I discern that there is a lot of false prophesy …
If it is false prophecy, then it is false prophecy. I would be interested if you can give examples.
Like in I said, the situation in a prayer meeting is quite a straight forward thing. Usually prophecy, if there is any, would be proclaimed after a deep praise and worship, where the focus is on Jesus. Basically it is praying with freedom. It is just a form of prayer. It is in this situation that God may want to inspire the participants concerned mainly for the purpose of edification.
Someone may feel supernatural prompting to say, for example, “My children, I have always loved you”. It may be from God or it may be from the human mind but this type of prophecy is not from the evil one since it is Biblical.
But the Bible says when two or three of you gathered in my name I will be in your midst, and the Psalm says I will inhibit the praise of my people. And if we gather will the sole purpose for Jesus, we can be quite sure God honours his word.
Prophecy like that may be for the edification of someone there. For example someone who have a bad spell in life and is asking why me or where is God. Affirmation like that would help him/her to refocus her faith on the love of God. This is certainly in line with God’s purpose as we know of. If it is prophecy that someone would be moved to believe that God love here. If it’s not prophecy, despite being Biblical, it would have no affect on the person as intended and if happen regularly in the prayer meeting it could dilute it spirituality.
Thus the process of discernment can be for a period of time. Is the life of the prophet in order, is the worship focused on God, is there changing/transforming of lives among the participants? Leaders should be always in prayers corporately and individually and seek the mind of God. In most situations when the hearts are sincere, God would honour them and reveals himself.
There is also directive prophecy which is very rare and there is way to deal with it.
… among other bad things going on in the charismatic subculture of Catholicism.
This looks like a judgment. We can say there are bad things going on in the seminaries, in parish councillors, in this and that movement. And that may well be true. But then again these are parts of the Church. What’s important in principle all these are for good purpose and therefore should focus on what the purpose is.
The claims that religious meetings are full of prophets in every city and town are bogus.
We know that God may put people who are after His heart in any place for the sake of his Church and His people. Whether they are bogus or not only God knows, but if it is obvious, we can see it too. Like I said, look for the fruit of their work. But what can be so bad if there are people who are so intense and so enthusiastic in their love for God?
The claim that these are valid as long as someone is there with the gift of disernment is bogus, on the grounds that no one ever stands up in that role and calls foul.
If the exercised of prophecy is proclaimed after in consultation with a few prayerful elders for discernment then we would avoid many problems. The most could happen, like I said, is that the prophecy may be from a human mind. But then again why don’t we trust in God to be with us and want to speak to us when we sincerely come before him?
Discernment enables the person to sort out the many prompting and impulses of each day so that his will is better able to be united to God’s will. As a person begins “to walk in the Spirit”, God shows him that many of his impulses and activities come from a selfish nature and must brought into line with the divine plan. On the other hand, discernment also helps the person not to go overboard spiritually, but to maintain the needed balance so that singularity or practices far beyond the person’s strength are avoided.
You say this prophesying is Biblical and all fine as long as there is someone there to discern it, but if there were they would be confronting those who claim they are prophesying and are not. There is no one there doing that. So your safeguard simply is not operating. It does not exist, making it all improper.
I would say if prophecy does not go through the process of discernment then the practice is wrong. But since the gift of prophecy is mentioned in the Bible, I believe there are people who are given this gift.
You agreed that “most” of this is not prophesy at all. If that is true then it should be labelled false by your discerners or they are not doing their jobs or they have no such gift.
Again, the above. Before a person steps out to proclaim a prophecy he/she must consult a team of leaders first and only go ahead if they agree. Thus there must be proper understanding on how to operate the gift and the necessary procedure must be in place in a prayer meeting, otherwise no prophecy should be proclaimed.