Prophecy didn't close, although perhaps you've closed your eyes. I agree with you that there are many people claiming to be something that they are not, but I believe it is Satan's tactic to blind the people. This is how it works: people claim the banner of Jesus Christ, and profess knowledge of spiritual concepts. Sometimes it comes in the form of a so-called 'prophetic word,' such as: the world is going to end on such and such a date. People who are unlearned in scripture buy in to these predictions. When it is proven false they associate the whole episode with Jesus, because the man claimed to have knowledge from God.
There is a reason why the enemy is flooding the market with false vision: it is designed to discredit and discourage those who will arise with true vision. Anyone who is trying to sell you something, claiming that God has given them a vision, is lying to you. Even if it is a book. If the enemy conditions the people to immediately dismiss all prophetic vision, as you so adequately have done, he succeeds.
"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all argument, and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance. This principle is, contempt prior to examination." (Origin: Under Discussion)
Some people operate in the spiritual realm; this isn't something new. Not everyone has this ability: ask around, but don't disqualify it just because you haven't experienced it. The classic example is this: I have never been to China; therefore, does it exist? A person could talk to me all day about their journey to the foreign country, even show me pictures, and I could still say it doesn't exist, the pictures were faked... etc. We could argue for days, months, years and come to no agreement. Why? Because I am unwilling to change my belief system based on the experience of another person: I need to see it, taste it, hear it, touch it and smell it for myself in order to believe.
I am not defending the subject of this thread; don't misunderstand me.
"Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." (John 20:29)
Sometimes we are asked to have faith in something that is unseen. Sometimes that which is unseen will reveal itself. Remeber that we are engaged in a spiritual war which has crossed over onto this earth; certain walls have fallen and will continue to fall. There are two sides to this war, and we are standing in a place of ignorance: not everything has been seen. Anyone who thinks the story is complete is just so stubborn that they refuse to look, read and consider.
Two spiritual forces. God designed us with spiritual potential; we are unique in this aspect, and it is why the battle involves us.
"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." (Genesis 2:7)
The entire race fell from grace shortly afterward, but God did not stop communicating.
"It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body." (1 Corinthians 15:44)
So what is my point?
Two spiritual forces engaged in a war and we have become the field of battle; our minds, our bodies, our very soul. The enemy is constantly attempting to deceive the race and sway the outcome. God has assured us of victory, but does that mean we just lay back and watch television until it comes? No! The promised land before us must still be taken. Do you think Satan and his soldiers are just standing around idle... waiting? They are engaged in active warfare at all times. Who knows what motivates them; who cares!? It still remains that we are at the receiving end of an offensive.
There has been a lot of strange writing coming from people who claim to have visited heaven. I could have written better fiction when I was twelve years old, but what can I do to stop the evolving market and the people's yearning for things of this nature? Everything is peaches and cream on the 'other side.' If Satan convinces you that there is no war, then why would you fight it? The easiest way to win a war is to convince the opposition that they have no need to fight; they simply lay down their weapons and walk away.
Yet, some people are being trained for war.
Don't fall into this belief that all is well because it is far from the truth. Every time you believe a lie, or purchase it from your local bookstore, you give it power; you are turning the illusion into a reality, and doing the work of the enemy for him. Misinformation. Go ahead and verify the truth in the word. Realize that there are writers working for an enemy whose sole purpose is to deceive you.
Not all angels work for God. Satan is very good at appearing in forms that you wouldn't recognize him. If you realized that Satan was right in front of you, you would fight him, wouldn't you? But if you thought the person standing in front of you was a Christian soldier, you would embrace him, wouldn't you? How much thought do you really have to put into this?
So with all this going on, people contributing to this thread still think there is no need for guidance? That God simply stays silent and watches from a distance? Really? Come on. Show me where it says anything like that in the sciptures. Where does it say that Paul would be the final contributor to the word of God?
"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." (John 14:26)
The teaching is not at an end.
The not so amusing part of all this, is that Satan is well aware of this, but the Christians are not.