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There is a Scripture in 1 Corinthians 14:29 which reads as follows: “Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge.” The word “judge” in Greek is Diakrino, which means to separate, make a distinction or discriminate. To discriminate means to recognize a distinction. Thus, we are called to judge between what is right and wrong, and what is false and real, and we should be able to recognize such a difference. Or how about testing all things (1 Thessalonians 5:21)
So what has happened in the Body of Christ in regard to this Scripture? It is very clear and very obvious the Church has been hit for a long time with a devastating counterfeit prophet movement, which is a contradiction in terms since it is nothing more than divination at work. Thus a work of lying, and yes, we take into consideration that some are intentional but some are also unintentional.
After all, even those who speak deception are often deceived. These days, wherever you turn, people have some incredible word, some deep prophetic insight, or vision, and it is being announced, pronounced, and declared far and wide. Yet, has it ever been judged? Has it ever borne the brunt of scrutiny? Granted, some words are being judged, weighed, and considered, but these days it is like we have been hit with wave upon wave of prophetic words about what God is doing.
It says in “1 John 4: 1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” Are we then testing? Are we weighing every word and the spirit behind it? Is it the Holy Spirit, and if not, it is then either the Self (flesh) speaking or demon (the same deceiving spirits who incite doctrines of demons – 1 Timothy 4:1).
Everything that comes from God is designed to bring life, a blessing, hope, truth, direction, or certainty. Anything else only enslaves, corrupts, misleads, misdirects, and corrupts. Thus we need to be very discerning between what is real and what is false.
Any word which is not from God is dangerous. It is not just dangerous, it is devilish and diabolical. For the devil is the father of lies. God does not lie, and such devious work mocks God, even if it is unintentional because it needs to be weighed. We are reminded of Ezekiel 13 (one of the countless Scriptural examples of God rejecting false word): “3 Thus says the Lord God: “Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! 4 O Israel, your prophets are like foxes in the deserts. 5 You have not gone up into the gaps to build a wall for the house of Israel to stand in battle on the day of the Lord. 6 They have envisioned futility and false divination, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord!’ But the Lord has not sent them; yet they hope that the word may be confirmed. 7 Have you not seen a futile vision, and have you not spoken false divination? You say, ‘The Lord says,’ but I have not spoken.”
The church is sailing in the dangerous waters of apostasy because too many foolish prophets have been allowed to operate without being properly judged. Indeed these are perilous times. Thus, a dangerous time for the Church because of so many false prophetic words that are destroying its credibility, causing strife, confusion, and leading people away from the Truth of God.
Any other word which comes not from God will only mislead, lead astray, enslave, or cause greater confusion and harm. Yet it seems these days there is little thought to judge because prophetic words have been allowed to be announced far and wide as if God has spoken. And so we sit in churches where these foolish prophets “have not gone up into the gaps to build a wall for the house of Israel to stand in battle on the day of the Lord” and too many hoping that the word that has spoken may be confirmed. Is it then any wonder why the church is struggling to keep its head above water in the wake of the spiritual battle? These are perilous times, and we need to take guard against such times of deception.
This is the sad and shocking state of affairs in the church. So many right now in this world have “envisioned futility and false divination”, and people grab onto this word without a second thought.
So many are HOPING that what they have said will come to pass. Never before have I seen so much prophetic word being declared, yet for anyone who abides in God a lot of words these days immediately raise a red flag. All of these ‘prophets’ have been allowed to operate, and to become influential and to sway the hearts and minds of the Church simply because in the Church there is a lack of spiritual discernment and not enough real and true knowledge of Scriptures.
And so, the church perishes because of lack of knowledge, for God’s knowledge and truth and will is being distorted, butchered, and twisted for their own gain, all for the purpose of self-enlightenment, self-glorification, and to soothe the itching ears. We live in a time where God is not feared, but the drive to please and appease man has taken the centre stage.
It is of course not by accident that most cults and even sects are led by prophets. Men and women who have a certain knowledge of God, and draw a crowd of followers because they speak what people want to hear, and they promise some kind of divine breakthrough and fulfillment. There is a certain attraction to the prophetic, for it seems the prophet has this amazing ability to bring forth incredible wonders, miracles, and hope. The prophet apparently holds all the answers, and the prophet unlocks your destiny to a brighter day of great wealth and joy. Like so many cults, the Church has also fallen sway under the allure and seductions of such prophets, and their actions, their doctrine, and their prophetic words or utterances are not being judged.
They wield frightening power over their congregations, just like cult leaders, and their followers, like the followers in a cult, will defend them to the death because of ignorance, because of deception, and the web weaved of delusion.
Recently we witnessed the debacle surrounding the prophetic with the American elections. Yes, many but many had prophesied and declared Trump will win. It never happened, because the word was not judged. At the moment the prophetic has become a circus of noise and a source of great confusion. With all the word that had filtered through regarding the elections, how much of it had been properly judged and weighed?
During the elections, suddenly every so-called prophetic voice had an opinion or insight, even though it is clear God deals only with some prophets to address issues regarding nations, or global affairs. But across the world people who have nothing to do with America had a word for them, yet they do not even have a word for their own country or its political affairs. We need to thus judge and test not only doctrine but prophetic words and declarations.
Again, there are many prophetic words floating around that are simply dangerous and diabolical, for they come not from God. They are inspired by the flesh, by the imagination, or worse, the devil.
The election again proved the existing dangers of propaganda, which can be disguised as the prophetic. Remember, this is a communication that is used primarily to influence an audience and further an agenda. It is devious in nature. It was satanic in nature for it sparked Germany to launch WWII.
In South Africa, we have encountered also many false decelerations and visions and prophecies since 1994. Yet it seems no one who declared falsely has been held accountable. And this is of great concern. There has been word of wars, of tsunamis and who knows what else, yet nothing has come to pass. Thus, a prophetic word like all doctrine needs to be weighed and tested,
The Church has lost its credibility. It is because the Church doesn’t even know what is right or wrong, or what is false or real anymore. The church has become a social club, a platform for entertainment, and a pedestal to reach heights of fame and fortune. The Church is besieged with so many false and foolish operators of the Word. Sound doctrine has been trampled upon.
Too many people in the Body of Christ seek attention as they build their kingdoms of sand. But what about God’s Kingdom (read Haggai chapter 1)? And the prophetic is often used as a tool for building such selfish empires and kingdoms since people are attracted to such a ministry. Yet is it truly from God or from the devil?
I truly believe we are in the midst of a systemic shift in the Body of Christ, as well as the prophetic. God is shifting and sifting. A separation of the truth and the mockery. The longer the counterfeit prophetic is allowed to operate, the greater the harm, the greater the spiritual damage, and the greater the casualties. We saw such a shift in 1 Kings 18 on Mount Carmel when Elijah exposed the 400-plus false prophets who served Baal. We saw such a shift in 1 Kings 22 when Micaiah was the only prophet who spoke correctly while 400 other prophets gave a lying word to the king. We are in such a time of Matthew 24 that we must be careful that no man deceives us, especially prophets.
These are perilous times. May we pray for greater discernment, and that God’s will, and not ours, will truly be done on earth as it is in Heaven. For too much word is based on own will, and it flows from the imagination and the flesh. May God help us, because we serve a God who shall not be mocked, or has we learned nothing from Israel’s history?
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