The Hebrew word for Jubilee means, ‘sound of the trumpet’ or ‘joyful shout.’ [1,2]

When the trumpet blew announcing the arrival of the Year of Jubilee—the 50^th year in the Hebrew calendar—it was announcing that restoration was now.Freedom was now.

Property passed back to its original owners. Israelites who had been enslaved walked free. And the land was given rest.

God provided this year of restoration so that the inheritance He had allotted to each tribe and family would remain in that family:

• No matter what trouble or failure they had undergone, or debts they had incurred

• No matter what injustices had been done against them as individuals or families

• No matter what had caused them to lose their lands, or to sell themselves or their children into slavery

God—by Name and nature a Redeemer—provided a way of redemption for His people. [3]

The Year of Jubilee is Fulfilled in Jesus

The Year of Jubilee was a prophetic picture of the ministry of Jesus Christ, and the work of redemption accomplished through His sacrifice on the cross.

The Apostle Paul tells us that religious festivals were a shadow of the things that were to come: ‘The reality, however, is found in Christ.’ (Col 2:16-17)

Heb 10:1 says, ‘The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves.’

The reality of Jubilee is found in JESUS.

A New Era of Freedom

Announcing His ministry in the synagogue at Nazareth shortly after His baptism, Jesus read from the prophet Isaiah, saying:

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.” (Luke 4:18; Isaiah 61:1-3)

The ‘Year of the Lord’s Favour’ was a reference to the Old Testament celebration of the Year of Jubilee. [4]

The Jewish people listening to Jesus that day had no doubt as to His meaning. He was proclaiming:
‘I am the promised Messiah, the Anointed One.’

You can almost hear the blowing of the Jubilee trumpet as Jesus begins to go about His ministry following that announcement. Salvation, restoration, miracles of provision and protection, healing and deliverance abound.

However, Jesus’  ministry of restoration was not just relevant for the three years that Jesus walked on earth before His crucifixion—it is available to us today.

The Apostle Paul echoes His words in 2 Cor 6:2: ‘I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.’

Heb 13:8 says, ‘Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.’

Jesus not only brought the Gospel, or good news. He is the good news.

When Jesus said, ‘I have come to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord’, He wasn’t referring to a year in time, but to the beginning of a new era; that of the New Covenant.

The Year of Jubilee is Good News Now

For the Israelites, the Year of Jubilee came once every 50 years. They might have lost their inheritance—or have been in slavery—for one year, or they might have been in slavery for 49 years (that is what we would call a ‘worst case scenario!’)

But the reality is, that year may have occurred only once in an Israelite’s lifetime.

Imagine a Hebrew enslaved to a harsh master, with no property to call his own. Someone might come to him and say, “Next year is the Year of Jubilee!” You might think that is good news. Suddenly he realises that he has hope and a future.

But his situation for the present hasn’t changed. He is still enslaved. He is still living in misery. He has no property and he has to labour for someone else. Tomorrow he will wake up and still be a slave.

That is not the Gospel! The Gospel is this:

Take the same Hebrew slave. He wakes one morning to the sound of a trumpet blowing in the distance. Then, someone comes in and announces, “Today, as of RIGHT NOW, you are free. You may go home. Your debts are cancelled. Your property is your own again.

This is the power of the Gospel.

Both Now and to Come

The ultimate fulfilment of our salvation—and the Year of Jubilee—will be when we enter eternity and death and loss is wiped away forever. (Rev 21:1-5)

But the Jubilee message as declared by Jesus reminds us that the Gospel is not only about the hope of a brighter future.

To preach the Gospel is to declare that today is the day of salvation. ‘Believe…now! Be saved…now! Be released from the imprisonment of sin…now! Be healed and filled…now!’

The Year of Jubilee stands as a Biblical reminder of the restoration that is available to us through faith in Jesus every day of our lives. And that is good news.

Do you have any further thoughts about this topic? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment in the comments box below. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

Notes

[1] STRONG, J.  Strongs Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. 1996.  Electronic Edition, Ontario:  Woodside Bible Fellowship  (In PC Bible 3.1.)  [CD-ROM.]

[2] You can read about the Year of Jubilee in Leviticus 25. For further study read Nehemiah’s parallel restoration in Neh 5:3-5 and Isaiah 61. For Bible Dictionary references to the Year of Jubilee, see http://topicalbible.org/j/jubilee.htm

[3] ‘Redemption’ is rich in meaning; ‘to redeem’ essentially means ‘to buy back.’ Jesus purchased on our behalf what we had lost—an intimate relationship with God as Father, along with the restoration of our Kingdom inheritance. (1 Peter 18, Gal 3:14, 4:5)

[4] Jack Hayford notes, ‘The prophecy of Is. 61:1,2 describes the deliverance of Israel from exile in Babylon in terms of the Year of Jubilee, but its ultimate fulfillment awaited the coming of the Messianic age…’  HAYFORD, J W, Ed. The Spirit-Filled Life Bible.  1991.  Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Related Posts:

The Key To The Gospel’s Power: Share It Like Jesus Did

Key To Prophetic Evangelism: What Is The Father Doing?

A Beginners Guide To Prophetic Evangelism Pt 1

‘…by the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.’ (Rom 15:19)

The Hunk and I are seeing God move in the lives of people around us—and we want to see much more.

Those of us on the team at David McCracken Ministries are seeing people saved, healed, set free, and receive breakthroughs when we minister—and we are reaching for even more.

Like us, you may desire to draw closer to God and see more of His power released to lead people to Jesus and transform lives.

Jesus Preached a ‘Now’ Message

When Jesus came on the scene He was not like anyone the people had seen or heard before. He had confidence, boldness and authority. He commanded people, demons and sicknesses to do something NOW. [1]

Jesus’ words brought transformation. Atmospheres changed, people responded, demons and sicknesses moved – instantly, at His command.

When Jesus taught, there was a ring of authority in His words. The people were amazed, ‘because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.’ (Mark 1:22)

• For years, they had listened the scribes and the teachers of the law as they reviewed God’s PAST instructions to Israel and taught the law of Moses.

• They were familiar with the prophets who spoke of the FUTURE coming of the Messiah.

Jesus, however, continually spoke words that impacted people’s lives in the PRESENT.

It was this dynamic, this immediacy, that set Jesus apart.

Not News as we Experience it Today

The Gospel is good news. [2]

When we think of ‘news’ we think of reporting. We sit down and watch reports on TV of what as been happening around the world, or we read headlines in the newspaper.

But that is not the kind of news that Jesus brings.

The Word of God is not merely a report of something that has happened.

When God speaks, something happens, something takes place, not only in the spiritual realm but also in the physical realm.

The God’s Word is alive, or as the writer to the Hebrews puts it, “living and active” (Hebrews 4:12).

Jesus said in John 6:63, ‘The words I have spoken to you  are spirit and they are life.’

When Jesus spoke concerning the kingdom of God, His messages resulted in repentance, healing, miracles, and deliverance. Everything He spoke and did was sourced in God’s love for people.

This impact and immediacy of approach did not stop with Jesus’ ministry. [3]

On the day of Pentecost, Peter began to speak in the same way under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit:

• “Repent… be baptised (implied NOW, Acts 2:38)
• “The promise is for you” (v39)
• “Be saved! (v40)

There is both authority and immediacy in Peter’s words. And so it goes on throughout the book of Acts. (Acts 3:6-8, Acts 9:38, Acts 14:8-10)

A 3-Dimensional Gospel

The bottom line of the Gospel is simply, ‘There is salvation through Jesus Christ alone.’ (Acts 4:8)

But the broader message of the Gospel —the good news about Jesus—contains facets relating to past, present and future.

Each of these three is vital, and if we under-emphasize one, we lack balance and power.

For this reason, I believe the Holy Spirit is highlighting the ‘present’ aspect of the Gospel message to the church at this time.

Reviewing our Message

Following are some examples of past, present and future aspects relating to sharing the Gospel message.

Each is important.

I invite you to join me in making a prayerful and honest appraisal:

• What is my current emphasis on this aspect—in my own life and ministry, as well as in the context of sharing personally with others around me?

Pray and ask God for inspiration and courage to grow and speak out in the areas the Holy Spirit is highlighting to you.

1. Past (Looking back)

Valuing and sharing:

• The Bible’s account of Jesus’ life, ministry, death and resurrection (1 Cor 15:1-8)
• What Jesus accomplished on our behalf on the cross: forgiveness of our sins and restoration to God (Col 1:20)
• Our own testimony of what God has done in our lives in the past—our past salvation experience and other encounters with God (Acts 26)

2. Future (Looking forward)

Valuing and sharing:

• The ongoing expectation of hope for God’s grace in our lives, and that of others, in the days and years ahead (Psalm 23)
• The hope of our future eternity with God (Rev 21:1-5)

3. Present

Valuing and sharing:

• Our current testimony of God’s goodness towards us (Phil 4:4)
• The Father’s intent right now for those we encounter in our everyday life and ministry (John 5:19)
• The Gospel message bearing fruit in people’s lives, including repentance, restoration, spiritual freedom and healing. (Luke 4:18)

This is not about focusing on where we are falling short, but on catching a vision for more of what God has for us.

The secret of the Gospel’s power is to share it like Jesus did.

Next week I will be considering the Year Of Jubilee—and how understanding its fulfillment in Jesus can help us understand the breadth of the gospel message.

Notes:

[1] The first chapter of the Gospel of Mark particularly highlights this.

[2] ‘Gospel’ comes from the New Testament Greek word, euangelion, which is comprised of two words, ‘good message.’ The English word ‘Gospel’ comes from an old English direct translation of the Greek word, ‘God Spell,’ meaning good news. In the Bible, the word Gospel refers to the message of salvation through Jesus and it also refers to the four accounts of Jesus life by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

[3] Prophetic preaching and teaching is an example of this dynamic in action. For more information on this see my article, ‘What Is Prophetic Teaching?

I am scratching the surface of a very big topic, and I would love to hear your thoughts, questions or examples relating to it. Leave a message in the comments box below. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

Related Posts:

The Greatest Evangelist In The World Today
You Don’t Need A Special Gift To Be A Supernatural Christian
How To Set Your Testimony On Fire Again

© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog – Prophetic Teaching

On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church

Did you receive this from a friend? Read more from Enliven Blog or sign to receive our weekly prophetic teaching updates at http://enlivenpublishing.com/blog

• Greg wonders why his boss does not seem to have heard his repeatedly expressed concerns about safety in the workplace, and yet jumps at the smallest complaint from customers.

• Kelly, a young mother, jokes with her friends about what she calls her husband’s ‘selective hearing.’ At night he seems to be oblivious to the baby’s cries, slumbering on while she wakes and attends to their son’s needs.

In spite of these examples, selective hearing can actually be a good thing. It is important to filter out those things that are clamouring for our attention, but are a distraction, or wrong and ungodly.

Selective Hearing in our Relationship with God

When selective hearing occurs in our relationship with God, we may genuinely believe that we are hearing from Him. However, the truth is that we are only listening to what He is saying to us on some issues. We have neglected to listen to His voice regarding other, important things.

I know that many of my readers have a great love for God and desire to serve Him. Like me, you may be involved in some kind of ministry or service, or helping people, or preparing for ministry.

When it comes to our ministry priorities, many of us eagerly listen and press in to God. But I believe He desires to encourage us to hear His voice in other areas of our lives.

The Father wants you to know that He knows and cares for every area of your life intimately. He does not have a hierarchy of concerns—every part of your life is valuable to Him.

Remember what Jesus said: ‘even the very hairs on your head are numbered.’ (Matt 10:30)

Signs that we are Selectively Hearing

Important areas that we may overlook in our conversations with God may include health, family, finances, relationships, our attitude and even the quality of our thought life.

We may be sincerely loving and serving God and even have an active devotional and prayer life. But if we do not communicate with God over the above vital areas in our lives, they begin to clamour for attention.

• Weaknesses  in our health and general wellbeing begin to show—eventually they actually hinder us from doing what God has called us to do
• Relationships start to come under stress, and may begin to break down
• We feel stressed, or lack the joy that we are supposed to have in our service for God
• Our financial situation starts to slide, and so on

For example, as a writer, it is very easy for me to spend a lot of time sitting at the computer. This is a vital ministry role for me. But sometimes I work additional hours at the computer and do not spend sufficient time resting and walking and exercising. After a while my body starts to ache and complain because I am not living a balanced lifestyle and looking after my fitness and wellbeing.

If I were listening to God and following His leading in the area of my physical health, then I would be attentive to this.

Selective hearing does not just happen with ministry. We can also be focusing on some priorities in our lives to the exclusion of others—for example working hard in the area of fitness, but not spending quality time with our family.

Do a Self-Check for Selective Hearing

At this time of year especially, it is beneficial to do a self-check in each of the following things. Note: if you have recently had a holiday, think about the quality of your life immediately prior to your break.

• What is my body telling me?
• What is the quality (or lack of quality) in my close relationships telling me?
• What is my schedule saying?
• What about the state of my finances?
• Am I honouring God in my thought life?
• Am I communicating with and listening to God in each of these areas?
• What am I tolerating?

As you consider these questions, the Holy Spirit may bring another area to mind.

I have come to realise that selective hearing is defective hearing.

It is not honouring to God when important areas of our lives are not in submission to Him.

Samuel was one of the greatest prophets in the Bible. He had an intimate relationship with God, listened to His voice and instructed a nation in God’s ways. And yet, he did not pass on his spiritual values and legacy to his sons—they grew up to be godless men who neglected justice and took bribes. (1 Sam 8:1-4)

Talk with God about your Whole Life

One of the best things that I did last year was take a week’s break to get aside and relax and spend quality time talking with God with no ministry agenda. After a few days, I found myself talking to my Father about important things in my life that I did not normally take the time to pray about. There were things that I was tolerating, that I knew were not His best for me. I was able to be honest and to process some things. I came away with a renewed sense of vision for the whole area of my life, not just my vision for ministry.

Do you call Jesus Lord? Do not just listen to Him concerning the areas that satisfy your desire for fulfilment. Give Jesus the leadership of your whole life, not just a part.

The life that honours Him is one of balance and wisdom.

As you enter this New Year, take some time to meditate and pray about on these different areas in your life. And remember, you can be transparent in your dialogue with God. The Father’s love for you is intimate and all-encompassing, and no issue in your life is too small or too big for His interest and care.

Related Posts:

Jesus Is Lord: What Does This Mean In My Daily Life?

Your Prophetic And Christian Ministry Will Be Impacted By This Choice

How To Recover The Wonder Of Hearing God’s Voice

Do you have any further thoughts about this topic? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment in the comments box below. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog – Prophetic Teaching

On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church

Did you receive this from a friend? Read more from Enliven Blog or sign to receive our weekly prophetic teaching updates at http://enlivenpublishing.com/blog

I have found myself being drawn continually to the themes of unlocking, keys, open doors, and access. [1]

A Prophetic Vision: It’s Time to Wake Up and Rise Up

‘For through [Jesus] we have access by one Spirit to the Father.’ (Eph 2:18)

‘I saw a doorway leading into a great hallway, and realised that I was looking at the entrance to the throne room of God.

There were people standing, hesitant, at the threshold. I knew they were holding back because they felt inadequate and unworthy.

The voice of God the Father came from beyond the doorway: ‘Beloved, I have made you worthy through the blood of My Son.’

Many who had been waiting uncertainly at the door stepped through, strengthened by God’s word of encouragement. Others, however, continued to hold back.

Then, I noticed many more people, asleep on the floor surrounding the threshold. They were covered with blankets and oblivious to their location.

Suddenly, I heard the voice of the Father speaking again; ‘It’s time to wake up and rise up!’

The breath of God accompanied the sound of His voice.

At the sound, those who slept were stirred.

Some heard the Father’s voice and awakening, realised where they were. The breath of God entered them, and strengthened, they rose and stepped through the doorway.

Others did not seem to hear clearly. They grumbled, turned over and went back to sleep.

Now, I saw those who were moving through the entranceway and into the great hallway. As they began to head towards the throne of God, they became suddenly self-conscious about the clothing they were wearing—‘civvies’—ordinary, everyday clothes.

To the side of the hallway were white robes and royal crowns—perfectly tailored, created and named for each person. They put these on and proceeded forward.

I found myself outside of the hallway again, observing as those who had entered the Father’s presence stepped out once more. They were clothed in royal garments, walking with purpose.

‘These are the history-makers,’ I heard the Spirit say.’

Comprehend your Royal Birth

This symbolic vision challenges me. I recognise my own tendency at times to hold back from God’s presence or to be lulled into a state of complacency and comfort.

But I believe that right now there is a word of awakening going out.

We are in a season when we have the opportunity to catch the revelation of who we are and Whose we are, and the Spirit Who is with us, as never before.

David McCracken has recently been preaching prophetically on the topic, ‘We Are Kings.’ [1] As he says:

‘A king is king because they are born a king, their circumstances don’t make them what they are, their birth makes them what they are. We become royalty when we are born again by the Spirit of God. You are royalty because of your new birth. Live royal!’

Adam and Eve were created for dominion, and the Father’s mandate has not changed. (Gen 1:26)

Our desire to see the power of God manifested, to see people saved, healed and set free is rising to the point that we can no longer ignore it.

Our destiny is calling; our spiritual DNA is stirring.

God’s Plan—Access to Him and Through Him

Access to God, and through God, is an important Biblical theme.

In the beginning, Adam and Eve had unlimited access to the Garden of Eden, God’s intimate Presence, and the tree of life.

But after they sinned, they were banished and that access was cut off:

‘After he drove them out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.’ Gen 3:24

On the cross, Jesus purchased back the relationship with God—and access to God the Father—that Adam and Eve lost.

‘..according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.’ (Eph 3:11-12)

We have only embraced Jesus’ gift of salvation to us, to the degree that we can access the Father’s Presence with confidence and boldness.

2012: His Word of Access for your life

For those who accept the Father’s invitation to draw near to Him and to speak intimately with Him, 2012 can be a year of unprecedented access. [3]

‘The people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.’(Dan 11:32, NKJV)

• We will come out from God’s presence with keys—divine strategies and authority to access and take new ground for the Kingdom of God.

• We will find ourselves in situations for which prior experience and knowledge have not prepared us—but for which God’s word has equipped us.

• He will lead us in such a way that we will have no choice but to utterly rely upon Him and exercise the authority we have received from God.

• I see young people catching the vision of who they are and Whose they are and the Kingdom authority they carry. Observing their boldness will stir up the desire in those of us who are older in the faith to enter in.

• I sense God restoring access to some who have felt that they were sidelined or disqualified.

• I believe this is a word for some leaders, and churches—your current vision, strategies and plans are too small—it is time to revisit what God has shown you in the past. Your current vision has led you to this place, but He wants to enlarge your vision.He is giving you keys—keys of favour, of strategy, of prayer—to go through doors that have previously been closed off.

“I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.”  (Rev 3:8, NKJV)

Notes:

[1] Keep an eye out on Enliven Blog as I will be teaching on topics relating to this over the next few weeks and months.

[2] David McCracken’s message is available for a short time on the DMM podcast.

See, Breakthrough Night Pt 1 – We Are Kings on the podcast page here:
http://dmm.podcast1.s3.amazonaws.com/david-mccracken-ministries—audio-podcast.xml

[3] In last week’s post, I shared some important thoughts about weighing up general prophetic words such as the one I have shared above.

See Prophetic Words For 2012: How To Make The Most Of Them

Related Posts:

This Can Be A Year Of Visitation From God

4 Things You Don’t Need A Prophetic Word For Concerning 2012

Do you have any further thoughts about this topic? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment in the comments box below. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.
Alternatively, you can join the conversation on Enliven Blog’s Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/Enliven.Blog.Prophetic.Teaching

© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog – Prophetic Teaching

On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church

See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you.” (Isaiah 42:9)

The New Year is a time when many people eagerly seek prophetic words for the coming year.

Next week I will be sharing an exciting prophetic insight that I have received for 2012. However, I would like to preface that today with some keys to help you weigh up prophetic words, and to receive encouragement directly from God for yourself.

Why seek fresh Prophetic Encouragement for the New Year?

The Father’s overall plan for our lives does not change, and we should always be focused on aligning ourselves with His previously revealed will for us. So there should always be a balance between this and seeking new words.

We need to check our motivation for seeking prophetic insights, and we need to check that we are currently on track with His overall purpose for our lives.

However, I do believe that the God who created days, seasons and years, desires to reveal more of His love and purpose for our lives within those time frames.

Biblical prophecies frequently referred to times and seasons. [1]

Following are some thoughts that may assist you as you seek God for encouragement for yourself, your family, church or ministry for the coming year:

Prophetic Words for 2012 from Global Ministries

This is a time that prophetic voices are sharing what they believe God is saying for 2012. And with the current technology, it has never been easier to receive prophetic words via the Internet.

Recently, I received an email from a prophetic ministry that included a ‘personal’ prophecy for 2012. Even though the email had been sent to many thousands of people, it included a personalised message from God addressed to me by name!

As with all prophecy, we need to carefully weigh up such words. If the message includes is a timely word from God for us, the Holy Spirit will quicken this to our hearts.

It is vital that we discern what response we have to a broadly given prophecy is of the Holy Spirit, and what is based in our own desires.

Here are a few thoughts to help you process a prophecy:

• Remember that the word is a general, not a personal prophecy—and as such, may or may not relate to your situation. We each have our own unique, God-ordained seasons in life.
• If you believe the Spirit is speaking to you personally through a prophetic word, pray about it and weigh it up carefully. [2]
• If a prophecy leads you to take action or change direction, submit the word and your response to oversight. [3]
• Remember that God’s promises are conditional upon you partnering with Him for their fulfilment.

For more thoughts on weighing up prophetic words, check the following posts:

How Do I Know A Personal Prophecy Or Dream Interpretation Is From God?

How Do You Weigh Up What The Prophets Are Saying Pt 2

Receive Your Own Encouraging Insight from God

The best place for you to receive a personal word of encouragement from the Father for the coming year is directly from Him.

God longs to speak to you personally. It is not about having a prophetic gift; hearing from God is based on our relationship with Him. [John 10:4]

For some ideas on how to receive your own personal word for 2012 see the following post:

Are You Seeking a Prophetic Word For The New Year?

May you be filled with a sense of excitement and expectation as you enter 2012. The coming year is one of great possibilities in our life with God!

Notes:

[1] For example:
“This shall be a sign to you: You shall eat this year such as grows of itself, And the second year what springs from the same; Also in the third year sow and reap, Plant vineyards and eat the fruit of them.” Isaiah 37:30
See also Jer 25:12; Is 38:5; Is 21:16-17

[2] Journaling is a tool that can assist you in praying about prophetic insights.

How To Activate Your Prophetic Gift Through Prayer Journaling

[3] If you are considering making adjustments in relation to personal guidance from God, I recommend the following article:

Personal Guidance For The Important Decisions Of Life

Related Posts:

4 Things You Don’t Need A Prophetic Word For Concerning 2012

2012: A Year Of Unprecedented Access

Do you have any further thoughts about responding to prophecy, or have you received your own word of encouragement for 2012 that you would like to share? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment in the comments box below. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog – Prophetic Teaching

On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church

Before we embark on this journey, here are some things about 2012 that, whether you have a prophetic word or not, you can have absolute assurance on:

1. It is Time to Release past things that have been Holding you Back

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” (Isaiah 43:18-19)

You do not have to continue tripping up over past issues, old habits and ingrained thought patterns. Your Heavenly Father’s plan for you is freedom, and He has paid the ultimate price in the shed blood of His Son Jesus.

You already have the word of release, but you have to rise up in faith and take it. Persevere in 2012 for the freedom of yourself and others—and chains that have held you back will be broken.

2. God is Working all things Together for Good

‘And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.’ (Rom 8:28)

‘Good’ does not mean ‘as we like it.’ ‘Good’ means, ‘the outcome that our Heavenly Father, Who knows the end from the beginning, has intended for us.’ And He is completely trustworthy.

The Gospel, the Good News of Jesus is one of redemption—and He loves you immeasurably.

No matter what you have done; no matter what has been done to you, His plan is to restore. He desires to bring ultimate good out of the pain and trouble of the past—to turn your tests into a testimony, and your mess into a message.

And whatever comes your way, know that His goodness is with you every step of your journey.

‘Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.’ (Ps 23:6)

3. You can Experience great Fruitfulness this Year

^‘You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.’ (John 15:16)

God’s plan for your life this coming year is one of fruitfulness.

In our culture today we equate fruitfulness with tangible results, but that is not the way of God’s Kingdom.

• Kingdom fruitfulness is sourced and rooted in the Holy Spirit and grows out of our intimate relationship with God
• Then it overflows into our inner life and attitudes (Gal 5:22-25)
• Finally, it results in obedient action that reproduces His purpose in our lives and that of others.

God’s plan for you is fruitfulness—but it will require your cooperation—it will require you to rise up and say, ‘No matter what! This year, I will rise up and be all God has called me to be.’

4. God Wants you to draw Closer to Him

‘Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.’ (Jesus – Rev 3:20)

There is no end to the depth of intimacy that is available in our relationship with God. There is no end to the revelation of who He is and His ways that we can learn about and discover.

This coming year, you can draw closer to God than you have ever done before. If you have drifted from your first love in your relationship with Him, you can choose to return. What does taking that step look like for you? Today you can begin the journey.

Do you have any scriptural promises that you could share with others? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment in the comments box below. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

Related Posts:

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3 Mistaken Beliefs About God’s Blessing

How You Can Have An Intimate Relatonship With The Holy Spirit

Prophetic Words For 2012: How To Make The Most Of Them

© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog – Prophetic Teaching

On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church

Greetings from Melbourne, Australia!

‘For the kingdom of God is… righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.’
(Rom 14:17)

All of heaven celebrated at the first coming of Jesus Christ.

Shepherds in the fields witnessed a great multitude of angels rejoicing and praising God nearby in Bethlehem. (Luke 2:8-14)

I believe that joy is our portion and inheritance. Right now as you read this, I pray that the Spirit of God will release fresh joy over your life.

This joy is not conditional upon circumstances or relationships or feelings; it is sourced in the presence of ‘Immanuel’, God with us.
(Ps 16:11, Matt 1:23)

With Christmas only a few days away, I want to take this opportunity to say a big thanks to you, the readers of Enliven Blog. I have enjoyed sharing the journey with you in 2011.

From our home to yours, The Hunk and I, along with the whole team here at David McCracken Ministries, send you warm Christmas greetings.

The 10 Most Popular Posts on Enliven Blog

Could you do with some inspiring and informative holiday reading? Here is a countdown of the 10 most popular pages on Enliven Blog this year. Bookmark this page to return and read these articles at your leisure—enjoy!

10. 6 Tips For Exercising The Gift Of Discernment In Church Life

9. How To Exercise Your Prophetic Gift Pt 1: Understand The Process Of Prophecy

8. No Longer An Orphan: How I Discovered The Father’s Love

7. How To Exercise Your Prophetic Gift Pt 2: How To Receive A Revelation From God

6. Activate Your Prophetic Gift Through Prayer Journaling

5. How To Discover Your Spiritual Pathway

4. 12 Signs Of Spiritual Warfare

3. 8 Ways To Grow Your Gift Of Discernment

2. How To Develop Your Prophetic Gift Pt 1: Where To Begin

1. 8 Signs You May Have The Spiritual Gift Of Discernment

Father, right now I pray and release a blessing over every person reading this page, wherever they are. May they experience Your grace, joy and overflow during this Christmas period. Let there be miracles of breakthrough, healing and provision. Let relationships be strengthened and families united. Let there be refreshing of body, soul and spirit. And may each one draw closer to You than ever before, in Jesus’ Name.

Have you enjoyed Enliven Blog in 2011? Leave a comment to tell us what Enliven Blog has meant to you personally or share with us your favourite post or topic. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog – Prophetic Teaching

On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church

The word ‘Advent’ is derived from a Latin word, ‘adventus’ which means ‘coming.’ [1]

Advent is a season of preparation and expectation.

Christmas Advent Today

In our culture, it is easy to lose the wonder and anticipation of Christmas Advent.

For many of us, preparation means the pressure of buying gifts, planning menus and events, or tying up loose ends at work.

Expectation consists of mixed feelings as we anticipate the positives and negatives of having family with us—or absent from us.

If you can relate to this, I urge you to take some time to allow the Holy Spirit to minister to your heart.

The weeks leading up to Christmas can be busy and distracted.

I don’t want my life to be like the inn at Bethlehem—so busy accommodating everything and everyone else that I turn Jesus away at the door. [2]

The Challenge of the Original Advent

(Luke 1:5-38)

Zachariah was the father of John the Baptist. Mary was the mother of Jesus. Their lives, and many others at that time, were changed forever by the coming of Jesus.

Let’s take a few moments to consider what Advent meant to those involved in the birth of our Saviour—and what following Jesus Christ may also mean for us today.

Divine Interruption

For Zachariah, it was business as usual—performing his occasional duties as a priest in the temple.

Mary was a young woman whose life was already mapped out. She was going to be married to Joseph, a carpenter from her hometown of Nazareth, in Galilee.

But their ordinary lives were suddenly interrupted by a message from the throne of God, brought by the angel Gabriel.

Am I willing for God to interrupt my ordinary life? Am I open to hear what He has to say to me at this time?

‘Do not be Afraid’

As I muse over the Christmas narrative, I see the words ‘Do not be afraid’ mentioned many times—to Zachariah, to Mary, to Joseph, and to the shepherds.

‘Do not be afraid’ encapsulates the Christmas message. It speaks hope and life into my present circumstances.

But it also deeply challenges me. It tells me that encountering God, and contemplating His demands upon my life will require something from me.

And that this ‘something’ will be so costly, and this encounter with Him so awe-inspiring, that the reaction of my soul will be fear.

Am I willing to encounter God, knowing that it will require something of me?

Life Change

The angel Gabriel’s announcement changed the landscape of Zechariah and Mary’s lives forever.

It marked a point of no return. Making room for the coming of Jesus would mean that their lives would never be the same again. It would bring both joy and sacrifice.

Am I willing to make room for Jesus in my life—even if it means moving or giving up other personal priorities?

Crisis of faith

When the angel Gabriel announced God’s plans, he received different responses from Zachariah and Mary.

Zachariah doubted.

Mary trusted.

Zachariah’s doubt cost him his voice for a season. But not even unbelief could halt the progress of God’s plans.

What is my personal response to God’s purpose for my life? Am I doubting—or trusting His word?

Participation in a Greater Plan

Zachariah and Mary were just two of a company of people whom God used to make way for the first coming of Jesus.

At the birth of his son John, Zachariah caught a glimpse of God’s purpose—the salvation of the world through Jesus Christ.

He prophesied:

‘And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.’ (Luke 1:76-79)

As we respond to the call of God to make room for Jesus in our lives, we too will become participants in God’s plan of salvation.

By making room for Jesus in our personal lives this Christmas and beyond, we are opening the door for our families, our friends, and those near and far to encounter the Good News of salvation.

Advent is a season of preparation and expectation.

Today, let’s pause from the busyness of our schedule and ask the question,

‘When it comes to my life of faith right now,

What am I preparing for?
And what am I expecting?’

Do you have any experiences or questions to share on this topic? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment in the comments box below. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

Notes:

[1] For more information on Advent, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advent

[2] See Luke 2:7, Rev 3:20

Related Posts:

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Angels Herald Jesus’ Birth And The Beginning Of A Supernatural Era

How To Recover The Wonder Of Hearing God’s Voice

© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog – Prophetic Teaching

On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church

As I write today, I believe there are people and pastors reading this who are weary and in need of encouragement in relation to your church life.

The Holy Spirit is ministering renewal and a fresh sense of expectation to you.

A few weeks back I looked at identity and destiny from a personal level.

I noted that your DESTINY is the answer to the question, ‘What has God called me to do?’ While your IDENTITY is the answer to the question, ‘Who has God called me to be?’

This is also true of your church. [1]

If you can benefit from having your church vision renewed, here are some reflections that may help:

Your Church has a Unique Gift and DNA

The Hunk and I have been visiting churches of different denominations and movements for over 20 years, and we never cease to marvel at the unique grace and calling that is on each individual church. [2]

No other church has the same blend of people, leaders, vision, values, history, experience, gifts, strengths and call that your church does. Your church has its own, one of a kind, DNA.

Looking back, you can see a trail of clues where God’s blessing has been, where His power has been released, and where people’s lives have been impacted. Your church is individually anointed and called for a purpose.

The problem is, we sometimes forget these good things and lose our focus. Maybe our church has been through a season of difficulty, or we have become wearied through busyness or trials. When this happens, we need to remember the things that make our church great and why became a part of it.

Q: What are the things that comprise the DNA of your church—the ‘Distinctive Nature of your Anointing?’

Remember why you are Here

At this time of the year, when one can easily become weary and distracted, I believe God is calling us to rise up and celebrate—to remember the people and the qualities that make our churches great.

In every marriage, there are times when it is helpful to remember the things that attracted you to your partner in the first place.

In the same way, we also need to take time to reflect on the good things of our churches—those things that comprise our unique DNA.

We have been members of our local church for over nine years—since we immigrated to Australia from NZ. I spent much of that time on staff, as well as being a department leader.

In nine years, it has not all been smooth sailing. Whenever the waters become rough, it helps me to remember the unique qualities that I love about our church—the DNA that drew me to our church in the first place.

• I love that my church is generous, reaching out to our local community with love and practical assistance—and has a significant overseas mission impact
• I love that one of our values is being authentic and non-religious
• I love that my church makes unchurched people feel welcome and that I can bring a neighbour or friend in who does not know Jesus
• I love the passion in our church and leaders for the power of God to transform lives—to be a church not just of talk but of power

When I remember these things, then I know with absolute assurance that there is no place I would rather be.

Q: What are the qualities that drew you to your church in the first place?

God has a Unique Purpose for Your Church

When you study the New Testament, you see that no single church was alike. Each one had a unique gift and call.

• The Corinthian church was recognised as rich in the demonstration of spiritual gifts (1 Cor 1:5-7)
• The church at Philippi had a unique partnership with the Apostle Paul’s ministry (Phil 4:15)
• The Thessalonian church was known for the regional influence of its testimony (1 Thess 1:8)
• The church in Philadelphia was an example of faithfulness and perseverance in hardship (Rev 3:7-13)
• The Macedonian churches were known for their gift of generosity (2 Cor 8:1-2)
• The church at Antioch was uniquely positioned as the capital of Syria, a province of Rome, and became a centre of missionary activity to the Gentiles.The apostles Paul and Barnabas were sent out from there—both released from and reporting back to, their sending church (Acts 13:1-3, Acts 14:26-28)
• The Jerusalem church had a unique position as the founding church. It had governmental influence and was a centre of missionary activity to the Jews (Acts 16:4-5, Gal 2:8)

One of the things we notice about this list is that even smaller churches can have a significant impact beyond themselves.

The key lies in identifying the unique gift that God has entrusted you with—and taking that to the world.

Q: What is on the heart of God for your church to be known for?

It is Time to Dream Again

Why has God placed your church in your community, in your nation, in this generation? It is for His purposes.

It is time to dream again, because your church has a calling and a mission that cannot be fulfilled by any other church.

And God has called you personally to be a contributor towards that calling.

For a free, comprehensive 10 page questionnaire to help you discover the unique DNA and Mission of your church, click here for the Enliven Blog Articles page.

Do you have any further thoughts about this topic, or something that you would like to share about your own church? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment in the comments box below. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

Notes:

[1] I am sharing a favourite photo in today’s post—taken on the day we were received into membership in our home church.

[2] Much of this was in our capacity as missions leaders, including the 9 years my husband was National Director of a mission agency in New Zealand and Australia. I now minister itinerantly with David McCracken Ministries—often accompanied by my husband Malcolm—or ‘The Hunk,’ as he is affectionately known!

© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog – Prophetic Teaching

On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church

Today I am going to review a very common barrier to growth in prophetic ministry, and that is being hurt in relation to your spiritual gift of prophecy.

(Note that these same points relate to wounds experienced in other spiritual gifts or ministries—replace ‘gift of prophecy’ or ‘prophetic ministry’ with the name of your gift or ministry)

An unhealed hurt or disappointment will not only affect your gift of prophecy, it will hold you back in other areas of your life, too.

Some signs that your prophetic gift may be blocked due to sustaining a wound are:

• You can trace a blockage in your prophetic ministry to a hurtful event that took place in your past
• You hold back because you are afraid of being criticised, hurt or rejected
• You may find it difficult to trust leaders or other people in the church to recognise or release you in your gift
• You seem to go through cycles—you might move from one church or ministry to another and yet never get recognised or released to the degree you would like to be
• The same pattern of stepping out in prophetic ministry and then getting hurt or disappointed seems to happen repeatedly.

There are many ways that people can become hurt or wounded in relation to prophetic ministry. The two most common are criticism and disappointment.

1. Criticism

There are several ways that criticism can occur:

• We may have made a genuine mistake in the use of our gift, but leadership of the situation was handled badly. Perhaps we were publicly shamed. Perhaps we were not guided or restored as we should have been.
• The criticism may have been completely unwarranted—this adds a sting of injustice to the wound.
• Criticism was aimed at our level of maturity in the gift.

We do not criticise or judge babies who are learning to crawl or walk—in fact we celebrate their efforts. And yet it is amazing how quickly we Christians judge one another when we are stumbling through learning stages in our spiritual gifts.

Accusation and judgement are also related to criticism.

I have known people who have been accused of being Jezebellic, for example. This kind of accusation can cause a deep wound in someone who has prophetic gifts. [1]

2.Disappointment

Some ways in which we can experience disappointment include:

• Our prophetic ministry has not been listened to, encouraged or appreciated
• Leaders have not recognised our gift or they have not made room for us to exercise or grow in our prophetic ministry
• Mentors or people dear to us in prophetic ministry let us down, are removed from our lives, or are themselves wounded in relation to their ministry
• Ministry opportunities—for whatever reason—have been removed from us

If you have experienced any of these types of wounds in your prophetic ministry, you are not alone. These are things that many of us can relate to in some form or another.

In fact, you will see these types of hurtful things happen to people with prophetic callings in the Bible.

Think of the rejection that Joseph went through with regard to his gift of prophetic dreams and interpretation. He was criticised, rejected, misunderstood and passed over for many years before God raised him up and released him in his call.

Yet he kept his heart free from bitterness—and in that is a lesson for each of us.

It seems that God allows us to go through these tests as part of our development and character growth. When we overcome, He can use us in greater ways and entrust us with His Word and His power.

Steps to Breaking Free from Blockages in your Prophetic Gift due to Hurt

1. Take Ownership

A blockage takes place when we put up barriers, or walls of self-protection around us to prevent us from being wounded again.

Even though others may have been the reason that we were shut down to start with, the ongoing issue is that we are reluctant to expose ourselves to further hurt. Our instinct is to hold back.

So the very first thing we need to do, is to recognise our own part and responsibility in the blockage.

We are the ones who, with God’s help, have the ability and the keys to break ourselves free.

We do this by taking acknowledging this in prayer and repenting of allowing the walls to go up.

God is sufficient. He is all the protection we need and He waits and longs for us to trust in Him. But often we use our own efforts to protect ourselves—and this is wrong.

Secondly, if we have been criticised, removed from ministry or held back in the past, there may be an aspect of truth in the reasons for the action that was taken.

I know from experience that this is a tough area to acknowledge, but addressing it and being humble enough to make any necessary adjustments is vital to fulfilling God’s call on our life.

2. Release forgiveness to the person or group that has wounded you

Jesus said, “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” (Mark 11:25)

Unforgiveness and the desire to obtain justice can chain us to an event, preventing us from making progress in our prophetic gift.

In prayer, speak out forgiveness, release the offenders from judgment, and from any debt that you believe they owe you.

Sometimes, God might lead you to communicate with the person or group that has hurt you, but isn’t always necessary.

Use discretion here, and look for some wise counsel.

Forgiveness is not a feeling; it is a choice that we make. Also remember that forgiveness is not just a one-off decision; it is an ongoing process. This means continuing to choose forgiveness whenever you feel the hurt or the negative effects of the situation.

3. Find a Safe Person who can pray with you

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” (James 5:16)

Some things that can be prayed through personally and with a prayer partner are:

• Pray through the issues raised in points 1 and 2 above
• Identify and renounce any wrong belief that you have taken on board following the hurtful event—e.g. ‘I will never be good enough,’ ‘God has not called me to this ministry’
• Pray and affirm the redemptive opposite of that lie, i.e. the truth about God’s love and affirmation of you as a person, as well as your gift
• If criticism, accusation or judgement was involved, pray against the power or effects of the words spoken
• Pray for healing of your heart and a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit

This also reminds us of the fourth and most important aspect of breaking free from any blockage caused by a wound to your gift and that is:

4. Receive God’s Healing

If we have believed a lie, we need a truth encounter. We need to know that God’s love for us, and His attitude towards us, is not reflected in the hurtful attitudes, words or actions of others—even when they are people in authority.

Meditate on the Father’s love and acceptance as expressed in the Bible, especially in the New Testament in the life and ministry of Jesus.

5. Step Out in your Gift Again

Finally, at the right time, we need to begin to step out again in our prophetic gift. [3]

Firstly, this means being accountable—and being under leadership. Sometimes, this means responding well to leaders who have hurt us in the past.

We know we are healed when we can receive feedback and be open to adjustment in the operation of our gift without reacting badly.

Becoming activated in our gift of prophecy again will mean taking risks and being vulnerable. However, the fruit in our lives and in the lives of others we minister to will be eternal.

Do you have any further ideas for healing from hurts that could help readers, or experiences and questions to share on this topic? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment in the comments box below. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

Notes:

[1] For more information about the Jezebellic or religious spirit in relation to prophetic ministry, read my e-book, ‘Prophetic People in a Changing Church.’ Check the following links:

E-books Page

Prophetic People In A Changing Church E-book

[2] Sometimes hurts arise from a leader in the church—if this is familiar to you, I encourage you to consider my e-book, ‘Prophetic People in a Changing Church’ for more information on how to break free.

[3] I believe it is vital to foster a safe, nurturing environment in our local churches and prophetic communities to do this—so if you are a leader, I encourage you to make this a priority.

Related Posts:

11 Signs That Your Prophetic Gift Is Being Held Back

Why Is My Spiritual Gift Or Ministry Not Being Released

© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog – Prophetic Teaching

On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church

The higher the original price tag, the better you feel about the savings made on your purchase.

Sometimes in life, we get stuck with ‘mark-down labels’ that are not God’s original estimation of us.

These are definitions that others or we place upon us, that are not consistent with our God-given identities.

This can occur, for example, if we have been through an extended time of hardship. And it can happen not only to individuals, but also families, churches, even geographical regions.

When this happens, we need to peel back the label, and recover our God-given identity.

Last week, we looked at how Gideon received a life-changing insight into his identity and destiny when God spoke it over his life. Today we look at another story set in the Old Testament time of the Judges, from the book of Ruth.

1. Bethlehem – House of Bread

Remove the Label of Barrenness and see God’s label of Fruitfulness

‘In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land, and a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab.’ (Ruth 1:1)

In scripture, a God-given name is synonymous with identity and can speak of destiny.

The name Bethlehem means ‘House of Bread,’ and its original name, Epharath, means ‘fruitful,’ or ‘fertile,’ so we know from the scripture that this was a fertile region.

Bethlehem destined to be the birthplace of David, a future king and deliverer of Israel, and the birthplace of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world—one of whose names would be, ‘The Bread of Life.’

So the name, ‘House of Bread,’ was both descriptive and prophetic.

And yet for some reason, as the book of Ruth opens, there is no bread in the ‘House of Bread,’ and there is a famine in the place that was named ‘fruitful.’

For a season, Bethlehem becomes synonymous with famine and hardship. But that is not the last word—it is not God’s Word. [1]

Remove the Label of Insignificance and see God’s label of Significance

Bethlehem was a small town in Judah. It was deemed to be so insignificant, that when Joshua and Nehemiah listed the cities of Judah, they left Bethlehem out. [2]

And yet the Prophet Micah was later to say, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah,out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel.” (Micah 5:2)

And in the Father’s eyes, you are significant. With Him, there are no little people and no little places.

2. Naomi – Pleasant

Naomi’s husband Elimilech, did not wait for God’s hand to bring Bethlehem through the tough time to its destiny. Perhaps he thought,

‘My household needs bread, and God’s not providing here, so I’ll go and find it myself.’

And he took his family to go and live outside of Israel, in the land of Moab.

The sad thing is, that the very thing that he had thought to escape from came upon his family. And he lost his life and the life of his sons in the process.

Now, Naomi is now alone and without support. In this place of devastation, she hears ‘Good News’—a message of hope that there is a move of God back in her hometown of Bethlehem.

She hears that God has ‘visited His people’ and that once again, there is bread in the ‘House of bread’. Bethlehem’s identity is once again emerging. And so she turns her face towards Bethlehem.

Remove the Label of Bitterness and see God’s Identity of Sweetness

‘“Don’t call me Naomi,” she told them. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.”’ (Ruth 1:20-21)

Naomi’s name means ‘pleasant.’ This is her God-given identity, but severe hardship has robbed her of the ability to believe it.  She says, “Call me Mara.” Mara means bitter.

Although Naomi does not know it at this time, God’s word to her is, “I have named you ‘Pleasant,’ pleasant is your identity, and pleasant your life shall be.”

3. Ruth – A member of God’s Family

Remove the Label of ‘Not Belonging’ and see God’s Identity of Chosen

Ruth, who is Naomi’s widowed daughter-in-law, enters Bethlehem alongside Naomi as a foreigner relying on charity.

In the first part of the book of Ruth, she is known as ‘the Moabitess.’ Her perceived identity is that of a stranger, a foreigner.

But her true identity from God—one of belonging—is about to be established.

The Redeemer Makes the Difference

The key to the recovery of Naomi’s identity—and the key to the discovery of Ruth’s identity—lies in the identity of a man called Boaz.

Boaz is a member of Naomi’s husband’s family, a ‘Kinsman Redeemer’, and has the ability under the laws of Israel, to marry Ruth and restore the family line and inheritance. [3]

Boaz marries Ruth, and they bear a son named Obed—the grandfather of King David.

Naomi’s rejoices in the birth of Obed, and her life, which was bitter for a season, is pleasant once more.

And Ruth now belongs to God’s people Israel, fulfilling her destiny—to be included in the Messianic lineage that will bring forth kings and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. (Matt 1:5)

Prophesy a word of God’s Goodness

A lengthy time of hardship can start to impact upon your sense of identity.

But we too have a Redeemer—Jesus, who has paid the price to restore our lives to God’s original intention and design.

It is time to prophesy a word of God’s goodness over your life, over your family, your church, or your geographical area.

It is time to pull off the labels that history, hardships, the viewpoints of people, even your own perspective, have placed upon you.

And whatever the perception that events have caused your life, your town, city or region, your family or church to be synonymous with, today we can declare again the Father’s Word.

Do you have any experiences or questions to share on this topic, or difficulties you are facing that you would like us to agree with you in prayer for? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment in the comments box below. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

Notes:

[1] I believe God is speaking to someone today regarding persevering in your current situation–His hand is on it and will bring it through to that place of fulfilment.

[2] See http://topicalbible.org/b/bethlehem.htm

[3] For a concise definition of a kinsman-redeemer and scriptural references, check here: http://www.gotquestions.org/kinsman-redeemer.html

Related Posts:

Your Identity And Destiny: 3 Keys From The Life Of Gideon

In Transition? Take The Next Small Step

© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog – Prophetic Teaching

On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church

Your DESTINY is the answer to the question, ‘What has God called me to do?’

Your IDENTITY is the answer to the question, ‘Who has God called me to be?’

How can we discover the answers to these questions? And what will it take to completely fulfil the calling of God on our lives?

Out of Hiding and into History

In Judges 6, Israel is living under oppression from their enemies, the Midianites. A young man called Gideon is hiding from the enemy in a winepress, threshing wheat.

God sends an angelic messenger to Gideon to proclaim his God-given destiny and identity.

‘And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him, and said to him, “The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valour!” Gideon said to Him, “O my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us?… Then the LORD turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?” (Judges 6:12-14)

When the angel calls Gideon a ‘Mighty man of valour,’ he is calling him by his God-given identity.

In the Bible, a given name is often synonymous with a God-ordained identity or destiny. [1]

The name Gideon means ‘cutter down’ or ‘destroyer’, and Gideon is destined to be a leader who, with God’s help, overthrows Israel’s powerful enemy.

Gideon, however, sees himself differently—as insignificant and powerless. As a result, he is living in fear and weakness.

The angel’s pronouncement of Gideon’s identity and destiny sets in motion a chain of events that propels Gideon out of hiding and into history.

What Gideon teaches us about our Identity and Destiny

We may not have an angel turn up on our doorstep with a message from God like Gideon did. We may not even have a personal prophecy. But we can begin to grasp our God-given identity and destiny.

When we do, it will have life-changing consequences to others and ourselves.

Here are some things that we can learn from Gideon’s story:

1. God Himself Initiates our Identity and Destiny

‘For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.’ (Eph 2:10)

God steps into Gideon’s normal, everyday life and announces His intention for him.

God’s purpose for our lives is not our own good idea of what we would like to be or do; it is His plan for us.

God’s destiny for your life will be consistent with the way He has wired you. It may be helpful to consider the clues He has given—your unique experiences, passion, abilities and spiritual gifts.

But don’t limit God by over-defining these things. Remember—He took Gideon by surprise and may have some surprises in store for you too.

Prayer journaling is one helpful tool that you can use to converse with God. [2] Take time to pray and ask your Father the questions:

• ‘What have you called me to do?’
• ‘Who have you called and created me to be?’ [3]

Ask godly leaders that you have a relationship with what they see in you. Allow them to speak into your life.

2. He Turns our Weaknesses into His Strengths

‘Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.’ (1 Cor 1:26-27)

When God calls Gideon, the young man does not comprehend his destiny or his identity—in fact, he is currently being and behaving the very opposite of what God has called him to be.

Gideon is fearful, however his God-given identity is to be bold. He feels himself to be the smallest and least significant, but God is calling him to be a leader.

In the Bible, those whom God uses powerfully usually have a history of weakness or failure in their very area of strength.

God is by nature a Redeemer.

Consider where you have been hurt and wronged, or have sinned, or are weak. These are the very things God is redeeming. With His help you will not only overcome those weaknesses, but they will become points of strength. They will become areas in which you minister to others.

Remember, too, when your Heavenly Father speaks to you of your identity and destiny, it will be something beyond your own natural ability to accomplish.

3. It Takes an Intimate Relationship with God to Wholly Fulfil our Destiny

An encounter with God is an invitation to relationship with Him.

Potentially, Gideon’s encounter with God could be the beginning of a personal relationship with Him. He has the opportunity to be an Abraham, a Moses—a friend of God.

Gideon has the opportunity now, to not only overcome the enemy, but also to lead Israel in worship of God.

However, tragically, he will fall short of his destiny and instead, lead the nation into idolatry. (Judges 8:22-27)

Here is the bottom line.

Here is the very foundation of our identity and destiny.

We are created to have an intimate love relationship with God. This is both the beginning of our identity and the ultimate end of our destiny.

As Christian believers, we are sons and daughters of a loving Heavenly Father. This is the relationship that Jesus paid to restore when He shed His blood on the cross.

And before we can fully understand our personal identity, we need to comprehend our Family identity.

We need to understand what it means to have the divine DNA, the identity of being a member of God’s royal family. [4]

Only once we have understood this can we fully embrace and enter into our personal God-given identity—and fulfil it.

Do you have any experiences or questions to share on this topic, or difficulties you are facing that you would like us to agree with you in prayer for? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment in the comments box below. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down

Notes

[1] It makes an interesting study to track name changes in the Bible, and see the destiny that God was speaking into those He named—for example, Abram became Abraham (father of a multitude). Jesus renamed Simon (meaning reed), Peter (meaning rock).

[2] To learn more about prayer journaling, read the following post:

Activate Your Prophetic Gift Through Prayer Journaling

[3] In relation to personal guidance, the following post contains vital information:

Personal Guidance For The Important Decisions Of Life

[4] I discuss this more in the following article:

Breaking Free From An Orphan Mindset

© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog – Prophetic Teaching

On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church

I regularly come across gifted prophetic people who wonder why they are not being given opportunities to minister in the area of their spiritual gifts and passion.

There are two contexts in which this can happen:

• You may be aware that you have a gift of prophecy, or another spiritual gift. In fact, you may have exercised that gift or ministry in the past, and even seen great results as the Holy Spirit touched people through your ministry.

• You may be newly emerging in your spiritual gift. You are aware that you have a gift and Spirit-given ability—so why is it that others do not see it?

Maybe you can identify with the following questions:

• ‘Why does it seem as though my gift is hidden?’
• ‘Why am I not receiving opportunities to exercise my gift?’
• ‘Why don’t leaders in my church recognise my ministry?’
• ‘Will I ever fulfil the call of God on my life?’

These are questions that I have asked myself at various times in the past. If you can relate to this today, I have some things that  I would like to share with you on a personal level.

Blaming Others will Disempower You

It can be very easy to blame others when we are not being given opportunities to exercise our gifts in church life.

We perceive that leaders especially, have the power to release or hold back possibilities for us to minister. It may seem that they are blocking the achievement of God’s call on our lives.

But the reality is that as long as we are blaming others for our lack of ministry fulfilment—whether it is a spouse, pastor, ministry leader or anybody else—we are actually disempowering ourselves and limiting God.

Invariably, we will begin to voice our frustration and resentment, for as Jesus said, ‘Out of the abundance of our hearts our mouths speak.’ (Luke 6:43-46)

Eventually, discouragement, disappointment and frustration pervade the atmosphere around our lives, creating a cycle of barrenness. But I have good news for you today: you can break free!

Reasons why Your Gifts are not Being Used

Firstly, you need to remember that God is sovereign. No human on the planet can hold back the fulfilment of His call on your life—except you.

You are empowered. You do not need to look to someone else to release your ministry.

So, if your spiritual gift or ministry call seems to be hidden, here are some possible reasons why this might be happening, along with some suggestions to help you move forward: [1]

1. You are Waiting for Appointment Unnecessarily

Sometimes we wait for an invitation, role or position when Jesus just wants to love people through us.

For example, if you have a gift of prophecy, you can use it at the basic level of encouragement in a small group and everyday life amongst family and friends. Remember, though, that if you have a word that goes beyond simple encouragement, the principles of accountability apply.

If you want to be used in the area of healing, start offering to pray for people—and so on.

The key is to stay within the appropriate context in the use of your gift. [2]

2. You Need to make your Desires and Dreams Known

Sometimes we think that ministry leaders are aware of our gifts and calling and should open doors for us. They would—if only they knew what was on our hearts.

I can remember one time in particular where I was frustrated because a ministry leader wasn’t giving me an opportunity. When I eventually broached the subject, he asked me why I hadn’t mentioned it, and happily provided a pathway forward for me.

Leaders aren’t mind readers. Sometimes we think that they are supermen and superwomen who should be listening to God about our personal gifts and situations.

They may simply need the opportunity to hear from us firsthand.

3. You are Beginning and Need to Step out.

Sometimes we wait too long for encouragement, when we should be stepping out of the boat ourselves.

Understandably, when you are new in your gift, this can be a bit daunting.

When a seedling emerges from the soil, there is a last push to break through the earth. When a butterfly is emerging from a chrysalis, there is a final wrestling to break free.

This is the kind of motivation that the Apostle Paul talked about when he said, ‘Desire spiritual gifts.’ (1 Cor 14:1) Is your desire strong enough that you will seek tangible ways of moving forward in your gift? [3]

4. The Delay is about God’s Timing

Wilderness seasons are a Biblical theme—remember Moses, Joseph, David, John the Baptist and the Apostle Paul? [4]

Some reasons that God ordains a time of hiddenness may include:

• Timing as He brings circumstances and people together
• Strengthening other gifts and skills in your life that will be needed in the long run
• Preparation of our character or gift

If God has ordained a season of waiting, He is faithful and will release you at the right time.

5. You may Benefit by Adjusting Something in Your Ministry Approach.

This is a vital point. Many times I have seen people held back because there is something unsuitable in their approach to using their gifts—and yet they are completely unaware of it.

Here are some checks we should do regularly in relation to our gifts and ministry:

Faithfulness

• Am I willing to serve in small ways?
• Am I present at meetings, even when my gift is not being called on?
• Am I honouring my leaders in my conversation and actions?
• Am I being self-centred, i.e. it’s about my gift and my ministry, or others-centred—“What can I do to help you?”

Culture and Style

• Does the style of the way I use my gift fit with the culture of my church?
• What about my language—terminology and expressions?
• Do I use any methods or ‘formulas’ when I minister that my leaders do not use?
• Do I use actions, gestures or manifestations, e.g. when I pray for people, which are not in keeping with the culture of my church?

If a movement we have been brought up in, imparted to, or taught by, is different from that of our church, this is something that we need to especially consider.

We need to be willing to lay these methods aside and align our ministry style with the culture of our church or ministry organisation.

Vision and Values

• Do my values and vision for ministry differ from that of my church?

A friend of mine observed that a church is like a train—led by God and our leadership with a definite destination in mind. We need to decide whether we are willing to get on board and to serve in the direction that our church is going.

So long as we are nurturing our own desires for a different destination or culture of church life, our leaders will perceive this. They need to know we are pulling with them—not against them.

Why not ask?

You may benefit by approaching someone in leadership—perhaps sharing this article with him or her—and reviewing any possible reasons why you seem to be stuck in relation to your gift or ministry.

This will only work if you take an open and humble approach and are willing to listen to suggestions without becoming hurt or offended.

Often leaders do not address situations such as I’ve mentioned above because they know that their observations will not be well received. If you initiate the conversation, and are willing to make adjustments, you may be surprised at the results.

Do you have any experiences or questions to share on this topic? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment in the comments box below. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

Notes:

[1] Another reason our gift or ministry may be hidden is because we are hiding ourselves—due to fear or hurt. We will be covering these topics in the next few weeks.

[2] Every church has unique protocols for the operation of spiritual gifts. See Prophetic Ministry In Church Life: Why Have Guidelines

[3] If you believe you have a gift of prophecy emerging, see the following post for ideas:

How To Develop Your Prophetic Gift: Where To Begin 

[4] Here is a post on the topic of wilderness seasons that you may find helpful:

Going Through A Testing Season In Your Spiritual Gifts

Related Posts:

11 Signs That Your Prophetic Gift Is Being Held Back

Do You Have A Ministry Call?

Break Free Of Hurts That Are Blocking Your Prophetic Gift

© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog – Prophetic Teaching

On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church

In addition to Keith Green’s powerful songs, the artwork on that album cover remains etched into my memory to this day.

Set in ancient times, it depicts one man standing whilst people all around him bow down to a passing official.

A soldier following the official is pointing at the upright man in fury.

The picture is from the story of Esther in the Bible, and the man’s name is Mordecai. [2]

What It Takes To Be An Overcomer

The story of Mordecai reminds us that no matter our background, our circumstances, or the power of the enemy against us, we will overcome when we give the ultimate allegiance to God in our lives. This is what it takes:

The Odds are Stacked Against You

Mordecai came from humble beginnings, being the son of Jewish exiles, of the tribe of Benjamin, in ancient Persia.

His enemy Haman—the official infuriated by Mordecai’s refusal to bow down to him—had power, wealth, the ear of the King of Persia, and the ability to issue commands in the king’s name.

There was no earthly way that Mordecai could overcome such a powerful foe.

When God calls you to be an overcomer, you can be certain that the odds will be stacked against you.
In the face of seeming impossibility, when you experience breakthrough, He will receive the glory.

The Presence of a Powerful Enemy

Mordecai’s allegiance to God and his Jewish faith was likely to be the reason why he risked his life by going against the king’s edict and refusing to bow down to Haman.

This uncompromising stand inflamed Haman’s hatred, not only against Mordecai, but also against those that Mordecai represented.

Not content with destroying Mordecai alone, Haman issued an edict in the king’s name ordering the annihilation of the Jews throughout Persia.

What enemy are you facing at this time? The presence of a powerful enemy is certain proof that you are destined to be an overcomer.

You have a Sovereign God

With overwhelming odds set against him, Mordecai had God on his side—and we know that one man or woman with God is a majority.

Prior to the events that had set Haman on his path of destruction, the God of the Jews had already set His plan in motion to save Mordecai and his people.

From humble beginnings, Mordecai would rise up with Esther to help deliver the Jews from annihilation, and become the second most powerful man in the kingdom of Persia.

Traits of an Overcomer

What else can we learn from Mordecai as we ask, ‘What does it take to be an overcomer?’

1. Courage

Mordecai feared God and not man. By refusing to pay homage to Haman, he willingly risked his life to uphold his faith and his principles.

Later, Mordecai could call his cousin Esther to risk her own life, because as a leader he already practiced and exemplified great courage.

It took Esther great courage to enter the King’s presence without being summoned. This disobedience of the law could have cost her life, but instead, she received favour, because God was with her.

It takes great courage to face your enemy and refuse to bow down to intimidation. Allow your reverence and love for God to be greatest—and act upon that.

2. Loyalty

Mordecai not only demonstrated loyalty to God and his Jewish heritage, he was also loyal to key people in his life.

Esther was not his daughter, but his cousin, given to his care at the death of his aunt and uncle. When she married the King, Mordecai could have released her. But instead, he still kept in close touch with her—providing wisdom, care and spiritual oversight.

Mordecai was also loyal to God’s chosen leader of that time, the King of Persia. When he heard of a plot against the King’s life, Mordecai informed the King of it via Esther.

Mordecai’s loyalty to the king was a factor in Haman’s downfall and proved to the King that Mordecai would be trustworthy when his time of promotion came.

Are we fostering the value of loyalty in our lives—to the people God has placed within our care or oversight, and to the leaders God has given to us? It will make the difference when victory is needed.

3. Proactive in Spite of Pain

When Mordecai heard the news of the edict against the Jews, he was deeply grieved. The Bible tells us that he went out into the city in sackcloth and ashes and with loud crying.

But he didn’t allow the pain of the terrible news to immobilise him. Instead, he worked on a plan with Esther to make known the truth to the King.

At his darkest hour, Mordecai’s spoke some of the Bible’s most compelling words to Esther:

“…who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)

In times of pain, we do not need to be disabled by negative emotion. Like Mordecai, we can use that distress to spur us forward in God’s purposes with renewed determination: God’s purpose in our lives and that of others will be accomplished!

4. Unity and Teamwork

Mordecai and Esther worked as a team to bring down the plans of the enemy Haman. Mordecai provided oversight, instruction and wisdom to Esther and she was able to expose the enemy’s plans to the attention of the king.

Later, Esther brought Mordecai before the king and they set in motion an edict that would overturn Haman’s plans and bring victory to God’s people.

Through unity, a nation was saved, an enemy destroyed and God’s plans were brought to fruition.

Unity with those God has called you to partner with is a powerful force in God’s Kingdom.

Breakthrough: The Overcomer’s Outcome

The people who know their God shall be strong and carry out great exploits (Daniel 11:32)

As a result of Mordecai’s stand, together with Esther, the plot to annihilate the Jews was overturned, their enemies were destroyed, and the mourning of the people was turned to great rejoicing.

Mordecai was promoted to being Prime Minister in Haman’s place—second in power to the King of Persia himself.

When he left the presence of the king, Mordecai was crowned, clothed in royal garments, and in possession of the king’s signet ring—symbols of authority and power.

When you overcome your powerful enemy, you emerge with greater experience and insight of the authority God has already given to you as His son and daughter.

Do you have any experiences or questions to share on this topic, or difficulties you are facing that you would like us to agree with you in prayer for? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment in the comments box below. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

Notes:

[1] One of the songs off this album, ‘Make My Life A Prayer To You,’ written by Keith’s wife Melody Green, profoundly impacted me and became my life’s theme. You can listen to the original recording here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EDGmeP1aA4&feature=related

[2] Read the full story of Esther and Mordecai in the book of Esther in the Bible.

Some mysterious aspects of the story of Mordecai fascinated me as I researched for this article.

• Why did he spend so much time at the King’s Gate? Was it solely because of his concern for Esther?
• The King’s Gate was where important legal and business transactions were carried out.
• It is possible that Mordecai worked as a minor official there. (Esther 3:2)
• This would have been practical preparation for the future responsibilities that he would have as the nation’s next Prime Minister.

Enjoy the read!

© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog – Prophetic Teaching

On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church

We do not choose indifference—we drift towards it. (Heb 2:1) And as we do, it robs us of  our hunger for God and our motivaton to serve Him.

It also robs other people of receiving a life-changing blessing from God through us.

Some signs that apathy may be blocking growth in your gift of prophecy or other spiritual gift are:

• You believe that you have gone as far as you can go in the development of your gift
• You are comfortable with where you are, and not motivated to move forward in your ministry
• You can remember a time when you were excited about your spiritual gift, but you’ve lost the passion
• There is always a ready—and plausible—excuse as to why you should not step out and use your gift

There is one crucial ingredient that we must have, in order to overcome indifference and push forward in our spiritual gifts.

That ingredient is desire.

This also holds true for all spiritual gifts. This includes prophecy, as well as other revelatory gifts such as discernment, intercession and word of knowledge.

The Apostle Paul said,

Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. (1 Cor 14:1)

Here are three kinds of desire that are vital to growth in our gifts:

1. Desire for God

In any relationship, when we love someone, we want to spend time with him or her—and it is the same in our relationship with God.

To crave spiritual gifts without the greatest desire being for God Himself is like marrying someone for his or her money.

In Acts 8, Simon the sorcerer offered money to the apostles so that he could have the same power that they did. Peter rebuked him strongly for the wickedness in his heart.

Our love for God leads us to want to be close to Him, and out of that hunger for intimacy comes the longing also to hear what He is saying—to know His heart and priorities.

And right there is the place where we receive revelation.

Our prophetic ministry will not have depth, impact and anointing unless we foster intimacy with God.

If you feel that you have lost that sharp edge of hunger for God and His Presence, now is the time to return to that place. (Rev 2:4-5)

2. Love for People and Desire to help them.

The Apostle Paul made it clear in his lengthy discussion about spiritual gifts, that love is the vital prerequisite to the use of the gifts. (1 Cor 13)

Jesus said the whole law is summed up by the commands to love God and to love our neighbour. (Luke 10:27-28)

Loving people leads us to desire to help them and build Jesus’ church.

I encourage you to stop and do a check on how you are going in this area.

• Is your motivation to prophesy, or utilise your gift based on a genuine desire to help people and lead them closer to Jesus?

• How are you going in your desire to build the church—what about your own church? I’ve learned that my passion for my own local church is often a barometer or how I am going in this area.

Of course, sometimes discouragement or hurt can get in the way of this—and I will discuss that in another post.

3. Desire for the Spiritual Gift Itself

In 1 Cor 14, we are told to ‘Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.’

This desire keeps us moving forward, not only to develop the gift, but also to use it to minister to others.

I have often heard it said that we should desire the Giver, not the gifts (and have sometimes said it myself!) But the Bible clearly says we should desire the gifts.

We should desire the Giver and His gifts.

I am challenged to have the desire that Elisha did, that caused him to pursue Elijah for his mantle. (2 Kings 2)

That mantle was the outward representation of Elijah’s prophetic ministry and office of the prophet.

We have all seen people who have an unhealthy focus on spiritual gifts or prophecy. Being concerned about this is a good sign.

We need to be alert to the wrong kinds of desire. To check our motives, we can ask questions like: [2]

• Am I comparing myself to someone else and wanting an ability that they have?
• Am I willing to wait, if this is not the right time to step out?
• Am I willing to submit this longing for a gift or ministry to leaders in the church—and hold back if they do not see God has called me to this area?
• Is this about loving people—or feeling fulfilled myself?
• Does reaching for this gift free me to be more of who God has created me to be?
• Is it clear—to others and to me—that it is God’s glory and His church that I want to bring attention to and not myself?

Don’t Separate the Gifts and the Giver

We think of a gift in the human sense, that we give a gift that is separate to us.

However, the gifts God gives us are the expression of His Holy Spirit living on the inside of us. We cannot separate the two.

When we cease desiring the gift, we have not only forgotten the value of the gift itself, we have lost sight of the treasure that is the unique expression of the Holy Spirit impacting others through us.

In valuing our spiritual gift, we are valuing the Holy Spirit. (1 Cor 12:7)

When we long for the manifestation of a gift with a God-breathed desire—a desire that is birthed in communion with Him—we are longing for God Himself.

Keys to Reawakening Desire

Some things we can do are:

• Pray and ask God to stir a hunger up in you, so that you are not satisfied with anything less than God being first in your life

• Specifically repent of apathy. Invite the Holy Spirit to move and breathe His life into your heart and gift

• Stir up the desire by reminding yourself of the benefits of the use of your spiritual gift in helping people and bringing them closer to God

Was there an event you can look back on that caused you to stop desiring the gift? We will be looking at this in another post.

Do you have any experiences or questions to share on this topic? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment in the comments box below. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

Notes:

[1] Wayne Grudem defines a spiritual gift as ‘any ability that is empowered by the Holy Spirit and used in any ministry of the church.’ (GRUDEM, W. Systematic Theology. 1994. Nottingham: Inter-Varsity. p1016)
For examples of spiritual gifts see the following scriptures:
1 Cor 12:4-11, Rom 12:6-8

[2] From my e-book, ‘Grow Your Prophetic And Prayer Gifts.’

© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog

On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church

People regularly share with me that they believe they have a gift of prophecy, but are not sure how to begin developing it.

Sometimes they express fear or embarrassment about stepping out with a prophetic insight, because they lack confidence.

I also come across prophetic people who tell me that they used to flow in the gift of prophecy but feel it has become blocked or closed down in comparison to how it used to be.

These Christians long for the ‘good old days,’ when they felt released in their gifts and saw miraculous things happen as a result.

This is why, over the next little while, I am going to be producing some articles on how to move forward and break through limitations in relation to prophetic gifts and ministry. [2]

But I need your help.

I would like to hear your thoughts on this topic, any struggles, what obstacles and barriers you have experienced personally, as well as testimonies and ideas for breakthrough.

So after the articles, I will be asking questions. Please contribute using the comments facility on the blog. It is amazing how many people will identify with your journey—you may even encourage others who are having similar struggles.

Identifying a Limitation is Good News

Identifying a potential barrier to the growth of your gift or ministry is good news—for it is the first step to empowering you to break free and enter into the ‘more’ that God has for you.

In fact, in God’s Kingdom there is always more!

And you can turn that seeming obstacle into a stepping-stone to greater growth and fruitfulness.

Signs that you are Being held back in Your Prophetic gift

Here are eleven signs that there may be a limiting factor holding you back in your prophetic gift or ministry.

If you do not have a gift of prophecy, replace the words ‘prophecy’ or ‘prophetic ministry’ with the name of your gift or ministry.

See if you can identify with any of these:

1. You used to believe you were called to prophetic ministry [3] but now you are not so sure

2. You are wondering why your prophetic gift seems to be hidden and not recognised by other Christians or by leaders in the church

3. It is a long time since you stepped out, took a faith risk, and did something new in the use of your prophetic gift

4. You are drifting and have a lack of direction in your prophetic gift or ministry

5. You feel barren and are wondering where the fruitfulness is that you were promised or initially experienced when you started out

6. You recognise that difficulties in the use of your prophetic gift began with an event that occurred in your past

7. You are not sure what to do to get to the next level of growth in your gift of prophecy

8. You have been hurt or wounded in relation to your prophetic gift and haven’t gotten over it

9. You are not receiving opportunities to use and bless others through your gift that you would like to have

10.You are content with your current level of experience and do not have the motivation to press through for growth in your prophetic gift

11.You do have opportunities to use the gift of prophecy, but it is not flowing as smoothly or as accurately as you would like, or have known in the past.

Now, some questions for you:

• Can you identify with any of the above issues?
• Are there any other signs that you can think of, or have experienced, that you are being held back in your spiritual gift of prophecy?

Leave a comment in the comments section at the end of this post. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

Over the next little while we will be looking at how to overcome some barriers to growth in your gift. Many of these will apply to other gifts, not just prophecy.

Some of the things I will be considering include:

• Fear
• Not knowing where to start
• The effect of past hurts
• Apathy
• Not being released or given opportunities

Feel free to forward or share these articles with others who may be helped by them.

Notes:

[1] The gift of prophecy is the Spirit-empowered ability to receive and convey a message from God—to make known the Father’s mind, intention and purposes.

[2] If you are interested in developing your gift, the e-book ‘Grow Your Prophetic And Prayer Gifts’ is a tool to help you identify which stage of development you are in and move to the next level.

[3] By prophetic ministry, I do not mean a role or position. Prophetic ministry occurs when you use your prophetic gift to love and help people in a way that brings them closer to God and releases them into His purposes. As Paul says, ‘the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort.’ (1 Cor 14:3)

Related Posts:

Why Is My Spiritual Gift Or Ministry Not Being Released?

Break Free Of Hurts That Are Blocking Your Prophetic Gift

© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog

On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church

‘It is the privilege of sons and daughters to feast at the Father’s table.’

For 450 years, Israel lived in slavery in Egypt. Now, God was teaching the nation a different way of living—a life of faith.

How Israel Lived under an Open Heaven

‘Yet he gave a command to the skies above and opened the doors of the heavens; he rained down manna for the people to eat, he gave them the grain of heaven.’ (Ps 78:23-24)

The Bible tells us that God opened heaven to provide miraculous provision to the nation of Israel during its wilderness wanderings.

But God’s supernatural supply of their needs did not stop there—the wilderness manna was a sign of what was to come.

Israel’s destiny was to live in Canaan and continue a lifestyle of faith—dependent upon God for heaven-sent rain.

‘The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands.’ (Deut 28:12)

Everything that is recorded in the Bible about Israel’s history is for our benefit and instruction. (1 Cor 10:11) The nation of Israel had to learn how to live by the provision of an open heaven, and so can we. [1]

Here are some principles we can learn from Israel’s history:

How to Position for an Open Heaven

1. Understand the Heart of the Father

We need to understand God’s motivation, in Israel’s history and for us today. He isn’t looking for dependent servants—He is seeking relationship. He desires sons and daughters.

 “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son… I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love. To them I was like one who lifts a little child to the cheek, and I bent down to feed them.’ (Hosea 11:1, 4)

The manna, the rain, were a revelation: not of provision, but of a Provider; a loving Father.

2. Intimacy and Obedience

The nation of Israel was in the right place, at the right time for a miracle.

And the reason that Israel was positioned for a heavenly miracle of provision was because one man—Moses—had an intimate relationship with God.

Having heard God’s voice, Moses was able to lead Israel in obedience to Him.  Moses later left written instructions so that Israel could continue to live in obedience and reap the heavenly blessings.

Intimacy with the Father is the starting point for our miracle of provision. When we hear Him speak to us, and move out in faith upon His instruction, we will be in the right place, at the right time, for a miracle of supernatural supply.

3. Change your Source: Move from Self-Effort to Dependency Upon God

Having moved out in faith, Israel had no source of supply other than God. In Deut 11, God spoke to Israel, saying:

‘The land you are entering to take over is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you planted your seed and irrigated it by foot as in a vegetable garden. But the land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven… So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the LORD your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul—then I will send rain on your land in its season.’ (Deut 11:10-11, 13-14)

Here, God is comparing the resources of Egypt with that of Canaan. The source of Egypt’s life-giving water was the river Nile. It was predictable and safe. It was self-sufficient, but a limited means of supply.

The Nile’s water could be accessed by man-powered irrigation. When the Nile flooded, irrigation would take place naturally, but during the remainder of the year, it was hard manual labour to pump the water into the fields.

In Canaan, however, the countryside was primarily irrigated by rainfall—and dependent upon those rains coming in their due seasons.

The picture is of an entire nation dependent upon the rain. Even their yearly calendar revolved around the seasons and the crops, which revolved around the rains coming in their due seasons.

And God made it clear that He was the source of the rain and that He could pour it out or withhold it at will.

He said, ‘Serve Me with gladness and obedience and I will send the rain. Turn away from Me, and you will remove yourself from that open heaven—because you and I were meant to do this together. You were never meant to be alone.’ (See Deut 28)

4. Become a Co-Labourer with God

The life of faith is one partnership and co-labour together with God. Even though God sent the manna, the people of Israel still had to collect it, prepare it and cook it. (Num 11:7-9)

Even though God sent the rain upon the land of Canaan, the people still had to labour and toil the ground.

Likewise, in order to position for God’s provision for our lives, we still need to work hard, to follow Biblical principles and to exercise wisdom as well as faith. We also partner with God through prayer.

5. Change Your Preferences

It is not easy to live a life of faith. It is not easy to trust God for His supply when He instructs you to step out in obedience to Him. As it is often said, FAITH is spelled ‘R-I-S-K.’

It is an amazing thing that having left a life of slavery, many Israelites still craved the provisions of Egypt. (Numbers 11)

When the Israelites said, let’s choose a leader and go back to Egypt, (Numbers 14:1-4) they were saying,

• We want safety, we want predictability
• We want to do things our own way, in our own strength
• We want to be self-sufficient

They were really rejecting God Himself. Sadly, they preferred bondage with familiarity, to freedom and having to go out on a limb to trust God.

6. Celebrate God’s Provision

The Feasts and celebrations of Israel were established around the seasons and the provision of rainfall.

Like Israel, we need to ‘mark the moment’ and celebrate and remember God’s supply for our lives, our families, our churches and ministries, and our communities.

He is a faithful and loving Father.

 ‘It is the privilege of sons and daughters to feast at the Father’s table.’

Do you have any experiences or questions to share on this topic? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment in the comments box below. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

Notes:

[1]. Last week, I shared that an open heaven is the inheritance of every Christian believer.  ‘An open heaven is a state where there are no barriers between the earthly realm and the heavenly realm—the throne of God, and all the resources of heaven… These resources include the Holy Spirit, salvation, provision and blessing, miraculous intervention and angelic help in answer to prayer.’
For more information, see the following post:
An Open Heaven Is Your Inheritance

© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog

On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church

The journey being longer than the day, he lay down on the hard ground with a stone for a pillow.

There was nothing in Jacob’s life that indicated what would happen next. His past was a mess—his future seemed uncertain. His hope was that a relative in a distant place would give him refuge.

But that night, he dreamed of a stairway reaching from earth into heaven, upon which angels were ascending and descending.

Above the staircase stood Almighty God. He spoke to Jacob of the covenantal promises given to Abraham and Isaac, and now passed on to Jacob.

Jacob’s life was changed by the revelation of an open heaven above his life. [1] There was nothing he had done to deserve it. God’s favour towards Jacob was based on covenant, not on personal merit.

Jacob was an heir to the promises. And like Jacob, we are heirs of a covenant; not through anything we could achieve ourselves, but by grace, through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

An Open Heaven: Our Inheritance

When Jesus was baptised, Mark tells us that the heavens were ‘torn open’ as the Spirit descended upon Him in the form of a dove. (Mark 1:10) [2]

Jesus lived and ministered under this open heaven. He was in touch with the Father at all times. Nothing was impossible. Demons fled, diseases were healed; even death could not stand in His way.

Heaven’s supernatural resources were made available to Jesus as He prayed and did what He saw the Father doing. (John 5:19)

When the veil tore open at Jesus’ crucifixion (Matt 27:51), the heavens were opened permanently for all who would believe in Him and become children of God—for Jesus Himself is the stairway to heaven. (John 1:51, John 14:6)

Then, on the day of Pentecost, the Spirit of God baptised the waiting believers. (Acts 2)

Everything that was available to Jesus to accomplish the Father’s will is also available to us today. Jesus would not say, ‘Follow Me,’ if that were not the case. Living under an open heaven is our inheritance, and it should be our expectation.

What is Available to us Through an Open Heaven?

An open heaven is a state where there are no barriers between the earthly realm and the heavenly realm—the throne of God, and all the resources of heaven.

As sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father, we can live in the constant awareness that nothing separates us from our Father and His resources.

Here are some things that the Bible reveals are available to us through an open heaven. I encourage you to look up and meditate on the following scripture verses.

1. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit

(Matt 3:16, Acts 2)

2. Provision and blessing

(Deut 28:12, Mal 3:10)

3. Salvation—Ourselves and Others

(Isaiah 45:8)

4. Prophetic Revelation and God’s Throne

(Exodus 24:9-11, Ezek 1:1)

5. Angelic activity in Response to God’s Command, bringing Supernatural Answers to Prayer

(Ps 103:129-21)

The House of God

Many Christians associate an open heaven primarily with angelic activity, however as we can see from above, that is just one aspect.

We need to guard against becoming preoccupied with angels. Jacob did not name the place where the heavens opened to him, ‘Dwelling of Angels.’ He named it Bethel, ‘House of God.’

The revelation he received of God that day was so profound that later God would re-introduce Himself to Jacob as ‘The God of Bethel.’

In another era and on another journey, Elisha had to pass a test in order to bear the mantle and authority of Elijah. Would he keep his eyes fixed on his spiritual father to the very end? Or would he be distracted by the brilliance of the glorious carriers—the chariots of God?

When the heavens opened to Stephen, Ezekiel and John, they saw the throne of God.

I want to have my focus on the throne—‘where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.’ (Col 3:1)

There is the source of our life, and our authority. There, we seek the Father’s will and directive, knowing that the resources of heaven—including the angelic hosts—are released at His word and by our partnership with Him in prayer.

As Jesus said,

 “This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.’” Matthew 6:9-10

The Glorious Revelation

A revelation of what Jesus has done in opening heaven to us will change the way we pray.

• It will change the way we see
• It will change the way we think and act
• We will be conscious of what Father is doing ‘NOW’ and the resources that are available to us ‘NOW’
• We will have confidence in exercising our authority
• Our faith will be increased
• We will live in constant expectation

We will live centred upon God.

Do you have any experiences or questions to share on this topic? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment in the comments box below. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

Notes

[1] You can read this story in Genesis 28.

[2] I recommend Bill Johnson’s message, ‘You Already have an Open Heaven.’  You can find it on YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RULjmyJbQs8

Related Posts:

No Longer Waiting for Revival

© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog

On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church

It consisted of two visions.

The first was of a fruitful land and a harvest. I believed that God was speaking of a future time when the church would flourish and many people would come to faith in Jesus.

The second picture was unusual—it was of a desert. And out from the middle of this dry land rose a pipe, with a tap. I knew that if the faucet were simply to be turned on, then the water would flow, and the desert transformed into a fruitful place.

I believed this second vision concerned prayer and intercession; that through prayer the church would partner with God for this future harvest to take place.

A passion for revival and prayer was birthed in me that has endured to this day.

A Life-long Call

Some ten years later, The Hunk and I were hosting Asian Christian leaders in our home and hearing first-hand reports of revival in Asia. One leader gave me a prophecy that was simply, ‘Tell Helen to start a prayer meeting for revival.’ [1]

The prophecy bore fruit, as in the years following I was used of God in small ways to start, or ignite, prayer meetings for churches, for leaders and for revival.

When we ministered throughout New Zealand in the 1990’s, I was intensely burdened for the nation. During that time I shed tears of intercession for revival—for a move of God to awaken and empower the church, that would result in the salvation of many—in every town and city that we visited.

And our Father arranged miraculously for us to visit centres of revival in Canada and the USA in the late 1990’s.

In 2002, I carried my passion for revival across the Tasman in our move to Australia.

The name of my blog—‘Enliven’—was chosen because it is a synonym for the word ‘revive.’

My Perspective Has Changed

The reason that I share the above story is to explain that Christian revival is not just a random topic of interest for me.

It is a lifelong passion—one in which I have invested a considerable amount of time, pursuit, and prayer.

I still believe in revival, and yet my interpretation of what revival means—in terms of my own call, as well as for the church globally—has changed considerably.

Here are some of the ways my perspective and prayers have changed.

1. From Pleading to Receiving

Two years ago, I encountered God as Father in such a powerful way that it revolutionised the way I perceived everything about my faith.

I realised that much of my Christian service and belief system had been based out of an ‘orphan spirit,’ rather than the position of sonship that Paul talks about in Gal 3:26-4:7.

An orphan mindset believes and fears that we are separated from the Father and His resources. [2]

As a prophetic intercessor, one of my favourite prayers used to be:
‘Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you!’ (Isaiah 64:1)

But I no longer see the move of God as something to plead for. The open heaven that I once cried out to God for, I now recognise is mine—and the church’s—by inheritance through Christ.

It is the privilege of sons and daughters to ask and receive. (Luke 11:9-13)

2. From Local to Global

For years, others and I sought revival based on what we knew about it from church history, as well as reports from around the world.

The picture I had of revival was of a season of Divine visitation—accompanied by miracles, signs, and conviction of sin leading to the salvation of many—in a church, city, region or nation.

I do still believe in the value of revivals that are localised outpourings of the Holy Spirit.

However, my present view of revival is best described in this quote from Dr. Vance Havner:

‘Revival is simply New Testament Christianity, the saints going back to normal.’

What excites me now is the way that the church globally is stirring. Christian believers across the earth are awakening to who they are and Whose they are, and acting accordingly.

3. From ‘Not Yet’ to Now

I now believe that I spent much of my life waiting and praying for God to begin something that He has already initiated.

But the prayers and tears that so many of us have offered up over the years have not gone wasted. To our great surprise we see that they have been sown into the Father’s plan, one that is so much greater than we could have imagined.

The revival that I spent a lifetime waiting for is here and now. It is coming as Christians and churches across the earth awaken to our inheritance and to the reality of Jesus’ prayer:

“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matt 6:10)

I believe that the great harvest of people coming to faith in Jesus, and the fruitful church that I envisioned as a teenager is becoming a reality. And God is graciously enabling me both to live it and share it with others.

Next week I will be considering what an open heaven means, and how it relates to us as Christians today.

Do you have any thoughts about this topic you would like to share? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment below. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

Notes:

1.  My husband Malcolm ‘The Hunk’ was National Director of a mission agency from 1995-2004. We were involved on a volunteer basis for seven years prior to this, which involved serving and hosting overseas visitors.

2. I’m not saying that all prayer for revival is affected by this mindset, but it is something those of us who have prayed for revival for a long time need to be aware of.

© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog

On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church

What seemed so barren and dead for months is now a picture of resurrection life.

I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. (John 15:1-2)

In the same way that a plant undergoes seasonal pruning in order to blossom and bear more fruit, seasons of testing are crucial to the development of our spiritual gifts.

During these times, the best that we have produced seems to have been stripped away from us. God is allowing fruitful areas of our lives and ministries to be cut back, in order that we can focus in a significant way and be even more fruitful for His Kingdom.

Signs that you are in a Testing Season

Some signs that you may be experiencing a testing season in relation to your spiritual gifts include:

• Feeling that you have been shut down in your God-given abilities
• You might have voluntarily or involuntarily released ministry responsibility and feel displaced as a result
• You long for the honeymoon period when you first discovered your spiritual gift
• You might have made mistakes and wonder whether you will ever recover
• You experience doubts about your ability and wonder if God really called you
• You find yourself going through character-testing circumstances and coming up short on the character side
• You wonder whether the prophecies once made about you will ever be fulfilled
• You feel as though you are being criticised, blocked or resisted
• You feel battle-worn and weary
• You feel displaced, separated or hidden in relation to your gift and ministry
• The opposite of God’s call and the destiny you believed for seems to be happening to you.

A testing season can be specific to a single gift. I have often heard prophetic people relate, mystified, that their prophetic ministry feels as though it has been blocked and yet they are experiencing fruitfulness in other areas of service.

The Season of Trial: What is God Doing?

Developing Skills you will need in the Future

Joseph knew that his destiny was one of rulership, but it seemed that his life was taking the opposite course. However, during the time of slavery and unjust imprisonment he developed skills that would be invaluable to his future. He learned the Egyptian language and customs, along with principles of stewardship, leadership and resource management.

During the season of trial, God may be working gifts and skills into your life that you need to fulfil His destiny in the long run.

Refining Character

During wilderness times, the people and circumstances that try us are instruments that God uses to develop our character and point us towards our destiny. Joseph understood this. He later said to his brothers, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Gen 50:20).

Repositioning

During a testing time, God may actually be repositioning us for a new season of fruitfulness.

Elijah went on the run from Jezebel, overnight going from success to mess. He sat under a tree in the desert and actually prayed that he would die. The Lord visited Him and gave him directions for a new season of his ministry. He was to call Elisha as his successor and anoint a new king who would bring Jezebel’s reign to an end.

Elijah had an appointment with God in the wilderness and so do we. During the times of difficulty or separation, allow Him to speak to you about the next season He has for your life.

Calling us to Intimacy with Him

Testing times are seasons when we have the opportunity to get closer to God than any other time. Perhaps there are fewer distractions. Perhaps need or barrenness causes us to draw nearer to Him. It is on God’s heart to reveal His love to you in fresh ways during a desert time.

Awaiting the Right Timing

While we feel as though we are fighting to survive, God is moving to change the scenery on the stage of our lives—positioning circumstances, others and us for what is to come. [1]

David went on the run from Saul in the wilderness. He was destined to become a king, but he became an outlaw first. He stayed in the desert while God worked things out on his behalf. Saul died and eventually the people called for David to be their new king.

Strengthening our Faith

Abraham is known as the ‘father of faith.’  It was twenty-five barren years before Isaac was born in fulfilment of God’s promise to make him a great nation; God waited until it was physically impossible. Paul later said of Abraham:

Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God. (Rom 4:19-20)

In the Father’s Hands

It is important to recognise that God is at work during the testing season. He is refining both your character and your gift.

How you respond in this season is very important. No matter what you have done, no matter what people have done to you, and no matter what the enemy has done against you, God is sovereignly working ‘all things together for good.’

If you can relate to this today, I pray that you will perceive the hand of God on your life. During pruning, the vine-grower’s hands are closer to the vine than at any other time.

May you sense the Father’s loving touch on your life and receive a revelation of His goodness that will empower you and cause your heart to flow with gratitude and praise.

This post contains an excerpt from my e-book, ‘Grow Your Prophetic And Prayer Gifts.’

The six phases of spiritual gift development are beginning, desiring, emerging, developing, testing and maturing.

‘Grow Your Prophetic And Prayer Gifts’ is a high-value e-book specifically written to help you grow in your gifts of prophecy, intercession, healing, discernment and more – at whatever stage or season you are on the journey.

Check out my e-books page for more e-books related to prophetic and prayer ministry.

Do you have any experiences or questions to share on this topic? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment in the comments box below. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

Notes

[1] I highly recommend David McCracken’s messages on this subject, in particular, ‘God’s Amber Light’ and ‘Transition Is Empowering When Embraced.’
For information about how to access the David McCracken Ministries’ regular podcast, including messages by David McCracken and DMM team members, find the links on my podcast page by clicking here or look for David McCracken Ministries in iTunes.

© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog

On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church

Understanding the difference between Old Testament (OT) and New Testament (NT) prophetic ministry is a vital key to flourishing in our gifts of prophecy.

A clearer perception of this in my earlier days would have saved me personally a great deal of heartache and error in church life. [1]

Here are four key points of difference between Old and New Testament prophetic ministry, along with some dangers that can occur when a prophetic person maintains an OT viewpoint in the context of church life.

1. In the OT, a prophet was the mouthpiece of God

OT prophets had the singular role of bringing God’s word—instruction, warnings, prophecies, and so on—directly to His people.

By contrast, in the NT all believers have a relationship with God and can hear Him speaking to them personally. Therefore, prophecy is confirmation of what is already heard through relationship.

This also relates to leaders in the church today, who hear from God in their leadership capacity.

Prophetic ministry is designed to bring confirmation, clarity and empowerment to the vision of a church.

Signs of maintaining an OT viewpoint in church life:

• Maintaining they have correctly heard from God (and the leaders are wrong) when there is a point of difference
• Believing that their prophetic insights carry greater weight than the vision or direction of others who may not have a prophetic gift.

2. The OT was an era of law and judgment

In the OT, prophets pronounced warnings and judgements upon people and nations who were in disobedience to God.

The NT, however, is an era of God’s grace. [2] NT prophecy is for ‘strengthening, encouragement, and comfort.’ (1 Cor 14:3) Here is an example from Acts 15:32:

‘Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the believers.’

NT prophecy is consistent with the ministry of Jesus and His revelation of the Father’s nature.

Even if a prophetic word is addressing error, the prophetic motive is redemption—to bring God’s purpose and to transform the situation and its outcome—and the word will be framed that way, presented in love and humility.

Signs of maintaining an OT viewpoint in church life:

• Using prophecy to point out wrongs, being quick to condemn or warn church leaders or other Christian believers
• Using prophecy to call for repentance with an underlying attitude of criticism or judgment [3]

3. In the OT, a prophet could ‘stand alone’ before God (1 Kings 17:1)

In the NT, Paul says in 1 Cor 12 that we are many members, with different gifts, in one body.

As with other spiritual gifts, prophecy is not meant to be a stand-alone ministry in the church, rather, it is incomplete without the added value of other gifts in the church body. (1 Cor 12:12)

No one ‘prophetic person’ has all the revelation. He or she also depends upon others with prophetic gifts to supply more ‘pieces of the puzzle’ of God’s revelation (1 Cor 14:29-33).

The person prophesying also needs those who have gifts of discernment, leadership and wisdom to complete their contribution to the church.

Also, in the NT you see less of the individual prophet and more of prophetic teams – e.g. Acts 15:32, Acts 13:1, Acts 11:27, 1 Cor 14:29, 31-32.

Signs of maintaining an OT viewpoint in church life:

• Isolation, separation from community
• Believing that they report directly to God only, and are commissioned and trained only by God
• Lack of accountability, i.e. not coming under leadership

4. OT prophets were expected to speak the PERFECT, inspired word of God

If they did not speak a word that proved true, they were condemned as ‘false prophets’ (Jer 14:14-16).

Some prophets were entrusted with the writing of scripture.  They also were used of God to convey His specific instruction to Kings, nations and others. Thus, accuracy and purity of their words was essential.

In the NT church, prophetic words are subject to being weighed up. (1 Cor 14:29, 1 Thess 5:20-22)

NT Prophetic ministry needs an environment of humility, cooperation and grace to operate as Jesus intended it to.

Signs of maintaining an OT viewpoint in church life:

• Believing they have a ‘hotline to God’ that bypasses the input of leadership.
• Resisting having their prophetic words weighed up
• Reacting negatively when prophetic words are not acted upon, or feedback is given that disagrees with their viewpoint

The Fruit of NT Prophetic Ministry

‘So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.’ (Eph 4:11-12)

In the NT, prophetic ministry is a servant ministry in the church. This is also true of the prophetic office.

As Paul outlines in Ephesians, the role of a leading prophetic ministry is to equip the church. This includes encouraging and empowering Christians to hear from God, as well as releasing others who have prophetic gifts.

One danger of maintaining an OT paradigm of prophetic ministry is that it sends a message of exclusivity (see points 1 and 3 above). It tends to have the opposite effect—intimidating others who have prophetic gifts and creating an unhealthy reliance upon the prophetic minister.

And finally, the fruit of NT prophetic ministry is unity. The picture that Paul gives is of a healthy body, each part unique but working and growing together into Christ-likeness.

Notes:

[1] For more on my journey check the ‘About Enliven Blog’ page.

[2] For more detail on this topic, see the post ‘How To Weigh Up What The Prophets Are Saying Pt 2

[3] This is not to say that someone with a prophetic ministry cannot call for repentance. See ‘How To Weigh Up What The Prophets Are Saying Pt 1′

[4] I am aware that many prophetic people have experienced unhealthy or even abusive leadership, at some stage of their journey. Past hurts and difficulties should not stop us honouring and having a Biblical response to our leaders in our current situation where God has placed us. For more information on this, read my e-book Prophetic People In A Changing Church.

Do you have any experiences or questions to share on this topic? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment in the comments box below. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog

On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church

Realising that I had spent years living out of an ‘orphan’ perspective, I went back to the Bible with fresh eyes—beginning with Genesis. That is where I discovered the Father’s blessing.

Today I would like to share with you three mistaken beliefs that many of us have concerning God’s blessing. The truth is, that the blessing Jesus has made available to us is much more glorious than we could comprehend! [1,2]

Myth #1: Blessing is an Enjoyable, but Occasional Event

As Christians, we often say that God has blessed us when something good happens.  Or we may say that we are blessed when we are experiencing happiness in relationships, health or financial success.

If we take the meaning that we use in our everyday life for the word ‘blessing,’ then what we are actually saying is that blessing is transient, and unreliable—but is it?

TRUTH: The Bible reveals that we already have our Father’s blessing. Blessing is not based on circumstances or events, but upon God’s Word.

One of the New Testament Greek words translated ‘to bless’ is eulogeo. It literally means, ‘to speak well of.’ You might recognise it as the root word from which we get the word, ‘eulogy.’

When we speak a eulogy today, we are reflecting upon the past achievements and fruitfulness of someone’s life. However in the Bible, God speaks a blessing over our lives ahead of time. And God’s word of blessing has the creative power to bring that word to pass. (Is 55:11, Luke 1:37)

Created for Blessing

‘God created human beings in his own image; in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said…’ (Gen 1:27-28)

We are created for blessing. The first words that God spoke over Adam and Eve were words of blessing! This blessing consisted primarily of three things:

1. Fruitfulness (Gen 1:28)

You are blessed to be fruitful. (John 15:8, 16). You are blessed to have a significant life, to be someone who makes an eternal difference in the lives of others.

2. Dominion (Authority) (Gen 1:28)

You are blessed and created to rule. Your spiritual DNA is to be an overcomer in life; a victor, not a victim.

3. Provision (Gen 1:29)

The third part of the Father’s creation blessing was provision. He said, ‘I give you….’ Here God is saying, ‘I am the source of everything you need. Even those practical provisions like food, come from Me!’ (see also Matt 6:25-33)

In addition to the above, each one of us has a unique and personal blessing over our lives. Throughout scripture God reveals Himself to His people, bringing individual words of commissioning, as well as the promise of His Presence and provision. Prophecy often taps into this personal blessing.

Myth #2: I am not Blessed when I am Going Through a Difficult Time

Our common view of blessing leads us to believe that if we are struggling with problems or long-term trials, then we are not being blessed.

TRUTH: We are blessed when we are going through trials.

I remember a number of years ago, in a desperate state with nothing left to give, coming across these words of Jesus:

‘You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.’ (Matt 5:5-6, MSG)

James sums it up like this:

‘Blessed are those who persevere under trial, because when they have stood the test, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.’ (James 1:12)

Jesus Himself did not just bless those who were ‘successful’ in the world’s eyes. He spoke words of blessing over children, over the poor and bereaved and over those persecuted. He commanded His followers to bless their enemies. (Beatitudes—Matt 5:3-12)

Blessing is not an event, it is the word of the Father over our lives that manifests through our life’s journey. (Ps 23:4, Is 43:1-3)
Breakthrough is one manifestation of the blessing of God. But so is experiencing our Father’s favour when we respond well during a trial.

We can rest assured that no matter what is happening now, the blessing of God over our lives is acting like a great magnet, drawing us irresistibly towards the fulfillment of that blessing. (see Job 42:12-16)

Myth #3: I Have to Do Something to be Blessed

I still catch myself thinking that I have to ‘do’ something in order to earn a blessing from God.

TRUTH: My Father has already blessed me by His word. I have His blessing because of what Jesus has done, not because of anything I can do to earn it.

Adam and Eve were blessed by God before they had ever accomplished anything. This blessing strikes at the very root of our drive to perform to please God.

Before they ever did anything to deserve it, the Father blessed them. They were blessed just by virtue of being His children. And so are we.

The belief that blessing is based upon performance is an Old Testament viewpoint.

Adam and Eve disobeyed God and removed themselves from the place of relationship with God from which His blessing flowed.

When God introduced the law of Moses, blessing became tied to obedience of the law. Deuteronomy 28 describes blessings and curses related to keeping the law.

But the law could never be perfectly kept. In Galatians, Paul points out that the law was designed to lead us to Jesus. (Gal 3:23-25)

When Jesus died on the cross for our sin, He took the curse of the law upon Himself. (Gal 3:10-14) The blessing due to Him has come upon us.

Because of what Jesus has done, we now live under an open heaven of favour and blessing over our lives

The blessing that Adam and Eve enjoyed, and the blessing that Jesus has, now belongs to you and me. (Eph 1:3-6)

How to Position for Blessing

Blessing cannot be earned; however, we can position ourselves to receive it and enter into it. Here are some ways in which we can do that:

• Study and grasp the Biblical perspective of blessing

• Foster unity in our relationships and churches (Ps 133:3)

• Renew our minds by thinking in accord with God’s blessing over us (Rom 12:2)
  We need to feed the anticipation of God’s goodness towards us. Why should we have more faith in the enemy’s power to destroy, than Gods power to do good? Jesus came to give us abundant life.  (John 10:10)

• Speak in agreement with God’s blessing over ourselves and others. (James 3:9-11) We are created in God’s image and can be agents of God’s blessing through the words of our mouth.

• Stay in an intimate place of relationship with God.
  This is the most vital key of all. As we listen and obey Him, power is released to bring God’s word of blessing to fulfillment in our lives.

Notes:

[1] Due to the limitations of a single article, I am unable to share all the wonderful truths I have learned from the Bible about blessing! Maybe you, like me, would enjoy more nuggets of truth from the Bible on this topic.

Just for you, I am including a few more thoughts and findings in the comments section of this post. You may like to add your own thoughts and feedback, too. If the comments section is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

[2] For the purpose of this discussion, by myth I mean a widespread belief in the Christian community that has no basis in Biblical truth

Related Posts:

Breaking Free From An Orphan Mindset

© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog

On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church

The quality that I personally believe is most vital for prophetic ministry is an intimate relationship with the Father.

This kind of intimacy comes from having a revelation of, and personal encounter with, God as a loving Father. [1]

The Unbelieving Heart of the Believer

My mother-in-law used to speak fervently about ‘evangelising the unbelieving heart of the believer.’ This spoke of her call to minister healing to the hearts of Christians. [2]

The Hunk and I were passionately involved in world missions, and her favourite quote was a continual irritation to me. ‘What,’ I thought, ‘could be more important than evangelising the heart of the unbeliever?’

A Crisis of Faith

‘What has happened to all your joy?’ (Galatians 4:15)

By 2009, Mum’s voice began to be silenced as Alzheimer’s robbed her of the ability to convey what was on her heart. But her vision was to finally bear fruit in my life.

I had not realized the contradiction that was within me until burnout brought it to the surface.

After years of exhausting Christian service—comprised of unwise choices of my own making—I could finally go no further. The approval I had sought to work for was out of reach. My crisis of faith was summed up by the question I cried out at that time:

‘Are You the God I am afraid that You are—a task-master whose approval I can never win? Or the Father I have longed for—a God of grace and joy?’

One day, as I voiced the question for the umpteenth time, I was surprised to hear God’s voice in response. His answer to me was, in brief, ‘You choose.’

I took time to consider the evidence of

• The Bible’s teaching
• The heart of the Father that Jesus demonstrated in the Gospels, and
• The gracious love of the Holy Spirit that I recognised and felt for others, but failed to perceive for myself.

Finally, I made a decision and a recommitment. ‘I believe that You are the God of grace and joy—and I receive You as my Lord and Saviour.

The matter was settled, and the unbelieving heart of this believer was converted. My spiritual eyes were opened to see my loving Father.

One Father, Two Sons, Three Positions

Following this revelation of God as Father, I moved into a period of recovery, during which Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son came to life for me. [3]

At that time I noticed three positions of sonship that were illustrated by Jesus’ parable, and I saw aspects of my journey in each of them.

1. The Lost Son

The younger son became separated from his father and his father’s household through sin and rebellion. After squandering his inheritance, he became destitute. He then found employment with a harsh foreign master who sent him to the fields to feed pigs, whilst not providing him with the food that he himself needed to live.

Ironically—in spite of the clear parallels between the lost son and someone who is a non-Christian or a backslider—at my lowest point, I mostly identified with the younger son.

My master had been a system of good works. I too had spent all that I had; not on ‘riotous’ living, but on ‘right’ living—doing the right things in my own strength. Now I was starving spiritually. But like the lost son, I finally came to my senses—it was time to come home.

2. The Serving Son

The older brother could have enjoyed the privileges of sonship and intimacy with the father. But although he lived in the Father’s household, he laboured as a servant.

His lack of intimacy with his father was demonstrated by his failure to rejoice at what his father rejoiced in—the return of his lost brother.

The older brother served for his future inheritance, but did not partake of the portion that was available to him in the present. Instead of enjoying what was his by right, he complained to his father, ‘You never gave me…’

I recognised that like the older brother, my focus had been on bringing pleasure to God by faithfully serving, performing and gaining results. Deep down, I felt I needed to do something to earn God’s blessing and favour.

My Christian life lacked joy. I began to see that I had been working for God’s Kingdom whilst neither enjoying, nor being fully aware of, the Kingdom inheritance that is available to me now.

3. The Embraced Son

Coming to his senses, the lost son returned, penitent, to a surprising reception. Instead of the father he was expecting to meet—a charitable employer who would take care of him as a servant—he discovered a love-consumed, waiting, embracing father.

His father ordered a feast, brought him into the household, and put a robe, ring and sandals on him—symbols of restored sonship.

Since the ‘conversion’ of my heart, I have come to realise that there is nothing I can do to gain my Father’s approval. I already have it, along with His unconditional love and acceptance. Rejection and low self esteem has fallen away. I know that I give Him pleasure, not through what I do, but simply because I am His child.

My focus is now centred upon my intimate relationship with God as being the most important thing—and I have fallen in love with Him in a greater way. Out of that love I can freely love others.

In the past, I struggled with an orphan mindset. But now, knowing Abba Father and being with Him gives me the greatest joy—abundant and effective service flows out of that place of rest. And finally, I am learning that there is a Kingdom inheritance available to me now—not just in the future.

Although I sometimes move out of this position, I recognise when I do and continually find my way home to the Father’s waiting arms.

I pray that you also will discover something in this study, as well as my own story, to move you closer in your own relationship with God the Father.

I also encourage you to follow this up by reading and prayerfully considering the original passage in Luke 15:11-32.

One Father, Two Sons, Three Positions: Which of These Describes You?

Notes:

[1] Jesus came to reveal God as Father (John 17:6-8, John 14:9-11) and to restore us to relationship with God as His children. This revelation of the Father accounts for some of the key distinctions between Old and New Testament prophetic ministry.

See also:

How To Weigh Up What The Prophets Are Saying Pt 2

And look out for the following post in future weeks: The Difference Between Old And New Testament Prophecy

[2] This expression, ‘evangelising the unbelieving heart of the believer,’ is a quote by John and Paula Sandford. In their book ‘The Transformation Of The Inner Man’, they write, ‘Paradoxically, we are healed by being taught to put no confidence whatsoever in our own flesh, simply to rest in Him.’ P10, Phil 3:3

Sandford, J & P.  The Transformation of the Inner Man. 1982. Bridge Publishing. 412p

[3] In Luke 15:11-32, Jesus told a parable concerning a lost son who returned home to his father, in response to religious criticism of His association with ‘sinners.’At the time Jesus spoke this parable, the elder brother was illustrative of the listening Pharisees who were critical of Jesus’ fellowship with the sinners they despised. Sadly, many of them would end up shut outside of God’s Presence, whilst the grace of God would be extended to repentant sinners who put their faith in Jesus.

This same grace is available through Jesus to you and me today.

Do you have any experiences or questions to share on this topic? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment in the comments box below. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog

On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church

 ‘Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.’

You received a personal prophecy—or a prophetic word for your family or for your church.

You believed, you positioned, you prayed, and you waited.

Now it has become evident that the prophetic word will never be fulfilled in the way that you believed it would.

Maybe it is too late for something to eventuate in your life, as a prophecy led you to believe. Maybe someone you cared about became sick, and died contrary to prophetic words that he or she would live and do something more for God. Maybe other people around you, or in leadership over you, have made decisions that have ruled out the possibility that a prophecy will be fulfilled.

Questions now arise:

• Was the prophecy wrong? If so, why did God allow me to believe it and pursue it? What about the person who prophesied—was he or she mistaken?

• Was the prophecy right? If so, what have I, or we, done wrong? What conditions have gone unmet, and what has got in the way of the prophecy’s fulfilment?

• And how do we get past the hurt and the disappointment, the crisis of faith, and indeed the grief, of having a long-term prophetic vision die?

The Problem of Unfulfilled Prophecy

There are varying degrees of difficulty and pain associated with an unfulfilled prophecy. At the lower end of the scale, I have prophecies sitting in my drawer that I now realise will never be fulfilled in the exact way the prophetic minister described it to me. This does not cause me concern, because Father has clearly led me in a different direction.

At the other end of the scale, we have had friends pass away, leaving prophecies unfulfilled, questions unanswered, and pain in our hearts.

Why are Some Prophecies Unfulfilled?

There are many reasons why a prophecy may not be fulfilled. Let’s explore a few of them:

The Prophecy was not Adequately Weighed up

If you are waiting on a prophecy to be fulfilled, then it was most likely a very specific, directive type of prophetic word.

For our protection, these kinds of prophecies should always be submitted to wise oversight and leadership in the church. [1] Without this Biblical safety net, there is a greater possibility of some of the following issues taking place. (1 Cor 14:29, 1 Thess 5:20-22)

Conditions Unmet

Some prophecy, especially that concerning the call of God, is conditional upon us doing our part, obeying God, and allowing the Spirit to deal with us in maturing our character.

I received a prophecy many years ago concerning my future ministry. In the same prophecy, I was exhorted to ‘stay committed, stay submitted.’ I know without doubt that I would not be where I am today if I had not stayed committed and submitted to my church and leadership during testing times.

The Prophecy has Already Fulfilled its Purpose

Sometimes a particular prophecy is the signpost that God uses to get you somewhere else. Instead of the destination you expected, you find that you are positioned for another, higher, God-given purpose.

This may also be an issue of inaccurate delivery of a prophecy. But we also need to understand the nature of prophecy:

Fulfilment of prophecy is not always like hitting a ‘bulls eye’ on a target. It may be more like a river that has twists and turns before reaching the Father’s intended destination.

The Prophecy was Delivered Inaccurately

‘For we know in part and we prophesy in part’ (1 Cor 13:9)

Following are some reasons that a prophecy may have been delivered inaccurately.

• If the person prophesying knows the recipient of the prophecy, it is tempting to deliver the prophecy in the context of what is known currently. This can hamper the purity of a word

• This also goes for prophecies made in church life. We may be receiving a revelation from God, but then we interpret and deliver that word in the light of our church’s current vision or circumstances, which may later change

• The person may have prophesied out of the desires of his or her heart, rather than from a revelation from God

• The person delivering the prophecy may be receiving an incomplete revelation, but then try to express the prophecy in specific terms when it has not been received that way.It is true that there is, on occasion, higher revelation and greater levels of accuracy (indeed we believe and strive for this), but we must also be content—and honest—when this is not the case.

The Prophecy was Interpreted by the Recipient Inaccurately

Maybe the prophecy was not mistakenly given, but there was a miscommunication, and the recipient took the prophecy the wrong way.

Just as the giver of a prophecy can interpret and deliver a word based on known circumstances, a receiver of a prophecy can also interpret a word based on what he or she knows or desires it to be.

Mystery

At the end of the day, we may never understand this side of heaven why a prophecy remained unfulfilled, just as we do not understand why some sick people who are prayed for do not get healed.

In the face of the unknown, we need to trust in the love and sovereignty of our Heavenly Father.

What to do About Prophetic Disappointment

There is a time to hold on to a prophetic word, but we also need to know when to release or shelve a prophecy. The time to release a prophecy is when holding onto it is not bearing good fruit in your life, or in the lives of others around you.

This includes disappointment, disillusionment, division or disunity, dissatisfaction, resentment, bitterness, grief, or any other negative fruit.

If you can relate to this, here are some things that may help in the process:

1. Allow the Prophecy to be Weighed up Again

Prophecy is subject to being weighed up. This does not only relate to assessing a prophecy at the time it is delivered. For our protection, we should also keep our prophetic vision submitted to godly leadership as time goes along.[1]

2. Forgive Whomever you Need to

If an unfulfilled prophecy has left you feeling disappointed or even bitter, it is vital that you forgive anyone that you need to. (Mark 11:25) This may be the giver of the prophecy, yourself, or anyone you perceived stood in the way of its fulfilment.

3. Stop Looking for Unfulfilled Conditions

If you are open to God, and the Holy Spirit is not forthcoming about a condition not being fulfilled, don’t labour over finding one—this may be distracting you from releasing it and moving on with God’s purpose for your life, or that of your family or church. Release it and trust Him to show you anything necessary.

If you can identify a wrong turning in your life, as you repent, the grace of God is released over your life. He will give you a new vision—He is the God of the resurrection.

4. Release Others from Expectations Relating to the Prophecy

Sometimes in our search for unmet conditions, it is tempting to blame other people for hindering the fulfilment of a prophecy. This may include a spouse, family member, vocational boss or leader in a church.

We need to release them completely from expectations and remember that God is sovereign and able to fulfil His plans regardless of their actions. Look at the life of Joseph! (Gen 37-50)

5. Release the Prophecy Completely

You are not being unfaithful to God and His word when you release a prophecy and all expectations associated with it, if holding onto it is not bearing good fruit.

God is able to bring the word to you again if it was truly of Him. He can resurrect the promise in His time.

Sometimes it is helpful to release the prophecy, not only through prayer, but to do something symbolic as well. We need to do whatever it takes to bring closure.

6. Ask, ‘Am I in the Father’s Will Right Now?’

If you know that right now your heart is right with God, then you are on track for His purposes to be fulfilled in your life.

Ultimately, we must trust in the absolute sovereignty of God—not in ourselves, others, or in any prophetic word.

‘The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the LORD upholds him with His hand.’ (Ps 37:23-24, NKJV)

It is Time to let go

‘Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?’ (Isaiah 43:18-19)

Is it time to let go of an unfulfilled prophetic word?

• Let go, and you will be released from the place of disappointment and grief
• Let go, and you will be able to receive the new word from God
• Let go, and you will have the joy of discovering the new things Father is doing

Notes:

[1] This can be a leader or pastor in your church, or Christian mentors (safe Christian mentors are themselves under authority). I am aware that many people have experienced unhealthy or even abusive leadership, at some stage of their journey. This must not put us off seeking safe Christian leaders who can speak into our lives.

Related Posts:

Is It Time To Birth Your Prophetic Word In Prayer?

Your Prophetic Word and Spiritual Warfare

Do you have any experiences or questions to share on this topic? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment in the comments box below. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog

On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church

Prophecy is making known the heart, mind and intention of the Father. Personal prophecy occurs when a prophecy is given to a person through another individual.

Many people today are asking the question, ‘is personal prophecy Biblical?’ This response is not surprising, given much of which is purported to be Christian personal prophecy in the world today.

I regularly receive reports from people who have been misled or hurt, or pastors who have experienced trauma in their churches through damaging ‘personal prophecy.’

However, as a member of a prophetic team that ministers throughout local churches, I constantly see the benefits of personal prophecy [1]:

• Receivers of personal prophecy are encouraged and motivated in their relationship with God
• Individuals become aware of the Father’s love for them as they receive a personal word
• Churches are built in faith as the Holy Spirit reveals knowledge about one of their members that is known to them but not to the giver of the prophecy
• I frequently see people who have had a personal prophecy given to them during a church meeting rush to the altar at the close of the service, in a desire to recommit their lives to God
• Recently I gave a prophecy to a non-Christian in a meeting, and he came to the altar in tears and gave his life to Jesus.

Personal Prophecy in the Old Testament

God walked and talked personally with Adam and Eve in the garden. But when humanity became separated from Him through sin, God communicated to His people through the law and His prophets. (John 1:45)

Because people did not have a personal relationship with God, they relied on the prophets to convey God’s immediate instructions to them. In the Old Testament (OT), this included commissioning, warnings, commands, judgment, foretelling, and encouragement.

Some examples from the Old Testament include:

• In Judges 4:4 the prophet Deborah summons Barak and gives him God’s command to do battle against Sisera, commander of Jabin’s army

• In 1 Samuel 2, an unknown prophet shared a message of judgment against the priest Eli and his corrupt family. This was soon confirmed through the boy prophet Samuel

• In 1 Sam 22 the prophet Gad gave instructions to David concerning a warfare strategy

• The prophet Samuel commissioned both King Saul and King David. In 2 Kings 9: Elijah sent an unnamed prophet to commission Jehu

• Nathan the prophet shared God’s intentions with King David concerning his son Solomon’s building of the temple and his enduring dynasty (2 Sam 7)

• Isaiah prophesied to King Hezekiah of his recovery from illness (Is 38)

• Jeremiah prophesied to the scribe Baruch that his life would be spared (Jer 45)

• The prophet Haggai brought God’s instruction to Zechariah and Zerabbabel concerning the rebuilding of the temple

Personal Prophecy in the New Testament

Personal prophecy continues in the New Testament (NT); however circumstances have changed. Through faith in Jesus, people now have a personal relationship with God. They can hear from Him personally.

Prophecy is now one of many gifts in the church body, interdependent upon other gifts and ministries and subject to accountability and leadership. (1 Cor 12, 14)

Here are some examples of personal prophecy in the NT:

• Simeon blesses Joseph and Mary when they present Jesus in the temple and gives them a personal prophecy (Luke 2:25-35)

• In Acts 21, Agabus gives a personal prophecy to Paul concerning his upcoming arrest. Agabus is not a loner—he is one of a company of prophets from the church in Jerusalem. (Acts 11:27-28) This prophecy is confirmation of what God is already speaking to Paul—perhaps even through other prophecies (Acts 20:23)

• Paul exhorts Timothy to remember and follow personal prophecies that have been given to him (1 Tim 1:18-19)

• Paul also refers to special commissioning prophecy brought over Timothy when the church elders laid their hands on him. (1 Tim 4:14) Acts 13:1-3 also indicates that commissioning prophecy takes place with the participation and oversight of church leadership

• We see Jesus Himself giving personal prophecy to Nathanael (John 1:50-51) and Peter (John 21:18). The woman at the well is so taken with Jesus’ personal insights into her life that she says, “Sir, I can see you are a prophet.’ (John 4:19)

The Biblical Practice of Personal Prophecy

Personal prophecy is undoubtedly Biblical. However, the question remains, ‘What does the Biblical practice of personal prophecy look like for us today?’ [2]

Many of the damaging practices that have given personal prophecy a bad reputation are due to people modeling their ministry after that of the Old Testament prophets, and ignoring New Testament guidelines for prophecy. [3]

There are clear distinctions between the Old and New Testament roles of prophetic ministry, as I have mentioned above. These changes impact the practice of personal prophecy.

A Checklist for Personal Prophecy

Following is a checklist that includes NT guidelines for prophetic ministry in general—and personal prophecy in particular.

I encourage all of my readers to consider these things before giving a personal prophecy, or receiving personal prophecy from anyone.

These guidelines will also be helpful in weighing up personal prophecy that has already been received.

1. Accountability (1 Cor 14:29)

Paul states that prophecy should be weighed up—therefore it is vital that personal prophecy be given in an environment that facilitates this.
If a personal prophecy is not given in the context of a church meeting and goes beyond a general word of encouragement, it should be submitted to oversight. [4]

Both givers and receivers of prophecy should be in a place of accountability and members in a local church body (1 Cor 14).
A personal prophecy should be given in such a way that it allows room for the recipient to weigh up the prophecy and consider whether it is of God.

2. Love (1 Cor 13)

Personal prophecy should originate from a heart of love for God and for the person being ministered to. The prophecy should accurately reflect the Father’s heart towards the recipient of the word.

3. A Godly Life (2 Tim 2:20-26, 1 Tim 3)

A prophetic minister should demonstrate a lifestyle of integrity and righteousness. He or she should be commended, recognised and under leadership.

4. Confirmation.

(See the illustration of Agabus, above)

Because Christian believers have a personal relationship with God, prophecy is a confirmation of what God is saying, or will say in the future, to them—it is not direct instruction, as in the OT.

Personal prophecy should not be sought after as a primary means of guidance.

5. Encouragement, Exhortation, Edification

Paul said that ‘those who prophesy speak to people for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort.’ (1 Cor 14:3)
Personal prophecy should be encouraging and upbuilding. It should move a person towards God and His purposes, and motivate him or her to live a life pleasing to God.

6. Fruit of the Spirit

(Gal 5:22-23)

A personal prophecy should exhibit the fruit of the Holy Spirit in both its expression and outcome: ‘love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.’

It should promote unity and consideration for others. (James 3:13-18)

The fruit of the Spirit does include conviction leading to repentance—but not condemnation.

In the OT, prophecy included words of judgment, but this is not the case in the NT. We are in an era of grace, one in which the Father is giving every person an opportunity for redemption through His Son, Jesus.

7. Biblical Content

Finally and most importantly, a personal prophecy should be in harmony with God’s will as set out in scripture. A prophecy will not contradict Biblical principles.

Note that commissioning prophecy (prophecy that indicates appointment to a place of position in ministry) should not be a part of personal prophecy. In the NT, commissioning is done by the church oversight (1 Tim 4:14, Acts 13:1-3). A person who feels that he or she has a word that is in any way commissioning, should submit it to the person’s oversight and not directly to the individual.

Notes:

[1] I am blessed to be on team with David McCracken Ministries.

[2] This article is limited to discussion on personal prophecy between Christians. These guidelines do also relate to prophetic evangelism—however this is a different topic altogether.

[3] For more discussion on this read my articles:

How Do You Weigh Up What The Prophets Are Saying Pt 1

How Do You Weigh Up What The Prophets Are Saying Pt 2

[4] We should be especially wary of prophecy given or received over the Internet (‘free personal prophecy’) where it is not possible to verify much of the above criteria.

More articles on personal prophecy from Enliven Blog:

How Do I Know A Personal Prophecy Or Dream Interpretation Is From God?

4 Things You Can Do With Your Personal Prophecy

Do you have any experiences or questions to share on this topic? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment in the comments box below. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog

On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church