Hi all,
Last week I shared how some people laid hands on me and prophesied and were spot on - but then they wanted to go further, and the 2nd time they merely perceived in their spirit what my gifts were - the put a 'thus saith the Lord' and a future tense to it, and called it God.
Many manipulators not knowing the ways of the Father, think when they perceive the qualities in a person's spirit they are moving in prophecy, or worse, think themselves a prophet. But they have just become good at perceiving in their spirit the qualities of another person's spirit. This can be learned also among those who don't know the Lord, sometimes with demons - familiar spirits - telling the person things about another for the purpose of manipulation or even abuse.
You've perceived the qualities of another's spirit
There are people you like and you don't know why, just as there are people you don't care for - not because they've done anything, you just don't 'click'. You perceive it isn't just personality, there is something deeper that your spirit doesn't like what's in them. Very often it is because your spirit recognizes something in their spirit (or soul) that conflicts with the Spirit of God, causing you to not like them.
You get some groceries at the store and you walk away wondering if the clerk is a Christian, or close to righteousness because there is something good or peaceful, like a recognition in your spirit your mind notices about them. In Mark 12:34 Jesus said to the scribe who answered rightly about scripture:"You aren't far from the kingdom of God." Jesus perceived the man's spiritual condition. It wasn't a prophetic word, it was an observation Jesus made about what He perceived of where that man was spiritually. We do that as well.
Also, many men and women who have experienced some form of abuse when young can perceive in their spirit when a person they even casually meet is into lust or other things, for their spirit recognizes the kind of spirits that had abused them when they were younger. Our spirit can perceive on that human spirit to human spirit level if a person is pure or if something about them isn't right. The world calls it a 'gut feeling' or 'intuition', for even non-born again people are still spirit, soul and body.
If a person suffered abuse as a child, or grew up in a home with addicts for example, now as an adult their spirit and soul can perceive that a stranger they see out in public is an addict because their spirit feels the spirits around that stranger - because that type of spirit was around their parents growing up.
What was that?
Simple prophecy is God given, Holy Spirit prompted. It isn't about figuring out the qualities of a person's personality or gifts - though that can be part of a prophecy. Prophecy is defined in I Corinthians 14:3:"One who prophesies speaks to people for their building up, encouragement, and comfort." It is the Father who is a Spirit, giving revelation to someone's spirit about His encouragement and comfort to that other person. There is nothing future in simple prophecy. Sometimes for encouragement the Lord will mention that person's gifts or talents He put in them, but that is done in the larger context of a message to them. This is because a prophecy is still about Jesus and His work and will.
Many have prophesied while sitting at a table having tea or coffee with a friend, and you sense in your spirit that your friend is at the point of decision in something. You sense a peace about telling them thus and so, bringing them comfort - that was prophecy. If it came from your sympathy just as a friend, no, that was just a friend comforting their friend. But there are those times we move from a sense in our spirit, a sense of peace or inspiration to tell our friend - and that is prophecy. The gifts of the Spirit don't come with labels nor flashing announcement:"Incoming, what I'm giving you is a prophecy, put a 'thus saith the Lord' at the end." NO. Paul calls the gifts in I Corinthians 12:4-7 a "manifestation of the Spirit given for the benefit of all." It's normal, just part of being a Christian, that Christ in you would move through you for another person's betterment.
The context of the New Testament was the home, in relationships, and in home meetings, so that is where all the gifts of the Spirit have their first use. A parent comforting their child after a rough day at work may be just a parent doing what parent's do. But perhaps as they listen to their child that parent is asking the Father for wisdom and just the right things to say to comfort the child - and out of their spirit comes comfort, encouragement, wisdom beyond what they had originally. They just prophesied, and perhaps gave a word of wisdom to their child. They flowed from their spirit, out their soul, speaking with their body - you can sense that flow, perceive it, there is nothing more fulfilling than living from the spirit-man outward.
A word of wisdom is a divine instruction on something future - like the Lord giving a person wisdom on how to handle a difficult situation at work, or what to share of their experience in the job interview in the morning. A word of knowledge is divine knowledge about something past or present, and all these manifestations of the Spirit of God are just that - manifestations of the Spirit.
Prophecy will not appeal to our ego:"The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." Revelation 19:10
The context was the apostle John was in heaven and started to bow at the feet of the man showing him around. The man was greatly distressed and insistent John not do that for he said he was a fellow believer as well. He said prophecy wasn't about him (the man showing John these things in heaven), but the testimony of Jesus is what prophecy is all about.
This means a personal prophecy will not build you up, tell you what a great and powerful ministry you are called to (though He may tell you the scope of your ministry and the troubles you will have if you accept His invitation, as per Paul's interaction with Jesus on the road to Damascus.) If you are being used to give a prophecy to someone and was truly of the Spirit, you will feel no sense of ego, no sense of 'wow I'm good at this' - nothing about you at all. It's all about Jesus whether you are giving or receiving a word of prophecy.
IF you receive some 'prophet' giving you a long and flowery prophecy that goes on for pages and pages when you write it down, it wasn't from God. MAYBE the first paragraph was by the Spirit, but the rest would be the 'prophet' being in the flesh, just like what happened to me at that conference.
When the Spirit of God speaks, every example of Him speaking to someone in Acts, is short, to the point, direct, without any embellishments. Prophecy is about Jesus, not you or I. IF it appeals to ego, builds you up about your call and purpose, makes you think you are God's gift to mankind - that's not God. Jesus is meek, lowly of heart, approachable, and humble. Any personal prophecy will have that spirit of Jesus. No ego involved.
Next week, what makes a seer/prophet a seer/prophet. Until then, blessings,
John Fenn
cwowi.org and email me at [email protected]
Last week I shared how some people laid hands on me and prophesied and were spot on - but then they wanted to go further, and the 2nd time they merely perceived in their spirit what my gifts were - the put a 'thus saith the Lord' and a future tense to it, and called it God.
Many manipulators not knowing the ways of the Father, think when they perceive the qualities in a person's spirit they are moving in prophecy, or worse, think themselves a prophet. But they have just become good at perceiving in their spirit the qualities of another person's spirit. This can be learned also among those who don't know the Lord, sometimes with demons - familiar spirits - telling the person things about another for the purpose of manipulation or even abuse.
You've perceived the qualities of another's spirit
There are people you like and you don't know why, just as there are people you don't care for - not because they've done anything, you just don't 'click'. You perceive it isn't just personality, there is something deeper that your spirit doesn't like what's in them. Very often it is because your spirit recognizes something in their spirit (or soul) that conflicts with the Spirit of God, causing you to not like them.
You get some groceries at the store and you walk away wondering if the clerk is a Christian, or close to righteousness because there is something good or peaceful, like a recognition in your spirit your mind notices about them. In Mark 12:34 Jesus said to the scribe who answered rightly about scripture:"You aren't far from the kingdom of God." Jesus perceived the man's spiritual condition. It wasn't a prophetic word, it was an observation Jesus made about what He perceived of where that man was spiritually. We do that as well.
Also, many men and women who have experienced some form of abuse when young can perceive in their spirit when a person they even casually meet is into lust or other things, for their spirit recognizes the kind of spirits that had abused them when they were younger. Our spirit can perceive on that human spirit to human spirit level if a person is pure or if something about them isn't right. The world calls it a 'gut feeling' or 'intuition', for even non-born again people are still spirit, soul and body.
If a person suffered abuse as a child, or grew up in a home with addicts for example, now as an adult their spirit and soul can perceive that a stranger they see out in public is an addict because their spirit feels the spirits around that stranger - because that type of spirit was around their parents growing up.
What was that?
Simple prophecy is God given, Holy Spirit prompted. It isn't about figuring out the qualities of a person's personality or gifts - though that can be part of a prophecy. Prophecy is defined in I Corinthians 14:3:"One who prophesies speaks to people for their building up, encouragement, and comfort." It is the Father who is a Spirit, giving revelation to someone's spirit about His encouragement and comfort to that other person. There is nothing future in simple prophecy. Sometimes for encouragement the Lord will mention that person's gifts or talents He put in them, but that is done in the larger context of a message to them. This is because a prophecy is still about Jesus and His work and will.
Many have prophesied while sitting at a table having tea or coffee with a friend, and you sense in your spirit that your friend is at the point of decision in something. You sense a peace about telling them thus and so, bringing them comfort - that was prophecy. If it came from your sympathy just as a friend, no, that was just a friend comforting their friend. But there are those times we move from a sense in our spirit, a sense of peace or inspiration to tell our friend - and that is prophecy. The gifts of the Spirit don't come with labels nor flashing announcement:"Incoming, what I'm giving you is a prophecy, put a 'thus saith the Lord' at the end." NO. Paul calls the gifts in I Corinthians 12:4-7 a "manifestation of the Spirit given for the benefit of all." It's normal, just part of being a Christian, that Christ in you would move through you for another person's betterment.
The context of the New Testament was the home, in relationships, and in home meetings, so that is where all the gifts of the Spirit have their first use. A parent comforting their child after a rough day at work may be just a parent doing what parent's do. But perhaps as they listen to their child that parent is asking the Father for wisdom and just the right things to say to comfort the child - and out of their spirit comes comfort, encouragement, wisdom beyond what they had originally. They just prophesied, and perhaps gave a word of wisdom to their child. They flowed from their spirit, out their soul, speaking with their body - you can sense that flow, perceive it, there is nothing more fulfilling than living from the spirit-man outward.
A word of wisdom is a divine instruction on something future - like the Lord giving a person wisdom on how to handle a difficult situation at work, or what to share of their experience in the job interview in the morning. A word of knowledge is divine knowledge about something past or present, and all these manifestations of the Spirit of God are just that - manifestations of the Spirit.
Prophecy will not appeal to our ego:"The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." Revelation 19:10
The context was the apostle John was in heaven and started to bow at the feet of the man showing him around. The man was greatly distressed and insistent John not do that for he said he was a fellow believer as well. He said prophecy wasn't about him (the man showing John these things in heaven), but the testimony of Jesus is what prophecy is all about.
This means a personal prophecy will not build you up, tell you what a great and powerful ministry you are called to (though He may tell you the scope of your ministry and the troubles you will have if you accept His invitation, as per Paul's interaction with Jesus on the road to Damascus.) If you are being used to give a prophecy to someone and was truly of the Spirit, you will feel no sense of ego, no sense of 'wow I'm good at this' - nothing about you at all. It's all about Jesus whether you are giving or receiving a word of prophecy.
IF you receive some 'prophet' giving you a long and flowery prophecy that goes on for pages and pages when you write it down, it wasn't from God. MAYBE the first paragraph was by the Spirit, but the rest would be the 'prophet' being in the flesh, just like what happened to me at that conference.
When the Spirit of God speaks, every example of Him speaking to someone in Acts, is short, to the point, direct, without any embellishments. Prophecy is about Jesus, not you or I. IF it appeals to ego, builds you up about your call and purpose, makes you think you are God's gift to mankind - that's not God. Jesus is meek, lowly of heart, approachable, and humble. Any personal prophecy will have that spirit of Jesus. No ego involved.
Next week, what makes a seer/prophet a seer/prophet. Until then, blessings,
John Fenn
cwowi.org and email me at [email protected]
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