Are the Prophet's Confused?

Have you noticed that there seems to be a number of conflicting words of warning recently? One says judgment is on the way! The other says quit focusing on judgment and bad things as I see blessings and the greatest move of God ever. One says it is time to prepare for natural disasters and the other condemns those who prepare and for focusing on the negative.  One says homosexuality is a sin and another says it is not and promotes ordaining ministers who practice that lifestyle.

What is going on? Are the prophets confused?

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What's Going On?
There are a multitude of factors to consider. For example:

• What is their foundation in God's word and how much of God's word do they apply?  Any area of ignorance, especially willful ignorance, can be a blind spot. 2 Thessalonians 2 teaches us that those who celebrate lawlessness and reject the truth will be given over to a strong delusion. 
• What is their gift mix? Are they primarily an evangelist or a pastor? These gift mixes are wired to extend great mercy. A prophet sees black and white, right and wrong. A prophet forsees and is called to warn. In fact, if the prophet does not warn the people their blood will be on his/her hands (Ezekiel 33). One with a gift of prophecy will see the same situation differently because the gift of prophecy is made to edify, exhort and comfort (1 Corinthians 14:3).  Each gift will look at the same issue and emphasize different facets. 
• If they are a prophet are they a true prophet or a false one (Matthew 7:15-20)? Note that Baalam was a false prophet (Jude 11) yet every single word that he spoke is found in the cannon of scripture. The words were accurate but his motive was greed. Prophets were hired to prophesy against Nehemiah to provoke him to sin in his assignment. It's wise when testing a word to "follow the money."  
• In Jeremiah we find  a conflicting message as well. The true prophets bring a word of correction while the false are telling the people that everything is fine they will be blessed. The false prophets were motivated by covetousness. The true spoke a warning. The false took words from other prophets to make them their own. They parroted what they heard others say. The true received their word while in God's presence and went counter to the culture of the day. They were more concerned with offending God than offending people.
• Jurisdiction defines an area of responsibility. A prophet in a local church will have a much different perspective than a prophet called to a nation. Hence, their area of responsibility must also be taken into consideration. Is it for that prophet personally, for that local congregation or for a wider audience?

God says in Jeremiah 23:28 "the prophet who has a dream, let him tell the dream; And he who has My word, let him Speak my word faithfully."  In verse 30 God goes on to say "Therefore behold I am against the prophets, " says the Lord, who steal My words everyone from His neighbor... and it goes on to say God is against those who cause His people to err through lies and recklessness because it perverts God's word. 

1 Corinthians 13:9 also teaches us that we know in part and we prophesy in part. 1 Corinthians 14:29 says let the prophets speak and then let the others judge. I would submit that you also want  apostles, prophets and pastor/teachers judging the words as well. Once the word is confirmed by other prophets (Amos 3:8) we want the whole counsel of God's word. As each gift looks at the same work they'll bring insight as they peer at the word through their gift mix.

One situation that I've seen often causes me to scratch my head. It is when people receive a prophetic word for the Church  that they personally are not applying to their own life. They will say something like "don't forsake the assembling of yourselves together" yet they themselves only come to church when food is being served. They will give warning about apathy when they themselves practice complacency.  Candidly, I marvel at their blindness. Why does this happen? It is because God gave them a free will and if they choose to believe the lie, in time, God will just turn them completely over to a disillusioned mind. They warn the Church of the splinter in its eye while they have a beam in their own.

Are the Prophets Confused?
Some are! Some are blinded by their willful sin and others by greed. Many forget that there is a bigger picture and they only have a part. Therefore their prophetic word is like a brush that is to wide. They use to broad a stroke and inadvertently paint some Christians into a corner. It misrepresents the truth thereby alienating or condemning a segment of Christendom.  I have recently witnessed this on both sides. Many are being faithful to declare what the see because of Ezekiel 33. It's the watchman's job to cry out what they see and hear. Their assignment and placement in the Church as well as their location in the world plays a factor in what the see. Many are looking at the same thing in the spirit describing an aspect of what they see.

Wisdom is Found in the Big Picture
Amos 3:8 says that God does nothing unless He reveals it to His servants the prophets. When God speaks there is a similar theme but God made us to need each other. Each one brings a unique facet and when you put it all together we can get the whole counsel of God's word.

Wisdom in Understanding God's Ways
One prophet speaks judgment while the other speaks blessing. Which one is right? Let me use Exodus as an example. The Israelite's were oppressed. God sent 10 judgments to deliver them. Israel shared the experience with the Egyptians but after the first few Goshen was like a safe haven.

It was the best of times and it was the worst of times! 
God gave one decision. He decided to deliver Israel. On one hand it was terrible sickness, destruction and eventually death for the Egyptians. The Israelite's on the other hand had a very different experience. They acquired wealth, they were delivered from slavery and they came out completely well. One decision led to two different experiences depending upon where the people chose to stand. Those who chose to stand with Egypt had one experience while the children of Israel experienced the exact opposite. It was the best of times and the worst of times depending upon which group you talked to. 

What is God saying today? 

1. There is an apostate religion; those who depart from the faith because they give heed to deceiving spirits and teachings of demons. They are hypocrites whose conscience has been seared with a hot iron (1 Timothy 4:1-2, 2 Corinthians 6:14). God commands us to come out of that dead religion (Babylon - Jeremiah 50 & 51, Revelation 17:5).  In fact, we are not only to come out of it, but in turn to form up as an army against that dead religion and attack it so that others might be freed. 
2. God loves sinners and does not desire that any should perish. It is the goodness of God that leads to repentance, BUT, if His goodness is ignored then the hardened impenitent heart treasures up for itself wrath in the day of the righteous judgment of God (Romans 2:4-7).  Those who change their mind and repent enjoy eternal life, glory and honor.   
3. Be prepared for not only natural disasters (flooding, earthquakes, tornadoes, fires, etc.) but also economic and infrastructural failures. At one point in His ministry Jesus told His disciples to take nothing. In Luke 22:36 he exhorts them to do the opposite and to gear up; get your money, knapsack, and weapon. Many prophets have warned to pay particular attention from August through October.  Everything that can be shaken will be shaken or tested by fire (Hebrews 12:27, Matthew 13:29, 1 Thessalonians 3:3, 1 Peter 1:7). In fact, everyone's faith will be tested for fire for the glory, honor and sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. Shaking is a powerful way to harvest fruit and we are expecting a 3rd Great Awakening.  A harvest of souls like has never been seen.  We need to make both natural and spiritual preparations. Click here for how you can prepare naturally and spiritually. 
4. A heavenly war spilled out on to earth in Revelation 12. In war there are three kinds of people: anti-war protesters, those who volunteer, and the ones in the middle who are silent. The ones who sit in silence are the worst. Apathy and complacency have taken them out of the fight and they've actually teamed with the anti-war protesters.  Psalm 110:3 says God's people will be volunteers in the day of His power. 
5. We the Church desperately need each other.  Because of the shaking that is coming, don't forsake the assembling of yourself together as the manner of some is (Hebrews 12:25-34). Don't let apathy, complacency rob you of your part and role in these days. The Church is called to be an army, joined together (Ezekiel 37), not AWOL (absent without leave). The standard is being raise and a standard is raised to assemble the troops.