Entries tagged with “Grow Your Prophetic Gift”.
Did you find what you wanted?
Mon 6 Feb 2012
Many years ago when The Hunk and I were ministering full time with a mission agency, we attended a meeting together at which a prophet was preaching and ministering in personal prophecy.
After sharing some words of encouragement with my husband, the prophet turned to me.
‘God’s got a call on your life that is totally different to that of your husband. He wants you to be really developing that, preparing yourself because He has things for you to do that will see you fulfilled in your own right as a woman of God…’
Although to an observer I was simply a young mother and wife of a minister, God used the prophet that day to express His love towards me and to remind me that He had not forgotten His call on my life.
Love is a Vital Ingredient of Prophecy
If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. (1 Cor 13:2)
To prophesy is to communicate the intention and purpose of the Father.
This can be by way of simple encouragement to someone in your everyday life, or it may occur within the context of church life or ministry.
The Bible tells us that love is the prerequisite to prophecy in any situation. [1] Without love, the Apostle Paul says, we are nothing, and our words have an empty ring to them. (1 Cor 13:1-2)
Remembering this is vital as we develop our prophetic gifts and seek to grow in our ability to hear from God.
God’s Love is not Based upon what our Eyes see
‘He [the Messiah] will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears’ (Isaiah 11:3)
God looks beyond what is seen outwardly, to the inner heart of a person and speaks to the potential within.
My constant prayer is that I will not be distracted by what I see externally. ‘Holy Spirit, help me to see what You see.’
When the prophet Samuel went to Jesse’s family to anoint the next King of Israel, God spoke to him saying, ‘Do not consider his appearance… People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.’ (1 Sam 16:7)
God’s Love is not Based upon our Ideas and Opinions
Whether negative or positive, opinions and preconceived ideas can hinder our ability to hear—and accurately share—God’s word. They also hinder the flow of God’s unconditional love through us.
This is especially true when we are ministering to people that we are personally acquainted with.
I have learned to be open to the Holy Spirit for Him to show me (and He often does)
- judgments that I need to repent of, or
- predetermined ideas that I need to set aside.
God’s Love is not Based upon our Feelings
When it comes to prophetic ministry, love is not based on an emotion that we feel, but upon seeing people from the Father’s point of view.
Here are three primary ways that we can become acquainted with His perspective:
1. Know what the Bible Teaches about God’s Love for People
We learn from God’s Word how much the Father values people—so much that He sent His Son to die for them. (John 3:16)
In the New Testament, the Father’s heart towards people is revealed through Jesus’ ministry to individuals.
For example, when Jesus spoke to the woman at the well, He did not use the knowledge He had of her sinful lifestyle to condemn her, but as the means to invite her to salvation. (John 4)
When we step into this perspective, and prophesy accordingly, we are better able to express God’s love.
2. Catch the Revelation of God’s Love Towards us
If we have not experienced God’s love for ourselves personally, we will be unable to express His love towards others.
Being aware of His grace towards me in my own humanity and weakness enables me to communicate His love and grace to others.
3. Value Intimacy with God Above all Else
We do not need to feel an emotion such as compassion to express God’s love to another. However, as we grow in intimacy with Him, He shares His heart with us.
Further, as we prepare for prophetic ministry in prayer, we can specifically seek God for His heart as well as His plans.
It is in His Presence that our hearts are changed to become like His.
We Express God’s Love in the Process of Prophecy
‘Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.’ (1 Cor 14:1)
Love should guide the whole process of prophecy. [2] This process includes:
- Weighing up the revelation we have received
- Ensuring that the message we share is encouraging and empowering (1 Cor 14:3)
- The way in which we deliver the word, and the timing of it
- Allowing the person room to weigh the prophecy up, and so on.
Love also requires us to seek accountability in the use of our spiritual gifts. [3]
God’s Love Requires us to put Others First
Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. (John 15:13)
The bottom line of God’s love is its sacrificial nature. Love places the interests and life of others above that of our own. (Phil 2:1-8)
For those of us with a tendency to blurt out whatever comes to mind, love may invite us to pause; to process the word further, or to share at a more suitable time.
And finally, for those of us who are shy and fearful—love compels us to step out of our comfort zones and speak.
Notes:
[1] Although my key focus is personal prophecy in this article, the same principles apply to other forms of prophecy such as prophecy to churches, groups or nations. For example, see How Do You Weigh Up What The Prophets Are Saying Pt 1
[2] For posts on the process of prophecy, view the following:
How To Exercise Your Prophetic Gift Pt 1: Understand The Process Of Prophecy
How To Exercise Your Prophetic Gift Pt 5: Creating A Safe Environment To Deliver Your Prophecy
[3] Accountability is vital to providing a safe environment, not only for us to grow in our gifts, but also for people to receive a message from God. See Prophetic Ministry In Church Life: Why Have Guidelines?
For more insights on Personal Prophecy, refer to Is Personal Prophecy Biblical?
Related Post:
The Spirit Of Encouragement: Are You A Barnabas?
Have you ever felt God’s love through a prophetic word? Do you have any experiences or questions to share about the topic of expressing God’s love through prophecy? Leave a comment in the comments box below. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.
Tue 25 Oct 2011
Apathy is a common barrier to growth in our spiritual gifts [1]—and it is the one that we have the least motivation to overcome!
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
Sun 6 Jun 2010
This series has been renewed and updated in 2011. For the first post in the new series, visit the following article:
11 Signs That Your Prophetic Gift Is Being Held Back
Welcome to the third in this series of podcasts on the topic of identifying and breaking through barriers to growth in your gift of prophecy.
In this session, I outline
3 kinds of desire that you need to have to grow in your gift of prophecy
**Desire is what motivates us to keep close to God and on track with our spiritual gift of prophecy. Discover how to regain the gift of desire when it has waned.
Some quotes from this podcast:
- be like Elisha who pursued Elijah for his mantle..
- desire the Giver AND His gifts
- If you feel that you have lost that sharp edge of hunger for God and His Presence, it’s time NOW to get back
- love that leads us to desire to help people and grow Jesus’ Church is vital
Click on the message title below to listen to the 12 minute podcast in MP3 format. To save the file to your computer right click on the link and select “Save Link As …” (Firefox) or “Save Target As…” (Internet Explorer).
The next in this series of podcasts will be on how to identify and be released from hurts or wounds that you have sustained in relation to your prophetic gift.
__________________________________________________________
Related Posts:
Podcast series:
Pt 1: How to Overcome Blockages and Barriers to Growth in Your Prophetic Gift – Intro
Pt 2: How to Overcome Blockages and Barriers to Growth in Your Prophetic Gift – Identify Your Season
© Helen Calder Enliven Publishing
Thu 27 May 2010
Welcome to the second of a series of podcasts on the topic of identifying and breaking through barriers to growth in your gift of prophecy.
In this session, I outline
6 key stages in the development of your prophetic gift
Listening to this podcast will help you identify which phase, or season you are in, in relation to your spiritual gift of prophecy.
It is possible to become blocked in your development in any one of these phases—so a key to breakthrough is to:
1. Identify which season of development you are in
2. Check whether you have become stuck in that phase
3. Make the most of your season of development and
4. Do what it takes to break through to the next level.
Click on the message title below to listen to the 11 minute podcast in MP3 format. To save the file to your computer right click on the link and select “Save Link As …” (Firefox) or “Save Target As…” (Internet Explorer).
____________________________________________________
Related Posts:
How to Overcome Blockages & Barriers to Growth in your Prophetic Gift, Introduction
© Helen Calder Enliven Publishing
Tue 18 May 2010
This series has been renewed and updated in 2011. For the first post in the new series, visit the following article:
11 Signs That Your Prophetic Gift Is Being Held Back
Welcome to the first of a series of podcasts on the topic of identifying and breaking through barriers to growth in your gift of prophecy!
Have you Ever Experienced a Blockage in Your Prophetic gift or Ministry?
God’s plan for us is to grow to our highest potential in our lives, our calling and our spiritual gifts. Why is it, then, that we sometimes feel as though our prophetic gift has been blocked in some way, or as though we have hit a ceiling in our ministry gift and find it hard to move forward?
The good news is that once you have identified an obstruction that is preventing you growing in your gift of prophecy, you can deal with and remove it, with God’s help. Over the coming series, I will explore a number of reasons a barrier can occur, and provide some keys to dealing with them.
In this short 8 minute introductory session, I identify 10 signs that there may be barriers to your growth in prophetic ministry.
Click on the message title below to listen to the podcast in MP3 format. To save the file to your computer right click on the link and select “Save Link As …” (Firefox) or “Save Target As…” (Internet Explorer).
As this is my very first podcast, special thanks must go to Ray Keefe for allowing me the use of his musical interlude called, appropriately, ‘Finding Hope.’
Blessings,
Helen
P.S. Over the next few weeks, I will be releasing these podcasts weekly to complete the series. I will also continue to write some articles. But wait, there’s more! Watch this space for news about the upcoming online prophetic training launch!
© Helen Calder Enliven Publishing
Thu 4 Mar 2010
Are you looking for resources to help you develop your gifts of prophecy or prayer?
I am thrilled to announce that all four of my books are now available in e-book format. Here is a synopsis of each of them, or you can review and purchase them on the e-book sales page:
HOW TO BE A SUPERNATURAL CHRISTIAN IN YOUR EVERYDAY WORLD
$5.95 e-Book*
A step-by-step guide to prophetic evangelism that you can apply every day.
Have you ever dreamed of miracles taking place as you prayed in your home, neighbourhood, school or workplace?
Have you wondered whether God can use you to pray for healing or bring a prophetic message to someone who is not a Christian?
Do you desire to live a supernatural Christian life — one where Jesus is the only explanation for what takes place—in your ordinary, daily world?
(More details …)
PROPHETIC PEOPLE IN A CHANGING CHURCH
$4.95 e-Book*
Have changes in church life impacted upon your personal priorities, relationships and ministry dreams?
Are you, or others around you, experiencing discouragement, or have you been hurt in church life?
Are you wondering how your prophetic or prayer gifts can be used in your current church setting?
(More details …)
GROW YOUR PROPHETIC AND PRAYER GIFTS
$5.95 e-Book*
Would you like to develop your spiritual gifts of prophecy, intercession, miracles, word of knowledge, discernment, deliverance or healing?
Have you ever dreamed that you could prophesy? Or pray for the sick and see them healed?
The desires of your heart are the first clue to the gift and ministry calling that God has placed in your life.
In ‘Grow Your Prophetic And Prayer Gifts’, you will discover…
(More details …)
PRAY FOR THE LOST: Impact The Eternal Destiny Of Those You Love Through Prayer
$5.95 e-Book*
Do you have loved ones whose salvation you are concerned about? Discover how your prayers have power.
This book includes the following helpful tools:
**A worksheet to help you pray strategically for the person on your heart
**A powerful sample prayer you can personalise.
In ‘Pray For The Lost: Impact the Eternal Destiny Of Those You Love Through Prayer’, you will learn… (More details …)
*All prices are in Australian Dollars (AUD).
Note that some of these e-books are now available from the David McCracken Ministries online store.
Check the e-books page for the complete list of e-book s available.
© Helen Calder Enliven Blog
Fri 29 Jan 2010
What is Prayer Journaling?
Prayer journaling is writing down your prayers and questions, and then listening to the Holy Spirit and recording God’s answers. It is a great way to activate your prophetic gift.
I have to confess that I approached the practice of ‘Prayer Journaling’ this week with a bit of trepidation, even though I have used this method of journaling before. It feels presumptuous, writing down God’s ‘answers’ to my prayers and questions.
Does God really want to speak to me conversationally? And how can I know for sure what He is saying?
In John 10:27, Jesus said, ‘My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me’.
As I set out, I am encouraged that God desires an intimate relationship with me even more than I want it with Him—He created me to fellowship with him and to hear His voice!
How to Practice Prayer Journaling
It’s important that you set aside some private space for this kind of journaling. Try to eliminate interruptions and distractions as much as you can.
I personally find that some quiet background worship music helps me focus if I don’t have the luxury of silence in my home, or wherever I happen to be.
It is vital when approaching this journaling practice that you deal with any issues between you and God—forgiveness, repentance and so on—before you start out.
Reading the Bible and praying in the Spirit can help you prepare for your prayer journaling time.
In your journal, you write down your prayer or question to God. Some examples are:
- What would you like to say to me today?
- How can I grow?
- What would you like me to do?
- What are You saying about…
Then, focusing on Jesus, you listen for the Holy Spirit’s answer, and write down what you believe He is saying.
How the Holy Spirit Speaks
Remember that the Holy Spirit brings revelation to us in many ways. He may speak through a picture coming to your mind, a feeling, a Bible verse, an idea, word or impression.
I find that the Holy Spirit’s ‘voice’ usually comes as a series of light, gentle impressions. I need to tune in to these to hear what He is saying.
Although it is good to weigh up the revelation and thoughts as they come, too much analysis will halt your journaling.
Give yourself the freedom to write without editing. Yes, what you record will inevitably be a mixture of your own and God’s thoughts. Remember that any prophecy is imperfect and subject to judgment.
When you have finished, review your journaled ‘message from God.’ Now you can sift through your writing for the nuggets of heavenly wisdom God is giving you. I like to use a highlighter to mark important parts where I believe God is particularly speaking to me.
Use the same criteria for your prayer journaling that you use when weighing up any prophetic word.
If you believe you have received guidance through this kind of journaling, it is vital that you check this by sharing with mature Christians and leaders around your life who will give you honest feedback and help you process it.
Some strengths of this kind of journaling are:
- Fosters intimacy with God
- Helps you become familiar with the ways the Holy Spirit speaks
- Great practice for tuning in to receiving God’s revelation
- Helps you receive guidance and prophetic insight for yourself and others
- You have a record you can refer back to of what God has said to you in your prayer time
Some weaknesses of this journaling method are:
- It does not use the Bible in the journaling process
- Less suitable for newer Christians who do not have a thorough grounding in the scriptures (I recommend the SOAP journaling style for new Christians)
- This style will not suit everyone, e.g. it will be harder for those who are perfectionists or tend not to process thoughts conversationally.
Because of these weaknesses, I advocate the use of other journaling methods in conjunction with this one.
Prayer Journaling and Habbakuk
A leading proponent of prayer journaling is Mark Virkler, who teaches journaling from Habakkuk 2:1,2.
Virkler maintains that God speaks through a flow of spontaneous thoughts, and that as we tune into those we can hear what He is saying.
Just as God instructed Habbakuk to write down his vision, we can also record what God is saying to us through journaling.
The Challenge
Over the next week, I will be trialling prayer journaling as a method, and recording my journey in the comments section of this post. Why not join me?
To review my comments and share your own journey throughout the week, check back here.
Related Resources
For an article on Prophetic Activation In Small Groups, check out the Free Resources Page.
To read my post ‘How to Activate Your Prophetic Gift’ click here.
© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog – Prophetic Teaching
On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church
Sun 24 Jan 2010
Do you want to develop or sharpen your prophetic gift? Journaling is an easy but powerful tool for prophetic activation. It can help you grow your gift of prophecy.
Journaling is basically recording any insights you receive from God during your prayer and Bible study times.
Some ways journaling can help you grow in your prophetic gift are:
- It encourages you to listen to God and become familiar with his voice (John 10:4). You can also practice receiving revelation from God and processing it.
- Journaling helps you remember what God has spoken to you by providing a record to refer back to
- It provides a means of focus, discipline and accountability
- You can practice putting what God is saying into a clear and communicable form—an necessary skill for prophecy
- You can look back later and see what, in the case of prophetic revelation, has come to pass—this helps sharpen your gift.
- Journaling provides a record from which you can pray God’s purposes into being
- You can get more revelation when you journal. Once you record what you have received, it frees your mind so that you can be open to hear more of what God is saying.
- You can use what you have received in your journaling time to share with others
- It brings glory to God when the things you have journaled take place
- It provides a safe place to practice receiving and processing prophetic revelation without the pressure of public exposure
- You can use what you have heard from God to help you walk with Him and obey Him (Hab 2:2)
Journaling in scripture
For an example of journaling, we don’t have to look past the Bible itself. Much of scripture is prophetic revelation recorded in written form.
What Do You Need for Journaling?
The type of journaling you choose should suit your personal style. There are also a variety of media you can use to help you journal. These include:
- Writing in an A5 or A4 journal
- Typing and recording your journal using a computer.
- If writing or typing is difficult for you, you can record your journaling in small, bite-sized files using a recorder, MP3 recorder, or mobile phone, then name and store them for later reference.
Journaling is essentially private, but if you would like to share from your journal, another media you can use is the Internet. Some of my blog posts started out as journal entries.
It is best to keep your journal notes together in one place, such as a notebook, journal or single folder on your computer. This way, you can refer back to them later.
Types of Journaling
You don’t have to stick to any one type of journaling. Choose a journaling style that best suits you.
Some simple options you can use for written journaling are:
Two popular methods that can assist you with the journaling process are:
1. SOAP method (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer)
2. Prayer journaling
Remember that journaling methods are tools, not rules.
The Two Week Journaling Challenge
I will be reviewing the prayer journaling and ‘SOAP’ methods in the next couple of posts.
I am not currently using these two journaling styles (I use mind-mapping). But I will use these methods for one week each as I blog about them, and describe my experiences in the comments section of each post.
It would be fun if you would join me on this ‘two-week journaling challenge.’
Consider some of the benefits I have mentioned in this post. Journaling can help you sharpen your prophetic gift, and it could change your life as you hear from God.
Would you like to develop your prophetic gift?
Here are 3 things that can help you:
1. Prophetic Teaching:
Enter your email address in the subscribe box at the top right hand side of this page to receive:
- regular blog posts containing teaching that will help you grow in your gift of prophecy, as well as articles on spiritual gifts, prayer, spiritual renewal and supernatural Christian living
2. Prophetic Training:
Check here for prophetic training resources and information
3. E-books to Help you Develop Your Gifts:
‘Grow Your Prophetic And Prayer Gifts’ is a high-value e-book specifically written to help you grow in your prophetic gifts – at whatever stage or season you are on the journey.
Check out our e-books page for more e-books related to prophetic and prayer ministry.
© Helen Calder Enliven Publishing
Sun 3 Jan 2010
Have you noticed that there is an inbuilt curiosity and yearning in the heart of a prophetic person to reach out to God for the revelation of His plans and purposes?
This is especially true when we enter a new season, such as a New Year.
We want to see what the Father is seeing and hear what He is speaking. This is, of course, primarily because we want intimacy with Him. But it also helps us to
- Pray in agreement with God’s will
- Build up our faith, and
- Share His message of hope with others.
Last week, we looked at how to receive your own prophetic word for 2010. If you would like to develop your prophetic gift, here is a prophetic activation exercise to start the year off with.
Use these questions to wait on the Lord for a powerful prophetic picture and word for yourself or for another person that you are praying for.
1. What (new) name is the Father calling me by, in reference to this coming season?
(Read Isaiah 62:2-4)
The Lord often calls forth His plans and purposes in us with a descriptive name. He named Abram, Abaham, ‘Father of many nations’ (Gen 17:5) while he was still childless. The angel of the Lord addressed Gideon as ‘Mighty warrior,’ though he was in hiding from the enemy (Judges 6:12)
We do not need to let the past define us, not even our recent history in 2009.
Ask the Lord for a name or description that is in keeping with your spiritual identity and calling for this year and beyond. As you agree with Jesus about who you are and what you are capable of, His word will bring transformation to your life and things of the past will begin to drop off you.
The second question is related to this:
2. What is the picture of me—in Jesus—that God is giving me, that will help prepare me to reach my highest potential in the coming year?
For Abraham, that was a vision of his descendents. For Gideon, the name the Lord gave him was evocative of leading others into battle and winning in warfare.
If you have a ‘seer’ prophetic gift and have an ability to perceive pictures, visions and dreams, this exercise will be easier for you. If not, or you are uncertain, you might find it simpler to ask the Lord for a Biblical character that you can identify with.
Here are some more questions that may help you:
A. What am I wearing?
Here are some Biblical examples of symbolic clothing:
- Joseph’s coat of many colours (Gen 37:3)
- Robe of righteousness (Is 61:10)
- Signet ring of authority (Esther 8:2)
- New mantle (Gen 41:42)
- Holding a sword (Eph 6:17)
There could also be a non-Biblical symbol or garment that has specific meaning to you.
B. What am I doing?
Some examples are:
- Witnessing in the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8)
- Stomping on the enemy (Luke 10:19)
- Dancing (Ps 30:11)
- Caring for hurting people (Luke 10:34)
- Resting (Ps 23:2)
(Hint: use a word ending in ‘ing’! Some other examples are: preaching, leading, enlisting, moving, and so on)
Some more questions you can ask as you seek God’s picture for your new season are:
C. What am I saying? (to people)
D What am I praying? (to God)
E. Where am I standing?
F. Who is with me?
And finally,
G. What is in my hand that God can use? (Exodus 4:2)
God has given us an imagination. As prophetic people let’s surrender it to Him and allow Him to anoint it for His use.
Once you have a picture from the Lord, use it to build your faith. Journal about it. Refer to it often and commit it to memory.
When you have the assurance of how God sees you, it can help dispel old identities and negative thinking. Belief will rise up in your heart and you will begin to walk in that God-given vision. For some of you, that may mean walking boldly, with Divine confidence. For others, it may mean simply relaxing into His plans and purposes for your life and experiencing peace, no matter what circumstances you are currently facing.
Would you like to develop your prophetic gift?
Here are 3 things that can help you:
1. Prophetic Teaching:
Enter your email address in the subscribe box at the top right hand side of this page to receive:
- regular blog posts containing teaching that will help you grow in your gift of prophecy, as well as articles on spiritual gifts, prayer, spiritual renewal and supernatural Christian living
2. Prophetic Training:
Check here for prophetic training resources and information
3. E-books to Help you Develop Your Gifts:
‘Grow Your Prophetic And Prayer Gifts’ is a high-value e-book specifically written to help you grow in your prophetic gifts – at whatever stage or season you are on the journey.
Check out our e-books page for more e-books related to prophetic and prayer ministry.
Articles Relating to Prophetic Activation:
Prophetic Word for 2010: How Your Can Receive Your Own Prophecy
Sharpen Your Prophetic Gift Through Journaling
Exercising Your Prophetic Gift Pt 2: How To Receive A Revelation From God
© Helen Calder 2010 Enliven Blog
Thu 26 Nov 2009
Have you ever received a prophecy that left you feeling uncomfortable?
On rare occasions, I have received a prophetic word that has felt wrong—and yet because it was given to me in a ‘Thus saith the Lord’ manner, the person prophesying was inferring that to reject the prophecy was to be in disobedience towards God!
This dilemma has the potential to cause great pain and can especially be harmful to newer Christians. I have prayed with people who have received a negative or ‘off’ prophecy and together we have broken the power of the word spoken over their lives.
Prophecy is abusive when it does not give room for a receiver to weigh up whether the prophecy is from the Lord or not. This is true even if the word is one of encouragement. But if the word is mistaken, it has the added potential of becoming a curse that bears negative fruit in the recipient’s life until it is broken in Jesus’ Name. (For more information about breaking the effects of abusive prophecy check out the post and comments, ‘How Do I Know A Personal Prophecy is From God?’)
- Releasing the Receiver of Your Prophecy
When you share a prophetic message, it is vital that you give the person or group you are prophesying over freedom to weigh up the prophecy and receive it, or discard it.
You can do this by using releasing language such as, ‘I believe the Lord is saying…’ ‘Does this mean anything to you?’ ‘I sense…’ This communicates to them that you see yourself as a ‘human vessel’ that could miss the mark. You are submitting the word to them for their assessment.
You do not need to worry that the effect of the prophecy will be watered down by such an approach. The Lord honours humility in the use of His gifts.
This is not to say that prophesying as though God was speaking in the first person through you is always wrong. In fact, this approach can be incredibly powerful, especially when the prophecy is being accompanied by the impartation of an anointing or spiritual gift. However, I believe that this style of prophesying is best left to those who are mature in the prophetic ministry.
If you do move into first-person prophecy such as, ‘The Lord is saying…’ ensure that it has been prefaced or concluded by releasing language as we’ve discussed above.
When prophesying over individuals, I like to make available a brochure I have written called, ‘What to do With Your Personal Prophecy.’ The handout explains how to weigh up a prophetic word and what to do with it. It reminds them that they have the freedom to receive or release the word, and fulfils a duty of care on my part.
- Be Honest About Conflicting Motives
Prophecy is not a format for us to give our opinion, nor under any circumstances should it be used as a cover for directing or counseling a person to our way of thinking.
If we are experiencing conflict about our motives in bringing a prophecy— it is better to abstain from bringing the word—or to be honest about this conflict as we deliver it. This can occur when we are familiar with the person or situation that we are prophesying over.
Whichever means you use to deliver a prophecy, it is important to do so in a way that provides you with safe accountability (you can review the Biblical guidelines in 1 Cor 14).
This means that if the prophecy is not delivered publicly or where there is at least another witness, it is able to be remembered and recorded in some way. That way, the recipient can receive advice or oversight about the prophecy if desired. It also provides you with protection should your prophecy come under question. Churches usually have their own guidelines and protocols regarding prophecy.
Writing down a prophetic word (or storing it electronically) aids with both accountability and the communication process. It also means the recipient can keep the prophecy for future encouragement or reference.
When you are using prophecy in the process of prophetic evangelism, accountability would take the form of sharing what is taking place with Christians that are journeying with you.
If the person you have a prophetic word for is not yet a Christian, I would add the following guidelines to the above:
- Be careful how you communicate that you believe what you have is a word from God. You could preface your insight with a statement such as, “I’ve been praying for you and I believe God is saying…”
- Bring the word in a natural manner and avoid using religious jargon. This is preferable at all times, but especially so when sharing a prophecy with an unchurched person.
- How To Release A Prophecy You Have Given
Once we have delivered our prophecy, we have completed our part in the process. It is over to the recipient of the message to assess the prophecy and decide whether to take current or future action on the word from God.
Bringing a prophecy is like a postman delivering a letter. Once we have faithfully ‘dropped the letter in the mailbox’, what the receiver does with it is generally no longer our concern.
We can pray about the person and the word, especially if we sense the Holy Spirit urging us to do so. However, we need to release the outcome to the Holy Spirit and to the recipient of the prophecy.
Would you like to develop your prophetic gift?
Here are 3 things that can help you:
1. Prophetic Teaching:
Enter your email address in the subscribe box at the top right hand side of this page to receive:
- regular blog posts containing teaching that will help you grow in your gift of prophecy, as well as articles on spiritual gifts, prayer, spiritual renewal and supernatural Christian living
- notifications about online prophetic training opportunities
2. Prophetic Training:
Check here for prophetic training resources and information
3. E-books to Help you Develop Your Gifts:
‘Grow Your Prophetic And Prayer Gifts’ is a high-value e-book specifically written to help you grow in your prophetic gifts – at whatever stage or season you are on the journey.
Check out our e-books page for more e-books related to prophetic and prayer ministry.
Related Posts:
How to Exercise Your Prophetic Gift Pt 4: How to Deliver a Prophecy
4 Things You Can Do With Your Personal Prophecy
© Helen Calder Enliven Blog
Many years ago when The Hunk and I were ministering full time with a mission agency, we attended a meeting together at which a prophet was preaching and ministering in personal prophecy.
