Predictions are different than revelation. Revelation comes from God and can run contrary to the wide variety of human predictions of what people think will happen in the future. Many times, revelation will stand alone, enduring the mockery and dismissal of the predictors who want to discredit or demean what was prophetically spoken.

Predictions take place across a spectrum of issues like the future of financial markets, opposing political affiliations, and even how we are to interpret God’s Kingdom and the future of the Church.

Offering predictions has created an entire industry of talking heads where people are called upon to offer their predictions. At the end of the day, all predictions are sourced from natural indicators, not from a Spirit-breathed version of what will happen in the future. Predictions are nothing more than an educated guess.

Peter wrote, “You must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God” (II Peter 1:20-21).

Regarding our ability to understand the future, Amos wrote, “The Sovereign Lord never does anything until he reveals his plans to his servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7).

The kind of revelation Amos spoke about is often mocked and discarded until it comes true. It’s in the times of mockery and the discarding of their word where a prophet’s integrity is tested. After they speak and endure the opposing hostility, they let a word stand and comment no further until they are moved again by the Spirit to speak and not offer an emotionally-charged response in defense.

The Church has been called to search out words from its prophets, not to seek out another opinion offered from the wide pool of human predictions.

The former produces hope. The latter creates angst and despair. Only in a place of hope can we hear and accurately interpret a prophetic word from the Lord. All other interpretations and their resulting predictions are nothing more than human opinion.

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This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Garris Elkins

Featured Image by Raskhan Kaderi from Pixabay

About the Author

Garris Elkins is a Kingdom Winds Contributor. He and his wife, Jan, serve the global Church through writing, speaking, and mentoring. They live in southern Oregon, tucked away in the foothills of the Rogue Valley. Their shared desire is to have each person learn how to hear the heart of God and become a transforming voice in their culture.

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