How to identify a False Prophet?

The apostle Paul in his letter to the Ephesian elders stated that after his departure, false prophets dressed as savage wolves would come among them speaking of perverse things to try and draw people away (Acts 20:29-30).

A similar warning was given by Peter in 2 Peter 2:1 to avoid false teachers who would introduce heresies and errors into the church secretly.

False teachers pose a serious threat to the health and unity of the church and they have been trying to infiltrate the church from the early days.

Even Jesus instructed believers to take special care when evaluating any spiritual message or any self-appointed messenger who claims to be speaking for God (1 John 4:1).

It is imperative for us today to identify false teachers who exist in the world today.

Matthew 7:15-16 (NKJV)

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits.

With the rise of many religious cults with teachers claiming to be prophets, it is important for us to exercise spiritual discernment and test whether what is being taught lines up with scripture.

This is because the false prophets deceive not by disguising themselves as sheep but by impersonating true shepherds.

The false prophets were also common in Old Testament times. They prophesied only what the kings and the people wanted to hear, distorting God’s message to align with human desires. Their primary goal was not to speak the truth but to gain favor and avoid persecution, often leading people further into rebellion against God. These prophets promised peace when there was none (Jeremiah 6:14) and declared visions born out of their own imaginations rather than the word of the Lord (Ezekiel 13:1-3). They operated without accountability, manipulating God’s name for personal gain.

Today, false teachers are just as common as they were in the past, delivering the same ear-tickling messages. Like the false prophets of old, they prioritize popularity and human approval over truth, often emphasizing messages of prosperity, self-empowerment, or universal acceptance, while neglecting the call to repentance and obedience to God.

The Lord warns us to beware of those whose words sound religious but are motivated by money, fame, or power.

Additionally, the Bible encourages believers to use the scriptures to test those who claim to be prophets. Here are some of the tests that believers can perform to validate whether a prophet is true or false.

• Do their fruits (Matthew 7:16-20) reflect the characteristics of a true prophet? Some of the characteristics of false prophets are mentioned in the New Testament such as causing divisions (1 Tim. 6:3,4); and destruction of faith (2 Tim. 2:18); showing greed (Matthew 6:5-10); and teaching self-destructive heresies (2 Pet. 2:1).
• Do they ever give false prophecies? Do all their predictions of future events come true? (Deut 18:21–22)
• Do they contact departed spirits and use mediums or witchcraft? (Deut. 18:11)
• Do their lives display holiness and love for the Lord? (Matthew 7:15-18)
• Do they follow false gods or idols? (Deut. 13:1–3)
• Do they deny the deity of Jesus Christ? (Col. 2:8–9)
• Do they deny the humanity of Jesus Christ? (1 John 4:1–2)
• Do their prophecies shift the focus from Jesus Christ? (Rev. 19:10)
• Do they advocate abstaining from certain foods and the need for marriage for spiritual reasons? (1 Tim. 4:3–4)
• Do they promote immorality? (Jude 4, 7)
• Do they encourage legalistic self-denial? (Col. 2:16–23)
• Do their teachings minimize Christ and glorify themselves? (John 3:30)
• Do their teachings align with the gospel of salvation through grace, by faith in Jesus Christ, and not by works? (Galatians 1:6-9)
• Does their message call people to repentance and submission to God? (Jeremiah 23:22; Mathew 3:2)
• Do they demonstrate humility and a servant-like attitude, reflecting Christ’s character? (Mark 10:42-45)
• Are their teachings consistent over time, or do they change frequently to suit popular opinion? (James 1:17; Malachi 3:6)
• Are they willing to suffer or face opposition for proclaiming God’s word? (2 Timothy 3:12; John 15:20)
• Does their prophecy glorify God and build up the church? (1 Corinthians 14:3-4)

A positive answer to any of the questions above indicates that the prophet is not speaking for God. As recorded in the Scriptures, God will not speak or encourage anything that contradicts the character and commands of the Holy Spirit.

It is very important that we pay attention and examine the words of those who say that they have messages from the Lord. Their messages may come from the Holy Spirit’s leading or, for the most part, they are merely reflections of their own ideas, feelings and wishes.

A false prophet will attract unbelievers as well as carnal believers since their teachings often appeal to the desires of a natural man being attractive, likable and unoffensive.

1 John 4:1-3 (NKJV)

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

This lack of discernment and grounding in Scripture places believers at risk. By failing to test the spirits or validate teachings against the Word of God, we open ourselves to being “tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14). Without a firm foundation in biblical truth, believers remain spiritually immature—”baby Christians”—vulnerable to deception and unable to discern between truth and error. This is why spiritual growth, rooted in Scripture and guided by the Spirit, is vital to maturing in faith.

When believers neglect their Bible study, do not follow the word of God, do not pray, and are uninterested in the things of God, false prophets pretending to be Biblical can easily deceive them, especially if they are kind, pleasant, positive, and permissive.

Having said that, false prophets can also be identified by their followers, as they tend to attract people with the same superficiality, self-centeredness, and lack of biblical integrity as they do themselves.

As a result, they gain a following of egotistical, proud, self-righteous, self-centered, self-willed, self-satisfied, rebellious, people who never depend on God or scripture but only on their own group or leaders.