Posted on 07/02/2025 5:43:39 AM PDT by metmom
“‘Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves’” (Matthew 7:15).
False prophets are most dangerous because of their deceptive nature. We can easily recognize and defend against an enemy that poses for what it is. But when that enemy appears as a friend, it is much harder to defend against.
Heretics and apostates make no claim to biblical truth and are recognizable. But deceivers disguise themselves as true shepherds. They give the appearance of orthodoxy and claim to teach the truth, but their intent is to deceive and destroy God’s people.
Paul explains this phenomenon: “Such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds” (2 Cor. 11:13–15; cf. 2 Tim. 3:13). Such false prophets are demonically deceived, convinced that their perverted, distorted views are correct. They are so steeped in falsehood that darkness seems to be light, blackness white, and error truth.
This calls for genuine discernment. But how is this best done? It’s by realizing that such men show themselves by what they do not say—they seldom affirm the great doctrines of the faith, but rather ignore them. In our day of confusion and indifference, we need to pray and vigilantly “test the spirits to see whether they are from God. . . . Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God” (1 John 4:1, 2).
Ask Yourself
What constitutes false teaching today? Why do such philosophies continue to find room to work in hearts and minds, even of believers? What can we do to keep them away from our churches?
Studying God’s Word ping
1 Thessalonians 5:19-21 (AMP) -- Do not quench [subdue, or be unresponsive to the working and guidance of] the [Holy] Spirit. 20 Do not scorn or reject gifts of prophecy or prophecies [spoken revelations—words of instruction or exhortation or warning]. 21 But test all things carefully [so you can recognize what is good]. Hold firmly to that which is good.
My take: Don't automatically poo poo on someone if he says he has a prophetic message (don't quench the Holy Spirit in this context). But at the same time, don't just run with whatever he says just because he claims to be a prophet. Test what he says and stick to what holds up to the test. (Hint: he won't tell you to contradict the Word.)
Exactly.
I’ve seen too many people *prophesy* things in different churches I’ve been in that have not come to pass. Too many self-proclaimed *prophets* these days.
Hi. My name is .. .I am a former follower of the TV guy Jesse Duplantis. I met him in his tent days, on Long Island, NY. I saw and heard the guy STATE: I do not need no dee-gree tuh preach dah word of God...whatzhegotnow? A DOCTORATE!!
(the man runs with Kenneth Copeland)
Agreed. When in the church culture, treat someone loudly proclaiming to be a prophet as though it’s his title or his status, like you would with the secular left’s so-called “experts”.
“”What constitutes false teaching today? Why do such philosophies continue to find room to work in hearts and minds, even of believers? What can we do to keep them away from our churches?””
The NAR (New Apostolic Reformation) has spawned a whole cabal of false, self-proclaimed “prophets” that have fooled and deceived many.
I know someone personally that calls herself a Christian (converted to Catholicism), avidly supports Trump, and fervently believes all of these phoney grifters. This person thinks she is saved, but is spiritually compromised by virtue of her belief in these wolves in sheeps clothing and their lies.
Ken Copeland, Julie Green, Kat Kerr, Amanda Grace, and many others, are all raking in millions off of the stupidity and blindless (scales) of these deluded people. Julie Green claims to get her “prophecies” straight from God. However, it turns out, she does ‘automatic writing’, which is an occult and strictly forbidden practic, to get her “stuff”. She has been proven to be 90+% wrong on her supposed “words from God”, that actually came from her own fevered brain... and yet her devoted fans and followers (including my friend) refuse to stop supporting and believing her.
These false prophets need to be exposed for what they are, but sadly... there are many that “choose” to be lied to... just as it is written in the Bible re: these end times. These are the same people, no doubt, that will fall in line willingly and support and worship the Anti-Christ when he appears on the world stage. They are already doomed, IMO.
Yuppers,
Word-Faith teachers were my lessons in the mid 90’s but God quickly put a stop to that. The Damage done to So many souls which were promptly tossed aside. The True Gospel raised my sights to the Kingdom of God !
Consider the difference between physics and engineering. You have the facts (Scripture) and you have the application of the facts to the current situation.
Hence, the need for a godly pulpit. And competent scholars who can apply God’s whole counsel to our specific opportunities.
People I know explain that the charismatic gift of prophecy, as seen from the inside, usually takes the form of a spontaneous word picture that pops into your mind, and that, when shared with the worshipping congregation, fits very well into what is going on. Including that sermon, if that item is on the menu for the day. Call it an anointing of the poetic faculty. The supernatural dimension is the uncanny way the shared insight is so appropriate.
Be very careful not to confuse the charismatic gift of prophecy, a wholesome gift from God with preaching – which is another gift from God – or with “prophecy TEACHING” – which is 𝗮 𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗰𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴.
Imagine a perspective on Bible reading which pounds on the inevitability of the global triumph of evil, and our hapless incompetence in this “church” age. And does so so convincingly that the consistent dispensationalist denies the central, earliest, creed of the church: Ιησους Κυριος.
C I Scofield served his anti-Christian paymasters well. 100+ years later, his devotees, proselytes, and acolytes can no longer utter the classic statement of faith (“Jesus is Lord”) in good faith.
* When a well-schooled dispensational saint is backed into a corner and finds himself saying this, the Mormon prackumruytice of “mental reservation” clicks in. The aware dispie will cross his fingers behind his back and mutter under his breath “Well, not really. Not here. Not yet.”
* The unaware/naive dispie has already in his mind redefined the word “Lord” to mean “Guru.” Personal Spiritual Adviser, on a par with Madame Rose the palm reader. At least that’s the role Jesus is relegated to, in the years and decades following the moment of conversion.
Paul told the saints to “despise not prophecies.” 𝗢𝗧𝗢𝗛, 𝘄𝗲 𝗱𝗼 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗰𝘆 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀. 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆’𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗿𝗿𝘆.
Jeremiah 5:30-31
An appalling and horrible thing
Has happened in the land:
The prophets prophesy falsely,
And the priests rule on their own authority;
And My people love it so!
But what will you do at the end of it?
I had some friends at one time that I found out later thought Copeland was the final word in all things Christian.
I cut ties with them after I realized that.
I’ve seen video clip of him and when he’s crossed, he can barely contain his rage. The guy manifests with the expressions on his face and the eyes. He has very creepy eyes.
The church we attended for a while was leaning heavily into word of faith nonsense. It’s demonic to the core and very destructive to ones faith. There’s a tremendous amount of guilt, blame, and condemnation heaped upon people who don’t toe the party line to the last extreme letter.
The church we attended for a while was leaning heavily into word of faith nonsense. It’s demonic to the core and very destructive to ones faith. There’s a tremendous amount of guilt, blame, and condemnation heaped upon people who don’t toe the party line to the last extreme letter.
Eye-opening overview of The “Word of Faith” Movement
https://tottministries.org/the-word-of-faith-movement/
“”The church we attended for a while was leaning heavily into word of faith nonsense. It’s demonic to the core and very destructive to ones faith. There’s a tremendous amount of guilt, blame, and condemnation heaped upon people who don’t toe the party line to the last extreme letter.””
Yeah, and there’s a very good reason ‘why’ I don’t attend church and am not a fan of ‘organized religion’. I don’t believe in tithing and the NAR/Word of Faith stuff is based on pure greed and grifting... totally antithetical to what Jesus taught. And I have never and will never ... “toe the party line”.
IMHO: Sounds a lot like witchcraft to me. And I notice they also, like in witchcraft, use the term “bind and binding”. It’s all satanic BS, IOW. Only the apostles had the authority and power to use those terms. And Jesus taught the very opposite of being concerned with wealth and your personal “wallet”.
“Binding and Loosing – NARites attempt to bind anything – poverty, diseases, territorial spirits, approaching storms but the most popular teaching is that we can bind Satan and demons.”
https://fitl.co.za/2020/04/29/a-glossary-of-new-apostolic-reformation-terminology/
Exactly.
A really interesting, insightful book about this:
What the Bible Teaches About Spiritual Warfare
by Dr. Robert Dean and Dr. Thomas Ice
Available in paperback at Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Bible-Teaches-about-Spiritual-Warfare/dp/1964184193/
Also available as a free PDF download (click on the download icon) at the website of one of the authors:
https://deanbibleministries.org/file-downloads?folder=Resources%2FBooks&start=20
If you’re interested in good solid teaching, look into Jack Hibbs at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills.
He’s at Real Life with Jack Hibbs.
That’s HIS site. There are many others that give the impression they’re from him but aren’t. Just looking for hits on their websites.
I posted a couple threads with some of his preaching, too.
By God’s grace, there are still a few sound pastor-teachers around who faithfully dig into the Bible, teach its infallible truth, and expose the wildly popular, seductive, spiritual psy-ops that trap so many Christians.
https://deanbibleministries.org/bible-studies
/sarc
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