So you think you’re a prophet: Don’t preach before you pray
Don’t Preach Before You Pray
C. Aaron Russell (selection from new book Lessons In Faith—learned the hard way)
The truth is, speaking not from the Spirit but from the flesh is often due to our pride getting in the way. We attempt to be self-important and set ourselves above the ordinary Christian. It is also our pride that seeks the praise and approval of men, and why we enjoy bestowing blessings for the future on one another. Pride can also be the reason why we are so much more accepting of a good message (or prophecy) over a bad one. Our pride wants to hear that we deserve great things. In reality, it should not make a difference. Good or bad, we should never receive any message not of God.
The Book of Jeremiah gives one account of how some of us can presumptuously speak for the Lord. Jeremiah was a well-known prophet and was called by God to warn Israel that they had turned away from Him and become wicked, very wicked—including defiling the Holy Temple, worshiping pagan idols, and even child sacrifice. Therefore, Jeremiah had the unpleasant and unpopular task of warning the Jews that they would be conquered and would live under Babylonian rule. God had Jeremiah fashion a wooden yoke, to symbolize the bondage they would live in. Jeremiah’s prophecy came to be, but after several years under the authority of the Babylonian King, Nebuchadnezzar, another prophet rose up with a new word for the people.
Hananiah spoke to all the Jews and priests, and decreed within two years the Lord would deliver Israel out from under Nebuchadnezzar’s rule. He added also, that all Israel’s wealth and captives would be returned from Babylon. He then smashed Jeremiah’s wooden yoke to symbolize their coming freedom. Naturally, the people were ecstatic to hear this, and undoubtedly Hananiah was Israel’s new favorite preacher. In today’s world he would have the most popular TV ministry, all his books would be bestsellers, and he would have a stadium-sized mega-church, filled to capacity.
That got God’s attention, and He sent Jeremiah to respond. He told the people that because they had listened to a false prophet and did not accept His punishment, their wooden yoke would be replaced by one of iron. Instead of living in Israel under Nebuchadnezzar’s authority, Jerusalem would be destroyed and all the people would be taken out of their homes and led away as captives, to be held in the land of Babylon. As for Hananiah, the meteoric rise of his ministry was short-lived, because God told him, “Behold, I will cast thee from off the face of the earth: this year thou shalt die, because thou hast taught rebellion against the Lord.” He was struck dead in less than two months.
The most common trait we’ll find in false prophets and teachers is old-fashioned pride again. Often they walk around like heaven’s royal class and seek the praise and honor of men. Jesus told us very clearly how to recognize false prophets. He said, “Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” When someone claims to speak for God, we must ask ourselves, “Are we seeing signs and confirmation of God’s Word?” We must pray for truth and discernment, and God will reveal to us when His presence in Spirit surrounds one of His messengers.
So are there real prophets today? I believe yes, but what holds true in the Bible will hold true for today. 1 Corinthians 12 describes prophecy as one of the Spiritual Gifts to the church. That is a gift that God can impart on any and all believers, but only in His time and for His purpose. It is temporal and not something that believers can call on and receive anytime we like. And though we may be given a word of prophecy (or the similar gift of knowledge) in a particular moment; that does not automatically mean we have a prophetic calling and should be given a church title of “Prophet,” in the same category as the Old Testament Prophets. True prophets of God are rare. Anyone who has studied their Bible knows there were few prophets over a great span of many biblical generations. Dr. Roger Barrier (Preach It, Teach It) pointed out many telling characteristics of what it takes to be a prophet of God, according to scriptural examples.
For Jeremiah’s unwanted message, he was hated by the people, beaten, put in the stockade, and even dropped into a pit beneath the dungeon (likely the sewer), to wallow in mire and stench without food or water. God told Hosea, “Go marry a prostitute.” God wanted Hosea to personally know the pain of having an unfaithful bride, for Israel had followed false idols and been adulterous towards Him. Ezekiel was told by God to cook his food with human excrement so he could comprehend how the people’s faith had been corrupted with filth. After pleading, God was merciful and allowed him to cook it with cow dung. We already discussed Jonah, who was thrown off a ship into stormy seas and swallowed by a whale. Daniel was thrown into a lion’s den. God made Isaiah walk the streets naked and humiliated for three years.
When we study the Word, it demonstrates that being a true prophet of God is not so glamorous. They were not beloved and cheered wherever they went, nor invited to all the biggest churches and conventions, flying first class from city to city, and being paid large speaking fees. The prophets of the Bible were not called to shower all the people with blessings in order to receive the praise and honor of men. Prophets were sent on a strict mission by God, typically to call on a city or nation that was lost.
C. Aaron Russell – Author of new book, Lessons In Faith—learned the hard way, celebrating release with free ebook promotion for Thanksgiving Holidays.
