Active and Passive Prophecy

Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. Gen 1:3 NKJV

What is prophecy? The Greek word is PROPHETEIA, which literally means ‘to speak out.’ But prophecy is much more than just spoken words.

For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. Rom 8:19NKJV

What is in you, evil or good, always comes out. Man has no inherent virtue or goodness in himself, so he must receive that from God, which he does in the new birth.

This is the first step.

This is why if you want to change the world, your city, or your neighborhood, the only sensible way to do that is to get people born again.

The next step is to learn the ways of God.

The ways of God are almost the opposite of the ways of the world.

The world says, climb over others to get to the top.

God’s ways say, humble yourself that He may exalt you in due season. T

he world says, get everything for yourself.

God’s ways say, give and it shall be given unto you.

The third step is etting what is in you come out – is to consecrate yourself to the ways of God.

This means a daily decision to walk in the ways of God – love, not fear; joy, not depression; peace, not anxiety… do you see it?

…if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; Rom 12:6 NKJV

The gift of prophecy works closely with the fruit of goodness because you draw prophecy out of your spirit – you prophesy by faith – where the goodness of God dwells.

Where does that good word come from? We draw it out of our spirits in every situation, not just preaching or in church, but every situation, to bring the light of God into that situation, that dark place.

Look inside to see what you say outside.

True prophecy out of the goodness of God will release words or communications of faith that release faith in others. You get it?

If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. 1 Peter 4:11 NKJV

The problem with prophecy is twofold – we think it’s only for church settings, and its only for preachers or real serious prayer people. No, that’s wrong. Read that verse again and drop your preconceived notions about it. IF ANY MAN OR WOMAN, BOY OR GIRL, WHO IS BORN AGAIN, SPEAKS…any one of us, in any situation, at any time, can speak by the Spirit of God as we draw from the goodness of God in us.

There are two ways to prophesy – actively or passively. Have you ever heard a child say something that just blows your mind? That is passive prophecy at its best – sweet, beautiful, unrehearsed, straight to your heart!

Some one will say something, or you will see or hear something, that just releases faith in you and turns the day around. That’s the passive operation of prophecy!

…You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake. But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist. Luke 21:12-16 NKJV

This is an example of the active operation of prophecy. You are preparing to prophesy, perhaps by speaking much in tongues and refusing to premeditate or decide what you are going to say – the Lord may give you an outline or an idea of what to say or write, but you trust Him in the moment to give you the words.

You also refuse to say something stupid out of your flesh. The conscious act of suppressing your flesh plays a key role in speaking by the Spirit.

In considering the power of prophecy we’ve got to consider that the sword of the Spirit is the spoken Word given to you by Holy Spirit…

The problem here again is similar to the one above, that we think that the sword of the Spirit is only for the ‘big guys,’ not ordinary people like us. Trust me, dear one, you are seated in the heavenlies next to Jesus…it doesn’t get any bigger than that!

Is it possible to sense the emotions of God?

Does God have emotions? In the realm of communication with human beings, even ones with reborn spirits who are sons and daughters, God communicates on levels we understand.

We understand love, compassion, anger, jealousy, joy, grief, fear or holy reverence…we weep and we laugh! So, the Lord uses all those emotions to communicate His will.

And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” Mark 3:5 NKJV

Jesus, who was all love, was moved with holy anger and grief to speak this prophetic word that delivered the believer.

Jesus released the sword of the Spirit with the emotions that He felt in His spirit coming from Holy Spirit.

Perhaps the follow-up question to ‘what would Jesus do?’ is ‘How does Jesus feel about this….?’

There are times when I’m casting out demons that I FEEL ten feet tall

“Come out now or!”

With a sense of God’s emotions working in you, the Lord will put the strength in your soul to deliver the spoken word that meets the need in that situation.

“Sun, stand still over Gibeon; And Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.”

So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped… Josh 10:12-13 NKJV

The Lord created the universe with the power of His spoken word.

His prophetic word even in our hands still runs the creation.

-GSW-