Modern day prophets?

JimM1228 · Apr 6, 2011

Alot of people have been claiming to be prophets and have been asking questions about them. after some research i feel that these may not be the best way to Glorify God. in my own opinion that is. i have conjured up a conclusion and i hope you guys take time to read this. btw sorry for putting so much in lol

The gift of prophet seems to have been a temporary gift given by the Christ for the laying of the foundation of the church. Prophets were foundational to the church (Ephesians 2:20). The prophet proclaimed a message from the Lord to the early believers. Sometimes a prophet’s message was revelatory (new revelation and truth from God) and sometimes a prophet’s message was predictive (see Acts 11:28 and 21:10). The early Christians did not have the complete Bible. Some early Christians did not have access to any of the books of the New Testament. The New Testament prophets “filled the gap” by proclaiming God’s message to the people who would not have access to it otherwise. The last book of the New Testament (Revelation) was not completed until late in the first century. So, the Lord sent prophets to proclaimed God’s Word to His people.

If the purpose of a prophet was to reveal truth from God, why would we need prophets if we have the completed revelation from God in the Bible? If prophets were the “foundation” of the early church, are we still building the “foundation” today? Can God give someone a message to deliver to someone else? Absolutely! Does God reveal truth to someone in a supernatural way and enable that person to deliver that message to others? Absolutely! But is this the biblical gift of prophecy? No.

Whatever the case, whenever a person claims to be speaking for God (the essence of prophecy) the key is to compare what is said with what the Bible says. If God were to speak through a person today, it would be in 100% complete agreement with what God has already said in the Bible. God does not contradict Himself. 1 John 4:1 instructs us, “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21 declares, “Do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good.” So, whether is it a “word from the Lord” or a supposed prophecy, our response should be the same. Compare what is said to what the Word of God says. If it contradicts the Bible, throw it out. If it agrees with the Bible, pray for wisdom and discernment as to how to apply the message (2 Timothy 3:16-17; James 1:5).

AnandaHya · Apr 6, 2011

While I agree with most of what you have posted. especially the part about nothing contradicting the Word of God and testing all spirits and people who claim to have a message from God. I would like to address this paragraph:

If the purpose of a prophet was to reveal truth from God, why would we need prophets if we have the completed revelation from God in the Bible?

Because the devil knows of the Bible and have sent FALSE PROPHETS, we need True prophets to counteract them. Do you know the difference between prophet and seer? One speaks of the present revelation, one predicts the future events, etc. we have no seers for we have the complete Bible.

If prophets were the “foundation” of the early church, are we still building the “foundation” today?

Jesus is the FOUNDATION, but we are still trying to be ONE BODY and speak in ONE Voice, ONE church therefore prophecy is still needed.

Can God give someone a message to deliver to someone else? Absolutely! Does God reveal truth to someone in a supernatural way and enable that person to deliver that message to others? Absolutely! But is this the biblical gift of prophecy? No.

Prophecy is a message not for some ONE but to the WHOLE CHURCH or Body of Christ. there is a BIG difference. Prophets tell the church how they stray and how to stay on the narrow path of Righteousness. People are to speak as the Spirit moves them and others are to JUDGE the Truth of the words. Not blindly accept them. There is suppose to be a COUNCIL of Prophets that hear and Speak DIRECTLY with God. People do this with the Holy Spirit. So anyone with the Holy SPirit inside of them can be called to propheses. Therefore prophecy though grossly misunderstood still exist. Its about the PRESENT and the Likely outcome. READ JONAH, his predictions did NOT come true for they repented.

SantoSubito · Apr 6, 2011

Catholics have a distinction for this. Public revelation ended with the death of the last of the twelve Apostles, but private revelation continues to this day. An example of private revelation is the prophecies of Our Lady at Fatima, or the visions of Jesus that St. Faustina had that gave us the Divine Mercy devotion.

Scotty · Apr 6, 2011

You do know plagiarizing is wrong, right? I read this exact same thing on another site a couple weeks ago.

JimM1228 · Apr 6, 2011

Scotty said:

scotty i apologize for not citing the site, i will get right on that

Spiritual_Plague · Apr 9, 2011

How about you let the Bible define what prophecy is for starters?

Exodus 7:1-4
"Then the LORD said to Moses, "See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet. 2 You are to say everything I command you, and your brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his country.3 But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt, 4 he will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and with mighty acts of judgment I will bring out my divisions, my people the Israelites."

Here God Himself describes what a prophet is: Someone who hears a message directly (personally) from God and speaks the message to someone that the message is meant for.

According to the Bible in what ways does God speak directly to a person who is to prophesy what God had spoken?

He speaks to them through...
Through visions (look it up)
Through dreams (look it up)
Through Words (look it up)

Jim, when you leave the definitions up to God and the Bible of what prophecy actually is, by your own posts you know that the gift of prophecy still exists today, because you said....

"...Can God give someone a message to deliver to someone else? Absolutely! Does God reveal truth to someone in a supernatural way and enable that person to deliver that message to others? Absolutely!..."

Now you understand that you do actually agree, defined by the Bible, that prophesying and prophecy is relevent and important for the modern church.

Besides that, the arguement that the gift of prophecy is gone, because the Bible has been completed is an understudied arguement for the simple reason that the book of Revelation speaks specifically of a couple of people who will be prophesying for 1,260 days (about 3.5 years) all being long after the Bible has been completed.

Revelation 11:3
3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days..."

Scripture shows that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are still relevent, and people really shouldn't be telling the Holy Spirit what He can and cannot give as gifts. All the gifts of the Holy Spirit are relevent and will obviouslly continue to be relevent, as scripture shows, up to the times just before Jesus' return to the earth.

AnandaHya · Apr 9, 2011

thanks Spiritual_Plague, I really need to reread revelations...

blessings to all who walk in God's Truth and Light. May grace touch the hearts of the unsaved and mercy be the keystone of all who call upon the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who First loved and was merciful to us.

Jason83 · Apr 9, 2011

Spiritual_Plague said:

The bible is rather large (look it up) doesn't prove your point....

Spiritual_Plague said:

The two witness have already been prophetcized by the old prophets, so they already part of the bible. God probably hide what they have to say because he doesn't want Satan to know beforehand.

Spiritual_Plague said:

Yeah, after the anti-christ has been revealed, there will be two prophet know as the two witnesses. However, at that time, there will be a need for new words from God for the 144,000. But, of course, the anti-Christ hasn't been revealed. Just because there are two pre-chosen prophets in the very last days doesn't prove that there are modern day prophets.

Not to mention, many people believe that the two witnesses might be Elijah and Enoch. The bible says that it is accounted to man to only die once, and neither of them ever died. Anyways, technically if they or other old prophets--are the two witnesses sent by God, then saying there aren't any modern day prophet is perfectly valid.

Spiritual_Plague said:

No one ever said anything about the Holy Spirit "can and cannot give as gifts"-- what was actually said or implied, is simply that there isn't a need for modern day prophets because the bible is complete.

AnandaHya · Apr 9, 2011

Jason83 God's words are perfect just as God is perfect, but His church is NOT.

The Bible names prophets as an office in the church just like pastors and teachers and apostles. If any of them was done away with then why not all of them then?

Jesus said not to call any but HIM the one TRUE TEACHER, or Pastor but the church choses not to listen to this. They say they are under Shepherds under the Master shepherd. why then can there not be prophets under the Master prophet? Your logic makes no sense. Here are the Bible verses and explain to me how two offices exist but the other two are no longer relevant. DO you then say only parts of the Bible is relevant to our lives today and we can just toss out the old Testament with all its laws because we have the New?

Explain to me your reasoning and thinking then....

1 Corinthians 12:28
And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.

Ephesians 4:11
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,

1 Corinthians 12:28-30 (New King James Version)

28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?

To DENY prophets of TODAY is to deny the words of the Bible. chose carefully your words. will you deny the Holy Spirit's work in the world today?

There should be 12 apostles for the 12 tribes (group of people with spiritual gifts that make up the Body and Church of Christ) of today but I have not located or heard of them though people tell me that the Pentecostal church uses the title of Apostles for some of its leaders, i will have to look into it more and pray to God for the answer to that one.

AnandaHya · Apr 9, 2011

If you want a modern day prophecy read this one, it echoes the Bible's words to the deaf and blind of this generation.

HE says "Feel my wrath, so that you might believe that prophets walk amongst you and warned you yet you did not repent. You have stolen the widows inheritance. You have added to the burdens of the oppressed. you have judged falsely. you have ignored the cries of the weak and weary. So I turn my face from you. See for a time a world without the grace of God."

so how many will down camel hair shirts, ashes, fasting and repent to turn the wrath of the Lord from yourselves and your loved ones?

Lord Have mercy.

have you made a new covenant with the Lord does His Holy SPirit reside in you??? do you not hear the words spoken in YOUR HEART??? Prophecy is to SPEAK the WORDS of GOD placed in the Hearts of BELIEVERS. Will you Deny Prophecy STILL?

Hebrews 8:10-13 (New King James Version)

10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 11 None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds[a] I will remember no more.”
13 In that He says, “A new covenant, ” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

You do not deny the prophet the speak the WORDS but the Person who placed them in our hearts.

TheJesusFreak · Apr 9, 2011

(Ok sorry i dont read uber long posts lol)

I dont beleive in modern day prophets or modern day jesus yet BECAUSE

once they did this thing on the news and these three different dudes were claiming to be jesus

and the bible talks alot about false prophets so instead of trying to find a prophet to help me see the future I trust in the lord

Jason83 · Apr 9, 2011

AnandaHya said:

The gift of prophecy hasn't been done away with-- it simply isn't needed because the bible is complete. As for pastors, there is a HUGE need for them to spread the word of God that is why they are applicable and will always be until the end of days; Same thing applies to teachers. Far as apostles go, I don't believe in modern day apostles either-- I think that title is best left for the ones who have already been chosen, but titles like these are all really just semantics anyways.

AnandaHya said:

All teaching come from Jesus Christ and God-- the prophets who wrote the bible just wrote what they are told. Pastor really don't teach the word of God anyways-- they simply attempt to interpret it to the best of their ability.

AnandaHya said:

All those versus are perfectly valid, but were written down years before the book of revelations was. The book wasn't actually written down until about 95AD,96AD which was almost 70 years after Christ died on the cross. I personally believe once the book of revelations was complete --the need for prophets stopped.

AnandaHya said:

Most assuredly I would not deny the Holy Spirit's work in the world today. Prophecy is but only one part of the many many tasks that the Holy Spirit takes on.

I am not denying the words of the bible, but the contrary-- I am saying that the bible is all we need to face and difficulties in this world-- people who think they need new words from God are denying the bible more than me because they fill it isn't sufficient for the tasks that christian have to complete.

Jason83 · Apr 9, 2011

TheJesusFreak said:

Agreed, trusting in the Lord is always the best course of action. Stick to the bible and trust in the Lord is all a Christian really needs in this life. Knowing the future can be overrated

The bible talks a lot about it because there are so many of them; especially in this day in age-- being a false prophet is unfortunately a very profitable business.

AnandaHya · Apr 9, 2011

people who think they need new words from God are denying the bible more than me because they fill it isn't sufficient for the tasks that christian have to complete.

ok I agree with you there, perhaps its just semantics. if pastors are just interpretors then you can label prophets as the same. the need is not to have NEW words but to REMIND people of the WORDS already written.

JesusFreak, everyone should look ONLY towards GOD for guidance some people just need to be reminded to LISTEN to God's answers and not just give Him a wish list of what they want HIM to Do for Them. They should instead ask what they can do FOR GOD.

SORRY but EVERYONE still needs to hear that one.

Jason83 · Apr 9, 2011

AnandaHya said:

So, you considered someone who quotes or paraphrases the bible to be a prophet? I guess, technically speaking, if God was to give someone a word that just reiterates what is already in the bible, I don't see problem that, it would be a word from God and it effects the entire body of Christ, so it could qualify as a prophetic word.

After further thought, many old prophets quoted and paraphrased prophets in their past too. In the end, for me, there is simply too many false prophets that makes it extremely difficult to discern a real from a fake-- unless they say something that is obliviously violates scriptural integrity. I think it is best to walk with the Holy Spirit on this subject matter-- if you feel compelled by the Holy Spirit to listen to words that someone says--then follow it, but if you don't, obviously you should ignore them, and keep your wallet closed.

Protection_Retribution · Apr 9, 2011

I forsee that this world is totally screwed. Can I get my prophet of the month medal now ?

Spiritual_Plague · Apr 10, 2011

Jason83 said:

I'm not gonna do your homework for you. If you want to know the truth about these simple points, then seek them out.

Jason83 said:

...ok, that still doesn't change the fact that the 2 witnesses will be prophesying for about 2.5 years after the Bible has been completed.

Jason83 said:

Now you are saying that even though the Bible has been completed and therefore continues to be completed...you are saying there will be a time that the world will need new words from God????

You just defeated your own arguement and now you can agree with me and scripture that even though the Bible is complete, that fact does not negate that The Holy Spirit can still move through people prophetically as HE wills, and WILL do so!

Praise God!

If for some reason you still disagree, then you should at least inform the 2 witnesses mentioned in Revelation that they are not needed...you have a complete Bible

Cairn · Apr 11, 2011

You want to see prophecy today. Go to a church who has alter calls, sings and dances before God regularly. You'll eventually hear someone speak loudly in the church in tongues, and you will hear another speak in plain language. These are today's prophets. Very few are called to actually prophecy to the Christian community. Prophecy today is primarily local within the church itself and it is for the sake of lifting up and strengthening the faith of the Children of God.

Prophecy today is also often between individuals where one is praying and is given a message to give to another child of Christ usually about personal issues that are profoundly affecting a child of God. The member that God is using as a prophet may or may not have known about the issue, but feels as though God has given them a message for the other person.

Prophecies today tend to always be a local or personal matter between people and/or the specific church given the prophecy, however, that's not to say that God would never call someone to give a prophetic message for the Christian community world-wide. In fact, as the time of anti-christ and the second coming of Christ approaches, it's quite possible we'll be hearing prophetic warnings that the time is approaching, seeing as God does tend to like to give people every possible chance. In fact, we may have already heard such prophecies, but it's hard to prove that they are prophecies since we already know that the time is near and can see the season of Christ's return upon the horizon. I'm using "Season," of course as metaphor that references Christ's condemnation of the Pharisees that they can see the warning signs that a season is approaching, but they did not see the warning signs that the time of their Messiah was approaching.

AnandaHya · Apr 16, 2011

Jason83 said:

well that is a red flag right there, if they are asking for money then umm Jesus said to give freely as you freely received. so ...

I think that sometimes prophecy is used to show churches when they stray and have them come back are read their Bibles MORE and follow after God's heart instead of getting distracted from serving God.

too many people and churches are self absorbed and worry about money and worldly things when they should be looking for ways to spread the Gospel and leave the rest in God's hands through trust and Faith that God will provide.

However there is more to prophecy then just paraphase verses and quoting the Bible. God has to place it in the heart of a believer to speak out AGAINST the normal flow of things. to make a stand and say, this is not right, this is not of God and you need to repent and turn back to God. you do not need to be focused on money and power, you have left GOD out of the equation and that is WRONG. that is what I think the purpose of prophecy is today, to give people the courage to stand up against the status quo and tell people about GOD and HIS awesome plan for the world as written by the Holy Bible. to help refocus and edify, exhort and comfort the church.

1 Timothy 6:10
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Matthew 6:33-34 (New King James Version)

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Ramon · Apr 16, 2011

19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Modern day prophets?

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