Where are Our Prophets

My understanding is that prophesy is just the Word Of God. To prophesie is to speak what God tell you to say, and sometimes that is what wis to come, but Jesus told the woman at the well all she ever did, That too is prophesying.

There are so many churches that allow the gifts to operate including prophesy. Just Google "Assemblies of God near me" or "Charismatic church near me"

Then start visiting them. I think you will discover that the majority of active churches in most communities today are Charismatic in faith and the others sit empty or with a handful of old people. The tide turned a long time ago.

I challenge people to do a search and start visiting. I believe most people will be shocked about how many Spirit Filled churches were very close to them and how many on fire for God saints were around them for them to get to know and live life with.

The gift of prophesy is active in a huge number of churches, large and small in every community in America and through out the world. Finding one should be fairly easy.

However, not everyone who thinks they are prophets and think they are operating in the gift really are. Lots of positive affirmation going on in the name of prophesy. It is not the gift. Lots of people wanting to be called Prophet like a title, they aren't.

But those churches that have used Paul's teachings to guide the use of the gifts have good balance and order and not many flaky things go on. Others let people showboat and don't correct and these are full of weird things like laughing and other manifestations that make people think all Charismatics must be nuts. This is all because leadership has not trained them how to operate in the biblical gifts in decency and in order.

So finding that mature church is the objective. You might have to visit a few to find one but there is one near most people if they would just pray and ask God to lead them to one.

In 2016, God gave me a vision of where our prophets are. I believe by faith that what He showed me is true as the Bible also bears witness in some places.

1.) In the Bible, not even God's people received the prophets most of the time. That hints that God's modern people will also reject the prophets most of the time.

2.) In the Bible, Jezebel tried to kill all the prophets and so the remaining ones had to go into hiding, including Elijah. That hints that in our modern times, the enemy tries to kill the prophets and therefore they're usually in hiding.

3.) In the Bible, John the Baptist was thrown into prison for boldly preaching God's word (prison in those days was both behind bars as well as underground). That hints that in our times, people who boldly (keyword is 'boldly') preach God's word will also be punished and silenced.

In the vision God gave me in 2016, He first showed me the modern pastors who were over the Body of Christ but who were having a negative effect on the Body of Christ. He then showed me the modern prophets and then the modern apostles. The enemy was keeping both the prophets and the apostles in hidden places of confinement in order to prevent them from going forth and having a godly effect on the Body of Christ which the pastors in the vision were not having. Guess where the prophets were in the vision? They were behind bars in a prison that was located underground (awaiting the time when Jesus would come and release them to go forth) because the enemy didn't just want to shut their mouths (ie. prison) but also wanted them out of sight (ie. underground). In the vision, the enemy wasn't afraid of the pastors, but he was taking no chances with the prophets and apostles. This is true to real life, both in the biblical record and today.

So as to your question of where the prophets are, I believe-- by intuition, a basic understanding of the enemy's war strategy, the biblical evidence, and the 2016 vision-- that as of this time (Sunday, July 17, 2022), most or all of the genuine prophets (and apostles) of our modern times are currently being detained, tied up, and hindered by the enemy in various ways so that the godly influence (or anointing or Grace) that God has invested into them for the Body of Christ at large cannot reach or have a positive effect on the Body of Christ.

I think his question was about NT prophets like what you can read about in Acts.

You have a blessed day too.

I'm glad you said this, because before I sat down and looked for myself, I would have said this pretty much too.
But Paul suggests that Prophecy is ruled by the Prophet. 1 Corinthians 14
29Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. 30And if a revelation comes to someone who is seated, the first speaker should stop. 31For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. 32The spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. For God is not a God of disorder, but of Peace..." You can probably remember this, but now you can know that this was spoken directly to those with Prophecy, to avoid speaking over each other.
This is only one job of prophets, and it is only recorded so often in the OT because paper was expensive and writers were few, and often the only stories that were recorded and kept, were those that discussed Kings or the fate of the whole nation.
But, it is true that prophets tend to also be given revelations where we are going Astray in our own leadership. And it is for this purpose, so that our hearts can be properly guided, and proper guides, I think that prophets are most powerful.

Everything in my human mind says of course, Satan would want this. I feel prompted toward this view as well, though I did already note this. And however this is true, and I know it is by at least the spiritual implications of our lack of education on the topic, then I would say we as a church need to pray that our prophets are released. God can open doors without asking, any time God wants.

I dunno if finding a mature church is the objective. I would say that in most cases, prayer that the church where you are takes these roles seriously, would suffice.

But as Caleb notes, Satan works even in the institutions we call Church, and often with the people in positions of authority. And Real Prophecy, as noted by Lafftur, often exposes "important people." And God is not a respecter or men, or person in modern parlance. If you're sinning, God wants you to know it. And this will get in the way of "powerful people," which means, for Satan's sake, it must be silenced.
But we're not to concern ourselves with Satan's wishes over God's plan, or the Salvation of all the Nations.

Now that is what I call hitting the nail on the head!

That includes being aware that we can, and some will, get revelations about the Heart of the people who need to be convicted. You're claiming that the very presence of God is enough to chase out.
If that were true, then Satan couldn't have spoken with God about Job. Satan couldn't have spoken with Jesus.

As it turns out, as sons of God (john 1:12), it is OUR JOB to speak, so that conviction happens. Obeying means accepting when God has given you a prophecy, or when God has given someone the gift of prophecy.
Or why did Jesus promise
"12Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I am doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. "

Jesus wants to see you do greater things that he did?
When was the last time you were taught this from your Pulpit?

But I digress, at the least, we are to be ready to speak , for our hope. And that includes that we are members of the kingdom, with the powers of Jesus himself.

apwall21, what would be the ideal outcome of what you're proposing? Can you give us the big picture you see developing if your wishes came true? How would things be improved?

I'll answer by returning you to a question. What would have helped you if the worries of your heart were known by the Holy Spirit, and God had a direct word to be spoken into your life, by someone else?
Or those years you were backsliding, harming yourself and your ministry, and someone could have been aware by The Spirit, to tell you?

Oh, I'm talking about shaking up Satan's Kingdom, that's for sure; and if I'm comfy with where the earth is going, then my heart being exposed to the church for being comforted in Satan's destruction of God's plans, will at the least help the other members avoid my company while I'm failing.

I asked first. I sense you want me to answer your questions then you'll tailor your answer to what you think I want to hear. Either you have a vision of what you're trying to accomplish or you don't. You say you want to "shake up Satan's Kingdom," but what would that look like in the church? How would things be different?

I'm pretty sure that God can chase out anything He wants to.

God is... God.

...unless Jesus allowed him to. Satan had to ask permission to try Job as well.

It is our job to listen to and obey God. It is God who brings conviction unto salvation (through His Spirit.) We have nothing to boast of and can take no credit.

Luke 17:10
“So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.”

By far the greatest thing is to witness and testify of the glory and grace of our savior. We have the fulness of the Spirit dwelling within. We don't have to go to a Charismatic Church to get it. We receive it at the time of salvation.

We have the opportunity of walking by faith also...

John 20:29
“Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”

Being vessels of the Almighty God is a thing of momentous... unfathomable proportion. What an opportunity we have, but what a short time on this earth to fulfill our purpose. I know I'm rambling, but I am rather excited about this.

Don't have to wait for a pulpit man. It's all right here in the Written Word of God!

I suppose I shall have to forgive you, for I am doing the same thing.

Your original post and question seemed to be about the prophets and gift of prophesy as mentioned in Acts and taught by Paul.
These gifts operate in Charismatic churches. They are handled correctly by those that are mature in the sense that they have learned from Paul's teachings and the New Testament examples. Sometimes there are flaky things going on in the name of prophesy.

If your church does not believe that the gift of prophesy as mentioned in Corinthian church is still available for the churches today it is best to leave that church and find one that does. That church is closed to the movement of the Spirit and is not going to be open to you operating in that gift. You can try but no one ever revives these churches, they just get asked to leave.

The New Testament examples of prophets in the church don't show them going around correcting kings and leaders. This is a picture one imagines from the Old Testament prophets. It is good not to mix them up.

We are not looking for new Isaiah's to come on the scene and pronounce judgment on Israel. Jesus was the final one who did that. Jesus also prophesied the judgment that was going to come on all the world. Luke 22:36 and surrounding context. New Testament saints have all been given the task to preach that message and proclaim the Gospel and tell people to pray that they might escape these things that are going to come upon all the earth. We all have that task. Now all God's people are prophets.

There is a New Testament gift of prophesy and some who were called prophets in the book of Acts that warned of things like famines or even that Paul would be bound in Jerusalem. These who do this often were called prophets because God used them this way more than the average but any believer could be given a prophesy if the Lord willed it. In the church there were gifts of prophesy to edify believers and also to convince unbelievers that God was really in them. These gifts and manifestations are different than an Isaiah confronting the leaders in Israel.

When Jesus said that John the Baptist was the greatest prophet but that the least in the kingdom of heaven was greater than he, He was revealing a change when the Holy Spirit would be poured out on all flesh both Men and Women and they would all become prophets of the New Testament and so it is. If we can grasp that we have been called to be filled with the Holy Ghost and power from on high to be His witnesses to all nations, and go forth in faith we will find that He uses each of us as a mighty prophet in these last days. But we don't call ourselves "prophet" as that is obnoxiously arrogant. We call ourselves "servants."

I don't totally agree with that. If you read the OT, you'll find several OT prophets were ignored by the people.
This is what's happening with preachers who warn the people of things to come. They are ignored. People in their church will shovel the sermon over their shoulder to the next pew, thinking it belongs to them.
Many are out there, but few are listening.
When a preacher prays for God's revealing(sermon), & speaks what God says to the people, isn't that prophesying? When there are warnings given that come to pass, isn't that prophesying?
It's not that there aren't any prophets, it's people don't know who they are because they don't listen to them.
Remember the king that didn't like the OT prophet that always had seemingly bad things to say? He listened to the false prophets instead.
Jesus said: Mark 6:4 But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.

John also covers this.
John 4:44 For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country.

In my experience prophets aren’t loved much. Lots of skeptics within the very church itself who will cut them down. Even in the Bible, the prophets weren’t popular. In fact all or most of them were martyred according to Jesus. Jesus Himself was killed, John the Baptist, Stephen, and many others according to tradition.

Matthew 23:37
37O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under herwings, and ye would not!

The prophets reveal inconvenient spiritual truths, they know too much because they have access to the source of knowledge - God Himself who often speaks through angelic messengers to deliver a message.

So the prophets inevitably become targets of Satan himself who may attempt to try to kill them or even attempt to manipulate them through deceit.

Ever wonder why Paul said Satan is transformed into an angel of light?

2 Cor. 11:14
14And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

Paul himself, being a prophet, understood that the devil tries to appear like an angel of light in order to deceive prophets and hopefully use them to deliver corrupt messages to the church; aside from just poor reading comprehension, this is where many false doctrines come from.

Doctrines of devils is a literal thing. Doctrines invented by the devil and/or his angels:

1 Tim. 4:1
1Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

Doctrines of devils can’t be known by people unless they can somehow deliver a message for them or prophesy on behalf of a devil.

That’s why prophets need to be extremely careful and always cross examine everything with the Old and New Testament, mature Christians, and other prophets.

1 Cor. 14:29
29Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.

The problem with your question is that I am seeking that God's will be done, and I can't say what all that looks like, as I ain't often God. So I can only ask you what you think would be different if we actually used the Gifts that Paul and Jesus both told us we'd get.

Satan has false versions of everything of God.
We are told that even John the Baptist, the GREATEST UNDER THE LAW AND PROPHETS, is the least. So, I find it different, we're supposed to have an entire church full of Isaiahs, and Elijahs. The prayers of an 1 hour old saint, should shut off the rains.

Yup. Greater now than ever in history.

You're asking God's will be done so long as it conforms to your idea of what He should be doing. At least that's how I'm reading what you've said up to this point. You believe we should accept that everyone who is born again will receive the gift of prophecy. How do you arrive at this conclusion? Is it based on 1 Corinthians 14:1? "Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy."

I don't see in this verse a mandate that all should have the gift of prophecy, only that if a person desires a spiritual gift they should desire prophecy over tongues. The Holy Spirit is still in control of who gets what gifts.

Maybe I'm reading you all wrong, but this is my conclusion after following what you've said so far.