How do we turn our prophetic words into plans? After we have tested the words, how do we move forward?
By: Pastor Dian Botha
Here are the next three principles of prophetic processing, a continuation of our earlier article - Prophetic Processing I - Testing The Word.
Prophetic identity
Your prophetic identity is who God says you are! Many times, we will get a word that we feel doesn’t really describe us. Let’s look at what God said about David, Moses, Abraham and Gideon.
David was a young boy when God said he will be king. Gideon was hiding in fear when God called him a mighty warrior. Moses felt totally inadequate when God called him. Abraham had no children when God called him, “father of many nations”! Why is that? What is revealed here is a very important prophetic principle, that God calls those things which do not exist as though they did!
Romans 4:17 says,-"(as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did."
God calls those things which do not exist as though they did!
How then do we discover our prophetic identity?
In order to do this, I would go through all my prophetic words and mark out similar words or phrases. Some of the repeated themes in my prophetic words have been: prophet, spiritual father, intercessor and missionary. In response to these themes, I would then steer my life in that direction because God said so! I would take practical steps like attending seminars, reading books, and associating with people who fit that description.
I believe what God has said about me and I’m taking steps in that direction. In the same way, take time to go through your prophetic words and ask the Lord to show you the repeated themes and steps to take.
Prophetic promises
Many years ago, a friend gave us a prophetic word about buying a house - ”Don’t buy what you can afford but what you like. I will provide!”
Well, we started looking at houses outside of our budget after this, and finally we found what we wanted. Just like He said, God did provide for us miraculously! But we had to go and find what we liked, and then take those steps.
God told the children of Israel that they will inherit the Promised Land, but they had to enter and start possessing. Genesis 28:15 - “I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised to you.”
Prophecy and promises are mostly (not exclusively) conditional, so you must believe and act on the promise. We will look more into this in our final point, Prophetic Warfare.
Prophecy and promises are mostly (not exclusively) conditional, so you must believe and act on the promise.
Prophetic Timing
In 1 Chronicles 12:32, we are told about the sons of Issachar who had an understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do.
I believe that this is the same for God’s timing and God’s will. When we do something prematurely or too late, it doesn’t work. He makes all things beautiful in His time. Several times Jesus said, “My time has not come!”
Many years ago, God spoke to a young man in Youth With A Mission about going to Russia. He shared this with his leaders, but they were not in favour of him leaving for Russia. However, some years later, a prophet came to the base and prophesied over this young man that God had called him to Russia. They had a discussion and in due time he went to Russia.
Were the leaders wrong at first? I believe not. It just wasn’t the right time to go to Russia earlier on, and if he had gone ahead earlier, it wouldn’t have worked out so well.This is why it’s very important that we submit our prophetic words to our leaders and get the right timing.
It’s very important that we submit our prophetic words to our leaders and get the right timing.
Prophetic Warfare
1 Timothy 1:18 - This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare.
Prophetic words are powerful weapons! When Peter was in prison waiting to be beheaded, he was fast asleep! Now, isn’t it strange that he was about to die the next morning, but he could sleep soundly. I believe the answer is in the prophetic word from Jesus over his life. Jesus prophesied that he would die as an old man. As such, Simon Peter had no fear that he was going to die the next day.
Prophetic words are rhema words from God! Ephesians 6:17 exhorts us to take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word (rhema) of God. These rhema words are weapons that we declare against the enemy. Just like Jesus said to Satan; “It is written!”. We need to declare what God has said about our lives, believing by faith that it shall come to pass.
We need to declare what God has said about our lives, believing by faith that it shall come to pass.
I remember that when my son was in a coma in the Intensive Care Unit, we declared the prophetic words over his life. We told the devil that he would not take his life and that God’s words over his life would come to pass. He had a brain tumour at that time, and the doctor said that there was a 80% chance of him not being normal. On the contrary, he is doing a master’s degree in biomedical science right now. Hallelujah!!
In conclusion, let’s not despise our prophetic words by neglect and tardiness. Let’s also not rush into things because of one prophetic word, but let’s process it properly and deliberately. You can begin by keeping a record of the prophetic words that have been released over your life and reviewing them from time to time. Go turn your prophecies into plans!!