She came to see me at the office. She sounded confused. A “Prophet” had just met her on the road to give her a prophecy about her marriage; “the person you are to marry is not in Nigeria. You have to travel to that country if you would ever be married.”

Friend, the prophetic ministry is one of the provisions of God for His people. But we need to learn how such ministry operates so as to be safely blessed by it. There is a difference between the prophetic ministry in the Old Testament and that of the New Testament (Hebrews 1:1-2).

“…It was first communicated through the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard him” (Hebrews 2:3). The prophetic ministry in the New Testament mostly confirms what God already told us except on very rare occasions. You have the liberty under God to test prophecies with the scriptures and the witness of the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 8:20, Romans 8:16, 1 John 4:1).

Prophecies in the New Testament bring edification, exhortation and comfort (1 Corinthians 14:3). Anything short of these must be discarded immediately. No prophecy or prophet should put fear in you (comfort). It must not demoralize you (edification). It should point you to the scriptural thing to do to get God on your side and not just leave you confused (exhortation).

Whereas, Old Testament prophets seemed to be at liberty to speak to anyone, anywhere and anyhow, this is not the case in the New Testament; there are spiritual jurisdictions. God would not normally send someone to prophesy to you out of the blues; it would be someone within your spiritual jurisdiction (2 Samuel 12:1). Always ask; “Who’s this person to me? Is he my pastor? Does he have a stake in my life?”

Don’t be gullible. Check the vessel bringing the prophecy (Titus 1:10-13). Who is he? What’s his lifestyle? What spirit is ruling in his life? Who does the prophecy glorify; Jesus or the prophet (Revelation 19:11)? Judging prophecies does not make you a rebel or to sin against the anointed. It only makes you a biblical Christian (Acts 17:10-11, 1 John 4:1).

©’Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria