* How can I discern if what I’m sharing is truly prophetic and not just my own thoughts or desires?

I often feel a strong urge to share insights that I believe are divinely inspired, but I’m wrestling with a critical question: How can I discern if what I’m sharing is truly prophetic, emanating from a divine source, and not just my own thoughts, shaped by my personal biases, desires, or even subconscious anxieties? What are the key indicators, both internal and external, that I should look for? Are there specific practices I can adopt to better distinguish between genuine prophetic communication and my own subjective interpretations? Furthermore, how can I responsibly test or validate these insights within a community of faith without causing unnecessary confusion or division, and what role does humility play in this process?

Answer

Discerning whether what you’re sharing is truly prophetic and not just your own thoughts or desires requires a rigorous and multifaceted approach, incorporating self-reflection, biblical understanding, community accountability, and observation of results. Here’s a detailed breakdown:

I. Self-Examination:

• Motivation: Scrutinize your motives. Are you seeking personal recognition, validation, or power? A genuine prophetic word originates from a desire to honor God and edify others, not to elevate oneself. Pray for a pure heart and a willingness to be corrected. Ask yourself:
  • What am I hoping to gain by sharing this?
  • Am I seeking attention or approval?
  • Am I driven by love and concern for others, or by ego?
• Emotional State: Assess your emotional state. Strong emotions like anger, fear, anxiety, or excitement can cloud judgment. A true prophetic word is often delivered with a sense of peace and conviction, even if the message is challenging. Avoid sharing pronouncements when you are highly emotional or stressed.
• Personal Biases: Identify your personal biases, prejudices, and agendas. Everyone has biases that can unintentionally influence their thinking. Be aware of these biases and how they might be shaping what you perceive as a prophetic word. Are you projecting your own fears or desires onto the situation?
• Scriptural Knowledge: Possess a thorough understanding of Scripture. The Bible is the ultimate standard for truth. Any prophetic word must align with the core doctrines and ethical principles of Scripture. Ignorance of Scripture makes you vulnerable to deception. Regularly study the Bible and commit key passages to memory.
• Humility: Cultivate humility and a teachable spirit. Be willing to be corrected and to admit when you are wrong. Pride can blind you to the truth. Surround yourself with mature believers who can offer honest and loving feedback.
• Prayer and Fasting: Seek God earnestly in prayer and fasting. Dedicate time to seeking God’s guidance and discernment. Prayer helps you connect with God’s heart and receive clarity. Fasting can help you humble yourself and break free from distractions.

II. Biblical Alignment:

• Doctrinal Consistency: Ensure the message aligns with established biblical doctrines. A true prophetic word will never contradict core theological truths. For instance, a message promoting a false gospel or denying the deity of Christ is clearly not from God.
• Moral Principles: Verify that the message upholds biblical morality. God’s character is unchanging. A prophetic word that encourages sin or undermines biblical values should be rejected.
• Contextual Interpretation: Interpret Scripture within its proper context. Avoid taking verses out of context to support a preconceived idea. Consider the historical, cultural, and literary context of the passage.
• Purpose and Function: Understand the purpose and function of prophecy in the Bible. Prophecy is primarily for edification, exhortation, and comfort (1 Corinthians 14:3). While it can include elements of prediction, its main focus is on building up the church.

III. Community Accountability:

• Submission to Leadership: Submit to the authority of church leadership. Share what you believe is a prophetic word with your pastor or other mature leaders in your church. They can offer valuable insight and discernment.
• Openness to Feedback: Be open to feedback from trusted believers. Share your thoughts with a small group of mature Christians who can provide honest and loving critique. Be willing to listen to their perspectives and to consider their concerns.
• Discernment by Elders: Allow elders to weigh the prophetic word. The Bible instructs the church to "test all things; hold fast what is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21). This requires a process of discernment involving mature believers who can evaluate the message in light of Scripture and experience.
• Avoid Isolation: Resist the temptation to operate in isolation. Isolation makes you vulnerable to deception. God works through the body of Christ, and we need each other for discernment.
• Transparency: Be transparent about your process. Share your thoughts and reasoning with others so they can understand how you arrived at your conclusion.

IV. Observation of Results:

• Fruit of the Spirit: Assess the fruit of the message. Does it produce love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23)? A true prophetic word will bear good fruit in the lives of those who receive it.
• Edification and Encouragement: Observe if the message edifies, encourages, and comforts. Prophecy is primarily for building up the church (1 Corinthians 14:3). If the message is consistently negative, divisive, or discouraging, it may not be from God.
• Alignment with God’s Character: Determine if the message aligns with God’s revealed character. God is loving, merciful, just, and faithful. A prophetic word that contradicts these attributes should be questioned.
• Long-Term Impact: Consider the long-term impact of the message. A true prophetic word will have a lasting positive effect on individuals and the church.
• Accuracy (When Predictive): If the prophecy is predictive, evaluate its accuracy over time. While not all prophecy is predictive, if a prediction is made, its fulfillment (or lack thereof) provides important evidence for its validity. However, the absence of fulfillment does not automatically invalidate all aspects of the message, particularly if it contains elements of exhortation or encouragement that are still applicable.

V. Specific Considerations:

• Dreams and Visions: Interpret dreams and visions with caution. Dreams and visions can be symbolic and require careful interpretation. Seek the guidance of mature believers who have experience in interpreting dreams. Not every dream or vision is a prophetic word.
• "Thus Saith the Lord": Avoid using the phrase "Thus saith the Lord" lightly. This phrase should only be used when you have a clear and undeniable conviction that you are speaking on behalf of God. Overuse of this phrase can be manipulative and misleading.
• Prophetic Ministry Training: Seek formal training in prophetic ministry. Many churches and organizations offer training programs that can help you develop your prophetic gifting and learn how to discern true prophecy from false.
• Spiritual Warfare: Recognize that discerning prophecy is a spiritual battle. Satan will try to deceive you and to distort God’s truth. Put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) and pray for discernment.
• Patience: Be patient. Discerning prophecy is a process that takes time and practice. Don’t be discouraged if you make mistakes along the way. Learn from your experiences and continue to grow in your discernment.

By diligently applying these principles, you can increase your ability to discern whether what you are sharing is truly a prophetic word from God or simply the product of your own thoughts and desires. Remember that humility, accountability, and a deep love for God and His Word are essential for accurate prophetic ministry.

Pray This Prayer

Heavenly Father,

My heart yearns to speak your truth, to share the messages you wish to deliver to your people. But Lord, I confess my own weakness, the ever-present possibility of confusing my voice with yours. I fear speaking from my own thoughts, desires, and biases, mistaking them for prophetic insight.

So I come before you humbly, seeking wisdom and discernment. How can I truly know, Lord, if what I’m about to share is born of your Spirit, and not merely a reflection of my own internal landscape?

Grant me clarity of mind and a pure heart. Teach me to distinguish the subtle whispers of your voice from the clamor of my own thoughts. Show me how to test the spirits, to weigh my words against the truth of your scriptures and the testimony of wise counsel.

Help me to recognize the signs of your presence: the peace that surpasses understanding, the conviction that resonates deep within my soul, and the fruit that blossoms in the lives of those who hear your word.

Guard me against the temptation to speak prematurely, fueled by pride or a desire to be heard. Instead, instill in me a patient spirit, willing to wait on your timing and your confirmation.

May my heart be a fertile ground for your Word, Lord, and my tongue a faithful instrument to proclaim your truth. Help me to be a vessel of your grace, speaking with love, humility, and unwavering devotion to your will.

In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.