Are False Prophets on the Rise?
One of the most prominent questions of our time is whether or not we are indeed living in the last days. Certainly it would appear that all the signs are there. The pandemic, the wars, the political unrest, natural disasters and other destructive occurences. There are so many questions that seemingly need answers and those answers are sometimes sought through those who claim the gift of prophesy.
There is however a real danger in leaning to our own understanding or to the understanding of someone else who is not equipped to deliver a prophetic word. What is pretty evident is that is that there is no shortage of false prophets or those with false doctrines in the world. In a pandemic we have an epidemic of prophets seeking profits and promising answers to those who are feeling the grip of fear and uncertainty.
Real prophets are those defined as proclaimers of the will of God. Not a wizard, psychic or a fortune teller but someone whose thoughts are divinely aligned with the thoughts of God. At least biblically, we’ve known that much about who the real prophets were. Many of today’s prophets however, operate under a very different doctrine than that originally subscribed to during biblical times. A lot of prophets are self-appointed, so much so that its hard to figure out exactly what makes a prophet a prophet. Herein lies the importance of discernment and knowing what a prophet is not.
False prophets usually use the same M.O. They will come to you with a word from God but will systematically feel around the conversation for a familiar tie until they find a pain point that you’ve responded to. There’s a literal fascination in modern society with people who draw people to themselves. Likes and followers are not an endorsement for good character or a confirmation of a right spirit.
People are seeking followers on social media but not necessarily followers of Christ. Because we are human we are easily drawn to an audible word faster than we are the word of the Holy Spirit. False prophesy generally talks about Christ but it doesn’t lead the receiver back to Christ. It’s a cautionary tale because well-meaning Christians will find themselves deceived not wanting to accept that the God that we serve is not always in a rush to respond to our inquiries. Even the bible warns of the increase of false prophets in the last days in 2 Peter 2:1–1.
When God does not appear to respond, it’s not because we didn’t pray the right prayer or pay enough tithes. God has and always will respond in His own timing and sometimes like any other good parent, He will reveal things to us on a need to know basis. The purpose of a prophet is not to speed the process along or fill in the gaps for the questions God has yet to answer.
To get real answers, be purposeful about taking your petitions to God in prayer and commit yourself to waiting for His response to your circumstances.
