In the first part of this series, I argued that Christians should approach prophecy with what I called openness under examination. Scripture gives us reason to remain open to prophetic ministry while also weighing what is spoken. That leaves us with the practical question: How do we actually test a prophetic word?

It is easy to tell someone to “test the word.” It is harder to explain what that means when a person is standing in front of you, telling you that the Holy Spirit has shown them something about your life.

I think this is one reason prophetic ministry can become confusing. The church may teach people to receive prophetic words, but give them very little instruction about what to do afterward.

There should be a process for this. Here’s what I suggest.

Start with Scripture

The first question should be simple: Does this agree with what God has already revealed?

God does not contradict what He has already revealed. If someone gives you a prophetic word that encourages something Scripture forbids, there is nothing left to discern. The word should be rejected.

John gives the church a related instruction in 1 John 4:1:

“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

That principle extends beyond one particular doctrinal question. If someone gives you a prophetic word that encourages you toward sin, dishonesty, sexual immorality, vengeance, greed, manipulation, or some other practice Scripture condemns, you already have your answer. There is no need to wait for a future fulfillment to determine whether the word should be followed.

This is also why Christians should be cautious when prophetic language is used to establish teachings that cannot be found in Scripture. A person may have a moving experience, a powerful vision, or an impressive spiritual encounter. None of those things gives us permission to revise what Scripture teaches.

The prophetic word comes under the authority of Scripture.

Ask for Clarity on What is Being Claimed

The next question is one that sounds almost too basic: What exactly did the person say?

This can become surprisingly difficult with prophetic ministry because some words are delivered through images, impressions, metaphors, or broad statements.

“I see a door opening.”

“I see a season of transition.”

“I believe God is bringing you into greater influence.”

“I sense that there is a leadership calling on your life.”

Those statements are common prophetic lingo and they demand clarity. The person receiving the word should be able to ask: “What exactly are you saying?”

A prophetic person does not need to provide a theological dissertation every time someone asks a question. The basic point is that the recipient should understand what claim is actually being made before deciding what to do with it. This is not to stump the person prophesying, but that you’re taking God’s words seriously…if they’re actually words from God.

What if a Word Fails?

Perhaps the recipient misunderstood the word. Perhaps the prophet misunderstood what he perceived. Perhaps the statement was never meant as a prediction. Perhaps the timing was different. Those possibilities exist. We should also be willing to consider that the word was simply wrong.

Deuteronomy 18:21–22 gives Israel a particularly clear principle concerning prophetic claims: when a prophet speaks in the Lord’s name and the thing does not happen, that word was not spoken by the Lord.

The New Testament, however, operates within a different covenant and a different redemptive setting, so we should be careful about transferring every Old Testament regulation directly into contemporary church practice. At the same time, the biblical concern for truthfulness in claims made in God’s name remains significant.

First Thessalonians 5 tells believers to test what they receive. The church is given a responsibility to distinguish what should be retained from what should be discarded. This also means we should be honest about prophetic words that do not come to pass. If someone repeatedly makes specific predictions that fail, that pattern should affect how seriously we take future predictions from that person.

Having the Word Evaluated

There is something sensible about encouraging people to seek mature pastoral counsel, especially when a word involves a major decision. While a pastor may be a reasonable choice, it should not be the only choice or even the default on. He is one important person among the rest of other trust-worthy people to ask about.

Recall Paul’s instructions in 1 Corinthians 14 that discernment does not belong exclusively to the pastor. “The others” are told to weigh what is said. That means ordinary Christians have a responsibility to develop discernment.

The pastor’s role, or any mature Christian who is evaluating the prophetic word, is to help the believer discern. That may involve opening Scripture, asking questions, considering the person’s circumstances, identifying potential problems, and helping the person resist the pressure to make a decision too quickly. They should be able to say, “I think there may be something worth considering here,” just as readily as he can say, “I don’t think you should act on this.”

Hebrews 5:14 describes mature believers as people whose powers of discernment have been trained through practice. That suggests that discernment grows as Christians learn Scripture, exercise wisdom, listen carefully, and gain experience.

This is one reason I think prophetic ministry should be accompanied by teaching about discernment. If we are going to invite people to receive prophetic words, we should also teach them how to evaluate those words. Otherwise, we are asking people to participate in a spiritual practice without giving them the biblical tools necessary to navigate it.

So Next Time

Take prophetic words seriously enough to examine it, but not so seriously that you immediately build your life around it.

Write it down if it seems significant. Ask questions if you need clarity. Pray about it. Compare it with Scripture. Discuss it with mature Christians. Give it time.

If nothing comes of it, you can let it go.

Hear the spoken word. Test it. Keep what is good.