It’s much neater and cleaner the concept that prophecy is not for today and that, due to excess, no one in the church should ever drink.

This might seem like comparing apples to oranges because you are talking about prophets not prophetic dreams directly from God, nevertheless, this story comes to mind about the prophetic. If you look to the biblical story of Joseph, God gave Joseph dreams as a youth of his family bowing to him, but shortly after sharing those dreams with his family instead of bowing to him his brothers wanted to kill him, but decided instead to spare him and sell him into slavery to merchants, but they told their father they found Joseph’s blood stained robe and it appeared he was dead. Then a series of fortunate and unfortunate things happened to Joseph, he landed in Pontipher’s house, was accused of rape, thrown in prison,  received more prophetic  dreams for others which happened.  The bible says the word of the Lord tried him there. His faith was being tried. Where was his family bowing down to him? Wouldnt that seem impossible at that point sitting in prison? But yet God worked it out. The prophetic message is sometimes great and wonderful but like in the case of Joseph, God doesnt always share all the details in between as to how you will get there, and it could and likely will involve suffering,   it is a walk of faith, and when things go good faith seems easy, it is when things get tough and it seems like God abandoned you, that is when true faith has to kick in.  Even his family and the known world at the time suffered famine until Joseph’s dreams came to pass.  In the end, as we know the dreams came true. Let’s look at Jesus, and the many prophecies of him, and his ultimate outcome, glory and suffering, obedience unto death and greater glory,  and of Paul who did learn up front “all the things he would suffer” for the cause of Christ.  The prophetic promises victories , we are called more than conquerors, so if there was no suffering, no testing, what would we conqueor?   Suffering seems to be a precurser to glory it keeps us calling out to God, when things are prosperous  we can get careless, but when things get into a desperate situation many start calling out to God day and night. I believe it’s easy to prophecy and declare the great revival because the bible already says it will come, BUT at a time when great darkness covers the earth.  Shadrach, Meschak and Abendego come to mind, who apparently no one prophecised over just prior to their great trial, who determined in their heart to fully serve the Lord during their captivity, even deciding not to eat the kings food  then what happens? A decree is made to worship the “god” which Nebuchadnezzar had erected, they refused even again after they were threatened to be thrown in the firey furnace, the bible makes a big issue of faith yet their reply sounds more like hope than faith…they said “our God CAN  save us, but even if he does not, we wont worship your god”, and I am sure you know the rest of that story …  as for COVID and the mandatory vaccine, (i worked in a hospital for 9 years but in an administrative not clerical role) my heart’s cry was, “God can protect me from COVID and prosper me without this job, but even if he doesnt i wont worship the god of the medical industry or the financial world system” i had a house, i decided to sell it and downsize, (and i did) a couple years before COVID i had a few incidents where I prayed through actual heart attacks, (I am 61, not on any drugs at all, a believer since my early 20s,  all my life I have rarely ever have actually been treated by a doctor) I knew i was having heart attacks during those times and each time cried out to God asking, “what shall I do?” and God said “trust me and relax” so i did, one happened while i was driving on a highway, God said, “pull over and relax”. Do you know how hard it is to relax on the side of a busy highway? The cars are speeding past you so fast your car shakes. But i pulled over and rested in the God of my salvation instead of panicking and calling paramedics, but mind you i have had direct one on one encounters with God in my lifetime and I knew God was speaking, and I knew if I asked God what to do He would answer, in case He actually wanted me to go to the hospital, yet the God I serve is the God of Israel who said in Deuteronomy, ” I am the God who heals you” ” I kill and i make well” so I felt in my heart even before I asked, to “trust God even if he slays me”, biblical responses. Am i perfect? No, God knows, But i have made the bible my priority, not tv not social media, not my job, not vaccines or the Government. God wants us to obey the government. The bible clearly says that, yet it was the government mandating the vaccine for my industry, not every industry, so I quit, and asked God to help me find a job where it wasnt mandated and He did, and in the mean time my 86 year old mom passed away leaving me a small fortune, apparently God has prepared me “for a time such as this” I never knew my mom would leave me anything as my sister was always her favorite. I could go on talking about all God has done for me but suffuce to say I have suffered greatly in this life to get here to this place where I know I can cry out like Jehosophat did in the midst of an attack during battle, and God hears. Suffering is part of this life. David suffered through Saul’s jealous rages and years of being hunted by Saul and his armies knowing Saul wanted to kill him , he was anointed as king in his youth but inherited the throne when God allowed it, but in the meantime God allowed him to stay in the run, and from that we have the psalms. Jesus prophecised false prophets and teachers. We need to get our faith and our words from God one on one, Jesus said “my sheep hear my voice” he didnt say “my sheep call in prophets”  yet we know the bibly clearly says proohets are given to the church to assist, yet 1 John(the disciple Jesus loved) says (implying that the spiritually mature)  dont need anyone to teach them because the Holy Spirit does, so there is a balance in the bible of  true prophets and teachers sent by God yet they are to teach you how to get to a point where you hear God for yourself and no longer  rely on them.

2021 will be no better. In fact it could be worse. Even if COVID is dealt with under neath there is an erosion to our freedoms and more controls coming in and the advance of our Liberty given in Christ and our commission to get out there and make disciples has been hampered.

The enemy always does things in steps, slowly undermining until his foot is firmly in the door. God out of schools years ago and now we see lbgt and gender abominations and a generation more destined to hell than before.

Aren’t we given authority to stamp on serpents?! Why is the church so afraid of this virus? Where is the fight and to get out there and even if we are to die we do so in service of loving our neighbour?

What’s the chances that with technology we won’t be able to go anywhere without proving we don’t have COVID or have had the vaccine?! It looks more likely this is coming and people seem to want it ?!? This is slavery to the world no?!? The children of god alone have the right to deal with the things of God and yet it’s the unsaved, blinded unbelievers that seem to be governing what we do and how we should live.

We have a prophetic voice.. we are to speak forth the truth and live it out. That’s it.

Have you heard of Bro. Vincent Selvakumar, a true prophet of God from south india at this times. He is 100% reliant. Sample his prophecy about corona virus, way back in 2016, its origin, implications

I’m grateful for your insights, MIke and am encouraged about the Aus church with people like you. There are not many with this viewpoint but a remnant is enough to make a new start.

yes, may God have mercy on us!

Thanks Ron. I just checked your blog post, and yes, I agree whole heartedly.