Deuteronomy 18:14-15 The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the Lord your God has not permitted you to do so. The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him.

This certainly disposes of Harry Potter! Mankind has an instinctive awareness that there is more to the universe than can be perceived physically, as well as a hunger to know their own fate. Sorcery and divination are the devil’s counterfeit answers to that, to distract people from wholehearted devotion to their Creator. God isn’t trying to leave us in the dark; that’s why He has raised up many prophets over the centuries, and why Jesus was the ultimate Prophet. (Hebrews 1:1-2) That’s also why He caused the Bible to be written, to make His words available to anyone on a consistent basis. The Jews of Jesus’ day recognized this passage as Messianic, which was why John the Baptist was asked if he was “The Prophet,” specifically pointing to this passage. (John 1:21) The major thrust of what Moses says here is that God’s messengers are to be obeyed, but the history of the children of Israel shows that a good part of the time they were not. True prophets were often considered gadflies, irritants to be disposed of, and even such greats as Jeremiah (stoned) and Isaiah (sawed in two) were martyred. That’s the opposite of what Moses says here. Being a spokesman for God is not for wimps! The thing is, people welcome those who say what they want to hear, but they are often hostile to those who speak needed correction. Paul said that people would “gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” (2 Timothy 4:3) Such teachers are not prophets, whatever titles they claim for themselves. They actually fit into the category that Moses used of fortune tellers, because they respond to the human desire to make things be like we want them to be, instead of submitting to God. If we want God’s best, we’ve got to be humble enough not to try to dictate what that is!

In one of my few failures at preventing divorce in marriage counseling, the wife, though a nominal Christian, was regularly consulting a fortune teller, who basically confirmed what she was already suspecting about her husband, though it was not true. He was hardly mature emotionally or in faith either, and the result was very sad. The devil’s counterfeits always produce rotten fruit! My calling is not as a prophet, but the Lord has used me in prophecy and it is my earnest prayer that everything I say, particularly from the pulpit, would be what He is saying. I cannot force people to accept or obey what the Lord says through me, and I shouldn’t try. I am to speak His truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) and let Him bring His Word to pass. (Isaiah 55:11)

Father, sometimes I’m sharply aware that You are speaking through me, and sometimes I am even surprised to discover after the fact that You had been doing so. Any way it happens, it is an incredible privilege and honor. Thank You. I have also discovered that I personally need to be obedient to what You speak through me. The irony of failing to do that is acute! Help me be faithful to speak what You are saying when and how You want it said, so that Your Spirit may take those words and draw those who hear to repentance and faith, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!