How to test the spirits and identify false preachers

Question

The word of God says, "Dear friends, 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" 1 John 4:1

Many televangelist claiming miracles happening and professing the name of Jesus. Some have claimed they witnessed terminally ill people get healed etc. There has been some high profile preachers from around the world who have been accused of staging miracles and preaching the gospel of prosperity for their own gain. What is the way to test whether they are false prophets taking care not to touch the Lord's anointed? I went through a similar post How do we identify false teachers? but am concerned with teachers who say they are doing it in the name of Jesus.

Answer 1

The Bible gives several ways.

One of the easiest is if their predictions don't come true:

When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him (Deuteronomy 18:22).

Another is if they speak contrary to Scripture:

And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? 20 To the Law and to the Testimony: if they speak not according to this Word, it is because there is no Light in them" (Isaiah 8:19-20).

and

But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:8)

Along the same vein, if you know your Scripture, you'll know what Christ-Like behavior and attitudes are, and will be able to use your malarkey detector to sniff them out.

You will know them by their fruit. Grapes aren't gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles, are they? (Matthew 7:16)