Page 168 - Foundations

unlawful in God’s sight. They had not been sent by God to prophesy these messages. Lawlessness is
the condition of being out from under authority. It is doing or speaking something of one’s own
initiative, rather than being subject to the rule of God.

These spirits, and the people they were speaking through, were prophesying. I am certain that the
servant girl who was bringing much profit to her masters was declaring many amazing things about
people that proved to be true. At times this may have included speaking about future events in a
person’s life that would come to pass. The Bible reveals that evil spirits can impart supernatural
information to people in imitation of the work of the Holy Spirit. This in no way negates the
legitimacy of prophecy and words of knowledge as divine gifts bequeathed to the body of Christ.

I Corinthians 12:8-11
For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge
according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the
one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the
distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of
tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just
as He wills.

Like Agabus, those individuals who lawfully use the gifts are able to bring much benefit to the people
of God. We would err if we were to condemn all supernatural words of prophecy within the body of
Christ simply because Satan has a counterfeit gift. Sadly, many who proclaim to be Christians are
prophesying under the influence of unclean spirits. For this reason, discernment must be exercised
among Christians. We are commanded to “test the spirits”

I John 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because
many false prophets have gone out into the world.

There are many pastors, churches, and entire denominations that reject the gift of prophecy among
the body of Christ. Doctrines have been embraced that declare the gifts of the Spirit to have ended
when the Bible was canonized. This rejection of prophecy is not in accordance with the mind of
Christ. If a famine were to occur in our day, as it did in the days of Barnabus and Saul, the Bible
would not inform us of it, but the Spirit of Christ speaking through a gifted prophet could. The Bible
was never intended to be a replacement for the Spirit of Christ. It is just one more means by which
the Holy Spirit communicates the mind of God to mankind. Christians should value the Scriptures
while being careful not to quench the Spirit by refusing to let Him speak through other means.

I Thessalonians 5:19-20
Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances.

Those who reject the gift of prophecy among the body of Christ are quenching the Spirit. They are
effectually saying, “We will not permit the Spirit of Christ to communicate to us through this means.
We will only allow the Spirit to speak to us through the Scriptures.” In the same way, Christians who
reject the starry hosts as a form of divine communication are quenching the Spirit. Out of fear for