The Prophecies and Predictions of Most Pastors Over COVID-19 are Unnecessary

The Prophecies and Predictions of Most Pastors Over COVID-19 are Unnecessary

It is quite appalling that most "men of God", called pastors think that the major way of showing or proving themselves to be men of God, "Great men of God" for that matter is to predict or prophecy to their members and the general public what "God" told them either while they were in their hotel room, or in an airplane traveling to a powerful program. It is good to hear from God, prophecy, especially when it is actually from God and possess and exhibit other spiritual gifts, but these are not the major proves that you are a man of God in good tone with Him. God can use a sinner to prophesy, heal and carry out other miracles. Also, Satan can prophesy and do signs and wonders. The major proof that someone is a man of God is his lifestyle, especially in secret and his message (gospel). If your lifestyle and message do not agree with the life and teachings of Christ Jesus, then you are not a man of God, irrespective of the number of prophecies, miracles, signs, and wonders you have performed and the level of weight and crowd you are pulling on earth.

It is quite unfortunate that most 21st-century "men of God" don't care about what matters most, what they are after is to be popular, gain lots of members and money. And to do that, most of them lie in the name of the Lord, make predictions and prophecies in the name of the Lord which is actually not from God. This issue of coronavirus has made so many of them lie and disgrace themselves while trying to prove they are great men of God. Whether or not you hear from God about coronavirus when it will end or the major cause does not really matter. Besides, a pestilence that will occur in the world on an occasional basis has already been prophesied in the Bible by God through His prophets, servants and even Christ Himself. So what more? What we need to do as men of God is to tell the world what God has said in His Word concerning the pestilence like coronavirus, how it points to the coming of Christ and why we should examine ourselves and become rapturable.

Almost every pastor today wants to exercise the gift and run the ministry of prophecy, rhema, and healing. But only very few are interested and committed to the real and actual ministry of winning souls for the kingdom of God. That is the ministry of salvation of the inner and total man. This is because this ministry of salvation requires the man of God himself to be saved first, live a holy and righteous life (life free from sin) and many "men of God" aren't ready to be saved, and do not like or want to live a holy and righteous life. I hear some "men of God" say, "My ministry is to heal" others say "to teach prosperity, "to prophesy into the lives of people" and some "to wrought miracle, signs, and wonders" and they will conclude by saying, "not a ministry of salvation". The question becomes, why the claim that God has called you into ministry if He has not called you to preach and teach the message of salvation? Miracle, signs, and wonders are meant to be a confirmation of the ministry and message of salvation, not salvation to confirm miracle, signs, and wonders. This is the only reason we are still alive in the world after being saved, and the major reason we are called into the vineyard of God as pastors, ministers of the Word of God and as His servants.

A prophet is one called or chosen by God to hear from Him on behalf of a nation or nations, individuals, churches, etc., and to say or deliver to them exactly what the LORD has commanded him (the prophet) to say to the people, that is, the nations, churches or individuals. However, a prophet in this Church age (in this present time) is (a pastor, evangelist, teacher, etc.), who is called by God to tell or preach to the world, churches or individuals, "Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand" and to warn them about the wrath of God which is coming on the wicked (sinners), the forgiveness and salvation from sin and death to all who believe in Christ as Lord and Saviour, His earthly blessings for those who obeyed His commandments (word) and the eternal hope and home to all who endured till the end. This prophetic ministry or assignment is usually accompanied by divine signs, wonders, and miracles, in which the chief is repentance of sinful souls (Luke 10:17-20).

In the Old Testament, God made it impossible for one to wrath miracles among His people (Israel) except a man chosen by Him, especially as a prophet. This was to enable Israel to know that He has chosen such a person as His servant or prophet. At this period (Old Testament) also, no one can open the eyes of the blind, give strength and/or life to the body of the crippled or paralyzed, or bring back to life dead ones, give healing to the sick or cast out devils (among others), except he/she is from God and has been chosen, called and sent by Him. This is one of the major ways Israel was to know that God has chosen, called and sent a man/woman as His servant or prophet.

When God called Moses and sent him to Egypt as a prophet, leader and a deliverer of His people Israel, He equipped him with power to perform miracles, signs, and wonders far beyond what the powerful magicians of Pharaoh could do, that they to a point had to admit and confessed, "This is the Finger of God" (Ex. 8:18-19). This was the only or major reason the people of Israel believed that indeed God had sent Moses to deliver them. To this, Jesus Christ who came in the Old Testament period, came with the ultimate power of God, doing so many good miracles, signs, and wonders that no man can do except he is from God, chosen, called and sent by Him as His servant or prophet, yet the Pharisees, elders of the Jews, the Sanhedrin or Council of the Jews did not want to believe and accept Him as one sent by God. This was not indeliberate, it was a deliberate action; this is because Jesus was not ready to accept their ills and hypocritical way of life and living. Hence, with the evidence of what God does and can do with the one or people, He has called and chosen, the Jews were aware that Jesus was the promised Messiah sent by God, who was to come and deliver them. First, from sin and eternal death and secondly, from the hands of their oppressors. To accept this was to let go of their pride, and accept that they were also sinners and slaves to sin, even though they are descendants of Abraham and disciples of Moses. It also means that they will have to allow the will of God and His law be done in their lives, not as they influenced Moses and their elders to interpret it, but as it was originally in the mind of God. It was to let go of their fears which they put in the mind of the poor, weak and unlearned among them instead of the fear of God. Therefore, knowing the things that will be at stake if they accept Jesus as the Christ, they deliberately hardened their hearts to reject and kill Jesus. Doing this, however, they unconsciously fulfilled the prophecy to persecute and kill Jesus the Christ (Messiah) for the salvation of mankind.

However, Jesus made it clear that it will no longer be that way in this New Testament era which He brought. Signs and wonders will no longer be the main or major criteria to know one or people that God has chosen, called and sent as His servants or prophets. Because, many will come in the name of Jesus claiming to be "The Christ" (that is, called and sent by God or Christ) when they are not. Many of them will be allowed to perform miracles, signs, and wonders with which they will use and deceive people to fulfill the end time prophecy pointing to Christ's return and of the end of the age.

That notwithstanding, in Christ, God still performs great miracles, signs, and wonders today through those He has chosen, called and sent as His servants or prophets. How then do we know those who are called? It is not just by performing signs and wonders or by prophecies and predictions, because the false Christ can also do that. "But, by their fruit" we shall know them. The true servants or prophets of Christ are known by their fruit. This means that their lifestyles and messages are not against Christ, but are like that of Christ which God commanded all humans and race to do and live by. Any lifestyle and message that is against Christ Jesus are not from God, and God has not and will not for His namesake chose, call or sent such servants or prophets. Hence, by their fruits, we shall know them! True prophets of God are known by their lifestyles and messages, and not only by performing signs, wonders and giving random prophecies. Beware!

All Rights Reserved Nwoko Solomon Ikechukwu