Never Let Anybody Dictate to You By Revelation

Well, the Lord has shown me, and I’m telling you. But that is not a scriptural attitude. In every case, except one, and the exception is not important in principle, wherever prophets are mentioned in the New Testament, they’re mentioned in a group. Let’s have a look at this now. Let’s go through these. There are approximately 10 persons mentioned in the New Testament as having the ministry of prophets. We’ll look at all the cases very quickly. The first is in Acts chapter 11.

“And in these days came prophets” plural “from Jerusalem unto Antioch. And there stood up one of them named Agabus and signified by the spirit he gave forth some revelation by the Holy Spirit that there should be a great dearth or famine throughout all the civilized world, which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judea,” who would need special help in the time of famine. “Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.”

Notice, a group of men, and it could not have been less than three. Probably, in my opinion, was more, but at least there were Agabus and two others. A group of men came down from Jerusalem functioning together as prophets. One of them, Agabus, stood up, gave forth his revelation. It is clear from the teaching of the New Testament that the other prophets must have endorsed that revelation. If they had not endorsed it, the church would not have acted on it. Here’s the great safeguard which radically runs through the whole of the New Testament. It’s the safeguard of plurality. There are no dictators in the true church of Jesus Christ. Neither an apostle nor a prophet is a dictator. Each one must function within certain limitations, function as part of a team, and be subject to the total discipline of the body of Jesus Christ. This is such a tremendously important principle. The neglect of it is causing havoc and disaster in many areas of the United States at this time.

Moving on to Acts 13, we have this passage there.

“Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers.”

They were both prophets and teachers. The two ministries go very closely together. And there are named five men. Their names are Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius, Manaen, and Saul. Now we’ve had three before, at least, and five, that makes eight. That’s the minimum. Acts 15:32, we have two more. It says,

“Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words and confirmed them.”

So, Judas and Silas also were acknowledged as prophets. And notice that part of the prophetic ministry is exhortation. It’s included in the prophetic ministry. “Being prophets, they exhorted the brethren.” So, we have at least 10 persons, and probably more, actually designated as prophets. Now turn on to Acts 21. We have a very interesting case. Acts 21:8 through 11.

“The next day we that were of Paul’s company departed, and came unto Caesarea: And we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist.”

Would you notice that? Because when we come to deal with the evangelist, we don’t need to turn back to that text. Philip is the evangelist. He’s the only man specified by name in the whole New Testament as an evangelist. Isn’t that remarkable? 28 persons are called apostles, at least 10 are called prophets, only one is called an evangelist, and yet the church today dubs people evangelists right and left and never dares to apply the title apostle or prophet. Isn’t that remarkable? All right.

“We entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; And abode with him. The same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.”

They exercised the gift of prophesying. They were not necessarily prophetesses.

“And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet.”

Notice the difference.

“Named Agabus. And when he was come unto us, he took Paul’s girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, ‘Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’”

Notice how gracious the Holy Spirit is, you see. The Holy Spirit is never a dictator. He’s the spirit of grace. Notice the operation. Agabus came down, went over to Paul, took Paul’s girdle from off his clothing. He did not bind Paul’s hands and feet. He bound his own. Then he said, into effect, “Paul, if you will accept it, this is what lies ahead of you in Jerusalem.” That’s the grace of the Holy Spirit, see. Most people would have come along and tied Paul up and said, “Paul, that’s what’s going to happen to you.” But Agabus tied himself up and said, “Paul, you have the choice. But if you go to Jerusalem, this is what lies ahead.”

Now, Agabus here was operating on his own. You may say, “Well, that breaks your principle.” But it doesn’t, really, because if you look back, you find that what Agabus told Paul was only the final confirmation of what Paul had already been shown in many different places along the line of his journey. Turn back to Acts chapter 20 and read with me verses 22 and 23. Acts 20, Paul is here speaking to the elders of the church at Ephesus, and he tells them what God has been showing him all the way of his journey.

“And now, behold,” he says, “I go bound in the spirit.”

He was already bound in the spirit before Agabus gave him that revelation. This was just the final confirmation. He wasn’t bound by man, he was bound by the Spirit of God. He could have gone elsewhere. He could have made his own decision. He could have taken a different course. He could have avoided Jerusalem. The bondage was not external. It was his bondage to the will of God and the Holy Spirit.

“Now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.”

Every place that Paul came to, there came forth, in some way or another, a revelation that he was headed for bonds and afflictions in the city of Jerusalem. So when Agabus gave that revelation, it was not something on its own which Paul had to believe without confirmation. It was just the final confirmation of what Paul had already been shown. This is what I want you to understand. Never let anybody dictate to you with their own revelation. If Paul, if somebody comes up to you and says, “Sister, God has shown me you’re to go to Nigeria.” Say, “Praise the Lord. I’ll wait till God shows me. I’ll wait till I have confirmation.” Never let anybody dictate to you by revelations. You’re headed for disaster the moment you do it. I have seen lives, families, and churches wrecked by directive revelations and prophecies that were not adequately tested and confirmed by the people who acted on them. Never do it. It isn’t scriptural. And any person that has that desire to dictate and direct the lives of others, I’ll tell you frankly, is not motivated by the Holy Spirit.