Steve Thompson is the executive vice president of MorningStar Publications and Ministries in Charlotte, NC. He also oversees the prophetic ministries of MorningStar Fellowship. A gifted teacher and prophetic minister, he travels throughout the United States and abroad as a conference speaker. He and his wife, Angie, live in North Carolina with their three children, Jon, Joshua and Madison.
"You May All Prophesy!" is published by MorningStar Publications, ISPN 1-878327-96-8, copyright 2000.
The next lesson will give the general overview of the book, including a definition of what prophecy is and why it is important to the church. In short, Thompson defines prophecy as "speaking divine encouragement," as well as "hearing from God and speaking what you hear in order to build, comfort, or encourage someone." Thompson discusses various type of revelation, including words of knowledge, words or wisdom and discerning of spirits.
Thompson also discusses the importance of interpretation (which is correctly understanding what God is communicating) and application (or knowing how to respond to God's Word in our personal lives and walk). And he points out that we must understand the realm of authority that God has given us and stick to that. We are not to try to bring correction in situations where we have not been granted authority through responsibility.
In that context, Thompson discusses the ways we receive information from God, which include:
- Impressions
- Spiritual sight
- Spiritual hearing
- Spiritual smell
- Spiritual touch
- Spiritual taste
- Other forms of revelation
- Dreams
Impressions
Impressions can be considered entry-level revelations. This does not mean, however, that they are not significant. The interesting thing is that impressions are not only thoughts being dropped into our minds, but they can also manifest in our bodies or our emotions as well as through our senses. Let's get into a little more detail.
When we minister we may start feeling certain spots on our bodies getting sensitive. This is when the Lord is highlighting an area in the person's body that He wishes to heal. Other times we may feel in our emotions what another person is feeling. God allows this so we can pray for that person. Also, God will at times reveal His heart to that person through our emotions. This is when we minister to somebody and suddenly experience profound joy or a sense of protection over a person.
Thompson states: "Many people who receive impressions like this may believe they are unstable because their emotions can change abruptly as they move from one situation to another. They do not understand that God is 'pulling the strings on their emotions' in order to speak to them."
It is obvious that not everything we feel through our emotions is from God. For us to distinguish between our emotions and God stirring our emotions, we need to know God's Word because the Word discerns our thoughts and motives. As we get intricately acquainted with God's Word we will be able to quickly determine what does and does not come from the Spirit of God.
When God uses our spiritual senses, we will receive revelation through sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch.
Spiritual Sight
For instance, when a person we have never met reminds us of another person we know. At times God uses this familiarity to point out areas that are similar to the person we know. Through this God may point to the same callings or perhaps the fact that the person may be born in the same state, etc. It could also mean that the person may be oppressed by the same spirit.
Another way God will point out things to us through spiritual sight is by allowing us to see things on people that are not visible with our natural eyes. Thompson talks about a time when he prayed for a woman when suddenly her hands seemed to turn completely white. God wanted to point out to this woman that he was seeing her as spotless, with clean hands. Because this woman had experienced tremendous hurt due to having been wrongfully accused, this revelation greatly encouraged her.
Spiritual Hearing
Often when we hear a name or somebody speak of a certain person, God will give us further revelation about that person. It is important to know that spiritual hearing is not knowing when somebody sounds depressed or excited because of the tone of voice, but instead is spiritually discerned.
God will also speak to us in a small voice, internal voice or audible voice. The still, small voice is considered a lower-level revelation whereas the internal voice and audible voice are higher-level revelations. The small voice is highly subjective since it is internal and quiet. While it is a valid way God communicates, it must be judged in light of the desires of our own hearts.
The internal audible voice, however, is a loud booming voice, not originating from our thoughts, but instead is a voice cutting through or interrupting our own thoughts.
The audible voice of God isn't necessarily loud in volume, but it is immense in nature. Thompson describes his experience hearing the audible voice of God: "The first three times I heard the audible voice of the Father it was like hearing eternity speak, and I was shaken for weeks afterward."
Spiritual Smell
This could mean smelling a demonic presence in a room or an impending attack of the enemy. However, it could also mean the ability to smell something the Lord is doing in that person's life. Again Thompson uses an example of when he smelled incense while ministering to a woman in Switzerland. The Lord wanted to reveal to the woman through this that His presence was radiating from her life as an incense.
Spiritual Touch
These are impressions we receive through touching. This can happen when we touch an item and the Lord reveals truth to us about the person who sent the item or through directly touching the person. Suddenly, we will receive spiritual insight into situations or even spirits that are at work in that person's life.
Spiritual Taste
When we taste something that was not there prior to ministering. These are prophetic revelations concerning the person we are ministering to.
Other Forms of Revelation
"Glimpses in the Spirit" are fleeting internal pictures. They are the lowest level of visions. Brief in duration and usually containing only a still picture, they are usually symbolic.
"Gentle Internal Visions and Strong Internal Visions." These are seen internally. The pictures include a storyline of transpiring events. These visions are clearer and more pronounced than glimpses.
"Open Visions." These visions are received when your eyes are open and they are not stopped by distractions. They can start and continue even when we are involved in activities such as driving a car. It is like seeing a scene acted out physically as on a movie screen.
Dreams
God also speaks to us through dreams. Please note there are different types of dreams:
"Literal Dreams" are these quick vignettes, showing us the future under certain circumstances. They are easier to understand because they usually are short.
"Symbolic Dreams" are symbolic and must be carefully interpreted over time. It often requires much prayer and meditation to receive the interpretation.
"Dreams of Angels or the Lord" are not visitations; they are dreams, but they are high-level revelations.
"Trances" are higher levels of revelation and subjective in nature. Being caught up in the Spirit is similar to a trance, however, the believer is actually transported somewhere.
Defining Prophecy
Many questions about prophecy and the prophetic ministry abound. But what is prophecy? Thompson defines prophecy as "speaking divine encouragement" as well as "hearing from God and speaking what you hear in order to build, comfort, or encourage someone." God gives us spiritual gifts through which he manifests prophecy.
1 Corinthians 12:8-10 states: "To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing, by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another interpretation of tongues." Three of the gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 are revelatory. These are word of knowledge, word of wisdom and discerning the spirits.
A word of knowledge is knowledge of a specific fact about a person, place or event that was not obtained through natural means. A word of wisdom is a divine revelation of the will, plan or purpose of God for a specific situation. And discerning of spirits is the ability to recognize and distinguish between types of spirits and anointing. Thompson states: "Words of knowledge, words of wisdom and discerning of spirits are gifts in the same way that guns, ammunition, and grenades are gifts for a soldier. They are divine empowerments to operate in the supernatural revelation and power of God."
It is important to understand that receiving a revelation is only part of a prophecy. An impression from the Lord would be useless if we don't know what to do with it or how to interpret it. This is why we need to understand prophecy in three parts: revelation, interpretation and application.
Revelation
Revelation is the information God gives without us having prior knowledge of the situation. The information can be given in the form of dreams, visions or impressions or a knowledge. Interpretation is receiving an understanding of what God gives us. And application is the way the revelation is applied.
Thompson spends some time developing some of the ways that God communicates supernatural revelation to us. These include impressions, through our five senses (sight, smell, hearing, touch and taste), various levels of visions and dreams. (We already explored these in detail in Lesson 9.)
Interpretation
Interpretation is the stage of a revelation where most of the mistakes are made. The key to effective interpretation is to have a close relationship with God and to know His Word. By doing so, we learn about His character and the things He likes and dislikes and should thereby be quick to recognize whether a source is of God.
Thompson writes: "Interpretations are often derived through an interplay between our understanding of interpretative principles, our sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, and our heart attitude. To accurately interpret God's mind, we must also possess His heart."
There are four hindrances that may cause us to misinterpret a revelation. These are opinions, offenses and bitterness, sin and spiritual bondages as well as carnal judgment.
- Opinions - We must have the mind of the Lord and not rely on our own opinions. For example, "pet doctrines" are a dangerous type of opinion. Such doctrines are religiously motivated and may be given a position of false importance.
- Offenses and bitterness - This happens when we have not forgiven those who have offended us. By doing so, an offense can become established in our heart and when we interpret a revelation we will interpret it through those offenses. Any negative revelation about somebody or a group of people we are offended by, should be suspect. It is vital to our prophetic effectiveness that we walk in forgiveness.
- Sin and spiritual bondages - When we have unconfessed sin in our lives, we are allowing a stronghold that will prevent us from accurately interpreting a revelation. Such strongholds include lust, bitterness, rebellion or a religious spirit.
- Carnal judgment - This is when we judge people by their outward appearances.
Application - Administrating Prophecy
A crucial element of the propehtic is Knowing how to apply a revelation. God wishes to speak His heart as well as His mind when He ministers through us. Therefore, it is important that we honor God and His people as we minister in His name.
It is important to recognize the level of authority God has given us in the setting we are ministering in. Usually we don't have authority in areas we do not have responsibilities over. An example is if our neighbor sees our children doing something he doesn't like and then comes into our back yard to discipline them. Clearly, this neighbor would be out of order. Even though he is an adult, he would not have the authority to discipline our children. What he could do, however, is to let us parents know about the situation so we can handle it. Since we are responsible for our children, we have authority over them. However, if we ask our neighbor to watch our children we are giving him authority to also discipline them as necessary.
The same principle applies to the prophetic. Some believe they have authority to speak into any situation, but that is not necessarily the case. Just because God gives you revelation of a problem when you are visiting a church doesn't mean you have the authority to bring correction to that situation. If you don't have responsibilities in that congregation, you do not have the authority either. In this case, it is advisable to take the revelation to the leadership of that church and let them determine how to apply it.
Thompson writes: "Authority in the church does not come from revelation; it comes from responsibility."
Of course, there is the possibility that the leadership doesn't feel that the revelation you received applies to them. If that happens, that is their prerogative. You have done your part in delivering the message to the appropriate channel. The rest remains in God's hands.
Conclusion
"All our seeking to become prophetic should lead us to a greater devotion to the Lord Himself. If it does not, then we need to make serious adjustments in our approach. This is the heart the Lord is looking for in us: First, that our first desire is to know Him; second, that we long to know the power of His resurrection (the empowerment He has for us); third, that we are willing to share in His sufferings and be rejected as He was; finally, that we are willing to lay down our lives for our friends, just as He laid down His life."
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