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Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and [that] no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
Note 4 at 1Co 12:3: The first test to apply to any gift of the Spirit is to ask, "Does it glorify Jesus?" That's the point Paul was making. The Holy Spirit will never lead anyone to defame Jesus in any way. Jesus made it very clear that the Holy Spirit would only glorify Him (Joh 15:26, see note 84 at Joh 16:14). Any utterance or act that denies Jesus is not from the Holy Spirit.
In Paul's day, a transition was still being made from Judaism to Christianity. Some Jews were teaching that a keeping of the Old Testament Law could produce salvation. They violently opposed Paul's teaching that faith in Jesus alone could produce salvation (see note 8 at Ro 4:5). Paul would have considered any utterance like that to be calling Jesus accursed and to definitely not be from the Holy Spirit.
Also, the pagan religions of Paul's day believed in many gods. Anyone who tried to make Jesus just another god, or a way to God instead of the way to God (see note 10 at Joh 14:6), would be calling Him accursed. The Holy Spirit would never inspire anyone to do this.
Therefore, today any group or individual that is claiming to be inspired of the Holy Spirit yet rejects Jesus' own claims to deity and His being the only way to the Father (Joh 14:6) is not truly receiving their inspiration from the Holy Spirit. Those who are truly moved by the Holy Spirit in their utterances will always glorify Jesus.
So, the first test that any spiritual gift has to pass is answering that question--"Does it glorify Jesus?" Yet that's not the only test. It's possible for an utterance to be in line with Scripture yet not be motivated by the Spirit (see note 26 at 1Co 12:10 for an example).
Note 5 at 1Co 12:3: As mentioned in note 9 at Ro 10:9, there is more to saying "Jesus is Lord" than just the repeating of these words. In Mr 1:24, there is an instance where demons cried out that Jesus was the Holy One of God, yet we know that demons aren't inspired by the Holy Spirit (see note 1 at Mr 1:24).
Paul was saying that any utterance that glorifies Jesus as Lord is directed by the Holy Spirit. It is only through the Holy Spirit that anyone can recognize and glorify Jesus as Lord.
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