Opinion / Blogs
Are we in, or we are over the edge!
12 Jun 2011 at 09:55hrs | Views
A RECENT newspaper advertisement read: "The only prophet in Zimbabwe who can prophesy your ID number."
While the advert looked simple, it was actually the epitome of a new wave of "prophets" that has hit Zimbabwe of late. People are now asking: are these prophets genuine? How does one measure or judge the reliability of a true prophet? Is there a yardstick? And should people, Christians included, really worry about these prophets?
These are some of the questions that have arisen, especially following the above advert placed in a newspaper by 22-year-old Prophet Passion Java, who simply calls himself Prophet Passion. Prophet Passion said in an interview with The Sunday Mail In-depth that he has the ability to know one's national identification numbers. While this might seem bizarre to some, it is now a common occurrence, not only at Prophet Passion's sermons but at those of many others.
"I was born with a special gift," said Prophet Passion.
"When I was very young, I used to have strange dreams depicting me in heaven and surrounded by angels.
"When I was in Form One, I specifically had a vision in which I saw a set of numbers spinning in the air. I ran off to tell our school Scripture Union facilitator about the vision and she screamed, saying that it was her birth date.
Prophet Passion said since that day, his brother, Apostle Batsirai Java, started "grooming me and nurturing me into being a spiritual prophet. "From then I grew an interest in numbers and would often visualise angels around me with the voice of God calling me into prophecy," he said.
Prophet Passion said contrary to what is perceived, he does not tell the ID numbers of anyone at random but those of a specific somebody whom God would have assigned him to. The Bible says that prophecy is an overview of God's complete plan for mankind, involving the deliverance of words of advice and wisdom, which subsequently edifies the church, not the prophet (1 Corinthians 14 vs 1-3).
A debate is raging in the country as to what really constitutes prophecy, especially after new forms of prophets emerged in recent months. Social commentator and talk-show host Mrs Rebecca Chisamba said the new wave of prophecy that has hit the country is worrisome. "What is happening around the religious circles is very tricky," she said.
"I think prayer is something that is very personal and whatever it is people require from God, they can pray on their own."
Mrs Chisamba said the power of prophecy differed, with some believing in it. "We do not know whether it is psychological or mere coincidence that some of these prophecies come true, but if done within the doctrines of Christianity, it can be accepted," she said
Mrs Chisamba also argued that it is difficult to distinguish between true and false prophets because there are so many churches in the country with so many pastors and prophets who claim to perform miracles. Some of the churches, she said, have since gone commercial. "Due to the dollarisation, people are now geared to try anything that can make them some money and churches have become the easy target," said Mrs Chisamba.
"Unemployment has also contributed to this new wave of prophecy, as it has proved to be a good source of employment. "People are now looking for miracles to attain quick reprieve of their troubles. Is this how it should be? Some of these miracles are old tricks that magicians used to study, learn and deliver.
"If the prophets do it in the name of God, then there would be no problem, but if otherwise, then it affects the masses." Mrs Chisamba said there was confusion as people now move from one church to the next in search of miracles.
"Only God can bring sanity to this craze," she said. "Nonetheless, I believe there is a Supreme Being somewhere who cares about His people." It is clear that Zimbabweans have become so obsessed with "prophecies and miracles" that many have defected from their traditional churches to the new crop of Pentecostal churches that have mushroomed in the country. Could the mushrooming of prophets and churches mean that the gospel of Christ is now readily available and salvation of souls is at the doorstep?
Bishop Itai Hove of Elshaddai Ministries said Christians should be aware of the difference between spiritual prophecy and mere prediction. "There is a difference between spiritual prophecy, fortune telling, foretelling, premonitions and predeterminations," she said.
"While prophesy must involve God, some of these are demonic, like fortune telling. Prophecy involves spiritual and edification of believers and is added up by words of wisdom and advice, while fortune telling destroys, castigates and leaves a void in a person." Traditionalists believe that people should simply revert to their beliefs that are not complicated. Prophecy and Christianity, they say, are far removed from the people's traditional way of doing things.
A traditionalist and author, Mr William Hakundwi, said the issue of prophecy had become topical as people have turned from worshipping God to worshipping pastors and prophets. "The world has turned upside down," he said.
"Traditional churches have long been abandoned for the "miracle-bearing" Pentecostal churches. It has resulted in the majority, who genuinely hunger for the gospel, ending up worshipping the preacher instead of the one being preached.
"The Bible is no longer the point of reference but instead the pastor of the church is now the point of reference, which is pitiful." But Prophet Passion says "prophecy helps convince people into righteousness". He said people are usually left with no doubt when he tells them about their ID numbers, specific names and dates of birth. "Before a service, I pray for at least eight hours to prepare myself spiritually," said Prophet Passion.
"In due course, I have visions of the people whose lives I will prophecy on. I actually see them, where they would be seated in church, their names, national identification numbers and specific problems. If they are job seekers, I even see their curriculum vitae. When I pray for these CVs they would be guaranteed of securing jobs." But it seems such prophecy is always bound to raise controversy, as some fail to distinguish between genuine annointing and other forms of divination.
Presiding Bishop of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Zimbabwe Bishop Trevor Manhanga said people were wrong in treating prophecy as something new to the church. He said some "abominably inflated the powers of the Holy Spirit". "Prophecy is not new to the church but a very important ministry gift that God has given to the church," he said.
"What we have today purportedly to be prophecy is nothing less than people operating as n'angas using the cloak of the church. This is nothing short of an abomination to God. "We have reduced noble ideals to such low levels as deciphering someone's ID numbers. In a world of sickness, poverty, famine and violence, it is an aberration to declare that people should come to hear miraculous prophecies based on the fact that someone knows your ID number."
Bishop Manhanga said prophecy had a place in the church but could not be used to replace the word of God which every believer is to use as their guide. "Let us, thereof, be vigilant as the church in Zimbabwe and not allow ourselves to follow unbalanced, unbiblical, self-seeking pied pipers into destruction," he said.
In a recent "apocalyptic prediction", Harold Camping, the leader of a Christian ministry called Family Radio Worldwide based in the United States, claimed that Judgment Day was on May 21 2011. But May 21 passed without any incident. Camping had claimed that his "prophecy" of Doom's Day was from his interpretation of the Bible. What becomes intriguing is that the Bible clearly states that no one knows about the day of judgment except the Father.
Signals such as the emergence of the new wave of prophecy, the mushrooming of churches, the hunger and thirst for miracles, the growth of the gospel of materialism and shrinking of faith in Christians are now the order of the day. Some believe that there is a measure of genuine prophecy out there. But it seems difficult for Christians to differentiate between bogus and bona fide prophets.
While the advert looked simple, it was actually the epitome of a new wave of "prophets" that has hit Zimbabwe of late. People are now asking: are these prophets genuine? How does one measure or judge the reliability of a true prophet? Is there a yardstick? And should people, Christians included, really worry about these prophets?
These are some of the questions that have arisen, especially following the above advert placed in a newspaper by 22-year-old Prophet Passion Java, who simply calls himself Prophet Passion. Prophet Passion said in an interview with The Sunday Mail In-depth that he has the ability to know one's national identification numbers. While this might seem bizarre to some, it is now a common occurrence, not only at Prophet Passion's sermons but at those of many others.
"I was born with a special gift," said Prophet Passion.
"When I was very young, I used to have strange dreams depicting me in heaven and surrounded by angels.
"When I was in Form One, I specifically had a vision in which I saw a set of numbers spinning in the air. I ran off to tell our school Scripture Union facilitator about the vision and she screamed, saying that it was her birth date.
Prophet Passion said since that day, his brother, Apostle Batsirai Java, started "grooming me and nurturing me into being a spiritual prophet. "From then I grew an interest in numbers and would often visualise angels around me with the voice of God calling me into prophecy," he said.
Prophet Passion said contrary to what is perceived, he does not tell the ID numbers of anyone at random but those of a specific somebody whom God would have assigned him to. The Bible says that prophecy is an overview of God's complete plan for mankind, involving the deliverance of words of advice and wisdom, which subsequently edifies the church, not the prophet (1 Corinthians 14 vs 1-3).
A debate is raging in the country as to what really constitutes prophecy, especially after new forms of prophets emerged in recent months. Social commentator and talk-show host Mrs Rebecca Chisamba said the new wave of prophecy that has hit the country is worrisome. "What is happening around the religious circles is very tricky," she said.
"I think prayer is something that is very personal and whatever it is people require from God, they can pray on their own."
Mrs Chisamba said the power of prophecy differed, with some believing in it. "We do not know whether it is psychological or mere coincidence that some of these prophecies come true, but if done within the doctrines of Christianity, it can be accepted," she said
Mrs Chisamba also argued that it is difficult to distinguish between true and false prophets because there are so many churches in the country with so many pastors and prophets who claim to perform miracles. Some of the churches, she said, have since gone commercial. "Due to the dollarisation, people are now geared to try anything that can make them some money and churches have become the easy target," said Mrs Chisamba.
"Unemployment has also contributed to this new wave of prophecy, as it has proved to be a good source of employment. "People are now looking for miracles to attain quick reprieve of their troubles. Is this how it should be? Some of these miracles are old tricks that magicians used to study, learn and deliver.
"Only God can bring sanity to this craze," she said. "Nonetheless, I believe there is a Supreme Being somewhere who cares about His people." It is clear that Zimbabweans have become so obsessed with "prophecies and miracles" that many have defected from their traditional churches to the new crop of Pentecostal churches that have mushroomed in the country. Could the mushrooming of prophets and churches mean that the gospel of Christ is now readily available and salvation of souls is at the doorstep?
Bishop Itai Hove of Elshaddai Ministries said Christians should be aware of the difference between spiritual prophecy and mere prediction. "There is a difference between spiritual prophecy, fortune telling, foretelling, premonitions and predeterminations," she said.
"While prophesy must involve God, some of these are demonic, like fortune telling. Prophecy involves spiritual and edification of believers and is added up by words of wisdom and advice, while fortune telling destroys, castigates and leaves a void in a person." Traditionalists believe that people should simply revert to their beliefs that are not complicated. Prophecy and Christianity, they say, are far removed from the people's traditional way of doing things.
A traditionalist and author, Mr William Hakundwi, said the issue of prophecy had become topical as people have turned from worshipping God to worshipping pastors and prophets. "The world has turned upside down," he said.
"Traditional churches have long been abandoned for the "miracle-bearing" Pentecostal churches. It has resulted in the majority, who genuinely hunger for the gospel, ending up worshipping the preacher instead of the one being preached.
"The Bible is no longer the point of reference but instead the pastor of the church is now the point of reference, which is pitiful." But Prophet Passion says "prophecy helps convince people into righteousness". He said people are usually left with no doubt when he tells them about their ID numbers, specific names and dates of birth. "Before a service, I pray for at least eight hours to prepare myself spiritually," said Prophet Passion.
"In due course, I have visions of the people whose lives I will prophecy on. I actually see them, where they would be seated in church, their names, national identification numbers and specific problems. If they are job seekers, I even see their curriculum vitae. When I pray for these CVs they would be guaranteed of securing jobs." But it seems such prophecy is always bound to raise controversy, as some fail to distinguish between genuine annointing and other forms of divination.
Presiding Bishop of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Zimbabwe Bishop Trevor Manhanga said people were wrong in treating prophecy as something new to the church. He said some "abominably inflated the powers of the Holy Spirit". "Prophecy is not new to the church but a very important ministry gift that God has given to the church," he said.
"What we have today purportedly to be prophecy is nothing less than people operating as n'angas using the cloak of the church. This is nothing short of an abomination to God. "We have reduced noble ideals to such low levels as deciphering someone's ID numbers. In a world of sickness, poverty, famine and violence, it is an aberration to declare that people should come to hear miraculous prophecies based on the fact that someone knows your ID number."
Bishop Manhanga said prophecy had a place in the church but could not be used to replace the word of God which every believer is to use as their guide. "Let us, thereof, be vigilant as the church in Zimbabwe and not allow ourselves to follow unbalanced, unbiblical, self-seeking pied pipers into destruction," he said.
In a recent "apocalyptic prediction", Harold Camping, the leader of a Christian ministry called Family Radio Worldwide based in the United States, claimed that Judgment Day was on May 21 2011. But May 21 passed without any incident. Camping had claimed that his "prophecy" of Doom's Day was from his interpretation of the Bible. What becomes intriguing is that the Bible clearly states that no one knows about the day of judgment except the Father.
Signals such as the emergence of the new wave of prophecy, the mushrooming of churches, the hunger and thirst for miracles, the growth of the gospel of materialism and shrinking of faith in Christians are now the order of the day. Some believe that there is a measure of genuine prophecy out there. But it seems difficult for Christians to differentiate between bogus and bona fide prophets.
Source - TNZ
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