What Benefit is the Prophetic Movement?
My wife and I were discussing the merits of the prophetic movement the other day and we came to the following conclusion --- the entire company of restored prophets have been utter failures.
What actual benefit has any restored prophet brought to the Church as a whole?
Ask Yourself
the Following Questions
(or ask a prophet
if you know one)
 |
Has any restored prophet
brought any divine insight into serious theological issues which have divided
the Church? NO.
|
Why Not?
All the insights and revelations given by the restored prophets we know of historically can be boiled down to simple "bless me" statements or obvious generalized comments about the Church or world with the usual "thus saith the Lord" tacked on to them.Yet with this abysmal record of failure and lack of producing any viable results which would prove beyond any shadow of doubt that they were indeed prophets of the Lord - - - have their numbers decreased or increased? Increased! Here are a few recent adverts from a well known charismatic magazine:
For example, Ken Hagin is seen as a prophet - he says he has personally seen, talked with, been taught by the risen Christ - yet he has not one theological or doctrinal answer to any of the serious issues facing the Church.
The restored prophets have brought division, not unity to the Church. Many people have been damaged by the prophetic (pathetic) words spoken over their lives by prophets. Within the charismatic movement there is debate over who and who is not a real prophet. There is debate even over the scope of their definition of the restored prophetic office.
None of the restored prophets have ever foretold (and thus averted) natural calamities, terrorist attacks, financial collapse, political assassinations, etc. . . Like the wise men in the book of Daniel - today's prophets are good at putting a spiritual spin on these type of events - yet none every foretold of them specifically.
The police departments do not run to the nearest prophet when a serious crime is committed and the criminal is at large. People are not flocking to the prophets to find missing children. Why not? Probably because they know these so-called prophets have nothing to say - they have no insight. No restored prophets has come foreword with solutions to any crimes, nor have they ever revealed the location of any missing children. Why not? To do these things requires actually receiving information from the Lord and He is not speaking to them!
For all their swelling words and so called divine revelations - these people add nothing genuine to the life of the Church. Many of the people in these ad's are self-appointed, self-anointed, and self-proclaimed.
It is an interesting FACT that the Bible has more warning(s) about the mission of false prophets than any other demonic counterfeit. Here are just the New Testament texts: (KJV)Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Matthew 24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
Matthew 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Mark 13:22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.
Luke 6:26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.
Acts 13:6 And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus:
2 Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
Rev. 16:13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
Rev. 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Rev. 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
The Bible is filled with warnings so that God's people will not be deceived by these people masquerading as the oracles of God. Yet today, sadly, many of God's people have itching ears and are running as fast as they can to hear the latest "word" from the mouth of one claiming to be a prophet of our Lord -
In my own city of Detroit we have a resident false prophet named Kim Clement, a regular on TBN. Not only is he allegedly a prophet but he has a prophetic team. I e-mailed his web site and asked what they meant by "Prophetic Music/Art" and what was the "Prophetic Atmosphere." They could not answer me directly, but I was invited to come - and so I will try to go. But this advert. (like the others) is just a small sample of what is taking place within the charismatic movement. It is also I fear, a sign of the times in which we live. A time of apostasy, of departing from the faith, a time of confusion and judgment on the Church.