Nine Biblical Principles for Judging ProphecyНамуна

Is all prophecy from God? Once spoken, is the prophecy to be judged? If so, by whom and by what criteria? All prophecy is not from God! Any prophetic utterance should be judged by those in spiritual authority, and preferably by those who have the gift of prophecy.

These nine principles should be mastered by every believer so that when an utterance is given, they can know if it is from God, if it is of the flesh, or if it is of the devil. Every utterance will come from one of those three sources. When truth is denied, deception is released. Jesus warned His disciples in the Gospel of Matthew that deception would be the foremost sign of the end of the age.

The headquarters for the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection is in Washington, D.C. This department oversees the Office of Weights and Measures and exists so that 16 ounces of bologna in Texas is 16 ounces of bologna in California.

God has a Department of Standards, too. It’s called the Word of God. Sin in Texas is sin in California, and it is sin in Europe. Distance, time, or social norms do not alter God’s standard of righteousness. God does not have different strokes for different folks.

False prophets and false prophecy abound in America today. False prophecy can only lead to massive deception or leave a confused believer the object of manipulation or domination by false prophets who have ungodly motives and a hidden agenda.

Some prophets are claiming to be legitimate because they say, “I’m right five times out of 10 times.” Those averages would get you stoned to death in Israel in the times of the prophets. A prophet that is right five times out of 10 is a false prophet. They’re wrong half the time. A clock that does not work is right twice a day.

Ignore all prophecy from anyone who does not operate under spiritual authority! Prophets are to be accountable to the fathers of the church. Those who are not are wolves in sheep’s clothing. Their prophecies will promote their agenda, not God’s.

Let’s examine together the nine principles for judging prophecy as found in the Word of God.