“For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged.” – 1 Corinthians 14:31
Prophecy is a gift given to the body of Christ not to confuse, but to strengthen, encourage, and edify. When the Lord releases a word through His Spirit, it is meant to draw you closer to Him, to build up your faith, and to remind you of His truth. Yet we must remember: not every voice that speaks is from the Holy Spirit. The enemy also knows Scripture; he has twisted it from the very beginning (Genesis 3:1–5, Matthew 4:6). This is why discernment is essential.
How do we discern? We measure every word, every prophetic impression, against the unshakable foundation of the written Word of God. “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God” (1 John 4:1). If a word leads you away from Christ, sows fear instead of faith, or contradicts Scripture, it is not from the Spirit of Truth.
The Holy Spirit will always glorify Jesus (John 16:13–14). He will always point you back to the cross, to the resurrection, to the finished work of Christ. True prophecy will carry the fragrance of God’s heart—it will align with His Word, and it will bear fruit in righteousness and peace (James 3:17).
So receive prophecy with humility and expectation, but also with wisdom. Search the Scriptures. Ask the Spirit of God for confirmation. For prophecy is a gift, but the Word is the foundation. And the Spirit and the Word will never contradict one another.
Stand firm in this: when you weigh prophetic words against Scripture, you guard your heart from deception and anchor yourself in truth.
