OPINION: Wanda Alger
As charismatic churches face an ongoing reckoning over the abuse of prophetic ministry, there is an enormous need to restore Scriptural integrity to the prophetic voice of the Church.
What does that look like?
We’d do well to heed the Apostle Paul’s instructions to the Corinthians: “Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said” (1 Cor 14:29 ESV).
First, there is a necessary distinction between testing one’s character and testing one’s prophetic revelation because even a person of good character can “miss” a prophetic word (Matthew 16:21-23), just as a compromised individual can receive a “correct” word (1 Samuel 19:23-24, John 11:50). Thus, there must be more than just one kind of “weighing” when considering any kind of prophetic revelation, whether it be in a dream, vision, or word.
Character can only be rightly assessed by those who personally know that individual. This usually happens at the local level. It’s only when an individual or leader builds a consistent track record of integrity at home that true testing of character can take place. This has to do with one’s personal conduct and speech, the health of one’s marriage and family, the posture of one’s heart towards others, and a demonstration of Christ-like character and motive. It is also the place where leadership qualifications are proven, and any gift is practiced, weighed, and tested for consistent fruit. Only those close to an individual who are best suited to see, on a regular basis, the fruit of one’s life that would indicate a true heart after God and a valid gift.
But the most important factor in this kind of accountability working is the individual asking for it, for it is those who are truly humble of heart and willing to be corrected that God will favor and bless (Is 66:2 ESV). Testing one’s prophetic revelation, whether it’s a dream, vision, or impression (1 Thess 5:19-21), is also necessary as these need to be weighed, too. Again, it is in the local setting where training begins.
Second, rightly handling the Word of God starts here when seeking to interpret and rightly apply a prophetic revelation that will encourage and empower the local fellowship. Asking for feedback and collaborating with others is the best way to fine-tune a prophetic gift. And the weight of this process doesn’t necessarily rest on those who give the feedback, but on the one who receives it and learns from it.
What does one do with prophetic revelations that are larger in scope, which point to a larger audience, such as the broader Church or even the nation? This is where other considerations must be determined. Depending on those in the local setting who carry a similar burden or are rightly informed concerning national issues, there may be some limitations in the feedback given. Most pastors are focused primarily on their own flocks. Not every local leader may be prepared to properly vet a word given for the nation or even the Body of Christ at large.
The Apostle Paul had great influence at national levels, speaking before kings, governors, and rulers (Acts 24:10-21; 25:8-12; 26). He knew the “grace” given to him to operate at those levels of apostolic authority. But that “grace” is not extended to all.
Ephesians 4:7 declares that each one has been apportioned a “measure” of grace for their particular call. It means that some will be called to lead a local fellowship, and others will be called to lead entire regions. Paul points out these “boundaries” and consistently urged believers to recognize the distinctions and judge accordingly (Rom 12:3).
This is why weighing prophetic revelation at the national level is tested most effectively among those within that same measure of grace they received. Just as local prophetic voices should collaborate together to weigh what is said (1 Cor 14:29-33), so must national prophetic voices collaborate to weigh what is said. This is also true of those who have social media platforms with a global reach.
That is what has been sorely lacking in the prophetic and charismatic circles and ministries in recent years. With the surge of national prophets and social media voices sharing the latest Word of the Lord, there is a much greater need for prophetic accountability at those levels. True, there are a few “prophetic councils” and even a few YouTube channels that have attempted to test and weigh these words in recent years. But unless these oversight attempts are in sync with character accountability from the local level, we are still missing the mark.
Indeed, if we are to adequately weigh or test a prophetic revelation, especially at the national level or on social media, both the message and the messenger should be rightly discerned. Public persona can be misleading and even deceptive. Ascertaining motives based on a social media platform is not only unwise but dangerous. And even if one’s character has already been proven trustworthy from those at home, their prophetic revelations must still be appropriately weighed and considered according to the biblical standard.
Given all the recent exposures of prophetic abuse and misconduct, it is clear we have failed at properly vetting both prophetic messengers and prophetic messages. It’s not just a matter of whether or not either is false. What’s even harder to detect — and even more deceptive — is mixture. A mixture of Spirit and flesh; a combination of truth and error; an allowance of bad fruit as long as there’s some good along the way.
Thus, the very real and present danger in any churches that embrace the active ministry of the gifts of the Holy Spirit may not be false prophets so much as double-minded ones, those who pretend to “…have zeal for God, but not according to knowledge … seeking to establish their own righteousness” (Rom 10:2-3).
If we are to restore integrity to the prophetic gifts, we simply must do better at pursuing a righteous standard that honors the Word of God above the word of our favorite prophetic voice. And perhaps we need to collectively repent for allowing things to become so corrupted before recognizing how far we’ve drifted.
If we want to operate in the true spirit of prophecy, let’s get back to the testimony of Jesus in both word and conduct (Rev 19:10).
About the Author: Wanda Alger has been in ministry for over 35 years as a worship leader, teacher, author, deliverance counselor, and speaker. The author of nine books, Wanda inspires believers to walk in the power of the Spirit and to mature through the Word and wisdom of God.
