Be careful of what you read, what you digest and what you believe, because they are the rudiment that will shape your spirit and your faith.

This is the season of the year, ministries, churches and “men of God” from diverse backgrounds, some for personal glories and others for reasons best known to them, roll out prophecies and prophetic declarations for the new year.

If any spiritual father says you shouldn’t listen to opinions and teachings of others outside your local church or ministry, such fathers may not be helping your spiritual growth but to also listen and digest everything you hear and allow every utterances from any pulpit shape your believe and your faith and your spirit, is to sail freely into spiritual confusion that can damn the soul.

Don’t just read and believe and don’t just get persuaded with everything you hear, you are likely going to get confused and derailed. This is what I do in times like this. I weigh every prophecies and proclamations with the Word of God. But as good as that is, I don’t just stop there.

I also weigh the source of such statements, I don’t get carried away with just anything, I respect anyone who says he or she hears from God but I don’t get carried away, especially if I’m not familiar with the church or ministry such persons represent.

What or how much do I know about them, how many of their sermon have I listened to, how many of their words and teachings are consistent with the Spirit of faith and the grace of Jesus Christ, that I have heard, read or listen to in other times of the year in the past that I have been convinced are Holy Spirit inspired?

If I cannot convincingly answer any of these proven questions, I usually don’t jump into the bus when any of those men are in the driver’s seat. It is possible to go to church every Sunday in a year and still not have any viable and visible spiritual growth, just because you have no base, no true leader you are following.

Shepherds are many, but a sheep who chose to follow every shepherd that comes around will soon be without a definite direction. It is your job to choose one or two proven voices, you have defined and have discovered to be consistent and have something in common to follow in the course of the year and you have to decide that NOW.

This principle should apply to anyone that is called by the name of God, including me, don’t just read and digest what we say, and our prayer points and our teachings, take time to compare with the scriptures and take time to check for consistencies in what we say or teach. And do the same for other “men of God” as well.

Where there are discrepancies, don’t just ignore, RUN and where you have found rest and your spirit is being blessed, please stay there and close your ears to as many other shepherds, as soon as they did not meet up with the criteria listed already, otherwise, one will start a new year, confused and run through the year with a retarded spirit and finished the year still confused.

A sheep that hears the voices of too many shepherds will no doubt get very confused and lost. Choose who you listen to and the post you read. That’s your right and duty to you, to your spirit and to your family. It is the secret of spiritual growth. It is not every sermon on TV you relax to watch when you have not tried this principle and it is not every new year prophecies and proclamations you hold dear to your heart. I hope I’m speaking to someone out there.

Olumofin Kehinde Benjamin writes for 3pG Christian Ministry.