Operating in the prophetic is always a little nerve-wracking for me. “Prophetic” in Christianese for simply hearing from God. In the prophetic, we are fallible human beings trying to connect with God and share what we are hearing. He doesn’t take a chalkboard out and write it out so we can see it clearly. It’s not a science and hard to explain. It requires an open heart: We have to more feel and discern our way through the three voices in our head:
1. Our voice (or maybe other people’s voices)
2. God’s voice
3. the voice of a stranger (aka the enemy)
These voices tug and pull, whisper and yell to keep us headed on the path of our destiny or get us off track. What I’ve learned about God’s voice is that it brings freedom, peace, and a love for ourselves and others.
The prophetic can be depicted in different ways-like on the big screen in the movie 2012 about a prophecy for the exact time and "end of the world." Jesus said that it's not for us to know the hour or the day...that no one knows, not even the angels in heaven or Jesus but only the Father knows when He is coming back.
Many fear prophecy because its scary to allow someone to creepily peer behind the curtain's of our mind like a Peeping Tom. God and prophecy are NOT AT ALL like that in my experience. Many "prophets" have a gift but are not filled with love. These Debby Downer prophets are commonly found in some church settings: the prophet knows all, sees all, manipulates people with the gift. If you cross Debby she will expose all your secret sins. THAT IS NOT GOD! When others exposed the woman in the bible caught in the very act of adultery, Jesus covered HER and stood between her and those who had exposed her! God is not exposing our sin but our GREATNESS. He sees us like a Father sees His own beloved child: WONDERFUL, ONE OF A KIND, CHERISHED! His plan for us is GOOOD! A prophecy can be like a Father cheering His child on at a sports event! Saying in front of everyone, “That’s my child!" He's cheering us on when we are winning and proud of us even when we don’t because we still have His eyes and look like Him since He’s our Father.
Many fear prophecy because its scary to allow someone to creepily peer behind the curtain's of our mind like a Peeping Tom. God and prophecy are NOT AT ALL like that in my experience. Many "prophets" have a gift but are not filled with love. These Debby Downer prophets are commonly found in some church settings: the prophet knows all, sees all, manipulates people with the gift. If you cross Debby she will expose all your secret sins. THAT IS NOT GOD! When others exposed the woman in the bible caught in the very act of adultery, Jesus covered HER and stood between her and those who had exposed her! God is not exposing our sin but our GREATNESS. He sees us like a Father sees His own beloved child: WONDERFUL, ONE OF A KIND, CHERISHED! His plan for us is GOOOD! A prophecy can be like a Father cheering His child on at a sports event! Saying in front of everyone, “That’s my child!" He's cheering us on when we are winning and proud of us even when we don’t because we still have His eyes and look like Him since He’s our Father.
The prophetic is always an adventure and astounds me….that God would speak to His people about even the smallest and superficial things as well as huge decisions. It’s really fun to “nail it” but it’s more about his friendship and how dear it is to me to hear His voice. When I get a “prophetic word” for someone, I get a glimpse of how God sees them and I am always amazed. I have to get into listening mode which is sometimes hard for me as a person who likes to communicate. I don’t have any “special super prophetic powers.” It’s simple: God talks to those who talk to Him and will take the time to LISTEN!
One night we had a prophetic night for a large group of ladies. We asked God to highlight someone present that He wanted to speak to. We would then pray and deliver what we heard. The last word I gave of the night was one of those right on or completely wrong prophetic words. A #nailedit or #killedit kind of word. I know that God always NAILS IT but I sometimes wonder if it’s all mumbo jumbo made up but I've stepped out in faith a few times. I'm learning more and more to discern what's from Him and what's from me. I felt it was from Him because when it's Him, the word won't go away. It becomes like a record playing over and over in my head. The word for this woman kept spinning through my mind but I put this word off until the very end because I didn’t quite understand what I was hearing. Also, I was a teensy bit scared that I would miss it in front of all of these people (being honest here). The word was for a lovely lady seemingly trying to stay hidden in the back of the room. I asked God for some cajones (sp?) and delivered what I felt I heard and the gist of it was:
“I feel like you are a private person but God is highlighting you. So I saw you putting things in a box and organizing it so this might mean you have the gift of organization. I also saw you standing with your hands on a young man’s shoulders. He looked like he was maybe 12 or 13. If you are ever worried about this young man, I feel like God is saying he’s going to be okay. There’s a scripture that says “For this child, I have prayed.” Your hands were on the little boy’s shoulders so I felt like he was saying your prayers are covering him and he is just fine. You don’t ever have to worry about him.”
She made a face like what are you talking about?? and I thought I saw her mouth to the lady sitting beside her, “Did she say a little boy?” I felt nervous because this woman was clearly in her 60’s with her silver hair and elegant poise. As I said, this word was either right on or really wrong. I mean what 60 year old woman has a 13 year old kid. What if she had all girls and my word confused her completely? I felt like I had missed it and asked God to give me peace about the word. It didn’t make sense but sometimes with God, we have to let go of our need for everything to make sense.
As I was leaving, the beautiful woman walked up to me and wondered if I could elaborate on my word. She said she was, "Confused and needed clarification." CRAP. I told her that confusion isn't from God so she could throw that word in the trash. But she said she just didn't understand so I repeated it and asked her if she had a son or maybe a grandson that she was concerned about because I felt God was saying not to worry, he was going to be fine. She said she had two sons and I was probably talking about her older son. He was a “man of God”, a pastor. My spirit started doing this buzzing thing it does when something is important. I said no I think it's for the other son, the younger one. She said quietly, “I don’t think so. It couldn’t be for him because he committed suicide.”
I immediately started crying because I knew with such a forcefulness in my gut that it was the younger son. The box I saw and delivered in the prophetic word was where she had packed up her son’s things was not JUST symbolic of the gift of organization. She was a private person so God wasn't going to expose her in front of all of these people and have me say, "Hey lady, your son who committed suicide is in heaven." that would have likely embarrassed a private person or anyone for that matter like ripping a scab off something not healed. I also like that He didn't tell me the details of a potentially painful situation. He allowed her the dignity of sharing it with me if she felt comfortable.
The word then made sense to me in her situation. Her prayers for her beloved son had covered and protected him…and maybe her son made a choice and meant it in his heart when he was young but lost his way later in life? I know this might differ with Wesley's theory that you can "lose" your salvation but I'm just telling you about my experience. Again, it's not black and white but God always speaks TRUTH if we ask.
This young man probably had a great destiny planned by God and the enemy hates what God loves. The age I saw him as was probably before the enemy interfered in his destiny. The enemy is legalistic but God can be too. Maybe the enemy had destroyed her son’s body but his mother’s prayers were God’s LEGAL right to free him, even if only in death, from the enemy.
The word then made sense to me in her situation. Her prayers for her beloved son had covered and protected him…and maybe her son made a choice and meant it in his heart when he was young but lost his way later in life? I know this might differ with Wesley's theory that you can "lose" your salvation but I'm just telling you about my experience. Again, it's not black and white but God always speaks TRUTH if we ask.
This young man probably had a great destiny planned by God and the enemy hates what God loves. The age I saw him as was probably before the enemy interfered in his destiny. The enemy is legalistic but God can be too. Maybe the enemy had destroyed her son’s body but his mother’s prayers were God’s LEGAL right to free him, even if only in death, from the enemy.
Many theologians and Christians believe that if someone commits suicide (like Judas in the bible) they are headed straight to hell and I’m sure there are scriptures to prove their point. Since I delivered that word, it is not that black and white for me. It's not wise to make blanket statements without consulting and hearing from God on matters of the heart. God does what He wants. He doesn’t play by my rules or anyone else’s. Some might be scared that if it gets out that God is so merciful and graceful that people will take it as permission to end their life. In my life I've found quite the opposite when God gives me a choice. His mercy and grace defeats the lies and allows me not to battle with sin but accept His grace for the situation. The danger of focusing on sin and God's wrath can be that those we love feel alienated from God and stop talking to Him...then the enemy has a field day and convinces them they are worthless. They start listening to the enemy who hates them and wants to destroy them rather than their Father who loves them.
Without love, we can judge people's situations, whether it's committing suicide or more overt "sin." I have definitely been judged in my life and I'm raising my hand because I have also judged others. God is kind to correct me when I do :) How can we know what it's like to walk in someone else's shoes, endure the pain that they have. Can we presume to know someone's heart?
Without love, we can judge people's situations, whether it's committing suicide or more overt "sin." I have definitely been judged in my life and I'm raising my hand because I have also judged others. God is kind to correct me when I do :) How can we know what it's like to walk in someone else's shoes, endure the pain that they have. Can we presume to know someone's heart?
I’m amazed by God’s kindness and His grace to release this woman. I'm not saying the destination is always heaven in the case of a suicide but this woman had probably endured such emotional heartache, shame and pain thinking that her son was in torment but he wasn’t. Her son was at peace. Her son was free and now this woman was free.
I don't presume to know everything but I know this: God said her son was JUST FINE and her prayers had covered him. HER SON IS OKAY! SHE DOESN’T HAVE TO WORRY ANYMORE.
Her son is with Jesus…
I submit what I've written above to you. It's up to you whether to ask God for yourself. If you ask, I am also asking God to confirm His truth. He has for me or I wouldn't have written it;)
I submit what I've written above to you. It's up to you whether to ask God for yourself. If you ask, I am also asking God to confirm His truth. He has for me or I wouldn't have written it;)
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