How can we know if the Holly Spirit leads a person? How can you know that you are speaking from God, when you speak in tongues and don't understand what you're saying? It is normal to love your own children, isn't it? Or... it should be. However, those of you who are parents know what the love for your children means. Now if your child asks for some bread would you give him a snake? 1. Would God mock anyone? Would God deride a true believer to give him an evil spirit while the believer asks for His Holly Spirit? A God who has all the power, hates evil and is the very embodiment of righteousness and peace, could He do that? "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" (Luke 11:9-13) 2. What are the characteristics of the Holly Spirit? How can we differentiate between God's Spirit and other spirits? a) The Holy Spirit produces obvious fruits: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23) By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. (Matthew 16-20) b) No one can say Jesus is the Lord but trough the Holly Spirit and apostle John shows very clearly how we can recognize the Holly Spirit: "This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world." (1 John 4:2-3) 3. Can evil spirits produce true holiness and the fruits of the Holly Spirit? The gifts of the Holly Spirit can be imitated by demonic powers. Satan can also perform great miracles! For instance, priests from other religions (other than Christian religion) say that they do speak in tongues, and they do! What makes the difference? Do they confess that Jesus is the Lord? Do they believe in Jesus as being the Son of God? No, they do not! The demons also believe in God but do they obey God? No, they don't! Let's see some verses in the Bible: "You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that-and shudder. You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?" (James 2:18-20) Who is a liar but he that denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist that denies the Father and the Son. John 2:22 He (the antichrist) will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God. 2 Thessalonians 2:4 The man who says, "I know HIM," but does not do what HE commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 1 John 2:4 Jesus says: "For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shines even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Mat 24:24-27 The characteristic of God's presence is holiness and the acknowledging the fact that Jesus Christ is the Son of God according to the gospels/Bible. The Bible also warns us concerning the characteristics of the false prophets -they are godless and change the grace of God in immorality, denying Jesus Christ as well: "For certain men whose condemnation was written about[a] long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord." Jude 1:4 To end, I will just say, may we all have a clear understanding and make a clear distinction between our enemy and our Lord Jesus Christ. God has the power to keep us safe until the day we will see HIM face to face.