30. Why can some people predict what is going to happen in the future?

The Bible teaches us that God is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. He knows the future. If a person is in communion with God and hears and discerns his voice then they can speak forth what God says will happen in the future. Many people have God-given dreams and visions, and God shows them what He plans to do in the future.

There are two manifestations of details about future events in the world today. One from the Spirit of God – prophecy; and the other is inspired by Satan – false prophecy or fortune telling, and it is based on lies and deception from lying spirits.

  1. Prophecy.

Christ has placed within His body, those with the ministry of prophecy (Ephesians 4 v 11), who tell forth what God will do in the earth. Their prophecy always agrees with scripture and finds agreement in the hearts of those who love and worship the true and living Creator God.

  1. False prophecy or fortune telling, necromancy and séances.

Satan is endeavouring to deceive people with signs and lying wonders, and has seduced his followers into making predictions about the future. Some of these come to pass and others do not. These predictions usually oppose Biblical teaching and bring the hearers into confusion, fear and bondage. The Torah revered by Christians and Muslims, strictly forbids any association with these practices in Deuteronomy 18 verses 9-12. Most Muslim leaders warn Muslims not to have any association with evil occult practices but in some parts of the world it is very common for Muslims to consult mediums and Sufis. Egypt, Malaysia and Indonesia are examples of Muslim countries where these practices are very common.

The Holy Spirit gives believers’ discernment to be able to identify the true and false predictions and to discern the counterfeit signs and lying wonders. The problem with the counterfeit is that it is so very close to the genuine that it is hard to discern the difference. This is why we need Divine help to make a correct discernment. Ask the Holy Spirit and He will give you this gift of discernment.