True Prophets Rise UP
Greetings in the Lord~
One of the things the Lord has put on my heart to do in the past couple of years is to be more visible online. Some people would love that, but I myself could take it or leave it. I've been in the spotlight for almost all of my life for one thing or another, whether competing fiercely against sport rivals or just living in a country where the average height is 5'7" for men. Even in writing this blog, I've never sought for a large following, though I've been writing on it for 14 years. Frankly, I knew that my blogs were probably being monitored and censored anyway because I put on here whatever the Holy Spirit says to say, and that's been quite controversial at times. Like in 2013 when the Holy Spirit said, "2014 was going to be the Year of the Terrorist," and proceeded to give me many prophetic words about the rise of Islamic extremism. Muslims got all mad and complained to Google...then ISIS hit the scene in 2014! Just like Elijah or Jeremiah, it seems like the Lord is always giving me words that ruffle feathers, but two things are for sure--you can read about their fulfillment in the newspaper, and they always point back to God as the source and fulfillment of those events taking place. Fulfillment of words and God-centered; those are two very basic criteria for true prophets.
This time, however, as I began to step out I noticed that there was a plethora of prophetic voices online, and sometimes their "words" just seemed like bumper sticker quotes, or the ones with large followings always gave positive, encouraging words that were so vague and had no definite details to tell if they ever came true or not. Their words lined up with Scripture mostly, but they never ever spoke about world events, natural disasters, or pointed out sin for the purpose of calling people to repentance and back into relationship with Jesus. In fact, the later was sternly shunned! Any correction or talk of disaster was entirely against prophetic etiquette, and to be labeled a "dooms day" prophet was the kiss of death. So, over the years I've gotten just a little fatigued with white-washed prophecy and Pollyanna prophets and their conferences which seek to train others to prophesy in the same way...and now with the internet, they're everywhere! And I know I've written on this many times, but let's not even discuss the rampant jealousy among prophetic voices; they go to war and bad mouth anyone that dares to take their limelight and are always trying to call someone an "intercessor" instead of giving them the respect and acknowledgement of the office of prophet. So sad.
So that begs several questions: how will we know whose prophetic words are correct and God-ordained? Are we creating an environment that will be susceptible to false prophets because we only want to hear encouraging words and dismiss/persecute anything else? How will we call people back into relationship with God if we won't confront sin and lying belief systems which are corrupting our society and the Western Church? The truth is we can't discern or do any of those things unless we begin to embrace the full duties of the prophet and come to accept and love the reverence of the Lord.
It is the time for true prophets to arise! The prophets of old, these "prophets who preceded you and me have prophesied war, disaster and plague against many countries and great kingdoms. But the prophet who prophesies peace will be recognized as one truly sent by the Lord only if his prediction comes true." (Jeremiah 28:8-9) We are in the days just like Jeremiah and Elijah, where spiritual rebellion among God's people is commonplace, let alone our society at large. You can only live off of the residual blessings of your ancestors for so long before your own obedience to His Covenant is called for. In other words, the United States that we've come to know--lawful, prosperous, peaceful, etc. is at a critical fork in the road because of spiritual rebellion. We've come to a point where enough of our society has decided to serve other gods, and those that still affiliate as Christian live "like the foreign nations around you." In this hour, we need true prophets to arise and confront the ills and lies of our day--we need spiritual warriors to pray with authority and priests that will teach the Word of God with integrity. Quite often we like to point fingers and accuse prophetic speakers that we are in competition with or have formed a negative judgment about as "false prophets," but the truth is, we are inundated with false prophets!--those who say they are Christian but condone and teach and perpetuate the lies of the antichrist--socialism, gay marriage, abortion, one world/false religions and so many other false doctrines and demonic ideology and condone sin--these are the false prophets and false teachers we should be denouncing.
So far, much of the U.S. church as been relying on secular and patriotic voices to fight cultural and political battles while we hide in our little bubble and believe that we are not called to those things. But that is not true! We must speak up to preserve the Lord's decrees upon which our Christian heritage and blessings are based, and for the recognition as God's children who live in obedience to His Covenants. We are not "sons of Hagar," a natural people who are not regenerated spiritually in Christ, but we are "sons of Sarah," the children of the promise and of the free woman.
"At that time the son born in the ordinary way persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. But what does the Scripture say? 'Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman's son.' Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman." Galatians 4:29-31.
Likewise, we are seeing a generation of people given to spiritual rebellion and rejecting the transforming power of the Holy Spirit; more than that, they teach and perpetuate lies that are trying to take us away from the live-giving word of God--these will lose their inheritance. They are false prophets telling lies of peace and prosperity trying to get us to go with them; and the church is full of fleshly prophets that too, appeal to comfort, material wealth, and works of the flesh. Therefore, true prophets must rise up, though we will be persecuted, and speak God's truth. God will bless us as we do; He will empower us and fill our mouths with His words and He will confirm His words with demonstrations of power, signs and miracles.
Like it says in Isaiah 9:2,7:
"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned....Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this."
I pray that this day God will begin to stir hearts to speak with the boldness of Elijah, to call the people to repentance like Jeremiah, and to personal accountability and responsibility like Ezekiel; we are free children of the promise of eternal life found only in Jesus Christ; I decree that we will not be bewitched by the doctrines of man and demons, but will embrace the truth, righteousness, and justice found in a loving and all-wise God who made us a new creation by the power of His Holy Spirit, through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. Amen and amen.
~Be blessed and be a blessing.
One of the things the Lord has put on my heart to do in the past couple of years is to be more visible online. Some people would love that, but I myself could take it or leave it. I've been in the spotlight for almost all of my life for one thing or another, whether competing fiercely against sport rivals or just living in a country where the average height is 5'7" for men. Even in writing this blog, I've never sought for a large following, though I've been writing on it for 14 years. Frankly, I knew that my blogs were probably being monitored and censored anyway because I put on here whatever the Holy Spirit says to say, and that's been quite controversial at times. Like in 2013 when the Holy Spirit said, "2014 was going to be the Year of the Terrorist," and proceeded to give me many prophetic words about the rise of Islamic extremism. Muslims got all mad and complained to Google...then ISIS hit the scene in 2014! Just like Elijah or Jeremiah, it seems like the Lord is always giving me words that ruffle feathers, but two things are for sure--you can read about their fulfillment in the newspaper, and they always point back to God as the source and fulfillment of those events taking place. Fulfillment of words and God-centered; those are two very basic criteria for true prophets.
This time, however, as I began to step out I noticed that there was a plethora of prophetic voices online, and sometimes their "words" just seemed like bumper sticker quotes, or the ones with large followings always gave positive, encouraging words that were so vague and had no definite details to tell if they ever came true or not. Their words lined up with Scripture mostly, but they never ever spoke about world events, natural disasters, or pointed out sin for the purpose of calling people to repentance and back into relationship with Jesus. In fact, the later was sternly shunned! Any correction or talk of disaster was entirely against prophetic etiquette, and to be labeled a "dooms day" prophet was the kiss of death. So, over the years I've gotten just a little fatigued with white-washed prophecy and Pollyanna prophets and their conferences which seek to train others to prophesy in the same way...and now with the internet, they're everywhere! And I know I've written on this many times, but let's not even discuss the rampant jealousy among prophetic voices; they go to war and bad mouth anyone that dares to take their limelight and are always trying to call someone an "intercessor" instead of giving them the respect and acknowledgement of the office of prophet. So sad.
So that begs several questions: how will we know whose prophetic words are correct and God-ordained? Are we creating an environment that will be susceptible to false prophets because we only want to hear encouraging words and dismiss/persecute anything else? How will we call people back into relationship with God if we won't confront sin and lying belief systems which are corrupting our society and the Western Church? The truth is we can't discern or do any of those things unless we begin to embrace the full duties of the prophet and come to accept and love the reverence of the Lord.
It is the time for true prophets to arise! The prophets of old, these "prophets who preceded you and me have prophesied war, disaster and plague against many countries and great kingdoms. But the prophet who prophesies peace will be recognized as one truly sent by the Lord only if his prediction comes true." (Jeremiah 28:8-9) We are in the days just like Jeremiah and Elijah, where spiritual rebellion among God's people is commonplace, let alone our society at large. You can only live off of the residual blessings of your ancestors for so long before your own obedience to His Covenant is called for. In other words, the United States that we've come to know--lawful, prosperous, peaceful, etc. is at a critical fork in the road because of spiritual rebellion. We've come to a point where enough of our society has decided to serve other gods, and those that still affiliate as Christian live "like the foreign nations around you." In this hour, we need true prophets to arise and confront the ills and lies of our day--we need spiritual warriors to pray with authority and priests that will teach the Word of God with integrity. Quite often we like to point fingers and accuse prophetic speakers that we are in competition with or have formed a negative judgment about as "false prophets," but the truth is, we are inundated with false prophets!--those who say they are Christian but condone and teach and perpetuate the lies of the antichrist--socialism, gay marriage, abortion, one world/false religions and so many other false doctrines and demonic ideology and condone sin--these are the false prophets and false teachers we should be denouncing.
So far, much of the U.S. church as been relying on secular and patriotic voices to fight cultural and political battles while we hide in our little bubble and believe that we are not called to those things. But that is not true! We must speak up to preserve the Lord's decrees upon which our Christian heritage and blessings are based, and for the recognition as God's children who live in obedience to His Covenants. We are not "sons of Hagar," a natural people who are not regenerated spiritually in Christ, but we are "sons of Sarah," the children of the promise and of the free woman.
"At that time the son born in the ordinary way persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. But what does the Scripture say? 'Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman's son.' Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman." Galatians 4:29-31.
Likewise, we are seeing a generation of people given to spiritual rebellion and rejecting the transforming power of the Holy Spirit; more than that, they teach and perpetuate lies that are trying to take us away from the live-giving word of God--these will lose their inheritance. They are false prophets telling lies of peace and prosperity trying to get us to go with them; and the church is full of fleshly prophets that too, appeal to comfort, material wealth, and works of the flesh. Therefore, true prophets must rise up, though we will be persecuted, and speak God's truth. God will bless us as we do; He will empower us and fill our mouths with His words and He will confirm His words with demonstrations of power, signs and miracles.
Like it says in Isaiah 9:2,7:
"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned....Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this."
I pray that this day God will begin to stir hearts to speak with the boldness of Elijah, to call the people to repentance like Jeremiah, and to personal accountability and responsibility like Ezekiel; we are free children of the promise of eternal life found only in Jesus Christ; I decree that we will not be bewitched by the doctrines of man and demons, but will embrace the truth, righteousness, and justice found in a loving and all-wise God who made us a new creation by the power of His Holy Spirit, through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. Amen and amen.
~Be blessed and be a blessing.
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