Jeremiah 14:14 NKJV
”And the Lord said to me, “The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart.“
INSIGHT
–During the unveiling of a new year, we normally read and listen to diverse prophecies in the social media, churches etc. Sometimes these prophecies might not originate from our Lord God but the creation of men and delusions of their own minds (Jeremiah 23:26). God is cautioning the people through prophet Jeremiah that these prophets proclaiming an end to sword and famine should not be accepted. God also declares that since they have worshipped false gods (Jeremiah 7:18-27) their prayers will not be answered even when they fast and pray, and they will perish and prophet Hananiah died (Jeremiah 28:15-17). Prophet Jeremiah prayed for repentance and restoration of the people (Jeremiah 30:2-3). We have seen cults emerge in churches like in the case of Sakahola where more than 400 people perished. Let us ask God for the spirit of discernment that we may test every spirit and remain in the Spirit of God this whole year and all our lives.
PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father we come before You today with thanksgiving in our hearts. We enter Your courts with praise. We magnify Your Holy Name and say that You are God alone before time begun, today and forever. Dear Lord may You forgive and cleanse us from all sins and iniquities by Your precious blood Jesus Christ. We repent wherever we haven’t pleased You and seek Your mercies and forgiveness oh Lord. May Your precious blood Lord Jesus, speak greater things over us and cover us from every attack and plan of the enemy. May Your Holy Spirit fill us afresh and release Your gift of discerning of different spirits and test every spirit, that only Your true word may be preached to us. May You expose to us all false prophecies and deception, and release Your revelation to us that all may come to salvation. Thank You Lord for You are faithful and able. Thank You for Your loving kindness and tender mercies that are new every morning. We thank You for we know You have heard us and that You will answer and do to us according to Your will. We pray all this believing and trusting in the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Further reading: Deuteronomy 18:20-22, 1 John 4:1
1 John 4:1-4 NKJV
”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. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.“
INSIGHT
–Apostle John warns of false prophets who are in the world and advises that one needs to be careful of their operations and doctrine. A person who is moved by the Holy Spirit confesses that Jesus has come in the flesh, but a person who confesses that Jesus has not come in the flesh is of the evil one and the Antichrist. Some religions confess that Jesus is a prophet and distance themselves from the truth that Jesus is the Messiah and came in the flesh before His death and resurrection. God is calling us to believe in Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit who is greater than he who is the world will dwell in us and teach us all things.
PRAYER
Hosanna to the Son of David, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. At Your name Jesus, every knee should bow in heaven, on earth, and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ You are Lord, to the glory of God the Father. We honor You dear Lord and raise Your banner in all the earth. May You deliver us from every evil and protect us with Your hedge of fire. May You restore everything that has been stolen from us seven times by Your grace dear Lord Jesus. May You open every gate in all spheres of our lives this year that nothing will be hindered from us to succeed and take new territories. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us now and forever more. Amen
Further reading: Mark 1:23-24, Matthew 21:9
2 Peter 2:1 NKJV
”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.“
INSIGHT
–Destructive heresies by false prophets and teachers injure the moral and spiritual inclinations to one’s true faith. Christian faith is not only found in correct doctrine but also correct living guided by God’s word through grace. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). God is calling us to read and study His word and we will come to understanding and wisdom that deliver us from any kind of false prophecy.
PRAYER
Your name is Yahweh, Creator of the heavens and the earth, only You Jesus are worthy to be praised. In heaven and the earth You are worthy to be praised. We give You the honor, glory and praise, for only You dear Lord Jesus are worthy to be adored. May You bless us dear Lord Jesus and teach us Your ways. May You help us to walk faithfully in You dear Jesus Christ, rooted and built up in You and established in faith. Help us to abound in thanksgiving despite our shortcomings. Thank Your for Your Holy Spirit the Advocate in us who teaches us all things and reminds us everything that is in Your word. Thank You Abba Father for Your everlasting love upon us. All glory, honor, power and thanksgiving belong to You now and forever. Amen
Further reading: Colossians 2:4-10, John 14:26
Matthew 7:15-19 NKJV
”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. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.“
INSIGHT
–Christ calls for His disciples to be careful of false prophets. He describes them as wolves in sheep’s clothing. Christ probably wasn’t saying that the wolves were pretending to be sheep; the illustration probably refers to their pretending to be shepherds. In those days, shepherds typically wore woolen clothing which came from the sheep they cared for. False prophets pretend to be shepherds who care for the flock, but really are wolves that destroy the flock. They feast on unstable and immature believers who perish out of ignorance like the case of Shakahola. The Lord gives us the key to knowing whether a prophet is prophesying what is true or false, that is by the fruits they yield. Let us therefore be keen to observe and learn the prophets who speak into our lives, and the Holy Spirit will guide us and help us into all truth.
PRAYER
You are our Great Shepherd dear Lord Jesus and by the blood of the eternal covenant may You set us free from every form of sickness, loss, pain, heartbreak, delay, trial and tribulation. May You shepherd us in Your way of true salvation Jesus, that we may work out our salvation with fear and trembling. May Your salvation power reach the unreached and transform all Your people. May You guide our religious leaders and ministries with Your Holy Spirit that only Your will may prevail on earth as it is in heaven. May You supply unto us everything good and pleasing to You for the glory and honor of Your name forever and ever. Amen.
Further reading: Philippians 3:2, Philippians 2:12
Matthew 24:23-25 NKJV
”Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand.“
INSIGHT
-The coming of Jesus Christ is associated with sudden and unpredictable events. Jesus Himself likened His second coming to that of a thief (Revelation 16:15). Self proclaimed christs have emerged and proclaimed to be ‘the sent ones who come to save the world’, and deceive even the elect. Locally we have evidenced the likes of ‘jehova wanyonyi who claims to be the messiah. The Holy Spirit gives us the gift of discernment so that we may be guided in all things let we fall prey of such prophets.
SUMMARY
In the recent times we have seen a lot happening within the confines of diverse church communities in the world. Some pastors have devise deceptive ways to lure their members into believing in falsehood. Their prophecies are manufactured and they perform fake miracles to gain a large following and consecutively more money. In Jeremiah 14:14, the Lord cautions us that, prophets propagate lies in the name of the Lord and speak of false visions, divinations and worthless things from their deceitful hearts. After these revelation’s prophet Hananiah died (Jeremiah 28:15-17), and Jeremiah prayed for the restoration of the people. False prophets and false teachers secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction (2 Peter 2:1). We have witnessed such events happening where false prophets die even as they continue with their theatrics on the altar. False prophets also come in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves and we may know them by their fruits (Matthew 7:15-19). The Lord is cautioning us that we should not believe every spirit, but we need test the spirits whether they are of God or the devil, for many false prophets have gone out into the world, and every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God but the one who does not confess so is not of God and is the spirit of the Antichrist (1 John 4:1-4).
PRAYER
Father we thank You for You have made us victorious and overcomers in Christ Jesus. Lord we thank You for Your love and mercy that are new every morning. Thank You for Your promises and Your faithfulness. Today oh Lord, we humble ourselves in repentance for the many times we have accepted false teachings and followed false prophets. We repent for all the sins and iniquity we have done, said or thought. May You cleanse us by Your blood of Jesus and guide us in Your true and right Spirit. May You lead us in the truth and keep us away from false teachings and false prophets oh Lord. Father we pray for Your discerning Spirit to fill us afresh and reveal all truth to us oh Lord. May You open the eyes of our hearts oh Lord that we may see You. May You open our ears that we may hear Your voice and follow Your alone. Father we commit all those who have been brainwashed and deceived by false teachings and false prophets that You may pluck them out of trap of the enemy. May You uproot all that is evil and all that was planted by the enemy at night oh Lord. We pray that Your truth shall reach the unreached who don’t know You, that we shall all know You and the power of Your resurrection oh Lord Jesus. We lift You higher oh Lord for there is none like You. You are wonderful and worthy of our praise. Thank You for hearing us and for You have already done it. Lord we worship You and praise You. May You bless us and keep us dear Lord Jesus. May You shine Your face towards us and be gracious unto us. May You show Your countenance unto us and give us peace. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us now and forevermore. Amen
Further reading: Matthew 16:16, John 11:27