Every single sentence in your post deserves to be addressed, but I want to focus on the little clip above. Right in the middle of talking about discerning words (and we all at least mentally agree that spiritual discernment comes from the spirit of a man, not the opinions), you said, "I would imagine she is the type..." We can agree that since you are now imagining (i.e. guessing, following a hunch, employing human reasoning), your imaginations have to, in light of the superior biblical method, be automatically relegated to the waste basket. You said that you can see that this woman "is the type that blurts out anything that comes to her mind and thinks it is God talking to her." Your prophetic vision seems to soar even higher as you say, "When confronted by a pastor... after she has gone on and on in a church service, she probably even says, 'Yeah, sorry... it was God.'"
In the above two statements alone, you seem to be employing some unique and amazing gifts in the ability to discern this woman's heart and motives from a distance and also see her life from a distance (just like Jesus saw Nathanael while in another location-- a unique spiritual gift not explained or seen often in the NT). The bigger issue, Highwayman, is the issue of the heart: why do we care to correct others? Why do we care to be share our views? It's easy to point out everyone who is doing something wrong; but we would have to point at everyone including ourselves. When we pick and choose who is doing it wrong or right, who we will follow and who we will reject, we are wrong ourselves automatically: "When one says, 'I am of Paul' and another says, 'I am of Apollos', are you not carnal" (1Cor. 3:4). Many of you on this site want to come across as authorities on a matter and want others to listen but cannot listen yourselves. You said of the lady, "This woman needs some guidance and training in true prophetic ministry." From everything else you said, it appears apparent that you're saying that in a condescending way. To say it from a view of Grace takes on completely different overall wording.
Every single sentence in your post deserves to be addressed, but I want to focus on the little clip above. Right in the middle of talking about discerning words (and we all at least mentally agree that spiritual discernment comes from the spirit of a man, not the opinions), you said, "I would imagine she is the type..." We can agree that since you are now imagining (i.e. guessing, following a hunch, employing human reasoning), your imaginations have to, in light of the superior biblical method, be automatically relegated to the waste basket. You said that you can see that this woman "is the type that blurts out anything that comes to her mind and thinks it is God talking to her." Your prophetic vision seems to soar even higher as you say, "When confronted by a pastor... after she has gone on and on in a church service, she probably even says, 'Yeah, sorry... it was God.'"
In the above two statements alone, you seem to be employing some unique and amazing gifts in the ability to discern this woman's heart and motives from a distance and also see her life from a distance (just like Jesus saw Nathanael while in another location-- a unique spiritual gift not explained or seen often in the NT). The bigger issue, Highwayman, is the issue of the heart: why do we care to correct others? Why do we care to be share our views? It's easy to point out everyone who is doing something wrong; but we would have to point at everyone including ourselves. When we pick and choose who is doing it wrong or right, who we will follow and who we will reject, we are wrong ourselves automatically: "When one says, 'I am of Paul' and another says, 'I am of Apollos', are you not carnal" (1Cor. 3:4). Many of you on this site want to come across as authorities on a matter and want others to listen but cannot listen yourselves. You said of the lady, "This woman needs some guidance and training in true prophetic ministry." From everything else you said, it appears apparent that you're saying that in a condescending way. To say it from a view of Grace takes on completely different overall wording.
Sorry if I do not sugar coat, someone acting like a prophet. Grace and love is sometimes about as user friendly as sandpaper on skin and most in the body today cannot handle agape love that is in your face and demands correction. hard agape love does not violate any part of 1 Cor 13. Trust me, it is not said in a condescending manner.
She would be counseled in love and taught that this Old testament gloom and doom, actually violates 1 Cor 14. Exhorting is not condemning nor spreading confusion and fear. Exhortation involves encouraging one, even to the point of possible correction, but it never pronounces judgement on a person, place, thing or idea. God does not use the prophetic under the new covenant, to pronounce judgement any more, because we have the Bible.
The easiest test you should start using in this regard is this.
Does what anyone say, that claims it is prophetic, line up with the word of God?
If not, it is not of God, period.
Another test,
Is the prophetic word given, a confirmation to the individual or individuals the word is directed to?
This means the Holy Spirit has already spoken to you and that the word given to you lines up with the word of God and bears witness with your spirit man.
Understanding how to Judge prophecy and try the Spirits also involves understanding the difference in and the operation of the Spiritual Gifts found in 1 Cor 12 and even the ministry/motive gifts found in Romans 12.
For example and I was a witness to this one.
Earlier this year and after a revival service one night I was with my Pastor, who preached the service. My Pastor asked the host church Pastor, who he is very good friends with, and who he had not spoken to for 5 days prior to the service,if we could all 3 be alone for a few minutes. We went into the host pastors office and my Pastor asked the host Pastor if he needed prayer of agreement for healing for the stage 4 bone cancer diagnosis the other pastor had received 3 days prior to the service
He immediately broke down and we prayed with him for about an hour. It was confirmed that my Pastor did not know a thing about the diagnosis, but it was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit.
SO given that, let me ask you this.
Did my Pastor Prophesy to the host Pastor? was my Pastor used in the gift of word of knowledge, or did my pastor lie outright and knew about this Friends condition all along and just wanted to impress me?
I hope this helps, I am sure we will speak more about this.
