“Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts…”
1 Corinthians 14:1

In one of the great prophecies of the Bible, set among the events at the climax of the age of man, we find a prediction which serves as a stern warning to the elect of God.

"And many false prophets will arise, and will mislead many … "For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.  "Behold, I have told you in advance.  (Matthew 24:11, 24-25)

What is the purpose of the false prophets?  The purpose of these false prophets is to deceive – and especially, to deceive the elect!

But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron,  (1 Timothy 4:1-2)

We who have God’s Holy Spirit are the elect!  We will be a special focus of this deception!  Satan’s power will be brought to bear in amazing supernatural prophecies and miracles – all for the purpose of deception.

Has God left us unarmed against a formidable spiritual adversary, or has He provided us the instruction, the guidance, and the weapons we need to be able to “quench the fiery darts of the wicked one”?  Can we discern between good and evil, between the true gifts of the Holy Spirit and the deceptive wonders of Satan, so that we can endure in faithfulness to God?

How will we know what is true and what is false?  How can we know? If we do not discern the difference, we are lost!

A God of Miracles

Throughout Scripture, God is identified with miracles – from “let there be light” (Genesis 1:3) to the magnificent wonder of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:9-27).

God is super-natural.  He makes things happen that no one else can.  As powerful as Satan is, he is no match for God. He can only do what God permits.  Yet clearly, God is going to permit Satan considerable latitude at the time of the end.

God works in different ways to perform His miracles.

When David performed the first sacrifice at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, God answered by sending fire from heaven to the altar. (1 Chronicles 21:26)  There is no record of David having solicited or summoned fire from God.

However, at the confrontation between Elijah and the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:17-40), Elijah specifically prayed to God, asking Him to send fire to consume the sacrifice. God added liberally beyond what Elijah had requested. The fire which God sent consumed not only the sacrifice, but the wood, the stones, and the water that had been poured over Elijah’s sacrifice!

Is God the only source of miracles?  Clearly not, as we just read in Matthew 24, of false Christs and false prophets!  We find a slightly different illustration in the book of Job:

While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you."  (Job 1:16)

We know from the context (Job 1:12) that although God allowed this to come upon Job, God did not send this fire to consume Job’s sheep – it was Satan!

Fire from heaven – what an amazing miracle by any estimation!  Yet this is only one of the manifestations of supernatural power.  Scripture speaks of various spiritual gifts. Performing miraculous wonders is only one of many such gifts.  What are these gifts?

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit

The apostle Paul, in the book of 1 Corinthians, discusses spiritual gifts at some length.  Here are some helpful excerpts from Paul’s instruction:

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware.  You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the dumb idols, however you were led.  Therefore I make known to you, that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus is accursed"; and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.  Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. And there are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.  But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.  For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.  But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.  (1 Corinthians 12:1-11)

But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now there are many members, but one body.  (1 Corinthians 12:18-20)

That there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues. All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they? All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they?  But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way.  (1 Corinthians 12:25-31)

In Scripture, the most commonly occurring, humanly discernible gifts of God’s Spirit seem to be those of healing, of other miracles, and of prophecy.  However, we should also mention answered prayer along with these gifts; because, as is documented in the confrontation between Elijah and the prophets of Baal, answers to prayer frequently accompany spiritual gifts.

True Wonders

The Bible teaches that “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17 NKJV) Indeed, there is much strength and encouragement for us in reading the accounts of the many wondrous acts which God has performed through His true servants.

As most of us know, our Elder Brother Jesus Christ was attested to by God through countless miracles, wonders, and signs:

"Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know--   (Acts 2:22)

And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books which were written.  (John 21:25)

Those supernatural acts which are recorded of Jesus include: resurrections, healings, casting out of demons, the transfiguration, prophesying, prophetic insights, changing water to wine, feeding thousands with small amounts of bread and fish, and others. Moreover, Christ promised:

"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to the Father.  "And whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  "If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.  (John 14:12-14)

However, we should note that God does not always perform visible “miracles,” signs or wonders through every one of His chosen servants – even those servants to whom He has given spiritual gifts, such as the gift of prophecy.  John the Baptist is an excellent case in point. Apparently, he never performed any “miracles”:

And many resorted unto him, and said, John [the Baptist] did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true.  (John 10:41 KJV)

John never performed any “miracles” per se, yet what does Christ say of him?

"But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I say to you, and one who is more than a prophet ... "Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist … (Matthew 11:9, 11)

With this breadth of insight, let’s survey just a few of the wondrous acts which God has performed though others of His human servants:

The waters of the Nile are turned into blood: 

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Say to Aaron, 'Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, over their streams, and over their pools, and over all their reservoirs of water, that they may become blood; and there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.'"  So Moses and Aaron did even as the LORD had commanded. And he lifted up the staff and struck the water that was in the Nile, in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, and all the water that was in the Nile was turned to blood.  (Exodus 7:19-20)

The sea is parted for the Israelites’ crossing:

Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry land, so the waters were divided.  And the sons of Israel went through the midst of the sea on the dry land, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left …Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may come back over the Egyptians, over their chariots and their horsemen."  So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal state at daybreak, while the Egyptians were fleeing right into it; then the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.  And the waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, even Pharaoh's entire army that had gone into the sea after them; not even one of them remained … Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.  (Exodus 14:21-22, 26-28, 30)

Water springs from a rock by the staff of Moses:

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Pass before the people and take with you some of the elders of Israel; and take in your hand your staff with which you struck the Nile, and go.  "Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink." And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.  (Exodus 17:5-6)

Elijah shuts up the sky:

Now Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the settlers of Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD, the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, surely there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word."  (1 Kings 17:1)

Elijah resurrects a child:

Then he stretched himself upon the child three times, and called to the LORD, and said, "O LORD my God, I pray Thee, let this child's life return to him."  And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah, and the life of the child returned to him and he revived.  (1 Kings 17:21-22)

Christ’s disciples cast out demons:

And the seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name."  (Luke 10:17)

The apostles receive the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues:

And when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent, rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.  And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.  Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men, from every nation under heaven.  And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were bewildered, because they were each one hearing them speak in his own language.  (Acts 2:1-6)

Liars are struck dead by the word of Peter:

But a certain man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife's full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles' feet.  But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back some of the price of the land? … And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great fear came upon all who heard of it… Now there elapsed an interval of about three hours, and his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.  And Peter responded to her, "Tell me whether you sold the land for such and such a price?" And she said, "Yes, that was the price."  Then Peter said to her, "Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they shall carry you out as well."  And she fell immediately at his feet, and breathed her last; and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.  And great fear came upon the whole church, and upon all who heard of these things.  (Acts 5:1-3, 5, 7-11)

Healings from the shadow of Peter:

To such an extent that they even carried the sick out into the streets, and laid them on cots and pallets, so that when Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on any one of them. And also the people from the cities in the vicinity of Jerusalem were coming together, bringing people who were sick or afflicted with unclean spirits; and they were all being healed.  (Acts 5:15-16) 

Signs performed by Philip the deacon:

(Acts 8:5-7 NASB)  And Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ to them. {6} And the multitudes with one accord were giving attention to what was said by Philip, as they heard and saw the signs which he was performing. {7} For in the case of many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them shouting with a loud voice; and many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed.

Extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul:

And God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out.  (Acts 19:11-12)

Paul is unharmed by the bite of a deadly viper:

But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand.  And when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they began saying to one another, "Undoubtedly this man is a murderer, and though he has been saved from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live."  However he shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm. But they were expecting that he was about to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had waited a long time and had seen nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and began to say that he was a god.  (Acts 28:3-8)

Scripture foretells an increase in obvious spiritual gifts in the last days:

But this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel:  'AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,' God says, 'THAT I WILL POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT UPON ALL MANKIND; AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, AND YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS, AND YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS;  EVEN UPON MY BONDSLAVES, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN, I WILL IN THOSE DAYS POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT And they shall prophesy.  'AND I WILL GRANT WONDERS IN THE SKY ABOVE, AND SIGNS ON THE EARTH BENEATH, BLOOD, AND FIRE, AND VAPOR OF SMOKE.  (Acts 2:16-19) 

"And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth." These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. And if anyone desires to harm them, fire proceeds out of their mouth and devours their enemies; and if anyone would desire to harm them, in this manner he must be killed. These have the power to shut up the sky, in order that rain may not fall during the days of their prophesying; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to smite the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.  (Rev 11:3-6)

Magnificent and inspiring, these acts of God through His true servants will shine throughout eternity. Yet as we have seen illustrated in Scripture, Satan and his servants also perform great miracles.

Signs From Satan

Satan, our adversary, is also capable of producing convincing signs and wonders. What is the purpose for Satan’s miracles? His purpose is deception:

And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.  (Revelation 12:9)

And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke as a dragon. And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. And he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. And he performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life.  (Revelation 13:11-14)

While we are considering the above passage, we should take special note of the fact that this great Satanic religious leader will even be able to make fire come down from heaven. Why will so many be deceived by this Satanic miracle?  Not only is it a dramatic, spectacular miracle; but fire from heaven is a miracle which Scripture most frequently connects with God and with His consecrated servants!

·        The fire and brimstone from God which destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for their perversity  (Genesis 19:24-25);

·        The plague of hail with fire from God, by the hand of Moses in Egypt  (Exodus 9:23-24);

·        The fire from God that consumed the sacrifices at the dedication of the Aaronic priesthood. (Lev 9:24)

·        The fire from God for David’s sacrifice on the altar of Ornan the Jebusite  (1 Chronicles 21:26);

·        The fire from God for the initial sacrifice at Solomon’s temple  (2 Chronicles 7:1-2);

·        The fire from God for Elijah’s sacrifice  (1 Kings 18:37-39);

·        The fires from God which consumed the wicked king Ahaziah’s troops for Elijah  (2 Kings 1:10-12);

·        The fire from God which will consume the rebellious armies of Gog and Magog (Rev 20:9).

Prior to these events described in the book of Revelation, it appears that there is only one recorded instance of Satan producing fire from heaven: this is the fire that killed the sheep of Job, which we mentioned earlier.

Other passages of Scripture which warn of Satanic signs and wonders include:

And then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. And for this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they might believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.  (2 Thessalonians 2:8-12) 

"Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.  (Matthew 7:15)

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'  "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'  (Matthew 7:21-23)

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.  (2 Peter 2:1-3) 

Satan secretly generates “false words” and “destructive heresies.” But how does he support his servants?  How does Satan lend legitimacy to his deceptive and false course?  At times he bestows “power and signs and lying wonders.” 

This may come as a surprise to many, but Satan can perform what at least appear to be “healings,” and he can even “answer the prayers” of those who are disobeying God!

How could Satan create the appearance of “healings”?  As we saw in Matthew 7:22, it is possible for demons to be “cast out,” apart from the authority of God. Yet Scripture shows us that Satan’s demons do not submit to mere human authority:

And seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.  And the evil spirit answered and said to them, "I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?"  And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.  (Acts 19:14-16)

Further, as we see below, God’s Word attests that demonic spirits are sometimes the cause of physical illnesses:

And behold, there was a woman who for eighteen years had had a sickness caused by a spirit; and she was bent double, and could not straighten up at all ...  "And this woman, a daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan has bound for eighteen long years …  (Luke 13:11, 16)

And one of the crowd answered Him, "Teacher, I brought You my son, possessed with a spirit which makes him mute; and whenever it seizes him, it dashes him to the ground and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth, and stiffens out … "And it has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him ...  (Mark 9:17-18, 22) 

Hence, it is evident that Satan could create the appearance of a divine healing, simply by relocating a demon away from a situation where that demon has been the cause of an infirmity.

With regard to Satan “answering the prayers” of those he wishes to deceive:  How better to confirm people in their false beliefs, than to cause their prayers to “God,” to “Allah,” or to another deity, to be answered?  How better to set the trap of deception?  How better to make someone a disciple, a convert, a believer, a zealot for false religion – including that of false “Christianity”?

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.  And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.  (2 Corinthians 11:13-14)

·        Satan is the god of this world. (2 Corinthians 4:4)  He deceives “the whole world.”

·        It is in Satan’s interest to bring about “good” things for those he has deceived.

How can we know whether Satan is the one who is answering a prayer?

When God answers prayer, the result is that we are drawn closer to Him.

            God always leads to purity of truth and light.

When Satan answers a prayer, the person is led away from God, or confirmed in false belief(s).

            Satan always leads to a degree of deception and to darkness.

How intensely sobering to read in God’s Word of the spiritual havoc which Satan and his servants perpetrate upon humanity. More perverse is that much of this destructive deception parades under the label and the guise of  “Christianity.”
 

Five Fundamental Criteria for Discerning Spiritual Gifts

We must  be able to distinguish the difference between what is of God and what is of Satan, or we are lost!  Exactly how does God expect us to go about making this distinction?  Five fundamental points of discernment which can be identified from Scripture, pertaining to spiritual gifts are:

1. Is the gift genuine? Do the effects of the gift clearly exceed what is physical? For example, does a “gift of healing” clearly go beyond the placebo effect?  When a "prophet" predicts in God's name, does the prophecy come true [without any aid or manipulation from the “prophet”]?

'But the prophet who shall speak a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he shall speak in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.'  "And you may say in your heart, 'How shall we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?' "When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.  (Deuteronomy 18:20-22) 

The only potential exceptions to the prescribed fulfillment of any prophecy would be based on the principle stated in Jeremiah 18:7-10:

"At one moment I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to uproot, to pull down, or to destroy it; if that nation against which I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent concerning the calamity I planned to bring on it.  "Or at another moment I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to build up or to plant it;

if it does evil in My sight by not obeying My voice, then I will think better of the good with which I had promised to bless it.  (Jeremiah 18:7-10)

Before concluding this point, it is important that we take stock of a revealing and important detail, which is found in 2 Samuel 7:1-17.  Recorded in this account is King David’s discussion of his desire to build a temple for God, with Nathan, who was a prophet of God.  In verse 3, we find documented Nathan’s immediate response to David’s stated desire:

And Nathan said to the king, "Go, do all that is in your mind, for the LORD is with you."

Here we see Nathan, a prophet of God, incorrectly advising David that it would be a great idea for David to build the temple!  

When a prophet who is of God conveys a message as being from God, that message is always true.  However, outside of that context – as we have just seen through the example of Nathan – a prophet of God may be in error, just as much as any devout Christian may be wrong on a given point. Thus, we do need to recognize and to understand that a prophet of God may say or believe many things that are later proven to be wrong – but never in regard to any matter in which the prophet claims to speak for God.  It is interesting that in this incident between David and Nathan, we see God intervening through a vision to Nathan, who was then required to go back to rectify his erroneous human advice.

2.  How does the person with the “spiritual gift” live?  Are that individual’s practices consistent with being a servant of God?  Is the individual obedient to all of God's commands?  Each of us commits instances of sin; nevertheless, is he/she living a life of repentant effort to observe of all of God's Law?  Or is there instead, evidence of negligence or resistance in regard to some or many of God’s instructions?

"Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'  "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'   (Matthew 7:22-23)

And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him;

but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked …   By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.   (1 John 2:3-6, 3:10)

"And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, [which] God has given to those who obey Him."  (Acts 5:32)

3.  What is the message of the gift, and/or underlying message behind the “gift”? What is the person with the “spiritual gift” telling you to do?  Are you led toward God?  Are you led away from evil?

"I did not send these prophets, But they ran. I did not speak to them, But they prophesied. "But if they had stood in My council, Then they would have announced My words to My people, And would have turned them back from their evil way And from the evil of their deeds. (Jeremiah 23:21-22) 

Or are you being led somewhere else?

"If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes true, concerning which he spoke to you, saying, 'Let us go after other gods (whom you have not known) and let us serve them,' you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the LORD your God is testing you to find out if you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. "You shall follow the LORD your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him.  "But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has counseled rebellion against the LORD your God who brought you from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, to seduce you from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from among you. (Deuteronomy 13:1-5)

And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke as a dragon.  And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. And he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed.  And he performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men.  And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life. (Revelation 13:11-14) 

Are you promised blessings for obedience to God?  Or are you promised blessings apart from the Law of God?

"Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.  "You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they?  "Even so, every good tree bears good fruit; but the bad tree bears bad fruit.  "A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.  "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  "So then, you will know them by their fruits.  "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.  "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'  "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'  (Matthew 7:13-23) 

Are all elements of the “spiritual gift” entirely consistent with the requirements of Scripture?

Beloved, 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.

By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; and this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.

You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them.  We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. (1 John 4:1-6)

Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (Galatians 5:19-24)

4. Does the person with a spiritual gift(s) give credit to God -- does he/she give God the glory?  Is the gift(s) attributed to God?  Or is the self exalted?

Jesus therefore answered them, and said, "My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me. "If any man is willing to do His will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or whether I speak from Myself.  "He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.  (John 7:16-18) 

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.   (2 Peter 2:1-3) 

Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to Him, that you may not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.  Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things?  And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he may be revealed.  For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way.  And then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.  And for this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they might believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.   (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12)

5.   Is the person functioning in the realm of Satan's domain -- the secular world or within false religion? Is the individual seeking his/her own following; or conversely, is the person attempting to serve within the structure of God's Church?

Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it.  And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues.  (1 Corinthians 12:27-28)

And let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment.  But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, let the first keep silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted; and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets; for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.  (1 Corinthians 14:29-33)

Note: When there is not repentance in the Church, the effort to work within this structure becomes much more complex, as was true earlier of many prophets who were under the misused authority of leaders such as Ahab (1 Kings 18:17-18) and Zedekiah (Jeremiah 37:11-15; Jeremiah 38:1-6) -- and much later, Diotrephes (3 John 1:9-10), and more recently, [the now-deceased] Joseph Tkach and others.

In summary, we have seen that a person whose spiritual gift(s) are from God will: 

1.      Exhibit a genuine gift(s).
2.      Live in obedience to the Law of God.
3.      Lead others toward God and toward His truth.
4.      Glorify God – not exalt the self.
5.      Be serving as a member within the spiritual Body of Jesus Christ.
 

We Can Discern

God’s gifts and offices are for edification, instruction, guidance, exhortation – all are intended to serve God and man, to bring man closer to God by motivation and/or correction, and to glorify God.

False Satanic gifts and offices are intended to purvey at least some element of deception – to lead man farther from God, and away from the purity of His truth.

Despite the magnitude of the obstacles, our Almighty Creator has equipped us to win the spiritual battle with Satan our enemy, who will use every sign and wonder at his disposal, attempting to deceive even God’s elect.  Yet by the Word of God and by the Holy Spirit, we can be on the alert against Satan’s devices. We can competently exercise the spiritual discernment to recognize and to reject what is false.

At the same time, while we exercise that discernment, and as we exhibit Godly spiritual fruits in our individual lives, we can confidently and joyously receive the true gifts of the Holy Spirit in faith, as our Loving Father sees fit to bestow them upon His repentant Church. 

May the Most High God help us to become yielded, humble servants of His Son.

May we become rich in the loving fruits of His Spirit.  May we become servants upon whom God can, and indeed will, abundantly bestow the beneficent gifts of His Holy Spirit.

---

NOTE: Underlining and bold emphases to Scripture are added throughout.