When I was young both physically and spiritually, if I could have seen into the future and known the things that I was going to have to walk through and suffer in my life, my heart would have failed me for fear. But because I did not have that kind of foreknowledge, I was able to walk through each stage of my life one step, one day at a time. I learned the painful life lessons that I needed to learn, I made more mistakes than I care to think about, but I came through it all. I discovered that I would do things that I would never have chosen for myself, that I had the strength to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles, not through any innate inner strength or goodness in me, but through the power of Christ in me. These life trials were the instruments God chose to use in my life to bring me to the absolute end of myself. To teach me that in and of myself I can only make a mess of everything, that I am totally dependent on Christ Jesus for everything in every aspect of my life.

It seems that we have an inordinate number of individuals on the scene today all claiming to be prophets of God. There is something about this abundance of voices claiming to be speaking prophetically that I find very troubling. I never thought that this would be a problem in the Church. What stands out is how far the Church has slipped from what it was even 30 years ago. As a youngster sitting in a pew, we regularly had members of the congregation who were used to give tongues and interpretations, and prophetic utterances to the congregation. But it never entered our minds to call these members of Christ's Body..."Prophets." I cannot help but believe that there is a distinct difference between the gift of prophecy and the office of Prophet. Paul pretty well covered the "gifts" in the 12th & 13th Chapters of 1 Corinthians. The disturbing thing that I see happening is that the people in the Church are behaving no differently that the people in the world. How so? They are all running here, there and everywhere to get a word. Attaching themselves to this teacher and that leader trying to find out what is going to happen. Fear is rampant in the world today, just as Jesus said it would be. If we are truly saved and walking with God, then we are walking in the Spirit. There is no fear, because perfect love casts out fear. Just the other day someone sent me a copy of a prophecy posted on the Elijah List. It was by Chad Taylor and titled 'Apocalyptic Anomalies & End Time Paradigms.' (Personally, I have never heard the Lord talk like that). I scanned what he had to say and put it aside. I did not get a witness, nor did it inspire any kind of reaction in my spirit. Today I caught a few minutes of the Montel Williams Show, featuring his favorite psychic, Sylvia Brown. Montel was asking her if she could share any of her predictions for the year 2005. Imagine how my interest was peeked to hear her saying some of the very same things that this Chad Taylor had said. They both claimed that there would be great advances and breakthroughs in Medicine in the coming year, specifically; he said, "A significant medical breakthrough will occur in the HIV disease in 2005, a landmark to My deliverance," (speaking for God). I was somewhat shocked, having just read his above statement, to hear the exact same thing come out of this worldly psychic's mouth. She too, predicted that in the coming year, there would be a way to contain the HIV virus and keep it from spreading. Now how can it be that two prophets from opposite camps can make almost identical, (if not verbatim, at least the same in essence) statements? It causes me to question just what voices are they hearing, and then readily sharing with the masses clamoring for answers?

I hear a lot of talk about accountability. That solitary believers are not to be trusted, as they have no way to substantiate their accountability. I see a lot of people in the forefront of the new 'prophetic wave,' listing the names of other people whose job it is to keep them in line, hold them accountable. Unfortunately, these self-proclaimed prophets and leaders surround themselves with their own followers and supporters, in this area of accountability. I wonder how often they consider that one day they will have to stand before God, or that our accountability to Him is the only accountability that matters. All I can think of when I hear them going on about accountability, is what Jesus said in Matt. 15:14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, they shall both fall into the ditch.

Don't get me wrong, I fully believe in the office of Prophet, and I am convinced that God has chosen, hand picked if you will, individuals in this age and generation to walk in this capacity. I also believe that for the most part, they are hidden away right now, and will be revealed at the appointed time. When they come on the scene, they are not going to be familiar names on the prophetic circuit, nor are they going to be wearing expensive suits, or flying to conferences in Lear Jets. They are not going to tickles peoples ears and pat them on the head and tell them how wonderful they are. They are not going to lift up their own names, or build mega-ministries. They are only going to lift up and exalt the name of Jesus. They are not going to merchandise Christ, or consider the wealth of this world as desirable. No, quite the contrary. I believe that these men are going to walk in the same (highly coveted) power and anointing that Elijah, Jeremiah, Isaiah and the prophets of old walked in. They are going to say and do only what God tells them to say and do, just as Jesus did. People aren't going to like it much when they come face to face with a True Prophet of God. They are not going to roll out the red carpet and welcome them into their Crystal Cathedrals. No, these men will not walk in their own understanding; they will not be bought off with smooth flattery or the riches of this world. They will speak the Word of the Lord; they will expose all that is displeasing and disgusting in God's sight. They are going to be hated and reviled against just like all the True Prophets before them have been. They will not require financial backers to support their ministries, because they will be walking in the power and anointing of the Spirit of God, and God does not operate according to the ways of this World.

I am sorely grieved at the vast gulf between what I presently see in the world, and what I am seeing in the Spirit. I am sickened at what I see and hear on Christian Television, and supposedly 'Prophetic' web-sites. We have many warnings throughout the Bible of what signs to look for; what to expect. But to see it in our own lifetimes is sometimes hard to bear. Fixing the world is not an option. Employing the methods and tactics of the world will only corrupt.

Ezekial 14:9 And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the Lord have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.

2 Tim. 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

We need to get on our faces before God and repent of any and every thing that could come between us and God. Our primary focus must be on becoming less of me and more of HIM. We need to seek an ever deepening understanding (comprehension) of the Awesomeness of our God. As we come to know Him, we will become like Him. He is not a respecter of persons. We need to know the voice of God. John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. Do we know and recognize the voice of God? Can we discern His voice from all the other voices?

Some years back, as part of our preparation, God placed us in close relationship with a woman who was operating under the power of a familiar spirit. For three years I was in close contact with this woman, and went through many lessons that could not have been learned any other way. At the beginning of our acquaintance I fully believed that the voice she heard was God. God used her to show me many things. She was (and still is) completely convinced that it is God that is speaking to her. At a pre-appointed time God gave me a vivid dream in which He showed me that she was actually an agent of the enemy. The voice that governed her life was not God at all, but a familiar spirit. I learned from this experience that God can and does use whomever He chooses. He is in control of everything. There is nothing that happens in the life of His Own that He is not aware of and watching over. The Word plainly tells us that Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light, yet in our carnal arrogance we foolishly assume that we would know the difference. Seldom do we take to heart that we are not as wise as we think we are. It takes exposure to the ways of the enemy to learn to recognize the counterfeit. If God could speak through an ass, he can certainly speak through a possessed woman. In fact, there is no limitations that can be put on how God can make Himself and His will known to us. When we try to limit the ways and means through which we can receive from God, then we do so to our own detriment.

We have a barrage of voices today claiming many things. I pray that we will have our senses exercised to discern between good and evil. Not the exercise of the carnal ability man received in the Garden when he ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but the exercising of our spiritual senses to discern between the voice of God and that of a counterfeit wannabe.

It is not enough to talk about discernment, we must exercise our senses. We must develop and tune our spiritual discernment. It is never appropriate to make assumptions. When we assume that we know: then we don't know. We must recognize that the deception in this world is great, and multitudes are being deceived. Many that start out walking with God fall into deception, and then they lead those that are following them right into the ditch with them. Attaching yourself to a movement or following an acclaimed leader will not save you. Only your own, personal relationship with Jesus Christ will keep you in the days that are coming.

Earlier this year the Lord gave me a number of verses that demonstrate that even the evil spirits are subject to and must obey God. It is sad that most believers do not have an accurate knowledge of God. Our God is an AWESOME God, He reigns in heaven above. And if we would be followers of Jesus Christ He reigns in our hearts and minds as well.

Read and consider the following verses:

Judges 9:23 Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem, and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech.

1 Samuel 16:14-15 But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him. And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee. Vs. 23, And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took a harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed and was well and the evil spirit departed from him.

1 Samuel 19:9 And the evil spirit from the Lord was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand: and David played with his hand.

1 Kings 20:20-23 And the Lord said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one said on this manner, and one said on that manner. And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord and said, I will persuade him. And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him and prevail also, go forth and do so. Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil concerning thee.

Isaiah 19:14 The Lord hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof: and they have called Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggered in his vomit. Even the evil spirits are subject to God. How much more should we be walking in obedience?