Question on The Validity of modern day prophets

by Rev. Jack Barr
To XXXXX@xxxxxxxxx

You have asked five Questions on The Validity of modern day prophets.

1. Question: Some Claim to be modern day prophets from God. Are there modern day prophets?

Yes, there are modern day prophets from God.

Jer. 1:5 tells us that God ordains prophets before they are born.
Nu. 12:6, and Hos. 12:10 tells us that The Lord makes Himself known to the prophets.
2 Ki. 16:12, and Amos 3:7 tells us that God gives hidden knowledge to the prophets.
2 Ki. 17:23, and 21:10 tells us that God speaks by His prophets.
AMOS 3:7 And then God said that He does nothing without first telling His Prophets.
See also question number 3 below.

2. Question: How are we to know if any Prophet is legit. (From God)

First, and most important, Jer. 28:9 warns us that All of the prophecies from one of God's prophets will come to pass, that is, the prophecy will happen. But since some of the prophecies require many lifetimes before they are fulfilled, how can you know?

The prophecies, if from God, will Glorify God. If from God they will not go against anything that the Bible says. (The prophecies may add to The Bible, but will not change it.) And if you, as a child of God, ask God for the truth about one who calls themselves a prophet, God will tell you yea or nay. If they are a prophet from God, you will see them come under persecution, not only from the non believers, but also from many, if not most of the church leaders who come in contact with them.

Why? Because very few of God's people ever listened to the prophets because they didn't like what the prophets was saying to them. The Bible is full of this as documentation. See 2 Chro. 24:19, 36:16; Amos 2:12; Jer. 18:18, 26:5.

Isa. 30:10 "Who say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophecy not unto us right things; speak unto us smooth things, prophecy deceits;"

3. Question: I Can't find any evidence in the Bible that says there will be modern day prophets.

God has always sent prophets to HIS people. God has not changed.

For information about prophets and seers in the bible. 1 Sam. 9:9 tells us that a seer and a prophet are the same under different names.

See Mt:23:34 where Jesus said that He, Jesus, sends prophets; Now this verse is not speaking of the prophets that came in the past but of prophets that will come in the future, for Jesus says that they WILL scourge and persecute them (Future Tense), showing that they have not yet come, while Jesus was alive.
Lk. 1:70; Tells us that God has sent prophets since the beginning of time (The Creation). Again in Acts 3:21 this statement is repeated.
Lk. 11:49; "Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I WILL send them prophets and apostles, ...."
Malachi 3:6 says "I am the Lord, I change not;..." Therefore, to say that God sent prophets in the past but does not send them now is to say that God changed and so are calling God a liar.

We see in the above Gospels that God has always sent prophets and will continue to send prophets. God does not change, what He has done before He will do again.

To look further into the scriptures.

We are told in Mt. 10:41 that we are to receive prophets.
Mt. 5:17 tells us that Jesus did not come to destroy the prophets.
Acts 2:16-18 is a repeat of the prophecy of Joel 2:28, which tells us that God will pour out His Spirit upon some who will then give prophecies in the last days. (We are in the last days).
Acts 13:1 tells us that there were indeed prophets after the death and resurrection of Jesus.
And in 1 Cor. 12:28-29, 14:29,32,37; Eph. 4:11 we are shown that one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is the gift of prophecy..
Ephesians 3:5 Shows us that there is secret information that is now being revealed to both the Apostles and the Prophets.
Eph. 3:5 "Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;"
Rev. 11:10 shows us that there will be prophets from the Lord God at least until the middle of the tribulation period. Note also Rev. 22:9.

I would have to say that the Bible is full of evidence that God has made prophets in the world today and will continue to make prophets until the end of this World.

Ephesians 2:20 "And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;"

4. Question: Jesus said there would be false prophets among us.

Yes, And the Bible shows us that the number of False prophets far outnumber God's prophets.

1 Ki. 18:22 Four-Hundred and fifty False prophets to one of God's prophets.
2 Chro. 18:5 Four-Hundred False Prophets to one of God's prophets.
Mt. 24:11 We are warned that there will be many false prophets and that they will deceive many.

Note: In my opinion, we can expect that at least 98 percent of all prophets out there are false. But you had better listen to the other 2 percent.
Jer. 29:27 They make themselves prophets.
Ezek. 13:3 They follow their own spirit.
Mt. 7:15They come in sheep's clothing but are wolves.
Deut. 13:1-3, Mt. 24:24 Some Gives signs and wonders. By signs and miracles they will deceive many.

Note the supposed appearance of the Virgin Mary which performs miracles and gives signs while telling people to do what the Bible tells them not to do. See also the exodus story where most of the miracles performed by Moses was also duplicated by the Pharaoh's magicians.
2Pe 2:1 They are also called false teachers now.
Isa. 9:15 They teach lies.
1 Ki. 22:22; 2 Chro. 18:21-22; Ezek. 14:9, Many have a lying spirit. God uses such a spirit to bring about judgements on people and nations.
1 Ki. 13:18 gives false prophecies.

If they give any prophecy and it does not come true, you know that they are false. Trust no prophecy from them. The world today is full of Psychics who claim their gift is from God, but most of their prophecies do not come true. Mica 3:11 says it best. They divine for money.
1 Ki. 22:6,12 and Jer. 14:13-15 shows us that there will be many false prophets who will give the same false prophecy. See the lying spirit above.

5. Question: I know that it is in our power to judge the prophets, but, it is in our power to keep a watchful eye.

Yes we are to judge the spirits of everyone that claims to speak for God. That is to test the ministers, the teachers, as well as the prophets. Any man who says "This is what God has said" or "This is what God's Word says" must have his/her spirit tested. And how do you test their spirit? The answer comes to us in 1 John.

1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
1 John 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
1 John 4:3 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
1 Corinthians 14:29 Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.

 We must always go back to God for our answers. Know this, when you hear a prophet speaking a prophecy, or read a prophecy that was given, The Holy Spirit within you will speak to your heart, calling your attention to God's prophet, or warn you to reject because it is false. However, if you are not listening to God's Spirit, then you will easily accept the false for you are of the world.

There are times when we must ask questions of someone so that we may find what they really believe.

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I trust that I have answered your questions as you have put forth in your letter to me concerning modern day prophets. Do I believe in modern day prophets? Yes! Are they hard to find? Yes! You will have to read a lot of false prophecies before you find a real one, and only God can help you to sort out the true from the false.

I am sorry that it took such a long time to give you an answer, accept that it was circumstances here that delayed the answer.

May God lead you into All Truth.

Rev. Jack Barr           yourcomm@panama.gulf.net

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