“All true seers are prophets but not all prophets are seers.”
Perhaps you have heard this and taken it as a quote from the Bible. This is actually a quote from a well-known prophet of this generation. Unfortunately, the Word of God does not support this conclusion. To fully understand why, we must look at three of the most misunderstood members of the body of Christ often linked together in their application and mistaken for one another. Perhaps this is because individually these can be hard to understand without knowing about the others.
There are two Hebrew words, ro’eh and chozeh. Both mean “seer.” Two Bible verses will fully explain the difference in these two words:
Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was before time called a Seer. (1 Samuel 9:9 AKJV)
This “seer” is ro’eh and was used at this point in the Word of God to refer to both seers and prophets. The word nabiy’ has just one meaning—"prophet” and can refer to either a false or true prophet.
Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers... (2 Kings 17:13 AKJV)
In this verse we see that there are
two kinds of people mentioned: a prophet (nabiy’)
and a seer (chozeh). Ro’eh is no longer used after this. It
is clear that not ALL seers are prophets, because they are mentioned as two
separate groups. If all seers were prophets, it wouldn’t have been necessary to
mention seers at all.
Seers
The gift of seeing into the spirit
realm often causes individuals to be labelled as prophets when they are really
operating in the gift of the word of wisdom or word of knowledge. We also refer
to them as “seers.” This title is misleading, for information received from the
spiritual realm isn’t simply limited to seeing.
This gift, often given at birth,
allows someone to see, hear, smell, taste, and feel things that are happening
in the spirit realm. For them, the veil between this world and heaven is very
thin and they can peer into it. This shouldn’t be confused with those referred
to as “seers” in the Old Testament before there were prophets. Those were men
and women called by God as prophets before there was a nation of Israel and
distinct titles given to different jobs.
Psychics, witch doctors, shamans, and mystics are often born with this gift. It is from whom they receive their gifts that makes the difference. Without Jesus in the picture, providing them with a bridge to Him, seers are hearing from demons instead of the Holy Spirit. For this reason, it is imperative to know how to “test the spirits.”
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. (1 John 4:1-3)
While having a conversation with
someone you can see or not see, you should always ask, “Do you admit that Jesus
Christ has come in the flesh?” If it is the Holy Spirit or another one sent
from God, they will excitedly agree. Spirits sent from the enemy will ignore
the question, hedge around it, or flee because if they admit this, then they
are admitting that He has authority over them.
Seeing and hearing aren’t the only
ways God communicates with seers, but all seers will be able to view things in
the spirit realm. If you receive information in other ways, most likely it is a
gift of discernment from the Holy Spirit. It takes time to become a mature seer
because all five senses are involved. You will have to learn how to discern
your feelings, because there will be times when feelings come to you as you
operate as a seer and they’re not your feelings. If you take them personally it
can cause you much trouble.
The one thing the Church has taught
against is relying on feelings, and for good reason. Even if you are a
Christian, you can pick up signals from the enemy rather than the Holy Spirit.
You should be watchful and take foreign feelings as a “head’s up,” but not as
gospel. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit for more information. In some cases, you
may know which spirit is motivating a person; the Holy Spirit, a demonic
spirit, or their wounded human spirit. This is a gift any Christian may have:
the “discerning of spirits.”
At times you may sense how other
people are feeling and know exactly how to minister to them. What emotions are
at the root of their issue: depression, self-rejection, joy, anger, happiness?
You can feel where they’re coming from and know exactly what to ask for as you
pray for them. You’ll know where there is self-rejection, because of what you
feel. If you’re ministering to somebody who has self-rejection, you’ll feel it
coming at yourself, and you must never take any of these things personally.
A seer may be able to feel the
strongholds of any given town. If you enter a town and feel a sense of lust,
lust owns that town. If you feel depression, it’s a depressed place. As you
come to a particular place, you’ll take on the feelings of that town, country,
or even a person, whether they are good or bad. One of the hardest things to
minister to is the spirits of self-rejection. Suicidal thoughts come through
these spirits. A seer will feel these things. If you think they are coming from
yourself, you will be totally unproductive. You need to have all these senses attuned
to the Holy Spirit and be able to recognize and say, “This is not me. I am not
in self-rejection. I love myself. I can taste and see that He is good.”
You can also smell what’s happening.
You can discern what’s wrong with a person, church, city, or even a nation,
because you can smell it. You can smell sin, corruption, and holiness. That’s
what 2 Corinthians 2:14 says: “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in
triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of
Him in every place.” So, you can smell the sweet incense of the Lord. You can
smell His presence when He “comes out of” people, for the kingdom is inside us.
You can actually smell when a person really yields to God. You may also smell
rotten eggs, ammonia, or other odors that reveal demonic activity.
Seers are often not welcomed because
they are in possession of the least understood of all the gifts. You may feel
like you don’t fit in any place except with other seers, so you move from
church to church. Sharing your revelation and dreams and the way God
communicates with you might cause people to think you’re a bit odd. Most dreams
and visions are metaphorical and need to be interpreted. Not all seers have the
gift of interpretation so it is important to find someone who does if you are a
seer. If you give a literal interpretation of a dream or a vision that is
metaphorical, it will not come to pass, and then your reputation will be
tarnished.
Whenever you receive information, you should always put it to the test of scripture. If it doesn’t line up with the Word of God, don’t accept it. Many are being led astray by following signs and revelations that are not biblical in any way. (See examples of this in the free book, “Roadmap to Heaven.”)
It’s time for the seer to come forth.
The Church needs you. It is time for the seer to mature and be used.
What is the difference between a seer and a prophet? Being able to discern things in the spirit realm, even things of the future, does not make you a prophet. Prophets are a part of the five-fold ministry.
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up… (Ephesians 4:11-12)
Prophets are on the list of people
called by Jesus to edify the body, yet most Christians know nothing about this
office. Many times those who frequently use the “gift of prophecy” are
incorrectly labelled as a prophet. It is mentioned in the list of gifts of the
Spirit (1 Corinthians 12) and Paul tells us that we should all seek this gift
(1 Corinthians 14:5) and it should be used to edify the body of Christ. Perhaps
because there is a gift of prophecy, many believers think there is no need for
prophets. There are some important differences in the two:
The Gift of
Prophecy
The gift of prophecy takes place as
the Holy Spirit moves upon a believer. It is a declaration about an event or
person that God reveals. It is to edify and build up the body of Christ. Anyone
who is born again can operate in this gift of the Holy Spirit, who resides
inside of us. Someone operating in this gift should always be uplifting. The
Holy Spirit brings hope and not despair.
Prophets
Prophets are called by God in a clear
and specific event. They hear God’s voice and are referred to as the mouthpiece
of God, which means their words are filled with God and His power. Prophets are
sent with revelations, corrections, and information about future events and
sometimes about people. Often, they operate as teachers concerning the words
they are given from God.
What’s the harm in labelling the prophetic gift as the ministry of prophet? When we confuse the two, we may forget that there are blessings for supporting a prophet, and these are seen throughout the Bible. For example:
I Kings 17:8-24 tells the story of the widow
woman who met the prophet Elijah who was sent by God to her so she could
support him. To summarize the history of events, the prophet Elijah gives the
widow woman an instruction. It is through her act of obeying and supporting
God’s prophet that she is blessed miraculously, enabling her to sustain her
life and the lives of Elijah and her household.
Blessing:
Provision
We can be sustained even if there is
a famine with ongoing, life-sustaining provision because of our obedience and
acceptance of a prophet’s message through the prophet’s close relationship and
connection to God.
In verse 22, this same woman’s son
dies, but because she had supported God’s prophet, he brings the son back to
life. Here we see that Elijah was being supported by the widow. This allowed
him time to pray and concentrate, and to continue to cultivate a relationship
with the Almighty God Jehovah from whom all blessings flow. He did not have to
worry about a place to stay or about food to eat. Instead, this allowed him to
do what prophets do: stay close to God and receive instructions from God for
His people so that they could be encouraged, comforted, and strengthened.
Blessing:
Healing, even from death.
2 Kings 4 tells the story of a
Shunammite woman who provides for the prophet Elisha, first with food then with
a room dedicated for his use. After some time, Elisha asks her what she wants.
She asks for a son since she is barren. Not only is her wish fulfilled, but
when her son becomes sick and dies, Elisha prays for him and brings him back to life.
Blessing:
Answered
prayers
When joined with a prophet,
supporting his physical needs, God honors this contribution by responding
quickly to requests made.
Despite all these benefits, most Christians have never heard about modern-day prophets, perhaps because most churches are hesitant in acknowledging them. There is a good reason that this calling has been pushed aside by our leaders. Back in the “Jesus Movement” of the 1970s, many who had a prophetic gift and offered words of wisdom or words of knowledge, would automatically proclaim themselves as prophets.
Some would then share things (often by listening to familiar spirits) in order to convince Christians that they were hearing from God by revealing things that only that person would know. Then these unscrupulous men would demand monetary support. This is not how God’s system works. Nor should anyone ever suggest, hint, or tell you what to give. That is the job of the Holy Spirit.
Is it any wonder that when these
actions started taking place, prophets were pushed out of churches? Satan took
some valuable ground, but it is time to take it back! Seers and prophets need
to come forward and use their gifts to help guide the body of Christ.
More articles on:
Believers' Boot Camp series
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| Destroying Curses in the Courts of Heaven |
Many people think of boot camp as a place you train for combat. Any veteran will tell you that basic training is about three things:
- Knowing what weapons are available
- Learning how to use those weapons
- Receiving orders and following them
Volume 1: Why Doesn't God Speak to Me?
Eager hearts cry out, hoping for a single word to confirm that He hears us. Yet, many times the only sound is silence. Over the years I have heard several reasons why God speaks to some and not to others. One night, as I tossed and turned, I brought each of these reasons before the Lord, stating why each of them did not line up with who I thought He was.
Words rose from my soul, pleading for Him to reveal why He has remained silent when a single word from Him would mean so much to so many. For the next few hours, God used things I learned about years ago and things I had just discovered to show why He talks to some and why He doesn’t, and in demonstrative ways.
In His grace, He also showed me how people could hear more from Him. Basic instructions on how to hear more from God and how to be led by Him are included in this book. Thank you for taking time to consider the answers I received and share with you now.
Keys to Authority for Every Believer
There is untapped power that is easy for every Christian to access in the form of authority. The keys to this authority will unlock weapons we can use to free ourselves from the attacks of the enemy. We must be intimately aware of the bounds and limitations of our weapon if they are to be used effectively.
Find out about your authority:
- Why you need it.
- Where it comes from.
- What you can do with it.
- How to get more.
There is untapped power that is easy for every Christian to access in the form of authority. The keys to this authority will unlock weapons we can use to free ourselves from the attacks of the enemy. We must be intimately aware of the bounds and limitations of our weapon if they are to be used effectively. - Why you need it.
- Where it comes from.
- What you can do with it.
- How to get more.
This is a bitter sweet gift. I feel alone, misunderstood, rejected and mocked. I see things and they happen. I have had it since I was a kid and I am now almost 60.
ReplyDeleteI get to the place where I just want to remain silent.
You’re not at Alone don’t be silent
DeleteI came upon your site looking up relevant material on the seer. It is refreshing to be reminded of the gifts and callings of God. Unfortunately the right foot of fellowship is all to familiar to me in my own experience with God's people. I am 60 years old and was with a prophetic movement in the 80s and 90s. Since those times a lot of wandering in the desert. I only know two people that operate in five fold offices that are praying for such to be received again by the church. I have recently stopped going to a fellowship where I was held at arms length by the leadership without even saying anything much at all. Being able to keep emotionally stable and not completely overwhelmed is always very challenging. If the message is from God, then it will come forth even if some resist its proclamation.
ReplyDelete