Signs of the Prophetic Calling

I believe that God is raising up men and women who will answer the call of the Prophet's office and I've been studying and researching more about it. 

I strongly believe that God has appointed this time for the Prophets to take their role in the end-time church and take part in equipping the church for such a time as this!

My prayer is that we learn from these signs so that we can always check our hearts and motives why we do things and manifest the love of God in our lives that others may be blessed.

This excerpt came from Signs of the Prophetic Calling by Les D. Crause on their website. Be blessed by this article as I was!

Signs of the Prophetic Calling

I assume that since you are asking this question you have some interest in and possibly experience with the prophetic ministry. The fact that you are asking for pointers, and that you are not absolutely sure if you are going in the right direction or not, is a good sign. Nevertheless the desire must be there for you to have pondered this question, so the chances are the Lord has already begun to speak to you about this ministry. If this is true, then one of the first signs is already there - you are not sure if this is the way the Lord is leading you.

The call of God is gentle and unassuming. The Holy Spirit is pictured as a dove, which is a gentle bird that is easily frightened away. When the Lord moves upon you by His Spirit He always does it in the same way. Because of this we often wonder if we are imagining it or if it is really the Lord speaking. The only question you need to ask yourself to make sure if it is the Lord, is whether what you are hearing is for the Glory of God and the extension of His Kingdom.

If your desire to move into the prophetic ministry is one of glamour, recognition and self-exaltation, then you are off the mark. Not only that, you are sincerely deceived, because the call to the prophetic ministry is a call to death, not glory. The preparation and qualifications for becoming a prophet are unlike any other ministry, except for the apostle. You have to be a failure before you can be of use. You have to have learned that you cannot trust in yourself.

With all of these things in mind, then, let me try to give you a few possible signs of the prophetic call on your life. These do not necessarily mean you are called to be a prophet, and they might not all be there if you are called. But if you are called to be a prophet, then you are likely to see a fair portion of them in your life and experience. Some of these signs apply to any major calling to the ministry. Some are specific to the prophetic ministry.

Sign No 1

A desire has been burning in you for a long time to minister to the Body of Christ. This is not a passing fancy but something that has burned in you for a while. It is not so much a desire to bring unbelievers to know the Lord, but more a desire to help believers in their daily walk. It might be a desire to warn people of certain dangers. It might be a desire to encourage and lift believers up. Whichever direction it takes, this thing has taken hold of you and will not let go.

The call of God comes from God and not you. All you can produce in yourself is sin. Paul says in Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwells no good thing: for I really want to [do good] ; but [how] to practice that which is good I find impossible.

The desire to do the work of God is planted by God and grows over a period of time. If you desire to do something for God's glory then it must have come from Him. If it does not fade over time then it is not an emotional fantasy but something real.

Sign No 2

Not many people are likely to share your enthusiasm for what you want to do. They may warn you to be careful, to calm down. They might even accuse you of being paranoid. They might tell you not to 'rock the boat.' You may have begun to wonder if this thing is of the Lord.

Your ministry is unique, so do not expect others to share your burden. The fact that you want to do something different could be proof that this desire is from the Lord. The Lord tends to hide His prophets away until they are ready. So do not expect others to quickly recognize your call, unless you have ministered to them personally. If you have been rejected, ostracized or accused of going against the general flow, then there is a good chance that the early signs of the prophetic ministry have started to show.

Sign No 3

Your desire is other-oriented. You are not so much concerned with making a name for yourself as you are with helping other people. You will gladly give up things that are important to you so that other people may benefit from your actions. The prophetic ministry, like the apostolic ministry requires a total commitment to the work of the Lord.

Ministry is servant hood and is likely to cost you a lot. If your desire is not to help others then it is not a calling to ministry. Jesus said in Matthew 20:27-28 27 And whoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: 28 Even as the Son of man did not come to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many

You must be prepared to pay the price before you can enter it. If your desire is not for the good of others, you have not yet even entered the door.

Sign No 4

Over a period of time you have found yourself ministering to a particular area of need more than others. It seems that you always end up ministering to believers who need encouragement and direction in their lives. And when you do something happens inside you and you sense a surge taking place. You may find yourself telling people which way they should go and what God's purpose is for them.

The Lord prepares you for ministry by creating opportunities for you. Often you will not be aware of this. You only know that you feel content ministering to believers and helping them, to set their lives and ministries in order. These are all signposts showing you the way.

Sign No 5

People have told you that you have helped them, even when at times you have not been aware of it. Sometimes others can see your ministry more clearly than you can see it yourself. Solomon said in Proverbs 18:16 A man's gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men

If you have a prophetic calling you will not be able to hide it indefinitely. It will start to show itself in time and others will begin to notice it.

Sign No 6

You feel unqualified to do the work of the Lord and usually feel unworthy to push yourself forward to suggest that you be given an opportunity. When appeals are made for help you wait for everyone else to step forward first before you offer your services.

Humility is a sure sign of your genuineness. The Spirit of God always leads gently. He is likened to a dove, that is meek and easily frightened away. Jesus is called the Lamb of God. A lamb is also a gentle creature that does not push its way. Since the call comes gently, you may even wonder at times if you heard right.

Sign No 7

The key ministry of a prophet is intercessory prayer. If you find yourself being led to spend a lot of time interceding for others and you have had times when you have been very clearly led and have seen definite results, the elements of a prophetic ministry are certainly there. The prophet is the key to what God does in the earth. God said in the Old Testament that He does nothing unless He first reveals His secret to the prophets.

If you have been led to pray things into existence or birth them in the Spirit through intercessory prayer, then your prophetic ministry is already starting to manifest.

Sign No 8

The prophet is sensitive to the moving of God's Spirit and has the ability to bring the anointing into a meeting. This is often seen in musical capability or a particular ability to lead effectively in praise and worship. If you have been effectively involved in leading the congregation in praise and worship and can cause the anointing of the Spirit to come upon a group when you lead, this can certainly be very clear evidence of a prophetic ministry in operation.

Sign No 9

If you are called to be a prophet, then your preparation will span many years and will be one of the most difficult and troublesome processes. The prophet will be battered and broken and brought to nothing in himself before he can be of any use to the Kingdom of God. He will have to learn not to trust in himself or in his own abilities. His knowledge and natural strengths will be tried in the fire and brought to naught before God can use him.

If your life has been one of intense problems, failures, oppositions, persecutions and pressure, then this could be a sign of preparation for the prophetic ministry. I have yet to meet a prophet who has had life of smooth sailing, easy success and personal recognition. As I said earlier, the prophetic call is a call to death. Like the apostle, the prophet must have the sentence of death in himself. He must sacrifice all for the sake of the ministry. He must die completely to self.

Well these are the main signposts I can offer to help you clarify whether the Lord has called you to be a prophet or not. Of course the best confirmation will always come through another prophet. God often calls a prophet to the ministry using a senior prophet, and even his training might come under the direction of one who has been in the prophetic office for a while.

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The New Era for the Prophetic To Rise Up

There has been a lot of clamor of the prophetic and the prophetic destiny of the Philippines that I wanted to share my heart to what others are sharing.

As surely as the Lord lives, my best advise will always be to align and check the word given to the written word of God, the logos - our bible.

The New Era

This is the season for the Philippines to accomplish it's destiny. For so long, this country has been veiled with so many things that even the truest of hearts fail to accomplish what God has ordained.

I believe in my heart that our country is coming into a season of fruition, wherein God shall establish the very promises of long ago. It will be a harvest field, as white as snow, ready for reaping.

I also believe that it is a season of launching. There are so many things going on at once that we fail to see the hand of God moving in every direction, leading and raising up a company who will accomplish His will for the land.

A strong sense of hope comes from the promises of destiny but it is also a sounding call for everyone to hear clearly, distinctly and accurately for God's commission. 

The New Testament Prophets Shall Rise Up

Men and women of God, arise in this season, He has placed you to see as his eyes shall see, hear as the spirit of God speaks and declare as He appoints you to become vessels of hope to the cries of the lost.

There has been so many clamors of prophetic fulfillment but speaks about despair, so many declarations that only leads to confusion and fear. May the true New Testament prophets, whom the Lord has called, come into maturity bringing the message that edifies, uplift and encourage the body of Christ, challenge the norms of the church and brings restoration and revival to the land.

A true and prophetic voice will bring hope, quicken the spirit to move in God's will and bring clear insight and direction resulting to this country's destiny. 

The Need For Heavenly Alignment

May He (Christ) all align us for His' sake that others may declare His goodness and that His light will shine like a bright morning star, giving glory to God our Father through power of his Holy Spirit.

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A True Prophet? A False One? An Immature Prophet?

How do we define a true prophet?

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Are you called to the Prophet's Office?

God is raising up a prophetic people who will walk in the anointing of the prophets. But there are those whom the Lord will call to stand and answer the call of the "Prophet". What makes them different? How do we determine if they are real or not? How does the church looks at the new prophets of today?

The following video below shares a good idea on who are called in this office and defines the rough edges many are believing about the prophetic mantle or calling of a person.

Do you agree with the author's definition? Why or why not?

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The Paul & Timothy Effect

“You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them.

In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God^[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work….”

2^nd Timothy 3: 10-17

I believe God is raising up forerunners in this generation. He is doing a marvelous thing which includes the youth in his great plan. Many are accepting the call of the great harvest and are seen in the enthusiasm, passion to serve the church and eagerness to learn more from his word.

He is raising up people like Joshua, David and Stephen in this technological age. They are making impact in every part of society and the world at large.

As leaders, we have an important role to fill-in of this great move. They need to be trained, equipped and mentored in the right way.

With these in mind, how then can we impart, train and develop these young ones to become effective influencers in our society today? What is our model in doing so and how should we see the outcome of all our efforts?

One great example is shown in the last few pages of the scriptures through the letters of Paul to Timothy, a young man in Ephesus. As many of us would know, Timothy took on the role as pastor in one of the biggest churches in biblical times. He was a young disciple of Paul and perhaps, as the scripture says, a “spiritual son” of Paul.

Paul and Timothy’s relationship is one of our great examples for today. Paul and his mother and grandmother were able to mentor him in the ways of the Lord. Paul specifically taught him how to minister, teach and lead the body of Christ at an early age.

If you read the 2 letters of Timothy, Paul was actually giving instructions on church organizations, teaching, ministerial gifts and sustaining church growth amidst future challenges (like false teachers and prophecies).

He was telling Timothy that because he is already old, he must now rely on Timothy and how he can train others, who will be equipped with the ministry as well.

The Epistles shows Paul’s character when it comes to mentoring:

1. Paul was able to give clear and sound instructions about ministry and Timothy’s calling
2. Paul had the experience, authority and influence over the subjects he discussed
3. Paul was also able to target (identify) the right audience in the person of Timothy, leaving him a legacy that the modern church is patterned hereof
4. Paul believed that Timothy can do it and he can share it to others

Also, the epistles also shares about Timothy;

1. Timothy was trained in the godly way as a child
2. Timothy received in his heart the prophecies and teachings given to him by godly men
3. Timothy was ready to take the challenge
4. Timothy was mentored by Paul and took part in the ministry since the start of Paul’s apostolic ministry
5. Timothy never abandoned his calling

Paul and Timothy are considered the perfect example of mentorship. It went beyond weekly bible studies and all, it became stronger through the years and the very foundation of Paul’s ministry was also seen in the life and ministry of Timothy in Ephesus.

Conclusion:

With our goal to develop the right strategy and program for youth programs, it’s my prayer that we do it with the mindset of Paul and the positivity of Timothy.

God is doing something great, he always is. Our challenge is taking part of that work and making sure that we listen and accept these things that we may be able to share it to others and give God the glory.

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Investment is a BIG WORK

Trade makers would probably use the word "invest" or "investment" as often as they can, especially during business talks. All of us probably knows about investments one way or another.

Investments is a BIG word for some and an easy act for others. Some of us takes time and effort to invest immediately while others would give in a split second after hearing someone talk passionate about it.

Whether you're one or the other, one common ground for all of us is that "investment is all about having FAITH". Yes, I said it right - FAITH makes us decide to invest.

Why?

Hebrews 11:1 shares that "FAITH is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

You see, this verse doesn't just apply to our faith in God alone. Having faith, includes believing for others - their passion and causes often, which often leads us to believe that helping them achieve these things is a worthwhile cause.

It simply implies that because of God's faithfulness in our lives, we therefore believe also in the possibility for others to achieve theirs and we help do it.

I am a strong believer on investing my time, effort and resources for the youth and for others. I believe that whatever I splurge out, time I spent traveling from places to places and even,my time to pray and study for any youth activity is an investment for the future.

I may never know what will the outcome of these sacrifices but one thing's for certain, I have FAITH in them, because I too experienced that kind of faithfulness.

You see, investing in other people's lives is our business. Unless we believe in them and help them reach their dreams and potential can we only hope for a better future. I for one, is a testimony of God's faithfulness through the lives that was touched only by faith, the faith to see and believe for something that has not yet come to pass in my life.

There were a lot of people who believed in this skinny kid back then. People actually believed that I can do something and so they helped me raise my funds, paid for my registrations and even prayed and helped me grow as a believer. Some even took time to rebuke me and mentor me.

My brother, whose also passionate about God and youth ministry is a very good example. He started a small bible study in a certain school for an entire school year, meeting every week after class. He talks to them, encourages them and sometimes even give his own money for support (and to think he was out of school youth at that time as well).

One of the high schoolers heard the gospel through his sharing, continued with her walk with the Lord, was discouraged and persecuted by her family but she really hang on to her faith in God. It was just a couple of years ago when she came back home and learned that her family came to know the Lord and even supported her studies in bible school after their reconciliation.

Now, she's pastoring somewhere in the north of Cebu and is helping her husband in church-planting for our local denomination.

I can probably write down a lot of things about how a lot of people in my life shared their own lives and invested their own lives, resources and time for others because deep down within, they believe their investing for something better.

Let us try to examine our own faith journey and consider the many opportunities we were able to bless others but more importantly, let's focus on people who have invested their lives and resources for us. They are actually worthy of our "thank you's" and prayers as well.

Investing might be a big word for many of us, but when we invest in young lives, even the simplest of things can bring BIG impact to the lives of many.

So, have you invested lately?

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