True Prophecy Comes from the Heart
Prophecy Comes From Intimacy
In last week’s blog “Essential Communication,” we explored how communicating with God in a deeper way helps us to learn how He communicates with us.
Hearing His Voice Can Happen Anywhere
Once we know His heart and His love for us, then we can expand into hearing His voice for others. Hearing God’s voice can happen anywhere; while you are shopping in your local grocery store, filling up with gas, on your job. And obviously, hearing His voice and heart for others is meant to be used to build up your brothers and sisters in Christ at your church!
What Are E.E.C. Words?
This ability to hear God’s voice to edify, exhort, or comfort others (EEC words – 1 Corinthians 14:3 NKJV) is what the New Testament terms as prophecy. In all circumstances, prophecy must be born from a close relationship with God and reflect an understand His true nature. Then when speaking God’s heart toward others, prophecy becomes a life-giving force to declare His words over people.
Stewardship NOT Counterfeit
The gift of prophecy is extremely important, and as ambassadors of His kingdom, His heart, and His words it has to be stewarded correctly! Too many times we see this amazing gift manipulated and counterfeited in a way that can deeply hurt and damage someone’s life or even the life of a church. Therefore our hearts have to be aligned with His to receive and deliver these messages from the Spirit correctly. The only way to do this in complete humility, unity, and in unison with the Spirit of God. His declarations need to be what He wants to say and spoken when He wants to say them. “Practicing” prophecy on people can have sad outcomes when the one prophesying lacks knowledge about God’s Word and God’s heart.
The Radical Middle!
People perish through a lack of knowledge! (Proverbs 29:18 and Hosea 4:6). These scriptures talk about the lack of knowledge of God’s Word and His Holy Spirit to operate in love, power, and unity in our lives. Or, as we call it here at Roots and Wings Ministry International, it is “The Radical Middle.” The Radical Middle is the center place between the unchanging truth of God’s Word and the current expression and experience of where the Holy Spirit moves and operates freely. Because so few people have experienced the balance and freedom that comes from The Radical Middle, our heart is to be able to, through practice teach, train, demonstrate, equip, and release the Body of Christ into all areas of hearing His voice and releasing His kingdom. We do this to bring life and to bring others into a deeper relationship with Jesus. We want you to grow not only for yourself, but then so that you can, in turn, deliver His Word and His Spirit to the people around you! This desire to hear and then make His loving intentions known to others is where true prophecy is born.
The Apostle Peter defines true prophecy this way:
For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw His majestic splendor with our own eyes when He received honor and glory from God the Father. The voice from the majestic glory of God said to Him, ‘This is My dearly loved Son, who brings Me great joy.’ We ourselves heard that voice from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.
Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts. Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God’” (2Pt. 1:16-21 NLT).
Prophecy Releases Heaven On Earth
From Scripture, we see that true prophecy came directly from God through the Holy Spirit, which was then revealed to believing men and women to declare. In other words, the heart and purpose of prophecy is to bring glory to Jesus and fulfill God’s Word in our lives. It will always point back to the One who gives us the prophecy. It will not glorify the women and men who declare it, but reveal to others God nature and His kingdom. Prophecy releases heaven on earth.
Now I’m sure this sounds like quite a tall order. To break this down more clearly, next week we look at how not to get stressed or anxious about receiving a prophetic word from God.