28/01/2022
Prophets and prophets
"Touch not my anointed and do my prophets no harm" has become the tool many false prophets are using as a licence to do evil.
Much as this word is true and stands forever, we must not forget that God is a righteous judge and everyone of us shall be judged according to our deeds.
It does not matter if we are prophets, apostles, pastors, teachers, evangelists or congregation members in the church. God will judge everyone of us with the same judgement standard he has established for all. Being anointed will not make a difference.
Truthbetold, I strongly believe that greater punishment awaits those of us who preach the word if we fail to practise same. It is therefore imperative that we don't dwell in sin and refuse to accept rebuke under the cloak of "Touch not my anointed and do my prophet no harm."
Men may not qualify to judge us, but God will certainly judge all his creation, including the great men of God who think that they are above the law of God. Having said that, let me address the main topic of this post - "Prophets and prophets."
In those days, when a prophet enters the King's place, the King and his people trembled. That was because they knew that a Prophet never leaves God's house to visit anyone for merry making. A true Prophet of God has no time to waste on frivolities. He does not leave the house of God except it was very important. The people of old knew that.
Even in African traditional religion, in those days, when the chief priest steps out of the shrine into the village, fear gripped the people and their king because they knew that their gods were angry. Once that is the case, there is fear in the land until the Chief Priest makes known his mission and things are done according to the dictates of the gods.
But things have changed, especially in the house of God. The fear of God has disappeared.
Many so-called Prophets have lost it. They are nothing but liars and deceivers feeding fat on the ignorance of the people. Their biggest tool is fear. They instil fear in their followers who see them as their God. But no man is God.
In those days, Prophets were rare. Those who occupied that office lived up to its demands. They were men of integrity, wisdom and humility. The prophets of old had love for humanity. They never said what God did not say and were never bought with money.
Truthbetold, the prophets of old lived for God and not for man. They feared God and obeyed his word to the latter.
But today, the story is different. Almost every man of God claims to be a prophet. This is a great problem to both the church and the word at large. This is why even genuine prophets are ridiculed. Everyone has been placed in the same basket. Very sad!
The prophets of old carried the presence of God in them. When you see them, you will feel the glory of God around. It was not about their dressing. It was about what was in them.
The prophets of old carried the power of God in them. Therefore, once the presence of the prophet was announced, the King and his subjects trembled because they knew that God had sent a message of importance to them. There will not rest until they heard what the Prophet had to say.
In those days, the presence of a prophet was never one of excitement as we see today. As sad as it is, we have seen that most so-called prophets have become comedians. Have you not seen comedians sharing God's altar with comedians who are hired by many churches to entertain people with jokes, even jokes which mock the body of Christ?
For God's sake, a Prophet is not a comedian. He is a man of burden. A burden bearer cannot be a comedian. He has no time for such. How can you be entertaining people when souls are perishing?
Mr. Prophet, read 1 Samuel 16 vs. 1- 5 and see how the elders of Bethlehem trembled when Prophet Samuel entered the city to anoint David as the next king of Israel in place of Saul whom God had rejected.
When Samuel appeared, fear gripped the people, because they knew that a true prophet of God do not walk about anyhow like has become the manner of some so-called prophets of today who are walking up and down chasing money by all means.
In those days, men feared God and respected his Prophets. God-fearing Kings like David knew better than disobey a true prophet of God. That was because of how the prophets of old carried themselves. They feared no one and favoured no one. They spoke the mind of God to his people without fear or favour. Those who despised them despised God and paid dearly for it.
When a king went wrong, he sought the help of the prophet for intercession and God did not ignore the cry of his prophets.
Truthbetold, the Prophets of old had favour with the Lord because, they obeyed Him and walked according to his instructions.
Disobedience, pride and greed which we see in most of our men of God today was never part of the prophets old.
The prophets of old were always out to please God and not men. They were people who were not moved by material things.
They would not pervert justice or encourage evil because of worldly gains. They were not interested in supporting greedy and wicked leaders who oppressed the people like we see today. They told them the truth and did not hesitate to tell them the consequences of their sins if they failed to repent. Those were real prophets of God who walked according to the will of God.
The prophets of old had the heart of God. Their hearts were full of love and compassion for the people of God. But these days, most of the people who call themselves prophets of God are nothing but "belly prophets and greedy confusionists" who are using the name of God to make money.
Today, when some so-called prophets go to a politician, it is to beg for money to hold crusades in big cities and build auditorium as big as a stadium to boost their ego. Rural evangelism is never part of their crusade plans. They only hold crusades in cities where people can give fat offerings and sow huge seed offerings.
These people and their politician friends use state money that should have been used to build schools and hospitals to better the life of the suffering masses to expand their empires.
Truthbetold; when a man of God takes money from a politician; money stolen from state coffers, you become his accomplice. When issues about corruption is mentioned, you will pretend that it does not exist, because you are as guilty as the politician.
This is why many of our so-called men of God have become the mouthpiece of politicians. In lieu of the truth, they prophesy lies to suit their political allies in exchange for material gains. This is the bane of Africa. Men of God in Africa, except a few, don't care about their people. They lead a life of "See no evil and speak no evil."
Politicians do evil against the people everyday, yet, same politicians are great friends of the men of God. They donate handsomely to their church programmes from money stolen from the masses. How wicked!
How can a true man of God find peace in eating and drinking with politicians who lie to the people everyday?
How can a true man of God find joy in being friends with politicians who have kept our people in perpetual bo***ge since independence?
How can you be a man of God and never tell our evil leaders to repent and do what is right for the people or face the wrath of God?
Don't you know that "he who shares the loot with a thief is a thief?"
Let me tell you, Mr. Prophet, your inability to tell your politician friends the truth like the prophets of old did has robbed you of the honour of being a true prophet of God.
Do not deceive yourself that all is well with you. God sees your deeds and will reward you accordingly. If the Lord destroyed the lying prophets of old who deceived his people, he will also destroy the false prophets of today if they refuse to repent.
Repent and do what is right or go down with your fellow thieves on the last day. When that day comes, your title will not save you.
Remember, "food for the belly and the belly for food; but God shall destroy both." Repent now, tomorrow might be too late.
_Frank Ogbu
