Receiving a Prophetic Word is not a casual thing.

There is a reason for the verse in Amos –

“Surely The LORD God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” Amos 3:7.

God will always reveal His Secrets, His Intentions, to His Prophets. This has always been God’s way of warning His People about future events.

This is also why several prophets may receive similar Words at roughly the same time — each of the Words confirming the others. And before anyone says anything, yes, prophets do get it wrong occasionally.

Contrary to popular Facebook opinion, and contrary to much Pharisaic opinion, this doesn’t indicate a false prophet — the prophet just got it wrong.

If this happens more than getting it right, then maybe it needs looking at, but until then, he or she is not a false prophet.

But that’s a risk all prophets run if the Word they bring doesn’t happen exactly as they say, or immediately, then some well meaning soul will shout “false prophecy — false prophet”.

Prophets today are not designed as replicas of Old Testament prophets — as Paul puts it,

“For now, we see through a glass darkly — we see in part and we prophesy in part!” 1 Corinthians 13:12.

But this is only part of a prophets job.

Remember how the young Jeremiah was told,

“See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.” Jeremiah 1:10.

This is another fraught area for the prophet. Many who prophesy, only like to put out edifying and encouraging Words — yet The Word of The LORD states quite clearly that exposing and bringing to the light, and thereby correction, is also part of the prophet’s job.

How he/ she does this is between them and God, but He, nevertheless, expects the prophet, at least one who would walk in the office, to do precisely that — “root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.”

Finally, in this very short essay, there is the question of delivering the Prophetic Word, and handling the backlash!

My own mentor always taught me that, having brought The Word, our job is done. How it is received is none of the prophets business — that is between the hearer and God!

However, reality shows that sometimes, much time needs to be spent ‘defending’ or ‘justifying’ the given Word. This is because most people have very little idea how to handle prophecy.

And that’s another post for another day!

 

~ Chris G. Bennett

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Chris Bennett came to salvation in 1962 but didn’t begin ministry until 2007 — a late-comer! Now mandated by The LORD to prophesy and open old wells of revival in the U.K., but especially in Wales. He has also operated Healing Rooms, and worked with deliverance teams, all with his wife, Linda. Happily now doing whatever The LORD asks of them! Founder, with wife Linda, of their ministry The Upper Room Encounter.

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