Currently thinking about...

...prophecy, visions, dreams, and how to deal with them.

I mentioned in a previous blog how much some people always make me think. (See also this blog, prompted by a conversation with a friend). I recently spent a few days with a friend and his parents, and here I am thinking and writing again.

I grew up in a Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA) church, went to a small (mostly nondenominational) Christian grade school and middle school, went to a slightly larger (mostly Christian Reformed) Christian high school, and attended a Baptist college. To say that I’ve been indoctrinated all my life is not an understatement. High school and college years are some of the best formative years when it comes to making your own decision. Usually, until then, your parents tell you what’s right and you believe them. But when you start to mature, you realize that you have to make some decisions on your own and you begin to think through the issues. Then you start to form opinions, talk to friends and other adults about them, do some research (if you’re so inclined), and decide what you believe.

Of course, you can believe whatever you want, but if it’s not true, the belief is unfounded. (For instance, I can believe that there’s no way a train is going to travel on the tracks across Moore’s Lane; after all, I’ve never seen one. But if I’m driving down the road, the barriers come down, and a train crosses the road, I’m wrong. My belief could have been as strong as ever, but I’ve just been proven wrong.) So any beliefs that you form during those formative might be tested and changed later in life based on new information you might gather.

I’m sure I have only been realizing how important those years were in my life over the last few years. I am so much more appreciative of the deep conversations I had with friends during that time and of how much I was able to learn, research, and decide on. I’m also grateful for the teaching I received from some very knowledgeable teachers and professors and the book resources I’ve been able to acquire over the last few years. Those all have helped feed my desire to continue to learn, test what I believe based on the Bible (the standard for truth), and believe what is true.

The latest thing that’s been on my mind has to do with charismatic Christianity. C&MA, Baptist, and Reformed denominations are very conservative, but the issue of prophesying, speaking in tongues, and their related interpretations did come up a few times. I was always far-removed from people who were involved in that type of ministry; I’m sure my only connection to it was based on what I’d seen or heard on TBN and from people like Benny Hinn. (It’s not that I’ve tried to stay away; I love meeting new people! It’s similar to how you don’t know anyone who plays hockey unless you’re at the ice rink, or you don’t know anyone who does synchronized swimming unless you’re at the pool.) But over the past year, I’ve been able to interact a little with people involved in prophetic ministry.

[Let me mention here that whatever you believe about the sign and revelatory gifts will not affect whether you are saved or not. My dad ingrained this saying in us girls: In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity (which I see is attributed to Augustine and John Wesley). Prophetic ministry is a nonessential.

These are the essentials: Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. If you believe that because God loved us so much that he sent Jesus, His Son, to live on the earth and teach the truth, to die on the cross to forgive your sins, to rise again, and to dwell in heaven as the only man (though still fully God) to completely conquer death, you will be saved and spend eternity in heaven with Him. If you do not believe that truth and do not accept Him as Lord and Savior, you will spend eternity in hell, separated from God forever.

Although nonessentials are just that when it comes to salvation, they do have an impact on how others perceive Christians.]

I wish I could find a better way to coherently organize this. I realize it seems like a jumble of thoughts and verses, but as I see some verses, I think of others that I want to share and just end up going all over the place. Apologies. I think what I really want to communicate is this: It’s imperative that we know what the Bible says and that we test what others say and do against the standard of the Bible. People claim to be speaking in the name of the Lord and yet are leading the people away from Him. Those and others are dressed as sheep, but they are really wolves. Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light when in fact he is the prince of darkness.

Questions (and some answers [i.e. there will likely be more blogs to come that hopefully will address these issues articulately and rationally]) to contemplate:

1. Prophecy was big when we didn’t have the Bible; now that we have the revealed and complete word of God, do we need prophetic revelations?
• Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. (1 Thessalonians 5:20–22)
• In this case, “prophecies” refers to the Scriptures.
• When Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, they would have had access to the Old Testament.
• Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully. (1 Peter 1:10–12)
2. God does speak to His people through prompting and through His word; does He communicate to one person what they should say to another person?
• Peter had a vision of a sheet and animals; God told him they were acceptable to eat because He had cleansed them. At the same time, Cornelius had been praying and received a vision that his prayer had been heard. (Acts 10)
• Paul was prohibited from traveling because of God’s word. (Romans 1, Acts 21:11–14, James 4:13–14
• Saul sees a light from heaven, believes, becomes Paul, and Ananias (who heard from the Lord in a vision) ministered to and baptized him. (Acts 9)
• Joseph and Mary were told to go to Egypt to save Jesus. (Matthew 2)
• Hosea was directed by the Lord who to take as his wife. (Hosea 1:2)
3. How do we test/discern the spirits? How do we know whether what someone tells us is from the Lord actually is? (1 John 4:1–3)
• When a prophet speaks in the name of LORD, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken. (Deuteronomy 18: 15–22)
• Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God. (1 John 4:1–6)
• Every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. (1 John 4:1–6)
• To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins. (Acts 10:42–43)
• They received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. (Acts 17:10–12)
• Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. (1 Thessalonians 5:20–22)
• Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully. (1 Peter 1:10–12)
• Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. (Matthew 7:15–20)
• For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! (2 Corinthians 11:13–15)
• If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. (Isaiah 8:19–20)
• If anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:6–9)
• Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. (Matthew 24:11–14)
4. How do we discern the truth in our own lives? Let’s say we have a dream about something that ends up coming true (a friend had a dream about someone in a wheelchair; he ended up in a wheelchair after a basketball incident/accident); can we determine that it came from God? (Deuteronomy 18: 15–22)
• Kings and prophets often saw visions and dreams that needed interpretation. (Daniel 2, 3, 7, 8, 10; Zephaniah)
• Joseph dreamed that he would rule his brothers; he also interpreted dreams of others. (Genesis 37, 40, 41)
• Saul sees a light from heaven, believes, becomes Paul, and Ananias (who heard from the Lord in a vision) ministered to and baptized him. (Acts 9)
5. We can know it’s true if God is glorified through it; Satan and demons will not do something that brings glory to God. (Deuteronomy 13:1–5)
6. Can we ever lower our guard? NO! Satan and his cohorts will appear like true prophets; one of their main deceptive tactics is to make us think that what they tell us is the truth.
• For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. (Acts 20:28–31)
• Then if anyone says to you, “Look, here is the Christ!” or, “Look, He is there!” do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. (Mark 13:21–23)
• Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. (Matthew 7:15–20)
• For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works. (2 Corinthians 11:13–15)
• But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:3–4)
• If anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:6–9)
• For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. (Jude 1:3–4)
7. What will the coming Prophet be like? (Deuteronomy 18:15–22, Acts 3:22–24)

Bible passages from the previous points (not including points 2 and 4), listed in order of appearance in the Bible:

• Deuteronomy 13:1–5 If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, “Let us go after other gods”—which you have not known—”and let us serve them,” you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him. But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has spoken in order to turn you away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of bondage, to entice you from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you shall put away the evil from your midst.

• Deuteronomy 18:15–22 The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear, according to all you desired of the LORD your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, “Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, nor let me see this great fire anymore, lest I die.” And the LORD said to me: “What they have spoken is good. I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him. But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.” And if you say in your heart, “How shall we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?” — when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.

• Isaiah 8:19–20 And when they say to you, “Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter,” should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living? To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

• Matthew 7:15–20 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

• Matthew 24:11–14 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

• Mark 13:21–23 Then if anyone says to you, “Look, here is the Christ!” or, “Look, He is there!” do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand.

• Acts 3:22–24 For Moses truly said to the fathers, “The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you. And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.” Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days.

• Acts 10:42–43 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.

• Acts 17:10–12 Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men.

• Acts 20:28–31 Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.

• 2 Corinthians 11:3–4 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!

• 2 Corinthians 11:13–15 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

• Galatians 1:6–9 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.

• Ephesians 6:10–13 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

• Colossians 1:9–14 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

• 1 Thessalonians 5:20–22 Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.

• 1 Peter 1:10–12 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.

• 1 John 4:1–6 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

• Jude 1:3–4 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

• Revelation 21:22–27 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

A short summary is this: whether people are currently prophesying, hearing from God, claiming to speak in His name, and receiving revelations and dreams today or not, our responsibility as believers is to know the Word. We must take everything we hear and measure it against the standard that God has given to us. No one can add anything to or remove anything from the Holy Bible, God’s loving, gracious, personal revelation to us.

• Deuteronomy 4:2 You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.
• Deuteronomy 12:32 Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.
• Proverbs 30:6 Do not add to his words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.
• Jeremiah 26:2 Thus says the Lord: "Stand in the court of the Lord’s house, and speak to all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the Lord’s house, all the words that I command you to speak to them. Do not diminish a word."
• Revelation 22:18–19 For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

References:
The MacArthur Study Bible, New King James Version; Thomas Nelson, Inc.; Nashville, TN, 1997.
Napier, John; Charismatic Challenge: Four Key Questions; Providence House Publishers; Franklin, TN; 1995.