What are you looking for? It's good to make a wish list and be very real. But then take it to the Lord and His Word and discern how "on track" you are. It can be humbling, but it also can be VERY HELPFUL! Then do your best to understand what His will is from His Word and get some things reconciled. It is probably NOT as bad as what you thought! The Word will reveal to you what you CAN do - it will give instruction and encouragement! See how Jesus spoke to people in the four books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John of the Bible. He reached them!
I am not (on purpose) going to act like I am anything or anyone that I am not. I see a lot of people who act bigger than their calling and this "aura" surrounds them like what happened to THEM is better than others. This SO DEFEATS the Cause of Christ in His Redemption work! Some just can't resist that, and then they make all these "special distinctions" that set them apart from others! That is the spirit of the Pharisees!!! I don't know if Americans or others can get cured of that or not! I am strong in my gift now, because of my sincere efforts, but it wasn't always that way!
Prophecy is not magic. In fact, it is not a skill, although some are experienced in it. But that is not the strength of it. Prophecy is not "man" controlled or "man" originated words of God. Prophecy is words of God expressed through man, and the gift is God originated. I believe God would be pleased if everyone could speak the oracles of God because it would mean that they are close enough to Him to do it! Because God is a Spirit, the words of God are close to His Heart, and relate to His will and His intentions. True prophetic words are not meant to show off about the future or anything else but His will, but prophetic words are communications of His will.
Every young minister who is called, at whatever age, is eager to share their gift. While some seek a specific call, others are just full of zeal, ready to share what they can. This is beautiful to God just like parents see all good in their small children who seek to perform well in their certain ways. The young minister is really excited when they get to sing or preach in a segment of the church service. They can feel they have arrived when they get the attention of others and feel that their "anointing" is confirmed. It's great to them and significant, but they often act like a teen-ager and don't realize that they didn't have to acquire the building and pay the utilities and set up the sound system and maintain the audience.
Freedom in the Spirit is a wonderful thing. It allows you to explore HIM. And when you explore you learn things, new things, that you have not known or heard before! It was fun being a kid and exploring, but you also know there were times when your parents or caregivers said, "Wait a minute! Watch out over there! Be aware of this or that, or Don't do this or that." They meant all that for your good! They were delighted when you matured and you learned now to cross the street safely, or later when you could run to the store for them. If you kept your boundaries right, they could give you more and more freedom.
Sometimes I get real intense in prayer and other times I back off. Sometimes it was so pressing and there were resistant forces and even some emotional wounds that I've backed off longer than I should have. And then the Lord calls me back, but I resist sometimes because I remember the pain in my emotions. It's not always bad like that, but sometimes it is. Once I get back, I am always glad that I did, because there are many rewards and sometimes, I will get to see some of the fruit of my labors and that brings a great joy.
When you are building a house, you don't build the roof before you build a foundation, and THEN you build the pillars for the roof. Then you build out the rooms. Many church "rooms" are very bare and sterile, which can be fine for some things, but they are not LIVED IN. We do need those different kinds of places for different functions, but we also need life things for living life. We need rooms to worship, seek and pray, (and where are the altars today?) and we need rooms for learning and teaching, we need places for activities and group events, and even God will say to clean things out for His Visitation.
What are you building your foundation on right now? Is it your ability to know His Word? Is it your ability to hear His Voice? Are you seeking to learn from others, or do you feel that you are grounded enough to teach others? Can you define the goals in that? Are you working on finding peace in yourself, or are you working to get the favor of man? It's good to be honest with your emotions and see if your energy is really pointing you towards where you want to be. It's good to ask yourself WHY you want what you do. I do that often and it helps me realize just how well that I am hearing His Voice of direction.
Last night I had a burden over a friend of mine, a friend I have shared Jesus with in the past. Life can take us on different journeys, and I think we all have seasons of struggle, or we probably haven't lived very long! Struggles help us learn and find breakthroughs. They help us understand HOW God wants us to overcome. Because I have been around a few years, I have heard a lot of good testimonies and I am blessed for that. What a difference someone's testimony can make to us and help us! They will show you His Word in life and in action! Light can come in for us, to explain things, and widen our horizons.
I have been around a lot of prophets, in small towns and big cities, in large ministries and in small. I got my calling in 1976, but the first few years after that were a lot of study. After that, it is "continuing education" in its many forms! There are two strong focuses for a true prophet and that is your personal ministry with and to God and your ministering ministry to people who need His insights. We have not been "chosen" for "celebrity" status, although many treat it that way. (They will learn!) It is a servant ministry to the Spirit and to people. Sometimes your hard knocks are how you will learn!
Follow Up
