Many Christians are deceived into thinking that evidence of the Holy Spirit is connected to supernatural gifts. The biblical evidence says otherwise: christianmyths.org.
No one can bear fruit without power. The evidence of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is shown by the power of the fruit of the Holy Spirit in the person’s life, not in signs and wonders. The evidence of the Holy Spirit is not speaking in tongues as some have said it is or in the supernatural gifts. In fact, not everyone speaks in tongues, any more than any one person has every other spiritual gift. The Bible plainly says, “all do not speak in tongues, do they?”
We were warned by Jesus about the great deception in the last days of false signs and wonders. The devil can speak in tongues, the devil can prophesy, the devil can perform signs and wonders, even great signs and wonders, and he does it all the time through false brethren, false pastors and false prophets. God has given the devil power to deceive.
Just because someone speaks in tongues or can perform a sign or wonder does not mean he is doing it by the Holy Spirit. Remember the Egyptian magicians, the sorcerers, those who practice divination, the fortune tellers, the spiritualist, the medians, the readers of omens and so forth. All of these supernatural spiritual powers are from the devil, and they can and do work today through the false prophets in the forms of the “word of knowledge,” speaking in tongues, prophesying of future events, dreams and visions, various revelations, healings, supernatural manifestations and more. But if the fruit is not right and does not line up with Scripture, then it is a bad tree, a false brother, a false prophet and a false sign or wonder.
You must look at the fruit, not the sign. If you see a prophet who performs signs and wonders, and he does not have the fruit of humility, takes your money for himself, does not address your need for repentance or makes a show of his ministry for his own personal glory and many such things like this which are completely out of character with Jesus, then he is a false prophet. Remember that Jesus told us that they would come in sheep’s clothing but inwardly be ravenous wolves. John the Baptist called them a brood of vipers. You will know them by their fruit!
“Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruit. Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit. But a corrupt tree bears evil fruit. A good tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a corrupt tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore, by their fruit you will know them” (Matt. 7:15-20).
Related Reading: The Great Deception of American Christianity Without Christ at christianmyths.org and amazon.com.
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