How To Protect Yourself Not To Be A False Prophet

Very few gospel ministers plan to be false prophet, yet many have fallen to become so. Here are 10 ways to protect yourself from becoming one:

1. Submission to spiritual parents.
Spiritual parents provide spiritual covering and are also people who can direct, teach, help and rebuke you. A person who does not have spiritual covering opens themselves to many heresies. I do not know how many times I have been lovingly rebuked and corrected by parents when I am about to stray. The problem of our generation is rebellion. When church leadership rebukes us, we prophesy out of the soul that, the leaders have a controlling-demon seeking to destroy my gift. Beware! What you sow is what you reap. Remember leaders have been put above you by God and most of the time they follow up on you out of love and care. Most leaders never do so with an intention to destroy you. Submit one to another(Ephesians 5:21)

Many have left the way and now use different things for preaching.

2. Do not be too ultra about wanting to bring in “new revelation that has never been heard.
 Always be balanced. The Bible tells us that we must not move the boundaries set by our fathers: “Do not remove the ancient landmark which your fathers have set.”(Proverbs 22:28, c.f 23:10) Always follow the footprints of the legends and build on the revelation that they have already handed over to you. Always know that what changes is the method of delivery but not the message. Do not be too ambitious to think you will bring “new revelation.”

3. Find safety in a family. When you prophesy, be willing to submit your utterances to others (Ephesians 5:21). Allow others to test your prophecies: “Let two or three prophets speak and let the others judge.” (1 Corinthians 14:29). The Bible says that there is nothing called private interpretation of the prophecy of scripture. You cannot have your own interpretation, the Body of Christ is a community and must be involved: “knowing this first that no prophecy of scripture is of any private interpretation.”(2 Peter 1:20). Proverbs 11:14 tells us that there is safety in a multitude of counsellors.

4. Be a child of God before you are a prophet of God. Never leave the Christian basics. 1 Thessalonians 5:21

Apostle Pride Sibiya teaches and writes on Church Growth.

5. Test yourself and your motivations (1 Thessalonians 5:21). One of the greatest challenges of a prophet is a lying spirit: “I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name…” (Jeremiah 23:25). In 1 Kings the prophets were invaded by a lying spirit and they “prophelied” instead of prophesying: “Therefore look! The Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the Lord has declared disaster against you” (1 Kings 22:23). Always check if you are not having this or other spirits which fight the genuine voice of God. Frankly speaking every man of God will always have temptations to do things for the wrong motive, for selfish monetary gain, for illicit sex or for personal pride and flamboyance. Before you move in the prophetic or release a Word check whether you still have the correct motive. Balaam a genuine prophet of God ended up as a diviner because of the lust for monetary gain: “”

6. Study the Word and other books. The Bible tells us to, “Study to show thyself approved unto God…” 2 Timothy 2:15. Many people who have revelatory gifts despise careful study of the Word therefore end up giving either, prophecies divergent from the Word or wrong scriptural exegesis and interpretation. People will just listen to them for the sake of the power gifts. It is no wonder the road of the prophetic ministry is littered by casualties who were once revered for their revelatory gifts but are now seen as heretics. It should be noted that the gift of prophecy is not a gift of knowing or interpreting scripture. A true prophet must seek the help of others in the Body of Christ (especially apostles, pastors and teachers) to teach them on scripture and correct doctrine.

7. Always let Jesus be the focus.
As long as Jesus takes centre stage, the Holy Spirit will be present to help you.

Apostle Sibiya writes and teaches Sexual Purity.

8. Listen to the Holy Spirit more than you give attention to demons.
It is unfortunate that because people are drawn more by manifestations many servants of God have followed suit and take more time listening to demons. These demons give information which they take as true and prophesy out of a wrong spirit. The focus in church is listening to the Holy Spirit not demons.

9. Do everything out of love.
Love is the only accepted motivation of any action in the Kingdom of God. You cannot give manipulative prophecies or false prophecies bent on controlling others if you really love them. Jesus moved in the supernatural because of love() for the channel of God’s flow to be trustable use love to have reasonable victory over hatred, anger, bitterness, witchcraft, covetousness, and all fear. I heard of a young pastor who gave a Word to a sister that, the Holy Spirit had instructed him to undo her virginity because he was the one chosen by God to do so. Is the motive still God’s compassion?

10. Avoid pitfalls.
Many other pitfalls should be avoided. Do not personalise and domesticate God to the extent that when you are angry, God is angry, when you hate a person God hates the person! You are not God!

Apostle Pride Sibiya

Do not prophesy against things you personally hate then give positive prophecies to people who give you money.

Adopted From A Book By Pride Sibiya, Upholding True Prophecy:Testing Every Spirit.