Evasion And Calumny: What To Expect When You Debate A NARite From Scripture

A few months ago in the comments section of a YouTube video (see below) I was trying to probe and see how one of the commentors would react when confronted with scriptural standards for prophecy.

The video clearly reveals that Smith Wigglesworth, Lester Sumrall and Michael Brown presumptuously uttered prophecies in God's name that did not come true. I have left the correspondent's name and spelling and punctuation errors more or less as is.

NARWatch Israel to Wade Hicks:
Wade, A false prophet is by definition someone who makes predictions in the name of the LORD that don't come to pass.  Smith did exactly that. When we use God's name to attach to our own soothsaying and false predictions to give them credibility in the ears of the hearers, we are also taking God's name in vain as well and that is blasphemy. This of course is also apart from any other doctrinal issues that Wigglesworth had.

Wade Hicks to NARWatch Israel:
What are u refering to that he prophesied falsely? Would you like to see prohecies Jonathan edwards, john bunyan and other Calvinist have made in the name of the lord that didnt come to pass? Im sorry you listen to men that blaspheme the holy spirit and are decieved by a cessationalist doctrine that satan put into the minds of men.

NARWatch Israel to Wade Hicks:
You didn't watch the video then? It contains very clear evidence of Smith's false prophecy. In fact that was a major point of the video. How did you miss it?

NARWatch Israel to Wade Hicks:
Wade btw, I'm not a Calvinist so you're barking up the wrong tree there and you're also evading the issue, that Smith Wigglesworth made a false prophecy, which is clearly revealed in this video. Let's keep on point shall we?

Wade Hicks to NARWatch Israel:
1st off this is a edited video which this guy has been called out numerous times for doing but any way its a shame you take a you tube video as truth over many many Godly men that served with smith that all vouch for him. The whole premise of his ministry was to save the lost. He was a truly great man of God  whom if you a are saved Will see in heaven

Wade Hicks to NARWatch Israel:
im sure you will call leonard ravenhill and david wilkerson false prophets also but ravenhill was oh so right when he said " if you want to run religious men out of your church just allow the holy spirit to freely move"

NARWatch Israel to Wade Hicks:
I've seen the whole Sid Roth video featuring where he brags on throwing the baby against the wall etc. It's blasphemous. Jesus never did that stuff. And Kozar gives plenty of context around the Smith Revival prophecy. False prediction in the name of the LORD equals speaking presumptuously that which God has not said. That makes one a false prophet according to Duet. 18 and 13.

NARWatch Israel to Wade Hicks:
But were not talking about Leonard Ravenhiill or David Wilkerson right now. Let's keep on the issue.

Wade Hicks to NARWatch Israel:
well wilkerson and ravenhill believed smith to be a mighty man of God and i stand with them.

Wade Hicks to NARWatch Israel:
just because you dont like it doesnt make it wrong.

NARWatch Israel to Wade Hicks:
As Jesus says in Luke 6:26 "Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for so did their fathers to the false prophets!" Ultimately it is only what Scripture teaches on the matter that counts. I stand with that.

Wade Hicks toNARWatch Israel:
haha yeah ok you stand with scripture? Wow ok

NARWatch Israel Wade Hicks:
While my answer might sound trite and pious, the sentiment is correct. The ONLY thing at issue is: did Wigglesworth make false predictions in God's name? If yes, as demonstrated by Steve Kozar (and many others I might add have shared their concerns) then the following applies:

"The prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or 1 who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’ And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the Lord has not spoken?’ when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him."

If someone speaks a word in God's name that does not come to pass it is a word that the Lord has not spoken and hence a word that He has not commanded. Consequently we are to give that "prophet" no regard (fear).

The only question that remains is which side of God's Word are we standing on? The side that agrees with it or the side that says "You can prophesy falsely in God's name, commit the sin of presumption and take God's name in vain and still be considered a genuine man of God"?

That's what I mean by standing on the Word. The problem is that for far too long we have not taken God's Word seriously and overlooked obvious false prophets and false teachers and excused even rank heresy as long as there was "fruit"  or signs and wonders etc. But these are not the standards that God judges by. There will be many big and "successful" ministers on judgement day who will get a very nasty shock:

"Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruits, nor can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that does not bring forth good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you shall know them. Not everyone who says to Me, Lord! Lord! shall enter the kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, Lord! Lord! Did we not prophesy in Your name, and through Your name throw out demons, and through Your name do many wonderful works? And then I will say to them I never knew you! Depart from Me, those working lawlessness!"

If anything speaks to the modern Charismaniac and signs and wonders obsessed Church today it is this passage. False prophets come disguised as sheep, but their fruit, the false and destructive doctrines (2Pet.2:1) that they bring in, along with just enough truth to make them pass muster with the unlearned or unwary, ultimately tells us what they are. False predictions however should be a no-brainer, it's one of the most basic tests for a false prophet. If they fail that look no further and give them no more mind.

Wade Hicks to NARWatch Israel:
brother you have not the 1st clue of wigglesworth. He was least concernd with signs and wonders. It was smith himself who coined "of all the mighty amd vast miracles i have witnessed the one miracle i chase more than any other is that of a man who gives his entire life to Jesus"

Kozar is a calvinist he pushes a garbage theology that says these things cant happen with absolutely no scripture to back it up. Kozar is a apostate he uses man made doctrine to combat mighty movements of God. Good lord dont go overseas and see all the insane miracles going on in the real church. Im so very sorry you have such a low and weak view of the holy spirit. Its extremly sad and absolutly no life in your so called walk with the lord. I dont get how men like kozar can claim to serve a living God yet have such a dead and boring faith. Its pathetic

NARWatch Israel to Wade Hicks:
Once again you dodge the issue of making false predictions in the name of the LORD, and  instead of reasoning from the Scriptures, you just go full on ad hominem. That my dear friend is a sign that you have a problem, but not with myself or Steve Kozar, but with the Word of God itself. I was once a part of all those things that you esteem, I followed those men that you seem to regard so highly, I thirsted after signs and wonders and got involved in all that. God in His mercy brought me out and back to His Word, which is far more exciting and wonderful than all the fakery I see today in the hypercharismaniac NAR and the WOF movements. Christ and the wonder and glory of His love and sacrifice for me is far more precious now than it ever was in those days.

Wade Hicks to NARWatch Israel:
brother mormons know scripture and use it. Its not how well you know the word of God but how well you know the God of the word. Im not dodging any issue. Your under deception and ill pray for your salvation i fear for your blatant apostasy toward God its very sad

NARWatch Israel to Wade Hicks:
So people are apostate because they insist on interpreting Scripture in context and judging prophecies by scriptural standards? My dear friend you are sadly deluded. Scripture in context is your only sure guard against deception. Once you step outside that you have entered the mystical realm where anything goes and you are fair game for spiritual deception.

Wade Hicks to NARWatch Israel:
im sorry u listen to 15th century teaching that is horribly against 1st century apostolic Christianity

Wade Hicks to NARWatch Israel:
the latter rain is comming my friend and if u dont repent of your sin against the holy spirit you will not partake. I wish you could see how bad you grieve the spirit

NARWatch Israel to Wade Hicks:
It is the Scriptures themselves that define what it means to grieve the Spirit. They also define what are the signs of a false prophet. Incidentally, I am not a Calvinist nor a Luteran so it is not 15th Century theology that informs my opinions but Scripture rightly handled: that means -in context. If you are prepared to deal with the issue of false prophets from Scripture then we have something to talk about, but just throwing insults and accusations at myself and Steve Kozar or anyone else who is trying to exercise discernment in accordance with the Scriptures, which we are commanded to do by the way it's not optional or a suggestion, -well really it's not us who are grieving the Spirit my friend.

Wade Hicks NARWatch Israel:
if thats what u need to tell yourself

NARWatch Israel to Wade Hicks:
No Wade, it's simply what the Scriptures say. I dare not say anything else. But the implications of what you are saying is that the Holy Spirit who inspired the Scriptures is speaking contrary to what His Word clearly states, and as God's Word is the ONLY objective standard we have for judging prophecy and doctrine, then that is our standard, not the opinions or approval of men. Once you depart from the clear teaching of Scripture you are already well down the road to deception.

Wade Hicks to NARWatch Israel:
your deceived bro go spew your lies to the Baptist they love deception

Wade Hicks to NARWatch Israel:
you know nothing of God

NARWatch Israel to Wade Hicks:
Wade, there is a direct relationship between the words of Scripture and the teaching it contains and our standing with Christ. How seriously we take His Word, speaks volumes about the quality of our relationship with the Lord or even whether we have one with Him in the first place.
 
 "If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me."
 
The fact that you have no biblical basis for what you are saying, and not only that, you are resistant to the Word of God on the matter preferring instead to hurl insults, should give you cause for serious concern.