A National Word …

December 11, 2006

Discouragement as a force has developed in the atmosphere, affecting even those in highest levels of authority. Positioned over them, in the spiritual atmosphere of specific areas, discouragement’s impact causes both heart and vision to wane under its influence.

Principle: Any entrance of wrong spiritual forces includes a spiritual strategy that builds upon loss or the fear of loss. When that happens, from the highest levels right down to the individual level, it becomes evident that something wrong-spirited has entered, and with it a strategy to build upon overwhelmingly negative circumstances. The ultimate threat from the current winds of discouragement is that if self pity and doubt are not (quickly) addressed with courage, these wrong influences will make decisions for us.

Setting: There are times when thinking and choices gravitate strongly to a center other than God, until an overriding negative force takes over the very atmosphere. When this happens a door opens to something we would not have predicted and those seasoned in spiritual matters will tell you that door must be closed, quickly!

Solution: Every person is responsible for a personal share in the larger picture. If spirits of discouragement are influencing us as a group, say on a national level, those in every sector have authority within their sector to stop the influence. The cumulative effect then would be that with every joint supplying, peace is restored with nothing missing, nothing broken.

“And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.” And it happened, when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had brought their plot to nothing, that all of us returned to the wall, everyone to his work. So it was, from that time on, that half of my servants worked at construction, while the other half held the spears, the shields, the bows, and wore armor; and the leaders were behind all the house of Judah. Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon. Every one of the builders had his sword girded at his side as he built. And the one who sounded the trumpet was beside me (Nehemiah 4:14-18 NKJV).”

Amen.

The Prophetic: Disciples are a people of revelation

December 1, 2006

Note: This month our attention extends to consider the future and the harvest available to us. We want to be discipled prophetically and to be a people of revelation that honors and glorifies Him . . .

A People of Revelation

The Lord has called certain of His people to speak prophetically and their words are a supernatural force to – among other things – prepare His people for the future. When prophetic words are sown, there will surely be a harvest of prophetic revelation.

Now is important and the Lord provides for and ministers to us today – now. But the Lord also prepares us for the future. One way He prepares us is by placing us around His prophetic ministry and His prophetic people.

By prophetic I mean “to see”, “to speak”, and “…with an eye toward that which is eternal and therefore is ‘future’.”  Prophetic influence in your life 1) inspires and stirs you, 2) causes you to discover the area of your passion, 3) and, sensitizes you to spiritual things beyond your surface of your being because that which is spiritual in us you is stirred and inspired.

The words “inspired” and “inspirational” come from a root, meaning “in-spirit-ed”. Something goes in, and causes something to happen inside you, in your spirit. Prophetic words of declaration or encouragement move you forward, upward. They can launch you toward the eternal and therefore toward your future – out of your rut, out of your religious stuff, and out of dead religious works – and into that which has eternal value.

Once that which God has placed inside you is stirred and you are aware of there is something in you, then you are also aware that something that can flow out of you and that you are able to teach others. Actually, of course, this is true of believers and of God’s Kingdom but because seeing and revelation are especially associated with the prophetic ministry of Jesus, without that aspect of His ministry, believers may lack both the ability to see (sight) and to know (revelation), both of which are needed so that we can move toward our future in God.

Many are interested in the future, especially what to do in matters to insure their success and not to lose in any way. But instead of seeking God for His wisdom through His Word, or fasting to receive understanding from God in a matter, many seek the information they need through consulting psychics and fortune tellers who pretend to predict the future by an evil spirit of divination. This is not of God as we see in Acts 16:16-18:

“Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved. 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally, Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her! At that moment the spirit left her Acts 16:16-18 NIV.”

The slave girl in Acts 16 was speaking by a wrong spirit. Never allow anyone to touch your spirit with a wrong spirit. Never allow anyone to direct your future unless they have the spirit of godly counsel and wisdom from the Spirit of the living God. As believers we are delivered from such because we have been delivered from the spirit of this world. 

The world lacks understanding in spiritual matters that affect our daily lives and the world’s seeking for the understanding it lacks often is through false means. Actually, the term false prophet is the Bible term for one who produces spiritual counsel without the Spirit of God.

But we should sow into that which nurtures God’s prophetic presence in our lives expect to reap in return sensitivity to God’s Presence and His Presence working in, and through us. In the Bible, the ability to see and understand – often ahead of time – is connected with the prophets. The prophets could see; some were even called seers. This is prophetic expression.

When we do not see we can be like the person who looks into the mirror and sees but as soon as we move away from the mirror and we are no longer see-ing, we forget what we saw, which is a lot like children who have to be told something over and over because they are children, and are immature. We are like children and therefore:

• God is there but we are not able to connect with Him. The result is that we look and act much like the rest of the world, or
• We hear a message or a teacher that stirs us, but then we sort of… leak. That which we’ve heard isn’t applied to our life to train our senses so we can’t grow up and mature.

The Lord will give prophetic words that stir passion for Kingdom matters, stir true spiritual destiny and stir spiritual gifts and vision. His plan is to build maturity and leadership gifts that naturally spring from a prophetic foundation.

Once the foundation is laid there is a progressive path where we begin to learn and receive spiritual milk as a spiritual baby; but then our diet moves from spiritual milk to spiritual meat. Because we grow and mature spiritually we become a people of revelation and are then able to teach others.
[1 Peter 2:2, Hebrews 5:12-14, 1 Corinthians 3:2]