How the prophetic works: two operational arms
That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge (1 Corinthians 1:5, KJV)
Every single believer should learn how the prophetic works because every believer in Christ is a prophet by birth. There is a ministerial office of a prophet and there is the ability to prophesy which every believer in Christ has. This is a key difference between God’s people in the Old Testament and us in the New Testament. Joel 2:28 says the Spirit has been given to all of us and we shall prophesy.
In essence, to prophesy means to speak what God is saying. The central and critical prerequisite to prophesy is the possession of the Holy Spirit. However, when the Spirit comes, the prophetic requires two operational arms identified in 1 Cor. 1:5 above to operate.
The first arm is knowledge. It is knowledge of what God is saying. Prophecy begins with receiving knowledge or knowing what God is saying. How do you know? How do you receive the knowledge of the Word of God. In the OT, God used two key instruments to bring knowledge of His Word to the prophets: the eyes and the ears. Prophets saw visions and heard God’s voice in different ways. We need to develop our spiritual eyes and ears, for they are the crucial instrumentalities of receiving the knowledge of His words.
The second part of prophecy is utterance. Utterance means the ability to speak forth the words of God. It is very easy to underlook this operational arm because it seems to be so obvious. Remember, when a prophet speaks, he or she does not merely speak human words but the words of God. And God’s words carry His power and wisdom, and will do what God Himself will do if present. Not everyone can speak like that. For a human being to speak words like God, that is, words that are spirit and life, it t that person must have the Spirit of God. Every one can mechanically speak words God has spoken but not everyone can speak words like God, which are spirit and life full, of power. When a prophet receives the knowledge of the word, he or she, by the Spirit of God, utters those words.
These are the two operational arms of the prophetic. You can grow in them. You can train your ears and eyes to receive the knowledge of His words and your heart and mouth to speak by the Spirit. There are some things in your life that will require you to prophesy like Ezekiel to the dry bones. Remember, speaking the word is not just verbalizing what scripture is saying or what God is saying. It is uttering by the Spirit and you can also learn to train your heart to align with your mouth when you speak. Speak or prophesy over your life, ministry, health, children, finances, family, etc. Don’t just do it as many of us have been trained to do with “no spirit in it”. Understand and give yourself wholly to what you are doing, knowing you are uttering God’s words and expect dry bones to begin to move!
MEDITATE
What are the two operational arms of prophecy in the devotional above? Are you operating in any of them?
APPLY THE WORD
Unleash the prophetic in your life. Sharpen your perception to receive the Word and start prophesying. Maybe some of you need to start speaking over your heart that you are not the emotional wreck you have been labelled but a child of God, filled with the Spirit. Or maybe you need to speak and tell coronavirus and its fear,”hey coronavirus, hear ye the word of the Lord!”. Maybe it is a demonic oppression, disease in your body, finances, etc. You are a prophetic child,so prophesy!
PRAY
Thank the Father for the gift of the Spirit. Ask the Spirit to help you develop these prophetic arms and begin living in the prophetic daily.
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