Exploring "The Prophetic"

 

The ministry and spiritual gifts in the Bible are still for Christians today...every one of them, including the prophetic gifts.

But, beware, there are counterfeits. 

How to tell the difference? In order to know if we are experiencing a biblical gift and not a counterfeit from the enemy of our souls, we must know our Bibles, which tells us to judge all things by the Word of God.

If anyone discourages knowing our Bibles or judging all things from the Word of God, then get away from them...immediately.  

This article takes a brief look at one aspect of the Apostolic-Prophetic movement that gives cause for concern. Leaders in this movement  teach that Christians should be seeking spiritual growth and be ascending to new and higher levels in "ascension gifts." These are occult terms. Those who are highly developed in "ascension gifts," are considered top guns in the movement, while those who focus merely on soul winning are regarded as spiritually undeveloped and fairly pathetic specimens of Christianity.

Those on the front lines of the Prophetic-Apostlolic movement have demonstrated a zero tolerance policy regarding those who won't let go of "old religious traditions." The "old religious traditions" they refer to are holding to the authority of scripture over their own scripturally unsubstantiated prophetic utterances. "Present Restored Truth" they call it. Focusing on obedience to the scriptures and soul winning is ridiculed as childish, while growing in "ascension gifts" [occult term] is praised.

Jesus had something very different to say along these lines. When he gave his disciples (not just the 12 but seventy others as well) power over all the power of the enemy (fairly spiritually developed group I'd say), he told them having all that power was not the most important thing. What was the better thing?

Soul winning. 

They were told to rejoice because their souls were saved.

Most people agree that a person's last words before leaving this world are usually about the things they consider most important in this world. Well, Jesus' last words had nothing whatever to do with developing "ascension gifts." They had to do with...

Soul-winning.

So whose words are going to carry the most weight with us--those of Bill Hamon, Peter Wagner, Rick Joyner and their ilk, all who ridicule and viciously stereotype dedicated Bible believing soul winners, or will we consider the weighty words of Jesus who said, "They that win souls are wise?"

"Jesus said, Follow me and I will make you fishers of men. If we are not fishing for men, then we are not following Jesus"

Bible Teacher and author, Jocelyn Andersen, has been pastor of Hungry Hearts Ministries since 1992. Her books can be found at most online book sellers or purchased from your favorite bookstore.