It ushers in His presence, and then I can focus on things that God wants to do in their lives and with their lives. I had ministered in the Hopewell Network leadership gathering several times a year, but I had never spoken in the mother church, Petra.
After preaching, I asked the Holy Spirit for several words of knowledge to establish the rest of the prophetic ministry. I saw a man standing up in a boat. He reached his hand into his pocket, and when he pulled his hand out, the coins that were in his pocket fell into the water. “If that was you,” I said, “raise your hand.” There was a long silence as people looked around the large crowd of close to a thousand people with me. Finally, a woman raised her hand. “That happened to my husband.” As I walked toward him, he asked, “Does it count if it happened a week and a half ago?” I assured him that it counted. The atmosphere in the church went from doubting to believing.
There was a sense of awe and glory that filled the entire church and continued to increase during the rest of the meeting. There are several key places to give a prophetic word to be effective in a church service. A prophetic word during worship time is great. Sometimes I will minister to the pastors and the church before I preach. I might call out a person who is connected to a truth I am preaching and turn it into a prophetic word for them. If I am introducing one of my books and giving out a free copy, I will prophesy truths from my book over their lives.
The last word of knowledge in that service at Petra was for a nurse who had completed her third year of college and was about to enter her fourth year. She came up quickly for her prophetic word after seeing what God had already done. If people do not believe that I hear from God, they will not believe me when I tell them that God wants to speak to them and through them. As prophets, it is best if we actively demonstrate each time what we teach. Remember, God speaks prophetically to people in different ways. I have found the most effective way to teach others is an actual prophetic demonstration. I will tell them step by step what I am seeing. Then I share how I am prophesying it. I remind them that this is a true prophetic word for the person in front of me. Therefore, the Holy Spirit is present to help me prophesy in the demonstration. I am not making it up; I am sharing it with others as it comes. My first line is often, “I have nothing right now.”
In my first year ministering on a prophetic team at Christian International forty years ago, four of us would each take a turn to prophesy to one individual from a group of about thirty people in a call-out room, one at a time. I was getting pictures and prophesying accordingly. There was a fresh anointing I was experiencing, as well as others who prophesied. I noticed that the anointing was strong on each of us, but all of us approached it slightly differently.
A younger prophet approached me and said, “You cannot give pictures; you must start off with, ‘And the Lord would say to you…fill in the blank.” I knew that it was part of the training at Christian International, but I was in a different flow that day. When my turn came up, I started off with, “And the Lord would say to you…,” but it was quite dry, and I struggled. I thought I should try it one more time, but it was no different. I went back to stand with the prophetic team as the young prophet who had corrected me started prophesying to the next person.
I turned to Prophetess Sharon Stone Black, who was raised by Bishop Bill Hamon, the founder of CI, and I told her that it was not working for me. She asked me what I was talking about. I explained it to her. She said, “He has no right to say that to you. What you do is powerful. Just continue to give it as the Lord gives it to you.” I did, and the anointing returned on the next word. I learned a valuable lesson that day—give it as the Lord gives it to you. There have been times when I start with, “And the Lord would say to you…,” as well as seeing a picture, I hear a sound, and I see a number, and more. The Lord does not want us to be stuck in a pattern; He wants us to be stuck in Him. As we develop different ways to start a prophetic word, that prophetic word will form accordingly, and its progression will be unique. We will keep on learning to receive prophetic words in different ways that are influenced by the manner in which He speaks to us, as we walk with Him.
Now, concerning your prophetic language, it will develop over time. You will start off learning the prophetic alphabet. It starts with a word, then a phrase, until complex sentences start flowing with ease. It normally starts with what you see and the thoughts the Holy Spirit will bring to your mind as you start prophesying the phrase. It flows from the thought of a biblical character as the Holy Spirit takes you to a specific part of their story or just speaks a word that describes them, their situation, their character challenges, their anointing, their assignment, and faith.
Sometimes the Holy Spirit will have you prophesy, “Just like David, you were called to take down that giant.” The Holy Spirit can take you to a literal picture of the event of David standing before Goliath. He may have you prophesy the picture or hear or see the word boldness or victory. Often, the Holy Spirit will bring other Scripture phrases to our thoughts to prophesy. “The righteous are bold like a lion.” If you see David holding a harp, you may inquire if he is in the fields with the sheep or in front of King Saul. “The Lord is saying that your worship life will increase in anointing while you are hidden in the fields. Write the songs of worship like David.” With the same picture of the harp and David, the Holy Spirit could simply speak one word: “Worship.” “I see David holding a harp. Worship.”
You will learn how to allow the Holy Spirit to show you different combinations of elements in unique pictures that the Holy Spirit will interpret in a specific context that clearly communicates truths to the heart of the listener. You might see the fire of God burning on the back of someone’s head. “The Lord is burning up the trash that someone dumped in your mind three years ago. What they said was not of Me,” says the Lord, “And I am burning away those lies with My fire.”
But the Holy Spirit could take that same picture into a different revelation. The thought comes from the Holy Spirit: “It is about their dream life.” “And the Lord would say to you, ‘I am bringing My fire into your dream life. It will destroy the night-mares that the enemy has sent against you, and I will speak to you in the night season.’”
“The fire of God is burning around your heart. What does it mean to you?” That same vision could speak a different word to you in a different season or within a different context. Write the prophetic word in your journal three times with a space between to record your prophetic word that is connected to a particular context. Leave enough room to add more to each segment a month later: your walk with God, your work or daily activity, your family, and a new season for you. As we are developing our prophetic language, it is important to develop awareness of areas of context. As we ask Him, He will teach us. Especially note when the Holy Spirit gives you revelation from a prophetic picture that is totally different in focus from the past. It happens now and then.
What does it mean to you if you see mountains covered with clouds, with a river running down the mountain into the valley? Where is that person? That can be the important question we ask that brings clarity to the vision. Are they in God’s presence on the mountain? Is this the time they are receiving new glory from God, like Moses? Are they in the river coming down from the mountain, bringing life to those in the valley? Are they in the valley, and the time has come to receive the revival that they have prophesied for their nation? Are they standing at a distance, looking at what you are seeing? Is God talking to them about these three elements in their life or call? All these details the Holy Spirit will make clear with quick thoughts, but we must stretch our language to consider all these possibilities, so we don’t suffocate God-visions with our limited approach. While I am prophesying, I will go into a short conversation with the Holy Spirit. Learn to inquire of the Lord while we are prophesying. Other times, I will meditate on a word for a week before I give it.
Prophetic Activation: Write down the names of five people. Ask God to give you one picture, or a thought, or a Bible character for each person. Do not develop the prophetic words until you have one of these elements beside each person’s name. Now go back to the top of the list. Step out. Call the first person and give the per-son a prophetic word from what God gave you.
Our prophetic language has two main stages. The first stage is what you see, hear, or think. The second stage is what does it mean? Developing a spirit of revelation starts in the Word of God and continues to increase by reason of use in prophetic ministry.
Information proves that God knows them in a personal way and that I am a prophet. When God speaks a person’s name in a prophetic word, it creates the awe of God, yet it does not reveal God’s plans or purposes. I am more interested in prophesying who they are, what they carry, where they are going, and what they are called to do. Samuel was not told the name of the next king of Israel, but he was instructed to go to the house of Jesse. Samuel could have said, “I am not going to anoint the next king of Israel until You give me his name,” but Samuel was a seasoned prophet. The prophetic process by which David was chosen added greater weight to his call. The first point was that Samuel thought it was Eliab at first sight. Second, God corrected Samuel that he was looking on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart. He informed Samuel that He had already rejected Eliab. Each of David’s brothers Samuel stood in front of were not chosen. Each no was a greater yes for David. Samuel’s question, “Are these all of your sons?” gave a supernatural confirmation that the one God had chosen was not there, David. It was not based on the sight of Samuel, but the knowledge of God. The very fact that his father had forgot-ten David increased the miracle in his brother’s eyes that David was chosen prophetically. We need to align with the unknown priorities and the hidden purposes of God in our prophetic ministry.
During a prophetic training session, I called a man forward to prophesy over him as an example. Even when we are demonstrating, training, or activating people in the prophetic, it is still prophetic. I never pretend to give a word. We do not have a pretend Holy Spirit, nor a pretend gift of prophecy. While prophesying to a person, I will teach what I am doing. I started the prophetic: “I see that God uses you to bring truth into people’s lives and help them get into the right place, just like a carpenter who drives a nail in on an angle that moves the two-by-four in a stud wall into its correct position. I also saw a picture of you wiring in a house. You have an anointing to connect people to the power source of the Holy Spirit.”
After the word, the man looked at me and said, “That’s what I do for a living. I know exactly what you were talking about, straightening out a two-by-four by driving a nail in at the bottom. I am currently wiring our house.” I was amazed, knowing many people would not have a clue about what I referred to. Other times, I think the word I am giving is what the person does, but instead it speaks prophetically to another situation, describing exactly what is happening. It is not our job to figure out if the word is figurative or literal; our assignment is to speak what the Holy Spirit is showing us. I do ask them until I am at a certain point in the prophetic word. It is sometimes helpful to know to fully understand the word, but it is also a witness that the Holy Spirit is revealing facts. We learn the language we hear growing up naturally and spiritually. As we stand with others who are prophesying, we will start gaining a sensitivity to the anointing that surrounds prophetic ministry. We will start hearing what the Holy Spirit is saying before the person prophesying speaks the very same word. The desire to minister to others is increased by the impact of the prophetic words we receive. The more we hear others prophesying, the more we learn how to tune in and speak. We not only learn a prophetic language, but we are also influenced and mentored by their delivery, and trained by the spirit of revelation in which they operate.
Some prophets build their ministry by focusing on detailed information, while others focus on impending judgment. There is a time and place for everything, but the life that Jesus gives abundantly is where the prophetic should find a home. I believe that it is easier for us to get off track in pride if we overemphasize precise details. It has even caused prophets to use carnal methods to maintain their elite status. While we might gather a quick crowd by being judgmental of others, we will develop a self-righteous spirit if we never prophesy the mercy of God. Some prophets will be gifted and called to a particular area by God: government, weather events, healing, words of knowledge, words of wisdom, destiny, purpose, and call. They may speak about marriage, the birth of children, new jobs, and financial situations. All these are of value and important. We should not limit our prophetic ministry to one area but be available to move at the Holy Spirit’s direction and discretion.
We speak healing to the hurts of the past and release faith for the future. We speak strength for the challenges people are facing. We declare the anointing that rests on their lives. We awaken their spirit, unlock their genius, and increase their value. We call forth and reinforce their natural giftings of leadership, helping them recognize that their gifts and strengths are needed to help others reach their destiny.
When people hear me prophesying, they ask me if I was mentored by Dr. Bill Hamon because our approach and prophetic flow are very similar. At first, I was surprised that they would be able to tell. After a decade or so, I realized why it was evident. For example, if a person teaching us a language mispronounces a certain word, we will mispronounce the same word as we were taught. Mentoring others carries great responsibility. We are not only mentoring the gift, but transferring our character, attitude, and heart motivation. These aspects can undo or strengthen the prophetic ministry we are establishing in others. We gift others what we are, as we train them in what we do.
Activation: Focus on one of the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 to prophesy over a friend. Let them know that you are prophesying one fruit of the Spirit each day for nine days: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Utilize Bible stories and characters when possible. Google Bible characters who exemplified one of these attributes listed in the Bible. Choose one. Ask them about the impact it had on their life.
No one can prophesy unless they first hear His voice. Many believers think it would be better for God to speak loudly to make sure they heard it correctly. If we speak loudly, it reveals the distance in the friendship or the unimportance of the matter, unless it is an emergency. The whispers of Heaven reveal the treasures of God. Amid a noisy crowd, a person can recognize the voice of the one they love or the cry of their child. We learn His voice over time. Live close enough to His heart to hear His whispers. When we hear the gentle whisper of the Holy Spirit within our spirit, it is a gentle wind that carries a thought, a faint picture. Train your spirit to be sensitive to listening to the Holy Spirit and speaking under the same anointing. The more we communicate with Him, the more we will hear Him and the better we will know Him. It is difficult to speak for someone you don’t know. It’s a child’s birthright to hear their father’s voice. Any father who does not talk with his children is dysfunctional, and our Father God is not.
We were created to hear and speak. If we start with the basic simplicity of hearing and speaking, it centers us on the truth that we can hear God’s voice. When a wrong thought comes to our mind, that is the enemy trying to move us into a wrong spirit, so we are cut off from hearing His voice. We must guard our hearts to hear His voice.
When we were babies, we could make sounds but not words. We would make happy sounds when we felt loved and had everyone’s attention. Our mothers or caretakers did not know we were hungry until we cried. The communication level was a bit primitive. The cry could also mean that we wanted our diaper changed now. It could have also communicated that we wanted them to pick up the toy we just dropped or that our sibling just took it from us. It could be that there was gas in our stomachs, and we needed to be carried, bounced, and patted gently until the pain subsided. The sound communicated a general signal that we needed or wanted attention or something.
As babies, the words of adults were just sounds to us. Our parents and their friends knew that, so they would make sounds to us instead of complete sentences, knowing that sound would communicate to us at an effective level to our spirit with an emotional awareness that would transfer happy feelings to us without words. Adults know how to make baby sounds because they were once babies. It comes naturally to all people if they are willing to connect with a baby. Any baby can receive and communicate joy and happiness to any adult, no matter the native tongue of their parents or the adult.
Words are for those who have developed a language—a two-way communication with other people and with God. For example, has a thought come to you to do something special for someone who has a need? Do you think that was just your thought? When we have a thought to do something kind for someone, but say no, we may have just cut off the voice of the Lord that we considered one of our natural thoughts.
We were created by Father God to hear His voice. We live on planet Earth, which was restored from chaos into order by the voice of God. People cannot advance on earth without encouraging, edifying, and comforting communication. The word of the Lord can still break through chaos, creating order.
All creation was formed by words from Father God. He created the animal kingdom with a limited ability to communicate with each other and on limited levels with mankind. Without some level of communication, a horse would not be useful to mankind. Without communication, mankind could not have a relationship with Father God nor accomplish His purposes.
Adam and Eve were created to hear Father God’s voice as well as talk to Him. With all the animals living in the Garden of Eden, they could still distinguish God’s footsteps in the cool of the day as He was coming to talk with them. Because a day is as a thousand years with the Lord, the time Father God enjoyed with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden could have been hundreds of years. We don’t know. As a father of four children, in the middle of the night, I could often distinguish each child by the sound of their footsteps as they walked into our house.
Adam was created a son of God. Eve was formed from part of Adam. God was their Father and Creator. He created them in His image and likeness. He created us to hear Him, to speak with Him, and to speak for Him. Father God spoke and created the worlds. He expects His sons and daughters to speak creative words into our world, His world, and into the lives of those He sends us.
Activation: Listen to the Holy Spirit to speak a creative word concerning His voice in your life. Declare the clarity of His voice to your spirit. Prophecy about the fruit that will come from the prophetic words the Holy Spirit will give you. People healed, people restored back to God, healing of broken relationships, addictions broken, financial breakthrough, deeper walk with God. Now prophesy the same theme over a friend.
Fathers love to talk with their children. They also enjoy sending messages to their children through other children. It builds the children’s relationship. All communication builds up or tears down relationships. If the topics have no value or purpose, it can cause people to leave feeling dry and empty after a long evening of con-versations. If we engage in conversations concerning the problems of the day, we can leave frustrated and depressed. We should search the heart of God concerning the topic that will build a substantive, thriving relationship.
Great friendships are often ignited with a prophetic word that connects people spiritually to their destiny, their purpose, and their heart for God. If you have a close friend with whom you talk often, continue to give a prophetic word, a Scripture, a prayer, or a prophetic declaration to pour oil on that relationship. The loss of oil due to a lack of prophetic ministry to them or verbal prayer for them will lessen the depth of the friendship. Make it part of your marriage. My wife has more prophetic words from me than twenty of my closest friends combined. She listens to them again and again. We talk about them and pray into them.
As we listen to the Holy Spirit for words from Father God to speak to other people, we are building our relationship with Father God while giving the opportunity for others to start their relationship with Him as they are listening to Him talking with them. When we prophesy to them, we are not only giving them a message, but we are literally displaying a relationship that is avail-able to them to enter with Father God.
After giving my order in a restaurant, I introduced myself to the new employee whom I had never seen in this restaurant that I have enjoyed for decades. I gave her a prophetic word after introducing myself and asking her name. I find it is important to call people by name. It gives significance and value to that person. “I see a managerial gifting in you. You will always be good at building teamwork and managing people, no matter what you do. I also see a creative gift that will be a key in all you do.” She thanked me with a curious air, but I could tell she enjoyed it. She then informed me that she was a Hindu.
I said to her, “That wouldn’t work for me. I couldn’t serve a god who couldn’t talk with me.” She didn’t seem the least bit offended; I was not telling her it was wrong, I was saying it wouldn’t work for me. I continued, “When I die, I want to be following someone who overcame death. If He didn’t overcome death, how could he help me? That wouldn’t work for me. I’m asking God to give you a dream. He loves you.” I can sense she was intrigued. I was done, and I sensed that I had said enough for her to consider.
There is a time to leave things alone until the fruit is ripe and ready for harvest. If we pick fruit before its time, it can break the branch, interrupting the natural process that happens in the fullness of time. Jesus walked by the lame man at the gate called Beautiful, smiling and knowing that He would heal that lame beg-gar through Peter and John in the future. It wasn’t the lame man’s time yet, but it was coming, and Jesus knew it.
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