The prophet's handbook

False prophecy is a lie, because only God is true. It is the sum of the devil’s dark, egotistical imagination. It is error because it seeks to interject the counterfeit into God’s ordinances. Even people who are unaware of Satan’s use of them can be unwittingly used by him to prophesy falsely. The prophets of old encountered this and were permitted by God to understand why. They learned how, like false prophets, unwitting souls too were moved by their own hearts. Greed, vanity, bribes, selfishness, and covetousness all inspired them to surrender their members as instruments of unrighteousness to do the devil’s bidding. Even emotionalism can serve as a solid conduit for false prophecy. The promised reward of the pleasures of sin is another. Therefore, rash, impulsive, indulgent, impatient, and egotistical types are very inclined to make ready vessels of false prophecy occasionally or consistently. Their penchant for private interpretation, bias, and subjective reasoning all contribute to their being effectively used by seducing spirits. Covetous, greedy, insatiable, and glory seeking people make reliable ministers of false prophecy. The first major false prophet the Bible records, aside from the serpent in the garden, is Lamech. (See Genesis 4:16–24.) He interjected what amounts to justifiable homicide and bigamy into the culture of man outside of what evolved from Cain’s city, which he built to rival his father’s. Around this time, especially after Cain’s banishment, false religion (worldly religion) began to flourish; and since that time, false prophecy has prospered and grown to be the vast institution it is today. Currently the branches of the tree of false doctrine are numerous, targeting everything from the planets and stars to the earth and animals. Every kingdom of God’s creation has been integrated in some kind of worthless ritual for false religion. The deviant doctrines seem to be as plentiful as the tongues of the nations. Yet the genuine prophet can rest assured he or she has the capacity to discern even the most subtle deceptions and refute them, thereby protecting the flock of God. The only way to do this is by studying to become an approved worker of the Lord Jesus Christ, one who rightly divides His words of truth. However, false prophecy can, and often does, prosper successfully in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. (See Acts 20:24–32.) This is mostly because there are those who relish private interpretation and wander easily off the path of truth, defining Scripture to suit their own ends. Modern-day false prophets or demonic messengers are known as psychics, clairvoyants, fortune-tellers, tarot readers, mystics, and spiritualists. It is hard to miss them as the airwaves and media are now flooded with their advertisements and messages. They have become popular because they offer something people