America’s Prophet
It is always alarming to note that some Christian communities will readily accept and hail the nominations of titles and positions in the secular world. Even when, those positions are contrary to true character. For example, one who runs for a particular office can be nominated, but their lifestyle, family values and personal integrities do not match. It’s like what William Shakespeare said, “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” I am one to believe that a title also says something of your skill, God-given gifts, inner quality and personality. Like those who agree with the secularization of affirming and hailing those to the contrary. There are Christian communities that agree and sanction the realities of the Christian prophet in today’s time. It’s scary to know a batch of Christians are more prevalent to accepting pseudo-prophets outside of the Christian community.
In so, Christians have hailed Nostradamus as America’s prophet. Many have believed in his, so called, prophecies. Even if these so called prophecies were instigated by occult and divining practices. Yes. this pseudo-prophet used anagrams to piece together coded messages of world events. He even went so far as starring into fire for long periods of time to derive messages concerning future events. Those tactics and practices are labeled as witchcraft. The prophet Ezekiel writes that a person will stop at nothing to seek guidance and an answer. They will look to trinkets for guidance and examine the liver of dead animals for a message (Ezek. 21:21). In addition, early on in preparing the Israelites to trust God’s pathway as they travel through the wilderness (of life) for their lives, and the sustaining of it as well, God told them not to go about trusting answers and guidance from sorcery, secular ways of interpreting, casting spells on people or forming an allegiance with those who consult the dead (Deut. 18:10-11). Witchcraft uses any earthly mediums or artifacts to derive a message from supposedly, God. However, these messages are derived from the fallen angels that now take on dark paths that stray humans from depending and discovering a Holy and righteous God. Satan is still trying to usurp the authority and power of God by mimicking his power.
Notwithstanding, when a true believer who is born-again tells the Christian community that God has called him into the ministry of a prophet. They become nervous and leery that this believer has gotten off the path. Even with all of the signs and prophecies that follow, they question God’s authenticity of your calling. A prophets calling is backed up solely by God through his praying to God intimately. God summons him to receive a message for daily guidance and Christian work. This is how you know a true prophet who is inspired directly from God without any occult practices involved. Prayer has placed the prophet into the very face and heart of God. Look at Moses for example, He was to separate himself from the people to pray and as he prayed God would reveal to him a set of instructions written in stone (Ex. 24:12). Moses through intercessory prayer was guided with Holy principles and a vision for the construction of a place to worship (Ex. 25:2). He doesn’t use any divining means. First, without intercessory prayer to God, the prophet cannot receive anything about direction for people’s lives. Today, in the body of Jesus that message communicated to the prophet is sometimes a phrase, sentence, or an overwhelming anointing regarding a circumstance, a word of knowledge or simple guidance for the individual. That guidance can be a “go ahead” or a warning of something happening down the road. The warning could be based on a decision the person will make or an unforeseen obstacle coming their way. The prophet Agabus had a vision (a seer) of Paul’s encounter with demonic warfare that will operate through the people in Jerusalem (Acts 21:10-11).
At the same time, you may believe in the prophetic office and its importance foreshadowing the messianic promises stated in the Old Testament and its foundation for the New Testament church; but you, do not believe that it’s supposed to exist today in the body of Jesus. Jesus has not changed from the past, present, nor will he in the future (Heb. 13:8). Therefore, if he initiated the prophetic office in the Old and confirming through them as the foundation of the church in the New Testaments, he will also keep the church to and through its future day to the millennium by utilizing the prophetic office to reaffirm his presence to individuals, church bodies, nations and to territories that are unclaimed by His righteousness.
If the gift of the prophetic office is not for today, then you are neglecting a very important move of the Holy Spirit. Secondly, if the prophetic office isn’t for today and was a gift of the past, then, it isn’t for tomorrow, the future, either. If God is “the same God today, yesterday and forever,” then he will use prophets to establish his final coming. You can’t say the office is not for today and then believe it’s appropriate for the Apostle John’s apocalypse in Revelation chapter 11 when the two witnesses are prophesying for several years. The prophet has always been present and sent before and during a move of God, to maintain a people with God, and encourage and sustain faith in the body of Jesus-individually and collectively.
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