PASTOR RAS: I have something I want to ask you. I know a person who is being trained to be a prophet. He came to me with a word supposedly from the Lord. However, because of self-centeredness or self-glorifying the word seemed disqualified. I am sure he believed the word was from the Lord yet, the word seemed a little contaminated. Do Prophets ever miss? How is an individual to judge that? What is an individual to do who has received a prophecy that really was not accurate?

Accuracy of a prophet is one of the first areas in which he or she will be tested. Only then will his or her prophetic mantle be recognized.

PROPHET KENT: Those are good questions. First, I would like to point out that Prophets do sometimes misunderstand what the Holy Spirit is saying. They sometimes want to add to the word the Holy Spirit has given through them. It is an easy thing to do. Even John, who wrote the book of Revelations, was warned not to add to or subtract from the words given in the prophecy, lest the plagues written therein be added to him. The individual who prophesies must have a great understanding of the Holy Spirit. It is not enough to hear The Holy Spirit you must know what He means, for The Lord’s thoughts are not our thoughts nor His ways our ways. (Isaiah 55:8) Accuracy of a prophet is one of the first areas in which he or she will be tested. Only then will his or her prophetic mantle be recognized.

A prophet must never be arrogant or desire self-edification. He must never appear to be building his own kingdom but rather the Kingdom of God. The gifts of the Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers are given for perfecting of the saints. (Ephesians 4:11) They will bring us all to a measure of the fullness of Christ, that the whole body may be joined and knit together. When every joint is working effectively by doing its share it causes growth to the Body. A prophet must come with a heart ready to minister to the saints in love, desiring to see their situation change for good. He will want to seek the face of God for them that they may be delivered from hindrances and bondage’s that hold them. Prophets are merely servants who serve the body of Christ.

In answering your question of what to do when you receive an inaccurate word, as I said earlier in this interview, if an individual receives a word from a prophet and it does not come to pass do not fear him, he spoke presumptuously. God is not going to punish you because you received a word that was wrong which you thought came from a true prophet of the Lord. God is quite capable of dealing with anyone who knowingly gives a false word. I would not want to be in his or her shoes!