The Heart of a True Prophet

One of the things I have seen online in the past few years is supposed prophets making a myriad of predictions, and then, when one comes to pass or seems to come to pass, they show posts online in a grand celebration of their prophetic giftings. This is not how a prophet of the Lord acts. They will repost the original prophecy from Facebook or Instagram and then show you the fulfillment. In most cases, these are mere predictions with almost no significance.

A few years ago, it was being reported that Kim Jong-Il was dead. He had not been seen in public for some time. One of these Facebook prophets then showed everyone how he predicted that the dictator of North Korea was going to die. There was only one problem—he wasn’t dead. Gotta delete those posts!

Prophecies have a redemptive purpose

But beyond that, what was the prophetic significance that would have been related to his death? It would appear that the only significance would be the celebration of the supposed prophet!

Isaiah did not just run around making predictions. His prophecies had significance. When he said that the Jewish people would come back to the land of Israel, it was to keep them encouraged until it came to pass.

Prophecies or predictions

Last year, a well-known “prophet” gave a message on predictions for 2024. Among others, things were that Harry and Megan would divorce, China would attack Taiwan, and Biden would not finish his term, but Kamala Harris would not be the one to replace him. It would be Gavin Newsom or Elizabeth Warren.

I reached out to this minister with deep concern:

“If you look at prophecy, in both the Old and New Covenant, you will see that prophecy always has a redemptive purpose. All of the gifts of the Spirit have redemptive purposes. Much of what you shared had no redemptive value whatsoever.” They were merely predictions, no different than the National Enquirer. “In the Bible, there are different reasons for prophecy:

1.     It can be a warning. “Do this or else…” like with Jonah and Nineveh. Acts 8, Peter perceives that Simon is full of bitterness and a captive to sin and warns him to repent. Simon responds in the positive.

2.     It can be a rebuke as sin is revealed, such as with Nathan and David. Or when Peter reveals the sin of Ananias and Sapphira. This brought the fear of the Lord on the people. 

3.     It could be a call to repentance, as with Elijah and the prophets of Baal.

4.     It could reveal the future so people know what they are experiencing is from God, such as when Saul was told that he would suffer for the kingdom of God, and he did. Joseph could interpret Pharaoh’s dream and prepare for the coming famine. 

5.     It can be a sign; Isaiah 7:14 is a good example, which was initially given to the king of Judah and had another and greater fulfillment in the person of Jesus. Isaiah tells him that a young woman giving birth will be a sign to him. Jesus tells Peter about the cock crowing three times. It was a sign.

6. It could be encouragement not to give up, such as when Elijah wanted to kill himself and God told him there were 7000 who had not bowed the knee to Baal (1 Kings 19).

It would appear that most of them were false prophecies, but there are still 36 days left in the year. A lot would have to happen for Biden to die or resign and be replaced by Gavin Newsom or Elizabeth Warren, as opposed to the vice president (though I think he meant as the candidate, in which case it was clearly a false prophecy). It doesn’t look like China will invade Taiwan this year—but it certainly wasn’t a risky prophecy since China is clearly irritated by Taiwan. And as far as I know, Harry and Megan are still together. “But why in the world do I need to know any of this?” That was what I was asking this supposed prophet. “Why is God telling you about Harry and Megan?”

The amazing thing is that even though there was so much false prophecy in his 2024 predictions message, the same guy is on the Internet right now celebrating some predictions he claims to have gotten right. Of course, he is in a desperate mode, seeking to save his ministry in light of revelations of sexual sin in his life. When narcissistic ministers realize that because of their sin, they might lose their platform, they can be tempted to panic and do anything to maintain that influence.

Broken Heart

His next prophecy was:

I saw a devastating earthquake that hit the nation of Italy. It was (sic) be a sign of the very shaking happening at Rome and the Vatican.

Now, this one is a bit different. There is a redemptive purpose. The earthquake would signify that God is shaking things up in the Catholic Church. 

My concern is that when you give a prophecy about a “devastating earthquake,” you must recognize that maybe you're supposed to pray that it doesn't happen. People will die for sure in a devastating earthquake. A true prophet has a broken heart. Jeremiah was called the weeping prophet because he was broken over the things he was prophesying.

Look at Abraham. God confided to him, a true prophet (Gen 20:7), that he was going to destroy Sodom because of all of her sin. Many of today’s preachers would cheer on God. “Yes, Lord! Kill those evil sodomites!” I see it every day online. And the problem with that type of behavior is that it is arrogant and self-righteous as if we are not all sinners deserving of judgment. Abraham, on the other hand, without having the advantage that we have of understanding a greater revelation of God from the New Testament, begged God not to judge Sodom.

In one of the great passages of the Bible, Abraham appeals to God’s mercy and says, “Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” (Gen 18:25). You see, friends, when God reveals coming judgment to his prophets, it is first, so they will intercede that it does not happen.

The same thing happened with Moses when God said that he would start over with Moses after destroying the people of Israel.

“Now, therefore, let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you.” (Ex 32:10)

Boldly, Moses challenges the Almighty.

Alas, this people has sinned a great sin. They have made for themselves gods of gold. But now, if you will forgive their sin—but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written.” (Ex 32:31-32)

What we need today are prophets with broken hearts. We need prophets who are less concerned with who knows about their prophecies and more concerned with caring about God’s heart within them. We need more prophets like Moses and Abraham who will intercede against judgment rather than pat themselves on the back when one of their judgment prophecies comes to pass.

The fact is, even a broken clock is right twice a day. Most of these prophets under the Old Testament standard would have been stoned to death a long time ago. But we live in a day where these people prophesy not from within a New Testament community, but from their Facebook live platform. There is no accountability; you just delete the false prophecy. Eventually, you’ll get one right, and you can be celebrated.

I think what we’re seeing this day is that God is putting an end to this kind of celebrity. I don’t wish anything bad to happen to any servant of God, but maybe you can join me in praying that those who bear his name and serve him before others, would have a heightened fear of the Lord. I know I need it.