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

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

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

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

Signs that you are in a Testing Season

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

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

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

The Season of Trial: What is God Doing?

Developing Skills you will need in the Future

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

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

Refining Character

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

Repositioning

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

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

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

Calling us to Intimacy with Him

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

Awaiting the Right Timing

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

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

Strengthening our Faith

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

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

In the Father’s Hands

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Notes

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

© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog

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

Have you ever hit a wall in your ministry—a place where you feel you can go no further?

This happened to me a few weeks back in relation to one of my ministry responsibilities. During a 24-hour period, I realised that I had ‘hit the wall.’ I awoke one morning and knew that I could no longer see the future for me in this particular leadership role.

Don’t get me wrong! The ministry was flourishing, I had a great team, people’s lives were being transformed, and Jesus was being glorified. However, there was now another leader who could do what I was doing—whilst due to lack of time, I was putting off other ministry opportunities available to me.

Why we hit a wall in ministry

When we feel as though we have hit a wall, it is vital to establish what—and who—is responsible for it. The situation can be caused by:

1. Ourselves

We may hit a wall when we have overextended ourselves and run out of personal resources—spiritual, emotional, mental or physical. When burnout occurs we need to do whatever it takes to replenish our reserves. On occasion, this may mean taking time out.

2. Demonic Forces

Sometimes spiritual warfare can cause us to feel that we have hit a wall and can go no further in our ministry area. When this takes place we need to recognise the warfare and deal with it for what it is—the enemy’s attempt to derail us from God’s purpose for our lives.

3. God

We can hit a wall when the time has come in our Heavenly Father’s agenda for us to release the ministry and move on.

Just because God has ordained the ending of a season does not mean that it is easy.

• We have carried the ministry in our hearts and given our lives to serve God in this role. It can be like handing over our ‘baby’ to another ‘parent’ (leader)
• We may not have seen the end coming and even though it is in God’s plan, it is unexpected to us (Is 55:8-9)
• We may have been in a difficult season of transition
• God may have allowed difficult circumstances, or even conflict, to shift us out of a role that we would not have willingly released of our own volition

Sometimes there are a combination of the above factors, as Divine timing, personal and demonic issues collide. In this case, it is good to have people in leadership that we trust who can help us work through the difficulties and our response.

When we believe God has brought us to an end in a ministry role, it is good to submit that guidance, as I have done over the past few weeks, for confirmation.

When God has a purpose in the wall

The Hunk and I have experienced this wall a number of times over the years, when it has been time to release a ministry responsibility or area of Christian leadership. We have not always responded well, even when the timing was of the Lord!

When the sudden realisation came that it was time to move out of my leadership role, it was with a mixture of pain and relief that I contemplated what I believed God was asking of me.

That day, I took time out to pray—driving for miles, contemplating the autumn scenery, walking, anguishing, surrendering. Even though I had been preparing for this wall for some time, its sudden appearance still came as a shock.

After a few hours, I drove into a reservoir park. As I drove in, I looked up, and saw—A HUGE WALL! “I’m going to walk on the wall!” I said.

Prophetic people love symbolic acts, and God in His graciousness had set me up for one, right when I needed it. That day, I walked on the wall, from one end of the dam to the other.

As I walked one way, I looked over the valley and thanked Him for everything that had led to this place: the people whose lives had been changed, the leaders who had been raised up, ministries that had been birthed, and my own growth in the journey.

It took a long time, for there was so much to be thankful for. When I had finished, I stopped, took courage and thanked God for the wall itself—this painful and confronting place.

Dangers at the Wall

It was then that I remembered past times I had faced similar walls. I have not always responded well. Some dangers of the wall are:

• Staying too long at the wall and not willingly releasing a ministry
• Mourning over the wall—the loss of our ministry—for longer than we should
• Allowing the wall to define us. At the place of the wall, we are no longer the right ‘fit’ for the role. There is a danger of taking this personally or internalising reproach from others or ourselves

It was a moment of clarity and healing for me. As I paused on the reservoir wall, I chose to be thankful for my present wall and also prayed about my wrong responses to past walls.

Realise God has not Finished with you yet.

When you hit a wall in a ministry and it is God’s time for you to move on, you may not always see what He has in store for you next. But He has a future and a hope; He has a greater season of fruitfulness ahead (Jer 29:11; John 15:2).

As I walked back along the reservoir wall, I looked out over the other side, across the water to the distant hills. I thanked the Lord in faith for His provision, and for the future ahead—even though I could not define it.

At the wall that day, the Spirit prepared me to release the ministry with joy.

Have you ever, or are you experiencing a similar ‘wall?’ I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment on the bottom of this post. If the comments box is not visible, click here or on the post title and scroll down.

© Helen Calder    Enliven Publishing

It has been said that ‘desperate times call for desperate measures.’

In God’s Kingdom, however, desperate times call for extraordinary measures.

Occasionally, I find myself in a crisis that requires an exceptional response of faith. In these times, I know I can pray—and I do. But when I know that extraordinary measures are needed, I turn to praise.

A song of praise is a powerful prophetic tool that

• Celebrates victory in the face of apparent defeat.
• Declares God’s ability in the circumstance of your inability
• Thanks God for answers that have not yet been sighted

It is prophetic because it gives voice to the word that God has spoken to you, concerning His outcome for your circumstances and life.

We can choose to believe and respond to that prophetic word over and above the voice of our circumstance, or the negative whispers of the enemy in our minds.

There is something about singing songs of praise that has a powerful magnetic pull on the resources of heaven. And this is why:

The Bible’s Prescription For Our Desperation: A Song Of Praise

God has prescribed the prophetic song of praise in scripture as an instrument of breakthrough. Here are some examples:

Warfare(2 Chron 20)

King Jehoshaphat received word that a ‘vast army’ was coming against Israel. In answer to a prayer of desperation he received a prophetic word: ‘The battle is not yours, but God’s.’

Jehoshaphat sent out a choir singing praise to God in front of his army. He was not sending the praisers to their death, but to proclaim the victory that he had already received by God’s word.

The Bible records, ‘As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes…’ 2 Chron 20:22

The enemy armies turned on each other and victory was won with no weapon except a song of praise to God.

When it feels as though all hell is breaking loose against you, break heaven loose against the enemy and overcome with a song of praise.

(see also Psalm 149:5-9)

Provision (Numbers 17)

Israel returned to the place God had miraculously provided water for them in the past and sang this song:

“Spring up, O well! Sing about it, about the well that the princes dug, that the nobles of the people sank–the nobles with scepters and staffs.” (Num 21:17-18)

This song of praise did two things. It

1. Commemorated God’s past provision and
2. Anticipated His present supply

Impossibility (Isaiah 54)

Are you waiting on promises from God to be fulfilled? Does fulfillment to be out of your reach?

In Isa 54:1-3 God says to His people,

‘Sing, O barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor…

Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities.’

In the face of barrenness and impossibility, sing! Sing a song that celebrates the fulfillment of God’s promise. Don’t stop there, prepare and make room for His answers.

Obstacles (Acts 16)

Persecution and imprisonment threatened to cut short Paul and Silas’ ministry in the city of Phillipi. Instead of the effectiveness promised by God in a prophetic dream, they found themselves flogged and cast into the stocks of an inner dungeon.

But outward circumstances could not rob them of their inner faith. They prayed and loudly sang hymns to God that were heard throughout the jail. Suddenly an earthquake shook the prison, opening the doors and breaking chains.

There could have been no doubt of the correlation between the song and the earthquake, for the jailer cried out, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30)

As a result, more people came to know Jesus and the Kingdom of God was advanced in that city.

When you find yourself trapped, in pain, and there is no earthly way out, try a song of praise—and make sure that others know you are singing.

When Singing Is The Hardest Thing You Can Do

Sometimes singing a song of praise can be the hardest thing to do. It helps to remember that even when Jesus faced the cross, He was able to sing praises to God.

Mark records of that night,

‘When they had sang a hymn, they went out to the Mount Of Olives.’ (Mark 14:26).

Singing a song of praise is not about feeling good, and certainly not about sounding good. You don’t have to be a singer or musician to sing a praise song to God.

Here are some ideas to help you sing a prophetic song of praise to God, no matter what your circumstances are:

• Find a recorded song of praise that gives voice to God’s prophetic word for you, and play it—over and over. Sing along to it
• Attend a church service, and sing the praise songs with all your heart
• Sing praises when you are alone—in the car, in your room, under your breath while you are out walking
• When you feel tempted to worry or fear, recall the song to mind
• Tell someone how you are responding to God in the crisis. It will be a powerful testimony to them.

Desperate times call for extraordinary measures. Sing a prophetic song of praise and watch as God moves

Related Posts:

Prophetic People in Testing Times: The Reason For the Season

Your Prophetic Word and Spiritual Warfare

© Helen Calder    Enliven Publishing

You have received your prophetic word and you are excited about it. You feel close to God. You are highly motivated to live out the word and hold onto it throughout the coming year.

But then, it happens.

Out of nowhere, you are sideswiped; a problem, a negative word, a criticism, or a disappointment comes your way. Perhaps the very opposite of the promise God has given to you begins to happen. You find yourself swamped in spiritual warfare and oppression.

You have entered the next stage of fulfilling God’s word for your life: it’s time to contend for your prophetic word.

Where is God When we are in the Trial?

One day, Jesus said to His disciples, ‘Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.’ They joined Him in the boat and began their journey.

Suddenly, a terrifying storm blew across the lake, and the boat began to be swamped with water. Finding themselves in peril for their lives, the disciples looked for Jesus. He was asleep in the stern.

Jesus had given the disciples a word, ‘Let’s go over to the other side.’ But halfway across the lake, it looked as though they weren’t going to make it. They woke Jesus up and said, ‘Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?’ (Mark 4:38)

The disciple’s response is familiar to our own. When difficulties overwhelm us, we find ourselves wondering, ‘Where is God? Does He even care at all?’ It seems as if Jesus is asleep in the boat of our lives.

We have His word, but like the disciples, we find ourselves in trouble at the place in-between. The distant shore of our word’s fulfillment is impossibly out of reach.

What hurts the most is, that we so willingly followed Jesus and believed His word in the first place. We have been doing our best, and now, all hell is breaking loose against us.

If this sounds familiar, take heart! Jesus is the Lord and master of your situation. God’s word for your life will be fulfilled.

The disciples cried out, ‘Master, master, we are going to drown!’ (Luke 8:24). Their statement of negative prophecy was the very opposite of what Jesus had told them would take place. However, their words and their fear were no obstacle to the grace and power of God.

What a wonder God’s grace is. Even when we slip into being negative and afraid, God brings us through the hardship. Like Jesus’ disciples did, we need to keep our confession of Jesus’ Lordship in the midst of the trial.

Having been called upon to save them, Jesus rebuked the wind and the waves and as suddenly as the storm had swept up, calm reigned.

Jesus turned to His disciples and said, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:40)

Jesus’ response to the tempest seems to indicate that spiritual warfare was taking place.

The disciples had the two ingredients necessary for faith. They had Jesus’ word, and they had Jesus presence with them. And yet they still doubted in the storm.

How Should we Respond in the Trial?

The disciples’ acted in a way that we often do in times of testing:

• They forgot, or doubted, Jesus’ word
• They looked at the circumstances versus their own ability and believed the situation hopeless
• They believed the word would not be fulfilled and spoke out of that unbelief
• They were afraid
• They felt that Jesus didn’t care for them because He did not appear to be acting on their behalf at that time.

I read this story and wonder, how should the disciples have responded?

What would they have done that would have resulted in Jesus praising them for their faith, rather than rebuked them for their fear?

They could have:

1. Used the authority Jesus had given them and rebuked the storm themselves
2. Immediately gone to Jesus, instead of trying to save the boat in their own strength, and given control of the situation over to Him
3. Not given way to fear, but responded in faith
4. Not given voice to doubt, but spoken in confidence and trust.

This coming year, times of trouble and spiritual warfare will come.

Let’s live out of the Spirit’s enabling power, and respond in faith, not fear, when opposition comes to God’s prophetic word over our lives.

There will inevitably also be moments when we respond wrongly during the trial. We might believe we have it all together, but God will allow situations to come along that reveal just how weak we are and how in need of His grace we are.

We won’t always get it right, and that’s OK. At the end of the day, it is not our performance that counts, but that we stay in relationship with Jesus, the Giver of the word.

In those moments, the words, ‘Master, save us!’ are the only ones we need.

For more of the story, check out Matt 8:23-27, Mark 4: 35-41, Luke 8:22-25

Related posts:

Prophetic People & Spiritual Warfare

Prophetic People in Testing Times: The Reason for the Season

Dealing With Prophetic Disappointment

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.

© Helen Calder   Enliven Publishing

Seasons of Development in Your Prophetic Gift

There are at least 5 distinctive seasons in the growth of a prophetic gift in a person’s life. These are:

Desiring–>Emerging–>Developing–>Testing–>Maturing

Although I’ve portrayed these seasons sequentially, the reality is that you may go in and out of seasons more than once. For example, you may go through repeated periods of development and testing until you reach a maturing stage—and even then, you may go back through it again!

See if you can identify which season you are in, in relation to growing your prophetic gift:

1. Desiring (1 Cor 14:1)

You may have a growing interest and curiosity in the gift of prophecy. This can be an early indication of your giftedness.

Some signs you are in the desiring stage are:

• Curiosity about the prophetic gift
• An increased sense of hunger for God Himself
• Desire for the operation of the gift of prophecy in your life
• A felt need that you would like to see met by the use of the prophetic gift—e.g., praying for someone who needs guidance.

Don’t underestimate the importance of this stage. If you desire the gift of prophecy, it is likely to be an indication that you have a prophetic gift, especially if it is accompanied by early signs of the gift being operational in your life.

Even though this is a common season, it isn’t a necessary season—a prophetic gift can manifest at the time you are baptised in the Holy Spirit, or it can emerge suddenly without these early signs.

2. Emerging (Acts 2:4)

This is when your prophetic gift begins to manifest for the first time.

Some signs you are in the emerging stage are:

• You may have a season of heightened awareness of God’s presence
• You find you are praying prophetically
• You are receiving supernatural insights that could only come from God
• The exercise or your prophetic gift may be accompanied by unusual manifestations
• You may experience a ‘honeymoon period,’ during which you frequently use the gift
• On the other hand, there may be very few manifestations and your prophetic gift develops slowly over a period of time

There is not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ in the Kingdom of God. We are all unique and different and the development and manifestations of our spiritual gifts will be unique to us. (1 Cor 12:4-6)

It is important that you don’t – at this or any other stage – believe that just because you’ve seen miracles happen through prophecies you have given that you have ‘got it all together.’

3. Developing (1 Tim 4:14-15)

Some signs you are in the developing stage are:

• You are receiving mentoring or training in prophetic ministry
• You may be reading or studying about the prophetic gift
• You are learning more than you have previously
• You are having regular opportunities to practice using the prophetic gift and are learning from these experiences

During the developing stage you are motivated to learn at a faster rate than other seasons and many opportunities for learning about how to exercise and grow in your prophetic gift seem to come your way.

4. Testing (Acts 9:28-30)

Some signs you are in the testing stage are:

• You enter a time of hardship in relation to your prophetic gift
• You may feel shut down and wonder where your gift has gone in this season and what God is doing.
• You find yourself longing for the ‘honeymoon period’ when the gift was new
• You get it wrong sometimes, or experience doubts.
• You will find yourself going through character-testing circumstances
• You may feel as though you are being criticised, blocked or resisted

It is important to recognise that God is at work during this period. He is refining both your character and your gift. How you respond in this season is very important.

For more about the testing phases, see Prophetic People in Testing Times: The Reason for the Season

5. Maturing (1 Cor 14:20)

I use the word, ‘maturing’ rather than ‘maturity,’ because a gift, like character, should always be in the process of being developed.

Some signs you are in the maturing stage are:

• You have undergone seasons of trial and testing and have experienced refining and restoration in your prophetic gift.
• Your prophetic gift is sharpening, whilst your character is softening
• You are increasingly aware that your prophetic ministry is imperfect and subject to testing and judgement
• Your prophetic insights are increasingly effective
• You are growing in love and sensitivity towards people in the use of your gift
• You are growing in wisdom; understanding the best context and approach to using your prophetic gift
• You are being used to help develop the gift in others through leadership, mentoring and training.

Note that these seasons of development not only apply to the gift of prophecy. You will recognise a similar pathway of development in other spiritual gifts such as intercession, discernment, healing, and leadership.

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 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.

How to Develop Your Prophetic Gift Pt 1:Where to Begin

What are Some Signs That You Have a Prophetic gift

Podcast Series: How to Overcome Blockages & Barriers to Growth in Your Prophetic Gift

© Helen Calder       Enliven Publishing

Recently, The Hunk & I were leading a training session on spiritual warfare when one of the participants asked a very insightful question. He said,

‘How can you tell the difference between spiritual warfare and God testing you?’

That was such a great question that I wished I had thought of it beforehand! We were running short of time, but I have since given this a lot of thought, and this is what I’ve come up with so far:

It’s very difficult to tell the difference between spiritual warfare and God testing you, because both are generally taking place at the same time! The key is to know what God’s purpose is, and embrace it, and what your adversary’s purpose is, and turn the tables on it! This is, of course, easier said than done.

God’s purpose in spiritual warfare

God allows tests & trials, and these do include seasons of spiritual warfare. In these times, His purpose in allowing the attack is to purify our faith and strengthen our spiritual authority (see 1 Peter 1:6-7, 5:8-9, Rom 16:20).

He also allows us to go through temptations that serve to highlight our weaknesses (we tend to have blind spots when it comes to our own ‘stuff’) so that He can show us MORE of His grace and love and transforming power.

For example, in Luke 22:31-32, Jesus said to Peter, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

Peter went through denial and failure, but he was a better, more humble man for it and was greatly used of God in leading people to Jesus.

The enemy’s plan in spiritual warfare

Whilst God’s plan in testing is for us to come through the trial as bigger and better people, stronger and closer to Him and each other, satan’s strategy is that we get stuck in the trial.

He wants us to give up, hold back, remain hurt, and be afraid. He will mask his messages with our own thoughts. We need to be especially aware of the battle that is taking place for our minds. It can be helpful to step back objectively and review the ‘tapes’ that are playing in our thoughts. It is only as we identify what these are that we can address them by wielding the sword of God’s word—Bible verses that speak God’s truth into our situation.

As prophetic people, it is vital that we understand the difference between God allowing us to go through a season of testing, and the enemy seeking to rob us of our prophetic gifts and ministry call. Both usually happen at the same time. But we can definitely turn spiritual warfare to our advantage, because Jesus has already won the battle for us.

I dislike spiritual warfare, especially when it’s affecting those I love, and who would enjoy personal failure? However I’ve learned to see the benefits in both.

I’ve just skimmed the surface here, but if you have any more thoughts in response to this question, I would love to hear from you. Leave us a comment!

The information in this post is excerpted from the e-book, ‘Grow Your Prophetic and Prayer Gifts.’ If this post has ministered to you and you would like further help in the development of your prophetic gifts, click here to review the book.

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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
• notifications about online prophetic training opportunities
• news of resources to help develop your prophetic gift

Check here for online prophetic training opportunities in 2010

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See also Prophetic People and Spiritual Warfare in the Church and Prophetic People in Testing Times: Signs of Trial

©  Helen Calder   Enliven Blog

On team with David McCracken Ministries

I read in a time management book recently that clutter in one’s home or work environment causes stress. I figure that is because clutter represents a pile of unfinished tasks. This, I muse, makes a great deal of sense. My own current ‘clutter’ issue is not indoors but just outside. My garden glares at me accusingly every time I walk in and out of our front door. It is a mass of unpruned roses and the last brave flowers—the ones that were giving me the excuse of neglect—have been lost to the winds.

This is somewhat ironic because I have just been in the process of writing a chapter about pruning. According to the Bible, God is in the business of cultivating our lives, and every now and then He gets out the shears (John 15:1-3). The unpleasant business is all for good, of course, because the end result of pruning is greater fruitfulness.

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

Prophetic people go through testing times, and whether these relate to the barrenness of a winter season or the process of pruning, there IS some good news to be had. Here are some examples from the Bible:

The Testing Season: What is God Doing?

1. Developing Skills you will need in the Future

(Gen 37-50)

Joseph knew that his destiny was one of rulership, but it seemed that his life was taking the opposite course. Sold into slavery and unjustly imprisoned, he developed skills that would be invaluable to his future. During the season of trial, God may be working gifts and skills into your life that you need to fulfil His destiny in the long run.

2. Refining Character

(James 1:4)
Integrity is of vital importance so that the ministry and God’s Name is not discredited. This is especially true when operating in spiritual gifts such as prophecy.

Other character traits that God looks for in His people are humility and the ability to persevere. After a 40-year sojourn in the wilderness, Moses was a man of great humility. God had refined his character in the desert.

3. Repositioning

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

Elijah sat under a tree in the desert and actually prayed that he would die. The Lord visited Him and gave him directions for a new season of his ministry. He was to call Elisha as his successor and anoint a new king who would bring Jezebel’s reign to an end (1 Kings 19).

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

4. Calling us to Intimacy with God

(Hosea 2:14-15)
Testing times are seasons when we have the opportunity to get closer to God than any other time. Perhaps there are fewer distractions. Perhaps need or barrenness causes us to draw nearer to Him.

5. Awaiting the Right Timing

While we feel as though we are fighting to survive, God is moving to change the scenery on the stage of our lives—positioning circumstances, others and us for what is to come. David went on the run from Saul in the wilderness. He was destined to become a king, but he became an outlaw first. He stayed in the desert while God worked things out on his behalf. Saul died and eventually the people called for David to be their new king.

6. Strengthening our Faith

Abraham is known as the ‘father of faith.’ It was twenty-five barren years before Isaac was born in fulfilment of God’s promise to make him a great nation; God waited until it was physically impossible. Paul later said of Abraham in Romans 4:19-20:

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

7. Pruning for Greater Fruitfulness

Pruning seasons occur when the best that we have produced is stripped away from us and every natural means of being fruitful seems to have been removed, leaving us barren (John 15:2). God is allowing fruitful areas of our lives and ministries to be cut back, in order that we can focus in a significant way.

Now, I’d better do something about that garden… tomorrow.

The information in this post is excerpted from the e-book, ‘Grow Your Prophetic and Prayer Gifts.’ If this post has ministered to you and you would like further help in the development of your prophetic gifts, click here to review the book.

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See also Prophetic People in Testing Times

© Helen Calder   Enliven Publishing