Today our world is filled with streams of content bombarding us from all angles, endless conversations, tweets, comments, constant interactions, discerning what is of the Spirit of God and what is not can seem daunting. Yet, 1 John 4:1 urges us to be watchful, to test the spirits, and to walk in the Spirit. This discernment is not merely for high theological discussions but is also intended for our daily conversations and interactions. John was warning the early church about deceptive teachings in 1 John 4:1 when he admonishes them to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.” However, his advice applies also to our testing the spirit behind the conversations we engage in every day.
Practically speaking, what does it mean in practice to “test the spirits”? How do we discern whether the Spirit of God is present or absent in our interactions?
Testing the spirits requires spiritual sensitivity—a third ear, if you will, that listens not just to the words spoken but to the spirit behind them. Are the words seasoned with grace? Are they encouraging? Edifying? Do they align with the truth of God’s Word? Or are they filled with resentment, bitterness, pride, or empty foolishness talk? Paul exhorts us to be “filled with the Spirit,” this incudes our words and attitudes. Our being “filled with the Spirit” is evident in the way we speak to one another (Eph.5:18-21). Spirit-filled speech is characterized by encouragement, gratitude, and humility. It’s speech that acknowledges Christ, edifies the listeners, and maintains unity and reconciliation within the body of Christ. When the Spirit is present, our conversations become a means of grace, a way of strengthening, loving and sharing Christ’s truth with one another.
We’ve all experienced conversations that leave us feeling unsettled. Perhaps it’s the gossip that creeps into a seemingly harmless chat, or the casual use of God’s name in vain, or the subtle slandering of someone’s character. A joke that undermines someone’s dignity, a comment that spreads unnecessary suspicion, or a word spoken in haste can all be tools the enemy uses to weaken our witness and grieve the Spirit. When we sense that a conversation is not pleasing to God, we have a responsibility to either rebuke it, redirect it or remove ourselves from it. To participate in or promote ungodly conversation is to give it legitimacy, and we must be vigilant to protect not only our own hearts but also the hearts of others.
The Spirit of God is absent from such conversations. His absence isn’t necessarily from the lives of the people involved, they may well be believers, but from the content and tone of the conversation. And when the Spirit is absent from our words, we are treading on dangerous ground. Our words have the power to build up or tear down, to lead and to mislead. Ephesians 5:4 warned us against “filthiness, foolish talk, or crude joking,” which are out of place for those who belong to Christ. What we say is a reflection of what fills our hearts (Luke 6:45). When our words and attitudes are not filled with the Spirit, they become tools of the enemy in our daily interactions.
In a culture that celebrates idle chatter and entertains the trivial, it’s easy to lose sight of the weight of our words. Yet, as followers of Christ, we are called to test the spirits and to walk in the Spirit in every area of our lives, especially in our daily conversations. By strengthening our third ear, a heightened sensitivity to the Spirit’s presence (or absence) in our words and attitudes that govern our interactions, we guard our hearts, honor God, and serve as a witness to the truth of the gospel.
