Written by Dr.Pearl Kupe
Article originally published in the August issue of JOY! Magazine
The Bible tells us that in the last days there will be a proliferation of false prophets and false teachers. Matthew 24:11 says, “Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.” Typically, these false prophets are characterised by their distortion of the Gospel for personal gain and self-exaltation. In this technological era, we are witnessing a concerning expression of this deception: so-called “data-mining prophets”. They use information gathered online to make people believe they are receiving true prophetic revelation.
What is data mining?
Data mining is a process in which technology, systems, and statistical tools are used to identify patterns, trends, or useful information from data. It is an acceptable practice, when used professionally and ethically, to identify patterns that benefit society. However, when technology is used to source personal information about people and then present it as prophetic insight, that is deception.
What is the prophetic?
It is impossible to cover everything about the prophetic in one limited article, but I will mention a few salient aspects:
1. A prophet is one who brings revelation to the Body of Christ
Prophets are God’s mouthpieces. Operating in the simple gift of prophecy mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12 does not automatically qualify someone as a prophet. In 1 Corinthians 14:3, the Apostle Paul tells us that prophecy brings edification, exhortation, and comfort. The office of prophet is not limited to operating in one prophetic gift. There are signs and characteristics that, together, may point to a person functioning in the office of prophet. A prophet will not operate in only one gift, but in a number of spiritual gifts, such as the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, and the discerning of spirits.
2. The prophet is a conduit and mouthpiece through which God speaks to His Church
One cannot be placed into this office by human ambition. God said to Jeremiah, “I ordained you a prophet to the nations” (Jer 1:5). It is God who decides who is a prophet and ordains them into the office. The Holy Spirit dispenses the gifts associated with the prophetic to individuals as He wills. Elders in the Body of Christ can bear witness to the prophetic grace operating in a person and commission them into that office.
The fruit of a true prophet
Any prophet must have a clear testimony of salvation, and the fruit of the Spirit must be evident in their life, as seen in Matthew 7:16-20 and Galatians 5:22-23. Prophets must be unwilling to touch the glory of God by speech or action, or to take credit for what God does. All prophets must point people to God and not to themselves. Like John the Baptist, they must purpose to decrease so that Christ may increase in and through them (John 3:30).
Prophecy must be tested
Prophets must avoid soulish projections, where they use their minds or emotions to manufacture a prophecy. They must speak only when prompted by the Holy Spirit
(1 Cor 12:7, 11; John 5:30; John 6:38), and they must be willing to have their prophecies judged to determine the source and direction. Scripture says, “Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge” (1 Cor 14:29). It also instructs us, “Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good” (1 Thes 5:20-21).
Prophetic pitfalls
Prophets must avoid the prophetic pitfalls of operating in pride and arrogance, or trying to manipulate God’s people for selfish gain. Other prophetic pitfalls include leading people into idolatry and syncretism. A genuine prophet must never boast about “prophetic skills” or promote themselves. Authentic prophets must operate in humility. Many false prophets have a tendency to operate in covetousness, prophesying for profit like Balaam and pursuing money like Gehazi. The lure of money and selfish gain is what motivates many false prophets.
The rise of data-mining prophets
Prophets who search and scour the internet, including people’s Facebook pages and other social media profiles, to source personal information are part of this troubling trend. There have been reports and allegations of ministers engaging in this undesirable conduct. In some cases, well known pastors (who have recently been exposed) have searched social media groups to see who had confirmed their attendance at meetings, looked through those people’s profiles for personal details, written down the information, and then used it in meetings to appear as though they were prophesying. Such behaviour is deceptive and must be rejected by the Church.
Discernment in a digital age
As the Body of Christ, let us remain alert and vigilant. Let us not be ignorant of the enemy’s devices. Instead, let us be found faithfully operating in the prophetic, testing all things, and pointing people to Christ for the lifting up of the Name of Yeshua Hamashiach.
This article appears in the August 2026 issue of JOY! Magazine. Read the digital version of this magazine here: joygifts.co.za
Click here to KEEP UPDATED on the latest news by subscribing to our FREE weekly newsletter.
> Please support Christian media and journalism in South Africa. Help us to spread the Word of God and take a stand for the truth by making a donation to our ministry. We appreciate your support. Click here to take hands with JOY! Magazine.
Date published: 18/07/2026
Feature image: Sourced from original article published in JOY! Magazine July 2026
DISCLAIMER
JOY! News is a Christian news portal that shares pre-published articles by writers around the world. Each article is sourced and linked to the origin, and each article is credited with the author’s name. Although we do publish many articles that have been written in-house by JOY! journalists, we do not exclusively create our own content. Any views or opinions presented on this website are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the company.
