EMMA STARK: SPURIOUS DISTINCTION BETWEEN "FALSE PROPHETS" AND "UNFAITHFUL PROPHETS"

Emma Stark Shares What May Be Coming in 2024... (youtube.com)

In this video self-proclaimed New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) "prophets" Emma Stark (Global Prophetic Alliance) and Alan "bishop" Didio (Encounter Today cult) defend their counterfeit version of the prophetic.  

Didio: "We have a baby in the bathwater mentality. People are very scared of false prophets, they are very scared of false prophecy.. How do we get past the mistakes of the past?" 

Although I am not a cessationist, I am not surprised that many believers have turned away from charismata given the monstrous deception of those who claim to be "Apostles" and "prophets" today. Emma Stark advocates restoration and repentance for the false prophets who have made what she refers to as "mistakes". This is a gross trivialization of the destructive nature of false prophecy. Repentance is available to everyone of course, even presumptuous NAR false prophets. However, I have not noticed any of them either repenting or stepping down from their alleged ministries. It is critical to understand what a terrible sin false prophecy is. The only New Testament book that does not warn about false prophets is Philemon. Zechariah declares that false prophets have an "unclean spirit" (Zechariah 13:2). Ezekiel declares that false prophets practice "divination". (Ezekiel 13:23). Jeremiah declares that false prophets prophesy "lies" in God's name. (Jeremiah 14:14,23:25, 27:10,14-16,29:21,31 cf. Isaiah 30:10; Ezekiel 13:6,16 etc.) In the New Testament, false prophets are referred to as "blots and blemishes reveling in their deception" and  "ravenous wolves" (2 Peter 2:13; Matthew 7:15). The very heart of false prophecy is the Antichrist spirit. (John 4:6; cf. Matthew 24:24). There is no evidence in either the Old or New Testament that prophets make "mistakes" or are "false prophets by accident"; rather false prophets are unregenerate deceivers who are disqualified and condemned without exception. (Romans 16:17). The Greek word for false prophets is ψευδοπροφῆται, transliteration pseudoprophétés, English pseudo prophets.1 

Strongs: "pseudēs: lying, false - Original Word: ψευδής - Transliteration: pseudēs Phonetic Spelling: (psyoo-dace') - Part of Speech: Adjective - Short Definition: lying, false - Meaning: lying, false. Strong's Concordance false, lying - From pseudomai; untrue, i.e. Erroneous, deceitful, wicked -- false, liar."2  

The scriptures make a clear distinction between the "dreams" and "imaginations" of false prophets and God's authentic word.

I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’ How long shall there be lies in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart, who think to make my people forget my name by their dreams that they tell one another, even as their fathers forgot my name for Baal? Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let him who has my word speak my word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat? declares the LORD. Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, declares the LORD, who steal my words from one another. Behold, I am against the prophets, declares the LORD, who use their tongues and declare, ‘declares the LORD.’ Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams, declares the LORD, and who tell them and lead my people astray by their lies and their recklessness, when I did not send them or charge them. So they do not profit this people at all, declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 23:25-32 cf. Jeremiah 16:12).  

Poole: "..but if any man hath dreamed an ordinary dream, let him tell it as a dream; let him not entitle God to it. And he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully; and let him to whom I have revealed my will publish and declare that in all truth and faithfulness, not adding his own fancies or dreams to it, 2 Corinthians 2:17 1 Peter 2:2, not corrupting my word."3 

Zechariah describes the false prophets who survive "the day of the Lord" who barely escape with their lives.

And on that day, declares the LORD of hosts, I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, so that they shall be remembered no more. And also I will remove from the land the prophets and the spirit of uncleanness. And if anyone again prophesies, his father and mother who bore him will say to him, ‘You shall not live, for you speak lies in the name of the LORD.’ And his father and mother who bore him shall pierce him through when he prophesies. “On that day every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies. He will not put on a hairy cloak in order to deceive, but he will say, ‘I am no prophet, I am a worker of the soil, for a man sold me in my youth. (Zechariah 13:2-5 cf. Zechariah 12:3-4,6,8-9,11).

Blackest darkness is reserved for false prophets 

Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion. These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever. (Jude 1:11-13 cf. 2 Peter 2:17).

Emma Stark has decided to make a spurious distinction between "false prophets" and "unfaithful prophets". Emma Stark: "False prophets are in bed with Jezebel out to destroy the church.. I don't think most of the prophets that you and I work with have that mind, that ugly ugly nonsense, you know heretical mindset of the destruction of the church, so let's push that to one side.."  The scriptures never make a distinction between "false prophets" and "unfaithful prophets"! Satan's devices are subtle and deceptive!

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds. (2 Corinthians 11:13-14).

False prophets who attempt to give themselves a pass for their alleged "mistakes" are in grave error and they should not continue as "prophets". Within the NAR almost everyone wants to be a "prophet" and they are even willing to pay for the title! Interestingly those genuinely called to the office in the Old Testament were often reluctant prophets e.g. Jeremiah 1:6; Amos 7:14; Exodus 4:10; Judges 6:17; Jonah 1:1-3. Emma Stark speaks in terms of "prophets" being 20, 40, 60, and 80-watt lightbulbs. In other words, within the deceptive NAR world, prophets will never prophesy anything that is error-free. Emma Stark makes a puny attempt to substantiate this by alluding to 1 Corinthians 13:9: "we only see in part". If Emma Stark's eisegesis is correct, then the Old Testament prophets and Jesus' apostles made "mistakes" but we know that the scriptures are inerrant. (2 Peter 1:21; 2 Timothy 3:16).

In context.. this passage does not give anyone carte blanche to claim that prophecy is inaccurate.  

As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial (mer'-os) will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part (mer'-os); then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. (1 Corinthians 13:8-12).

The definition of the Greek word mer'-os = a part, share, portion.4 A prophetic word cannot be "imperfect" or "inaccurate" since the very source of prophecy is God Himself whose words are flawless. (Proverbs 30:5; Psalm 12:6,18:30).

It is not for "20-watt lightbulb prophets", or anyone else for that matter, to "have a go" or "experiment" with prophecy. Much less the scriptures do not give anyone the go-ahead to use their "creativity" and "practice" the gift of prophecy - God forbid! Jeremiah was an inexperienced youth when the Lord called Him. If the Lord had put His words in the mouths of NAR "prophets" they would by definition be accurate!

Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go,

and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the LORD.” Then the LORD put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the LORD said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.” (Jeremiah 1:6-10 cf. Isaiah 6:6-8).  

The New Testament is unequivocal, believers should mark and avoid false prophets.  

But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’ And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the LORD has not spoken?’— when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him. (Deuteronomy 18:20-22).

I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. (Romans 16:17).

Confusing prayer with prophecy? 

The fact that false prophets do not know the difference between prayer and prophecy is further evidence that they are ignorant and unqualified. Emma Stark: "..be diligent enough in care of peoples lives to not promise what God is not saying... These are lives.. How dare we ravage the sheep with thoughtless words because we didn't hold ourselves to a biblical standard.. I am going to stand before the judgement seat of God one day and He is going to say 'I never said that'.." These "fine words" give Emma Stark the appearance of credibility. The passage she refers to makes it clear these charlatans will receive much more than a rebuke - eternity itself is at stake!  

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’  (Matthew 7:22- 23). 

Emma Stark: "I think that the dominant atmosphere of the church is the atmosphere of Antichrist.. because our default setting/behaviour is accusation, betrayal, offense, heresy hunting, put on trial mindsets, inquisition, task forces under the guise of a misapplication of Matthew 18. Now that we all nod and smile is the standard protocol, that is not the standard protocol of Christ, whose love covers, who is slow to anger, who says in Corinthians 'and now regard no one from a worldly point of view'..  So you are layering these Christ scriptures, and we find that we make Church deeply unsafe because we are Antichrist in culture.." 

In other words, according the Emma Stark, those who practice the spiritual gift of "distinguishing between spirits" and warn against false prophets are "Antichrist in culture". (1 Corinthians 12:10; 1 John 4:1). This distorted view of Christ promotes "love" without truth and disregards the repeated warnings about false christs and false prophets in the scriptures. (Matthew 24:24; 2 Peter 1:15 etc.). We must see evidence of genuine repentance before "fervent charity" can be extended towards false prophets. 

The remainder of this video is full of various aspects of NAR "prophetic" nonsense that I will not address in this post. 

1. Strong's Greek: 5578. ψευδοπροφήτης (pseudoprophétés) -- a false prophet (biblehub.com)
2. STRONGS NUMBER G5571 (kingjamesbibleonline.org)
3. Jeremiah 23 Matthew Poole's Commentary (biblehub.com)

4. 1 Corinthians 13:12 Lexicon: For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. (biblehub.com)