Judging prophecies

Greetings dear brothers and sisters!

I have a question based on 1 Corinthians 14:29.
"Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge."

How do we exactly judge a prophecy? And what should we do when we realize that a certain prophecy is not from God but from man?

Let me say, what I have seen so far in Scripture:

1. God speaks to His people even nowadays (New-Testament-days) through prophecies. (Acts 2)
2. Someone's calling to ministry could be confirmed through prophecy (Acts 22:13-16; 13:2,3; 1 Timothy 1:18)
3. Someone can receive a gift of the Spirit through prophecy (1 Timothy 4:14)
4. Prophecies about future events (Аcts 11:28; 21:11)
5. The purpose of prophecy: edification, and exhortation, and comfort (1 Cor 14:3)

The prophecies through Agabus did not contain any instructions on what they should do with the information they receive from God. Therefore some people argue that directive prophecy is not from God i.e. a true prophet would never tell me "Go here or there!" or "Do this and that!" because God can personally speak to all true believers.

Now I believe, based on the commission of Paul and Barnabas through prophecy / revelation, that God can give instructions through prophecy. But I want to be very careful, when somebody comes and says "You should do this or that" - when God has not spoken to me about it.

"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God." (1 John 4:1)

So, how do we judge prophecies?

Thanks for your responses in advance!

P.S. Edit for clarification.

I think the literal meaning of the word judge in that verse means to Discern.
People would know in their spirit if it was from God.

I agree David. I can sense in my "gut” when something is "on” or "off” and I trust it.

Some would say this is rather subjective, and it may be. But if everyone else is "drinking the Koolaid” and I have red flags shooting up all over the place, I ain’t drinking it.

Good question and topic for discussion.

All prophesy must line up with the Word of God.

The Holy Spirit will bear witness in our spirit whether a prophesy is of God or not.

No human vessel is perfect, but I would only receive a prophetic Word from a brother or sister that is living a godly life.

"Now I believe, based on the commission of Paul and Barnabas through prophecy / revelation, that God can give instructions through prophecy. But I want to be very careful, when somebody comes and says "You should do this or that" - when God has not spoken to me about it.”

Amen! The Holy Spirit will always confirm a true personal prophesy.

As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him. (1 John 2:27)

"Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.”
1 Corinthians 13:8, KJV.

Fail: katargew katargeo kat-arg-eh'-o

1) to render idle, unemployed, inactivate, inoperative
1a) to cause a person or thing to have no further efficiency
1b) to deprive of force, influence, power
2) to cause to cease, put an end to, do away with, annul, abolish
2a) to cease, to pass away, be done away
2b) to be severed from, separated from, discharged from, loosed from any one
2c) to terminate all intercourse with one

Knowing (from the Word of God) that prophecies shall fail...

I tend to lean toward NOT to put much stock in believing ANY current "revelations" or "prophecies" proclaimed by men or women today.

I DO believe in "signs of the times"... but, when people actually predict specific events.... I tend to sit back and relax in the Lord.

No one can fault someone who simply sticks with the prophecies clearly stated in Scripture.

I do believe that the meaning of 'judge' in this context means discern.

People would know in their spirit if it was from God.

@AbideinHim
Brother Mike, I agree that prophecy must line up with the Word of God and that it comes through sanctified vessels. I don't know about your experience but sometimes you do not know the believer personally and are not able to know what kind of life he/she lives. And sometimes you cannot really discern trough the Scriptures because of the manner of prophecy.

Perhaps I am still 'child in understanding' but one thing I put my trust in: God is my Father and when He speaks through prophecy to me, He is going to speak so that I can understand Him. I don't mean audible understanding but rather grasping what He is saying!

Or is it possible to receive prophecy from God, the meaning of which you don't understand?

No one can fault someone who simply sticks with the prophecies clearly stated in Scripture

The Lord knows your heart. It is right to stick with the prophecies written in the Holy Scriptures, but that does not mean that therefore there are no more prophets in our days. It is important to remember that in 1 Cor 13 Paul speaks: These things will vanish, when the kingdom of God comes - 'that which is perfect'.

See verse 9, 10, 12

"For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known."
1 Corinthians 13:9”­-”¬10, 12

We have not yet arrived at this "then". And till then we will know in part, will prophecy in part etc.

A humble question:

Who told you we have not yet arrived at this "then"?

I too believe that the word judge here could be "discern"..

The one is prophesying might not know full details of the person what he is going through, etc., When other discern the prophecy, it has to be aligned with the Word of God and should be applicable to that person.

I personally believe one has to receive confirmation through God's word or through Holy Spirit's guidance before he/she can actually act on it.

//but, when people actually predict specific events.... I tend to sit back and relax in the Lord.//

We are not talking about predictive prophecies here, at least I am not. We are talking about a prophetic forthtelling either in a group or one on one setting.

Takeupthecross:

There have been some good answers given, let me point to someone who can be really helpful in teaching on the subject.

Art Katz: He has many sermons on this website, I have found his sermons to be excellent, way beyond the milk level you will read or listen to from others.

Listen to his series on the prophetic, the false prophets, apostolicity, apostolic foundations etc.

If you listen to a cessationist teach you about the prophetic, it's similar to listing to a man tell about colors but he is blind. He has only theory, no real experience and the revelation that comes from it.
If you listen to charismatic loon teach you about the prophetic you will come away with an understanding of prophets that has no resemblance to the prophetic in old or new covenants.

In my opinion Art Katz avoids the ditches and demonstrates a rare but divine understanding of the prophetic. Give him a listen.

Dspks: A cessationist cannot tell you we have arrived at anything.
1. because they do not believe in the prophetic, therefore they will not ask or listen for God to speak to them by the prophetic. In short they stop their ears to the prophetic.
2. Because their eschatology has them pretending to arrive at a perfection that none of them enjoy, nor in all their study or teaching or ministry can show they are beyond 'seeing through a glass darkly'.
3. Because in tossing out the gifts of God, they presume the word of God is enough, but in using the scripture to invalidate the gifts of God, they in fact deny the word of God they claim to stick to. So, while about 3 chapters of 1 Corinthians are virtually useless to them and must necessarily be so, they will contradict themselves and tell you to obey the word of God precisely...which when you do in seeking the best gifts, praying to prophecy and edify the Church, or speak in tongues or interpret or lay hands on for healing or deliverance...they find ways to call it false, a sham. They are a walking contradiction to themselves and a hindrance to the Church at large.

Any counsel you get from them is mixed with the old rationalism of the past. What they cannot rationalize, they deny is God.
If it turns out they were right about some situation they glory in discerning, but when it turns out true, they ignore or ridicule the event.

"Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.” (1 Corinthians 14:1)

"A person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally, but one who speaks a word of prophecy strengthens the entire church.”

Believers have misused the gift of prophesy, just as the gift of tongues has been abused, and the Apostle Paul addressed the church at Corinth concerning this. Yet the Apostle said to desire and seek for spiritual gifts, and the primary gift that we should seek is prophesy that the church would be built up.

Many times in my life I have received a prophetic word that was a confirmation to me.

We don’t blindly receive a prophesy, but we judge it, asking God for discernment.

There is a difference between the gift of prophesy in which every Spirit filled believer can operate in, and the office of a prophet, which is included in the fivefold ministry along with Apostles, Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers. These ministry gifts have been given to bring the saints into full maturity. None of us have arrived yet.

"For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.” (1 Corinthians 14:31)

I found this explaination to be concise:

"Paul says the church is "built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets” (Eph. 2:20). I conclude that all we need to know for salvation and sanctification has been given to us through the teaching of the apostles and prophets, and that this teaching is now found in the Scriptures. Now that God has spoken in the last days through his Son (Heb. 1:2), we don't need further words from him to explain what Jesus Christ has accomplished in his ministry, death, and resurrection. Instead, we are "to contend for the faith that was delivered to the saints once for all” through the apostles and prophets (Jude 3)." Thomas Schreiner

Quote
______________________________________________
I conclude that all we need to know for salvation and sanctification has been given to us through the teaching of the apostles and prophets, and that this teaching is now found in the Scriptures
______________________________________________

This kind of teaching views the scriptures as nothing more than a manual book and the Christian Life as nothing more than following the 1-2-3 steps of the manual book.

Kind of like a book on car mechanics written by the car manufacturer who no longer lives. If something went wrong with the car, all we have to do is read the manual and follow the steps. No power needed, just head knowledge.

But where do you find this concept taught in the Bible? Nowhere.

This is salvation by works, sanctification by works, evangelization by works, etc..

No Holy Spirit leading or empowering is necessary. Just follow the Bible formula (partially off course).

But if we do that, are we not violating the very foundation of teaching and practice of the prophets and apostles and the Lord Jesus himself the foundation corner Stone who we falsely claim to be built upon.

(Edited)

"But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away." v.10

Is 'that which is perfect' already come? No. What do we have nowadays that is more than in apostle's days? Would not the apostle themselves tell us: "We need the gifts of the Spirit only as long as we write the epistles and establish the Church in several places. From then on, people will no longer need these. They will have all they need in the Bible!"

Right after "follow after charity", is written "desire spiritual gifts".

See also Ephesians:

"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ"

Is this work over? If we are to have biblically teachers and pastors, and evangelist, so then also prophets and apostles. That is what we can conclude from the Ephesians 4 and 1 Cor 12, also Romans 12:6-8.

"And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues."

God set the church so. This is what He has given us, this is his order, his way of building up His church. I do believe with you that the church is built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And since God has through them revealed how the church functions as a body, I believe it remains the same even today. No other foundation can be laid.

We are not talking about predictive prophecies here, at least I am not. We are talking about a prophetic forthtelling either in a group or one on one setting.

Could you please explain? I am sorry but I do not understand the difference between "predictive prophecy" and "prophetic forthtelling".

//Could you please explain? I am sorry but I do not understand the difference between "predictive prophecy" and "prophetic forthtelling".//

Some people when they hear the word "prophecy" or "prophetic" think only of someone predicting what will happen, like the OT prophets.

I pay very little attention when someone starts prophesying in this manner because I believe it is questionable at best.

When I think of someone who is "prophetic" I think of men like Art Katz (as mentioned by Marvin) or Leonard Ravenhill. I have known a few people personally who I would call "prophetic."

Someone who speaks with authority and unction. They receive a timely word from the Lord and speak it forth (forthtelling).

I believe that any believer who is walking with the Spirit can give a prophetic word, if they have the courage to do so. Sometimes it takes courage because the word may not make sense until it is spoken.

I heard a story and in fact it is in a compilation called "Strong Fire Burn" which you can listen to on YouTube. https://youtu.be/8BcfXWqkYa8

Anyway this girl was going to be commissioned to go out into the mission field by the elders of her church. Another visiting minister was in attendance and when they were getting ready to pray for her and commission her this minister got a word from the Lord: "I hate mommies and daddies"-- and he knew the Lord was telling him to speak this out to this girl. Of course he felt very awkward giving a word like that at this time under this circumstance. But the Lord kept pushing him to speak it out to this girl so he did: "The Lord wants you to know that he hates mommies and daddies." When he spoke it out, the girl had a strong reaction and went into a fit and a rage. The girl then revealed that when she was little, she was molested by family members who called the acts of incest "mommies and daddies." She had been living with the guilt of this all these years but because of the prophetic word the elders could pray for her and she could be healed of those old wounds in her spirit.

That is an example of what I am talking about.

ADD: Another example is from Duncan Campbell's account of the Hebrides Revival- on this one occasion if I remember right some men were gathered in a barn to pray and this teenager named Donald McPhail began praying Ps. 24:

"Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?
Or who may stand in His holy place?

He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,
Nor sworn deceitfully."

And when he did this the Holy Spirit fell. That's all it took, but this young man was sensitive to what the Lord wanted to be prayed at that moment and obeyed.

Todd,
what then do you make of predictive prophecy like this example in the book of acts.
You don't think the church need this today?

"27 And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar. 29 Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. 30 This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul."

And what about predictive prophecy that authenticate what you call the " forth telling" prophecy like this example here.

"15 Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, "Hear now, Hananiah, the Lord has not sent you, but you make this people trust in a lie. 16 Therefore thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will cast you from the face of the earth. This year you shall die, because you have taught rebellion against the Lord." 17 So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.

I definitely believe OT prophets predicted but that was their function.

And I did not say a valid predictive prophecy never occurs but I would think they are exceedingly rare. I have never heard one personally that did not raise red flags.

Quote dspks: "A humble question:

Who told you we have not yet arrived at this "then"?

"

We certainly do not know more than Paul did and have not arrived at any perfection more perfect than his in Christ and he was the one encouraging the use of all the gifts, in love, and the one teaching that when "then" comes their would be no further use for the gifts. "Then" being when we actually meet our Lord face to face, not some spiritualised face to face, or the perfection of a body of teaching

Brother Marvin,

A beautifully stated rebuttal of a doctrine which has done much damage to the body of Christ and the joy of being the communion of saints.

God bless,

" Now that God has spoken in the last days through his Son (Heb. 1:2), we don't need further words from him to explain what Jesus Christ has accomplished in his ministry, death, and resurrection."

Agreed, however, we certainly are in desperate need of inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the teaching of the Holy Spirit, the equipping of the Holy Spirit, the encouragement of the Holy Spirit...and in body life context that happens through the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which include prophecy, healings, miracles, tongues (oh yes, tongues), interpretation of tongues etc .

Quench NOT the Spirit, despise not prophesyings...test all things.

Blessings,

I tend to lean toward NOT to put much stock in believing ANY current "revelations" or "prophecies" proclaimed by men or women today.

I DO believe in "signs of the times"... but, when people actually predict specific events.... I tend to sit back and relax in the Lord.

No one can fault someone who simply sticks with the prophecies clearly stated in Scripture.

You seem to have defined prophesy exclusively as the foretelling of future events. Although the foretelling of future events is prophesy, so is a word from God, spoken by a man, that edifies, exhorts, and comforts as in 1 Cor. 14. This gift is closely akin to tongues and interpretation, words of wisdom, and words of knowledge. For example, Timothy is advised to war a good warfare according to the prophesies spoken over him. My own experience in these things leads me to believe that this was probably a prophetic word spoken over Timothy that had to do with His gifting, calling, and God's desire for His life. Not so much a foretelling of a future event, but a statement of divine purpose and destiny.

If a prophesy is meant to foretell future events, then there is no way for those standing around to judge or discern except by a witness of the Holy Spirit. If I said, "God says that in two years an elephant is going to crash through the roof of your house.", the only way to judge this, outside of the Holy Spirit, is to wait two years. The whole question of judging then becomes pretty silly in a way.

But a prophesy such as I described above is another story. We have the written word of God to which the prophetic word must conform. We also have the Holy Spirit that bears witness in the spirit of Godly men. I have heard people, even well meaning people, give "prophesies" that I knew immediately were from their flesh and not the Spirit of God. I have also experienced the true many, many times.

Another interesting way of judging the prophetic word is by confirmation. For example, God gave me a very specific word for a man in our fellowship. I did not know when I was to deliver this word, and prayed about it. Eventually, during a service, God revealed to me the time was right, and I went to the man and gave Him what God had told me. A couple of weeks later, I am talking to the pastor about this man's situation. The pastor shared with me that his wife had been given a very specific word of prophesy for this man within the last couple of weeks, and that she had spoken it to Him. It was exactly the same word that I had been given and had spoken to the man. So within the space of a week, God spoke the same word to Him through two individuals, confirming to Him and to us that it was from Him.

1 Cor. 2 is an amazing chapter about the working of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer. We find in the latter few verses that the natural man cannot judge nor can he discern the things of the Spirit of God. So we cannot, through our own natural intellect or understanding, judge these things correctly. But the spiritual man judges all and yet is judged of no man. The spiritual man has the mind of Christ and can discern the spiritual condition of a thing. It is like this. If I am a mathematician, I can easily spot where you are doing your sums incorrectly and I can see the underlying error in your mathematical thinking. But you as a person who is not mathematical cannot discern whether I am doing integral calculus wrong or not. Not a perfect analogy, but a man filled with and governed by the Holy Spirit has a spiritual perception (spiritual eyes and ears) to see beyond the natural into the spiritual and judge these things. But the natural man does not even understand these things because they are spiritually discerned.

"Paul says the church is "built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets” (Eph. 2:20). I conclude that all we need to know for salvation and sanctification has been given to us through the teaching of the apostles and prophets, and that this teaching is now found in the Scriptures. Now that God has spoken in the last days through his Son (Heb. 1:2), we don't need further words from him to explain what Jesus Christ has accomplished in his ministry, death, and resurrection. Instead, we are "to contend for the faith that was delivered to the saints once for all” through the apostles and prophets (Jude 3)." Thomas Schreiner

I am not sure who Thomas Schreiner is, but I cannot agree with what he is saying. The primary reason is that, although his language is concise, his handling of scripture in this case is that of a man searching for unrelated proof texts for a doctrine he is already bound to defend. We must read the first three chapters of the book of Ephesians in their whole to understand what Paul means by "built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets". We cannot pull that simple phrase out and add meaning to it. What Mr. Schreiner is interpreting this verse to mean is this. "The church is built upon the writings of the apostles and prophets and nothing else". The problem is that this is reading meaning into a passage that is simply not there. It is deceptive, just like, "Has God really said thou shalt not eat? What he really meant was this..."

Eph. 2:20 and surrounding is really saying in context is this. God, through Christ, abolished the wall of separation between Jew and Gentile. Now we Gentiles also have access to the Father by the same Holy Spirit. We all now, both Jew and Gentile, are fellowcitizens of the same kingdom and we are all built upon the foundation that was laid by both the old testament prophets and the new testament apostles. This interpretation is in context, and is reiterated by Paul in Romans 3:21 when he says, "But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets".

We could do the same with Hebrews 1:2. Mr. Schreiner has pulled that one out of context and applied his own meaning to it as well.

Thomas Schriener: I have one of this books on New Testament Theology. It's really good stuff, and Dr Schriener has a fair amount to say on the subject of Gifts, seeing as he wrote a book on it, (Ive not read it)

But I do know for certain at the end of his discussions he is a cessationist. He's a Baptist ( reformed ) but wants to keep the peace between cessationist and continuationist.

Schriener's quote: I found this explanation to be concise:

"Paul says the church is "built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets” (Eph. 2:20). I conclude that all we need to know for salvation and sanctification has been given to us through the teaching of the apostles and prophets, and that this teaching is now found in the Scriptures. Now that God has spoken in the last days through his Son (Heb. 1:2), we don't need further words from him to explain what Jesus Christ has accomplished in his ministry, death, and resurrection. Instead, we are "to contend for the faith that was delivered to the saints once for all” through the apostles and prophets (Jude 3)." Thomas Schreiner

Dr.s Schrieners quote contains the underlying reason he cannot stomach the gifts of prophecy etc is because of this
"Now that God has spoken in the last days through his Son (Heb. 1:2), we don't need further words from him to explain what Jesus Christ has accomplished in his ministry, death, and resurrection. Instead, we are "to contend for the faith that was delivered to the saints once for all” through the apostles and prophets (Jude 3)."
He is saying as all cessationist do...prophecy is adding to the word of God, that if we truly prophecy we are adding scripture to the closed canon of scripture...which in turn violates several scripture texts Rev 22 for one; namely "do not add to the words of this prophecy"

Whether it be a weak or strong cessationist argument, I don't know, but I do know he cannot in good conscience allow prophecy without thinking he is permitting the addition of a 'prophet' adding scripture by his 'prophesying'.

This is why he points back to the Hebrews text speaking of Jesus as God's final word ( like the Michael Card song).
So he says " We don't need further words to explain".
This again is why I emphatically say "you cannot let those who do not believe there are gifts of the Spirit available to the body" to tell you how those gifts should or should not function. All they can tell you is their wooden version of scripture devoid of any actual experience. By analogy it's similar to letting a cultist tell a true Christ what Christ is about and who he is. He cant even though he can quote text after text on the subject.

I say this too because those who minister in the prophetic ( godly and true prophetic) are extremely careful to not say anything amiss of the written word of God). They extremely careful not to add or take away anything from the closed canon of scripture. But Schriener and those of his opinion never get past the falsehood that those who are New Testament prophets or even just have the gift do not believe they are getting 'new scripture revelation', they do not believe they are adding or taking away from any apostolic teaching already commonly available in scripture and in the teachings of godly men.

This means the new testament prophet must have the knowledge and discerning to know scripture teaching and know and discern what is the Spirit of God and what is not.
In short, those who believe and operate in these gifts have vastly more knowledge and experience in discerning the truth from falsehood, error from scripture and godliness vs ungodly man-centered teaching.

Now, someone like Dr Schriener ( who I appreciate and thank God for) is an academic, meaning he lives for being a book-worm on every subject and has done his homework. I don't doubt this at all. But, academics will never replace Holy Spirit experience/teaching to give understanding to spiritual things and make connections to spiritual things intellect and rationality will not and cannot do.

On a practical note:

The best bible students don't always know which direction to turn, each direction seems as viable as the other.
The best Christians don't always know what to pray for or how to pray in all situations.
The best leaders do not know what decisions are best or which one God is telling them.
The best teachers do not understand all scripture texts clearly or how they connect or relate to other texts.
The best evangelists don't know what sermon is necessary and what the Spirit of God would have them speak to the unsaved.

I could add to this all day long, the point is, even the best of us draw a blank, we get confused or frustrated, we seek God, believe God, are patient and willing and have no agenda but are willing to do the will of the Lord. This is where giftedness comes in to play an important part in edifying the Church. This is where a word of knowledge or wisdom discerns between 'which scripture is applicable' and which is not, or what direction to go when being willing is present but unwilling to presume just any next step is 'ok' with God.
This is where that timely word, that encouragement, that time of praying in tongues or that prophetic word plants the seed or waters a prayer or even provides an insight that was the key to proceeding in the walk of faith.
This and a thousand more examples can be given where the gifts of God are there as the body of Christ ministers unto itself in love.

But, instead when various ones insist these gifts were something other than for the edification of the Church, they became signs and wonders lifted up and categorized way beyond the Spirit's intention. Now they are 'signs' relegated to establishment of canon, or they are wonders to validate an apostle or validate the ministry of an apostle.
Well, who can compete with that? I cant, Im not an apostle, Im not seeking to add to the new testament by signs, words and utterances designed to bring forth the whole counsel of God.
The only thing left is to listen to teachers, thousands and thousands of teachers who incapable of explaining the experiences of gifted men are left to fumble in the dark analyzing and characterizing gifts and manifestations so in the end, no one in this present day can compete with the romanticized and exalted gifting's that nobodies like myself could ever attain to.

The reality is of course quite different. I have attained to them, not by works but by faith. I believed God and he gave me some gifts. It was not my status in the Church that made the way for gifts it was my faith in God who gives them. He then teaches me how and where to minister according to his Spirit leading.

If the teachers of our age were as believing as they are educated they would be instructing and praying for this. Namely "As a teacher after me comes miracles" So, as we multiply teachers we should be multiplying miracles too. But, we know by these same teachers miracles are relegated to the charlatan never the legitimate minister of the gospel. In effect what happens? The very word they pretend to teach they cannot demonstrate because they do not believe the word they teach...and this because their own teachers did not believe.

Then because some poor slob like myself is graced to minister in some prophetic word or God fills so many with his Holy Spirit as I have laid hands on them or God has healed so many as the Spirit designed to do...must in fact say so as if it is some spectacular thing. It's as if when I say it, it must either be false or exaggerated or lies...because I am a living demonstration their teaching is in error.

Who am I, I am not a Ph.D., I am not educated I am not approved of men... but I know this, in my prayers I didn't consult the approval of men, nor did I seek the education of man, nor did I receive instruction from God that I was not qualified by reason of a lack of theological education. I was gifted because I asked in faith and acted in faith and left the results to God.

What I have done was perfectly in line with a plain reading of scripture and mixed with faith God glorified himself in blessing and helping others.

What my teachers have done is believe un-empowered men who have the credentials of man and the approval of man; these opened the bible and expounded unto me why the bible says someone like me cannot obtain them and should not seek them and therefore continue to listen to these teachers as they are what it means to be empowered by the Spirit of God.

The irony as I see is astonishing.

What does this have to do with judging prophecies?

If you believe God speaks through an anointed vessel to give a prophetic word to the Church or an individual or to a group...if you are spiritual you seek to discern the spirit of God within that prophecy, you attempt make sure it is not in contradiction to the written canon of God's word, you discern whether it be a contrivance of men or an empowering word from God.
You may also discern whether or not it characterizes Christ in an unbiblical way or Characterizes him in a biblical exalting way.
You may discern whether it has the earmarks of man's authority about it, or whether it carries that anointing present where God is present.

A word of knowledge may in fact be very short and concise, it may be just a few words directed to an individual...which only the individual can judge properly.
Now, we know lunatic stuff like "You should divorce your wife and marry this new one I have for you" should be condemned as fast as it is spoken. Stuff that's way off base is not hard to spot and should be judged by the leaders when it is given.

If you are a cessationist...you will do none of this because all if it is never discerned its just condemned outright. There is no reason to spend a moment 'discerning' a prophetic word when in fact your doctrine condemns you for permitting or validating such a word.
Cessationists do not discern the spirit, they simply condemn everything not aligning with cessationist teaching. Ok fine, but again this is where you begin to see they will have no experience or wisdom in the matters of prophecy...forth-telling or foretelling anything because it has already been refused and Ichabod given a front seat among the pastors chairs.

How can you learn anything in such a format? You don't, all you do is condemn anything that is doctrinally variant that's it.

Much food for thought! Praise the Lord!

I have heard people, even well meaning people, give "prophesies" that I knew immediately were from their flesh and not the Spirit of God. I have also experienced the true many, many times.

I do not have much experience in this area. Follow-up question: shall I expect a certain way of which prophecy is to be delivered? I've thought almost all of my life that when somebody is prophecying, he will just say something in a normal language like I read the prophets in OT: "Thus saith the Lord..."

Yet I was before few months in a meeting where prophecies came to several people and the way of delivering it was the following: the brother went to the person for whom he had a word and then shared it in normal language, interrupted by praying/speaking in tongues.

Now this was the really first time to witness something like that. I believe it was a true prophecy, but just don't understand the part of praying or speaking in tongues. A brother told me this could be interpretation of tongues?

Can anyone give me godly counsel on that? Travis, Marvin - have you experienced or heard of this?

Marvin wrote:

"... because I am a living demonstration their teaching is in error."

Isn't this what happened in the life of our Lord; He was the LIVING demonstration of the Word resulting in the exposure of erroneous teaching.
Living proof.

Very impacted,

Mary

//Follow-up question: shall I expect a certain way of which prophecy is to be delivered?//

It can be delivered in many different ways- however the Holy Spirit wants it delivered, as long as the message and the method do not run counter to scripture. And I don’t mean that the method or message has to have a direct correlation in scripture, just that it does not run counter to scripture.

It is not much use to list anecdotal examples because there are so many. However, you will know it is real (or unreal) when the time comes.

Exhortation and prophecy

There have been time when an individual stood up and gave a word to the congregation, this word was not inaccurate according to scripture, nor was it of the flesh, but it was not a 'prophetic word'. The individual believed she was prophesying, when in fact it was an exhortation.

The difference was noticeable in two ways.
1. The word was not the Spirit of God speaking directly to the congregation, The word was not extemporaneous, but in fact a learned word, rehearsed to us, but the individual believed what they had received they wanted to share
2. The word had a noticeable lack of prophetic authority, it was given in terms of Christian to Christian encouragement.

The individual didn't really understand what she had done, she thought it was a prophecy but felt like she 'missed it'. I caught up with her later and told her she exhorted us and it was a good word, but it was not a prophetic word.
We are told by the Apostle Paul to exhort each other, so her doing so is in keeping with scripture and her word itself was biblical. So it should be received as an exhortation from her to the body rather than confuse it for for prophecy when in fact it was not a Spirit-direct speaking to the congregation.

This cleared up some confusion in her mind and help her to discern exhortations versus prophecy.

It was normative about 30 years ago for various one to come up front and share an exhortation or prophecy, where the difference could be seen and understood. Today, it's not normative so confusion occurs.

The downside is a word of exhortation which lacks that prophetic anointing has been attributed to 'false prophecy', or speaking out of the flesh. If the elders would have discerned the difference they could have remarked what occurred and how to receive it.

Yes it's anecdotal, but story is part of what it means to convey spiritual truth.

I do not have much experience in this area. Follow-up question: shall I expect a certain way of which prophecy is to be delivered? I've thought almost all of my life that when somebody is prophecying, he will just say something in a normal language like I read the prophets in OT: "Thus saith the Lord..."

Yet I was before few months in a meeting where prophecies came to several people and the way of delivering it was the following: the brother went to the person for whom he had a word and then shared it in normal language, interrupted by praying/speaking in tongues.

Since the person delivering the prophecy is simply relaying a message that God has given him, then the way the prophecy sounds can be as varied as individual personalities.

A tremendeous thank you brothers!

Todd, I get what you are saying! Only your last sentence meaning, when the time (for it's fulfillment) comes? I think that the Lord expect from us to act on the prophetic word He sends. That's why we need discerning. For example, in the case where Agapus predicted the hunger period, the brethren realised that the Word came from the Lord and decided to do something about it. If they were not sure or if we can never be sure whether that word comes from God or man or the devil, how could they / we ever act upon the prophetic words? I mean, what's the point then at all from prophecy?! And don't misunderstand me, I do not believe that a man's life should be guided by prophecies but rather by the Holy Spirit!

Marvin, I am a little bit disturbed by your story. One of the aim of prophecy is exhortation. So in what sense do you mean that what the sister has said were not prophetic?

I meant that if someone gives you a prophetic word, you will know if it is from the Lord when it is given, or soon thereafter. You will get a sense. Now, it may not make sense immediately, but you will still get a sense of whether it is from the Lord.

One curious thing about Agabus- in his second prophecy in Acts 21, he was accurate and it was from God, but apparently it was not what God wanted Paul to do. In other words it seems that God wanted the prophecy delivered but did not want Paul to heed it. Makes you think.

takeupthecross: Exhortation and prophecy are two different things. prophecy may have a characteristic of exhortation, but exhortation is not necessarily prophecy.

I have been exhorted before the offering is taken to 'give the Lord's tithe' and with various scriptures enjoined to act upon his exhortation. It was not prophetic, nor was it a prophecy, but a teaching given in a manner that suggests its importance, necessity etc.

So it is an exhortation, but it was no prophecy and the speaker would not have expected anyone to take his speaking as a prophetic word.

The two have different effects upon the hearer and the Spirit of God ministers differently with them and we are to discern such differences.