My Experience With So-Called Modern Day Prophets

When I became a Christian at the age of 23, I had no experience with prophetic type experiences that go on in some churches. The church I grew up in was a mainline denominational church, that had the typical Sunday morning sermon/message of that generation, from week to week with nothing ever out of the ordinary.

After receiving Christ into my life (while in college), I was invited by one of the staff members at the university to attend a local evangelical church, which I did. The pastor at this church focused on preaching sermons that helped others understand their
lostness and how to receive Christ into their lives (for eternal life). There was a large group of college young people there that I started doing things with and became good friends with them.

A young lady in this church and I decided to go around (as an educational experience) and visit special services of different kinds of churches who would advertise them. We did this when the activities did not conflict with our own regular services. Some of these services were what you might call revival meetings or prophecy services or healing services, etc, etc, etc... They were all new to both of us.

I will never forget the very first one we attended, because it was there I had my first encounter with a so-called modern day prophet. He preached an evangelistic sermon and then invited people down to the front to be saved or to be healed or to experience speaking in tongues or to be prophesied over.

We did not know what any of this was about (except the salvation part). We knew we were saved, so we just sat quietly during all of the post-sermon activities with the guy’s invitation to come for help for this or that. As it ends up, we were the only two in the
church that night who did not go up front to seek help or prayer or whatever.

For some reason, the guest speaker leading the invitational activities was a little bugged that we did not come forth for any help. So, after he dealt with everyone, he walked back to our seats and laid his hands on my head, closed his eyes, and prophesied that I
would receive the gift of playing the piano. I did not know what to think, so again I just sat there quietly until he finished. Then we got up and left.

Now I have never had any musical talent whatsoever. I cannot sing or read music or play any instrument. In fact, back in high school, I tried to start up a new rock band after I had received a set of drums as a gift from my family. BUT – after 4 weeks it was
apparent I could not play them and was not able to learn, so the new group that I had formed, kicked me out and found someone else and went on to play all over South Texas.

With that in mind, I thought the idea of being able to play the piano supernaturally sounded really good. So, I continued on in life (college, work, and church life) waiting to see if the prophecy came true – but it did not. All of these years later, I cannot even play
the radio correctly.

Years later, while in my early 30’s with a wife and 3 kids, another young couple invited us to go with them to someone’s home for a gathering of their friends to listen to and hang out with a so called modern day prophet. We did not really want to go, but also did not want to hurt our friend’s feelings, so we agreed.

After driving for two hours to get to this really upscale home close to San Antonio, we arrived and met everyone and enjoyed some refreshments before the prophet guy began his activities.

The prophet was a young guy too and he made sure he went around and introduced himself to all the guests and visited with each couple for a few minutes. So, when he got to us, I asked him how his day had gone. He said it was a great day and he had gotten
in 18 holes of golf earlier in the day. So, I asked him what he did for a living and he said he did this home prophecy ministry full time, which took him from home to home across the country.

Then at the right time, he got up and spoke for a few minutes about God, prophecy, and miracles. Then he began to go around to each couple sitting around the room and prophecy over them (out loud in front of everyone). When he got to us, he prophesied
something really generic over each one of us, and then he moved on.

When he finished, the wealthy owner of the home said it was time to take up an offering for the prophet and he passed the hat, so to speak. After that, we drove home, but nothing ever happened with his two spoken prophecies over us. My thought then and
now was what a good business model this guy had worked out. He could travel, play golf by day, and prophecy by night and live off the offerings of others.

The sad thing was how impressed the other people participating in this group session were with this self-proclaimed prophet. They seemed to feel like this was so awesome to be in the presence of a true modern day prophet (who would say great things over
them).

I thought he was a con artist and spiritual sloth, who had learned how to peddle his so-called prophetic ministry into a full time living and never have to work, and he had no accountability. All of his food and housing were provided for him and he got to keep all of the offerings. He was there today and gone tomorrow (with the money of course), which was probably never reported as income to the IRS.

My third encounter with a so-called modern day prophet was at a church in Denver, Colorado about 15 years later. Again, some Christians I had just met, invited me to go hear this well-known evangelist speak at a one night event. I was familiar with the
evangelist through his radio programs, so I thought this should be a safe event to attend, and get to hear a good biblical message.

The evangelist really did share an encouraging, inspirational message on the blessings of our oneness with Christ. The message was edifying. After the message, the lead pastor of this large church got up and announced he would begin to move around the
auditorium and lay hands on people and pray for them.

Everyone was standing and just kind of waiting for the pastor to get to them, which took a while with the large crowd there. As he laid hands on individual people, they either began to fall down, supposedly “slain in the spirit” or they began to “speak in tongues”.

My suspicious mind wondered what in the world I was in for this time. When the pastor got to me, he looked at me and stared intensely into my eyes for a few seconds. As he did that, I could see an eerie light coming out of his eyes and it was as though someone else was really staring at me and not the pastor himself. It was weird and nothing I had ever seen before or since.

After staring at me for those few seconds, I think he could sense my spirit was resisting what he was doing, so he said a quick generic prayer over me and moved on to the next person. After he moved on, I immediately walked out of the building and waited for my friends to come out.

There was a real sense of relief as soon as I got outside. I sincerely believe I had just encountered a pastor who was being used by one or more demonic spirits, that gave him power over vulnerable, spiritually naïve people.

Once again, on the 60 minute drive home, the people I had gone with were so impressed and seemed to feel they had just experienced some truly supernatural ministry. I felt I had heard a great message, but then been in the presence of a false
prophet or at least a pastor who allowed himself to be used by false/misleading spirits.

So what are my thoughts all of these years later? I do not believe there are modern day prophets wondering around like we had in the Old and New Testaments, who can speak forth new revelations from God. The biblical record was finished and complete when the apostle John died between 100 AD and 120 AD.

God is not speaking new revelation into existence since then. He does equip and anoint men and women of God to speak forth His Word with power and conviction to accomplish His will in our lives and apply His Word to our lives for everyday living. And I
know He can and does impress upon or prompt one Christian to say a certain thing to another Christian (or a non-Christian) just at the right time for their edification, but that does not mean that person is a biblical prophet.

Therefore, we have to remember what the Apostle John said in 1 John 4:1-6 to not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.