A Little Note And Reminder About The Prophetic Gift

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Dec 11, 2017
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#1
During times of apostasy, the prophetic gift, as it may be given to various men and women, serves three purposes:


1. To make known to God's people what He is getting ready to do (generally to warn of His forthcoming judgment) (Amos 3:7)


2. To call God's disobedient people to return to Him from their rebellion and backsliding in order to escape/avoid His forthcoming judgment (the whole book of Jeremiah, besides the other Prophets)


3. To encourage the faithful (Isaiah 50:4, 1 Corinthians 14:3)



We also know from the Scriptures that the majority of God's people reject their prophets and do not heed their warnings---precisely because it is in times of apostasy that God raises up prophets.


And He said to me, "Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak My words to them. For you are not sent to a people of foreign speech and a hard language, but to the house of Israel---not to many peoples of foreign speech and a hard language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely, if I sent you to such, they would listen to you. But the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, for they are not willing to listen to Me. Because all the house of Israel have a hard forehead and a stubborn heart. (Ezekiel 3:4-7 ESV)


When God begins sending trumpets to His people, it is because they have not been obeying His voice. The people who have been listening to Him rightly all along need no trumpet to wake them up; they know what time it is. It is the wicked and adulterous who do not recognize the signs of the times or the voice of their prophets (which is the voice and words of their God). It is the lazy, sleeping, and rebellious ones who need a trumpet to warn them of their impending doom and to alert them to dress for action and prepare themselves for battle.


(Note that when the Lord spoke to the apostle John and gave Him messages for the seven churches in Asia province, His voice was like a trumpet. Considering that five of those seven churches were apostate, I do not think that was any coincidence, that the Lord's voice was like a trumpet---agreeing with the dire warnings that He gave John for those apostate churches. Note also that the Holy Spirit did not merely rebuke and warn those who were in error but also encouraged those who were doing well to continue.)


Unfortunately, when God begins sending trumpets, it is already too late for the majority. (You don't have to take my word for it; you can see it for yourselves by reading the Scriptures.)




Lessons of the Scriptures:


1. The majority is usually wrong

2. True prophets are usually hated and rejected (because of their unpleasant messages and the evil desires and attitudes of the hearts of those to whom they are sent)

3. The messages of true prophets in times of apostasy are mostly unpleasant ("doom and gloom"), because of the realities of the times and God's displeasure with most of His people in such times, and because His warnings of forthcoming judgment are unpleasant and frightening to hear

4. A wicked and adulterous generation does not recognize the signs of the times

5. False prophets cry peace when there is in reality no peace and smear the walls God's people build between Him and themselves with whitewash, instead of commanding them to tear them down

6. The gift of prophecy is for believers (1 Corinthians 14:22)




Hopefully you will remember these things and bear them in mind. Whether you recognize it or not, the time in which you are living right now is spiritually identical to the time of the prophet Jeremiah, who was the last prophet God sent to His people before He gave them into the hand of the king of Babylon and their city and temple were destroyed. They say that those who do not remember their history are doomed to repeat it. (Perhaps it's time to re-read the Prophets.)


For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God... (1 Peter 4:17 ESV)


(If the message is "doom and gloom" but true, you'd do well to heed it, regardless of its unpleasantness. Remember the messages and lessons of the Prophets.)






The LORD, the God of their fathers, sent persistently to them by His messengers, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. But they kept mocking the messengers of God, despising His words and scoffing at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD rose against His people, until there was no remedy. (2 Chronicles 36:15,16 ESV)
 

Blain

The Word Weaver
Aug 28, 2012
19,177
2,539
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#2
This right here 1. To make known to God's people what He is getting ready to do (generally to warn of His forthcoming judgment) (Amos 3:7)


2. To call God's disobedient people to return to Him from their rebellion and backsliding in order to escape/avoid His forthcoming judgment (the whole book of Jeremiah, besides the other Prophets)


3. To encourage the faithful (Isaiah 50:4, 1 Corinthians 14:3)


I agree with but again you cluster the majority wrongly. it is not to late for the majority and the majority is not wrong either, perhaps some yes but the majority is a bit over kill. Also God's true prophets are not always hated and despised or mocked, I walk in the gift of a prophet and I am not hated or despised and while I may be mocked sometimes it's certainly not because of my gift. There are different roles for his prophets some are indeed called to preach what is to come and to repent but for the most part the job of a prophet is to help to build up guide strengthen and encourage his church. It does not good to preach of doom and gloom if you also did nothing to prepare his church for it.

Honestly I think you think too highly of yourself and make yourself out to be a martyr and you certainly think to low of your fellow Christians this is not the makings of God's prophet because God's prophets help others to become closer to him and when people hear and read their words they don't see you they him they don't rush to attack you because of what you have spoken instead a spark is made inside them a flame ignites and an intimacy with God is created and deepened. If you think yourself his prophet then perhaps first learn what a prophet is and what their role is and the effect they have on his church.

Many claim to be prophets but so far from I have seen from you I don't think you are one and if you are then you have a lot to learn
 

RickyZ

Senior Member
Sep 20, 2012
9,635
787
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#3
God's true prophets are not always hated and despised or mocked, I walk in the gift of a prophet and I am not hated or despised
Give it time. You are still 'in training'.

;)
 

Blain

The Word Weaver
Aug 28, 2012
19,177
2,539
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#4
Give it time. You are still 'in training'.

;)
Oh yes I am by far not even close to being done in my training but that just means God and I have more amazing things to learn and grow in together :D
 
Dec 11, 2017
192
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#5
This right here 1. To make known to God's people what He is getting ready to do (generally to warn of His forthcoming judgment) (Amos 3:7)


2. To call God's disobedient people to return to Him from their rebellion and backsliding in order to escape/avoid His forthcoming judgment (the whole book of Jeremiah, besides the other Prophets)


3. To encourage the faithful (Isaiah 50:4, 1 Corinthians 14:3)


I agree with but again you cluster the majority wrongly. it is not to late for the majority and the majority is not wrong either, perhaps some yes but the majority is a bit over kill. Also God's true prophets are not always hated and despised or mocked, I walk in the gift of a prophet and I am not hated or despised and while I may be mocked sometimes it's certainly not because of my gift. There are different roles for his prophets some are indeed called to preach what is to come and to repent but for the most part the job of a prophet is to help to build up guide strengthen and encourage his church. It does not good to preach of doom and gloom if you also did nothing to prepare his church for it.

Honestly I think you think too highly of yourself and make yourself out to be a martyr and you certainly think to low of your fellow Christians this is not the makings of God's prophet because God's prophets help others to become closer to him and when people hear and read their words they don't see you they him they don't rush to attack you because of what you have spoken instead a spark is made inside them a flame ignites and an intimacy with God is created and deepened. If you think yourself his prophet then perhaps first learn what a prophet is and what their role is and the effect they have on his church.

Many claim to be prophets but so far from I have seen from you I don't think you are one and if you are then you have a lot to learn
God uses men with the prophetic gift differently than He uses women with the same, and the purpose of the gift of prophecy as described in Ephesians 4:11-13 pertains to the gift as God works through men (not women): The gifts described in this chapter are specifically referring to the gifts God gives to men (apostles, prophets, pastors).

It makes no difference to me what people think I am or am not, but I do hope that God grants them to receive the truth that He has given me to share with them regardless. As far as my own opinion of myself is concerned, God knows it. I hardly think I'm something special, but I do think quite a few people are jealous (earthly thinking) and think they're something and project their own opinions of themselves onto me.

It is not carelessly or for no reason that I refer to 'the majority' of Christians, over and over, rather than just 'some'. It would be of no use to explain the reason, as it would only be met with contempt. But suffice it to say, it is appropriate and true, and not an exaggeration or my opinion, as time will reveal. It is indeed too late for the majority. I speak to the minority. God knows who they are. I do not waste my time with insincere scoffers; they will reap the fruit of their ways, and it's only a matter of time before God's judgment of them is manifested.

One would have to be very unobservant to not see that all of what I share with others includes an action point, and is not merely "criticizing" what is wrong. Again, refer to the Prophets, who had the very same Spirit, and see how much good they had to say to the majority, and why they did not. They were not being overly critical. The problem was that the majority of God's people had adopted and accepted a standard that was not His. God flatters no one. If the truth is good, He will acknowledge and praise it, and if the truth is not good, He will reprove.

What seems like nonsense or exaggeration to one who has not been given as much insight into a particular matter as another, or who is less spiritually mature and discerning than another (and all Christians are in different places spiritually) is clear and right to others.
 
Dec 11, 2017
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#6
"When this comes—and come it will!—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.” (Ezekiel 33:33)

If what I have been warning of does not come to pass, then you will know that I was mistaken. But it's foolish to scoff before it does.
 

Blain

The Word Weaver
Aug 28, 2012
19,177
2,539
113
#7
God uses men with the prophetic gift differently than He uses women with the same, and the purpose of the gift of prophecy as described in Ephesians 4:11-13 pertains to the gift as God works through men (not women): The gifts described in this chapter are specifically referring to the gifts God gives to men (apostles, prophets, pastors).

It makes no difference to me what people think I am or am not, but I do hope that God grants them to receive the truth that He has given me to share with them regardless. As far as my own opinion of myself is concerned, God knows it. I hardly think I'm something special, but I do think quite a few people are jealous (earthly thinking) and think they're something and project their own opinions of themselves onto me.

It is not carelessly or for no reason that I refer to 'the majority' of Christians, over and over, rather than just 'some'. It would be of no use to explain the reason, as it would only be met with contempt. But suffice it to say, it is appropriate and true, and not an exaggeration or my opinion, as time will reveal. It is indeed too late for the majority. I speak to the minority. God knows who they are. I do not waste my time with insincere scoffers; they will reap the fruit of their ways, and it's only a matter of time before God's judgment of them is manifested.

One would have to be very unobservant to not see that all of what I share with others includes an action point, and is not merely "criticizing" what is wrong. Again, refer to the Prophets, who had the very same Spirit, and see how much good they had to say to the majority, and why they did not. They were not being overly critical. The problem was that the majority of God's people had adopted and accepted a standard that was not His. God flatters no one. If the truth is good, He will acknowledge and praise it, and if the truth is not good, He will reprove.

What seems like nonsense or exaggeration to one who has not been given as much insight into a particular matter as another, or who is less spiritually mature and discerning than another (and all Christians are in different places spiritually) is clear and right to others.
Being a man or women has nothing to do with how God uses his prophets and fail to see where in scripture this is mentioned. I will admit that love is not exactly common even in the church but I still think grouping the majority of believers int that category is a bit much. As for the prophets before us they spoke to the rebellious Israel and most of them were in the OT who spoke of doom and gloom, the ones in the NT spoke mostly of the testimony of Jesus Christ and were helping to build up and to encourage his church.

This of course is not to say we should be tickling ears as even I have been used to speak of these dark and horrible times to come but even so I think you are going a bit to far in it. A message is only as powerful as to how it is delivered, if God leads you to speak of doom and gloom then go for it but remember moderation because no one will listen to a person who only preaches such things and then becomes defensive. You have called us scoffers on more than one occasion and some of us were only trying to give you correction and you acted as if we were attacking you. Granted some did attack you but because you only saw that you failed to see those of us trying to help you.
 
U

Ugly

Guest
#8
"When this comes—and come it will!—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.” (Ezekiel 33:33)

If what I have been warning of does not come to pass, then you will know that I was mistaken. But it's foolish to scoff before it does.
People scoff because they can't remember the last time one wasn't wrong.
 
Dec 11, 2017
192
6
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#9
Being a man or women has nothing to do with how God uses his prophets and fail to see where in scripture this is mentioned. I will admit that love is not exactly common even in the church but I still think grouping the majority of believers int that category is a bit much. As for the prophets before us they spoke to the rebellious Israel and most of them were in the OT who spoke of doom and gloom, the ones in the NT spoke mostly of the testimony of Jesus Christ and were helping to build up and to encourage his church.

This of course is not to say we should be tickling ears as even I have been used to speak of these dark and horrible times to come but even so I think you are going a bit to far in it. A message is only as powerful as to how it is delivered, if God leads you to speak of doom and gloom then go for it but remember moderation because no one will listen to a person who only preaches such things and then becomes defensive. You have called us scoffers on more than one occasion and some of us were only trying to give you correction and you acted as if we were attacking you. Granted some did attack you but because you only saw that you failed to see those of us trying to help you.
The difference between how God uses men and women has to do with His order of authority, and with what women are and are not permitted to do. God would not send a prophetess to correct a pastor, but He would send a prophet to do this, for example. And God might use a prophet to teach doctrine but He would not use a woman to do this.

As for the example of the NT prophets, consider the circumstances. That was not a time of apostasy but a time during which the new Christian faith was growing and becoming established. Now fast forward to the time of John's Revelation, and you will see that the Lord has something else to say to His people. That is not the Old Testament, but the New.

The same Spirit who spoke through the prophets of the Old Testament speaks through God's prophets today. And He speaks according to the need of the people, and the will of God, whether the people appreciate it or not or recognize that that is the need. (The Laodiceans thought they were fine.)

Either what I have been saying is correct or it isn't. Time will show that it is. I am not being overly confident, I know this for certain. If it were otherwise, I would say so. I only declare with certainty those things of which I am certain. People can scoff at the warnings and take issue with me personally if they want to, but it's not doing them any good to do so if what I am telling them is true.

I speak as the Lord directs me to speak and share what He gives me to share; so if---as in the case of Jeremiah---most of what I share is not pleasant, there is a reason that it is not, and it is appropriate for the time.
 

RickyZ

Senior Member
Sep 20, 2012
9,635
787
113
#10
God uses men with the prophetic gift differently than He uses women with the same, and the purpose of the gift of prophecy as described in Ephesians 4:11-13 pertains to the gift as God works through men (not women): The gifts described in this chapter are specifically referring to the gifts God gives to men (apostles, prophets, pastors).

It makes no difference to me what people think I am or am not, but I do hope that God grants them to receive the truth that He has given me to share with them regardless. As far as my own opinion of myself is concerned, God knows it. I hardly think I'm something special, but I do think quite a few people are jealous (earthly thinking) and think they're something and project their own opinions of themselves onto me.

It is not carelessly or for no reason that I refer to 'the majority' of Christians, over and over, rather than just 'some'. It would be of no use to explain the reason, as it would only be met with contempt. But suffice it to say, it is appropriate and true, and not an exaggeration or my opinion, as time will reveal. It is indeed too late for the majority. I speak to the minority. God knows who they are. I do not waste my time with insincere scoffers; they will reap the fruit of their ways, and it's only a matter of time before God's judgment of them is manifested.

One would have to be very unobservant to not see that all of what I share with others includes an action point, and is not merely "criticizing" what is wrong. Again, refer to the Prophets, who had the very same Spirit, and see how much good they had to say to the majority, and why they did not. They were not being overly critical. The problem was that the majority of God's people had adopted and accepted a standard that was not His. God flatters no one. If the truth is good, He will acknowledge and praise it, and if the truth is not good, He will reprove.

What seems like nonsense or exaggeration to one who has not been given as much insight into a particular matter as another, or who is less spiritually mature and discerning than another (and all Christians are in different places spiritually) is clear and right to others.
I keep hearing you point to yourself.

A true prophet speaks God's words and relies on the Holy Spirit to confirm that word to the receiver. A true prophet doesn't feel the need to place themselves in a superior position to others to verify the message.

Smells a little fishy to me.
 
Dec 11, 2017
192
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#11
I keep hearing you point to yourself.

A true prophet speaks God's words and relies on the Holy Spirit to confirm that word to the receiver. A true prophet doesn't feel the need to place themselves in a superior position to others to verify the message.

Smells a little fishy to me.
I keep hearing a lot about what a person with the prophetic gift wouldn't do and wouldn't say. Have you ever stopped to ask yourself what a person with that gift WOULD be saying in a time of apostasy? (Hint, refer to God's word.)
 

RickyZ

Senior Member
Sep 20, 2012
9,635
787
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#12
"Listen to God" is fine for a prophet

"Listen to me" is not

Jus' sayin'
 

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
Aug 13, 2014
24,799
8,103
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#13
Blain: I remember this one evangelist who always seemed to be scowling when he preached. When somebody mentioned he always looked angry when he was behind the pulpit, he replied, "I preach better when I'm angry." Perhaps the OP is such a case.
 
Dec 11, 2017
192
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#14
"Listen to God" is fine for a prophet

"Listen to me" is not

Jus' sayin'
It's too bad that you think I've been pointing to me. Fortunately, there are some who can see past the messenger and pay attention to the message, and are not so hung up on what they think a person thinks of themself that they can assess the content of the message objectively---whether it agrees with the word and Spirit of God or not. (However, one's ability to recognize this depends not only upon whether he or she is actually in Christ, but also on spiritual maturity and what he or she has been taught (which if it was not correct, will not line up with what the person with the gift is telling them)).

As for your comment: "Listen to God is fine for a prophet"

pointing rebellious and insincere people who don't want to obey God back to His word results in derision, straw-manning and excuses, not acceptance. It sounds good, but why don't you try it and see what happens? You think people in a state of rebellion will respond well to being told to obey the Lord? Hah!

How well did it go over for the Prophets?

Again, you might do well to seriously consider what a person with that gift would be saying to God's people in a time of apostasy (in specifics). And if indeed it is a time of apostasy, why would you expect the majority to respond well to someone telling them to return to the word of God, which they already know and simply aren't willing to obey? Their response will be that it's your word and not God's, even if it's right there in the Scriptures. They'll always have an excuse. And if they have no excuse, they just won't say anything at all.
 

Waggles

Senior Member
Sep 21, 2017
3,338
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South
adelaiderevival.com
#15
I agree with but again you cluster the majority wrongly. it is not to late for the majority and the majority is not wrong either, perhaps some yes but the majority is a bit over kill.
No I am afraid Blain that the great majority are wrong
 

RickyZ

Senior Member
Sep 20, 2012
9,635
787
113
#16
Sorry man, by all means, carry on...
 

notuptome

Senior Member
May 17, 2013
15,050
2,538
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#17
8 ¶ Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

Bible mean anything?

For the cause of Christ
Roger
 

RickyZ

Senior Member
Sep 20, 2012
9,635
787
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#18
There are times I wish that was true :)
 

Waggles

Senior Member
Sep 21, 2017
3,338
1,261
113
South
adelaiderevival.com
#19
8 ¶ Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
Bible mean anything?
For the cause of Christ
Roger
Reading the Bible with understanding mean anything?
 

breno785au

Senior Member
Jul 23, 2013
6,002
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Australia
#20
Creates threads and receives some opposition.
Then creates threads about how people giving messages are hated.
Then says it's not about them.