Prophecy VI

 Even when God calls out a hidden sin or vice through prophecy, it’s not to wow the crowd or elevate the status of the person delivering it, but to stir repentance in the heart of the individual being addressed. It’s not so much about getting a word from the Lord or receiving a prophecy; it’s about how you respond, and whether it compels you to humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and repent of what He has pointed out.

On occasion, I’ve been present when someone has received a word of rebuke or correction, and rather than acknowledge that what was contained in the word of prophecy couldn’t be known by anyone else except for God, allowed their feelings to dictate how they responded to it, and, in the vernacular of the modern-day buffet-style prophecy template where you pick and choose the ones you like and leave the rest under a heat lamp for some other soul to poke at, they did not bear witness with the word.

They allowed their pride and their feelings to dictate how they responded to a word of prophecy instructing them to turn from their lukewarmness, repent of their misdeeds, and correct the error of their ways because it did not praise them, honor them, or lift them to a place or position they knew full well that they weren’t ready to ascend to.

From a practical standpoint, a good rule of thumb for prophecy is that a false prophet, and by extension a false prophecy, will never steer you toward drawing closer to God, denying yourself, repenting, or seeking a deeper relationship with Jesus. Chances are, it will pander to you, stroke your ego, and attempt to placate you, insisting that you are righteousness personified even though you know there are areas in your life that need tending to.

If one filters prophecy through the prism of whether it made them feel good about themselves, it leaves the door open for the enemy to exploit the individual’s predisposition to reacting positively to praise and adulation, and given that the devil is ever on the prowl, he will inevitably facilitate a meeting between the individual and one of his minions to do just that. Once that seed is planted, if, perchance, in His love and mercy God sends a servant with a word of correction, they will be shunned and ignored because the individual will cling to the word of praise rather than the word of correction, due to their biases and how they view themselves.

The attitude of our heart should echo the words of David if our desire is to grow in the likeness of the One we serve, and not desire to be showered with undeserved praise, or told that we’re so special that the standard God has established in His Word does not apply to us.

Psalm 139:23-24, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Just because a word of prophecy brings correction does not make it false, and just because a word of prophecy praises you does not make it true. Usually it’s the reverse, and if we attempt to attach feelings and emotions to prophecies, we’re likely to reject the true men of God, whom He sent to deliver a word, and embrace those who were never sent but saw an opportunity to exploit our sensibilities.

God will not coddle someone in their sin just to spare their feelings, and someone whose attitude is that of being an open book, and desiring for God to know their heart and see if there is any wicked way in them, shouldn’t expect Him to.

God chastens those He loves. As any good father would, He corrects those in need of correction, encourages those in need of encouragement, strengthens those in need of strength, and comforts those in need of comfort if His presence is their heart’s desire. God knows what we need better than we do, and while we might want something that would offer a temporary respite, His remedies are permanent.

God will not be put in a box, give in to men’s demands, nor will He offer counsel via prophecy that undermines the ultimate goal of becoming more like Jesus. God will not send a word of comfort when what we need is correction, nor will He send a word of correction when we need encouragement. Above all, God is good! He is a good Father, who is not too busy to know what you need, nor is He stingy in providing it. Whether we receive it as a gift from a loving God, even when the flesh protests, is another question altogether.

A true word of prophecy can just as easily lift you up from the darkest pit of despair as bring you so low as to humble you into the dust, depending on what God knows you need. Yes, I want correction if correction is called for. I want God to tell me if I’m getting ahead of Him, if I’m allowing my flesh to dictate my plans rather than His Spirit, even subconsciously and unbeknownst to my rational self.

My desire is to be pleasing in His sight, and if chastening is required for me to do so, then that chastening is an expression of love and affection.

Proverbs 3: 11-12, “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor detest His correction; For whom the Lord loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights.”

Never correcting your child, even when you see them doing something they ought not to be doing, isn’t love; it’s indifference. I would rather God correct me every day if warranted, when warranted, than feel as though He is indifferent or unaware.

God’s silence is not consent. If you know that the path you’re walking is leading you further away from Him, if you know that the things which you occupy your time or pine over are contrary to His Word and no correction is forthcoming, it is not a reason to breathe a sigh of relief, but one for grave concern.

Knowledge and responsibility go hand in hand.

James 4:17, “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.”

With love in Christ,

Michael Boldea, Jr.