The nearer we get to the end of the age, the greater the outpouring of the Holy Spirit there will be. “And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions” (Joel 2:28).
We need to teach people to prophesy rightly, or to not prophesy at all. The outpouring will come, but will we be ready? The words below came during a prayer session recently, and I added the verses as foundation afterwards. I am hoping to do one blog on each of the five-fold ministries.
Prophesying has little to do with telling the future, and more to do with exposing the present.
A prophet must rely upon the resources of God, or sit down.
A prophet should not seek a prophecy for themselves.
A prophet who claims exclusive access to God is the Devil in fine linen.
God gives a word with one or more witnesses.
The best way to spot a false prophet is not that their prophecies do not come true, but that their prophecies are always meant to satisfy man and not change him.
Better to be a silent prophet than a false prophet. “’Behold, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,’ says the Lord…” (Jeremiah 23:32). Never slander a righteous God. You might fool man, but you will never fool God.
If you are a prophet, then prophesy, otherwise of what use are you?
You should never choose a calling by who you look up to. Their calling is not yours.
Never look for what you are good at. Where can God get the glory in that?
Never choose your calling, just listen for it.
You cannot be a prophet to your own glory and survive as an instrument of God.
The only people that want to be a prophet are the ones that don’t know what it will cost them.
Spirit and truth are the pillars for a prophet of God. A prophet cannot prophesy rightly with one and not the other, as they are one in the same. “the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:17).
It is not for man to grade a prophet, but for the Lord.
The success for a prophet is not if men will listen to them, but if they will listen to God.
Some words of the Lord are not to go through a prophet, but land squarely upon them. A prophet always takes the bigger beating than the one poured out through them.
God always chooses the hard routes for the prophets. The Devil will always show people the easy routes.
Everyone can walk in the prophetic, but a prophet will live in it.
A prophet can only know it is a word of the Lord if they know the word by which to compare it to.
The five-fold ministry is not a hierarchy as much as a foundation. “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers” (Ephesians 4:11).
You cannot be used of God so long as you are trying to use God for your own glory.
There will be a greater outpouring, but will there be any vessels ready to receive?
Never think the prophet must always understand the words. They only must be obedient in delivering the word.
If you ever say “the Lord said” when the Lord did not say, you are a false prophet. “The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule by their own power; And My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?” (Jeremiah 5:31).
Whenever in doubt, do not claim the word is from the Lord.
If you do not give credit to a prophet on a prophetic word, then you are stealing from God Himself.
Many are called, but few are chosen. The chosen are not exalted, rather they are the humble ones.
Just because you prophesy does not mean that the words are from God.
Only man would say there are no prophets, that they would not have to listen to them.
Always beware prophets that exalt themselves.
You can choose to follow God, but only God will choose His prophets. “And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers…” (1 Corinthians 12:28).
God does not choose a prophet by their ability to speak, but to listen.
You cannot hear God if you do all the talking.
Revelation is not revealing something new, but something hidden.
Prophecy never comes by drawing water from a well, but rain falling from heaven. There is no effort, only being able to receive it.
A prophetic word means nothing if it does not change you.
Everyone wants to be a prophet until they find out His deepest words only flow through the deepest cracks. “Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword…” (Hebrews 11:36-37).
Stop thinking of yourself as the author, but the pen.
A prophet never has writer’s block because they are not the writer.
He does not need your help but your submission. “for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21).
Stop thinking how you might help God, and just let Him use you how He will.
Don’t let theology hinder your faith. Jesus told the theologians of His day, “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me…” (John 5:39-40).
You can only touch a spirit by the Spirit, every attempt otherwise falls helplessly to the ground.
You cannot touch the spirit of a man with emotional words because you are plowing in the wrong field.
Clever minds can write clever words, but a word of the Lord will have power.
It is not enough to be filled, but you must keep filling up, that you can pour out on those around you.
For the Spirit to flow there needs to be room.
It is only by Him, so you just need to get out of the way. “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the Lord of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6).
The harder you try, the harder He must break you.
You are but the vessel, He is what will pour out.
You are a messenger, not the message.
The more you rely upon God, the more He can count on you to be reliable for him.
There will be no ascension spiritually so long as you are climbing natural ladders.
Never prophesy in the natural from what you can see, but only by what the Lord would show you. “Surely the Lord God does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7).
You cannot touch the spirit of a man using natural arguments.
You do not walk in the Spirit on natural grounds.
It is only by the Spirit that you can see in the Spirit.
You cannot flow in spiritual revelation until you only rely upon the Holy Spirit.
Blessings to you,
Paul