The Truth About

PROPHECY

By Ed Traut

©Ed Traut 1991

All rights reserved. No part may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including Photostatting, recording or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

All Biblical quotations in this book are from the New International Version.

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Fifth Printing: 2000 ISBN 0-620-15208-7

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

To God be all the glory!

A special thanks to my wife and friend, Louisa, for her patience and love.

FOREWORD

The first time I experienced the prophetic gift and ministry of Ed Traut, I realized that something was happening here with which the body of Christ at large was probably not well acquainted. It was therefore important that something was to be put on paper in order for us to better understand and appreciate the true character of this amazing phenomenon.

I would like to make a few comments:

1. That this book should be read both prayerfully and with constant Prayerfully, because nature, is indeed a ministry of the Holy Spirit. And with reference to the Bible because Brother Traut makes many references to Scripture, and the reader should understand the context of a given periscope for maximum result.

reference to the Bible.

prophecy after its true

2. That the life and ministry of Brother Traut‘s theory and praxis are synchronized into a meaningful harmony. This man does not only theorize on the gift of prophecy, God uses him in this peculiar ministry.

3. That this book serves as an introduction to a study on prophecy and its relevance for our day. Furthermore, I would advise that a scientificexegetical study be done especially with a view to the completion of the New Testament canon.

I am glad that this book is merely a prelude to further works by Brother Traut on the same theme, for there are many remaining questions on the gift of prophecy and on the office of the prophet that need to be clarified.

Dr LEMMER DU PLESSIS

Verwoerdburg January 1991

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Is prophecy for today?

The nature of prophecy

Why prophecy?

Prophecy evokes encouragement

Prophecy in the local assembly

The prophetic church

Prophecy: the key to knowledge

Conclusion

Chapter 2 How do we prophesy?

Introduction

Motive

Desire and covet to prophesy

Stir up the gift

By faith

The Mind of Christ

Method

Chapter 3 Personal Prophecy

Who needs it?

Prophecy is conditional

Warfare on promises

Prophecy is timeless

Confirmation

Prophecy to be tested

Prophecy in part

Attitude

Chapter 4 Prophecy or prophet?

Definition of a Prophet

Old Testament and New Testament Prophets

False Prophet

Prophets in the local church

The call of the Prophet

Conclusion

Chapter 5 Visions and dreams in prophecy

Do they exist?

Dreams

False dreams

Interpreting dreams

Visions

Imagination or vision?

Seers

Conclusion

Chapter 6 Led by the Spirit or Prophecy?

Desire of your heart

Inner witness

Still small voice

The Spirit speaking through prophecy

Conclusion

Chapter 7 Administrating prophecy

Introduction

Advantages of prophecy

Governing prophecy

Different levels of prophecy

Discerning revelational prophecies

Recording and follow-up of prophecy

Conclusion

Chapter 1

Is prophecy for today?

“I have much more to say to you.” John 16:12

The nature of prophecy

Although we readily acknowledge the fact that in the Old Testament God spoke to man by way of prophecy, many people argue and dispute the relevance and need for prophecy today. God has always spoken to man in many different forms, and divine communication is part of God’s very nature.

In the scripture quoted above, our Lord Jesus expressed the need for the disciples to hear more, but a two-fold problem existed. First of all they themselves were not ready or mature enough to endure more. Second, Jesus Himself was to leave them shortly. The solution was and still is today, found in the person of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said that He, the comforter, would “lead them into all truth” (John 16:13). The Holy Spirit still leads us today as a church and as individuals (Romans 8:14).

John 16:13 says, “… He will tell you of things yet to come.” This refers to the Holy Spirit and describes future events. It is exciting to think that we hear from the Spirit concerning things yet to come. This came to pass in the early church and can be found in Acts 11:28. Agabus prophesied of a drought that would affect the entire Roman world. The other disciples verified the word (vs. 29) and the saints sent help ahead of time.

This is not all there is to prophecy. Jesus, in John 16:15 explains, “He will take from what is mine and make it known to you.” The Spirit will reveal more of Christ, His Kingdom, His purposes and nature as well as the ‘things to come.’ The two attributes of prophecy are foretelling and forth telling. Prophecy is God speaking His purposes and plans to man, through man, for man.

One thing to note from this scripture is that the Holy Spirit always brings glory to the Lord Jesus. Thus if the prophetic person gets more acknowledgment than the Lord, there is a strong possibility that is not the Holy Spirit who is operating, but rather ‘soul power’ (soul power being human ability).

Why prophecy?

Considering that each Spirit-filled Christian should be able to hear from God for himself as explained in Romans 8:14, “Because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” Why then, do we need to have prophecy? Part of the answer is found in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 where the nine gifts are described. These gifts are for the edification or building up of the church (verse 7). Prophecy, as one of the nine gifts, is consequently for the church’s benefit and therefore also indirectly for the individual.

Proverbs 15:23 says, “and how good is a timely word.” Each one of us at some time needs to hear that ‘timely’ word either as confirmation or comfort. I have seen more lives changed and people encouraged and inspired through a prophetic word, than through most other gifts or ministries. A word from the Lord has eternal value as stated in 1 Peter 1:24-25 “The word of the Lord endureth forever.”

The gift of prophecy certainly had its place in the early church when the need arose for receiving direction. The prophetic word inspired the brethren in Acts 11:29 to send help to the Judean church. As a result of the “Spirit speaking” in Acts 13:2, the church at Antioch sent Paul and Barnabas off on their ministerial tour. Paul went to Macedonia as a result of a late night vision (Acts 16:10). One might think that because only one person was saved Paul missed it, but as a result of Lydia’s conversion, many others were saved. Thank God, He knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10).

Prophecy evokes encouragement

Another valuable aspect of prophecy in the early church was the courage it gave believers in adverse circumstances. Although Peter was bound in chains and guarded by fourteen men (Acts 12), he slept peacefully. Despite the threatening situation he found himself in, he had no fear. This can be attributed to the prophetic word he received from Jesus in John 21:18, “…When you are old you will stretch out your hands and someone else will dress you and lead you…”

Paul on the other hand was forewarned of the hardships that awaited him (Acts 20:23). He comforted the sailors that their lives would be spared through a prophetic word (Acts 27:23-24). Prophetic words give us ammunition and courage to persevere, as we see in 1 Timothy 1:18 when Paul instructs Timothy to “fight the good fight”.

There is a distinction between productive and predictive prophecy. In Timothy’s case, the prophecy was predictive, but it was also productive. Its goal was to produce the perseverance to go endure warfare for what was to arise, and to bring out God’s glory in his life and ministry.

Prophecy often comes into our lives to create the Godkind and God-like type of ministerial thrust within us, motivating us to get on the warpath and do the works of God, not to sit back and wait for things to happen.

When the Jews entered the Promised Land, Canaan, it was predicted that they would have milk and honey. This promise produced determination to make warfare. Although no mention was made of the giants who awaited them, the prophecy produced an overcoming power, a transformation of self-image and a confidence in God’s Word irrespective of circumstances. They had to war to possess what God had already promised them and there had to be active participation from their side.

Prophecy in the local assembly

1 Corinthians 12 deals with the nine gifts of the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 14 is dedicated largely to the gift of prophecy. This, I believe, is not only because of the lack of understanding of prophecy, but also because of the importance of prophecy compared to the other gifts. The Spirit places more emphasis on this gift because of its role of edification in the church, as seen in the first five verses of 1 Corinthians 14.

Of the nine gifts, prophecy is the gift we are told in 1 Corinthians 14:1 to desire above all the others. In verse 5 of the same chapter, Paul says he wants everyone to speak in tongues but more than that he wants them to prophesy. The gift of prophecy has a very important role to play in the local church. 1 Corinthians 14:3 explains that prophecy will “strengthen, encourage and comfort.” This seems contrary to the many ‘doom and gloom’ prophecies we have experienced in today’s church.

There is the argument that the gift has ceased, “But where there are prophecies, they will cease” (1 Corinthians 13:8). However, Paul goes on to explain in 1 Corinthians 13:10 that when the perfect has come, the imperfect will pass. There is only one that is perfect - the Lord Jesus. When He returns, we will no longer require the gifts and impartation from the Spirit, because we will be with Him on a permanent basis. As a result prophecies will cease when the Lord Jesus returns, but for now it is time to ‘stir up’ the gift that is within us so we may bless and edify the church.

The prophetic church

It is my firm belief that the Lord yearns for a prophetic people, a church that will be His voice to the world. The church has been responsible for the moral standard of the world; that is, the world has learned to distinguish between right and wrong, good and evil with the standard God set through the church. Therefore, if the church realizes it is the world’s conscience, as individuals we ought to set a high standard and maintain it ourselves.

Revelation 19:10 says, “For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” The angel instructs John not to worship him, because he is only a fellow-worker. He explains that all the prophecy and vision that John received was the testimony of Christ. John 16:15 ties in with this when Jesus said that the “Spirit would testify of Him.” Today the church still has the calling to testify of Christ, by bringing God’s Word and His oracles to the nations. The church should have the mind of Christ to minister direction and God’s judgement to the nations and its leaders.

Prophecy: the key to knowledge

In Luke 11:52 Jesus Himself said, “Woe to you experts in the law.” Those experts in the law were people who are educated and had much knowledge. He told them they had taken away the key to knowledge.

They hadn’t taken away knowledge, but taken away the key to knowledge. The word ‘key’ usually indicates an open door, or the way to gain access to something. Let us consider the word ‘access’. If they had taken away the access of knowledge, what then was this access to knowledge? In the previous passage from verse 47 through to 51, Christ tells the Pharisees and teachers that their woes come because of the prophets their fathers have killed. “From the blood of Abel, even unto the blood of Zachariah.” This strongly indicates that the prophets had the key to knowledge. They brought revelation, and revelation is the key to true knowledge.

Prophecy and prophetic insight always brings revelation, and we must have an understanding of what is revealed. Many of our doctrines in the church today are built upon the teachings of Paul, who declares in Ephesians 3:2-3 that he received the gospel by revelation. It is significant that it was Paul, who although well educated in Judaism, was not one of the original 12 disciples, and did not spend time with Jesus when we was in His physical form. Yet he was the one to bring revelation to the church concerning order, balance and insight. We have many examples of this in his letters and epistles. I am convinced that without the prophetic key; the key to knowledge, wisdom and insight, the church cannot move into the deeper levels that God intends for her, which produces the overcoming, victorious Bride He speaks of in His Word.

Prophecy in the local church has often been the key to revelation in tricky circumstances. I was once asked to help with a trying situation in a local assembly where the enemy was harassing a lady. Although they had prayed and fasted, they could not gain victory. Within a matter of minutes the Lord gave me a revelation of exactly where the root of the problem lay. The brethren were able to deal with that spiritual force, take authority and thereby get the victory. We need to have that key in the church, but so many brethren are threatened, or fearful of allowing the prophetic key to help enhance what they already possess.

Moses had a heart after God and that is why he said, when others were threatened on his behalf concerning ‘up and coming prophets’, “I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets” (Numbers 11:29).

Conclusion

Is prophecy still for today? There is so much evidence of prophecy in the early church and spiritual activity. There is no doubt God used it then, and is now restoring it on a greater level. I believe prophecy helps prepare the Bride for the coming of the Bridegroom. We are to recognize the validity, scriptural reference and emphasis on prophecy in the church. Understanding is the main factor lacking concerning personal, congregational and general prophecy.

Chapter 2

How do we prophesy?

“For you can all prophesy...” 1 Corinthians 14:31

Introduction

In view of the fact that Paul suggests and recommends all to prophesy, this chapter serves to give some assistance and biblical guidelines on how to activate or stir up the gift of prophecy inside every Spirit-filled believer. Although there is no rigid formula, and the Spirit will move how He desires, there are certain steps that will be of help.

Motive

1 Corinthians 13:1 is a well-known verse bringing the gifts into perspective with the fruit, love being the most important fruit of all. God is love and everything He has done for us has been an act of love. John 3:16 “for God so loved the world...”

With any and every operation of the gifts in the local church, one’s motives should always be pure. 1 Corinthians 14:1 says we are to “pursue and follow the way of love.” Our motive for prophesying should always be one of love because it is the ‘more excellent way’ (1 Corinthians 13:13). If one prophesies out of a motive of anger, pride or insecurity, chances are good these wrong attitudes will filter through (this will be explained later in this chapter). 1 Corinthians 4:5 tells us the Lord will expose the motive of men’s hearts, and Paul in his letter to the Philippians, refers to a false motive.

Because of the delicacy of these nine gifts to the church, and the seriousness with which the Holy Spirit intends us to view them, it is important for us to be clear and undefiled channels. Harboring wrong motives, impure attitudes or even unrepentant sin defiles us. As the gifts are so edifying to the church they should be motivated by a heart of love and selflessly given because, “freely we have received and freely we therefore must give.”

Motive then, can be seen as the first step to being used by the Holy Spirit. We must check our motives and be sure our objective is to glorify Christ and build the church. In John 16:12-15 Christ says, “He will bring glory to Me by taking what is mine and making it known to you” indicating that the Spirit always brings attention to Christ. If the more attention is drawn to the person who is ministering than to the Lord, then the motive and that person’s ministry are questionable.

Desire and covet to prophesy

In the past many people have waited for the Spirit to come upon them so they may be used. They thought that if the Lord wanted to use them, it had to be of an external origin, rather than the life-giving force generated by the “indwelling” Spirit of God. This force is actually stirred up by the desire. In 1 Corinthians 14:1 we read we are to “desire spiritual gifts but especially that we may prophesy.” One therefore has to have an inner desire, with the right motive in mind, to want to be able to prophesy. One should not wait for some extraordinary experience, as it is one’s obligation to be ready and willing as bornagain Spirit-filled children of God to prophesy. However this does not negate the fact that God does intervene physically, supernaturally, or even audibly, and communicates outside of our inner resources.

This brings into perspective the way God intended prophecy and the gifts to operate in the church. 1 Corinthians 14:5 says, “One

greater than one who speaks

who prophesies is in tongues”. This

scripture illustrates that we need prophecy, and that, of all the nine gifts, prophecy is valued greatly for the edification of the church. The Bible was written largely as a result of revelation knowledge given by God, and though the Bible itself is complete, it is evident that prophetic revelation is ongoing. 1 Corinthians 14:39 says we are to be “eager to prophesy” indicating that once again zeal or our own motivation and desire play a major role. This is the second step in moving towards flowing in the gift of prophecy.

Stir up the gift

Paul, in writing to Timothy (2 Timothy 1:16) encourages him to “stir up the gift” which was inside him since the laying on of hands. Stirring up the gift literally means to move out by faith with the right motive to prophesy. We are to stir up the gifts inside us so we may bless the Body and bring glory to Christ.

We, as born-again Spirit-filled believers, are required to be supernaturally natural and naturally supernatural. We should always be ready to operate in any one of the nine gifts, and be an instrument of the Holy Spirit to minister to people.

Two schools of thought exist on this subject. Some say we are to wait and be totally dependent on inspiration while others say we are to stir up the gift by faith. Scriptures indicate we have to have awareness of the gift already resident in us. We call it forth and break forth the “fountains of the deep” so we can bring out the spirit that is inside, so that rivers of life might flow out of our innermost being, thus building, motivating and blessing the church. To stir up the gift inside us, we have to spend time with the Lord and pray. A relationship cannot be built without communication. If we communicate and relate to the Father, we will have an abiding anointing to stir up the gifts inside us, and be attentive to the Spirit when he wishes to speak through us.

By faith

Romans 12:6, “If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith.” This scripture clearly indicates that we prophesy according to the measure of our faith, not by any physical sensation or indication. We also know from Hebrews 11 that faith is the substance of things not seen, nor felt in the natural, or made aware to us in our minds. Faith is the substance that resides deep inside our spirit. If we prophesy according to the proportion of our faith, then in order to prophesy more often and more effectively, we need to increase that faith. We increase our faith by hearing the Word (Romans 10:17) and also as Jude 20 says, “by praying in the Spirit.”

Constant use will also help exercise the spiritual prophetic muscle, i.e. the more we prophesy the more we will be able to do so (Hebrews 5:14).

Therefore we can call forth the gifts that are inside us by stirring them up through faith, and with the correct motive.

The Mind of Christ

In 1 Corinthians 2:6 onwards, we read how we should minister the secret wisdom of God. Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, writes that in the same way the spirit of a man knows what is happening inside his mind, God’s Spirit knows what is in God’s mind. Furthermore we have received that same Spirit, which knows God’s purpose, plans and mind.

It is exciting to think that we have deep inside our spirit, when we receive the Holy Spirit, the total wisdom, mind and knowledge of God. This simply needs to be unlocked by faith as God wills His mind to be revealed. 1 Corinthians 2:16 tells us we have the mind of Christ inside us, as well as the knowledge and plans of God. I believe we are to minister and call out that knowledge so the church can benefit, letting her know God’s direction under the full anointing intended for us as His glorious church.

1 Corinthians 2:13 explains that we express spiritual truths and spiritual words. Spiritual truths are definitely the revelations given by the Spirit. ‘Spiritual words’ suggest they are prophetic, i.e. declaring forth on a supernatural level.

1 Corinthians 2:16, “... but we have the mind of Christ” thus we need to minister from deep within the living waters, the wisdom, insight and revelation of Christ to His church.

Method

Hebrews 5:14 says, “By constant use we have trained our senses and ourselves to discern between good and evil.” We need to develop our gifts by constant use. The following are suggested methods or steps for developing the prophetic revelation and discernment from within. We need to understand there are two different areas of development.

• Our reception or receiving from the Spirit what He has to say.

•Our delivery i.e. the way or the wording we use to deliver what we receive.

Receiving from the Lord is based on our ‘relationship’ with Him. The more we pray, the more we get to know the Shepherd’s voice, and the more we as sheep will recognize His voice (John 10:14).

Keep in mind that all of us are body, soul and spirit. So, there are two areas that are not necessarily motivated or inspired by the Spirit — the body and soul realm. God is Spirit according to the Word of God and they who worship Him, must worship Him in Spirit (John 4:24). Also God, being Spirit, ministers to us in our spirit and that revelation forms a collection of words, images and imprints in our soulish realm (which is where our mind is placed). This then comes out of our mouth as a spoken word of God.

The opposite is also true. When one listens to a radio program or watches a television image, these images are collected in one’s mind which is seated in one’s soulish realm and if it is of a defiling nature, it will defile one’s spirit.

Therefore, for us to be able to ‘hear’ or ‘perceive’ more clearly from the Lord, a process of elimination helps us isolate our revelation input from all other sources. Our desires, our will, and our intentions (emotions, will and understanding) are seated in the soulish realm. We should subject all these things to the will of God and in maturing, learn to yield ourselves to His will (even as Christ prayed in the garden of Gethsemane “Father not my will but yours”). In this way, we will be able to eliminate soulish prophecies. We can then subject our soulish realm to God’s perfect will and word, having our minds renewed daily by the washing of His Word.

I have seen too many people prophesy their pet doctrines, theories and even their own wisdom into peoples’ lives. Although these words may sometimes be similar to what the Lord would speak, the danger of being incorrect and directing peoples’ lives erroneously still remains. I cannot stress strongly enough that hearing from God has to be carefully and patiently developed, taken very seriously and delivered soberly, as many people’s lives are strongly influenced by both correct and incorrect prophecies.

Many times when receiving a prophecy for someone, it can seem almost opposite to the opinion of the vessel God is using. By yielding one’s own mind and will to the Spirit of the Lord one will enhance the accuracy of the prophetic word. Many people are more comfortable when being prophesied to by a stranger because of this fact. They feel confident that without any knowledge, there is no soulish influence on the prophetic word. However, I am able to receive a word from someone who knows me well, when I know they are mature enough to discern between their own natural feelings and desires, and the divine word of God.

The body realm is a much easier realm to contend with because we can close our eyes, bar outside influences, and allow the Spirit to minister to us without receiving from the natural. However, all these diverse methods take time, practice and constant waiting upon the Lord.

Although the preceding steps may be the general norm, there will almost always be exceptions. For example, God does speak with an audible voice, as is seen in the Old Testament and in some occasions in the New Testament. God appeared in the burning bush, which was of natural origin. We can also ‘receive’ through our natural senses (ears, eyes and so forth). Although these phenomenon do occur, I am trying to impart a spiritual method of activating and releasing the gift of prophecy, which I believe every believer has the prerogative and the duty to operate in. Revelation is constantly available by way of the Spirit inside us, and this does not exclude ‘out of body’ experiences or natural manifestations of God.

The second part, covering the ‘delivery’ of what we receive from the Lord, is a little more complicated than the reception. Most people say one should give exactly what one has. Although this is correct, God has given us wisdom to speak the mind of Christ with grace, love and kindness. 1 Corinthians 16:14 explains, “Do everything in love,” because with the measure we give out, we shall receive. We need to deliver the complete message with a heart of love and kindness, especially if it is corrective. The other extreme is also true. If we water down God’s correction, we are accountable to the Lord. Words must be given with Christ-like grace, remembering how He showed love and mercy toward those in sin and that He is the prototype of a New Testament prophet. Remember the occasion when he wrote in the sand and the woman caught in the act of adultery was brought before Him (John 8)?

There are many ways of wording different things. One can minister a word, correcting or exposing sin in such a way that only the person receiving it would know what the contents and extent of the word means. It is not God’s plan for us to cause embarrassment or to dramatize unnecessarily the prophetic words, placing emphasis on us or on anything else other than Christ Himself.

There are also other factors that influence our delivery such as the eerie ways in which some prophesy with strange guttural sounds, vibrations, using a different accent, or King James English. A very calm natural delivery is far more acceptable and effective than the dramatic ways people use. This does not imply that those who do these things are not of the Spirit. In fact they often are, but they do it out of excitement in their soulish realm rather than by inspiration of the Spirit. If we are bringing God’s word, we don’t need to emphasize it by means of shouting, screaming or shaking, or using dramatic wording. The anointing will quicken and emphasize the prophetic word, especially in the hearts of the leaders.

Giving dates and specifics can also be very dangerous and upsetting unless you are absolutely sure. When you are not sure of the meaning of what you receive, give the word exactly as you receive it. You should give the word as you understand it. Then make sure that the person receiving it can interpret and understand what the Lord is saying, so they may be edified and can act accordingly.

Development in delivery methods comes with working with prophets and prophetic people. There is inspiration, both in the receiving and the delivering of a word, amongst the prophets. Saul in 1 Samuel 10 began to prophesy when he found himself amongst the prophets, much to the amazement of all who stood around them. They wondered if he too was a prophet. There is an anointing that stirs up and inspires the prophetic gift to operate when the prophets come together.

One way to develop the receiving and delivery of the prophetic is to get amongst prophets and allow the Spirit to minister to you in learning how God leads you. It is also an excellent opportunity to test what you receive. For example, some receive images, some receive impressions, some receive words and yet others hear voices inside their heart or sprit. It is of utmost importance for those flowing in the gift of prophecy or in the prophetic office, to learn, (study and perceive) how God communicates to them. The mode of reception may vary from person to person according to whatever is their most comfortable or natural way of receiving from the Lord.

Chapter 3

Personal Prophecy

“Do not treat prophecies with contempt.” 1 Thessalonians 5:20

Who needs it?

Many people argue that we do not need personal prophecy in the church today. However, there are more accounts throughout the scriptures of personal words given to individuals than of those given to congregations or to nations. When we understand that God wants to communicate with us, mainly about our relationship with Him rather than just our physical needs, we will realize that personal prophecy needs to be a part of our walk with Christ. People accuse personal prophecy of being Christian ‘fortune-telling’. Satan is the counterfeiter, and he performs counterfeit miracles and signs and wonders and so fortunetelling is his counterfeit of prophecy. Therefore, if there is a counterfeit, prophecy has to be real, relevant and from God. Receiving a timely word is like medicine. It is of great importance and value to us, especially when receiving encouragement and direction.

Of all nine gifts referred to in 1 Corinthians 12, the only gift we are told not to despise (1 Thessalonians 5:20), is prophecy. One wonders why, but I believe it was because there were so many misconceptions and misunderstandings concerning personal prophecy at that time. People may have misinterpreted it and gone from one extreme to the other, just as they still do today. One extreme people go to is not receiving and even totally rejecting prophecy. The other extreme is to run off in a foolhardy manner, misunderstanding personal prophecy, thus making foolish and hasty decisions without any confirmation whatsoever. With a proper understanding of personal prophecy we can put it in its proper perspective and use it to help build the church as God intended.

Our relationship with God is the center of our existence, and having a relationship with God the Father is of primary importance in understanding personal prophecy. If we serve and love Him, all else will be of secondary significance. Although personal prophecy often includes material things (motor vehicles, babies, etc.), as well as spiritual things relating to spiritual growth and salvation, I believe what God longs for is our fellowship with Him. The entire Bible pivots on the salvation message with Christ’s sacrifice on the cross bringing restoration between God and man. As a result, all personal prophecy should enhance and strengthen that relationship. We should be careful, in prophecy, not to capitalize on or over emphasize natural things above our relationship with the Father. If we understand this, we will realize that the goal of personal prophecy is not only to edify us, but also to strengthen our walk with God. Those giving as well as those receiving prophecy should always be mindful of this.

Second, we are to clearly perceive what has been said to us, rather than that we ‘want’ to hear. In John 21:22 Jesus said concerning John, “What is it to you if I keep him until I come.” Manyofthedisciples misunderstood and misinterpreted what Jesus said. The Word goes on to say a rumor was spread that John would not die because of this saying. That is not what Christ said. If the disciples who knew Him so well could have misinterpreted what Christ said, how much more will we who are receiving God’s prophetic word through another person! Therefore one important step in receiving personal prophecy is to record, meditate on and read through it several times. This will help you understand what you have received. When possible all prophecy needs to be recorded. If it is impossible to record, notes must be taken. The recording of prophecy not only protects the person giving the prophecy, but also helps the recipient to make sure they do not forget the exact words spoken. Should the person receiving personal prophecy not have his pastor close by while being prophesied over, it is imperative he take his personal prophecy and work through it with his own pastor. This is so that there may be clear understanding, and so that the pastor is aware of what is happening. No personal prophecy is more important than the counsel of one’s own spiritual leader. He is responsible for us and sovereignly ordained by the Holy Spirit to shepherd those who are of the household of the Lord. It is also important for pastors to recognize and acknowledge the value of personal prophecy and to be able to put it into perspective with the members of their local church, so that it may attain to the maximum productivity for that person’s life.

When receiving personal prophecy, conditions are often stated and we are to adhere to these if we are to see the fulfillment of our prophecies. In Acts 9 we read about Paul’s Damascus road experience. Had he not received and been obedient concerning the word Jesus had spoken to him, he would never have had the second part of the prophecy, which concerned the calling of God upon his life.

Prophecy is conditional

All prophecy, whether stated or not, is conditional to us walking in obedience. We can hardly expect a prophetic word to be fulfilled when we have done everything to contrary! When Israel left Egypt for the Promised Land, even with God’s promise of entering into the land of milk and honey, out of the 600,000 Jews that left only two of the original group ever entered in and saw the fulfillment of that prophecy. God certainly did not lie, but they were turned away at the door to the Promised Land because of unbelief, and were rerouted back into the desert. Many people do not see the fulfillment of their promise because of a lack of faith or even disobedience in their own hearts. The same applies to prophecy, which is the spoken word of God.

Many conditions are stated in prophecy and need to be adhered to in order to obtain fulfillment of the promises mentioned. I have seen many people rebel against the prophecy and even against God because words have not come to pass the way they expected. In actual fact it was caused by their failing to comply with God’s conditions. We have to walk to the letter in these prophecies, and even when conditions are not mentioned, we know they are subject to obedience and trusting in God.

Warfare on promises

1 Timothy 1:18 states, “So that by following them (the prophecies) you may fight the good fight.” Paul tells Timothy to wage the good fight of faith concerning the prophecies he received. This indicates we are to do warfare with the promises of God over our lives, both ‘written’ and ‘spoken’, because God’s Word is true. If we learn to trust Him and understand that His Word is above the facts we see, we shall know God is faithful to His Word. It was on just one word of Christ’s, “Come” in Matthew 14:29 that Peter got out of the boat and walked. Having received the revelation of the power of God’s Word, he saw the fullness of God’s word coming to pass. Against all odds he did the supernatural, knowing that Christ, being the truth, spoke the word against the facts of not being able to walk on the water. The facts do not always agree with the truth. As one can see in this example: the facts are that no one walks on water; the truth is, Peter did.

So then, if prophecy does not work for the individual, or if there are problems with its fulfillment, one needs to examine whether everything was understood, all conditions were met and if one’s heart was indeed faithful towards the Lord. This must be done before one criticizes those giving prophecy or even the prophetic word itself.

Prophecy is timeless

It is often painful to accept that God is not in a hurry. I have experienced this in my own life. I would have liked God to speed things up, but I have come to know that His timing is always perfect. The Bible clearly shows that God has His own time. In the case of Lazarus, his sister came and told Christ not to bother coming because he had already died. Christ was, humanly speaking, too late. However, having told her that Lazarus would not die, Christ alone was able to turn the situation around, no matter how dim or dismal it looked.

It is dangerous to give time frames when prophesying. I believe many times the enemy wars against the prophecy to try and hinder it from coming to pass at the prophesied time. Daniel 10:13 is a good example. The ‘Prince of Persia’ kept the angel of the Lord back for twenty-one days. I have seen many prophets predict time with great accuracy, but, sometimes there is a delay in the fulfilling of the word and it ends up creating doubt, unbelief and discouragement in the person receiving the word. There was a forty-year delay in the fulfillment of Israel’s prophecy of entering the land of Canaan because of unbelief. Thus, when receiving a prophecy in which time is given, you must pray the word through and believe with all your heart if you know it to be the will of the Lord. There are many terminologies concerning prophecy and when God says soon, it could be a very long ‘soon’. Revelation 22:12 “...behold I am coming soon.” This soon was 2,000 years ago and we know that one thousand years is like one day to the Lord! (2 Peter 3:8).

Right from the get-go in Genesis we see how long Abraham had to wait for his promise to come to fulfillment. Joseph also waited eighteen years before he saw the fulfillment of God’s promise. Every subsequent event after his dream seemed contrary to the promise he had received from the Father. There are many other examples throughout the Word of the men and women of God waiting patiently for the fulfillment of His promises in their lives or to their people. Sometimes we give up too quickly when things don’t happen as fast as we would like. I have received accounts and letters from people who got words from members of our prophetic team or myself, and who were disillusioned, disappointed or unbelieving towards the word. When it came to pass in the right time and season in the way that God chose, they wrote testifying about it. It is necessary to understand that God has His own time and season.

Psalm 105:19 states, “Till what He foretold (Joseph) came to pass, till the word of the Lord proved him true”. Until what Joseph spoke came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him in that area. Many of us, it would seem, go through times of testing until what God has promised us actually comes to pass. Joseph experienced everything contrary to what he dreamt and believed that God had shown him, before the dream was realized. We must understand there are many times and seasons concerning His word, His time and His way before rejecting the prophetic word we received. The consequences of not waiting for God’s perfect timing can be disastrous, as in the case of Abraham. He waited for the promise of Isaac and because he was hasty, and was pressurized by Sarah, he had to bear the consequences of having an Ishmael. Producing an Ishmael is a disastrous, permanent and an unchangeable situation. We can get ourselves into similar situations by not waiting for God’s word to come into fulfillment in His perfect time. Many marriages and careers have ended in disaster because although it was God’s perfect word and purpose, it was not God’s perfect time. Isaiah 28:16 says, “They that trust in the Lord shall not make haste.” (KJV). It is not God’s purpose and plan for us to be under pressure to make hasty decisions especially when buying a house, getting married or any other major changes in our lives. Remember the Lord is always in control when you belong to Him.

In the context of one personal prophecy received there can be references to different seasons and times concerning the future. For example, one might receive prophecy of things intended to happen in just a short while, and they could happen in a couple of years or even later. One prophet may prophesy things that are to take place in twenty years time and another comes along and speaks things that seem contradictory but may take place in the very near future.

1 Peter 1:11 reads, “trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted...” Eventhose prophesying of Christ’s coming wanted to know the circumstances and the time in which the prophecy would be fulfilled. Therefore, when you receive personal prophecy, you must determine which time or phase the prophecy is referring to. This may seem difficult, but if we are prayerful and have the right attitude, God will confirm His word. He will use signs and wonders, other prophecies, scripture, or even just speak to our own hearts as to His purpose and plan.

Confirmation

Many believe that prophecy is merely a confirmatory gift and should only be seen as confirmation of what you already know. However, there are those who are not always exactly in tune with what the Spirit is trying to reveal to us, so He will minister new things to us in prophecy. Prophecy is always subject to confirmation, whether before or after. Therefore when one receives a directive prophecy, one should not make a hasty decision, especially if it is a weighty one, by just that one prophecy but “by two or three witnesses shall a thing be established.” (Deuteronomy 19:15).

I have found God’s leading many times in my own life, through several prophecies given at different times by various people concerning the same matter. Realizing that the Lord was ministering to me, I took those prophecies as the word of the Lord. We should never be led by just one prophecy, especially if it suits us, because we are inclined to latch onto things we think we understand in the prophecy, when in actuality we did not understand the word clearly at all. Therefore we ought to take stock of and review our situation regularly in the light of the prophecies, to work with them and see how the Lord is leading.

It is also advisable to consider our leadership in decision-making, by reviewing the prophecies together with our pastor. In decision-making each one of us answers to the Lord for what we have decided. We can never use prophecy or a prophet as an excuse for making decisions. Remember you are personally responsible for your own words and actions. Thus you must look at prophecy with a responsible attitude and a mature heart in order to make correct decisions.

Prophecy to be tested

Prophecy is subject to being tested, evaluated and considered. 1 Thessalonians 5:20 says, “Do not treat prophecies with contempt:” Verse 21 explains, “Test everything, hold on to the good.” This scripture has often been misquoted to justify sin and wrongdoings. Testing everything and holding fast to that which is good refers to prophecy. We need to test prophecy, not the prophet!

Here are some mature biblical methods to use as guidelines to test prophecy. (Please note these are only guidelines and not rigid laws.)

1. Peace

Colossians 3:15, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.” When making decisions of any importance, we should always have peace in our hearts. If peace is lacking we should postpone any decision-making and further seek the Lord until we have peace. For example, when buying a house, car or even getting married, if we do not have peace, or if we feel pressured, then it is not of the Lord. He gives us peace concerning those situations and the peace of God should rule in our hearts. If then, having received a prophetic word, we lack peace concerning that word, we should put it aside for the time being and regard the lack of peace as a signal to be careful.

2. The inner witness

Each one of us has a built-in Urim and Thummim (1 Samuel 28:6). These were stones used by the priests in the Old Testament to determine a yes or no answer from the Lord. We however, have a deeply imbedded ‘knowing’ of things in our spirit. The Lord has given us an inner witness to safeguard against things we do not understand. At times like this we will not feel at ease and experience what is often referred to as a ‘check’. A biblical example is where Jehoshaphat (1 Kings 22:7) had heard four hundred prophets prophesying the same thing, yet wanted another prophet. Why? Because even after four hundred prophets, he still did not have peace or the inner witness in his spirit. When we receive a word that does not witness in or with our spirit it is a sign for us to be careful.

3. Scripture first

All prophecy must line up with the Word of God. If prophecy is contradictory to the Bible, it is not of God. The written Word of God is God’s confirmed, established word and it is God’s final authority. Deuteronomy 13 tells us that even if what a prophet says comes to pass, but it is contrary to what we already know as being the laws and words of God, we must not listen to him, as God is then testing us.

4. Come to pass

Deuteronomy 18:22, “If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message that the Lord has not spoken.” Prophecy must always come to pass so that we may know it is the word of the Lord. However, one cannot always wait for the prophecy to come to pass in order to make decisions or really be aware of what the Lord wants us to do. God, in His grace, often gives us, in prophecy, some of the things that will come to pass now, and some again much later. Therefore if we find a portion of the prophecy coming to pass, even though sometimes it is to our surprise, we can be certain that the rest will happen in His time.

5. Signs and wonders

Luke 2:12, “This will be a sign to you”. The Lord confirms His word many times with signs and wonders. We are more inclined to believe a prophecy if there is a sign to verify it. The fleece that Gideon put out was his own effort for a sign to confirm the word (Judges 6:3a). Today a more common sign in prophecy is the word of knowledge, for example, when someone’s heart is exposed, as happened with the woman at the well. One is inclined to take and believe a word as the word of the Lord when one’s heart is exposed. The woman at the well said, “I can see that you are a prophet” (John 4:19). Physical and emotional healings can also be a sign. When receiving a personal prophecy, and a word of healing is spoken over you and that healing takes place, you can be sure that this word was from the Lord.

These are some of the signs enabling us to test and weigh out a prophecy. One should use at least these five pointers to indicate or establish whether the word is from the Lord or not.

Prophecy in part

1 Corinthians 13:9, “for we know in part and we prophesy in part.” We do not hear everything from God as we would like to in prophecy. In actual fact, prophecy is only in part and God speaks only what He wants us to know at that particular time. Many times what frustrates us is we don’t get all the details and facts we want. Looking back in our lives we will find incidents and events we were glad we didn’t know were going to take place. It is by God’s grace that He does not tell us everything ahead of time, only what we ought to know, and it is His grace that sees us through. We are to walk one day at a time, trusting and believing in Him for the future. God does not promise us a perfect future, but He promises to be with us daily, giving us victory and overcoming power.

When Jonah went to Nineveh, he only prophesied doom and destruction, not the salvation that came through their repentance and prayer. Jonah later complained (Jonah 4) that he would not have gone to Nineveh if he’d known God was going to show kindness and goodness. He was upset because he had prophesied they would be destroyed within forty days according to the word the Lord had given him, but God relented because of their repentance.

God did not warn Joseph about the pending sorrows of being in a well, of being a slave, and of being falsely accused, before the word he had received would come to pass. Neither did the Children of Israel hear about the problems and troubles they would face before entering the Promised Land. Even at the entrance they had absolutely no indication of the giants they would have to overcome before they reached their destiny.

Many times we have giants we have to overcome before we can obtain God’s promised land of milk and honey. People are inclined to criticize prophets and prophecy, when in actuality they themselves do not want to overcome the difficulties, pursue the word and fight the good fight, and “make warfare concerning our prophecies.” 1 Timothy 1:18.

In Acts 10, Peter, after receiving his vision of a large sheet-like object and hearing from the Spirit, was still unaware of what the Lord was showing him. He had to ask the soldiers why they had come. One would think that a man of his caliber would have the mind of Christ. But I believe that the Lord gives us revelation in part because He wants us to rely and trust in Him rather than in prophecy.

Attitude

I have found that the majority of problems in prophecy have stemmed from bad attitudes towards either the prophet or the prophecy. Matthew 10:41 says we are to “receive the prophet in the name of the prophet”, then we will receive a prophet’s reward. The prophet’s reward is prophecy and if we receive a prophet with a correct attitude and not with judgment or skepticism, we will find we can receive God’s accurate word meant just for us. The opposite is also true. Some believe every prophecy without testing it or waiting for confirmation or praying about it. They run with the word, make rash decisions and do irresponsible things. In 1 Kings 22, in Ahab’s final battle, because of his wrong attitude towards God’s perfect plan for his life, God permitted a lying spirit to deceive him (1 Kings 22:22-23).

Many prophetic words are not what people want to hear and their attitude then becomes cynical, bitter and incorrect towards prophecy. In receiving the word from the angel, though it at first caused amazement, Mary’s attitude was, “I am the Lord’s servant, may it be to me as you have said” (Luke 1:38). Many of us would say the word does not confirm or witness, or we cannot perceive how it could possibly happen. Unbelief then sets in. We ought to have Mary’s attitude, “God, if it’s your will, let it happen.” Isaiah 46:10 tells us, “I make known the end from the beginning.” Although God does not tell us everything in detail concerning our lives through prophecy, He knows the end from the beginning and will take care of us. Receiving a word that makes no sense doesn’t mean it is not the word of the Lord. Our hearts should be constant towards the Lord and undivided in giving whatever He wants. We need to have the right attitude in receiving prophecy, not only wanting to hear what we want to hear, but rather what God has to say.

Conclusion

With the right attitude we will always receive the word correctly. If the word is from God and we are displeased or dissatisfied, we are in fact dissatisfied and displeased with Him. If the word is not from God, we obviously need not take it seriously. However, we should not become negative or critical toward the person giving the word to us.

Chapter 4

Prophecy or prophet?

“And He gave some to be apostles and some prophets...” Ephesians 4:11

Definition of a Prophet

Many people ask the question — is every person who prophesies a prophet? The answer is no. One who flows with the gift of prophecy is dependent on the prophetic anointing to prophesy. Whereas the one who stands in the office of a prophet has a constant and abiding anointing to prophesy.

The gift of prophecy is one of the nine gifts given to edify the church, whereas the prophet is one of the five-fold ministries, there to equip the saints for working of ministry (Ephesians 4:12). The prophet will not only flow in the gift of prophecy but in all four of the revelation gifts, namely: word of knowledge, word of wisdom, prophecy and the discerning of spirits.

The gift of prophecy is in the local church according to 1 Corinthians 14:3 to, “strengthen, encourage and comfort the gathering of the saints.” The ministry of the prophet can be corrective, directive, inspiring and such. Prophecy in the local church should be to edify and build up the local assembly, never corrective. This does not mean that anyone operating in the gift of prophecy may not give a directive word, but it must be done under the auspices and control of the leadership of the church.

Old Testament and New Testament Prophets

The Old Testament prophet was the voice of God exclusively, and was subsequently judged very harshly. If they made a mistake, they were stoned. National decisions were made on the word of the prophet.

The New Testament prophet is one of the five-fold ministries that God has given to the church. Today we are led by the Spirit and not by the prophet. Although a prophet will help indicate what the Spirit is saying, he is not God’s final authority in the church.

The Old Testament prophet’s word was often one of doom and gloom, but we now live in the new dispensation of grace because of the shed blood of Christ. The prophet should neither go around spreading doom and gloom, nor should be he a ‘peace, peace’ prophet, prophesying ‘nice’ things while people live in sin. Prophets will always bring balance in the church by weighing up and judging things through the Spirit and speaking the mind of Christ. The New Testament prophet forms his prototype and standard on Christ, who was and is ‘The Prophet’ and the first of the five-fold ministries in the New Testament. He was and is the fullness of the entire five-fold ministry. This is wrapped up in the person of Christ, who has given His mantle of ministry to His Body, the church.

False Prophet

I often hear people cry ‘false prophet’ but I have never heard anyone cry ‘false teacher’, ‘false apostle’, or ‘false shepherd’, even though these are evident in scripture (2 Corinthians 11:13; 2 Peter 2:1). A false prophet is not someone who is born again and loves the Lord. He is one who perverts the gospel, as Elymas the sorcerer did in Acts 13. Someone who makes a mistake (or what seems to be a mistake) is not a false prophet. He is either not a prophet or he is a very inexperienced one, but decidedly not a false one. A false prophet is not recognized by false prophecies in the New Testament, but rather by the fruit of his life and not being a child of God (Matthew 7:20). This will be dealt with in more detail in my next book on The Prophets, which will illustrate the training and maturing.

We often give leeway for any of the other five-fold ministries to make errors or mistakes. However, we are inclined to stone any prophet who makes a mistake. Too many prophecies have been negated, rejected and laughed at, at first, and then later recognized to have been a word from God. We must not be hasty to make irrational and quick judgements concerning prophecy or a prophet, but wait upon the Lord.

The final authority in the church is the leadership because they are responsible for our growth and our maturity. The leadership should decide, judge and weigh carefully the words of the prophet and prophecy in the local church. On the other hand, they should also be educated in the prophetic ministry and have insights into the prophetic gift, remembering that the Word says we are not to despise prophecy but to put it in its correct place. It seems to me that of all the ministries, the prophet is the most badly received and rejected of all, even today. Luke 11:49 says, “God in His wisdom said I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill, others they will persecute.” Prophets and apostles it seems, had this wonderful future of persecution and even possible death. However, the church should learn to accommodate, love and appreciate the prophetic ministry. On the other hand, prophets and prophetic ministers should be wise and have a Christ-like attitude and maturity at all times in delivery and ministry. Submission is the key attitude to ministering in the local church, of which the prophet should be a part, and not be an independent solitaire.

Prophets in the local church

Acts 13:1 tells us there were prophets in the local church. They were not out in the caves or independent, but they were accommodated in the church at Antioch. Again in Acts 11:27 we see that some prophets (plural) came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. It seems that they moved together and were accepted and loved in the local church. All prophets, like any of the other five-fold ministries, should be trained. They are not to think because they are prophetic; they are excused of incorrect, ungodly conduct and wrong attitudes. In actuality, the prophet is even more accountable because of the responsibility he or she carries in bringing the life changing word of God.

Prophets should work together with Pastors in building up the church, rather than a prophet coming in to minister, and possibly destroying what the pastor has labored at for such a long time in his church. Unfortunately, because of the incorrect behavior and ministerial ethics of some prophetic ministers, many people have hardened their hearts towards the prophetic. However, if there are false prophets, surely there will be real ones too. The prophets are arising in these days according to God’s perfect plan for the church.

God does not gossip, so for that reason prophets do not have all the answers or know everything about individuals or churches. They only know what God speaks at any specific given time. Some people have a problem with other saints seeking out a prophet. However, don’t we seek a pastor when we need to be shepherded and loved, and a teacher when we need to be taught? Why then can we not look towards a prophet for ministry in the prophetic realm and for guidance or confirmation? One extreme is that people abuse the prophetic gift because of their own lack of prayer and dedication to the Lord. This is totally unacceptable, but can be remedied by teaching and enlightenment about the way that prophetic ministry should operate.

The call of the Prophet

There are many ways in which God calls any of the five-fold ministries. One can be called like Jeremiah from birth. However, I believe a person can evolve into one of the five-fold ministries. Even as Paul (Acts 13) was accounted to be either a teacher or a prophet, (I believe he was a prophet at that time and evolved, and matured into an apostle), so will many of God’s prophets start out possibly as an elder or a deacon and become a prophet as God matures them.

God might decide to evolve someone who flows and holds the office of a pastor or an evangelist, into the prophetic ministry. A person may be one of the five or two or three of the five, with one of the ministries being stronger and more evident than the others. This will be as the Holy Spirit sees fit or instructs in the church. Certainly someone who begins to operate in the prophetic gift may emerge as a prophet, but this does not mean everyone who prophesies will be or is, a prophet. The responsibility of the five-fold ministry of the prophet is so much greater than that of someone who just operates in the gift. Therefore he should be taken very seriously, seeing as through that person, people’s lives receive direction or confirmation of direction and it can make such a difference.

Prophets are in no way better or more special than any other of the five-fold ministries. However, Ephesians 2:19-20 does tell us that the church is built on the foundation of apostles and prophets and that they receive revelation from God in a very unique way (Ephesians 3). But this does not make them any different or elevate them above any one of the other five-fold ministries.

The Word says in 1 Corinthians 12:17-26 that each part of the Body of Christ needs to function properly to make it a whole Body. One part is worthless without the others. Although the Old Testament prophet differs greatly from the New Testament one, there are some similarities and corresponding patterns that emerge in the Old Testament that we can work from. The first similarity is that of training. Elijah trained Elisha for many years as he served. Even though Elijah had other prophets in training, Elisha was the one to receive the double portion because he had the heart of a servant. We can deduct then that the New Testament prophet, in the local church, should have the heart of a servant if he desires to become an anointed man or woman of God. Christ said that he who wants to be great in the Kingdom, has to be the servant of all (Matthew 10:26).

When Jonah disobeyed God, there was no leniency on him because he was a prophet. In fact God dealt with him rather harshly through the stomach of a large fish. God will also deal with prophets in the New Testament when they are disobedient and do not submit to His perfect will and plan.

Conclusion

God is restoring both the gift of prophecy and prophets in the local church and we must clearly understand the difference between the gift and the office. The ministry and the gift of the prophet will be discussed more fully in the next book dealing with The Prophets.

The prophet trumpets and heralds the restoration of the apostolic ministry in its fullness to the body of Christ. However, God has to train and equip the prophets in a special way. All over the world God is raising up prophetic schools where, not only academically but also in their character, prophetic people are being equipped and activated for the task that lies ahead. Numbers 11:29 says, “I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets.” God is raising up a prophetic people to speak out and declare His works and Word to the nations. We are all excited for His return. Let us then encourage the prophets and all those that would prophesy!

Chapter 5

Visions and dreams in prophecy

“The word of the Lord was rare, there were not many visions.” 1 Samuel 3:1

Do they exist?

In Acts 2:14-21 Peter addresses the crowd and quotes from Joel 2... “In the last days God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit on all people, your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions and your old men will dream dreams.’” Peter justifies speaking in tongues and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit here. So we may assume that in conjunction with the outpouring or baptism of the Holy Spirit, prophecy and visions and dreams will be evident.

The Lord uses various communication methods to tell us of His intended purposes and plans. God has spoken down through the ages in visions and dreams to various individuals and their accounts are recorded in the Scriptures, beginning in the book of Genesis and right through to Revelation. God is also restoring dreams and visions in the church today.

Dreams

Numbers 12:6 “I speak to him in dreams.” Every one of us dreams daily and although we do not always remember all the dreams we have, they are as real to us as though we have lived through them. Science tells us we dream, on average, eight dreams a night. The Lord spoke to different people through dreams not only the Jews or Christians, but even those who did not know Him. He spoke to Pharaohs and Kings (King Nebuchadnezzar). God spoke to the Magi (the wise men who came from the East) through dreams, which led and guided them. Some dreams were so vivid and real that they troubled the kings and Pharaohs. For example, Pharaoh in Joseph’s day was troubled in his spirit because of his dreams. When none of his magicians could interpret them, the butler told him of Joseph who was still in prison. Pharaoh sent for Joseph who interpreted the dreams for him, and Pharaoh then set him over all the land (Genesis 40).

Some kings went to extremes to have their dreams interpreted. King Nebuchadnezzar, (Daniel 2:12) was furious and, “commanded to destroy all the wise men in Babylon” because they could not interpret his dream. Daniel too, was able to interpret dreams, even for those who did not know or wish to know God. It was a dream (Matthew 1) that made Joseph change his mind about marrying Mary. Most appearances of angels in the Bible have been in dreams and visions, and Joseph’s dream was that of an angel. The Magi, when wanting to report back to Herod the King, were led by an angel in a dream not to go back by the same road they came on.

False dreams

Jeremiah 23:32 states, “Indeed I am against those who prophesy false dreams.” Many people are concerned and have questions about their dreams, asking whether false dreams exist. Although there are no scriptures that tell us specifically that dreams can come from the devil, the above scripture indicates there certainly are such things as false dreams. We know the devil does counterfeit signs and wonders (2 Thessalonians 2:9) and so we can assume that he may also give false dreams to mislead people or create fear in their lives. Just as we discern between right and wrong, as Hebrews 5:14 indicates, so we must learn to discern between false dreams and God-given dreams. Sound Biblical knowledge will help us to interpret dreams, but interpreting dreams is definitely a gift from God.

Daniel 1:17, “Daniel could understand visions and dreams.” God gave Daniel the gift of the interpretation of dreams and visions, which stood him in good stead in his ministry. Joseph was also gifted in interpreting dreams. By interpreting a dream, he predicted and prophesied the coming famine and God exalted him in a supernatural measure. There are people who are gifted in having dreams only; others may both dream and interpret, while yet other people will only be able to interpret the dreams.

I have not encountered many people who are gifted in dreaming revelation or prophetic dreams. The few I know have sovereign gifts and whenever they predict things through a dream they are usually very accurate. Some receive it through symbolism and some dream exactly what will take place, even down to birth dates, people’s names and incidents. The evidence of their accuracy soon becomes apparent and they are then recognized for the gift in their ministry. One does not have to go around looking for people who are gifted in dreams. I believe we can ask the Lord for a gift of dreams or visions.

Interpreting dreams

So then, God has used dreams through the ages and although it does not take much faith to dream, the difficulty lies in the interpretation. We still need revelation to interpret dreams. I have found those who are able to interpret dreams well are those who know the scripture, as well as the patterns and vocabulary of God through the Word. Interpreting dreams is also a supernaturally given revelation gift. Daniel interpreted dreams as God gave him the understanding. It was also through revelation that Joseph understood what Pharaoh dreamt, not through education or constant development.

In Numbers 12:6 God says, “When the prophet of the Lord is among you, I reveal Myself to him in visions, I speak to him in dreams.” Visions and dreams are thus methods that God used to communicate to the prophets down through the ages as indicated in 1 Samuel 3:1. Because visions were scarce, the Word of the Lord was rare in the day of Samuel.

Visions

The word ‘vision’ suggests something one sees or visualizes. But in biblical accounts of visions, they not only saw things, some experienced communication. Some men have even communicated with God in a vision. The account of Ananias in Acts 9 is a perfect example. Ananias heard God call and he replied to the Lord in his vision. A vision occurs in the supernatural realm. As we hear and see through our physical senses, images or impulses are received in our brain, which is then received in our mind and then conveyed to our spirit. So it is through our spirit or our spiritual senses that God speaks to us. Hebrews 5:14 speaks of our ‘spiritual senses and abilities’, which we develop through constant use.

There is not much in God’s Word to indicate exactly how one receives visions. In Paul’s case (Acts 9), he was blind when he received the vision of Ananias coming to him. This indicates that one is not dependent on one’s natural senses to receive in the Spirit. In actuality one can surmise that receiving visions or divine revelation has little or nothing to do with the natural senses of sight, hearing, touch etc. Most accounts of visions have been in times of prayer or waiting upon the Lord. There have been occasions when it was totally foreign to the person’s thinking at that particular moment.

The account of Cornelius’ vision in Acts 10, relates how he had a vision of an angel. He was neither a Jew nor a Christian but a devout God-fearing man who prayed regularly. One can assume he was praying because scripture indicates he prayed regularly. It is interesting to note that the appearance of the angel actually induced fear. accounts, supernatural mental capacity and often create an initial fear or awe.

It seems to me that in most appearances are beyond our This was also the case when the shepherds heard about Christ’s birth from the angel.

Imagination or vision?

Many times though, when we dream or have a vision, we are inclined to be skeptical and say it was our imagination, either because we were mindful of that person or situation before we went to bed, or we suppose it is as a result of our own thinking processes. Because we receive our revelation impulses via our spirit into our mind, we have to learn to differentiate between what we imagine and what we receive from the Lord. Of course the more regularly we hear, practice and exercise this gift and mode of operation, the more clearly we will be able to discern when we imagine and when we receive from the Lord.

Peter’s vision is a classic example (Acts 10:9-16). Peter was hungry and wanted something to eat while he was praying on the roof. He went into a trance and had a vision of a sheet-like object coming down filled with animals to eat, animals, which were unclean for him as a Jew. Of all the different methods the Lord could have used, He chose this one to tell Peter it was His will for him to go to the gentiles. God used the very thing that was appropriate to his physical environment and experience at that moment — hunger. You may feel like Peter did when you receive a word from God in a similar situation. You may dream about a person you were talking to or thinking about before you fell asleep; but it’s God using your environment and circumstances to communicate to you.

Seers

In the Old Testament, many prophets were referred to as seers because they were literally able to ‘see’ things in the spirit realm or in the future. However, that ‘seeing ability’ was of the Spirit, and in the spiritual realm they had developed one of their senses (to perceive and ‘see’) more than one of the other senses (e.g. hearing). I believe it is God’s purpose for us, as His children, to develop all our spiritual senses through relationship and constant fellowship with Him. This is so that we may build up and be a blessing to the Body of Christ and glorify His name. Revelation indicates how he much of what the angel ministered to him. John’s account of the actually experienced

Conclusion

We need to develop our spiritual senses by constant use (Hebrews 5:14) and fellowship with Him. This allows us to have more revelation and prophetic words of the Lord as God develops our ability to ‘see’ in the sprit, perceive visions, insights, revelations and images that God has intended us to see.

Let us remember that God speaks to us in dreams. Let us believe and pray for those who are gifted in dreams and visions. May God also raise up those who can interpret so that all of us working together may be used to speak forth God’s purposes and plans to the nations.

Chapter 6

Led by the Spirit or Prophecy?

“... Because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” Romans 8:14

The Bible was received prophetically through men who were inspired by the Holy Spirit and it has been confirmed through the ages. The written Word of God is God’s final authority. The written Word will firstly lead the life and walk of the Christian who is led by the Spirit. To be led by the Spirit one has to, on a daily basis, seriously study, understand, meditate and live the Word of God.

Desire of your heart

Psalm 37:4 reads, “Delight yourselves in the Lord and He will give you the desire of your heart.” This scripture has been misunderstood and misquoted all too often. What it really indicates is that if your heart and mind are set on Him, then your desires will become inspired of Him. This doesn’t mean that God will give us exactly what we desire like spoiled children, but rather we will desire the correct things when God is first and foremost in our life.

The Lord does speak and minister through our desires. Many times I have heard of people who, through a desire to minister, pray or give someone something, were led and moved along by the Spirit. As a result of their desire to serve God and please the Lord, their desires were correct and inspired of the Holy Spirit. Many times people get a desire to work for God and, in actuality, it is a sovereign calling of the Lord.

It is apparent that the Lord calls, ministers and speaks to people in many different ways. dramatic audible voice; others sensation while others receive it in the form of a desire to work for God. However it may happen, God will speak to us if only we will listen.

Some people hear a receive a warm

One of the ways that God can speak to us and through us is by our natural and supernatural desires. If we are in tune with the Spirit and our hearts are right towards Him both in attitude and relationship, then He can lead us through our desires. If we love Him first and foremost, and have no desire for the world, but only a desire to please and honor Him with our lives, then surely our desires will become godly.

Although one may not consider this as a set norm, it certainly could be one of the indications you may have in making decisions and finding the will of God.

Inner witness

All Holy Ghost-filled children of God have this builtin inspiration of the Holy Spirit and we need to learn to take heed to it. hardships and Jonah) if we had given heed to that witness in our spirit. For example, when you feel a ‘check’ or a warning from deep within not to do something (e.g. buy a car, get married, buy a house) you should proceed with great caution or rather just not do it. Some people refer to this feeling as a ‘gut feeling’.

Many of us could have avoided many tears (and big fish experiences like

Too many times I have heard brethren say they had a feeling beforehand not to do something and with their mind overruling their heart, they went ahead, to their detriment. In 1 Kings 22, Jehoshaphat, although being prophesied to by four hundred prophets, was dissatisfied and requested yet another prophet. One would certainly wonder how one extra prophet, after four hundred could make any difference. However, Jehoshaphat, although having heard the same thing repeated four hundred times was still uneasy. When you have the right relationship with the Lord it is not easy to be misled by wrong prophecies. When something, as in this particular incident, is not of God, your spirit, heart and entire being will be troubled and find it difficult to receive.

In Acts 16, a woman followed the disciples for three days. She told people to listen to them, but they did not witness with her spirit. Although what she said was completely correct, the disciples must have had a ‘negative’ witness and on the third day they cast that spirit out of her.

Still small voice

1 Kings 19:12, “After fire, came a gentle whisper.” Although God does speak in a dramatic way, God also speaks with a whisper or small still voice. Elijah looked for Him in the wind, in the earthquake and in the fire, but He came and spoke in a very quiet voice.

In Acts 10 Peter has the vision of a sheet-like object coming down from heaven. Shortly after that the Spirit speaks to him in verse 19. The Spirit does speak to us inside our spirit and we learn to hear His voice by constant relationship with Him. Jesus said, “My sheep know my voice,” (John 10:3) and so we learn to recognize that impulse, image or pattern of communication coming through our spirit. There are those who hear from God audibly but I believe many encounters are through the Spirit to our spirit-man.

In this particular account of Peter’s (Acts 10), the Lord gave him a vision and spoke to him by His Spirit. When he met the soldiers he was not yet aware of the meaning or the purpose of this vision. I believe the closer you walk with the Lord in obedience and the better you know His Word, the less detail you require to understand His will. As we consistently walk in His will, the less we need help to get direction. If one is in constant fellowship and relationship, walking in total obedience, it becomes all the more natural to subdue or subject our desires and our will to His.

Of course visions play a role in being led in this manner too. In Acts 16, Paul received a vision and on deducing the meaning of the vision, he set his heart towards Macedonia.

The Spirit speaking through prophecy

So too, prophecy has its place and role by the Spirit. In Acts 20:22 Paul speaks of being compelled by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem even though he doesn’t know what awaits him there, except what the Spirit testifies to him in every town. We also know he received prophecy on more than one occasion of the hardships awaiting him in Jerusalem. Some of the prophecies were very pictorial, as when Agabus took his cord and bound his hands (Acts 21:11).

In Acts 13:1-3, the church of Antioch decided to send Paul and Barnabas out as a result of a prophetic word ministered through the Spirit. They took the leading of the Holy Spirit as a prophetic word, testing it first and all agreeing that it was the word and mind of the Lord.

As a result of the prophetic word from Agabus the brethren rallied and gave contributions for the saints living in Judea because of the coming drought (Acts 11:27-30).

Conclusion

Although prophecy is not the only way God speaks, it is certainly one of the ways. We ought to be led by the Spirit so that we really may be sons of God. He might speak through a donkey as He did with Balaam (Numbers 22:26-31); He might speak through the mouths of infants (Psalm 8:2 and Matthew 21:16); He may even speak through the burning bush, but certainly He will speak, if we will only listen to Him. It is important to realize the many different ways God does speak and learn to recognize His voice so that we may find His will and mind for our lives and walk in it. Being led by the Spirit and hearing from God is imperative. Being a doer of His Word and being obedient to Him is just as vital. Too many people get prophecy or the leading of the Holy Spirit and do not obey God’s instructions. Then in frustration they complain that nothing seems to be happening.

It was through Paul’s obedience to the Lord by going to Damascus that he received the second part of his prophetic word, which was that he was called to preach the Gospel (Acts 9).

Chapter 7

Administrating prophecy

“You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.” Matthew 23:24

Introduction

In the local assembly it is the obligation and duty of those who lead to administrate carefully and soberly, all things pertaining to the church. This includes the operation of spiritual gifts and ministries in the local assembly. Obviously this includes the gift of prophecy. I have found most of the problems encountered with the flowing of prophecy in the local church are due to the lack of understanding of the gift among believers as well as in the administration. Pastors ought to be good administrators as confirmed in 1 Corinthians 12:28. A gift of administration is among the gifts the Lord has given to the church.

In Matthew 23:24 Jesus calls those in leadership at that time blind guides. In trying not to swallow a gnat they end up swallowing a camel. Using this scripture, many people reject prophecy in its entirety because of problems they may have encountered, or because of occurrences which were concerning their prophecy. concerning this gift and admonishes believers not to despise it. Why, of all the gifts that God has given us (the nine gifts 1 Corinthians 12), are we told not to despise this one? I believe it is because of the many associated misgivings and misunderstandings.

not clearly understood

There can be problems so 1 Thessalonians 5:20

Through the years, as God has restored the numerous revelation levels and truths to the church, problems with the different giftings have resulted. For example, when God began to restore the faith message, extremists emerged and many people were turned off and thus rejected the message of faith. However, God brings things back into balance each time He restores His truth to the church. The same applies to the gift of prophecy and the prophetic ministry in the local church. It would be more beneficial if the pastor could strain out the gnats one at a time and not swallow the camel.

Advantages of prophecy

Before a pastor begins to administrate prophecy and deal with the little problems or ‘gnats’, he should be convinced of all the advantages of prophecy. He will then realize that it is well worth his while to deal with the problems encountered, as the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages for the local church.

The pastor can benefit enormously from the gift of prophecy. I have seen how the prophetic ministry will help indicate structure and leadership in the local church. Often we need confirmation or guidelines in acknowledging and recognizing the right kind of leadership. Needless to say, the wrong leadership has resulted in disaster for many churches. I have also seen many decisions confirmed through the gift of prophecy. For example, where a prophetic word has confirmed what the leadership sensed God was saying concerning the building of a church, buying of a location or expanding in certain areas.

This kind of prophetic word ‘seals in’ and makes the leadership confident that what they are contemplating is of the Lord. It is also possible that when the leadership is looking for solutions in certain areas, the prophetic word could come as a word of wisdom. The pastor and his leaders would then pray over the matter to hear clearly from God.

I have seen prophecy bring warnings of the onslaughts of the enemy. Intercession is God’s secret service in bombardment against the enemy, and the prophetic word is like God’s ‘Intelligence’, bringing us news of the enemy’s tactics and plans for attack. Thus it gives us the advantage over the enemy. In Acts 11, when Agabus warned of the famine to come, the saints were able to prepare themselves by sending supplies to the needy areas.

Many pastors have experienced the lack of a breakthrough with certain members in the church who, even after years of counseling, still have a problem in their lives. They then receive a prophetic word that contains a ‘prophetic key’ and this illuminates the situation. What had been a long grueling battle is solved in a few moments through the insight and revelation knowledge of a word of prophecy.

Colossians 1:9, “And asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” God desires us to know His will, and prophetic confirmation can help us ensure we are in His will even in adverse conditions and times. When things go wrong our first thought is we must be out of God’s will and wonder how we might have missed it. In such cases prophecy is exhorting and comforting. In Colossians 1:11 Paul says we are strengthened by His knowledge in times of difficulty and so produce good fruit. 1 Corinthians 14 tells us that prophecy is also for comfort. When people have been through hardships and difficulties, a timely prophetic word is an encouragement and it refreshes the soul.

Prophecy is consequently beneficial to the local church and the pastor, but is dependent on how it is administrated. The willingness to wade through some of the initial difficulties with prophecy will determine the value of prophecy in the local church in the long run. Pastors must be willing to solve the problems of prophecy in order to reap the benefits of its fullness.

Governing prophecy

So then, how do we actually administrate or govern the prophetic gift in the local church? Here are some guidelines to help the pastor in this task.

1. Attitude

The first step in governing prophecy is to ensure that our hearts and attitudes are right. One must not start out with a negative approach to the prophetic gift, ready to disprove and discredit the gift before it has even begun to materialize. At the same time the pastor or leader should not be threatened or intimidated in any way either by the prophetic gift, or by those who flow in it. We are all different parts of the Body and some are gifted with the gifts of healing, some with revelation knowledge and some flow in the gift of prophecy. Pastors who are not used in that gift themselves may feel intimidated by those who do. A mature leader should know they might not always receive the same level of revelation as those who are gifted that way. They should be confident in their own ability to hear from God, and realize that He will also speak to them, because he is responsible for the local church. The leadership should not feel intimidated or threatened. Instead they should be appreciative that God would help confirm, inspire and direct the church in the way He intends, remembering that the onus remains on the pastor.

2. Rules

As with every other gift, there must be regulations on the proper flow and acceptance of the gift of prophecy. 1 Corinthians 14:33 tells us, “God is not a God of disorder and there must be order in every service.” This is especially true concerning the gift of prophecy as it is so very powerful. frequently flowing in guidelines and verbal communicate

prophecy,

The pastors ought to the guidelines for possibly with written confirmation from the pulpit. This would apply to all the gifts of the Spirit in the local assembly. Having written guidelines allows newcomers and visitors to be fully aware of the requirements or the freedom they might or might not have in that assembly. Some people complain that this limits the Holy Spirit, but it certainly prevents things getting out of order. Unbridled power becomes destructive rather than creative. God has always respected and used leadership and His structural authority in the local church. There are some who feel that only the Holy Spirit may have control, which is true in a sense, but God operates through His leadership to bring about order. Remember that the pastor and the leadership do hear from the Holy Spirit too!

3. Discernment

Hebrews 5:14 tells us to have our senses trained to discern good from evil. The more mature we become, the stronger our discernment becomes. It is expected then that the pastor will probably be the most discerning in the congregation as to which direction the Lord is taking or moving in the service. There are three very distinct areas of prophecy and administration that the pastor needs to understand. Firstly, the actual revelation that God gives. Secondly, how to interpret clearly and correctly what God has spoken. Third is to apply the prophetic word to the correct situation and circumstance. The pastor and leaders ought to wisely discern all three of these areas to reap the full benefits of prophecy.

In judging prophecy and testing what was spoken, we need to be sure it really is a revelation from God. If we are confident it is, we ought to make sure we interpret what God has said exactly and correctly. This may lie with the person giving the prophecy and we must teach those giving prophecy not to interpret when they are not sure what it is they are receiving, but to give the word exactly as they have received it so that those hearing it may interpret it. The prophetic person does not always have to understand what he receives but must communicate it.

Applying the prophecy has many different facets and timing is of utmost importance. I have seen prophecy exercised in a local church that was from the Lord, but was in actuality a word for the person prophesying, rather than being applicable to the whole church. This needs to be discerned by the pastor and dealt with accordingly. The pastor should get up and declare that this particular prophecy was of the Lord, but not for the whole congregation. Remember, it is the pastor who remains responsible for the flock before the Lord in every way. I believe God raises up strong leadership to assist the pastor in decisions of discernment. They will also discern both in interpretation and revelation, and in the application of that prophecy. It is wise for the pastor to have those he knows are strong in discernment, who are wise and mature in the Spirit to be near him so that when the Spirit flows, they can instantly check in their spirits and correlate whether they have the confirmation or inner witness with what is taking place.

4. Confrontation

I have found one weakness many pastors share is an inability to confront their people openly and truthfully. In order that all the gifts flow correctly and that peace is maintained in the local assembly, the pastor must be able to confront his people firmly and with the right attitude concerning the abuse of the gifts. For those who flow strangely and melodramatically, it is important to encourage them to be more ‘normal and natural.’

In cases where prophecy does not edify the body and is out of line, the pastor needs to publicly declare person after the situation. At the same time, he must be careful not to dampen the gift. There are certain people who are inclined to be more mystical and they need counseling in that area. They should not be allowed to do things at random that are soit, or at least confront the

service to help adjust the called spiritual, but are in fact very soulish. I have found there are usually one or two people who, although they think they are led of the Spirit, can do much harm to the local assembly. I also know those looking on will respect the leader more when he takes authority and allows only those who are stable and sincere to flow in the gift, thus edifying the church.

It is the prerogative of the leader to deny the use of the microphone if he feels a check in his spirit. Leaders ought to be bold in this respect. At the same time they should not withhold the microphone when they are confident in their spirit that God wants to speak. I believe God will test and try the hearts of those who are used prophetically, if they will be patient and trust the Lord for the right opportunities to use their gift. Many people complain that the pastor never allows them to flow in the gift. I have always maintained that the responsibility lies with the pastor and he will hear from God too. Those who feel they have a word from the Lord and are not given the opportunity to give it need not fear that God will judge them harshly. They must pray for their leaders in this respect. I have also seen leaders give people titles too quickly, for example, calling a person a prophet who is not a prophet, because on a few occasions they have prophesied. This gives them authority and license to prophesy in the parking lot, in foyers and even in services things that are often ‘off the wall.’ One cannot call someone a prophet simply because some of the words given have come to pass. We must remember the Spirit of God, not prophecy, leads us!

5. Adjustments

In order to administrate prophecy correctly, the pastor and leadership must be willing to, with a right attitude and without anger, adjust and correct mistakes that have been made. I believe it lies in the human element to make an error, even in the greatest men of God. Anyone who flows as a New Testament prophet or in the gift of prophecy and believes he never misses it, is in error.

There are times when prophecies are given, and although we do not understand them immediately, they become clearer in due course. Also, some prophecies are given that after a short while are shown to be obviously not of the Spirit and this needs to be set right publicly. This helps the congregation to realize that no human is infallible. Our dependency will then not be on the gift of prophecy or the prophets but on the Living God.

Different levels of prophecy

In every local assembly the Spirit of God flows in different levels, ways and gifts. So it is with prophecy. As we begin to understand how everybody ought to flow in the church, believers will flow with more inspirational prophecy. between inspirational prophecy?

Inspirational prophecy nature, to encourage and uplift the Body. Revelational prophecy is specific and enlightening both in direction and revelation.

What then is the difference prophecy and revelational

is exhortive and general in

Inspirational prophecy in its proper perspective is a tremendous blessing and encouragement to the local assembly. It forms part of God’s reciprocation to praise and worship. speaks to us exhortation.

come outside with

exhortive in nature. Anybody can flow in inspirational prophecy and we should encourage various people to flow, as the same person operating in this gift every meeting makes it common and even boring.

As we worship God, God often words of encouragement and

At times inspirational prophecy may of worship and will certainly be

If we allow more than two or three in one service, people become familiar with it, their senses become dulled and they do not encourage prophetic words. The larger the church, the more we should inspire and encourage this type of inspirational prophecy to take place from the platform with the worship leaders. I believe inspiration will come through prophetic singers or psalmists. At the same time those who have inspirational prophecy should come forward and allow those of mature standing to weigh up what they want to say before it is spoken over the microphone. Time is very limited in a service and repetition should be avoided, (i.e. if more than one person wants to say or minister the same thing, one should limit it to one person).

Discerning revelational prophecies

Revelational prophecy is more than just exhortation, comfort and consolation. Often it can be directional and/or even correctional. A more prophetic and mature person is inclined to give revelational prophecy, but the word is still subject to judgment by the leadership of the church. One may find these words often contain strong confirmation of direction the leaders are feeling. If it is not directional, it should be confirmed after prayer and waiting on the Lord.

In 1 Corinthians 13:9 we are told that we prophesy in part. Consequently it is understandable that many times prophecy comes ‘in part’ and we do not even understand or see the fullness of it. Some people use the expression, ‘shelve the prophecy.’ I am of the conviction that as Mary hid the word in her heart, we ought to test or discern the word and then hide it in our hearts and wait for God to make it clearer. God might reveal His plan over a period of time in what would seem like pieces of a puzzle. An example of this is Peter’s vision in Acts 10 where he had a vision of a sheet-like object and later the Spirit spoke to him, and still he did not know exactly why he had to go to Cornelius’ house until the solders got him. We can see how God began to reveal His plan to Peter, step by step, to make sure that when God sent him his attitude and heart was right and ready.

Because revelational prophecies are of a more serious nature, possibly requiring us to take steps in certain directions and make decisions, leadership ought to weigh these up very carefully. Remember the gift of God is not subject to the holiness or right standing of the person with the Lord, but rather to their willingness to be used of the Spirit. Understanding this then, we know that God can use anyone He chooses, but I believe one will find that the church will give more credence to a mature, consistent and godly person.

The people who bring prophecy are imperfect; as a result there is always the chance of human error. Even the person renowned for consistent accuracy might make the occasional mistake. This is to be discerned by the pastor and leaders. On the other hand, there are those who make constant mistakes, who really are sincere of heart and who love the Lord. One needs to look at reality that those who make constant mistakes really are not prophets and they need to be counseled so that they may understand this. Of course there is always the chance and possibility that the devil will send a real false prophetic person into the church to disrupt and mislead people. Although this may be a very rare instance, the leadership should constantly be on the lookout for that, discerning them by the fruit of their lives rather than just the evidence of the gifts (Matthew 7:16).

Recording and follow-up of prophecy

All prophecies should be taped so that later references may be made to these and every dispute cleared up. Some large churches actually monitor prophecy over the microphone, record it and by Monday it is typed up so that by Wednesday the intercessors can pray the prophecies literally into being (1 Timothy 1:18). This is of course after the prophecies are tested and weighed out to be a word from the Lord, thus protecting us from praying for things that are not the direction or mind of the Lord.

It may also be very beneficial to put important directive words or even inspirational words into a news bulletin on a constant basis, to remind the Body of what the Lord has planned for the church and to encourage the church. It gives the army of God direction and inspiration to war against the enemy on a continual basis.

Conclusion

Stringent guidelines regarding the flowing of the prophetic gift and giftings in the local assembly in services is not quenching the Holy Spirit, but is rather God-given order by the Scriptures. We know that God is not a God of disorder, so we need to understand that prophecy has to be monitored and administrated in the local assembly. Keeping in mind that God is restoring all things (Acts 3:21), let us then work towards the purposes of God, allowing the Holy Spirit to restore the fullness of the prophetic to the church, equipping and stirring up God’s people to war against powers and principalities.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Is prophecy for today?

Chapter 2 How do we prophesy?

Chapter 3 Personal Prophecy

Chapter 4 Prophecy or prophet?

Chapter 5 Visions and dreams in prophecy

Chapter 6 Led by the Spirit or Prophecy?

Chapter 7 Administrating prophecy