Topic: Discerning Spirit I [Open Heavens for Teens 8 September 2019]
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Memorise: “To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:” – 1 Corinthians 12:10
Read: 1 John 4:1-4
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.
4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Bible In One Year: Proverbs 13-14, 1 Corinthians 16
MESSAGE:
The Pastor or spiritual leader you listen to regularly matters a lot. Many so called Pastors these days are leading people towards hell. As a teenager, you may be moved by the eloquence of the preacher, the beauty of the church, the glamour in their social media account, but you must take your focus off all these because they don’t have any spiritual value. Not that these things are not good in themselves, but you should not let them distract you from looking out for the real thing. Ask God for the spirit of discernment so that when you go on the internet to listen to or download a message, you will not download a material of doom, so also when you buy books.
You also need the discerning spirit to know which political leader or celebrity to follow and listen to. Some people may have attained ‘success’ in their fields but are not worthy emulating. Some are on the lists of the richest people in the world, but believe me honestly, many ‘poor’ people are living better lives than them. Don’t get carried away by wealth, “a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth”. (Luke 12:15b).
Key Point:
Let the Holy Spirit guide you on who to listen to and emulate, Ask Him for the spirit of discernment.
Hymn 14:
1 O spread the tidings ’round,
Wherever man is found,
Wherever human hearts and
Human woes abound.
Let every Christian tongue
Proclaim the joyful sound:
The Comforter has come!
Chorus:
The Comforter has come!
The Comforter has come!
The Holy Ghost from heav’n,
The Father’s Promise giv’n,
O spread the tidings ’round,
Wherever man is found:
The Comforter has come!
2 The long, long night is past;
The morning breaks at last;
And hushed the dreadful wail
And fury of the blast,
As o’er the golden hills
The day advances fast!
The Comforter has come!
3 Lo, the great Kings of Kings,
With healing in His wings,
To every captive soul a full
Deliv’rance brings;
And thro’ the vacant cells
The song of triumph rings;
The Comforter has come!
4 O boundless love divine!
How shall this tongue of mine
To wond’ring mortals tell
The matchless grace divine-
That I, a child of hell,
Should in His image shine?
The Comforter has come!
Daily Devotional for Teen’s guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries.
