“I’m a Prophet, Too”

The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 12:1, “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant.” Paul goes on to tell us that there are diversities of gifts but all by the same spirit. He tells us that to one the Spirit gives the gift of prophecy and to another the discerning of spirits. In chapter 14, Paul encourages us to eagerly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. Paul tells us that this gift of prophesy is to edify the body of Christ. But something is amiss. Then and now. We seem to have overlooked what Jesus warned in Matthew 7 when He told us to beware of false prophets. They may appear as one who has your best interest, but inward, they are ravenous wolves. So how is it that millions follow that which is the antithesis of what scripture warns us about? And why do we so easily overlook that part about the gift of discerning of spirits rather than testing every spirit and word to see if it is from God? We are at a crossroads and it’s imperative we choose the right path.

The office of prophet will appear different in all that was required when we look at the differences between a prophet in the Old Testament and the New Testament. The penalty for wrong prophecy under the old covenant was death. In the New Testament, Agabus was killed for spreading the gospel of Christ, but we don’t read where a prophet was killed for wrong prophesy. But, in 2 Peter 2, the Apostle Peter speaks of false prophets that would be among you secretly bringing in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord and bringing upon themselves swift destruction. Peter said they blaspheme the way of truth and will exploit you with deceptive words. Their destruction does not slumber. So, they do not escape His judgement. And it’s incumbent on us to be in His word and know the truth. We also must realize that the office of prophet is too often misrepresented. We’re all called to seek after prophesying, but that does not qualify one to be a prophet. That’s an office, not a gift of the spirit. Many today who are in ministry as a pastor or evangelist have the gift of prophesy. But, if you judge them by their fruit, you’ll see they are not prophets. We must judge and test all things. We must be vigilant.

The enormity of the office of prophet is seen as serious to the point of death. In 1 Kings 13, a prophet of God is sent to speak a word of warning and judgement to King Jeroboam. When King Jeroboam heard the prophecy, he stretched out his hand toward the prophet and told his servants to arrest the prophet. Yet, when he stretched out his hand, it became withered and he could not use it. He cried out to the prophet to ask for the favor of God to restore his hand and the prophet prayed to God and the king’s hand was restored. The King then asked the prophet to come home with him and refresh himself and receive a reward. But the prophet said he would not for even any amount of reward, for the Lord had commanded him to “Not eat bread, nor drink water, nor return by the way you came.” So, the prophet left by another way, but word of his exploit was heard of by another man who found the prophet and asked him to come home with him and eat bread. The prophet again said what the Lord had told him and thusly he could not go with him. But the man said, “I’m a prophet too. Just as you are.” He said that an angel spoke the word of the Lord to him to bring the prophet back home with him that he may eat bread and drink water. He was lying to the prophet. And when he had brought him to his home and given him water and fed him bread, he then spoke judgement to the prophet. He told him the prophet’s corpse would not come to the tomb of his fathers. The prophet left on his donkey to return home. On his way a lion met him and killed him. The lion and the donkey just stayed by the prophet who had just been killed. And word returned to the man who had lied to the prophet of what transpired.  This man brought the prophet’s body back to be buried in his own tomb. Although the lion and donkey obeyed what God had told them, the prophet had not, and his disobedience led to his death. These were signs for all to see. This is a hard word to grasp. A prophet given a task to give a word to King Jeroboam that might cause him harm. Yet the penalty for not obeying the letter of the law proved to be his undoing. Some say the man who told the prophet that he too was a prophet was not of God. Others believe the lesson was one of obedience to His command and the office of prophet. Still a hard lesson.

Prophets in the Old Testament often received no name recognition. In 1 Kings 9, the prophet Elisha tells one of the company of prophets to take a flask of oil and go anoint Jehu as king and then flee. His life was in danger. Not an easy task and no name recognition. Jehu’s servants called the prophet a madman and Jehu referred to him as the man and his babble. A prophet was sent to give a word to King Ahab in 1 Kings 20 knowing full well he could be killed. Yet again, no name recognition. Prophets like Micaiah were jailed. Isaiah was sawn in two. Jeremiah received better treatment from those that overran Israel than from his own people. The office of prophet today has become something that is barely recognizable. They are definitely not one of the hundreds hid in a cave by Obadiah in 1 Kings 18, as there would be no money or recognition. How could you get others to take your course in prophetic ministry or becoming a prophet all for the low, low price of whatever? How could you have your traveling ministry often with an agreed upon price for your services? How could you cozy up to some politician or president as you wouldn’t be seen on T.V. or some 8 X 10 glossy on your circulars or on Facebook. How could you escape judgement for abandoning those who Jesus said we were to minister to in the Sermon on the Mount? I’ve been involved in prophetic ministry since the mid-’90s. I saw what was coming back then, but I’m still surprised and disheartened by what has transpired and what is now received as acceptable. As the Apostle Peter said in 2 Peter 2, these “prophets” receive wages of unrighteousness. They carouse in their own deception while they feast on you. They are covetous and follow the way of Balaam who loved the wages of unrighteousness. They are wells without water for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. They speak great swelling words of emptiness. Yet why do so many follow them when we have the words of Life before us. Time is short and we must cast off all that is not of Him.

One may say they are a prophet, too. But judge them by their fruit not just their words. See who they align themselves to. The Lord is clear when He warns in Psalm 50, “To the wicked God says what right have you to declare my statutes or take my covenant upon your lips.” That’s a scary warning. It’s up to us to know His true servants. I leave you with this warning to be free of that which has no part in Him. In Colossians 2: 8-10 it says, “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the traditions of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” You see, in Him, we have all we need to be whole and to walk in truth. The Lord is above every principality and power. Seek Him and rest in His presence. Blessings.