Having words for people is a ministry - just like healing, hospitality, feeding the poor and administrations. Some days you are good at it, some days you don't feel like doing it! Are we about our Father's business? Or our own? Are you doing what you know to do?
Having words is a spiritual gift. It is as the Holy Spirit wills, not man. To truly impart, you must be submitted and yielded to the Holy Spirit. This gift is a blessing from God. It is a gift from God. The Scriptures declare: "Despise not prophesying." (I Thessalonians 5:20)
But again let me say, that prophesying is not a gift of man, but a gift from God. And the purpose of the gifts are to comfort, build up and establish you in the Lord. God will not build out of order. He will lay it on the Cornerstone of Christ.
Consider the false prophet who builds on a plan other than God's. He is opposing God. And that can result in fearful things of destruction. And God may need to tear down before He can build up!
We know that God knows everything, and how we want in on His good plan! But what does His Word say?
Isaiah 28:
9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand
doctrine?
[The Answer:]
Them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon
line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.
There are certain requirements for the structure of God. Faith, hope and trust are vital elements along with a clean and pure heart. We must grow up!
So many of us want OUR ministry and we want it NOW! (I've been there.) Some have great needs, but if God does it out of order, the House will not stand. "Unless the Lord build the house, they that labor, labor in vain." (Psalm 127:1)
We can collect knowledge, but if we do not assimilate it properly, it won't work properly! Whose House are we building? Who is the Builder?
We must have a proper attitude toward prophecy. I can speak for myself, as well as others who walk in prophetic ministry as friends, who have discussed this. When people come up and are very self centered or have a self centered approach, we know that we have no words for them. If pressed, chances for a rebuke or word they would not like or find favorable may come out!
Often people who have already decided how it should be, come looking for a word of confirmation. If they can't find it in the Scriptures, why come to the prophet? Do we have more pull than the Word? I think not!
Some really do want the will of God but their approach comes off disrespectful or unsubmitted. This is not a game; this is your life in God. And some who are prophets are not prepared to minister to you and your particular needs.
Prophets must judge themselves, just as all Christians, or be judged. Those who walk in holiness will do that!
Sometimes people will test the prophets in order to pass judgment upon them. This is not wise.
I Chronicles 16:
20 When they went from one nation to another, And from one kingdom to
another people,
21 He permitted no man to do them wrong; Yes, He rebuked kings for their
sakes,
22 Saying, "Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm."
And again the Scriptures state:
Psalm 24:
3 Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy
place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul
to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive blessing from the LORD, And righteousness from the God
of his salvation.
To inquire for a word from the Lord, one must have a clean heart!
Prophets are also human. Only One was sinless and perfect and that was the man Christ Jesus who alone was worthy to pay the Price. All others following are His disciples, and still in the maturing process in the aspects of life. Different prophets are strong or weak in different areas of living.
Just because one is a prophet does not mean they are necessarily and at that time a prophet to you. They may be, but they also must be submitted to God, as well as the one inquiring.
In the Old Testament we see that when Saul sought out Samuel, he knew to take a gift, or a sacrifice. True prophets are not after money, but are looking to see if you are bringing GOD a gift or a sacrifice. You can flatter a man, but you cannot flatter God. He is all wise. He may cause the prophet to give you a wrong word as a rebuke!
God knows your heart. Some are out looking for gifts and some will lie in wait to deceive. I have heard some terrible stories. Do not put your heart into the heart of another man or woman! Seek God. For even if you stumble, God will raise you up.
God can bless people through false prophets and apostles if they receive the Scriptural Word from them. But they will not be blessed if they go apart from the written Word of God. Consider the sad results of many cults. My heart goes out to those who were seeking and were deceived. But God is determined about His Word! He is the Builder! He will bless the inner man of those who humbly seek.
God often gives words to those who have studied to show themselves approved. God is merciful to those who are seeking His will. God will even reach out to those who are not seeking, to bring them in,through others. But all must seek Him and honor Him first to grow in Him.
The Body must reach out to others as well as up to God. A true prophet cannot respond or reply to an out of balance or out of order request. They may correct or they may stay silent as they feel personally led.
Not all prophets are mature. Some will correct too harshly, some may get carried away in their zeal or imaginations. Some even use the mixture of divinations. Sounds scary, doesn't it? But if you remember how the Foundation is laid, on the Word, you will be alright.
God is on your side! He wants to bless you! But a false word can be worse than no word at all. When a prophet gives a word to you, it should confirm what you already know. Or if it is a new area for you, it should bring peace to your walk.
Life does have some hard circumstances and life has new circumstances and situations. There is a big Plan going on. We may not get what we want, but we will get what we need because God cares.
All His Best to you,
Pam Clark