1 John 4:1
ESV - 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.
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The only sure way is to verify that what is being said aligns with the Word of God. Acts 17:10-12 "And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few." The nobility attributed to the Bereans (nobleness of mind) was because 1. They eagerly, with zeal and desire listened to the teaching. 2. Relying on the absolute and final authority of the written Word they searched the scripture daily, verifying the accuracy of the teaching. My dear old Dad who "graduated" and has been with the Lord almost 5 years now had a favorite analogy that went something like this. When the FBI trains their agents in the detection of counterfeit currency they study, scrutinize and become totally familiar with the authentic currency. In so doing, the fake becomes easily recognizable when compared. Bottom line is that we should all be familiar with God's Word so when a fake comes along they are much easier to detect. We all have favorite preachers and teachers but regardless of who I am listening to on TV, radio, internet or during a church service I attend there is one rule I abide by. "Never check your brain off at the door".
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