BY Argie Simonis
"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." 1John 4:1
We have said that prophecy is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, who uses people submitted to Him to encourage, exhort, comfort, convict, and sometimes reveal the future.
The gift of prophecy and the prophetic ministry have been abused within the church and used for manipulation. There are many such unpleasant stories. A typical example is that some have given "prophecies" to individuals, telling them whom to marry, because "the Lord has shown them so."
And if you ask the person who received the prophecy, he can tell you
"but I would never marry that person, not even think about it."
Another example is when various scammers, especially on the internet, demand money to pray for you or give you a prophetic word so that God's blessing will come upon you, and there are many desperate people who fall into this trap and give entire fortunes to these false prophets.
We have also said that many of these false prophets have serious psychological problems. They may be under the influence of strong drugs or narcotics and then they go and give prophetic discourses. In this case these people do not move under the Spirit of prophecy, but of divination (the spirit of the python) and simply guess.
So many people fear and totaly reject the prophetic.
--- In this message I will give you practical advice on how to manage personal prophecies that we receive. ---
Some words may be from the Lord and some may not. We must be careful and have a balanced spiritual life. We don't always have to chase after prophets and prophetic words in order to tell us how to live. We always stay attached to the Lord and His word.
Before we begin with 7 practical points that we apply to discern and manage a prophetic word that we receive, we will do a little review from the life of the apostle Paul.
In the book of Acts we see the Spirit testifying to Paul that in every city bonds and tribulations await him:
"Save that the Holy Ghost witnesses in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me." Acts 20:23
The disciples told him through the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem:
"And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem." Acts 21:4
A little further we see the prophet Agabus:
"And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus.
And when he was come to us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus said the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that ownes this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles." Acts 21:10-11
Agabus was a recognized prophet and years ago he had prophesied that there was going to be a great famine in the whole world:
"And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem to Antioch.
And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar." Acts 11:27-28
So we see the apostle Paul receiving all these prophetic words from true and authoritative prophets and what does he do?
"And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:" Acts 20:22
A little further down he even says:
"But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear to myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God." Acts 20:24
Neither bonds scared him, nor tribulation. He did not count his life but he wanted to finish the fight that the Lord called him to. Do you see how different Paul's perspective was from those who gave him these prophetic words? He makes the decision to go to Jerusalem at the risk of his life:
"Then Paul answered, What mean you to weep and to break my heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." Acts 21:13
No one could persuade him not to go to Jerusalem:
"And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done." Acts 21:14
Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane said:
"Saying, Father, if you be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but yours, be done." Luke 22:42
In the same way, we see with Paul the Holy Spirit warning him of the bonds and tribulation that await him, but Paul is ready to die for the sake of the name of the Lord Jesus. Is it something that should concern us, or perhaps teach us something?
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The gift of prophecy is a gift of the Lord to His Church and we MUST be open to the prophetic word.
"Quench not the Spirit.
Despise not prophesyings.
Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." 1Thes. 5:21
We never allow ourselves to be manipulated through prophetic words. We never hastily and foolishly rush to apply every prophetic word we receive.
A "prophet" comes and says:
"I have word from the Lord that you will be my wife"
And the lady answers:
"Wait, let me ask my husband first."
Such paradoxes have happened a lot. Totally unacceptable! They give words from themselves and call them "prophecies".
So how do we discern these words and how do we handle a prophetic word that is truly from God? How do we protect ourselves from falling into dangerous traps and error?
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1. The prophetic word you receive is not something entirely new to you. It confirms something the Lord has already spoken to you, or is speaking to you right now.
So when you receive a prophetic word and it seems completely unknown to you, something you never had in your heart, do NOTHING and take your time in prayer. Remember Paul, who, knowing the bonds and tribulations that awaited him, finally went to Jerusalem to complete his mission.
Therefore, the prophetic must always confirm what the Lord speaks to you.
--- Do not make plans for your life based solely on prophetic words. ---
Always prayer, fasting and patience before making decisions.
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You don't accept a word from someone just because he calls himself a prophet (there are many on Facebook too).
-- What is the fruit in his life?
-- What is his character? What is his background?
-- Are they gurus and fortune tellers from other religions?
-- Have they given prophecies that were fulfilled?
-- Do they belong to a local church?
-- What kind of life do they have?
-- Do they have Christ filled people, mentors, pastors or counselors around them?
We should always check the prophetic words we receive and take them in prayer. If you do not know a prophet well, it is ok to give some time to know him better by observing his life and his character, but it is wrong to accept every word you hear because something he said among others confirms something you are going through in your life now. Especially if it's something general like
"You struggle with things"
"There's a curse on your family"
"The devil wants your life"
These are very generic things and may apply to many of you, and to be honest, you don't need to have the gift of prophecy to say something like that.
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3. Prophecies do not manipulate our will, nor dictate what we will do in our lives.
Paul heard the prophecies from his brothers, he agreed that it was dangerous where he was going BUT he followed the direction of God and the witness of the Holy Spirit within him.
-- We must always be guided by the Spirit of God --
and the prophetic word comes to confirm and strengthen what the Lord is already showing you. If you do not maintain this balance, then you are sailing in dangerous waters.
You cannot, for example, wait for the prophet to tell you when you will get married. I understand that sometimes you may receive such a word; this is not the rule but the exception.
If for example you marry someone you don't love just because the prophet said so and you marry not out of love but out of prophecy, you will have serious problems, you will start blaming God and also the prophet that gave you this word.
And then you start looking for another prophet to guide you in your troubled relationship that you shouldn't have gotten into in the first place!
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4. "for we know in part, and prophesy in part;" 1 Cor. 13:9
A prophecy may be in part, but we must seek the whole picture from the Lord.
Prophet Agabus didn't have the whole picture, but Paul did:
"And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as you have testified of me in Jerusalem, so must you bear witness also at Rome." Act. 23:11
So we are open to the prophetic, but we always examine it in the light of the Scriptures and the direction of the Spirit of the Lord.
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5. We do not hastily rush to follow a prophetic word, but consider it prayerfully waiting on God.
Mary received word from the angel Gabriel and from the shepherds and kept them in her heart without spreading them.
Joseph did that in the book of Genesis. When he saw the prophetic dream and shared it with everyone, it caused jealousy to his brothers and we all know how that story developed. He had to stay in prayer because the Lord had already planned to send him to Egypt.
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6. Some prophetic words are given under conditions and need your participation. They urge you to seek the Lord.
"This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on you, that you by them might war a good warfare;" 1Tim. 1:18
We do not wait passively for manna to fall from heaven, but we seek and pursue the vision that the Lord puts in our hearts through prophetic words.
This does not mean that all prophecies necessarily require your participation. For example, concerning the prophecies about the antichrist and the second coming of the Lord. Nomatter what you do, these prophecies will come to pass.
But there are personal prophetic words that you may receive concerning your destiny and that's where your participation is essential in seeking to fulfil the plan that God has for your life!
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7. The Bible is the most reliable prophetic word!
"For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.
We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto you do well that you take heed, as to a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:" 2Peter 1:16-19
It is very important:
-- to study the Word,
-- belong to a local church,
-- check the prophecies, using wisdom and discernment
-- and always be dependent on the Lord.
This does not mean that because you listen to God you do not need the prophetic, nor do you let the prophetic words take the place of God. We need balance in our lives. We need BOTH the prophetic word AND a deep, personal relationship with the Holy Spirit.
The prophetic will bear witness to what God is already speaking to us, it will help us close harmful doors, see things we do not see, raise us to another level, encourage us and build us up.
Amen!
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