Test the Virus, Test the Spirits

As a so called ‘key worker’ who had Covid-19 symptoms, I qualified for the government’s free home testing kit. It arrived and I had to register it online. I couldn’t complete this until I registered with the delivery firm. This I began to do, but because a barcode was missing from the kit, I had to phone up the helpline.

“Yes, we are aware of this problem”, replied Becky at the other end, with her friendly Geordie accent. I suspect a whole batch of testing kits have gone out without the required return barcode. A waste of money and time when we have precious little of either. Sadly, after 13 minutes of supplying details, Becky explained that today’s testing kits have all been sent out- I should call again tomorrow. Bungling, inefficient and costly are just some words one might apply to any government at the best of times. This is not the best of times. So did I have the virus? I still don’t know; perhaps I never will. Further research tells me the test can only diagnose if I have it, and not if I had it. So a new testing kit will not be ordered in any event 

Testing is something the Bible urges us to do. The average Christian’s testing acumen is roughly as proficient as Her Majesty’s government’s. Many believers are attracted to ear-ticklers and false prophets like crackheads to a dealer. John tells his beloved in 1:4:1:

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.

‘Spirit’ here may not refer to actual spiritual beings such as demons and angels to whose message-giving functions the scriptures attest. It may refer to human spirits, especially ones with a ‘prophetic’ bent, as well as to our own moods, feelings and instincts. He goes on to explain that any spirit that denies Christ has come in the flesh is not from God. In other words, they who deny His deity or humanity are not speaking on God’s behalf; false theology and Christology never come from God’s Spirit. John’s explanatory comment was directly relevant in his own day with gnostic heretics creeping into the churches. I would even apply his opening salvo, quoted above, to those who are soundly trinitarian, but still lead people astray.

The charlatans and ear-ticklers have leapt onto this virus with all the enthusiasm and confidence of teens at the dodgems. There are the usual declarations of healing:

“Under the priestly anointing, I release healing to the entire world, particularly where the disease is ravaging so much, let there be healing, let there be sunray always, which is one of the antidotes to the disease. God release drug (sic) that will cure it in Jesus name.” (Rev. Father Ejike Mbaka, The Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry, Nigeria).

The virus will probably go of its own volition, though the Lord may well hasten its demise. It won’t go on account of Mr Mbaka’s releasing anything, either commands, visions or wind.

Other calls are more daring. This will be the year of great revival and outpouring starting at this year’s Passover. Lana Vawser, member of the ‘The Australian Prophetic Council’ has been busy in this regard, eagerly endorsed by Jarrod Cooper, Hull’s leading prophet. She utters:

Friends, the crossover HAS happened. The Lord showed me very clearly that the FRUIT of this SELAH TIME is going to be VERY evident when we come out of this time. This divine SELAH moment was a time of significant alignment, a time of purification, a time of repentance, a time of going deep. 

I’ve watched others describing themselves as ‘apostolic pastors’ and prophets declare that the virus is divinely refining the church and preparing the world for a wonderful outpouring of God’s Spirit. I hope they are right. I hope Rev. Father Mbaka is right. Unfortunately, I’ve heard prophetic predictions about revival before. The voice quivers, the eyelids shut, the bowels clench, the palms rise. The revival is coming and coming soon. Down in the audience, throats gasp, tears stream, faces beam. It’s just what we’ve been waiting for all these years. Then it doesn’t come, but no-one seems to mind. The next prophetic conference starts afresh and the cycle continues.

Until then, I invite you to test these spirits by God’s word. The New Testament doesn’t seem to speak much of great end-time revivals, but of apostacy, falling away and deception. Says Paul

Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion [or ‘falling away’] comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction (2 Thes 2:3) 

The Lord asked if He would find faith on the earth at His return, not a powerful church with billions of converts. Let Paul again urge us

not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word (2 Thes. 2:2, ESV) 

Sufferers of the virus are urged to be tested. Let us also test rigorously the claims, promises and spirits we see and hear about us, regardless of their messages’ attractiveness. Some are deadlier than COVID-19.