My personal experiences with prophecy and the prophetic gift
I do not consider myself a prophet, nor am I close to being as prophetically gifted as other “non-prophets” who also possess prophetic gifts. When I am not being lazy (and I am often lazy), I lean into these gifts and with my faith prophesy in accordance with [my] measure of faith” – Romans. When I am being slothful, I just speak to folks or pray for them out of my own intellect. While that may be passable at times, it robs God of the opportunity to animate my prayer conversation, turning it into a prophetic encounter for the other person.
If we take the focus off ourselves and our own faith, lack thereof, gifting or lack thereof, and onto the person that God loves, prophesy takes on another dimension. It simply becomes another powerful channel for God’s love, much like the gifts of helps and service.
Approach the faith with the faith of a child – As a new believer, I accepted that God was the One showing up in supernatural dreams, and that never made me feel special or more gifted than anyone else. I believe it is because I was involved in churches that never elevated “showier” spiritual gifts to be anything out of the ordinary.
That is a grace from God I can clearly see benefitted me back then but also benefits all those I have mentored and taught since. We are not a special class of Christians; we’re normal, doing normal Christian stuff. Revelation through dreams, visions, or while praying for or speaking with someone is an exciting way to partner with God for another person’s edification. It is about GOD from end to end and how God wants to bless, encourage, strengthen, or warn another person. We really are just the mediators of His love.
Receiving prophecy from others: I received scary-specific prophetic words from a pastor who does not know me: children’s ministry in the inner city; business; women’s ministry; coming HS visitation; you will hear within 24 hours (dream about me); God will meet me—wait for me; prophecy about a family member’s health and even my business.
Receiving prophetic messages to give to others – Most of the time, when I receive words that I believe God intends as messages for others, I have been praying for them at the time. Other times, it’s random: In witnessing to a young “Satanist,” I got a clear revelation about the state of his heart and his hurt. This revelation tumbled out of my mouth while I was speaking with him, and his experience was that of a stranger telling him the intents of his heart. [He has since grown up; we found each other at church, and he is now a happy husband and father.]
Sometimes, prophecy visually manifests in my mind’s eye or as words on a blank screen, or a more flowing prophecy that I write in my journal when I receive it and deliver later. Having served the Lord fervently, studied his Word, and sat under wonderful, gifted leaders for 4 decades, I have learned how to handle prophecy and know when it’s given or received wrongly. I don’t say this out of pride but to verify my wisdom on this topic with lots of experience to back it up.
Future prophetic revelations just to me: From personal things to come (i.e., a dream that a granddaughter had recently been conceived) to prophetic visions about events to come. I tend to write these down, pray about them, and shelve them. If I share, it is to a chosen few at the proper time.
God doesn’t want us to spill every personal revelation out to just anyone, even if it’s about other people. Sometimes, He tells us things to pray about and treasure in our hearts. He does this because Jesus calls us friends.
But I have called you friends because I have revealed to you everything I heard from my Father. – John 15:15
NEXT…. How can we apply prophecy as God speaks to and through us?
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