Hello Saints, lately it has come to my attention how many saints are falling victim to the many false prophecies around here in Algeria! Ive been praying about this and one thing I saw is many saints are lacking in knowledge so they are easily manipulated by many false prophecies.For example this year, a sister X called me telling me how a certain prophetess was moving around prophesying to others that sister X has a demonic spirit of hatred and so she has to be avoided, but this is utter nonsense (forgive my language but this really infuriated me!) as the prophetic brings forth edification and unity not segregating against some saint whether they got an issue or not!Another time, in 2012, a certain prophet again told a sister Y that she had a demon and really freaked out the sister Y!I could give many more examples, but in a nutshell I ask us to equip ourselves with knowledge as the spirit of false prophecy is on the loose in Algeria! Anyway...now to the teaching... SEVEN STEPS FOR JUDGING PROPHECY. By Their Fruits.-1. As New Testament Christians, we need the operation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in our churches today. We should encourage every flame of fire that comes from God, but we also should realize that there are true and false gifts. There is no need to be afraid of the gifts of the Spirit just because some false elements have crept in. Once I was given some counterfeit money. I didnt throw away my whole billfold and all of my good money just because a little of it was counterfeit. I kept the genuine and threw the false away. Believers can learn to distinguish between true and false gifts. We dont need to be left in the dark concerning anything; the Bible gives us light! Were even told that we can judge prophecy and prophets. How? The Bible gives seven steps for judging prophecy. Studying these steps will be a blessing to you now and in the future. The first step is: By their fruits ye shall know them. Jesus warned against false prophets, saying, Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheeps clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves (Matt. 7:15). Paul and Peter, writing to the Early Church, also warned against false prophets, false apostles, and false prophecies: 2 CORINTHIANS 11:13-15 13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. 2 PETER 2:1-3 1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. If such a warning was necessary to the Early Church, it is necessary today. (We believe and practice what they wrote then concerning the Lords Supper, water baptism, and other things. Why not believe and practice what they said about this? Jesus is the One issuing that warning against false prophets in Matthew 7. Does He know what Hes talking about? I believe He does. I believe people today need His warning. As we saw, He described false prophets as coming to you in sheeps clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves (v. 15). They seem very humble, very meek —just like the rest of the sheep. You cant tell from their outward appearance that they are ravening wolves. But Jesus said there is a way to know them. How? Ye shall know them by their fruits, Jesus said. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bring -eth forth evil fruit (w. 16,17). He continued, A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them (vv. 18-20). By Their Fruits I once knew a minister who seemingly was used mightily in prophecy and other gifts. Yet when I had an opportu¬nity to attend one of his services, I knew something was wrong. I couldnt put my finger on it — I didnt have any revelation from God — but something on the inside of me told me he wasnt tuned into the frequency Im on. I didnt know much about this mans ministry, so I couldnt judge his fruit. Soon afterwards, however, I preached for a pastor friend who had just had this evangelist in his church. When accusations of dishonesty were made against the man, the pastor confronted him. The evangelist replied, Why, theres not a word of truth in that! Those people are lying about me! When the pastors sister-in-law came to him with the same story, he had to confront the evangelist the second time. There never was a bigger lie told, the evangelist stated. Theyre lying about it. Then the pastors sister-in-law took a tape recorder into a secret meeting the evangelist held with some of the church members. She recorded what he said. He told the people, I dont let them know I believe this, but its all right to lie as long as youre lying for good. (Brother, its wrong to lie, regardless of what its about!) When the pastor confronted this preacher with the tape recording, he said, Well now, brother, you know if a mans working for God, you just cant tell everything. Its all right to lie sometimes. By their fruits you shall know them. This evangelist could prophesy long and loud, but who would believe his prophecies? Once you knew about him, would you?
Posted on: Wed, 13 Aug 2014 19:53:51 +0000
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