Test the Spirits

1 John 4

¹ Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but _a test the spirits, whether they are of God; because _b many false prophets have gone out into the world. ² By this you know the Spirit of God: _c Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, ³ and every spirit that does not confess ₁ that Jesus ₂ 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. ⁴ You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than _d he who is in the world. ⁵ _e They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and _f the world hears them. ⁶ We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. _g By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

1. Cross References
   1 Corinthians 14:29
   Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge.
   
2. Cross References
   Matthew 24:5
   For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many.
   
3. Cross References
   Romans 10:8 - 10
   But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach):
   1 Corinthians 12:3
   Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
   1 John 5:1
   Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.
   
4. Cross References
   John 14:30
   I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.
   John 16:11
   Of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
   
5. Cross References
   John 3:31
   He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.
   
6. Cross References
   John 15:19
   If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
   John 17:14
   I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
   
7. Cross References
   1 Corinthians 2:12 - 16
   Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.