Prophet Function in Church

HOW DOES A PROPHET FUNCTION IN A CHURCH OR DENOMINATION THAT DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO WALK WITH A PERSON WHOM GOD HAS CALLED TO STEWARD THIS GIFT?

I will start with scripture. Amos 3:7 “Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing it to His servants the prophets.” When human nature is considered, this scripture arouses so many interesting reactions. If we believe the Old Testament is the Word of God, this is surely one of the most important scriptures in the whole Bible, yet it is one of the most glossed over. For most, it is given “ear service,” but never a sense of its vital importance.

Yes, there has been some terrible, catastrophic abuse by some who self-proclaim themselves to be a prophet of God. It seems like most cults have a leader proclaimed by themselves or others as a prophet of god. I left a lowercase letter on god for a reason. They are not from the True One. They are the extreme.

HOW ABOUT THE CHURCH?

I think in most established denominations, you will not hear this scripture included in their constitutions or ministerial platforms. Yet, can there not be a greater scripture that tells us what is to hold up the church? We all know you can have a wonderful house that looks really nice. What happens if the foundation is built on sand or on unstable landfill? It does not matter how wonderfully eclectic the inner design is; your house must be demolished. Someone will have to pay the price as it all comes to a head. A house with a poor foundation has a short lifespan.

A PASTOR IS NOT THE BE-ALL AND END-ALL GIFT TO THE CHURCH.

In bible college, we were taught: "All rests on you, the future leaders of God's church." Burnout among pastors is widespread. The one person responsible for almost everything is failing. It just cannot be done. Wonderful ministering couples are crumbling beneath the tremendous weight of being everything to everybody. An astronomical task done only by supermen, but even there, there is the tendency to control rather than to lead. Yes, a pastor has one role, a very important one, to tend to the needs of the sheep. That alone is an absorbing task, but if you stay in this lane, the Grace of God will equip you, and you will enjoy ministry as well as your private life, which is always being pulled for something you were not equipped to do.

ALL THINGS HELD ARE SUSTAINED BY THE LEADING GIFTS OF THE APOSTLE AND PROPHET.

The establishment of the Master Builder, the Apostle, and the Revelatory Vision of the Prophet is the structure or foundation of the Church. Some pastors mature to be Apostles, some prophets functioning in the local church can grow to be twined with an Apostle. The Apostles and Prophets are to be the highest form of Fatherhood in the church. The title alone does not cut it; it is personal SONSHIP. The church is not run by leaders in name only, but by Fathers and Mothers who, in their personal lives, satisfy our heavenly Father by walking with Him.

Few churches understand this role. When one is ordained by God to function in the prophetic, there is little teaching on how this is to work out; again, it is, for the most part, all left to a pastor. The big question is, how does one who has the prophetic beating in his or her heart function in a church where this is not recognized, or allow the influence of a seer to function? I believe there are prophetic people in most churches who do not know the workings of this gift in their hearts and make mistakes. Few pastors seem to be able to make accommodations or understand how to pastor something they are taught so little about.

THE MATURE CHURCH PROPHET

This is not about the apostolic, prophetic, and foundational gifts, but about the local church. I hate to use this expression, but it can be like "walking on eggs.” It is at times difficult, and a cry out for wisdom is often in the heart. Few pastors, in my experience, have had a handle on the nature and the Holy Spirit's work in a prophet's heart. I have learned a few things. It was in 1981 that I was recognized as having this gift working in me. I suppose in many ways I have learned how not to do more than the how-to things.

1. One, be confident that God wants you in the church you are in. Not every church is for everyone. It is wise to ”shop” around, and there are times it is wise to leave a church.
2. Two, walk with God in the “Cool of the morning.” This is what God did with Adam before he turned from that relationship. God sent Jesus to restore this. Above all things, this must be your priority. Do not go to Him with your gift or plans but solely with your heart, and by this you bless our heavenly Father.
   
3. Three, Desire to be an intercessor. You are in this church for a reason. Pray mostly for the leadership. There are really good people who were never led to understand the workings of God outside of what they perceive as pastoring. You are primarily there to pray.
   
4. Four, there will be times you go along with things but not fully in agreement, just for unity. There are other things you may need to pull back on, as the issue may force you to compromise too deeply. This is the difficult part. It may require periods of Isolation. No one can tell you this walk will not be difficult.
   
5. Five is about respect. We must handle times of disrespect. Sometimes we may do things that do not garner respect. It is different in regard to the prophetic office. This is difficult. The prophet must look at this closely. We are made of a mixture of gold and clay. Is it the office that is offended or the prophet? This has been difficult for me. Is the rejection of the gift or the giver? What does one do who is an old man functioning in his calling, while a young man treats him like a novice? There is a time to swallow this and pull back then. There is a time to call a leader up on this. Churches are run on honour and respect.
   
6. Six is about inner integrity. Do not look for a position that takes you off your purpose. You are to see that which most do not see. To speak to things others will not. Do not get so involved that, as they say, ”You cannot see the forest because of the trees.” You may be called aloof or even not a team player. Your purpose is to see.
   
7. Seven is this: you will be hurt. Your response to hurt will determine your future. Moses was angry at the people. They were an argumentative bunch of stiff-necked people. They needed water. God told Moses to speak to the rock to bring forth water. In anger against the people, he totally lost it and struck the rock twice with a stick. This kept him from entering the promised land. God did not want to show these people anger. When you are hurt, you must be careful that the words given are not tainted with the disturbance, at times, raging in your soul.
   
8. Eight is this. It is for all to enter His rest. We are to ‘strive’ to do this. It is hard. When we enter His rest, we stop our own endeavours; our own stuff gets us nowhere but in trouble. To be at rest in Him is the deepest form of submission. This carries the very greatest of rewards, which is to know him.
   
9. Nine is to desire all about the Love that took Jesus to the cross for us. To be a prophet, you must learn warfare. You are God's voice and direction to the church. You are the church's visionary. You bring the presence of God to a meeting because it is in your heart. The dark forces hate you more than anything. We started this study with Amos 3:7 God does nothing without revealing it to His prophets. Sorry to say this, in many ways, the church stones the prophets and the messengers God sends them. Jesus was done in by God allowing it, yes, but it was the religious leaders and their people who said, "crucify Him." But there was John, Jesus' mother, and other women at the foot of the cross. There was Joseph, a rich man who followed Jesus at great cost to himself, went to Pontius Pilate to ask for Jesus' body and put Him in his own tomb. There was the one hundred and twenty that secretly met in the upper room. There are great, courageous people in Christ's Church. Find them, rest, and relax with them. Have some fun.
   
10. Ten is home life. Prophets can have the worst home life. They see great things. Prophecy is a thing that touches people's hearts with the heart of God, but they miss it at home. By nature, prophets are more passionate than most, but at home they must learn to love their wives without a prophetic message in mind. Thank God He prepares special women to fall in love with a prophet. We are lost without them. How they put up with our ups and downs as we go from immaturity to more maturity is a wonder. Where possible, keep your home a sanctuary. Ask God to bring the gifting in a different way, like, 'How can I wow my wife with good stuff from my heart?' To do this, we get Church out of our system. Now, I am also talking to myself.
    
11. Eleven is to learn to live with imperfection. You will make mistakes. You are not perfect, but the perfect One is growing inside. Remember, being the voice of God to the church brings you to the place where all hell wants to destroy you. Here is the reality: 1 John 1:8 says, ”If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” The world, the flesh and the devil, you and me are in God's hands. The sins of the lust of the eyes and the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life, GOD HAS GOT IT ALL COVERED! He is working all these things out. The problem with the prophet is that he brings a wonderful presence of God. Words that lift and enlighten the whole church, but during the week, he had a minor fall and says, “I am the worst of sinners, how would people think of me if they knew my thoughts. I am unclean and want to just disappear.” God has had to rescue me what seems like a million times. But He does rescue us. We have to lighten up. Receive forgiveness and continue to be in Him.
    
12. Twelve is this. It is mainly when God brings us to maturity to walk in Revelation 12:11. “They conquered him (the devil) by the blood of the Lamb, by the Word of their testimony they did not love their own lives so much as to shrink from death.” We must understand and believe in the power of JESUS' BLOOD. We must give ourselves to this. It is central to all things. When a humble but powerful prophet stands and gives a word, it is backed by the BLOOD OF JESUS. This is the only reality the enemy fears. For a prophet whom God has freed from self-identity, knowing it was the BLOOD of JESUS that has given him open standing to God Almighty, the King of Heaven and Earth, the Ruler and Loving Father of all that is created, the dark kingdoms are shackled in fear.

WE ARE IN THE GREATEST TRANSITION THE CHURCH HAS EVER EXPERIENCED. THE INSIGNIFICANT WILL BECOME GREAT, AND THE GREAT WILL BECOME INSIGNIFICANT.

THE WISE WILL BECOME FOOLS, AND THE FOOLS WILL BECOME WISE.

THOSE LISTENING AND LOOKING FOR GOD IN THE THUNDER, THE WIND, AND EARTHQUAKE WILL NOT HEAR HIM AS HE SPEAKS IN THE SMALL, STILL VOICE FROM OBSCURE PLACES AND FORMERLY UNKNOWN PEOPLE.

GOD WILL MAKE HIMSELF KNOWN THROUGH THE LIVES OF CHILDREN. THOSE LOST IN THE THEOLOGICAL DEBATE WILL NOT UNDERSTAND THE MESSAGE IS IN A CHILD.

THOSE WHO SPEND MUCH TIME FINDING FAULT IN OTHERS' LIVES AND MINISTRIES WILL BE LEFT OUTSIDE OF THE GATE AS THE HUMBLE AND BROKEN PASS THROUGH.

JOY AND LAUGHTER WILL BE IN PLACE OF EMPTY THEOLOGICAL DEBATE AND TRADITIONS.

THE EYES OF THE WORLD WILL BE OPENED TO HOW THE MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH OF OUR LORD ARE FAMILY AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER, AND THEY WILL COME, YES THEY WILL COME, AND WE THE CHURCH WILL HEAL THEIR SOULS AND TEACH THEM THE MARVELOUS WAY OF LOVE.

MOST OF ALL, THE FATHER OF HEAVEN, HIS SON, AND THE HOLY ANGELS WILL MAKE THE CHURCH THEIR HOME, REJOICING WITH THE KINGDOM LOVE AND KINDNESS.

JESUS WHO HAS WEPT OVER THE CHURCH AND THE WORLD, THOUGH THE TURBULENT AGES, WILL BE FILLED WITH JOY. HIS SACRIFICE HAS PRODUCED WHAT HIS HEART HAS ALWAYS DESIRED: THERE WOULD BE LOVE AMONG GOD'S CHILDREN.

I HOPE THIS HAS HELPED YOU.

THERE IS MORE.
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