The Making of a Prophet: God’s Character Curriculum

by Jim Wies


Sections:

1. Why Is Character Important In Prophetic Ministry?

2. Getting Started in God's School

3. The Schools of Brokenness and Aloneness/Rejection

4. Proper Relationships, Discipleship and Authority

5. Removing Hindrances (Part 1) - Jonah the Angry Prophet

6. Removing Hindrances (Part 2) Jeremiah the Insecure Prophet



Why Is Character Important In Prophetic Ministry?

This is the first of a series of articles/discussion starters on what might be called God's character curriculum for prophets and prophetic people. We just spent 10 weeks doing intensive equipping with the gifts of the Spirit and particularly the gift of prophecy. I strongly believe we can, and in fact, have a mandate from Eph. 4 to equip, train and activate the prophetic giftings within believers.

But while we can master the skill of "message giving", the Holy Spirit also has an agenda to make the messenger as well as the message. It is interesting to note that Balaam, whose story is in the book of Numbers, delivered very accurate prophetic words, and even gave the only Messianic prophesy recorded in the book of Numbers, but was called a false prophet in the New Testament.

Why?.. It was a character issue.

So God goes about making the messenger as well as giving him the message.

At issue is the reality that leadership in the Kingdom of God functions quite differently than leadership in the world. In fact, it has even been called the "upside-down kingdom", because the Kingdom of God works very opposite the natural domain. For instance:


God's school of character curriculum for prophets occurs in the school of life much more than in any class room. This school is God's dealing with a man or woman that may endure a lifetime. For unless the character foundation is sufficiently laid, when the heady glory of success comes through our giftings, it will only serve to topple our ministry and be to our demise.

The following poem describes this school and is from the excellent book by J. Oswald Sanders called Spiritual Leadership.

When God wants to drill a man,
And thrill a man
And skill a man,
When God wants to mold a man
To play the noblest part;
When he yearns with all his heart
To create so great and bold a man
That all the world shall be amazed,
Watch His methods, watch His ways!
How He ruthlessly perfects
Whom He royally elects!
How He hammers him and hurts him,
And with mighty blows converts him,
Into trial shapes of clay which
Only God understands;
While his tortured heart is crying
And he lifts beseeching hands!
How He bends but never breaks
When his good He undertakes;
How He uses whom He chooses
And with every purpose fuses him;
By every act induces him
To try His splendor out -
God knows what He's about!

We will be developing these themes in weeks to come. We will look at topics such as


And remember, just as in any school you keep repeating the test until you pass... (sounds fun, right?..<grin>). But we can take courage from these following scriptures:

Heb 12:11

Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

2 Cor 4:7,17,18

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us... For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.


Getting Started in God's School

This lesson will examine the difference between character and gifting, and then look at two of the schools God puts His prophets through: the school of brokenness and the school of humility.

Character Vs Gifting

We began last week exploring the topic of the character curriculum God puts his "prophets-in-the-making" through. It is important to realize there is a very distinct difference between gifting and character. The reality is, gifting does not insure character. Much of my life I have had a running dialog with God about how He seems at times to give away gifting to unscrupulous characters. (He promises someday I'll understand.. <grin>). The fact is,

The one does not insure the other.

Anointing DOES NOT automatically guarantee a persons correct doctrine, character or maturity level. This is a very, very important lesson to learn especially in this day when we are seeing a resurgence of many signs and wonders and supernatural giftings; making it critical that the church move in wisdom and discernment.

The sad lesson we see from Biblical as well as contemporary examples is that gifting without character and maturity can actually be a contributing agent to a ministers demise. We see King Saul, for example, who was a very gifted and charismatic leader, but whose lack of a foundation of character eventually caught up to him. Or we see Jonah, a prophet who had a severe unforgiveness problem and, though his ministry was very successful to the Ninevites, it only lead him to suicidal depression. (A later lesson will take an in-depth look at Jonah and the problem of angry prophets.)

With that concept in mind we can understand that God will demonstrate his wisdom and love through the "processes" he takes his prophets through as He prepares them for usefulness. It is not pleasant, but necessary. Hebrews 12:11 states: "All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness." It is with loving care that God goes about beating the "self-life" out of us so that we can be mightily used by Him. One man put it very well when he said "death to self" is like the insulation on an electrical wire so that God can pour his voltage through it with out it damaging everything the wire comes in contact with. If we have selfish motives intact, we become dangerous when the "juice" starts flowing.

We also need to see that God deals with a man or woman in terms of their entire lifetime as they invite Him to move them slowly but surely toward their destiny. He seems at times to not be in a hurry at all. Then at other times takes us on a crash course to learn some hard but necessary lesson. He does all this with our good as well as our usefulness in mind. Some of the more commonly recognized "schools" God puts his "prophets-in- training" through will be explored in this article and the next.

The School of Brokenness

Brokenness is what rids a man of any confidence in his own soul's resources. We see an unbroken Moses after forty years of secular training in the finest leadership schools Egypt had to offer. He then realized he was called to be a deliverer so he went about trying to knock off the Egyptian army one guy at a time. His efforts only got him banished to the desert. Then we see him after 40 years of desert tempering and finally at 80 years of age we see a man who was called the meekest man on earth. Now he was ready to be used of God in a mighty way. Brokeness made the difference.

One who has been through God's "school" of brokenness is no longer marked by that obstinacy, hardness and sharpness which are hallmarks of an unbroken man. Meekness is the sign of brokeness. It is Jacob walking with a limp. It is Paul, admitting he was a persecutor of the Church. Meekness is not the same as weakness, but is characterized by a humble reliance on God's power and strength. Moses relied upon God's power, not his own. We see Moses, not defending himself to his accusers but rather falling on his face in intercession while God moves dramatically to defend him.

The one who is meek will also exhibit a sensitivity to others. They will be approachable and teachable instead of hard and unentreatable. The one who is meek is not arrogantly independent but rather recognizes his/her need for corporateness. The more confidence a person has in themselves at the beginning of this school, the longer and harder the breaking is. But when God accomplishes the work He is after, He can exhibit mighty signs and wonders through a person because He and they both know God will get the credit.

God's means and ways of introducing us to the "school" of brokenness are as varied and various as there are people. It usually looks like a grave failure within a persons life. It accomplishes the transformation from self confidence to God confidence. He knows just what it takes to bring any one of us to the end of our self. If you are one who has experienced exceptional brokenness or calamity in your life, it just might be the earmark of one of God's special projects. Akin to this is the school of humility.

The School of Humility

Humility is essential for usefulness in the Kingdom of God. It is especially essential for His prophets. We must be free from pride so that our ministry does not vaunt self or attract others to us but rather testifies of Jesus, giving glory to Him.

God says He resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. But humility is not low self esteem as some have thought. Nor is it simply the absence of pride. It can best be described as an absence of self, or a freedom from a pre-occupation with self. We must come to know at heart level and make peace with the fact that by our flesh, apart from Him, we can accomplish nothing (and at the same time through Him we can do all things).

One who is humble is free from having to defend himself or explain himself. It is freedom to serve in the lowest or highest position God decides to place you in. It is not gained by measuring ourselves by our selves or comparing ourselves among our selves but rather by seeing God! Isaiah got a glimpse of God in Isaiah 6 and suddenly he had a right perspective on himself. It resulted in a confession and then a commissioning. He did not think of himself more highly than he ought nor more poorly than he ought, but had a sober and proper perspective. I do not think we have the capacity within ourselves of rightly assessing our own selves apart from God. This kind of humility is the result of seeing Him.

The Result

The goal of all these things is to bring the prophet to the place of utter and total dependence on Him; and thus to bring the prophet to the place of being a doer of God's will; a vessel of honor, useful to the Kings service. It is to bring the prophet to the place of being a friend of God and a carrier of God's own heart. The prophet is quarried and chiseled carefully to become a critical foundation stone in the church, and a champion throughout eternity.

Next time we will look at the "school" of offense and the "school" of aloneness and rejection.


The Schools of Brokenness and Aloneness/Rejection

"For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us." 2 Cor 4:6-7

A prophet is a unique instrument in the hand of God. He/she is prepared by God to communicate the knowledge of the glory of God to humanity. We do, however, have this problem of a wonderful treasure in earthen vessels. Last week's article covered the importance of brokenness and humility in order that we might be empty of self; that we might more adequately represent Him. It seems however, there is always the residue of self that keeps us recognizing that the excellence of the power is of God and not of us. John Sandford says in his book "The Elijah Task" that he has even observed God intentionally allowing the prophet to "miss it" on occasion just to keep the prophet from getting too puffed up in his own sense of infallibility <ouch>. Any prophetic minister who claims infallibility has already deluded themselves and is a very dangerous person. And anyone who demands of a New Testament prophet 100% accuracy (based on an Old Testament concept) does not understand New Testament standards of administering the gifts.

It is good to recognize that the communications we receive in our "spirit man" are still filtered through our own personality and character. Watchman Nee brings this incredible concept out in his book "The Ministry of God's Word", where he showed that even Holy Scripture - every jot and tittle of which is God inspired - still has the flavor of the particular author; i.e. Paul's style of writing vs. John's style.. yet God used their personality to communicate His Words. The fact is, our ministry IS tainted by us. We have a great treasure, but it still is contained in an earthen vessel.

Thus the need to purify the vessel. If the vessel is tainted, the ministry will be tainted. If the minister has gaps in his/her character, there will be gaps in his/her ability to deliver a pure message. Yet God has chosen to use us to represent Him to the world and the church. Wow! That is why he also goes through painstaking lengths to purify us from things that would harm us and taint the ministry of God's word.

The two "schools" of character building we want to address in this lesson are the "school of offense" and the "school of aloneness and rejection". These two schools are particularly designed to rid the prophet of the problem of anger and the problem of fear of man. We will be spending a greater amount of time on each issue when we look at Jonah the angry prophet and Jeremiah the insecure prophet in later lessons, but we must understand that these two things are the biggest hindrances to effective ministry in the life of any prophet.

The School of Offense

God will allow his "prophet-in-the-making" to endure the school of offense because His prophets must be free of offense lest their angry "spirit" filters through their message, making it un-receivable. Luke 17:1-2 tells us that offense is inevitable in life. "Then He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones."

The critical lessons from this Scripture are two fold. First, that we WILL have opportunity to be offended, and we must not allow it to poison us; and second, that we must not be the ones originating the offense. A prophet's concern must always be that he make his "truth" receivable. A primary hindrance to usefulness in prophetic ministry is unresolved anger in the heart of the prophet. It only takes one time of being "torched" by an angry "prophet" to know that a person like that can cause grave offense and defilement.

When the inevitable offense comes to our life, as it does with all, we are told to forgive and not allow it to taint our soul. Otherwise we ourselves will be candidates to defile others with our bitter heart. Heb 12:15 says it this way: "See to it that no one fail to obtain the grace of God; that no "root of bitterness" springing up causes trouble, and by it many become defiled"; and Scripture clearly states in James 1:19-20 "So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be... slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God." It is wounded people who wound other people.

Of course the antidote for offense is forgiveness. God calls the servant of His to be courteous to the obnoxious, loving to the unlovable and merciful to the unworthy. He expects us to forgive even as He does. The prophet of the Lord must be an "expert forgiver" and of course the only way you become an expert at anything is lots of practice.. <grin>.

That is exactly why most prophets-in-training have had ravaging opportunities through life to gather offense; and have thereby learned how to swiftly and readily draw upon the grace of God to forgive.. and forgive.. and forgive. This revelation hit me like a bolt of lightning one day when I explained to someone who was amazed at my cool calm manner in dealing with a very offensive person; "I've been burned by experts, this incident is a piece of cake." It is those who have overcome very severe wounding offenses and have allowed the grace and forgiveness of God to work deeply in their souls that can remain objective messengers of God without letting their own anger bleed through.

The School of Aloneness and Rejection

"The fear of man brings a snare, but he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted" Prov. 29:25

Separation, isolation and rejection are the sociological effects of the fall of man. Because we are fallen beings we continue to reject and be rejected; and suffer isolation. We are incapable of fully loving and being loved. Through this we have a large "love and acceptance" shaped "hole" in our heart that God alone can fill. God has reversed the curse of sin through the cross and so has made provision for us to come into unconditional love and acceptance IN HIM. But we so often try to fill that "hole" in our hearts with the little crumbs of acceptance and approval that man seems to offer. This is the root of fear of man and people pleasing.

Yet a prophet must be able to stand alone, unaffected by fear of rejection. He must be free from the snare of "fear of man"... that is, to a large extent, the fear of rejection. God may call a prophet to speak an unpopular word, or do an unpopular thing. He had Isaiah go naked and barefoot for three years. He called Jeremiah to wear an ox yoke. Hosea was called upon to stay true to his covenant with a harlot wife. We see Jeremiah standing in the face of the King who was about to cast him in a pit and still remaining true to the truth God had spoken to him. It is unpopular to stand against homosexuality in today's culture; or to declare that abortion is a murderous abomination to God comparable to the Old Testament sacrifice to Molech. Yet we must be willing to carry God's burden and represent Him, even if unpopular.

The primary way God rids us of fear of rejection is by giving us plenty of practice in the face of rejection and aloneness. So often it is when we have nothing left except Him that we discover there is nothing or no one else we need but Him. One of the hardest lessons for some to learn is that God is all you need. We must come to the place where we are able to say as did King David "Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You." Ps 73:25

The "prophet-in-the-making" will often suffer great rejection in life as God prepares him/her to be invulnerable to it. The prophet must learn a heart level that all he really needs is God's acceptance. The prophet must have the courage and strength to stand alone, when need be... and at the same time the humility and insight to recognize his need of corporateness.


Proper Relationships, Discipleship and Authority

We have been covering the topic of God's character curriculum for prophets-in-the-making. Though unpopular in many circles, God's agenda of character, integrity and maturity are very much on His heart for His people. He wants to prepare us to handle His glory without being destroyed by it. He wants to insulate us from harm by building character into us. So far we have covered topics such as the "school" of brokenness; the "school" of humility; the "school" of offense; and the "school" of aloneness and rejection. As was stated previously, God is after leaders who are courageous enough to stand alone, yet humble and insightful enough to acknowledge their need for corporateness.

I can imagine that by now, some might be saying it sounds like God is out to kill us... Well... in fact, He is... that He might live in us, as was Paul's testimony in Gal 2:20 where he says "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

There are several other common "schools" God uses to bring maturity to his ministers. In this lesson we will look at the "school" of proper relationship which includes issues such as discipleship, submission to authority, loyalty and accountability. And you thought the worst was over.. <grin>.

The "School" of Proper Relationship

In Ephesians 2:19-21, Paul the apostle states that we are no longer alienated, but rather fellow citizens with the saints; that we are being "fitted together" and "built together" into a dwelling of God. To be "fitted together" and "built together" simply means we are "connected" by relationship with one another.

God insists that we be rightly related to one another. The Scriptures in 1 John 2:9-11 and John 3:19-21 imply that if we want to stay in right relationship with God, we must be about the work of maintaining a right relationship with our brothers and sisters in Christ. This means the task of building and maintaining right relationships is not an optional sideline, but rather an essential ingredient of our Christian life.

Independence and isolation are sure signs of unhealthiness or immaturity. Prov. 18:1 states "He who separates himself is seeking his own desire and is quarreling against sound wisdom." Instead we are to "Grow up in all aspects into... Christ... from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by that which every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love" (Eph. 4:15,16).

God is so concerned that we be rightly related to one another that He has inextricably connected His dealings with us to our dealings with one another. For instance, if we don't forgive others, He will not forgive us (Mark 11:25-26). The entire law and prophets are summarized in Matthew 22:37-40 as our being rightly related to God and to one another.

Being rightly related speaks as well to the issue of proper structure and government within the Church. Being rightly fitted and held together includes understanding how to relate to spiritual authority and how to properly exercise spiritual authority.

Actually we are broaching a subject that might even provoke some controversy, especially since the principles of authority, submission, discipleship or mentoring and accountability have been very misunderstood, and have lent themselves to abuse by unscrupulous leaders at times. Yet they remain truths from Scripture and a means of maturity in the life of would-be prophets or any leader for that matter.

Much of what we have discussed so far has to do with God's dealings with the prophet-in-training all by himself. Some of His prophets have been trained out in the "wilderness" of life with no one but God to lead them. Elijah was such a one. Others have the opportunity to learn from a mentor like Elijah as was the case with Elisha. Elisha out-shined the others of his day who were enrolled in the "school of the prophets" because he was personally mentored by Elijah.

In fact, most of the great prophetic voices were mentored during significant periods of training in life, such as Samuel (Sam 3:8-9 by Eli) and Moses (Exodus 18:13-27 by Jethro). A deeper look into Scripture will also reveal that the ones who were alone are the ones who, more often than not, suffered from the lack of relationship that would have kept them in balance. Many would like to fancy themselves as an independent Elijah who could call down fire from heaven or confront the prophets of Baal. But Elijah did not understand the value of a team, and actually made the mistake of thinking at one point that he was the "only one on God's side". We see him plunging into a suicidal depression and God had to correct him and tell him there were 7,000 who had not bowed their knee to Baal. Elisha, on the other hand, learned the lessons that servanthood and submission could teach him, and Elisha did twice the miracles Elijah did.

We need to understand God wants us to be in relationship, but for the right reasons. He calls us into inter-dependence, not co-dependence; mutual respect and cooperation, not fear of man and people pleasing.

The "School" of Discipleship

Numerous books, organizations and movements have emerged covering this topic in great detail and this teaching article is not meant to cover every dynamic, balance and warning that could be said. I do want to share, however, some principles I have experienced as one who has been enriched from various mentor relationships I have had at different times in my life; and particularly from being mentored by Prophet Bill Hamon and his "Network of Prophetic Ministries" in regard to prophetic ministry.

Although it is not always possible, one of the ways God matures his prophetic ministers is by placing them under a mentor. Mentoring or discipleship has always been a primary means of training as promoted in Scripture. (Elijah did it, Jesus did it, John the Baptist did it, Paul the apostle did it.. and encouraged Timothy to do it; and the great commission (Matt. 28:19-20) tells us to do it.)

Actually, one of the New Testament mandates for 5-fold ministers is that of being equippers or trainers. "And He Himself gave some to be ... prophets, ... for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ," Eph 4:11-12. Scripture tells us that we can and should be equipped for ministry by existing leaders.

The Elijah/Elisha pattern:

There are several principles that we can glean from the Elijah/Elisha pattern for being mentored by another. We will look at a few. One is that Elisha served his mentor and inherited his mantle. Scripture tells us if we are faithful to make another successful we will reap our own in due time. "He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; ... And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own?" Luke 16:10a,12

As an apprentice we are called to give ourselves to making our mentor successful. We see Elisha giving himself as Elijah's personal servant for a number of years before he ever did anything else. We see Joshua serving Moses for 40 years before he took up the mantle and lead the people. In exchange, we receive training, character formation and impartation of anointing (sometimes double as in Elisha's case).

Elisha was a man under authority, and he inherited authority; as contrasted to Gehazi - Elisha's disciple who did his own thing and inherited leprosy.. <yuck> (2 Kings 5). Then there was Miriam who had a bout of leprosy as well when she spoke against the God-given authority in her brother Moses (Num 12).

The "School" of Spiritual Authority

Anyone who comes to understand how authority works will actually scramble to find authentic authority to submit to; for it is those who are under authority who have authority (Matt. 8:8,9). But some would say "I am under God's authority alone"... Sorry, doesn't work that way. In the same way that the apostle John stated you can not "say" you love God if you hate your neighbor; you can not say you are submitted to God and be in rebellion to His delegated authorities on earth. Romans 13:1,2 says "Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore he who resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God;"

There is also an amazing, inevitable pattern of sowing and reaping in respect to authority. (Don't ask me how I discovered this one.. <grin>) However you respect and submit to authority over you becomes the same way you will be treated by those you eventually have the responsibility to exercise authority over.. selah...

Right about now I can hear some squealing about 1 Pet. 5 and the fact that authority is not to be "lording" over Gods people, so lets take a look at it: "Shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble." 1 Pet 5:2-5.

Yes, kingdom authority is exercised in a much different way than worldly authority, but God still calls leaders into positions of authority, and Scripture very clearly states we all are to submit to the authorities God places over us. Heb 13:17 states; "Obey your leaders, and submit to them for they keep watch over your souls, as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you."

I know this is idealistic and there are numerous angles and circumstances regarding this but.. I believe every prophet would be much better off if he had a "pastor", whether he is being "pastored" by a pastor, an apostle, or an older prophet. You ask.."are there ever extenuating circumstances that would create exceptions?" Of course. But the principles of authority, humility, accountability and so on should be in evidence in a prophets life one way or another.

Every individual prophetic minister must always recognize the need to connect with the larger Body of Christ. Ps. 133 states that where the brethren dwell together in unity, there the Lord commands a blessing. We must always recognize we are a part of the body.. not designed to exist alone. A prophetically gifted person may not ever learn to come into right relationship to the rest of the Body of Christ, and still be a prophet; but the sad fact is their usefulness in the church will be stunted and limited.

It is essential for prophets to recognize their need for apostles; and apostles, their need for prophets as these two ministries TOGETHER form the foundation for a properly built church (Eph. 2:20). One of the vital issues in the Church of the 90's is how to properly relate as team ministries within the Body of Christ as we see apostolic team ministry emerging once again in the earth. This will take prophets who have the courage to stand alone (when need be) but also the humility and insight to recognize the value of corporateness.


Removing Hindrances (Part 1) - Jonah the Angry Prophet

Introduction

Jonah was an Old Testament prophet who had a problem with anger, bitterness and unforgiveness.

His life and ministry was severely affected by his unresolved anger. He was a man who had the "words" of God, but not the "heart" of God. He actually had one of the most successful city wide revivals in the history of scripture, yet ended in failure because of his anger and bitterness of heart.

"...and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them,.." (the Ninevites) "But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry." Jonah 3:10-4:1
.... "Then the LORD said, "Is it right for you to be angry?" Jonah 4:4
...."Then God said to Jonah, "Is it right for you to be angry..." And he said, "It is right for me to be angry, even to death!" Jonah 4:9

One of the primary hindrances to usefulness in prophetic ministry is unresolved anger in the heart of the prophet. The prophet is called to be a spokesman for God. But he must take care to communicate in such a way as to make his truth receivable. Anger in the heart of a prophet does not communicate God's heart; makes his "truth" abrasive and unreceivable; and in fact, can even bring a degree of defilement to those to whom he ministers... "See to it ...that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled." Heb 12:15

The Background

God had called Jonah to minister to the Ninevites.

"The word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying, Arise, go to Nineveh the great city, and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me." Jonah 1:1-2

To fully grasp the dynamic involved here it is important to know the general mood of Israel toward Nineveh. Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian Empire. It was known as "the Robber City" because the Ninevites would overrun and rob other countries to enrich themselves. They were responsible for a number of Israel's greatest disasters. In the 8th and 7th centuries B.C. they invaded Palestine again and again, looting and burning cities, laying waste the countryside, and deporting the inhabitants. The inhabitants of Nineveh were more hated by the Israelites than the people of any other city.

Nineveh was also a very immoral place. It was originally founded by Nimrod and thus had ancient occultic origins. The city itself was named after the pagan goddess Nina and was a major center of worship. The goddess Nina was the Assyrian rendition of the Babylonian Ishtar, the Canaanite Ashtoreth; and the Egyptian Isis; - the goddess of fertility, love and war. Its worship was characterized by lurid and perverse immorality and violence.

Israel - the "Remnant of God", the "Holy Nation" - had an original understanding that they were called to be a redemptive agent in the earth through whom grace and truth would one day reach all men (Isa. 42, 60, 61, etc.). However, in the years after the Exile there grew up in Israel a spirit of bitterness and vengefulness toward other lands. The nation had endured so much at the hands of enemies that there was little inclination to keep alive the vision of Israel as God's servant through whom redemptive truth would come. Their most passionate desire was that God's wrath should utterly consume all of Israel's enemies.

Jonah's Rebellion

Into this context we find Jonah called upon to prophecy to Nineveh, warning of it's destruction. But Jonah despised the Ninevites. The first evidence of Jonah's poor attitude comes from his refusal to obey God in Chapter 1 verse 3a. "But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD."

The reason, however is revealed in Chapter 4:2,3. After realizing God was going to show mercy, he was angry and said to the Lord.. "Ah, LORD, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in loving kindness, One who relents from doing harm. "Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!"

His refusal to minister to them was actually because he hated them and didn't want God to save them. He knew that if they responded rightly to his warnings, God's anger would turn into mercy.

ANGER is often at the root of isolation and rebellion and is ultimately rebellion against God.

Anger

GOD'S ANGER IS HOLY
"For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain terrifying expectation of judgment, and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries." Heb 10:26-27

MAN'S ANGER IS NOT (HOLY)
"for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God." James 1:20

ANGER FROM GOD
  • No personal loss or gain involved. (No personal ax to grind)
  • Comes through one's "spirit" apart from our soul. (Emotion)
  • Is always reconciliatory

ANGER FROM MAN
  • Originates from wounds
  • Is judgmental and condemning
  • Is not reconciliatory
  • Is compulsive in nature (e.g., lacks peace)

("But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.... But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." James 3:14-18)

When we as prophetic ministers have unresolved anger, bitterness and offense in our heart...

OLD TESTAMENT-

Exod 34:6-7 "Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in loving kindness and truth; who keeps loving kindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations."

NEW TESTAMENT-

Luke 9:53-56 "And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them."

Jonah's Second Chance

Of course Jonah's rebellion lead him to the bottom of the sea in the belly of a great fish. Anger will always lead us on a path down into torment and captivity. After having been disciplined by God to within an inch of his life, the word of the Lord comes again to Jonah in chapter 3; "... saying, Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and proclaim to it the proclamation which I am going to tell you. So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the word of the LORD." Jonah 3:1-3

However, Jonah's trip to Nineveh was out of mere compliance rather than any conviction or burden. There has not been a change in Jonah's heart, and he had not dealt with the root issues that were feeding his anger. Stopping bad fruit requires dealing with the root.

Roots Of Bitterness

Heb 12:15 "See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;"

John and Paula Sandford's definition of a root of bitterness: "Roots of bitterness are based in offense and unforgiveness toward a particular person or group that has been allowed to remain in the heart, thereafter affecting our ability to love and forgive others."

Roots of bitterness - are caused by unresolved offense (unforgiveness)
* Forgiveness is not an option - Luke 17:1-10 * Forgiveness is not pretending we were not sinned against. * Forgiveness is an undeserved gift from God.
Roots of bitterness - are caused by unhealed wounds.
* Wounds from others * Wounds from ourselves * Wounding events of life.

There are serious personal as well as ministerial consequences to unresolved anger. THE PROGRESSIVE CONSEQUENCES OF ANGER IN JONAH WERE REBELLION, ISOLATION, BITTERNESS, AND ULTIMATELY DEPRESSION AND THOUGHTS OF SUICIDE.

Jonah 4:3,9
"Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for death is better to me than life. Then God said to Jonah, Do you have good reason to be angry about the plant? And he said, I have good reason to be angry, even to death."

Personal Consequences Of Unresolved Anger

Ministry Consequences Of Unresolved Anger

After we have a peek into God's personal discipline of Jonah in chapter four, and His object lesson with the withered plant; we never hear from Jonah again. His notoriety comes from the belly of the fish incident, but one cannot help but wonder why a man with such a dramatic encounter with God and His word trailed off into obscurity. He was a man who had a very fruitful "revival" campaign but, never the less, allowed his unresolved anger to render him personally depressed and ministerially neutralized from any further work for God.

Conclusion

Let us take to heart the exhortation Paul gave to the Ephesian Christians which applies to all Christians but certainly applies to any who would be a spokesman for God:

Eph 4:29-32
"Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you."


Jeremiah the Insecure Prophet

Introduction

Prov 29:25 "The fear of man brings a snare, but he who trusts in the LORD will be exalted."

Rom 12:6b (paraphrased) "if you prophesy, do so in proportion to your faith;"

Jeremiah was an Old Testament prophet who was significantly used of the Lord during a time of deep spiritual darkness in Israel's history. The books of Jeremiah reveal an interesting series of insights into the personality of Jeremiah, who as a young man in the beginning of his ministry exhibited fears, insecurities and a real aversion to the numerous rejections his ministry exposed him to. He was by nature subjective, reticent and introspective:

"Then I said, Alas, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, because I am a youth. ... Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the LORD." Jer 1:6,8.

"Woe to me, my mother, that you have borne me as a man of strife and a man of contention to all the land! ... Because of Thy hand upon me I sat alone, for Thou didst fill me with indignation." Jer 15:10,17

He was one of the most sensitive of the prophets:

"I have become a laughingstock all day long; everyone mocks me. For each time I speak, I cry aloud; I proclaim violence and destruction, because for me the word of the LORD has resulted in reproach and derision all day long. But if I say, I will not remember Him or speak anymore in His name, then in my heart it becomes like a burning fire shut up in my bones; and I am weary of holding it in, and I cannot endure it.... Cursed be the day when I was born; let the day not be blessed when my mother bore me! ...Why did I ever come forth from the womb to look on trouble and sorrow, so that my days have been spent in shame?" Jer 20:7-9,14,18.

Contained within his story, however, are many of the significant antidotes for insecurity that God gives. For instance this strong promise...

"Therefore, thus says the LORD, If you return, then I will restore you -- Before Me you will stand; and if you extract the precious from the worthless, you will become My spokesman. They for their part may turn to you, but as for you, you must not turn to them. ... for I am with you to save you and deliver you, declares the LORD. So I will deliver you from the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem you from the grasp of the violent." Jer 15:19-21.

He ultimately became one of the most courageous of the prophets.

"And when Jeremiah finished speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak to all the people, the priests and the prophets and all the people seized him, saying, You must die! ... Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and to all the people, saying, The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that you have heard. Now therefore amend your ways and your deeds, and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will change His mind about the misfortune which He has pronounced against you. But as for me, behold, I am in your hands; do with me as is good and right in your sight. Only know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood on yourselves, and on this city, and on its inhabitants; for truly the LORD has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing." Jer 26:8-15.

What Jeremiah Had To Face

Jeremiah was ridiculed, rejected by family and friends, thrown into jail at one point and into a mud pit another time... He was called to speak very unpleasant prophetic words to the king and other officials... He had to face and overcome his fear in order to be effective for God. Through the Lord he was ultimately able to replace his fear with an unusual level of faith-induced courage.

It is in our weaknesses that Christ's strength is perfected, as Paul the apostle explained in 2 Cor. 12:9. "And He has said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me." The anger-prone become expert forgivers (Humility) The fearful become most courageous. (Faith)

There were two kinds of fears Jeremiah had to face and gain freedom from:

Freedom From Fear Of Loss

Jeremiah had to overcome his fear of loss. God calls us to replace our fear of loss with faith in His provision. Our own fears become our bondages. It is release and surrender that produces security and rest. Total surrender requires trust in HIM!

What Scripture tells us to surrender:

Freedom From Fear Of Rejection

  1. THE MESSAGE HE CARRIED WAS NOT POPULAR

    Jeremiah had to face rejection and loss because of the message he carried. He was called to speak against the moral depravity of the culture and the people he lived with. (If you're going to be a martyr, do it for a worthy cause <grin>.) Six of the seven kings who reigned during his ministry participated in the sins of Manasseh, as did the people.

    "MANASSEH ... did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD dispossessed before the sons of Israel. For he rebuilt the high places... he erected altars for Baal and made an Asherah, ... and worshipped all the host of heaven and served them. And he built altars in the house of the LORD,... he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. And he made his son pass through the fire, practiced witchcraft and used divination, and dealt with mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD provoking Him to anger. Then he set the carved image of Asherah that he had made, in the house of .. the LORD ... and Manasseh seduced them to do evil more than the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the sons of Israel." II Ki 21:1-9

    AMON - "And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, as Manasseh his father had done". II Ki 21:19-22

    JECOAHAS - "And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done." II Ki 23:32

    JEHOIAKIM - "And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done." II Ki 23:37

    JEHOIACHIN - "And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father had done." II Ki 24:9

    ZEDEKIAH - "And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that Jehoiakim had done." II Ki 24:19

    Note that:

    • The nation had totally forsaken God.
    • They were worshipping Baal and Asherah, the worship of which was morally depraved and wicked..
    • They were morally and spiritually deceived.

    Jeremiah was called upon to stand alone in the face of rejection.

  2. HE WAS REJECTED BY HIS NEIGHBORS

    Jer 11:19-21 "But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter; and I did not know that they had devised plots against me, saying, Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name be remembered no more. ... . Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the men of Anathoth, who seek your life, saying, Do not prophesy in the name of the LORD, that you might not die at our hand"

  3. HE WAS REJECTED BY HIS FAMILY

    Jer 12:6 "For even your brothers and the household of your father, even they have dealt treacherously with you, even they have cried aloud after you. Do not believe them, although they may say nice things to you."

  4. HE WAS REJECTED BY PRIESTS AND PROPHETS

    Jer 20:1-2 "When Pashhur the priest,... heard Jeremiah prophesying these things, Pashhur had Jeremiah the prophet beaten, and put him in the stocks that were at the upper Benjamin Gate,.."

  5. HE WAS REJECTED BY HIS FRIENDS

    Jer 20:10 "For I have heard the whispering of many, Terror on every side! Denounce him; yes, let us denounce him! All my trusted friends, watching for my fall,.."

  6. HE WAS REJECTED BY ALL THE PEOPLE

    Jer 26:8 "And when Jeremiah finished speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak to all the people, the priests and the prophets and all the people seized him, saying, You must die!"

  7. HE WAS REJECTED BY THE KING

    Jer 36:23 "And it came about, when Jehudi had read three or four columns, the king cut it with a scribe's knife and threw it into the fire that was in the brazier, until all the scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the brazier."

  8. HE ALSO NEVER MARRIED

    Jer 16:1-13 "The word of the LORD also came to me saying, You shall not take a wife for yourself nor have sons or daughters in this place.

Although we all must deal with the issue of rejection to some degree or other because rejection is the sociological result of the fall of man, (ever since Adam we have been incapable of truly giving to one another the unconditional love and acceptance we so desperately need) it is vitally important to the prophet - who may reap more rejection than his share as he bears reproach for the sake of Christ.

God's Antidote For Rejection

As we survey the book of Jeremiah we find several very important means by which healing and courage came to Jeremiah.

For the New Testament saint, God has provided the ultimate antidote for rejection through HIS acceptance that comes through the grace of God. Acceptance has now come to us as the work of the cross of Christ reversed the effects and consequences of the fall of man.

"Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." 2 Cor 5:18-20 " "Wherefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God." Rom 15:7.

God has already given to us what we need through His great and precious promises, and we need to appropriate it into our lives by faith. In fact, without faith it is impossible to please Him. (Heb. 11:6) We must learn then, how to let fear be replaced by faith.

FAITH COMES BY...

God calls us to bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. To do this:

Jeremiah put great confidence in who God is and what He had promised. "Ah Lord GOD! Behold, Thou hast made the heavens and the earth by Thy great power and by Thine outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for Thee, who showest lovingkindness to thousands, but repayest the iniquity of fathers into the bosom of their children after them, O great and mighty God. The LORD of hosts is His name; great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, giving to everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds;" Jer 32:17-19.

"This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. The LORD'S lovingkindness's indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, says my soul, Therefore I have hope in Him. The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him." Lam 3:21-25/

As Jeremiah came to the end of his life - having seen God show Himself strong on his behalf and fulfill the words He had spoken to him over and over again, - he gave us an example of a prophet who cared not what any one thought as he had learned the secret of being a God pleaser instead of a people pleaser. Jeremiah the insecure prophet had become Jeremiah the champion of God!

Addendum to lesson six:

SCRIPTURES FOR HANDLING WORRY, ANXIETY AND FEAR

Rom 5:1 "Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,"

Rom 15:13 "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Heb 13:6 "so that we confidently say, The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What shall man do to me?"

I Jn 4:18 "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love."

John 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."

1 Pet 5:7 "casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you."

Prov 1:33 "But he who listens to me shall live securely, and shall be at ease from the dread of evil."

Prov 3:5 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding."

Prov 11:24 "There is one who scatters, yet increases all the more, and there is one who withholds what is justly due, but it results only in want."

Prov 12:25 "Anxiety in the heart of a man weighs it down, but a good word makes it glad."

Prov 29:25 "The fear of man brings a snare, but he who trusts in the LORD will be exalted."

Prov 30:5 "Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him."

Lam 3:21-25 "This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. The LORD'S lovingkindness's indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, says my soul, Therefore I have hope in Him. The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him."

Phil 4:6-7 "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Matt 6:34 "Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

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