Just because someone talks about Jesus or even sings about Jesus doesn’t mean that they are a Christian. If people call someone a prophet or pastor, it doesn’t mean they are truly one. How can believers the difference between, those who are truly inspired by Christ from those who falsely claim that the Spirit is in them? I’m glad you asked! Although, false prophets and counterfeit preachers are nothing new. There were false prophets in O.T. times, again in the N.T and in our present times. We can see in 1 Corinthians 12:3, Paul had to give a ruling on when a person was speaking by the Spirit of God.
3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.
(1 Corinthians 12:3)
Scripture also says, many false prophets have gone out into the world (cf. Mt. 7:15; 24:11, 24; Acts 13:6). The religions of the ancient times all commonly claimed to have spirit-possessed men, but John warns that not everyone who claims to speak under inspiration is to be regarded as truly inspired. Believers must not accept every claim to inspiration, we must test the spirits. What is the test? It’s simple. Their attitude towards Jesus Christ. Dr. Charles Stanley once said the most important question you will ever answer is, “What do you think about Jesus Christ?” If the Spirit of God is in the person who claims they are divinely inspired, he or she will affirm that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, that He is the Messiah, He is God, He always existed from eternity past to now and forever. The spirit that refuses this confession is not from God. In fact it is the spirit of the antichrist. I’m not a prophet, I’m a pastor which is very different in my opinion. I’m a little weary of modern-day prophets. I’m so weary of prophets Pentecostals could make Baptist meme out me, but I am not cessationsist. I think it’s okay for me to be a little weary of prophets considering I’m a pastor and what John has already said. 1 John 2:18 states;
18 Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore, we know that it is the last hour.
(1 John 2:18)
So what we know for sure is that there are many antichrists. 1 John 2:22 provides us a definition, "22 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son." The main point about the antichrist is his refusal to acknowledge that Jesus is the Christ, ‘come in the flesh. John’s readers appear to have understood the antichrist’s coming as future, but John sees it as a present reality. There is no need for Christians to be fearful. You, the believer are set in strong contrast to the antichrists. Believers like you are from God, and you have overcome. John is saying that God is more
