Test Every Spirit by the Word
Month 5: What About Other Religions? · Memory Verse
Today's Scripture
Read together: 1 John 4:1
1 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.
Memory 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.”— 1 John 4:1 (BSB)memorize this week
📖 Bible-in-a-Year (optional)
Today's reading: Joshua 22-24
Reading the whole Bible in a year — do this when you have extra time. (Around Day 143 of 365 — Joshua's final charge: "as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.")The Heart of It
John starts this verse with a warm word. He says, "Beloved." That means dearly loved one. He isn't trying to scare us. He's protecting people he loves. Then he gives a wise instruction: "do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits." In John's day and in ours, lots of voices claim to speak for God. Some teachers, books, videos, and religions sound spiritual and kind. But that doesn't make them true. John says that smart, loved-by-God people learn to test what they hear instead of swallowing everything whole.
How do we test? Not by our feelings. And not by how exciting something sounds. We test it by God's Word and by what it says about Jesus. The Bible is the measuring stick. When someone teaches something about God, we hold it up next to Scripture. We ask, "Does this match what God has actually said?" That isn't being rude or suspicious. It's being careful, like checking that a bridge is safe before you cross it. God gave us minds and His Word on purpose. Testing the spirits is one of the kindest and bravest things a disciple can learn to do.
Around the Table
Not everything that sounds nice is true! When we hear something about God, we check it in the Bible to see if it's real.
Let's do it: Say "True or test it?" A parent says a line, like "God loves you" or "you must be perfect to be loved," and the kids shout which one is real.
"Test the spirits" means we check teachings against God's Word instead of believing everything we hear.
Let's talk: What's one thing you've heard online or from a friend that you weren't sure was true? How could you check it?
Notice the test isn't "does it feel right?" It's "is it of God?" Feelings can be fooled. God's Word is the measuring stick, especially what it says about who Jesus is.
Let's go deeper: Why do you think John warns us that many false prophets have gone out? How does that help us stay alert without becoming fearful or harsh?
💬 Conversation Starter
What's something that looks real but is actually fake (like fool's gold or a movie set)? How do you tell the difference?
🛡️ Defending the Faith
We don't believe Christianity just because it feels good. We believe it because it's true, and truth can be tested. So we invite people to look at the evidence with us. We don't demand that they "just believe." That is exactly the confident humility of .
For Dad · Go Deeper
"Test the spirits" is a discipleship skill, not just a doctrine. And skills are caught more than taught. Your kids are growing up in an age of endless content, where a slick presentation often passes for truth. The greatest gift you can give them isn't a script of right answers. It's a habit. Run every claim past the Word. Model it out loud. When you hear a podcast, a teacher, or even a sermon, say, "Let's check that against Scripture." Natasha Crain calls this raising kids who think hard about faith before the tough questions come, not after. Worldview training is most powerful when it's a normal, calm part of how your family talks every day.
Draws on: Natasha Crain, Talking with Your Kids about God.
Let's Pray Together
"Father, thank You for loving us enough to warn us. Teach us to test everything by Your Word. Help us hold tight to the truth about Jesus. Keep us alert, but never afraid. Keep us kind, but never fooled. In Jesus' name, amen."
I don't have to believe every voice. I get to test them all by God's true Word.