As part of my internship, I went to a Prophetic Equipping School this week.
I've always been fascinated by the prophetic, and my dad is clearly a prophet, so it was incredible to have the chance to spend a couple of days dedicated to learning more about this incredible gift.
There's way too much to write here about prophecy and the prophetic, so I'll stick to a few key points that I've picked up, both this week, and in the past few years.
When we accept Christ as our saviour, and receive Him into our hearts, we become able to prophesy. The way that I understand this is that it doesn't mean that we have a particular prophetic anointing, but that if we open ourselves up to it, and God speaks to us, we have the ability to prophesy. I also believe that we can receive a prophetic anointing that marks the anointed as a Prophet, and there are several things that come with that.
God's heart is to reveal his love for his people. If you look at the Old Testament, there is a string of prophets, whose job it was to reveal God's love for the people. Sometimes this wasn't quite what they wanted to hear, because they had strayed so far from His plan for them that they needed disciplining. God never disciplines out of hate, but always out of love, so if a prophet brought a word that appeared discouraging to the Israelites, it was only so that they could be brought back into line with His perfect plan.
We have for several years now seen a revival of the post of prophet in the Church. This excites me, because I want to know God's heart for his people. Prophecy takes various forms. God's word can be revealed through pictures, visions, dreams, interpretation of dreams, the scriptures, impressions, words popping into the head, and sometimes the audible voice of God, to name but a few of the most common ones.
Why is prophecy coming to the forefront of God's people again? I don't know. All I know is that when a prophetic word is brought, it's used for the encouragement of the Church, and for the advancement of the Kingdom of God. It's for God's glory, and it's to reveal his heart for his people.
Hmmm. Some stuff to think about.
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3 comments:
hey Mark-good post
I wonder (and here goes one of my "prophetic" giftings) if the rise in the office of prophet has to do with the fact that there's a greater desire for people to know what God wants directly, as opposed to just assuming it from theology and dogma for a few millenia. The difference between ancient Israel, where the prophets said things the people didn't want to hear, and today, where the prophets say things we do want to hear, is that back then God's people rejected God (well, off and on) to turn to alternative spirituality, while in modern society (i.e. pre-WWII, a time which still has strong roots in our own), God's people rejected Him for a less genuine, liturgically-based dry Christianity (i.e. the theology and dogma). What was needed then was a clarion call back to the true God, and what is needed and desired now is the genuine revelation of God's heart.
so cool Mark. Prophetic is so simple and so amazing. It makes old men cry, and gives callus youth the chills. I love it.
It's so good to see it rising up again. It's funny how a few words...when divinly inspired...can change the course of someones life.
where's the baby post?!?!?!?!
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