Recently I have been with a number of gifted prophetic people and they have an amazing love for the Word of God and love for God’s people.
What I really love about them is the fact that they’re committed to study, to search, to learn from Scriptures, they are radically reformed spirited filled people!
One of the most important lessons I have learnt about the prophetic is how simple it is. It is very simple because at the heart of the prophetic ministry is to encourage, to build up and to strengthen the lives we encounter.
When you and I encourage someone we are being prophetic, yes we are telling them that God loves them and how God sees them.
That simplicity is also based on a love, commitment and discipline to study the Word of God.
I will never forget two summers ago when we were in Tesco Letterkenny buying food to take to our caravan and we were served by an amazing lady who was really helpful. I remember telling my wife how gracious and good she was. We stopped walking to our car and we turned back to Tesco to find her and when we did we told her how blessed we were by her and how good she was at her job. She was so moved and told us that she does not get that kind of encouragement very often.
It is that simple! Why?
Because at the very core of the prophetic gift is the ability to listen to the voice of God and the voice of God is found in the Scriptures. If I cannot hear the Lord speaking into my life then how can I expect to hear what the Lord is saying to others?
I remember being in a class in New York in Redeemer Presbyterian Church and we asked Tim Keller how does he listen to the voice of the Lord. He told us what he does: he asks these questions of a Bible passage:
- What does the text say about God, Jesus and Holy Spirit?
- What does the text say about me?
- What is the most exciting and striking truth that speaks to me and how can that truth change my life?
Then we all had the opportunity to do just that, we were provided with a notepad and given a Bible passage so that we could have a time to listen to the voice of the Lord, speaking to us through His Word. The outcome of the exercise was so powerful and life changing!
What we did was prophetic, we were given the opportunity to share what the Lord said personally to us and we encouraged one another in the Presence of God.
Why don’t you try it!
D.L. 