Prophesy

[Maxelcat]

is it "right" to want someone to prophesy over me?

I hear this question raised, and see people's hunger for "words from God"

 

[Original Happy Camper]

is it "right" to want someone to prophesy over me?

can you elaborate on this statment.

 

[Tolworth John]

is it "right" to want someone to prophesy over me?

I hear this question raised, and see people's hunger for "words from God"

The best people to ask are those who are wanting this.

I suspect that they think having 'their own special prophercy' will make them significant in their community or will raise the level of their Christian commitment.
They are unaware that Paul teaches us to get on with our lives and to live them for God.
That we don't need words of knowledge or prophercy to do this, just the self discipline to keep taking one step after the other.

There are no 'spiritual' shortcuts in this life, just as one doesn't become a world champion over night, it is the same in the down to earth reality that is day to day Christianity.

 

[lettuce]

is it "right" to want someone to prophesy over me?

The Holy Spirit will reveal the hidden things to you only and not to someone else to tell you what those hidden things are, 1 Corinthians 2.

New Testament prophecy will edify, exhort and comfort, 1 Corinthians 14:3 so, if the prophecy you hear does not build you up, encourage or calm you, it is not from God.

Old Testament prophets warned of failures, of sin and iniquity because the Old Covenant demanded the price be paid for breaking the Law and in the New Covenant, Jesus washed all our sins away and paid the price for us, Galatians 3:13-15.

If someone prophesies over you, keep the above in mind and reject the "prophets" of today who speak doom and gloom into your life.

 

[Maxelcat]

Thanks

 

[Maxelcat]

can you elaborate on this statment.

I suppose I mean many Christians, (including me at times) are hungry for direction from God. Or wonder if they are missing something that God wants them to do.

In the OT we read of 'schools of the prophets'. We are encouraged to dev the spiritual gifts esp prophesy.

The implication is that prophesy is still active. Many times people will say 'such and such bought me a word' which they say was significant (and I don't doubt it)

My question is really is it ok for us to actively seek out a 'prophetic person' and ask them for one? Or are we to just wait until it happens. Trouble is that last method means you can go many years without hearing.

Btw I still think that we are to hear God first in scripture. But not everything is in the bible.

 

[Original Happy Camper]

I suppose I mean many Christians, (including me at times) are hungry for direction from God. Or wonder if they are missing something that God wants them to do.

In the OT we read of 'schools of the prophets'. We are encouraged to dev the spiritual gifts esp prophesy.

The implication is that prophesy is still active. Many times people will say 'such and such bought me a word' which they say was significant (and I don't doubt it)

My question is really is it ok for us to actively seek out a 'prophetic person' and ask them for one? Or are we to just wait until it happens. Trouble is that last method means you can go many years without hearing.

Btw I still think that we are to hear God first in scripture. But not everything is in the bible.

Thanks for the reply

All in Gods Time not ours.

I would not seek out one. If it is in Gods will you will hear.

Matthew 6:33
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

1 John 4 [
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. ...

 

[Original Happy Camper]

The implication is that prophesy is still active.

Yes it is and the Bible confirms it.

Revelation 12:17
And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Revelation 19:10
And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

The first verse above is refering the end of this world as we know it,

 

[Staj2016]

I don't see anything wrong with it. Personally I wouldn't go chasing after Prophecies because then somebody might feel pressured to give you a word that wasn't really from God. You could ask for prayer and if they have a word they will tell you. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Another Lazarus]

You cannot dictate Holy Spirit to prophesy over you as you wish unless you meet a fortune teller.

 

[Norbert L]

The best people to ask are those who are wanting this.

I suspect that they think having 'their own special prophercy' will make them significant in their community or will raise the level of their Christian commitment.

It could also come from being indecisive and a lack of confidence in knowing the will of God. That there is some level of fear in being unsure for taking responsibility for one's own actions, I experienced this when I was younger. It's about figuring out the difference between doing my own will vs. doing God's will, do they line up or not? If a person doesn't know that then having someone prophesy over them would make it clear.

The way I see, when the prophet Agabus gave the apostle Paul a specific message, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” Acts 21:10, don't expect a real prophecy to be all puppy dogs and kittens either.

 

[Tolworth John]

It could also come from being indecisive and a lack of confidence in knowing the will of God. That there is some level of fear in being unsure for taking responsibility for one's own actions, I experienced this when I was younger. It's about figuring out the difference between doing my own will vs. doing God's will, do they line up or not? If a person doesn't know that then having someone prophesy over them would make it clear.

The way I see, when the prophet Agabus gave the apostle Paul a specific message, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” Acts 21:10, don't expect a real prophecy to be all puppy dogs and kittens either.

There are no 'spiritual' shortcuts in this life, just as one doesn't become a world champion over night, it is the same in the down to earth reality that is day to day Christianity

 

[FutureAndAHope]

You are on the right track. Seeking the will of God brings victory. However it need not always be through a word of knowledge. As you pray and seek God, intimately, he will reveal his plans for you. This is not always an instant process, it can take time.

 

[Dawnhammer]

My question is really is it ok for us to actively seek out a 'prophetic person' and ask them for one?

Sure, long tradition of this.

Oracle - Wikipedia

And stuff hasn’t changed any.....

“Very often prophecies were worded ambiguously, so as to cover all contingencies – especially so ex post facto. One famous such response to a query about participation in a military campaign was "You will go you will return never in war will you perish". This gives the recipient liberty to place a comma before or after the word "never", thus covering both possible outcomes. ”

 

[Antig]

You are right. Not everything is in the Bible but, everything outside of the Bible is to be tested by scripture!

 

[Heart2Soul]

is it "right" to want someone to prophesy over me?

I hear this question raised, and see people's hunger for "words from God"

Well, in Deborah's time, she was a judge who also was a prophetess, and the kings generals of the army would often consult with her before going to battle. Prophets and those operating in the gifts of prophecy are still subject to the anointing of the Holy Spirit and direction from God to speak. So even if you seek someone to prophesy over you it still may not happen. It's best if you seek the answer from God yourself first, then if a Word is given you it should confirm what God already told you. But it is not wrong to want someone to prophesy over you. I would love for someone to give me a Word from God....not some generic word but one that is coming from God himself.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

Well, in Deborah's time, she was a judge who also was a prophetess, and the kings generals of the army would often consult with her before going to battle. Prophets and those operating in the gifts of prophecy are still subject to the anointing of the Holy Spirit and direction from God to speak. So even if you seek someone to prophesy over you it still may not happen. It's best if you seek the answer from God yourself first, then if a Word is given you it should confirm what God already told you. But it is not wrong to want someone to prophesy over you. I would love for someone to give me a Word from God....not some generic word but one that is coming from God himself.

Sometimes people want a word of prophecy from someone, instead of taking the time and trouble of going into their prayer room and waiting on God for a word directly from Him. If they seek a word from someone other than God Himself then they are treating that person as a medium between God and them. They would have better results going to a psychic medium because it would amount to the same thing, except the prophecy would contain religious words and expressions. The Scripture says that there is no mediator between God and man except the man Christ Jesus.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

When I was active on the now closed prophetic forum on CF I invited members to ask for words. I felt that it was right at the time because I invited them. I was amazed at the words that I got for those people and it greatly increased my faith and confidence in my prophetic gift. But I learned a huge lesson. I found that some kept coming back to me for further words, and this worried me. I asked the Lord, and He told me that these people were using me as their personal horoscope and that they were using me as a medium. This caused me to immediately stop giving words to people on that forum, and I believe that the Lord closed it down to stop a continuance of that practice. I don't give words on request any more. If someone asks me, I reply by saying that what I am going to say to them is by way of counsel and not prophecy.

But having said that, I don't see a problem when I am ministering to give a spontaneous word of encouragement to someone. It is like a love letter from God to uplift the person and to remind him or her that God is with them. A personal prophecy needs to point a person to Christ. It is not meant to give instruction or guidance to anyone. The best prophetic words have been as simple as "Jesus loves you right now." I have heard personal prophecies like "You are a sweet flower in God's garden". I don't like words like that because they put the emphasis on the person instead of Christ, and therefore they are a bit too New Age for me.

 

[Dave-W]

It is risky to ask someone to prophesy over you; since if the word is something you like, the tendency is to not apply proper scriptural filters on the word to make sure it is true; it is just accepted at face value.

OTOH, if it something you do NOT like, again those filters are never applied, and it is rejected out of hand.

 

[Hidden In Him]

When I was active on the now closed prophetic forum on CF I invited members to ask for words. I felt that it was right at the time because I invited them. I was amazed at the words that I got for those people and it greatly increased my faith and confidence in my prophetic gift. But I learned a huge lesson. I found that some kept coming back to me for further words, and this worried me. I asked the Lord, and He told me that these people were using me as their personal horoscope and that they were using me as a medium. This caused me to immediately stop giving words to people on that forum, and I believe that the Lord closed it down to stop a continuance of that practice. I don't give words on request any more. If someone asks me, I reply by saying that what I am going to say to them is by way of counsel and not prophecy.

Oscarr, here is the problem I have with your position. The question is: Should someone ask for a word from the Lord, through whatever vehicle He choses to use to give that word through? Yes, certainly they should. If they should ask someone like you, simply reply, "If the Lord gives me a word for you, I'll tell you" and leave it at that. I can't believe you would have ever responded any differently, and this may have been your problem all along. You appear to have taken on the mantle that you were automatically obligated, and some sort of machine or something, and this would explain why you've now gotten off into teaching that "answering" such requests is paramount to seeking a medium (I see you repeating this ad nauseam now).

But there are critical times in believer's lives when a timely word from the Lord can be not only helpful but desperately needed. And to deny believers the right to ask for a word at a critical juncture in their lives is to simultaneously deny those who do move in genuine gifts of the Spirit from fulfilling their calling. It comes dangerously close to quenching the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19-21). We should be PROVING all things, not nullifying all personal prophecies out of hand as being "New Age" or something.

Tell them you will leave the responsibility in God's hands, and that if you receive a word for them you will gladly tell them, but if you don't then they will just have to live with that. But agreeing with posts like #4 is supporting not only ignorance but a faithless and uninformed view of how the gifts operate. The New Testament writers themselves were very clearly pronouncing judgments over people's lives in New Testament times, and anyone who fails to see this is showing a tremendous ignorance of not only prophecy but scripture.