There is a difference between old covenant prophecy and covenant prophecy. Under the old covenant, people would ask the prophets for guidance as to what to do and the prophet would direct them telling them what God had told him to tell them. This was because the people did not have the Holy Spirit to guide them. Only the prophet had the Holy Spirit. But under the new covenant the Lord says, "They shall not teach every man his neighbour, saying, 'Know the Lord,' but all shall know Me" (Hebrews 8:11). Now that the Holy Spirit can dwell within everyone, there is no need for any prophet to give directive prophecy to any child of God, telling him what to do. If he does that, the prophet would be taking the place of the Holy Spirit and connecting people to himself and not to Christ. The Bible says that the Holy Spirit Who dwells in us jealously desires us (James 4:5). What for? He jealously desires that we should have a direct connection with our Bridegroom and that no man should come between us and Christ. There are many pastors and self-appointed "prophets" nowadays who tell people what to do, where to go, whom to marry, etc. All such people are actually hindering the work of the Holy Spirit, for they give people the impression that God will not speak to them directly. Such prophets are (knowingly or unknowingly) inspired by Satan, for they come between people and the Lord. Always remember that the Holy Spirit jealously desires that you be connected to Christ so intimately, that no-one can come between you and Him.

Many people have asked me to find the will of God for them in some area. I dare not do that because I reverence God. Only one who does not reverence God will dare to take the place of the Holy Spirit in the life of another. I am always ready to give people advice concerning the actions they are considering. I can tell them the advantages and dangers of a particular course of action. But then I will tell them to pray and I assure them that God Himself will tell them through the Holy Spirit, what they should do.

So don't ever try to find out God's will for somebody else and thus take the place of God in their lives. It says about the Antichrist that he will sit "in the temple of God displaying himself as being God" (2 Thessalonians 2:4). There are false prophets today who have this spirit of the antichrist who are sitting in the church (God's temple), taking the place of God - and telling people what God's will for their lives is. Yet another proof that these self-appointed "prophets" are false prophets is that almost all of them expect money from people after they have prophesied to them - exactly like a doctor who collects his consultation fees!! Those who go to such prophets never grow in the Lord because they lose their direct connection with the Holy Spirit. The next time they want to know God's will, they will have to go to the prophet again. The Holy Spirit wants to show you the will of God Himself - and not through someone else.

What did Agabus, a true prophet, do here? (Acts 11:27-30) He said that there would be a famine. He did not say that therefore they should take an offering for the poor saints and send it to them. No. Because He knew that in the new covenant, no-one is supposed to tell another child of God what he should do. He knew where to stop, unlike the false prophets. A true prophet will speak forth what God has revealed to him about the future - and then stop. The believers in Antioch then sought God and the Holy Spirit Himself told them what to do. They collected some money and sent it to the poor saints. Directive prophecy is an Old Testament feature because people didn't have the Holy Spirit in those days. It is never found in the New Testament.