On March 27th, 1975, a prophet named Ruth Green prophesied that Denzel Washington would have a significant impact. Multiple times, Denzel Washington has revealed this prophecy that changed his life forever. Here he is, sharing the exact same story on Oprah several decades earlier:

“I was sitting in my mother’s beauty shop and I saw this woman through the mirror. She was behind me, under the dryer. Every time I looked up, she was just like this, looking at me. She said, ‘Somebody give me a piece of paper,’ and she wrote something down.”

This prophecy was followed by a supernatural experience Denzel had years later, which he shares in this clip with his pastor, Dr. AR Bernard:

“When it came time to come down to the altar, I said, ‘You know, this time I’m just going to go down there and give it up, let go, and experience something I’ve never experienced in my life.’ It was a supernatural, once-in-a-lifetime experience that I couldn’t completely understand.”

In this video, we’re going to look at how this actually all played out, the specific details of the prophecy, and how Denzel is attempting to live it out today. But before we get into that, my name is Rousan, and this channel exists to encourage, empower, and inspire you to live a life that blesses God.

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Now, let’s get into the story. Check out how Dr. AR Bernard responds to Denzel’s supernatural encounter with God and what Denzel admits happens next:

“That moment, the power of that moment… You and I, when we were at lunch, you were telling me like it happened to you the day before. It was still so real and so powerful, and that kept you somewhat grounded as you were exposed to other things, correct?”

“In spite of myself, it kept me grounded. I accepted it, I definitely experienced it, but I wasn’t ready to live it. I wasn’t ready to live it. That was 90… I don’t know how old I was then, but I wasn’t ready to live it then. And I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s gone through that kind of experience. So I had to go through all of that.”

Denzel had a prophecy given to him years before that we’re going to unpack in just a moment. Denzel then had a supernatural encounter with God, came forward, went to the prayer room, and experienced something undeniable. Yet, he says he wasn’t ready to live it. Now, we’re going to come back to this in just a moment, but first, let’s get into the details of the prophecy and how Denzel is attempting to live it out today:

“A woman prophesied years and years ago that I would travel the world and preach to millions of people. And I have traveled the world, and I don’t know if I’m a preacher, but through my work, I’ve spoken, and now I try to speak more in public. But I asked my pastor, ‘Does that mean I’m supposed to be a preacher?’ He said, ‘No, you already have a pulpit.’”

Here he is sharing more of that on Oprah:

“She wrote a prophecy, and she said, ‘Boy, you’re going to speak to millions of people. You’re going to travel the world and speak to millions of people.’

And I asked my mother, ‘Who is this woman with the gift of prophecy?’ She said, ‘Well, she’s one of the oldest church members in town and known to have the gift of prophecy.’

She wrote down 1975, she wrote prophecy. So I thought, am I supposed to become a preacher? I asked my pastor, should I become a preacher? He’s like, ‘No, no, you’re doing good right where you are.’”

Denzel explains that he has always looked at what he does as not preaching but as his pulpit. Through the roles he’s played, he has tried to convey spiritual evolution and messages.

Now, Denzel talks about a specific role in his darkest movie, “Training Day,” which he altered because of a Bible verse:

“I always looked for that angle. The only thing I wrote on the cover of ‘Training Day’ was ‘the wages of sin is death.’ I had the end of that film changed for me to justify living in the worst way; he had to die in the worst way. He died in a small way in the script, but I wanted him to die in the most violent way possible, to drive home that biblical principle.”

For many years, Denzel tried to live out his faith through his work, philanthropy, and being a good person. However, he acknowledges that’s not the case anymore. Before we get into what he believes is the fulfillment of this prophecy in his current life, it’s important to understand his journey. Despite giving his life to God and having a public profession of faith, Denzel admits he wasn’t ready to live it fully due to the allures of Hollywood and the types of roles he felt compelled to take. This passage from Romans 11:29 speaks to this:

“For God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. Just as you were at one time disobedient to God, now you have received mercy as a result of their disobedience. So they too now have become disobedient in order that they may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you.”

God’s gifts and call are irrevocable. When we place our faith in Jesus, he preserves us despite ourselves, as in Denzel’s case. He wasn’t ready to live it fully, but God’s deposit remained in him. This doesn’t mean not living God’s ways is advisable; it’s in our best interest to live according to God’s will.

Now, almost 70 years old, Denzel reflects on the prophecy given to him decades ago:

“Not just to do good the right way, but to honor my mother and my father by the way I live my life the rest of my days on this Earth. I’m here to serve, to help, to provide. In every prayer, all I hear is ‘feed my sheep.’ That’s what God wants me to do. I’m like, what does that mean? Well, there are all kinds of sheep. Not everybody wants to go right to the source. That’s why I talk to experienced shepherds to help guide me.”

Denzel warns against the dangers of fame, sharing how it can be a slippery slope and lonely at the top. He also acknowledges that playing the villain in “Training Day” was easier for him than playing the hero.

“Playing the villain in ‘Training Day’ is the easiest part I’ve played. There’s more of that in me than ‘Cry Freedom.’ Life has humbled me. I used to say I wanted to be the best actor in the world.

When I won the second Oscar, I said I wanted to be the best actor I could be. Now, I don’t even necessarily want to be an actor. It’s not my goal anymore; it’s not a burning desire. I may segue out of it in the next few years if not sooner. But none of that would have happened without the family.”

It’s interesting that Denzel confesses playing the villain is easier for him. His journey of faith has been expressed in imperfect ways, but now he’s starting to fully reveal his purpose. The good news is that living God’s ways is in our best interest. Denzel’s experiences teach us that we don’t have to wait decades to live out our faith. By acknowledging our need for a savior, we can start living according to God’s will right now. Jesus saves us from ourselves and the consequences of our sins, creating a pathway for us to be in right standing with the Father.