For every blessing Satan has a counterfeit: “Whenever and wherever the Lord works in giving a genuine blessing, a counterfeit is also revealed, in order to make of none effect the true work of God.”—Selected Messages 1:142CWG 116.3

Experience of those who rejected light given in 1844: “I saw them look up to the throne, and pray, ‘Father, give us Thy Spirit.’ Satan would then breathe upon them an unholy influence; in it there was light and much power, but no sweet love, joy, and peace. Satan's object was to keep them deceived and to draw back and deceive God's children.”—Early Writings, 56CWG 116.4

In the time of great revival Satan will introduce a counterfeit: “Before the final visitation of God's judgments upon the earth there will be among the people of the Lord such a revival of primitive godliness as has not been witnessed since apostolic times. The Spirit and power of God will be poured out upon His children.... The enemy of souls desires to hinder this work; and before the time for such a movement shall come, he will endeavor to prevent it by introducing a counterfeit. In those churches which he can bring under his deceptive power he will make it appear that God's special blessing is poured out; there will be manifest what is thought to be great religious interest. Multitudes will exult that God is working marvelously for them, when the work is that of another spirit. Under a religious guise, Satan will seek to extend his influence over the Christian world.”—The Great Controversy, 464CWG 116.5

Satan gives an experience to those who pray while unwilling to obey God: “In the face of the most positive commands of God, men and women will follow their own inclinations and then dare to pray over the matter, to prevail upon God to consent to allow them to go contrary to His expressed will. The Lord is not pleased with such prayers. Satan comes to the side of such persons, as he did to Eve in Eden, and impresses them, and they have an exercise of mind, and this they relate as a most wonderful experience which the Lord has given them. A true experience will be in perfect harmony with natural and divine law.”—Testimonies For The Church 3:72, 73CWG 117.1

Our need: “Every phase of fanaticism and erroneous theories, claiming to be the truth, will be brought in among the remnant people of God.”—Selected Messages 2:14CWG 117.2

“We must have our discernment sharpened by divine enlightenment, that we may know the spirit that is of God.... Unless we are constantly on guard, we shall be overcome by the enemy.”—Testimonies For The Church 3:14, 15CWG 117.3

“If we build ourselves up in the faith, we shall be safe in the keeping of the Mighty One.”—Testimonies For The Church 5:297CWG 117.4

SUMMARY AND PRAYER THOUGHT

If we have unforgiveness, critical attitude or known sin in our lives, small or great, and we are unwilling to confess and forsake it, then Satan has a legal right to give us counterfeit answers to our prayers. So we have counterfeit signs and wonders, slayings in the spirit, miracles and tongues. For almost everything God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit has ever done, Satan has a counterfeit.CWG 117.5

How can we tell the difference?CWG 117.6

Every supernatural miracle we see must be tested. We test the spirit behind the manifestation by the scriptures. 1 John 4:1-4. The spirit must answer to the Father (because they will lie to you and me). I have witnessed my minister brother cast out in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ the counterfeit spirit of tongues.CWG 117.7

There may be a multitude of counterfeit manifestations of Satan, but at the same time there are genuine powerful manifestations of the Holy Spirit of the living God.CWG 117.8

Let us not throw out the baby with the bath water.CWG 117.9

The very fact that there is all this counterfeit proves that in the first place there is also the genuine.CWG 117.10

Loving Father, please help us to depend one hundred percent on Your Word and not to depend on our feelings or miracles. We thank You that in the name of Jesus and by the Scriptures we can test the spirits that we may never be misled or deceived by what we see and hear.CWG 118.1

Chapter 49—A Special Invitation

Chapter 51—Faith the Key to Answered Prayer