Prophets & Seers:

[Abiding Now]

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

I agree with everything you said except the "accuracy" part. As someone who has studied the art of cold reading and the psychology behind it (which sprung from my status as an amateur magician), I know that people hear what they want to from someone giving them a "reading" both in discrediting things said to them that aren't accurate and using vague symbolism to make everything else fit. This is why I consider the Word of Knowledge gift to be the single most abused spiritual gift I have ever run across. I've heard people receive them who went on to tell others how the person with the Word "nailed it when they spoke to me!" when in all actuality the person with the so-called Word of Knowledge was less accurate than a fortune from a PF Chang's Fortune Cookie.

One big issue is that cold readers in Church do not even have to be that good. Most people are naturally afraid to question God, so will take whatever is said to them without questioning.

I really recommend watching the whole thing but James gives a quick list of techniques that cold readers use starting at about the 9 minute mark.

Weird and I've seen "profits" do the same thing in church.

[RandyWayne]

Originally Posted by Abiding Now

Weird and I've seen "profits" do the same thing in church.

I have seen MANY give specials "Words" and prophecies who were FAR less skilled than the woman in the video.

[Abiding Now]

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

I have seen MANY give specials "Words" and prophecies who were FAR less skilled than the woman in the video.

Yeah, like the dude that called the retarded woman up that was holding a doll and told her that "Gawd is gonna HEEEEEEEAL that child".

[Aquila]

I believe that the anointing of the prophet/seer is alive and well. I also believe that it's possible for an individual's flesh to cloud the visions and dreams that come their way from the Spirit. Sometimes one might not fully understand the visions they are receiving. False prophets/seers are not evidence that prophets/seers do not exist. A prophet/seer receives visions (mental images while awake) and dreams (mental images while asleep). Through dreams and visions they receive Words of Knowledge, Words of Wisdom, and have Discernment of Spirits. Therefore prophet/seers not only discern human spirits, but also angels and demonic spirits. They can see into the realm of the spirit.

[Aquila]

To me the prophet and the seer are essentially the same thing. However, a prophet is typically sent to a group of people with a message from God. While a "seer" is more personal, a spiritual advisor of sorts. The seer assists in not only providing words of knowledge, prophecies, and visions... the seer also assists the unfamiliar believer with properly interpreting the dreams and visions that God gives them.