SESSION 8 TESTING AND JUDGING PROPHECY I. PROPHECY A POWERFUL BUT IMPERFECT GIFT A. What is Prophecy? Prophecy is the testimony of Jesus heart for His people. The Holy Spirit (The Spirit of Prophecy) testifies about who Jesus is, what He is like, and what He is going to do. Revelation 19:10 "Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy." B. Prophecy is a gift that the Holy Spirit gives enabling us to hear and communicate what God is saying. Paul defined prophecy as a supernatural ability to receive and understand hidden mysteries and knowledge from God. 1 Corinthians 13:2 "Though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge but have not love, I am nothing. C. The Biblical definition of Prophecy in New Testament Scripture is the simple communication of human words to convey something supernatural that God brings to mind. Unlike Old Testament prophetic utterance they are both a mixture of God s words and man s words. D. All prophecy today is a mixture of God s words and man s words. Some prophetic words may be 10% God s Words and 90% man s words, while others have greater revelatory content. GOD S WORDS STRONG AVERAGE (MATURE) MAN S WORDS WEAK (IMMATURE) E. All New Testament prophesy is in part and operates according to our faith [Rom. 12:6]. Prophetic utterances in the N.T. are by faith because we are sharing the subtle impressions that the Holy Spirit give us. They are not always clear, distinct words as the OT prophets gave. 1 Corinthians 13:9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 1 P a g e
F. God spoke prophetically through the Prophet Joel that the Church was always called to be a Prophetic Church [Joel 2:28]. Peter confirmed this on the Day of Pentecost. Both men and women, young and old, from all peoples and tongues would operate in the Spirit of Prophecy. Acts 2:17,18 It shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. 18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy. G. Every believer in the church can operate in prophecy. Though not all are prophets, all of us can hear and speak what the Spirit is saying to others in a powerful way. 1 Corinthians 14:31 For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. H. The 3 Levels of Prophetic Ministry a. The Office of a Prophet The highest level of the prophetic ministry. It is rare and carries an authority or weightiness that comes with the office. Prophets give correction, direction, and bring new emphasis within the Church body. Prophets are not infallible. b. Prophetic Ministry Believers whose gifting has been recognized, nurtured, and commissioned for regular ministry in the local church. They receive accurate words, dreams, visions on a regular basis. c. The Gift of Prophecy The simplest form of prophecy that any believer can operate in by the Holy Spirit. It is for edification, exhortation, and comfort; not correction or direction. It too is imperfect and must be cultivated. II. TESTING AND JUDGING PROPHECY A. Because the NT expression of prophecy is imperfect we are commanded to weigh and test everything that is said. We are to judge both the prophet and the prophetic word, and sift out the good from the bad. 1 Corinthians 14:29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. 1 Thessalonians 5:20,21 Do not despise prophecies. 21 Test all things; hold fast what is good. B. Judging prophecy accurately requires that we test the spirits or the voice that is speaking to see whether they are from God. Many different Spirits can speak to us at any given moment, and we are commanded to not believe everything we hear. 2 P a g e
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. a. John makes it clear that we the Beloved are able to hear from Spirits other than the Holy Spirit. This is especially true of false prophets who listen to and speak forth from the wrong spirit, rather than the Holy Spirit. b. The four voices that speak to us: 1. Ourselves: We are a threefold spiritual being spirit, soul, and body and often hear from our own spirit/soul [1 Thes. 5:23]. 2. The Holy Spirit: Hearing from God s Spirit who resides within us. 3. Evil Spirit: Spirits from the evil realm speak to us just as they [Satan] spoke to Jesus in the wilderness. 4. Angels: Spirits sent from God who serve and assist those who inherit salvation [Heb. 1] C. Discern the Spirit of Truth from the Spirit of Error. It is common for Spirit filled believers who have more prophetic gifting than character (spiritual maturity) to minister out of the spirit of error (the flesh or demonic realm). 1 John 4:6 "We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. 1. The Spirit of Truth Revelation that comes from the Holy Spirit. 2. The Spirit of Error Revelation that comes from demons or the flesh. 2 Corinthians 11:4 "If he who comes preaches another Jesus or if you receive another spirit which you have not received, or another gospel, you put up with it. Acts 16:16 A certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune telling. D. Paul warned the Church at Colossae of prophetic voices who would come in with pride, false humility, and an ungodly exaltation of angels or angelic revelation. Colossians 2:18 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 3 P a g e
III. 10 TRAITS OF FALSE PROPHECY A. False prophecy is a word communicated to us that is not from the Lord. It can come directly from demons in thought, dreams, visions, or other spiritual experiences; or it can come through the means of another person who gives false prophesy. Jeremiah 14:14 "The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination [witchcraft], a worthless thing [flattery, man pleasing word], and the deceit of their heart [self made prophecy]. Jeremiah 23:32 I am against those who prophesy false dreams," says the LORD, "and tell them, and cause My people to err by their lies and by their recklessness. Yet I did not send them or command them; therefore they shall not profit this people at all," says the LORD. B. Ten Traits of False Prophecy 1. False prophecy is often very controlling and manipulative. 2. False prophecy leads to deception and doctrinal error. 3. False prophecy fosters a dependency upon man for revelation (not God). 4. False prophecy causes one to retreat from God. 5. False prophecy causes isolation from the saints. 6. False prophecy causes confusion, double mindedness, or wavering. 7. False prophecy gives false comfort, blessing, or encouragement to those God is not blessing. 8. False prophecy promotes worldliness and carnality. 9. False prophecy leads to, or culminates in, sexual immorality. 10. False prophecy exceeds or stretches the bounds of Scripture. IV. THREE STEPS TO JUDGING PROPHECY 1. Does the prophecy align with Scripture? 2 Peter 1:20,21 No prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. 4 P a g e
a. The first step to judging prophecy is whether or not it agrees with God s Word. We reject anything that contradicts the Bible and the foundational truths of Christianity. Prophecy should never be used to govern the understanding of Scripture. We must build our lives on Scripture and not on personal or corporate prophecies. 2. Does the prophecy glorify Jesus Christ? John 16:14 "He [Holy Spirit] will glorify Me [Jesus], for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you [prophecy]. a. The Spirit of Prophecy is the testimony of Jesus. Prophecy always leads us into Jesus and His abundant life. Who does the prophecy glorify and make much of? The hearer, the giver of the Word, or Jesus? b. Many people are often disappointed when they fail to receive a prophecy. The reason for this is because their hope is in the ministry, not the Lord of the ministry. Prophetic people not only speak the word of God, but also release people to hear God for themselves. 3. Does the prophecy ultimately bring edification, exhortation, or comfort? [1 Cor. 14:3] 1 Corinthians 14:3 He who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. a. The true purpose of prophecy is to build up, admonish, stir up, encourage, bring healing, and release from discomfort. If it doesn t achieve that, it is not true prophecy! Whenever the effect of prophecy is confusion, condemnation or discouragement, then the prophecy cannot be accepted. Graham Cooke 5 P a g e