Why I Don't Believe in Pentecostal Prophecies
Kenneth Copeland is what I'd call a false prophet. After hearing it when he said that the Coronavirus would be gone "sooner than you think" - I really want to raise my eyebrows and stare at him. It's because the Bible strongly warns against false prophets like him.
Deuteronomy 18:21-22 - And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? 22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.
Just the fact that the Coronavirus is still here and it's still plaguing people is proof Copeland is a false prophet. Yet, you have to wonder why he's got lots of popularity. The answer? Turn to Jeremiah 5:31 where people love to have false prophets give them false assurance. Do you remember how popular Hananiah was to Jeremiah? Do you remember how Elijah was an outcast of Israel in contrast to the prophets hired by Ahab and Jezebel? Do you remember how Ahab persecuted Micaiah for the latter's sarcasm and warning the former about his coming doom? It's because false prophets speak according to the viewpoint of the sinful world.
Also, the fact that Copeland is a Pentecostal explains his stupid delusions that he's a prophet. The late Tony Alamo was also a Pentecostal preacher. Irvin Baxter who claimed that the next Pope after former Pope Benedict XVI was the last is also a Pentecostal preacher. Benny Hinn is also a Pentecostal preacher. The cult leader in Davao City named Apollo C. Quiboloy started off as a Pentecostal preacher before claiming to be the anointed "Son of God". Should I mention the scandalous Jimmy Swaggart, Joel Osteen, and Jim Bakker were also Pentecostal preachers.
What's the emphasis on Pentecostalism? A major focus of it is the charismata or gifts of the Holy Spirit. They just don't have their proper discernment on the issue. Speaking of tongues? All I hear are more mumbling than actual speaking of tongues. The apostles truly spoke in different tongues without having to study the language. The chaos seen in the Charismatic Movement should really give me a good reason not to believe their prophecies.