Listening to the Prophets, Responding Strategically
Over the last 10 years, credible prophetic voices in our nation have been releasing warnings concerning natural disasters, economic shakings and collapse, political chaos, social upheaval, terrorism and war. These messengers are men of godly character with a proven track record of prophetic accuracy.
The volume of revelation released and the clarity of the revelations should cause us to pause and carefully evaluate the ramifications of the fulfillment of the prophecies. God has spoken to His people to give us a look into the near future so that we, the church, might seek Him for a strategic response.
Every prophetic warning that speaks of the coming shakings has the lives of people attached to it. As these events break in, we will see people suffer the loss of jobs, income, homes, family and for many - their lives. It's not enough to just listen to what is being announced, we must craft both a spiritual response and a practical response.
The volume of revelation released and the clarity of the revelations should cause us to pause and carefully evaluate the ramifications of the fulfillment of the prophecies. God has spoken to His people to give us a look into the near future so that we, the church, might seek Him for a strategic response.
Every prophetic warning that speaks of the coming shakings has the lives of people attached to it. As these events break in, we will see people suffer the loss of jobs, income, homes, family and for many - their lives. It's not enough to just listen to what is being announced, we must craft both a spiritual response and a practical response.
PROPHETIC PERSPECTIVE, Part 1
In the midst of the fog of uncertainty of these days, many are asking, “Is there a word from the Lord?” With and increase in natural disasters, the threat of economic collapse, political scandals, social upheaval, racial tensions, civil unrest and terrorism, what is happening? Why are these things happening? And where is God in all this mess?
Well, I have good news – God is speaking, clearly and concisely. He has not left us alone, but wisely crafting everything to work for our good and His glory. God’s servants, the prophets, are seeing into the storms and beyond and have are releasing insights to guide us through the storm and back to the heart of God.
Why should we listen?
There is a clear biblical precedent throughout both the Old and New Testaments encouraging us to listen, discern and heed prophetic warnings and promises. I will site a few to establish my point:
First, Amos 3:7 says, “For the Lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.” God, who declares the end from the beginning (Isa 46:10), makes known His ways and plans to prophetic voices before He executes the plan. There are no trend watchers, economic forecasters, or think-tank group that have insights that can predict something before God knows it and reveals it. He has reserved that privilege for His servants the prophets.
Secondly, according to 2 Chronicles 20:20, listening to the Word of the Lord establishes us, and listening to the prophets causes us to succeed. “Listen to me, …put your trust in the Lord your God and you will be established. Put your trust in His prophets and succeed.” In the context of the account surrounding the text, the king and the people of Israel are exhorted to trust the guidance being given through the prophet Jahaziel. They were already trusting in the written word of God, now a prophet had spoken in the name of the Lord and they would succeed in this military confrontation if they obeyed the prophetic word of the Lord.
Thirdly, Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22, “19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil.”
Here is a series of New Testament principles set forth to help us in dealing with prophecies. We are not to stop people from prophesying, but when they do, we are not to minimize it in such a way that we that we are actually despising it. We are not to be gullible, instead, we are to test them and hold onto what we discern as good.
So why should we listen? Because the eternal God we serve speaks and reveals things first to the prophets and calls us to discern these words and then obey them that we might succeed.
Well, I have good news – God is speaking, clearly and concisely. He has not left us alone, but wisely crafting everything to work for our good and His glory. God’s servants, the prophets, are seeing into the storms and beyond and have are releasing insights to guide us through the storm and back to the heart of God.
Why should we listen?
There is a clear biblical precedent throughout both the Old and New Testaments encouraging us to listen, discern and heed prophetic warnings and promises. I will site a few to establish my point:
First, Amos 3:7 says, “For the Lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.” God, who declares the end from the beginning (Isa 46:10), makes known His ways and plans to prophetic voices before He executes the plan. There are no trend watchers, economic forecasters, or think-tank group that have insights that can predict something before God knows it and reveals it. He has reserved that privilege for His servants the prophets.
Secondly, according to 2 Chronicles 20:20, listening to the Word of the Lord establishes us, and listening to the prophets causes us to succeed. “Listen to me, …put your trust in the Lord your God and you will be established. Put your trust in His prophets and succeed.” In the context of the account surrounding the text, the king and the people of Israel are exhorted to trust the guidance being given through the prophet Jahaziel. They were already trusting in the written word of God, now a prophet had spoken in the name of the Lord and they would succeed in this military confrontation if they obeyed the prophetic word of the Lord.
Thirdly, Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22, “19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil.”
Here is a series of New Testament principles set forth to help us in dealing with prophecies. We are not to stop people from prophesying, but when they do, we are not to minimize it in such a way that we that we are actually despising it. We are not to be gullible, instead, we are to test them and hold onto what we discern as good.
So why should we listen? Because the eternal God we serve speaks and reveals things first to the prophets and calls us to discern these words and then obey them that we might succeed.
PROPHETIC PERSPECTIVE, Part 2
Who should we listen to?
There is a biblical precedent to listen to prophetic voices, but which ones? Not everyone who says, “The Lord says, or the Lord told me,” is really hearing clearly and accurately from the Lord. So how do we know who to listen to? Who should we trust?
Let me give you Four Qualities of a Credible Prophetic Witness:
It must be noted that sometimes prophecies are conditional, based on man’s response. Like Jonah’s prophet warning to Nineveh. He spoke a clear, accurate word of warning of impending judgment. However, the people repented and God relented of His judgment. So we must factor this into our evaluation when looking at a prophet’s track record
Based on these qualifications then, we have some criteria for whom we should listen to. I believe the Lord has credible prophetic voices in every stream of the Body of Christ. I also believe there are levels of maturity in each of these four qualifiers. Maturity is a life-long process in conformed into the image of Jesus. None of us will arrive at it in this age, but that does not excuse us from the quest or the qualifiers along the way.
There is a biblical precedent to listen to prophetic voices, but which ones? Not everyone who says, “The Lord says, or the Lord told me,” is really hearing clearly and accurately from the Lord. So how do we know who to listen to? Who should we trust?
Let me give you Four Qualities of a Credible Prophetic Witness:
- A Commitment to Scripture. If anyone speaks in the name of the Lord, then their prophecy must line up with the historical, orthodox teachings of the Bible. The word cannot be in contradiction to the character and nature of God, nor can it be seen as being on the same level as scripture. It is subject to discernment based on the clear revelation of the whole counsel of God from the Bible.
- Proven Character. This quality deals with the person life of the prophet. They must be of godly character in their personal lives, their marriage and family, their relationship with members of the opposite sex, in their finances and business dealings, with their ministry staff and the way they conduct their ministry. Bad character disqualifies one from their words being considered credible.
- Spiritual Maturity. This quality deals with the ministry of the prophetic person. Paul, when giving the qualifications for elders, states that they are not to be a recent convert and must be tested first (1 Tim 3:6,10). This would hold true for those who hold the office of the prophet. They must be deeply rooted in the scripture and have a mature understanding of the ways of God. One who would speak for God must know God. They should have a consistent prayer life, marked by humility, and know how to rightly divide the Word of God. Their spiritual maturity will be evident to other leaders who will validate their calling, their character, and their maturity.
- A Proven Prophetic Track Record. This quality is the result of the previous three. When they give prophetic words, they report just what they saw, or heard, or experienced. There is no embellishment, no hype, and no exaggeration. When they say something will happen, it happens. They don’t need to excuse or explain away their words. You should be able to look back over their prophecies and see confirmations and fulfillments of what they spoke.
It must be noted that sometimes prophecies are conditional, based on man’s response. Like Jonah’s prophet warning to Nineveh. He spoke a clear, accurate word of warning of impending judgment. However, the people repented and God relented of His judgment. So we must factor this into our evaluation when looking at a prophet’s track record
Based on these qualifications then, we have some criteria for whom we should listen to. I believe the Lord has credible prophetic voices in every stream of the Body of Christ. I also believe there are levels of maturity in each of these four qualifiers. Maturity is a life-long process in conformed into the image of Jesus. None of us will arrive at it in this age, but that does not excuse us from the quest or the qualifiers along the way.
PROPHETIC PERSPECTIVE, Part 3
CONFIRMATIONS AND INDICATORS
The Principle of Confirmation: Every Word Is Confirmed by 2 or 3 Witnesses.
In sorting through the hundreds of prophecies I had amassed, I applied the above criteria (Who Should We Listen To?) to them, and then sorted them into various categories. I found that several of the prophetic voices had spoken very similar words concerning the same events. A number of the words ran parallel to one another and sometimes they nearly echoed each other. I considered this the “second witness” confirmation of the prophetic word.
Then I began to apply what the prophets were saying to what was being said in the secular world by scientists, journalists, trend watchers, economic forecasters, political analysts, and researchers. What I found was astounding. This group constituted the “third witnesses” to the words of the prophets. I began to refer to them as the “secular prophets” because they were echoing the same basic truths as the biblical prophetic voices. Time and again, it proved true.
For instance, the prophets were warning about the solar flares and the damage they would cause, years before NASA released any warnings. The same held true for economics, politics, religious and social issues, war and terrorism. God had spoken first through prophetic messengers (sometimes two or more); then secular forecasters picked up on the topic at a later date, and finally, the news documented it for the record. Thus, we have the confirmation by two or three witnesses.
A biblical example of this would be from the account of the wise men at Messiah’s birth (Matt 1:1-12). The Hebrew prophets had long ago and over many years, prophesied Messiah’s coming and the very city of his birth, Bethlehem in Judea. All the priests and scribes were aware of these prophecies, but none seemed to know when the prophecies would be fulfilled. For whatever reason they were silent on the timing of Messiah’s coming.
Hundreds of miles away from Jerusalem, God begins to stir the spirits of some wise men (Gentiles) and causes them to pay attention to the prophecies of the Hebrew prophets and gives them understanding of the timing of Messiah’s birth. They correlate the rise of a bright star in the sky with the birth of the Messiah and decide to follow it. After a long and arduous journey they arrive in Jerusalem and share their findings with King Herod, the chief priests and the scribes. When Herod asks the Jewish religious leaders if they know where Messiah will be born, they tell him yes, in Bethlehem, just as the prophets have said.
The Jewish religious leaders know the what – Messiah will be born in Bethlehem, but they don’t know the when – what is the indicator that the time of his birth is near and the prophecy is about to be fulfilled? God used these Gentile astronomers as an indicator to the Jewish priests and scribes that the time of the fulfillment of the prophecy was upon them. They were both confirmation and indicators that the fullness of time had come.
An Interpretive Note
Let’s bring this back to today and to the prophecies we have before us in the prophetic map. Not every prophetic word had a second witness by another prophet. That doesn’t, however, discount the authenticity of the prophecy. Sometimes signs were given as confirmation of prophecy (Isa 7:14) and sometimes events were the confirmation (Matt 24:15; Luke 21:20-21), and sometimes the fulfillment of the word itself was its own confirmation (Jer 28:9; Ezk 33:33).
I have noticed that by the time the trend watchers pick-up on the issue, it is a timing indicator that the prophesied event is near to breaking in and finding fulfillment. Therefore it is also an indicator of the need to call for prayer and repentance that perhaps, by the mercy of God, a judgment word may be averted.
The Principle of Confirmation: Every Word Is Confirmed by 2 or 3 Witnesses.
In sorting through the hundreds of prophecies I had amassed, I applied the above criteria (Who Should We Listen To?) to them, and then sorted them into various categories. I found that several of the prophetic voices had spoken very similar words concerning the same events. A number of the words ran parallel to one another and sometimes they nearly echoed each other. I considered this the “second witness” confirmation of the prophetic word.
Then I began to apply what the prophets were saying to what was being said in the secular world by scientists, journalists, trend watchers, economic forecasters, political analysts, and researchers. What I found was astounding. This group constituted the “third witnesses” to the words of the prophets. I began to refer to them as the “secular prophets” because they were echoing the same basic truths as the biblical prophetic voices. Time and again, it proved true.
For instance, the prophets were warning about the solar flares and the damage they would cause, years before NASA released any warnings. The same held true for economics, politics, religious and social issues, war and terrorism. God had spoken first through prophetic messengers (sometimes two or more); then secular forecasters picked up on the topic at a later date, and finally, the news documented it for the record. Thus, we have the confirmation by two or three witnesses.
A biblical example of this would be from the account of the wise men at Messiah’s birth (Matt 1:1-12). The Hebrew prophets had long ago and over many years, prophesied Messiah’s coming and the very city of his birth, Bethlehem in Judea. All the priests and scribes were aware of these prophecies, but none seemed to know when the prophecies would be fulfilled. For whatever reason they were silent on the timing of Messiah’s coming.
Hundreds of miles away from Jerusalem, God begins to stir the spirits of some wise men (Gentiles) and causes them to pay attention to the prophecies of the Hebrew prophets and gives them understanding of the timing of Messiah’s birth. They correlate the rise of a bright star in the sky with the birth of the Messiah and decide to follow it. After a long and arduous journey they arrive in Jerusalem and share their findings with King Herod, the chief priests and the scribes. When Herod asks the Jewish religious leaders if they know where Messiah will be born, they tell him yes, in Bethlehem, just as the prophets have said.
The Jewish religious leaders know the what – Messiah will be born in Bethlehem, but they don’t know the when – what is the indicator that the time of his birth is near and the prophecy is about to be fulfilled? God used these Gentile astronomers as an indicator to the Jewish priests and scribes that the time of the fulfillment of the prophecy was upon them. They were both confirmation and indicators that the fullness of time had come.
An Interpretive Note
Let’s bring this back to today and to the prophecies we have before us in the prophetic map. Not every prophetic word had a second witness by another prophet. That doesn’t, however, discount the authenticity of the prophecy. Sometimes signs were given as confirmation of prophecy (Isa 7:14) and sometimes events were the confirmation (Matt 24:15; Luke 21:20-21), and sometimes the fulfillment of the word itself was its own confirmation (Jer 28:9; Ezk 33:33).
I have noticed that by the time the trend watchers pick-up on the issue, it is a timing indicator that the prophesied event is near to breaking in and finding fulfillment. Therefore it is also an indicator of the need to call for prayer and repentance that perhaps, by the mercy of God, a judgment word may be averted.
PROPHETIC PERSPECTIVE, Part 4
Why is God Sending Prophetic Warnings?
The scripture commends a group leaders in the days of King David, called the Son’s of Issachar as “men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do” (1 Chr 12:32). I have approached the task of mapping out these prophesies with that verse as my primary guide. I don’t want to simply look at these prophetic warnings and say, “Wow, this is intense stuff.” Rather, I sought the Lord for understanding of the why behind the what. The prophetic words tell us what is coming, but why?
God is warning America and the nations of the earth of numerous disruptive events that are coming, and has entrusted that revelation to His people, the church, through the ministry of the prophets. It’s become a responsibility issue for me. Meaning, how do I steward what is being said? Now that I’ve heard the warnings, as a messenger and intercessory watchman, I am responsible to the people in my circle of influence to share with them what the Lord is saying and urge them to respond to the Lord.
God Starts with the Heart
What kind of a response is God looking for? For the sake of simplicity, I am going to cover two basic responses I believe are biblical. There is a spiritual response that speaks to the human heart and our relationship with God, and there is a practical response that relates to loving our neighbor. In this article I am going to cover the practical response first.
The Church at Antioch
There are numerous words that are warning of natural disasters, which indicate the need of a practical ministry response, like food, water and shelter. Let’s look at a passage of scripture concerning a local church, with a visiting prophet, who gives a prophetic word about a coming disaster, and the church’s response to the warning. It’s found in Acts 11:27-30:
27 Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would
be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). 29 So the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to
the brothers living in Judea. 30 And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.
Here is a New Testament example of a credible prophet, Agabus, releasing a prophetic warning in the midst of a worshiping local congregation. The leaders recognize Agabus as a prophet and his prophecy is “by the Spirit” (v.27-28). The content of the prophecy reveals that there would be a “great famine” (speaking of its severity); and that it would reach “over all the world” (speaking of its magnitude). Then Luke, the writer of the Acts, records a historical note: “this took place in the days of Claudius.” Claudius was the Roman Emperor from 41 to 54 A.D.
A Biblical Response to Prophetic Warnings
The response of the church in Antioch to a prophetic word of warning gives us a pattern to follow for today:
1. They accepted the prophetic word through Agabus, a recognized prophet.
2. They leadership tested the word, acknowledging that it was “by the Spirit.”
3. They evidently prayed about how to respond because we see they took an offering and sent it to “their brethren” in the church at Jerusalem so they
could buy food.
4. Confident in the accuracy of the prophecy, they sent the offering by Paul and Barnabas to the elders in Jerusalem.
There was no fear, only faith. They didn’t accuse Agabus of giving a negative word. They received it as a word from the Lord. They didn’t look out for themselves first, but turned their gaze up to the Lord then out to other in need.
Interestingly, Josephus, a Jewish historian, tells how Helena of Adiabene, a Jewish queen, brought grain and figs to Jerusalem and to Cyprus to feed the people suffering from the famine. (See, Josephus, l.c. § 5.)
Let’s apply it to our situation today. We are gathered in a public meeting and …
The result - God gets the glory and the people of God rejoice in the joy of serving in His name.
The scripture commends a group leaders in the days of King David, called the Son’s of Issachar as “men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do” (1 Chr 12:32). I have approached the task of mapping out these prophesies with that verse as my primary guide. I don’t want to simply look at these prophetic warnings and say, “Wow, this is intense stuff.” Rather, I sought the Lord for understanding of the why behind the what. The prophetic words tell us what is coming, but why?
God is warning America and the nations of the earth of numerous disruptive events that are coming, and has entrusted that revelation to His people, the church, through the ministry of the prophets. It’s become a responsibility issue for me. Meaning, how do I steward what is being said? Now that I’ve heard the warnings, as a messenger and intercessory watchman, I am responsible to the people in my circle of influence to share with them what the Lord is saying and urge them to respond to the Lord.
God Starts with the Heart
What kind of a response is God looking for? For the sake of simplicity, I am going to cover two basic responses I believe are biblical. There is a spiritual response that speaks to the human heart and our relationship with God, and there is a practical response that relates to loving our neighbor. In this article I am going to cover the practical response first.
The Church at Antioch
There are numerous words that are warning of natural disasters, which indicate the need of a practical ministry response, like food, water and shelter. Let’s look at a passage of scripture concerning a local church, with a visiting prophet, who gives a prophetic word about a coming disaster, and the church’s response to the warning. It’s found in Acts 11:27-30:
27 Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would
be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). 29 So the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to
the brothers living in Judea. 30 And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.
Here is a New Testament example of a credible prophet, Agabus, releasing a prophetic warning in the midst of a worshiping local congregation. The leaders recognize Agabus as a prophet and his prophecy is “by the Spirit” (v.27-28). The content of the prophecy reveals that there would be a “great famine” (speaking of its severity); and that it would reach “over all the world” (speaking of its magnitude). Then Luke, the writer of the Acts, records a historical note: “this took place in the days of Claudius.” Claudius was the Roman Emperor from 41 to 54 A.D.
A Biblical Response to Prophetic Warnings
The response of the church in Antioch to a prophetic word of warning gives us a pattern to follow for today:
1. They accepted the prophetic word through Agabus, a recognized prophet.
2. They leadership tested the word, acknowledging that it was “by the Spirit.”
3. They evidently prayed about how to respond because we see they took an offering and sent it to “their brethren” in the church at Jerusalem so they
could buy food.
4. Confident in the accuracy of the prophecy, they sent the offering by Paul and Barnabas to the elders in Jerusalem.
There was no fear, only faith. They didn’t accuse Agabus of giving a negative word. They received it as a word from the Lord. They didn’t look out for themselves first, but turned their gaze up to the Lord then out to other in need.
Interestingly, Josephus, a Jewish historian, tells how Helena of Adiabene, a Jewish queen, brought grain and figs to Jerusalem and to Cyprus to feed the people suffering from the famine. (See, Josephus, l.c. § 5.)
Let’s apply it to our situation today. We are gathered in a public meeting and …
- We receive a warning through a prophetic ministry that a certain event is coming.
- We test the word and believe that it is a true warning from the Holy Spirit.
- We then call the leaders and intercessors together and seek the Lord about how to respond.
- The Lord speaks to us about a certain city and a specific church in that city so we ask, what we should do to help them prepare for the coming crisis?
- The Lord releases a strategy and we send resources or offerings ahead to the believers there to help them in the crisis.
The result - God gets the glory and the people of God rejoice in the joy of serving in His name.
Angelic Visitations in the Bible
| angelic_visitations_in_the_bible.pdf |
SUGGESTED WEB RESOURCES FOR PROPHETIC PERSPECTIVE
The Coming Perfect Storm (booklet) John Paul Jackson
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