spiritual

1. 1
• MODERN
PROPHETS AND
VISIONS
• Lesson # 17
Battle Cry Ministry,Battle Cry Ministry,
c. Oct. 2001

2. 2
• Prophets are people signally honored by
God. In Revelation an angel twice told
John that he considered the prophets his
brothers. A dozen times Revelation
mentions either false or true prophets.
Introduction

3. 3
• John was so convincing and influential in
presenting Jesus that his enemies tried to
kill him by placing him in boiling oil.
When the oil failed to harm him he was
banished to the Isle of Patmos, a fortress
where he was made to work in the mines.
But there Jesus gave him the precious
book of Revelation.

4. 4
• The scripture itself came to us from
prophets who were guided by the Holy
Ghost. The church is indebted to
prophets to a degree almost impossible to
calculate.

5. 5
• Have you ever wondered why in these
challenging and crucial days for God’s
people - just before the second coming of
Jesus - we no longer have prophets? Is
John the last prophet that Jesus has
spoken through? Why did God quit
speaking through prophets, or did He?

6. 6
• This is a most stimulating and
challenging subject. As we get into it,
please pray for guidance from the Holy
Spirit, who guided the prophets of old.

7. 7
How God Communicates
• 1. How does God
communicate with
His prophets?
• Rev. 1:1 - 4
• a.God spoke to Jesus,
• b.Jesus spoke to the
angel,
• c.The angel spoke to
John and
• d.John spoke to the
seven churches.

8. 8
2.To whom will God reveal His
future plans? Amos 3:7
• “Surely the Lord
God will do
nothing, but He
revealeth His
secret unto His
servants the
prophets.”

9. 9
3.Where do true prophets get their
information? 2 Pet. 1:21
• “Holy men of
God spake as
they were moved
by the Holy
Ghost.”

10. 10
4. Must a prophet write a book of
the Bible in order to be a prophet?
• Answer:
• NO.
Jesus himself was a prophet (Matt. 24).

11. 11
• Note: At least twelve true prophets who
did not write a book of the Bible are
mentioned in the scriptures. Among them
is John the Baptist, of whom Jesus said
there was no one greater (Matt. 11:11).

12. 12
Additional Information on
Prophets
• Prophets who didn’t write a book:
• Elijah (1 Kings 17:1;2 Kings 2:11)
• Elisha (1 Kings 19:16,19-21; 2 Kings 13:21)
• “Sons of the Prophets” (2 Kings 2:3,5,7)
• Micaiah (1 Kings 22:6-8,16,17)

13. 13
5.Does God ever prophesy through
women?
• Answer:
• Yes.

14. 14
• Note:
• Several women were mentioned as
• prophetesses in scripture:
• Deborah (Judges 4:4)
• Huldah (2 Kings 22:14)
• Elizabeth (Luke 1:41-45)
• Isaiah’s wife (Isa. 8:3)
• Anna (Luke 2:36-38)
• Daughters of (deacon) Philip (Acts 21:9)
• Miriam (Ex.15:20)

15. 15
6.Does God also speak through prophets
in the last days? Joel 2:28-31
• “I will pour out my
Spirit upon all flesh,
and your sons and
your daughters shall
prophesy.”
• Note: God promises
to speak through
both men and women
in the last days.”

16. 16
Spiritual Gifts Today
• 7.When Jesus ascended He left gifts
for the church. What are they?
Eph.4:7,8,11
• “And He gave some, apostles; and
some, prophets; and some,
evangelists; and some, pastors and
teachers;”
• Note: Paul lists prophets second after apostles.

17. 17
8.Why were the gifts given?
Ephesians 4:12
• “For the perfecting of the saints, for
the work of the ministry, for the
edifying of the body of Christ.”
• Note:
• The body of Christ is His church
• (Col. 1:18).

18. 18
9.How long were these gifts to
remain in the church? Eph. 4:13
• “Till we all come in the unity of the faith
and of the knowledge of the Son of God,
unto a perfect man, unto the measure of
the fullness of Christ.”
• Note: These gifts, including prophets remain in
the church until the saints become completely
like Christ, which means that the gifts remain
until the end of the world when Jesus comes.

19. 19
10. What will the church with all
these gifts do for you? Eph. 4:14
• “No more
children, tossed
to and fro and
carried about
with every wind
of doctrine.”

20. 20
• Note:
• When one enters the church that has all
these gifts he is immediately anchored.
Satan’s objective is to remove or
counterfeit these spiritual gifts. If that
happens the church will drift aimlessly
amidst false doctrine.

21. 21
11.Did God’s New Testament church
have the gift of prophecy? 1 Cor.1:6,7
• “Even as the testimony of
Christ was confirmed in
you: So that you come
behind in no gift; waiting
for the coming of our
Lord Jesus Christ.”
• Note: They had all the gifts
including prophecy. The
testimony of Christ is the
spirit, or gift of prophecy
(Rev. 19:10)

22. 22
12. Will God’s last day church have
the gift of prophecy? Rev. 12:17
• Yes. They
“keep the
commandments
of God and
have the
testimony of
Jesus Christ.”

23. 23
13.What three things does Paul command
regarding prophets? 1 Thess. 5:20,21
• 1.“Despise not
prophesyings.”
2.“Prove all
things.”
3.“Hold fast
that which is
good.”

24. 24
14.How does one test a prophet
to see if s/he is true? Isa. 8:19,20
• “To the law and
to the testimony:
if they speak not
according to this
word it is because
there is no light in
them.”

25. 25
15.What other things identify a
true prophet of God?
• a.Moved by the Holy Spirit - not man’s will
• (2 Pet.1:21)
• b.Doesn’t give own interpretation (2 Pet. 1:20)
• c.Points out sins of people against God (Isa. 58:1)
• d.Warns of coming judgement
• (Isa. 24:20; Rev.14:6,7)

26. 26
Identifying a true prophet of God:
• e. Edifies, exhorts, comforts the church
• (1 Cor.14:3)
• f. Recognizes the deity of Jesus (1 John 4:1-3)
• g. Works and lives in harmony with the Bible
(Matt.7:15-20)
• h. Not an astrologer,witch,medium or
clairvoyant (Deut.18:9-12)

27. 27
16.What is the condition of a church without
the gift of prophecy? Matt. 15:14
• Answer:
• It would be a
blind church.

28. 28
• Note:
• A church without vision or eyesight is in
a very sad condition. The Bible says,
“Where there is no vision the people
perish.”
• Prov. 29:18

29. 29
Are Miracles a Test
• 17. Do miracles prove a prophet
is true? Rev. 16:14
• Answer: No! Because the devil(s) can
also work miracles.
• Note: Miracles prove only one thing -
supernatural power. Such power may
come from either satan or God.

30. 30
18. What are God’s three methods of
speaking to prophets? Numbers 12:6 - 8.
(1) Visions
(2) Dreams
(3) Mouth to mouth
Answer:Answer:

31. 31
• Note:
• Crystal balls, palm reading, tea leaf
deciphering, star gazing, ouija
boards, and talking to the dead
(séances, etc.) are not God’s methods
of communication with a prophet.

32. 32
19. What happens to a prophet in vision?
• a. Loses natural and receives supernatural
strength (Dan.10:8),
• b. No breath in body - yet able to speak
• (Dan. 10:16,17),
• c. Doesn’t see - yet eyes are open
• (Dan.10:5-8; Num. 24:3,4),
• d. Unconscious of surroundings (Dan. 10:5 - 8).

33. 33
20.What happens to those who
believe God’s prophets?
2 Chron. 20:20
• “Believe His
prophets so
shall ye
prosper.”

34. • Note:Note: There is no chance for a person to prosperThere is no chance for a person to prosper
spiritually if he/she refuses to believe God’sspiritually if he/she refuses to believe God’s
prophets. John says we must read, hear andprophets. John says we must read, hear and
keep the things in His prophecy (Rev.1:3).keep the things in His prophecy (Rev.1:3).

35. 35
A Prophet’s Ministry
• 21. Are prophets called to serve
the church or unbelievers?
• 1 Cor.14:22
• “Prophesying serveth for them
which believe.”

36. 36
22.What is prophecy called in
Revelation? Rev.12:17;19:10
• Answer:
• The “testimony
of Jesus, which
is the Spirit of
prophecy.”
• Note:
• When the Holy Spirit
gives a message
through a prophet we
are to regard it as a
message
• (or testimony/witness)
from Jesus.

37. 37
23.Against whom did Jesus warn
in the last days? Matt. 24:24
• Answer:
• “False Christs
and false
prophets.”
• Note:
• Peter also warns
against false
prophets
• (2 Peter 2:1,2).

38. 38
24.What types of false prophets does
God condemn?
Deut.18:9-12, Rev.22:15; 21:8.
a. Diviner
b. Observer of times
Fortune teller
Astrologer
c. Enchanter Magician
d. Witch / Wizard Psychics
e. Familiar spirits Spirit medium
f. Necromancer Consults dead
g. Sorcerer Spiritism
h. Charmer Uses charms, casts
spells

39. 39
25. Whose counsel did the people
reject in rejecting John the Baptist?
Luke 7:28-30
• “The counsel of God.”
• Note: John the Baptist
was a true prophet yet
he was not a Bible
writer. The counsel of a
true prophet is always
the counsel of God. To
reject it is to reject God.

40. • 26. Since God still speaks through26. Since God still speaks through
prophets and since the word of aprophets and since the word of a
true prophet is the personaltrue prophet is the personal
testimony of Jesus to you, are youtestimony of Jesus to you, are you
willing to test modern prophets bywilling to test modern prophets by
the Bible and obey those who agreethe Bible and obey those who agree
with scripture?with scripture?
Battle Cry Ministry:
Read Revelation 12
for lesson # 18.
Battle Cry Ministry:
Read Revelation 12
for lesson # 18.