Mike Bickle answers the question if a false prophet should be disciplined in any manner for wrongly speaking on behalf of the Lord. Can you guess his opinion?

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Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged, and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. -- 1Corinthians 14: 29-33 (ESV)

http://www.charismamag.com/video/33360-mike-bickle-should-prophets-be-punished-if-their-prophetic-words-don-t-come-true

The above link is to a short video clip of false prophet and heretic Mike Bickle answering the question of whether a prophet today should be disciplined in some manner if what they prophesy fails to come to pass. One should expect a ridiculous answer from someone who has prophesied incorrectly in the past and is associated with nearly every false prophet in operation today. The Kansas City prophets, which Bickle is also affiliated with, have stated that a 65% successful prophecy rate makes you a pretty good prophet. How absurd and unbiblical. Beloved, as we have covered before, prophecy is hearing directly from God. In the Old Testament there was no ready access to the Scriptures for people. There were no printing presses. God's people were also contained to the nation of Israel. These things combined for God to choose people to be His vessels for communicating with His people. Because God is never wrong and does not stutter, the success rate expected for prophets was 100%. God takes it quite seriously when people pretend to speak for Him. If they were found to be false, they were stoned to death.

Now, if such standards for punishment were still applied today that would solve our false prophet problem but society has changed. The people of God are now spread all over the world as well and there is ready access to the final revealed will of God in the Bible. Please mark those words very carefully beloved. The Bible is the final revealed will of the Lord. He has not forgotten to say something that He now needs Mike Bickle to tell you? The Bible actually says that if anyone should add a single word to Scripture they should be cursed. So what is prophecy today then? Prophecy is referring back to the Word of God. When God says to test everything He means test it by the Word of God. That however does not sell. Mike Bickle and the false prophet brigade cannot make a buck off that. So they twist and deform prophecy into fortune telling and psychic parlor tricks. Ear scratching positivity disguised as promises from God Himself for things He never actually said. Let me give you an example from today:

The first six months of the year have prepared your heart for what I am doing next. The key word is "next." There is next after next after next for you in the second half of this calendar year. There is mega transition. There is massive change. There are sudden shifts that you've been thinking about, talking about and praying about and sudden shifts that you never imagined could or would happen. I am moving you closer to your dreams, closer to your destiny, closer to those who can help you make the connections you need to succeed in what I've called you to do. -- Jennifer "Sneaky Squid Spirit" Leclaire

Jennifer Leclaire is a false prophetess on the rise over at Charisma News where she serves as an online editor. She runs a heretical school that pretends to be able to teach people how to be prophets, which usurps the power of the Holy Spirit. For an extra $400 you can also join her band of prophets and be under her "covering." This is big business beloved. Fleecing the flock of God always has been a cash cow. So this "prophecy" was offered up by Jennifer today as a prophetic word for the remaining six months of the year. There are certain hallmarks of the typical false prophecies today that we can see here. First of all they are vague. A vague false prophecy allows the false prophet to claim they were right based upon easy conclusions. The key word is next? Really? There is a next after the next for you? Isn't there always? Secondly there are extra-biblical terms used give a super-spiritual sense to something very carnal. Prepared your heart, sudden shifts, and mega transitions are examples we see in this false prophecy. There is usually something shifting in the atmosphere and new realms or territories to move into. This is the bait that sits upon the hook beloved, trying to lure you in. Thirdly, it is about you and not about God. This one is key because prophecy has been perverted into a blessing predictor by the False Prophet Industrial Complex. Prophecy is no longer about us doing better by God but rather He doing better by us. In the Leclaire example we see a God who wants to move us closer to our dreams, closer to our destiny, and closer to all the people who can help us make the connections we apparently need in order to succeed at what God has called us to do. What utter nonsense. I might add this is also a "prophetic onesie." That means we are to believe that everyone who is a believer in God will be experiencing a "mega transition" in the next six months? All of us? In every country? Unless Jennifer means only those who read the prophecy on her website. But that would make for quite a capricious God. So the Lord has a Word of mega transition but only for the portion of the body of Christ that happen to checkout Charisma News that day? Prophecy does not work like this beloved nor is it overly focused on you at the expense of God. Nonetheless Mike Bickle answered the question at hand in such a flippant, casual manner as to indicate how he approaches the serious business of speaking on behalf of the Lord. This was a short clip but there are several points to reason together over and see how a false prophet's mind truly operates.

Point Number One -- the prophecy was not false, it was just wrong. Yes you heard him right. Bickle realizes that false prophet sounds really really bad so he tries to redefine what we are talking about. He admits that a false prophecy sounds demonic because it is and because he does not want to be associated with that he tries to pretend that intent is more important than accuracy. That sincerity is more important than whether the person actually heard from the Lord. In his own words here, "he is not false, he just missed it." Just missed it? What does that even mean? You either are hearing from the Lord or you are not. There is no third choice. A few years ago, Harold Camping told everyone the day the world was going to end. People sold their properties and indulged through their savings because they believed it was a word from the Lord. Then the world carried on beloved and do you want to explain to someone who lost everything that Camping's intentions were benign? Who cares? If you want to see something truly sad go check out a thread on Facebook for someone like Joel Osteen. He will post something extremely sugary and overly positive and get thousands of doting fans worshiping him and his little ear scratching nugget of unbiblical carnality. In the midst of the praise however you will be bound to see someone comment that even though they are doing all of the positive, word-faith, NAR stuff they are still diagnosed to die. Or still facing foreclosure. Or bankruptcy. Do not think for a second there are no victims of false prophecies. I have heard from people and know some personally that will never go back to church because of a false prophecy or false teaching. When you preach the false belief that God has to heal you for example and your spouse still dies what affect do you think that has on the person? Chances are they will either blame God or blame their own "lack of faith." When you prophesy a mega movement for everyone and it only happens for let's say 20% of them, what do the remaining 80% think about God? After all you claimed the word came from God! Bickle tries to change the language here because the correct language convicts him. He is not merely wrong beloved, he is false.

Point Number Two -- prophecy and prophets are somehow different in the New Testament from the Old Testament. This is the belief held by everyone of the false prophet brigade today. They have to hold this belief or else they know that one wrong prophecy disqualifies them. Bickle tried to make this assertion sound Biblical but it is not. There is absolutely zero biblical evidence that God changed prophecy between the two Testaments. Essentially it is the same thing beloved -- someone claiming to hear from God. In the Old Testament, people heard from God audibly, as Bickle correctly points out. He then jumps the rails however by claiming that New Testament prophets prophesy through faith by the means of "impressions." Two major points here. The first is that it is true that the Bible says to prophesy according to your faith but that does not mean anything different from the Old Testament prophets. What is it that we are to have faith in beloved? God and His word. In the Old Testament, that faith may have come easier because they audibly heard it but our faith in the Bible today should be just as strong. The more we know the word and the more we believe in it the greater our faith will be and thus declaring it will be proportional. Secondly, "impressions" is found nowhere in Scripture. Prophets are not meant to prophesy based upon their impressions. What they feel or believe they are feeling. That is how you "get it wrong" because the heart is wickedly deceitful above all things. So when you are trying to evaluate your impressions and you think God always gives you fresh revelation it is no wonder we end up where we are today. I watched a teaching once from Bethel Church for their worship leaders trying to teach them the unbiblical concept of prophetic worship. The teacher said that during worship the leader should just "feel for God" and listen for the still small voice and then whatever popped into their head must be from the Lord! To prophesy it out as part of the music! Are you kidding me?? Whatever popped into your head was from your wickedly deceitful heart, not God. I had the displeasure of watching this practice live once. The worship leader claimed God was showing her a river with Jesus standing in it and she sang for twenty straight minutes -- "Jump in the river if you want a hug from Jesus." What a train wreck.

Point Number Three -- 1 Corinthians 14 proves that prophets can now get it wrong sometimes. Yeah no. It does no such thing. Bickle's argument here is that in the Old Testament you did not have to discern a prophet it was always were they right or wrong. Moving past the obvious, because that is discernment, his point on New Testament prophets is that 1Corinthians 14, the key verses today, says that the prophets must judge and discern each other. First of all, this is related to the orderly procession of church service -- not a rebranding of prophecy for the New Testament. Paul is saying in church there should be orderly peace. Let us turn to Bible commentaries for a further explanation:

Let the prophets speak, two or three,.... The apostle having finished the rules for streaking with an unknown tongue, proceeds to lay down some for the gift of prophesying; and observes, that where there are a number of prophets, as very likely there were in the church at Corinth, two or three of them might prophesy, or explain the prophecies of the Old Testament, or preach the Gospel at one opportunity or meeting: he does not use that restrictive clause, "at most", as before, because if there was any necessity or occasion for it, more might be employed, so that care was taken not to burden the people, and send them away loathing; and this they were to do, as before, in course, one after another, otherwise it would be all confusion, nor could they be heard to edification. Though some have thought that they might speak together at one and the same time, in different parts of the church: and let the other judge: the other prophets that sit and hear, and all such as have a spirit of discerning, whether what the prophets say comes from their own spirits, or from a lying spirit, from the spirit of antichrist, or whether from the Spirit of God; and even the body of the people, private members of the church, and hearers, might judge of the doctrine for themselves, according to the word of God, the standard of faith and practice; and were not to believe every spirit, but try them, whether they were of God, and their doctrines by his word, whether they were true or false; for the spiritual man is in a measure capable of judging all things of a spiritual kind, through that spiritual experience he has of the word of God, and divine things, and by the assistance of the Spirit of God. -- Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

First Gill confirms this is regarding church service. He further elaborates that "prophesying" could also mean explaining what the Old Testament prophets were saying or preaching the Gospel. Note here also that Gill correctly points out that the entire church should be doing the work of a Berean to ensure that what was brought forth was from the Spirit of God. How do we accomplish this? Through our "impressions?" Through our feelings? No. Through the Word of God -- period.

Point Number Four -- Romans 12 further proves that New Testament prophecy is different. Except it doesn't even come close to that Mike. Here the verses in question followed by Gill's Commentary:

Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. -- Romans 12: 6-8 (ESV)

By "prophesying" is meant, not foretelling things to come, thought this gift was bestowed upon some, as Agabus, and others in the Christian church; but this, as it is of an extraordinary nature, so it is not stinted and limited according to the proportion of faith; but preaching the Gospel is here designed, which is the sense of the word in many places of Scripture, particularly in 1 Corinthians 13:2. Now such who have this gift of prophecy, or of opening and explaining the Scriptures, ought to make use of it, and constantly attend toil: "let us prophesy"; diligently prepare for it by prayer, reading and meditation, and continually exercise it as opportunity offers; nor should any difficulty and discouragement deter from it: or whereas this last clause is not in the original text, it may be supplied from Romans 12:3; thus, "let us think soberly", who have this gift, and not be elated with it, or carry it haughtily to those who attend on the exercise of it: but behave with sobriety, modesty, and humility, in the discharge thereof: "according to the proportion of faith". There must be faith, or no prophesying; a man must believe, and therefore speak, or speak not at all; - Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

The Romans verses provide no instruction for changing the nature of prophecy in the New Testament. This is about how to utilize your spiritual gifts not how to rely upon impressions now while prophesying. As Gill correctly points out, prophesying is not even about foretelling the future, all though that may be a component it is deemed extraordinary. Instead Gill points out that it is always about the Gospel. It is about the Word of God. Behaving with sobriety, modesty and humility. At this point Mike Bickle displays none of these when he chuckles about a prophet "getting it wrong." "It's not a big deal"; Bickel says with a wry smile. As if catching himself he quickly qualifies the statement by saying that he does not mean to make prophecy frivolous. Finally Mike Bickle has hit the matter squarely on the head. He does treat prophecy in a completely frivolous manner. So does the entire syndicate. When you think you can teach the gifts of the Holy Spirit you are treating prophecy frivolously. When you think that saying there will be a "next" or a mega movement of some kind as a direct word from God then you are treating prophecy in a frivolous manner. When you think that just "getting it wrong" is not a game breaker, not enough to remove that person from being a prophet or in any way not a big deal -- then you are already treating prophecy frivolously. When you claim to be hearing directly from God and you are wrong you are indeed a frivolous false prophet. This all started with a question that was asked of Bickle that I am unsure he ever answered. Should someone who calls himself a prophet be disciplined if something he claimed was from God does not come to pass? In the Old Testament they would be stoned to death. In the New Testament church the least we can do is respect the Word of God more and refuse to give any more credence to those who would speak falsely on behalf of the Lord. You know, get it wrong.

Reverend Anthony Wade -- July 24, 2017

Authors Bio:
Credentialed Minister of the Gospel for the Assemblies of God. Owner and founder of 828 ministries. Vice President for Goodwill Industries. Always remember that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.