By Paul Hoffman
Why do Christians have a tendency to focus on the negatives? Why do Christians invoke their carnal nature to respond to the challenges of life? Why are we more concerned with searching the Scriptures for prophesies than seeking the revealed truth of who we are in Christ? Why are Believers so interested in what Satan is doing in the world, rather than seeing the potential of what God can do through us? Why are we so interested in resurrecting books that deal with end times? Why are we so enamored with modern-day prophets who spin rhetoric that moves us from facts to speculation?
During the 2020 presidential election, many false prophets appeared on the radar. Responding to propaganda, that is, being spewed through the airwaves, many self-proclaimed seers present a message of hope: God would, in fact, reverse the premature proclamation of a winner, and would place the right man in the oval office. Christians echoed words like, fraud, cheating, vote stuffing, stolen, corruption, and etc. All the charges may be true, but to accept words that God will overturn an election is to assume that these “prophets” are actually true prophets. Believers need to check out prophets based on the guidelines of the Bible. What do we know about these “prophets”? What is their reputation outside of their circle of followers? Are they known by larger groups of Believers? Who commissioned them as prophets? Are they tied into a recognized Christian movement? Do they take Scripture out of context to support their “prophetic words”? What kind of fruit have they displayed in their life? If these are false prophets and their predictions fail to materialize, it could cause irreparable damage to God’s earthly kingdom. The Christian movement is under tremendous scrutiny and to have false prophets proclaim erroneous predictions only adds fuel to the fire.
What if God is using the political agenda to bring chastisement on our country? Who are we to assume we know better than God! I believe there is political corruption, but I also believe that God will deal with it in His time. He will either use it as judgment and correction or as a testing of our faith, as well as promoting His Kingdom.
Jesus said, “Every Kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation… ” (Matthew 12:25) Satan understands this Scripture better than most Christians. If he can get God’s people to heed to his messengers, and ignore God’s Word, he knows division will continue to rip a country apart. It is time for Christians to hear from the Holy Spirit, not the spirit of man.
There are true prophets of God who speak under God’s direction. Most of the prophesies of today are for edification, not correction. (I Corinthians 14:4,5) There are warnings against ungodliness, but it is given by pastors and evangelists through the Word, not outside the Word. Whenever we step beyond God’s Word, we become an instrument of Satan’s tactics. False prophets are the “pied pipers” that entice people to follow feelings and emotions. They play a tune that causes Believers to pursue what they want instead of what God desires. Let us not be deceived!
Been in the active Ministry for 46 years. BA Degree from Detroit Institute of Technology. Master of Divinity degree from Methesco Seminary. Served in Pastoral Ministry for 35 years in three major Denominations; United Methodist Church, Christian & Missionary Alliance and Assemblies of God. Spent over 20 years in both a Radio Ministry and as well as a Newspaper Columnist. Presently living in Indiana.
