How can we encourage people that God wants to speak to them personally? I’m at the residential as one of the faculty of WTC at the moment and we just enjoyed listening to Brad Jersak as he briefly taught some principles from his book ‘Can You Hear Me?’ about releasing ‘The Prophethood Of All Believers’, and then we got to do it. Glorious! I look forward to us hosting Brad as Ivy later in the year and hope he’ll teach and model more on this for us. In the meantime, here are my notes:
Jesus said, ‘My sheep hear my voice.’ He has confidence in us, that it should happen. In the same was as all Gods’s people are intended to be witnesses, all God’s people are meant to be prophetic, though not all are prophets.
There are some very impressive ‘prophetic types’ but the default mode for prophecy is not from strangers but from someone who loves you. So, if someone you don’t know (or you don’t know loves you) gives you a word, check it with someone who you know loves you.
Because prophecy without love is not only worthless, it’s dangerous
Let love be the test of the prophet.
And test the word they try to give you before you receive it by the Word, the Spirit and the Body.
We can expect to hear and when we do – share the word!
How? With love! 1 Cor 13. Let God’s love control both content and tone – especially if it’s ever a corrective word. Only do that with tears, after wrestling long and hard over it. Bathe it in humility.
Never introduce yourself as a prophet. If you are one, you don’t have to tell anyone. They’ll figure it out.
Instead of saying ‘God is telling me’, say ‘As I prayed for you, something came to mind. Can I share it with you?’
If they say yes;
‘Would you now go and ask the Lord if it’s him?’
And can I pray for you as you go and do that?
Once you deliver it, it’s not your word anymore. You don’t have to manage it or make anything happen.
Not every revelation has to be revealed. Maybe you just need to pray about it.
If he or she says ‘Yes please share it’ – ask the Lord what to communicate of what you heard or are hearing, and how to share it, rather than just give it raw.
Everyone found this really helpful and encouraging. May the Lord help us to hear, receive and pass on the Good News (which if it’s from Jesus, it always is).