“Don’t get it twisted” is a modern urban phrase meaning “don’t get your facts mixed up.”

In today’s church, nothing gets more mixed up than a prophetic word. So many people today claim to have a prophetic word from the Lord. Usually, some vision of soon to be promotion albeit wealth, influence, or position misguidingly leave people leaping for joy and eagerly searching for that magical moment to come.

I believe in the gift of prophecy and that it is still relevant today. However, far too often today’s prophecies are really just messages that people want to hear in order to ameliorate their immediate circumstances. In reality, when we see prophecies occurring in scripture, we see that most of the recipients were not so gleeful after receiving a word from God.

In fact, trials, darkness, destruction, isolation, death, famine, suffering, struggle, and despair immediately followed men and women of God after having a prophetic encounter.

For example, Mary was humiliated and ostracized after her visitation from the angel Gabriel. Abraham had to leave everything he knew to go to foreign land when he heard from God. Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers after sharing his vision with them. Jesus was murdered so that the scripture could be fulfilled. In other words, tragedy always precedes victory in prophecy.

You might ask, “What is the point of prophecy if it’s just going to bring pain?” Many questions face the everyday Christian who isn’t a prophetic genius. Because we don’t have all the answers, it is important that we know how to respond.

When a prophet speaks a word to you or when you receive a vision from God, don’t be elementary in your thinking. You must be willing to go through the process that God has designed for you.

Ezekiel’s experience with God in Chapter 3: 11-15 teaches us some foundational principles about receiving a prophetic word.

1.    “Go to YOUR people in exile and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says!’ Do this whether they listen to you or not.”

a.    Receiving a vision from God is a form of God’s favor in your life.
b.    The vision isn’t about you. It is more about the people you are called to impact.
c.    Those people may or may not be ready to receive your gift or message.

2.    “The Spirit lifted me up and took me away. I went in bitterness and turmoil, but the Lord’s hold on me was strong. Then I came to the colony of Judean exiles in Tel-abib, beside the Kebar River. I was overwhelmed and sat among them for seven days.”

a.    A prophetic word should burden you.
b.    You must be obedient despite exhaustion or fear.
c.    God will always give you rest and reward.

Daily Confession
Lord, I thank you for the prophetic word spoken to me. I believe that you desire to bring this vision to pass in my life. I thank you in advance for the trials that will come to test my faith, but I count them all joy because you are with me. Let me decrease so that I can reach those I’ve been called to serve. I thank you for your favor. You didn’t have to give me this word, but you did. I walk in the courage of Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Mary and the other spiritual giants who did great things after receiving a prophetic word from you. I receive it and believe it in Jesus name.


Copyright: Saki Milton
All rights reserved. Used by permission.