Beware of False Prophets
It has come to my attention that there is a lack of plain basic knowledge of
the structure of the First Century Church. The full Gospel churches being
set up in foreign lands today seem especially vulnerable. Because of the
lack of missionaries willing to go into harsh or dangerous countries, there
seems to be a bit of an influx of the Christian lunatic fringe. Most of
those dear ones who are begging Gospel teachers to come, are innocent and very
child-like in their faith. In many places, the missionary is welcomed and
treated like royalty. It can be a real ego trip, to those who desire
adoration.
We certainly are not immune to this element here in America. There are a
few of these Elmer Gantry type preachers who run from church to church, calling
themselves prophets, and flim-flam the gullible. They have no proven
ministries, but tickle the ears of the Biblically ignorant. They have a
silver tongue and can talk birds out of the trees, sell ice to the Eskimos, and
manipulate hard working people out of their paychecks. They show little
mercy to the poor and elderly and will con even these out of a big chunk of
their meager incomes. They have developed the art of "fleecing the sheep"
into a science. I have heard of some selling so-called holy water, cut
pieces off their own necktie in exchange for a "gift to God," and in rare cases, set up
their own websites. They will hock "a personal Word from the Lord" much
like physics, but "for the Lord's ministry" of course. Incredibly, some
have even made it to television! May the Lord help us all.
I once had a vision of sheep who were standing upright in a long line. All
of them were wounded. Some had blackened eyes, some walked with canes, others
with casted legs on crutches, some with arms in slings, and every one had been
sheared down to the skin. They were waiting for a TRUE shepherd who would
love and heal them. Thank God there are true and faithful shepherds who
are more than willing to fill the pulpits. There are also some wonderful
prophets in the churches in America, and in the rest of the world.
In the Old Testament days, prophets played a different role than the prophets
of today. They were the link between God and men. Before Jesus died
and rose again, the everyday person had no access to God the Father.
People had to go to an earthly man/woman: Abraham, Moses, Judges (Deborah
was a judge), Priests, Prophets, and Holy men, in order to hear from God.
We see in the Word that when Jesus gave up His Spirit on the cross, He breathed,
"It is finished." At this time, the Temple curtain (a high, heavy
tapestry) that separated the inner court from the Holy of Holies, was torn in
half from the top to the bottom. This signified that GOD had personally
ripped it, and that through Jesus' death, man would have individual access to
the Father. We now can spiritually go into the Holy of Holies anytime we
choose to talk to God.
The Apostle Paul, who was the preacher to the Gentiles, told us that we have no
need to go to people (prophets included) to know what God wants to say to his
children, since we each possess the Holy Ghost within ourselves.
I believe in the prophetic ministry, because the Bible tells us about the Divine
Order of the Church.
I have walked with the Lord for 48 years and served Him to the best of my
knowledge. I have seen a misunderstanding of the gifts of the Holy Spirit,
and ignorance of the office of Prophet. It has been my experience that God
seldom uses DIRECTIVE prophecy to the individual. If that were so, anybody
could call himself a prophet, and set up his own little kingdom, and make the
people afraid to ever disobey him! God forbid that there should be such an
abuse of that calling and gift.
Most of the time, the gift is used for individuals, but you will see an
important truth here.
Personal prophecies are never to be used to DIRECT a person to do this or that,
but rather to CONFIRM what the Lord has already shown that person! We need
to remember this difference. Sometimes when a personal word is needed, it
falls under the gift of the Word of Knowledge, and not a prophecy at all.
(Read 1 Corinthians 12:4-10).
Prophecy does not lead, but merely confirms the leading God has already
placed in our own heart. We need to remember this difference.
There are those in the Body of Christ who desire power. Some may use the
Gifts to manipulate others to do their bidding. Of course, PRIDE is at the
root of it all.
When the gift is used for the Church body as a whole, it is usually to encourage
a group, or to correct the Church, to inform of earthly happenings about to
come, and in the case of Apostles, to set a local church in order (setting
certain persons in their offices, such as the Prophet, Pastor, Teachers, Deacons,
Elders, etc.) The Apostle is to be a mature man of God, with a PROVEN
ministry, who operates at one time or another in all 9 Gifts of the Spirit and
who is also full of the 9 Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22, 23).
When the gift of Prophecy is spoken out to the Church, it is for everyone who
hears it. Anytime the Lord rebukes a church, He also encourages it before
the prophecy ends. Remember, it must be in balance. God never just
harshly rebukes, nor does He flatter a group or an individual. That is a
man's thoughts, and if he is speaking as if it comes from God, it should not be
considered.
The Apostle is the highest office in the New Testament Church, and very few
today are TRUE Apostles. Of course, like Paul, they are to be church
planters, and watch over all their churches, like a father.
Not everyone who calls himself a Prophet or an Apostle, IS one! The
Apostle must know his churches, and sets in their own individual prophet.
This must be someone who is truly gifted and called to the prophetic ministry,
and the Apostle must feel safe that the Prophet will not try to manipulate that
local church, or prophesy a false doctrine.
Paul set all this up as our example. The Church is to follow Paul's
teaching and example. If Paul doesn't teach something, then throw it out,
because it is error. Every single book of the New Testament that Paul
himself wrote, he tells us that he wrote it. If he doesn't say so then he
didn't write it. Most people think that he wrote Hebrews, but Paul didn't
sign it.
Hebrews is a mix of Paul's teachings of grace and also Jewish law. Paul
always tried to steer the church AWAY from the law, so for those are the 2
reasons, I do not feel he wrote the letter to the Hebrews (it always sounded like
James' writings to me, or perhaps Peter, but that is just my own opinion,
because the writer did not identify himself, for some reason).
As for more about prophecy... this is a gift that we must check against the
Word, as with all the gifts. Again, I have noted that when God rebukes a
church, He does it in love, and always gives hope in the midst of rebuke.
When the devil is talking, the people walk away feeling condemned, and hopeless.
That is the difference between conviction and condemnation. GOD convicts (giving
hope) but the devil condemns (giving no hope for change, just judgment).
I have also noticed that in a personal leading, God's voice is peaceable and quiet and
calm, but the devil doesn't whisper... he SHOUTS and gives fear.
God LEADS... the devil PUSHES!
Remember not to allow yourself to be pushed or rushed into decisions, but rather
wait and let God lead you. Leaders in ANY office need so much wisdom from
God, which is separate from the gift of the WORD of wisdom. God's wisdom
is an abiding thing that we use all the time. Much of His wisdom is gained
from studying His Word... the rest comes from discernment and experience, and
from others who have true teachings.
I was reading a website one evening and I saw the Word mixed with a man's
opinion that had no basis in the Word. It got to be a real job separating
the truth from the trash. I finally left the website, but I worry about
the innocent ones who listen to this stuff, and get a perverted doctrine.
One thing that was said was that there are 4 angels assigned to each child, and
after the age of accountability, if the child doesn't ask Jesus to come into his
or her heart, the angels depart from the child and he/she is left on their own.
WHERE do people get this stuff? If someone prophesied it, then where is
this found in the Scriptures?! The truth is, it ISN'T.
God never gives a prophecy that can't be backed up by the Bible. He is not
confused, and does not say one thing in His written Word, then the opposite
through the gift of prophecy!
Today's church leaders must ask God to guide them as to who they
should allow to speak to their people, be it preacher or teacher or so-called
prophet. They can do such damage to the people, if they teach error.
Pastors must do whatever they can to protect their pulpits... they are
GOD'S pulpits, and He will help guard them.
God Bless You All,
Pastor Moser
August, 2005
In : 2005.08 "Beware of False Prophets"