09/02/2009
In the last article we saw the importance of a person’s walk with the Lord. It’s vital that a person learns to discern the Lord’s voice first in private before stepping out to prophesy in public.
Secondly, stepping out in faith and prophesying must arise out of a life led by the Spirit. One of the other major causes for a lot error today is due to the emphasis of the former at the expense of or ignoring the latter.
Stepping out in faith is not necessarily wrong as it helps in overcoming fear. It can also be encouraged in settings where the Spirit of prophecy is present. It is also needed in places where people come hungry to hear from the Lord.
However, it is wrong when it stands on a foundation by itself rather than on the truth that one must be in line with the Spirit before stepping out in faith. Being led by the Spirit should be the main focus and not stepping out in faith.
We have done well in proving that prophecy is for everyone. However just because we know God’s revealed will in the word, it does not mean we can take it and apply it as we like. We must be subject to the Spirit who inspired those promises in the first place to access and walk in them.
If a person hasn’t tapped into that life (of the Spirit) or isn’t walking in it, then how can he access the promises which are in the spiritual (Spirit’s) realm? Even if we gain access to that realm, staying yielded to the Spirit is what keeps us in that realm. The same relates to prophecy. For those in the flesh will prophesy according to the flesh. Only those in the Spirit will prophesy the will and the mind of the Spirit.
One must first have learnt to discern the voice of the Spirit which is primary. Differentiate it from the voice of the world, the flesh and the devil. One must know what the witness of the Spirit is. They must have learnt how to put to death the flesh and yield to the Spirit; then when operating in Faith they will be steered by the Spirit.
Prophecy is similar to healings in the way it operates. In that case, we must understand that Jesus did not heal everyone, all the time. At the pool of Bethesda there where many those were sick, Jesus healed just one of them (man with the infirmity for 38 years at the pool). He was dependent and led by the Spirit. Similarly, one can’t just go and prophesy to whomever they want to or whenever they want to, they need the Spirit’s direction on that.
There is a whole new generation today that has been trained to prophecy as they desire with little, or no understanding of the Spirit led life and have grown into believing that all they need to do is step out in faith (as they will) and that somehow God will speak to them each time. This is not faith; it is being presumptive. When stepping out in faith takes the place of walking yielded before God, discerning His will and the governance of the Spirit, it’s nothing more than presumption based on ignorance or arrogance. This is one of the reasons for a lot of mistakes and confusion today.
In a setting where people are taught to prophesy, they must be first made aware of the absolute necessity of being totally dependent on God. They must be introduced to the Spirit led life and be encouraged to walk in obedience to His voice. Only then when they step out in faith, the Spirit will be by their side to guide their steps.
