(As Taught to the Middle School Group at Granada Heights Friends Church in March 2023)
This week we’re going to talk about how to hear the Holy Spirit. How can we tell if the feelings or voices inside us are the Holy Spirit or something else?
Remember a couple weeks ago I used the drone to represent how the Holy Spirit moves us towards God spiritually? (Who is the Holy Spirit Lesson)
QUESTION: What’s the test to know if a spirit is for God or against God?
QUESTION: When does this passage say we will overcome these antichrist spirits?
QUESTION: Which spirits are more powerful: God’s spirit or the spirits against God?
In order to tell what kind of guidance you’re sensing inside you, let’s make two lists of what kind of things each of these voices say:
1. ANTICHRIST SPIRITS — Denies Christ: Jesus isn’t enough:
Have you ever been around someone and sensed that something was wrong with them?
5. But the Christ life lead by CHRIST’S SPIRIT — Grows and multiplies: 
This week we’re going to talk about how to hear the Holy Spirit. How can we tell if the feelings or voices inside us are the Holy Spirit or something else?
Remember a couple weeks ago I used the drone to represent how the Holy Spirit moves us towards God spiritually? (Who is the Holy Spirit Lesson)
- We had a volunteer represent the Holy Spirit and she moved her hands around a drone to move it towards the youth pastor, who represented God.
- In that example you all sat on your hands. Only my volunteer influenced the drone’s movements.
However in real life, we have more influences acting upon us than the Holy Spirit. We also have:
- The world (T.V., friend’s opinions, books we read, social media)
- Our old sinful ways (bad habits, our own strength used to survive and cope)
- And the devil trying to influence us
“1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. 4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”QUESTION: Why shouldn’t we believe every spirit or voice we hear in our head?
QUESTION: What’s the test to know if a spirit is for God or against God?
QUESTION: When does this passage say we will overcome these antichrist spirits?
QUESTION: Which spirits are more powerful: God’s spirit or the spirits against God?
In order to tell what kind of guidance you’re sensing inside you, let’s make two lists of what kind of things each of these voices say:
1. ANTICHRIST SPIRITS — Denies Christ: Jesus isn’t enough:
- You have to do more yourself. You have to make yourself pleasing to God.
- God only helps those who help themselves
- Jesus can’t relate to you. He didn’t experience exactly what you’re experiencing. He was God.
1. CHRIST’S SPIRIT — Confirms Jesus did it all:
- You can’t make yourself any better than what Jesus has already made you.
- Relax, God is pleased with you
- Jesus understands everything you’re going through because he was a man on earth and he was tempted just like you.
2. ANTICHRIST SPIRITS — Speaks Lies about yourself and God:
- You aren’t good enough. No one could love you. You aren’t worth it. God doesn’t want you.
- God can’t protect you. It’s not going to be okay.
- God is mad at you.
2. CHRIST’S SPIRIT — Speaks Biblical Truths:
- Jesus has made you presentable to God.
- God isn’t mad at you anymore.
- You’re worth saving. He loves you.
3. ANTICHRIST SPIRITS — Hides & Denies:
- I’m fine. I don’t need help.
- Nothing is wrong.
- Don’t tell anyone what you’re done. (Give examples of wanting to hide what you've done)
3. CHRIST’S SPIRIT — Exposes & Confesses:
- Not afraid to say what’s going on inside or to say that something is wrong inside of us.
- Confident in God's forgiveness and that we're not defined by our sin.
That’s one big difference between Christians and Non-Christians: Non-Christians pretend that they’re handling life just fine. They don’t need help. They have it all together. Christians know that they’ve got big issues in their hearts and they need God’s help to fix them.
EXAMPLE: When you’re with your friends or people at school, and they do something that you feel is wrong, have you ever got this burning feeling inside telling you something is wrong or to say something or get out of there like Joseph did in the Bible when Potifar’s wife was hitting on him?
EXAMPLE: When you’re with your friends or people at school, and they do something that you feel is wrong, have you ever got this burning feeling inside telling you something is wrong or to say something or get out of there like Joseph did in the Bible when Potifar’s wife was hitting on him?
- Listen to that voice inside you. That's the Lord warning/teaching/leading you.
- Sometimes, the activity in taboo is something your family doesn't do, but other families do. It's not wrong for those other people, but it feels wrong to you: saying certain words, watching certain shows, or scary movies. You don't have to tell everyone they're wrong, but you do need to do what you think is right.
4. ANTICHRIST SPIRITS — Makes you afraid, angry, & a slave to things:
- You have to do this thing again and again and again.
EXAMPLE: Sometimes the Holy Spirit tells us to actively do something.
Jacob Deshazer was part of what was known as the Dolittle Raiders during WWII, which was the bombing mission sent to Japan from America in retaliation for the Pearl Harbor. The mission was a success, but Jacob and his team had to bail out over China where he was captured and became a prisoner of war.
Jacob Deshazer was part of what was known as the Dolittle Raiders during WWII, which was the bombing mission sent to Japan from America in retaliation for the Pearl Harbor. The mission was a success, but Jacob and his team had to bail out over China where he was captured and became a prisoner of war.
While in prison, one of the atomic bombs was dropped on Japan. Jacob was entirely unaware this was happening. He woke up impressed by the Holy Spirit that he needed to pray for the Japanese leaders to surrender and seek peace. He prayed all morning and through lunchtime until 2 pm when he felt the Lord was saying, “Okay, you can stop now. You don’t need to pray anymore. Victory is won.” Four days later, the Japanese Emperor made a proclamation over their radio that they were going to surrender.
Have you ever been around someone and sensed that something was wrong with them?
- When you suddenly get an impression of trouble or someone who is hurting or people in need, this is probably God’s Spirit asking you to do something for them.
- Start by praying. Your prayers will be part of God’s most powerful work here on earth.
- Then listen. Does God want you do to something else?
5. ANTICHRIST SPIRITS — Consumes and shrinks:
- People often think the sinner’s life is more fun because you can do whatever you want: watch whatever you want, think whatever, take whatever.
- It seems like the Sin Life has more freedom and options while the Christ life seems straight and narrow and boring. It's like this:
- However, the truth is the Sin Life's options all lead to the same place. They all lead to selfishness.
- The more you follow your own way, the smaller your life gets. You're interested in fewer things, care about fewer people, unable to do as much physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. You find it harder and hard to be with certain people and you have fewer friends.
- Ultimately, the Sin Life leads to Hell.
- When we give up our own selfish desires and whims and wants, when we trust Christ who is the straight and narrow path, our lives increase.
- We enjoy more and more hobbies and sports and music.
- We like more and more people. We're able to do harder and harder things.
- We're interested in more things and can invent and create without fear.
- It's like this:
Small Group Questions:
1. What kind of things do spirits against Christ say to you?
2. What kind of things does Christ’s Spirit say to you?
3. Have you ever thought the Holy Spirit was telling you to do or don’t do something? What was it?
4. What do you usually do when you’re with people who are doing something wrong?
5. What do you think the Holy Spirit wants you to do in these cases next time?
1. What kind of things do spirits against Christ say to you?
2. What kind of things does Christ’s Spirit say to you?
3. Have you ever thought the Holy Spirit was telling you to do or don’t do something? What was it?
4. What do you usually do when you’re with people who are doing something wrong?
5. What do you think the Holy Spirit wants you to do in these cases next time?
More Middle School Lessons: The Gospel for Middle School Students, Holy Spirit Lesson, Middle School Lesson on Gossip
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