The other day, a young man in church told me I was his role model. There was no doubt he was being nice, and perhaps truthful, but I could not let that stand. Of course, I thanked him for his kind words, but followed up with the cautionary story of the old prophet. In 1 Kings 13:18, an older prophet said to a prophet of God, “I, too, am a prophet.”
In case you are not familiar with the story, let us summarize it. A young prophet heard God telling him to take a message to Bethel. He was to go directly and return by another way, not stopping to eat or drink anywhere. The young man was obedient to the Heavenly voice until an older prophet came to him. He said, “I, too, am a prophet, and an angel told me to take you home with me.” Ouch!
This subject is very close to my heart. It has been since the day, as HR manager, I persuaded our committee to employ an ‘experienced’ supply officer. In short shrift, he showed us what he was experienced in, and the organization had to fire him. Since then, I have been very nervous about the concept of pretending to be what you are not. Experience is only useful if you have been engaged in good practice.
Do not Offer To Become A Role Model
On the other hand, if your practice has been evil, your experience can only impart that which you have been practicing. So, anytime I hear someone say, “I, too, am a prophet,” I immediately want to know what they stand for. God has used that mistake about the supply officer to sensitize me to the danger of faulty experience.
So it was that when the young man wanted to choose me as a role model, I quickly dissuaded him. I do not wish to be guilty like the old prophet. Note that when the prophet made the claim of being a prophet, the Bible was careful to explain he was lying. The Word of God is true, and God did not want to be a partaker of that prophet’s lie. In the entire I, too, am a prophet situation, there was one good point.
The prophet did not claim that God told him to take the younger prophet home. He put it on an angel, and here is the point you can take from that. Anytime a ‘man of God’ focuses too much on angels, take his words with a grain of salt. They are probably lying, which is not to say angels do not exist. Angels exist as ministering spirits. Only occasionally does God give them messages for us.
Paul Could Lay Claim To I, Too, Am A Prophet
Because the older man claimed to be a prophet, the young prophet believed him. He went home with him, wined and dined, and consequently lost his ministry and life. Again, ouch! I wonder how many anointed men of God choose experienced ministers as role models, only to lose the fire of God in their lives. I should say there are a lot, just because they do not learn from this scenario of the false, older prophet. But now that you have heard this warning, you will not fall prey to any old prophet.
Only a man like Paul, who followed Jesus closely, could make himself a role model. Even then, he did not tell a lie like the prophet who claimed, “I, too, am a prophet.” All Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11.1 was, “Imitate me as I imitate Christ.” In other words, if you see me NOT imitating Jesus, do not follow me.
He was careful to point us to Jesus, making no false claims about his power and position in the Kingdom of God. That is a man to emulate, not the one who claims that I, too, am a prophet. You may be wondering how to know the difference, and you would be right. How do you tell the real man of God from the false prophet, old or not?
Learn To Hear God To Avoid The Error Of I, Too, Am A Prophet
To hear from God, you have to learn God’s language. It is in the Bible. So, if you are one of those Christians who do not find time for Bible study,, you are vulnerable to false prophets. They will come to you, claiming “I, too, am a prophet,” and you will follow them to hell. So, no matter how hard studying the Bible seems, start today.
That is definitely the first step in hearing from God. Of course, you then have to obey the first and smallest thing He tells you to do. If Abraham had not obeyed the first command to leave home, God could not have told him other, more difficult ones. He would not have become the father of faith if he had not started small, as a child of faith.
The more you obey, the more God tells you, and the more you desire to obey. It is a ladder of desire. God desires to talk to you, and you desire to listen to Him and obey Him. That is the only time you are free from the tricks of older prophets who claim, “I, too, am a prophet.” I pray we shall not lose the anointing of God.
Maranatha!
