Likely Normal

As a Christian committed to the sufficiency of Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16-17), God instructs to carefully evaluate contemporary claims of prophecy and new revelation. While God certainly remains active in the world today, we must distinguish between genuine spiritual discernment and human imagination masquerading as divine communication.

The Bible establishes clear standards for prophecy. Deuteronomy 18:20-22 warns that false prophets must be held accountable, while 1 Thessalonians 5:21 instructs believers to “test everything.” Unlike biblical prophecy—which carried divine authority and required perfect accuracy—many modern “prophetic words” are often vague, unverifiable, or even contradictory to Scripture.

Several concerning patterns emerge in churches that emphasize ongoing revelation:

1. The Problem of Specificity – Many modern prophecies either state the obvious (“Someone here is struggling!”) or make highly specific claims that frequently fail to materialize. This stands in stark contrast to biblical prophecy’s precise fulfillment.

2. The Authority Question – When individuals claim “God told me…” they effectively place their words on par with Scripture. This dangerously blurs the line between biblical authority and human opinion.

3. The Sufficiency of Scripture – The impulse to seek new revelations often reflects an underlying dissatisfaction with God’s complete written Word. As Revelation 22:18-19 warns, we must neither add to nor subtract from what God has revealed.

4. The Testing Challenge – Many modern prophecy movements discourage critical examination of their claims, despite clear biblical commands to test all spiritual manifestations (1 John 4:1).

Rather than chasing after new revelations, we should focus on studying, obeying, and proclaiming the Scriptures we already possess. The Holy Spirit indeed illuminates God’s Word to believers (John 16:13), but this illumination helps us understand Scripture—it doesn’t add to it.

When we encounter claims of prophecy today, we should evaluate them carefully against Scripture, examine their fruit (Matthew 7:15-20), and remember that God’s complete revelation in Christ (Hebrews 1:1-2) is more than sufficient for life and godliness. The healthiest spiritual diet consists not of seeking new words, but of faithfully applying the Word we’ve already received.