Emergent Monday - Excuses Excuses

If you've been keeping track, the prophesy record for the NAR is pretty abysmal. Keep in mind that being a prophet isn't all about picking Super Bowl winners (am I right Rick Joyner?) but about speaking God's truth to others. The English word prophet comes from the Greek word prophetes, which can mean “one who speaks forth” or “advocate.”

More than 133 named prophets are mentioned in the Bible, including 16 women.These aren't folks who just woke up one day and thought to themselves "Hey, I'll be a prophet, the money's not good but the work is easy" True prophets are chosen by God to speak for Him

I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. (Deuteronomy 18:18)

True prophets of God aren't well loved in this sinful world, primarily because they are true prophets of God and say what God tells them to say. A shining example is Ahab, king of Israel. He had 400 false prophets telling him what he liked to hear, and one true prophet, Micaiah. The 400 predicted victory for Israel over that Arameans, but  Micaiah prophesied defeat and death, for which he was imprisoned. Of course Micaiah was right (2 Kings 22:1-40) Paul also has been known to prophesy, one of his most damning prophesies is found in his letter to the Romans where he tells of a world falling deeper into sin (Romans 1:20-32).

Enter the New Apostolic Reformation - it's not new, it's not apostolic, and the only thing they have reformed is the art of ear tickling - their false prophecy is staggering and nearly as creative as their excuses for spewing false prophecy in the first place. Let's look at a few. First is Dutch Sheets prophesying that the leaders of all governments will lead their nations righteously

"He is synergistically joining the government of heaven to the government of earth I will tell ya God is going to move in politics you are going to see kings and leaders I am tell you right now you are going to see them bow the knee you are going to see them prostrate themselves before almighty God you are going to see them lead their nations righteously you are going to see nations come to God in a day you are going to see Holiness and a move of the spirit of God restored to the government of this land I decree it I believe it." (Dutch Sheets, National School Of The Prophets-Mobilizing The Prophetic Office, May 12, 2:30, 2002)

 Someone please hand Dutch a copy of the Book of Revelation.

Volumes could be filled by False Prophettess and self-appointed Apostlette Cindy Jacob who constantly makes prophecies and then claiming that the prophecies come directly from God. She claims that we are to take authority over every spirit that opposes the laws of God

"We tear down the imaginations of man that oppose the laws of God, that would distort the laws of creation, and we say, "No," to it in Jesus' name.  We take authority over every spirit that has been assigned to bring it to pass.  And we forbid it and stop it now, in the name of Jesus.  Hallelujah." (Cindy Jacobs, National School Of The Prophets-Mobilizing The Prophetic Office, May 11, 7 pm, 2002)

The bible does not give us this authority, only Jesus has the authority to bind Satan and will only do so at the beginning of His millennial reign. Cindy immediately follows that up by saying that Roe vs. Wade will be overturned.

"Unborn, I'm going to bring the anointing."  And God says, "It's going to be anointing to legislate in the heavens, in Austin, Texas. And an anointing that will be a decisive hope.  Against, it will turn the Roe vs. Wade decision.  God says, "I'm going to anoint Austin." (Cindy Jacobs, National School Of The Prophets-Mobilizing The Prophetic Office, May 11, 7 pm, 2002)

The slaughter of the innocent still rages on and there's no indication that the death-mills will shut down anytime before Christ's return. At the same conference in 2002 she said "And the most liberal state is gonna become the most conservative state, says the Lord your God." She was talking about California. Not only was she wrong about it being the most liberal state, she was wrong that it would become a conservative state. It may eventually become considered Conservative as the other 49 states get sucked into the mire of liberalism and the definition of 'conservative' gets as perverted as the restrooms at Target. However Cindy doesn't only dabble in imaginary politics, she provides false prophesies about marriage

Cindy Jacobs, in a women's conference in California in 1996 called "Women Of The Word" said that the divorce rate for Christians would be cut in half within one year. (E-mail L.M., 11/01)

C. Peter Wagner, the inventor of the NAR gives mind boggling false prophesy

"10 million Japanese will come to Christ by the year 2000".  He also claims his spiritual warfare techniques "Deposed dictator Manual Noriega, lowered the crime rate in Los Angeles and broke the power of demons over Japan."  ( C. Peter Wagner, Breaking Strongholds In Your City, 1993, p. 25)

This is patently absurd. The crime rate in LA is still high and the Japanese are still worshiping demons. Wagner then released in a paper from the World Congress Of Prophets that stated

"There will be a persecution of the Jews in Russia that will notably escalate during the fall of 2000."

This never happened. Wagner also claimed:

"One of the distinctions of this (signs and wonders) movement will be raising the dead."

God can raise the dead, and He can do it through His chosen prophets, however there has been not one shred of hard evidence that NAR false teachers have raised any dead, including the 35 corpses that Todd Bentley has claimed to animate. Did you ever notice that the NAR is always notably absent in tragic situations like the 9/11 terrorist bombing of the World Trade Centers? Wagner goes on:

"The Government Of God's kingdom will be established through the apostolic and prophetic authorities in cities and nations."

This is unbiblical Dominionism that the NAR is famous for, Jesus Christ will establish His kingdom when He returns and Wagner's insistence that Jesus is incapable of fulfilling the promises He made in the bible are blasphemous. Wagner goes on to claim:

"It is especially important for the apostolic government to be initially established and functioning in our cities by October 2003 if we are to see the transformations that God wants to release." (Prophetic Gathering Share In Ministry Together Concerning 2000, http://www.theremnant.com/news.html)

Ok, it's 2016, if anything we've sunk further into the sinful mire (as the bible said we would) and no where near an "apostolic government" that C. Peter Wagner deemed necessary by 2003 yet Wagner and his acolytes are still spouting the same old stuff about "the transformations that God wants to release." The Bible is silent on anything about reestablishing foundational apostles in the end times. The bible is silent on a LOT of things that the NAR claims to be the word of God. I could go on and on about the false prophesies of the NAR, many are so outrageous to be nonsensical. What does God say about this?

When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him. (Deuteronomy 18:22)

Excuses Excuses

What does the NAR say about what God said? According to False Doctor, False Prophet Rick Joyner:

 “One of the greatest hazards affecting maturing prophets is the erroneous interpretation of the Old Testament exhortation that if a prophet ever predicted something which did not come to pass he was no longer to be considered a true prophet. The warning was that if this happened, the prophet had been presumptuous and the people were not to fear him. If one predicts something in the name of the Lord and it does not come to pass, he probably has spoken presumptuously and needs to be repented of, but that does not make him a false prophet. No one could step out in the faith required to walk in his calling if he knew that a single mistake would ruin him for life.” (The Prophetic Ministry, The Morning Star Prophetic Newsletter, Rick Joyner, Vol. 3, No. 2, p. 2.)

What a wonderful excuse! Joyner, and Wagner, and Jacobs can prophesy anything they want free from penalty because we are misinterpreting the Bible. But is this actually what God said?  Joyner keyed in on the word presumptuous which in the modern parlance means the act of taking something for granted, to assume, or to suppose, but the word used in the original Hebrew is זָדוֹן (zâdôwn) which means pride, arrogance, insolence. Anyone who truly basks in the word of God knows, pride is the sin He hates the most.

And when God said "you shall not be afraid of him" the word used there is גּוּר (gûwr) which has a lot of meanings, one of which is to be afraid or in awe of, but primarily it is to sojourn with, or to abide with, to seek hospitality with or to assemble with. In other words the meaning could very well be "stay away from this guy".

Joyner's flippant response shows that he's never prayerfully considered Deuteronomy 18:22, this passage is in response to the question posed in Deuteronomy 18:21 - You may say in your heart, ‘How will we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?’ the answer is "if what he said did not come about or come true, he spoke with pride and arrogance, don't be afraid." Why not be afraid? 

But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.’ (Deuteronomy 18:20)

 And the Hebrew word used is מוּת (mûwth) to die, to be executed, to be put to death. There is no equivocation - a false prophet will die. Notice how Joyner completely ignored that verse and skipped to verse 22? He clearly wants the world to ignore the fact that biblically he is a false prophet, and he wants to ignore the fact that God hates his pride and arrogance. Verse 20 - 22 cleary says if you claim to speak in the name of the Lord and what you say does not come to pass, you have spoken presumptuously which makes you a false prophet which carries a death sentence.

Another excuse that Rick Joyner uses is immaturity - as in "I can't be held liable for false prophesies, I'm not mature enough for 100% accurate prophecies" Seriously!

Bob [Jones] was told that the general level of prophetic revelation in the church was about 65% accurate at this time. Some are only about 10% accurate, a very few of the most mature prophets are approaching 85% to 95% accuracy. Prophecy is increasing in purity, but there is still a long way to go for those who walk in this ministry. This is actually grace for the church now, because 100% accuracy in this ministry will bring a level of accountability to the church which she is too immature to bear at this time; it would result in too many ‘Ananias and Sapphiras.’ That so many the (sic) prophetic ministries are still missing so much is also meant to work humility and wisdom in them so that they will be able to handle the authority and power coming in the near future. (The Prophetic Ministry, The Morning Star Prophetic Newsletter, Rick Joyner, n.d., Vol 3, No. 2, pg. 4)

So let's see if we got this straight: being a false prophet is meant to instill humility and wisdom into men and women who are blaspheming God by using his name in vain by tacking "Thus sayeth the Lord" on the tail end of their own opinion.

The point is (and I'm talking to you who claim to be a prophet or want to go into the business) it's NOT ABOUT YOU. No one gives a hoot about what you think, When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken. Deuteronomy clearly says what the lord expects from a prophet

18 I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. 19 It shall come about that whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him. (Deuteronomy 18:18-19)

A prophecy is when God says what God wants to say, and he uses your mouth to say it. He doesn't care if you're immature, and as for accuracy ratios the only ratio he allows is 100%. Anything less than perfectly accurate is not God, it's someone/something else speaking.

9 “But if the prophet is prevailed upon to speak a word, it is I, the Lord, who have prevailed upon that prophet, and I will stretch out My hand against him and destroy him from among My people Israel. 10 They will bear the punishment of their iniquity; as the iniquity of the inquirer is, so the iniquity of the prophet will be (Ezekiel 14:9-10)

Notice the "prophesies" that the NAR cranks out like handbills off a mimeograph machine, they talk of great outpourings of grace, they talk about unpopular (to Christians) laws that will be overturned, of how they are going to take over America and build God's kingdom. This is ear tickling of the finest kind, and God has told us over and over throughout the bible that He's not very happy with that

1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. 2 Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; 3 and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. (2 Peter 2:1-3)