God commands us, "Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil." (1 Thess 5:20-22) Testing prophecy aligns with wisdom by seeking confirmation from 1) the Holy Spirit 2) Scripture 3) wise counsel and 4) circumstance.

For example, David's path to kingship wasn't based solely on his vision. The Holy Spirit's witness was confirmed by Samuel (1 Sam 16:13), his Goliath fight was authorized by Saul (1 Sam 17:37), and he rejected killing Saul, honoring the Scripture’s instruction to “touch not the LORD's anointed.” (1 Sam 24, Ps 105:15). He waited for circumstances to align through Saul's death (1 Sam 26:8-11). Even after Saul died, David sought God before becoming king over Judah, then all Israel 7 years later (2 Sam 1-5). At long last, the Holy Spirit, Scripture, wise counsel, and circumstance were all in alignment.  

Patience and humility are needed to avoid rushing God's process in our own strength. This is evident in David's life, for because there was real revelation from God, he never needed to cast off the restraint of Scripture, shed innocent blood, or force his way forward; instead, he could wait for wise counsel and circumstances to align through Saul's death and the anointing by the elders of Israel and Judah. 

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you that you provide the gift of prophecy, along with dreams and visions. I thank you that even when authorities resist my vision, you control their hearts and guide them as you wish. I thank you for your trustworthy Word in Scripture, letting me share my visions with others for Christ’s sake. I pray you’ll remove false dreams from my life, keeping only what you’ve spoken. Please help me and my wise counsel see when a dream goes against Scripture or when I’m not ready to pursue it. In the Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

A vision from God should motivate us to consistently seek Him while advancing in obedience. Taking matters into our own hands casts off protective restraint intended to safeguard us and maintain the vision for His glory.