The Holy Spirit Isn't the Only Spirit | Levi Lusko | Sermon Notes — Hello Pastor

Sermon Notes

The Holy Spirit Isn't the Only Spirit

Fresh Life Church • Sep 15, 2025 • 46 min

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Take this message with you through a journey of Scripture, reflection, and prayer.

Summary

In this teaching on 1 John 4:1–12, Pastor Levi Lusko reminds believers that while we rejoice in receiving the Holy Spirit, deceptive and unholy spirits also exist in the world. Scripture urges us to exercise spiritual discernment by testing every teaching against the reality that Jesus Christ came in the flesh as God incarnate. True Christian doctrine must always produce genuine kindness, humility, and active fellowship within the local church community.

Themes

Spiritual DiscernmentThe Incarnation of Jesus ChristTesting Spiritual TeachingsGod's Love and KindnessChristian Fellowship and Community

Pastor's Points

1.

Fidelity

2.

Humility

3.

Victory

4.

Charity

5.

Community

Key Points

1.
Fidelity: Believers must test every spiritual message by its faithfulness to the person and incarnation of Jesus Christ as God come in the flesh.
2.
Humility: True faith requires humility to accept the foundational gospel taught by the apostles rather than seeking novel ideas that indulge human pride.
3.
Victory: Christian victory is not something believers strive to achieve, but a position we stand on because of Christ's triumph on the cross.
4.
Charity: Authentic Christianity must express itself through visible love, kindness, and grace toward others rather than cold, rigid judgment.
5.
Community: In an increasingly isolated and anxious culture, the local church provides essential face-to-face fellowship where God's love is made visible.
6.
Deceptive spirits and false teachers operate like counterfeit luxury goods or ravenous wolves in sheep's clothing, mixing partial truth with dangerous error.
7.
Spiritual discernment requires believers to examine and test all teaching against the standard of Holy Scripture.
8.

Sermon Moments

“Pastor Levi's story of buying a surprisingly accurate counterfeit Rolex Submariner watch in Shanghai to illustrate how convincing spiritual deceptions can appear.”

“"A man's Christianity is not real if it doesn't make him kind."”

“"If it's new, it's not true. If it's true, it's not new."”

“"Religion tells you you have to do something to be something. The gospel tells us we are something because he did something."”

“The "Antisocial Century" study showing how face-to-face socializing has dramatically declined, highlighting the local church as God's remedy for loneliness.”

“The illustration of Bank of America: God doesn't demand a password or demand something from you; He sends a verification code of grace through Jesus Christ.”

This Week

Test online spiritual content and social media teaching against scripture to ensure it confesses Jesus Christ came in the flesh.

Practice daily scripture reading like the Bereans in Acts 17 to build spiritual discernment and filter cultural trends.

Intentionally limit screen and social media consumption to protect your soul from vicarious stress, anxiety, and distraction.

Examine your tone in theological discussions, ensuring correct doctrine is expressed with grace, humility, and kindness.

Reach out to a fellow church member or neighbor this week to cultivate face-to-face Christian fellowship.

Rest in Christ's finished victory on the cross rather than trying to earn God's love through self-reliance or performance.

Get involved in local church community by joining a small group, service team, or weekly gathering to make God's love visible.

Remember This

Because deceptive spirits exist alongside the Holy Spirit, believers must test all teachings by their fidelity to Jesus Christ and let God's love transform how they love others in community.

A Challenge for You

Re-commit your life completely to Jesus Christ today, take a practical step of obedience in His truth, and rest in the assurance of His salvation.

These are personal sermon notes shared to help you remember the message — not a replacement for Scripture, your church, or your pastors.