TESTING THE SPIRITS
May
12, 2008
By
Ernie Knoll
www.4hispeople.com
In my dream, I am walking alone through a field of
dry grass as far as I can see. I have an overwhelming feeling of being all
alone in my walk. I recall how I have tried to explain to others how I feel so
alone. I look behind me and there is no one.
I am wondering about the dangers as I walk along.
There are many rocks and holes to try to trip me. I know that rattlesnakes are
in the dry grass ready to attack. I look down to see I am wearing pure white,
thick protective boots.
I now look ahead and see someone who is bright white
and comes quickly toward me. As He gets closer, I realize it is Jesus. I am
excited and want to run to Him, but He tells me to stay where I am. He comes to
me and we begin to walk together with Him at my right side. I notice that every
time He places a bare foot on the ground, the grass turns green and beautiful
wild flowers bloom. I look behind me and see a long trail of green grass with
flowers where I have been walking. I did not see this when I walked alone. I am
thinking about how He has been walking with me and I didn’t even know it. I
look at Him and am thinking, “Thank you for being with me.” He smiles, looks at
me and says, “I have told you many times I am always with you and will never
leave your side.”
I tell Him there is much I need to talk with Him
about. He looks at me, smiles and says, “Let us continue to walk along
together.” He calls me by my heavenly name. Before I can ask Him my first
question, He begins answering it. “You are thinking how is it that I am here
walking with you when I will not walk this earth till I make it all new. You
are thinking how the New Jerusalem will descend and I will place My feet on the
great mountain and it will become a great plain. First, one must understand
what I wrote in Joel 2:28 and Acts 2:17. I said I will pour out My Spirit upon
all. Men and women will prophesy in My name. The older will receive dreams. The
younger will have visions. This is a dream. A dream happens while you are
asleep. A vision happens when you are awake. I am not actually walking
physically with you right now. I am officiating in the Most Holy Place on your
behalf as well as all others. It has been misunderstood by some who thought
when I showed you that I was kneeling next to my prophet Ellen White that I was
actually there. They also thought the same when I instructed Joe Crews to write
the book Creeping Compromise. I am in the Most Holy Place but I am also with
you in a dream.” He calls me by my heavenly name and says, “You are not alone.
You are never alone. I walk with you always.
You recall the personal dream I shared with you when
you asked in a silent prayer if I was the author of the dreams. In that silent
prayer, Satan could not hear your words. You asked if you were alone in this
ministry. I have called you. You are to continue to share the messages I have
given you. In the dream, I sang to you the song ‘In the Garden.’ ‘And I walk
with you, and I talk with you, and I tell you, you are my own.’ Do not feel
alone; you are not. I am with you – not in flesh, but My Holy Spirit walks with
you.
I have heard and answered many of your private
prayers that have not been spoken aloud. Satan could not know the questions,
but I have answered them. I have also heard many private prayers from others
that were not spoken aloud. You have found out about them and how I have
answered them as well. Satan cannot hear your thoughts. As a test, several
prayed private prayers for the last dream ‘Love and Rebuke.’ I answered their
petitions. Satan could not have known about these private petitions.
You have been troubled by the “Love and Rebuke”
dream. You are troubled that the Herald could stand before Me, all assembled
there, as well as the whole universe and declare that I came as Adam after sin,
how I came in the flesh, how I was placed and born as a Child. You are
perplexed that after all that was shown that there are bright lights who hold
themselves higher than the Author and Creator of all. Lucifer also held himself
in an exalted position to be higher than his Creator. Know that even the
brightest lights will flicker, dim and go out. It is important that My people
not look to these bright lights for guidance. To light your way, look to the
Sun. I am the Sun, the Way, and the Light.
Please come with me. I want to take you some place
where you have been before.” Our feet leave the ground and we now go to a place
where I see a school. I know this to be a school I attended but do not remember
where. We walk through the front doors and proceed into a classroom. I have
been in this classroom as well but do not recall where. He looks at me and
says, “We are going to study how My people need to test the spirits. My people
need to understand that each must study and know who I am and listen to My
voice. They need to understand that it is important to test the spirits. There
are and will be many who prophesy in My name. But My people of weak mind do not
know how to test these spirits. They quickly ask these bright lights to tell them
what or who to believe. These bright lights think they know all because they
have been placed in a high position. They are deceived in their own thinking.
Each has to study to know how to test the spirits. Each has to look for
themselves whom I have sent. Put your soul in the hands of no man, for that man
may be an agent of Lucifer. Did I not write that in the
last days, I will pour out of My Spirit upon
all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men
shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams? Those that claim to
prophesy will have the spirits tested to know if they are to the law and the
testimony. If they test the spirits and they are
My words and they admit it is My words, grace
be unto them. But those that dismiss My words and call good evil, cursed be the
ground they walk on.”
Jesus now turns to me and says,
“Write down the things I teach you. Know that as I teach you, My spirit will be
with you. I am the Author and you are the messenger. You are to deliver this to
My people.
I look to the right and I see the
Herald walk in. It is as if He says, “This is my Lord, my Creator, my Master.
In Him I do serve. What He shows is my life, my being.”
Jesus walks to a big white board
and begins writing with His finger. At the top He writes:
He then writes below the
following.
When someone is
filled with the Holy Spirit, they will exhibit those qualities and attributes
associated with those belonging to Christ. You can test the spirits by measuring
them against these attributes.
Isaiah 8:20 “To the law and to the testimony: if
they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.”
Matthew 7:17 “Even so every good tree bringeth forth
good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.”
Galatians 5:22-24 “But the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they
that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.”
1 John 4:6 “We are of God: he that knoweth God
heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of
truth, and the spirit of error.”
John 8:42 “Jesus said unto them, If God were your
Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came
I of myself, but he sent me.”
1 John 4:8 “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for
God is love.”
Hears God’s words
(and keeps them)
John 8:47 “He that is of God heareth God's words: ye
therefore hear them not, because ye
are not of God.”
Opens the door and
invites Jesus in (is receptive to Christ)
Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door, and
knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and
will sup with him, and he with me.”
Matthew 7:21 “Not every one that saith unto me,
Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will
of my Father which is in heaven.”
Matthew 12:50 “For whosoever shall do the will of my
Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
1 Corinthians 14:32-33 “And the spirits of the
prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the
saints.”
John 14:26 “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he
shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance,
whatsoever I have said unto you.”
Has wisdom,
understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, fear of the Lord, and is made quick
of understanding. Judges not by sight and does not reprove by the hearing.
Isaiah 11:2-3 “And the spirit of the Lord shall rest
upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and
might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; And shall make him
of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after
the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears.”
1
Samuel 16:7 “But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his
stature; because I have refused him: for the
Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man
looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.”
Makes melody in his
heart to the Lord. Gives thanks to God. Serves others in the fear of God.
Ephesians 5:18-21 “And be not drunk with wine,
wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in
psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart
to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear
of God.”
Matthew
16:16-17 “And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of
the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou,
Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my
Father which is in heaven.”
Lives soberly,
righteously, and godly. Judges himself by the word of God and finds perfect harmony
in it.
The Great Controversy, p. 396
“The spirit that does not cause us to live soberly,
righteously, and godly, in this present world, is not the Spirit of Christ.
The Spirit and word agree. If a man judges himself
by the word of God, and finds a perfect harmony through the whole word, then he
must believe he has the truth; but if he finds the spirit by which he is led
does not harmonize with the whole tenor of God's law or Book, then let him walk
carefully, lest he be caught in the snare of the devil.”
Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, 01-31-88
The Spirit of God will lead us in the path of the
commandments; for the promise is, that "when he, the Spirit of truth, is
come, he will guide you into all truth." We should try the spirits by the
test of God's word; for there are many spirits in the world. "To the law
and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because
there is no light in them."
Hears God’s
prophets. Confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.
The Signs of the Times, 09-03-94
But God has given us a rule whereby to test what is
truth. The prophet says: “To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not
according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." "He
that is of God heareth God's word." "We are of God; he that knoweth
God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit
of truth, and the spirit of error." "But ye believe not, because ye
are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know
them, and they follow me." "If any man think himself to be a prophet,
or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the
commandments of the Lord." “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the
spirits whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into
the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that
Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God; and every spirit that confesseth
not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God; and this is that
spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now
already is it in the world."
The Great Controversy, Introduction, vii
The Spirit was not given – nor can it ever be
bestowed – to supersede the Bible; for the Scriptures explicitly state that the
word of God is the standard by which all teaching and experience must be
tested. Says the apostle John, "Believe not every spirit, but try the
spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into
the world." 1 John 4:1. And Isaiah declares, "To the law and to the
testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no
light in them." Isaiah 8:20.
Special Testimonies, Series B, No. 17, pp. 25-29
My brethren and sisters, leave
all minor tests that you may be tempted to make, and test
your spirit by the witness of the Word of God. Study that
Word, that you may know the character and will of God. It is positively
essential that every believer make the truths of the Bible his guide and
safeguard. To every young man and woman, and to those of advanced years, I
testify that the study of the Word is the only safeguard for the soul who would
remain steadfast unto the end.
Testimonies, Vol. 3, p. 124
The Spirit of the Lord came into
the meetings, and humble confessions were made by some, accompanied by tears.
Loma Linda Messages, p. 296
We must cultivate a
spirit of unity. We must strive for unity in following the gospel pattern –
Christ Jesus.
Jesus has now finished showing me the attributes of testing the spirits of God. He says, “Let us continue talking. I will now answer your next question. You and others have been privately as well as in a group been praying as to why I have not sent you _____ _____ as I said I would in the dream called ‘Much to Do’. We both know that you entrusted to a certain individual in confidence the name of _____ _____. In lack of faith this individual gave out the name. This person, who also has a problem with memory, has forgotten that a trust was given and that they were to be used as a witness. I so want My people to have faith. Will I not find faith but in a very few? I will send you _____ _____ but not until it is time by My watch. This individual is not ready. Be patient and wait for My voice so that I may speak in My time.”
I
am now taken as an observer and shown only a part of “The Mail Room” dream. I
see many people stuffing envelopes while sitting at tables. I look more closely
to see them put a Bible and a book labeled, Spirit
of Prophecy, into an envelope. (I knew this to represent all the Spirit of
Prophecy books by Ellen G. White.) Also included is a large blue piece of paper
that says, “Are you ready? JESUS IS COMING.” Jesus walks over, takes one of the
blue sheets of paper and shows me how it says, JESUS IS COMING. He turns it
over and on the back is printed, “Testing the Spirits.” This is what He taught
me in the classroom.
I am now shown a part of the dream, “Go Forth!” I
see myself as an observer looking once again at the large group of people. We
are looking at the Great Council of Elders. Jesus stands before them and in front of all of us. I now see individuals I know
and recognize. These are the individuals who have dismissed the dreams as from
Satan. They have said things which are not true, but even after finding errors
in what they stated, they did not want to admit fault. They have found other things
with which to dismiss the dreams and call the Herald an evil angel. These
individuals walk in front of the Elders and stand facing us. They are armed
with spears and arrows. Some are holding what looks like black round objects.
As they start to throw and shoot the items at us, Jesus quickly removes His
white robe and throws it over all of us. I watch as the spears hit Him. I watch
as they shoot arrows that pierce Him. I watch as they throw the black objects
that hit Him.
I
am now shown many of God’s angels in pure white surrounding Becky and I as we
sleep. I see other angels of God with shields
and swords surrounding the other angels but facing outwards. I see many angels
in dark gray robes who try to push their way in but are blocked by the angels
with shields and swords. I now see myself sleeping as an angel walks over to
me, bends down and whispers in my ear. I recognize him as the Herald. He
whispers what I heard before in the “Prepare…” dream: “As
June is a short month, so is time. Prepare for the wrath of God.”
Now I observe again part of the “Stand Fast” dream.
I watch as destruction unfolds on the face of the earth and beneath. Great
round burning objects hit certain cities which destroy all who live there.
These objects cause the earth to shake. Other cities hundreds of miles away
begin to shake and buildings fall, crashing to the ground. I witness
earthquakes, tornados, typhoons, hurricanes, volcanoes and fires with great
winds. I see explosions of immense heat and fire emerging from the ground. I
see fire shoot up in the sky as if it were a fountain of water. I observe
certain cities all across the country with unfathomable destruction and so much
death. People line up for food and water but there is none.
I am taken again to see the many people lined up and
singing the song, “I Surrender All.” I am shown again where the line ends and
what happens. Jesus says, “these are those who die for Me. They have
surrendered all to Me. I will place a crown of life and My robe of
righteousness around each of them.”
I watch again how we were shown that it
is important His people understand that we are to return a tithe to His
storehouse. I am again shown it is important that we understand what the funds
are being used for. If an individual is providing funds and they understand
that the funds are not being used according to His will, that person will be
held accountable if they do nothing about bringing it to the attention of the
recipient, the one who holds the keys. The Great Creator has said to pay a tribute
to those who do His bidding. The Herald explains that many tributes are used
toward Lucifer’s work of using spiritualism and other forms of unholy worship
practices from within God’s church by those who collect and place the funds in
a storehouse. The Herald says, "That is not God’s storehouse. Those that
give will be able to see the blessing which comes as a wholesome fruit. They
will see the fruits of the spirit as they give in faith when it is placed in
God’s storehouse."
I am now shown that many pastors and teachers are
being dismissed from their jobs. This is not because they are not working
correctly but because the monies that were placed in the offering basket were
squandered away. It was invested not in souls or the proclaiming of His message
but in the gambling halls of Satan. I am told the monies were not invested in
man but thrown to the wind. We reap what we sow. I watch as many of God’s
churches became empty because of the lack of faithful ministers. Other churches
grow due to the unholy influence of another spirit. They show their many
baptisms. I am reminded how they quickly baptize for increasing the number of
members. Jesus tells me to look to the right. Many are being baptized while
eating unclean things. Their diets are not perfected for baptism. Many are
being baptized and they are not prepared. Many are wearing jewelry. Jesus says,
“I never gave permission to adorn the body. The body I have entrusted with them
is My temple. Why do they defile My holy temple? I did not create you with it
yet you wear it as if it is a part of a necessary outward symbol.” I watch as
many go through the baptistery while holding their right hand up so their
cigarette will not get wet when they are baptized. Jesus says, “These are not
baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”
I am shown how irreverent worship services are held
in great numbers. Jesus says, “These are not My worship services. I have a
church that will stand the test. It will look as if it will collapse and fall,
but it will stand fast no matter how hard it is shaken. This is My church.
Jesus turns to me and says that He has heard the
accusations made against me and that the Herald is an evil angel. He says He
has heard the rumblings and the comments that have been made. He again asks if
He will find anyone with faith. He now tells me to look at my shoes. I now see
I am wearing my Sabbath dress shoes. They are muddy and very dirty. He tells me
to remove my shoes. He says, “Use this cloth to wipe your shoes off.” He hands
me a cloth. It is the same cloth as I had been given in another dream by the
Herald to clean my shoes. It is made of the same substance as what He wears. I
begin wiping the mud and dirt from the top and bottom of my shoes and notice
that the more I rub them, the shinier they become. When done I put my shoes
back on. As I hand the cloth back to Jesus, I notice it is as bright white as
when He handed it to me. He says, “You have cleaned your shoes. Walk on and do
not look back. Let he who calls good evil remain in their comments. This is not
your concern. I have shown the truth, the way, and the light.” Jesus reminds me
of one of the attributes of testing the spirits. “A good tree bringeth forth
good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.” I was shown that
many individuals, who placed their faith in certain leaders, were lost. They
did not place their faith in the Son of man. Jesus shows me how many will come
to Him and say, “Lord, I have spoken in Your name. I have healed in Your name.
I have baptized in Your name. I have exorcised in Your name. I have prophesied
in Your name. Jesus, in Your name I have done many wonderful things.” He will
turn to them and say, “I do not know you. Please leave, as you work in the name
of Satan.”
Jesus
says, “Share this with all. I sent messages to My Herald to whom all were to
listen. He was ignored, so I now give these Myself. Let he that rides dismount
and prostrate before Me. I am the Creator of the universe. I am He who came to
be the created. Bow before Me and confess your sins so all will hear of your
rebellion. A message was sent to My chosen messenger and you denied My ear and
convinced others to turn away. Repent now and ask for forgiveness so the Father
will hear and turn His face toward you. Ask this through and in the name of His
Son. Kneel, confess your sins lest the streams and rivers dry up and the horse
that drinks die, lest you walk the face of the earth and every ear turn away
from you as the words you speak fall like rocks from your mouth. Repent lest
the Lord God spew you out of His mouth as boiling seawater.
Let
he that holds the keys to the vault repent for the evil you have done and
spoken against Me and My servant. Let him prostrate himself before Me, the
Master Key Maker, and ask for My forgiveness and walk no more in the ways of
your errors. Let him confess before all of misconstruing what he knows is truth
as he has been shown. Confess before all lest the keys be knocked from your
hand and placed in the hands of another.
Let
this person humble themself before Me, the Lord of truth, for speaking errors.
Let this person acknowledge a proud boasting walk and ask for humbleness. Let
this person admit their faults of using a tongue that speaks against truth lest
that tongue be cut off and you walk the earth dumb.
Let
all who have spoken evil against the message and messenger I have sent
prostrate themselves before the throne of God. Ask for forgiveness in the name
of His Son. Let them admit fault and take up their cross and follow the path I
have shown. Let them do this before the book is closed and the name is not
written in the book.
If
he who hears these words of rebuke and a call for repentance still refuses, let
all see that these individuals are led not by Me but by Satan. If I stand
before you and state that I am Jesus, the Creator and the Morning Star, why
will you not want to kneel, repent of your sins and ask to be forgiven?”
I
am now taken as an observer to the dream “Get Ready.” I watch as I am in a
garden of extreme beauty that cannot be put into words. I walk along a path and
come to an open area. I see many angels lined up on each side of the path. They
all form one focal point, and that is Jesus who sits on a most beautiful
throne. The Herald takes me to Jesus. I fall to my knees at His feet. He calls
me by my heavenly name and puts a hand on each of my shoulders. He says, “I
have a message you are to share, along with what you have been shown.” He then
wraps His left arm around me and I feel His large open hand against my back as
He draws me close to Him. His large right hand now cups the left side of my
face as He pulls me to His chest. I can feel His strength pull me close to Him.
He then says, “Tell My brothers that Our Father loves them so very, very much.
Tell them He is patiently waiting but wants you home now. Tell them to watch
and to listen. Tell them to not give up. Tell them to keep their eyes and ears
to the horizon. Tell them to not be distracted with the things of this world.
Tell them to hold fast to what lies above and is just ahead.” Then He pulls me
even tighter. I can feel the warmth of His hands on the side of my face as He
says, “Tell them I am coming to bring them home. Tell them, ‘Get ready!’ ”
Again
I am shown the dream, “Angel on a White Horse.” I remember thinking how I was
not sure if Becky and I were correct in how we were sharing the dreams and if
we were doing something wrong in the way we were sharing what I had been shown.
I recalled how I had been praying silently that God would show me if I was
correct in doing what I had been doing. I watch as an observer as I inquired
if Jesus is upset with how we share the dreams. The angel jumps off the horse
from the left side and comes around to the right side of the horse where I
stand. He touches my left shoulder and says my heavenly name. He states that
Jesus and the Father are very well pleased with how we share the dreams. If
there is something wrong He will tell me and to remember not to get caught up
in the trivial things and not to worry about those we share with that have
doubt or cause discontent. God will take care of them in His own way.
Jesus now turns to me and says. “Those who doubt and
cause discontent even after they have studied what you are to show them, after
each has been shown to test the spirits and if they stand their course of
doubting and causing discontent, you are not to concern yourself. It is with Me
they have issues. You are My messenger. Stay your course and be faithful in
your duty. Again you are to remove your shoes and clean both the top and
bottom. Put your shoes back on and continue on. Do not look back.”
Jesus turns to me and says, “Do not fear, as I am with you always. Do not feel as if you are alone. You are not. I have called you to be a beacon in the dark. I have called you to share the message I have given you. Be bold, continue on and know I am with you in all you do, always!”