Rick Joyner's Word for the Week - MorningStar Ministries

Law vs. Grace

2012

Years ago, I read a study on alcoholism about how this problem affected different people groups. It was very illuminating. The great surprise was that the group who had the highest percentage of alcoholics was a conservative evangelical denomination that forbids the drinking of any kind of alcohol. Just as surprising was the finding that the people group who had the lowest percentage of alcoholics were the Jews who drink freely. Over the years, other similar findings have been found, highlighting a biblical truth that the Apostle Paul wrote in I Corinthians 15:56: “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.”

We do not use science to establish our theology, but sometimes it confirms it. Legalism tends to work the opposite of its intended result, actually empowering sin, and will never be the antidote to lawlessness. Of course, the entire U.S. learned this under prohibition. Not only did the drinking in America continue under prohibition, but it seemed to increase, as well as other crimes. Prohibition made criminals out of otherwise law-abiding citizens, which seemed to just open them up to all sorts of crime and disregard for the law.

Even so, alcoholism is a terrible thing, destroying many families and lives in a most cruel way. Though I do not... Read More

West Coast Disaster: Sounding the Alarm - What is the Spirit Saying? Part 3

2012

One of the greatest revivals of all time began at Azusa Street in Los Angeles in 1906. The wretched former stable burned so brightly with the glory of God that for a time it was called “the second most famous address in the world.” God can do it again, and will, if we want it enough.

Every revival in history seems to be the result of a few people becoming so hungry for God that they wanted Him more than oxygen. Those who have such hunger will not be denied. It’s time to seek a revival that becomes the most famous address in the world. It’s time to seek a move of God that won’t quit moving.

I’ve seen in visions and dreams the destruction that is destined, especially on our West Coast. This has caused some to say that I have a hatred for our West Coast, which is not true, but rather the opposite. I really can’t help what I dream, and though a psycho analyst might say it is the result of deep feelings, I know these are prophetic dreams. They never leave me pleased, but rather I’m grieved enough to take all of the heat for sharing them with the hope that people will listen, repent, and they will not have to come true.

I’ve also seen the harvest that is coming at the end of this age. Why can’t the... Read More

Honoring Fathers and Mothers - What is the Spirit Saying? Part 2

2012

California and the Northwest have produced some of the greatest spiritual leaders over the last century and a half and are still producing them. Some are not just teachers but true spiritual fathers and mothers. As we covered previously, one of the ways Israel honored their fathers and mothers was to keep drinking from the wells that they dug, acknowledging and being thankful for them. We should be honored by drinking from the wells that they dug, not only because of all we can still learn from them, but also because the Lord will honor His commitment to bless those who do this.

One of the great spiritual and moral toxins that has been originating from Hollywood and polluting the world has been the dishonoring of fathers and mothers. For more than half a century, it has been especially resolute to attack fathers and fatherhood, but recently it has begun to attack mothers and motherhood as well. Think about it: Almost any father figure in a movie or television program from Hollywood over the last half century has been mean-spirited, evil, or an idiot. This has opened one of the biggest gates of hell of perversion and lawlessness in our country, as well as in many other countries. This is one of the main things that the Lord can no longer tolerate.

In contrast to this, He will release the spirit of... Read More

What is the Spirit Saying?

2012

What is the Spirit saying to the churches? Jesus. It is always about Jesus. As our friend Peter Lord used to say, “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing,” and the main thing is Jesus.

The main thing the Spirit wants to do with each of us is to conform us to the image of the Son. If we want to understand the things that are happening to us in the light of God’s purpose, it is that He is using everything in our lives for this one thing above all other purposes—to conform us to the image of His Son.

“God is love,” and Jesus is the most powerful and clear revelation of the love of God and always will be. The driving force of the One who is the love of God is to honor His Father God. There is a connection here we must understand. This is why the only commandment with a promise is that if we will honor our fathers and mothers, it to go well with us and we will have longevity (see Deuteronomy 5:16). Are there any who would not like these?

We might be tempted to think that it was easy for Jesus to honor His Father since He was a perfect man, and He had a perfect Father. The promise does not specify that we honor our perfect fathers and mothers or even good ones. Neither does it say that our... Read More

Meat and Manna

2012

As we are now walking through increasingly intense and troubling times, it is more important than ever that we fortify our foundations. As a professional pilot, I was in continuous training to keep my skills sharp, and 90 percent of this training was fortifying the foundations. If my fundamentals were strong, they helped me to do the most important thing in dealing with an emergency in the air—fly the airplane. You have to keep flying the plane while dealing with the problems. Likewise, there are fundamentals in life that we must keep doing regardless of what else comes at us. This is why the most successful people in every field are those who do the basics best and devote themselves to constantly practicing them. This is why I unashamedly repeat certain truths and teachings throughout my writing and speaking and why I read the Bible every day.

There is the “meat of the word,” which is the illumination of the deeper truths. Every believer should be weaned from just milk so that they can eat this more solid spiritual food. We get this through our own in-depth studies, such things as going to conferences, maybe taking courses, reading books, or listening to the teachings of others on the subjects we’re pursuing. Every strong and advancing believer will have such studies going almost constantly, sinking their... Read More

A Year For The Ages

2012

The New Year is always a time for hope, and hope is one of the most powerful forces. It is often a time when we resolve to fulfill certain vows like getting in shape, spending more time with family, or being faithful to certain spiritual disciplines like more prayer or Bible study. These often help people focus enough to actually accomplish them, certainly a good thing.

This is the year the Mayan calendar, which indicated it would be the end of the world. As the Apostle Paul wrote about the Cretan prophets, that they were right about what they were saying about the Cretans, even false prophets can be right about some things. In a way, I think the Mayan calendar is right—this year will mark the end of this world as we know it.

I am not prophesying that this year will be the end of the world, or the end of the age, or the second coming of Christ. I am saying radical changes are coming to the whole world this year. Whether they turn out for good or bad will depend more on the body of Christ than any other factor. This year will be the greatest opportunity we’ve had, not just in our generation, but maybe ever. Times of change are usually steered by a small number of people, and if just a small part of the body of Christ wakes up and gets engaged, the impact this year can be... Read More

The Judgments of God Will Result in Repentance - The Judgments of God, Part 15

2011

We are entering the times that the prophets and righteous of old desired to see, and we have been chosen to live in them. In 1987, I was given a two-and-a-half day experience in which I was shown an unfolding panorama of world events that I wrote about in my book The Harvest. Many of these events started coming to pass within a couple of years of the vision, and the greatest of all that I was shown will soon be coming upon us.

The greatest of all of these events was a harvest of believers into the kingdom that would come in two waves. The first wave began just a couple of years after I received this vision, and though it hardly touched North America and Europe, it swept more people into the kingdom than any previous move of God in history. This next one will not miss North America or Europe.

After the first wave, I saw that there would be a time of relative spiritual quiet before another, far bigger wave of revival would come. We are now approaching the end of the time of quiet, and the greatest move of God to ever come upon the earth is approaching. It will be a spiritual tsunami, and we must get ready.

As this great ingathering begins to sweep the earth, it will be largely the result of and accompanied by... Read More

God's Justice Becomes Mercy for Sinners at the Cross - The Judgments of God, Part 14

2011

We cannot understand the ways of God without understanding His judgments, yet this may be the most neglected of biblical teachings in modern times. This is because many think of the judgments of God as condemnation and/or destruction. These are actually very rare consequences of His judgments, but the un-regenerated do tend to think in extremes. It is not possible to understand the coming of God’s kingdom without understanding His judgments because Scripture is clear that He is coming to judge the earth. As the Scriptures also make clear, this is a good thing, not something to be afraid of, unless we are evil. Consider this first mention of God’s judgments in Scripture in Exodus 6:6:

"I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments."

The redemption of Israel was the result of God’s... Read More

Repentance + Hunger for God = Revival - The Judgments of God, Part 13

2011

     As I write this Word for the Week for the 50th week of the year, I thought about how 50 is the number of freedom, the Jubilee. In the biblical Jubilee, all debts were canceled and all slaves were freed. Why can’t we ask God for a Jubilee now? The world is burdened with unprecedented and unsustainable debt, and even worse, it is burdened by unprecedented sin. As great as this sin and debt is, it is not beyond the power of the cross.

     There is an equation that can turn pending disaster into the greatest of all blessings. It is:

     Repentance + hunger for God = revival.

     Repentance is the result of the realization and acknowledgement of our transgressions. This is the opposite of what Adam and Eve did when they sinned, which was to hide and cover themselves. Repentance is when we run to God and not away from Him when we fail.

     Revival means to revive—either from sleep or from the dead. Both are needed at this time. Much of the church is asleep, and some churches are dead and are only breathing because of artificial life support. We need reviving. We must have revival!

     Of course, great churches and great things are taking place in the body of... Read More

Understanding and Agreeing with the Justice of God - The Judgments of God, Part 12

2011

      I shared last week that water shortages after the West Coast disasters would cause the loss of many people, which will ultimately be worldwide. Preparing emergency sources of drinkable water is something all believers should do. Drinkable water will be one of the most valuable commodities in the world in the future.

      When on my last visit to the Northwest, after days of feeling a terrible grief for the region, I was then shown that after the eruptions and earthquakes in that region, the Northwest U.S. and Western Canada would become one of the most geologically stable and beautiful places in the world to live. I’m still processing this, but I felt that somehow the pillars of the earth in this region would be set in such a way that this would be as stable as anywhere in the world after this. This is also the point of Hebrews 12 where we are told that everything that can be shaken will be shaken; it is so that the things which cannot be shaken will remain.

      We can also expect that after the great shaking comes to our West Coast that this region will likely be the most spiritually alive place on the planet. As things unfold at the end of this age, these regions will be a haven.

      I have not seen anything more specific than this about the future of California. There is... Read More

West Coast Disaster: Pray For More Time and Repentance - The Judgments of God, Part 11

2011

     Will the Lord change His mind about the pending doom that is coming to our West Coast and the Central U.S.? He could, and we should hope that He does, but that is up to us. Repentance and intercession can change the Lord’s mind. We have examples of this under the Old Covenant, and we have “a better covenant.” We can appeal to God, and I believe we should every time we are shown something like this that is pending. However, just appealing to Him is not enough when there is judgment pending because of transgression—there must be repentance.

     We were shown that the Japan earthquake and tsunami would be markers; therefore, I have been praying for more time. I pray this even though I know the Lord has responded to this prayer many times for those same pending consequences, and each time that He gave more time, sin became worse with little repentance. Even so, until these things come, I am praying for all of the grace possible, but especially for more time. This is what Abraham did when he was shown what was about to happen to Sodom, and even though it did not result in the salvation of Sodom, it is the right thing to do.

      Now I want to share in more detail what I was shown that would come upon the West Coast of the U.S. First, I need to explain that others have seen an even greater... Read More

True Prophecy and Tribulations - The Judgments of God, Part 10

2011

     As we have covered, “the great time of trouble,” or what many call “the great tribulation,” is basically the result of men trying to run this world without God. The harvest that Jesus said is the end of the age is the reaping of everything that has been sown in man, the good and the evil. Both light and darkness are coming to full maturity.

     The rising crises in virtually every field are now beyond human remedy and are continuing to get worse. The result of our experience on earth will be that all creation will know for sure how bad the idea is to try and run this world without the Creator. We also know that if the Lord does not intervene, that “all flesh” will be destroyed from the earth. The good thing is that He is going to intervene. He is going to save us, and He is going to remove all evil and pain from the earth. We are not headed for the end of the world but rather a new beginning.

     In Acts 14:22 the Apostle Paul said, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom.” This is true for us as individuals, and it is true for the whole world. The world will enter the kingdom through the great tribulation that comes at the end of the age. We must see every trial, every tribulation, as a doorway to the kingdom... Read More

Light Overtakes Darkness - The Judgments of God, Part 9

2011

     We have only superficially covered the judgment of God, but it is one of the two basic foundations of spiritual authority. The other is righteousness, as we are told: “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne” (see Psalm 89:14). Therefore, as we grow in His authority we should also grow in our knowledge and obedience to them.

     We must first establish that righteousness is what the Lord says it is, not man. We also must establish that justice is what He says it is, not man. Therefore, our devotion to understanding these should be through His written Word, the Bible, which He gave us for establishing doctrine.

     As we have covered, the entire church age was allowed for the purpose of the Lord finding a people who would seek Him and serve Him even when it meant going in the opposite direction of the rest of mankind. These will rule and reign with Him in the age to come when the earth is restored. This time of “training for reigning” was not intended to be easy for those who have such a high calling.

     Those who have been called to be trained at the end of the age, and the time when “darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples” (see... Read More

A Call to Repentance and Intercession - The Judgments of God, Part 8

2011

      I want to continue on the theme of attaining the “sons of Issachar” anointing just a bit more. The next thing said about Issachar in Genesis 49:15 was that when he saw a resting place, and how desirable it was, he chose instead to bow his shoulder to bear burdens and become a slave. The shoulder speaks of authority (the government rests on His shoulders). This is a calling to use our authority to be slaves instead of using it to get other people to serve us. It means being willing to do the hard part that no one else is willing to do when we could choose to take the easier way.

      Many great pastors spend most of their lives and energy helping other people with their problems. These have to be some of the great heroes of the faith we will see justly rewarded on that great Judgment Day. However, these great souls are getting more and more rare as ministry is often used as a path to personal advancement rather than service to the Lord and His people.

     We are in need of ministries today that are not driven by personal ambition but out of devotion to the Lord and serving Him by serving His people. There must be a recovery of the mentality of being servants before we can be trusted with the “sons of Issachar” anointing needed for the times to come.

  ... Read More

Carrying the Burden of the Lord - The Judgments of God, Part 7

2011

     The last two weeks I emphasized two crucial disciplines for those who would walk in the prophetic: study and the willingness to do the things you don’t enjoy doing and turning them into worship. We are told to “study to show ourselves approved by God” (see II Timothy 2:15). I know few people have had the lifestyle that enabled them to study as much as I’ve been able to do, but the amount of study is not as important as the quality of study.

     I would also contend that I run a large ministry, and when I ran a fairly large business I still found the time to study, so it can be done by anyone who esteems it enough. Anyone can find 30 minutes a day for something they consider important. It may require discipline at first, but so does almost everything that is important. If we will discipline ourselves for just a little while it may then turn into a passion, and then you will find more time.

     Almost everyone I know spends several hours a week in a gym or exercising, and though I may need to do more of that and less time sitting and reading, almost everyone I know needs more reading and study in their lives. We are told in Galatians 6:7 that “whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.” So do we... Read More

The Sons of Issachar Anointing: Knowing the Timing of God - The Judgments of God, Part 6

2011

     I love prophecy, but I love history even more. Since I came to the Lord by a supernatural experience, I immediately became deeply interested in the supernatural which I had not even believed in before. I love supernatural prophetic experiences and the prophetic gifts of the Spirit. I like eschatology, the study of the prophecies of the end of this age in Scripture, but it is more of a peripheral interest than a passion, even though that is what I get questioned about the most now it seems.

     When I was a new believer, a copy of The Late Great Planet Earth by Hal Lindsey was given to me, and it did stir in me an infatuation with eschatology for several years. I’ve always been thankful for that book for that reason, though I confess when I examined the Scriptures on some of his points, I could not see how Hal came to some of his conclusions. I confess to appreciating the Left Behind series for the same reason. This has caused millions to become interested in what the Bible has to say about these times—definitely a good thing. I may not share all of the same perspectives, but I’m glad for the interest these books have stirred up in people.

     I spent several years when I was... Read More

Understanding the Justice of God Through Devotion to the Scriptures - The Judgments of God, Part 5

2011

     We are told in Psalm 89:14 that righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. So the authority of His kingdom will be founded on both righteousness and justice. Righteousness is doing what is right in the sight of the Lord. Justice is the application of His judgment. We cannot fully understand His judgments if we do not understand His justice. Like the judgments of God, this is a subject that is rarely addressed in Christianity today, but it is crucial for understanding the times.

     Righteousness is what God thinks is right, not us. Likewise, justice is based on His judgment, not ours. The Bible was written so that we could have these two basic pillars of His kingdom firmly established in our lives. Fallen mankind is often pursuing the exact opposite of righteousness and justice. To the degree that we have not yet been transformed by the renewing of our minds, we too are probably in opposition to God’s basis for these. For a life built on the kingdom, we must have a strong foundational understanding of and devotion to God’s righteousness and God’s justice. To do this, we will be going in the opposite direction of virtually the whole world except for the others who have become true disciples.

     We have a biblical worldview to the degree that our view of the world is shaped by... Read More

God's Ways Are Not Our Ways - The Judgments of God, Part 4

2011

Our own likes or dislikes, or any other motives, should never be a motivation for prophesying, but rather revelation from the Lord. I have been accused of making predictions about earthquakes and volcanoes erupting on the West Coast out of a dislike of California, but that could not be further from the truth. First, I love California. I do make a lot of jokes about California, and Texas, but I only joke about those I have a high affection for. These two states would both be in the top five places I would want to live if I were not called to be where I am. Even so, to allow our likes or dislikes to affect what we prophesy is a serious transgression, and something we have taught for many years is a main source of false prophecies.

We also must be careful to never assign attributes to God and His ways from our own likes, dislikes, or from anything else but the Scriptures. This too is a serious transgression for any who would be His messengers. What king or President would send an emissary who is prone to give his own opinions, or who would add to their words? This is one of the primary ways that we can disqualify ourselves from an important prophetic ministry. It is better to say we do not understand something than to just give our opinions, unless we clearly... Read More

When Unbelievers See Prophetic Words Fulfilled - The Judgments of God, Part 3

2011

As we have covered, prophecy is never given to establish doctrine. The Bible is the only source of doctrine. Prophecy may be given to reveal the strategic or tactical will of the Lord but never for establishing doctrine. Therefore, our basic understanding of things such as God’s judgments must come from the Scriptures, not prophecies, and certainly not from our own opinions, desires, or prejudices.

Some also think that if they accurately predict an event, then the doubters will believe. This seems to rarely be the case. When Jesus performed some of His greatest miracles, it only enraged the legalists more, so that they wanted to kill Him. It is good to not speculate about how people will respond to the prophetic, but rather keep our devotion to simple obedience, and let the Lord use them as He will. Usually for everyone who receives us as a prophet there will be many who reject us, so selfish ambition has no place in the prophetic and will only distort our ministry to the degree that it gets in.

We also rarely see people coming to the Lord because of prophecies being fulfilled. There are cases, and we have some great biblical examples with the way Nathanael and the woman at the well were persuaded concerning Jesus by words of knowledge. Even so, convincing people through prophecy or intellectual persuasion is not what usually brings people to Jesus. To come to... Read More

God's Calling on Hollywood - The Judgments of God, Part 2

2011

The earthquakes and volcanic eruptions I have seen coming to our West Coast are coming as the judgment of God. Why would they come to our West Coast when there are many other places that may seem as wicked, or even more so, than our West Coast? We have covered some of this when we addressed what the Lord said about the cities of Israel that would have it harder in the judgment than even Sodom because of the level of light that was rejected. To whom more is given more is required. However, there is another factor we have not discussed yet. This has to do with spiritual authority.

When a person with high level spiritual authority turns to evil, they are not just sent a little demon to keep them in their fallen state; they are sent demonic forces equal to their calling and authority. This is why some very powerful preachers who fall end up being some of the worst deceivers and start cults or promulgate terribly destructive false doctrines. With more authority comes more responsibility, and therefore the more damage that can be caused by a fall. It was for this reason that when Adam fell, the whole earth fell because it was under his authority. Again, there can be no authority without responsibility, so if we want a lot of authority we can have great opportunity for either good or evil.

Cities can also have callings such as Jerusalem, Tyre, Sidon, and others... Read More

The Judgments of God

2011

One of the six basic doctrines of Christianity listed in Hebrews 6:1-2 is “eternal judgment.” One very revealing factor that was illuminated by the responses from our West Coast prophecies were the teachings and comments some made about God’s judgment. It is hard not to question if some of these Christians, especially those in ministry, had actually ever studied the Scriptures on this important subject. This compelled me to start asking believers when was the last time they heard a sermon on God’s judgment, and to date I have not found a single one who remembers hearing even one sermon on this important and basic Christian doctrine.

I cannot remember the last time that I taught on this subject either. I did study it in some depth for about two years when I was a new believer. I have taught on it some in the past, but with the exception of a few references, I have not taught on this important subject in depth for more than twenty-five years. So I am not pointing fingers at others in this any more than I am considering myself guilty of overlooking this important matter too. However, I do have enough of a foundation to recognize how much, if not most, of what is being taught about God’s judgment is not biblical, but is sometimes in basic conflict with what the Bible... Read More

The Basis of Our Beliefs

2011

An often quoted Barna study revealed that more than 90 percent of Americans believe in God and about 80 percent consider themselves Christians. That is encouraging, but what has to be a challenge is that only 6 percent who claim to be Christians have a biblical worldview. The obvious conclusion we must draw from this is that we may have done well making converts, but we are not making disciples. The Great Commission is to make disciples, and this is defined as teaching them to observe everything that He commanded. How can we be a true disciple and not see the world as He does or from a biblical worldview?

Charles Spurgeon once lamented that he could find ten men who would die for the Bible for every one that would read it. Tragically, few Christians are having their perspective of the world changed by seeking God’s perspective through the Scriptures. As we draw closer to the end of this age, this spiritual blindness will become increasingly costly. To have the light is to have God’s perspective. He gave us the Bible for this and few are using it.

In Matthew 11:20-24, the Lord Jesus gives us a basic understanding of His standard for judgment:

Then He began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles were... Read More

Prophecies Can Bring Repentance and Intercession - The Prophetic Experiences, Part 12

2011

We have been using the prophecies that I made about serious earthquakes and volcanic eruptions coming upon the U.S. West Coast to discuss how we handle such revelations, and how we can expect them to be taken or interpreted by those who hear them.

     Some seem to think that because people don’t receive the words well, they must be wrong. I think that the Scriptures and history teach us otherwise. We should always be open to correction and listen to the pushback, but it is a mistake to think we’ve missed something because people reject it, including strong Christians and even Christian leaders.

     We may also have wrong expectations if we think that because our word comes true we are then going to be accepted and trusted. This may be the result with some, but even as we see with the Lord Jesus Himself and His accurate prophecies, it did not turn many people to Him. What they did do were to help those who could hear His voice to be prepared, and in the case of the destruction of Jerusalem, be spared.

     My confidence in these words was high when I shared them a few months ago, and it has grown since then. Even so, as I shared then, I do believe that until they actually happen there is time to lessen the impact and the loss with repentance and intercession. We have many examples of how merciful and patient the Lord is.... Read More

Fear of Man Compromises the Prophetic Message - The Prophetic Experiences, Part 11

2011

We will continue to evaluate the way I’ve handled giving the word about the impending West Coast disasters. Of course, these are from my perspective, and therefore, are subjective. Presently, I am being accused of having many different motives for giving these words, all of which I do not consider to be true, so I don’t want to answer them just to be defensive. However, I think they are excellent examples of how we can expect people to react to words like this.

I cannot understand why anyone would ever want to give a word like I have about the West Coast unless they really have seen something. If I have anything personal to gain from this, I have not figured it out yet. At best, I will look bad until these come to pass. My experience tells me that when they come to pass, I am not likely to be thought of more highly, and very likely, it will be worse for me. Already some are accusing me of bringing to pass these events with curses. I appreciate that they think so highly of my spiritual authority, but I don’t think anyone has the power to bring about such major events except the Lord. This is coming from friends, so you can imagine what my enemies are saying.

Prophecy is not given to prophets for them to make friends with. If you have been given a word or message like the one I was given for the West Coast, you can count on it not making you any... Read More

When Prophetic Revelation Brings Disruption - The Prophetic Experiences, Part 10

2011

There are prophetic revelations that come poignantly in a dream, vision, or word. In my experience, these are usually about personal or localized issues that do not have widespread impact or long-term consequences. This is not to lessen their importance, and as with most of what we’re addressing, this is a principle and not a law. There are exceptions to principles, but the above has generally been my experience. Most of the time, major events that could impact nations come as unfolding revelations over time.

Using as an example my West Coast prophecies of the coming devastating and widespread destruction, I was first shown these events in a two-and-a-half day prophetic experience I had in the fall of 1987. In 1988, I wrote them in my book titled, The Harvest, in which I linked a coming great earthquake in Japan to quakes on our West Coast and a worldwide economic collapse. For nearly 25 years, I have been pondering these events and listening to what others have been getting about this. Some did have pieces I did not have, and later, I was given prophetic dreams or experiences that added more to the whole picture. Even so, I still don’t claim to have the full revelation. As we are told in I Corinthians13, we see in part, know in part, and prophesy in part. Therefore, I do not think anyone has the whole picture.

... Read More

Interpreting and Communicating the Prophetic - The Prophetic Experiences, Part 9

2011

I am taking one of my recent and controversial prophecies about the impending catastrophe on the U.S. West Coast as an example of interpreting and communicating prophetic experiences. Obviously, I have a dual purpose for this. The first is for sharing principles, but I also hope that these prophecies will be heard and that intercession and repentance will greatly reduce what is pending.

Please keep in mind that I do not claim to be doing everything perfectly or even right. I often second-guess myself and think that I am conveying such things poorly, and I truly may be. Therefore, I could be a good example of what not to do. Even so, I don’t think controversy necessarily means you’re doing something wrong; it can mean you’re doing something right. I do not think you can accomplish much in this world in any field without controversy. Controversy could be the best free advertising you could have. However, I never try to be controversial—it just comes with the job.

We see in part and prophesy in part, so we do not have all of the answers. That’s always a sure thing. Since I put out the prophecies about earthquakes being eminent on our West Coast, and maybe even more eminent along the New Madrid fault line, I have been swamped with dreams, visions, and prophecies others seem to be having, or have had, about the same things. I’ve seen much more on... Read More

A Vision For Our Time - The Prophetic Experiences, Part 8

2011

Remember that the three aspects of the prophetic are the following: 1) revelation, 2) interpretation, and 3) application. To help illustrate these, I will relate some personal stories as well as other peoples’ stories that I personally witnessed. I will start with one that reaches back 24 years but is becoming relevant today.

In 1987, I had a 2 ½ day prophetic experience in which I was shown a panorama of major events unfolding. The greatest event that I saw in this experience was a major ingathering of people into the kingdom that eclipsed anything that had yet happened in history. This ingathering came in two waves. The first was so big that many believed it was the harvest that Jesus said would be the end of the age. However, that first wave was only the gathering of the laborers for the second, much greater move of God all over the earth. Since then, I think the first wave has come, and we are now preparing for the next one.

Included in this panoramic vision were many other major events that would take place, some of which I only saw in part and some that I saw very specifically. Some of these events were so extreme and bizarre that I had trouble believing them myself and did not blame anyone else who had trouble with them. To my surprise, this Vision of the Harvest was almost universally accepted as a message from God.

The brief... Read More

Local Church Life: Vital to Prophetic Growth - The Prophetic Experiences, Part 7

2011

    Now that we have the vision for moderation, and being a moderate person, we need to deal with the many prophecies that we’ll be given which will be anything but that. If we speak the true word of God, we are likely to make a lot of people mad. We will likely be called false prophets as well as other colorful adjectives. Then, when your prophecies come true, it will seem like no one noticed. You don’t get into this job for the approval rating.

     Most people, and probably most present-day Christian leaders, do not think it is safe to call anyone a prophet until they are dead and no longer a threat. That’s what the Israelites did too. They honored the graves of the prophets who were dead while resisting the ones who were speaking to them in their time. This is because much of the church is actually controlled more by a religious spirit than by the Holy Spirit. A religious spirit often parades its honor of what the Lord has done in order to justify resisting what He is doing. It was the religious in Israel who were the most deadly enemies of the Lord when He walked the earth, and it is still those who are in the grips of the religious spirit who will most vehemently persecute those who are really following the Lord.

     Certainly many courageous Christian leaders have not only embraced the prophetic but embraced it in its weakness and immaturity. I think many who... Read More

The Maturing Process of the Prophetic - The Prophetic Experiences, Part 6

2011

      We have been discussing Christian maturity in relation to the prophetic—especially how it can impact the way we interpret impressions. On the impression level of prophetic revelation, the immature can be prone to mix in their own feelings, even when they are temporary such as caffeine withdrawal, prejudices for good or bad, and opinions. It does take the kind of experience that can only come from maturity to learn to separate what the Holy Spirit may be impressing upon us and what are our own senses.

     You expect two-year olds to wear diapers and make a mess with just about everything they touch. We have to allow the young in Christ to be immature, and yes, make messes. Young and immature prophetic people will act like young and immature prophetic people. The belief that some have tried to impose on the prophetic—that if you made one mistake you are a false prophet—inhibits their maturity, or worse, it can profoundly distort their character.

     What teacher could teach if they were under the burden that if they made one mistake, they would be considered a false teacher? What pastor could ever give counsel to anyone if they were under the pressure that if they made just one mistake, they would be considered a false shepherd? Such would pervert these ministries, just as that yoke... Read More

Standards of Christian Living - The Prophetic Experiences, Part 5

2011

     True Christian discipleship is a life of sacrifice, not acquiring. This does not mean that we should not provide well for our families, as we are also told in I Timothy 5:8, “But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever.” However, there is a difference between providing for our families and being materialistic, greedy, or even immoderate.

     There is a ditch on either side of the path of life. The overreaction to Christians who had a poverty spirit caused others to fall into the ditch on the other side and become earthly-minded and materialistic. Fearing becoming “so heavenly-minded they are no earthly good,” they have become so earthly-minded they are neither good for heaven or earth.

     It is not an exaggeration to say that most Christians, and indeed most people, think in extremes. We tend to judge others by their most extreme elements or actions. However, when it comes to walking in truth, the path of life is almost always found in the tension between the extremes.

     For this reason we are told in Philippians 4:5, “Let your moderation be known unto all men” (KJV). This is not just... Read More

True Prophetic Impressions Reflect God’s Character - The Prophetic Experiences, Part 4

2011

    Prophetic impressions are the most basic prophetic revelation and are usually the way that the Lord begins to speak to us. This seems to be because we are called to be His friends, and He wants us to feel what He feels, not just be automatons who do what He tells us. God created man to have fellowship with Him, and He is seeking messengers who will share His heart for the message.

     Here is the potential stumbling block—it is an ultimate presumption for a prophetic person to think that God feels the same way that he or she feels about things. For this reason, we must be careful to discern a prophetic impression and understand that when we are not specifically being shown something by God that our feelings and opinions are our own and not necessarily God’s.

     I have witnessed prophetic people who are wounded in an area and not healed, and because of this can be overly sensitive, or offended, and start proclaiming judgments that God has not proclaimed. We see an example of this with how James and John wanted to call down fire from heaven to consume those who opposed them. Jesus rebuked them, saying they did not know what spirit they were of (see Luke 9:54-55).

     How do we get this right? Experience. Because we have as a primary devotion to know the heart of God, we... Read More

Healing and Prophetic Compassion - The Prophetic Experiences, Part 3

2011

     The high priest in the Old Testament had bells and artificial pomegranates on the hem of his garment. These were sown interchangeably so that when he walked, the bells would strike the pomegranates and sound off. In this way, you could always tell where the high priest was when he was moving about. We see this in Exodus 28:33-35:

     And you shall make on its hem (the high priest’s garments) pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet material, all around on its hem, and bells of gold between them all around:

     a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, all around on the hem of the robe.

And it shall be on Aaron when he ministers; and its tinkling may be heard when he enters and leaves the holy place before the LORD…

We are told in Matthew 11:13, “the law prophesied…” even every “jot and tittle,” or every detail. Because bells represented a proclamation, or a message going forth, and pomegranates were used for medicine in those times, that the high priest would have these on the hem of his garment... Read More

We Prophesy by Faith, Not by Method - The Prophetic Experiences, Part 2

2011

     Please keep in mind that I am sharing my experiences and perspectives of the prophetic, but other prophetic people may experience these differently. Just as the Lord made us all unique as people, and our experiences in life are all unique, our experiences in Him are all unique, too. Every prophet in Scripture was different and seemed to receive revelation in different ways. There are common factors and characteristics, but we must also be open for the Lord to do the unique. After all, He is the Creator, and He likes to be creative!

     Not understanding this one important element of the way the Spirit moves can be a major stumbling block to maturity in our gifts and ministry. Many are successful in praying for someone, but then tend to think that it was the actual phrase or method they used that brought the success. These have little to do with our successes, but rather it is the faith we have that moves God. Even so, after such a success, some will try to duplicate the method, and then tend to develop more faith in the method than in God as a person. This will lead to a departure from the true works of the Holy Spirit.

     I do not mean to be crass, but the Spirit is not like a dog that we train to respond to certain commands. The Lord knows our hearts, and we can get the words and the method all wrong, but... Read More

Prophetic Impressions - The Prophetic Experiences, Part 1

2011

     We tend to think of IMPRESSIONS as the lowest form of prophetic revelation, but that does not mean they are not important and the source of important revelation. Impressions are usually knowing something without knowing how you know it. These can be gentle or strong, but they are still ambiguous, rarely clear, or specific.

     For example, when you are next to a person, you might feel sorrow. You can begin to sense that the person is feeling this but not know why. In such a case, you can ask the Lord to show you more or get more specific, but He may have already showed you all that you need. Remember, the Lord does not usually care that people are impressed with our prophetic abilities as much as He wants His people ministered to. Just a little compassion and understanding may be all this person needs to snap out of what is bothering them.

     Those who seek to become more sensitive in picking up these impressions can be powerfully used by God. We may think that almost everyone can pick up this kind of signal from others or from situations, and this may be true. When the apostle wrote “you may all prophesy” (see I Corinthians 14:31), he seemed to be implying that prophetic sensitivity is available to anyone. I am not saying that it is; however, I have at... Read More

The Prophetic Gifts, Part 5 - 8 Ways the Lord Speaks Prophetically

2011

As we have discussed and as we are told in Acts 2:17-21, in “the last days” prophetic gifts will be poured out. This is because we will need this kind of increasingly clear guidance in the times that are unfolding. I was told that the anointing on the prophetic will double this year, and we have already seen a great increase. As we are exhorted in Scripture to “desire earnestly spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy” (see I Corinthians 14:1), this is something we must obey. As expected, there is also a rising increase of interest in the prophetic, so it seems that this study is timely. My purpose in it is not just to give information but to stir up the gifts that are within you.

     The following are the ways that the Lord speaks to His people prophetically as revealed in the Scriptures:

     1) Impressions
     2) Words
     3) Visions
     4) Dreams
     5) Trances
     6) Angels
     7) Visitations
     8) Being caught up into heaven

     We have only begun to address these but will now go into them in a bit more... Read More

The Prophetic Gifts, Part 4 - Maturing in the Prophetic

2011

Before we go into the more in-depth teaching on the prophetic gifts of the Spirit and the ways that the Lord speaks to His people, we have been addressing the spiritual and moral foundation of prophetic ministry. There are two reasons why this is important.

     1) A primary purpose of the prophetic ministry has always been to call God’s people back to Him and to turn from their wicked ways. The most effective of all the prophetic abilities has been the anointing to bring repentance and a restoration of God’s people to Him.

     2) The second main reason is that we are entering the times when accurate, dependable knowledge of the future will be the most valued gift anyone can have. This is the special domain of the prophetic, and many tests, and temptations will come when even the most wealthy and powerful start turning to you for help.

     For this reason, we must continually fortify ourselves in the ways of the Lord. The Lord has helped us with this by allowing such an attack to come upon the prophetic ministry that it has driven away most who were drawn to it simply because it was something popular. It will be popular again and even more sought after than ever. The real test of character will come when great popularity comes, which has also been the case with the church in general.

     We... Read More

The Prophetic Gifts, Part 3 - Trustworthy Messengers

2011

I almost never go to cities or churches without picking up on things they’re dealing with. Sometimes I come with very clear and high-level revelation, but I rarely tell them about it unless I know that the Lord has set up the situation or conversation to do this. What I do is ask the Lord for teachings or other ministry that can help confront problems or be light that casts out the darkness.

     Before I would ever disclose a problem to the congregation, I would take it to the leadership. Often they want me to tell the congregation, as well as how I received the revelation, but since they are the shepherds responsible, I let them make this call. I have learned that good fruit almost never comes from violating basic spiritual protocol.

     In Matthew 18, we have clear biblical warnings about how to approach others who are in sin, beginning by going to them privately. Only if they will not hear should we ever talk about this to anyone else and then only for the purpose of helping those who have the problem. Only as a last resort should this ever be shared openly before the church. Therefore, when a prophetic person comes and declares the sin before the congregation without having been through this process, they are obviously out of order, and by this, can cause greater problems than the sin they are trying to expose.

     The... Read More

The Prophetic Gifts, Part 2 - New Covenant Prophecy

2011

Last week we addressed how some general principles about the operation of the gifts of the Spirit may be common, but they are always joined to the unique way that He relates to every person. Every prophet and apostle in Scripture was different, and every person is unique. So we must learn to balance the general principles that we can learn from others, with the unique way that the Lord wants to relate to us, which can only be gained by our personal relationship to Him.

      This leads to another basic truth about the prophetic—every person, every church, and every situation we minister to is unique. Those who receive a word and then try to apply it to everyone or every situation will cause a lot of confusion, at best. Even the Lord, when He spoke to the Seven Churches in Revelation, had a different word for each church. These all existed in the same general area, and at the same time, but they were all different, and all needed a different word.

     This is not to negate the fact that some words may be for the church in general, such as the word that Agabus had in the Book of Acts that a famine was going to come upon the whole world. This was obviously a word that all churches needed.

     So how do we know the difference between the words that the whole church needs, and those that are just for one, or maybe even just for one person?... Read More

The Prophetic Gifts

2011

Previously, we began to discuss the levels or different kinds of prophetic revelation from impressions to being caught up into heaven such as Paul and John were in the New Testament. We will now continue with these. As you have probably picked up by now, it is my style to intersperse practical understanding of the gifts with the character issues that can help us avoid the stumbling blocks and traps that many have needlessly fallen into. The church and the world are in desperate need of true prophetic ministry in these times, and this need is going to increase. We need them to stay on the path of life and to be the trustworthy voices they are called to be.

Generally, it seems to make sense that the more dramatic or high-level the revelation, the more important it is. Others seem to think that the more high-level the revelation, the greater the ministry of the prophet, but neither of these are the case. We have learned that the level of revelation is more related to the difficulty of the task than to the importance of the revelation or the level of the authority of the prophet. For this reason, when we go through seasons of not getting much revelation, especially what we are calling high-level revelation, we should be content. These are good times for sinking our roots deeper into sound biblical truth, searching the Scriptures, and “studying to show ourselves approved by God” (see II Timothy 2:... Read More

The Application of a Prophetic Word, Part 4 - The Importance of Humility

2011

We must be trustworthy to be trusted with important revelation or assignments from God. One reason why so many are not trusted with more is they do not pursue the wisdom and maturity of how to handle the revelation. We are emissaries of the King of kings when we are carrying messages from Him, and His word must be handled with the utmost care and dignity.

If we are called to deliver His messages by speaking, we should work on how to improve our speaking. This certainly behooves the messages of the King. If we are called to deliver His messages by writing, we should work on our writing skills so that His message can be delivered with the utmost grace.

One of the primary ways many disqualify themselves from being trusted with important revelation is their tendency to use revelation to verify their importance and ministry rather than to point to the King and only want to verify Him. The Lord said this in John 7:18:

“... Read More

The Application of a Prophetic Word, Part 3 - Prophetic in the Body of Christ

2011

It is my makeup, and that of most prophetic people I know, to be so concept-oriented that I am prone to mix up details. This is a weakness that those who are detail-oriented have a hard time understanding and often attribute to evil motives. I hope that is never the case, but I realize I have a weakness so I have learned to appreciate the detail-oriented. Even if they are often irritating to people like me who are concept-oriented, we need them very much.

     Those who are detail-oriented can also be prone to the kind of self-righteousness displayed by the Pharisees who would “strain out a gnat and swallow a camel” (see Matthew 23:24). They need the help of the concept-oriented as much as the concept-oriented need them. If the concept-oriented cannot see the trees for the forest, the detail-oriented cannot see the forest for the trees. We need to be able to see both.

     The reason why the great promises for the prophets is always plural—to the prophets, not just a prophet—may be chiefly due to this one thing. This is why the great promises are for those who learn to work together with those who are different, who have corresponding strengths that make up for our weaknesses, and who have weaknesses that we may be able to help them with.

    No doubt it takes a... Read More

The Application of a Prophetic Word, Part 2 - Prophetic Communication

2011

I have not ceased to be amazed at how I can share something in a service and immediately afterward people will come to me and have heard something entirely different from what I said. Often it is the very opposite of what I said. Long ago, I became convinced that it is not possible to say anything without it being misunderstood by some. I have concluded that this cannot be helped, and if you worry too much about it, you would not say anything. Even so, it is right to develop ours skills of communication to eliminate as much of this as possible.

I have also been guilty of doing the same thing with others. When I learn that I have done this, I try to examine why so that I won’t be prone to do this again, but also so that I can understand better what makes others do it. When this was pointed out to me, a couple of times I have a gone back to listen to the messages to see if I misunderstood or they misspoke, and I was shocked at how much I had misunderstood them.

Often people bring up something I said, and I know I never said it, or have even thought it. I do not think I am over-generalizing to say that we all have a basic problem with communication, and those who do not think they have this problem, likely have the worst problem. I have studied and sought the reasons for it, and think I have learned some, but a lot is still a mystery to me—even about... Read More

The Application of a Prophetic Word

2011

I know people who were directed to move to a place by a revelation, angelic visitation, or other supernatural way, and then refused to leave it until they received another such revelation. In some of these cases, it was obvious they had stayed much longer than they should have, but they insisted on waiting for another supernatural revelation to lead them. Where does it say that if we receive a revelation to go somewhere that we must have another one to leave?

In Scripture, and in my experience as well as the experiences of others I’ve been close to, the Lord uses many different ways to lead us. It can be a mistake to assume that He will lead us in the future the way He led us in the past. People who determine to live by principles like this often miss the Lord when He tries to speak to them in different ways or does not speak because He expects us to be mature enough to know what to do.

Here’s a principle to consider—the Lord would usually rather us grow in faith and in wisdom than to need prophetic revelation for every thing we do. If He had to send us an angel to tell us specifically to move somewhere, it may not have had anything to do with the importance of our move as much as it did with the dullness of our hearing. If it takes another angel to get us to move from there when our time is up, it could be because we’re still dull.
... Read More

The Prophetic Burden, Part 7 - Interpreting Prophetic Revelation

2011

Previously, we have discussed the three main aspects of utilizing prophetic revelation: 1) revelation, 2) interpretation, and 3) application. This week we will elaborate a bit more on these, sharing some basic principles we’ve learned, but recognizing that these are principles, not laws. There are exceptions to principles!

Many today are getting prophetic revelation, which is one of the major signs of the “last days” according to Acts 2:17-18. It seems in this text that the prophetic revelation of dreams, visions, and prophecy are being poured out on everyone—male, female, old, and young—and that is indeed the case. The reason why this happens “in the last days” is because in the last days we are going to need prophetic revelation and guidance like never before. However, it may not do us much good without accurate interpretation and then application.

In my experience, far more people are being given revelation than there are people with gifts of interpretation. There are even fewer with the wisdom to apply it. In Matthew 23:34 the Lord said, “Therefore, behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes.” It seems that He intends for these three to come... Read More

The Prophetic Burden, Part 6 - Steps to Prophetic Maturity

2011

As we have covered in part, young prophetic ministries often become confused because they do not understand that many things they feel are not their own problems, but they are picking up on other people’s problems. For example, you might go into a store and suddenly start feeling lust. The immature often start repenting for this when what they are feeling may be the problem of a person nearby, or even something that is gaining entry into the store, or being imparted at the store. We do not need to repent of this, but we are being given this knowledge to help set someone free or to expose a “gate of hell.” This is often how the gift of discernment works, and it takes maturity to distinguish what really is in our own heart or what we are picking up on that is outside of us.

     This leads us to an important understanding about prophetic revelation. There are basically three aspects to properly handling revelation. The first is to get the revelation. The second is to interpret it correctly, and then the third is the application.

     In the situation above, once we understand that we are discerning a spirit of lust and that it is not a personal problem, the next step is to get the interpretation. Is this coming from a person, or is it the store? For this we must inquire of the Lord and let Him lead us to the right conclusion.

  ... Read More