You can be the most gifted person in the church, but bear no fruit if you are unaware of what your gifts are, or how to use them. You might know that you’re gifted as a prophet, but have an accuracy rate that is in the toilet, because you haven’t refined your gift, and learned how to discern the different voices in your head. A religious spirit can have a field day in somebody who is gifted in prophecy, but has not trained their ear to discern the sources of those voices in their head. One of the ways a prophet can train their ear is to study and know the Word of God, and learn of the heart of God. This way, when a voice comes along that doesn’t sound like the voice of God, they can recognize the false voice and throw it out. Whatever you receive must pass the filter of God’s Word and the heart and nature of God. Look for patterns in your gifting, when you are accurate and when you aren’t. Be especially on guard against the religious spirit, which will sound Godly, but will give a word that will either enslave the receiver, load them down with guilt, fear, etc., and get their eyes off of the finished work of the Cross. This is the work of Satan, and something we need to be on guard against if we are going to operate in the gift of prophecy. The gift of prophecy can change a person’s life and set them ablaze for God, or it can devastate that person and throw them off course. That is why Paul said that the spirit of a prophet is subject to be judged by other prophets, which helps in keeping things in line and helps with training up the prophets:
“And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.” (1 Corinthians 14:32 KJV)
Realize that you won’t get it right every time, but you have to start somewhere. The best place to start out with a prophetic gift is in the presence of other prophets who are seasoned and have developed a good accuracy rate. I don’t recommend running up in front of the church and blurting out your first prophecy, because if you are wrong, you could potentially do far more harm than good. Learn to develop your gift in presence of brothers and sisters who have been there before you and can help you grow in a safe learning environment. Also, when you start to hear God’s voice, most of the time it will be a word for you and not somebody else. Why? Because God wants to train you to hear His voice for yourself, before you are ready to deliver words to others. Immature prophets will run up to everybody with a “word” when they have not perfected their gift in their own life.
Another problem I often see in the church is how hard they are on the gift of prophecy, saying that because somebody gave an inaccurate prophecy 5 years ago, they cannot be trusted today. We all make mistakes, but if you’re a prophet, you make one mistake and could be written off for the rest of your life? What is fair about that? Satan will often try to use flaws in a minister, to get people to write off the entire ministry. Immature Christians will look at a few flaws and overlook all of the good that a ministry has to offer.
You can be totally gifted in prophecy, but you will always have an accuracy rate. In your early days you will likely not be operating at full accuracy, and every word you give will not be on the money. This doesn’t mean you should go blurt out every word you get to everybody you see, as that can cause a tremendous amount of harm and damage. But rather position yourself among other believers who have developed their gifting and can help you with yours. I believe every church should have a place where people can grow their gifts in a safe environment, where it’s okay to make a mistake, and others will help others grow their gifts. If you are a prophet, seek out other mature believers who are prophets but have perfected their gifting.
Be sure to keep everything scriptural and run everything through the filter of the Word. I don’t care who I sit under for a teaching, I filter what I hear through the Word so I’m not mislead. The Bible is your friend in keeping you safe!
If you think that it will just fall out of the sky and everything will be perfect, I got news for you… you won’t always get your gifting right! I haven’t myself seen somebody who is 100% on all the time, including myself, and you won’t be the first to get it right all the time. But if you don’t start somewhere, you will never develop the incredible gifts that God has given you, and lives will never be impacted that God has called you to impact.
You will not do everything God has called you to do, unless you are operating in what God has called you to, and use the gifts He has given you!
