True and False Prophecy

Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 14 v 3: "But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort."
1 Samuel 28 v 3 - 20 - King Saul consults a witch and receives a death sentence;
Ezekiel 13 v 6 - 9: "They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The Lord saith: and the Lord hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word.
 7  Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, The LORD saith it; albeit I have not spoken?
 8  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the Lord GOD.
 9  And mine hand shall be upon the prophets that see vanity, and that divine lies: they shall not be in the assembly of my people, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD."

Throughout the Bible the true prophets of God came from the presence of God to deliver His true messages, blessings or judgments to those who needed them.  God's prophets have to be 100 percent accurate or they would be stoned to death.

King Saul was in a dilemma as the prophet Samuel had died.  Samuel had always given him the word of the Lord concerning war and the outcome of battles.  Saul had also banished from Israel those who used familiar spirits, witches, wizards and fortune-tellers.

So when the Philistines began to gather for battle against Israel he was very afraid. Saul prayed to the Lord for guidance but received no answer. Saul had lost the favour of God over the way he treated David and for disobedience to Him. 

In desperation Saul asked his helpers to find him someone who could use divination so he could enquire as to his response to the Philistine war threats. They found a Witch in a forest and Saul disguised himself to visit her. She saw through his disguise and was terrified he would kill her.

He reassured her and demanded she channel the spirit of Samuel the old dead prophet. Normally a familiar spirit of the one asked for would be channelled. The true spirit is not able to comply. (All who practice spiritualism listen up - your dead mother or child or uncle cannot be channelled. Satan sends a spirit called a "familiar" who knows everything about the dead person to fool and deceive you by imitating the voice, pet names, or recalling a favourite memory.)
Isaiah 29 v 4: "And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust." 

In this case, however, the real spirit of Samuel was sent by God to confront Saul. The Witch was terrified of the real Samuel. Samuel rebuked Saul for the sin of witchcraft and told him that he and his sons would be dead by the following day. They were. When Saul saw his sons die in battle he fell on his own sword. 

There are two kingdoms ruled by two different spirits. The Kingdom of God which is built on truth and the kingdom of Satan which is built on lies and deceit. God sends His prophets to bring a true and accurate word from Him to those who need it. Satan uses all forms of divination, astrology, omens, familiar spirits to deceive the foolish.

Those who are submitted to Jesus would be committing sin if they visited a witch or a fortune teller. Just as Saul sinned and his immediate death and the death of his sons ended his reign as king of Israel for the wages of sin is death.

I saw a Christian friend a while ago whom I first met at a prayer meeting 25 years ago. At that meeting I suddenly got a terrible headache - its one of the ways God uses to show me if there is a need. I asked if anyone present had a bad headache and she said she needed prayer for it. I laid hands on her and she was healed. She shouted "its gone, it's gone" over and over.

She testified to the group that twenty years before she had consulted a fortune teller and when she left her she had this vicious headache. It had never left her for 20 years!! No medication relieved the pain!! Jesus healed her completely and instantly. He alone has this power. If the Son of God sets you free you are free indeed.

The lesson to learn is be aware that we live in a world controlled by unseen spirits.  Our Father in Heaven is invisible to us; He sent Jesus His Son to be His manifest presence on Earth. Jesus is the Creator of all. He is generally not visible now but lives in the hearts of believers to change the corruption of sin into the beauty of righteousness.  This was an appearance of God the Son:
Exodus 24 v 10 - 11: "And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.
 11  And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink."

Satan controls the unbelievers through hordes of unseen demons that most (Western) people pooh pooh the existence of. This suits God's enemy well as he can do terrible things and have people call them Acts of God. These demons are in control of nations, cities, towns, people, weather, earthquakes, plagues, famine, war, persecution, murder, rape, theft, corruption, diseases, blackmail, nightmares, witchcraft, divination etc.

As Christians our job is to pray as spiritual warriors to use the gifts of the Holy Spirit and our spiritual weapons eg the Sword of God's Word to do battle against evil demons and overcome them. There is power in Jesus' name, and in the Blood of Jesus to defeat Satan and his demons.   

Most fortune tellers or diviners talk about impending doom and death. If you put your faith in their words the predictions will happen. Then the diviners get the credit for predicting correctly.

I knew a man who had prayed for 5 years for a lady in his church to be saved. He excitedly told me one night that she had got gloriously saved that evening. The next morning he was very depressed as she had died overnight. I discerned a false prophecy and a spirit of death. I enquired of this man and he said that a "prophet" had come to his church from America a few months back and had prophesied over this woman that within 3 months one of her family members would be dead. It was she herself who died believing this "prophet" spoke the truth.

Prophecies that come from God are sent to confirm what God has already told you. They should not be a new direction you know nothing about. I boarded a plane and God clearly spoke and said there is a woman on this plane who has received a false prophecy about marriage. Moments later I was sitting next to a Russian woman who was doing a missionary course in South Africa. One of her instructors had prophesied over her that she was meant to stay in SA and marry him! She was very confused as she had a calling to Cambodia.

I told her what God had shown me and we prayed together to release her from his words and the confusion they had brought her.  That was in 2003 and we are still friends today.

So do not be in a hurry to run after so-called prophets and perhaps get hurt by false words. If God wants you to know something He will find a way of confirming it. Don't act on any word until He does confirm it.  However, He will inform you Himself and allow someone to confirm His Word.

Another Christian called me for help. Before she said anything I received from the Lord that she had suffered huge financial loss through divination. She said that it was through a man who was a water diviner who said there was an underground stream on her property. After 8 wells had been dug and a great deal of money wasted not a drop of water was found. 

If God is not talking to you find out why before you go looking in the wrong kingdom for wrong directions and guidance. Develop your relationship with Jesus to keep you on the right track.

Prayer: Heavenly Father our enemy prowls around seeking those he can devour with lies. We put all our trust in Your true Word to keep him away. Let those who have strayed repent and blot out every evil word with the Blood of Jesus. Be cleansed and free in Jesus' name. Amen.