THE TRUE NATURE OF PROPHECY
The concept of a prophet is not exclusive to religion. Even people who are not religious can accept that someone is able to anticipate or predict future events. In religion, however, prophets are wrongly considered to have a unique spiritual gift that equips them to receive insights about future events directly from God. The truth is that whatever prophets think they know about the future comes from the evil imaginations of their hearts — not from God. These so-called prophecies entertain religious people but distract from God’s idea of what true prophecy is: Speaking/teaching God’s words on God’s behalf.

Speaking on God’s behalf is what Jesus did and it is what other Biblical prophets sent by God did. Moreover, it is what true followers should expect to do also — without limitations. It is an ability that is available to all New Covenant disciples who have God’s laws written on their hearts.

Anyone who thinks that God would not speak through them is correct. He would not speak through them if they do not believe that God would actually perform a miracle by speaking through them. Their lack of faith that he would speak through them actually limits what he can do through them. Such people are not true prophets. They speak what they think they know about God that they have learned from the literal words of the Bible, but what they speak lacks real spiritual power because of their lack of faith that God would actually speak through them. What they speak is only worldly wisdom. It is not spiritual wisdom. Such people are false prophets — not true prophets.