I know a few pastors and ordinary folks who do prophetic words over people or over their own countries.

I think some of the best known teachers in the charismatic movement are Derek Prince, John Paul Jackson and Jennifer LeClaire.

I also really respect prophetic messages from Lance Lambert (who was my bible teacher in Jerusalem, but originally from England) and also Pastor Chris Wickland from just outside of Portsmouth, here in the UK.

Looking at some announcements from prophets, some have come to pass, and some haven’t or have yet to, which has led me thinking of prophecy is a conditional thing, and it if a church, people group or nation obeys God or doesn’t if things could change.

I read this passage yesterday which I think makes things clear.

2 Kings 20 : 1 In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.”

2 Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, 3 “Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

4 Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the Lord came to him: 5 “Go back and tell Hezekiah, the ruler of my people, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the Lord. 6 I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.

1 and 2 Kings starts from King David and then Solomon, and every iteration of government over Israel, and we see how some leaders were great, and many were bad. This book shows the nitty gritty of how many of the mistakes were made.

Where the Lord said death was soon going to happen to Hezekiah, and yet later things were much better.

We should be grateful when the Lord hears our cries for forgiveness and gives us another chance.