Ghana music industry – How to differentiate between true and false prophets

It’s a new year and hence, a fresh perspective and opportunity for key stakeholders in Ghana’s music industry to exceed the limitations and achievements of the past year, but wait! Not so fast.

Just tell me how possible this could be when the last day of the past year decides to impregnate itself with quite a number of disturbing prophecies concerning several of the well-meaning top music talents in Ghana at the moment.

We arose to the rather surprising news of prophecies from people like Prophet Nigel Gaisie concerning an unpleasant year for young talents such as Kwesi Arthur, KiDi and Kuami Eugene who through their hard work, had dominated the music industry in the past year.

The Eagle Prophet also spoke about Sarkodie being honored a legend and the death of Patapaa. Others also concerned Joe Mettle winning more awards and getting involved in an accident.

I personally believe fully in prophecies that come from God. I mean the mere reason that God thinks about you, is concerned about your well being and loves you enough to address something concerning your past, present or future occurrences for the betterment of your life is a good thing and I would root for it any day.

However, this same God cautions us in the Bible about the end times and its false prophets, which is currently unraveling before our very eyes.

One very sure thing the Bible makes us know is that every word of prophecy given is for edification and to build up faith in God. So if a prophecy comes to instill fear in you, ‘masa fogerrit’.

Deuteronomy 18 verse 21-22, clearly states, “But the prophet who presumes to speak in my name which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die. And if the people were to ask, ‘How may we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?’

“When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass, that is a word which the Lord has not spoken, the prophet has spoken it presumptuously, you need not be afraid of him”.

It clearly spells out one way to distinguish between true and false prophets and their prophecies. Yet the predictions of a false prophet could also be fulfilled (Deut. 13:1, 2). This suggests that this test is not sufficient, in itself, to know whether a prophet is from God.

It’s quite funny how they bail themselves out when what they prophesied doesn’t come to pass. They say, “thank God we prayed about it”. When it happens too, they come out to boastfully say, “I told you so”.

This makes it really difficult to differentiate them solely by this scripture.

John wrote to the church, “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” (1 John 4:1).

False prophets do not live up to the God’s laws and do not clearly speak out against sin. They are arrogant (2 Peter. 2:18), deceitful (Acts 13:6-10), and often preach only for pay (2 Peter. 2:3).

Jesus Himself established this test. He said: “You will know them by their fruits. . . Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit” (Matt. 7:16, 17)

Always ask yourselves, what are the results of the ministry of a person who claims to be a prophet? Does his or her ministry build up the church? This test requires time, but lies and deception are sooner or later revealed.

We have to be open to the possibility that God still speaks to us through His prophets, but in order to identify a true prophet we should know and understand the Scriptures.

We should use God’s inspired Word to test the teachings and the lifestyle of the person who claims to be a true prophet.

Finally, we should not hastily accept somebody’s claims. We must allow time for the actions of the new prophet to show what kind of person he or she is. Testing the spirits takes time, prayer, and knowledge of what God has already revealed to us.

All in all, know your God, trust in Him, pray to either enforce or obstruct the negative or positive prophetic word respectively and fear no one but God.

Prophets, the genuine ones I mean, should stop being self-centered and seeking publicity through prophesying about these celebrities but instead deliver their prophetic word on a more personal note and with a covering of hope and positivity, if it’s a negative prophecy, as it should be.

Cheers to an amazing year ahead.