TEN CONSIDERATIONS FOR BETTER PROPHETIC ACCURACY
8. RIGHTLY DEFINE A FALSE PROPHET
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. (Matthew 7:15 ESV)
True prophets should first be recognized by their purity of heart and fear of the Lord. It is their love for Christ and desire to draw all men to the Father that compels a true prophet to speak. Jesus defined a false prophet as one who pretends to care about the sheep, but inwardly wants to destroy them. This reflects their state of the heart even more than the words they speak.
In Numbers 22, Balaam spoke some true prophecies but sought reputation and money more than pleasing the Lord. It was his greed and compromise that made him a false prophet – not his biased prophecies. In the New Testament, Agabus wrongly applied a prophetic word about Paul going to Jerusalem (Acts 21:11-12). Yet his heart was for the Lord, and he was never labeled false because of his misdirected warning. Thus, the condition of the heart is God’s top priority for any legitimate prophet.
9. DEMONSTRATE PRACTICAL ACCOUNTABILITY
Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged, and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. (1 Corinthians 14:29-33)
When operating in any spiritual gift, the first and most important place to receive feedback, encouragement, and adjustment is at home. True accountability, regardless of the level of ministry, starts in a local fellowship, by our own invitation. This is because we are accountable for our character and integrity even before any prophetic words we speak. Those we are in relationship with on a regular basis are the best suited to provide healthy perspective and context as we grow in prophetic ministry together. For those on a national level, personal relationships with other prophets are also a healthy sign of mutual accountability and encouragement as they seek to speak with “one voice.”
In 1 Corinthians 14, we are also reminded that even under a strong prophetic anointing, a prophet is still “in control” of how supernatural information is communicated. Regardless of any conviction or spontaneous flow, a word should be shared in the fear of the Lord, inviting others to confirm and bear witness to the message and not simply declare “God said.”
10. PROPHETS AND APOSTLES MUST WORK TOGETHER
But you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. (Ephesians 2:19b-22)
Some believe that apostles and prophets are no longer relevant and that the gifts of the Spirit are no longer needed. This fallacy has handicapped the Church for decades and left us with little power and even less influence. Regardless of what these leaders are called within our current cultural context, the role and functions of apostles and prophets are desperately needed today. And God purposely put them together because of their visionary gifts and ability to build for the future.
Prophets were never meant to function apart from apostolic leadership and apostles were never meant to operate apart from prophetic revelation. These two gifts work together to build and establish healthy foundations for the long haul. Today’s prophets need stronger relationships with apostolic leaders and apostolic leaders need the supernatural blueprints from the prophets. It should start in our local fellowships and then multiply in our regions and beyond.
If we are to see the leadership void filled in our nation, it has to start in the Church. Prophetic gifts are not only relevant, but greatly needed if we are to get past the fog of deception in our land and see what heaven is doing. We may have some cleaning up to do in regard to our policies and practices, but the gift of prophecy is is growing and stirring many to action. I pray we can continue to mature in our understanding of its purpose and pursue God’s voice in greater measure, both personally as well as corporately.
