Many professing Christians today will tell you that God no longer uses prophets and no longer communicates with His people in that way, that those who claim this kind of spiritual gift are either liars, crazy or deceived. They will tell you the supernatural gifts of the holy spirit stopped when the last of the apostles died. This is a belief called cessation, and often defended by the 400 year period in the bible prior to the birth of Jesus where God went silent on Israel, no longer communicating with them through prophets. And, as I haven't been alive since the death of the last of the apostles perhaps God did go silent on us too for a time, but I can't say for sure, do I know however, of many individuals in history who claimed prophetic gifting or communication with God, but I can't verify them either. My point though I want to make today is, if you have been watching the signs of the times and believe we are in the last days then you should be prepared to hear God's prophets.
Why do I say that, because in Joel 2:28-29 when the writer describes the prophecy about the day of the Lord, or the day of destruction, the end times, it says "And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days." And we also see in Revelations where it talks of people prophesying in the last days, one verse, Revelation 11:3 speaks of two witnesses specifically that will prophesy for 1260 days dressed in sackcloth.
So does God still speak through prophets, yes and He plans to right up till the end, and I believe He's using them now. So, it is important to know a false one, from a real one because we were warned of them and they are out there teaching and prophesying now, using the Lord's name but not of Him . Jesus says in Matthew 24:24 "For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect." But how do we recognize a false prophet?
The first way is, a true prophet will NEVER contradict the Bible, but don't think just because they use a Bible verse or biblical sounding words that's it's not a contradiction, you have to understand the context, so you need to be reading your Bible to arm yourself. A second way is one that becomes apparent in time, the things they said never happened or they did. A third way is found in Matthew 7:15-20 where Jesus tells us to look at their fruits, are they living righteously or not? Make sure the people you are listening to are living for God, and realize that popularity has nothing to do with it. One more thing I suggest, but I admit I didn't see in the Bible, is to pray about their prophecy or that person. I just feel like it's a good idea to run everything past Him. God bless you.
Deuteronomy 18:22
When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.
Jeremiah 6:14-15
They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed; they did not know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time that I punish them, they shall be overthrown,” says the Lord.
Matthew 7:21-23
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
2 Peter 2:1-3
But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.
No comments:
Post a Comment