Judging the Prophetic

In today's day and age, the word "judge" or "judging" typically gets a bad rap. Many associate it with being judgmental and all around negativity. Yet if one were to turn to Scripture, the word "judging" has a very different connotation. The Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2:15 that "he who is spiritual judges all things," and in Philippians 1:9, "that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment..." (KJV). While many are quick to run to "Judge not, that you be not judged" as stated in Matthew 7, meanwhile happily ignoring the rest of the chapter, Scripture holds righteous, godly judgment in an extremely high regard. When we use the synonym "discernment," however, our guards are let down and we admit how often we do (or should) utilize this God-given muscle. The gift of discernment which is available to all believers is often scripturally utilized in the context of prophetic ministry and Lord knows it is sorely lacking in our modern Church Age! In 1 Corinthians 14:29 Paul writes, "Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge," and we all know the King James Version of 1 John 4:1 which states, "try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." The Apostle Peter taught us that no prophecy is for private interpretation, and yet that is a problem we see all too often today. Prophecy is not for private interpretation. It is not for unscriptural interpretation, spiritual abuse, feel-good words, or warm fuzzies. It is an utterance available to all believers, a gift to many, and an office for the governing of the Church to some. It is for the edification of the Body. In this day and age of of flimsy, inaccurate, soulish, and psychic attempts; of aversion and perversion; we must restore order to this most valuable gift in the Body of Christ. We must become students of judging the prophetic. **NEWLY REFORMATTED**