For more than half a century there has been a river of powerful faith teachings sweeping over the earth. This has come because we will need much more faith to make it through the times ahead. Some will always carry what God is saying to extremes, and this has happened with the faith teachings as well. Peter wrote in II Peter 3:16 that the unstable and untaught will even distort the Scriptures to their own destruction. Some have carried “faith” teachings to such extremes that they cannot listen to any prophecies they consider to be negative or foretell troubles because they are “negative.” This negates about 75 percent of biblical prophecies, including many of those given by Jesus Himself, who was more than a prophet. These prophecies are not intended to cause us to fear, or focus on the troubles, but rather to be prepared for them, so that we overcome and prevail through them, being a witness of the Lord and His unshakable kingdom.
The delusion that prophecies which speak of troubles cannot be from God will cause those who are bound by this delusion to be victims in the future, which has already happened to many. I have heard some of the most popular faith teachers say they had faith that certain things were not going to happen that were being forecast, and they happened anyway. Not once did I hear an evaluation of why this happened, but it reveals a possible disconnect with real, biblical faith. True faith is built on hearing the Word of God, whether it is about good and happy things, or problems. However, every negative thing that comes to pass will ultimately be eclipsed by the greatest good of all—the coming of the kingdom of God. The ultimate intent of God for all is good, but we must choose to follow and obey Him.
Over the years, I have had to give prophetic warnings that cut against the stream of what others were saying. Though I am often accused of saying things I did not say, I have a good track record in the predictions I’ve actually given. I am not saying this to defend myself, but for your sake. If you develop a reputation for being prophetic, you become a target, and the more visibility you have, the more people will seek to find any mistake. Though faultfinders may not be sent by God, and according to Jude have a terrible ending, God uses them to purify those He wants to speak through. However, we cannot expect many to acknowledge a true prophetic voice until that person is dead and no longer a threat. The Lord’s sheep know His voice, and if we are speaking His words, His people will hear.
When I started prophesying the present economic problems a few years before they hit, even very close friends of mine told me that I should not be so negative. Some even distanced themselves from me over this. After the economic crisis hit as we had warned, some even said we helped cause it with the “negative prophesies.” Until the King returns, we can expect this kind of foolishness, but if we do not mature in our evaluation of the times, and of prophecy, we will be in increasing jeopardy. If we’re called to speak prophetically into the times, we must get our satisfaction and approval from above, not from men, which often will include even our fellow Christians. Knowing we have God’s approval is more than enough. However, we cannot forget that we are here to help people—even the people who may reject us. Is that not what Jesus did?
As Jesus said in Luke 6:26: “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for in the same way their fathers used to treat the false prophets.” If it is the approval or acceptance of men that we seek, then we will end up being a false prophet. As the Apostle Paul wrote in Galatians1:10, “If I were still seeking to please men I would not be a bondservant of Christ.” The fear of man, or living our lives to please men, will cause us to compromise true service to God.
Rejection comes with any prophetic ministry, and the more anointed and effective your ministry is, the more rejection you will likely experience. Even so, like one of the most persecuted prophets in the Scriptures, Jeremiah, we must never lose our love for the people or that too can cause us to fall. We must learn to accept rejection as an honor just as the apostles accepted the shame of being beaten as an honor, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for the name of the Lord. Bitterness, which is unforgiveness, or rejection, will destroy a true prophetic ministry as quickly as the fear of man or sin.
Now, I might be saying this to remind myself as much as you, but we will be covering some things in the weeks ahead which will no doubt be controversial. I don’t mind the controversy as long as I know it is true and helpful to those who will hear. When I said that 2010 was going to be one of the most intense and dangerous years yet, and each succeeding year would be even more so, this may not have gained many supporters. However, after just three months, some have said this has been one of the most trying and dangerous years in this generation. We are now facing some of the greatest crises and dangers in our lifetime, and the battle is just beginning. These issues must be addressed, and addressed with clarity.
Some may be tempted to think that at least the economic crisis is trending toward getting better. Even though we can expect some periods of reprieve, those who actually know what is happening, and who are not in government or media, see the fundamental signs of the true state of the economy increasing in danger daily. We need to understand this disconnect and what it foretells.
I also prophesied that 2010 would be the best year of our lives for those who truly follow the Lord and not just their own desires. I am as sure of this as I am the dangers. I was told that the Chinese word for “crisis” is the same word for “opportunity,” and this is certainly the case in these times. There may never have been a greater time for the gospel than right now. Even an economic collapse will provide unprecedented economic opportunity for those who understand it and are prepared for it. Biblical prophecy indicates that this will eventually be God’s people. Is this the time? We must also address this with clarity to be prepared.
