Discerning the Prophetic Voice
When you prophesy, do you wait for the Lord to give you the words, or do you simply speak what is on your heart?
At first, I assumed most people would choose the “speak from the heart” option because it sounds warm, spiritual, and sincere. But as I sat with it, the Holy Spirit began exposing a dangerous deception. Our culture tells us to “follow your heart,” but Scripture paints a very different picture of that internal compass.
The Problem: The Deceitful Navigator
Many believers wrestle with what I call Prophetic Static. You feel an urge, you see a “vision” in your mind’s eye, and you’re ready to release a “Thus saith the Lord.” But here’s the tension:
How many times have we seen people prophesy things that were nothing more than their own political opinions, personal desires, or—worse—lying divinations?
The solution isn’t to stop prophesying. The solution is to learn the spiritual skill of dividing soul from spirit. Without that, we risk becoming like the prophets Jeremiah warned about.
The Scriptural Warning Against the Heart
We often treat the heart like it’s a field of daisies and butterflies, but Jeremiah gives a sobering warning:
“How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart.”
— Jeremiah 23:26 KJV
Think about that. They were called “prophets,” yet the source of their message was the deceit of their own heart. They weren’t necessarily malicious—they were deceived by their own inner workings.
Earlier, the Lord said:
“The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not… they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination… and the deceit of their heart.”
— Jeremiah 14:14 KJV
I’ve had to examine myself on this. There were times I wanted to speak something encouraging simply because I liked someone. But was that God—or was that just Conrad? Sometimes obedience looks like staying silent until the Lord truly speaks.
The Supernatural Mimic
In conversations with believers like Stephen Barrett and Donna Reinners, we’ve talked about the reality of lying divinations. Ezekiel addressed this clearly:
“They have seen vanity and a lying divination, saying, The Lord saith: and the Lord hath not sent them…”
— Ezekiel 13:6 KJV
Just because something is supernatural doesn’t mean it’s from the Holy Spirit.
If you visualize a cat on a table right now, you can “see” it—but you created it. Some prophetic people are seeing things in the spirit realm that are actually projections of demons or their own soulish desires, and they mistake it for God’s voice.
Personal Reflections: When Jesus Corrected Me
There was a season when I thought every persistent thought was a “fire shut up in my bones.” But Jesus began showing me that the natural heart is a factory for things that are not Him.
“For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.”
— Matthew 15:19 KJV
If that’s what naturally flows from the heart, how can we trust it?
We can’t—unless the heart is being washed and purified by the Word.
I realized I had to stop being a “disciple of television” and start being a disciple of Scripture. What we feed our eyes becomes what fills our hearts. If you watch the news all day, your “prophecies” will sound like the news. If you hide the Word in your heart, your words will begin to sound like Him.
The Secret to Mature Discernment
So how do we learn to tell the difference between God’s voice and our own imagination?
It comes down to maturity and practice.
“But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”
— Hebrews 5:14 KJV
Discernment grows through use. When I speak a word of knowledge and it hits the mark, I “calibrate” my spirit. I learn what God’s voice feels like compared to my own thoughts.
It’s like a horse in a corral—the Holy Spirit will never jump outside the fence of Scripture.
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful… dividing asunder of soul and spirit… and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
— Hebrews 4:12 KJV
Key Takeaways
- The heart is deceitful: Don’t assume a thought is from God just because it feels spiritual.
- Wash with the Word: A pure heart is essential for clear hearing.
- Exercise your senses: Discernment grows through practice.
- Test the source: Does the word point to Jesus—or to the person speaking?
Conclusion
The goal isn’t to be “prophetic.”
The goal is to be accurate.
We want to be the sheep who truly know the Shepherd’s voice. If you’re unsure, wait. Let the Word of God divide soul from spirit until only truth remains.
Action Items
- Audit your input: Fast from media for three days and replace it with KJV Scripture to wash your heart.
- Practice silence: When you feel a “word,” pause for 60 seconds and ask the Holy Spirit if it’s from Him or from your own heart.
- Study the Corral: Memorize one new KJV verse daily to strengthen your scriptural boundaries.
- Connect: Join the conversation at ConradRocks.net and check out my books Open Your Eyes and Overcoming Night Terror to sharpen your spiritual sight.
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