“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” – 1 John 4:1

Today, almost everyone has heard of someone being described as a prophet.

But as was the case in Bible times, there are four types of prophets that are operating in the Church today.

But first things first; let me start by explaining what biblical prophecy is all about.

The Greek word ‘propheteia’ means to ‘speak forth the mind and counsel of the gods.”

A prophet is therefore someone who speaks forth or a proclaimer of supernatural messages.

Among the Greeks, ‘prophetes’ (a prophet) was someone who interpreted the oracles of the gods.

Among the Jews, the ‘seer’ (nabhi) had close interaction with God and was someone through whom the messages from God came to the people and who would also take the people’s concerns to God.

Hence ‘the prophet’ is one who speaks when the Spirit of God comes upon him (Numbers 11:25) – simply put, someone to whom and through whom God speaks.

In both the OT and the NT, biblical prophecy was both predictive and declarative of that which could not be known through natural means in regard to the past, the present, or the future.

Deuteronomy 18:18 says; “I will raise them up a prophet… and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him.”

In the New Testament, the purpose of the prophetic ministry is threefold – to edify, to comfort, and to encourage the people of God (1 Cor. 14:3).

New Testament ‘prophesying’ was both the proclamation or forth-telling of the great things or the divine counsel of Christ’s Grace already accomplished or the foretelling of the divine purposes of God to be manifested in the future.

However, probably like every divine thing, this powerful gift was and has been subjected to dreadful abuse by selfish interests and sometimes for devilish purposes.

So anyway, what are the four types of prophets in operation in the world today?

These four categories of prophets may be found in 1 Kings 22:1-24.

In the narrative, Jehoshaphat, the king of Israel, has visited Ahab, king of Israel. While there, Ahab brings up a suggestion that Jehoshaphat d should join him in a battle to liberate Ramoth Gilead.

However, Jehoshaphat wants to know God’s mind about the proposed ‘special military operation.’  

“Let us first seek the counsel of the LORD,” he asks his host.

Guess what King Ahab does; he assembles his prophets, 400 of them! These are his personal or professional prophets.

They are on a job and the king is their boss, not God.

That’s the first category of prophets – the personal prophet – whose job is to say only what pleases the ‘principal’ who pays them.

Of course Jehoshaphat is hesitant to risk his life basing on drama actors mascaraing as ‘prophets.’

“Is there no longer a prophet of the LORD here whom we can inquire of?” he asks again.

“There is still one prophet through whom we can inquire of the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah,” King Ahab replies.

That is the second category of prophets – the true prophet from God who speaks what God says, regardless of whether the listeners like it or not.

New Testament ‘prophesying’ was both the proclamation or forth-telling of the great things or the divine counsel of Christ’s Grace already accomplished or the foretelling of the divine purposes of God to be manifested in the future.

So the king sends for Macaiah, the prophet of God.

When he shows up, prophet Macaiah, probably overwhelmed by the occasion, starts saying what the kings wanted to hear, rather than what God has told him to say.

On perceiving it, the king Ahab asks the prophet to say exactly what God is saying without fear.

That’s the third category of prophets in the Church today – the true prophets of God who know the truth but because of fear or other interests or ulterior motives, they say the opposite.

That category is also rampant in the Church today. They’ve put God aside and are now giving to the people what they want.

After being reassured by the king, Macaiah garners the courage to speak the truth.

However, his prophecy greatly displeases ‘prophet’ Zedekiah, who is also present, complete with a headgear of iron horns on his head.

So, Zedekiah goes up to where prophet Micaiah is standing and gives him the mother of all slaps in the face!

“When did the Spirit of the LORD depart from me to speak to you?” he asks the man of God.

That is the fourth category of prophets – the false prophet – who purports to be inspired by the Spirit of God yet he/she is the messenger of Satan.

You can easily identify him/her from their egoism, violent attitude, outlandish physical paraphernalia and their claim that the Spirit of God cannot be upon another other than them.

In 1 John 4:1, the Bible says; “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” See also 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22.

That implies that every believer does have the capacity to “test.” You do too; use it well.

Prayer

Almighty God, thank you for Your gift and ministry of prophecy to the Church. Help us to harness it so as to get the best out of them as You intended. For the glory of Your Name, Amen!