I grew up in the Holiness and Pentecostal church. One particular Pentecostal branch or denomination which I was a young 17 year old licensed minister, majored in prophets and prophecies. Almost every guest preacher that would come to our church was either a prophet or they would prophesy to the congregation. I was amazed to see how so many people came to church when they knew a prophet was coming. Yet, on the other hand I also saw the many lies and inaccurate prophecies that were given and witnessed how people were manipulated in the church to give their money. After giving the money the prophecy of their "blessing" never happened. My mother and my aunt are two of those whom I witnessed this personally.
Now I will be honest about the fact that I do believe there are genuine prophets as well as their are those who operate consciously in the gift of prophecy. But they are few and there are fewer who stand in the office of the prophet. The prophet is a bishop or leader. A true prophet is a manager of God. He is qualified through a life of discipline, study, dedication, training and leadership. Prophets are like governors or mayors, they are qualified by their education (knowledge), experience, training & disciplines. The same way a politician, a corporate executive or any professional person must qualify to hold their office, God's standard is not any lower. God selects the qualified, which he anoints and they are the anointed. Anointed does not mean you just heard a voice from God. Anointed is equivalent to approved, qualified, trained, certified or licensed. Anointed means you are accountable and approved to do the work you are assigned to.
I spent years thinking that I had to stay in a certain denomination or church to get my full approval for ministry from God. Just to realize that God used one Pastor to appoint me, his successor to license me, my grandmother to ordain me and prophets to confirm me as a prophet. Now don't misunderstand me, it didn't all happen in a few years, but over a course of 10 years for me to really understand it all. And I did not quickly run out prophesying or trying to start a church. I understood very well how serious my calling was and I honored God and myself as i carried the weight and gift.
God has order and he will not violate divine order by just sending unqualified people who claim to be prophets to tell you how to govern your life. The following list of recognizing false prophets are only basic red flags. These red flags will always open the door for you to see the other red flags.
1.They try to get you to do something by telling you what God said.
God never speaks about your personal life without speaking to you first. God is a God of order and he never goes against your will. If God didn't speak to you about it, ignore it.
2. They are always having visions and hearing the voice of God.
Most people have the most visions and revelations when they are sleep. And we call them dreams. If a preacher or so called prophet is telling you about a vision he had, it was his dream. And if it was his dream, it was about him and for him. Keep in mind, most visions and dreams don't make sense and people can manipulate you by making up a vision to validate themselves as a prophet. Never put your life decisions in the hands of a man who had a personal vision for himself.
3. They emphasize money
True and righteous people don't manipulate you to give money. They ask you for a legitimate and right cause. Not so they can prosper. Money is a means that can be used to motivate people to think they can give it to a prophet or preacher and God will prosper them. This is a lie and avoid that person immediately, they are deceiving you.
4. Their personal lives don't reflect righteous living
A true prophet or messenger of God lives a righteous life. He has his own wife or two wives, so he has no need to have another mans wife. He works for his own money so he has no need to manipulate, scheme or steal money. God blesses him through his skillful gift, intellectual property and his creative ideas. He tries to live at peace with all and those he cant, he avoids them. A true prophet lives by truth, harmony, justice, order and balance.
5. They lack discipline that manifest in their body, their control and their speech.
A truly spiritual person has self control and a disciplined life. If one looks like they eat excessively and don't fast, chances are they lack discipline or self control. If they show signs of lacking emotional control by saying things out of anger or losing their temper. They are not mature or disciplined. Godly leaders are mature, trained and disciplined. Following a leader of such protects you from abuse and manipulation.
6. Their prophecies are very inaccurate
If the majority of what they are saying is not true, they are false prophets. If they lie to you, they are false. If the information they are telling you is what God is telling them, then you should ask "why would God be telling them first and not me?" And then ask, "Why would God be using him to tell me a personal prophecy in front of a public audience?" These are major red flags he is a false prophet.
7. They say and do things to PROVE they are a prophet
Imagine a bird keeps flying over your head back and forth and then lands on your shoulders and ask, "do you believe I'm a bird?" Never follow the direction of a so called prophet when he is trying to prove he is prophet, chances are, he is not.
©️ 2026 Danny Elijah Gilbert
7 Signs of a false prophet
By Bishop and prophet Danny Elijah