All prophetic ministries know that there are three ways that God speaks, excepting of course, for His audible voice.
And at times, He really does speak with an audible voice. But some prophetic people have other ways that they perceive that they catch the whisper of God . . and to be frank, they are not good, and they’re not God. I want to urge you with three ways to hear God speak, but first – here are some hindrances to avoid, so that you don’t stop hearing God.
The German proverb is that all good things come in three. That is, except these, (but there are a lot more);
1. Don’t use the internet as a source of revelation.
Really? One particularly well known prophet expressed to me his concerns about Israel, and that God had told him ‘this and that’. I later discovered that he had read the Jerusalem Post website – and he admitted as much! Awkward.
2. Hurricanes are a lot of wind.
How about this account of a hurricane: “The winds whipped up to 130 mph, snapping pine trees like pick-up sticks and blowing houses into oblivion. A surge of water, 21 feet high at its crest, engulfing victims as they desperately scurried for higher ground. The merciless storm, pounding the coast for hours with torrential sheets of rain, was like nothing ever seen before.
One observer predicted the damage would linger for decades. This wasn’t New Orleans in August 2005. This was New England in August 1635, battered by what was later dubbed “The Great Colonial Hurricane” — the first major storm suffered by the first North American settlers, just 14 years after the initial Thanksgiving celebration in Plymouth Colony.
The Puritans, after landing at Plymouth Rock, endured disease, brutal winters and battles with the natives. But their biggest test roared up the coast from the south, an unprecedented and terrifying tempest that convinced rattled residents the apocalypse was imminent.” [USA today]
And still today, many revelatory people speak that God has shown them ‘this and that’ and that there will be a hurricane – in the hurricane season!
But the hurricanes come every year, even when the Pilgrims landed – and there are many who would think that would be an excellent year for no hurricanes!
It’s a lot more difficult to predict an earthquake, especially when it is not on a fault line! God would have to speak for you to get that one right! 😉
3. Don’t Limit how you listen to God.
Who on earth would ever consider that prophetic people would take such an outrageous step? But it is what happens when presumption comes knocking at the door. Unless God is really insisting and speaking loudly (in which case you had better listen!) if you are not taking time to listen, you will not hear.
Don’t assume you will -remember Samson, he assumed that God would be with him and on him as at other times, and was unaware when the Spirit departed from him.
Turning a deaf ear to God is also not a good idea, as Jonah discovered. How you are listening in this media driven, visually enticing, loud world can be a problem. Nothing beats silence and solitude where the only distraction is your mind. And that is where the discipline of authentic prophetic ministry helps; prayer, scripture and meditation.
By meditation, the suggestion is that you spend time considering what God has shown you, consider what the Scriptures are saying. And heed the call that the Apostle Paul makes, to pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. (1 Cor 14:1)
God wants to speak to His people. Listen carefully for His voice and you will hear it. You will be surprised at how much the Living Word has to say to the glorious Bride of Christ.
