In Matthew 24:11, Jesus says that before His return many false prophets shall rise and that these false prophets shall deceive many. How many Christians shall be deceived by false prophets? We don’t know, but we do know that many shall be deceived. But how do you recognize a false prophet? What can you do to prevent from being deceived by false prophets? Because there are many people, who all claim to be prophets and say they are sent by God, but who is telling the truth?
Many false prophets shall rise and many shall be deceived
And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many (Matthew 24:11)
Not all Christians shall stay faithful to Jesus Christ. Those who are carnal and therefore live after the flesh, shall put their trust in people instead of Jesus and shall follow and honor people. Because they are led by their senses, many Christians shall be deceived by the words, signs, and wonders of these false prophet.
In these days, we already see that many Christians follow people and rely on their words instead of following Jesus Christ and rely on God’s Word.
They rather listen to what (famous) preachers, evangelists, apostles and prophets say, and walk and live according to their words, instead of listening to what God’s Word says and walk and live according to the will of God.
They love their motivational sermons and are amazed by their (supernatural) experiences, revelations, and signs and wonders, which make them look spiritual. They look up to them and have an awe for them and follow them blindly.
Many churches have compromised with the world
Many churches have compromised with the world and have changed the words of God and sometimes even replaced the words of God with the words of man. Instead of living and standing on the Word of God and keep His commandments and please Him, the Word has been adjusted to the will, lust and desires of man to please the people and to attract new people.
They have adjusted the words of God, so that people can stay carnal and persevere in sin without feeling guilty and without the need to repentance of their sinful works of the flesh..
The doctrines have been changed, so that Christenen don’t have to give up their own lives, to follow Jesus. But that is a big lie from the devil, because Jesus; the Word says:
If any man come to Me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after Me, cannot be My disciple (Luke 14:26-27)
Christians don’t desire to walk holy and righteous
Because of these false teachings, many Christians have become lukewarm and don’t have a desire to walk holy and righteous, just like Jesus walked holy and righteous.
Many Christians don’t want to be corrected or reproved by the Word and/or by other fellow Christians. They just want to live according to their own will, lust and desires. The acceptance of Jesus Christ and the idea that they will not go to hell, is sufficient to them. They will even confirm their acceptance through baptism, catechism, sacraments etc. and by attending church, but that’s all they will do (Read also: What is the meaning of baptism?).
Many people don’t want to go to hell, but they want to go to heaven, therefore they accept Jesus Christ. But there is no conviction of sin and no real repentance, since their lives remain the same.
If they truly repented then their lives would have changed and they would have turned away from sin and removed the sins from their lives.
There is no desire anymore, to change and grow up into the image of Christ and to walk in holiness and righteousness in the will of God.
Instead of people renewing their mind with the Word of God and become doers of the Word and are changed into the image of the Word, the Word has been changed and adjusted to the will, desires and lives of the people.
Many use the love of God and the grace of God to keep living in sin and to live their own lives instead of doing the will of God.
But the Word says, when you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, it literally means to die to self.
Your own will, your ‘self’ dies, when you accept Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Lord. You will lay down the old you, the old creation, and put on the new you, the new creation, and will walk after His will, and keep His commandments (Read also: The commandments of God vs the commandments of Jesus)
It is good to examine yourself on a daily basis, if you are in Christ and are led by His will and do His will or that you are still being led by your own will, doing what you want to do (Read also: Examine yourself whether you are in the faith).
Study the Bible to discern false prophets and not be deceived
You will get to know His will by reading and studying the Bible. When you study the Bible, He will speak to you through His Word. And when you believe His words and apply His words in your life, you shall be transformed into His image.
Through the Word you shall get to know the will of God and shall discern the false prophets.
One thing is for sure; we see an increase of deceptions in churches and we see that many Christians are deceived by these false prophets and their false doctrines. Many doctrines are inspired by the wisdom of man instead of being inspired by the Word and the Holy Ghost.
Yes, we see an increase of many false prophets, who speak according to the lust and desires of people.
Because of the fact that many Christians stay carnal and don’t study the Word of God themselves, many shall be deceived by false prophets.
Many believers shall be deceived by false prophets, because they are focused upon signs and wonders (Read also: ‘Following Jesus for the signs and wonders‘ and ‘A technical faith‘).
As soon as someone arises, and becomes famous because of his or her signs and wonders or testimony and enticing words and deceiving carnal doctrines, many believers immediately begin to walk after him or her, instead of examining if his or her doctrine lines up with the Word of God or not and if their lives line up with the Word of God.
There are many false prophets, who are carnal and do the works of the flesh. They act ‘spiritual’ in front of people and speak pious words but in reality they prophecy lies and live in sin. Many lie, commit adultery, fornication, they divorce, embezzle money, etc. Their fruits testify that they don’t belong to Jesus Christ and are not born of God, but they are sons of the devil, who please their flesh.
Believers, guard yourself, so that you will not be deceived by false prophets! Walk after the Spirit and stay faithful to Jesus Christ and keep walking in His will.
If you would like to know more about recognizing false prophets, I would like to direct you to the following article ‘How to recognize false prophets in our time?’
‘Be the salt of the earth’
