For
this prophetic ministry training seminar, we have adopted Jesus’ discipleship
principles outlined in chapters 5 through 10 of Matthew’s gospel.
Matthew
5-7 If
you have a Bible that has Jesus’ words in red, chapters five through seven of
Matthew’s gospel are almost completely crimson in color. These chapters record Jesus’ teaching of His
disciples regarding the Gospel of the kingdom.
Unfortunately many discipleship training courses end at this step.
Matthew 8, 9 After Jesus indoctrinated His disciples,
He demonstrated the Gospel of the kingdom by cleansing a leper, healing the
sick, calming the sea, casting out demons, and restoring sight to the
blind.
As part of your prophetic training, we
endeavor, during your personal ministry time as the Spirit wills, to
demonstrate the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
After the Gospel
indoctrination and demonstration, Jesus imparted to or empowered the disciples
with the same supernatural gifts.
Matthew 10:1 “And when He had called His twelve
disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out,
and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of diseases.”
During your personal ministry time, trust
the Lord for an impartation of those supernatural gifts the Holy Spirit has
prepared for you to receive.
The Lord then
sent out the disciples to freely preach and demonstrate the gospel of the
kingdom everywhere they went.
Matthew 10:7,
8 “And as you go, preach, saying,
‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal
the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.”
Towards the end of your training today, you
will have an opportunity to activate and exercise your prophetic gifting. Enjoy this enlightening experience.
A. What is Prophecy?
Traditional Definition: Apocalyptic, eschatalogical, Biblical literature
concerning the Bride of Christ, the Great Tribulation, the second coming of
Christ and the Millennial reign.
Prophetic literature is contained in the Old Testament and New
Testament, especially in the Prophets and the Book of Revelation.
Present Truth Definition: The
edifying, exhortative, and comforting "rhema" word of the Lord
manifested through preaching, prophecy, signs, dreams and visions, producing throughout
the Body, repentance from sin, restoration of hope, and direction for the
future.
1. If God speaks through the Bible, why do I need prophecy?
Scripture
is God’s eternal written word for all time. (Logos)
Prophecy
is God’s “now” spoken word for our time. (Rhema)
The Bible
provides general direction on how to live the Christian life, but the Holy
Spirit through prophecy can give specific direction for individual lives.
2. Why is prophecy so important?
Prophecy is a heavenly invitation to
a divine destination.
I Corinthians 14:39 "Desire earnestly to prophesy and do not forbid to
speak with tongues."
I Corinthians 14:3 "But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation
and comfort to men."
Prophecy is so important because, like no other spiritual gift, it:
a. Encourages
b. Defines Destiny (Speaks to your potential).
c. Infuses
Hope
d. Rebukes
and Admonishes (Luke 3:7-9,18)
We must first “set the mark” before we can
“press toward the mark” for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ
Jesus. Prophetic ministry can “set the mark” pointing us to our divine destiny
(Phil 3:14).
3. Can all Spirit-filled Christians prophesy?
I Corinthians 14:31 "For you can ALL prophesy one by one, that all may
learn and all may be encouraged."
4. Will I be used in spiritual gifts if I’m just
“open” to it?
Not
likely. The Bible says we must earnestly
desire (i.e. covet) spiritual gifts, if we are going to be used by God in them.
I Corinthians 14:1 ". . . desire
(lit. earnestly covet) spiritual gifts, but especially that you may
prophesy."
5. What should be my motivation to “move out” in
spiritual gifts?
Like Jesus, we
should be “moved with compassion” for people, always seeking to be used to
build up and bless the church and to win souls.
Our motivation should not be to be seen or recognized.
I Corinthians 14:1 "Pursue love,
and desire spiritual gifts . . . ."
I Corinthians 14:12 "Since
you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the
church that you seek to excel."
6. Can prophecy
reveal my future and destiny?
Yes.
Although prophecy primarily is used to encourage and build up, it also
can have an aspect of revealing one’s future and destiny.
John 16:13 "However, when He, the Spirit of truth,
has come, He will guide you into all truth; . . . and He will tell you things to come."
1. What characterizes Old Testament prophets?
a. Primary
Means of Communicating Divine Will, Purpose and Direction
b. Other
Means of Determining God's Will
(1) Priests
(2) Kings
(3) Angels
(4) Dreams,
Visions, Signs, & Supernatural Manifestations
c. Great Responsibility & Grave Penalty
(1) Prophecy Led Entire Nations to Triumph or
Tragedy
(2) Penalty for False Prophets
Deuteronomy 18:20 "But a prophet who presumes to speak in My name anything I have
not commanded him to say, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, must
be put to death." NIV
2. How are New Testament prophets different from Old Testament
prophets?
a. Secondary Means of Communicating Divine Will, Purpose and
Direction
b. Primary
and Secondary Means of Determining God's Will
(1) Bible (Primary)
(2) Indwelling Holy Spirit (Primary)
(3) Five-Fold Ministry Gifts (Secondary)
(4) Prophecy, Signs, Dreams, Visions, Angels
(Secondary)
c. Balanced Responsibility
(1) Primary Means of Communicating Divine Will Serve to "Check
and Balance" Secondary Means.
(2) Godly Counsel vs. Personal Prophecy (Eg.
Marriage)
Proverbs 11:14 “in the multitude of counselors there is
safety.”
3. Is prophecy equal in authority to the Bible?
No.
Prophecy is a secondary means of communicating God’s will, purpose and direction
for our lives. Prophecy must agree with
the Bible and the Holy Spirit that indwells every believer.
1. How is the Lord restoring His kingdom? (Acts 3:19-21)
(v. 19) Times of Repentance
(v. 21) Times of Restoration
(v. 19) Times of Refreshing (Revival)
a. The Gospel of the Kingdom ~ Doctrines of
Christ (Hebrews 6:1, 2)
(1)
Repentance from Dead Works
(2)
Faith toward God
(3)
Doctrines of Baptism
(4)
Laying on of Hands
(5)
Resurrection of the Dead
(6)
Eternal Judgment
b. The
Governor of the Kingdom ~ Holy Spirit
Jesus is the Mediator of the New Covenant.
The Holy Spirit is the Administrator of the
New Covenant.
c. The
Gifts of the Kingdom (I Corinthians 12:7-11)
d. The Government of the Kingdom ~ Five-Fold
Ministry Gifts (Eph. 4:11-13)
(1) Teachers
(2) Pastors
(3) Evangelists (1940's)
(4) Prophets (1980's)
(5) Apostles (1990's)
(6) Saints (2000’s)
e. The Glory of the Kingdom ~ Dominion
Revelation 11:15 “The kingdoms of this world
have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign
forever.”
f. The Greatness of the Kingdom ~ Humility
Matthew 18:4 “Whoever humbles himself
as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
2. How are prophets preparing the way for Christ's second coming?
a. John the Baptist, a prophet, prepared the way of the Lord's first
coming by preaching repentance (Matthew 3:1-6).
b. Similarly, God is assembling a company of prophets in this hour
to preach repentance in preparation for the Lord's second coming
(II
Chronicles 7:14).
D. The Gift of Prophecy vs. the Office of the Prophet
1. Must I have the gift of prophecy to prophesy?
No. All
Spirit-filled believers can prophesy. The
gift of prophecy is a spiritual gift that God entrusts certain Christians
with. These people operate in prophecy
most frequently and with greater authority.
2.
If I have the gift of prophecy, am I a prophet?
Not
necessarily. Prophets,
like all ministry offices, are called by God before birth. No matter how much one develops their
prophetic gift, no one can appoint themselves to the office of the
prophet. Only God can make that governmental
appointment.
Jeremiah
1:5 "Before I formed you in the
womb I knew you. Before you were born I
sanctified you; and I ordained you a prophet to the nations."
3. How
can I recognize a prophet?
A
prophet usually:
a. Has a pulpit ministry, and is a preacher of the Gospel like the
apostles, evangelists, pastors, and teachers.
b. Is sent to minister to a specific group of people, namely a
particular church, denomination, fellowship of churches, city or nation. (Eg:
David Wilkerson - Prophet to America)
c. Delivers a particular message to the Church. (Eg: Kenneth Hagin: "Teach My People
Faith")
d.
Operates
powerfully, not only in prophecy, but also in the word of knowledge, the
word of wisdom and discernment of spirits.
Prophets sometimes operate in
gifts of healings, the gift of faith and working of miracles.
e.
Sometimes has dreams, visions, and signs from
the Lord and is assisted by ministering angels.
4. What
is a “prophet’s reward”?
Matthew 10:41 "He who receives a
prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward."
Prophet’s Reward - The blessing or reward that comes to
those who honor the prophet and believe in and act on the word of the Lord the
prophet delivers.
Prophets Without Honor - If the prophet is not recognized or
esteemed as a prophet, oftentimes people will not receive and treasure the
prophetic message delivered. This is
often the case for prophets whose ministry’s scope is local or regional.
Close to 95% of all prophets are called to
exclusively minister locally or regionally, not nationally or internationally
(Mark 6:1-6)
Matthew 13:57 “A prophet is
not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.”
III. SCHOOL
OF THE PROPHETS
The process of fulfilling our personal
prophetic destiny parallels running a race.
“On Your Mark, Get Set,
Go!” ~ Calling, Conditioning, Commissioning”
II Timothy 1:9 “(Our Lord) who saved us and called us with a holy calling,
not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which
was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.”
- Prophetic ministry is one means by which the mark to our
destiny is set.
- Many Christians are running in circles, neither discerning
their calling nor their course, much less their finish line.
-
Unfortunately,
about 80% of the church does not know their divine calling and purpose.
-
This is one reason why Paul exhorts the church
to desire (literally: “earnestly covet”)
spiritual gifts, especially prophecy (I
Corinthians 14:1).
B. The Conditioning ~ “Get Set!”
Conditioning or preparation is an
important aspect to fulfilling our personal, prophetic destiny.
3 Aspects of Conditioning
1. Character
Building
Divine callings with potentially wider scopes
of influence usually require deeper, longer and more intense seasons of conditioning
or preparation. The Lord is faithful to
prepare His chosen before releasing them to minister to the masses. For example, Moses and Joseph endured years
of trial and betrayal before they were prepared to fulfill their destiny.
The
Lord deals with our:
a. Manhood and Motives before releasing
Ministry
b. Character before Commissioning
c. Attitude before releasing Anointing
2. Gift Development
Mentoring ~ Mentoring has become a lost art in the Body of Christ. With so many selfishly seeking to fulfill
their own purpose in the kingdom
of God, we have neglected
to befriend, train and encourage the next generation.
a. Elijah and Elisha
b. Moses and Joshua
c. Paul and Timothy
d. Samuel & Company of Prophets
Excellence & Accuracy ~ Prophetic gifts develop through use. Their maturity is measured by the degree of
their excellence and accuracy.
Daniel 5:12 "Inasmuch as an excellent spirit,
knowledge, understanding, interpreting dreams, solving riddles and explaining
enigmas were found in this Daniel."
I Samuel 3:19 "So Samuel grew, and the Lord was with
him and let none of his words fall to the ground."
3. Time
False Starts ~ Many
never leave the starting blocks or have numerous “false starts”, because they
have been unwilling to submit to God’s often difficult preparation process.
Jumping the Gun ~
Pre-mature self commissioning.
God says, “I’m holding the gun
to signal you to start your race, and I’ll pull the trigger, when its time.”
C. The Commissioning ~ “Go!”
Our commissioning
is God’s release to begin running the race towards fulfilling our divine
purpose. We have successfully completed
God’s tests to where He can trust us to represent Him in the Kingdom.
Romans 1:1
"Paul, a servant of Jesus
Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of
God."
Calling and commissioning are two different
aspects of divine appointment. Our
calling is established in the heart of God before time began (II Timothy
1:9). Our commissioning or release to
fulfill our calling is dependent on our willingness to submit to the Lord’s
process of conditioning and to divine timing.
Truly, our submission precedes our commission.
D. The
Cause ~ “Running with Purpose”
Without a
cause, when the race becomes difficult, the temptation to quit can become
overwhelming.
1. Common Corporate Purpose
Having a
collaborative and far-reaching cause will empower us to continue running the
race in the face of adversity. Those
with short-sighted, selfish causes often quit.
Indeed, running with a group having a common goal will result in course
completion for the majority more often than if they all run alone.
David
challenged all the men of Israel
before he challenged and slew Goliath regarding the reproach the Philistines brought
on the nation of Israel
by saying, “Is there not a cause?” (I
Samuel 17:29).
2. Laying Aside the Weight of Sin
Sin is an
encumbrance that prohibits multitudes from completing their course and
fulfilling their destiny. We must lay
aside the weight of sin so that we can run with endurance and finish our race.
Hebrews 12:1 “. . . let us lay aside every weight,
and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance
the race that is set before us.”
I Corinthians
9:25, 27 “And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate (lit. “exercises
self control”) in all things . . . therefore . . . I discipline my body
and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I
myself should become disqualified.”
3. Running with Endurance
Fulfilling
one’s destiny is like running a marathon, not a 100 meter dash. Therefore endurance is a key ingredient to
our success.
Hebrews 12:1 “. . . let us lay aside every weight, and the
sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that
is set before us.”
Endurance is
the capacity to hold up under the most difficult circumstances and is akin to
patience, longsuffering and perseverance.
Endurance remains steadfast through the tests of adversity and time,
finishes the course, and receives the prize.
Hebrews 10:36 “For
you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God,
you may receive the promise.”
Hebrews 6:12
“. . . do not become sluggish (lit. lazy), but imitate those who through
faith and patience inherit the promises.”
E. The Crown ~ “Finishing Your Race”
Starting our
race will not guarantee a victor’s crown - only finishing will. Therefore, Apostle Paul was not moved by the
trials and tribulations he endured for the gospel’s sake. He refused to waver from the call of God on
his life, even at the expense of his life.
Acts 20:24 “But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life
dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and
the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of
the grace of God.”
2 Timothy 4:6, 7 “For I am
already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is
at hand. I have fought the good fight, I
have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
The heavenly rewards for those
believers who fight the good fight of faith and finish their course are
numerous, including the crown of righteousness.
II Timothy 4:8 “Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of
righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that
Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”
IV. THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
After receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior,
receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit can be the single most important event
in the life of a believer. Holy Spirit
empowerment is crucial to the activation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in not
only prophets, but every believer.
A.
The Indwelling Holy Spirit
Does the Holy Spirit indwell every believer? Yes.
Romans 8:9
“Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.” (See also II Corinthians 5:5, Ephesians
1:13,14)
I Corinthians 3:16 “Do you not know that you are the temple of God
and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”
B.
The Promise of the Holy Spirit
Is the baptism
of the Holy Spirit for every believer?
Yes.
Although one doesn’t have to receive the
gift/promise/baptism of the Holy Spirit to inherit eternal life, God’s desires
every believer to receive this gift. The
Holy Spirit no longer merely resides within, but presides over one
who receives the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:38,39 “Repent,
and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the
remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your
children and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will
call.”
C.
Speaking in Tongues
Can one
receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit without speaking in tongues?
Almost every New Testament account of
believers receiving the gift/promise/baptism of the Holy Spirit mentions that
they spoke with other tongues.
Acts 2;4
“And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to
speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
Acts 10:45,46 “The gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured
out on the Gentiles also. For they heard
them speak with tongues and magnify God.”
Acts 19:6 “And
when Paul laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke
with tongues and prophesied.”
D.
Benefits of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit
Of what benefit is receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit and speaking
in other tongues?
a.
Power
to Be Witnesses
Acts 1:8
“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon
you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem,
and in all Judea and Samaria,
and to the end of the earth.”
b.
Perfected
Prayer & Thanksgiving to God
Romans 8:26,27 “For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the
Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings, which cannot be
uttered. He (Holy Spirit) makes
intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” (See also I Corinthians 14:1,2,14-17)
c. Personal
Spiritual Edification and Refreshing
I Corinthians 14:4 “He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself.”
Jude 20 “ But you beloved, building yourselves up
on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit . . . “ (See Isaiah 28:11,12)
E.
Receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit
How does one receive the gift of the Holy Spirit?
Simply ask the Father for it, receiving the
Holy Spirit, similar to receiving Christ.
As on moves one’s lips and speaks by faith, the Holy Spirit will bubble
up within and supply a supernatural language.
(See Luke 11:13, John 7:38,39, Proverbs 20:27)
A. The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
The
nine gifts of the Holy Spirit are divine graces from God used to not only bless
the Church but win the lost. These gifts
are outlined in I Corinthians 12: 7-11.
1. Utterance
Gifts
Prophets and prophetic people primarily
operate in the:
a. Gift of Prophecy -
A divine message in a known tongue (i.e. English).
b. Gift
of Tongues - A
divine message in an unknown tongue.
c. Interpretation of Tongues - Interpreting a divine message
in an unknown tongue into the common language of the people.
2. Revelation
Gifts
The prophet's ministry is also characterized
by the:
a.
Word of Knowledge - Knowledge
about a person or situation that was not gained through natural means, but
revealed by the Holy Spirit. (e.g. The
Lord wants to heal someone of kidney disease.)
b. Word of Wisdom – Divine revelation about how or when to
take action about a situation or decision.
(e.g. Wait another year before getting married, as the Lord has some key
situations that He wants you to have victory in before you make that
commitment. )
c. Discerning of Spirits – Divine revelation through the
Holy Spirit revealing by what spirit one is operating under (e.g. spirit of
jealousy, spirit of anger, spirit of fear, haughty spirit, spirit of grief, etc.) This first spirit we should discern is our
own.
3. Power
Gifts
Prophet's sometimes operate in:
a.
Gifts of Healings - Divine power to impart physical healing.
b. Working of Miracles
- Divine power at work to perform supernatural acts (e.g. Multiplying the
loaves and fish, walking on water, changing water to wine, raising the dead.)
c. Gift of Faith -
Divine faith necessary to obtain a supernatural
response to an urgent prayer or need.
(e.g. Peter stepping out of the boat to walk on the water).
The effectiveness of personal prophetic
ministry can be greatly enhanced by prophetic teams, where a more defined word from the Lord through more than one
prophetic minister brings greater edification and confirmation.
The office of the prophet is oftentimes
characterized by frequent dreams and visions from the Lord.
Numbers 12:6 "If
there is a prophet among you, I the Lord, make Myself known to him in a
vision, and I speak to him in a dream."
1. Is God speaking
to me through my dreams?
Not all dreams are from God. However, the Lord sometimes speaks
prophetically through dreams and visions.
Joel 2:28 “And
it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your
sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams,
and your young men shall see visions.”
Job
33:15, 16 “In a dream, in a
vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, while slumbering on their
beds, then He opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction.
2. Are my dreams a warning or direction from God?
Sometimes a prophetic dream or vision will
serve as a warning about a particular hazardous circumstance or person, bring
new or confirming direction, or bring new revelation.
a. Joseph, Mary and Jesus (Matthew 2:13-15)
b. Peter and Cornelius (Acts 10:9-48)
c. The Apostle John (Revelation)
3. Can I interpret my dreams and visions from God?
Yes. Sometimes
the Lord gives us dreams and visions that are in parables. He tests our hearts in this to see if we will
seek Him and search out the meaning.
Sometimes He will lead us to a prophet for the interpretation.
Proverbs 25:2 "It is the glory of God to conceal a
matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter."
Genesis 41:12 "Now there was a young Hebrew man (Joseph)
with us there, a servant of the captain of the guard. And we told him, and he interpreted our
dream for us; to each man he interpreted according to his own dream."
Daniel 1:17
"As for these four men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all
literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and
dreams."
A portion of the prophet's ministry takes
place behind closed doors in the privacy of prayer. That which a prophet
prays and prophesies in secret sometimes is never publicly spoken. However the results of prophetic prayer are
often later publicly manifested.
1. What is prophetic prayer?
Prophetic prayer is Holy Spirit inspired
prayer that not only prophetically declares the will of God in a matter, but
decrees its fulfillment.
2. What is an example of prophetic prayer in the Bible?
John 17 is an example of a prophetic
prayer. In it, Jesus prophetically prayed,
instructed and decreed the Father's
will concerning Himself, His disciples and the Church.
John 17:21
"That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You;
that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.”
3. Should I intercede privately before I prophesy publicly?
Private intercession for God's people should
proceed public prophesying. Private
intercession prepares people’s hearts to hear and obey the word of the Lord (Isaiah
59:16, Jeremiah 9:1).
The Lord will sometimes use the prophet to
perform prophetic signs, gestures or
use parables to communicate a message to
people. Only those with softened hearts
will seek to know the meaning of it, that they might obey the Lord.
Matthew 13:13 "Therefore I speak to them in parables, because
seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they
understand."
1. How was prophet Jeremiah’s life a sign to Judah?
Jeremiah was forbidden to marry, as an
object lesson and sign to Judah
of imminent judgment (Jeremiah 16:2).
2. How was prophet Ezekiel’s entire life a prophetic sign?
Ezekiel was probably used by God to perform
more prophetic signs and gestures
than any prophet in the Old Testament.
Ezekiel 24:24 "Thus Ezekiel is a sign to you; according
to all that he has done you shall do; and when this comes, you shall know that
I am the Lord God."
a. Clay Tablet Portrayal of Jerusalem's Siege (Ezekiel 4:1-3).
b. Laying on His Side For Number of Days According to Number of
Years of Israel's (390) and Judah’s (40) Rebellion (Ezekiel 4: 4-8).
c. Eat Bread Cooked By Fire Fueled With Human Waste
(Ezekiel 4:9-17, 5:14-17)
d. Cut Off His Hair and Beard With a Sword (Ezekiel
5:1-4, 12)
e. Ezekiel
Wife's Life Taken As Prophetic Sign of Israel's Judgment
(Ezekiel 24:15-27)
Prophetic music, song, dance and drama
effectively communicate or enhance a prophetic message. This type of ministry often leaves an indelible
impression of the word of the Lord
that remains in the hearts and minds of God's people.
1. Can music increase the prophetic anointing?
Music can
either enhance or detract from the prophetic anointing.
II Kings 3:15 "But now bring me a musician. And it happened,
when the musician played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him (Elisha).”
I Chronicles 1:1,3 " . . . who should prophesy with harps, stringed instruments, and cymbals . . . who prophesied with a harp to give thanks and
praise the Lord."
2. Can the prophetic be demonstrated through song, dance, drama and poetry?
After the Lord led the children of Israel across the parted waters of the Red Sea, delivering them from the Egyptians, Moses led a
prophetic song and Miriam led a prophetic dance to imprint this miraculous act
in their hearts and minds. (Exodus 15:1-20)
Exodus 15:20 "Then
Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took the timbrel in her hand; and
all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances."
Drama, illustrated sermons, human videos and
poetry also can be especially effective in communicating timely prophetic messages
from the Lord.
1. How
may prophetic evangelism work in a Church setting?
Recipients of prophetic ministry in the
church have oftentimes been restricted to believers. Nevertheless, the Apostle Paul encouraged the
use of the gift of prophecy to win unbelievers to Christ in the church.
I Corinthians 14:24,25 "But if all prophesy, and an
unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is
judged by all. And thus the secrets
of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he
will worship God and report that
God is truly among you."
2.
Is there a good New Testament example of
prophetic evangelism being practiced out in the world?
For the most
part, prophetic ministry has been limited to within the four walls of the
church. The forms of prophetic ministry
shared in this section so far have been utilized in a church setting. When we think of prophetic ministry, we
picture a prophet spending hours giving personal prophetic words over hopeful
Christians.
Although
prophetic ministry within the church has its place, the Lord’s foremost intention
was for Christians to utilize prophetic gifts in arenas where they have
influence including media, government, education, the work place and
marketplace. Therefore, we need to
discover new ways to evangelize and impact those in the world around us using
prophetic gifts.
a.
Jesus’
Example
In John 4:5-42
Jesus encounters a Samaritan women at a well.
The scenario in which Jesus found Himself parallels a present day
encounter we might have in a grocery store or some other public place.
(1)
Remove Religious Barriers and Jargon
John 4:9 “Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.”
“Christians
have no dealings with sinners.”
(Present)
We must be
willing to leave the comfort of our church paradigm and be willing to enter the
world of the unsaved to reach them. This
entails abandoning religious phraseology and meeting people at their level.
(2)
Psychics vs. Prophets
John 4:19 “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.”
“You
must be psychic.” (Present)
It is an
indictment on the church when our culture equates supernatural revelation with
psychic phenomenon instead of prophetic gifting. Thus the great need for prophetic training.
(3)
The Word of Knowledge
John 4:29 “See a Man who told me all
things that I ever did.”
“See a Man who
read my mail.” (Present)
Notice in this
passage that the women indicated that Jesus told her all things that she ever
did. His revelation regarding her life
was not restricted to what is recorded in verses 17 and 18 of John 4.
(4)
White Harvest Fields
John 4:35 “Do not say, ‘There are still four months
and then comes the harvest.’ Behold, I
say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already
white for harvest!”
In the “rat
race” world in which we live, we all have a tendency to go about our business,
ignoring those around us. In this
passage, Jesus is exhorting us to simply “lift up our eyes” and look around at
the numerous opportunities we have every day to minister the life saving gospel
of Christ.
(5)
Salvation Through Revelation
John 4:39-42 “And many of the Samaritans of that city
believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all
that I ever did . . . and many more believed because of His own word . . . Now
we believe, for we have heard for ourselves.”
In this
account, there is no record of any healings, miracles, or casting out of
demons. Jesus, through the gift
of the word of knowledge, caused virtually an entire Samaritan city to believe
in Him as Savior.
b.
Becoming
Salt and Light
Many
Charismatics and Pentecostals have embraced the gifts of the Spirit and
prophetic ministry, but have forgotten the Great Commission. Instead of going out into the world to make
disciples, many have further isolated themselves from the world and retreated
into the familiar confines of their local church.
The Lord
wants us to continue to be encouraged and equipped in the church, but also
wants us out in the world so that we can be “salt and light”. Each believer is on assignment in the
workplace. Whether in the education,
media, government, marketplace or domestic venues, we all are to have influence
for Christ. There are people that God
has placed in your life that only you and a few others can reach for Him.
There are
different forms of evangelism that we have been taught over the years,
including power evangelism, healing evangelism, servant evangelism and presence
evangelism. Prophetic evangelism
is yet another way for us to win the lost to Christ.
We, as Spirit
empowered Christians, need to be looking for opportunities to use prophetic
gifts (i.e. the word of knowledge) to win souls and influence people for Christ
wherever we go.
When ministering prophetically, one must give
consideration to setting, audience and timing.
Prophets must also minister under the strictest standards of integrity.
1. What means can be taken to protect the
prophetic minister and better edify the recipient?
a. Although a recipient’s spiritual authority may not be present to
hear a personal prophetic word, whenever possible audio recordings of
prophetic words should be made for the protection of the prophetic minister and
edification of the recipient.
Personal prophetic words can then be reviewed later by a person’s pastor
or spiritual covering if questions or clarification are needed.
Prepare
the Way International provides recipients with prophetic ministry feedback
forms as an avenue for positive and constructive feedback regarding their
personal prophetic word.
b.
Unbridled,
"lone ranger" prophets, no matter how accurate, due to a lack of
accountability, have a greater potential of being wounded, misunderstood and
discrediting prophetic ministry in general.
2. What are pastors’ responsibilities with regard to prophetic
ministry in the church?
a. Pastors should expose their church to proven prophetic ministries
and literature.
b. Pastors are to maintain order by setting guidelines for
prophecy in services, acting on accurate prophecies and judging,
publicly or privately, inaccurate or presumptuous prophecies.
c. Pastors are to mentor budding prophets by rejoicing with them in
their triumphs, standing with them in their failures and correcting them in
love when necessary.
d. Nevertheless, oftentimes, pastors are not trained in prophetic
ministry and require assistance.
Prepare the Way International conducts prophetic ministry training
seminars at local churches to assist pastors with the training and mentoring of
prophets-in-training.
3. What if my church is a “non-prophet” organization?
a. Many churches and leaders, having been hurt by immature prophetic
ministers or having a lack of understanding concerning the prophetic, resist or
reject altogether prophetic ministry.
b. Those having prophetic ministry gifts that
are squelched or ignored should not rebel against their present authority but
trust God to direct them to supportive spiritual authority. (Proverbs 18:16, Romans 11:29)
Prepare the Way International encourages
local and regional prophets to build trusting relationships with local
pastors.
1. Should prophecies to my church be uplifting in general?
A prophetic word delivered to an assembly of
believers is usually intended by the Lord to bring edification, exhortation and
comfort.
I Corinthians 14:12 "Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let
it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel."
2. Should a prophecy ever call my church to repentance?
At times, the Lord will use a prophetic word
to bring His people to repentance. This
kind of prophecy is usually ministered by a mature, proven prophetic minister
and is usually accompanied by a solemn spirit of repentance to which the church
should immediately respond.
3. What are some practical guidelines for congregational prophecy?
a. Ensure the word is for the whole congregation, and not
just a few within the congregation or a word just for you.
b. A prepared heart through prayer and/or fasting often
increases the anointing and effectiveness of the prophetic word.
c. Ensure your heart is not bitter or you are prophesying
with judgment in your heart toward leadership.
Ensure that you are not prophesying your will or sermon to manipulate
leadership.
d. Although you believe a particular word is for the congregation, ensure an unction or anointing
from the Lord is present to deliver the word.
e. Ensure the word of prophecy flows with the Holy Spirit’s
theme for the service as not to quench the Spirit. Avoid redundant prophecies.
f. Ensure that it is the proper
time and place to deliver the word.
Follow acceptable protocol of each particular church.
1. Is it OK to prophesy to a leader publicly?
Prophecy affirming a leader before the
people or confirming a leader concerning a greater ministerial calling or
responsibility may be given publicly.
2. What kinds of prophetic words should be delivered privately?
Prophecy
involving new direction for a ministry, changes in leadership or ministry
emphasis or prophecy bringing correction should be ministered in private (I
Samuel 15:13-31).
Similarly,
personal prophetic words to leaders should never uncover their sins publicly. Instead, prophets should address a leader’s
sins in private. Remember, love covers a
multitude of sins (I Peter 4:8).
1. What can be done to insure integrity in prophetic ministry?
It is
imperative that prophets when ministering distinguish to their audience if
knowledge they obtained about a person came through a source other than the
Holy Spirit.
There is a
temptation for prophets to take information they received about someone from
another person and prophesy as if they received that information
supernaturally.
This practice
makes the prophet look spectacular in the eyes of the people, but is a
deception. A prophet who operates in
this realm of deception will eventually get caught and it will serve to
discredit them.
Prepare the Way International desires to
move prophetic ministry from the “incredible to the credible” and from
the “spectacular to the supernatural.”
2. Should I ever
minister privately to someone of the opposite sex?
Ministry
should never occur in a private room, one-on-one with someone of the opposite
sex. A third party should always be
present to avoid any form of impropriety.
VII. PERSONAL PROPHETIC MINISTRY
Personal prophecy should edify, exhort and
comfort the hearer, providing at times confirmation, correction and insight for
the future.
1. Should
I be listening for God’s audible voice?
No.
If God speaks to you out loud, you’ll never forget it.
Usually, the Holy Spirit gives you a slight
inward impression. Listen for a still small inward voice. You may just have a “knowing” inside about
something or someone.
The Holy Spirit is a gentle whisperer. You have to still yourself many times to hear
His voice.
Sometimes, you may see an inward picture
of something that requires interpretation.
Your body may start hurting all of a sudden
in a particular area for no reason. That
might be a word of knowledge that God wants to heal someone in that area.
Sometimes, the Lord will bring a particular scripture
to mind for someone.
2. Is there something I can do to improve my ability to hear from God?
Yes. Pray
in tongues a lot! Praying in
tongues builds up your spirit man and puts you in tune with the Holy
Spirit.
I Corinthians 14:18 “I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all.”
Earnestly ask God everyday to be used in
spiritual gifts to bless people.
3. Should I record the prophetic words I administer to others?
If at all possible, all personal prophecies
should be recorded on tape or written down for the edification of the recipient
and protection of the prophetic minister.
Sometimes what we thought we heard and what was actually said are two
different things.
4. What is the difference between ministering the “secret of the
Lord” and the “secrets of men’s hearts”?
I Corinthians 14:24,25 “But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or
uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is judged by all. And thus the secrets of his heart are
revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that
God is truly among you.”
Psalm 25:14
“The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him.”
It is often easier to discern the soul
desires of an individual than God’s purposes for them. Humility and the fear of the Lord keep one
from prophesying the secret desires of men’s hearts as the word of the Lord to
them.
5. Should my prophecy ever be corrective or directive in nature?
Prophecies that bring correction or direction
to another's life should be administered by mature prophets. Prophecies
of this nature should be given with discretion and recorded, along with
opportunity for feedback.
6. Does personal prophecy have any boundaries?
Prophecy should never dictate marriage
partners, job changes, relocations, church selection, financial investments and
any of the major decisions of life. They
may however serve as confirmation on such decisions.
7. Are there times when prophetic ministry should defer to sound
Biblical counseling?
Prophecy is not Christian fortune telling
and should never substitute for sound Biblical advice and prayerful counseling.
8. Should personal prophecies be treated as confidential?
Personal prophecies should not be delivered
in a manner that would cause shame or embarrassment to the recipient.
9. Should I strive more to be accurate than impressive with my prophetic
gift?
Our goal in
prophetic ministry is to have recipients receive an accurate word from the
Lord, not to impress them with our gifting.
For people to receive, they must believe the word spoken over them. Prophetic accuracy raises recipient’s
faith.
10. If I’m not sure about a particular revelation, is it OK to ask the
recipient a question about something specific I’m receiving?
If unsure about a particular revelation,
instead of making a declaration, it is often better to simply ask a
question. For instance, if a minister
prophesies, “The Lord says, I am healing you from heart disease”, and the
person does not have heart disease, a degree of faith in the word and
credibility of the minister is lost.
However if the minister asks, “Are you suffering from heart disease?”
there is no loss of credibility if the minister is incorrect. If the minister is correct the ministry going
forth can be just as effective as if a declaration was made.
11. Should I try to emulate another prophetic minister, or should I be
content with the level of gifting I’m operating at?
Each prophet has a different type and degree
of gifting. Attempting to emulate
another with a greater prophetic gift will result in frustration and
incredibility. We should ask the Lord
for more detailed and specific words, but should simply minister within the
limits of our current level of gifting.
The goal of prophetic ministry is for people
to receive from God, not for the prophet to appear spectacular or incredible.
1. Is the personal prophecy I received 100% accurate?
Unlike
Scripture, personal prophetic words are subject to error, due to the human
condition. Although we strive for 100%
accuracy, the words we receive are often in part (I Corinthians 13:9, 12).
2. Why can interpreting a word from God be so complicated?
Keep in mind that
there are three components to most prophecies.
a. Revelation – The divine dream,
vision, sign or word.
b. Interpretation – The meaning of the
dream, vision or sign.
c. Application – The correct action or
response to the prophecy.
If any one of
these three parts is mishandled, a degree of inaccuracy is introduced.
3. Can the timing of a prophetic word be a difficult thing for a
prophet to discern accurately?
Time, the fourth
dimension, is one variable that can often be mishandled. A prophetic minister may assume that an event
is about to occur in someone’s life, when it has already happened. On the other hand, the prophetic minister may
think that an event has already occurred in someone’s life, but will happen in
the future.
Any divinely inspired prophetic word
requires the cooperative response of its recipient for the word to be
fulfilled.
1. What can I do to cooperate with my prophecy?
Maintain positive attitudes of patience,
humility and submission toward your personal word, along with actions of faith
and obedience in keeping with the word.
I
Thessalonians 5:20 “Do not despise
prophecies.”
2. Should
I think about my prophetic word often, or just forget about it?
Record, read, and meditate upon the
prophetic word you have received, so that you begin to believe and behave in
accordance with it.
3. What if I cannot relate to my prophecy?
Bear witness to the prophecy. Your spirit may agree with the word, even if
your mind does not. If you receive a
prophecy that you do not understand, but you have a peace in your heart about
it, ask the Lord to reveal the word’s meaning.
Hold onto the word, until the Lord fulfills the word.
I
Thessalonians 5:21 “Test all things; hold
fast what is good.”
4. What
if my personal prophecy grieves me?
If a particular word of prophecy agitates or
grieves your spirit, release and renounce it.
If held on to, they could confuse, trouble or defile you.
5. Will my personal prophecy come to pass, or will I have to fight
for it to see it fulfilled?
Prophetic words and our divine destiny are
not fulfilled without our consent and cooperation. We must keep those words before us
continually, speaking and acting in accordance with them (I Tim. 4:14, II
Timothy 1:6).
6. Should I act immediately on my personal prophetic word?
Do nothing different immediately unless
definitely directed. If we rest in God
and are faithful in serving where He has placed us, promotion and advancement
toward fulfilling our divine purpose will come.
7. What variables in life may affect the fulfillment of my prophetic
word?
a.
People - Recognize that your destiny is interwoven
with the lives of others. Family,
friends, pastors, employers and other influential people in our lives may make
decisions that are not in keeping with our divine purpose. Nevertheless, despite mistakes, if we keep
our hearts right, God will provide an alternate path for us to fulfill our ultimate
destiny.
b.
Time - Time is also another variable that
has a way of testing all of us. Some
prophetic words are fulfilled in a week, others in a year or ten years, still
others take a lifetime to fulfill. Be
patient. God is faithful to fulfill His
personal promises, no matter how big or small.
VIII. PROPHETIC DEMONSTRATION AND IMPARTATION
Ministry in the church today is often limited
to indoctrination. We all have received
many teachings, but few of us regularly witness a demonstration of spiritual
gifts and fewer yet have had an opportunity to receive an impartation of those
gifts.
During this second part of the seminar you
may have an opportunity to receive personal prophetic ministry. During your ministry time, you will
personally experience a demonstration of one or more of the following: the gift
of prophecy, word of wisdom or word of knowledge, physical or emotional
healing, discerning of spirits, demonic deliverance.
1.
Cassette Recording
You will
receive a cassette recording of your personal word and ministry. We encourage you to record the word in a
journal and meditate on it. We often
forget much of what is spoken over us.
2. Feedback Form
We also encourage you to complete a copy of
the personal prophetic ministry feedback form, a copy of which is included in
the back of this syllabus. This gives
you an opportunity to provide both positive and constructive feedback so that
the prophetic ministers can grow in their gift.
In addition, we encourage you to share your word with your spiritual
authority (e.g. pastor) and to contact us with any questions, comments or
concerns.
During your personal ministry time, we
desire to stir up any dormant prophetic gifts within you and identify and impart
any prophetic gifts the Lord has prepared for you to receive.
Romans 1:11 “For
I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that
you may be established.”
I Timothy 4:14 “Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given
to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.”
II Timothy 1:6 “Therefore I remind you to stir up the
gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.”
1. Our Model for Every Five-Fold Ministry Gift
Jesus is the
only person who ministered in full capacity of the office of the apostle,
prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher.
2. Speaking Only God's Words
Because Jesus had the Holy Spirit without
measure, He perfectly communicated the word and will of the Father.
John 3:34 "For
He Whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the
Spirit by measure."
3. The Fruit of the Spirit
Because Jesus had the Holy Spirit without
measure, He also walked perfectly in all the fruit of the Spirit (Galations
5:22, 23).
Revelation 19:10 "For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit
of prophecy."
1. Humility
a.
Jesus
Humility was Jesus’ trademark. Jesus’ spirit of humility was characterized
by extreme obedience, even to the point of death, which enabled the Father to
exalt Him as Lord of all (Philippians 2:8, 9).
Matthew 11:29 “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for
I am meek and lowly of heart, and you will find rest for your
souls."
b. Moses
In the Old Testament, Moses exemplified the
true spirit of prophecy which is characterized by humility.
Numbers 12:3 "Now
the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of
the earth."
Some prophets want to be highly esteemed and
are not willing to train or impart prophetic gifts to others.
These prophets are full of pride and are self-seeking. Moses sought for all of God’s people to
minister prophetically.
Numbers 11:29 "Then Moses said to him, ‘Are you jealous for my sake? Oh, that all the Lord's people were
prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!’"
2. Boldness
As prophets, we need to be bold without
being blunt. Boldness ministers with
grace, whereas bluntness ministers without it.
Prophets must allow the Lion of Judah within us to roar with the spirit
of might, yet not allow our flesh to overrun our emotions so that we minister
in unrighteous anger.
Proverbs 28:1 “The righteous are bold as a lion.”
a. Jesus
(1) Confronted the Money Changers (Mt. 21:12,13)
(2) Confronted and Openly Rebuked the Pharisees
(Mt. 11:20-24)
b. Elijah
Confronted and Executed the 450 prophets of Baal
(I Kings 18:20-40)
3. Enduring Persecution and Rejection
The sting of
rejection is one of the most difficult things for prophets to overcome. Like Elijah, those who succumb to repeated
rejection, can allow a spirit of grief to overtake them to where they
withdrawal and resign from ministry.
a. Jesus was "despised and rejected of
men".
(Isaiah 53:3, I Peter 2:22,23).
b. Until his prophecies came true, Micaiah endured much ridicule and
was punished under the hands of King Ahab (I Kings 22:1-40).
4. Forgiveness
Walking in forgiveness is an absolute for
every Christian, especially prophets. Because
of His just nature, the Lord in His mercy will send prophets to a people
knowing fully that they will not receive His message. Prophets must learn not to take rejection personally,
learning that the recipients are not rejecting them, but the Lord.
a. Jesus Forgave Those Who Killed Him
Luke 23:34 "Then Jesus said,
'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do'."
b. Jeremiah Forgave Those Who Sought to Kill
Him (Jeremiah 26:11-16)
Never prophesy out of a bitter, unforgiving
heart. Bitterness and unforgiveness should
disqualify us from ministering until we deal with the root of bitterness, lest
our ministry defile many. (Hebrews 12:15)
5. Mercy
The Lord is much more merciful than we
are. When we would have given up on
someone years ago, the Lord is very patient and gives people multiple chances
to repent. Remember that mercy triumphs
over judgment and the goodness of God leads people to repentance.
a.
Jeremiah
Jeremiah prophesied the same message of repentance
to Judah
for 40 years, hoping for their repentance and restoration.
b.
Jonah
On the contrary, Jonah grudgingly obeyed the
Lord and was disappointed at Ninevah's repentance and the revival that
followed. Because Jonah did not demonstrate the heart of the Lord toward the
people of Ninevah, he is considered by some to be a false prophet.
Prepare the Way International places
a high degree of importance on the spirit of a prophet. Due to the corrective nature that prophecy
can have, it is imperative that prophets possess the Father’s heart of
compassion for His children.
X. THE ROLE OF THE PROPHET
A prophet has the role of being God’s
servant, friend, watchman and intercessor.
1. Taking the Form of a Servant
Matthew 20:27, 28 "And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave - just as the
Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a
ransom for many."
Philippians 2:7 “(Christ Jesus) made Himself
of no reputation, taking the form of a servant . . .”
2. Prophets Referred to As God's Servants
No less than 20
times prophets are referred to as God’s servants.
Jeremiah 25:4 "And the Lord has sent to you all His
servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, but you have not
listened nor inclined your ear to hear."
Although all
Christians are to become true friends of God, most are merely acquainted with
Him. Unlike Martha, her sister Mary made
the transition from being a mere servant of Jesus to being a friend of Jesus
(Luke 10:39-42). It is imperative that
prophets become friends of God if they are to fulfill their commission (Numbers 12:6-8).
1. Moses: A Friend of God
Exodus 33:11 "So the Lord
spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend."
2. Knowing God's Ways
John 15:15
"No longer do I call you
servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have
called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made
known to you."
3. Covenant Protection
The shadow of the Almighty serves as a
shield against the enemy for prophets who walk intimately and obediently with
the Lord.
Psalm 105:15 "Do not touch My anointed
ones, and do My prophets no harm."
1. The Secrets of the Lord
In His covenant mercy, the Lord has chosen
to reveal His secrets to prophets, so that the Body of Christ can prepare and
intercede effectively.
Amos 3:7 "Surely
the Lord does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the
prophets."
2. Accountability
Prophets are accountable before God to
communicate His messages to the people to whom the prophet has been sent.
Ezekiel 33:8 NIV "When I say to the wicked, 'O wicked
man, you will surely die', and you do not speak out to dissuade him from his
ways, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable
for his blood."
3. Pastors and Prophets
Through the preaching of repentance, prophets
prepare the hearts of God's people to hear and receive the shepherd (pastor)
and his message. In this sense,
prophets work as a team with pastors to communicate God’s word.
John 10:2,3
NIV "The man who enters by
the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The
watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice."
Prepare
the Way International is committed to working with the local church, building
bridges and trust with pastors. Many
rifts in the Body of Christ between pastors and prophets have been caused due
to inexperienced, untrained or bitter prophets.
Prepare the Way International endeavors to gain the confidence and
friendship of pastors, so that prophets and pastors together might complement
their ministries and complete their missions.
4.
Watchmen & GateKeepers
The Lord entrusts spiritual authority to
prophets, as watchmen, to not only announce a coming move of God’s Spirit,
but to warn the Body and the gatekeepers of a city, region, state or nation
regarding demonic onslaught.
GateKeepers are influencers, policy makers
and those in authority in the government, church, marketplace, media,
educational systems, etc., that determine the destiny of a city, state, or
region.
Ezekiel 33:7 NIV "Son of man, I have made you a watchman
for the house of Israel;
so hear the word I speak and give warning from Me."
Prophets,
called to minister to a particular city or state, neither have the influence
nor the authority as individuals to confront regional demonic powers. Therefore, they must work together with local
apostolic and pastoral leaders to corporately legislate in the Spirit to
plunder the works of darkness and decree the establishment of divine government
and righteousness.
1. Intercessors by Definition
The ministry of the prophet is characterized
by intercession. Prophets that do not
intercede most likely are either not prophets or are backslidden.
Jeremiah 27:18 "But if they are prophets, and
if the word of the Lord is with them, let them now make intercession to
the Lord of hosts."
2.
Standing in the Gap
Prophets serve as intercessors in behalf of
people and sin contaminated land.
Ezekiel 22:30 "So I sought
for a man among them who would make
a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf
of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one."
3. Identificational Repentance
a. Identificational repentance means “identifying
with and repenting for the sins of another person or group of people.”
b. The Book of Lamentations reveals the grief
Jeremiah experienced over the disobedience and judgment of Judah.
c.
Nehemiah
provides us with another example of identificational repentance. Repentance, in behalf of his people Israel, enabled Nehemiah to garner the favor of
God and the king to bring restoration to the city and people of Jerusalem.
Nehemiah 1:3-6 “I
wept and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying . . . I said . . . hear
the prayer of your servant which I pray before you day and night for
the children of Israel . . . and confess the sins of the children of Israel
which we have sinned against You.
Both my father’s house and I have sinned.”
d.
Repentance allows the blood of Jesus to be
applied over the sins of a people or region, where demonic forces no longer have
a legal right to reign.
4. Heavenly Legislation
Identificational repentance paves
the way for heavenly legislation.
a.
Executing Judgment
Through prophetic praise and
decree, Christians can execute judgment on these satanic forces, to bind them
and prevent them from reigning in a region.
Psalm 149:6-9 "Let the high praises of God be in
their mouth, and a two edged sword in their hand, to execute vengeance
on the nations, and punishments on the peoples; to bind their kings with
chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute on them the
judgment written. This honor have
all His saints."
b.
Keys of the Kingdom
The kingdom
keys that Christians have been given to close doors to demonic entry and lock
out satanic forces also may be used to unlock the windows of heaven and release
righteousness in a region.
Matthew 16:19 “And I will give you the keys of the
kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and
whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
Isaiah 22:22 “The key of the house of David I will
lay on his shoulder; so he shall open, and no one shall shut; and he
shall shut, and no one shall open.”
XI. THE MISSION OF THE PROPHET
Prophets’ multi-faceted mission is to
inspire, direct, prosper, purify, restore and unite the Body of Christ.
1. To Give You
a Future and a Hope
Prophets are to inspire us to
discover, embrace and fulfill our unique divine purpose and calling (II Timothy
1:9).
Jeremiah 29:11 “I know the thoughts that I think toward
you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future
and a hope.”
2. Living
by Revelation or Resignation
a. It is not enough for only the Lord to know His thoughts toward
us. We must know God’s purpose for
our lives if we are going to fulfill our destiny.
Proverbs 29:18 “Where there is no
revelation (lit. prophetic vision), the people cast off restraint.”
b. Hopelessness is the plague of the masses; a spiritual
disease whose symptoms are passivity and mediocrity.
c. Suicide
is the 3rd leading cause of death for 15-23 year olds in America.
There are 30,000 suicides per year in America.
d. Without a prophetic revelation of our calling, there is very
little that can restrain us from sin
(i.e. drugs, illicit relationships, alcohol, etc.) and resigning from our
divine calling.
3. Living by Design or Default
a. A prophetic word can inspire within us a sense of purpose
that brings focus, determination and discipline into our
lives. Our lives are then lived by
design.
b. The popularity of the best selling book, “The Purpose Driven
Life”, by Rick Warren, endorses the notion that people crave to live a
meaningful life, full of purpose.
c. The alternative to living by design is living by default. Several years ago a popular song’s lyrics
read: “Que sera, sera. Whatever will be, will be. The future is not ours to see. Que sera, sera.”
d. Without purpose, people live by default, instead of by design. These people take whatever life throws at
them, neither grasping nor realizing the potential for significance that God
placed within them.
1. The
Future is Ours to See
Although New Testament prophecy’s primary
function is not foretelling the future, prophets by the Holy Spirit, can
provide divine guidance and show us things to come.
John 16:13
“When the Spirit of truth has come, He will guide you into all truth . .
. and He will tell you things to come.”
The Lord, in His covenant mercy, chooses to
do nothing unless He communicates His will to His prophets (Amos 3:7)
2. Setting
the Mark to Your Divine Destination
Prophecy sets the mark regarding our purpose and destiny so
that we can press toward the mark to obtain the prize of fulfilling our high
calling in Christ.
Philippians 3:14 “I press toward the mark
for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
1. Breaking
Out Mightily
The Old
Testament word for prosper literally means “to push forward” or “break out
mightily”. When we believe in a
prophetic word, it will cause us to mightily break out of those things that
have hindered us and boldly move forward toward our destiny.
II Chronicles 20:20 “Believe in the Lord your God, and you
shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper (lit.
push forward, break out mightily).”
Due to opposition and indifference, work on
restoring the Temple
of Jerusalem under Zerubbabel
halted after two years. After the temple
lay untouched for 14 years, the Lord sent two prophets to inspire the temple’s
complete restoration.
Ezra 6:14
“(The elders) prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet
and Zechariah, the son of Iddo. And
they built and finished (the temple), according to the commandment of the God
of Israel.”
2. Having
a Good Journey
The New Testament word for prosper literally
means “to have a good journey”. When we
believe, embrace and obey the Lord’s prophetic directives and acknowledge Him
in all we do, He will direct our paths and cause us to prosper.
III John 2
“I wish above all things that you may prosper (lit. have a
good journey) and be in health, even as your soul prospers.”
A “good
journey” is one in which you reach your intended destination. A prosperous life is one in which we complete
God’s intended course and cross the finish line of life fulfilling God’s
purpose.
Sin can
disqualify us from the prize of attaining the high calling of God in Christ
Jesus.
Proverbs 28:13 “He who covers his sins will not prosper,
but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.”
1. Preaching Repentance
One of the primary functions of a prophet is
to expose hidden sin in the Church. The Holy Spirit then brings
conviction and repentance to perfect holiness in us and create vessels of honor
fit for the Master's use.
The prophet's message can be
uncomfortable. Like receiving a shot
at the doctor, a prophetic message doesn’t always feel good going in, but
if we will heed it, it could save our spiritual lives. Prophetic preaching confronts the issues of
the heart, generating usually one of three responses.
a. Joy (Glad)
Person
agrees with the prophetic word.
b. Godly Sorrow (Sad)
Person
is convicted of sin and is willing to repent.
c. Anger (Mad)
Person
is convicted on sin but is not willing to repent.
2. Repentance from Dead Works (Hebrews 6:1)
a. Dead Work - Any thought, word, action, attitude, habit or
practice that does not produce life and is contrary to the perfect will and
purpose of God.
b. Dead works are sin that keep people from perfecting holiness and
fellowshipping in the presence of God.
3. Types of Sin or Dead Works
Psalm 24:3,4 "Who
may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or
who may stand in His holy place? He who has
clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor
sworn deceitfully."
a. Sins of the Flesh (Clean Hands)
Galatians 5:19-21 "Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery,
fornication, uncleanness, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred,
contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions,
heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like. . ."
Lust
of the Flesh, Lust of the Eyes & the Pride of Life
(I John 2:16, James 4:8)
b. Sins of the Heart (Pure Heart)
Matthew 15:19 "For out of the heart proceed evil
thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies."
The prophetic anointing exposes and confronts
attitudes and spirits of jealousy, pride, fear and grief.
Certain sins of the heart can have far
reaching corporate effects. Racism,
jealousy, bitterness, prejudice and other heart judgments serve to defile and
separate the Body of Christ.
c. Idolatry (I John 5:20,21)
Exodus 20:3-5 "You shall have no other
gods before Me. You shall not make for
yourself any carved image, you shall not bow down to them or serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous
God."
Idol - Devotion to any person, place or thing that rightfully belongs to
God. We can often identify our idols
by where we spend excessive amounts of time and money.
d. Sins of the Tongue (Proverbs 18:21, Isaiah 6:5-8, Matthew 15:18)
Matthew 12:37 "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be
condemned."
Sins of the tongue include murmuring, complaining,
lying, false accusation, gossip, manipulative prayers, cursing, and coarse
jesting.
Psalm 19:14 "Let the words of my mouth and the
meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer."
4. Repentance Precedes Revival
In recent years the mission of the prophet has been
relegated to signs and wonders and personal prophecy. The
missing element of repentance preaching has kept America in a lukewarm state of
compromise that has kept revival fires from burning.
Matthew 3:2
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”
Nevertheless, God is raising up a company or John
the Baptist type prophets to begin turning the heart of America back to Him.
Prepare
the Way International is seeking to bring a balance to prophetic ministry. Some prophetic ministries only preach
repentance and others emphasize personal prophesy and signs and wonders. For instance, John Bevere primarily preaches
repentance, whereas Bill Hamon primarily activates the saints in spiritual
gifts. Both aspects of prophetic
ministry should be active throughout the Body of Christ.
Restoration is
an important aspect of the prophet’s mission that needs to be emphasized in our
endeavor to reshape the Body of Christ’s paradigm of prophetic ministry.
1. Prophesying Restoration
Restoration - A definitive process or action that
causes something or someone to return to its original intended form and/or
function.
Acts 3:19-21 "Repent
therefore and be converted, that your sins may
be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord and that He may send Jesus
Christ, Who was preached to your
before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all
things, which God has spoken by the mouth of His holy prophets since the
world began."
Times of Repentance à Kingdom Entrance
Times of Restoration à Kingdom
Establishment
Times of Refreshing (Revival) à Kingdom
Empowerment
Times of Revolution à Kingdom
Emergence
Times of Reformation à Kingdom
Expansion
2. Restoring Broken Dreams
In a real
cruel world, where divine dreams are slain daily, the Lord is raising up
prophets to restore broken dreams. Prophets
become “dream savers” in a world full of “dream slayers”.
Prophets must not only identify and root out
sin, but also build hope and plant destiny in the hearts of God's people.
Jeremiah 1;10 "See, I have this day set you over the nations
and over the kingdoms, to root out and to pull down, to destroy
and to throw down, to build and to plant."
3. Restoring Health
Physical
restoration sometimes comes from the
command of a prophet.
Jeremiah 30:17 "For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds, says the
Lord."
Psalm 107:20 He sent His word and healed them, and
delivered them from their destructions."
a. Naaman was healed when he obeyed the prophet Elisha.
II Kings 5:14 "So he (Naaman) went down and dipped
seven times in the Jordan,
according to the saying of the man of
God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child,
and he was clean."
b. Jesus Healed Through the Prophetic Command
(1) Man with the Withered Hand (Matthew 12:13)
(2) Healing the Centurion's Servant (Matthew
8:5-13)
4. Restoring Wasted Years
Joel 2:25 "So I will restore to you
the years that the swarming locust has eaten."
a. Despite years of inactivity and unfruitfulness, if we will hold
fast to the personal promises of God through His prophets, we will through
faith and patience inherit them (Hebrews 6:12).
b. Although we have missed the mark at different times of our lives,
if we will not give up and simply trust God, He will provide us an alternate
path to fulfill our ultimate destination.
5. Restoring Cities and Nations
Church leaders must realize that their scope
of influence and accountability reaches beyond the walls of their individual
churches. The Lord will collectively
hold leaders responsible for the spiritual condition of their community (Revelation 2, 3).
a. Restoring Vision (Habakkuk 2:2,3)
(1) Discovering Destinies - Some prophets are called to
rediscover God's redemptive purpose for cities and uncover Satan's plan of
perverting that purpose. These prophets then collaborate with local pastors and
intercessors to overcome demonic influence and fulfill divine destiny for the
church in that particular city.
(2) Apostolic/Prophetic Teams - God desires to team up prophets
with apostles, who are oftentimes pastors with a vision for city reaching. These apostles, like Nehemiah, have a burden for
church unity, evangelism and the restoration of their city’s spiritual gates.
b. Discerning the Enemy at the Gate
The spiritual strongholds over our cities
must be prayerfully determined, after which God's plan of deliverance is spearheaded by the apostles
and prophets.
c. Repentance Yields Restoration
Repentance for the sins of a city or nation,
led by the apostles and prophets, loosen the grip the accuser has upon it.
When the blood of Jesus is applied to these sins, the casting down of principalities
and the rebuilding process can begin. (Nehemiah 1:3-6, Ezekiel 22:30)
Isaiah 58:12 "Those
from among you shall build the old waste places; you shall raise up the
foundations of many generations; and you shall be called the Repairer of the
Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In."
d. Waging War at the Gate
(1) Sounding the Trumpet
The prophet (trumpeter) helps the apostle (Nehemiah)
rebuild the spiritual gates of the city, identifying satanic attacks and warning
the Body.
Nehemiah 4:18 "Every one of the builders had his sword
girded at his side as he built. And the
one who sounded the trumpet was beside me."
(2) Binding
and Loosing
Once sin is repented for and demonic powers
have been identified, intercessors can bind these satanic strongholds and loose
the righteousness and blessing of God through prophetic decree.
Unifying the Body of Christ is one of the
most important aspects of the mission of the prophet.
1. Restoring
All Things
John the Baptist came in the spirit of
Elijah to unite people with God through a message of repentance. This work of unity spearheaded the
restoration of all things.
Matthew 17:11 "Then Jesus answered and said to them,
'Elijah truly is coming first and will restore all things.’"
Today, prophets, as ministers of
reconciliation, are being commissioned to bring restoration to our
relationship with God and with one another.
The unity that results will initiate restoration in all other areas of
the kingdom.
2. The
Ultimate Curse
The ultimate curse is to be forever
separated from God in a Christless hell. According to the Old Testament,
unless prophets through the preaching of repentance unite the hearts of God’s
people to walk as one with the Father and with one another, the world will
suffer under this ultimate curse.
Malachi 4:5,6 “Behold, I will send
you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of
the Lord. And he will turn the hearts
of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their
father, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”
3. That the World May Believe
According to Jesus, the only way the world
is going to believe in Him as if Christians, His representatives, walk in unity
as one. In these last days, the Lord is
raising up a company of prophets to unite the Body of Christ through repentance
so that the world will believe in Jesus.
John 17:21 “That they all may be
one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in
Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.”
4. Unity of the Spirit and Faith
Corporate sins such as racism, prejudice,
denominational pride, and legalism inhibit the unifying, perfecting and
purifying work of the Spirit in presenting a holy, spotless Bride (the Church)
to the Lord Jesus Christ and to the world.
Ephesians 4:1,3,13 " . . . walk worthy of the calling with which you were called
. . . endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace .
. . till we all come to the unity of the faith “
Prophets are to unite the Body of Christ, by
challenging us to repent of these corporate sins that separate us. Once the Body is walking in unity, the world
will believe in Jesus and the Lord’s commanded blessing of “life
forevermore” (i.e. salvation) will be poured out on the world.
Psalm 133:1, 3 “Behold, how good and how
pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! . . . For there the Lord commanded the blessing – life forevermore.
XII. PROPHETIC PITFALLS, FALSE PROPHETS
& PSYCHICS
A. Seven Common Pitfalls for Prophets
1. Pitfall
#1 – PITY
a.
The Elijah Syndrome ~ I Kings 19:1-18
The “Elijah Syndrome” is a spiritual disease, where prophets isolate
themselves usually due to pride, insecurity or incompatibility, and fall into
the traps of self-pity, grief and resignation.
Elijah in fear
for his life, fled from Jezebel, and prayed that the Lord would take his
life. He isolated himself and resigned
to a cave and deceived himself in thinking that he was the Lord’s only prophet. Succumbing to grief and a spirit
of heaviness, Elijah forfeited the fulfillment of his high calling.
b.
Proverbial Prescription for Pity ~ Proverbs 18:1
Proverbs 18:1
“A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire. He rages against all wise judgment.”
Instead of
becoming a “lone ranger”, prophets should join a local or regional company
of prophets who can provide encouragement and counsel in times of need
(Proverbs 24:6).
2. Pitfall
#2 – PRIDE
a)
Simon the Sorcerer ~ Acts 8:9
Acts 8:9 “But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced
sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming he was someone GREAT."
Some
prophets isolate themselves because they think they are better or greater than
other prophets. Succumbing to pride
and a haughty spirit, these prophets will find God resisting them and
eventually fall.
Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goes before
destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”
b)
Proverbial Prescription for Pride ~ Proverbs
3:34
Proverbs 3:34 “God resists the proud,
but gives grace to the humble.”
Humbling oneself under that mighty hand of God will not only
secure God’s grace, but bring promotion in His kingdom in His time.
Matthew 18:4 “Therefore whoever humbles himself as this
little child is the GREATEST in the kingdom of heaven.”
I Peter 5:5,6 “Likewise you younger people, submit
yourselves to your elders. Yes, all
of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for
‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’ Therefore, humble yourselves under the
mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.”
3. Pitfall
#3 – PRESTIGE
a)
Simon the Sorcerer ~ Acts 8:10
Acts 8:10 "To whom they all gave
heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, ‘This man is the great
power of God.’"
Prophets seeking
fame will in the end only find shame.
Prophets, who love recognition or social standing, fear or honor man
instead of God. These prophets can entertain a spirit of whoredoms (harlotry)
that eventually dominates their relationships, leading to covenant breaking,
where one sells out true friends to serve fame.
Matthew 23:6 “They (Pharisees) love the
place of honor at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues.”
John 12:42,43 “Among the rulers many believed in Him
(Jesus), but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they
should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more
than the praise of God.”
b)
Proverbial Prescription for Prestige ~ Proverbs 25:27b
& 27:2
Proverbs 25:27b “So to seek one’s own glory is not glory.”
Proverbs 27:2 “Let another man praise you,
and not your own mouth.”
Seeking fame and glory for oneself will only
bring shame. We should only seek to lift
up and glorify the name and person of Jesus, that all men would be drawn to and
saved by Him.
4. Pitfall
#4 – POLITICS
a)
Simon the Sorcerer ~ Acts 8:18-20
Acts 8:18 "Now when Simon saw that
through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he
offered them money"
Acts 8:20 “But Peter said to him, “Your
money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased
with money.”
Politicians attempt to manipulate others
through money, insincere compliments, or unsolicited favors to gain advantage,
favor, or influence. The leaven of the Pharisees contaminates the
Body through the religious spirit.
Similarly, the leaven of Herod infiltrates the Body through the
political spirit.
Luke 6:26 “Woe to you when
all men speak well of you.”
Although we are to be on peaceable terms
with all men, we are foolish if we think we can be friends with everyone or have
everyone like us or approve of us (Romans 12:18).
Romans 8:15 “For you did not receive the spirit
of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by
whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’
The politician is subject to a spirit
of bondage to the fear of man’s rejection. Politicians may even forfeit true covenant
relationships with less influential people to pursue cordial relationships with
those with a wider or higher platform.
b)
Proverbial Prescription for Politics ~ Proverbs 29:25
& 18:16
Proverbs 29:25 “The fear of man brings a snare.”
Proverbs 18:16 ”A man’s gift makes room for
him, and brings him before great men.”
The fear of the Lord replaces the fear of
man and delivers one from
public opinion, where one only seeks to please God. Instead of attempting to manipulate people to
gain the favor of influential people, prophets must believe that their gift
will make room for them on the platforms that God provides.
5. Pitfall
#5 – POWER
a)
Simon the Sorcerer ~ Acts 8:19
Acts 8:19 "Give me this power
also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit."
Simon was obsessed with a supernatural power
that would bring him fame, and was jealous of Peter and John’s gifting.
Simon’s jealousy and bitter heart defiled
and disqualified him from
operating under the true anointing of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 8:21-23 "You have neither part nor
portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this your wickedness,
and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are poisoned by
bitterness and bound by iniquity.”
These insecure, bitter prophets are subject
to a spirit
of jealousy and may succumb to a spirit of divination where they turn
to familiar spirits to operate in the supernatural.
b)
Proverbial Prescription for Power ~ Proverbs 17:17
Proverbs 17:17 “A friend loves at all times.”
I Corinthians 14:1 “Pursue love and earnestly covet
spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.”
I Corinthians 14:12 “Since you are zealous
for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that
you seek to excel.”
Prophets desiring “the power” at any cost
will open themselves up to the operation of familiar spirits. However, if we always pursue the fruit of
love and have compassion for people first, we will never be in danger of
selling out to Satan and the operation of familiar spirits.
6. Pitfall
#6 – PROFIT
a)
Slave
Girl Possessed with a Spirit of Divination ~ Acts 16:16-19
Acts 16:16 "who brought her masters much
profit through fortune telling."
Acts 16:19 “But when her masters saw that their
hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into
the marketplace to the authorities.”
I Timothy 6:9,10 “But those who desire to
be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful
lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money
is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith
in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many
sorrows.
Prophets who love money are subject to a spirit of greed. They misuse their spiritual gifts to extort
money from gullible Christians, but in the end will reap destruction and
sorrow.
b)
Proverbial Prescription for Profit ~ Proverbs 1:19;
11:28
Proverbs 1:19 “So are the ways of everyone who is greedy
for gain; it takes away the life of its owners.”
Proverbs 11:28 “He who trusts in his riches will fall.”
7. Pitfall
#7 – PORNOGRAPHY
a)
Jesus’
Teaching on Adultery ~ Matthew 5:27-29
Matthew 5:27-29 “You have heard that it was
said to those of old. You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you that whoever looks at a
woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. And if your right eye causes you to sin,
pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that
one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.”
Matthew 6:22-24 “The lamp of the body is the
eye. If therefore your eye is
good (lit. clear, healthy), your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad (lit. evil or
unhealthy) your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is
darkness, how great is that darkness!
The lust of the eyes has discredited,
disabled and disqualified many preachers in America.
Instead of receiving the light of the knowledge of the glory in the face
of Jesus, the eyes of many prophets’ understanding have been darkened
through pornography. Having succumb
to unclean
and perverse spirits, some prophets are led into fornication and
adultery.
Luke 4:18
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to
preach . . . recovery of sight to
the blind.”
Instead of preaching recovery of sight to
the blind, we have blind preachers leading blind people down a path to
destruction.
b)
Proverbial Prescription for Pornography ~
Proverbs 6:32
Proverbs 6:32 “Whoever commits adultery with
a woman lacks understanding; He who does so destroys his own soul.”
B. Divination
– Old Age and New Age
1. What are some examples of old age psychics?
Diviners, Witches, Sorcerers, Soothsayers,
Mediums, Fortune-tellers, Palm Readers, Tarot Card Readers, Witch Doctors
2. What are some examples of modern day psychics?
John Edward’s “Crossing Over”
& Chris Angel “Mind Freak”
C. Prophecy vs. Psychic Readings
1. Is
getting a reading from a psychic an OK thing to do?
No. Psychics operate under the influence of
either a spirit of divination or a familiar spirit.
Familiar spirits are demons that are familiar with us and
those around us. They then communicate
to the psychic things that have happened to us and our families in the
past. This is how Jon Edwards operates.
A spirit of divination communicates
things about what people have done, and what they may do in the future, based
on their past. They also can communicate
what is going on in the present supernaturally.
It is supernatural, but demonic.
Chris Angel “Mind Freak” operates under the influence of many demons.
Divination is Satan’s counterfeit for
prophecy.
2. What inspires a prophetic word vs. a psychic reading?
- A true prophetic word is inspired by the
Holy Spirit.
- A false prophetic word is inspired by a spirit of divination,
familiar spirits, or a bitter heart.
- Inaccurate or presumptuous prophecies are innocent errors in
hearing God correctly.
3. Can there be negative effects from receiving a psychic reading or
having your palm read?
Yes. Participating in a
communication with demons brings defilement.
Leviticus 19:31 "Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do
not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your
God."
Defile : “to
make unclean or impure, to corrupt the purity or perfection of; to violate the
sanctity of; desecrate, dishonor or contaminate.”
Divination keeps God's people in a defiled state where intimate
fellowship with God is most difficult.
The judgment for divination in
the Old Testament was so severe because of the defilement it brought to God’s
people. In the Old Testament, the Lord
instructed that all mediums be put to death (Leviticus 20:6, 27, Deuteronomy
18:10-12, I Chronicles 10:13, 14).
Leviticus 20:27 "A man or woman who is a medium, or who
has familiar spirits, shall surely be put to death."
If you have participated in a psychic
reading, had your palm read or follow horoscopes, simply repent and ask the
Lord to cleanse you of any bad effects resulting from those experiences.
D. True Prophets and False Prophets
1. What motivates a true prophet and a false
prophet?
- A true prophet is motivated by selfless love for people.
- False prophets are arrogantly motivated to selfishly gain
prestige, power or profit.
2.
What detrimental effects do false prophets have on Christians?
False prophets give people a false sense of
security when in reality God is calling
for repentance (Jeremiah 14:14; 23:16, 17).
Jeremiah 23:21, 22 "I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran. I have not spoken to them, yet they
prophesied. But if they had stood in
My counsel, and caused My people to hear My words, then they would have
turned them from their evil way and from the evil of their doings."
Divination
deters repentance by deceiving people regarding their sin.
1. How can I recognize a true prophet from a false prophet?
Jesus indicated that a prophet’s fruit
determined if he was false or not. A
prophet with a shepherd’s heart produced good fruit and a hireling abused God’s
sheep, producing rotten fruit.
Matthew 7, 15,16 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in
sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits."
Matthew 12:35 "A good man out of the good treasure
of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil
treasure brings forth evil things."
2. Can bitterness defile a prophet, his prophecies and the church?
Accurate prophecy delivered
out of a heart of bitterness, due to jealousy or an unforgiven offense is a
form of divination. The attitude of the heart must reflect God's
heart or the prophecy will bring defilement and division in the Church.
A prophetic word of repentance, when
delivered out of a bitter or wounded heart, can cause resentment and rebellion
towards the Lord instead of repentance.
Matthew 15:18-20 "Those things which proceed out of the mouth come from
the heart, and they defile a man.
For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries,
fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a
man."
Some well
meaning prophetic ministries today have their roots in the New Age.
1. Can I
initiate my own spiritual journey to the 3rd heaven?
Our culture’s
growing hunger for the supernatural has caused some ministries to draw
followers by promoting self-initiated spiritual journeys to the 3rd
heaven.
2. Is my imagination a legitimate vehicle for a divine spiritual
experience or encounter?
a.
These so-called spiritual journeys to heaven are
initiated by human will and imagination, and sometimes boast encounters with
deceased people.
b.
The dictionary defines imagination as “lacking
factual reality”, a “creation of the mind”, a “fanciful or empty
assumption”.
c.
According to scripture, we are to “cast down
imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of
Christ, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” (II
Corinthians 10:5)
d.
All true spiritual 3rd heaven
experiences are initiated and led by the Holy Spirit, not human will or
imagination.
3. Are some so-called “prophetic activations” really “psychic
activations?
a. So-called
“prophetic activations” are sometimes characterized by asking the Holy Spirit
to give a prophetic word inspired by a random object. Other activations include attempting to guess
someone’s name or favorite color. These
methods are forms of divination and should be avoided.
b. Although we are to earnestly covet spiritual
gifts and set our minds on Christ and His heavenly kingdom, the Holy Spirit
distributes spiritual gifts and grants 3rd heaven experiences “as
He wills”, not as we will.
(I Corinthians 12:11, 14:1,
Colossians 3:1,2)
A large portion of the Body of Christ today
does not believe in modern day prophets.
Part of Prepare the Way International’s mission is to take the mystery
and controversy out of prophetic ministry so that the Body of Christ on a
larger scale can believe in, embrace, and benefit from it.
Please stay!
You will be given an opportunity in this seminar to freely exercise by
faith the prophetic gifting that is within you.
This is an informal time, intended to encourage you to step out in the
prophetic. Relax, have fun and be a
blessing!
Romans 12:6 "Having
then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in
proportion to our faith."
I Corinthians 14:31 "For you can ALL
prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged."
1.
You
will be placed in a group with around five to seven people. One person at a time will be ministered to
within the group. Two or more of the
other members of the group will minister to that person.
a.
These words
will not be tape recorded by GateKeepers, since this exercise is intended for
training purposes only.
b.
Feel
free to take notes or record these words with you own personal recorder.
2.
While
ministering, simply ask the Holy Spirit to give you a word from Him to bless
that person.
a.
You
do not have to minister to each person in your group, but you should attempt to
bless at least two people in your group during the activation.
b.
Don’t
succumb to the temptation to withdrawal out of fear during this activation. Don’t freeze up! Relax, you are among friends!
3.
You may
simply have a word of encouragement, or a scripture for someone. Some people begin to have visions or detailed
words for people.
a.
Even if
you have a strong impression, please refrain from giving any corrective or
directive words during the activation.
b.
If you
have questions, please do not hesitate to ask one of the GateKeepers ministers
that will be assisting with the activation.
4.
Ensure
that each person in your group has an opportunity to minister and to receive
ministry. If you have a strong gift
of prophecy, please do not dominate the activation, but instead encourage
others in the group to step out in faith.
5. Limit your ministry time to each person to 5 minutes. Total time for this activation should be
approximately 30 minutes.
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Blomgren, Dr. David, Prophetic Gatherings in the Church, Portland: Bible
Temple Publications,
1979.
Cramer, Dennis, You Can All Prophesy: Stepping Out with Integrity,
Cedar Rapids:
Arrow Publications, 2003.
Damazio, Frank, Developing the Prophetic Ministry, Portland:
Trilogy Productions, Inc., 1983.
Dufresne, Ed, The Prophet: Friend of God, Tulsa: Ed Dufresne Publications, 1989.
Goll, Jim W., The Seer, Shippensburg: Destiny Image Publishers,
Inc., 2004.
Hamon, Dr. Bill, Prophets and Personal Prophecy, Volume 1, Shippensburg:
Destiny Image, 1987.
Hamon, Dr. Bill, Prophets and the Prophetic Movement, Volume 2, Shippensburg: Destiny Image, 1990.
Hamon, Dr. Bill, Prophets, Pitfalls and Principles, Volume 3, Shippensburg:
Destiny Image, 1991.
Hamon, Dr. Bill, Fulfilling Your Personal Prophecy, Santa Rosa Beach: Christian International
Publishing, 1992.
Hanson, Ted, J., The New Testament Prophet, Bellingham: House of Bread Publishing, 1996.
Jacobs, Cindy, The Voice of God, Ventura: Regal Books, 1995.
Joyner, Rick, The Prophetic Ministry, Charlotte: Morningstar
Publications, 1997.
Price, Paula A., The Prophet’s Dictionary, Flaming Vision
Publications, 2002.
Randolph, Larry, User Friendly Prophecy, Century City: Cherith Publications, 1995.
Sanford, John and Paula, The Elijah Task, Plainfield: Logos
International, 1977.
Schultz, D. Steven, Restoration of the Modern
Day Prophet, Santa Rosa
Beach: Steve and Eileen
Schultz, 1990.
Thompson, Steve, You May All Prophesy, Charlotte: Morningstar Publications &
Ministries, 2000.
