The Bible does not tell us exactly how people become false prophets, but we have some clues. I suppose it happens in different ways for different people. Some are brought up in demonic religions such as Hinduism which worship fallen angels and the human beings they possess. Inevitably some will rise up with supernatural powers or charisma within these religions who will be hailed as gurus or godmen. In such cases it ought to be clear to a Christian what the source of power was.
Regardless of how many nice things are added to the mixture, the whole thing is poisoned. You cannot come to the True God through such religions. These "godmen" may dare to say they are Jesus, but they are liars. However, such false prophets are not the main danger to Christians. Its too easy for an informed Christian to see through it. It is the second kind of false prophet that I would like to give attention to.
I believe that a lot of false prophets have at one time been followers of the Most High God - our God, Yhwh. These are people who at one time turned to Jesus Christ, and even began to hear the voice of God and see God's miraculous hand in their life. Now, I suggest to you that just because a person has experiences like this, it does not mean that Satan will not come to tempt that person in the future or seek to use/destroy such a person. On the contrary, attacks will grow in subtlety and deceptiveness. The people who succumb to such temptations and fail to repent do not lose their spiritual giftedness. "For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. " (Romans 11:29). They simply become channels for a mixture of spiritual of the things of God and the things of the devil. It is possible for good and evil things to come from the same vessel. (James 3:10). Do you realise that there is a lot of Bible truth proclaimed by false cults like the Jehovah's Witnesses? It is the error that they mix with it that makes them "false prophets" or "false teachers". Now, the Jehovah's Witnesses have no spiritual giftedness, they deny such things. Yet, what if other people, very familiar with important Bible truth, and very spiritually gifted with things like prophecy and healing and visions, begin to compromise and sell out? What if they begin to value power, money, influence and any kind of spiritual experience above our Lord and His revealed warnings? Will God stop them from operating in spiritual power? Will God even refuse to heal people through the gifts and messages He had formerly ENTRUSTED to them. The scary answer is "No". God WILL at times continue to allow people to operate effectively in faith for the gifts, even though their hearts have departed from the true God, and have rather embraced the teachings of various "angels of light" that seek to destroy them and the church.
If this was a danger in the early church where the twelve apostles of the Lamb were present, as well as Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles who was inspired to pen much of the New Testament, then HOW MUCH MORE IS IT A DANGER FOR US IN THESE LAST DAYS, WHICH JESUS SAID WOULD BE CHARACTERISED BY APOSTASY AND BIG MINISTRIES OF FALSE PROPHETS.
Hear what some of the apostles wrote:
2Co 11:3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
2Co 11:4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!
Paul was concerned that others were coming and preaching another Jesus, and imparting a different spirit, and a different gospel, and that the Corinthians were really OPEN to it!
1Jo 2:18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.
Christ means "anointed one" and antichrist means "in the place of Christ". Its a substitute for the true anointing. One backed by the god of this world - Satan - himself.
John was concerned that many people with a false anointing had gone out and were deceiving the people. In John's day, the false teaching was that of gnosticism. However, as we should know, Satan has more than one arrow in his quiver.
I thoroughly recommend you read the Apostle Peter's warning about false prophets in 2 Peter. Listen to how he begins
2Pe 2:1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers AMONG YOU, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.
Yes, folks and if it could happen that in Peter's days the Christians had FALSE TEACHERS among them, it sure can happen in this day of apostasy, these perilous times in which we live.
An Old Testament Model of an Apostate Prophet
Interestingly enough there is a character in the Old Testament who seems to be a "type" of such false prophets today. His name is Balaam and you can read about him in Numbers 22-24. He is referred to in Numbers 31, Joshua 13:22, Nehemiah 13:2. Balaam is important enough to be mentioned both in the Old and New Testaments, and several chapters of the Bible are devoted to recounting his story.
Did Balaam truly hear from God? The Bible makes it clear that he did!
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Nowadays most of the people
Nowadays most of the people believe in Christianity, as well as we can see more people who tends to become prophets for their money purpose without knowing the bible rules. This leads to generation of false prophets in the world.
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Miller Thomson
Crack Cocaine
False Prophets
For a deception to work it has to have some familiar elements in much the same way that a counterfeit banknote that is the wrong colour will not be convincing, but one that is reasonably similar looking to the real thing will take people in.
So one thing that some friends have said in Todd Bentley's defence is that he is healing people 'in the name of Jesus'. My reply is
Matt 7:22-23
22 "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?'
23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'
(NKJ)
Others have said to me that there is 'fruit' from this ministry meaning I suppose that some are responding to salvation altar calls, but is this lasting fruit.
Biblical fruit is fruit of repentance and fruit that lasts. As in the parable of the sower and the seed that puts down roots rather than showing a flower imnmediately and then later dying. Fruit takes time to appear
Mark 4:28
28 "For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.
(NKJ)
Fruit appears by due process and time.
Finally, you can know whether to trust a ministry by looking at the life of the minister
Heb 13:7
7 Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.
(NKJ)
What is the outcome of their conduct? Kicking people? Tatooing Hindu god of hell Emma-O onto their body? Making rattle snake noises? Babbling like the heathen in their blah, blah, blah prayers? Seeking glory for themselves?
God will bless us in the midst of trouble
God's Word gives us so much relevant knowledge concerning the ways of God, that we can confidently proceed in life as long as we are doing what the Word says.
We should be praying, speaking God's Word, evangelising, helping people and believing the promises. God has promised both times of delay and times of blessing. We don't know exactly when these things will come. We have to trust God.
Its a great time to stop living for this world and the accumulation of wealth and to START INVESTING ALL WE HAVE IN THE GOSPEL - beginning with our own lives.
Just take steps according to the faith God gives you. Just be obedient to follow him step by step. God does not rush us.
As far as preparing food and all that is concerned, we should be led by God. There is no hard and fast rule except to do what you believe God is showing you to do. If he shows you to plant a vegetable garden, then do it. If he tells you to go into all the world as a travelling preacher, you can't take your vegetable garden with you. Either way, our trust is in God, not in tinned food, vegetable gardens, IRA accounts or investment properties.
The way to really lose is to try to hold onto everything for yourself in these last days where you could easily be the channel through which God will save lives for eternity.
Comment & Additional Thoughts
This article is very timely and true. It's getting to the point now where it's hard to distinguish the fake from the real. This is very scary as you have some true Christians falling for the deception. For example, there are some prophets that are saying that we are entering the tribulation period and a famine is on its way due to God's judgment. On the other hand, there are others who are prophesying the opposite that God is going to bless us. It's a challenge to decide whether to go out and prepare or believe in faith for God's breakthrough. Any thoughts?
Famine
God provided for His people during their time in the wilderness. He is no less able to provide for us today.
What is happing at an alarming rate is not a famine caused by Gods judgement but a tightening of the purse strings by those who control the international economy.
A people who are scared for their lives are more compliant.
We need to be mindful of how we will survive when the time comes. It is unfortunate that the city offers almost no provision for self sufficiancy. Take a look around at how many open spaces there are. These could be used for growing crops but it all seems to belong to someone or other.
It is an act of economic piracy that is causing food to become expensive.
Lets be mentally and spiritually ready folks.
God bless,
Pete
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