FALSE PROPHETS AND THEIR FOLLOWERS

God's Word says in 1 Chronicles 16:22, "Do not touch my anointed ones, and do my prophets no harm."

God's anointed nowadays is one who has repented of sin and evil, confessed to God, asked for forgiveness, accepted our Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour and lives an obedient life in strict compliance with God's Word.

So if God says no one should touch His anointed nor harm His prophets, then Christians should count themselves fortunate.

God's Word says in 2 Chronicles 20:20b, "Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.”

God says clearly in Deuteronomy 18:20-22, "But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.’

21And if you say in your heart, ‘How shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?’— 22when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him."

Let us examine what the Lord God says to false prophets in Ezekiel 13:8-9, "Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Because you have spoken nonsense and envisioned lies, therefore I am indeed against you,” says the Lord God.

9 “My hand will be against the prophets who envision futility and who divine lies; they shall not be in the assembly of My people, nor be written in the record of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord God."

Dear friend, with all these Bible verses above, one would expect a Christian to know how to identify a false prophet and stop following such person(s).

Unfortunately, in today's world, not only do some Christians follow false prophets, but they readily quote Bible verses to support their actions and continue to follow false prophets.

Our Lord Jesus Christ Who is the Word of God says this about false prophets in Matthew 7:15-20, "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles?

17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them."

Nowadays, we have men and women who claim to be called by God to serve Him and yet the fruits they bear expose them clearly as false prophets but their followers are not able to see this.

These people tell lies, defraud people spiritually and financially, rape their members, fornicate, commit adultery, divorce their spouses, get their fellow Christian brethren arrested and charged to court to oppress them, break members' marriages and commit all manner of atrocities their members visibly witness and see nothing wrong.

God's Words says this of false prophets and their followers in Romans 16:17-18, “Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.

18 For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple."

In essence Christians are to avoid such persons.

So with all these warnings from the Bible, how come we still have so many people following false prophets?

Again, we find the answer in God's Word with Paul's letter to Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:2-5, "Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;

4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry."

So it is not surprising to see what is going on it today's world. However, Christians are called to preach the Gospel of Christ Jesus to reveal the works of satan through false prophets and save deceived souls.

Apostle Peter also speaks of them in 2 Peter 2:1-3, "But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.

2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber."

Dear friend, at the end of the day, it is obvious God in His infinite mercy and love has given us enough evidence as to how to identify and avoid false prophets.

The problem is with Christians who do not understand that God's Word in the Holy Bible ALONE is the solution to every problem and a guide on how to live a successful life on earth.

This is why our God says we shall not live by bread alone but by every Word He has spoken - Matthew 4:4.

Dear friend, you would do your best to study God's Word carefully, diligently and prayerfully daily to know what plans and promises God has for you and indeed for everyone and how to live a successful life walking with Him and worshipping Him in truth and in spirit.

It does not make sense to pass through this world filled with uncertainty into eternity in HELL fire because of a false prophet.

Yes, friend, anyone who believes and practises what a false prophet teaches will enter HELL along with the false prophet.

May the good Lord bless you as you heed His Word today, act on it and share with others in Jesus' Mighty Name, Amen.

Gabriel Ama.