Editor: Al Vesper
The word "strategic" in Webster's dictionary is defined as that which is necessary to or important in the initiation, conduct, or completion of a strategic plan. The word "strategy" is defined as a careful plan or method. It also involves the devising or employing of plans for reaching a goal.
GOD HAS A PLAN AND A STRATEGY
Someone has said that if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. God had a plan when He created the heavens and the earth. He had a plan when He created both male and female. He had a plan when He sent His Son into the world. He has a plan for the church at the end of the age. He has a plan for each of us individually. God spoke to His people who had been carried away as captives to Babylon and reminded them that He still had a plan. One translation of this verse reads, "I have not lost sight of My plan for you." (Jeremiah 29:11)
God is a strategic planner. He has a goal in mind for His creation. He is the initiator and conductor, He has done all that is necessary, and He is working right now all across the earth bringing His glorious plan into completion. Part of His plan is to use you and me in His plan in this final hour.
God's ability to lead us in His plans far exceeds our ability to follow Him. He can see to it that we are in the right place at the right time. He can cause us to hear exactly what we need to hear, at the exact time we need to hear it. He can give us just the right word to speak at the very moment He wants it spoken. He is truly an awesome God. Yet, God gives us a choice as to whether or not we will participate in His plans.
As the end of the age approaches, it is going to become increasingly important that we hear and distinguish God's voice over all the other voices that will be demanding our attention. To accomplish His will His way, we must have our spiritual ears trained to move at even the slightest nudging of the Holy Spirit. We also must be disciplined to wait and not move when He has not spoken. Getting ahead of God will be just as dangerous as getting behind Him. He is calling us to do nothing less and nothing more than what He wants to be done. Accomplishing His will demands that we have an understanding of the nature of, and how the prophetic ministry can give us the strategies necessary to accomplish His will.
A LESSON FROM THE UNDERGROUND CHURCH
We want to begin this lesson with a truly remarkable story that has recently emerged from the underground church in China.
A group of Chinese Christians had been meeting in a secret location. The pastor of the church knew that a government spy had infiltrated the church. No one knew his or her identity. The pastor announced to the congregation that the meeting would have to be changed to a different location. However, to keep the meeting location secret, he, nor anyone else, was to announce or reveal where exactly the meeting was to be held. The pastor encouraged each believer to ask God to show each of them where to go the next week. The Holy Spirit alone was to lead them. When the time arrived for the next meeting, everyone who had attended the meeting the previous week showed up in the new location, except one.
KEYS TO GETTING GOD'S STRATEGIES
Doing His will at the end of the age will demand that we get His strategies. Here are some keys in doing that:
- Learn To First Follow The Lord, Not A Plan.
This statement may at first seem contradictory to what we have already spoken to this point, however it is not. Jesus told Simon and Andrew, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men." (Mark 1:17) They immediately dropped what they were doing and followed the Lord. Following the Lord will always begin with our dropping what we are doing. Simon and Andrew knew that their responsibility was to simply follow the Lord. Jesus had the responsibility of making them and placing them where He wanted them. They did not even have a plan. However, the Lord did. Their plans came together as they followed Him.
The nature of true ministry, and what will be the identifying mark of that ministry at the end of the age, will not be our doing something "for the Lord," but our doing exploits "with the Lord." Paul told Archippus, a fellow servant of the Lord, "Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it." (Colossians 4:17) The ministry each of us have been called into is not just something we receive from the Lord, but in the Lord. As we daily walk out our relationship of being in Christ, we will see what He is doing and then join Him in doing the Fathers will. Understanding this is essential. All true ministry flows out of our relationship with Him.
A good description of the ministry at the end of the age can be found in Revelation 14:4. "These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes." Prophetic ministry is simply following the Lamb and then saying and doing what He wants said or done.
- Live Each Day With An Expectancy That We Will, And We Are, Hearing From God.
Prophetic ministry is simply hearing from God and then speaking or doing what He has told us to say or to do. Jesus said, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." (John 10:27) The hardest part of prophetic ministry is simply our believing what Jesus has already said. If we will believe what He has said, we will have faith to hear what He is saying. If Jesus said we do hear His voice then it's fact that we indeed do.
As this age comes to a close, God is going to see that our hearing His voice improves dramatically. Not only must we hear His voice to accomplish His will, but hearing His voice will be necessary for survival as His judgments and His shaking begin to be released upon the earth. Joel reminds us, "And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions." (Joel 2:28)
We must understand that Joel said this outpouring occurs "afterward." By looking at what is occurring in Joel's day just prior to his prophecy in Joel 2:28, we can better understand why it will be important to accurately hear His voice. World conditions will demand that we hear from God. Prophetic revelation (dreams, visions, and prophecy) is not just a good idea, but is vital in our doing God's will at the end of the age.
God has and is giving those called to the prophetic ministry time to learn and mature. He hasn't been as concerned as we have about some of the messes that have come from those not yet mature in the prophetic. Proverbs 14:4 reminds us "Where no oxen are, the trough is clean; but much increase comes from the strength of an ox." Many want the church to rise up in strength, yet are unprepared or unwilling to allow for the immaturity that at first will appear. However to move forth strategically in this final hour, a greater maturity and accuracy will appear in those called to the prophetic ministry. One way this will happen will come through a greater and continual fulfillment of Joel 2:28.
- Ask Him For His Strategies
This is basic but must not be forgotten. "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him." (James 1:5) In the coming years many in the world will be looking for answers to problems never yet faced. God will have a prophetic people ready to give them God's answers.
When Pharaoh told Joseph his dream, Joseph told Pharaoh exactly what God was showing him. Joseph knew that the interpretation was not in himself (Gen. 41:16), but as He sought the Lord, God gave him the exact interpretation. He then said nothing more and nothing less than what God had given him. Out of Joseph's prophetic experience, a strategy was given that saved the lives of many people.
- Resist The Good And Wait For The Best
To move forth strategically will demand that we resist the temptation to speak or move out in what may seem good, but may not be God. As has been said, the good is often the enemy of the best. Those of us who have been called into prophetic ministry have not been called to give that which is just good to the Body, but that which is God's best.
Jesus only did those things He saw the Father doing. This must be our desire. This also requires a discipline to wait for Him. The desire to "do something" for the Lord can actually hinder us from doing that which He has called us to do. Make it your prayer not to do just something, but His thing.
- Pray For The Fear Of God
Paul Cain once said, "God is not saying all we say He is saying, but He is saying a lot more than what we really want to hear."
God spoke through Jeremiah about those who went but were not sent, and those who spoke but were not spoken to. "I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran. I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied." (Jeremiah 23:21)
In Isaiah 11:2 we see the seven-fold or the seven Spirits of the Lord. All seven references make up the character and ministry of the Holy Spirit. The prophetic ministry is an extension of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. The fear of the Lord is mentioned among this list. Therefore to move forth strategically in this hour will demand that we walk in the fear of the Lord.
CONCLUSION
Now is the time we've all been waiting for. Each of us has been called into the Kingdom for such a time as this. We must give ourselves to hearing, and doing His strategies. The result will be glorious!
Week 10 Activation Exercise
The Eyes of Our Heart, Part 2
Before we begin, let's stop for a moment and just reflect on the last 9 weeks. It is good to take time and purposely reflect on all the Lord has done in us and for us from time to time. Do you remember how you felt at the beginning of the course? How do you now feel about your ability to hear the Voice of the Lord? Do you see how God has produced fruit in you as a result of your being willing to be stretched and used?
We began Week 1 with an encouragement about your qualifications for ministry to give you a foundation and a basic level of confidence. By now, you probably see that several things have indeed been proven true. First, God is faithful to His Word. Second, God wants to speak to you and those around you - and has much to say. Third, if you desire to be used and make yourself available, He will use you. Fourth, if you open your mouth (for His purposes), He will fill it. If you are in agreement with (and confident about) these statements, say "amen". Now let's proceed to our last exercise for this course.
DESCRIPTION
This week we are going to receive thoughts from the Lord for just one person. We have already seen how God speaks personally as well as corporately. Just as we have been learning to share thoughts from the Lord with ourselves, others within a group, and corporately, this time we will again address an individual and we will do this in a fashion that will cause us to only be able to use the eyes of our heart and be deprived of any natural information from our senses.
This activation will be done by teams of two - one to give the word (the "giver") and the other to be the unknown recipient (the "receiver"). Depending on the number of people in your group, you may select just two or more than two individuals to be a part of this activation at any one time but it must be done in pairs so there is a "giver" and a "receiver" in each pair. The group coordinator will select the "receiver" to quietly come and stand behind the "giver" and the person selected to be the "giver" will stand in a position so they cannot see who is the "receiver".. It is important that no talking or other sounds be made that would allow the "giver" to know who is standing behind them.
It does not matter whether one pair or many pairs do this activation at any one time. Each group should decide how many pairs will do this exercise at any one time depending on how many are in the group. Because the leader must direct the flow of this exercise, they must stand aside and let those involved know when everyone is in position. Then the normal process of stirring up, quietly listening and speaking one by one takes place. It is generally helpful for the leader to call on each "giver" as they raise their hand indicating they have received something for their "receiver". Different "givers" will receive at different times so this will not necessarily go in order of pairs.
As you enter the time of listening for the Voice of the Lord this week, ask Him to speak whatever He would speak for the benefit of the person receiving the word. Your word should follow the pattern of strengthening, encouragement and comfort according to 1 Cor. 14:3. Since this is a "safe environment" for practice and learning, we remind all of this basic admonition again since this is not a time for any corrective or judgmental words. As we have said in past lessons, if you feel you hear something that is corrective or judgmental, please go back to the Lord and ask Him for another word.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this week's activation is to give you another opportunity to see with the "Eyes of Your Heart" (Eph. 1:18). Being deprived of your natural senses will serve to help us focus on what you see, hear and know/feel in your spirit, rather than using our natural senses.
As we said in Week 8, it is interesting to observe that people of all levels of maturity in the prophetic consistently deliver more accurate words when they are deprived of natural knowledge. This may seem difficult to accept but it has proven to be true. When natural knowledge is deprived, the only way to receive is to receive from the Spirit and not rely on our natural mind. Because of this, the "information" comes from the Holy Spirit speaking to our spirit and not from our flesh.
While some of you are clearly feeling the flow of the prophetic word in you, some may still be wondering if you have the ability to become very adept and skilled in the prophetic. If you feel this way, just remember this - some hold the conviction that the difference between the Office of the Prophet and the Gift of Prophecy is not in the accuracy of the words, but the ability to impart and to activate others in the gift. The Lord does not need for all of us to be activators but He does want us all to be activated (1 Cor. 14:1-5). By drawing as close as possible to the Lord and by reason of use of the prophetic gift, you will improve and mature in your gift. This is the key to becoming very skilled as a vessel in delivering the prophetic word. For this reason, do not ever allow the enemy to rob you of having confidence in this area. Otherwise, the ENTIRE Body of Christ would not have been given 1 Cor. 14:1-5.
This is the second of two activations where we will be drawing wholly upon the Spirit and the eyes of our heart so as you come to the time of listening, just focus on the Lord and what He says, and you will find this time to be a real blessing and a faith builder.
We have continually emphasized the fact that receiving a Word from the Lord is quite easy once you just relax and rest in the faith that God is faithful to communicate and that He usually wants to speak to you more than you want to hear. He will then be faithful to minister to the needs that are on His heart and you will be used as a conduit for His power.
Note for local group leaders: You might want to consider taping these words as they are given in the group and then transcribe them and make the transcription or tape available to your local pastor.
STEP BY STEP PROCESS OF THIS ACTIVATION
- Understand That We Will Share Christ Within Us
- Stir Yourself Up Spiritually
- First, be convinced that it is the Lord's will for every believer to
move in the Gifts of the Spirit. Next, be persuaded that you have at
least 1 of the 9 gifts. Eph. 4:7-8 tells us: "But to each
one of us
grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says:
'When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts
to men'."
- Realize that no believer is perfect and it is OK to make a mistake.
Another look at Jesus' disciples will prove this fact as we saw in our
initial teaching material.
- Just know that we all learn by doing.
- Praying in the Spirit (or English) can act as a catalyst to receive
the mind of Christ so that our human spirit can receive thoughts,
impressions, pictures, etc. from the Holy Spirit. Above all,
focus your
attention on the Lord.
- We activate the gifts by faith and grace, therefore it is our responsibility.
- Prayer of Preparation
- Sanctification - Activation Prayer
- Prayer Of Covering and Protection
- Now, Be Silent And Listen, Look And Feel
- If you are a "seer", you will see pictures in your mind readily.
These pictures may require interpretation. When you give a
prophetic word, you allow these pictures to guide you along a theme
and speak to what you see in the order you see it. In this manner,
the Holy spirit can give you a "flow" by a series of pictures.
Interpretation can and does play a role in accurately speaking to
the series of pictures.
- If you are a "hearer", you will "hear" what the Spirit says. This
will not usually be an audible voice but for some of you it could be -
on rare occasion. Normally, you just feel like you are hearing
something. In actuality, you are not hearing anything audible but
you still feel as if you are hearing what you receive. Once you
"hear", you simply share what you hear the Spirit saying to you for
an individual or corporately.
- If you are a "knower / feeler", you just seem to know something and it feels right but you could not explain to anyone how you know.. you just know! It is like a built in sense of "what is". If you are a knower, you will recognize this pattern. If you are a feeler, you may actually feel something. For instance, God may give you a word of knowledge of a physical healing He wants to do by allowing you to briefly feel in your own body the condition that God desires to heal in another. This is called a "physical word of knowledge". Or you may briefly feel the emotions of the person you are ministering to or God's feelings towards this person.
- Now, Give Your Word According To The Spirit's Leading
- Follow-Up
Since we are all saved, we have Christ living within us. Let's allow Him to minister to us, through us, and to and through our brother or sister in Christ. 1 Peter 4:10 says "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms." We want to be good stewards of God's grace so let's be willing to share Christ within us with our brother or sister.
How do we stir ourselves up?
Let's take a moment to pray some scripture found in Ephesians 1:18-19 and Isaiah 11:2 (some changes and additions in wording have been made to accommodate this prayer).
Lord, I pray that the eyes of my heart may be enlightened in order that I may know the hope to which You have called me, the riches of Your glorious inheritance in the saints, and Your incomparably great power for me as I believe. That power is like the working of Your mighty strength, which You exerted in Christ when You raised him from the dead and seated him at Your right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.Lord, I do thank You for opening the spiritual eyes of my heart and teaching me how to see in the spiritual realm and for giving me a glimpse of my glorious inheritance and Your incomparably great power working in me and through me as I believe You.
Lord, I also ask You for a fresh anointing of the Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, and the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord (according to Isaiah 11:2).
Now Lord, I ask You to seal and establish all I have learned as a result of this course and to make me an instrument of Your power to bring glimpses of Your glorious inheritance to my brothers and sisters and to those who are hurting and need to know the reality of Your Son and His love for them.
Lord, I thank You and praise You for this in Jesus name. Amen.
Pray this prayer with your group as you begin:
Dear Lord, in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, I come before Your throne. I am washed by the blood. Christ lives within me. Not just in part, but in my whole being. I bring every thought of my mind and soul into captivity to the mind of Christ. I will be open to be led by the Holy Spirit to receive a prophetic word from You for the person behind me. I will gladly share just what you show me, without adding my own interpretation to it. I will not doubt it nor question it, I'll just be willing to give it. I am a believer, and I expect to receive. I thank You for giving me a word of knowledge from the throne. Amen.
This prayer releases people from any guilt, fear, condemnation and sense of unworthiness. Since fear and feeling unworthy are the two most hindering factors to people moving in the mind of Christ, this brings a release.
The purpose of this short and specific prayer is to bind any hindering or religious spirits and to release faith and anointing. Feel free to use whatever words you choose for this but it does not have to be long and involved.
As each person acting as the "giver" receives a word, they should raise their hand. The group leader will then ask each "giver" who has raised their hand to share their word with their "receiver". Now relax, this is going to be fun, and it will continue to help you "tune in" to the Holy Spirit. Once you go silent, give yourself about 45 - 60 seconds and during this time, look and see what pictures form in your minds eye (the eyes of your heart), listen to what you may "hear" in your Spirit and pay attention to what sense you may have in your "knower".
Again, here is an explanation of these different modes.
This is the doing part we for which we have prepared ourselves. Now is the time, one person at a time, to speak specifically what you receive from the Holy Spirit being cautious not to add any of your own personal interpretation. (If you are a seer, ask the Lord to help you with this from now on in these activations since there will be a need to interpret somewhat the "flow" of mental pictures. In short, you will need to interpret the pictures He is giving you without adding your own personal interpretation to it... trust God to explain through you what He sharing via this pictures.)
From our original purpose paragraph, the "giver" will be looking for a prophetic word that will connect with their intended "receiver". This activation will allow us to see with the "eyes of our heart" (Eph. 1:18) rather than our natural eyes.
The group leader will call on each "giver" as they raise their hand until all the "givers" have spoken. At this point, the "givers" may turn around and see who is behind them. Then the "givers" can receive feedback from the "receivers" regarding the words given. The leader can then have the "receivers" become the "givers" and the entire process can be repeated. As has been the case in past weeks, many in the group will receive both individual as well as corporate ministry.
As the members of your group share what they receive, you might want to write down the things which speak to you individually as well as the things you strongly identify with in the corporate setting and discuss them after all have had an opportunity to share what they received. The group can then take the opportunity to pray over these things and see the Lord minister to the needs that were identified corporately.
APPLICATION
The Harvest is upon us and the days ahead will be filled with opportunities to speak words of encouragement, exhortation and life to many across the face of the earth. To some, hearing the Word of the Lord could very well mean the difference between life and death. As you become more and more proficient in using the "eyes of your heart" rather than your natural mind, you will be able to respond readily and accurately in most any situation where God desires and chooses to use you to speak to someone. Even though you see the person you will minister to, you will have trained yourself to not rely on natural senses but the inner witness of the Holy Spirit and the eyes of your heart.
WRAP UP
Since this is our final activation in this course, some additional thoughts apply here. Some of you already knew there was a prophetic calling on your life while others of you have discovered this gifting (become activated) as a result of going through this training. If you are called as a prophet or prophetess, this is only the beginning of your training and the Lord will see to it that your training continues. There are many books and sources of information available to help you more deeply study the character and methods that God requires in those He uses as prophetic ministers. A list of these resources can be made available to those who are interested upon request. Begin now to ask Him to show you His next steps in your development. He will do it.
Finally, we are now in a time when the day of the superstar is over and the prophetic anointing has been distributed to the many, not the few. Even if you are not called as a prophet or prophetess, God will use you prophetically to speak His words to those whom He desires to minister to. Press into intimacy with the Lord, be available to Him, and earnestly desire (covet) to prophesy.
We have ourselves been greatly blessed and encouraged to be able to serve you in this course. May the Lord flow through you mightily in the days to come.