5-Day Devotional - Day Two

Two Kingdoms: Light & Darkness—Part One Pastor Paul Stieb Day 2: Discerning the Spirits Devotional In today's world, spirituality comes in many forms. From meditation apps to psychic readings, our culture embraces spiritual experiences of all kinds. But as believers, we're called to a higher standard of discernment. Not every spiritual encounter comes from God. The enemy is crafty, often disguising darkness as light to lead people astray. This is why Scripture urges us to test the spirits to see whether they are from God. How do we test them? The simplest method is to check if an experience or teaching aligns with God's Word. If someone claims to have a prophetic word but it contradicts Scripture, it's not from God. If a spiritual practice requires you to look beyond Jesus for guidance or salvation, it's not of God. God has given us His Word as our compass. When we know Scripture well, discernment becomes second nature. We can quickly identify counterfeits because we're intimately familiar with the real thing. Commit to growing in your discernment. Study God's Word diligently. Pray for wisdom. Surround yourself with mature believers who can help you navigate complex spiritual matters. The Holy Spirit is your ultimate guide, leading you into all truth. Bible Verse "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for 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." - 1 John 4:1-3 Reflection Question What spiritual influences in your life need to be tested against Scripture to ensure they're truly from God? Quote "A prophetic word can have a form of godliness, but it doesn't mean it's from God. You know it's not from God if it doesn't line up with His word." Prayer Lord, sharpen my discernment. Help me recognize Your voice above all others and identify anything that doesn't align with Your truth. Fill me with Your Spirit and guide me into all truth. In Jesus's name, amen.