How Will I Know?
Pastor Jim Kilby • January 9, 2023
I received a neat letter from a young woman today. She reminded me that I write a lot about encountering evil, but since evil is often very subtle, she wondered how she'd know it if she encountered Satan or a demon. A great question, and one that every Christian should know the answer to. My young friend is correct, there is plenty of evil in the world. Of course, when you do encounter it, knowing God's Word (and especially knowing God) is our best defense. But, as my young friend pointed out, the subtleties of evil can be quite confusing. Surely, many knowledgeable brother or sister in Christ has met a demon and unknowingly followed their instructions. I believe that most cults are started this way... someone sees an "angel" who they assume is from God. They're assuming is the biggest problem because we're clearly told in Scripture that "Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light" (1 Corinthians 11:14). So what are we supposed to do? We're supposed to ask them? Yep, that's right! We're supposed to boldly ask them who is the Christ. Any other answer than "Jesus" is an automatic indicator of who their father really is. Remember this and put it into practice. And also remember, demons don't come wearing red suits and horns; they come looking just like you and me!
"Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them [demons and those who follow demons], because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood." 1 John 4:1-6
Pastor Jim Kilby
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"He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, WHO BETRAYED HIM." Matthew 10:1-4 (Emphasis mine) I don't know about you, but I don't want "Who betrayed Him" ever written behind my name. Makes you think about the way you serve, doesn't it? Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate
Some churches are loud during their services, and others are more reserved. Some have loud clapping and "amens" every few seconds, and some worship in silence. I believe the Scriptures allow for a wide range of styles. What's troubling to me is that many who are quite comfortable speaking the name of Jesus and praising Him among other believers during a church service rarely mention His name outside the building. I ask you to consider that all the singing and clapping in the world means little to the Lord if those outside your worship services never hear a peep. "When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. On arriving, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. For he vigorously refuted the Jews IN PUBLIC DEBATE, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ." Acts 18:27-28 (Emphasis mine) Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate
I notice that when my children were young, and many of the young people I minster to, both have a similar mode in the way they pray. They often either stick to tried and true prayers or wrote sentences (like, "thank you for this day"), or they rip off a list of the material "stuff" they're thankful for. While I don't believe either is necessarily a problem for a young Christian, surely the wisdom of a few years will teach them that muttering the same ole sentences without giving them much though or only being thankful only for material things is not true prayer. Real prayer is just that--REAL! God can handle our honest prayers, and He deserves that we give some serious thought to what we're thankful for. Like our health, our families, His grace, our pastors and teachers, etc... Can you imagine what would happen if you tried that type of communication with other loved one's in your life? They'd know immediately that you were just giving them your absolute minimum. So, may I pray that today your prayers will be even more meaningful to Him, and also to you! "And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words." Matthew 6:7 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate
I once found myself between two teenage boys who were dead set on beating each other to a pulp. After they were separated sufficiently , I had a chance to talk with them each about what had happened. One of them had said something to the other one that he thought was disrespectful. The response was a quickly escalating verbal battle that was only seconds from becoming physical. Noticing that the young man who felt he was disrespected still seemed set on getting revenge on the other young man, I sat and talked with him for quite a while. His words mirrored those I've heard from so many before. His pride was wounded and he intended to make the other person pay in order to get his "respect" back. When I pointed out that beating this other boy senseless would have likely gotten him a jail sentence and a law suit, he exclaimed "If that's what it takes, so be it! I need to keep my pride!" Actually, as Christians the last thing we need is our "pride"... it's humility we desperately need. "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." Proverbs 16:18 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate
For thousands of years men have been searching for a fountain of youth. Ponce de Leon even searched what later became the state of Florida for the elusive fountain. Today, we look for fountains of youth in newfangled drugs, or steroids, or herbs, or workout regimes, or diets, or... I'm sure you get my point. The truth is that since God removed Adam and Eve's access to the Tree of Life, man has aged rapidly. We're aging from the moment we're conceived, and all of us will face an earthy death unless the Lord returns to stop it. There IS one fountain of youth left however, and anyone who's ever seen a chronologically old person who truly loves the Lord will know where it is found. The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, '"The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him." Psalm 92:12-15 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate
One of the most prevalent and unbiblical beliefs today is that only "bad" people will be condemned by God. The truth is that everyone who is not absolutely pure, perfect through and through, stand condemned before God--without even an excuse to offer. Perfection is the requirement to enter heaven, and since none except Christ Jesus ever lived a perfect and sinless life, it is Jesus we must look to as our atoning sacrifice. Since we could not be perfect, and since God loved us anyway, He sent His Son to die in our place. Whether someone is "bad" or "good" is not the question. The question is whether or not you are covered by the perfect blood of Jesus Christ. If you are (if you've accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior) then the Holy Spirit will bring forth good from your life. If not, even the good you do will be worthless on the day you face your Creator. Even Old Testament examples like this one make this utterly clear. "He also stationed doorkeepers at the gates of the Lord's temple so that no one who was in any way unclean might enter." 2 Chronicles 23:19 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate
One of the most frequent questions I get from teens is based on their heartfelt desire to lead a loved one to Christ. They'll ask me, "How can I convince them?" as if it were them who was doing the convincing. The Scriptures are quite clear that we are to be busy sharing the Gospel, praying for others, and even doing our best to witness with both our words and our best arguments for the Truth. What it doesn't say is that we are responsible for the seed being planted, for watering it, or even for the harvest. That is the Lord's work. In fact, Jesus was even more blunt when he sent out the disciples on a missionary journey. "If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town." Jesus of Nazareth (Matthew 10:14) Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate
When the United States was very young, the vast majority of the founders called on God Almighty for their strength, their protection and their guidance. Now that the country has vast armies, "Homeland Security" and a great dependence on its own ability to defend itself, God is just not as necessary to the average American. In fact, calling on God has become ridiculous to many. They would love to see the United States become 100 percent secular, totally eliminating God and all references to Him from anything publicly owned. What's more, they're not real happy with Him being referenced on private property either, and some have even taken to harassing the saints. Of course all of this was predicted by our Lord, and you can be sure He still has our back! Throughout the Old Testament His people faced similar situations and He always protected His people over the nation(s) who were oppressing them. The angel who was speaking to me said, "Proclaim this word: This is what the Lord Almighty says: 'I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion, but I am very angry with the nations that feel secure. I was only a little angry, but they added to the calamity.'" Zechariah 1:14 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate
Although we often claim to know God and His ways, the way we go about things often prove us wrong. Many believe that God requires them to do all types of good deeds, celebrate certain holidays, fast during special times, go to church, etc., etc... It's not that God does not want those things, but He is more concerned about our motives. Far too often we do them to try to get favor from God, when, if we've given our lives to Jesus, we've already gotten His favor! Then, just when we think we're doing great with the whole "good deed thing," we're sinning like crazy with the way we oppress others, gossip, hate, slander... I think you get the message. What God wants is for us to listen to Him, and to do what He says with the right motives toward Him AND the right motives toward others. It's not our fasting (giving up food or other things) that He wants... it's for us to treat others with justice and mercy. Then the word of the Lord Almighty came to me: "Ask all the people of the land and the priests, 'When you fasted and mourned... was it really for me that you fasted? And when you were eating and drinking, were you not just feasting for yourselves?'... And the world of the Lord came again to Zechariah: "This is what the Lord Almighty says: 'Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other'... But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and stopped up their ears. They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by his Spirit... So the Lord Almighty was very angry. "'When I called they did not listen; so when they called, I would not listen,' says the Lord Almighty." Zechariah 7:4-13 Pastor Jim Kilby Your donation spreads good news! www.harvestyouth.org/donate
