Supernatural

It’s wearisome.

Some apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers have built their entire ministries on supernatural encounters, dreams, visions and prophecies.

Nearly every day, it’s a new prophetic prediction, dramatic encounter or life changing epiphany. Indeed, some of these purveyors of prophecy seem to walk in more revelation than Paul the apostle himself, except their revelations are anti-biblical. Yes, anti-biblical not just extra-biblical. It’s actually more than wearisome.

I agree not every encounter we could have in the seer dimensions is recorded in the Bible. After all, John wrote plainly that, “There are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written” (John 21:25).

A Discernment Issue

The problem is, too few discern embellished, exaggerated or counterfeit encounters because they are enamored by the dramatic dreams penned with such great literary style that they just have to be true! Too few discern the fabricated angelic conversations at the bedside of the prophet because they hunger for the supernatural.

It troubles me how people become overnight superstars based on one concocted encounter that, to the discerning, defies any resemblance to Bible truth. Second heaven dreams have prophetic celebrities out of people who are no more than fly-by-night fibbers who enjoy the attention. One Facebook post goes viral and they quickly erect a prophetic manufacturing plant that churns contrived oracles that didn’t originate with the Master Orator.  It’s prophetic witchcraft.

While I believe in angelic encounters, prophecy, dreams and visions, a generation has risen that makes luminaries out of Christians who behave more like Nostradamus (who was considered a seer in his day)—even when they defy Bible truth. There is popularity in predictions about everything from sporting events to extinct species. (How does that edify the Body of Christ? A psychic can make those predictions.)

Danger for the Undiscerning

This is dangerous for the Body of Christ. It’s a leaven that is spreading rapidly. The enemy sowed tares in the field while we were sleeping and now we don’t readily discern between the truth and a lie. It’s beyond troubling. It’s grievous.

Why does this happen? Often, that’s because people don’t know Bible truth. It’s beyond wearisome. It’s troubling. Part of it is culture within some camps of Charismatic Christianity that values gifts of the Spirit over the Word of God—or at least puts gifts on par with the Word of God as evidence of someone’s spirituality. Many don’t discern the motive of the minister is merely to gain a following. I call this “platforms and paychecks.” This is not new. It’s has been going on since Old Testament times.

Paul warned the church: “I know that after I leave, imposters who have no loyalty to the flock will come among you like savage wolves. Even some from among your very own ranks will rise up, twisting the truth to seduce people into following them instead of Jesus. So be alert and discerning. Remember that for three years, night and day, I’ve never stopped warning each of you, pouring out my heart to you with tears” (Acts 20:29-31).

A Word to the Compromised Prophets

If you build your ministry on prophecy, supernatural encounters and anything else beyond the Word of God, it won’t last. Hear me, as I speak this truth in love: You can’t sustain that level of revelation. You will miss begin to miss your predictions of world events, and people will catch on even if you bury that prophecy in a slew of “accurate” words. Prophets can make all the excuses in the world why the prophetic word didn’t come to pass, that doesn’t mean the word was accurate.

Compromised prophet, you likely have a true gift but you went astray somewhere in a social media-driven world. Your best move now would be to back away from the manufacturing plant and being to restructure your ministry. Do a top to bottom reorganization. In other words, change your motives and thought processes and let it trickle down. Build the foundation of your ministry on the Word. Jesus put it best in Matthew 7:24-27:

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”