Snapshot
👀: Original post.
My Dear Friend,
Moses prayed, “Would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them” (Numbers 11:29). The Holy Spirit, I believe, wants to answer Moses' prayer in every born-again, Spirit-baptized Christian, if we will only let Him.
Our transformation begins with understanding what the Bible says about true prophets. True prophets not only share a common call, gifting, and anointing to be a divine spokesperson, but also a common character, lifestyle, and way in ministry. So, let’s review the profile of a prophet.
Like Samuel, a prophet asks God to speak, “Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth” (1 Samuel 3:9). Then he very carefully listens, diligently records, and devotedly obeys what God says. Only by obeying God’s Word does he qualify to speak God’s Word. Utterly God-dependent for his very life, he seeks God early, lives near Him by prayer, thanks Him ceaselessly, and thus lets nothing separate him from his God all day long.
He promotes only God’s will among His people, discerns their true spiritual and moral condition, and speaks the truth that fits their condition, be it encouragement or warning. He faithfully relays what God puts on his heart, whether this brings him popularity or persecution. Thus, he’s loved when God’s people want to know and obey God’s will and loathed when they don’t.
Because he is not in lockstep with the religious majority, he is sometimes driven into the “wilderness,” or unwanted, lonely separations with few or none to support him for a season. But, like Jeremiah, he loves, feeds on, and lives off God’s Word: “Thy words were found, and I did eat them” (Jeremiah 15:16); and rejoices in them, “and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart”; and studies them regularly, as Daniel studied Jeremiah’s writings, “I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures . . . the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah” (Daniel 9:2, NIV).
He is guided by not his reason but God’s Spirit, sometimes into strange situations - by dwindling brooks, in isolated caves, into the care of destitute widows, into direct confrontations with powerful, evil kings. Yet he faithfully delivers God’s messages, even when they are sure to bring rejection and suffering (1 Samuel 3:15-18). He learns to accept all his circumstances from God and suffer well, not allowing his disadvantages to stop his devotion or his duties.
He knows and senses when God’s hand of power comes on him to speak or run in ministry. He’s sometimes mocked or mistreated by envious false prophets who envy his powerful authority but reject his consecrated lifestyle. He always “eats” the messages God gives him by obeying them first, and then offering them to God’s people: “Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the house of Israel (Ezekiel 3:1, NIV).
He soon learns fasting and praying helps him hear God’s voice more clearly and speak His messages more powerfully, so he makes these disciplines his way of life (Daniel 10:1-3). He speaks some messages: “Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life” (Acts 5:20). Other messages he writes: “Write the vision, and make it plain” (Habakkuk 2:2).
Though many don’t realize it, his primary work is to correct God’s people and redirect them to God’s biblical instructions.
God steadily reveals Himself to him through His Word. Thus, he comes to know God’s character (nature) and that it never changes. He also knows God’s plans and knows, however things appear at the moment, God is methodically and relentlessly pursuing His plans and will ultimately accomplish them despite everything obstinate men and demons may do to resist them. Thus, he expects opposition and remains unintimidated when it comes. He furthermore knows God’s written prophecies and knows, in God’s time and way, they are sure to be fulfilled exactly as written. “I believe God that it will turn out exactly as I have been told,” said one (Acts 27:25, NAS). And he also knows God’s ways and knows God always works in His ways and no others.
Besides correcting, he foretells. He faithfully foretells the truth about the future, all of it, including its sufferings and rewards, its tribulations and triumphs, and its heaven and hell. Filled with active divine life and power, his prophecies disturb lethargy, awaken zeal, stir hope, ignite devotion, and motivate preparation for the things that are sure to come.
He is also an iconoclast. For love of the true God, he hates false gods. Thus, he identifies and attacks idols - things God’s people love or trust in more than Him, and that usurp His place in their lives - to usher in restoration and revival and avert divine judgments.
He learns to be content in any circumstances, because intimate fellowship with God deeply satisfies his soul daily. He is not covetous, does not live for gain, and does not envy those who do. He has already become wealthy with true, eternal riches: God’s truth, presence, voice, loving fellowship, His Spirit’s unerring guidance, and a proven faith in God’s unfailing provisions whatever his earthly circumstances.
He lives every moment under God’s watchful eye and does whatever he does “as unto the Lord” (Colossians 3:23). Prayer is his breath, praise his habit, and worship his delight. He does not seek human recognition because he has already found ultimate recognition in God’s “Well done, thou good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21).
Self-emptied by God’s correction, he is not building his own temporary brand, business, ministry reputation, or religious enterprise, because he’s utterly devoted to and blessedly busy with building God’s eternal kingdom and the ultimate brand name: Jesus!
His messages are ever factual and never flattering. Rather than swell egos, they humble our hearts, purify our purposes, correct our ways, edify our faith, and help make us Christlike.
Kingdom-minded, he sees no current nation as his home, only the glorious city-state God is building for the redeemed, New Jerusalem. He prays in spiritual drought-busting outpourings of God’s Holy Spirit, disturbs Satan’s kingdom, turns nations to God, works compassionate miracles and, even when dead, continues speaking to the living through his writings.
Summing up, the prophet comes from God, walks with God, speaks for God, leads us to God, keeps us near God, trains us for God, and strengthens God in us. Living faithfully yoked to Christ, he becomes Christ’s faithful oracle - speaking only when He speaks, only what He speaks, and only to whom He wishes to speak.
With unbiblical, unscrupulous, and unchecked false prophets and teachers abounding in these last days, the church desperately needs these true prophets. Echoing Moses' prayer, let us pray, “Lord, make me one of your prophets!” And let us pay the price of the prophet, living in all the distinctively prophetic ways described above.
Then we will be in full cooperation with God’s grace as He builds into our lives the profile of a prophet.
