Nine Biblical Principles for Judging ProphecySample

Moses clearly states that just because a prophecy comes true does not mean the person who gave it is from God. If that prophecy causes you to look to another source for direction for your life, you are in idolatry. Looking to that prophet for “the answer” instead of God is idolatry and will bring the judgment of God upon you.

Paul encountered a slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination (Acts 16:16–18) who followed him through the streets. Everything that came out of her mouth was true. Without a doubt, many local charismatics went to her for guidance and touted her as a “spirit-filled woman.” She was spirit-filled, but she was filled with a demon spirit.

Paul commanded for the demon spirit to come out right on the street, and the spirit of divination came out that same hour. She was a slave girl, and her master was furious that Paul had cast out the demon spirit of divination because he was getting rich off her ability to give accurate predictions for other people.

Satan will tell you enough truth to get you to listen, and then he’ll subtly lead you, concept by concept; into deception until you are his mental and emotional prisoner. Just because someone says something and it comes true is not proof that the person is a prophet from God.

Prophecy must agree with the fruit of the Spirit, which in Galatians 5:22–23 is stated as being “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance” (KJV). If prophecy is without the fruit of the Spirit, it is not from God.

False prophets do not come down Main Street screaming obscene slogans. Matthew 7:15 states that false prophets come as wolves in sheep’s clothing. They look fine. They even act like sheep. They know all the church buzz words and slang expressions that all “the right kind of people” know how to use.