14/09/10

Are Men of God fortune tellers?

Luke 22:64 - And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?


In the days before Jesus word 'Nabi' which is translated as 'Prophet' actually means 'Man of God'. It does not necessarily mean that person was a Prophet. There are many Nabis in the Bible who never prophesized. Take the case of Abraham there is no scripture in which Abraham prophesized. The same is the case with David and Daniel.

David has Seers with him, who were the persons who gave him the insight and he made his psalms based on that input. Daniel too was meditating on writings and God was revealing the understanding in visions to Daniel.

The real calling of the Nabis were not revealed until the coming of Jesus Christ. All Men of God are part of the Body of Christ and it is only when Christ was revealed that we start to know what part of the Body a Nabi is. This is the reason it is only after Jesus' coming that we reads words like Prophet, Apostle, Evangelist, Teacher etc.

Now coming to prophesy, the word means to predict, to tell the future, forecast etc. In the Bible prophesy does not mean this. In the Bible prophesy means the instructions for the salvation of man. Although it was given gradually over hundreds of years yet since it was in the beginning of creation therefore it is futuristic. It includes all that is necessary for man from the start to the end of creation. It was completed in Jesus Christ. Even John of Revelation did no prophesy. You will find all that is in the book of Revelation having roots in the books before Jesus and the Gospel.

We are not supposed to add to or subtract from the Word of God, so when we are told to prophesy by the Word of God what do we prophesy?

In simple example let me explain.

If I prophesy 'brother you have received your healing'. I am not adding to the Word of God but I and add the Word to your life. The Word says you are already healed and since you have not received it I become an instrument in getting the Word unto you. The catch comes knowing the right time to speak according to the heart of the person.

When we prophesy we are just applying the Word into our lives at the right time. There are times when the Lord reveals personal details like a person will take a trip to xyz place in the near future. These are personal disclosures which the Lord reveals for edifying a person, but if any such personal prophesy contradicts the Word we should reject it since it is not from God. It is either that persons thinking or an evil spirit trying to mislead you and destroy you through that person.

Prophesying is required till a stage until man understands the Word. But once man gets complete understanding of the Word then no one will prophesy. It is written of those times when man will have proper understanding of the Word and if a person prophesies during those times his own family members will smite him.

People having no understanding of what prophesy is, treat Men of God are like fortune tellers, like a patriot that takes a card which will reveal their future.

People of faith walk into their prophecy and faithless people want prophecies to come to them.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord God, we thank You for giving us the complete Word required for our salvation. This Word was completed in the coming of Jesus Christ and will be fulfilled in Him. He was the Word becoming flesh. Today His Spirit dwells among us revealing the Word unto us. Lord, as we prophesy the Word into our lives help us understand and grow in it...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scripture ]
Joel 2:28
28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

Zechariah 13:3-5
3 And it shall come to pass that, when any shall yet prophesy, then his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of Jehovah; and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth.
4 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he prophesieth; neither shall they wear a hairy mantle to deceive:
5 but he shall say, I am no prophet, I am a tiller of the ground; for I have been made a bondman from my youth.

1 Corinthians 13:8-10
8 Love never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall be done away; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away.
9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part;
10 but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away.

1 Corinthians 14:5
5 Now I would have you all speak with tongues, but rather that ye should prophesy: and greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.


The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others.
(All rights are with God)