In this sermon, we pray the Holy Spirit to reveal to us about the false prophets in the bible and how to recognize them.
Because it is in doing so that we will be able to escape their deceits of this end time.
On this sermon we are going to see the bible verses about false prophets, before we move on to show you how to recognize them.
Bible verses about false prophets.
The predictions of our Lord Jesus Christ.
4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you.
5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.
Mathew 24:4-6
23 “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it.
24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
25 See, I have told you beforehand.
Mathew 24:23-25
The Apostle Paul” predictions.
29 For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.
30 Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.
31 Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.
Acts 20:29-31
Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,
1 Timothy 4:1
Predictions of the Apostle Peter.
1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.
2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.
3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.
2 Peter 2:1-3
Predictions of the step-brother of Christ, Jude, was also not left out.
3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.
4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jude 1:3-4
John also predicted.
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.
1 John 4:1
How To Recognize False Prophets
Lets begin with Peter’s prediction.
10and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries,
11 whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord.
12But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption,
13 and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you,
14 having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children.
15 They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
16 but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet.
17 These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
18 For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error.
19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.
2 Peter 2:10-19
From the above scriptures, we can draw out the following ways for spotting false prophets.
- Firstly, they are Bold and arrogance, as they insult heavenly beings and things they don’t understand. [Verse 10]
- Secondly, they love carousing, that is, eating and enjoying themselves. Worst of all, they dont share this enjoyment with others, especially members. [Verse 13]
- Thirdly, they are sexually immoral. Even sleeping with people’s wives. [Verse 14]
- Fourthly, they are covetous. Following the way of Balaam, that is, receiving money from people to curse and pray for death of their enemies. [Verse 14-17]
- Fifthly, they make proud and stupid statements. For example, claiming to be living in riches, and boastfully speaking about how spiritually powerful and physically influential they are. Most of them give aliases to their names rather than revering God they claim to serve. [Verse 18]
- Finally on this point, they promise freedom from sin to their members, when they themselves remains slaves to sin. [Verse 19]
Lets now examine Jude’s prediction to see how we can recognize False Prophets. Jude 1:8-16
8 Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries.
9 Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”
10 But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves.
11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.
12 These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots;
13 raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints,
15 to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”
16 These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage.
Jude 1:8-16
From the above scriptures we can use the following ways to recognize False Prophets.
- Firstly, they are fond of insulting the devil instead of rebuking him in God’s name. [Verse 8]
- Secondly, they are greedy like Cain and Balaam, obtaining money from their members to curse their enemies. [Verse 11]
- Thirdly, they love carousing, that is enjoying themselves always. [Verse 12]
- Fourthly, they love to grumble and blame others. They yield to their evil desires, while boasting about what they are accomplishing in life. [Verse 16]
Finally, let’s examine the predictions of John.
5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them.
1 John 4:5
From the above scriptures, we can recognize false prophets as those who speaks about worldly matters.
That is to say, they preach about prosperity and riches, while skipping righteousness which is where the prosperity and riches begin.
Please share this sermon to help fellow believers learn about the false prophets in the bible.
