One of the most dangerous forms of spiritual manipulation begins with the words, “The Lord showed me.” That phrase may sound deeply spiritual, but when it is followed by a directive—you need to do this, you need to go there, you need to make this decision—it can become a means of control.

The problem is not that God never speaks, leads, or impresses something upon a believer’s heart. The problem comes when someone uses a claim of private revelation to override another person’s discernment. Once “I think” becomes “God said,” the conversation changes. Disagreement can suddenly be made to sound like disobedience to God.

Paul did not teach believers to suspend discernment in the presence of prophecy. He wrote, “Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge” (1 Corinthians 14:29). He also said, “Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:20–21). Prophetic claims were to be weighed and tested, not accepted simply because someone claimed divine authority.

There is a significant difference between saying, “I believe the Lord may have impressed something on my heart for you; pray about it,” and saying, “God told me what you are supposed to do.” The first leaves room for prayer, wisdom, Scripture, and discernment. The second can pressure a person into compliance.

Healthy spiritual leadership does not make people dependent on someone else’s secret knowledge. It points them toward Christ, Scripture, prayer, wisdom, and the leading of the Holy Spirit. Genuine spiritual influence helps people grow in discernment rather than making them dependent upon the one who always seems to have a special word from God.

We should therefore be very careful about placing the weight of “God said” upon something that may actually mean, “I think.” If God has truly spoken, His truth does not need manipulation to support it.

Be careful to whom you give authority over your life.