The "prophetic" is shrouded in mystery and takes many forms. My experience has been that you know when you experience the prophetic.
The last prophetic word I had was a very significant one, it was during the fight for my marriage. My ex-wife and I had hit a sudden bump in the road - actually it was more like an avalanche that swept us both straight off it. All prophetic words should be 'tested', however often people will say, 'test it against scripture'. This is true, it should fit within the moral guidance of scripture and with the commission of God to create culture and disciples. However, most of the time, prophecies are specific to your life and this 'test' is not that useful.
I am going to share some of my own personal story and 5 things to think about when 'testing a word'. Let me tell you what the prophetic word was, and then I will share, in brief, what was going on in my life so you can see how hugely impactful this was and how it was so divinely inspired.
I was new to the church and I went forward for prayer, not something I would usually do. A chap called Craig who I had only spoken to a few times came and put his hand on my shoulder and said 'I feel like I have a word for you'. I felt a sense of relief and dread, what would God say? Or rather, what would this man say? Was he a weirdo who just made stuff up?? what was I going to say if it was a load of nonsense..?? I was talking to God saying 'please don't be just fluff and nonsense I cant cope with anymore empty worded rubbish..' - my thoughts were cut short as he started to speak.
'I can see you outside a house, the house is on fire and you are running around trying to put it out. You are shouting and screaming and nobody is helping you. You keep throwing water on it but it is not slowing down, in fact the flames are just growing, the whole house is burning to the ground before your eyes. You are crying and in despair looking at this house burn. As the smoke clears there behind the burnt house is a new house. Its is being built and it is not the same, it is amazing, it is bigger and better than the house you were trying so hard to save.'
The tears that I have been trying to suck back through my eyeballs start to roll down my cheeks.
He then says 'I feel God is saying that you can not put the fire out on your own. That it is ok. He wants you to know He has seen you trying. I feel God is saying to just wait until the smoke clears and then you will see a new house. That though it doesn't feel like it is possible God has already started building it.'
My tears were flowing freely. This could not sum up my life any better I thought, in fact I couldn't have said it better myself.
He then says -'I don't know if that means something to you?'
I compose myself enough to to say, 'yes' and 'thank you for sharing'.
He then prays, a nice and loving prayer; clearly not knowing what it is all about but that he is thankful for me and that he is excited to see this new house.
Now let me tell you what was going on in my life in spring 2019.
I had been separate from my wife for a year, she was a Christian and we had a new born less than one year old. We had both messed up and the blame for what went wrong was most certainly on both of our heads. We had been very happy and loved each other very much. From early on I was asking her to consider reconciliation, but she continued to refuse. The man she was having an affair with refused to give us space to try and reconcile too. I was feeling HUGE pain and loss. I ended up living in my car for a few months having had a total breakdown, I had lost my whole life, I had stepped down from the church I was pastoring, my friends and my family scattered (In their defense, my friends/family didn't have any idea what had happened as I didn't tell them). My counsellor later said, 'you just laid down and allowed everyone to start kicking'. Haha, yeah that about sums it up!
My entire life; career/calling, my friends, my wife whom I loved, and a full life with my daughter... I was watching it all burn!! 🔥 Both of us had lit the fire out of our own sin/stupidity. Nobody would help put it out. My life/marriage was this house burning to the ground anyone else close enough to help was doing nothing to stop it. The church instead of sounding the alarm and help put out the flames kept them in leadership and was covering up their affair and what had led to the separation. The result of more lies and deception was to let the flames get bigger. I know, messed up right!😢
Now read Craig's prophetic word again, go on, and see if you can feel the impact it would have, from someone who barely knows me and knows nothing of my situation.
Did you read it? Did you feel a little bit of how much this would have affected me?
The second house Craig talked about I am sure you would understand as I do to be looking forward in to the future. That God is promising that He will rebuild my life.
This along with a number of other prophetic moments in my life have been pivotal and these are some of the things I have learned about it:
Prophecy Predicts
Prophecy Protects
Prophecy Projects
Prophecy brings Proximity
Prophecy is Poignant
This was a word in season to me, it was timely, it was poignant. Prophetic words are rarely, in my experience or in scripture, abstract. They are not usually riddles about something far off, but mean something for the moment. Even if they are future telling. In my instance the burning house made perfect sense straight away as a picture of my marriage and even life. This part of a prophetic word is God demonstrating to us that HE KNOWS, He gets it. In this sense a prophetic word should be poignant.
A prophetic word whether about the future, or about now, has a future emphasis and is usually predicting. It is either an overt prediction of future events or, more commonly, a critique on the present and mating that with a prediction about where this will end. This word was certainly predicting, and sadly it was predicting the demise of my marriage. It was also predicting God's goodness in a new life.
It brought me awareness of God's proximity. God wasn't far off, He was near, He knew and He cared. I felt the care of God and was reminded of the scripture 'what is man that you are mindful of him'. The wonder all Christians share is that the God of the universe has us on His mind, and not just collectively but individually. Prophecy reminds us of God's proximity, the Bible says many times 'The Lord is near'. I was reminded that He is 'near to the broken hearted' Ps 34:18.
Prophecy helped project me in to a desired future. One of the most misquoted verses in the Bible is Jeremiah 29:11... it is really annoying and it doesn't help anyone. God doesn't have a 'plan' as such I will have a post on this misquoted bible verse another time (follow my insta so you don't miss it!!). God does have desires and hopes for us and wants us to see things from His perspective at times. The point is that all prophecy involves future, in one way or another God is helping you project in to a preferred future. God wanted me to know that though my life was burning to the ground and that all those whom should/could help were either by standers or worse, throwing petrol on, He was already building a new house (future). He wanted me to begin to move my focus from the ashes to the future. I have written an article on the suffering of ashes and if you have experienced loss I encourage you to read it link here Ashes of Loss
The other thing the prophetic often does is protect. It protects us from harm, often self inflicted harm, it challenges our direction or behaviour and predicts where this may end. The aim being to bring a course correction. It is to protect us and those around us. This word was not an overtly protective, that time had gone, but I have had them or given them in the past and the scriptures probably contain more of this than anything else. It could be said to be protective in some senses as it would carry on preparing my heart for the eventual loss of my wife. I didn’t feel I could give up hope for her to change her course but as a future post will explain this was another battle in my heart that God was going to teach me through. (Coming soon ‘paralysed by hope’)
Be Bold
Can you imagine if Craig had not spoken? If he was too fearful of getting it wrong. I know I have not given people a prophetic word before because I was too self conscious/ fearful And I am a pretty confident person... So be encouraged to step out in faith with the prophetic when you can.
Have you had a prophetic word before? Did it include any of the 5 things above? I would love to hear your experience and what God said. Was it helpful etc.?
If you would like to know more about the role of the prophetic in church and whether it is foretelling or future telling, then I am writing a blog post for my church leadership blog, Zeal for the House, which I hope to have up sometime. I have a few articles to post before then. Please visit the site and sign up!
I hope these wee thoughts about prophecy have been helpful. I know that God longs to speak to us. The primary way He does this is through His word, the Bible of course. However, the prophetic is such a great gift to us and the church that He also speaks directly through the prophetic too. I am so grateful that Craig came and spoke to me, I bet he had some doubts, even nerves, I know I always do! Just think if he hadn't said anything! In 1 Corinthians 12 & 14 we are told to desire the greater gifts and specifically prophecy. So lets keep seeking God to use us all to encourage others with this wonderful gift!
I would love to connect with you, drop me a follow on Insta and say hello! @jossnicholas
Big love
Joss ♥️
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