Chapter 9.12

Other Biblical Tests for Modern Prophets

Recognizing False Prophets in the Church Today

Table of Topics

A) The Test of Clairvoyancy

A.1) Biblical Examples of Clairvoyancy

A.2) Demonic Counterfeits of Clairvoyancy

B) The Test of Miracle Working

C) The Test of Doctrine

D) The Ultimate Test of Virtue

Extras & Endnotes

Primary Points

• Clairvoyancy is the supernatural ability to “see” events of the past or present apart from the natural senses. It may also include the miraculous ability to know a person’s thoughts.
• Because things like ESP have been proven not to exist, it would seem we can be confident that if someone truly exhibits clairvoyant abilities that they are enabled by a supernatural power. However, as we have repeated throughout KOG, not everything supernatural is holy.
• satan’s knowledge of the past could give him the ability to give others clairvoyant abilities. In general, Christians are fairly unaware of just how supernatural modern, demonized, psychics are.
• If Christians were more aware of what demonic psychics can do, they would not be nearly as impressed with the “prophets” of prophetism.
• Paul Cain is a “false prophet . . . in sheep’s clothing” who “bears bad fruit” if there ever was one.
• The more supernatural an unbiblical phenomenon is, the more likely it is demonically empowered.
• All of those in Scripture being described as having clairvoyant powers, were also authenticated by predicting the future, or performing undeniable miracles. False prophets today who have clairvoyant abilities, which the devil has, but cannot predict the future like God can, should be rejected.
• Unlike self-proclaimed prophets today, Moses was willing and able to perform miracles to prove himself as a messenger of God.
• Let us remember that Scripture at times refers to false prophets merely as “prophets” and God is willing to give them prophecies in order to test His people (cf. Deut 13:1-5).
• “Try by his deeds and his life the man who says that he is inspired.”
• All of the most prominent “prophets” in prophetism have been exposed as immoral failures. God Himself is exposing them and trying to warn His people, but they are not listening, as these false prophets continue to enjoy celebrity status.

A) The Test of Clairvoyancy

A.1) Biblical Examples

The word clairvoyancy comes from a French word which means “to see.” Thus, clairvoyancy is the supernatural ability to “see” events of the past or present apart from the natural senses. It may also include the miraculous ability to know a person’s thoughts. For our purposes, we differentiate between prophecy (predicting the future), and clairvoyancy which is knowing the present or past. Because this supernatural ability to “see” the present or past apart from natural means was a biblical attribute of Prophets, they were referred to as “Seers” (cf. 1 Sam 9:9).

Clairvoyancy seems to be described when the Prophet Jeremiah remarks: “Because the LORD revealed their plot to me, I knew it, for at that time He showed me what they were doing” (Jer 11:18). Again, such clairvoyant abilities do not necessarily include knowledge of the future, but the past or present.

Another example was demonstrated by Elisha when we read:

Now the king of Aram was at war with Israel. After conferring with his officers, he said, “I will set up my camp in such and such a place.” The man of God [Elisha] sent word to the king of Israel: “Beware of passing that place, because the Arameans are going down there.” ¹⁰ So the king of Israel checked on the place indicated by the man of God. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places. This enraged the king of Aram. He summoned his officers and demanded of them, “Will you not tell me which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?” “None of us, my lord the king,” said one of his officers, “but Elisha, the Prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.” (2 Kgs 6:8-12; cf.5:19-27)

This ability was particularly prominent in Christ’s ministry. First, He revealed His ability to know someone’s past when He tells the Samaritan woman: “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” The woman replied, “Sir . . . I can see that you are a Prophet,” and she later tells the towns people, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did” (John 4:17-19, 29).

Likewise, concerning His meeting of Nathanael we read:

When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, He said of him, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false.” “How do You know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you [clairvoyantly] while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.” (John 1:47-49)

Along the same lines, we read:

At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!” Knowing their thoughts [apart from physically hearing them], Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? (Matt 9:3-4; cf. Matt 12:25; Luke 6:8; 9:47)

Accordingly, Jesus knew that His friend Lazarus had died (cf. 11:11, 14). Similarly, upon the entrance of an uninvited woman to a dinner party at which Christ was present, an observing Pharisee, “said to himself, “If this man were a Prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is–that she is a sinner” (Luke 7:37-39). And Jesus of course did know this, and he knew what the Pharisee was thinking as well (cf. v. 47).

We can also point to the Apostle Peter who apparently had clairvoyant knowledge of the “secret” sin of Ananias and Sapphira (cf. Acts 5:1-10).

Finally the Apostle Paul would seem to be describing the same attribute of biblical Prophets in 1 Corinthians 14 where we read:

If an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all [who are prophesying] that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!” (vs. 24-5) ^[1]

Obviously then, the ability to supernaturally “see” the past and present actions and thoughts of people, not just to predict them in the future, was also an authenticating ability of a divine Prophet.

A.2) Demonic Counterfeits

Clairvoyant abilities are obviously supernatural and would not seem possible by unaided humans. Accordingly, David Myers reports:

Psychic intuitions offered to police departments have also, on analysis, fared no better than guesses made by ordinary folks. Psychics working with police have scored some hits, but only after generating dozens or even hundreds of predictions. Most major police departments are now wise to this.

When Jane Ayers Sweat and Mark Durm asked the police departments of America’s fifty largest cities whether they ever used psychics, 65 percent said they never had. Of those that had, not one had found them helpful.

Reflecting on the flood of psychic tips concerning the whereabouts of Chandra Levy, Washington, D.C., police chief Terrance Gainer said “They haven’t proven very useful. You got 100 different psychics and they’ve got 100 different places.” Indeed, over the years, notes psychologist Robert Baker, dogs have located more missing persons, dead bodies, and drug stashes than psychics ever have or ever will. . . .

The scientific search for psychic phenomena is replete, notes Ray Hyman, “with examples of Psychical researchers claiming they finally proved the existence of the paranormal. In each instance, subsequent generations of parapsychologists have had to discard as badly flawed what had seemed to the previous generation to be irrefutable proof of psi, or psychic phenomena.” . . .

Indeed, after thousands of experiments, no reproducible ESP phenomenon has ever been discovered, nor has any researcher produced any individual who can convincingly demonstrate psychic ability. A National Research Council investigation of ESP similarly concluded that the “best available evidence does not support the contention that these phenomena exist.” In 1995, a CIA-commissioned report evaluated ten years of military testing of psychic spies, in which $20 million had been invested. The result? The program produced nothing and the psychic spy program was scrapped. ^[2]

Therefore, it would seem we can be confident that if someone truly exhibits clairvoyant abilities that they are enabled by a supernatural power. However, as we have repeated throughout KOG, not everything supernatural is holy.

While we noted in the previous chapter a limited ability of satan to predict the future based on what he knows of the present, his knowledge of the past could, of course, give him the ability to give others clairvoyant abilities. In general, Christians are fairly unaware of just how supernatural modern, demonized, psychics are. And this is understandably so. But it is certain that if they were more aware of what demonic psychics can do, they would not be nearly as impressed with the antics of so called “prophets” in the Church.

There is a reason that multitudes of people are flocking to psychics in local establishments and over the phone and Internet today. This is because if you were to interview such people, they could relate experiences with psychics, fortunetellers, and New Age channelers that are just as true and supernatural as any story that someone could tell concerning some “prophet” in a church. Accordingly, here are a few testimonies from psychic websites, and as you read them, can you discern how satan would be able to manipulate everyone of them?:

“My pastlife reading was so right on, it summed up everything that was [present tense] going on in my life. It was like it all clicked together. I was truly amazed. My reader’s insight floored me.” – Vicky

“I was grappling with a situation which had troubled me for many years. After I visited the 3rd Eye website, I decided to give it a try and requested a Past Life reading. I was astonished at the contents of the reading. It exactly pinpointed the cause of my problem and I must say that it really helped me a lot. I do not think that I could have got that information by any other means. I strongly recommend to at least give it a try.” – Ravinder

“You are the most accurate psychic I have spoken to. That is why I am calling again! You saw that I would have a daughter and that I would have problems with toxemia. That all happened, but we are fine now.”–Kimberley S.

“The reading was amazing! You saw the [past] death of my father and how it affected me without me asking you.” — A. Nagate

“I came to Amanda not knowing quite what to expect. I had been going through a period of unsettlement with my career and my personal relationships. Amanda was able to tell me things that no one else could have known about. She has given me predictions for the future that are beginning to pan out just as she told me.”–Robert from CA

Do some psychics today have supernatural abilities? Yes. Are these psychics helping people? Absolutely! Their “ministries” are obviously bringing a good deal of “benefit” to their clients. There should be no doubt that modern psychics have changed peoples’ lives and for the “good.” That’s why such a thing is a billion dollar business today. People get supernatural, verifiable, and helpful results. Does it surprise us then that satan would help people in order to deceive them? It shouldn’t, and as we have discussed elsewhere, it is rather sobering to consider the lengths that the enemy is willing to go to in order to deceive God’s people especially.

Along these lines, the prophetist theologian Wayne Grudem ironically writes:

How shall we understand contemporary reports of witch doctors, fortune-tellers, or other people evidently under demonic influence who are able to tell people accurate details of their lives which they thought no one knew such as what food they had for breakfast, where they keep some hidden money in their house, etc.?

Most of these things can be explained by realizing that demons can observe what goes on in the world and can probably draw some conclusions from those observations. A demon may know what I ate for breakfast simply because it saw me eat breakfast. It may know what I said in a private telephone conversation because it listened to the conversation. Christians should not be led astray if they encounter members of the occult or of other false religions [how about the Church!] who seem to demonstrate such unusual knowledge from time to time. ^[3]

It is a little bewildering how the foremost theologian of modern prophetism can write so clearly on demonically empowered clairvoyancy, while this very thing is the only real supernatural ability that some of the second-rate “prophets” of prophetism can muster. Remember, the more supernatural an unbiblical phenomenon is, the more likely it is demonically empowered. And modern day “prophets” in the Church are unbiblical for all the reasons given in this section of KOG.

More specifically, we can distinguish those in Scripture who possessed clairvoyant abilities with their gift of prophecy, from those who exercise these abilities today by observing two things. First, all of the former were messengers of extra-biblical, Scripture-quality divine revelation that must be believed and obeyed. False prophets today who claim such powers, but not such revelation, are not biblical. Secondly, all of those in Scripture being described as having clairvoyant powers, were also authenticated in other ways as well, whether by predicting the future, or performing undeniable miracles. False prophets today who can demonstrate clairvoyant abilities, which the devil has, but cannot predict the future like God can, should be rejected.

Nonetheless, a multitude of God’s people have been duped by so called “prophets” who can tell them private details about their past, but can never convincingly predict their future, perform a miracle, or exercise supernatural virtue like all of those who really did possess the divine gift of prophecy in Scripture. We have already noted the case of William Branham (1909-1965), a celebrated foundational figure of modern prophetism, and able to supernaturally tell people about their lives, but was a demonic fake. ^[4] Why has modern prophetism labeled such a man a hero of the faith instead of a heretic? And such a lack of sound doctrine, discernment, and courage in the movement has been repeated.

For example, former member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Vineyard Churches, Tom Stipe, says that in a private meeting of Vineyard leaders, he was introduced to several men called “prophets.” He goes on to relate:

[Our skepticism] disappeared entirely later in the meeting when one of the prophets singled us out and proceeded to reveal, in detail, the secrets of our lives. Now they really had our attention. How could they not be from God? One after another, these accurate “words from the Lord” seemed to be the perfect validation for everything they were proposing. We became completely convinced of the validity of this prophetic annointing. How else could we explain their ability to “see into” our childhoods and personal histories through their prophetic gifting? ^[5]

Good question, and one that needs to be answered. And if such “prophets” could not demonstrate the other supernatural abilities of those in Scripture who possessed the gift of prophecy, they needed to be rejected and publicly denounced as dangerous and demonically empowered false prophets. But, no doubt, they continue to operate in God’s Church, defiling it and His people.

The profession of clairvoyant abilities are a very common claim of the prophetist movement as supposed evidence that it is a movement of God. Accordingly, its foremost apologist Jack Deere is obviously quite eager in his book, Surprised by the Voice of God, to relate many stories of clairvoyant abilities. For example, he writes of Paul Cain, whom Deere would later excommunicate from fellowship because of habitual homosexuality:

Paul Cain was in town that week to speak at a conference the Vineyard was hosting. The night of the blowup between Kevin and Regina the Lord gave him a vision of the Forests. When he awoke the next morning, he called Carl Tuttle and said, “There’s a domestic problem in your church.”

“That’s right,” Carl said.

“Her name is Regina. What’s his name” asked Paul.

“It’s Kevin.”

“Listen, Carl, this guy wants to run. Don’t let him do it. Make sure he’s in the meeting tonight. The Lord may do something for him.”

Then Paul hung up.

Both Kevin and Regina came to the church that night. . . . At the end of his message, Paul asked Kevin to stand up. A man named Kevin jumped up immediately, but it was not Kevin Forest. Paul said, “No, you’re not the Kevin I saw in the vision. There is another Kevin here.” Then slowly Kevin Forest stood up.

“Kevin, I don’t want to embarrass you, but your marriage is on the rocks,” Paul said. Last night I had a vision of you and Regina-that’s your wife’s name, isn’t it? I don’t want to embarrass you. I want to restore you. . . . You’re twenty-eight years old, and the devil plans to kill you before your thirtieth birthday. He hasn’t been able to kill you yet. . . . satan wants to kill you because he knows what God has for you and Regina. ^[6]

Another interesting article regarding the Vineyard “prophet” Paul Cain which has appeared in a Vineyard publication is by Nick Gumbel. In the article the “accuracy” of Cain’s prophecies are stressed with a “few examples from the evening” where these “prophets” “seemed to have information that was not available by natural means.” Gumbel reports:

It appeared that people’s names had been accurately revealed to [Cain], often in riddles. For example, he said, ‘Thomas, you are a chip off the old block’ to a man named Thomas Chipper. To Philip, he said, “You have a pastor’s heart and you are a noble man’; he was a pastor named Philip Noble.

One of the more remarkable words was given to a man I know well. [Cain said], ‘a real bishop . . . Richard the Lionhearted . . . Pontefract or something like that, Pontefract . . . The Lord gave me an open vision of a field that is going to wake up. It is called ‘Wakefield.’ This was spoken to Richard Hare, Bishop of Pontefract in the diocese of Wakefield.”

Gumbel concludes, “As I read my Bible, I see we are to test prophecy . . . To me, all the evidence suggests that they are genuine men of God with an important message for the church.” ^[7]

By relating these stories in order to give prophetism a divine signature, Mr. Deere and Mr. Gumble have actually exposed it all the more as a demonic fraud. This is because Mr. Cain who exhibited such supernatural abilities was later forced to confess alcoholism and a homosexual lifestyle as discussed further below. Even Jack Deere, who was so willing in his book to use Mr. Cain to prove his case, has since distanced himself from this false prophet.

If you want to believe that God would give an alcoholic homosexual such gifts, that is, of course, your choice. We would only remind you that Jesus warned us of “false prophets” who “come in sheep’s clothing” who would be “evildoers” who would prophesy in His “name,” but would be recognized “by their fruit” because “a bad tree bears bad fruit” (Matt 7:15-17, 22-23). Mr. Cain is a “false prophet . . . in sheep’s clothing” who “bears bad fruit” if there ever was one.

As noted above, Jack Deere claims all kinds of clairvoyant gifts for himself throughout his book. No doubt, his description of his deeds might impress someone, but what about his doctrine? It is suggested here again that if anyone would agree with the interpretation of the Scriptures presented in this study, and then compare those to what Mr. Deere writes, you might conclude with us that he is one of the most dangerous false teachers in Christianity today. While there are many examples throughout KOG, we can offer a few more false teachings of Mr. Deere here to illustrate our point.

In a tape recorded message at the Vineyard Christian Fellowship in Denver, CO Mr. Deere is teaching on the topic of the restoration of Apostles and Prophets to the Church today. At one point he declares that these Apostles and Prophets (like, he claims, Paul Cain) will “do greater works than the Apostles, than Jesus, or any of the Old Testament Prophets.” ^[8] Is that setting people up for the antichrist or what?

In another taped teaching, Mr. Deere admits that he witnessed a “prophet” once calling an eighteen year old kid out of a crowd of 800 people and claiming that the Holy Spirit had told him that the kid was addicted to pornography. The kid was obviously embarrassed, but the “prophet” and Mr. Deere were even more embarrassed when it was proven to be false. Still, in order to protect his “doctrine” about prophets today, Mr. Deere was rather unrepentant about what occurred and replied:

But you know what? God is in the process of offending our minds in order to reveal our hearts. . . . And I don’t know any place where He is going to give us a pure ministry. I don’t know any place where it’s going to be 100 percent right. There’s going to be stumbling blocks in every ministry that the Holy Spirit is really responsible for. ^[9]

How dare Mr. Deere blame the Holy Spirit for such an immoral and embarrassing incident. Is this the kind of man that God would wish to authenticate with the miraculous abilities that Mr. Deere claims for himself? We think not, and would hope not.

B) The Test of Miracle Working

While we have noted above that virtually every named Prophet in the Bible is described as accurately making a prediction, other kinds of miracle working authenticated them as well. Because we have discussed miracle working a great deal elsewhere, including its authenticating purpose for Prophets, we will only do so briefly here. ^[10]

God illustrated the foundational nature of miracle working for authenticating His Prophets when He initially recruited the first great Prophet Moses. Therefore, in God’s initial commissioning of Moses, He gives him miracle working powers after which God says, “This is so that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you” (Exod 4:5). Accordingly, unlike self-proclaimed prophets today, Moses was willing to prove himself as a messenger of God. When some of the Israelites questioned his status as a Prophet, he replied:

This is how you will know that the LORD has sent me to do all these things and that it was not my idea: If these men die a natural death and experience only what usually happens to men, then the LORD has not sent me. But if the LORD brings about something totally new, and the Earth opens its mouth and swallows them, with everything that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the grave, then you will know that these men have treated the LORD with contempt [because they had treated one of His Prophets with contempt] (Num 16:28-30)

And we know what happened on that day. And this is because God is more than willing to authenticate anyone He has truly called to be one of His Prophets.

Likewise, we are reminded of Elijah’s raising of a woman’s son from death, upon which she said: “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the LORD from your mouth is the truth” (1 Kgs 17:24).

While miracle working is abundantly recorded as an authentication of OT Prophets, we find no such thing in the NT. Christian Prophets such as Agabus and Anna are described as predicting the future. It would seem that while such foreknowledge remained the primary authentication of Prophets in the NT, other types of miracle working were more common with Apostles.

C) The Test of Doctrine

While we would, of course, necessarily be wary of any self-proclaimed “prophet” speaking something unbiblical, there are several other problems with the doctrinal test for true Prophets of God. First, we argue elsewhere that Romans 12:6 is probably not prescribing that a Prophet speak “in accordance with” the Christian faith, but rather the gift faith that would accompany his ministry as a Prophet. ^[11]

Secondly, while there certainly are doctrinal tests prescribed in Scripture for those professing to speak for God, they are only adequate to expose the most obvious pretenders. The test in Deuteronomy 13:3 is the false prophet’s statement: “’Let us follow other gods.’” But what if the false prophet prophesied in the name of Jesus, as Jesus Himself said they would (cf. Matt 7:23-24)?

Likewise, the Apostle Paul, in an effort to expose fraudulent and even demonically inspired speaking in the Corinthian assembly advised, “Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor 12:3). The first statement is certainly true, but again, a false prophet’s ability to prophesy in the name of Jesus would seem to qualify the second statement.

Along the same lines, the Apostle John writes:

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. ² This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, ³ but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

Such a test would probably expose an especially demonically empowered individual, but what of a Christian who is merely self-deceived about speaking for God and having the gift of prophecy? And even these tests prescribed by John were not all-sufficient in his mind as he added the test of supernatural virtue as well (cf. 1 John 2:18-19; 3:7, 10).

A third reason that doctrinal tests are insufficient of themselves to expose false prophets is that the gift of prophecy enables one to speak extra-biblical revelation. For example, Jesus Christ spoke new divine revelation, some of which replaced OT revelation. ^[12] This is clearly one of the reasons the Jewish religious authorities rejected Christ, in spite of His obvious ability to work miracles. Accordingly, Dr. Brown writes:

At a very early stage Jesus was perceived by His opponents as a blasphemous false teacher, who was possessed by Satan and who must be eliminated. Underlying this attitude was the conviction that action must be taken in accordance with the teaching laid down in Dt. 13. Jesus’ attitude to the Sabbath and the current interpretation of the law and His presumption in pronouncing forgiveness of sins (Mk. 2:7,18, 23 par.) were perceived as the work of a blasphemous false prophet who used signs and wonders in order to accredit Himself. The healing of the man with a withered hand on the Sabbath led to the Pharisees taking counsel with the Herodians to destroy Jesus (Mk. 3:6 par.). ^[13]

However, Christ was not violating Deuteronomy 13 and telling people to “follow other gods (gods you have not known),” but was communicating a New Covenant with the same God. Nonetheless, someone holding to the primacy of sound doctrine in order to expose false prophets would have rejected Jesus just like the Pharisees.

Likewise, the Christian Prophets shared in the ability to possess and communicate the new divine revelation of the New Covenant, which contained some radical changes from the OT (cf. Eph 2:20; 3:4-5). All of which is why adherence to previously received revelation is not an adequate authentication of a Prophet on its own.

D) The Test of Virtue

We have already observed that the inability of the modern second-rate “prophets” of prophetism to work miracles or accurately predict the future immediately disqualifies them for any claim to the biblical gift and ministry of prophecy. But what of a false prophet who did come along who could perform the miraculous and sounded very Christian? What test is left to expose them?

The ultimate test, according to the Christ Himself, is the test of supernatural virtue:

Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. ¹⁶ By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father Who is in Heaven. ²² Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ ²³ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!’ (cf. Matt 7:15-23).

Accordingly, as we have written at length elsewhere, ^[14] while these false prophets apparently could produce supernatural deeds, Christ implies they will not be able to consistently produce supernatural virtue, making it the ultimate test of those claiming to speak for God. This is because, while satan is able to empower physical miracles, his power cannot and will not exhibit Christ-like virtue.

Because of the importance of the test of virtue for those we would listen to, the Apostle wrote Timothy:

[E]vil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it. (2 Tim 3:13-14)

The Bible then encourages us to receive our teaching from those whom we know well enough to trust that they are living what they are teaching. If people were simply more aware of the personal lives of the celebrity “prophets” they are following in prophetism, we believe most would soon abandon them.

It is a lack of virtue that exposes the false prophet of Samaria in 1 Kings 13. He is indeed called a “prophet,” (v. 11), and God grants him an actual prophecy that is fulfilled (cf. vs. 20-22). Nonetheless, Jesus said we would be able to recognize false prophets by their fruit, and this no doubt included their virtue (cf. Matt 7:15-23). Therefore, when we read that this “prophet” intentionally deceived “the man of God” who really was a Prophet of God, and “was lying to him” (vs. 18-19), we have no reason to believe he was one of God’s Prophets. Let us remember that Scripture at times refers to false prophets merely as “prophets” and God is willing to give them prophecies in order to test His people (cf. Deut 13:1-5). ^[15] Unfortunately, the “man of God” spoken of here neglected to carefully test a false prophet’s claim to speak for God and suffered the consequences just like anyone will.

Following the instruction of our Lord, we have two documents from the very early Church that demonstrate the fact that the test of virtue was to be applied to someone claiming to possess the gift of prophecy. In the Didache (c. A.D. 70) we read:

Not everyone who speaks in a spirit is a Prophet, except he have the behavior of the Lord. From his behavior, then, the false prophet and the true Prophet shall be known. ^[16]

In the Shepherd of Hermas (c. A.D. 140), we read of “a false prophet, ruining the minds of the servants of God. . . Some true words he does occasionally utter; for the devil fills him with his own spirit, in the hope that he may be able to overcome some of the righteous.” ^[17] Accordingly, in answer to the question, “How will a man know which of them is the Prophet, and which the false prophet?” the answer is given:

Try the man who has the Divine Spirit by his life. First, he who has the Divine Spirit proceeding from above is meek, and peaceable, and humble, and refrains from all iniquity and the vain desire of this world, and contents himself with fewer wants than those of other men, and when asked [for a prophecy] he makes no reply; nor does he speak privately. . . .

[T]he man who seems to have the Spirit exalts himself, and wishes to have the first seat, and is bold, and impudent, and talkative, and lives in the midst of many luxuries and many other delusions; and takes rewards for his prophecy . .

Prophets of this character are possessed by an earthly spirit. Then it never approaches an assembly of righteous men, but shuns them. And it associates with doubters and the vain, and prophesies to them in a corner, and deceives them, speaking to them, according to their desires, mere empty words . . .

Try by his deeds and his life the man who says that he is inspired. ^[18]

Not surprisingly, because the foremost “prophets” of modern prophetism have proven to be so immoral, its leaders have attempted to excuse their sins and still promote them as divine Prophets. On the other hand, if we follow Jesus’ instruction, virtually every one of the foremost foundational “prophets” of modern prophetism are exposed as frauds. Even several years ago, the Pentecostal historian Walter J. Hollenweger wrote:

In his opening address for the 24th Research Conference of the Society for Pentecostal Studies (Wheaton College, Ill., 1984) Roger Stronstad criticized the “individualistic, self-centered, and, even, narcissistic” tendencies [of prophetism]. Thus prophecy is “trivialized and/or commercialized.” The prophecies often “borders on the credulous, the absurd, the blasphemous and the exploitative.” They deal with new revelations and novel and authoritative interpretations of the Bible, with who to marry and when to have babies, with material prosperity and careers. All over the world there are prophets who, like Balaam, prostitute the gift of prophecy for money and power.” This emphasis totally misses the first century function of Prophets. ^[19]

Several years later, the morality of prophetism has just worsened.

It would be one thing if only a few obscure “prophets” in the movement had been caught in gross immorality. But in fact, its foremost and foundational “prophets” have been exposed. Accordingly, we elsewhere documented Benny Hinn’s gross greed. ^[20] God Himself is exposing them and trying to warn His people, but they are not listening, as these false prophets continue to enjoy celebrity status.

Likewise, Bob Jones, one of the famed “Kansas City prophets” and who still has a popular prophetic ministry today, was found to have committed repeated sexually immoral acts involving several individuals in the Kansas City church he was “ministering” in. Mr. Hanegraaff reported that John Wimber, the man perhaps most responsible for promoting prophetism, admitted in a public statement that Jones had been using his “prophetic” powers to “manipulate people for his personal desires, sexual misconduct, rebelling against pastoral authority, slandering leaders and the promotion of bitterness within the body of Christ.” ^[21]

However, in typical prophetist fashion, Mr. Wimber claimed that “[J]udging Jones’s sexual sins should not translate into judging Jones’s seer-status.” The prominent prophetist pastor Mike Bickle agreed. While acknowledging that “the pain and trauma” of Jones’s victims “was unbearable,” he agreed that the prophetic annointing on Jones “was greater than ever.” ^[22] When we note Jack Deere’s own insistence that “the only test for determining a genuine work of God is whether that work manifests the fruit of the Holy Spirit” ^[23] one is left wondering how men professing to be so “spiritual” could be so self-deceived and deceiving. Why can’t modern prophetism see that God Himself is angry about their fraud in His name and personally exposing the true nature of their “prophets” so the leaders of prophetism will repent, and their followers will find safer Shepherds.

Such divine displeasure and intentional exposure would seem to be the case with Paul Cain as well. Mr. Hanegraaff relates:

[John] Wimber claimed that, like the Apostle Paul, Cain was “a eunuch of the Lord.” [Wimber claims] Jesus Christ appeared to him on the road to Santa Maria and physically “touched him on the chest,” subsequently taking “all sexual desire out of his body. For over forty years he’s lived with no cognizant sense of sexuality. . . . In spite of Cain’s transformation into a “eunuch for the Lord” . . . Cain was accused of being [sexually] involved with a woman in Scandinavia. At the time, he was allegedly at the peak of his career . . . the angel of the Lord [had] instructed William Branham to let Cain take over some of his largest crusades. Despite Cain’s success, however, the accusations [and reality?] of sexual impropriety caused him to abandon his ministry and go into seclusion for twenty-five years. ^[24]

Mr. Cain resurfaced in the Vineyard movement of which Mr. Hanegraaff relates:

[John Wimber has said] that Cain’s prophetic prowess hinged on his personal character, not his prophetic correctness. He assured followers that he had thoroughly checked out Cain, the man who was to discover and disclose the identity of the endtime Apostle [who ironically turned out to be Wimber himself].

For many years Mr. Cain enjoyed the honor and praise of modern prophetism as the greatest of God’s Prophets in the Church, including foremost leaders such as John Wimber and Jack Deere. However, in 2005, he was exposed as a practicing homosexual and alcoholic. Accordingly, a prophetist source relates:

Veteran charismatic minister Paul Cain issued a solemn apology on Jan. 31 [2005] in which he repented for immoral behavior and pledged to seek counseling for his alcoholism.

Celebrated in charismatic circles for his accuracy [in clairvoyancy, not prediction] as a New Testament Prophet, Cain was disciplined and disfellowshiped by three church leaders last fall after they determined he had engaged in a pattern of unbiblical behavior that included heavy drinking and homosexuality.

Rick Joyner, Mike Bickle and Jack Deere released their charges Oct. 19 in a statement on the Internet. They also said Cain was unwilling to submit to a restoration process.

Cain initially denied the charges in a statement on his own Web site, maintaining that his reputation was being attacked. But three months later he decided to come clean.

“I am as guilty as I can be,” he told Charisma [magazine]. “I am going for counseling. I am getting as much help as I can.”

Joyner, Bickle and Deere made their initial charges public because they found proof that Cain was involved in long-term homosexual activity and often got drunk, sometimes in public.

“We apologize to the body of Christ for our lack of discernment in promoting Paul’s ministry while he had these significant strongholds in his life,” their statement reads. “We hope that Paul can yet be restored and used again for the glory of God in the wonderful way that so many of us have been blessed to see in the past.”

Deere, who pastors Wellspring Church in Richland Hills, Texas, learned of the charges last year from a man who said he had been involved in a sexual relationship with Cain. Three witnesses also told Charisma that Cain drank heavily. The drinking got so serious that Cain once collapsed in public, one witness added.

Deere asked Joyner and Bickle to arrange a meeting in Moravian Falls, N.C., where they confronted Cain in April 2004. He initially confessed to the charges, Deere said. But later Cain retracted his confession and even sent out letters from doctors who vouched for his emotional health. Now, however, Cain says he is no longer in denial.

“I have struggled with homosexuality for an extended period of time,” Cain said in his written apology. “I have struggled with alcoholism for an extended period of time. I apologize for denying these matters of truth, rather than readily admitting them. I am ashamed of what I have done to hurt those close to me and for the pain I have caused those who have believed in my ministry.”

Cain’s accuser, who spoke with Charisma but asked not to be named, is now undergoing spiritual rehabilitation. Meanwhile, Cain–who is 75– says he has no intention of going back into the pulpit anytime soon. . . .

Meanwhile, Deere, Bickle and Joyner said they regret giving Cain a platform. “I think our basic mistake was to overlook a lot of serious and obvious warning signs,” Joyner told Charisma.

Deere agreed. “We all have preached that you never put gifting over character,” he said, “but that is what we did for Paul. We would have fired anyone else. The reason we didn’t is because of [Cain’s] gifting. We let that gifting excuse character.” . . .

Today Cain has homes in Kansas City, Dallas and Moravian Falls, N.C. But he says he plans to check into an alcoholism treatment center by the first week of March. If possible, he also hopes to complete a book he is writing, The Rise and Fall of God’s Anointed, which will include his memories of Pentecostal evangelists such as William Branham and A.A. Allen–men who, like Cain, experienced supernatural gifts of healing and prophecy [and were also exposed as immoral reprobates ^[25]]. . . .

Three prominent Spirit-filled leaders—Mike Bickle, Rick Joyner and Jack Deere—urged Cain to submit to a specific process of restoration and healing after his dramatic public confession in 2005. But Cain eventually refused their recommendations and was deemed “fully restored” by a somewhat unknown ministry in California.

Because the three men were not familiar with the process Cain underwent, Bickle, Joyner and Deere released a statement last year saying: “We cannot say with confidence that this is a genuine restoration.” ^[26]

Nonetheless, Mr. Cain has resumed his “prophetic” ministry, his homepage stating:

Today, Paul Cain is acknowledged as one of the most prominent leadership figures in the Christian “prophetic” movement, and is known as a spiritual father to thousands.  He continues to move in the supernatural . . . ^[27] 

But then again, not everything supernatural is holy.

When we consider the moral state of prophetism’s foremost prophets, we are reminded of God’s attitude toward the “prophets” who “ministered” in Jeremiah’s day:

The prophets follow an evil course and use their power unjustly. Both prophet and priest are godless; even in My temple I find their wickedness,” declares the LORD. “Among the prophets of Samaria I saw this repulsive thing: They prophesied by Baal and led My people Israel astray. And among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen something horrible: They commit adultery and live a lie. (Jer 23:10-14)

Extras & Endnotes

Gauging Your Grasp

1. What is clairvoyancy? What are some biblical examples of it being empowered by God?
2. How could clairvoyancy be empowered by the devil?
3. What do we mean when we say not everything supernatural is holy. Why is this important to remember?
4. How are the various ways that we could discern a person with demonic clairvoyant powers?
5. What is the ultimate test for false prophets? Why is this the case?
6. What should we understand from the fact all of the most prominent “prophets” in prophetism have been exposed as immoral failures?

Publications & Particulars

1. It should be noted that there is considerable debate regarding the manner in which the unbeliever’s “secrets” are “laid bare.” Does Paul imagine that those “prophesying” will somehow read the unbeliever’s mind and disclose his secrets to the congregation, or is the unbeliever simply convicted by the preaching of God’s word and so confesses his secret sins himself? Most commentators support the latter, and Leon Morris is typical when he says:

   Prophecy conveys a divine message, and this will have powerful effects. Convinced means ‘convicted’; it is used of the Holy Spirit’s work of convicting the world of sin (Jn. 16:8). The divine word comes to the non-Christian with convicting power. The effect of the prophetic word is to reveal to the man his [sinful] state. His whole inner being is searched out. Those things he fondly imagined to be hidden in his heart he finds reproved and judged, and he can ascribe this only to the activity of God. (1 Corinthians (TNTC) [Eerdmans, 1999], 193-4)

   Those who are alarmed by all the psychic fortune-telling-like activity among some Christians today are tempted to wholeheartedly agree with this interpretation and claim that Paul’s statement gives them no biblical support for such practices. However, the view of Dr. Morris and others like him cannot be dogmatically asserted. It would seem just as likely that Paul imagined that those with the gift of prophecy had clairvoyant abilities. As we have demonstrated, God is, at times, seen in the Scriptures revealing things to His representatives about other people.

   On this matter, then, we would side with Gordon Fee who writes concerning 1 Corinthians 14:24-5:

   Here the revelation comes by means of prophetic utterances within the believing community when unbelievers are present. What is revealed in this case are the secrets of the unbelievers’ hearts, leading them to repentance and conversion. (God’s Empowering Presence: The Holy Spirit in the Letters of Paul [Hendrickson, 1994], 852) ↑

2. David Myers, Intuition: Its Power and Perils (Yale University Press, 2002), 229, 233-4. ↑

3. Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, (Zondervan, 1994), 416. ↑

4. For further discussion of William Branham see section 9.13.J. and 11.7. B.9.b. ↑

5. Tom Stipe in forward, Counterfeit Revival, Hank Hanegraaff (Word, 1997), x. ↑

6. Jack Deere, Surprised by the Voice of God (Zondervan, 1996). ↑

7. Nick Gumbel, “The Feedback Loop at London’s HTB,” Equipping the Saints 4 [Fall 1990]: 30-31. ↑

8. Jack Deere, “Intimacy with God and the End Times Church,” Vineyard Christian Fellowship, Denver, CO, 1989, audiotape (session 2A). ↑

9. Jack Deere, Toronto Airport Vineyard, 20 November 1994, audiotape. ↑

10. For further discussion on the place of miracle working in authenticating Prophets see section 10.5.A.3. ↑

11. Regarding the gift faith that accompanies the gift of prophecy see section 6.9.A. ↑

12. 8.4.A.1. ↑

13. Colin Brown, “Miracles,” International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE), Geoffrey W. Bromiley, ed., 4 vols., (Eerdmans, 1988), III:373-6. ↑

14. For further discussion on the recognition of demonic miracle workers see chapters 11.11-13. ↑

15. Commenting on 1 Kings 13, John MacArthur notes:

    This passage is sometimes thought to relate the account of a true Prophet who prophesied falsely. But note that the false prophet in that narrative is never identified as a “man of God”, while the honest (but disobedient) Prophet in that passage is. Second Kings 23:17 identifies the false prophet as “the prophet who came from Samaria.” He may well have been an unbelieving seer whose powers were demonic-hence his superstitious request (I Ki. 23:31). Note also that he was not immediately punished for his lying, even though the “man of God” he duped died for his disobedience. There are several examples in Scripture where unrighteous men sometimes prophesied accurately. (Charismatic Chaos [Zondervan, 1992], 368. ↑

16. The Teaching of the Twelve (Didache), 11.8; online at http://www.ccel.org. ↑

17. The Shepherd of Hermas, Mandate 11; online at http://www.ccel.org. ↑

18. Ibid. ↑

19. Walter J. Hollenweger, Pentecostalism: Origins and Developments Worldwide (Hendrickson, 1997), 232-3. ↑

20. For documentation of consistent and immoral greed in Benny Hinn’s life see section 10.15.A.7 and 11.8.F.4. ↑

21. Public statement from John Wimber, 11-12-91, Association of Vineyard Churches. ↑

22. Hanegraaff, 149-150. ↑

23. Jack Deere, Surprised by the Power of the Spirit (Zondervan, 1993), 95. (italics in the original). ↑

24. Hanegraaff, 145-148. ↑

25. For further documentation of the gross immorality of the founding fathers of prophetism see section 11.8.E. ↑

26. Documented at http://www.charismamag.com/news/archives/ 051308.html ↑

27. Documented at http://www.paulcain.com. ↑