Judge The Fruit

May 27, 2022

Devotions:

          “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” ‭Matthew‬ ‭7:15-20‬ ‭KJV‬‬

          There are many who claim to be doing the work of God and they seem to have an anointing but they are false workers, false teachers, false pastors, false prophets, apostles, teachers.  Jesus told us earlier in chapter 7 not to judge, this is not to judge people, but we are here told to judge the fruit.  When in John Wesley’s meetings people started falling out by the Spirit of God, people asked John Wesley whether this was from God. John said to see to whom they gave the glory when they revived. When the people awakened after falling out, started praising God. Wesley said, this is God. He was judging the fruit.

          In the Old Testament if a prophet gave a prediction and it did not come true, they were a false prophet. If they gave a prediction and it came to pass but then they seduced the people away from God by saying, let us go after other gods.  Then they were false prophets. Not every supernatural occurrence is from God.  The girl in Philippi that was following Paul and Silas around telling people to follow them. She was operating by a familiar spirit and not the Spirit of God. When Paul got a revelation of that, he caste the demon out of the girl and was beaten and put in prison for setting the girl free.

          As New Testament believers if the minister does not seem right in our spirit we are to be cautious until we see the full fruit manifest. Given enough time the true fruit will manifest. 

          “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.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭17:11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The word of God is our final authority as to the truth as taught by the Holy Spirit. Judge all things and hold fast to that which is good.