Plagiarizing prophecy is a grievous sin and it must stop

By Wanda Alger, Op-ed contributor Saturday, April 04, 2026

As the reckoning continues from the deception that has been exposed regarding the abuse of the gifts of the Spirit in the Charismatic church, a particularly egregious abuse that needs addressing is the plagiarism of prophecy.

For example, allegations are mounting regarding pastor Jeremiah Johnson, as multiple people are coming forward raising concerns and claiming he presented prophetic insights from others as his own, effectively plagiarizing their words.

What does it actually mean to plagiarize a prophetic word? And why is this such a grievous sin in God’s eyes?

This is happening in several ways, and it is heavily enabled today on social media platforms. To plagiarize is to “take the work or an idea of someone else and pass it off as one's own.” Scripture calls this stealing. Consider what God said through the prophet Jeremiah: “I am against the prophets … who steal My words from one another” (Jeremiah 23:30).

This is not only dishonest; it lacks the giving of honor to whom honor is due (Romans 13:7). To take someone else’s revelation, inspiration, teaching, or prophecy and state it as if God gave it to you is highly unethical and totally unacceptable for any leader of integrity. 

But let’s get practical. All of us can become inspired by reading or hearing words and insights from others. And if it is a true Spirit-inspired message, it will never contradict Scripture, and there will be an anointing on it that stirs something fresh inside of us (1 John 2:27). I have had this happen many times when reading authentic prophetic insights from others. Something in my spirit jumps when reading it, and it kindles faith and causes it to rise. I may even receive an additional insight that either complements or expands upon the original word. Even so, it is important to recognize that any additional revelation I receive only came because of the original word from someone else.

When this happens, it’s vital to always cite the original source and give credit where credit is due. If there is another angle or bullet point to add, it’s good to provide the proper context by commending the one who first shared it. This is the honest, honorable thing to do, and even more critical to do when sharing the exact same word from someone else.

To plagiarize something is to bypass this step altogether and simply post something as if you were the originator. Even if it just gives the impression that it was yours due to the lack of details, it is not ethical, fair, or honest. This is especially so if the one sharing a word is a recognized, influential leader, as the implications are even more serious because of the example being set.

As one who has felt prompted from time to time to post online what I sense the Lord speaking to me, including prophetic insights about current events, it has become clear that social media posting has become a mixture of good, bad, and highly questionable prophetic words. Many Christians who desire to see genuine, biblically rooted prophetic ministry championed have become slack in upholding God’s righteous standards and given too much room for presumption and conjecture. Although this certainly isn’t true of everyone, it’s something we should all be aware of.

Beyond that, consider how social media platforms are often monetized. If a large following can be gained, ad dollar revenue only feeds the problem. And though monetizing a channel is not necessarily wrong for those who are honest and seek to steward God's gifts with integrity, it can certainly be an opportunity for the frauds and fakes. Without proper stewardship and accountability, profiteers will copy and plagiarize authentic words without restraint. It is up to Spirit-filled and Word-centered believers to recognize the errors and make the needed corrections. 

Scripture is clear that the gift of prophecy is available to all, and we are all encouraged to pursue it (1 Corinthians 14:1). And I believe there is a place to share prophetic words online and through social media. But they must all pass the same biblical test of authenticity and accuracy.

We should never accept copied words or second-hand revelations. More importantly, we need to recognize them when they appear. 

Scripture actually demands it.