How do you know a true prophet? How do you differentiate a true prophet from a false prophet?
God has His prophets and Satan has his own. God’s prophets are the true prophets while Satan prophets are the false prophets.
How to know a true prophet
True prophets are known by: –
1. Testing
A true prophet and a false prophet are differentiated by testing messages, prophesies, preaching, spirit, teachings and works of the prophet with the Bible. The key is your understanding of the Bible.
Testing a prophet is like measuring how deep river waters are.
You know the depth of a river by taking a rod and dipping it until it touches the base floor of the river. You do not dip your legs or hands into the river waters because you may be drowned leading to death.
The rod is your tester.
We use the same method to test whether a prophet is a true or false prophet.
You test the spirit of the prophet with the Bible but not using yourself as the tester because you may drown into Satan worship.
2. Gift of discerning spirits
There are only 2 spirits in this world; The Holy Spirit and the evil spirit. A true prophet is powered by the Holy Spirit while a false prophet is powered by the evil Spirit.
If you have the gift of discerning spirits, it is so easy to differentiate a true prophet from a false prophet. See how to discern spirits.
8 differences between a true prophet and a false prophet
Using the rod method to test the depth of a river, let us test prophets with the Bible.
A true prophet: –
1. Is called by God
God personally calls His prophets and the prophets present their calling to the church; they do not hide their calling. See the calling of a prophet.
Num 12:6: And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.
2. Accepts and advocates for the building block of Christianity and Jesus truths
If a prophet denies any of the building blocks of Christianity and Jesus truths, s/he is not a true prophet.
3. Lifts Jesus Christ
A true prophet lifts and reveals Jesus Christ through his/her messages.
All God prophecies reveal Jesus Christ and if a person takes the attention from Jesus Christ to oneself, another person or god, be careful.
4. Edifies the church
A true prophet edifies, builds, comforts, exhorts and uplifts the church by her/his testimony and messages.
1 Cor 14:3: But he that prophesies speaks unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
5. Speaks according to the word (Bible)
Isa 8:20: To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
A true prophet obeys God and abides by the testimony of Bible prophets. If a prophet does not agree with the Bible prophets or obey God, s/he is a false prophet.
6. Has good fruits
Great faith in Jesus Christ not hypocrisy bears good fruits. See the importance of faith.
A true prophet bears good fruits; s/he will have abundant Biblical fruits.
Mt 7:15-17: Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit.
Mt 7:18-20: A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit; neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that brings not forth good fruit is thrown down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
7. Preaches true gospel
A true prophet preaches true gospel which is only Jesus Christ not blessings, prosperity, promises, etc which are false gospels.
Paul warned the Corinthians;
2 Cor 11:3-4: But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that comes preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if you receive another spirit, which you have not received, or another gospel, which you have not accepted, you might well bear with him.
8. Points people to Jesus Christ
A true Prophet will always point to Jesus Christ and the Absolute Authority of the Word of God, NOT to a church creed (written or unwritten), and not to any ism, cult or god.
False Prophets will prevent people from following on to know God in higher heights and deeper depths and knowing His word. They will teach people to follow other gods; gods of denominations, prosperity, worldly riches, money etc.
Hope from the 8 differences between a true prophet and a false prophet you will be able to differentiate a God’s prophet from a Satan prophet.
Next, let us look at things that do not differentiate a true prophet from a false prophet.
God bless
