False Prophets
False prophets are promised to emerge, but so are true prophets. This is important to understand, because the increase in prophecy will cause many who don't understand to stumble.
There are good prophets who make mistakes, and there are false prophets that get a lot right.
Accuracy is not the test of a prophet. According Matthew 7, fruit... the heart response the prophet's words produce...in their own life AND yours... are the test.
If you want to produce good fruit, you can only abide in one man: the Man Christ Jesus:
John 15:1-6 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
It is easier to abide in a teacher, prophet, or dreamer. Their words are more tangible and easier to grab onto, but this will cause you to stumble. If you abide in a pastor, prophet, teacher, even an apostle, you will begin to bear THAT person's fruit. That is bad!
You don't want fallen fruit. You want more and more perfect fruit. This isn't a new end time teaching, it has always been this way:
I Corinthians 1:11-13 For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
The job of the teacher or prophet is to stay loyal to Jesus and say the things they believe He is saying. The job of anyone who receives from a teacher or prophet is stay loyal to Jesus, too! You hold up the teaching to the Lord and His Word. Teaching is only as good as it produces the fruit of your own increased abiding in Jesus. If you don't guard your heart, and do the next step of talking to Jesus about what you are hearing, you will not produce fruit.
Therefore, you don't need to call out the evil false prophets so quickly, or even worse, trust that the teacher or prophet everyone thinks is cool is right. You need to assume all prophets and teachers are prone to error. And hold all things before the Lord with an active conversation. I do it out loud. Thinking something is different than talking to Jesus. You can talk to Him in your head, but that line is harder to discern internally.
Talking to Jesus is more important than anything else. This is abiding.
So, what is the right way to deal with all these prophets and teachers? Let the Spirit move, test ALL things from ALL people...hang onto what is good.
I Thessalonians 5:19-22 Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.
"Group think" is PROMISED to cause many to fall into error in the end times. If you won't do the labor of talking to Jesus now, when it is easier...you won't do it later, as the confusion and error increase. This is what will happen if you herd together rather than "look up":
Psalms 14:2-3 The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there are any who understand, who seek God. They have all turned aside, They have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, No, not one.
Look up as the intensity increases...that means talk to God more and more:
Luke 21:28 Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”
There are good prophets who make mistakes, and there are false prophets that get a lot right.
Accuracy is not the test of a prophet. According Matthew 7, fruit... the heart response the prophet's words produce...in their own life AND yours... are the test.
If you want to produce good fruit, you can only abide in one man: the Man Christ Jesus:
John 15:1-6 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
It is easier to abide in a teacher, prophet, or dreamer. Their words are more tangible and easier to grab onto, but this will cause you to stumble. If you abide in a pastor, prophet, teacher, even an apostle, you will begin to bear THAT person's fruit. That is bad!
You don't want fallen fruit. You want more and more perfect fruit. This isn't a new end time teaching, it has always been this way:
I Corinthians 1:11-13 For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
The job of the teacher or prophet is to stay loyal to Jesus and say the things they believe He is saying. The job of anyone who receives from a teacher or prophet is stay loyal to Jesus, too! You hold up the teaching to the Lord and His Word. Teaching is only as good as it produces the fruit of your own increased abiding in Jesus. If you don't guard your heart, and do the next step of talking to Jesus about what you are hearing, you will not produce fruit.
Therefore, you don't need to call out the evil false prophets so quickly, or even worse, trust that the teacher or prophet everyone thinks is cool is right. You need to assume all prophets and teachers are prone to error. And hold all things before the Lord with an active conversation. I do it out loud. Thinking something is different than talking to Jesus. You can talk to Him in your head, but that line is harder to discern internally.
Talking to Jesus is more important than anything else. This is abiding.
So, what is the right way to deal with all these prophets and teachers? Let the Spirit move, test ALL things from ALL people...hang onto what is good.
I Thessalonians 5:19-22 Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.
"Group think" is PROMISED to cause many to fall into error in the end times. If you won't do the labor of talking to Jesus now, when it is easier...you won't do it later, as the confusion and error increase. This is what will happen if you herd together rather than "look up":
Psalms 14:2-3 The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there are any who understand, who seek God. They have all turned aside, They have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, No, not one.
Look up as the intensity increases...that means talk to God more and more:
Luke 21:28 Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”
Comments
Post a Comment
I appreciate your comments.