We are all shaped by significant life events, but equally important are the voices that interpret these events for us. These voices - whether from friends, media, or religious leaders - explain why things happen and what they mean. In biblical times, prophets served this role, but false prophets have always existed too. Scripture teaches us to test every voice claiming to speak for God using three criteria: what they say about Jesus, whether their wisdom is worldly or godly, and if they align with apostolic teaching. By carefully evaluating who we allow to shape our thinking, we can better discern truth from error in a world full of competing narratives.

Our lives are profoundly shaped not only by significant events we experience but also by the voices that interpret those events for us. These voices - which may come from family, friends, media personalities, religious leaders, or politicians - frame our understanding of why things happen, what led to them, and what will follow. In biblical times, this was the role of prophets who explained events from God's perspective.However, not all interpretive voices speak truth. The Bible warns us about false prophets who invoke God's name to legitimize worldly narratives. In 1 John 4, we're instructed to 'test the spirits' using three key criteria: the Jesus test (what they say about Christ), the worldly wisdom test (whether their message appeals to fleshly desires, visual cravings, or pride), and the apostolic teaching test (whether they align with the teachings of those who walked with Jesus). False teachers typically exhibit warning signs: they practice sin while claiming to know God, deny their sinfulness, claim to love God while hating others, love worldly things, deny truths about Jesus, and reject apostolic teaching.In our age of endless voices competing for influence, we must be intentional about who shapes our thinking. This requires taking inventory of our influential voices and evaluating them against Scripture. By doing so, we can better discern the spirit of truth from the spirit of error, allowing us to remain faithful to Jesus even when we don't agree on everything.