There is a lot going on today in the name of the prophetic that is bogus. There are a lot of people with prophetic gifting calling themselves prophets who do not carry the office of prophet.
There is an incredible amount of doom and gloom words pronouncing judgment as if this psychic type ability of being able to foretell something evil is going to happen is Godly prophetic. It is not. It is not. It is not.
For most of these doom and gloom words, there is no accountability. "I dreamed! I dreamed!" they say, or "I saw a vision! I heard words!" As it says in
Jeremiah 23:
25 I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.
26 How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart;
27 Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal.
28 The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD.
29 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?
30 Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that steal my words every one from his neighbour.
31 Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith.
32 Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the LORD, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the LORD.
33 And when this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee, saying, What is the burden of the LORD? thou shalt then say unto them, What burden? I will even forsake you, saith the LORD.
When I was a little kid we used to love to go to horror movies to get scared. The trouble is that much of the garbage that was seen had some lasting effects and without proper parental supervision to sort and sift it out, a false sense of reality took over that was negative.
It is for this very reason that the Spirit of God says in the Word to stay out of the occult. It plays with the future but without the accountability and the righteous judgments of God. It pollutes the mind that should be of Christ (which is the Anointing--To know more about what the anointed mind accomplishes, read Isaiah 61).
There is no accountability for right and wrong and so manipulation and extortion take place through fear. It was the same thing that happened in the Garden. Adam and Eve became afraid. God said to them, "Who told you that you were naked (or uncovered)?" They weren't! God was there. Until they chose to believe the Lie.
The Scriptures say in I Corinthians 12:31-32(NIV) "For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets." and in the KJV, "For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets." II Corinthians 14:3(KJV) states "But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort." This is the gift of prophecy that promotes the good will of God into the lives of others.
All may be called prophets in the sense that a person can reveal the mysteries and comforts of God to another, and also to unbelievers but this is not the foundational or governmental office ministry. It may be all the ministry a person chooses to have working in their life, but it is not the fullness of Christ's ministry to the Church.
Ephesians 4 declares the order and purposes of God in this last days ministry of the Age of Grace. I often call this the job description of the office ministries.
Ephesians 4:
7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
8 Wherefore he saith, When he [Jesus] ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
[All this is said to ground you into Who has performed and set up the Plan.]
11 And he [this same Jesus] gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:
[And here is the job description purpose]
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
These five-fold office callings are ministerial giftings. They are full time, life time, life long callings. As it says in Romans 11:29 "For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance."
The evidences of an office prophet call are these above as well as the Old Testament prototype with the exception that the prophet today is not speaking on behalf of God for the nation because today God speaks to all by His Son (Hebrews 1:2). Today men are judged by what is in their hearts, not just their performance of certain activities.
Does the person have the Spirit of God through Jesus? Are they walking in obedience to that Spirit? One must be born again to enter the Kingdom of Heaven and see eternal life. (John 3) But yet God still has shepherds and leaders for His people today for we need them as ministry for growth.
Because Love is based on freedom, the act of choosing is a necessity. Many would love someone else or something else to choose for them, but this puts an idol before God.
We have been given His Word--we cannot blame wrong leadership for our failures. We are still under the First Commandment that says to love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength. We have been given His Word.
It may take much effort on your part to see changes, but it is required by God. And it will be rewarded! Laziness and slothfulness will not be valid excuses, and may be translated as or considered to be lukewarmness.
Revelation 3:16 "So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth." [words of Jesus]
There is a remnant saved. That means only "a few" in the light of all humanity. Do we love as Christ loved? Do we want to see all saved as He does? He paid the full price.
Is there proof or evidence within you that His Spirit dwells within? For it is Christ in you that is the only hope of His glory!
The truly prophetic is greatly evangelistic. It is not based on the soulish realm as you see so many "prophetic" words and people today. The truly prophetic prepares you for Heaven. When you are prepared for Heaven, you have the ability to walk with your fellow man in His salt (preservative nature) and light of love and in Christian fellowship and relationship in truth, honesty and uprightness.
Many know how to get along with people, but they don't have Christ (or His anointing). They have stirred up the soulish realm and have dreams and visions and words with incredible interpretations -- some so incredible they most certainly should not be believed!
There is a working of familiar spirits today that is at an all time high. These spirits seek to stir up the soulish realm in you to manipulate you by fear and guilt and doom and excitement in things that you don't even understand so that you will do as they desire and cause you to miss the peace and guidance of God that gives life, including your eternal life!
There is an enemy to your soul that seeks bring death!!! Your soul is your identity as to who you are--your mind, your will and your emotions. Yes, God gave you a will so you could choose to love and live!!!
Many are snared by being led by their emotions when in reality emotions follow the mind. When one's heart wills to live for God, the mind and the emotions follow in respective order.
How many appeals stir you up in the flesh and then you act by your will? This is out of order. If you will develop your mind by the Spirit and Word of God, you will act your will according to the will of God, if you are so choosing.
I say all that to let you know what the false prophet is. The true prophet will warn you of danger but will do so with the promise and blessing of God for right living. The false prophet will only scare you. The true prophet will exhort you to live right so that you may inherit eternal life with God. The false prophet will busy you with the affairs of this world that is passing away.
The true prophet will say (in so many words) "Come, let us reason together. Even though you got it wrong, you can get it right." (paraphrasing Isaiah 1:18-19) The false prophet will say "It doesn't matter what you think, just do as I say." (It's a controlling spirit.) They do not point you to the truth and life of God's Word and His Spirit.
The true prophet will get you on the firm foundation of God's Word. The false prophet will base the foundation on his (or her) flesh and "word."
God's Spirit of liberty is decent and in order. It is not a do it yourself program of anything goes because God has set up order in the Church. But there is great freedom in that order to fulfill your gifts and callings for the benefit of the Body! There is great satisfaction for the human soul in coming into God's divine order. There is a place of fulfillment in the will and purposes of God.
The real prophet of God will do what it takes as a God fearing Christian to get you into proper order for they know that the good of your soul depends upon it. The reason God honors them by His covering is because He knows the sacrifices they make for you.
When they are abused, He notices that, too, for so they persecuted Jesus and share His sufferings and will His reward. Prophets may do things you don't understand but the fruit will bear out the truth. That is how Jesus said to judge it.
God bless you all in His Truth!
Pam Clark