A prophetic warning is an insight about a pending negative event that is given by the Holy Spirit. This could include a danger, the harmful consequence of a course of action, or spiritual warfare.

The purpose of a prophetic warning from the Father is for good:

• As a means of protection—e.g. to avert danger
• To help us prepare for an incident beforehand
• To direct or redirect our actions in accordance with His will, or
• To call us to partner with Him in prayer or spiritual warfare.

And yet many times, so-called ‘prophetic’ warnings seem to fall short of this mark, resulting in scepticism, bewilderment, or fear.
So how can we weigh up a prophetic warning—and what should we do with it?

Prophetic Warnings in the New Testament

In the Old Testament, prophets were the messengers of God and it was their role to give warnings to individuals, leaders, or nations. (2 Kings 6:8-10) However the New Testament era is one in which all of God’s people can hear Him directly through relationship.

As the New Testament opens, we notice warnings being given directly from God to individuals. For example:

• God warns the wise men in a dream not to return to Herod (Matt 2:12)
• Joseph is warned and directed in dreams (Matt 2:13, 2:22)

God does continue to use those of His people who have prophetic gifts when a warning is needed. For example, in Acts 21:11, the prophet Agabus warns Paul of his upcoming arrest. However, this is no surprise to Paul, who is already prepared for it. Paul himself says in Acts 20:23 that the Holy Spirit has warned him ‘in every city’ of future hardship and imprisonment.

General Guidelines for Prophetic Warnings

I believe the following general guidelines should apply to prophetic warnings given by one individual to another: [1]

• A prophetic warning should be confirmation of what the recipients have already heard or will hear from God in their own relationship with Him.

• This also applies to prophetic insights given to church leaders, who hear from God in the context of their ministry role.

• Prophetic warnings are not exclusive, but are subject to the same guidelines as other prophetic ministry. This includes being assessed and weighed up. (1 Cor 14)

What to do when Someone gives you a Prophetic Warning

Recently I have had leaders ask me what they should do with prophetic warnings given to them by others—especially if they feel uncomfortable with them.

If you can relate to this, following are some suggestions that may help.

1. Consider: has the Word been Given Appropriately?

Remember that every situation will be unique and the master key is your relationship with God and with the person delivering the word. Subject to this, some examples of appropriate circumstances for a prophetic warning to be given are:

• It is appropriate for the individual to speak to you directly, for example, he or she is a personal intercessor, ministry peer, or leader
• The person is giving the word to you at an appropriate time or place
• The word is being given in accordance with known church protocols
• The person is accountable and under leadership
• The person’s attitude towards you is one of honour and love.

A. If the Prophetic Warning is given Appropriately

• You do not need to immediately concur or agree with the nature of the word

• Thank the person for their care and faithfulness, and advise him or her that you will pray about it and weigh it up

• Take care that—as with any prophecy—proper process and accountability is maintained

• If the person who has given you the insight is an intercessor, ask him or her to pray, provided you feel comfortable to do so

• Seek confirmation personally from God as well as through others you trust.

B. If the Warning is Not given Appropriately

If the person is sharing the word to you in an inappropriate way, even if you believe the word has an element of accuracy

• Graciously redirect the person to the right means of delivering the word

• Pray about the word that has been given. If it makes you feel uncomfortable you do not need to receive it

• If you feel uneasy, confused or fearful as a result of the word being given to you, share about the incident with a mentor, leader, or someone who can pray with you

• I have sometimes advised people to verbally renounce a prophetic warning or negative insight if it is perceived that it is not from God

• Trust God to speak directly to you. If you do not bear witness to the word, you do not have to receive it.

2. Check your Personal Response to the word of Warning.

A word from God should bring a sense of clarity and empowerment. You should feel empowered to pray or take action, never disempowered or immobilised.

If your response is one of confusion or fear, the word may not be from God, or it may be bringing something to the surface in you that needs healing.

3. Prophetic Warnings Related to Spiritual Warfare in your Ministry or Church

Some warnings (especially those given by intercessors) may relate to spiritual warfare.

If a word of warning or discernment about spiritual warfare is not confirmed, and it is given in an appropriate way, you could:

• Pray, or ask the person to pray
• Shelve it until you have confirmation or feel the word is timely
• Ask other intercessors to pray about what God is saying (with or without sharing the word) and see if there is confirmation.

For more on spiritual warfare, refer to my spiritual warfare series [3]

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Notes:

[1] In this post I am focusing on the topic of prophetic warnings in the context of leadership and church life. I have discussed warnings about global events in other posts, for example:

How To Weigh Up What The Prophets Are Saying Pt 2

[2] See the article, Prophetic Ministry In Church Life: Why Have Guidelines?

[3] I have written a series of articles on spiritual warfare, which begin here: 12 Signs Of Spiritual Warfare. See also 6 Tips For Exercising The Gift Of Discernment In Church Life

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Do you have any more thoughts to share on the subject of prophetic warnings? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment on the comments box. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

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© Helen Calder 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 frequently said that when it came to prophetic ministry in the church, I made every mistake in the book. Then I realised that there wasn’t a book—so I wrote one! [1]

Receiving the grace of God for my failures—and the forgiveness and restoration of my pastors—proved a major turning point in my life.

Following those early days, I went on to lead a flourishing prayer department in a local church and am now on the ministry team at David McCracken Ministries.

Today I would like to share with you 3 Biblical aspects of prophetic ministry in church life that are foundational to the prophetic training that I run today.

3 Imperatives of Prophetic Ministry in the Church

1. The Purpose of Prophetic Ministry is to Build the Church

‘…the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort. Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church.’ (1 Cor 14:3-4)

The Greek word translated ‘edifies’ means to be a ‘house-builder.’ (see Strongs concordance)

If the outcome of a prophetic word or ministry is something other than edifying and building the church—for example, if it results in confusion, condemnation, division, or fear—then something is wrong. (Prov 14:1)

We always need to come back to edification as the standard and guideline for prophetic ministry in our church.

2. Prophetic Ministry Honours Leadership

‘Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Joshua son of Jozadak set to work to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them, supporting them.’ (Ezra 5:2)

Ezra speaks of a time when the leaders of Judah were rebuilding the temple. Where were the prophets? Alongside them, supporting them and encouraging them to continue in the work God had given them to do.

This is a great picture of prophetic ministry in the church today.

We also honour the leaders of our church by:

• Having a teachable and flexible attitude—being willing to adjust and change our ministry approach when necessary.
• Speaking positively of our leaders and the church. (Prov 18:21)
• Honouring the guidelines and protocols our leaders have established relating to sharing prophecy and other insights such as discernment in the church [2]

In the NT, prophetic ministry and intercession is not a platform to seek God in order to find out and declare what the vision of the church should be.

Rather, prophetic and intercessory ministry is a place to support in prayer and encouragement the vision that God has already given to the church leaders. Any prophetic words we bring will be recognised as confirmation—either at the time we bring them or at a later date. [3]

This is because in the NT, leaders have a relationship with God themselves, and hear Him speak in their function as leaders. This is one of the distinctions between prophetic ministry in the Old and New Testament. [4]

3. Prophetic Ministry Operates in Community

God has ordained the church community to be the place for people to grow in and express their gifts. (1 Cor 12; Eph 4)

There are no ‘lone rangers’ in New Testament prophetic ministry in the church. [5]

The Bible tells us:

• Our gifts are given for the body, to grow the church as a whole (1 Cor 12:7-8)
• In community, words of prophecy are given and weighed up, providing us with accountability (1 Cor 14:29)
• No single prophetic person is going to receive the complete or ‘word perfect’ revelation of what God wants to say (1 Cor 13:9-10, 1 Cor 14:29, 1 Thess 5:20-21)
• The church needs additional gifts such as wisdom, leadership and discernment, to fully benefit from prophetic ministry.(1 Cor 12)

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Notes:

[1] This is Prophetic People In A Changing Church. We are in the process of republishing this book through David McCracken Ministries. The new edition will have additional insights for senior ministers by David McCracken.

The earlier edition is still available on the Enliven Blog e-books page.

[2] For more information on this, see my article Prophetic Ministry In Church Life: Why Have Guidelines?

[3] If you believe you have received a prophetic word that seems to be different from where the leadership is taking the church, you can still share it. It may relate to another season or may confirm something that God is already speaking to the leaders about.

However, it does change the way you share it. For example:

• Pray about the word first. Check that it is not being influenced by personal frustrations or your own values and ideals
• Do not speak about the word to others and do not bring it in public; instead, take it privately to your leaders to be weighed up
• Submit and release the prophetic insight without placing any expectation upon your leaders to do anything about it

These are not rules; rather the natural outcome of having a heart that honours God, our leaders and each other.

Note that this article assumes that you are in a healthy church environment. If you have questions or concerns, feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments section per below.

[4] Many difficulties in prophetic ministry in the church today arise from a person or ministry operating in an Old Testament paradigm. (In fact someone who has an OT perspective of prophecy is likely to have difficulty with my points above)

For a review on the chief differences between Old and New Testament prophetic ministry, see my post Differences Between Old And New Testament Ministry

[5] Isolation can be tempting for those with prophetic or prayer gifts who have been hurt or misunderstood. If you can relate to this, the following article may be helpful:

Break Free Of Hurts That Are Blocking Your Prophetic Gift

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© Helen Calder 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

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

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Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy… But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.’ (1 Cor 14:39-40, TNIV)

Guidelines are to prophetic ministry, as railway tracks are to a train. They provide a way for the gift of prophecy, along with other revelatory gifts, to be released and fulfil their God-intended purpose.

The Apostle Paul gave clear guidelines for prophetic ministry to the Corinthian Church. He advised the church to put protocols into place for prophecy to operate in church meetings. (1 Cor 14:26-33)

Healthy guidelines don’t hinder; rather, they provide a way for spiritual gifts to flow, whilst ensuring they do so safely and effectively. [1]

What I Learned About Prophetic Guidelines

I have not always appreciated guidelines and leadership in church life.

Years ago, when I was in danger of going ‘off the rails’ altogether in my prophetic ministry, God intervened in my life. I tell the story of my journey, repentance and restoration in my book, ‘Prophetic People In A Changing Church.’ [2]

The most significant thing God did during this time was to teach me the value of honouring and submitting to church leadership in the use of spiritual gifts.

Later, as a prophetic leader in our church, this value was the single most important factor that enabled me to help grow a thriving prophetic/ prayer ministry.

It enabled me to lead and teach our team in such a way that the people on our team, and their spiritual gifts, flourished.

As a result:

• Opportunities for prophetic ministry increased when our pastor and leadership team were assured that it was operating within a safe framework

• Our prophetic people had the assurance of knowing what our protocols were, and experienced freedom within the framework of these

• And the congregation benefited from the exercise of a loving, and safe prophetic ministry that brought great blessing to the church.

Whenever situations came up in prophetic ministry that I was unsure about, I would talk it over with my pastor and clarify the particular guidelines of our church.

Guidelines are to prophetic ministry, as railway tracks are to a train. Too many times we have seen prophetic ministry derailed, sidelined and disused in church life. Sometimes this has followed a crash—some event involving misuse or abuse of prophetic gifts.

A major benefit of guidelines and protocols is that they help prevent these situations from occurring. Should an issue arise, they also provide a reference and guide for restoration—while enabling continuing freedom for the gift to operate in the church.

Why Have Prophetic Guidelines?

I actively encourage guidelines in church life. In fact, during my prophetic training sessions, I teach the importance of following general guidelines, as well as the unique protocols that exist in churches.

Here are 7 important reasons for having guidelines and protocols in place:

1.There is a Biblical precedent for them. The Apostle Paul encouraged prophetic accountability and protocols in the life of the church (1 Cor 12, 14)

2.They provide a framework within which spiritual gifts can be released and operate freely with accountability

3.They prevent the cycle that is so prevalent in church today: Gifts released…damaging event…gifts suppressed…gifts released…and so on.

4.Guidelines can be pointed to when something unhealthy or potentially damaging occurs that needs to be addressed

5.They bring everyone ‘on the same page,’ e.g. if a new person comes into the church who has prophetic gifts but has a differing perspective on their use, it gives you something to refer to

6.They help provide a safe environment for a. pastors and leaders, b. prophetic people and c. the congregation (and therefore builds confidence in prophetic ministry)

7.They provide a means of pastoring prophetic people and intercessors in the church

Guidelines for Other Revelatory Gifts

Prophetic people frequently gravitate towards prayer-related ministries, such as intercession, in the church.

I believe that prayer ministry areas particularly benefit from having a defined framework in which to operate in the use of spiritual gifts. [3] This is because intercessors and pray-ers frequently operate in revelatory gifts including:

• Discernment
• Intercession (revelation on how to pray, what to pray, the burden to pray, etc)
• Prophecy
• Word of knowledge

What Kinds of Prophetic Guidelines can a Church Have?

The following situations may benefit from having specific guidelines and protocols in place:

• Personal prophecies (given from individuals to individuals within the church)
• Prophecies or revelatory insights (discernment, etc.) concerning the church, its direction or vision
• Prophecies for the congregation, pertaining to particular church services
• What to do when an unhealthy or potentially damaging event occurs (e.g. someone brings an ‘off’ prophecy)
• What to do with a word that is not purely encouragement; e.g. is directional, a warning, etc
• A track for people who desire to operate and grow in prophetic ministry

If you are a person in the church who is gifted in prophecy or other revelatory gifts, be willing to allow your pastor and/or leadership team to adjust guidelines as the church changes and grows.

A Note for Pastors

If you are a pastor or leader, when communicating guidelines, I recommend that you share the reasons for them and particularly, the benefits of them. As you do, convey your vision and passion for the release and blessing of spiritual gifts in the life of your church.

Your protocols will be unique to your church and are affected by a number of factors. These may include:

• The unique vision and values of your church
• The size of your congregation
• Your desired outcomes for prophetic ministry
• The needs and history of your church

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Notes:

[1] I understand that there can sometimes be confusion between healthy guidelines that release ministry, versus unhealthy control that quenches the life of the Spirit. Feel free to leave any questions about this in the comments section.

[2] For key principles and my personal journey related to prophetic ministry in church life, see my e-book  Prophetic People in a Changing Church

[3] I have discussed the gift of discernment extensively in this blog. See the following post in particular:

6 Tips For Exercising The Gift Of Discernment In Church Life

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Related Post:

Prophetic Ministry In Church Life: 3 Non-Negotiables

Prayer Ministry Ideas And Guidelines

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© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog

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

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Do you have any experiences or questions to share on the topic of prophetic guidelines and protocols in church life? 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.

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