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Jeremiah Johnson: God Is Using Trump’s Loss to Expose Our Idolatry of Prophets and Politics

In the Old Testament, if someone prophesied an event that did not come true, that was enough in itself to show that person was a false prophet. But the New Testament shows that people can make false predictions and still be “true prophets.” Johnson bases this idea on New Testament passages that instruct believers to evaluate prophecies. He specifically mentioned 1 Corinthians 14 and 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21, the latter of which instructs believers to “test” prophecies. 

Jeremiah Johnson repeatedly emphasized the importance of accountability and said that he has been disturbed by the number of people who have criticized him for seeking feedback and wisdom from other leaders in his life. He has heard from numerous people who have said that he is only accountable to God and no one else. “Folks, I seriously want to tell you,” he said, “this is not wise counsel. This is not New Testament, bible-based encouragement. There is a rogue, there is a rebellious spirit in the charismatic prophetic movement.”

Johnson is concerned that there are people making prophecies on social media with no accountability to anyone. And there are people who are following those prophecies over their own pastors. “I believe that these conspiracy theories, the Q deception, the pollution that’s in the prophetic movement, continues to damage the local church, and the role of pastors and shepherds in the body,” said Johnson. “Pastors and shepherds right now have their work cut out for them, because the sheep no longer want to listen to a man or woman in their life that truly cares for them. They would rather be addicted to social media prophecy and the next ‘latest-greatest.’ Brothers and sisters, I appeal to you: this should not be so.”

Perhaps the most severe words Johnson had for certain parts of the charismatic movement was when he said that the Bible passage God had given him to describe the movement was Genesis 11. This chapter records when humanity built the Tower of Babel and God scattered them by dividing their languages. Some in the charismatic movement have made their own Tower of Babel, said Johnson. “We have unified under a false movement of prophets and politics.”

Donald Trump losing the 2020 presidential election was God’s grace, said the ministry leader. “If God had given Donald Trump another four years, I believe that parts of the charismatic prophetic movement would have thought they were invincible. And God, being so gracious and so merciful, has chosen to intervene.”

Johnson exhorted his viewers to humble themselves and to examine their hearts for idolatry. Even if people are not guilty of idolatry, the humility it takes to consider this possibility is a sign of God’s Holy Spirit working within us. Johnson also said he sees a lot of hope for the future if believers are willing to respond in this way. Acknowledging and repenting of our idolatry could lead to one of the greatest moves of the Holy Spirit that we have ever seen. 

“We have a divine opportunity right now to humble ourselves,” said Johnson, “to get our eyes on Jesus, to stop being addicted to every prophetic word that our favorite superhero prophet says. We need to repent of this idolatry. We need to stop operating under an Old Covenant mindset regarding prophetic ministry, and we need New Testament prophetic ministry to be restored, to be tested, and to be judged in the prophetic movement.”