Prophetic signs. Supernatural occurrences. Reports of Heavenly substances appearing. Angelic visitations.

In recent times, there have been increasing reports of unusual signs from God, and many Christians are asking:

• How can we know that what we are hearing about, or seeing, is a sign that is genuinely from God?
• How can we guard against being deceived—after all, didn’t Jesus warn against deceiving signs? (Matt 24:24)

These are important concerns. On one hand, we want to embrace the genuine move of God. On the other, we have a Biblical mandate to weigh up supernatural events—to determine whether or not they are truly of God.

6 Questions to Help Weigh up a Supernatural Sign or Event

Like Moses’ burning bush, a supernatural event is an invitation to God’s people, to go on a journey with Him.

I present the following questions, not as a checklist, but as a framework to help us begin that journey—to explore what God is doing from a Biblical perspective.

1. Is my Interest in Signs Sourced in an Intimate Relationship with God?

Jesus performed signs and miracles out of His intimate relationship with the Father: He only did what He saw the Father doing. (John 5:19)

He also said, “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matt 7:22-23)

A good question to ask is, ‘Is my personal desire for, participation in, and reporting of supernatural events based out of an intimate relationship with God?’

We need to remember that whilst we are responsible for our own walk with God, it is not possible to draw conclusions about another individual’s (or ministry’s) relationship with Him. [1]

2. What is the Fruit of this Sign or Miracle?

“Watch out for false prophets… every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit… by their fruit you will recognize them.” (See Matt 7:15-20)

Recently I shared about 5 Purposes for Signs and Miracles in the New Testament. [2]

Some good fruit that should be in evidence includes:

• Honour being brought to God, and Jesus’ Name being glorified by signs done in His Name (John 2:11)
• Outcomes that reflect the heart of the Gospel—which is restoration and redemption (Acts 10:38)
• A love and respect for the Bible—God’s Word and a Biblical presentation of the Gospel (Heb 2:1-4)
• The Father’s love being demonstrated (1 Cor 13:2)

3. How is the Sign being Reported?

What happens if a miraculous sign or ministry is of God, and is bearing good fruit at its source, but the way it is being reported does not reflect Father’s nature or holiness?

People may focus on the miracle in an unhealthy way, or move into ‘sensationalism.’ In this case, what God is doing may be genuine, but maturity is lacking in either the response to the miracle, or the sharing about it.

This can deter others who are seeking evidence that God is genuinely at work. [3]

We need to guard the way we give or receive reports about something God may be doing. And we also need to remember not to judge a supernatural event based on hearsay or another person’s criticism.

4. Are the Signs Drawing People to God?

True signs glorify God and point to Jesus. False signs glorify an individual, and draw people to believe in a person, or group of people. (See Acts 8:9-11)

Deceiving Signs

Jesus said in Matt 24:24, ‘For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.’

The purpose of deceiving signs is that people will put their faith in something other than Christ—this is an anti-Christ spirit and is addressed by John in 1 John 4:1-3.

Concerned about deception? We can use John’s litmus test for deceiving spirits and their signs: ‘Do they acknowledge the truth of the Gospel: Jesus’ birth, death and resurrection in the flesh?’ (1 John 4:1-3, 1 Cor 15:1-8)

5. What is my Motivation in Seeking or Sharing about a Sign?

Jesus made it clear that seeking a sign as proof in order to believe is an ungodly motivation. (Matt 12:39)

The writer to the Hebrews noted, ‘Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.’ (Heb 11:1)

However, in Acts we read that the early church prayed for God to perform signs and wonders in Jesus’ Name—and God answered them! The motivation in this case was different—it was to give glory to God, and for the spread of the Gospel in the face of persecution.

“Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” (Acts 4:30)

So we shouldn’t seek signs as a way of proving Jesus’ existence to others or ourselves. But when our heart’s desire is to see God’s purposes fulfilled and the Gospel spread (see 2 and 4, above) we can anticipate God doing wondrous things.

6. Are People being Saved, Healed and Set Free?

Unusual prophetic signs do have a Biblical precedent, as do signs of the manifested Presence and glory of God.

When God is at work, we should also expect to see the same evidence Jesus gave John the Baptist that a genuine move of God is occurring—healing and deliverance, and salvation in response to the Gospel being preached. (Matt 11:4) [4, 5]

Embrace the Mystery

At the end of the day we will not have answers to all the questions we have about a sign from God, whether we are hearing of it second-hand, or experiencing it ourselves.

At some point, we need to release a supernatural event, along with our questions, into God’s hands—to trust that His desire to bless His Church with good gifts is greater than the enemy’s power to deceive. (see Luke 11:11-13)

Notes:

[1] When we judge another person’s (or group’s) inner motives or heart before God, we move onto dangerous ground. (Matt 7:2) See the article, ‘Set Yourself Free From Judging Others’

[2] These should be taken into consideration.  See 5 Purposes for Signs and Miracles in the New Testament in conjunction with the above article.

[3] See Angelic Encounters and Supernatural Experiences for thoughts about sharing your supernatural experiences.

[4] These questions are not new. For example Iranaeus, one of the Early Church Fathers, wrote about this in his work, ‘Against Heresies.’ An excerpt of his work is here: http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.ix.iii.xxxiii.html (see points 3 and 4 in particular).

[4] I wish to thank Clayton Coombs for his help with this article and the reference to Iranaeus, above.

Related Articles:

5 Purposes for Signs and Miracles

Miraculous Signs from God: What Can We Expect?

Angelic Encounters and Supernatural Experiences

Do you have any further thoughts or questions about signs and supernatural events? What other questions could help us weigh up a sign? Leave a comment in the comments box. If the comments section is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

© 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 was standing at the end of a row during worship, when something white flashed to my right, and a person brushed past me in the aisle. Turning to see who it was, I realised that nobody was there.

Suddenly, my spiritual eyes were opened. In a vision, I saw a group of angels moving to the front and taking position in a line across the front of the church.

Shortly after this, I stood up to preach. My message that night was on ‘Kingdom Investment.’ As I concluded with an impassioned call to ‘live a life that counts for eternity’ an unusual thing happened. While I was still speaking, and with no altar call, a large number of youth and young adults spontaneously rushed to the front to commit their lives to God for His service.

I later realised that they were standing—in a line—in the very area I had seen the angels take their place.

8 Things I Have Learned About Supernatural Experiences

We live in a time when there is an increasing interest in the supernatural and angelic encounters, both inside and outside of the church.

Today I am considering two questions:

• ‘How can we know for sure that our supernatural experiences are of God?’
• ‘Should we share our experiences with others? And if so, what is the best way to communicate what God is doing?’

During more than 35 years as a Christian with prophetic gifts, I have experienced a number of unusual spiritual occurrences. Some of them were of God—and some weren’t.

Here are some of the lessons that I have learned along the way:

1. The Bible is our Guide for the Supernatural

If we are going to live empowered Christian lives, then we can expect supernatural events and signs, including angelic visitation.

For example, in the New Testament we read of visions (Acts 10:9-16); supernatural travel (Acts 8:39-40, 2 Cor 12:2-4); angels appearing for the purpose of guidance (Acts 11:13), strengthening (Luke 22:43, Acts 27:23-24), protection (Matt 2:13) and deliverance (Acts 5:19).

I am learning to stay open to the many means that God uses to communicate with His children—and to use us. I am also realising that my discomfort with my own or another person’s supernatural experience does not mean that it is not of God.

The Bible is our primary guide in understanding and navigating supernatural encounters. (2 Tim 3:16)

2. Keep the Focus on God, not Angels or Experiences

Our focus should always be on God, worshipping Him and fulfilling His purposes. I have learned to be wary of anything that distracts me from this. (Luke 4:8, Rev 19:10)

If Satan can’t hold us back, he will try and push us too far, into extremes. (Col 2:18)

For example, whilst communication from angels is scriptural, seeking contact with them and initiating conversation with them is not. [1]

3. It is Vital to be in a Church Community

In the New Testament, spiritual gifts are to be expressed and nurtured in community. (1 Cor 12-14)

Isolation is not only lonely and unbiblical – it is also a dangerous place to be.

I have also learned that it is possible to be isolated even in the midst of church life. It takes choice, humility and perseverance to be open about angelic encounters and supernatural experiences, and to submit our spiritual gifts to leadership.

4. Be Accountable in Your Gifts and Supernatural Encounters

I learned the hard way that leadership is a vital means of staying on track in my spiritual gifts and supernatural experiences. (Heb 13:17) It is also necessary to staying in a place of humility. (1 Peter 5:5)

As well as encouraging us in what God is doing, a mentor or leader can also help us weigh up and test both the encounter and any revelation we receive through it. (1 Cor 14:29)

I have also learned that guidelines or protocols in church life are not there to control people, but are there for the protection of everyone—and to honour them and my leaders.

5. All Prophetic Insights are Subject to being Weighed up.

Just because revelation is given in a powerful experience or angelic encounter, does not mean that it is above being weighed up. (1 Thess 5:21, Gal 1:8)

We must beware of blindly putting our trust in an experience. Remember ‘Satan masquerades as an angel of light’ (2 Cor 11:14) and can counterfeit the things of God. [2]

In this regard, I have also learned not to solely rely on my gift of discernment—again, this is a spiritual gift designed by God to be lived out in community and under leadership.[3]

6. Use Wisdom When Sharing with Others:

a. Focus on the Fruit

I have learned when sharing about a prophetic experience, to focus on the fruit, not just share about the experience itself. (John 15:8, Luke 6:43-44) What was the outcome that gave glory to God? Was it a change in my life? An answer to prayer? Myself or another brought closer to Jesus? Someone healed?

If we have not seen fruit (an outcome that gives glory to God), perhaps it is not the right time to share.

Remember, a genuine supernatural experience is a signpost, pointing the way to God—the experience itself is not the destination.

b. Take care how you share about your experiences with others.

I have learned to be sensitive to how others will perceive and respond to my supernatural experiences, and to use wisdom accordingly.[4]

There are critics—people who are seeking ways to discredit the things of God. We do not want to give them fuel. On the other hand, there are going to be sensationalists. These people are drawn to the emotional excitement of supernatural things and will make them a focus. (Col 2:18)

It is human to be drawn to the ‘wow’ factor. But in the New Testament, Divine supernatural interventions did not produce ‘WOW’ but ‘AWE.’ (Matt 9:8, Acts 2:43)

This is all the more reason to exercise wisdom in communicating our experiences.

c. There will be times to hold back from public sharing of an experience

Mary kept the supernatural events surrounding Jesus’ birth in her heart and treasured them. (Luke 2:19)

I have discovered that there are times when, after communicating with my leadership about something I have experienced—to simply keep it to myself. (2 Cor 12:1-4)

7. Revelation Received in a Supernatural Experience is not Superior to Other Types of Revelation

The revelation (insight from God) that one believer receives through the gentle nudge of the Spirit is just as powerful as that received through a vision or angelic encounter. (John 16:3)

Both are of God.

Both are subject to being weighed up.

I have learned that supernatural encounters can make me vulnerable to pride.  (2 Cor 12:7) But humility comes through submitting to godly leadership, remaining transparent and staying in community.

8. Be Naturally Supernatural

Something is wrong if people feel uncomfortable around us or perceive us as ‘spooky.’ I have learned that the anointing of God is not dependent upon a physical manifestation or formularised prayer—but on intimacy with God.

God has called us to live out our Christian faith—including our spiritual gifts and ministries—in a natural way.

This is the lifestyle that Jesus expressed, able to speak with and relate to common people—and ordinary people felt comfortable around Him. (Mark 2:15b)

Notes:

[1] From a theological perspective, Wayne Grudem says, ‘Though angels did appear to people at various times in scripture, the people apparently never sought those appearances. Our role is rather to talk to the Lord, who is himself the commander of all angelic forces.’ Grudem W. Systematic Theology 1994 IVP:Nottingham p407

[2] We do not need to fear. We can trust our Father to give us good gifts (spiritual experiences) when we are seeking Him (Matt 7:9-11), however we must also use His wisdom in testing the purpose of a spiritual encounter and whether it is in fact from Him.

[3] People who are in deception do not know that they are in deception. This is why accountability within community is so important.

[4] An example of this is when Joseph enthusiastically but unwisely shared his prophetic dreams with his brothers, who then persecuted him for it. (Gen 37:5)

I would like to thank Steve McCracken and Malcolm ‘The Hunk’ Calder for contributions to this article.

Do you have some thoughts to share about angelic encounters or other supernatural experiences? Leave a comment in the comments box. If it is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

Related Posts:

6 Questions to ask About Supernatural Signs

An Open Heaven Is Your Inheritance

5 Purposes for Signs and Miracles

Prophetic Ministry In Church Life: Why Have Guidelines?

© 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

‘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. Choose the Life of Faith

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

Jacob Experienced an Open Heaven

Jacob was on the run from the murderous fury of his brother, Esau. It was twilight and he was in a strange land.

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 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.

What is 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)

Bethel: 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 of an Open Heaven

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 the topic of an open heaven? 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

ABC’s of the Kingdom of God

© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog

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

By nature and gifting, prophetic people tend to place a high value on prophetic words. We desire to know what the Father’s plans are for our lives, as well as what is on His heart for our church, community and nation.

As a result, we are naturally curious about what prophetic voices around the world are saying.

In today’s global community, a prophet may not even visit our nation, let alone our church, and yet still influence us because of the capabilities of the Internet, email, and related media.

I believe it is vital that we exercise wisdom in discerning both the prophetic messages and the ministries that are broadcasting globally.

How do we discern what is of God, from amongst the many voices that claim to be prophetic in the world today?

The Importance of Weighing up Prophetic Ministry

The Bible teaches us that we should weigh up prophecy and prophetic ministries carefully. (1 Thess 5:21, 1 Cor 14:29, 1 John 4:1)

Jesus warned that false prophets would come on the scene and deceive ‘even the elect’ with signs and wonders. (Matt 24:24)

Even though this is the extreme scenario, Jesus’ warning is a reminder that accurate predictions, signs, miracles or spiritual experiences do not of themselves validate a prophetic word or ministry.

John wrote,

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1-2)

‘Many’ means a lot. Even so, we should not draw back in fear, but take Paul’s wise advice:

Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. (1 Thess 5:19-21)

So I believe the key question is not, ’Should we test prophetic ministries’, but ’How do we test them?’

How To Weigh Up a Prophetic Ministry

In the early days of growing in prophetic ministry, I did not exercise care in discerning the prophetic ministry that I received from or associated with.

As a result of being led along a pathway of prophetic independence, my heart, church and ministry suffered. I thank God for the gift of repentance and for the help and leadership He has given me along the way. [1]

Following are some characteristics that I believe are vital to exercising balanced prophetic ministry today.

(Note that I am not referring to testing a prophetic ministry in the context of church life—which is another topic, although many of the following points do apply).

A. Ministering out of a New Testament Paradigm

We can learn a lot from studying the lives and ministry of prophets in the Old Testament. However, there are some crucial differences between Old and New Testament prophetic ministry.

John The Baptist was the last prophet in the Old Testament era.

Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension ushered in a new age; the church was born. From that period on, prophetic ministry is a function of the church body.

Prophetic ministries that model their ministry on an Old Testament paradigm may miss some of the key attributes of New Testament prophetic ministry, such as:

• Being part of the church community (Acts 13:1, 1 Cor 12:27-28)
• Having a primary purpose of equipping, encouraging and strengthening the church (Eph 4:11-13, 1 Cor 14:3, Acts 15:32)
• Prophecy being confirmation, or subject to being confirmed[2]
• Accountability and the need for testing prophetic words (1 Cor 14:29, 1 Thess 5:19-21), and most importantly—
• Revealing the heart of the Father—the grace of God—as seen in Jesus (John 14:9, Rev 19:10b)

Setting aside these characteristics of NT prophetic ministry results in abuses and extremes in the prophetic movement today. [3]

B. Accountability

Jesus commended the Centurion who recognised that the release of God’s power came from being under authority. (Matt 8:5-13)

If I don’t know ministries personally, I look to see to whom they are accountable. Are they reporting to a board or other mature apostolic oversight? Are they connected to a local church?

It is easy for ministries to have the appearance of accountability on their website. However the prophet’s testimony (life journey or ministry stories) may give more insight into whether or not true accountability exists:

• Do they describe the importance that leaders and community have played in their journey, or do they boast of being trained directly by God?
• Do they have accountability in place regarding spiritual insights and experiences, or do they describe supernatural encounters without reference to them being weighed up and tested?

Paul reported to church leaders both in Jerusalem and in his sending church of Antioch (Acts 14:26-28, Acts 15:2, Gal 2:1-2)

If the Apostle Paul, to whom God entrusted direct revelation and who wrote scripture, was accountable to church leaders, shouldn’t we be?

Other glimpses of accountability in the New Testament include:

• In Acts 15:32-35, the prophets Silas and Judas were sent from the church in Jerusalem to the church in Antioch.

• In the New Testament we 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.

• Even Agabus a noted prophet in the New Testament, was part of a prophetic group from the church in Jerusalem. (Acts 11:27)

Demonstration of accountability also reflects an attitude of humility and teachability—two vital attributes in prophetic ministry.

C. Loving the Church

Love for people and for the church is vital in prophetic ministry (1 Cor 13:2).
How does this relate to the many prophetic ministries today who believe they have a mandate from God to address areas of weakness in the church?

Words of Correction

Two prophetic words address weakness or sin in the church. Both have the same insights. Yet one is sourced in the spirit of ‘accuser of the brethren,’ whilst the other is of the Spirit of God and expresses the Father’s heart. How can this be?

Jesus is not ‘soft on sin’ in His church. In His letters to the churches in the book of Revelation, Jesus rebukes and corrects the church (He also gives some of the most powerful promises in the Bible).

The person Jesus chose to receive and convey this prophetic revelation of warning and rebuke was the Apostle John.

John had not only helped build the church, but he also served and loved the church—to the point that he paid the ultimate price of laying down his own life.

Here are some questions to consider the next time you hear a prophetic ministry exposing and rebuking sin in the church:

• Is he or she recognised and received as a builder of the church—or on the contrary, known as someone who consistently tears the church and its leaders down? (1 Cor 14:12, 2 Cor 10:8)
• Does he or she love the church—and how has this love been demonstrated?

C. Questions to Ask

Following are some more questions that may assist in weighing up prophetic ministries (and that we need to look for in ourselves):

1. Do They Exhibit a Godly Lifestyle & Character?

An intimate relationship with God is central to prophetic ministry. However, this is not displayed in the quality of supernatural experiences a person claims to have had.

It is revealed as he or she bears the likeness of Jesus. (Acts 4:13, 2 Cor 3:18). Humility, integrity, faith, grace towards people, honour towards other Christian leaders and a moral lifestyle are all hallmarks of a life lived with God.

2. Who recognises / endorses their ministry?

• Are respected ministries and churches receiving these prophets?
• If they are prophesying concerning nations, do they actually have the ear of governing leaders?
• What do other prophetic ministries say concerning their prophetic insights (1 Cor 14:29)
• And closer to home, would my own church leaders recommend these ministries, or caution against them?

3. What is Their Fruit?

Jesus said, ‘By their fruit you shall know them.’ (Matt 7:15)

• Is their ministry bearing fruit? If so—what? If they are calling for repentance, for example, is the Holy Spirit actually using their ministries to turn people from sin and to Jesus?

4. Are They Exalting Jesus?

Signs, wonders, angels, supernatural experiences or prophetic accuracy may draw people’s attention, but do not validate a prophetic ministry.

• We should always be looking to see whether ministries are making Jesus the focus.
• Is revealing the heart, mind and intention of the Father the primary mandate of this ministry?

I would love to hear what others think about this topic. To view or contribute to this discussion, leave a comment below. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

Next week I will share part 2 of this series, including some thoughts about prophetic words that foretell natural disasters and world events.

Notes:

[1] I share my story in my book, ‘Prophetic People In A Changing Church.’ To learn more about my testimony, click on this link for the ‘About’ page. To find out more about the book, visit http://enlivenpublishing.com/blog/e-books/prophetic-people-e-book/

[2] In the New Testament Church, all believers have the Spirit of God and can hear God’s word and receive guidance for themselves. Christian leaders have the ability to hear from God in relation to their roles and the oversight they have been given. The prophetic voice should either bring clarity and confirmation to what is already received—or be confirmed by what others then hear.

[3] See also the following post: Differences Between Old And New Testament Prophetic Ministry.

Graham Cooke deals with this subject well in his book, ‘Developing Your Prophetic Gifting’ in the chapter ‘The Role Of The Christian Prophet.’ If you are interested in exploring this topic more, I recommend looking it up, as he covers some different points to those I have touched on above.

He notes,

‘’Sadly far too many people are displaying an Old Testament ministry and personality in a New Testament Church setting. This I believe accounts for the large number of horror stories, misunderstandings and misrepresentations which belittle the prophetic ministry and discredit the gift.’(P 201)

[Graham Cooke Developing Your Prophetic Gifting’ 1994 Sovereign World Ltd Kent England]

© Helen Calder 2011    Enliven Publishing Blog

Now on team with David McCracken Ministries

Over the last couple of weeks I have been praying about a word of encouragement for my readers.

As I have done so, I have been continually drawn back to the words:

‘Year Of Visitation.’

At first, I hesitated. The words, ‘Year of Visitation’ were already familiar to me.

You see, this past year so many extraordinary things had taken place for The Hunk and me, that as the year was drawing to a close, I dubbed 2010, ‘Year Of Visitation.’

To be honest, this was a bit scary. How do you follow up a year like we have had? I found myself being lured back into an ‘orphan mindset.’ [1] I was being tempted to fear that in 2011 the Presence and work of God in our lives would wane.

Thankfully, as I have prayed for you, the Spirit has also lovingly addressed and corrected my own thinking.

Divine visitation should not be the exception; instead, it should be our expectation as we approach the New Year.

You and I can have a ‘Year Of Visitation’ in 2011 and beyond. The key lies in understanding what that means, and positioning for it in faith.

Visitation from God is a Biblical Concept

When God visits, supernatural breakthroughs occur. Prophetic words are fulfilled, seasons are shifted and new things are brought to birth [2]. Jesus gets the glory.

So—what does it mean, Biblically, to have a season of visitation from God? And how can we position ourselves for it?

Following are 6 of the times that the Bible tells us God visited His people.

As you read these accounts, there may be one or two that particularly resonate with you. If that happens, allow the Spirit of God to ignite faith in your heart, that His Word will be fulfilled in your life in the coming year.

1. Fulfilment of Prophecy & Removal of Barrenness

‘And the LORD visited Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah as He had spoken.’ (Gen 21:1) [3]

A visitation of God broke the long season of barrenness in Sarah’s life, resulting in fulfilment of prophecy and the birth of Isaac, whose name meant ‘laughter.’

2. Recognising God Has Seen our Pain and Come to Act on Behalf of His People

‘When they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel and that He had looked on their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped.’ Ex 4:31

A visitation of God broke the long season of Israel’s bondage in Egypt. They realised God had not left them alone in their suffering, but was intimately concerned for them. His power was about to be revealed.

3. Divine Help And Provision

‘ Then [Naomi] arose with her daughters-in-law that she might return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab that the LORD had visited His people by giving them bread.’ (Ruth 1:6)

A visitation of God broke a long season of famine in Bethlehem, Judah.

The rumour of God’s goodness reached Naomi, who was estranged and widowed in the country of Moab. God’s visitation impacted her personally as her inheritance and family line was restored.

4. Restoration of Inheritance and Homecoming

‘For thus says the LORD: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place.’ (Jer 29:10)

A visitation of God broke the long season of Judah’s exile, and they returned to Jerusalem at His appointed time.

5. The Ultimate Visitation—Jesus

“Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people…the Dayspring from on high has visited us” (Luke 1:68,78)

In the New Testament, Zacharias understood that the ultimate visitation of God to His people was fulfilled in the birth of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ.

6. Outpourings of the Holy Spirit

“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord…” (Acts 3:19)

From the day of Pentecost in Acts 2 and throughout church history, we understand visitations of the Holy Spirit to be times of outpouring, bringing refreshing and empowering to God’s people.

3 Ways To Position For Divine Visitation

When God moves on our behalf, or in the lives of others around us, it is not because we deserve it—it is on the basis of Jesus’ shed blood, and the Father’s favour and mercy.

We cannot earn His visitation—however, we can position ourselves to enter into what the Father wants to do.

As you will see, the key to 2011 being a ‘Year Of Visitation’ lies in our relationship with God.

1. Understand God’s Timing

The primary key to experiencing Divine visitation lies in understanding the timing of God for our lives.

In each of the above situations in scripture, it was God’s time to act. For example:

• Sarah’s pregnancy with Isaac
• The four hundred years in Egypt come to its conclusion
• The seventy years in Babylon completed
• The birth of Jesus

You may know that there are two Greek words for time in the New Testament: The first is ‘chronos.’ This refers to ‘clock time’ or ‘calendar time.’ It is the word used for general time. [4]
The second Greek word for time is ‘kairos.’ Kairos means ‘due time, a fixed time, a season, or an OPPORTUNE time.’

A pregnancy is a great example of the two types of time. Approximately 9 months of ‘chronos’ time pass. But the moment comes when it is time to give birth. That moment is ‘kairos’—the due time.

God always desires to bring people closer to Himself, to fill us with His Spirit, to act on our behalf.

But we also need to see as Jesus did, what the Father is doing ‘now.’ (John 5:19)

Jesus always walked in the kairos time of God—and we can too.

Here are some arenas you might like to seek God for His kairos timing both now and throughout the coming year.

Ask, “Father, what are You doing in these areas?”

• A fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit
• An area of your life that needs breakthrough
• Family members and relationships
• Non-Christians that are around your life
• A shift of season

Prayer journaling is a great way to communicate with Him and record His response. [5]

2. Pray in the Season of Visitation

‘You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.’ (Jer 29:13)

When God spoke these words to Judah, He was saying, in effect, ‘When the kairos time comes for Me to deliver you, you will seek Me—and I will answer and deliver you.’ (see Jer 29:10-14)

The prophet Zechariah put this well when he said,

‘Ask the LORD for rain in the time of the latter rain.’ Zech 10:1

The prophet was saying, when it’s God’s kairos time, pray!

When we pray, we acknowledge that we cannot fulfil God’s plan through our own efforts. We need His help.

When that prayer is answered, Jesus gets the credit for what takes place.

3. Participate With God Through Acts of Obedience

When we have prayed, it is time look for ways to cooperate with the Holy Spirit. We want to participate with God in His work.

If God asks us to do something specific, an act of obedience can bring a powerful breakthrough.

Goliath was killed by the word of the Lord AND by a stone from David’s sling (1 Samuel 17). God provided food for a widow and her son, but first, she had to give away the last of what she had to Elijah (1 Kings 17:7-16).

Sometimes, however, it is not about doing anything except simply receiving—equally an act of obedience.

There are times to contend, and there are also times to just open our hands and say, ‘Thank you Lord.’

For we are His sons and daughters, and what we receive from Him, we receive by inheritance.

Through our relationship with God, we can experience the ongoing visitation of God in our lives—to move from visitation to habitation.

This is the desire of my heart. Is it yours?

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

Notes and Related Posts:

[1] An orphan mindset is ‘Fatherless thinking.’ I share about this in the following post:

Breaking Free From An Orphan Mindset

[2] Our friend Steve McCracken from David McCracken Ministries has said: “The two phrases I am feeling for 2011 are a year of achievement and a
year of new things. I believe it is to be a year of firsts.”

[3] These scriptures are all quoted in the New King James Version (NKJV)

[4] VINE, M.A. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words.  1985. Virginia: MacDonald.

An example of ‘chronos’ is in Matt 2:7. ‘Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time (chronos) the star had appeared.’

An example of ‘kairos’ is in Gal 6:9. ‘Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time (kairos) we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.’ (See also 2 Cor 6:1-2)

[5] For an explanation and examples of prayer journaling, see the following post:

Activate Your Prophetic Gift Through Prayer Journaling

See also:
Prophetic Insight: Look Out, The Rain Is Coming!

© Helen Calder 2011    Enliven Publishing

http://enlivenpublishing.com/blog/

Now on team with David McCracken Ministries

The Orphan Mindset

In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 1:5

A story is frequently told of a baby eagle that fell out of its nest and became separated from its family.

A mother chicken took pity on the apparently orphaned eagle and raised the baby as her own.

As it grew, the young eagle pecked and shuffled along the ground along with its chicken siblings, having never learned that life could be any different.

One day it looked up at an eagle soaring high in the sky and marvelled…

As sons and daughters of a living God we should bear the family likeness and carry out the family business.

But we will never fulfil our potential or live a supernatural Christian life while we are living with an orphan mindset.

Until we do, we will live like the eagle in the story, believing that we are subject to limitations that do not exist.

We need to fully comprehend the Family that we belong to.

Recently I wrote a post entitled, ‘No Longer An Orphan: How I Discovered The Father’s Love.’

I have come to realise that it is possible to experience significant healing in this area, and yet still be restricted by orphan (Fatherless) thinking.

I can pay mental assent to the truth of my acceptance as a child of my Heavenly Father, and yet my feelings and responses sometimes reveal a deep-set belief that God has left me to live life alone and apart from Him.

Like other ‘strongholds’ in our minds [1], this way of thinking needs to be recognised and expelled from our lives and replaced with the truth of God’s Word.

So how do we recognise and deal with an orphan mindset?

In previous posts I have discussed the orphan spirit as it relates to our relationship with God as Father.Here are two further areas that I have been challenged over recently:

Signs of an Orphan Mindset

1. We have an orphan mindset when contemplating what God has called us to do continually makes us feel inadequate or afraid.

Jesus said,

I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth… I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. (John 14:16,18)

An important aspect of ‘comprehending the Family that we belong to’ is being aware of the relationship of the Holy Spirit to us.

The reality is that we will never be or do what Father has called us to, without the Presence and enabling power of the Holy Spirit.

So why do we often feel alone?

Here are two questions to consider:

• How would my life be different if I brought the reality of the Holy Spirit’s presence into the picture of my life?
• How could I live if I took into account, not my own inability, but His ability, for every moment, every challenge, both present and future?

2. We have an orphan mindset when we believe that it is impossible to follow in Jesus’ steps.

Like the young eagle gazing at the eagle soaring in the sky, I look at the life of Jesus presented in the Gospels and wonder.

Can I really aspire to be like Him?

I know I am called to be a disciple—follower—of Jesus, my life a reflection of His.

Somehow, it is much easier to relate to the unlikely heroes of Scripture—those flawed and sinful people that God used to change history—than to Jesus.

And yet, Jesus’ life is the picture of what my life can look like.

The Apostle Paul puts it this way in Romans 8:29:

‘For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.’

Or as Eugene H. Peterson puts it in ‘The Message,’
“We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in [Jesus]”(Rom 8:29)

As children of God, we are created in His image and share His family likeness—His DNA. The same Holy Spirit that anointed Jesus also lives in us.

We are called to be Jesus disciples—but orphan thinking will cause us to be His followers in name only.

To be a disciple of Jesus requires us to actually live with and to learn from Him in the same way that His disciples did in the Gospels.

This comes not only from Bible study, but also by living life with Him as a present and continual experience.

An orphan mindset and belief system will act as a veil that will keep us from encountering Jesus and having a face-to-face relationship with him.

Prayer to be Released from the Orphan Mindset

Perhaps you can identify with some of the struggles I have shared above. You might like to join me in this prayer:

Father, I am sorry for the times that I do not recognise and embrace the truth of my relationship to You—that I am your fully loved and fully accepted child.

I repent of the times I feel and act as though I am an orphan alone, when Jesus has paid the highest price of His life that I might be a member of your family.

I renounce [refuse to have any longer] the orphan mindset, with all of its lies, rejection and unbelief, especially… [include anything specific God has shown you]

I ask that by Your Spirit you will continue to expose and deal with any residue of orphan thinking in my life.

Thank You for the gift of new life and for receiving me into Your Family. I choose to believe the truth of who I am in relationship to You and who You are in relationship to me… [include any relevant scripture references here]

In Jesus’ Name.

[1] A stronghold is a belief system that is contrary to what the Bible teaches. For more information see 2 Corinthians 10:3-6

Related posts:

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

4 Symptoms of the Orphan Spirit in Church Life

How Your Perspective Can Impact Your Destiny

1 Father, 2 Sons, 3 Positions: Which Describes You?

© Helen Calder   2010  Enliven Publishing

Now on team with David McCracken Ministries

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

The prophetic evangelism movement is growing.

Teams of Christian believers are pouring out into the streets and shopping malls, listening to the Holy Spirit as He directs them to speak with people. Using spiritual gifts, they are passing on words of knowledge and prophecies to people who may never have stepped into a church. They then offer to pray for them—and Jesus is doing miracles.

As awesome as this is, I have a burning conviction that ordinary, Spirit-filled believers, who might never join a team doing street witnessing, do not need to miss out. Anyone who has a heart to hear from God and to walk in spiritual gifts can learn prophetic evangelism. I believe that:

1. Prophetic evangelism can occur in our daily life

2. The principles of prophetic evangelism can be learned in a series of simple steps.

But before I start—lets ask the question:

What is Prophetic Evangelism?

Jesus gave them this answer: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. (John 5:19)

Prophetic evangelism is, at its most basic level, sharing the Good News about Jesus with people using the means of prophetic revelation.

It begins with hearing from God (or seeing, if you’re wired as a visionary person) how and what He wants you to pray, speak and do in the process of witnessing, as well as where and to whom. Sometimes, but not always, prophetic evangelism involves sharing a prophetic message from God with someone who is not a Christian.

‘Revelation’ means that you are receiving knowledge or insight from God that you wouldn’t know by natural means. The Holy Spirit reveals it to you supernaturally.

Supernatural Evangelism

One time, I was walking along a beach when I noticed a man and his son dragging a large net to shore. With great difficulty they laboured to bring the net into shore, only to find it contained a few bits of seaweed. The young man shrugged his shoulders and began to take off his wetsuit. His whole demeanour said, “Don’t ASK me to do that again!”

It reminded me of how many times in church life we have worked hard to bring lost people to Jesus, only to have worn ourselves out for very little result.

Jesus once told His disciples to let down their nets for a catch of fish. Like the young man I saw, they had worked hard all night for nothing, but when they let down the net at Jesus’ word, a miracle happened. The net was filled to overflowing with fish. (Luke 5:4-6)

This is a great illustration of prophetic evangelism. When we partner with the Holy Spirit, miracles happen.

God never meant for spiritual gifts to be confined to within the four walls of the church. Jesus moved in healing, prophecy, deliverance, miracles and knowledge in the streets, in fields, in homes and in parties. The early church did the same.

I am being challenged not to be one kind of person in a church meeting and another outside. If the Lord has given me gifts of prophecy, intercession and so on, why shouldn’t I walk in those gifts wherever I go?

Over the next couple of weeks we will be looking at some simple principles to help us enter into a fruitful partnership with the Holy Spirit in prophetic evangelism. These include:

Prayer—waiting in God for prophetic revelation. Who does He want us to share with? What is He doing in their lives and what is He saying to them at this time?

Position—we recognise that God has placed us alongside people, and that He is already at work in their lives

Power—felt needs in people’s lives give us an opportunity to offer prayer and for miracles to happen

Prophecy—an opportunity may arise in which we can share a message from God. Or—He may give us prophetic direction as to what to speak or an action to take.

Proclamation—at the right time, we share the story of Jesus with them.

Are you interested in Prophetic Evangelism?

For more information, inspiration and stories, learn more in the e-book,

‘How To Be a Supernatural Christian In Your Everyday World’

Related posts:

How To Share A Prophecy With Someone Who Is Not A Christian

Key to Prophetic Evangelism: What is the Father Doing?

The Greatest Evangelist In The World Today

© Helen Calder  2010   Enliven Blog

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

Some of the most precious Christmas gifts I have ever received have come in unexpected wrapping.

• Roughly packaged treasures from small children,
• Innocuous cards containing expensive surprises,
• The smallest of presents from the largest of hearts

To accept or reject a gift based on its external presentation would be unthinkable.

This week I have been reading the Christmas accounts in Luke and Matthew and wondering again at the priceless treasure hidden in a stable and cradled in a manger—Jesus, Immanuel, God With Us.
The packaging may have been rough and ordinary, but this gift was also gilded with unexpected lashings of heavenly glory.

After 400 years of prophetic silence in the land of Israel, angels burst upon the scene bringing the word of the Lord direct from God’s throne.

And people—not prophets as of old, but ordinary people—are filled with the Holy Spirit and bring prophetic proclamations.

As Luke recounts events surrounding the birth of Jesus, my ‘Spirit Filled Life Bible’ makes the margin note, ‘..the new era is signalled by the renewal of the gift of prophecy, which has been dormant…’
I muse on the angelic and prophetic activity recorded by Luke, in the first two chapters alone:

• The angel Gabriel appears to Zacharias, bringing God’s word and instruction concerning John (Luke 1:11-22)
• The angel Gabriel is sent to Mary (Luke 1:26)
• Elizabeth makes a prophetic proclamation concerning Jesus (Luke 1:41-45)
• Zaharias prophesies (Luke 1:67-79)
• An angelic visitation to shepherds in the fields (Luke 2:8-15)
• Simeon prophesies over the baby Jesus (Luke 2:25-32)
• Anna prophesies concerning Jesus (Luke 2:36-38)

Matthew adds to this, instances of angelic guidance in dreams to Joseph and the wise men (Matt 1:20-23, Matt 2:1-15).

These events are not limited to the occurrences surrounding Jesus’ birth. Throughout the book of Acts prophetic guidance and yes, angelic activity, continue to be a part of the normal early church experience (see Acts 1:10, 5:19, 8:26, 10:3, 12:7, 27:23 for accounts of angels, before we even start on prophecy and signs).

Supernatural is now the new normal, testifying of Jesus and attributing to His saving grace and Divine intervention.

As I meditate upon this, I find it incredibly challenging.

What if the gift of God’s Presence, this year and beyond, was to come in unexpected wrapping? What if I failed to see it because I was looking for something else—or worse, dismissed it out of hand?

I am comfortable with prophecy and have grown to expect the occasional spiritual dream. But angels and signs? Reading Luke, I realise, with dismay, that I tend to rate some types of supernatural activity as acceptable and normal, and others as unexpected and abnormal.

I wouldn’t consider picking and choosing gifts under the tree based on the colour or packaging or size. So why would I do this with the gift of God?

As we enter the New Year, let’s be open to whatever way God chooses to manifest His purposes and His activity in our lives, our churches and in those around us. Let’s look for Him both in the rough and ordinary, and the supernatural, glorious and unforeseen.

Let’s enter the coming year EXPECTANT.

With prayers for a blessed Christmas from my house to yours!

Related Posts:

Christmas Advent Is A Time To Encounter God

© Helen Calder 2009 Enliven Blog – Prophetic Teaching

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

We can easily be intimidated when we hear a seasoned prophet bring a prophetic word. The flow and ease with which they speak, powerfully delivering a message from God seems supernatural.

We don’t know how we could ever be like that! It may be helpful to know that even mature prophets receive prophetic words the same way that we can—and it starts with receiving a simple revelation from God.

In Pt 1 of this series, we discussed 5 links in the process of prophecy:

1. We receive a revelation from the Holy Spirit

2. We assess the revelation and how to best communicate it in a prophetic message

3. We then deliver the prophecy to the person or group God is speaking to

4. The recipient(s) of the prophecy assess the message

5. The recipient(s) of the prophecy may or may not pray or take further action in response to the word.

Prophecy begins with receiving a revelation from the Holy Spirit.

The word ‘revelation’ in the New Testament Greek, apokalupsis, means ‘an uncovering,’ or disclosure. The Holy Spirit is showing us something that we could not know by natural means. He is revealing something supernaturally about the person, group or situation that we are praying about or ministering to.

A revelation can be a word of knowledge about something past or present, an encouraging outcome from a present circumstance, or illuminating God’s plans concerning the future. [A revelation may also contain a warning or a condition—however when you are first learning to prophesy, these are best submitted to leadership for oversight before delivery].

A revelation from God does not come externally; if you have been baptised in the Holy Spirit, He resides within you. As Jesus said,

‘“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” By this he meant the Spirit’ (John 7:38-39).

You receive a revelation from the Holy Spirit in your spirit, which is then imparted to your mind or through your physical senses.

Here are some ways in which a revelation can come to you:

• You are reminded of a Bible verse or story—or one is highlighted to you when you are reading the Bible*
• You ‘see’ a picture in your mind’s eye
• An idea or impression comes to mind
• You feel something emotionally or physically
• A word comes to mind or you ‘see’ a written word in your imagination

Other ways God can speak through revelation are:

• Dreams
• Waking visions (like a movie in your imagination)
• Something that you see physically is symbolic (for example, you are driving along and a sign impacts you. You realise that God is speaking through it, or you see a person who reminds you of someone else)
• He may also speak through another person

*Note that scripture is not only one of the primary ways that we receive revelation from the Holy Spirit, it is also the means of weighing up whether God is speaking to us and what He is saying. We will cover this in the next post.

There are many different ways that God can bring revelation to you when you are open to receiving it. Like a fingerprint, God’s way of speaking to and through you will be unique to you. In the Bible, we see that every prophet had his or her own flavour and style.

As you begin the journey of seeking for revelation from God, remember that he is your Heavenly Father; He wants to give good gifts to you and He wants to bless others through you too. Jesus said,

“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:11-13)

Receiving revelatory knowledge from the Holy Spirit is a first step in operating in the spiritual gift of prophecy. It can also be an important lead in to operating in other supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit such as discernment, word of knowledge, healing, deliverance and miracles.

Remember that receiving revelatory knowledge is a ministry tool and a helpful means of learning to hear from God for others and us; it should never become a quest in itself. Rather, we should hunger and thirst for God and make the Bible our primary source of instruction and wisdom.

In my next blog post, I will be looking at ‘How Can We Tell a Revelation is From God?’ From there, we will move on to how to interpret a revelation, and then explore some ways to deliver the prophetic message God has given to you.

If you have any more ideas of different ways of receiving revelation from the Holy Spirit, or an experience you would like to share, I would love to hear from you—leave a note in the comments below.

****************************************************************************************

Would you like to develop your prophetic gift?

Enter your email address in the subscribe box at the right hand side of this page to receive:

• regular blogs and teaching to help you grow in your gift of prophecy, as well as articles about prayer, spiritual renewal and supernatural Christian living.
• news about resources to help develop your prophetic gift

****************************************************************************************

See also:

How to Exercise Your Prophetic Gift Pt 1: Understand the Process of Prophecy

How to Exercise Your Prophetic Gift Pt 3: How Can You Tell Your Revelation Is From God

© Helen Calder    Enliven Publishing