Modern Day Prophets - Do They Exist Today?

[Fritzpw_Admin]

Can Christians Be Too Quick to Call Something ‘Prophetic’?

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We’ve all seen it: someone declares a natural disaster, a political event, or even a dream as “prophetic”—claiming it as a direct message from God. Sometimes it’s on social media. Sometimes it’s from a pulpit. But how do we know what’s truly prophetic and what might just be human interpretation dressed in spiritual language?

In the Bible, prophecy was never casual. It carried weight, accountability, and divine authority. Today, though, prophetic claims can feel more like personal predictions than Spirit-led revelations. This raises hard questions. Are we risking confusion—or even spiritual harm—by labeling too much as “prophetic”? Could the overuse of that word cause others to ignore the real thing when it shows up?

1 Thessalonians 5:20-21 says, “Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good.” That balance is key. We’re told not to dismiss prophecy—but also not to accept everything at face value. God still speaks, but He never contradicts His Word.

• How do you personally test whether a “prophetic word” is truly from God?
• Have you ever seen a prophetic claim do more harm than good? What happened?
• Why do you think some Christians are drawn to modern-day prophecy, and what safeguards should we keep in place?

Explore this perspective:

Modern Day Prophets - Do They Exist Today?

[Tillman]

Prophets have a nasty habit of being hurt when thry speak against those in power. So if they do exist they would probably do well not to embrace a label.

The gift of prophecy does exist. I believe scripture says this is a gift someone can have. But what is a prophecy? Must a prophecy always be absolute or can it be avoided if one chooses another path? Is it always necessarily from God?

Is there a difference between God giving a person a prophecy directly and the capacity to interpret what one sees happening, ie you will know the seasons by the leaves?

Joseph did not directly recieve the dream that told him that seven years of famine were coming. God gave the dream to Pharoah who could not understand it. The prophecy had to be translated by another. But did this make Joseph a Prophet? Or did he just have a gift of prophecy? Or do we just call him a dream interpreter.?

If I listen to reason and can see the direction a path is taking us, or can calculate the natural result of several actions, does that make me a Prophet? Though Wisdom is a defining quality of the Holy Spirit, and many qualities work in tandem.

Cults use “prophecies” to lure people to their doom. So it is always better to take a message with a grain of salt. Maybe prepare enough in order to not be totally caught off guard. But never follow a stranger with candy back to their van.

You may know if a message is false if the words draw you to another rather than setting your eyes on Truth. A thief who gives you a declaration may only be trying to sneak into your house. And a Prophet does not speak for himself but the One who sent him. The message will lead you to Him.

And you know God from a perfect stranger, or from a strange god, because you know the quakities of God. Unless the god you serve is another god or you have believed falsely about God.

In this way, In the end, a prophecy may be a test to see if you actually know God. For if the qualities represent the false god you believe in, it may take you one direction while knowing better will lead you another Way.

So the question changes slightly. The focus is less about whether a prophecy is true or false and more, Who are you? Who is God? Have you recieved Christ as your personal Lord and Savior? Does the Holy Spirit live in you, guiding you? Have you been made a New Creation? Or do you follow the old path as you ever did?

Because one man’s actions will be different from anothers. The old man will follow this old world. But the new man follows what he knows to be True with a Compass that always points True North even if the world tilts and shakes and the poles flip about, causing all other compasses to guide you North East or South..

[KPuff]

Friends:

Allow me to remind us, the lost world uses some words quite differently than how they are used in The living Word of God. For example, some use the word “apocalypse” to mean “Total Devastation” or “utter destruction”, but in The Word of God “apocalypse” has always only meant “revelation”, nothing more. There are many accounts of apocalypse (revelation) in the Bible, not just in the book by that name. So, just as the world used the word “Prophet” to mean “future teller” and they use the word “prophecy” to mean “future telling”, “prophet” has always only meant “spokesman” and “prophecy” only means “speaking for someone else” in the Word of God. i.e. Aaron was a prophet of Moses, He spoke what Moses told him to speak (Exodus 7:1). Therefore, true “prophets of God” always speak for God, they speak exactly what God tells them to speak. Sometimes God tells them to speak of things in the future, sure, but just as often God tells His prophets to speak other things, like judgement, warning, laws, or anointings. These are all still prophecies, because they are all speaking for God. A prophet is not a prophet of God because he can tell the future; no prophet of God ever could tell the future, unless God revealed it to him. No true prophet of God ever thought he had this ability apart from God’s revelation. Today, we have The Word of God in print, we can speak the words of God when we speak the words of The Bible. We can tell others of future events when we tell them what God has revealed about the future in The Bible. In a real sense, when we tell others what God has said in His Bible, we are technically prophesying, although we rarely call it that.

Notice how The Word speaks of prophets in Hebrews, notice how it says God Spoke by the prophets.:

**Hebrews 1:1-4**

God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

Notice how Peter speaks of how God confirms His prophetic word, and recorded His prophetic word in scripture:

**2 Peter 1:16-21**

For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

We now have the Word of God in our hands, the heavenly apocalypse at our fingertips, we are not only free to tell what it says to others, we are privileged to do so.

Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy (speak the Word of God). For he who speaks in a language that is not understood does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.

1 Corinthians 14:1-3

Grace and Peace
KP

[SincereSeeker]

Oh, this thread is ripe for a truth grenade.

Everyone’s circling around the campfire of modern-day prophecy, trying to warm their hands without getting scorched. But let’s stop the cautious shuffling and call it what it is: spiritual confusion masquerading as discernment when nobody wants to say no to a fake word because they’re scared of quenching the Spirit. Well, newsflash… the Holy Spirit doesn’t need your politeness, He demands your obedience.

Let’s deal with the obvious: prophecy today isn’t some psychic hotline dressed in Christianese. It’s not goosebumps, hunches, or cleverly veiled political rants prefaced with “God told me…” @KPuff rightly notes that prophecy is about speaking for God, not predicting Powerball numbers or the next election. But here’s the key… speaking for God now comes with a completed, closed canon. If you’re still waiting on fresh dictation from heaven like the Bible ain’t done yet, you’re not hearing a prophecy… you’re hearing a problem.

Hebrews 1:1-2 shut the door on that open mic night: “In the past, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets… but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son.” Translation? Jesus is the final Word, and the Bible is the mic He dropped.

@Tillman wants to blur the line between wisdom, discernment, and prophecy like they’re interchangeable tools in some spiritual Swiss army knife. But Joseph didn’t become a prophet by interpreting Pharaoh’s dream. He didn’t even call himself one. God gave the revelation… Joseph simply relayed it. That’s not a spiritual office… that’s faithfulness. Big difference.

@Fritzpw_Admin raised a solid warning about people being too quick to slap the “prophetic” label on every emotional ripple they feel during their morning coffee. We are in serious danger of spiritual inflation… so many “words” from the Lord floating around, you’d think heaven was running a blog. The problem? When everything’s prophetic, nothing is. The real thing gets drowned out by noise. And Satan loves a foggy pulpit.

Want to test a prophecy? Easy. Does it exalt Christ or the speaker? Does it align perfectly with the written Word or drift into emotional mysticism? Does it edify the Church or stir up chaos and clout-chasing? Because a true prophet of God isn’t drawing attention to themselves… they’re wrecking idols and calling hearts back to the cross.

This isn’t about denying that God can speak… He absolutely does. But today, He speaks primarily through what He’s already said. And if you’re not fluent in Scripture, you’re not qualified to interpret the whispers you claim to hear in your soul. God’s voice never contradicts His Word… and He never needs a hype man.

So if you’re out here declaring dreams, visions, and “prophetic insights,” but can’t exegete 1 Corinthians 14 without spiritual acrobatics, it’s time to sit down and open your Bible. Because the Spirit does speak… but He won’t shout over your assumptions.

Let the Word be your litmus test, not your fallback excuse. Prophecy isn’t dead… but the false stuff needs to be.

—Sincere Seeker. Scripturally savage. Here for the Truth.

[Joe]

Hi,

Of course there are prophets today.
They are not biblical type prophets, and they don’t speak for God.
They can only prophecy with some accuracy about 7-10 days ahead.
They are the TV weather men and women.

The Bible is a closed library of 66 books.
I believe whatever prophecy is in-between its covers.
Beyond the Bible, up to modern day, any word spoken as “prophecy” better echo what the Bible says.
If not, I don’t trust it.
People chasing after supposed modern prophets are thrill seekers trying to feel their religion.

But we walk by faith, not feeling.
You want to feel God?
Do what God does.
Take care of the widows and orphans.
Feed the hungry.
Help the sick.
Your churches probably already have a way to help others.
Be a part of that help.
That’s feeling your faith.
Well I rambled on enough.

Blessings