“Do not quench the spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold onto what is good.”
1 Thessalonians 5:19-21
In recent weeks I have been sharing a series of teachings addressing the need for integrity in leadership and a renewed call for transparency and honesty within the body of Christ. These conversations have stirred many responses because they touch foundational issues that affect the health of the prophetic movement and the church at large.
Some of you have walked with the Lord and the things of the Spirit for many years, while others are newer to the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit and are trying to navigate the current wave of controversy and confusion.
I understand these tensions and I have lived through several seasons like this myself. My desire in this moment is simple. It is for us to continue to strengthen the foundations so that what God is pouring out is carried well.
As I have been spending time before the Lord, continuing this series of conversations about integrity, transparency, and healthy prophetic culture, one simple thought keeps rising in my spirit:
Find the good and don’t let go of it.
The scripture that has anchored my heart comes from 1 Thessalonians 5:19–21:
“Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies but test them all; hold onto what is good.”
These verses come immediately after the instructions to rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in everything. Context matters. In the middle of prayer, gratitude, and joy, Paul reminds us how to properly handle the prophetic.
Don’t Quench the Spirit
First, we are told not to quench the Spirit.
When disappointments, abuses, or errors occur, it can be tempting to react by shutting down the supernatural altogether. But Scripture warns us not to put out the Spirit’s fire in the process of trying to correct what is wrong.
The Holy Spirit’s activity is still good. His gifts are still good. And His desire to communicate with His people has not changed.
Don’t Despise Prophetic Ministry
Second, Paul tells us not to despise prophecies.
Because mistakes and failures sometimes happen, people can swing to the opposite extreme—rejecting all prophetic revelation entirely. But rejecting everything is not the biblical answer.
We are called to grow in discernment, not abandonment.
Test Everything
Third, Scripture clearly instructs us to test all things.
This means we do not blindly accept everything we hear. We evaluate prophetic words with wisdom, Scripture, community, and prayer. Healthy discernment is not cynicism—it is spiritual maturity.
There are two ditches we must avoid:
One is rejecting all prophetic revelation.
The other is accepting everything without testing it.
Wisdom lives between those two extremes.
Find the Good and Hold On
But here is the part many people overlook.
After testing everything, Paul says we must “hold fast to what is good.”
In order to hold on to the good, we must first find it. That requires patience, humility, and careful listening. Not everything floating through social media or conversations deserves our attention. But when we recognize what is genuinely from God, we must not let it go.
Prophetic words often become part of the spiritual armor we use in prayer and faith. If we discard everything, we may unknowingly throw away weapons God intended for our encouragement and perseverance.
Guard Your Heart
In this current season, I have found myself listening to many different voices, some offering helpful insights and others expressing strong criticism. While some of this can sharpen our understanding, I have also noticed how easy it is for our souls to become weary from excessive negativity.
That is why we must guard our hearts.
Scripture tells us to watch over our hearts with diligence, because from them flow the issues of life. If we are not careful, even sincere believers can begin speaking from a place of frustration rather than life.
My desire is to speak blessing, hope, and truth—even when correction is needed.
Word and Spirit Together
One of the healthiest patterns we see in Scripture is the partnership between the Word and the Spirit. In Acts 13, prophets and teachers ministered together, and the Holy Spirit spoke.
When biblical teaching and spiritual sensitivity work together, we grow into maturity. Like a bicycle with two pedals moving in opposite directions, both are necessary to produce forward motion.
We need both the school of the Word and the school of the Spirit.
A Call to Pray for Prophetic Leaders
Because there is such a need for healthy prophetic ministry and leaders, I want to invite you to join us for our annual Day to Pray for the Prophets on Friday, March 20th.
Each year on the third Friday of March, believers from around the world gather to pray for prophetic leaders, locally, nationally, and internationally. We are not deciding who those leaders are; you can pray for the people God places on your heart.
Our theme verse is Amos 3:7.
“Surely the Lord God does nothing unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.”
We will also be providing a 10-day prayer guide leading up to our online prayer gatherings, where we will join together in focused intercession for prophetic voices in the body of Christ. You can learn more and sign-up here.
If you’re looking for a resource that will enrich this message, I want to encourage you to order a copy of my book, Lifestyle of a Prophet.
You can watch the full video podcast below! And finally, I’ll close with this— Find the good and don’t let go.
God bless you,
James W. Goll
