- Pst. Gavin Aleogho
Do not scorn or reject gifts of prophecy or prophecies [spoken revelations—words of instruction or exhortation or warning].
1 Thessalonians 5:20 AMP
It is sad to know that many believers cannot decode when prophetic words are given to them. Is it because of carnality? Or lack of sensitivity to the voice of God in the moment? Well, the two reasons are definitely interconnected. Carnality will away reduce our sensitivity to God’s voice.
Over the years, I have grown to the point where even if I am just chatting with a friend on the roadside, I know when a friend switches from mere chatting to giving prophetic words; speaking the mind of God to me. In most of such cases, such a friend may not even know that he has spoken to me under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. But I know and I take hold of such treasured words.
I don’t joke with such moments. I may not shout, dance or say anything but like Mary, I always keep such words in my heart. “But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.” Luke 2:19.
Why is it important to lay hold on prophetic words? It is because the word of God is a seed; if you lose your seed you forfeit your harvest. To get a harvest you must be able to lay hold on every prophetic word that is given to you.
As an individual, I can be chatting with someone about the state of the nation or something else and immediately switches to the prophetic; speaking the mind of God to the individual I am talking with. Afterwards, switch back to our normal conversation.
Over time, I have trained myself to know when the Holy Spirit empowers me to switch to the prophetic. It comes with ease. At such moments, to help the person I am speaking with, I often use the phrase “I am speaking by the Spirit.” This is to help the persons to lay hold of the word of promise from the Lord.
I have several testimonies of how such prophetic words were fulfilled in real-time. While that is not the point of this article, my goal is to help you know how to decode when a prophetic word is being given to you so that you can lay hold on it.
Ironically, I have seen where prophetic words is being given and the recipient never knew that such words were divinely orchestrated. Thus, they disregard and despise the word to their shame and defeat. God’s counsel to you is this, “Do not despise prophecies.” ( 1 Thessalonians 5:20).
I have had this sad experience several times. Someone is complaining about his problem to me and while he is talking, trying to explain the magnitude of his problem, I get a prophetic word for the person. After listening to the person, as with my custom as a counsellor, I go forward to unveil the mind of God to the person. Sadly, many of such people use the back of their hands to push away the prophetic word. Their response is usually, “Pastor, you don’t understand the problem. Let me explain…”
For some, they can’t comprehend the fact that God can perform a miracle overnight. Hence, they miss the miracle due to their unbelief. While others are not willing to follow the instruction that comes with the prophetic word. For most times, prophetic words often come with instructions that you must follow if you must receive the intervention of God.
One of the reasons why people miss such prophetic moments is because they disregard the vessel that the Lord is speaking through. This is either because the vessel is not holding a prophetic badge or because he does not have a title in one of the fivefold ministries.
Another reason is that the prophetic word did not come in the form or shade they expected. Some expect such words to come with shouting or the shaking of the head with a weird look on the face of the messenger. For me, I am very normal when I am giving prophetic words. Looking for such a peripheral will make you miss the move of God.
One prayer you must pray in this regard is to ask the Lord to help you to be sensitive to His voice which He brings to you through whatever channel he chooses.
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