Prophecy is a fascinating topic, not just for Christians, because most people want to know in advance what is coming so that they can prepare for it. Usually. Unless it has to do with the Bible and God’s coming judgment, then many people want nothing to do with it.

The Bible is full of prophecy, and it gives instructions to and about prophets. I bring this up because in some Christian circles there were a lot of “prophesies” centered around the last election (that were not fulfilled as thought) and continuing statements being made by self-proclaimed prophets about reversals, revivals, and such. What’s been a huge pill for me to swallow is that some well-respected Christian authors and teachers have been predicting things that are not necessarily biblically supported. They could happen, but that doesn’t mean they will happen.

I grew up in one of those quasi-Christian religions that had their own personal prophet to shed their own personal “light” on the scriptures. That experience landed me in a place where I am now quite skeptical of anything or anyone calling what they have to say “prophetic” outside of the Bible. That’s not to say there are no prophetic gifts – that contradicts what the Bible teaches, too:

“Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different ministries, but the same Lord. And there are different activities, but the same God produces each gift in each person. A manifestation of the Spirit is given to each person for the common good: to one is given a message of wisdom through the Spirit, to another, a message of knowledge by the same Spirit, to another, faith by the same Spirit, to another, gifts of healing by the one Spirit to another, the performing of miracles, to another, prophecy…. One and the same Spirit is active in all these, distributing to each person as He wills.” (1 Corinthians 12:4-9, 11)

I think it is interesting that the apostle Paul describes prophecy this way: “…the person who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouragement, and consolation.”(1 Corinthians 14:3) A problem occurs when a prophet predicts something with the intention of strengthening, encouraging, or consoling but it’s coming from an emotional, “positive confession”, or a hopeful place in their hearts instead of the Holy Spirit and a “whole counsel of God” scriptural basis.

The phrase “whole counsel of God” is in an interesting context:

“…I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which He obtained with His own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore, be alert….” (Acts 20:26-31a)

Jesus warned, “…Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.” (Matthew 24:9-12)

I gather from what Jesus is saying about the future is that things are not going to become more pleasant or easier for Christians. So, the kind of encouragement needed in the view of coming conflict is encouragement to stay focused on Jesus— “…keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2 CSB)—and not looking for anyone else to make our lives better on this earth (a mistake made by the Jews during Jesus’ time on earth).

The apostle John also warned about false prophets and the focus of their messages: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for 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 from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.” (1 John 4:1-3).

The apostle Paul wrote to his son in the faith, Timothy, saying, “I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.” But our comfort was not the primary reason he gave for praying for those in positions of authority; instead, he goes on to say, “…This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:1-4) God desires all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth—that is what matters to Him—and our prayers form a partnership between God and ourselves in working towards that end.

The concern is that when comfort and the desire to avoid intimidation, hostility, or persecution for standing up for biblical principles becomes our hope rather than focusing on Jesus, then our attention makes the subtle shift from heavenly things to the earthly. And the enemy wants us to take our hearts and our thoughts away from God’s Word and His kingdom!

Paul’s admonition, “…let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12), comes to mind when I think about some of the statements and prophecies given concerning the last presidential election in the United States. I do not know the people personally who boldly (and mistakenly) declared who the next president would be, yet I think it was a great opportunity to check our own thoughts and emotions concerning what happened—and search the scriptures, becoming intimately acquainted and established in them, so that when other “prophets” come along, our expectations and emotions won’t betray us.