| To many the word NEWS has a wide range of | | | | • A prophet is a servant of God |
| definitions depending on the understanding of the | | | | • A prophet speaks forth the words and |
| word and its relevant application, especially to | | | | commands ("statutes") that he or she receives from |
| professional journalists around the world. When a | | | | God |
| story comes to the knowledge of the public, it is | | | | • (God said, ) "Yet surely My words and My |
| expected that it must have gone through a thorough | | | | statutes, which I commanded My servants the |
| analysis and check by the relevant authorities. Then | | | | prophets (to speak forth), did they not overtake |
| comes the part that ensures that all involved parties | | | | your fathers?'' Zech 1.6a |
| in the news are given a fair sense of hearing so that | | | | Second Peter 1.21 gives the following information, |
| both sides of the story are not only heard but the | | | | • A prophet is a holy man of God |
| final story that is released to the public allows for | | | | • A prophet speaks for God as he or she is |
| them to make an informed conclusion. | | | | moved (Greek: phero) by the Holy Spiritfor prophecy |
| When these above stated guidelines are disregarded, | | | | never came by the will of man, but holy men of God |
| a major part of the ethics of the profession of | | | | spoke as they were moved (phero) by the Holy |
| journalism can be said to have been thrown out of | | | | Spirit. 2 Pet 1.21phero -- "to bear, carry," is rendered |
| the window. In most cases where it occurs, it | | | | "moved" in 2 Pet. 1:21, signifying that they were |
| appears to be that the writer is doing the bidding of | | | | "borne along," or impelled, by the Holy Spirit's power, |
| a party to the story; to ensure that only one side is | | | | not acting according to their own wills, or simply |
| heard, and carry out an agenda; in most cases to | | | | expressing their own thoughts, but expressing the |
| bring disrepute to the other party of the story. | | | | mind of God in words provided and ministered by |
| Without any form of doubt, when this continually | | | | Him. |
| occurs and become a trend, it then calls for concern | | | | 3. How will one know a true prophet of God?a. Acts |
| and worry. It becomes obvious to all that a grand | | | | 2:17-18, "And it shall come to pass in the last days, |
| conspiracy to pull down the affected individual or | | | | saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: |
| body at all cost is in place. Again, it could be that | | | | and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, |
| certain practises of the involved individual are not | | | | and your young men shall see visions, and your old |
| completely understandable to the other party or | | | | men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on |
| perhaps they do not intend to come to terms with | | | | my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my |
| their mode of operation. Worst of all is if the said | | | | Spirit; and they shall prophesy:" |
| individual is a servant of God. Such a person should | | | | Age makes NO difference in being a prophet.b. 2 |
| obviously be allowed to make their claims and then | | | | Peter 1:21, "For the prophecy came not in old time by |
| get the judgement that follows from their Creator. | | | | the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they |
| As a person with no particular interest and inclination | | | | were moved by the Holy Ghost." A true Prophet only |
| to the most persecuted Man of God that I have | | | | prophecy in the name of the Lord. He only seeks to |
| seen in recent times, Prophet TB Joshua, from | | | | glorify the Lord. He will never seek glory to himself. |
| Nigeria, I can say without any fear that the way and | | | | NEVER!c. 2 Peter 1:20, "Knowing this first that no |
| manner that the media has constantly attacked the | | | | prophecy of the scripture is of any private |
| Man has called for my writing this article. As a | | | | interpretation." |
| professional writer I have found myself constantly | | | | A true Prophet NEVER gives his private |
| having to do follow ups on religious activities and their | | | | interpretation. He only shares what the Lord reveals. |
| leaders around the world. I can boldly say that I have | | | | Scripture defines Scripture, not man.d. Jeremiah 28:9, |
| a complete dossier of different men of God which | | | | "The prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the |
| include their background, practises, habits, doctrines, | | | | word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall |
| etc. | | | | the prophet be known, that the LORD hath truly |
| It should be noted that I will never hold forth for any | | | | sent him." |
| Prophet of God or even criticize their works as I | | | | A true Prophet will be 100% accurate. There is |
| believe strongly in the Almighty God and the fact | | | | absolutely no margin for error.e. Deuteronomy |
| that He is the all knowing, the only One who cannot | | | | 18:21-22, "And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we |
| be deceived by any living being born of a woman. I | | | | know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? |
| will only try to ask certain questions and then leave | | | | When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, |
| you to give answers to them and in so doing help | | | | if the thing follows not, nor come to pass, that is the |
| yourself to take a well informed position regarding | | | | thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the |
| prophets of God such as TB Joshua. The questions | | | | prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt |
| go thus: | | | | not be afraid of him." |
| 1. Who is prophet of God? | | | | The true Prophet of the Lord predicts that which |
| 2. What is the role of the Prophet in the church? | | | | does come to pass. If the Prophet's predictions fail, |
| 3. How will one know a true prophet of God? | | | | they are exposed as NOT of God. |
| 4. Are there any qualifications required to be a | | | | 4. Are there any qualifications required to be a true |
| prophet? | | | | prophet of God? |
| Let us try to give answers to this questions one | | | | There are no external and/or educational qualifications |
| after the other. | | | | required to be a true prophet of God. God does as |
| 1. Who is a Prophet of God? | | | | he wills. He can decide to choose the least of men as |
| In Exodus 7.1, God assigned roles to Moses and | | | | His prophet. Perhaps the only criteria is willingness on |
| Aaron, | | | | the part of the Prophet. Prophets as recorded in the |
| • Moses was to function as "God" to Pharaoh | | | | Holy Bible where recorded to have presented |
| • Aaron was to function as the prophet of Moses | | | | themselves to God, on ordination. |
| Based on Exodus 7.1, we can arrive at the following | | | | With proper understanding of the above answers to |
| conclusion, | | | | questions earlier asked, it beats my imagination to |
| • The job that a prophet does for God is the | | | | see people take up positions on issues concerning |
| same job that God assigned Aaron to do for Moses. | | | | prophets of God, most times without even |
| So the Lord said to Moses: "See, I have made you | | | | attempting to make a first hand analysis of the |
| as God to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother shall be | | | | involved persons. Thanks to the fact that I will never |
| your prophet." Ex 7.1 | | | | hold forth for any prophet, lot less TB Joshua, who I |
| In Exodus 4.16, God said that Aaron would function | | | | have never met, and do not intend to meet in the |
| as "spokesman to the people" on behalf of Moses. | | | | foreseeable future, I will not bother to write about |
| As shown by Exodus 7.1 (above), God assigned | | | | some of his enviable activities and actions in my |
| Aaron the job of serving Moses in the same manner | | | | possession thanks to my dossier. I believe that I will |
| as a prophet serves God. | | | | serve as a means of selling him to the world and my |
| Based on Exodus 7.1 and 4.16, we can arrive at the | | | | readers. |
| following Bible definition, | | | | My advice to individuals and the world a large is very |
| A prophet is any person who serves as God's | | | | simple: A prophet of God is a sacred position of |
| spokesman to the people. | | | | authority, bestowed by God on his select few, for |
| (God told Moses, ) "So he (Aaron) shall be your | | | | no particular reason other than the fact that He has |
| spokesman to the people. And he himself shall be as | | | | deliberately chosen them to carry out His |
| a mouth for you, and you shall be to him as God." Ex | | | | assignments. Touch the anointed of God. Even when |
| 4.16 | | | | there are reasons to criticize them, caution should be |
| 2. What is the role of the Prophet in the church? | | | | exercised. Let God, who they claim to represent, be |
| Zechariah 1.6 gives the following information, | | | | the Final judge. |