Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.
A9. How to resist Satanic invasion of
body and mind. 1 Peter 5:5-8 (KJV)
5Likewise,
ye younger, submit yourselves unto the
elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and
be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the
proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
6Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty
hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
7Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for
you.
8Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the
devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking
whom he may devour:
B.
Examples of Good Spirits
The Spirit of Wisdom
Isaiah 11:2,
Deuteronomy 34:4, Ephesians 1:17
The Spirit of Understanding Isaiah 11:2
The Spirit of Counsel
Isaiah 11:2
The Spirit of Might
Isaiah 11:2
The Spirit of Knowledge Isaiah 11:2
The Spirit of the Fear of the Lord
Isaiah 11:2
Examples of Good Spirits (cont)
Good Spirit
Contrite Spirit
Broken Spirit
Faithful Spirit
Humble Spirit
Excellent Spirit
Patient Spirit
Nehemiah 9:20
Psalms 34:18
Psalms 51:17
Proverbs 11:13
Proverbs 16:19
Daniel 5:12, Proverbs 17:27
Ecclesiastes 7:8
Examples of Good Spirits (cont)
Quickening Spirit
Spirit of Truth
Spirit of Holiness
Spirit of Life
Spirit of Adoption
Spirit of Meekness
I Corinthians 15:45
John 14:17, I John 4:6
Romans 1:4
Romans 8:2
Romans 8:15
I Corinthians 4:21,
Galatians 6:1
Examples of Good Spirits (cont)
Spirit of Faith
Spirit of Grace
II Corinthians 4:13
Zechariah 12:10,
Hebrews 10:24
Spirit of Glory
I Peter 4:14
Spirit of Prophecy Revelations 19:10
Spirit of Christ
Romans 8:9
C. The Selfsame Spirit
Paul explaining the diversity of operations
and manifestations of the Holy Spirit wrote:
“But all these worketh that one and the
selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man
severally as he will.”
I Corinthians 12:11