Seeking the unknown: Prophecy remains a hot topic for many

Knowing the unknown has always held a fascination for humankind. Going all the way back to the first couple—Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden—there seems to have been a desperate need to know the unknown. In hopes of satisfying their craving for knowledge, they chose to believe a serpent instead of their Creator, according to the Bible story. Today’s world isn’t much different. There are promised answers to questions and daily advice at every turn in the guise of psychic hotlines, palm readers, horoscopes and fortune cookies. Dr. Emanuele Cannistraci, whose international ministry is known for miraculous healings, teaching and prophecy, said he understands people’s desire to hear a word that will give them direction. He said he has encountered thousands of spiritually hungry and desperate people during his nearly 60 years in the ministry. “Numerous times I have had people ask me for a word from God and I understand their desire to hear a word,” he said. “God still speaks today, through the written word, preached word and through his prophets communicating God’s mind, will and purpose.” However this desire has left the door open for untold false prophets, he explained. “Americans usually only want to hear good things, so that makes it easy for false prophets to abound,” said Cannistraci. “But true prophecy can say things that are not complimentary and some people are offended by it. As a prophet, I don’t go looking for good stuff. God just reveals things.” The Rev. Max Vargas, pastor of the Hispanic congregation, Lion of the Tribe of Juda, agreed. “The main purpose of the Old Testament prophets was to prophesy about the coming Messiah. But the people wouldn’t listen,” said Vargas. “This generation is much like the people of their time, because they don’t want to listen or obey the words of the prophets.” Renowned Christian author John Bevere in his book “Thus Sayeth the Lord?” writes that those working within the gift of prophecy can pick up on a person’s personal desires and speak a false word to them. “This is possible,” Cannistraci said in agreement. “Even the prophet Nathan told David to go and do what was in his heart because the Lord was with him. But it was not meant for David to build the temple as Nathan directed.” Expounding upon the subject, Cannistraci said there are three ways in which prophecies can be made known. “Prophets can give a word from their own heart for the person or they can be influenced by a false or lying demonic spirit or the spirit of God can reveal the word. There are many counterfeits but you can’t throw the baby out with the bathwater,” he said. Vargas added that many times people give another person a word and purport it to be a prophecy from God. “But a prophecy isn’t going to be something brand new,” he said. “It will be something that can be confirmed.” Cannistraci said all 66 books of the Bible are prophetic and written as they were inspired. “The Bible is the inspired word of God and he still speaks today through his written word, preached word and through his ministers communicating God’s mind, will and purpose,” he said. “Don’t call psychic phone numbers expecting God to give you a word.” Overseer Kenneth Reid, pastor at Mount Grove Baptist Church, said he also believes this. “Prophets foretell, but they can never foretell what is not in the Word of God,” he said. “We want a ‘right-now’ answer. But what God wants for us is a relationship with him. People will often say, “The man of God told me ...,” but what has God told them?” Vargas said he has found Reid’s convictions on the subject to be true much of the time. “People are looking to the prophet for answers, but you don’t have to go to a prophet,” he said. “God will speak directly to you through his word, preaching, etc. But people want an easy answer and they want to know the future. All I will tell them is what their future will be if they don’t repent.” Reid believes desperation may be one reason so many people fall into the traps of soothsayers, psychics and false prophets. Vargas went on to say that another reason people seek out psychics or false prophets is because they don’t want to hear what a true prophet might tell them. He cited Isaiah as a reference. “They thought Isaiah was crazy and the people of his day killed him. Today’s prophets, just like Isaiah, must still obey the Lord and say whatever God tells them to say. Even though we always want to hear something good about how God is going to bless us, sometimes the prophecy is not pleasant and confronts us about our sin,” said Vargas. “Prophecies are not always sweet. Sometimes the words are sour to us.” Cannistraci and the others believe the gift of prophecy is often misunderstood. “Prophecy isn’t just about predicting, but about confirmation, comfort and exhortation,” he said. “Mostly, the words spoken to people today are just a confirmation of what God is already dealing with them about.”
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