I was surprised to hear a Pastor say that He didn't believe in prophetic ministry or that individuals can still hear God. When I asked him how he knew what to preach without hearing God;s voice, he said, "Well, I can hear that!" I know that I could not counsel without hearing God's voice. The Word of God clearly says ...
John 10:27
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them,
and they follow me.
Rev 3:19-20 As many as I love, I
rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20 Behold,
I stand at the door, and knock: if
any man hear my voice, and open the door,
I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
KJV
The
question is, "What does hearing God's voice mean to you?"
We had to go back to the Bible to
find out what it really teaches about hearing God and
prophetic ministry. Are prophecies, dreams and visions
really being poured out on all flesh as the Prophet Joel
predicted? Is God really willing to speak to each of us
through prophetic ministry? Is hearing God's voice a normal
part of communion with God?
Many people have an Old Testament definition of hearing
God's voice:
a prophet who sternly corrects and who
predicts destruction. Others pray for direction and specific
words of wisdom for themselves and others all the time,
believing that God gives wisdom liberally. Many times, my
own personal direction has been "confirmed by a witness" who
heard from God, like Paul was confirmed in Acts. Often this
has been through prophetic ministry.
Acts 21:10-11 And as we
tarried there many days, there came down from Judea a
certain prophet, named Agabus. 11 And when he was come
unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands
and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall
the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this
girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the
Gentiles. KJV
Most of us prefer the New Testament definition of the gift
of prophecy: for
edification, exhortation and comfort to the church.
(l Cor. 14:3)
Did you know that is the one thing you are
commanded to covet, "Covet to
prophesy?" KJV Have you obeyed these
commands to desire the gift and to receive those that have
it?
1
Cor 14:1-2 Follow the way of love and
eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially
the gift of prophecy.
Matt 10:40-41 "He who
receives you receives me, and he who receives me
receives the one who sent me. 41 Anyone who
receives a prophet because he is a prophet will
receive a prophet's reward ... NIV
I used to believe that hearing God's
voice and the gift prophesy ceased after Acts 2.
Then the Holy Spirit reminded
me that most of the scripture in the New Testament,
about the hearing gifts, was written after Acts! How
could I believe 1 Cor. 13 and not believe chapters 12
and 14? While 1 Cor 13:9-10 says, "For we know in part
and we prophesy in part; 10 but when the perfect comes,
the partial will be done away," I don't believe that
this will be fulfilled until the only perfect one comes
back again. He had already come and gone when this
passage was written.
.
Actually, my passionate desire for
hearing God's voice and to hear His heart of love for
people overtook my
doubts and fears. I cannot imagine trying to intercede
for people if the Holy Spirit did not tell me how to
pray. In every prayer counseling/ministry session, our
precious Holy Spirit orchestrates in unique ministry to
each individual. He tells me what questions to ask. He
chooses which people to lead to us for ministry because
He knows how He can operate through each of us as He
wills. He is the one that convicts of sin, righteousness
and judgment, by speaking to each one of us.
1 Peter 4:10-11 As every
man hath received the gift, even so minister the
same one to another, as good stewards of the
manifold grace of God. 11 If any man speak, let him
speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister,
let him do it as of the ability which God giveth:
that God in all things may be glorified through
Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for
ever and ever. Amen. KJV
.
There are different types of prophetic
anointing and ministry
specified in the New Testament:
The O.T. and N.T. are full of examples of
prophetic words
to congregations and to individuals. All
personal prophecy is conditional on the obedient
cooperation of the recipient. For instance, the prophet
anointed Saul as King, but his repeated life style of
disobedience eventually stole his destiny from him.
There is prophecy that is not conditional: end times
prophecies will come true regardless of the disobedience
of man.
The Bible is clear as to what our response to prophecy
should be:
1 Cor 14:39-40 Therefore, my
brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do
not forbid speaking in tongues.
1 Cor 14:3-4 He who speaks
in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies
edifies the church.
1 Thess 5:19-21 do not treat
prophecies with contempt. 21 Test everything.
Hold on to the good.
Rom 10:17 So then
faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by
the word of God. KJV
*** The Strong's
definition of word - NT:4487 - in this case, is the
rhema word:
rhema (hray'-mah); from NT:4483; an utterance (individually, collectively or specifically); by implication, a matter or topic (especially of narration, command or dispute); with a negative naught whatever:(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright (c) 1994, Biblesoft and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
James 4:17 Anyone, then, who
knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it,
sins.
Heb 6:12 that you do not
become sluggish, but imitate those who through
faith and patience inherit the promises.
Hab 2:2-3 2 Then the LORD
replied:
"Write down
the revelation and make
it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.
3 For the revelation awaits
an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not
prove false.
Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.
1 Tim 1:18-20 This charge I
commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies
previously made concerning you, that by them you may
wage the good warfare, 19 having faith
and a good conscience, which some having rejected,
concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck,
One of the strangest lies in the
church has been
that only men can be five fold ministers, like
prophets, because there are records of the
prophetess and women with the gift of prophesy in
the New Testament.
Luke 2:36 And there was one
Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the
tribe of Aser ...
Acts 21:8-9 ... we entered
into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one
of the seven; and abode with him. 9 And the same man had
four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy. KJV
What we need are more schools of the
prophets like scripture records
(1 Kings 2 and 4) where
those with the gifts were trained by others like Elijah
or Samuel. Many people in these last days find that they
can hear God clearly, but do not have the instruction
and accountability to qualified prophetic oversight.
The stronger the gift and the higher the
office,
the greater the accountability should be.
Any great thing that God does, the devil will
counterfeit. Let's obey the scripture which commands us
"do all things in order" -- not to be
afraid of doing all things.
QUENCH NOT THE SPIRIT! but desire earnestly to edify,
exhort and comfort with the prophetic word. Hearing
God's voice is a normal part of the Christian life.
\o/ \o/ \o/ Open those arms
wide and receive it!
Prov 7:2 Keep my commands
and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of
your eye.
Believing His Word, Carlotta
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