Operating in Prophecy Series Lesson 2: The Prophetic Stream
As we saw in the previous lesson, there
is a difference between operating in the “gift of prophecy”
as given as a “charisma” of the Holy Spirit and
operating as a “prophet” as given as a “doma”
of Jesus. We saw that we can operate in the gift of prophecy
whenever we assemble as the people of God and, yet, still not be a
prophet, one of the ascension gifts given by Jesus to His people. We
saw how the gift of prophecy is primarily oriented toward the
individual while the work of the prophet is primarily oriented to the
corporate Body of Christ. We saw that there was a change between the
prophets of the Old Covenant and the prophets of the New Covenant in
the manner in which the prophetic word is manifested.
The last sentence of Revelation 19:10 says, “...For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." This is a key operating directive for prophets. The testimony of Jesus is that He came to reveal the Father; He came to destroy the works of the devil; He came to offer His body as a sacrifice and His blood as an atonement for sin; and, He came to fulfill the purpose of the Father. All of these aspects of the testimony of Jesus are contained in the last one—fulfilling the purpose of the Father. Remember that Jesus, as our sacrifice, was slain from the foundation of the world.1 The birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus has all been within the plan and purpose of God. So, one who is a prophet will have a heart of understanding concerning this and will bring forth words that fit into and are a part of the plans and purposes of God. This is the spirit of prophecy.
All that God is doing now and will do
in the future is a continuation of what He has done. Because we
don't understand or comprehend the magnitude of God's purpose, we
don't see how all that God says or does is linked together. When it
comes to the prophetic, all that God is saying today is a
continuation of what he has said previously and is building toward
the completion of His purposes. Anyone who is truly a prophet
understands this. Anyone who doesn't understand this is not a
prophet; regardless of how many prophetic words he brings by the gift
of prophecy.
There is only one stream of God's
purpose. It flows through history from before the foundation of the
world to the passing away of this world and the creation of the new
heavens and new earth. All that God intends is already completed in
Eternity. However, time, as a created construct of God, is only a
temporary “bubble” in Eternity and will pass away with
this world when God's intention is completed. We see His purposes
“unfolding” in a systematic, orderly manner that is
moving toward the fulfillment of God's purpose in time. Any
“prophetic word” from any so-called “prophet”
that doesn't fit appropriately into the stream of God's purpose or is
contrary to the stream is not a “prophetic word” from the
Lord.
When a prophet speaks a prophetic word, he is not standing alone. He is linked to all true prophets of the past and those of the future. He is standing in the flow of the prophetic word from the past to the future and must be in alignment with it so that it is one contiguous line of revelation of the purpose of God.
A clear example of what we are
discussing concerning the prophetic stream of God's purpose is given
to us in the covenant promise that God made to Abraham.
Genesis 15:18 NASB
(18) On that day
the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your
descendants I have given this land, From the river of Egypt as far as
the great river, the river Euphrates:
There are two important prophetic points made by this covenant word to Abraham.
God was giving a land to Abraham's descendants before Abraham had any descendants.
God was giving a land to Abraham's descendants before Abraham had possession of any part of the land that was promised.
For our example, this prophetic stream
starts here with God's promise to Abraham because God had purposed to
give Abraham's descendants a specific land, which was occupied by
specific nations of people. [Now, we know that this prophetic stream
is even bigger because the descendants of Abraham are more than those
who have a natural lineage, but, are also those who have a spiritual
lineage and the land is greater than the inheritance of a physical
geography, but, also includes the inheritance of the Kingdom of God.
However, let's keep it simple for this example so that we can clearly
see the principle we are discussing.]
God gives us further details that are
part of this prophetic stream as He tells Abraham some other details
about the future history of his descendants.
Genesis 15:13-14 NASB
(13) God said to Abram, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years.
(14)
"But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve, and
afterward they will come out with many possessions.
Now,
we can see more of the prophetic stream. Abraham's descendants will
be enslaved in a land that doesn't belong to them and they will be
oppressed for four hundred years. However, God will judge the nation
that enslaves them and Abraham's descendants will come out of slavery
with many possessions.
All
of this is built into God's covenant promise to Abraham, which means
that it will happen as God has said. No one can change it because it
is in the flow of God's purpose. It is part of the unfolding of
God's plan and purpose in the earth.
Suppose
for a moment that you are one of Abraham's descendants that is
enslaved in Egypt. Both your father and grandfather were slaves
before you were born. Now, a person comes forth that says he is a
prophet of God and that God says, “You have been oppressed for
100 years. I have heard your cries and I will send a deliverer
before the year is finished. I will rain fire down upon your
oppressors and set you free.” You immediately rejoice because
this is exactly what you and the rest of your fellow-slaves want.
However,
anyone that understands the prophetic stream, immediately knows that
this is a false word from a false prophet, no matter how good it
sounds. Why? Because is it contrary to the flow of God's purpose as
revealed in His promises to Abraham. Any prophetic word from anyone
that is not consistent with what God has already said is
automatically a false word.
Of course, we know from the Scriptures
that, when the time had come, God did send a deliver, Moses, to
accomplish His purpose. From our prophetic stream example, this
means that God had to get Israel out of Egypt with many possessions,
get them to the land that was promised to Abraham's descendants and
get them into the land to possess it according to God's word.
Moses was God's key man to get them out
of Egypt and he was God's key man to get them through the wilderness
to the land. But, he was not God's key man to get them into the land
to possess it.
Joshua 1:2-3 NASB
(2) "Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel.
(3)
"Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have
given it to you, just
as I spoke to Moses.
After Moses' death, Joshua became God's new “key man” to continue with the fulfillment of the purpose of God. The key word to Joshua was “just as I spoke to Moses”. Joshua stood in the center of the flow of God's purpose in direct line with Moses. He did not stand alone but stood together in a prophetic line that went back to Abraham and forward to David. Each of us must recognize our place in relation to all of those who were previous to us and to those who will follow after us.
In our example discussed above, it was
easy to recognize a false word from a false prophet because we had a
clear picture of what God promised from the Scriptures. In today's
environment, that is more difficult because few of us have a clear
understanding of what God has promised or of what His intentions are.
Others have their understanding so warped by the traditions of men
or the doctrines of devils that it becomes impossible to see, much
less understand, the prophetic stream of God's purpose. This type of
problem can only be solved by the study of the Scriptures and seeking
after understanding from the Holy Spirit.
The other type of problem that we have
is the current deluge of “prophetic words” sweeping
though the people of God. Many of these are in conflict with one
another. Others are “ear ticklers”, feel good words that
don't really produce anything.
But, I think that the biggest problem
comes from those who are “merchandising prophetic words”
in accord with the “error of Balaam”.
Jude 1:11 NASB
(11) Woe to them!
For they have gone the way of Cain, and for pay they have rushed
headlong into the error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion of
Korah.
There are three key errors of the false:
the way of Cain—this refers to envy and malice because of actions that are unacceptable as a sacrifice to the Lord.
the error of Balaam—this refers particularly to prophets who use what God has given for their own profit. The motivation is greed and the outcome is idolatry.
the rebellion of Korah—this refers to those who are ambitious and seditious. Those who have been used of God and aspire to places of importance greater than that which God allows.
The “them” in the “Woe
to them” are described clearly by Jude.
Jude 1:4 NASB
(4) For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Jude 1:8 NASB
(8) Yet in the same way these men, also by dreaming, defile the flesh, and reject authority, and revile angelic majesties.
Jude 1:10 NASB
(10) But these men revile the things which they do not understand; and the things which they know by instinct, like unreasoning animals, by these things they are destroyed.
Jude 1:12-13 NASB
(12) These are the men who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted;
(13) wild waves
of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam; wandering stars,
for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever.
Basically, these scriptures describe
the character and actions of the false ones, who seem to have no fear
of the Lord and who seem to act without any understanding of
spiritual things. The sad thing is that they are in the assembly of
God's people, even participating in the love feasts. But, they are
“hidden reefs”. They are under the surface, not easily
seen or recognized but a danger to all.
The Apostle Peter also refers to “the
way of Balaam” and his love for money. Peter continues on to
describe the attributes of the false ones.
2 Peter 2:15 NASB
(15) forsaking the right way, they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
2 Peter 2:17-19 NASB
(17) These are springs without water and mists driven by a storm, for whom the black darkness has been reserved.
(18) For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error,
(19)
promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of
corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved.
Jesus spoke of the teaching or doctrine
of Balaam when He spoke to the Church at Pergamum in Revelation about
the things that He had against them.
Revelation 2:14 NASB
(14) 'But
I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold
the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling
block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols
and to commit acts of
immorality.
Even though Balaam had been unable to
prophesy against Israel, in order to get the money promised by Balak,
he taught Balak how to cause the children of Israel to stumble in
such a way that they would come under the curse of God.
It is outside the scope of this lesson
to elaborate on these things further; but, I wanted to point out a
progression of issues that lead after from being a true prophet
toward a false prophet. The error of Balaam (selling
what God had given) leads to the way of Balaam
(a lifestyle of unrighteousness), which results in the teaching
or doctrine of Balaam (opposition to the purpose of God).
Jesus told us in Matt. 10:8, “...freely
you have received, freely give”. Any attempt sell what God has
given is disobedience and will result in a loss of the anointing of
the Spirit. If we are operating as a prophet and lose the anointing
through merchandising the gift, it is replaced by a deceptive spirit
that entices us to further market what God has given, substituting
words from our own heart or words that are the most marketable.
Selling what we have received doesn't
necessarily men we are selling it for money. We may be selling it
for power, prestige, position, honor, and other similar things.
We need to examine our own hearts for improper motives and we need to examine our prophetic words (both those received and those given) to determine if they are within the flow of God's purpose as He accelerates His work toward the closing down of this age.
We are living in the last days. The
purposes of God are rushing to completion. All things are taking
their place in the fulfillment of God's intentions at the close of
this age. The Enemy would have us believe that somehow he is
thwarting the plan of God and that the outcome of things is in
question. This is not only a lie from the father of lies, but is so
far from the truth as to be absolutely un-imaginable.
God's will is not in question; neither
is the outcome of His will in question. God will accomplish all that
He said He would. The only question for us is whether we are a help
or a hindrance to the fulfillment of all things.
For us to co-operate with the Holy
Spirit as He administrates the close of this age and completes the
work of the Lord, we have to understand the heart of the Father. We
have to understand what God has done, why He has done
it, and how He intends to do it. That is why a prophet is a
gift of Jesus and not a charisma of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus was “about the Father's
business”. He fully gave Himself to fulfill the purpose of the
Father and to complete the work apportioned to Him by the Father.
After the work of Jesus was completed, the Father sent forth the Holy
Spirit to administrate the things of Jesus to us so that we might do
the works of Jesus and do even greater works in order to participate
in the completion of the Father's purpose for the close of the age.
We cannot be a prophet without an understanding of the Father's heart.
We cannot accomplish the work of a prophet if we don't see the flow of God's prophetic stream.
We cannot see the stream's flow if we don't understand the prophetic purpose of those who were prophets before us.
We cannot understand the prophetic purpose if we don't understand how we stand in relation to them and to the completion of God's purpose.
We cannot get there except the Holy Spirit prepares us and the Lord Jesus appoints and approves us as a doma gift to His people.
FOOTNOTES
1Revelation 13:8 KJV
©2007 Art Nelson www.lifestreamteaching.com