I Speak for God

Judging Prophets and Prophecy

By: Don Pirozok

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

The claim “I speak for God” has become one of the most dangerous distortions within portions of the modern Charismatic and prophetic movement. While Scripture clearly teaches that the Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts—including prophecy, exhortation, and words of encouragement—the Bible never authorizes modern believers to place their own words on the same level as the infallible voice of God. When individuals declare that their personal impressions, visions, or predictions are the direct speech of God, they step into territory the Scriptures treat with the utmost seriousness and warning.
Throughout the Bible, speaking in God’s name falsely is treated as a grave offense. In Deuteronomy 18:20, God warns: “But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak… even that prophet shall die.” This passage demonstrates how seriously God regards anyone who presumes divine authority over their own words. In ancient Israel, the prophet was not someone who merely had spiritual impressions or emotional experiences; the prophet spoke with absolute accuracy and divine commission. If the message failed, it proved the speaker had spoken presumptuously.
This is precisely where many modern prophetic claims diverge from biblical standards. In some circles today, individuals casually preface statements with phrases such as “God told me,” “The Lord showed me,” or “Thus says the Lord.” Yet when the predictions fail, the explanation is often that the prophecy was “conditional,” misunderstood, symbolic, or influenced by human interpretation. This practice effectively lowers the biblical standard of prophecy and creates a culture where mistakes in claiming divine revelation are tolerated, even normalized.
The New Testament does affirm that believers may prophesy, but the nature of this gift is very different from claiming to speak infallibly for God. 1 Corinthians 14:3 describes prophecy primarily as speech that brings “edification, exhortation, and comfort.” Paul also commands that prophetic speech be tested and judged by others. In 1 Corinthians 14:29, he writes, “Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.” This instruction immediately shows that New Testament prophecy operates under accountability and discernment, not unquestionable authority.
If someone truly “speaks for God” in the absolute sense, there would be nothing to judge, test, or evaluate. God’s word is already perfect and cannot be corrected. Yet Paul assumes that prophetic speech in the church must be weighed carefully because human fallibility remains present. This distinction is crucial. The early church did not accept every spiritual claim uncritically; rather, they tested such claims against apostolic teaching and the written Word.
The danger of claiming divine authority over personal impressions is that it silences correction. When a leader says, “I believe the Lord may be leading us,” there is room for discussion and discernment. But when someone declares, “God told me,” disagreement can be portrayed as resisting God Himself. This creates an unhealthy environment where leaders become spiritually untouchable, and followers may feel pressured to submit to questionable guidance.
The apostle John specifically warned believers about this danger. 1 John 4:1 states: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” John does not assume prophetic claims are automatically genuine. Instead, he commands believers to examine them carefully. This warning remains profoundly relevant today.