Mistaken Prophets?

In recent years, the world has witnessed significant prophetic failures by the “apostles” and “prophets” who dominate the Charismatic Movement. One of these predictions was so spectacularly wrong that several “prophets” found it necessary to issue public apologies. Alas, their “repentance” and public exposure have not stopped them and their deceptive activities. They simply repackage themselves and rebrand their “ministries.”

Has the world witnessed a massive exposure of false prophets and perpetrators of lies? Not according to the movement’s chief apologist. It seems these men and women are not false prophets after all but “mistaken” ones. Anyone can make a mistake or two or three. Does not God use imperfect and sinful vessels?

[Photo by Michal Lomza on Unsplash]

Perhaps they misread their crystal balls. Of course, if they admit to making false prophecies they expose themselves as false prophets. As one of them confessed to his followers, “I prophesied inaccurately.” No, he prophesied falsely, but he must never admit that.

This apologist for the “Prophetic Movement” might have a point if only a few of the “prophets and apostles” had made one or two little errors. However, not only did most of them embrace the popular 2020 prophecies about the U.S. presidential elections, but many also have long and well-documented track records of prophetic failures on a variety of issues.

So, does all this mean that Bible prophecy or the gifts of the Spirit have failed? Certainly not! Quite the opposite.

The very presence of such deceivers validates many Bible prophecies. For example, Jesus warned that “MANY deceivers will come and deceive MANY” - Emphasis on the word “many” - and many “false prophets will arise and deceive many.” There will arise “false anointed ones and false prophets that will show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”

Therefore, according to Jesus himself, if you believe the ability to produce “signs and wonders” proves the genuineness of a “prophet” or “apostle,” GUESS AGAIN! Likewise, Paul warned that in “later times, some will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons.”

GROWING PROBLEM

Indeed, the closer we come to the end, the more deceivers, false prophets, and false “anointed ones” proliferate. “Evil men and howling impostors will wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.” It is comparable to an unstoppable plague!

Despite their repeated failures, these self-appointed “apostles and prophets” continue in their sins and deceptions, “waxing worse and worse,” even though “their folly is now becoming evident to all men.”

The faux prophets have brought the faith of Jesus and the Gifts of the Spirit into disrepute. When we consider Satan’s tenacious determination to destroy the Church, all this makes perfect sense. The greatest threat has ALWAYS been from deceivers and deceptions operating inside the Body of Christ. Did the Apostle Peter not confirm this very thing?

• “And there came also false prophets among the people, as also among you there will be false teachers, who will bring in destructive heresies, the Master who bought them denying, bringing to themselves quick destruction, and MANY will follow out their destructive ways, BECAUSE OF WHOM THE WAY OF TRUTH WILL BE MALIGNED.”

Are critics of Christianity mocking the faith of Jesus Christ on social media? Well, we certainly have given them plenty of ammunition for doing so! We have no one to blame but ourselves.

Despite their abundance of prophetic failures, this syndicate of deceivers continues to promise an imminent mega revival characterized by fantastical “signs and wonders” the like of which not even the Apostles or Jesus himself witnessed.

[Photo by Johannes Plenio on Unsplash]

In contrast, the Bible warns of the future “Apostasy” and the invasion of the Body of Christ by hordes of deceivers, some of whom will, in fact, perform great “signs and wonders,” including the “False Prophet” of Revelation and the “Man of Lawlessness” described by the Apostle Paul in 2 Thessalonians.

Dear saints, Protect yourselves! Even darker times and more deceitful workers of iniquity are ahead! Stick like superglue to the Apostolic Tradition preserved in the New Testament. Heed no one whose words or actions are contrary to the Word of God, Jesus, his teachings, or his example.

As Paul warned the Thessalonians, “Stand firm and hold fast the instructions that you were taught!”

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RELATED POSTS:

• Apostasy and Misdirection - (Believers who are watching for apostasy outside the Church will be among the first who are overtaken by it as it operates in the Assembly)

• Serpents in the Assembly - (The Spirit of Antichrist works to destroy the Body of Christ from within, especially through deceivers and false teachers)

• The Coming Storm - (Consistently, Scripture warns of the final apostasy that is linked to the "Man of Lawlessness" with his "lying signs and wonders")