Speaking Prophetically

“But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men [to] edification, and exhortation, and comfort.”
I Corinthians 14:3

This day I choose to prophesy. I have decided to stop speaking out of my own thoughts and opinions, and speak prophetically over my life and the lives of others around me. I have been created with the ability to form words that have the power to change lives and circumstances. The dynamic of the Holy Spirit dwells within me, discerning the heart of God over a matter or a person. I choose to prophesy.

I don’t know what you think of prophecy. Some relegate it strictly to foretelling the future. That is true, but that is not all it is. In a broader understanding, prophecy means to say before. Whenever I speak the word and the will of God under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, I am operating in the gift of prophecy. Others see the gift of prophesy only as someone who might speak out over the congregation saying “Thus saieth the Lord …” Then they say to themselves “I can do that,” or “I won’t do that, so I must not have the gift of prophesy.” But, truth be told, we have the opportunity to speak prophetically every day. Whenever we refer to a person not according to what they were, or what they are, but to see them in light of what they will be with respect to God’s plan and purpose for their lives, that is prophecy. When I talk about my personal situation out of faith, based on the blessing and favor of the Lord over my life, I am prophesying.

The Apostle Paul desired that all believers would prophesy. And he set forth criteria in his letter to the Corinthians for New Testament prophecy. You can recognize prophetic words that are flowing from the throne of God, because they will always edify, exhort and comfort. This day I choose to speak prophetically

I choose to edify. To edify is to building up. The act of one who promotes another's growth in Christian wisdom, piety, happiness and holiness is a person who is operating out of their prophetic ability. We need to speak God’s good, acceptable and perfect will over our lives, and the lives of those around us, in a constructive manner. A builder builds by design and with purpose. We need to tap into God’s Word as the Creator’s divine blue print for our lives. He is building us to be the temple for His dwelling. Treating yourself and others as the temple of the Holy Spirit is an issue of respect for God’s work in each of us!

I choose to exhort. Exhorting is to address by admonishing or instructing for the purpose of persuading through arousing and stimulating the call of God on each of our lives. When we speak over the lives of others it is for the purpose of helping them. Building them up, not tearing them down. Whether by sermon, or lesson, or counsel, our words can be constructive or destructive. Either by the spoken or the written word, choose to constructively exhort. Over all the things that we can receive through our eyes and ears, filter out everything that does not edify. Think on these things …
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things [are] honest, whatsoever things [are] just, whatsoever things [are] pure, whatsoever things [are] lovely, whatsoever things [are] of good report; if [there be] any virtue, and if [there be] any praise, think on these things.” (Philippians 4:8)

I choose to comfort. Jesus introduced the Holy Spirit to His disciples as the Comforter. Comfort is a calming and consoling, solace. You will recognize comfort for its refreshing, encouraging, and consoling qualities. We must seek to find the words that will bring the Lord’s comfort and encouragement. When we comfort we are operating out of the Spirit of Christ, for “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Revelation 19:10). Oh, that we would choose to use our words in such a way that when we speak over ourselves and the lives of others that our words would release the purposes of God for His glory!

“Bless and curse not.”
Romans 12:14

Spiritual Songs

Now, I am not a song writer, but there have been times when I am singing in the spirit, and the Holy Spirit will give me the interpretation of the song that I am singing. They have never been published, but I have used them for years in personal worship. This one I want to share with you today

I was vacuuming the church sanctuary on a Monday morning and there was no one else around. The Hoover has a nice hum to it. I would take the pitch of the vacuum's hum and sing and worship in unknown tongues. Once while vacuuming and worshipping, these words came to me in an unbroken flow.

"Fall on this Rock and be broken.
Fall on this Rock and surrender.
For without Me you can do nothing.
For without Me you can do nothing.

For I have anointed you.
I have appointed you,
For this time,
And this hour,
And this place.

That if you will be found in Me,
Humbly bow down to Me.
If you will surrender,
Then I, I will remember."

Perhaps the Lord would minister this word to your heart today.

Compressed Time Frames

I think I remember someone saying, “We are living in a period of compressed time frames.” I shared with our Business Men’s Fellowship today that it feels like we are running to catch up to jump onto a moving train that’s picking up speed. I don’t know if it’s true for the rest of the world, but for the kingdom of God the times and the seasons are gaining momentum. Our labor in the Lord is also becoming more concentrated, and we are experiencing greater result for the effort.

I’m reminded of the parable of the farmer in Matthew 20, who hired laborers for the vineyard. He went to the marketplace in the early morning, late morning, noon, early afternoon, then finally late afternoon, always finding able bodied workers for the field of harvest, standing around, unemployed in the square.

The parable doesn’t say harvest, but I assume it from Jesus comment in John 4:35, “Say not ye, There are yet four months, and [then] cometh harvest? Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.” Since the time of Jesus, the field of the earth has been ripe for the picking.

The farmer paid each man as agreed. (That’s another lesson.) But I asked the Lord once, “Why the urgency? What was the big hurry?” All I could imagine were billows of dark clouds looming over the horizon. An ominous storm was brewing, and the farmer knew the harvest had to come in that day, for by tomorrow whatever was left in the field would summarily be destroyed by the oncoming weather front. It was no longer a matter of skill, or resources, or money. This was a last days ingathering or nothing!

Jesus lived life with this sense of urgency, and expressed it when he said, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work” (John 9:4). This life is our one shot, and this may be the last generation to have the opportunity to labor in the harvest field while it is yet day. “…Behold, now [is] the accepted time; behold, now [is] the day of salvation” (II Cor.6:2).

May this be our prayer while we are working. Yes, working and praying at the same time. “The harvest truly [is] plenteous, but the labourers [are] few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest” (Mat 9:37-38).