Discernment When a Man Says God Spoke, Should You Believe Him?

David · Feb 20, 2026

One passage that always stands out to me here is ~1 John 4:1, “try the spirits whether they are of God.” That sounds clear, but in real life it can feel uncomfortable when someone confidently says God told them something.

Do you immediately compare what they said with Scripture? Do you ask questions? Or do you stay quiet to avoid conflict?

I’m curious how you personally handle those moments, and which passages guide you when you have to discern whether a message is truly from God or just someone’s impression.

bobinfaith · Feb 20, 2026

Hello David;

When a Man Says God Spoke, Should You Believe Him? is a good topic for discussion. I deal with this often and would like to share my experience.

I'll get back to you soon and thank you for starting this thread.

God bless you.

Bob

bobinfaith · Feb 21, 2026

Good morning, David;

You post an important thread that every Christian should ponder in our growing discipleship and relationship with Christ.

I take what I've learned and experienced when others proclaimed, "God spoke to me" whether a spiritual gift, prophetic or wisdom discernment.

As you shared in 1 John 4:1, 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. - NIV

In your post you wrote; So are we to accept every claim that God has spoken? Scripture answers plainly: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God” ~1 John 4:1. Testing is not unbelief. Testing is obedience. The standard is never the confidence of the speaker but the agreement of the message with what God has already revealed. “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 8:20.

Our testimony experience of believing in him/her

1 John 4:1 reminded me of the late Harold Camping. At the time I thought to myself, do I entertain (conform) to this local Christian radio host and evangelist? He had listeners who listened and believed.
But something didn't sound or feel right in my heart. Camping's prophetic statement of Jesus returning and the end of the world didn't happen. He mocked Jesus as well as his other same predictions which also failed in the past.

In Romans 12:2, 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. - NIV

The world's definition of wisdom has failed left and right. In 1 Corinthians 1:18-20, 18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate. 20 Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? - NIV

Harold Camping last prediction was in 2011. He died end of 2013. Yet Jesus is still alive and stand by His prediction. I choose Jesus.

1 John 4:1 and Romans 12:2 are two passages that speak to me from discipline of reading, learning and knowing the Bible (within my capacity) and God does the rest for us.

So, should we believe Him, or him/her? We're not going to get it right every time as only God is in charge of every outcome. He sees the individual heart who try the spirits for His Glory. He sees all those who are earnestly discerning and testing whether we are believing Him or him/her.

There's more. God is faithful and helps us distinguish between Him or him/her. Here is my personal testimony of this.

Our personal experience and testimony of believing Him

During 2019 my wife and I prayed to God regarding a personal decision whether to retire in our second home in Arizona or our first home in California. The original prices totaling both was a good purchase price during those times, the first home 35 years ago and the second 20 years ago, respectively. Enjoying the "American dream" of two homes was hard to give up. The neighborhood in Arizona was an ideal and safe place to retire for the rest of our lives, but our house was "under water" in the market for some time.

By 2020 California was deteriorating and many residents were leaving the state. We felt the same and logically at the time it made sense for us to leave. Owning a home in the SF Bay Area had become so expensive especially the utility expenses.

This became a growing dilemma instead of enjoying a double blessing.

We sought God first and what He would say as we laid our requests to Him. He opened the door in making our decision and guided us. We sold our house in Arizona (in less than a month!) and paid down the mortgage. When we decided to keep and manage the expenses at our first home, at the same time our personal debt ratio reduced to almost 0% at retirement!

Most important, in 2022 God led me into a new direction in ministry. He made it obvious Jesus is so far away in disbelief for the majority population and this is where He would lead me to continue serving Him.

Hazel and I just spoke about this experience. We truly believe this is God who revealed to us what to do. She also added that our decision was prompted by the Holy Spirit which gave her and me peace. We sleep at night and haven't looked back since 2019.

Going forward when a man says god spoke, or God spoke

When I come across a believer, a cultist or politician, I don't have other remedies, only what God's Word says and teaches us. I'm not quick to respond when a man says god spoke, but will listen, take a step back and seek what God says.

This doesn't mean we get it right everytime. We'll make errors or need to stand corrected. But this where God guides us during the "lessons learned" process of trying the spirit. God is building us up.

When we look back to Moses, Aaron, Joshua, Saul, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Paul, Peter (especially Peter,) doubting Thomas, etc...all of them fell short exposing their weaknesses. It's those times in Scripture we also read how God reveals His strength and got them (and us) through it all.

For everyone else in this topic. Please respond. I'm open to any correction for continued understanding and further learning. This is not an easy peasy part of building up for Christ. There are lessons.

God bless everyone.

Bob

David · Feb 21, 2026

Bob, I enjoyed your post. I absolutely believe in God’s providential guidance in the life of every believer. Scripture is clear that He is actively directing our steps. “A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps” ~Proverbs 16:9. That is real. God is not distant. He governs our lives.

I just wanted to point out that there is a big difference between God’s providential guidance and new revelation that people try to add to what the bible says.

Providence is God ruling over circumstances, shaping desires, opening and closing doors, aligning decisions with His written Word. That is different from claiming God has given new words with divine authority. Scripture says we are already “throughly furnished unto all good works” ~2 Timothy 3:16-17. That means the written Word is sufficient.

And this is something I have learned personally. God is not bashful. When He wants us to move in a direction, He is fully capable of making that clear through His providence. We do not need someone else claiming, “God told me you should do this.”

I have had several people tell me they think God wants me to do something. But it was obvious that what they really meant was that they wanted me to do it. That is a big difference. But when someone says, “God told me you need to do this,” they are no longer just giving advice. They are attaching God’s authority to their opinion. That puts pressure on your conscience. It can make you feel like disobeying them is disobeying God.

When God intends to direct my steps, He is more than able to do it Himself and has often. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD” ~Psalm 37:23. He does not need a middleman to override His own providence.

I do believe in God’s guidance and need it all the time. But we must keep that guidance under Scripture and never confuse it with new revelation or allow others to elevate their preferences to the voice of God.

God bless,
David

Yesua888 · Feb 22, 2026

David said:
Hi David, thank you for taking the trouble to educate us; this is very good!
Another great Bible Study:

However, there are two bible verses that have always intrigued me (regarding End Times):

I have cut and pasted your verses David ... because I was battling to insert my words (think I know what I was doing wrong!)

Joel 2:28 (NIV): “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.”
Acts 2:17 (NIV): “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.”

So I have kept an open mind ...
However I am still learning "discernment" which I guess has many "fascets" ... therefore it is vital that we keep our eyes on the ball : )

Good warning:
Then the Lord exposed the reality: “I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’… yet I did not send them or command them” ~Jeremiah 23:25,32. The danger was not open rebellion. The danger was false certainty in God’s name.

This is an important one:
God immediately gives the test. “Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let him who has my word speak my word faithfully. The standard is never the confidence of the speaker but the agreement of the message with what God has already revealed. “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 8:20.

Absolutely right:
So are we to accept every claim that God has spoken? Scripture answers plainly: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God” ~1 John 4:1. Testing is not unbelief. Testing is obedience.

I guess the first two verses that I quoted do not cancel the following out?

Does God still give new revelation today?

2 Timothy 3:16–17 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Yes agreed, any professed "prophet" should be "seriously" aware of this:

The seriousness of claiming new revelation becomes clear when God warns, “The prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak… even that prophet shall die” ~Deuteronomy 18:20. Speaking for God without His authorization is presenting human authority as divine authority.

How should a believer respond?

If it merely repeats Scripture, then Scripture already carries the authority, not the speaker.
If it adds to Scripture, it exceeds what God has revealed.
If it contradicts Scripture, it is false.

I think that this is a difficult "discernment" to apply ...

David said:
Discussion

Have you ever heard someone say “God told me”?
According to the passages above, what should a believer do when hearing that?

How do we address these two verses from the Bible:

Joel 2:28 (NIV): “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.”
Acts 2:17 (NIV): “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.”

These passages emphasize that in the End Times, God’s Spirit will be poured out on all people, enabling sons and daughters (young and old) to prophesy, see visions, and dream dreams, signifying a widespread spiritual awakening. The fulfillment of this prophecy is cited by Peter in Acts 2:16–21 as occurring on the day of Pentecost: "No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: “ ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

Worthy of Discussion, I believe ...

David · Feb 22, 2026

Yesua888 said:
Worthy of Discussion, I believe ...

This is a good discussion. Peter himself tells us how to understand Joel. In Acts 2:16 he says, “This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel.” In other words, Pentecost was not random. It was fulfillment. The Spirit was poured out. Men and women spoke as the Spirit gave utterance. That was the beginning of what Joel foretold.

Notice what happened immediately after. The apostles did not begin adding new doctrine to Scripture outside of what Christ had already taught. They preached Christ crucified and risen. The Spirit empowered proclamation of the gospel. He did not replace the authority of God’s revealed Word.

Now fast forward. Scripture later says in 2 Timothy 3:16–17 that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God… that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” If Scripture equips the man of God completely, then we are not lacking additional revelation to complete us.

Joel 2 and Acts 2 do not cancel out the call to test everything. In fact, they make it more urgent. Because once the Spirit is poured out, false claims will also increase. That is why we still have “Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits” ~1 John 4:1 and “To the law and to the testimony” ~Isaiah 8:20.

So does God still pour out His Spirit? Yes. Every true believer is indwelt by the Spirit. Does He still illuminate, convict, guide, and empower? Absolutely.

But does He give new doctrinal revelation that adds to what has already been written? Scripture does not teach that. The faith was “once delivered unto the saints” ~Jude 3.

So your instinct is right. Joel and Acts describe the Spirit’s outpouring and gospel proclamation in the last days, beginning at Pentecost. They do not override the clear command to test every claim by the written Word. Keep your eyes on the ball, just like you said. The Spirit of God never contradicts the Word of God. And He never adds to what He has already revealed.

You said, “These passages emphasize that in the End Times, God’s Spirit will be poured out on all people,” very true. Yes, Joel 2:28 speaks of God pouring out His Spirit “upon all flesh.” But we have to let Acts 2 explain it, because Peter does exactly that. He says, “This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel” ~Acts 2:16. In other words, the outpouring began at Pentecost.

That fits with the rest of Scripture. “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body” ~1 Corinthians 12:13. Every true believer is indwelt by the Spirit.

These passages do describe the last days. But biblically, the “last days” began in the apostolic era. Hebrews 1:2 says God “hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son.” We are not waiting for the last days to start. We are living in them.

The key point is this: the Spirit has been poured out. The gospel goes to all nations. All believers receive the Spirit. But that does not mean ongoing new revelation is being added to Scripture.

Yesua888 · Feb 23, 2026

David said:
You said, “These passages emphasize that in the End Times, God’s Spirit will be poured out on all people,” very true. Yes, Joel 2:28 speaks of God pouring out His Spirit “upon all flesh.” could this mean that God will reach every person on this Planet? Eg. everyone will have a chance to know the Truth about Jesus, and therefore be equipped to make their choice (athiest, satanist, lukewarm Christian, and the like)? But we have to let Acts 2 explain it, because Peter does exactly that. He says, “This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel” ~Acts 2:16. In other words, the outpouring began at Pentecost. I'm not sure what you mean here ... what is the significance of "the outpouring began at Pentecost" (referring to End Times?)

These passages do describe the last days. But biblically, the “last days” began in the apostolic era. Hebrews 1:2 says God “hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son.” We are not waiting for the last days to start. We are living in them. Perhaps I am misreading the text, where Joel was referring to "Last Days" and not "End Times" ... was I taking this out of context?

The key point is this: the Spirit has been poured out. The gospel goes to all nations. All believers receive the Spirit. But that does not mean ongoing new revelation is being added to Scripture. True

David · Feb 23, 2026

Yesua888 You ask: “upon all flesh.” could this mean that God will reach every person on this Planet? Eg. everyone will have a chance to know the Truth about Jesus, and therefore be equipped to make their choice (athiest, satanist, lukewarm Christian, and the like)?

-------------------

Let’s look at Joel 2:28. The prophet writes, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh.” Now the first rule of interpretation is context. You do not build theology on two words. You read the paragraph.

Joel immediately defines what he means by “all flesh”: “your sons and your daughters… your old men… your young men… also upon the servants and upon the handmaids” ~Joel 2:28–29. That is not universalism. That is expansion. The Spirit is no longer limited to prophets, priests, and kings. The promise extends across age, gender, and social distinctions.

Now let’s turn to Acts 2. Peter stands up on the day of Pentecost and says, “This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel” ~Acts 2:16. That statement is critical. Peter identifies Pentecost as the beginning fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy. The Spirit is poured out. The new covenant era has begun.

So what does “all flesh” mean?

It means all kinds of people, not every person without exception. Scripture consistently uses “all” in that representative sense. For example, Luke 2:1 says “all the world should be taxed.” That did not mean every individual on the planet. It meant the known world under Roman rule. Context defines scope.

Now, does this promise guarantee that every individual on earth will hear the gospel and make a fully informed decision? The text does not say that.

What it does say is this: “whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” ~Joel 2:32, quoted in ~Acts 2:21. The emphasis is on the universality of the offer, not the universality of acceptance.

Scripture is also clear that humanity is not morally neutral. Jesus said, “men loved darkness rather than light” ~John 3:19. The problem is not lack of opportunity alone. The problem is a sinful heart.

Romans 1:19–20 teaches that God has revealed Himself to all men through creation so that they are “without excuse.” There is universal revelation. But saving faith comes through the gospel, and that is why the Spirit empowers the church. Acts 1:8 says believers will be witnesses “unto the uttermost part of the earth.” So the theology is straightforward.

Joel announces a coming era when the Spirit will no longer be restricted. Peter declares that era has begun. The gospel goes beyond Israel. The Spirit indwells every true believer. The promise of salvation is extended to all who call on the Lord.

But Scripture nowhere teaches that every individual will respond positively. In fact, Jesus said, “few there be that find it” ~Matthew 7:14.

So, “All flesh” means the Spirit’s work is broad in scope across humanity, not limited to a select group. It guarantees inclusion of all categories. It guarantees the openness of the offer. It does not guarantee universal salvation or universal response.

David · Feb 23, 2026

@Yesua888 You ask:

But we have to let Acts 2 explain it, because Peter does exactly that. He says, “This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel” ~Acts 2:16. In other words, the outpouring began at Pentecost. I'm not sure what you mean here ... what is the significance of "the outpouring began at Pentecost" (referring to End Times?)

---------------

Peter told them “This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel…” ~Acts 2:16. Peter understood what was going on at Pentecost. The Holy Spirit wasn’t just suddenly deciding to come down. Joel said it would happen. So when I say “the outpouring began at Pentecost,” I mean this: the period Joel was talking about started there.

The Bible calls this time period “the last days.” That does not mean the world was about to end in Acts 2. It means the final phase of God’s plan began with Jesus’ first coming and the giving of the Spirit. Hebrews 1:2 even says God has spoken to us “in these last days” through His Son. That was written in the first century.

Joel’s prophecy is a two-parter. The Spirit being poured out on His people is part one. It started at Pentecost. Mentioned later in Joel’s prophecy is “the great and terrible day of the LORD.” ~Joel 2:31 That is part two. Jesus’ return & final day of judgment is still future.

Look at it this way… Jesus began the last-days era at Pentecost. We are currently living in that last-days time period. The Spirit is freely given to believers. The gospel is being preached to the ends of the earth. But Jesus hasn’t returned yet for His church. So, Pentecost doesn’t mark the end of the world. It marks the beginning of the last days Joel was speaking about.

bobinfaith · Feb 23, 2026

David said:
I just wanted to point out that there is a big difference between God’s providential guidance and new revelation that people try to add to what the bible says. Providence is God ruling over circumstances, shaping desires, opening and closing doors, aligning decisions with His written Word. That is different from claiming God has given new words with divine authority. Scripture says we are already “throughly furnished unto all good works” ~2 Timothy 3:16-17. That means the written Word is sufficient. And this is something I have learned personally. God is not bashful. When He wants us to move in a direction, He is fully capable of making that clear through His providence. We do not need someone else claiming, “God told me you should do this.”

David said:
I have had several people tell me they think God wants me to do something. But it was obvious that what they really meant was that they wanted me to do it. That is a big difference. But when someone says, “God told me you need to do this,” they are no longer just giving advice. They are attaching God’s authority to their opinion. That puts pressure on your conscience. It can make you feel like disobeying them is disobeying God.

David said:
When God intends to direct my steps, He is more than able to do it Himself and has often. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD” ~Psalm 37:23. He does not need a middleman to override His own providence. I do believe in God’s guidance and need it all the time. But we must keep that guidance under Scripture and never confuse it with new revelation or allow others to elevate their preferences to the voice of God. God bless, David

Yesua888 said:
However, there are two bible verses that have always intrigued me (regarding End Times):

I have cut and pasted your verses David ... because I was battling to insert my words (think I know what I was doing wrong!)

Joel 2:28 (NIV): “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.”

Acts 2:17 (NIV): “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.”

So I have kept an open mind ...
However I am still learning "discernment" which I guess has many "fascets" ... therefore it is vital that we keep our eyes on the ball : )

Good warning:
Then the Lord exposed the reality: “I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’… yet I did not send them or command them” ~Jeremiah 23:25,32. The danger was not open rebellion. The danger was false certainty in God’s name.

This is an important one:
God immediately gives the test. “Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let him who has my word speak my word faithfully. The standard is never the confidence of the speaker but the agreement of the message with what God has already revealed. “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 8:20.

Absolutely right:
So are we to accept every claim that God has spoken? Scripture answers plainly: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God” ~1 John 4:1. Testing is not unbelief. Testing is obedience.

I guess the first two verses that I quoted do not cancel the following out?

Does God still give new revelation today?
2 Timothy 3:16–17 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
Yes agreed, any professed "prophet" should be "seriously" aware of this:
The seriousness of claiming new revelation becomes clear when God warns, “The prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak… even that prophet shall die” ~Deuteronomy 18:20. Speaking for God without His authorization is presenting human authority as divine authority.

How should a believer respond?
If it merely repeats Scripture, then Scripture already carries the authority, not the speaker.
If it adds to Scripture, it exceeds what God has revealed.
If it contradicts Scripture, it is false.

I think that this is a difficult "discernment" to apply ...

How do we address these two verses from the Bible:

Joel 2:28 (NIV): “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.”

Acts 2:17 (NIV): “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.”

These passages emphasize that in the End Times, God’s Spirit will be poured out on all people, enabling sons and daughters (young and old) to prophesy, see visions, and dream dreams, signifying a widespread spiritual awakening. The fulfillment of this prophecy is cited by Peter in Acts 2:16–21 as occurring on the day of Pentecost: "No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: “ ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

Worthy of Discussion, I believe ...

Hello David;

I read your discussion with Linda. Good stuff!

David wrote, "I have had several people tell me they think God wants me to do something. But it was obvious that what they really meant was that they wanted me to do it. That is a big difference. But when someone says, “God told me you need to do this,” they are no longer just giving advice. They are attaching God’s authority to their opinion."

I recently had a man tell me he was approached by an angel asking him what he wanted. He was emphatic and wanted me to confirm and bless him. YIKES!

My spirit and discernment immediately received this as a flag. First, the angel doesn't replace God by granting wishes to this man. The man wasn't asking for anything harmful but the wishes were about "him" achieving his gratifications - a beautiful gal to marry, a good paying job, buying the ideal home to raise his gal and children...all this was to come to fruition just from the wishes granted. Problem was, not one mention of "Solomon wishes" reference 1 Kings 3:9 that would bring glory to God.

In my understanding regarding God's Providence - God's guidance over the Chronological history including our lives, and God's New Revelation is complete. I agree there is a difference. But careful study of the Bible should be ongoing with these two distinctions. Christians get ahead of themselves and keep intertwining the two and what new thing God is going to do. This is because of a lack of study and this can confuse disciples.

God bless you, David.

Bob

David · Feb 23, 2026

@Yesua888 You ask:

These passages do describe the last days. But biblically, the “last days” began in the apostolic era. Hebrews 1:2 says God “hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son.” We are not waiting for the last days to start. We are living in them. Perhaps I am misreading the text, where Joel was referring to "Last Days" and not "End Times" ... was I taking this out of context?

The key point is this: the Spirit has been poured out. The gospel goes to all nations. All believers receive the Spirit. But that does not mean ongoing new revelation is being added to Scripture. True

------------

We already dealt with when the “last days” began, so I won’t circle back to that. Let’s focus on what you were really asking. You wondered if you were taking Joel out of context by thinking in terms of “End Times” instead of just “Last Days.”

No, you were not misreading it. Joel 2 absolutely has end-of-the-age language in it. When he talks about “wonders in the heavens and in the earth… before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come” ~Joel 2:30–31, that is not small stuff. That is final judgment language. That is God stepping in decisively to wrap history up. So yes, it is right to see an end-times dimension there.

Here is where people get tangled up. Joel puts the Spirit being poured out and the Day of the Lord in the same prophetic paragraph. Prophecy often stacks mountain peaks together without showing you the valley in between. From a distance, it looks like one event. Up close, you realize there is time between them.

Acts 2 shows us that the Spirit-outpouring mountain started at Pentecost. The final Day of the Lord mountain is still ahead. We are living in the valley between those peaks.

Now let’s deal with your key concern about revelation. Yes, the Spirit has been poured out. Yes, the gospel is going to the nations. Yes, every true believer has the Spirit. Romans 8:9 makes it plain: “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” There is no Spirit-less Christian.

But here is the line we must not cross. The Spirit being active does not mean new Scripture is being written. Hebrews 1:1–2 says God has spoken climactically in His Son. That is the high point of revelation. Jude 3 tells us to contend for “the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” Once delivered means handed down in a completed form. Not revised. Not updated. Not expanded.

The Spirit today illuminates the Word. He does not add chapters to it.

So no, you were not out of context. Joel does point to the end. But he also marks the beginning of this present era. And your conclusion that we are not receiving new doctrinal revelation beyond what has been delivered is fully consistent with the New Testament.

The Spirit empowers.
The gospel advances.
The canon stands complete.

Discernment When a Man Says God Spoke, Should You Believe Him?

​

Does God still give new revelation today?​

How should a believer respond?​

Know the Bible

Well-known member

Well-known member

Know the Bible

Well-known member

Does God still give new revelation today?​

2 Timothy 3:16–17 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.​

Yes agreed, any professed "prophet" should be "seriously" aware of this:​

How should a believer respond?​

Know the Bible

Well-known member

Know the Bible

Yesua888 You ask: “upon all flesh.” could this mean that God will reach every person on this Planet? Eg. everyone will have a chance to know the Truth about Jesus, and therefore be equipped to make their choice (athiest, satanist, lukewarm Christian, and the like)?​

Know the Bible

@Yesua888 You ask:​

Well-known member

Does God still give new revelation today?​

2 Timothy 3:16–17 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.​

Yes agreed, any professed "prophet" should be "seriously" aware of this:​

How should a believer respond?​

Know the Bible

@Yesua888 You ask:​

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How should a believer respond?

Does God still give new revelation today?

2 Timothy 3:16–17 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Yes agreed, any professed "prophet" should be "seriously" aware of this:

How should a believer respond?

Yesua888 You ask: “upon all flesh.” could this mean that God will reach every person on this Planet? Eg. everyone will have a chance to know the Truth about Jesus, and therefore be equipped to make their choice (athiest, satanist, lukewarm Christian, and the like)?

@Yesua888 You ask:

Does God still give new revelation today?

2 Timothy 3:16–17 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Yes agreed, any professed "prophet" should be "seriously" aware of this:

How should a believer respond?

@Yesua888 You ask: