DO NOT DESPISE TO PROPHESY!
Do not quench (suppress or subdue) the Holy Spirit; Do not spurn the gifts and utterances of the prophets [do not depreciate prophetic revelations nor despise inspired instruction or exhortation or warning]. But test and prove all things [until you can recognize] what is good; [to that] hold fast.
—1 THESSALONIANS 5:19–20, AMP
Within the context of this passage of Scripture we see that we are not to quench, suppress, or subdue the Holy Spirit. In addition it also says not to spurn the gifts and utterance of the prophets. It is important to know that the Holy Spirit wants to have free access and permission to flow through you. There are those who will keep Him bottled up and never experience the refreshing that comes. God wants to speak to us and through us. The Holy Spirit is gentle as a dove and will not make us do something that we don’t feel comfortable doing. He will use someone who wants to be used. Furthermore, in the Scriptures it says we are not to depreciate prophetic revelations and despise inspired instruction that comes to exhort and warn. Prophets and prophetic people are people of revelation. The gifts and prophetic utterance from the prophets should not be taken lightly, but seriously.
Prophets are instrumental in their ability to bring correction, order, balance, and strength. When we as a church don’t welcome prophets, then we are despising inspired instruction, directives, warnings, and wisdom of God. The word despise in Merriam Webster’s Dictionary means “to look down on with contempt or aversion, detest, to regard as negligible, worthless or distasteful.” The prophetic revelation and word that comes from the Spirit through His prophets should not be looked down upon, viewed as worthless or distasteful. The word of the Lord should be honored and respected; it is God who is speaking it. I believe that we should test all things that are released through prophetic utterance, because there are three spirits that can be in operation: the Holy Spirit, human spirit, and satanic spirits.
Moreover, we are admonished in the Word not to spurn the gifts and utterances by the prophets. We are to truly appreciate the ministry gift, anointing, and graces in the body of Christ and not reject them. The word spurn in Merriam Webster’s Dictionary means “to kick away or trample on, to reject with disdain.” This is very crucial when it comes to prophecy and prophets operating in the local church. God still speaks! He will do it through those who will allow Him to speak. We are not to kick away or trample on the prophetic pearls that are released from the throneroom of God. I believe that if we value our personal prophecies, then we should also value God’s written Word so much more. People will only value what they love and hold dear to their hearts. God’s Word is His bond. In addition, we must prove all things. God will not have you ignorant. We are to examine what is being uttered when it is released. It is our responsibly to, by the Spirit, discern and prove what we have heard is good and acceptable.
FALSE PROPHETS ARE LIKE HUNGRY WOLVES
Matthew 7:15 (NKJV) says, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.”
This is a strong warning from Jesus as He is informing His disciples about false prophets who come in one manner but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. Jesus, who is the Good Shepherd, understands that while there are true prophetic messengers, there are false ones as well. Wolves represent the false prophets. Jesus compares them to ravenous wolves dressed up in sheep’s clothing. That is why we need the true prophets operating in the local church to identify and call out the wolves that come into the sheepfold camouflaged as innocent sheep. There are many false prophets among us today who come in pretending to be holy, righteous, humble, and meek, but their true nature is destructive, selfish, violent, and murderous.
We are to test these so-called prophets who come into the local church and prophesy but inwardly they are about getting your money, your members, your possessions, and whatever else they can take from you. These false prophets have ulterior motives and they will use their gift to deceive God’s people. The Bible is clear that we are to examine those claiming to be prophets or who prophesy by their fruit—that is their lifestyle, character, teaching, influence, and spirit. A wolf is characterized for its boldness and fierceness of attack. One interesting thing about a wolf is that it can kill more than it can eat because blood gets it stirred up. Jesus as the Good Shepherd realizes that the wolf is the greatest enemy of the sheep. Even in the Old Testament false prophets were the enemy of God’s people. They were known for bringing people under enslavement and bondage through deception.
JUDGING THE SUPERNATURAL AND THE PROPHETIC GIFT
First Corinthians 2:14–15 (amp) says:
But the natural, nonspiritual man does not accept or welcome or admit into his heart the gifts and teachings and revelations of the Spirit of God, for they are folly (meaningless nonsense) to him; and he is incapable of knowing them [of progressively recognizing, understanding, and becoming better acquainted with them] because they are spiritually discerned and estimated and appreciated. But the spiritual man tries all thing [he examines, investigates, inquires into, questions, and discerns all things], yet is himself to be put on trial and judged by no one [he can read the meaning of everything, but no one can properly discern or appraise or get an insight into him].
The Bible says that the natural, non-spiritual man does not accept or welcome or even admit in their hearts the gifts and teaching and revelation of the Spirit of God. To them it is meaningless and basically nonsense. But the spiritual man examines, investigates, and puts into question that which they discern. The spiritual man must judge the supernatural and even those who speak prophetically. Prophets and prophetic people are to judge the supernatural and make sure that the source is God. The Bible says that the Spirit searches all things and even the deep things of God. It should be the responsibility of the Christian believer to sharpen their discernment of spiritual things.
SPIRITUAL FRUIT INSPECTOR
You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
—MATTHEW 7:16–17
Jesus said in the above scripture that you should know people by the fruit that they bear. Moreover, Jesus goes on to say later in the chapter that a bad tree cannot produce good fruit, and vice versa. One of the ways that I have learned in the prophetic which gives me the ability to assess a situation is to watch. Whenever I am in a prophetic meeting, the Lord often instructs me to just pray and watch. Most of the time He gives me something regarding the particular church, conference, or meeting that I have been invited to. As I am watching, I am able to discern the atmosphere as well as make eye contact with people in the congregation. Then usually as I am scanning the room, God begins to give me words of knowledge in regards to a person’s present condition, whether it is sickness, financial, marital, and economical or anything that they may be dealing with.
In addition, the Lord would give me the name of and specific facts about a person, and when it is time for me to minister and preach, I already know those whom I will call out to prophesy to. I have developed this gift of discerning of spirits and have asked the Lord to show me in the meetings what to do to bring divine breakthrough in a person’s life. We are not just called to be spiritual fruit inspectors but to also cultivate the soil in people’s lives by planting the Word of the Lord so that they can bring forth God fruit. Prophets are not to judge people, but they judge righteously. In John 7:24 (amp) it says, “Be honest in your judgment and do not decide at a glance (superficially and by appearances); but judge fairly and righteously.” So we can see that the believer can judge fairly and righteously.
NO ROOM FOR ERROR!
As we come into the truth of God’s Word and connect with others in ministry, there will be no room for error. The Bible says that the people err not knowing the Scriptures. Prophets and prophetic people must be lovers of God’s Word and search the Scriptures with a noble heart and with all readiness to examine
the Word or what is being taught by others, if what they say is true. I have been in healthy dialogue in regards to doctrine. Then there are those who will believe everything they hear without searching it out for themselves.
Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. There many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men.
—ACTS 17:10–12, NKJV
Paul and Silas were ministering in Berea, and when they arrived there and taught in the synagogue of the Jews, they saw that the Jews in Berea were not closed-minded to the teachings they heard. They were open to receive and were able to search the Scriptures to examine whether what Paul and Silas were sharing was accurate. Prophets and prophetic people must have an open mind to fresh new things of the Spirit and search the Word of God for spiritual nuggets and truth. One thing that I like about the Bereans is that they received the Word with readiness and examined the Scriptures daily.
Prophets should study the Word of God daily like never before. There is nothing more frustrating than receiving a prophetic word from someone that doesn’t know the Word. I have heard prophecy from people who included cartoon characters and their favorite movie in their prophecies. In other words, they have spent more time in front of the television than in the Word of God. I heard a wise man say one day, “what you put in, that will come also come out.” When a prophet spends valuable time in prayer and in the Word of God, so much strength, authority, boldness, power, and confidence flow from them. They will not walk in error. Prophetic servants of God are submitted to the Word of God because the Word of God is the final authority. It should be the heartbeat of any believer of Christ to have burning hunger and desire to learn more.
As Spirit-filled believers, we must grow in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and become more like Him. People err because of a lack of knowing the Word of God. It is imperative and necessary for prophetic ministers to devote their time to prayer, fasting, worship, and the Word. In the twenty-first century we have access to far too much technology and information to be ignorant. God will not have you ignorant. An awesome Scripture that I mediate on a lot is Hebrews 4:11–13, which talks about how the Word of God discovers our condition. Even as I said that prophecy will find you out as it did when it came to Jeremiah. The Word of God is the discerner of the intents and motives of man’s heart.
Hebrews 4:11–13 (NKJV) says:
Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
This is a remarkable scripture that characterizes the Word of God as living and powerful. The Word (logos) of God’s written Word has life because it is from the Lord Himself; likewise with the spoken (rhema) word that comes forth prophetically. We must understand that there is nothing hidden to God of which He is ignorant. I have learned that as I increase my study of the Word of God and take time out to mediate on it, my life starts transforming. I would recommend that young prophets and those who desire to minister in the prophetic submit to churches that are strong in Word and in power.
Hebrews 4:11–13 outlines that God’s Word is sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even the division of soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart. Only through God’s Word can He give us the “prophetic advantage” or “prophetic edge” to judge, discern, and examine our lives before Him. The Lord wants to teach us to use the Word of God for our advantage, especially when there is spiritual warfare. The Bible says that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God. The Word of God is the sword (s-word) of the Spirit, according to Ephesians 6:17.
PROPHECIES BRING GLORY AND HONOR TO CHRIST
Revelation 19:20 says, “At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
The spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus Christ. When a Spirit-filled believer prophesies by the Spirit, it the Spirit of Christ that is being released. One’s motivation for anything should always be God-centered and never self-centered. The wrong attitude and spirit when prophesying can release the wrong word and heart to someone. It will not be the Spirit of Christ but the human spirit at work. Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy and He gets the glory. The primary ministry of the Holy Spirit is to bring honor, esteem, reverence, praise, homage, and glory to Jesus. We must understand that any prophetic dream, vision, utterance, or gift should accomplish that intended purpose.
In 1 Corinthians 12:3 (NKJV) it says, “Therefore I make know to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.” We can see that the principle here in this text is that Christ is to be glorified. Anyone speaking by the Spirit will not say that Jesus is accursed, because all manifestation of the Spirit will harmonize and be in alignment with the truth about Jesus. Jesus is the Prophet of all prophets and the primary assignment of the Spirit is to bring people under the lordship of Jesus and not ourselves. A prophecy that promotes self and self-glorification has to be judged appropriately in the local church.
We are to judge prophecy and not the prophet. We can test the prophet’s spirit and motivation, but ultimately the prophetic word, if in error, will expose the prophet’s spirit and intentions.
Prophets of Integrity
I believe in this hour that God is raising up men and women of integrity. Prophets especially must be vessels of honor, dignity, and integrity. There is nothing more frustrating than for someone to breach their word. That is why the Bible tells us not to make promises that we are not able to keep. The Bible says to let your answer be yes or no, and anything outside of that is not from God. Prophets and prophetic people should be people of great value not only when relating with others within the local church, but every day of their lives.
The word integrity in the Merriam Webster’s Dictionary means “adherence to a code of value, soundness and completeness.”62 It is funny that there are prophets and leaders who require others to keep a standard that they themselves cannot fulfill. We are to be a people of soundness and completeness, and to adhere to the code of value that is outlined in the Word of God. I personally will not prophesy, teach, preach, and recommend someone to do something that I myself cannot honor. As prophetic leaders we must understand that we are held accountable to what we speak out of our mouths. False prophets are deceivers, liars, and con artists who lack moral, ethical, and spiritual integrity. That is why we are to test the spirit by the spirit to see if it is of God. Not every person prophesying in the name of Jesus who gives a “thus saith the Lord” is from Him.
Furthermore, Mark 13:22–23 (NKJV) says, “For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand.” We see that Jesus is warning His disciples in the first century that there will be false so-called messiahs and prophets emerging showing signs and wonders to deceive people. That is why I advocate prophets in the local church for the purpose of allowing them to be the spiritual “anti-virus” or “spyware” that protect the church from damaging and deceiving information, data, doctrine, and agendas. I have been around young prophets who were impressed with another prophet’s gift. They overlooked the obvious that was spilling out of their chara
cter and lifestyle. The young prophet was in awe that the other prophet could call out names, social security numbers, banking account information, and addresses; but God is not impressed with a person’s gift, but their lifestyle, holy unto Him.
I always say that God is a God of His Word and operates in integrity. So if this prophet is calling out names and telephone numbers only for the purpose of getting your money and deceiving you with signs, wonders, and miracles, then you are already walking in error. We judge the spirit of the prophet and his words, which would allow us to discern if it’s God, satanic, or the human spirit.
While in the workplace, one of my responsibilities in the banking industry is to be accurate to detail and distinguish between the authentic or counterfeit monies. The difference between them is that they feel and look different. When someone has been around the truth a lot, it is easy to identity the false. Even in ministry a person can discern the false from the true because something doesn’t feel, look, sound, or even smell right. Satan always tries to duplicate but, unlike God, he doesn’t have the power to create. So Jesus was warning His disciples to beware of the false prophets and messiahs. Importantly, they will come with miraculous signs and wonders, but they are really deceivers. We can see that Elijah the prophet miraculously had to address and slay 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah whom Jezebel supported on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:19–40).
The name Jezebel in Revelation 2:20 and 1 Kings 19:1 instantly signified evil for John’s readers. King Ahab’s wife, Jezebel, left a bitter taste in Israel (1 Kings 16:31; 21:25; 2 Kings 9:7–10, 22). After her passing, Jews avoided naming their own daughters Jezebel. In Revelation 2, a woman called Jezebel is teaching people to worship false gods and encouraging immorality. This wicked woman Jezebel was no follower or disciple of Christ but a false prophet leading people astray into apostasy. Yet the believers at Thyatira stood by witnessing and tolerating her teaching and promotion of sexual promiscuity in the name of religion. Whether Jezebel is an actual name or a nickname, this woman’s wicked actions parallel Queen Jezebel’s in 1 Kings 16 and 2 Kings 9.
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