Tim Price
June 2017
A controversial topic
Prophesying is often
controversial. This is hardly surprising. When it’s done haphazardly or
undiscerningly it can be extremely dangerous.
False prophecies cause
shallow hype, ungodly fear, confusion, and even division. Rather than
encourage, instruct, and warn, spiritual edification is greatly undermined.
True prophecies bring a
contrasting experience.
Holy Spirit prophecy
encourages Godly love, holiness, and fervent service. Real prophets sound this
call which sometimes involves practical direction, like when Agabus warned the
early church of an approaching famine (Acts chapter 11, verse 28). Genuine
prophecy from God is unmistakable and powerful because it reveals His will and
testifies of Jesus.
While prophecies can
encourage, at times they warn. Prophetic warnings aren’t always given to reveal
what must come to pass, but to
encourage intercessory prayer to avert or lessen what’s coming.
Moses often interceded for
Israel when God revealed what He was going to do in response to their
rebellion. God’s pre-warnings showed how much He wanted His mercy to triumph
over judgement. Time after time, Moses succeeded in procuring mercy for God’s
people by standing in the gap for them through intercessory prayer.
A call to intercede
The same type of prayer is
needed today. While God’s people never experience wrath for sin (sin being
forgiven at the cross), he still disciplines them, just like loving parents
train children (Hebrews chapter 12, verse 5 and 6).
Spiritual discipline
intensifies when God’s people choose to depart from him via a life of ongoing,
wilful sin (1 Corinthians chapter 11, verse 32). This endangers Christians’
spiritual lives. A lack of discipline may result in ‘shipwrecking’ or ‘falling
away’ from the faith (1 Timothy chapter 1, verse 19 and chapter 4, verse 1).
Hebrews warns that, in
extreme cases, discipline will mirror rebellious Israel’s experiences in the
Old Testament (Hebrews chapter 12, verse 25 to 29). Ananias and Sapphira died
under this kind of judgment after lying to the Holy Spirit (Acts chapter 5,
verse 9 to 11). Corinthian Christians similarly suffered when they tried to
follow Christ in wilful, unrepentant sin (1 Corinthians chapter 11, verse 27 to
32).
God uses prophesy and
prophetic dreams and visions to warn Christians away from this kind of severe
discipline. A few years ago I received a dream warning for Hillsong.
The prophetic warning
The dream was especially
significant for me, as I was incredibly blessed by attending numerous Hillsong
conferences when I was younger. I woke from the confronting dream quite shocked
and grieved.
In the dream someone told me
a terrorist attack had hit Hillsong. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing! I was
incredulous, thinking it was some kind of awful joke. A newspaper allowed me to
look behind current headlines to a shocking future event: Hillsong had been hit
by terrorism.
I was stunned, knowing the
attack would’ve brought the loss of many lives.
Normal vs. prophetic dream
Through the years I learnt to
discern a prophetic dream from a normal one.
Normal dreams are products of
our own thoughts and are random and chaotic. They’re usually humanistic and
without biblical foundation. Recollection of such dreams is clouded, partial,
and temporary.
Prophetic dreams make sense
as a whole and contain obvious meaning. They have clear biblical foundation and
the reason for the revelation’s impartation is obvious. The vivid pictures and
events stay with the dreamer.
Prophetic dreams also come to
pass. Normal dreams don’t.
90-95% of the many prophetic
dreams I’ve had through the years have occurred. Fulfilled predictions include
worldwide terrorism, the French and European attacks, and Australia’s great floods,
storms, and wildfires.
The Hillsong dream was
perfectly clear, logical, and reflected a great modern challenge. Another part
of the dream linked directly with the Bible and the issue of spiritual
discipline.
This calls for wisdom
It’s with a heavy heart I’ve
shared this dream. God is warning that without prayer and repentance, a
terrorist attack could take place
against Hillsong in future years. Even if you don’t believe in spiritual
discipline, the Bible specifically states that God reveals the future (Isaiah
chapter 46, verse 10).
No prophetic revelation
besides biblical prophecy is inevitable, so the Hillsong attack isn’t certain.
But the recent Manchester and London Bridge tragedies shows the obvious
seriousness of this warning. We now face the sobering reality of a world where
terrorism even reaches the West.
Great prayer is needed for
Hillsong church and particularly its future conferences. Terrorists usually
target popular cites with mass gatherings. I’ve already written to Hillsong but
it was unclear how seriously they took the warning because they never responded
to my request for comment.
God’s perfect love means the
dream isn’t a reason to fear because he desires to bless and protect us. It’s
wise however to realise that God warns as the means of protecting Christians.
God wants to ensure we’re following him and aware of the dangers we’ll face if
we’re continuously disobedient or just practically careless.
People who carelessly and
knowingly walk into danger don’t have anyone but themselves to blame if they
get hurt.
If
you don’t know whether Jesus really wants you at a Hillsong conference, can I
plead with you: DON’T GO, it won’t be worth the risk. Please also spread this
warning. If you absolutely know God is leading you there, then go, but be aware
of the danger and earnestly pray for yourself and other attendees.
Tim lives on the Gold Coast. He has a Graduate Theology degree, taught in Christian education for over six years, and is currently studying a Masters of Divinity in theology at Liberty University online. He enjoys Christian devotional writing, tennis, and spending time with family and friends.
Tim Price’s previous articles may be viewed at
*This article was sent to Christian Today but they decided against publishing it
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