BUT NOT EVERY SPIRITUAL-SOUNDING VOICE COMES FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT. NOT EVERY PERSON WHO SAYS "GOD TOLD ME" WAS SENT BY GOD. NOT EVERY PREDICTION IS PROPHECY. NOT EVERY MANIFESTATION IS DIVINE.

IT IS ONE THING TO REJECT PROPHETIC MANIPULATION AND QUITE ANOTHER TO QUENCH THE SPIRIT. THE WORD TEACHES US:

When there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but the one who keeps the law, blessed is he!
PROVERBS 29:18 (NET)

TRUE PROPHECY DOES NOT LEAD PEOPLE AWAY FROM THE WORD: IT BRINGS THEM BACK TO THE WORD.

19 Don't stifle the Spirit. 20 Don't despise prophecies, 21 but test all things. Hold on to what is good.
1 THESSALONIANS 5:19-21 (CSB)

14 But the Lord said to me, "These prophets are prophesying a lie in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, worthless divination, the deceit of their own minds.
JEREMIAH 14:14 (CSB)
 
THE HOLY SPIRIT IS STILL SPEAKING. GOD IS STILL INTERESTED IN US. CHRIST IS STILL REVEALING HIS PLANS FOR HIS CHURCH.

27 In those days some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them, named Agabus, stood up and predicted by the Spirit that there would be a severe famine throughout the Roman world. This took place during the reign of Claudius.
ACTS 11:27-28 (CSB)

10 After we had been there for several days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 He came to us, took Paul's belt, tied his own feet and hands, and said, "This is what the Holy Spirit says: 'In this way the Jews in Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him over to the Gentiles.'" 12 When we heard this, both we and the local people pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul replied, "What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." 14 Since he would not be persuaded, we said no more except, "The Lord's will be done."
ACTS 21:10-14 (CSB)

AGABUS DIDN'T SHOW UP TO WRITE A GOSPEL OR THE NEXT NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER. HE CAME TO PREPARE THE CHURCH FOR WHAT WAS COMING.

TRUE PROPHECY DOES NOT FOCUS ATTENTION ON THE PROPHET. IT DIRECTS ATTENTION TOWARD GOD AND MOBILIZES THE BODY TO ACCOMPLISH HIS WILL.

THE WORD WITHOUT THE DIRECTION OF THE SPIRIT CAN BECOME MERE INFORMATION, JUST AS THE SPIRIT WITHOUT THE WORD CAN BECOME DISORDERED EMOTION.
 
THE PROPHETIC WORD DOES NOT MERELY EXCITE YOU; IT MOBILIZES YOU.
 
WE WANT PROPHECIES THAT PROMISE US THINGS, BUT NOT PROPHECIES THAT ASSIGN US A MISSION.

SOME PEOPLE RECEIVE THE MESSAGE, BUT THEY ARE NOT IMMEDIATELY TRANSFORMED. SOME PEOPLE COME TO CHRIST BUT CONTINUE PRACTICING THE SAME OLD WAYS THEY FOLLOWED BEFORE CHRIST—JUST LIKE SIMON.

18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, 19 saying, "Give me this power also so that anyone I lay hands on may receive the Holy Spirit." 20 But Peter told him, "May your silver be destroyed with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! 21 You have no part or share in this matter, because your heart is not right before God.
ACTS 8:18-21 (CSB)
 
THE GIFT OF GOD IS NOT FOR SALE. YOU CANNOT BUY AN ANOINTING. YOU CANNOT BARGAIN FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT. YOU CANNOT PROFIT BY MANIPULATING SOMEONE’S PAIN. YOU CANNOT USE THE VULNERABILITY OF GOD’S PEOPLE TO BUILD YOUR PLATFORM.

WE CANNOT ALLOW PEOPLE LIKE SIMON TO ROB US OF THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT. WE CANNOT SURRENDER PROPHETIC GROUND TO MANIPULATORS. WE CANNOT ABANDON WHAT GOD ESTABLISHED SIMPLY BECAUSE OTHERS HAVE PERVERTED IT.

NOT EVERYONE WHO SPEAKS THE RIGHT THING  HAS THE RIGHT SPIRIT.

THE GOSPEL DOES NOT NEED A DEMON-POSSESSED VOICE TO VALIDATE IT. CHRIST DOES NOT NEED THE ENDORSEMENT OF DIVINATION. THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL NOT SHARE HIS GLORY WITH DARKNESS.

PROPHETIC MATURITY IS NOT ABOUT SAYING, "GOD TOLD ME AND NO ONE CAN QUESTION ME." PROPHETIC MATURITY SAYS, "THIS IS WHAT I AM SENSING OR “SEEING” THE LORD SHOWING; LET'S EXAMINE IT IN THE LIGHT OF THE WORD."
   
DIVINATION FEEDS YOUR CURIOSITY; BUT PROPHECY MOVES YOU TO OBEDIENCE.
 
WE NEED MEN AND WOMEN FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, SATURATED WITH THE WORD, LIVING WITH INTEGRITY, AND CARRYING A HEART THAT LOVES PEOPLE