In the Old Testament, prophets were people who spoke forth God’s truth. Most was forth-telling (preaching/proclaiming known truth) but a lot was fore-telling (predicting a future event) because the Scriptures were in the process of being written and God was revealing new truths as time went on. This continued in the early church. But what about today, when we have God’s revealed Word and are told not to take anything from it or add anything to it (Revelation 22:18-19; Deuteronomy 4:2)? Is the gift of prophecy for today and, if so, just how it is to be used?
New Tesatment standards for prophets. Propohecy is named among the gifts of the Spirit which Paul lists in Romans 12:6, 1 Corinthians 12:10 and Ephesians 4:11. Paul encourages believers not to despise prophecies but to test everything, holding to what is good. “Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5: 19-22). As in the Old Testament, prophecies, both forth-telling and fore-telling, must line up with Scripture or be rejected.
Unfortunately, some people today put prophecy above Scripture but that is not what God says. Scripture comes first and if something said doesn’t agree with Scripture it must be rejected along with the one proclaiming it. 1 John 4:1 teaches Christians to test the spirits, holding them to God’s revealed truth, similar to the theological test from the Old Testament. The church, then, has been empowered to discern whether a message comes from God. The Spirit within us bears witness to it, and we should follow it. No one who claims to be a prophet is above God’s Word. All he says and does is to be evaluated by it. None are exempt. So, turn to the Word for guidance and direction, not to a person who claims to speak for God. Go to Him directly!
The same goes for your pastor. When prophets speak (what we would consider a sermon), the church considered the message. We see that with the Bereans who checked Paul’s teachings with the Scriptures they had (Acts 17:11). Since each person and the whole church has access to the Spirit of God, the community can affirm a message as one from God or not (1 Corinthians 14:9). The criteria no longer depends upon a position or title but the work and Word of God. True prophetic messages will affirm the Bible, not contradict it.
YOU are a prophet! While some today are specially gifted in prophecy (preaching or proclaiming) so they can accurately communicate God’s Word, every believer to some extend has the Spirit-given ability to proclaim God’s Word. Paul says it is the greatest gift which all should desire (1 Corinthians 14:1). He recognizes that it is God’s Word that has the power to change lives, encourage, educate and build up. God promises to give us the words we need when we share them with others (Matthew 10:19-20).
Abusing the gift of Prophecy. Unfortunately, some leaders abuse the gift for personal gain or control, which misleads people from the truth and causes harm to individuals or whole churches. Those who speak for God are held to a higher standard and judgment than others (James 3:1), so using this gift to gain attention or exercise authority over others is a grave misuse of it and puts one in danger of God’s discipline.
False teachers today. “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths (2 Timothy 4:3-4).”
Satan can counterfeit Prophecy. Just because someone is a good communicator doesn’t mean they are from God. Demons can give people a counterfeit gift of prophecy as well. “Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” She kept this up for many days. Finally, Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her” (Acts 16:16-18). The demons were giving this girl information about people and their future which her owners used to make money through her fortunetelling. Just because someone accurately predicts something is going to happen doesn’t mean that knowledge came from God.
We have a strong warning in 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!’ Satan deceived Eve and has been perfecting his craft ever since. Without God’s discernment and the Word of God we are no match for his deception. A good counterfeit must look as much like the original as possible. Don’t be fooled by those who claim to be speaking for God but say things not supported by Scripture. “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore, it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works” (2 Corinthians 11:3, 13-15).
The word of God should be our guide. We should watch out and be wary of miracles, signs and wonders which do not have the Cross of Christ at their center! Any miracles, signs and prophecies that are out of alignment with the word of God are a mere deceit and poison from the pit of hell. Such should be resisted. That is the truth contained in the scripture as proclaimed by Paul.
Prophecy—declaring the message of God—stands at the heart of the whole Bible, a divinely inspired collection of writings. The apostles wrote about prophets in Acts and themselves guided the early church by giving messages inspired by the Spirit. It is an honor and privilege to speak God’s words to others. All Christians are to do it. Those with the gift of prophecy/preaching/proclaiming are especially accountable to be true and accurate in what they do. Everything we know and have is based on God’s written Word. It’s our joy to proclaim it – just make sure you do it accurately.
But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed (Galatians 1:8-9).
Have you been listening to any teaching which you aren’t sure lines up with God’s Word but the speaker seems very convincing? Pray and ask God to give you wisdom to discern error whenever you hear it.
cto Rev. Dr. JERRY SCHMOYER
Christian Training Organization
Jerry@ChristianTrainingOrganization.org
(India & Africa & Spanish Outreach, Spiritual Warfare, Family Ministries, Counseling, World View)
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