"The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls and tenement halls" (Sounds of Silence by Simon and Garfunkel) Matthew 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. How can you tell if someone is a false prophet?

We receive TONS of email from roving prophets who careen through the Internet, marking their territory on random Christian websites and email accounts. They paste their latest diatribe into their email client and belch it to everyone on their list, seeking followers. We seldom respond and never hear from them again. These mailbox bandits are not prophets. These people have a spiritual problem. You cannot find this sort of hit-and-run behavior in the Bible when it speaks of the prophets. In times past, these people are the ones who defaced bathroom walls and abandoned buildings with their graffiti. There may indeed be those who are walking, talking and speaking the exact message God has given them for the world. I would never try to limit God in the way He works. There are, however, far more who think they are speaking the exact message God has given them. That being said, I am sure someone will quickly chastise me and defend their divine stature. Before they do, I would ask that they support their argument with scripture showing where another prophet has had to defend their words and calling. A prophet's words will ultimately be proven or disproved. That is if they have substance, and a prophet's words always have substance. Vague Prophecies "Behold, I am pleased with the praises of my people. Enter in to my rest, thus saith the Lord." If you have ever attended a Pentecostal church, you may have heard this prophecy time and time again. This message usually follows a good praise music session right before the sermon. The fact of the matter is, it is not a prophecy. Elijah would not be caught dead saying this. John the Baptist would raise an eyebrow and mutter "Say what??" The "prophecy" has no substance. It merely states the obvious. Big deal. They may as well say "The sky is blue." That statement has as much merit in the world of prophesy. You might hear other prophesies like "God is speaking to someone tonight and if you will turn to Him, He will help/heal/forgive/etc you." Let's look at this prophecy closely. God is speaking to someone tonight. No specifics. The prophet is fishing to see if anyone in the congregation will take the bait. "if you will turn to Him, He will help/heal/forgive/etc you." How profound. The prophet is adding an element of obvious truth in an attempt to give his fishing expedition credibility. This is offered as a prize for anyone who will support the prophecy. We do not serve a generic God. We serve a God who is revealing and to the point. Anyone speaking on His behalf will be equally as revealing and to the point. If statements made by your local "prophet" do not meet this criteria, reconsider what side of the pearly gates the message comes from. It has to be one or the other. King James God You may have heard someone prophesying, using King James English.

1. God does not speak in King James English.
2. People do not speak in King James English.

If a prophet truly brings a word from the Lord, why then would it be spoken in King James English? Do you think God was reading Shakespeare when He decided to speak through His servant? Not hardly. The whole "thee" and "thou" thing just doesn't make sense, does it? Why would God talk like that? What is funnier is when someone speaks in broken King James English. "Thou wouldest cometh to the houseth" or some such trash. They apparently serve a God who even botches King James English. Do not follow them. That is not the God you serve. It takes more than a few est's and eth's to give credibility to a prophecy. What they prophecy comes to pass. Acts 21:10-11 10 And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus. 11 And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. Yes, that came to pass. Verse 33 Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, and what he had done. Jonah was called to prophecy to the people of Nineveh. The people repented and were saved. Daniel's prophecy to king Belshazzar came to pass. Read the fifth chapter of Daniel. Time and time again, we read in the Bible where a prophet spoke something of substance that actually happened the way it was prophesied. Famous Prophets Most people have heard of Jean Dixon who supposedly prophesied. She got vaguely lucky with some of her predictions, but failed miserably with the majority of them. People try to fit modern day events into the words of Nostradamus. They try to see if they can determine the time for the end of the world, etc. True prophets make clear statements which render clear results. There is no question when the prophecy is fulfilled. Prophets who are vague, serve a vague god, not the Most High God.

A prophet who makes one prophetic mistake is a false prophet. To prove that point, try and find a prophet in the Bible that had a prophetic blunder and still maintained the standing of a prophet of God. You won't find one. False Prophecy With A Price Tag Do you remember the Prophesy Club's statements that there would be massive calamity when the clocks rolled over to the year 2000? They offered to sell you what you needed to survive. As you know by now, they were W-R-O-N-G. They removed all of their bold mistakes from their website and posted an explanation for the spiritual faux paux. http://www.prophecyclub.com/jan00/2.html. They close with "I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused." Does that statement make up for all the radio broadcasts and repeated warnings they gave the world in the name of God? God wouldn't accept that apology and neither should you. True prophets have nothing to apologize for. The Prophesy Club group has moved on to other bold "prophecies" and money making schemes. Most of them have to deal with the New World Order and the U.N. taking over America. They will sell you water filters, books, Potassium Iodate and video tapes. Can you see John the Baptist with his kiosk selling t-shirts and bumper stickers in the wilderness? Folks, this is just wrong. The Prophesy Club has come up with the "ALL NEW ADVANCED Prophetic Training" where they will teach you how to be a prophet. According to them, you too can become a prophet of God by studying...and paying the fee. Attend a seminar! Learn to prophecy! (see Matthew 7:21-23)
What Penalty For Being Wrong? When a person does not perfectly communicate the inspiration they receive by God, this shows they are not perfect yet. This means they are like the rest of us. That is why you hear good songs and bad songs. You hear good sermons and not so good sermons. Prophecy leaves no room for error. In the Old Testament, when a prophet's words proved to be false, they were stoned. Today, people can say what they want without fear of being stoned (in most parts of the world). What if the punishment was still valid? I wonder how many "prophets" would be walking the streets or traveling the Internet. Deuteronomy 18:20 But the prophet which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. I Corinthians 12:29-31 29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? 30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? 31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way... (We all know what comes next) L-O-V-E How many prophets have you met that lacked love for others? I mean real love in action, not words. Telling someone you love them means nothing. Showing them proves that you do. If someone tries to prove they love you because they have come to you with the word of God, compare those actions to those of Jesus and you will see where the flaw lies. That person is probably trying to convince you they love you so you will buy into their lie. Their words may be sweet as honey, but they will hiss like a viper if you question the validity of the title they have given themselves. Remember, when you meet a true prophet, everything they say will always point to God and no credit be taken by the prophet. If they form their words in such a manner as to capture even the slightest bit of attention to themselves, toss the whole batch out and wait for God to really speak, for God will not give man credit for holy deeds. Remember the "filthy rags" scripture. Isaiah 64:6 If they take point to themselves in any way, they are not from God. Sometimes False Prophets Do Wondrous Things Matthew 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. This tells us that a great sign is not proof the person is a prophet from God. The famous magician, David Copperfield, can give you a sign. It takes more than signs. Believing Their Own Lies Some delusional, self-proclaimed prophets actually believe their own lies. They fall victim to the trap they set for others. This sin will eventually lead to their own damnation. Matthew 7:21-23 21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Notice Jesus did not deny these people prophesied or cast out devils, etc. in His name. They did indeed use His name. They performed mighty things "in His name". They dared to defend their place in heaven by their works. They believed their own lies, which earned them a place in hell. Jeremiah 23:25-26 25 I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed. 26 How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart; Be Careful! Matthew 24:11-13 11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. (this is becoming more evident every day) 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. (you may know people who fit this category) 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. (looks like we have work to do...together) Be Steadfast! Revelations 3:11-13 11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. 12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. 13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. In closing, it is not always necessary to expose a false prophet. If God calls you to do that, then by all means, please obey Him. However, there are many times when God will call you to turn your back on one of these self-proclaimed "messengers of God" because you have other work to do. False prophets who are offended by your lack of belief in them will attempt to engage you in useless dialog to either defend themselves or spiritually belittle you. Some people cannot take "No" for an answer.

If you ever meet someone who claims to be a true prophet, scrutinize everything they say. In God we trust. All other must pass the test. All contents Copyright Rod Use without permission is prohibited

• Topic: Sermons

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