I was talking with a minister friend of mine today and we were discussing the prophetic position of the church and the state of the nation and sharing with each other what we saw prophetically. Since both of us are in positions where we work to see people released into their ministries and destinies, we both get concerned about "the big picture" out there as it relates to the Church and the ministry.
It's very typical for prophets to ask each other, "What do you see?" and in doing that we could tell that we see a lot of the same thing! He and I are not necessarily involved and working with the same people yet we are "out there" in the ministry world and we observe.
One of the biggest frustrations that my friend saw was people who like to get close to the prophetic but don't go on with it. I had to agree. A lot of people like "a word" and use it for selfish purposes and gain but don't go on to do ministry with the word. Walking in the prophetic means battles, if you are really called and chosen.
If you are looking for a safe place in the prophetic ministry, you aren't going to find one! If you are looking for a pastor to cover you, you don't understand the gift! You may have a prophetic gifting but not the office calling. If you have the prophetic office call, you stand in equal partnership with the other five fold ministry. The place where the problem arises is when the gift wants to rise up and usurp the authority of the local church.
There are times when you will be called as a prophet to speak forth the word and face the consequences. But if all hell breaks loose against you and you are thrown out or disfellowshipped, guess what? Welcome to the ministry.
This is why it pays to get it right. Prophets often have a burning word inside of them and they think they cannot control it--they have to get it out. And sometimes that is so, but the longer you do this, the more you will find you have more control over it than you thought!
Prophets have purpose in the Body. They are servants to Jesus and serve as a compass to the ministry. They speak forth the direction and understanding but it is not for them to control other people's actions. This is why it pays to develop good relationships before being too free with your points of view.
If your gift as a prophet is not a gift, then you may not be warmly received and welcomed. If you come across as one who is critical, or judgmental or fault-finding, you are probably not favorite company. But prophets are called to change things and challenge the status quo, and so it pays to be as friendly as possible while doing that, but know that if you are serving Jesus and not man, you will take some abuse and persecution. ALL who are Godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution and our growing pains!
This just goes with the territory of the calling, and when it comes to this kind of governmental office heat, people aren't so quick to jump on the bandwagon and call themselves prophets. A lot of people want to be pastors but don't have an ounce of mercy or patience with the flock. They are not really pastors.
We need the gifts of the Body and the ones who are called will manifest the enablements of the calling. Training is helpful and sometimes necessary, but the ability to perform the supernatural task will be there if the person is truely called to that position.
There are a lot of wannabe's in the flock because it looks attractive. But until they have ever faced the demonic forces of making a front line stand for God and held on when everyone else bailed out, they have not proven their calling.
You will be tested! Some ministers get so discouraged they want to quit the ministry. And you know whose fault that is? The support flock who didn't come through in their ministries. What then happens is that the hedge of protection comes down and the enemy makes himself a stronghold and then when they are raided, the people go screaming for their ministers. And maybe they are there (beaten and bloody and bruised), and maybe they are not! Take a look around!
How many Christians in the world does God have to go around? If five million people in China are crying out to God for help, how many can He send? And if He does send them, will they go?
We have been spoiled in America, but in many ways the hedges are down. People who tell people what they want to hear are in the pulpits to satisfy the itching ears. Things seem so peaceful, it must be ok, but once the enemy sneaks in, infiltrates, and makes the raid, then what?
People don't know the difference between the Red Cross and the Church! The big corporations and governmental agencies can come across just as benevolent as the Church and people can't tell the difference. Sometimes they come across even better, but what has really happened?
Before you put down the benevolent agencies, guess where they learned their strategies? They learned them from the Church! But in the interim, the Church lost its distinction as the Church and so we have the world and the Church competing and the world is winning. We need prophets in the Church.
We need them but we need them as a blessing and not as condemning judges. God's Word is true enough that the paycheck or result of sin is destruction and death and loss. And prophets will tell you that, but true prophets will also offer positive solutions.
Sometimes the solution is to repent, and sometimes it will be to point direction. When the prophets point the direction, though, it is not for the prophets to carry it. This makes some people angry, but they just don't understand the job. Prophets are also called to warn, but if the people don't repent or heed, it is not the prophet's fault.
The worst prophet in the world is an "I told you so" prophet, but if the prophet has really had the best good of the people and the ministry in mind and suffered for them, it can be tempting.
The Holy Spirit convicts of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. When people are in sin and don't want to be corrected, the Holy Spirit in those around them will bug them because they are convicted! And when convicted, we humans do not always respond in the most pleasant of ways...
But if Jesus is really in a person, the conviction of the Holy Spirit will win out. And if they harden their heart to the ministry of the Spirit, they may not come back!
Hebrews 6:
1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
3 And this will we do, if God permit.
4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
Yes, we can resist the dealings of the Holy Spirit, but eventually the Word of God will win out to the good of a truely born again believer. A person who has blasphemed the Holy Spirit will not even want to come back to the Lord, but God will strive by His Spirit to reach the person, until He chooses to strive no more. This is not something we want to play with!
It is not just our personal life with God that is judged by God, but also our fellowship life. Some want to be lone rangers and cultish and separate themselves as exclusive in God, but in doing so, have excluded themselves by pride. Others, on the other hand, are so free with the Body of people that there is no holiness.
There is a Fellowship that lives "Holiness unto the Lord." We struggle together and suffer together, but we are going somewhere and getting somewhere and that is increase in the Kingdom of God.
My friend and I were talking about those who do not go on with God and how draining that can be and the enemy hates the fact that you might win someone, but that striving to win them to God's way is what we are called to do. And we must learn how to minister wisely so that the enemy does not take us out!
One of the things I noticed was the strategy that the enemy is using now is complacency. Right now it seems that the President of the United States has gotten away with a sin, but he hasn't. So many are saying "WHY is the news media going on and on and on about this? Who cares?"
Well, it's probably in the media for the same reason that Israel and the Mid East is always in the news. God cares!
God cares about women just as much as He cares about men. And God will defend His righteous women! Just as it is wrong for a woman to usurp authority over a man, just so it is wrong for a man to abuse and mistreat those entrusted into his care. In both cases, it is a misuse and abuse of authority and it will be dealt with!
Many have joked about the "All Seeing Eye of God" but yet it is true. Look at what Scripture says about that and the context that it is in:
Proverbs 5:
15 Drink water from your own cistern, And running water from your own well.
16 Should your fountains be dispersed abroad, Streams of water in the streets?
17 Let them be only your own, And not for strangers with you.
18 Let your fountain be blessed, And rejoice with the wife of your youth.
19 As a loving deer and a graceful doe, Let her breasts satisfy you at all times; And always be enraptured with her love.
20 For why should you, my son, be enraptured by an immoral woman, And be embraced in the arms of a seductress?
21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, And He ponders all his paths.
The New Century Version has a good translation of this:
15 Be faithful to your own wife, just as you drink water from your own well.
16 Don't pour your water in the streets; don't give your love to just any woman.
17 These things are yours alone and shouldn't be shared with strangers.
18 Be happy with the wife you married when you were young. She gives you joy, as your fountain gives you water.
19 She is as lovely and graceful as a deer. Let her love always make you happy; let her love always hold you captive.
20 My son, don't be held captive by a woman who takes part in adultery. Don't hug another man's wife [inappropriately*].
21 The LORD sees everything you do, and he watches where you go.
22 An evil man will be caught in his wicked ways; the ropes of his sins will tie him up.
23 He will die because he does not control himself, and he will be held captive by his foolishness.
[* Some men are very jealous over their wives! The Apostle Paul says it is good for a man not to touch a woman. There are reasons for that, many of which you can figure out. Touching is not wrong, but certain kinds of touching are, expecially where it is excessive and in an isolated place. When a man touches or holds a woman inappropriately, she feels that he is taking responsibility for her because that is how God made her system to interpret that gesture and most men know that. The seductress or seducer invites the inappropriate touching. It goes beyond a good will gesture of caring. This is how people get seduced. Sexual relations outside of the marriage bond invite the response of responsibility that is not able to be carried out and it does great harm to both the man and the woman but God judges the woman as the weaker or more sensitive, delicate and precious vessel and will hold the man more responsible, according to the Word of God. When things go right, everyone is blessed. When they go wrong, the Body of Christ is damaged and we all suffer.]
The Living Bible is good paraphrase of this, too:
15 Drink from your own well, my son--be faithful and true to your wife.
16 Why should you beget children with women of the street?
17 Why share your children with those outside your home?
18 Be happy, yes, rejoice in the wife of your youth.
19 Let her breasts and tender embrace satisfy you. Let her love alone fill you with delight.
20 Why delight yourself with prostitutes, embracing what isn't yours?
21 For God is closely watching you, and he weighs carefully everything you do.
God cares about these issues! Read all of Proverbs 5.
God has mercy for those who are deceived, if they want to get right with Him. But if one scoffs at God, his doom may be eternal. The Holy Spirit is there to convict you, but He will not strive forever.
Sometimes we want our way so badly. And sometimes it seems that those who aren't living God's ways are ruling and winning, but hang in there. It's not over until it's over, and God will prevail.
What is sad is that a lot of people right now think that the President did get away with this. The President's wife seems to be standing by her man, and probably is for the sake of our nation and her family. But God sees her heart! And He also sees the President's heart!
I can't say I know all the inner workings of what is going on between them, but God knows and God cares! His desire is restoration but the wicked will not go unpunished. All of us thank God for His mercy but it comes with the sacrifice of a repentant and consecrated life.
As my friend and I continued to talk, I commented that many are in a trap right now, being fooled that what happened is ok. It seems like a license to get away with something if they want to. The woman was humiliated and to this point, the attorney has not fought back, that we can see. I can understand her reasoning.
But there is such a thing as "Pay Day Some Day." Adultery seems to almost be a status quo and sexual perversion readily accepted, but there is another Opinion. There is a Proverb that says, "If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?"
I went grocery shopping today and noticed that the prices were a little higher. I thought about the fact that we are engaged as a nation in military confrontations. I thought about the fact that foreign dignitaries have their points of view. I thought about the corporate workplace and how people will react and feel to this national mistreatment and injustice. Isn't it obvious how many parents do not teach their children right and wrong?
I have gotten more than one letter from people who are telling me that their ministers or husbands (and wives do it, too) are committing the same wrongs. And who could be surprised when the Church seems to be mocked for a righteous stand? Of course there will be those wannabe's and failures and phoneys who want the perks of ministry without the sanctified life.
If you think that this event is not going to open up the door of exposure all across the nation, think again. Women are not doormats. Neither are men! Listen, God took woman from the man. That means individually, they have missing parts alone. They need each other.
This issue of having proper respect is one that God feels strongly about and He will deal with it! And if He deals in judgment, the whole nation will be crying.
There are precious few who really do want to walk in integrity. I told my friend when he asked me what did I see that I see God looking at and testing character. When the shaking comes, and it appears that it will and has begun, it will be the righteous who stand.
This phoney baloney hot air and lack of respect, be it words or actions, will not continue with the blessings of God.
Those who do not live and honor the Commandments of God will fall. Some seem so debatable right now, but isn't it amazing how we look for the right answers when we are in desperate need? Will God respond?
God's days are longer than our days. God does not just judge individually but He also judges corporately -- cities, nations, families, businesses and churches.
Are you right with God? Are you where you are supposed to be? Are you looking for mercy and justice more than condemnation and judging? God respects the individual. If we ever lose that concept, a spirit of confusion will take over and every man's brother will be against his own house.
It's time to repent corporately as well as individually. God is judging and testing and looking over closely over all that we do. He cares. Do you? His scales are honest and they are just. Are yours? His Word is the Way, the only Way. And His Word is FOR you, if you just obey!