Great American Prophet

YHWH your Elohim will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear, according to all you desired of YHWH your Elohim in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Let us not hear again the voice of YHWH our Elohim, nor let us see this great fire anymore, lest we die.’ And YHWH said to me: ‘What they have spoken is good. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which he speaks in My name, I will require it of him. But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.’ And if you say in your heart, ‘How shall we know the word which YHWH has not spoken?’ — When a prophet speaks in the name of YHWH, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which YHWH has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.” Deuteronomy 18:15-22

It’s election season again in America and the prophets are out in full force with their, “Thus says the Lord,” prophetic word. i am not calling out any by name but instead giving insight as to what the Word says and how to interpret or see who is a false prophet or one who speaks presumptuously, after eating his ham sandwich he purchased from the deli on the Sabbath. Deuteronomy 18:22 says, “When a prophet speaks in the name of YHWH, if that thing does NOT happen or come to pass, that is the thing which YHWH has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.” There are a lot folks who are still following and promoting some of the ‘Great American Prophets’ which pretty much got every aspect of the 2020 election wrong. Yet, folks still cling to every word and are hopeful still about more ‘prophetic words’ that again have yet to come to pass.

The Word says to test: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from Elohim, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.” 1 John 4:1

We are called to be like Bereans: “These were more fair-minded than the Thessalonians, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.” Acts 17:11

i don’t know for sure but it seems to me that if YHWH were going to speak to a prophet today, He would do so using His name and not a translated title. He says He is not the Elohim of confusion. He isn’t going to contradict Himself, He isn’t going to mislead His prophets, He isn’t a liar. Yahoshua came in the name of YHWH and was rejected. He warned that others would come in their own name and be received. There is power in the Name of YHWH Elohim (For more on what’s in a name click here).

What causes so many to remain loyal to modern day ‘prophets’? The word is clear about the way to recognize a false prophet. It is also clear of the warnings. For further study here are some verses you can look up on how to spot, and the warnings about listening to, false prophets.

Jeremiah 14:14
Jeremiah 29:8-9
Deuteronomy 13:1-4
2 Peter 2:1-3
2 Timothy 4:3-4
Add more in the comments:

As Paul wrote to the Ephesians, “Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way MORE AND MORE like MESSIAH, who is the head of His body, the church.” Ephesians 4:14-15

Be watchful, be like those in Berea, study to show yourself approved.

You are loved,
cj

“. . . and some as Prophets . . .”

i wanted to take some time and discuss my view on the gifting of or calling of the prophet. The role they play within the Church is enormous, they are appointed and anointed by God, and therefore one isn’t to touch them or condemn them lightly or haphazardly. However, it is essential to know how to discern a real prophet from a false one. We, of course, listen to the true prophet, and we walk away from the false.

Ephesians 4:11-12 gives us the roles within the body of Christ and their purpose. “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ.” It is important to note the why because it emphasizes the importance of not misrepresenting God or speaking presumptuously of one’s own accord or understanding. That goes for any role within the church but has a special place in the life of a prophet.

The Word warns of false prophets and false teachers arising in the last days in abundance and that we are to be vigilant and test everything. Remembering that the Word does say that, “But God chose the foolish things of the world that He might shame the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world that He might shame the strong;” 1 Corinthians 1:27
This verse definitely should give us pause when judging the appearance of or even the word of a prophet, it may sound foolish, it may seem weak, but God works through it anyway for His glory.

So as hearers of the prophetic Word, we are to be sober minded, eager to listen, but quick to verify, does it line up with God’s Word? Does it advance the Kingdom? Does it bring glory to God? These are real questions and must be asked of the prophecy. However, the primary test is this did the prophecy come to pass? Deuteronomy 18:22 says this, “when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.” There are many so-called prophets with specific prophecy problems in that they did not come to pass. Yet, many still listen to them.

There are many with prophecy’s that are still within the realm of possibility, and rather than denounce them outright, i have taken a wait and see attitude. This is because many who have been proven, by biblical test, to have shown themselves to be false prophets, and many of the self-proclaimed prophets align themselves together. Which in and of itself should call into question their prophetic utterances. However, because i am one who understands the anointing and the call of God, i have not entirely dismissed them. With that said, i do pray they didn’t speak presumptuously but did hear from God. Not for any other reason than to advance the Kingdom of God.

Here is my point; we need to hear with an open heart and mind the word of a prophet of God. However, we are to test everything, and if the prophet has spoken out of error, they are not to be heard. We can be forgiving, but we must not give them a blank check to continue to misrepresent God, for that does not advance the Kingdom and the advancement of the Kingdom is the whole reason for the prophet.

You are loved,
cj