Do I sense a witness from the Holy Spirit?

When a guitarist tunes his guitar, he will play one note and then match the next string on the guitar to the note on the first string. A true musician can hear the dissonance when their instrument is out of tune, and they will tinker with the tuning key until there is resonance between the … Read more

Don Stewart :: How Can We Test Prophecies?

If the gift of prophecy is to be exercised in the church today, believers must have guidelines to determine whether or not a particular prophetic utterance has come from God.  Conform To Gods Word The first thing that prophetic utterances should be tested by is the revealed Word of God. Is the prophecy in harmony … Read more

Is prophesying the same as preaching?

Not exclusively, but frequently. We know, from Paul’s writings, that prophecy and teaching are not the same (1 Corinthians 12:28; 14:26). Teaching is expositing a biblical text and drawing out a lesson, while prophesying is speaking something that the Spirit spontaneously brings to mind. But what often happens during a preaching moment is an unusually … Read more

Moral Consistency

There is also a moral test that the prophet must pass. Is the person giving the prophecy exhibiting moral character consistent with his office? Jesus warned of these false prophets  .  Beware of false prophets, who come in to you in sheeps clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits … Read more

Therefore, with regard to prophecy we can conclude:

1. A prophet must not contradict anything God has previously revealed.  2. A prophecy must exalt Jesus Christ.  3. A prophets life must be consistent with the prophecy he or she gives.  4. Because someone meets the above criteria does not necessarily mean that the message is from God. The leaders of each particular assembly … Read more

Leaders To Judge

The ones who are to judge whether a prophecy is God-given are the leaders in that particular assembly where the prophecy is uttered. The prophecies should not be spoken without the leaders commenting upon them. The basis of their judgment is a supernaturally given discernment by God.  The Bible says that prophetic utterances should be … Read more

Who tests prophecies today, and how?

According to 1 Corinthians 14:29–33, pastor-elders test prophecies, as well as the gathered church. How this actually functions today depends on how churches are structured. I’ll give one example of how it can be done. In a precious church I was part of for eighteen years, the pastors made space during the music portion of … Read more