Writing through Flames of Revival

 

"For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus"
Revelation 19:10 (NIV)

In my earlier prophecy training the model was to speak in the first person, "I God say to you..." or "Thus says the Lord..." YIKES! I ditched that method a long time ago because I have seen the damage it has caused. If what the vessel says is actually God, then who wants to argue with God? However, it's probably 50/50 God through a human vessel. I found it much better just to say, "I believe God is saying..." If it is God, people will usually know, but that caveat allows them freedom to weigh the word with impunity. That is a much healthier way. 

The reason I started this Blog was for the very reason of bringing narrative, from my perspective, of what I believe God is doing in Wales, and wants to do. I do not claim that it is all that God is doing in Wales, or that it is the right way of doing things, but it is part of it.

Prophetic utterance is about strengthening the Church, not slapping it down. I love how Graham Cooke paraphrases this verse concerning prophecy,

"But he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, encouragement, and comfort"
1 Corinthians 14:3 (BSB)

Cooke says it this way,

"Prophecy is to build up, stir up, and cheer up!"

I've never heard anyone else say it better. I keep those three outcomes in my mind when I prophesy. Is what I feel God is saying to me going to Build this person up (edifiy), is it going to Stir this person up (encourage), is it going to Cheer this person up (comfort/console)? This is healthy prophecy. Too many of the so-called prophets online are talking about Iran, Trump, Islamic terrorism, and all other scary subjects. I will comment on these kinds of ministries at another time, but my point here is to ask does any of that nonsense accomplish what Paul said prophecy is meant to do to the Church? Nope!

Prophecy is not to scare people, but to secure people in their connection to Jesus. The opening verse is a familiar verse, it is usually quoted,

"For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy"

One translation uses a different word instead of "spirit",

"For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus"

I like that use of "essence", it reminds me of the work of a perfumier who descibe their creations as containing the "essence" of cedarwood or lemon, for example. So, in other words, you can smell the difference between true prohecy and the verbal flatulence of human vessels. 

I do prefer, however, the actual Greek word that is used, where we get our word for "spirit". It is pneuma, and context dictates which "spirit" is in operation. There are evil pneumas. Jesus even said to one of His disciples "You do not know which pneuma you are of" (Luke 9:55). Obviously, in the context of Revelation 19:10 we know that this is a good pneuma, may even be the Holy Spirirt (pneuma), even though it does not attach the pneuma to Jesus but to prophecy. Pneuma means breath or wind, so,

"For the testimony of Jesus is the breath of prophecy"

"For the testimony of Jesus is the wind of prophecy"

Oh, how this conjures delightfully inspiring images! By changing the words we understand more clearly the power of prophecy! Without the testimony of Jesus, what we call prophecy has no breath. It has no ability to fill our sails and set us on a journey. This again is why I like the word "essence", that the New Living Translation uses, because I know that the real word is pneuma so I know that the essence of prophecy is the wind of heaven, or the breath of heaven. Which is why this verse could be talking about the Holy Spirit, the Holy Pneuma, the Holy Wind of God, or the Holy Breath of God. The New Internation Version (NIV) that I used for the opening verse, capitalises the "S" in "spirit", which implies it is the Holy Spirit. Oooh, I like that!

Eitherway, true prophecy has a living breath to it. Its essence is heavenly, and its outcome carries us on winds to new places of thinking and living. 

To quote Graham Cooke again,

"Prophecy is God in your future, speaking to your today"

God has a purpose for Wales. We must not speak words of condemnation over our government, or the visitors from other countries and other faiths. We must not tear down the nation by pointing to sinfulness or godlessness. If we do that we become like the online so-called prophets who scare people in the name of God. Nope! Not the way to do it! 

Many years ago, my friend Nathan Beech and I were driving back from the airport as we returned from a trip to Germany. We were talking about prophecy, and he said something that has stuck with me, and I love it,

"It's not prophetic to state the obvious!"

I once heard a major American prophetic voice state, during one of his New Year Prophetic Declarations,

"Watch out for the Middle East in the coming year. It will be a hotbed of conflict!" 

Ha! I defer to Bishop Beech's statement that "It's not prophetic to state the obvious". This is where we can conclude that these online sleuths move more in "Probablitiy" than in "Prophecy". The MIddle East has been a hotbed of conflict every year!! So, the probability of it being a hotbed of conflict in the coming year is high. That's not prophecy! You'll get more accurate prophecies from a Cardiff Taxi driver. Man, we need to move away from such pocket-filling ministries who spread fear, and return to the Testimony of Jesus! I rarely hear these harbingers of doom talk about the victory of Jesus in the MIddle East. Why listen to that which does not testify to Jesus in the power of the Holy Wind of heaven? A waste of time!

Jesus has a purpose for Wales. His Holy Wind will blow over meadows, up valleys, and through our streets. His Holy Breath will revive our nation. 

We must be the people who proclaim his Intentions and not our irritations at the state of things as they are!

My father taught me this important truth, that in any situation, no matter what the circumstance, you have a choice,

 "to be a whiner or a worshipper" 

We worship when others are whining! That's why worship is connected to the Spirit of Prophecy. 

Years ago my parents and I attended a move of God in Missouri. The preacher made a statement that has stuck with us since 2009. We refer to this often in our discussions about what we feel God wills to do in Wales, and of our planning for The Gathering of Rainmakers events we put on. It has been a statement that still shapes our thinking,

"The world doesn't hate us because we're different. They hate us because we are the same. The world doesn't need another sermon, they need a fresh example. They don't need another church, they need a fresh example"

When we preach about how devoid of righteouseness the world is (which it isn't), or the politics of our country, or whatever, we sound just like our unsaved neighbours, who know no better. I'm not saying that these issues are not important. They affect people, so they are very important. But when we fill our pulpits with rhetoric that sounds more far-right than heaven-breathed, we become part of the problem. Yes, I believe that those who feel called into political spheres, or into actitivism, should follow the calling of God on their lives. Just show them a "fresh example", and not sound like everyone else in the room. Bring heavenly solutions. Jesus is the wisest in all of creation, I'm sure He has a thing or two to say about these issues. As an old prophet once spoke over me when I was 18,

"Joe, be a voice and not an echo!"
Rick Godwin

We have the opportunity to be part of declaring to Wales the intentions of Heaven. They will fill the sails of those who have ears to hear. They will revive the Church so that she becomes a fresh example and not the clanging gong she has become. Let's be different! Let's talk with heaven-breathed words. Let's extol the name of Jesus, and not what the devil's doing. 

I write to Build up, Stir up, and Cheer up! I write to question, challenge, and sometimes correct. I'm not always right, it's not always directly "God", but it is always from a heart to be carried along by the Holy Wind of heaven, as I write through flames of revival.  

I have always loved this song ever since I first heard it. Wales! There is going to be a great awakening!

 Mwy Arglwydd...