WHY IS THE WORD OF PROPHECY

IMPORTANT?

2Pe 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Our minds has been illuminated by the Word of God and it is like a light that shine in darkness (Isaiah 60:1-3, Matthew 5:13-16).The doctrines which we preach we hve not derived from men in any form. They are no elaborated by human reasoning or science, nor are they imparted by tradition. They are communicated directly by the Source of all light--the true God--who had shines in the hearts of His children. Having been thus illuminated, we are bound to go and make known to others the truths which God had imparted to us.

Who commanded the light, etc. Ge 1:3. God caused it to shine by his simple command. He said, "Let there be light, and there was light." Prophecy is equated to that light which actually separates truth from fables 2Peter 2:16

That the mind is by nature ignorant and benighted--to an extent which may be properly compared with the darkness which prevailed before God commanded the light to shine. Indeed, the darkness which prevailed before the light was formed, was a most striking emblem of the darkness which exists in the mind of man before it is enlightened by revelation, and by the Holy Spirit of prophecy.

Psalms 119:130 The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.

Ps 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.The word of God directs us in our work and way, and a dark place indeed the world would be without it. The commandment is a lamp kept burning with the oil of the Spirit, as a light to direct us in the choice of our way, and the steps we take in that way. The keeping of God's commands here meant, was that of a sinner under a dispensation of mercy, of a believer having part in the covenant of grace. The psalmist is often afflicted; but with longing desires to become more holy, offers up daily prayers for quickening grace. We cannot offer any thing to God, that he will accept but what he is pleased to teach us to do. To have our soul or life continually in our hands, implies constant danger of life; yet he did not forget God's promises nor his precepts. Numberless are the snares laid by the wicked; and happy is that servant of God, whom they have not caused to err from his Master's precepts. Heavenly treasures are a heritage for ever; all the saints accept them as such, therefore they can be content with little of this world. We must look for comfort only in the way of duty, and that duty must be done. A good man, by the grace of God, brings his heart to his work, then it is done well.

Not only does the Word of God inform us of His will, but, as a light on a path in darkness, it shows us how to follow the right and avoid the wrong way. The lamp of the Word is not the sun. He would blind our eyes in our present fallen state; but we may bless God for the light shining as in a dark place, to guide us until the Sun of Righteousness shall come, and we shall be made capable of seeing Him (2Pe 1:19; Re 22:4). The lamp is fed with the oil of the Spirit. The allusion is to the lamps and torches carried at night before an Eastern caravan.

COMPARE 2PETER 2:19 AND PROVERBS 4:182Peter 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

Pr 4:18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

The path of the wicked is gloomy, dark, and dangerous; that of the righteous is open, luminous, and instructive. This verse contains a fine metaphor; it refers to the sun rising above the horizon, and the increasing twilight, till his beams shine full upon the earth. This seems plainly to refer to the progress of the rising sun while below the horizon; and the gradual increase of the light occasioned by the reflection of his rays by means of the atmosphere, till at last he is completely elevated above the horizon, and then the prepared day has fully taken place, the sun having risen at the determined time.

The truly wise man is but in his twilight here below; but he is in a state of glorious preparation for the realms of everlasting light; till at last, emerging from darkness and the shadows of death, he is ushered into the full blaze of endless felicity. Yet previously to his enjoyment of this glory, which is prepared for him, he is going-walking in the commandments of his God blameless; and illuminating-reflecting the light of the salvation which he has received on all those who form the circle of his acquaintance.

WHY DO WE HAVE TO STUDY THE SURE WORD OF PROPHECY?BECAUSE IT IS LIGHT AND LIGHT EXPOSES DARKNESS, NOTICE:Eph 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

Have no religious connection whatever with heathens or their worship. Unfruitful works of darkness] Probably alluding to the mysteries among the heathens, and the different lustrations and rites through which the initiated went in the caves and dark recesses where these mysteries were celebrated; all which he denominates works of darkness, because they were destitute of true wisdom; and unfruitful works, because they were of no use to mankind; the initiated being obliged, on pain of death, to keep secret what they had seen, heard, and done: hence they were called aporrhta musthria, unspeakable mysteries-things that were not to be divulged. That the apostle may refer to magic and incantations is also probable, for to these the Ephesians were greatly addicted.

Rather reprove them.] Bear a testimony against them; convince them that they are wrong; confute them in their vain reasons; reprove them for their vices, which are flagrant, while pretending to superior illumination.

THERE IS SAFETY IN PROPHECY

A SURE WORD OF PROPHECY MAKES US KNOW THE TIME.1CH 12:32 OF THE CHILDREN OF ISSACHAR, MEN WHO HAD UNDERSTANDING OF THE TIMES, TO KNOW WHAT ISRAEL OUGHT TO DO, THE HEADS OF THEM WERE TWO HUNDRED; AND ALL THEIR BROTHERS WERE AT THEIR COMMANDMENT.

Matt 24:24

“For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”

“The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs and lying wonders.” (2 Thess 2:9).

Before the final visitation of God’s judgments upon the earth there will be among the people of the Lord such a revival of primitive godliness as has not been witnessed since apostolic times . . .

The enemy of souls desires to hinder this work; and before the time for such a movement shall come, he will endeavour to prevent it by introducing a counterfeit. In those churches which he can bring under his deceptive power he will make it appear that God’s special blessing is poured out; there will be manifest what is thought to be great religious interest. Multitudes will exult that God is working marvellously for them, when the work is that of another spirit. Under a religious guise, Satan will seek to extend his influence over the Christian world. (GC, 464)

We will look at three phenomena taking place in the Christian world today:

TONGUES

HEALING

PROPHECY

Acts 2:1-4

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Acts 2:5-6

5 And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language.

“The reason some of you don’t speak fluently,” he says, “is that

you tried to think of the sounds. So when you pray and you start speaking in your heavenly language, don’t try to think ... you don’t have to think in order to pray in the Spirit.” (Ibid)

This desire to switch off the mind and disconnect from all that is rational is one of the primary characteristics of pagan mystery religions

Modern tongues-speaking, called glossolalia, is not the same as the biblical gift of languages.

Some of these persons have exercises which they call gifts and say that the Lord has placed them in the church. They have an unmeaning gibberish which they call the unknown tongue, which is unknown not only by man but by the Lord and all heaven. Such gifts are manufactured by men and women, aided by the great deceiver. Fanaticism, false excitement, false talking in tongues, and noisy exercises have been considered gifts which God has placed in the Church. Some have been deceived here. The fruits of all this have not been good ... (Maranatha, 154).

Mark 16:15-18 15 And He said to them, “Go into

all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” 16 “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;” 18 “they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Kenneth Copeland Benny Hinn

DR. DAVID OWUOR

HIS FOLLOWERS WASH THE ROAD FOR HIM

https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/mobile/?articleID=2000109700&story_title=eldoret-streets-washed-ahead-of-prophet-owuor-s-crusade

Psalm 33:9

“For he spoke and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.”

Search the literature, as I have, and you will find no documented cures by healers of gallstone, heart disease, cancer or any other serious organic disease. Certainly, you’ll find patients temporarily relieved of their upset stomachs, their chest pains, their breathing problems; and you will find healers, and believers, who will interpret this interruption of symptoms as evidence that the disease is cured. But when you track the patient down and find out what happened later, you always find the “cure” to have been purely symptomatic and transient. The underlying disease remains. (W. A.. Nolan, Healing: A Doctor in Search of a Miracle [New York: Random House, 1974], 259)

Wonderful scenes, with which Satan will be closely connected, will soon take place. God’s Word declares

that Satan will work miracles. He will make people sick, and then will suddenly remove from them his satanic power. They will then be regarded as healed. These works of apparent healing will bring Seventh-day Adventists to the test. (2SM 53, 1904)

Pastor Kabi reported how his church members in the Nyala province had just settled into groups for their Sabbath School discussion, when they noticed a group of nine men approaching the Church. They were dragging a boy in chains. “Our church elder, Albino Garang, approached the boy’s father who told him that his only son, 25-year old Santino, had been chained in prison for the last six months and was uncontrollable. All attempts to seek treatment for the boy had been unsuccessful. They had sought the help from doctors, magicians and witches, but all in vain. Santino’s father said, ‘I have heard that you Adventists believe only in God. That is why I have organized this group to assist me in dragging him here for prayers so that he may be relieved from this possession.’”

Pastor Kabi requested the entire church to fast and pray for Santino. “We ordered the spirit to come out of Santino in the Name of Jesus. We prayed throughout the night. Finally the following day, on Sunday, at 9.00 am, Santino was at peace and the demon was gone.”

The church members gave him food to eat and water to drink. After eating they asked him if he recognized his father and the delegation which accompanied him. He could remember and recalled their names one by one. Because of this miraculous healing Santino and his best friend Joseph Ngor, and some neighbors, joined the Seventh-day Adventist Church by baptism on March 6, 2006.

Metro Vineyard Fellowship in Kansas City:

John Paul JacksonBob Jones

Paul Cain

J. P. Jackson said in one message that God blew up the space shuttle Challenger to teach America a lesson, given that there was a teacher on board.

Bob Jones predicted that 1000 religious leaders would be killed by God in 1990.

TIGHT SECURITY

RAPTURE

Wayne Grudem

“...prophecy today is merely human words reporting what God has brought to mind, while the prophecies that were written down in the Old Testament were men speaking God’s words to report what God had brought to mind.” (G. S. Greig and K. N. Springer, eds., The Kingdom and the Power [Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1993], 79)

While we were travelling the Lord told me He was going to reveal my prophetic calling publicly. At the Toronto meeting the Lord fulfilled His word to me about a public disclosure of the prophetic gift he had given me. It happened in this way. After Dr. R. T. Kendall’s powerful sermon, Dr. Paul Cain stepped to the platform and began to speak words of public prophecy. Dr. Cain is a vindicated prophet of long standing, deeply respected by millions in the Body of Christ.

Paul Cain

Ella and I were seated near the back of the auditorium in a crowd of 2,500 people. Neither of us had registered in the conference, and Dr. Cain did not know us. Before that large audience, Dr. Cain called for me to stand, recounted our background in Arizona, told me my age when I was first anointed by the Holy Spirit (prior to my fiery baptism in the Spirit), and named Ella. He stated, “Let nothing discourage you or deter you because this is true prophetic gifting that is upon you. You will be known as a prophet of the Lord.” ( Eoin Giller, E-mail 14.4.98)

Paul Cain

As the two men washed each other’s feet, the Spirit of the Lord fell on me in the gallery up in the back of the church. He told me, “This is a wedding, not a foot-washing.

Every wedding is made by a third party. You are the third party. As I took Pastor Sheets to England, so I have brought you to America to help make this marriage. Since early this century, the adversary has focused on keeping the Spirit and the Truth separate. These days are over. I am putting the Spirit and the Truth together in My Church. The Evangelicals with the Gospel are to join with the Charismatics in the Spirit. I seek worshippers who will worship Me in Spirit and in truth. Go down and announce this marriage to this church, this city and this nation.” (E-mail 14.4.98)

...as I walked off the platform, the Lord said, “Get out of the church.” I walked straight out of the building into the night. While I was alone outside, the Lord spent forty minutes giving me specific details about the role He wants the SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH and its leadership to play in the forthcoming marriage. That’s when I said to Him, “Lord it ain’t [sic] going to work. They’ll never do it, they’re too proud.” Then He said sharply, “You mind your business, and I’ll mind mine! Do what I tell you.” In His mercy, the Lord has shown me what will happen if the church leaders fail Him in this momentous hour. The marriage will take place. (E-mail 14.4.98)

“I will pour out my spirit on all people ...” (Acts 2:17).

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1)

“Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits.” (Matt. 7:15, 16)

“Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my father in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, “Lord, Lord have we not prophesied in your name, cast out demons in your name and done many wonders in your name?” And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’” (Matt. 7:21-23)

“For false Christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” (Matt 24:24)

Ellen White:

The man who makes the working of miracles the test of his faith will find that Satan can, through a species of deceptions, perform wonders that will appear to be genuine miracles. (Maranatha, 156)

“When the leading churches of the United States, uniting upon such points of doctrine as are held by them in common, shall influence the state to enforce their decrees and to sustain their institutions, then Protestant America will have formed an image to the Roman hierarchy.” (Great Controversy, 445).

When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power, when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with spiritualism, when under the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government, and shall make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the marvellous working of Satan and that the end is near: (5T, 451).

“When the leading churches of the United States, uniting upon such points of doctrine as are held by them in common, shall influence the state to enforce their decrees and to sustain their institutions, then Protestant America will have formed an image to the Roman hierarchy.” (Great Controversy, 445).

Conclusion

“Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” (Luke 21:28)