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The Apostolic and Prophetic Foundation
Prophets will intercede for those to whom they are sent. They will do so because God will give them insight into both the present spiritual condition of His people as well as His purpose for them.
“Prophetic frustration” occurs when the prophet catches a glimpse of God’s intent and yet also recognizes how the people are presently settling for far less. Unless he is given to intercession and a confidence in God’s ability to bring to pass what He has purposed, he will become irritated at the people. Then if he is not careful, his words will harass instead of encourage them. All who speak on behalf of the Lord must be careful to convey His heart, not their own frustration.
...whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.
And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth.
Prophetic frustration is widespread in the Body of Christ in our day. The problem is that many prophetic people, having seen in many churches what the people are settling for, have become discouraged and simply left their group to look for a “better” one.
Leaving is not always the best course. Sometimes God wants people to stay and intercede for Him to birth His intent in that place. Since others in that group may not see accurately what they see, who will cry out with insight on behalf of that assembly?
On the other hand, God may very well lead them out. Not all who have left churches in a dissatisfied condition are rebels at heart. Many times people have left fellowships carrying a very real prophetic burden and have simply not been quite sure how to either explain it or to otherwise handle it redemptively.
The emerging prophetic company that God is raising up in our day needs to be trained in its calling. As much as pastors or teachers might like to make prophets fit into a “ministerial mold” where they look more pastoral or didactic, the Lord’s desire is far different. God has called the prophet to a unique ministry with a unique perspective. The contribution they are beginning to make and which they will continue to make to the Body of Christ in the coming years will bring immeasurable blessing.
Today, one cause of concern to many prophets is the perception of many believers concerning church order. While God has restored much truth in our day, His intent is to increase our capacity to better understand what was in His heart when He spoke. God must break us out of the limitations we have imposed on ourselves by our interpretation of His word.
Sometimes God will lead certain believers in directions that we just do not feel comfortable with. Our “check” (i.e., our sense of internal discomfort) concerning their course may come more from our commitment to a way of doing things than from the Lord Himself. Idolatry of structure occurs when guidelines concerning acceptable behavior and activity are drawn more from what has been built than from God. “We just don’t do it that way here.”
At issue is the fact that we have far more truth in our minds than we have reality in our hearts. We simply fail many times to express the love of Christ for those who fall short of what is obviously (to us) God’s will for them. The way in which things ought to be done can become more important to us than the people themselves - those for whom Jesus died!
Can we not see that divine order is more expressed among believers who love God and are willing to die for each other than it is in an external form of acceptable behavior? God is taking us beyond what we understand of His purpose. To do this He must fill us with His Spirit and stretch our capacity for more of Him in our hearts. We must learn to love as He loves, serve as He serves and judge as He judges.
If there is anything that causes prophetic frustration in the hearts of godly prophets, it is this settling for a concept of “normal” church life that appears on the surface to be biblical but at the heart carries the intolerance of the Pharisees.
Eventually, all prophetic people must learn to handle the tension between what they see in the Spirit as God’s intent versus the present real condition of His people. How they manage the resulting internal pressure will indicate to what degree they will make a significant contribution to God’s objectives in their locale. They must have hearts of bondservants and “come on board” with the rest of the people as the journey is made toward the fulfillment of God’s purpose.
Remember, it takes patience as well as faith to inherit the promises (Heb. 6:12). Just because they may see something in the Spirit concerning His goal does not mean that they are any closer to it than anyone else. As a matter of fact, there have been many saints over the years who may not have had a very clear vision of God’s ultimate corporate purpose who yet lived exemplary, holy and humble lives. Prophetic insight comes by grace; it is not a mark of spiritual greatness. Humility is always the true mark of spiritual maturity in God’s sight.
The goal before us is not that we all become prophets; it is that we become spiritually mature. Prophets are few in number when considered in the context of the whole Body of Christ. To pursue a prophet’s call would only bring frustration if God has called us to serve in a different capacity.
On the other hand, all of us are called to be spiritual. We are to be men and women of the Spirit. We are to be filled with His presence, hearing His voice, walking in harmony with His character and heeding His message concerning the preeminence of His Son. This is what it means to be friends of God.
There are basically two ways of gaining insight in the Spirit. God will show us something based either on our spiritual gifts or our relationship with Him. These are not the same thing. Deception occurs when I hear Him through my particular gift and then conclude that I must be walking in close friendship with Him.
For example, a teacher may conclude that he is walking with God as he ought because the Lord reveals truth to him in the Scriptures. However, such an assumption may be dangerous. The same holds true for prophets. Those called to this ministry will hear His voice and have discernment in the Spirit by the very nature of their gifting. Such insight does not necessarily mean that they are yet spiritually mature or even that they are walking in obedience to the Lord.
Paul recognized two types of people in the church at Corinth that would have spiritual perception concerning both the problems there as well as his response to them.
If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet (gr. prophetes) or spiritual (gr. pneumatikos), let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord.
Both true prophets and truly spiritual men and women would hear God’s voice in what Paul was saying.
One purpose the apostle had in writing this particular section of his letter concerned specifically how prophets were to function in the assembly. He laid out clear guidelines. Two or three prophets could speak in a meeting and the others were to evaluate both their spirits (heart attitudes) and words. The spirits of the prophets were to be subject to the prophets.
In our day, local elderships must learn to honor the function of the prophets in the church so that what takes place in meetings will accurately reveal the mind of Christ. While prophets will have unique perception concerning other prophets, it is important to remember that, “he who is spiritual appraises all things”... 1 Cor. 2:15 NASB.
In other words, while prophets will have a unique function of insight concerning other prophets as well as the direction and purpose of meetings, this does not do away with the function of the elders. For example, there is the issue of timing. Sometimes two prophets may sense almost opposite directions for a particular gathering. At that point it seems there are conflicting “cross-currents” in the Spirit.
This is why we need the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation operative in our midst. Such wisdom may be found in any believer in the assembly, for all have received Christ who is our wisdom. However, the elders will bear responsibility for making the final decision concerning which way to go; they are the overseers. During such times of seeming contradiction, the Lord may have the church first respond in one direction. This may then lead to a focus on the second path either later in that particular meeting or perhaps the next time the saints gather.
Along with timing, there is also the issue of content. Sometimes a prophet may simply err and confuse his own thoughts with the word of the Lord. Prophets must be evaluated in this regard just like any other member of the Body of Christ who speaks in a public manner.
Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge.
Also, a prophet must not dominate a meeting but make room for the Lord to speak through others.
But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent.
While a man may be accurate in his spiritual perceptions because of a prophetic calling on his life, he may not yet be ready for eldership. Biblical qualifications for eldership always emphasize character over spiritual gifts. It is the elders (These should be spiritual men!) who bear responsibility to oversee the functioning of the body, including the prophets. Of course, having mature prophets in the eldership will bring great strength to that team of men.
Prophets do not approach the building process as apostles do. They are concerned primarily with the heart of God. They do not speak because something needs to be said but because God has spoken and released them to declare it. When they view the church, they are not concerned primarily with doctrinal orthodoxy but with how the people as a corporate expression of Christ reflect or fail to reflect God’s heart. Proper doctrine is irrelevant if the people’s affections are misdirected from the Lord.
Jesus is not returning for a bride with a full head and an empty heart! It is passion for us that brought Him the first time and it will be passion for us that will bring Him again. Our hearts must reflect that same yearning for Him or we will fail to comprehend our calling to be His bride. We must return to our first love, longing for intimacy with Him. In whatever ways we have grown cold, we must repent and turn again to the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.
The Church is to be an apostolic and prophetic company. Today God is restoring apostles and prophets that we may be established in this truth. Through their ministry graces, local gatherings will become accurate corporate representations of the Lord Jesus. As a result, the universal Church will become a corporate expression of Christ in the earth. Building methods and heart attitudes that undermine rather than unite God’s people under the headship of Christ must be set aside. Each step in this process will be painful for traditional ministry, but we will all ultimately understand the wisdom of God when we see His glory filling His house.
Lord, give us prophets who are willing to be patient with the rest of the Body. And help Your Body to be patient as these who are Your gifts to Your Church learn how to walk in their calling. Bring us together into the fullness of Your purpose. Lord, build Your house in this hour and fill it with Your presence. Bring together all the diverse parts and help us to serve one another for Your glory and purpose. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
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