Discerning and Testing Spirits

DISCERNING AND TESTING SPIRITS

“What I say is this: let the Spirit direct your lives, and you will not satisfy the desires of the human nature. For what our human nature wants is opposed to what the Spirit wants, and what the Spirit wants is opposed to what our human nature wants. These two are enemies, and this means you cannot do what you want to do. If the Spirit leads you, then you are not subject to the Law.

What human nature does is quite plain. It shows itself in immoral, filthy, and indecent actions; in worship of idols and witchcraft. People become enemies and they fight; they become jealous, angry, and ambitious. They separate into parties and groups; they are envious, get drunk, have orgies, and do other things like these. I warn you now as I have before: those who do these things will not possess the Kingdom of God.

But the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self-control. There is no law against such things as these. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have put to death their human nature with all its passions and desires. The Spirit has given us life; he must also control our lives. We must not be proud or irritate one another or be jealous of one another.” (Galatians 5:16-26)

“It is not every spirit my dear people that you can trust. Test them to see if they come from God.” (1 John 4:1)

“Do not despise prophesy, hold fast to what is good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21)

It is knowledge of the Word of God that gives us the criterion for testing spirits to see where they come from. But what about the old saying that ‘the Devil can quote Scripture’ as in Matthew 4:6? But Satan misconstrues and violates its original meaning. So we need a Catholic Study Bible with notes of explanation to inform us of what is correct. For example there is the Catholic Answer Bible or the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible.

The Word of God informs us: “We are not fighting against flesh and blood but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take the whole armour of God, so that you may be able to withstand in the day of evil.” (Ephesians 6:12-13)

We have to test the ‘spirits’ and these are affective movements within the person, that is emotions, feelings or attitudes, as well as good and bad spiritual beings e.g. angels or demons. From the good spirits come peace, confidence, and a desire to be holy, to pray and to being prepared to make sacrifices.

From the bad spirit comes discouragement, distrust, fear etc.

Jesus says “you will know them by their fruits.” (Mathew 7:16) St. Paul also helps us in discerning good and bad fruits and spirits in Galatians Chapter 5 above.

 

The Fruits of Darkness and the Occult

Fr. Joseph Wilson Msc says: “There is a simple test you can perform on yourself to find out what kind of spirit controls you. This test is based on the Word of God, Galatians Chapter 5.

St. Paul mentions nine fruits of the Holy Spirit with which we can check our spiritual health against: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. The occult and bondage of Satan deprives us of all nine fruits. We experience their opposite. Instead of joy, depression. Am I more fearful than I was before? Do I have weird and frightening dreams? Do I feel oppressed, depressed, dejected, empty, or hopeless? Do I find it too difficult to pray and feel distaste for the things of God. I feel alienated from God. I have suicidal feelings and sense of foreboding. I feel lost and confused. Start by making a good and honest confession to a priest!”

Note Well: Catholic tradition demands that we always look for natural explanations first before we posit supernatural ones.

1. Weak, Sick or Dying?

“God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience but shouts to us in our pain: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” (C.S. Lewis)

Perhaps you are weak or sick or feel you are dying.  But your doctor can find nothing wrong with you. If the source of your problem is supernatural it will never show up on medical equipment! So the doctor may suggest you are imagining things!

Perhaps your troubles stem from the fact that you are receiving Holy Communion in a state of ‘mortal sin.’ (1 John 5:16) St. Paul writes that is why “many are weak, many are sick and others are dying.” (1 Corinthians 11:26-32)

But the same is true if we don’t keep God’s Commandments, they are not God’s Suggestions! “See how he flags whose soul is not at rights with God.” (cf Habakkuk 2:4) What is not confessed is not forgiven and so Satan has legal right to stay! 

2. Pains of Demonisation: Natural or Supernatural

The pains of those who reject Christ in favour of ubungoma, occultism, bruxia, sexual sin are excruciating. After one registers for deliverance prayer the pains can take up to 12 or 18 months to clear if people keep to the basic practices of deliverance. If they don’t they are going to suffer for a long time.

One’s attitude is very important in recovery. If the attitude is one of anger and frustration with God, nothing happens. One must be humble: after all it is we who closed God out of our lives by breaking his Commandments then we berate God for his absence!

The most honest attitude is: “Lord I have sinned grievously through my own fault so I cannot demand your grace but only humbly ask for it so I may be delivered Amen.”

Exorcism is only 10% by the priests’ prayers and rituals; the person’s own pursuit of holiness is about 90%. Some pray as never before, seeing it like warfare – spiritual warfare to dislodge the enemy. They recover quickly. But the lackadaisical and the careless take a long time to recover. Lacking humility they get angry with God. They soon backslide, return to old ways and get repossessed by their old demon whom Jesus says comes back with 7 demons “more evil than itself” and that person is “worse than he was before,” Jesus maintains. (Matthew 13:43-45)

Very little can help those people and they may suffer the agony alone till they die. For many it is perhaps they have skipped preliminary talks and preparatory rituals before deliverance so they are totally ignorant of what dangers lies ahead.

Pains

Here are some of the horrible pains of those into ubungoma, bruxia, the occult and sexual sin.

              Paralysis                                                    Blindness

              Hearing goes away                                   Scaly skin

              Headaches (Migraines)                            Hallucinations

              Audible voices                                          Psychosis

              Psychotic episodes                                   Chronic fainting

              Epileptic type fits                                     Pain in abdomen

              Sharp pain under sternum                      Sharp pain in legs

              Sharp pain in coccyx                                Sharp pains under soles of feet

              Aching bones                                            Diabetes type diseases

              Compulsive crying/screaming                 Numbness in body parts

              Inability to get aroused                           Heart palpitations or ‘strokes’

              Asthma                                                     Bleeding and sore gums

Visible decay or rotting of limbs. Sudden, extreme bouts of anxiety.

But more prevalent pains are: pains in legs, head, sore ears and eyes, heart or kidney disease with stabbing pains.

What is perplexing is that those involved in sexual sin would rather do without deliverance than give up their sexual pleasures, that is, until the pains become so excruciating, and then they look for God seriously! Often they were greatly disturbed that they followed every inspiration and command of the spirits but still had accidents and were being treated abominably especially at twasa school. Only Jesus has love and mercy. Only he says: “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.” (John 14:6) Some of the holiest people I know were once far away from God in serious sin.

3. Testing

Perhaps you are experiencing all sorts of ‘bad luck’, misfortune, financial problems, getting blamed for everything and thinking it is all due to witchcraft or curses or the supposed anger of the ‘ancestors’!

Perhaps the real reason is because you are being tested like Job. Psalm 10 says: “The Lord tests the just and the wicked.” An anonymous writer said: “When you have the approval of Heaven you will have the assault of Hell!”

“Between the time when a Christian is first called to service and the time when he is actually appointed by God to that service, there nearly always intervenes a period of testing. Often the more responsibility required in the service to which a Christian is called, the more intense will be the testing through which he must pass. Only those who successfully endure the testing will be chosen to actually carry out the service... one tested, trained, disciplined, self denying servant of Christ is worth a hundred Christians who are merely members of some group or organisation.” (Anon) See the story of Gideon in the Book of Judges, Chapter 7.

“Remember that our fathers were put to the test to prove their love of God. Remember how our father Abraham was tested and became the friend of God after many trials and tribulations. The same was true of Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and all those who met with God’s favour. They remained steadfast in the face of tribulations of every kind.” (Judith 8:25f)

But it is not all gloomy: “No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

4. Pruning

Closely associated with testing is pruning: “every branch that does bear fruit my Father prunes to make it bear even more.” (John 15:2) “The Lord punishes all those that he acknowledges as his sons.” (Hebrews 12:6)

To the eyes of faith, the various trials of life are all part of the way God is bringing us up. Not the work of angry ancestors or malicious enemies!

5.  Spirit Spouses (Incubus, Succubus)

A person may have an invisible night visitor that leads to sexual arousal and they can feel an evil presence. It may even try to rape them, making them feel defiled. Often referred to as a spiritual spouse and it behaves like an insanely jealous partner that chases away all rivals. We can see an extreme example in the Biblical Book of Tobit 6:13-14, where Asmodeus, a demon of lust, regards the young woman Sarah as his spouse and dispatches all seven suitors for her hand. When she is delivered, then she is free to marry. Demons do not mind fornication but once marriage is mentioned they begin working on the spouses till one is repelled by the other and breaks off the relationship completely. Sexual addictions are passed on to one’s children either by nature or nurture. Catholics who live together with their partner without the Sacrament of Marriage are very prone to be attacked by the demonic.

See: Youtube video by Vlad Savchuk: Spiritual Spouses.

6. Souls from Purgatory

Perhaps your house is haunted by a spirit that is neither frightening nor belligerent, but is very reticent and whose only words are ‘help me’ or such like. This can be a soul from Purgatory permitted occasionally to return for help by requesting Mass or prayers. Some do not discern properly and think it is an ancestor looking for more meat or beer!

The most famous character in literature returning from Purgatory is Shakespeare’s king in the play Hamlet who returns requesting help. It is not just Catholics who believe in Purgatory as we can see increasingly from Protestant theologians like C.S. Lewis who said: “I believe in Purgatory” and “our souls demand Purgatory” and “I pray for the dead.” Also as Professor Jerry Walls of Houston Baptist University among many others.

7. The Devil’s Tricks

St. Paul talks about the Devil’s “tricks” or the “schemes of the Devil” (Ephesians 6:10), highlighting the spiritual warfare that believers face. Coincidences can be a tactic used by the Devil to create fear, paranoia and confusion. People can experience a series of unsettling coincidences for example the recurrence of a same number e.g. they are getting on a no.4 bus, the time is 4pm. They note the road taken is Route 4, the newspaper billboard says 4 people killed in a car crash, the bus driver announces that there are too many people on the bus exceeding the legal limit by 4 people and they must get off etc. etc. This recurrence of the same number can make people feel like they are under attack or that something sinister is at play. It can be the work of the devil to instil fear and panic.

Carl Gustav Jung the psychologist was a dabbler in all things occult and was frequented by demonic entities all his life and tried to give rational explanation for this demonic activity e.g. his theory of “synchronicity” described by Jung as a meaningful coincidence of two or more events where something other than the probability of chance is involved.

Later in life, Jung in a conversation with Professor James Hyslop of Columbia University, conceded that Hyslop was right in that the metaphysical phenomena Jung experienced  all his life as a child and grandchild of occultists “could be explained better by the hypothesis of spirits than in the qualities and peculiarities of the unconscious.” By ‘spirits’ Hyslop means demonic spirits.

8. Lord of the Flies – and Spiders

In the Bible the devil is referred to as Beelzebub in the New Testament which is often translated as “Lord of the Flies”. He seems to be lord of the birds etc. as well! People can often be harassed by pesky birds on trees and telephone wires opposite their homes which can continue unabated for weeks or months until the person is delivered. Pastor John Eckhardt in his useful book Prayers That Rout Demons has sections on “dealing with Spirit Birds” and “Deliverance from Flies”.

9. Satan as an Angel of Light

“If Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light, there is no need to be surprised when his servants too, disgrace themselves as the servants of righteousness”. (2 Corinthians 11:14) For example when church men or religious commentators try to dupe people into ignoring or disobeying God’s Word (2 John 7).

The old saying still applies: “no ecclesiastical law can dispense from divine law.”

Hence the importance of discernment and spiritual awareness to avoid being misled by false or evil influences and so called “guardian angels.” Biblical angels are rooted in religious texts, while New Age ‘angels’ draw from a broader range of spiritual and metaphysical beliefs. Whilst referring to archangels like Michael, Raphael and Gabriel, they have roles differing from Biblical descriptions.

The good spirit and the bad spirit often appear in dreams as these can be channels for divine warning and instruction or demonic influence.  The wife of Pontius Pilate, and a pagan, had a dream warning her that Jesus is innocent. (Mathew 27:19) People can also have dreams from evil spirits that mislead them into trouble. In dreams demons can counterfeit the faces of people well known to them.

Bad spirits can work miracles so people should be careful not to be fooled by this. Moses and Aaron threw their staffs down and they became snakes. Pharaoh’s magicians “with their witchcraft” did exactly the same! (See Exodus 7 and 8). Centuries later Jesus was to warn us about those who work miracles but not by God. (Mathew 7:21-23)

Satan is called the “ape of God” because he can ape God’s miracles as we can see in Revelation Chapter 13 where the Beast works “great miracles” by occult means. “Through the miracles... it was able to win over the people of the world.” (Revelation 13:14) Jesus said: “EVEN THE VERY ELECT WILL BE DECEIVED.” (Mathew 24:24)

There are extraordinary charisms or gifts of the Holy Spirit e.g. healing, tongues, prophesy, levitation etc. and there are the devil’s counterfeit gifts of healing, tongues, prophesy, levitation etc. We have to be discerning all the time to avoid error and being seriously deceived. Be vigilant. (1 Peter 5:8)

10. Dogs and Swine

In Mathew Chapter 7 Jesus says “Do not judge” and then in verse 6 he implies that we DO judge and exercise critical discernment! This is when he says: “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.”  Discernment is necessary to avoid profaning what is holy (7:6) and embracing what is false (7:15).

We are not equipped to judge the interior dispositions of people but we can judge the exterior actions and bad fruits, avoiding them but praying for their conversion. (1 Corinthians 5:9-11)

Some people have a cavalier attitude to truth and are facetious or blasphemous about holy things, something which can undermine our faith and trust like nothing else. They disregard others with ‘weak consciences’ leading to a ‘brother’s downfall’ (1 Corinthians 8:7f). They have no reverence which is the mother of all moral life and they will trample one’s pearls “underfoot and turn to attack you” like dogs. They should be avoided like the plague. “The man that looses contact with the things of God is tempted to be ironic about them and to deform them into caricatures”, Prior Schutz of Taize maintains.

Desiderius Erasmus said “there are people today who try to show how clever and humorous they are by turning the deep and mysterious words of Scripture into cheap jokes. This is not only a lack of culture but also a lack of Christian piety.”

“The irreverent and impertinent man is the man incapable of any abandonment or subordination of self. He is either the slave of his pride, of that cramping egoism which makes him a prisoner of himself and blind to values, and leads him to ask repeatedly: “Will my prestige be increased, will my own glory be augmented?” Or he is slave of concupiscence, one for whom everything in the world becomes only an occasion to serve his lust. The irreverent man can never remain inwardly silent. He never gives situations, things and persons a chance to unfold themselves in their proper character and value. He approaches everything in such an importunate and tactless way that he observes only himself, listens only to himself and ignores the rest of being. He does not preserve a reverent distance from the world.” (D. von Hildebrand T.O.S.F.)

The irreverent man by constant use of stick and carrot, brow beating and love bombing ad nauseum is a manipulator who has no reverence for people. We must discern for the inconstant man is not to be trusted but must of course be forgiven and loved 70 times 7. (Matthew 18:21) Often referred to as narcissistic people, they have a tendency to belittle, criticize, or envy others to make themselves feel superior and display superior attitudes, mocking or patronising others.

For us it is imperative to take seriously St. Paul: “Whatever does not proceed from conviction is sin.” (Romans 14:23) Standing on the solid ground of consistency in conviction we can discern insincerity and fickleness and those who “blow with the wind.” (Ephesians 4:4) People who are loquacious or watch a lot of TV do not have the time to monitor their words or actions or fill their minds with all that is ‘true’, ‘noble’, ‘good’ and ‘pure’. (Philippians 4:8f). So they are inconsistent and not to be trusted. “Where there is no repose, no reflection, everything will be shallow, flimsy and cheap. We know what sort of vessels those are that makes the most sound.” (A. Roche)

When the Virgin Mary is said by Luke to ‘ponder’ in her heart the mysteries of her Son’s birth (Luke 2:19), the Greek word used by Luke is ‘symballo’ meaning that she was putting things  together and seeing the pattern in them. We too need to do likewise to make a good discernment of people and ideas. Hence the critical need for mental prayer or meditation.

“Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)

11. Fire of Fear

A common sign of witchcraft is the “fire of fear” that can appear mysteriously in people’s homes to singe furniture, or blankets or mattresses but never to consume them as with ordinary fire. Homes become unbearable with a stench of burning. The Catholic Ritual “Blessing Against Evil Spirits” solves the problem quickly.

12. Cold

In Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy cold is associated with the deepest part of hell. The cold symbolises the absence of love, warmth, and Divine Grace, reflecting the spiritual chill of betrayal and malice.

People experiencing demonic problems can suddenly experience profound cold and subzero temperatures on a warm day.

13. Discerning Between Pleasure and Happiness

What human beings most desire is happiness but they often look in the wrong places e.g. money, sex, food and drink etc. You will not die without pleasure but you may die if deprived of happiness. Real happiness is doing God’s will. God has a plan for us and finding that plan and living it out is happiness. God is not the eternal spoil-sport who destroys our ‘fun’, but the one who wants our happiness. Jesus said: “I have come that you may have life and have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) This abundant life refers to a life filled with purpose, joy and fulfilment, rooted in a deep relationship with God and includes the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

1. Pleasure is short lived, happiness is long lived.

2. Pleasure is visceral (felt primarily in the body such a eating a delicious meal). Happiness is ethereal often felt as a sense of peace, joy or wellbeing. See Galatians 5:22f re the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

3. Pleasure is taking, happiness is giving. Jesus said it is more blessed to give than to receive. (Acts 20:35)

4. Pleasure can be achieved with substances, but happiness cant.

5. The extremes of pleasure all lead to addiction but there is no such thing as being addicted to too much happiness! (Dr. Robert Lustig)

14.  Conviction and Condemnation

The Holy Spirit gently convicts us of sin whereas Satan aggressively makes us feel condemned. On a beautiful warm day we can suddenly be reminded of something in our past life that makes us feel cold, condemned, mortified or even suicidal – all the work of the devil “the accuser of the brethren.”(Revelation 12:10) His accusations aim to weaken faith, bring separation or distance between God and people, undermine the believer’s confidence in God’s forgiveness and love.

However Revelation 12:11 offers hope, stating that believers overcome Satan “by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony.” “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)

15. Being in a State of Grace

“The followers of Christ have the fruits of the Holy Spirit for their sanctification.” (Lumen Gentium 40, Vat II)

As St. Paul says above in Galatians those who belong to Christ Jesus have put to death their evil desires, are ‘dead to sin.’ (Romans 6:2) and “let the Spirit direct their lives” (Galatians 5:16) “and you get a reward leading to your sanctification.” (Romans 6:22) Sanctification means holiness, transformation in Christ, divinisation or sharing in the divine nature. (2 Peter 1:4) “Without holiness no one can see God.” (Hebrews 12:14) “IN THIS WAY WE DISTINGUISH THE CHILDREN OF GOD FROM THE CHILDREN OF THE DEVIL: ANYONE NOT LIVING A HOLY LIFE... IS NO CHILD OF GOD” (1 John 3:10)

Sanctification means being permanently in a state of grace and dead to mortal sin, NOT CONFORMING TO THE WORLD AROUND YOU, LETTING YOUR BEHAVIOUR CHANGE MODELLED BY YOUR NEW MIND. THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO DISCERN THE WILL OF GOD AND KNOW WHAT IS GOOD, WHAT IT IS THAT GOD WANTS AND WHAT IS THE PERFECT THING TO DO. (cf.Romans 12:2)

Putting on “the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16), “taking every thought captive.” (2 Corinthians 10:5) Filling your mind with all that is true noble, good and pure. (Philippians 4:8-9) Letting the Spirit of Jesus direct our lives. (Galatians 5:16-23 see passage above)

We are exhorted to do and think all “in Christ” about 164 times indicating a close union with Jesus. We are also exhorted 21 times to think and do all “in the Spirit.” So as to become alter Christus or another Christ.

Beware of entertainment filling our minds with silliness and entertaining us to death! Our thoughts, our attitudes must be carefully guarded for we can easily conceive evil thoughts and give birth to sin. Jesus gave us the BE-ATTITUDES (Mathew 5:1f) that we need to adopt as habitual attitudes, Hannah Hurnard maintains.

The opposite to these are poisonous thoughts that we allow a place in our minds e.g. retaliation and revenge thoughts, hateful and unforgiving thoughts, vainglorious and self admiring thoughts, judgemental and critical thoughts, brooding on these like a hen on its eggs till they hatch out in a venomous way. “See to it that no root of bitterness grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” (Hebrews 12:15)

 

 

16. Connaturality

“The heart has its reasons.” (Pascal) In Catholic theology connaturality refers to a deep, intuitive and sympathetic understanding or knowledge that arises from a shared nature or affinity with God. In other words, as humans are created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27) and as we are called to participate in God’s divine life (2 Peter 1:4), through grace we can develop a kind of ‘instinct’ or ‘sympathy’ for spiritual truths that arises from our shared nature with God. (Anonymous) In a sense our minds are in sync with God’s, making it so much easier to discern good from evil and good from bad spirits etc. “He who is united with the Lord becomes one spirit with him.” (1 Corinthians 6:17)

“I am the vine, you are the branches.” (John 15:5) Jesus uses the metaphor of the vine and the branches to stress the significance of abiding in him, akin to branches drawing sustenance from the vine.

Jesus referring to the Holy Eucharist says: “whoever eats me will draw life from me.” (John 6:57) “For just as the vine-stock supplies and distributes the virtue of its own inherent natural quality to the shoots, so too the only-begotten Word of God implants in his people a sort of affinity with his own nature and that of the Father. By the gift of the Spirit they are united to him by faith and every kind of holiness. He nourishes them so that they become devout, and He moves them to knowledge of all virtue and of good works.” (St. Cyril of Alexandria. D.O. II, p.588)

For connaturality to ‘happen’ we need to strive daily and unremittingly for holiness or perfection, or sanctification or transformation in Christ. It is not easy but someone has said “many will NOT be saved , not because they have not tried, but because they have not tried hard enough.” (Mathew 11:12)

17. Nothing Can Separate Us From God, Except Sin (Romans 8:35)

By staying in a state of grace is the best protection against evil – whether curses or witchcraft. When people are cursed or bewitched it is very wrong for them to try to “smell out” who did it. The fault lies in a sense with them for not avoiding serious sin and coming under condemnation when they should have been dead to sin, sanctified, and impervious to sin and evil in all its forms. 

“For this is God’s will: your sanctification.” (1 Thessalonians 4:3)

 

 APPENDIX

Some  New Testament Texts

Remember Your Leaders

Remember your leaders, who preached the Word of God to you, and as you reflect on the outcome of their lives imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same today as he was yesterday and as he will be forever. Do not let yourselves be led astray by all sorts of strange doctrines. (Hebrews 13:7-9)

The Narrow Gate

Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? So, every sound tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears evil fruit. A sound tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will know them by their fruits.

Concerning Self-Deception

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name? And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.’ If anyone says to you, ‘Behold here is the Christ!’, or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, the very elect. (Mathew 24:23)

Then two men will be in the field, one is taken and one is left. Two women will be grinding at the mill, one is taken and one is left. Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. (Matthew 24:40-42)

Jesus the Good Shepherd

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber; but he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens; the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” This figure Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

“So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not heed them. I am the door; if anyone enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hireling and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hireling and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, as the Father knows me and I know the Father. (John 10:15)

There is no Other Gospel

But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes and preaches another jesus than the one we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted...(2 Corinthians 11:3-4)

But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we preached to you, let him be accursed.

As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:8-9)

Doctrines of Demons

Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by giving heed to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, through the pretensions of liars whose consciences are seared...(1 Timothy 4:1-2)

Godlessness in the Last Days

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of stress. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their patents, ungrateful, unholy, inhuman, implacable, slanderers, profligates, fierce, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding the form of religion but denying the power of it. Avoid such people. For among them are those who make their way into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and swayed by various impulses, who will listen to anybody and can never arrive at a knowledge of truth. As Jan’nes and Jam’bres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of corrupt mind and counterfeit faith; but they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was of those two men. (2 Timothy 3:1-9)

Test the Spirits

Beloved do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are of God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1)

Evil-Doctrine

For many deceivers have gone out into the world, men who will not acknowledge the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh; such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. Look to yourselves, that you may not lose what you have worked for, but may win a full reward. Anyone who goes ahead and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God; he who abides in the doctrine has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into the house or give him any greeting; for he who greets him shares his wicked work. (2 John 7-11)

Faith Given Once and For All

Beloved, being very eager to write to you of our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For admission has been secretly gained by some who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly persons who pervert the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. (Jude 3-4)

“The Magisterium is not above the Word of God.” (Lumen Gentium 10)

“No ecclesiastical law can dispense from divine law.”