Years ago, I knew a person who had stage-four cancer. A well-meaning person prophesied over them that the disease would not take their life. But the person subsequently passed away.
Most churches have had situations where a beloved saint had cancer, and the church prayed and prayed for their healing. In some cases, God healed them, but in others, He did not. As Christians, we believe in all things and hope for all things. We desperately want God to heal our loved ones, but we must never add to God’s words.
Maybe the person who prophesied was hearing from God that the person with cancer would be healed, but the healing would be when Christ returns at the resurrection of the dead. We can’t know.
Similarly, the believers who prophesied to Paul were right and wrong. They did discern that Paul would experience danger in Jerusalem, but did that mean he shouldn’t go?
Paul did go, but if the believers had been totally right, he would have done so out of God’s will. However, this is highly improbable if we read the rest of the story in the Book of Acts about his journey to Jerusalem and then to Rome.
It is possible to hear from God but not hear clearly. Our love and concern for the one we speak to often clouds our message. Our knowledge is partial and incomplete. Even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture.
When we claim to speak for the Lord, we must be sure we have all the I’s dotted and the t’s crossed. I don’t prefer this level of responsibility when I speak. Even when we use a direct quote from the Bible, we should know it is appropriate at the time, place, and particular circumstance. What the Bible describes, it does not prescribe in every situation.
Speak God’s word, but be careful not to give others short-term encouragement in such a way that it might bring them long-term disappointment.
Ken Barnes has had a twenty-five year career in educational pursuits. He has taught in various public and private schools in Pennsylvania, Hawaii, and Virginia. He also worked for seventeen years with Youth With A Mission as a school leader, recruiter, and director. Ken holds a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Virginia Commonwealth University. He is the author of The Chicken Farm and Other Sacred Places. He currently is a speaker, blogger, and freelance writer. Ken lives with his wife Sharon in Mechanicsville, Virginia. Visit Ken at https://sites.google.com/site/kenbarnesbooksite/