Jeremiah Ogedegbe
Jesus said in Matthew 7 verse 20:
"Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them". There are quite a good number of false prophets in our world. They lead some of the biggest churches, ministries, crusades and robust online platforms. Many of them probably show the gifts, but lacked the fruits. It is good we observe very well so we won't fall into their net. They are the kind of people you need to avoid: "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."
Who is A False Prophet?
A false prophet is a teacher or prophet whose heart is not in the truth, but on personal gains. Acts 5:37 told us about a certain Judas that came to draw away disciples for himself . Even in same book of Acts, Paul said: "For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them." (Acts 20:29-30). Their job is to draw disciples to themselves not to make disciples for Christ. Common today in churches, where members or followers extremely glorifies and worship their man of God. False prophets try to make you worship the creature instead of the creator. Some of them even inspire their members to make prayers in their name. They sing and dance their pastor, during times of worship to God. A false prophet would always lead people into false worship.
How To Know A False Prophet?
1. Covetousness: This is the major determiner or trait of a false prophet. In Matthew 7:15-16 Jesus said: "Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? " Here Jesus was giving us a red light to indicate who a false prophet is! Quite a lot of people are confused about knowing who comes in the name of the Lord or who comes with the power of Satan (deception). Yet countless numbers of the blind souls are fallen into their tricks. Greed is in the spirit of a false prophet. So, when Jesus talked about 'grapes of thorn' or 'fig of thistle', know He is talking about Greed. Jesus describes Greed or Covetousness as thorns in the parable of the sower in Matthew 13: 22: " He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful."
2. Whoredom: This is another sign to look out. "These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever." While keeping company with those men of God, or women of God, you gat to be wise in other not fall into their love traps. For he that is covetous is potentially a sexual immoral.
The spirit of whoredom is also the spirit of anti-christ, and a false prophet is an anti-christ. 1 John 4:1-3 says:
"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world."
3. Blasphemy: Blasphemy is the act of speaking proud things... A false prophet is a liar who speaks proud things about himself. Blasphemy is not the freedom of speech but the demon of speech.
"Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities" (Jude verse 8). Here dignities are authorities in heaven. "But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves." (Jude verse 10).
God wants you spotless (free from Greed) before the appearing of Christ. Now, you have an opportunity to live the rest of your life for God. It is the will of God that you never fall into the hands of a false prophet and miss the eternal life in Christ.
Leadership
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