BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS
SATURDAY 26
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.”
Matthew 7:15 (NKJV)
READ: Matthew 7:15–20
Deception is one of the prevalent sins today, in fact, a lot of things that would be thought to be real would eventually be discovered to be AI’s work.
Many who profess to be of God are not. This is reason why the Bible says believers should test all spirits whether they are of God or not: BELOVED, DO NOT BELIEVE EVERY SPIRIT, BUT TEST THE SPIRITS, WHETHER THEY ARE OF GOD; BECAUSE MANY FALSE PROPHETS HAVE GONE OUT INTO THE WORLD (1 John 4:1).
Spirit of deception is reigning presently in the world. These false prophets operate through familiar spirit—
spirit of divination (1 Chronicles 10:23; Acts 16:16). They usually come in sheep clothing (Matthew 7:15), in order to deceive the simple minded ones or whoever would fall into their traps. But one thing is mentioned in the next verse to this, Matthew 7:16: YOU WILL KNOW THEM BY THEIR FRUITS.
No matter how someone fakes the identity of a child of God, if the person is not it, that is, if the person is not of
God, it will show. Fruit of who you are will expose you. A tree is known and identified by its fruit (Luke 6:43,44).
A mango tree might not be known, but when the fruit is out, you will know without doubt, this is a mango tree.
Fruit cannot be hidden!
If you are not a genuine believer, a child of God, it will show. Fruit which could be considered your character or attitude or your way of life cannot be hidden. It is like a smoke; when the doors and windows in a building are shut and there is smoke inside, it will soon show. People will easily get to know that there is smoke in the building, it cannot be covered or hidden.
Who you are cannot be covered or hidden! An African adage says your character is like a smoke, you cannot cover it, it will reveal who you are!
Even if you try to do that, cover who you are, by deceiving people through sweet words; it would soon be known that
you are fake. Your outlook does not matter, who you are on your inside will soon show outside. Jesus in the passage
says such prophets are ravenous or voracious wolves (Matthew 7:15). Such are ready to devour their victims.
In the verse 16 of that same Matthew 7: Jesus says men do not gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles.
A good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree cannot bear good fruit (Matthew 7:17,18). What makes you a good tree
that bears good fruit is salvation through Christ Jesus. When you are born again, you have the potential to bear
good fruit because you have been born of God and the seed of God is in you (1 John 3:9).
A child of God can be differentiated through their practices—how they live their lives (Malachi 3:8). A child of God will practice righteousness whilst a child of the devil will practice sin or unrighteousness (1 John 3:10).
Now, a tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and be thrown into the fire (Matthew 7:19). If you are good, you cannot bear bad fruits, and if you are bad, you cannot bear good fruits (Matthew 7:18).
If I may ask:
• What fruit are you bearing?
• Are you born-again at all?
To avoid being cut down and thrown into the fire, accept Jesus as your Saviour and Lord today—tomorrow might be too late (2 Corinthians 6:1,2).
NOTE If you accepted Christ Jesus as your Saviour and Lord, your life would be changed and transformed (2 Corinthians 5:17). In addition, Matthew 12:33 says a tree can be made good and its fruit be good, while a tree can also be made bad and its fruit be bad.
In other words, your life can be made good and be made to bear good fruit through the feeding on the Word of
God and the practising of it (Psalm 1:1–3; James 1:22–25).
Your feeding on the word of God transforms your mind (Romans 12:2) and you begin to bring forth good fruits (Matthew 12:35). Through the feeding on God’s word, you can have a good treasure in your heart that will cause you to produce good fruit: FOR OUT OF THE ABUNDANCE OF THE HEART THE MOUTH SPEAKS (Matthew 12:34).
The point being made is that even if you are a bad tree, bearing bad fruit; you can be made good according to that
Matthew 12:33. When you open up to receive the word of God, after your being reborn, you tend to have good
treasure in your heart which will cause you to bear good fruit (Matthew 12:34,35).
Your case is not close before God, even if you are considered a bad tree that is bearing a bad fruit, you can be changed to a good tree that is bearing a good fruit—take a step now, tomorrow might be too late.
Be born again and open up your heart to receive the Word of God for your transformation and growth and
fruitfulness (John 3:3–5; 15:1–5; Romans 12:2).
Peace.
Reflect:
• Beyond their clothing, what is the fruit of the prophets you listen to?
• Have you become a follower of a prophet instead of a follower of Christ?
The Edification Daily Devotional for September 2026 is here!
Get your Free Copy right here: https://t.me/Bethel_Digital_Library/50
Do share this with others as well! 🙏