Thoughts On Prophecy from an Ex-Bethel Follower
How my mind has changed
“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.”
Hebrews 1:1–2, ESV
This verse has come to mind a lot over the past several months. It’s sobering to know that I read Hebrews so many times, yet I missed such a simple truth.
The days of God giving new revelation through prophets is gone- He has spoken through Jesus Christ in these last days. Any faith movement that insists that God is speaking afresh to the church through a restored office of the prophet, is ignoring scriptures like this in favor of their own pursuit of subjective supernatural experiences.
After some serious reflection & study, I would hold to the idea that prophetic ministry nowadays is the teaching of scripture, and specifically the teaching of scripture which focuses on the person of Jesus and His work. The gospel.
I also want to quote here from the book of 2 Peter, but frankly- it is a short book and you ought to go read the whole thing. It is very clear in outlining that the prophet’s words have been fulfilled in the person of Jesus and His work. Peter warns the believers to hold fast to the scriptures, defining “scripture” as the prophetic writings and the words of the apostles of Christ. Peter also outlines the qualities we can see in false teachers, as well as the judgment that God reserves for such individuals.
In Revelation, we find the Apostle John being given a prophetic message from an angel, and the angel tells John that he is a fellow servant of Jesus. The statement is then made in the text that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy- in plainer words: The Apostle’s testimony about Jesus is prophecy, in the same way that God speaking through an angel was considered prophecy.
“And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
Revelation 19:9–10, ESV
Since the Apostles testified of Jesus in the scriptures, we see then that the scriptures themselves are the prophetic word to the church. Jesus appointed the Apostles to testify, and they spoke with authority the words of prophecy for our times. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
A year ago, I would not have been able to articulate such a thought. I was fully convinced that prophets were operating today, that God spoke to His people in their thoughts, and that sometimes He gave them messages for others. I would have classified this inner voice as prophecy. A sanctified imagination was the stage for prophecy, I used to think. I even gave some prophetic words out myself, things I thought certain were in my mind and placed there by the Lord. How embarrassing.
I was taught that God’s voice sounds a lot like your own voice, and the way to test it was through subjective things. For instance, was it positive and uplifting? Because apparently God is always in a good mood. Was there confirmation? Like, maybe the preacher just talked about the very topic you thought you had a prophecy about. Or maybe you saw a vision in your mind of some specific animal and later you saw it in the flesh- That could be God speaking!
There was also the caveat that the inner prophetic voice ought not to go against the scriptures. But, usually the prophetic utterances we think we hear in our heads have so little to do with the gospel that this test of the prophetic can be skipped. Besides, we often understand so little about the scripture that even if the word did blatantly go against the Bible, we would have no clue. We are taught, after all, to see the scripture through a lens of mysticism and subjectivity.
I recall sitting through 3 years of a satellite Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry at my previous church, and in all that time we never studied scripture. We read books by Bill Johnson, Kris Vallotton, and others, but we were never asked to study a passage from the Bible. The only verses we learned were those which were printed in the assigned books, proof-texts that were sprinkled in to keep us going down the path of erroneous doctrine without too much pricking at our conscience.
Each year there were classmates alongside my husband and I who were baby Christians; as long as they paid their tuition, they were welcome. The main focus of these classes can be summed up in these two things: Everyone should prophesy & Everyone should perform miracles. So before you even have a handle on the message of the cross or how to rightly present the gospel to someone, you’re caught up with everyone else in a church culture of people who are desperately trying to have a positive outlook about the fact they haven’t healed someone or prophesied something into existence yet. What a heavy burden to carry.
“And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed.”
2 Peter 1:19–2:2, ESV
Honestly, 2 Peter is so clear, so timely, and so needed. Go read it! See if you don’t find some truth in that letter that starkly contrasts what is being taught about prophecy today. Especially if you’ve been hanging around the Bethel crowd. It’s time for us all to take accountability and learn the scriptures for ourselves, allowing the prophetic word of the Bible to trump the voices of the teachers around us.
It is time to be sober minded and keep watch over our faith and our doctrine. Heresy is popular, and it is easy to fall into old heresies that have been recycled over and over again by wolves and fools. I pray that the wolves are exposed and the fools hear the cry of Wisdom and repent.
I pray that you are blessed in the richness of the knowledge of Christ.
God bless you. You are not alone.
