Psalm 78:22-25 Because they did not believe in God [they did not rely on Him, they did not adhere to Him], And they did not trust in His salvation (His power to save). Yet He commanded the clouds from above And opened the doors of heaven, And He rained down manna upon them to eat And gave them the grain of heaven. Man ate the bread of angels; God sent them provision in abundance.
Most miracles result from unbelief in the hearts of men; hence, God wants to restore faith in the hearts of men.
What Is Prophecy?
According to 1 Corinthians 14:3 prophecy is speaking to people for their strengthening, encouragement, and comfort.
Remember that according to Amos 3:7 Surely the Sovereign LORD doesn’t do anything unless he [first] reveals his secret to his servants the prophets.
Afterall God is always speaking to his people: Even in the Old Testament, we see that in the book of Numbers 11:29 Moses said, “…I wish all the LORD’s people were prophets and that the LORD would put his Spirit on them.” And that was also Paul’s wish too in 1 Corinthians 14:5
So, you can see that God is still talking to his people directly and even through prophets. That is why Paul Said in 1 Corinthians 14:29,31 Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said…For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.
This was to show that everybody can hear from the Lord through prophecy.
Why Does God Want Everyone To Prophesy?
- God wants to convict sinners using prophecy.
1 Corinthians 14:24 But if all of you are prophesying, and unbelievers or people who don’t understand these things come into your meeting, they will be convinced of their sin by what they hear. They will be judged by all they hear,
2. God wants to build His church through prophecy.
1 Corinthians 14:4 The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church.
3. God may want to bring to light hidden things.
2 Kings 6:12 “Elisha, the prophet in Israel, tells the king of Israel even the words you speak in the privacy of your bedroom!”
How Do People Become Prophets?
1. Some are born prophets.
Jeremiah 1:5 “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”
2. Through desiring prophecy.
1 Corinthians 14:1, “… eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy.”
3. The Gift Of Prophecy Can Be Gained Through the laying of hands
In Acts 19:6, When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied, giving prophecy.
4. The Gift Of Prophecy Can Be Gained By Being in the company of prophets or by association.
We see that happened to Saul according to 1 Samuel 10:10-11 When Saul and his servant arrived at Gibeah, they saw a group of prophets coming toward them. Then the Spirit of God came powerfully upon Saul, and he, too, began to prophesy. When all who had known him before saw how he prophesied with the prophets, the people asked one another, “What has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul one of the prophets?
We see also another case whereby Saul’s men prophesied too according to 1 Samuel 19:20,” … But when they arrived and saw Samuel leading a group of prophets who were prophesying, the Spirit of God came upon Saul’s men, and they also began to prophesy.
5. The Gift Of Prophecy Can Be Gained Through inheritance
2 Kings 2:9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?” “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.
How To Know A False Prophet
According to 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21, we shouldn’t despise prophecy but test everything that is said and hold on to what is good.
1. A false prophet’s words don’t come true(His prophecy is wrong).
Deuteronomy 18:17-22 “Then the LORD said to me, ‘What they have said is right. I will raise up a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites. I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell the people everything I command him. I will personally deal with anyone who will not listen to the messages the prophet proclaims on my behalf. But any prophet who falsely claims to speak in my name or who speaks in the name of another god must die.’
“But you may wonder, ‘How will we know whether or not a prophecy is from the LORD?’ If the prophet speaks in the LORD’s name but his prediction does not happen or come true, you will know that the LORD did not give that message. That prophet has spoken without my authority and need not be feared.
2. A false prophet may give prophecy but lacks love for others
1 Corinthians 13:2 I may have the gift of prophecy, and I may understand all mysteries and have all knowledge. I may even have enough faith to move mountains. I would be nothing unless I loved others.
Take note of the following verses so that you may discern false prophets:
Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing but are ravenous wolves inwardly. According to Matthew 7:21-23 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?’ Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers'”
Jeremiah 14:14 “The prophets are prophesying lies in My name,” replied the LORD. “I did not send them or appoint them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, a worthless divination, the futility and delusion of their minds.
Why Do We Then Have So Many False Prophets?
1. We the people encourage it and push the men of God to do it.
Isaiah 30:9-10 These people are rebellious and deceitful children who refuse to listen to the LORD’s teachings. They tell the seers, “Stop seeing visions!” They tell the prophets to keep quiet. They say, “Don’t talk to us about what’s right. Tell us what we want to hear. prophesy deceits (lies or illusions)
2. The love of Gold and not God
1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil… for instance Balaam. 2 Peter 2:15, They have wandered off the right road and followed the footsteps of Balaam son of Beor, who loved to earn money by doing wrong.
We see a good example of this love for money in Numbers 22:7 Balak’s messengers, who were elders of Moab and Midian, set out with money to pay Balaam to place a curse upon Israel. They went to Balaam and delivered Balak’s message to him.
The minute you prophesy for the love of money then God leaves you and you become a diviner and not a prophet, and the consequences can be harsh for you (Joshua 13:22).
3. For fear of relations like rulers and even relatives.
Job 2:9-13 Then Job’s wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!”
1 Kings 22:11-12 Now Zedekiah son of Chenaanah had made for himself iron horns and declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘With these, you shall gore the Arameans until they are finished off.’” / And all the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-Gilead and triumph, for the LORD will deliver it into the hand of the king.”
4. The bad behavior of your close relatives can push you to do so.
Hosea 1:2 When the LORD first spoke to Hosea, the LORD told him, “Marry a prostitute and have children with that prostitute. The people in this land have acted like prostitutes and abandoned the LORD.”
5. People want miracles at all costs.
Matthew 24:24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive even the elect if that were possible.
6. They have ordained themselves.
Jeremiah 23:21 I did not send these prophets, yet they have run with their message; I did not speak to them, yet they have prophesied.
What Makes Us Not Receive This Gift Of Prophecy?
1. We want prophecy now and then and if it delays we doubt it.
A prophet can see things you can’t see unless your spiritual eyes are open like Elisha could see an army of angels on the mountain which Gehazi couldn’t see. 2 Kings 6:17
1 Kings 18:41-45
And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.” / So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah climbed to the summit of Carmel, bent down on the ground, and put his face between his knees. / “Go and look toward the sea,” he said to his servant. So the servant went and looked, and he said, “There is nothing there.” Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.” …
Remember Prophecy might unfold in bits and pieces like in the case of Elijah whereby he kept sending Elisha to go and look at how big the clouds were up to 7 times before it was visible that it would rain. This was before the miracle moved from the land of the miracles to the land of the living. 1 Kings 18:43-46.
To the normal untrained seers, they might not see anything in the physical and yes they are correct but that doesn’t mean that things are not moving in the spiritual.
Many people have missed prophecy because they doubted
Matthew 11:23 “And you people of Capernaum, will you be honored in heaven? No, you will go down to the place of the dead. For if the miracles I did for you had been done in wicked Sodom, it would still be here today.“
2 Kings 3:17 For thus says the LORD: ‘You shall not see wind, nor shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, so that you, your cattle, and your animals may drink.“
It doesn’t matter how the words of the prophet transform into things or events but once the prophecy is out then heaven goes to back it for instance Samuel’s word never fell to the ground, 1 Samuel 3:19-21 (King James Version) And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan even to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD.
The problem is if the prophet is a true prophet, then you might be punished for disrespecting his word for instance:
2 Kings 7:19 It so happened that the king of Israel had put the city gate under the command of the officer who was his attendant. The officer was trampled to death there by the people and died, as Elisha had predicted when the king went to see him.
Elisha had told the king that by that time the following day ten pounds of the best wheat or twenty pounds of barley would be sold in Samaria for one piece of silver, The king’s officer had replied, “That couldn’t happen even if the LORD opened the windows of heaven!” And the man of God had said, “You will see it happen with your own eyes, but you won’t be able to eat any of it!”
Pray this prayer aloud: “Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins and surrender my life. Wash me clean. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. That he died on the cross for my sins and rose again on the third day for my Victory, I believe that in my heart and make confession with my mouth, that Jesus is my Savior and Lord.
Pastor Nathaniel.
