“If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him” (Deut. 18:22).

“But the prophet who prophesies peace will be recognized as one truly sent by the Lord only if his prediction comes true” (Jer. 28:9).

“When all this comes true - and it surely will - then they will know that a prophet has been among them.” (Ezek. 33:33).

“The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord” (1 Sam 3:19).

“I declared the former things long ago and they went forth from My mouth, and I proclaimed them. Suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.… Therefore I declared them to you long ago, before they took place I proclaimed them to you, lest you should say, ‘My idol has done them, and my graven image and my molten image have commanded them’” (Isaiah 48:3, 5) Prophecy was given so they would know it is God who is watching over them, leading them being personally involved in their lives. The Hebrew prophets spoke mostly on the topic that was related to the nation of Israel, then and in the future.

The word prophet is found over three hundred times in the Old Testament and over one hundred times in the New Testament. It comes from two Greek words pro meaning “before,” or “in place of” and fayme meaning “to speak.”

“For PROPHECY came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Pt. 1:21). The prophets spoke (and wrote) as they were moved (carried along) by the Holy Spirit, so that what they spoke (and wrote) was exactly what God intended. Peter points to the word 2 Pet. 1:19 “We have also a more sure word of prophecy. ”God's message, became God's Word and had a purpose for the future. “Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying ...” (Mt. 1:22). God spoke it, by using the prophet's mouth--God's message and God's Word, but it was delivered by way of a human mouth. Prophecy is inspired speech! It is nothing less than the Word of God in spoken or written form.

The Bible makes it clear that a prophet is someone who speaks on God’s behalf to the people and there is no inaccuracy in his words. When the prophets of old got their message from God, it was perfect, free from any error. They spoke confidently knowing that what they said God would bring to pass.

“Behold, the former things have come to pass, And new things I declare; Before they spring forth I tell you of them” (Isa. 42:9) Because of God’s covenant relationship to the nation of Israel He specifically chose to speak to them from among their own.

“Remember the former things long past, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things which have not been done… “ (Isaiah 46:9, 10).

Heb.1 makes it clear about the prophets words in the past, and the Son speaking to us today by the record of the apostles. As Heb.1 tells us, there were many prophets sent in successive periods, these were in contrast to the Son came one time with a completed message. The Son being not only a prophet but our priest and king. None of the former prophets possessed the Spirit continually, He would come upon them for a message, but not necessarily abide with them. So the prophets were all partial in the revelations, incomplete. All of these are eclipsed by Jesus Christ as the final revelator of Scripture.  As John the last apostle living wrote the Revelation of Jesus Christ (Rev.1:1) that focuses on prophetic events.

Paul wrote to Titus to (1:9) “hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that [you] can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.” Doctrine is our scripture, the only true measure of truth.

As established from God, prophecy is always 100% accurate or it is not from God. Yet Rick Joyner who is considered a prophet and visionary says “There is a prophet named Bob Jones who was told that the general level of prophetic revelation in the church was about 65% accurate at this time. Some are only about 10% accurate, a very few of the most mature prophets are approaching 85% to 95% accuracy. Prophecy is increasing in purity, but there is a still a long way to go for those who walk in this ministry” (The Prophetic Ministry, Rick Joyner- Morningstar Prophetic Newsletter. Vol. 3, No. 2, p. 2).

Does this sound like the biblical prophets from the Bible. Does this sound like “...I am the Lord, who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself, who foils the signs of false prophets ... who carries out the words of his servants and fulfills the predictions of his messengers” (Isaiah 44:24-26)

Ezek 12:25 “For I am the LORD. I speak, and the word which I speak will come to pass; it will no more be postponed; for in your days, O rebellious house, I will say the word and perform it,” says the Lord GOD.”‘

Therefore any prophetic gift they are exercising that is not accurate 100% of the time is not the same one God gave to the prophets of old.

Can one actually be considered a “prophet” with an accuracy level of about 65 percent, and those who are better at get a higher rating. We don’t rate them for their effort and ask them to go home and practice and come back again when they improve God is not training His prophetic mouthpieces on improving in their accuracy? God always rebuked the inaccurate (false) prophets by calling false ones. It is no different today.

We often here the excuse well if someone had to think they were to be 100% accurate they may not try to prophecy. Good! Because it is a most fearful thing to say thus saith the Lord. And there are too many people who have practiced this gift as if it is like teaching. While we are told not to despise prophecy, in the same section of Scripture it tells us not to accept everything without testing it. (1 Thess.5:20-21)

Are there no more false prophets?

Dr. Jack Deere is a former professor at Dallas Theological Seminary who converted from the cessationist to the non-cessationist viewpoint and wrote a book on this called Surprised by the Power of the Spirit. While I do not hold a cessationism viewpoint I find tremendous disagreements from what Deere seems to neglect with the clear word of God. Deere’s also points to John Wimber, British psychiatrist John White, and prophet Paul Cain as having a major influence on him (pp.33-41). In my opinion Deere has reevaluated his theology by his experience.

Deere, a Vineyard pastor was present when the Kansas city prophets were incorporated in the vineyard movement. He explains about modern day prophesy: “But you know what? God is in the process of offending our minds in order to reveal our hearts. And I don’t know any place where it’s going to be 100% right. There’s going to be stumbling blocks in every ministry that the Holy Spirit is really responsible for.” (Jack Deere, TACF, 11/20/94, audiotape)

I know where there 100% right: the Bible, where the true prophets words are collected, God inspired words.

At the 2000 prophets gathering of Peter Wagner’s prophet conference Jack Deere stated “and I looked up every reference in the Bible to ‘prophets’ and I was looking at this passage and I said ‘You know I’m gonna look up every reference to teaching in the Bible. So I just punched it in my computer concordance, looked up every single reference ‘taught, teacher, teaching,’ every single reference in the New Testament and its astounding. Did you know not one time, not one time does it say that Jesus taught the Bible?.. isn’t that interesting not one time does it ever say that. It says He taught about the kingdom, taught about God, preached the Gospel of the kingdom, and the Good news.”

(speaking of Paul) Not one time does it ever say He taught the Bible ...I looked up all the references with the apostles and did you know that with only one possible exception, it never says the Apostles taught the Bible V.31 “boldly and without hindrance he preached” not the Bible, the kingdom of God. And he taught, not the Bible, but taught about the Lord Jesus. When we stand up with a Bible in our hand, what are we doing? Are we teaching the Bible or are we teaching a person? I believe in the Bible. I read the Bible more than I have my entire life, and I use the Bible when I teach, but my goal is not to teach the Bible My goal is to teach and proclaim the` the kingdom and the excellencies of the lord Jesus Christ.

Beware of studying for messages… I used to say don’t preach you experience, preach the Bible. And yet the apostles preached their experience.”

Actually it says they preached Jesus Christ, and they did use the Bible to confirm everything they said. For Deere to say this shows how far removed he is from the Bible itself. Where Deere failed in his search is by trying to find their teaching with certain words mentioned ‘taught, teacher, teaching;’ but to also mention every single reference in the New Testament and not acknowledge quotes or teachings from the Old Testament, his becomes a patently false statement.

The fact is Jesus began his ministry by announcing through Scripture Luke 4:17 “And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written” Jesus was constantly reciting Old testament Scripture; Matt 12:17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: Matt 24:15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand)” Is this not quoting the Bible?

Here’s only a few Scriptures that Deere cannot seem to find in the Scripture -- Mark 12:10-11; Acts 1:16-17; Acts 8:35;Gal. 4:30-31; John 7:41- besides Jesus was constantly saying have you not read - it is written, He used terms toward the religious leaders as “search the Scriptures” (John 5:39), “is it not written in your law?” (John 10:34; Luke 10:25) “have you not read?” (Matt.12:3; 12:5; 19:4; 21:16; 22:31) Mark 12:10 “Have you not read this Scripture: ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.”

The apostle Matthew records over and over again Matt 3:3 “For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying”; Matt 2:17 “Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying”;

Matt 4:14 “that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying”; Matt 8:17 “that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying”; Peter Acts 2:16 “But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel”

Even Paul quotes the Old Testament continually, Rom.1:17 he quotes Habakuk, Romans 3:10-18 is right out of the Old Testament, Ps.5:9,14:1-3,140:3 and numerous other quotations are throughout his and the others writings. Acts 1:16-17 “Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus; “for he was numbered with us and obtained a part in this ministry.” Acts 8:35 “Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.”

So Deere is 100% WRONG in his statement.

Yet the most serious is what Deere does with a major Old Testament Scripture on false prophets. “And then some people might say ‘oh those are false prophets.” they’re not false prophets. A lot of people think that Deut. 18 means that if you make one mistake, you’re a false prophet. Now that is not true. That is simply not true. Deut. 18 was not about prophets. Deut. 18, Moses said ‘a prophet like me’, a theocratic mediator - a leader of the people of God -that prophecy ultimately referred to Messiah. That’s the way they took it in the New Testament. Moses was not saying if a prophet makes a mistake, you kill ‘em. He wasn’t saying that at all. He’s saying, the one who presumes to be like me and then tells you to go after false gods, that’s the prophet that’s killed, not the prophet that makes a mistake ... A prophet that makes a mistake is not a false prophet., any more than a teacher that teaches something wrong is a false teacher...

Lets look at what the Scripture says and see if Deere is actually interpreting it correctly.

Deut. 18:15 “The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear,16.”according to all you desired of the LORD your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, nor let me see this great fire anymore, lest I die.’ 17. “And the LORD said to me: ‘What they have spoken is good.18. ‘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. 19. ‘And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him. 20. ‘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.’ 21. “And if you say in your heart, ‘How shall we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?’-22. “when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.”

Does this mean someone who is a theocratic leader or someone who is a prophet? Lets look.

V. 20 ‘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.’ Deere concentrated on the false God and neglects the intent of the passage. You can’t find anywhere where there is such a thing a mistaken prophet. V.21”And if you say in your heart, ‘How shall we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?’--22”when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken”

This is the very same thing that all the prophets build on, to refute the false prophets. Jer. 28:9; Ezek. 33:33;1 Kings 22:28 Eze 22:28 “And its prophets have daubed for them with chalk, Seeing a vain thing, and divining for them a lie, Saying, `Thus said the Lord Yahweh:’ And Yahweh hath not spoken.”

Deere says, “Prophets are wonderful. They hear the fresh word of God. They hear the voice of God.”Yet he also says “Prophets are really messy. Prophets make mistake; And sometimes when a prophet makes a mistake, its a serious mistake. I mean, I know prophets just last year that cost people millions of dollars with a mistake they made. I talked to people who made the wrong investments, actually moved their homes, spent tons of money…”(ibid)

Deere has learned well from his mentor Wimber. Fresh inaccurate words for God didn’t seem to bother John Wimber also, as he explains, “Prophecy’s first expressions will likely be infantile,” (Wimber in the Vineyard’s fall 1989 Equipping the Saints magazine that was devoted to embracing the prophetic movement) “Babies are messy and they make messes.” So the implication is if someone practices prophecy they will get better at it. Then problem is those who are left to clean up the messes; and I can tell you the word mess hardly does justice to the infractions and destructions that occur.

Deere goes on to say ...By the way false prophets are not the only problem. In the scripture we have false teachers and false elders, false brethren - You wanna know a major problem in the last days? Its gonna be false brothers. Satan’s gonna send ‘em into the church to steal the children’s bread, and without prophetic discernment in the church, a lot of us are gonna be feeding the wrong people who are never gonna change, never be any different, and they’re gonna be stealing the children’s bread. That’ what’s gonna happen in the last days. False prophets are gonna be a big problem in the church in the last days, but they are not a big problem in the church right now. The false prophets aren’t really the problem in the church right now. Most of the false prophets are being raised up in the New Age movement right now.”

Don’t make the mistake that there are no new age movements prophets are not inside the church, they are. And false prophets are a big problem now and will be even a bigger problem later if we do nothing to reel this runaway train in. Do we need prophetic discernment to know the wheat from the tares? Jesus said they would be among us until the end. He did warn of false prophets and teachers in no uncertain terms and they are often coupled together.What is our bread to feed on? The word of God of courese.

Why is Deere so intent on telling us false prophets aren’t really the problem in the church now? Because he is speaking at a conference with those who are claiming to be apostles and prophets. Bill Hamon at the same conference cites “most charismatics all they know about prophecy is Deuteronomy 18:22 - if it’s God it’ll come to pass. That’s one of the, … that’s one of the least ways to judge personal prophesy” (National School of the Prophets Bill Hamon, Mobilizing The Prophetic Office 5/12/00)

So in essence one can be wrong not just once but many times and still be considered a prophet. Why? Because if they used the Deuteronomy passage there may just be none left. In fact instead of dealing honestly with this passage of Scripture These men add a criteria that is not found in scripture. Deere goes on to say in his lecture “Immaturity in the prophetic ministry, that’s a lot bigger problem in the church right now, but, listen, why is the prophetic ministry immature right now? It didn’t have a church to grow up in. It’s sitting outside the church right now. The false prophets aren’t the real problem right now, it’s the immaturity of the prophetic ministry that’s the problem. People who make a mistake in prophetic ministry, they just made a mistake, like pastors and teachers they just made a mistake.”

“prophets do things wrong. They prophesy marriages. I’ve got friends who’ve got married based on a prophetic word ...then people blame the prophets for prophesying a marriage or telling someone to quit work. I wonder if we should really be blaming the prophet’s. I wonder if that’s not an indictment on us pastors. You see, who should have been teaching this couple that you never get married based on a prophetic word? Who should’ve been doing that? See nobody in my church would get married based on a prophetic word. They know better cuz we taught ‘em not to do that. Nobody in my church is gonna quit their job and just trust God based on a prophetic word ...Paul says if you don’t work, you don’t eat. You gotta go by the Bible. So how could a prophet just slip in a church and tell someone to go something against the Bible? Is that really an indictment against prophecy or is that ultimately an indictment against the pastoral ministry and the teaching in the church...?” Never go on another persons light. I’ve been given hundreds of wrong prophetic words over the years but I’ve never been victimized by a single one. You know why? Cuz I don’t go on another person’s light. “

(National School of the Prophets Jack Deere, “Mobilizing the Prophetic office” May 11, 2000 11:30 AM (partial transcription.)

Deere says the very same thing Rick Joyner and Bob Jones say about immaturity, which equals inaccuracy according to them. But look at how he is protecting those who are supposed to be giving the word of the Lord to the people; don’t blame them for their inaccuracy. So he blames the pastor who let the prophet speak. We need to step back and take stock at what he is presenting as the scenario: they are taking no responsibility for what is said! The problem is more than just the prophets prophesying marriages it touches every aspect of peoples lives.

Deere holds himself up to be immune to all this, yet he is participating in this prophetic movement, endorsing them and then excusing them by saying they make mistakes. So he has in fact been victimized, not by a single prophecy but by buying into a whole movement that contains the prophets who are prophesying to others.

Yet at this very meeting both Cindy Jacobs and Chuck Pierce reaffirmed “We’ve made a lot of mistakes. There’s no excuse but we need to do better’ Chuck Pierce “And I wanna ask forgiveness for immaturity and a lack of accuracy” …. I wanna take governmental responsibility and ask you to forgive the inaccuracy of the office”(National School of the prophets Chuck Pierce/Cindy Jacobs May 13, 2000).

Lack of Accuracy? Can you imagine Isaiah saying this, maybe Peter. Is it inaccuracy of the office? Or inaccuracy of the person speaking. Is this actually taking responsibility or skirting the issue?

Isa.8:16 “bind up the testimony (of the Prophets) seal the law among my disciples “To the Law and to the Testimony: if they speak not according to THIS WORD, it is because there is NO LIGHT in them” (Isaiah 8:20), this is in reference to the commands in Scripture and the testimony of the prophets. If they speak contrary to the prophets or deny their testimony they are false prophets. When a so-called prophet today denies the accuracy of the prophets and his own prophecy fails he has a bad testimony.

Jeremiah says the same thing “And the prophets become wind, And the word is not in them,’ -- thus it is done by them” (Jer. 5:13). in other words what they say does not stay because it is not from God. It is that simple.

Yet there are many like Rick Joyner who agree with Deere’s interpretation of Deut. “One of the greatest hazards affecting maturing prophets is the erroneous interpretation of the Old Testament exhortation that if a prophet ever predicted something which did not come to pass he was no longer to be considered a true prophet (see Deut. 18:20-22). The warning was that if this happened, the prophet had been presumptuous and the people were not to fear him. If one predicts something in the name of the Lord and it does not come to pass, he probably has spoken presumptuously and needs to be repented of, but that does not make him a false prophet. No one could step out in the faith required to walk in his calling if he knew that a single mistake would ruin him for life.” (The Prophetic Ministry, The Morning Star Prophetic Newsletter, Rick Joyner, Vol. 3, No. 2, p. 2.)

Is this what we see the Bible teaching?

Bill Hamon also agrees with this view “The prophet who misses it occasionally in his prophecies may be ignorant, immature, or presumptuous, or he may be ministering with too much zeal and too little wisdom and anointing. But this does not prove him a false prophet. It is certainly possible for a true prophet to be inaccurate.” (Bill Hamon. Prophets and Personal Prophecy).

What we often see are after the fact proofs even with the few times they are right. As Wayne Westby states “False prophesying is like shooting an arrow into a tree then painting a bull’s-eye around it. With slight of mind they rearrange events and torture Scripture to make prophecies appear true.” You are not God’s prophet by getting a good percentage right, but by speaking on his behalf and getting it ALL right.

Hamon’s doctrine concerning the office of the prophet is summed up in this following statement: “Church prophets function in all the ministries of the Old Testament prophets, as well as the New Testament gift of the prophet standing in the role of Christ, the Prophet.” (“Prophets and Personal Prophecy God’s Prophetic Voice Today p. 52)

The prophetic/apostolic movement would have us believe that today there are men and women carrying the same weight and authority as the prophets and apostles in the Bible. If it is the same then we must concede the Old Testament prophets can be immature, presumptuous and wrong as well. How can these prophets stand in the role of Christ and hear from God and speak inaccurately? In the New Testament, the foundation of the faith was in the process of being laid down, the prophet saying, “thus saith the Lord” would bring new revelation that would become our scripture. This is a strong reason why there are no more prophets like the early church today. Their prophecies were spoken through foundational apostles and prophets

Prophet Kim Clement (who received his calling through Hamon) also agrees “You can be a wrong prophet and not be a false prophet, somebody can make a mistake with doctrine...” Clement complains that teachers who got their prophecy teachings are not held as accountable as those who prophecy are. “Now they were forgiven, but a prophet makes a mistake and he’s a false prophet and we must stone the guy right away he’s right out. Well this there’s that aspect of it, I could have made a mistake, let me tell you something you can.”(interview on TBN - on video) Prophesying is not the same as if someone is teaching on prophecy. If one makes a mistake in prophesying then they are not speaking for the Lord.

Do we see a pattern emerging? None of these prophets take seriously what they say wrong, it's chalked up as the learning process. So no one is false prophet to these men. Imagine Jesus was wrong when he said there would be false prophets among the church.

If prophets can falsely prophesy and still remain legitimate, how do we determine who is a false prophet? Well you can’t, and that’s the point of this whole mushugana deal they are pawning off to the church.

Lets think this through, If prophets are able to make “mistakes” how can we know what is written by the prophets that is still future is not a mistake? If one does not need 100% accuracy in prophecy and can be wrong, how do we know what was the right prophecy and what was the wrong one? Then it is up to us to choose. As you can see this fail logically as well as Biblically

The fact that God points to what the prophets said as taking place exactly like they said should give us concern with those today who claim the gift and office of a prophet and have an excuse for not being accurate Zech. 1:6 “Yet surely My words and My statutes, which I commanded My servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers?” “So they returned and said: ‘Just as the LORD of hosts determined to do to us, according to our ways and according to our deeds, so He has dealt with us.’” What god says will come true.

Isa 46:9-10 “Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure”

Isa. 44:7-8 “And who can proclaim as I do? Then let him declare it and set it in order for Me, Since I appointed the ancient people. And the things that are coming and shall come, Let them show these to them. Do not fear, nor be afraid; Have I not told you from that time, and declared it? You are My witnesses. Is there a God besides Me? Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one.’” When God calls himself a rock it means unmovable something that does not change, what he says will happen just as He stated. It is God who declares the future with PERFECT accuracy man does not.

One of the central tenants of Latter Rain believers was the restoration of the ministry of the Apostle and Prophet to the church and the impartation of the anointing. They held that God was restoring these and at the same time pouring out his spirit on all flesh. 50 years ago these offices tried to take  its position in the Pentecostal church. Some do not want to distance themselves from this today, so they change the name and call it the restoration movement, this way they will not be identified with the known heresy of the Latter rain movement that took place in the late 40’s early 50’s. But it essentially is the same thing. The faith teachings of Kenneth Hagin and K. Copeland and other Rhema activists have been around for many years and showing its influence. Word Faith ministries often related to healing and prosperity have coalesced with the latter rain teaching. There is an acknowledgement of the ministries of Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland and many other Word Faith ministries. The practices of the leaders under C. Peter Wagner have synthesized this in their current practice of dominionism in spiritual warfare with speaking to the heavenlies. We now see the Latter Rain Movement alive and well spreading its influence in some very unlikely places.

Today’s solutions that have found root in church movements are often not God’s solution but man’s. As in Jeremiah’s day God says You have healed my people slightly. Jer. 6:13-17: “Because from the least of them even to the greatest of them, everyone is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely. They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ When there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No! They were not at all ashamed; nor did they know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time I punish them, they shall be cast down,” says the LORD. “

Peter warns the church in 2 Pt. 2:1-3 “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. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.” Notice the similarities- covetousness, false promises of peace. The same as Jeremiahs day as he continues he spoke from the Lord “Thus says the LORD: “Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ Also, I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not listen.”’

Listen to what? What God has said, to us that would be what is written.

When God commissions a man to ministry, he trains him in crucifying the self and flesh first so he can be used. There is none of this in the prophetic movement. New converts are promised through prophecy great ministries, flattered by positions of authority, without ever proving their faithfulness. Today we have new Jeremiahs, Josephs, Joshuas, Spirit of Zerubbabel, spirit of Elijah, new apostle Paul’s, and with these new copies of the prophets come new manifestations of the spirit, new demonstrations of power, the New wine of a New truth and with it a new Jesus. We are told by these prophets that before Christ comes, the Manchild, is to be ‘born’ into the earth, god’s glory will manifest in the church, a new messenger, a new corporate group like John the Baptist comes to prepare the way. A company of prophets emerges “in the spirit of Elijah.” Spiritualizing texts and events of Scripture accompany the new revelation whispered in many peoples ears.

Bill Hamon has been very active in promoting the concept of restoring the office of prophet. He holds what he calls “Schools of the Prophets” where people can come and develop their prophetic gift and calling. Hamon carries with him a 5 and inch binder filled with all of the personal prophecies he has received over the last 30 years. (Peter Wagner does the same). Hamon states there are “1500 pages of personal prophesy, actually thousands of people that have prophesied over me, less than one half of one percent was off, or weird or I had to throw out… Less of one half of one percent. And about the only ones I had to throw out was those that came up at some of our conferences to try to straighten me out with “Thus saith the Lord.” And prophesy from their doctrine. And I’ve only thrown out about three personal prophesies that I’ve received” (National School Of The Prophets, Mobilizing The Prophetic Office, Bill Hamon (5/12/00) well this would make them over 99% right not 65%.

Prophecy is not a best guess--it is an exact prediction of the future because it comes from God. Either one is getting their prophecy from the Lord or is not getting his prophecy from the Lord. The other options are: he is inserting his own teaching; his own desires from his heart or he is hearing something outside himself that is not from the Lord. These are the basic choices. And they are found in the scripture.

Ezekiel 13:2-4  “Son of man, prophesy concerning the prophets of Israel who are prophesying, and thou hast said to those prophesying from their own heart: Hear ye a word of Yahweh: Thus said the Lord Yahweh: Woe unto the prophets who are foolish, Who are going after their own spirit, And they have seen nothing. As foxes in the wastes, Thy prophets, O Israel, have been.” God says one can actually say they are hearing from the Lord but it really is their own spirit.

Ezek. 22:28 “And its prophets have daubed for them with chalk, Seeing a vain thing, and divining for them a lie, Saying, `Thus said the Lord Yahweh:’ And Yahweh hath not spoken.”

Ezek. 13:6 “They see falsehood and lying divination who are saying, ‘The Lord declares,’ when the Lord has not sent them; yet they hope for the fulfillment of their word. “Did you not see a false vision and speak a lying divination when you said, ‘The Lord declares,’ but it is not I who have spoken?” ‘“Therefore, thus says the Lord God, “Because you have spoken falsehood and seen a lie, therefore behold, I am against you,” declares the Lord God.”

Jer. 23:32-36 “Behold, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” says the LORD, “and tell them, and cause My people to err by their lies and by their recklessness. Yet I did not send them or command them; therefore they shall not profit this people at all,” says the LORD. “So when these people or the prophet or the priest ask you, saying, ‘What is the oracle of the LORD?’ you shall then say to them, ‘What oracle?’ I will even forsake you,” says the LORD. “And as for the prophet and the priest and the people who say, ‘The oracle of the LORD!’ I will even punish that man and his house. “Thus every one of you shall say to his neighbor, and every one to his brother, ‘What has the LORD answered?’ and, ‘What has the LORD spoken?’”And the oracle of the LORD you shall mention no more. For every man’s word will be his oracle, for you have perverted the words of the living God, the LORD of hosts, our God.”

The dream connection is big today, people are now writing books and appearing on TV tellign people how to interpret their dreams. When Daniel inerpteted the kings dream he was not launched into a dream interpretation ministry, nor is there a gift of interpreting dreams. Dreams and visions were the lower forms of inspiration compared to the word.

Jer. 23:28-32 “The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; and he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat?” says the LORD” Is not My word like a fire?” says the LORD, “And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces” Therefore behold, I am against the prophets,” says the LORD, “who steal My words every one from his neighbor. “Behold, I am against the prophets,” says the LORD, “who use their tongues and say, ‘He says.’ “Behold, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” says the LORD, “and tell them, and cause My people to err by their lies and by their recklessness. Yet I did not send them or command them; therefore they shall not profit this people at all,” says the LORD.” Often times it is a willful intention to put their dreams and visions a notch above the Scripture. So we will accept what they say as from God.

From their own heart they speak, their own spirits desire, Jeremiah 23:16-17 “Thus said Yahweh of Hosts: Ye do not hearken unto the words Of the prophets who are prophesying to you, They are making you vain things, A vision of their own heart they speak, Not from the mouth of Yahweh. Saying diligently to those despising The word of Yahweh: Peace is for you, And to every one walking in the stubbornness of his heart they have said: Evil doth not come in unto you.”

Some believe they have a direct “pipeline” from heaven to be expressed to the church. Whenever someone says, “Thus saith the Lord,” and it is from a desire of there own heart or of some other source other than God; when the people listen and receive it they are given over to new standard. When a person identifies their own thoughts as divine communication and distinguishes no difference between what they are speaking and the words of “God” they are walking in deception. When the people accept the message, they too are brought into this deception and removed from walking in the truth.

Deut. 13:1 “If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder,” and the sign or the wonder comes to pass of which he spoke to you” We are told that what they say can even come true. Mark 13:22 “ false prophets shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders.” The visions and dreams is according to Num 12:6, where God made known His will, “ If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream.”

Deut. 13:2 'Let us go after other gods'-- which you have not known--' and let us serve them,' this means strange or unknown Gods. This does not only mean a completely different god but one who could be called god but with a very different concept of him.

The same is warned in Deut.18:20 '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.'

The Lord had said, “Thou shalt have none other gods but Me” (Ex.20:2). So a prophet would introduce another god or another view of the God that would cahnge him. 

Deut. 13:3-5 “you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

“You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice, and you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him. “But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has spoken in order to turn you away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of bondage, to entice you from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you shall put away the evil from your midst.

Israel's standard was God's revelation through Moses, spoken and written (what was spoken was eventually written). God did not, and still does not tolerate false prophesying. If they wrong once, they are false, they were to be stoned. If this occurred today many if not all who lay claim to this position would have a quick end to their so called anointing! I’m not saying we should do this but saying in this environment many would have short careers not long ones.

Deuteronomy 18:15 -19 tells us of the nature of a true prophet. Verses 20 through 22 state that if one claiming to be a prophet speaks in the Lord’s name, something God has not given him to say, or speaks in the name of other gods, he has a permanent sleep coming. If what is said in His name does not come to pass, then God has not spoken it.

And example of what happens behind the scenes that may be relative to what we see today is found in 1 Kings 22:20-23 “And the LORD said, 'Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?' So one spoke in this manner, and another spoke in that manner. “Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD, and said, 'I will persuade him.' “The LORD said to him, 'In what way?' So he said, 'I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' And the LORD said, 'You shall persuade him, and also prevail. Go out and do so.' “Therefore look! The LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the LORD has declared disaster against you.”

In response Micaiah the prophet said they would be slain and declared, “If you ever return safely, the Lord has not spoken through me” (Speaking to Ahab heading to battle (1 Kings 22:28).

The Bible makes it clear God only gives a true prophet one kind of prophecy, correct prophecy; 100% of the time. This is because if ones doctrine is off it will lead to their prophecy being false. Once they prophesy is wrong, they no longer speak for God. This is why we are always to test a prophecy by the prophet’s statements; the others prophets are to judge and we are to discern what is said as well. What do all false prophets have in common? A hope of not being tested for what they said! They count on the people not to test their statements by putting guilt and fear in those that would dare to question the “anointed ones.” They can’t condemn the false prophets and teachers because they are among them so the only course of action they can take is to tell people not to judge. Time is the enemy of a false prophet, and a bad memory. You will find very few people waiting to see if what was said will come to pass. A true prophet will not avoid being tested but encourage it

John 4:44 “For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country.” Jesus said of the true prophets “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! (Matt 23:37) The Old Testament prophets condemned sin, they brought conviction to those who sinned and brought comfort to the remnant. This is why they were hated; they did not die with the majority but the minority.

Just as the prophets were killed the majority of the apostles were killed 1 Cor. 4:9 “For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.” Hebrews 11 explains how the faithful suffered; those who stood and spoke for the Lord. They were not accepted except for a small percentage of the people “My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience” (James 5:10).

Isaiah addresses a “rebellious people, lying children, children who will not hear the law of the LORD; Who say to the seers, “Do not see,” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us right things; speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits” (Isa. 30:9-10). Complacency became the norm and challenges were discarded for the nation of Israel.

Jesus said “Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets” (Luke 6:26) How many gather at these meetings and love to hear the words of these men more than the words of scripture?

When the people want to be like everyone else... 1 Sam 8:1-10 Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. “But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel prayed to the LORD. And the LORD said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them” According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day-- with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods-- so they are doing to you also. “Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.” So Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who asked him for a king.”

 Samuel was a judge and a prophet, he ruled justly, but when rulers were not the people of righteousness who upheld God’s word the people become restless. This is the times we live in, we have great unrest. We want to be like everyone else. The lord said “for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them” echoes into our time. Give us prophets and apostles to rule over the church, we want the “new thing.” Because the church has been rocked with every wind of doctrine we have come to this same place Israel was in. We already have the apostles and prophets teaching, it is and has been our foundation for over 1950 years, why are we looking to others for more revelation? The Church has existed and expanded over the 2,000 years? This was ALL done without any restored prophets and apostles. The word/ faith, latter rain movement is less than 50 years old! It is within this time that more false doctrine has surfaced then since the beginning of the Church’s history. This is why Paul wrote the Corinthian church in Cor.4:6 the learn not to think beyond what is written. As the gifts were now practiced out of order they would become to the very thing Paul warned about those coming from among them with another gospel, false prophecies and false apostles.

Isa. 9:15-16 “The elder and honorable, he is the head; the prophet who teaches lies, he is the tail. For the leaders of this people cause them to err, and those who are led by them are destroyed.” We have the same problem that Israel had. As Israel began to be influenced more and more with the false prophets

They became illiterate in the written word of God. Isa. 29:10-13 “For the LORD has poured out on you the spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes, namely, the prophets; and He has covered your heads, namely, the seers. The whole vision has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one who is literate, saying, “Read this, please.” And he says, “I cannot, for it is sealed.” Then the book is delivered to one who is illiterate, saying, “Read this, please.” And he says, “I am not literate Therefore the LORD said: “Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men.” When we see new prophets operate outside the written word or give new unknown meanings to the word it should be obvious they have become illiterate to expounding truth.

Jer. 8:8-11 “How can you say, ‘We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us’? Look, the false pen of the scribe certainly works falsehood. The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken. Behold, they have rejected the word of the LORD; so what wisdom do they have? Therefore I will give their wives to others, and their fields to those who will inherit them; because from the least even to the greatest everyone is given to covetousness; from the prophet even to the priest everyone deals falsely. For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of My people slightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ When there is no peace.”

The scribe began to write what was not from God--from the false prophets, then the priests were affected and spread like leaven to everyone. God said he would bring them into captivity. there would be no peace as they were prophesying.

Hanniah the prophet prophesied freedom to Israel and told them God’s favor would be with them, but God was instead planning punishment. It is a good lesson for us today on those who tell us about only blessings that around the corner, more authority and power.

Jer 28:10-17 Hannaiah spoke to Jeremiah in the house of the LORD in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying,“Thus speaks the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying: ‘I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.’Within two full years I will bring back to this place all the vessels of the LORD’S house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place and carried to Babylon.’And I will bring back to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah who went to Babylon,’ says the LORD, ‘for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’”Then the prophet Jeremiah spoke to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and in the presence of all the people who stood in the house of the LORD,and the prophet Jeremiah said, “Amen! The LORD do so; the LORD perform your words which you have prophesied, to bring back the vessels of the LORD’S house and all who were carried away captive, from Babylon to this place.” Nevertheless hear now this word that I speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people:” The prophets who have been before me and before you of old prophesied against many countries and great kingdoms-- of war and disaster and pestilence.”As for the prophet who prophesies of peace, when the word of the prophet comes to pass, the prophet will be known as one whom the LORD has truly sent.” Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke off the prophet Jeremiah’s neck and broke it. And Hananiah spoke in the presence of all the people, saying, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Even so I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all nations within the space of two full years.’”

Even Jeremiah thought this was true prophecy at first, it sounded right and they were all hoping for Israel’s freedom until… “And the prophet Jeremiah went his way. Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, after Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke from the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying, “Go and tell Hananiah, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD: “You have broken the yokes of wood, but you have made in their place yokes of iron.” ‘For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: “I have put a yoke of iron on the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they shall serve him. I have given him the beasts of the field also.” “ Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Hear now, Hananiah, the LORD has not sent you, but you make this people trust in a lie. “Therefore thus says the LORD: ‘Behold, I will cast you from the face of the earth. This year you shall die, because you have taught rebellion against the LORD.’” So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.

It is written to read

The prophets were often told to record what God spoke, this has become our Scripture. Exod.24:4 “And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord.” Exod. 34:27-29 “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.” Jer. 30:2 “Thus speaks the LORD God of Israel, saying: ‘Write in a book for yourself all the words that I have spoken to you.” Jesus tells John the apostle in Rev 1:11 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches.” The coming of Jesus Christ, “Which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures” (Romans 1:1-4)

The prophecy that we need to know- this is prophecy that tells us we will be blessed if we read and understand.  Rev. 1:3 “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.” Rev. 22:7 “Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.” (Rev . 22:10, 18-19).

Jude admonishes his readers to avoid false doctrines not by listening to new living prophets or apostles, but by recalling what the apostles already taught them in vs.17 (which would be written down). The church today does not need new prophets but to understand what the old ones actually said. 

Jer. 23:20-22 “The anger of the LORD will not turn back against these false prophets until he has performed and carried out the purposes of His heart. In the latter days you will understand it perfectly.”

We are in these days, do we understand it?