Prophets in the Bible spoke God’s truth, but what about today? Many wonder if modern-day prophets exist and how to recognize them. Exploring the Bible’s teachings on prophecy can give insights into the role of prophets then and now.
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What Does The Bible Say About Modern Day Prophets
1 Corinthians 14:3
“But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort.”
This verse emphasizes the purpose of prophecy in the present day. Modern-day prophets should speak messages that bring strength, encouragement, and comfort to people.
The gift of prophecy should be used to uplift and edify individuals, guiding them with words that inspire hope and bolster their faith.
Matthew 7:15-16
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them.”
Jesus warns us to be cautious of false prophets who may appear genuine but are actually deceptive. We can discern the authenticity of a modern-day prophet by examining the fruits of their teachings, character, and actions.
It is important to exercise discernment and test the spirits to ensure that the word proclaimed aligns with the truth of Scripture and the nature of God.
Romans 12:6
“We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith.”
This verse acknowledges that prophecy is indeed a spiritual gift granted to believers by God. If one possesses the gift of prophecy, they are encouraged to exercise it in accordance with their faith and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Modern-day prophets should cultivate their spiritual gifts and use them responsibly, always relying on God’s grace and wisdom.
Amos 3:7
“Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.”
This verse highlights the role of prophets as messengers between God and His people. In modern times, prophets can serve as mouthpieces for God, delivering revelations and insights about His plans and purposes.
Through their prophetic words, God communicates His will and reveals His intentions to guide individuals, communities, and nations.
1 Thessalonians 5:20-21
“Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good.”
Here, we are advised not to dismiss or disregard prophecies but to carefully evaluate them. As modern-day believers, it is crucial to test prophetic words against the truth of Scripture and seek confirmation through prayer and discernment.
However, we are also encouraged to hold onto what is good, accepting and embracing genuine prophecies that align with God’s Word and bring forth blessings and edification.
Joel 2:28-29
“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.”
This prophecy from Joel foretells the coming of the Holy Spirit upon all believers, enabling them to prophesy, dream dreams, and see visions. In the present era, both men and women can be anointed as modern-day prophets, being vessels through whom God speaks.
Through His Spirit, God imparts prophetic gifts to individuals of all ages and backgrounds, empowering them to bear witness to His truth.
Ephesians 4:11-12
“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors, and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.”
In this verse, we see that prophets are one of the gifts Christ has given to the Church. Modern-day prophets play a vital role in equipping believers for service and building up the body of Christ.
They bring revelation, insight, and direction from God, aiding in the spiritual growth and maturity of individuals and the church as a whole.
Acts 2:17
“In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.”
Once again, this verse affirms that in the last days, God will pour out His Spirit, leading to sons and daughters prophesying, young men seeing visions, and old men dreaming dreams. This prophecy extends to our present time, where the gift of prophecy continues to be bestowed upon believers.
God’s Spirit empowers individuals of all generations to receive divine revelations and share them as modern-day prophets.
Revelation 19:10
“For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.”
This verse emphasizes that the essence of prophecy is to bear witness to Jesus Christ. Modern-day prophets should strive to bring glory to Jesus, their prophecies pointing others toward Him and reinforcing the truth of His redemptive work.
They serve as vessels through which the Holy Spirit testifies to the person and character of Jesus Christ, drawing people closer to Him.
Acts 13:1-2
“Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’
This passage demonstrates the presence of prophets in the early church. As part of a diverse group of leaders, these prophets actively sought the guidance of the Holy Spirit through worship and fasting.
The Holy Spirit communicated specific instructions and guidance to them, shaping the direction of their ministry and the spreading of the gospel.
2 Peter 1:20-21
“Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
This verse reminds us that prophecy originates from God and not from human interpretation or will. In the case of modern-day prophets, it is imperative that they recognize the importance of being led by the Holy Spirit.
Genuine prophetic messages come from God alone and should always align with His revealed Word.
1 Samuel 9:9
“(Formerly in Israel, if someone went to inquire of God, they would say, ‘Come, let us go to the seer,’ because the prophet of today used to be called a seer.)”
In biblical times, prophets were often referred to as “seers” because they possessed the ability to see and perceive insights from God. Similarly, modern-day prophets should have the capacity to spiritually discern and receive divine revelations.
They are called to seek God’s wisdom and discern His plans, sharing these insights with others to bring clarity and direction.
1 Timothy 4:14
“Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.”
This verse reminds us not to disregard or overlook the gift of prophecy that has been imparted to us. Modern-day prophets are advised to cultivate and steward their spiritual gifts, recognizing them as divine blessings.
Through the laying on of hands and the guidance of spiritual leaders, prophets can be commissioned, validated, and equipped for their prophetic calling.
Jeremiah 1:5
“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
Jeremiah’s calling as a prophet demonstrates God’s predestined plans. In the same way, modern-day prophets are chosen and set apart by God for His purposes.
Before their physical existence, God knew them and had already assigned them to fulfill the prophetic role He had prepared for them.
2 Corinthians 10:4-5
“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
Modern-day prophets are engaged in spiritual warfare, using the weapons of divine power to dismantle strongholds and refute false teachings that oppose the knowledge of God.
They are called to challenge and confront belief systems and ideologies that contradict the truth of God’s Word, urging repentance and the aligning of thoughts and beliefs with Christ.
Deuteronomy 18:18
“I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him.”
God promised to raise up prophets to communicate His commands and instructions. Modern-day prophets are appointed by God to proclaim His messages, speaking forth the words that He has placed in their mouths.
They act as vessels, faithfully conveying God’s divine truth to the people they are called to serve.
Acts 3:22
“For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you.’
This verse reflects the prophecies of Moses, anticipating the coming of a greater Prophet who would be like him. As modern-day believers, we are urged to listen and pay attention to the words spoken by these anointed prophets.
They carry divine messages that are meant to guide, enlighten, and lead us closer to God.
Amos 7:14-15
“I was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. But the Lord took me from tending the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’
Amos provides a unique perspective, emphasizing that being a prophet does not necessarily require a specific pedigree or formal training. God can choose anyone, regardless of their background or occupation, to be His mouthpiece.
Modern-day prophets should also recognize that their calling is not dependent on human qualifications, but on God’s divine appointment.
Matthew 10:41
“Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward.”
This verse highlights the importance of recognizing and welcoming the role of prophets in our midst. When we receive and honor prophets, we not only bless them but also participate in the rewards and blessings connected to their ministry.
By embracing their prophetic words and heeding their guidance, we position ourselves to receive the benefits and insights that God grants through His prophets.
Acts 16:16-18
“Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, ‘These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.’ She kept this up for many days. Finally, Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, ‘In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!’ At that moment the spirit left her.”
This account in Acts demonstrates the presence of prophetic gifts in unexpected sources. Even a slave girl possessed the ability to predict the future due to an evil spirit within her.
Modern-day prophets should be discerning like Paul, recognizing the source of prophetic utterances and ensuring they align with the truth and authority of Christ.
Numbers 11:25
“Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke with him, and he took some of the power of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied—but did not do so again.”
God’s Spirit can be poured out on multiple individuals, not just limited to a single prophet. This verse reveals how the Spirit’s power was distributed among seventy elders, enabling them to prophesy.
In modern times, we can witness the anointing of the Holy Spirit on many individuals, who may carry prophetic gifts to bless and guide the church and its members.
Acts 21:9-10
“He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied. After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.”
Here, we see the role of prophetic ministry within a family context. Philip the evangelist had four daughters who prophesied, demonstrating that prophetic gifting can be present and active in both genders and across generations.
The presence of Agabus, another prophet, further exemplifies that prophetic ministry can be diverse, with multiple individuals operating in this gift simultaneously.
1 Kings 19:18
“Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”
In times of apparent spiritual decline, God always has a remnant of faithful individuals who have not compromised their devotion to Him. Just as there were seven thousand in Israel who remained faithful to God, there are modern-day prophets who continue to proclaim His truth.
Despite the prevailing culture and ideologies, these prophets stand unwavering, declaring the Word of God and leading others towards righteousness.
Deuteronomy 13:1-4
“If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, ‘Let us follow other gods’ (gods you have not known) ‘and let us worship them,’ you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer.”
This passage serves as a reminder that not all who claim to be prophets are genuine. Even if a prophet performs signs and wonders, their true character and motives must be evaluated.
Modern-day prophets are subject to the same scrutiny, and their teachings must align with the truth of God’s Word. We should exercise caution and discernment, ensuring that the messages we receive are consistent with the revealed nature and will of God.