The document discusses the importance of personal study and discernment in understanding spiritual truths, emphasizing that individuals should fact-check teachings against scripture. It highlights examples from the Bible, such as the caution against being misled by leaders and the necessity of proving all things. The sermon encourages diligence in studying the word of God, as well as the dangers of complacency and misplaced trust.

1. Testing every spirit
by
Brian Birdow
Sermon text: 1 John 4:1; 1 Chronicles 17:1-10

2. Objective of Lesson
1. To challenge us to study for ourselves.
2. To challenge us to stand on the truth!
3. Why don’t more people fact check?

3. Fact check the leaders
•Isaiah 9:16 For the
leaders of this
people cause them
to err (or they have
been leading them
astray) and those
who are following
them are destroyed.

4. The advice of Nathan
• 1 Chronicles 17:1-10
• Nathan told David
something God had not
told him! Note vs. 2.
• A lot of people are
mislead by someone
telling them, “do all that is
in your heart!”
• Or to me I do not see it as
sin or that big of a deal.

5. Study to know for yourself!
• 1 Timothy 4:13—Until I come, give
attention to the public reading of
Scripture, to exhortation and
teaching.
• 2 Timothy 3:16—All scripture is
inspired by God and profitable for
teaching, for reproof, for correction,
for training in righteousness.
• Acts 17:11 Now these are more
noble-minded than those in
Thessalonica, for they received the
word with great eagerness,
examining the Scriptures daily to
see whether these things were so.

6. Study to know for yourself!
2 Timothy 2:15
•Study (be diligent) to
present yourself
approved to God, a
worker who does not
need to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the
word of truth.

7. Hold fast to what you know!
• 1 Thessalonians 5:21—
Prove (test) all things; hold
fast to what is good!
• 1 John 4—Beloved, believe
not every spirit, but try the
spirits whether they are of
God: because many false
prophets are gone out into the
world.
• Prove the matter first by the
word of God, then don’t
waiver from the truth!

8. The Man of GOD
1 Kings 13
• He like you and I will face
temptations and snares of the
devil.
• He like you and I knew what right
and what was wrong. He resisted
the first offer, but not the second!
• He did not holdfast to what God
had commanded Him.
• He was punished liked you and I
will be if we disobey God.

9. Remember Gibeonite
deception?
Joshua 9

10. Why don’t we fact check?
Because we are to trusting of
others!
Proverbs 25:19—
Confidence in an unfaithful
man in times of trouble is like
a broken tooth, and a foot out
of joint.
Because it takes work and we
are lazy!
Proverbs 10:4—Lazy hands
make for poverty, but diligent
hands bring wealth.