How to respond to God’s Prophetic Ministry.
(February 28, 2011)There is much talk today about the Prophetic Spirit of God. There is also much need today for the prophetic, both inside and outside the Church.
There are many aspects of the Prophetic Spirit of God, but I would like to say a few things about the Ministry of the Prophet (the person that speak on God's behalf), which we must receive in order to experience God’s presence of supernatural power and revival.
Everybody that has received the Spirit of God, may prophecy, by the simple gift of prophesy, as God leads. (1 Cor. 14:1) But that does not make them a Prophet.
As we study the scriptures we see that the Ministry of the Prophets has been highly controversial and misunderstood throughout the ages; and in this day many denominations have written it off as “a past away ministry,” together with the apostolic ministry.
In many churches it has been rejected because the pastor and the elders did not understand it, or did not know how to handle it. It was just too controversial. Today, there is no country where there is a move of the Spirit of God, or revival, that does not accept the Ministry of the Prophet.
Many times the Church would pray for a move of God, and He would send a prophetic Evangelist or a Prophet, with the presence of God in his or her life and ministry. But when everybody does not agree with all which is said and done, he or she is rejected, and the Church goes back to asking God for another move of the Spirit, yet again.
In some countries this cycle has been repeated off and on for over 100 years.
So, what is the answer? Receive the prophetic man or woman of God, but do not expect everything to be perfect just because God sent them, because neither are you. We are all humans and subject to imperfections, that is why we all need the grace of God.
The Scriptures tells us to honor the Prophetic Ministry of God (Matt. 10:41-42), and do three things:
1. Quench not the (Prophetic) Spirit.
2. Despise not prophesying (the prophetic word).
3. Prove all things and hold fast to that which is good (that which is scriptural and glorifies Jesus). 1 Thess. 5:19-21
Roger Wågsjö