In today’s world, more and more prophets are popping up in the church, and it is even more important for Believers in Christ to know to whose voice they are listening. “My sheep know my voice, and a stranger they will not follow,” the Bible says, but there are many lost sheep out there and deceptive voices.
Charismatic personalities will entice, and otherwise rational people could lose their sense of reason and blindly follow.
Then there are those in the church who tell us, “Thus saith the Lord,” as they instruct their followers to marry a certain person, give a certain donation, or not make a particular decision.
There are genuine prophets who are God’s mouthpiece, but how can someone who is less discerning tell when they are actually getting a word from the Lord?
Freedom Come Rain reached out to Prophet Richard Rowe of the Richard Rowe Ministry, as well as the author of the book Prophecy versus Discernment for insights on the subject.
According to Prophet Rowe, confirmation will not always follow a prophetic word and fulfilment of the prophecy also depends on the confidence of the person receiving the word.
“If you’re confident in what you have heard, God doesn’t need to repeat Himself. However, most people have doubt when they hear the word of the Lord, and as such, God has to send a confirmation via someone else,” he explains.
In today’s world, more and more prophets are popping up in the church and on social media – all with a mandate to build their followerships. It is for this reason that children of God must be focused on the Word.
Prophet Rowe stresses that Believers must know to whose voice they are listening. He notes that there are many lost sheep out there, as well as deceptive voices.
Wolves in sheep’s clothing make life hard for the genuine prophets, who are God’s mouthpiece, Rowe points out. He said that true Christianity brings liberty and liberation.
In reference to Galatians 5:1, “Stand therefore fast in the liberty by which Christ has set us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” He observes that no one should ever feel controlled or manipulated while living for Jesus.
He also notes that those who prophesy speak edification and exhortation, and comfort to men.
True prophecy from the Lord, he shares, will never leave God’s people feeling condemned, confused, or in disarray.
“Whenever prophecy comes from the Lord, it will rest upon your heart with a sense of peace and security, which then allows your spirit to bear witness to that spoken word,” he professes.
For those who shun the prophetic word with the comment that ‘they are not in malice with God,’ Rowe said many Christians have not been trained on how to discern the voice of the Lord from other voices.
DISCERNING GOD’S VOICE
Observing that the Lord speaks in many different ways—be it dreams, visions, being in the secret place (prayer), even through the scriptures, etcetera—he said the Lord always speaks to His people. That, he says, is contingent on them making time for Him as well.
In conclusion, Rowe gave final points on differentiating between a message from God and someone trying to control your life.
He explains that a prophetic voice shouldn’t replace your personal relationship with God.
“Many Believers have become lazy in prayer, and in doing so, they end up with itchy ears from listening to every prophecy given. Even considering marriage, many people have listened to prophecy and have been misguided and miserable,” he said.
Rowe says that no one should trust the voice of another person when making important decisions unless they have first heard from God, which will then bring confirmation. As a result, he encourages no one to marry based on a prophecy, a promise, or a vow.
“It is wise to ensure that there is a future promise from God with your potential spouse,” he shared.
For more insight, he points to his just-released book, “Prophecy Versus Discernment,” which he said gives insightful answers to many questions surrounding the difference between prophecy and discernment, and the mistakes made in these areas. The book is available for purchase on Amazon or at York Pharmacy.