False Prophets and Teachers
Read 2 Peter 2:1-3
But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them — bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed, these false teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping. 2 Peter 2:1-3 NIV.
After you’ve read this (or even the whole chapter), you might come away concerned, scared, or even wary. But do not fear, the Lord your God is with you. Trust Him to identify the false from the real.
You need only walk in the Spirit. The Spirit is the “anointing” given to abide in you.
To walk in the Spirit is to walk with God.
I wrote these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. But the anointing that you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as His anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie — just as it has taught you, abide in Him. 1 John 2:27-27
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth. He was sent to remain in us, guide us, teach us, help us, intercede on our behalf, and be our advocate. When you discover something that just doesn’t look right or your spirit gives cause to pause, then move away from the prophet or teacher.
This includes anything you read, hear on the radio, or something posted on social media. Like those reels on facebook, it will hit you and enter your mind before you can even scroll to the next reel.
Do not entertain their message or lean in to learn from them.
What is a prophet/teacher?
Before we go any further, let us spend a few minutes here to learn just what a teacher and prophet is to us. The best way to do this is to seek a definition:
A prophet is one gifted with more than ordinary spiritual and moral insight. He or she may foretell (spiritual seer) or utter divinely inspired revelations. The prophet is the one who utters “thus saith the LORD”. Prophecy is the declaration of the divine will and purpose of God. To prophesy is to predict with assurance based on mystic knowledge. In times past, the mere act of preaching was called prophecy.
A teacher, on the other hand, causes someone to know and understands the truth and makes another accustomed to it. The teacher guides the student (disciple) into that truth and imparts knowledge gained from their instruction and experience. They instruct by precept, example, or experience what they already know. The student must have a teachable spirit — capable of being taught and willing to learn.
A Gift
The good news is that both the prophet and the teacher are gifts given by Christ to the Church.
So Christ Himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors, and teachers, to equip His people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Ephesians 4:11-12
Praise God for so great a gift to the Church.
Prophets communicate messages from God that are appropriate to whatever is happening in the Church at a given time. It is important that God’s people reach unity in the faith, knowledge of the Son of God and become mature. Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers are tools used to fulfill this perfect, pleasing, and acceptable will of God.
Danger! Danger! Danger!
With this in mind, you can see just how dangerous false prophets and false teachers are to the body of Christ.
It is true that Christians should be receptive to admonition and instruction from teachers and prophets. But false admonition and instruction are like a cancer to the soul and shipwrecks the faith.
The confusion generated by false teachers is a real. The church needs teachers who are truly led by God’s Spirit. We have no need for false teaching. A spirit equipped prophet/teacher knows the truth and makes sure others do too.
Cover their tracks
I discovered something interesting this morning. I was looking on the internet for definitions of false prophets/teachers and found an article spouting a little truth and a little lie. There were just enough scripture verses mentioned and interpreted to make it appear like the truth.
They said a false prophet/teacher is known by the state of their heart and source of intel more than the accuracy of their prophecy. They said the message from the false prophet/teacher is from the evil one and their goal is to draw God’s people away from God.
Did you see the lie?
Who can identify the heart of a person except the Lord. Deception is real, and the deceiver will appear to be one of us, but is not. The source of intel is not within the person, but in the word of God. A false preacher/teacher will not be in harmony with God’s Word. God’s Word will never be associated with lies.
This is the truth: The Lord God would never add or take away from His Word. A false prophet will add a “new and improved” revelation, and a false teacher may cause extreme confusion by taking away relevant information in God’s Word. Such wolves in sheep’s clothing are not welcome. Every false prophet/teacher’s goal is to draw God’s people away from God to a false god of their own making.
Then there is the accuracy of the prophecy.
God does not lie. A message sent from God to His people will have no shadow of falseness. We cannot not excuse false messages because the prophet is immature, deceived, shallow, or compromised in their faith. We should not give the false prophet the benefit of the doubt because they maybe a little weak.
Additionally, we cannot blame the people of God for not praying enough for God to move in the way the prophet said he would.
Danger: the false message is in the air and permeates the mind… like yeast in the batter, it grows through the whole thing.
Those “training” false prophets/teachers say:
- Pray for freedom for the prophets/teachers
- Provide guidance to the immature prophets/teachers
- Correct and provide accountability to those who give a wrong messages
- Lead them into being a prophet/teacher
The truth is, a prophet does not just wake up one morning and say, “I’m a prophet.” And then go to school to learn to be a prophet. A teacher of prophets doesn’t lead, guide and move the prophet to maturity and purpose.
Get away from anyone who has “graduated” from the supernatural university spread throughout the world. Do not listen to anyone who says they “operate in the prophecy” whenever the Spirit prompts them.
We will know them by their fruit and the lies that are on their tongues.
But if we do not listen to the Holy Spirit and know God’s word, then we too will be deceived.
Scripture
So let’s spend some time to see what God’s Word has to say about all this. The Word is the only source of intel we trust.
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things, God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore, do not be partners with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them… Be careful, then, how you live — not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Ephesians 5:6-11 & 15-18, NIV.
Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt, but test them all, hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21, NIV.
As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s word — which is by faith. 1 Timothy 1:3-4 NIV
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. Col 2:6-8 NIV.
Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people. For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for morality and deny Jesus Christ, our only Sovereign and Lord. Jude 3-4
I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person in the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house to welcome them. Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work. 2 John 7-11 NIV
Scripture upon Scripture gives us a warning call. We should take head. But remember this, God is true to His word and will not let the false prophets and teachers go unpunished.
Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: “Because of your false words and lying visions. I am against you, declares the Sovereign LORD. My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations. They will not belong to the council of My people or be listed in the records of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign LORD. Ezekiel 13:8-9 NIV.
In conclusion
False teachers have infiltrated the Church! The numbers who do not know God’s word increase every day. We need to contend for the faith.
Remember who we are in the Lord and continue in it. We are God’s chosen people, redeemed, reconciled, and walk “with God”.
They slipped in unaware in the past, and they will do so again. But they will not last long — they will be destroyed. God is keeping a record of their wrongs.
As for you, you’re safe. The One who calls you is faithful to keep you until the day you meet Him face to face. Continue in the faith! Do not fear — do not fret — the Lord your God is with you.
May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The One who calls you is faithful and He will do it. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
