1 John 4:1-3 – “Dear friends, 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. 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. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.”
1 Corinthians 12:3 - "Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit."
God’s Holy Spirit needs no embellishment. The Holy Spirit is God and God has never needed human embellishment, only obedience and confession of the Source. For those of us who have experienced such a raw, amazing touch of the supernatural, we can easily stray when we embellish His natural moving. It is right and good to rejoice in His presence…a rejoicing not understandable outside the Spirit, especially when expressed physically, and when prophecy and healing are added, you begin to see further physical manifestation of the glorious Holy Spirit. But you’ll know exactly where you are embellishing the Spirit and where you are simply moved by Him. There is a distinct difference. Movement of the Spirit inspires others of the same Spirit to join in worship—to rejoice in rejoicing and mourn in mourning (Rom 12:15). Human embellishment beyond the Spirit’s leading only distracts, moving focus to the individual, and for those whose gift of discernment is still developing and especially those who are natural skeptics—the embellisher will deter the Spirit’s pure leading in them. Additionally, for your own sakes, please remember Moses (Numbers 20:1-13)! God commanded Him to speak to the rock and it would flow water to drink--but Moses struck the rock with his staff. God still moved in a miraculous way, but Moses forfeited entry into the promised land because of His embellishment! Moses is certainly in Heaven now, and God moved even in His imperfection, but woe to us who embellish on God's commands.
Now for the discerners and skeptics—take note of this valuable lesson: there are false spirits and there is real supernatural movement of the Holy Spirit on this earth—I have encountered both. We are to test these spirits to know their origin, and here’s the big lesson recently imparted to me: just because you have discerned that the individual claiming to be Spirit filled is being somewhat counterfeit and embellishing, it does not mean that the Spirit is not with them! Firstly, we are imperfect human beings with imperfect discernment at times—so let’s not be so quick to judge by our own human sight, and instead trust the Holy Spirit inside of us. And additionally, those filled with physical manifestation of the Spirit are imperfect humans, as well, so it is possible to share the Spirit imperfectly at times…but still sharing, nonetheless, and God will use us. So in this circumstance a true prophetic word or other gift of the Spirit may very well be shared despite the error of embellishment. Open your mind to this possibility and breathe in the peace of confusion lifted.
This is a warning for correction to the Spirit filled in order to help fulfill your rich purpose by remaining true to the Spirit's genuine leading, and a word of encouragement to the natural “doubting Thomas.” We can come together through such realizations, sharing our gifts and the Holy Spirit more freely, more purely, and giving the most glory to our God.
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