Receiving a prophecy does not mean that you have just received an all-expense-paid ride on a magic carpet. Prophecies are conditional upon (1.) our FAITH in receiving them, (2.) our OBEDIENCE to God and (3.) our ENDURANCE through the preparation period with a "moldable attitude."
Being given a prophecy is like being given a suit of clothes that we have to grow into. God gives us a word of prophecy to make our potential obvious to us. That is, the prophecy is the way God sees us. We may not be the spiritual person or the person of faith that the prophecy describes but our faith, obedience and endurance will get us to that point in GOD’S GOOD TIME. We will grow to the suit of clothes God gives us.
God prophesied through His prophet that He was going to give a certain land to His people Israel. Whenever they did not simply march out of Egypt and into the "promised land," they were very discouraged and were ready to return to the captivity and slavery of Egypt. It seems they understood (or preferred to understand) that they would simply be whisked away to the fulfillment of the prophecy on some type of "magic carpet" and be landed in the middle of that land in full, unquestioned possession of it.
One lesson which we may learn free of charge is that God’s promises and prophecies are not an anesthetic which dull our feelings and emotions until the "magic carpet" lands in the desired time and location. I have talked to people whom I have prophesied over. Some of them have been very disappointed after six months or a year that their prophecy has not come to pass. Where I begin to ask questions is at the points of (1.) faith, (2.) obedience and (3.) endurance. Faith will cause us to act on the Word of God. Obedience will cause us to be true to the Word of God rather than giving in to our emotions and disappointments. Endurance is just a lot of work and there is nothing at all easy about that.
Behold, the Lord thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged.
And they took the fruit of the land in their hands, and brought it down unto us, and brought us word again, and said, It is a good land which the Lord our God doth give us. (Deut 1:21,25 KJV)
The great news is that the promise or the prophecy which God is giving us is "a good land." That is why satan fights you so hard over your prophecy. It is a "good land" and it is worth having. The problem satan has with it is he knows that the fulfillment of it will do damage to him and his purpose. He knows that when you embrace that prophecy and begin to walk in it, you will displace his claims on lives and take territory for the Kingdom of God.
OK, that sounds great but how do I "embrace the promise?" How do I "take the land?" According to the example in the book of Deuteronomy, Israel took the land by dispossessing the enemy. Discouragement, fear of failure or rejection and doubts of others are all enemies of promise. Displace those enemies with TRUTH.
Always stand on the Word of God. The house that is built on the Rock (Truth) is able to withstand the storm (Mt 7:24). The house that is built on the sand (emotions, fears, doubts) will fall. Displace the enemies of promise with the words out of your own mouth. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope which we profess (Heb 10:23 NIV). If I understand the scriptural concept here, it is useless to hold to hopes which we do not profess with our mouths.
And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the Lord: that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess the good land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, (Deut 6:18). If we obey God and do right, it will "go well" with us. We will come into the land in God’s timing. God will not bring us into the fulfillment of prophecy prematurely. He will grow us into the "suit" so that we will fit into it properly.
Another aspect of consideration, after having received a prophecy, is the matter of your prophecy being judged. The principle is found in 1Co 14:29. Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.(KJV) We have the Scriptures as the inspired, inerrant Word of God. Prophecy in the New Testament era should be judged.
There was one pastor who told me he was not going to have me come minister at his church any more. When I asked him why he told me that I created too much work for him. Wherever I minister I urge pastors and their people to judge the prophecies that I give. One church where I ministered had everyone’s prophecy typed out. After that, the pastor and elders met with each individual and went over their prophecy with them. Misunderstandings were given answers and the Lord even enabled those spiritual leaders to help interpret the picturesque language which some of the prophecies contained. There were even two couples who rejected their prophecies completely believing that they were not the word of the Lord to them.
God has given us pastors and elders for a "covering" to teach us, counsel us and to watch for our souls. There should always be apostles and pastors and spiritual leaders to whom prophetic people are accountable. These leaders may be appealed to if the prophecy or the prophet is questionable.
I prefer that all prophecies be spoken over a microphone and recorded so that they may be judged by spiritual leadership. There is even a need to beware of some who give so-called "parking lot prophecies." It seems that there is always someone around who loves to pull persons over to the side and whisper in their ear.
Recently I heard a story about an angry, disgruntled preacher who was visiting a church not in his city. He told a young boy to go to a woman he saw across the congregation and tell her that she had 40 demons. The woman jumped up and ran out hysterical. She was devastated. The young boy burst into tears and never wanted to be seen in public again. Her best response would have been to proclaim aloud, "I don’t receive that!;" and then secondly, report him to local leadership A.S.A.P.!
Prophetic ministry has a bad name in some places and it is certainly no wonder. The New Testament concept of accountability is a sound safety measure for both the one receiving prophecy and the one prophesying.
If your pastor has taught you to go to your designated elder for ministry and counsel, then take your prophecy to him or her and the two of you pray over it. If you have been taught to take things directly to your pastor, then make an appointment with that person and prayerfully judge your prophecy.
If you and the person who has spiritual oversight for your life have received a witness of the Holy Spirit, then diligently "take the good land." If it was prophesied that you are a teacher, then begin preparation to teach. Don’t expect the pastor to turn the pulpit over to you next Sunday. After a season of preparation and growth, God will begin opening doors.
If you truly are a teacher or a prophet or an apostle or an evangelist or a pastor, that anointing will work in you in such a way that others in the Body of Christ will begin to recognize it. Just because a person has received a prophecy, no matter how grand and great, it does not mean that they can go about things as they see fit.
The best thing a person can do is to submit themselves to spiritual authority. Seek guidance and counsel concerning your gifting. Apostles and pastors have been given to us to prepare us for the work of the ministry. They are the "fathering ministries" which will, with the other five-fold, bring us "unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." (Eph 4:13-KJV) SM
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