Discerning the Enemy’s Mass Weapon of Destruction in This Season
With violence raging on American streets, many are losing hope for a better tomorrow. Indeed, pessimism is gripping the nation on many fronts as the signs of the times manifest in our midst.
For the first time in American history, most Americans believe the next generation will be worse off than them, according to a CNNMoney/E*Trade survey. At the same time, strange viruses are spreading, some even causing death and blindness. There are wars and rumors of wars. The economic signs are driving people to store food and water. And persecution of Christians in America is on the rise.
I could go on and on. The point is, as a nation our hope is under attack.
Are Schools of the Prophets Legit?
When Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father, He gave gifts to men. Ephesians 4:11 tells us He gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and some teachers for the equipping of the saints for the work of service.
One of the primary mandates of a New Testament prophet is to equip the saints to hear from God and to prophesy accurately. Every believer has the capacity to hear from God. Jesus said His sheep know His voice (John 10:27). But many believers do not discern the voice of the Lord, which is one reason there is an unhealthy dependence on prophets.
Indeed, many treat prophets like psychics—or at least cheap gumball machines that take money for prophecies. Many believers, by contrast, put unhealthy pressure on prophetic people to “gimme a word” or get sucked into pay-for-prophecy scams on the internet.
Why Some Would-Be Life-Changing Prophetic Words Don’t Come to Pass
Prophetic words bring warfare, but that's not the only reason people receive legitimate would-be life-changing prophecies that don't come to pass. Although I believe strongly in waging war with prophetic words, you also have to be careful to understand what the Lord is actually saying to war accurately.
Beyond this, you need a certain maturity to walk out the word by faith. You need the spiritual strength to stand against the tribulation and persecution that will surely come against a potentially life-changing prophecy. And you need to keep your mind focused on God's plans despite the barrage of cares and worries the devil brings to your mind.
At the end of the day, it really does boil down to this: There is a war over the prophetic word over your life. Sometimes that war comes from the wicked one. Sometimes that war comes from our own carnal nature that wars against the Spirit (Gal. 5:17). Either way—and whether in Scripture or via prophecy judged accurate—we must fight the good fight of faith so we can walk in the fullness of God's promises.
Discerning the Enemy’s Mass Weapon of Destruction in This Season
With violence raging on American streets, many are losing hope for a better tomorrow. Indeed, pessimism is gripping the nation on many fronts as the signs of the times manifest in our midst.
For the first time in American history, most Americans believe the next generation will be worse off than them, according to a CNNMoney/E*Trade survey. At the same time, strange viruses are spreading, some even causing death and blindness. There are wars and rumors of wars. The economic signs are driving people to store food and water. And persecution of Christians in America is on the rise.
I could go on and on. The point is, as a nation our hope is under attack.
5 Ways to Cultivate a Discerning Spirit
Discernment is a vital gift in an age when false apostles, deceitful workers, demonic angels of light, false signs and wonders, false prophets, false teachers, false christs, false revivalists and other falsities are rising in the church.
Some believers have the gift of discerning of spirits but every believer can develop a discerning spirit. Indeed, we need to hunger for discernment in this hour because signs and wonders will mark the next great move of God but the enemy will come in—as the Bible warns in 2 Corinthians 11:13-14, 2 Peter 2:1-3, Matthew 24:24 and other places—with deceptions and counterfeit anointings at the same time.
Even people who walk closely with God and hear His voice accurately can massively miss it. The Gibeonites tricked Joshua into making a covenant with them and he ended up having to go to war to defend them. The Bible says he “did not ask counsel of the Lord” (Joshua 9:14). A young prophet didn't discern an old prophet lying to him and paid for it with his life (1 Kings 13:1-24). Even Samuel, a prophet whose words never fell to the ground, missed it by relying on his natural eyes. He thought surely Eliab was God's choice to replace Saul (1 Sam. 16:6-13).
10 Important Prophetic Ministry Protocols
Prophecy is a vital ministry in the body of Christ. Every believer can prophesy and some do, but many struggle to discern the voice of the Lord. Many others do not understand simple protocols for prophetic ministry because they have not been rightly trained, despite the Ephesians 4:11 mandate for five-fold prophets to equip the saints for the work for the ministry.
Recently, we launched prophecy rooms at Awakening House of Prayer. Prophecy rooms are a safe place where experienced prophetic ministers can share a word of the Lord to people seeking edification, exhortation and comfort. Our goal with this is two-fold: to train up prophetic people with accountability and to reach out to our community, giving them an alternative to the psychic shops that plague our region.
Listen to Jennifer's podcast for more detail on prophetic protocols.
Are Schools of the Prophets Legit?
When Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father, He gave gifts to men. Ephesians 4:11 tells us He gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and some teachers for the equipping of the saints for the work of service.
One of the primary mandates of a New Testament prophet is to equip the saints to hear from God and to prophesy accurately. Every believer has the capacity to hear from God. Jesus said His sheep know His voice (John 10:27). But many believers do not discern the voice of the Lord, which is one reason there is an unhealthy dependence on prophets.
Indeed, many treat prophets like psychics—or at least cheap gumball machines that take money for prophecies. Many believers, by contrast, put unhealthy pressure on prophetic people to “gimme a word” or get sucked into pay-for-prophecy scams on the internet.
Why Some Would-Be Life-Changing Prophetic Words Don’t Come to Pass
Prophetic words bring warfare, but that's not the only reason people receive legitimate would-be life-changing prophecies that don't come to pass. Although I believe strongly in waging war with prophetic words, you also have to be careful to understand what the Lord is actually saying to war accurately.
Beyond this, you need a certain maturity to walk out the word by faith. You need the spiritual strength to stand against the tribulation and persecution that will surely come against a potentially life-changing prophecy. And you need to keep your mind focused on God's plans despite the barrage of cares and worries the devil brings to your mind.
At the end of the day, it really does boil down to this: There is a war over the prophetic word over your life. Sometimes that war comes from the wicked one. Sometimes that war comes from our own carnal nature that wars against the Spirit (Gal. 5:17). Either way—and whether in Scripture or via prophecy judged accurate—we must fight the good fight of faith so we can walk in the fullness of God's promises.
Prophecy: The Ravens Are Coming to Bless You
Get ready for the ravens (opportunists) to fund your vision and personal prophecy. (By Hakeem Collins) The Word of the Lord came to me saying that there are those that have been a dry season. Looking for the provision of the Lord. There are looking for the promises of...
Paul’s Secret Spiritual Warfare Weapon Against Principalities and Powers
Warfare is a way of life for me. I am careful to put my armor on, stay alert to the spirit realm, and walk as closely to the Holy Spirit as I possibly can.
Still, there are seasons where the battle rages and I grow weary. There are times when I need reinforcements in the face of surging enemies that are intent on killing me, stealing what is rightfully mine and destroying my family and ministry.
A Deadly Deception Emerging in the Prophetic Movement
The church needs prophets who can rightly discern the moving of the Lord—and the moving of the enemy. We need prophets who will stand in the gap and make up the hedge so the enemy cannot infiltrate.
Anyone with a sensitive spirit can pick up on the rising level of spiritual warfare in this hour. Just look at the attacks on major cities in our nation. Just look at the persecution of Christians. Just look at the number of church leaders who have fallen. Just look at how many churches are closing. Just look. Clearly, darkness is raging against the church.
Spiritual warfare is real, despite some who insist we don't have to fight because the devil is already defeated. Spiritual warfare is biblical, despite those who argue we should ignore the operations of the devil. Spiritual warfare is necessary because principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this age, spiritual hosts of wickedness (Eph. 6:12) and other forces are raging against all those who call Christ Lord.
Lester Sumrall’s 7 Troubling Prophecies Over America
Lester Sumrall went home to be with the Lord in 1996, but his legacy continues—and his God-breathed prophetic words are still alive.
In a 1987 video capture, Sumrall, whose spiritual father was Smith Wigglesworth, shares seven prophetic insights God revealed to his heart earlier in his walk with the Lord. I wish they weren't accurate, but it seems he heard rightly. You can watch the video to see all the warnings. I'm going to focus on just one of them.
“I said, 'God, I don't understand this at all.' He said, 'You're going to see it and here are seven things to watch.' And God gave me seven things to observe. Number one was, America will depart from its historic faith. Now at that time, the Supreme Court hadn't done any of those strange things, such as permission to kill unborn babies and giving such rights to homosexuals. See, none of that happened.”
You Won’t Believe the Pitch I Got From One False Prophet
When Jesus said false prophets would rise in the last days, He wasn't exaggerating. We're certainly in a season of accelerated false prophet activity.
Check out this message I received:
I've made a mistake. In this season of transition, there have been piles of bills, problematic equations and mountains of new financial challenges that seemed poised to try to overtake me. At times it has overwhelmed me, but never has it interfered with me going before the Lord with your situation(s). This morning, as I was in my prayer chambers meditating on the Word of the Lord for you and countless others, the Lord screamed a mighty scream in the form of a strong wind blowing from the north and commanded me to look up from which cometh my help.
Grappling With Error in the Church
After I got saved, I received only two instructions: “Read the book of John and go to a Pentecostal church.” Unfortunately, a charismatic false prophet led the only one I could find.
Despite the marvelous worship experience, I knew something was wrong as soon as the “prophet” started hawking for cash with false gimmicks that deceived desperate believers. I went running out the door clutching my purse tightly in both hands, but I didn't throw out the baby with the proverbial bathwater. I didn't reject all prophetic ministry because of one false prophet, or the false prophets I've encountered since.
Shortly after I moved to Alabama, my wilderness place, I was drawn to charismatic teachers like Joyce Meyer. I actually got baptized in the Spirit at one of her conferences. Soon, I plugged into a Word of Faith church, but to my dismay, I saw excesses there also.
Romans 10:17 Revelation Drives Over 1 Million People to Listen to These Messages
Faith comes by hearing. That's the Scripture that inspired the Charisma Podcast Network, which just surpassed the 1 million download mark.
Launched less than a year ago by visionary and Charisma Media publisher Dr. Steve Greene, CPN features a variety of shows, including news, leadership, inspiring stories, women's topics and more. All told, we've developed 11 unique shows for this growing network as readers keep coming back asking for more.
“I believe in the power of the pen, but the Holy Spirit showed me the power of the spoken word. Podcasting allows Charisma Media to reach hungry Christians who enjoy listening to Spirit-inspired content in the car, at home or anywhere else,” says Greene, who has worked in TV station management at major stations and in marketing capabilities with Fortune 500 members. “I knew our audiences—and new audiences—would appreciate this mobile audio platform and that our advertisers hoping to reach this target market would flock to it.”