Jon Cressey
Context
What is the supreme focus of authentic prophetic ministry in the Church in these present days?
The question itself raises other issues such as why say, ‘authentic Prophetic ministry’? Surely any prophetic ministry should be authentic? A simple answer is that Scripture itself teaches us to be careful. In the 14 times that the term “false prophet” is used in the Bible, 7 are used in the New Testament to bring warning and clarification to us.
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1)
Authentic prophetic ministry will be seen by the way that it calls people to follow after Christ, and trust Him alone for their salvation.
The supreme focus of the prophetic is encouraging people to turn wholeheartedly to God and place their trust, hope and confidence in Christ alone.
Many churches around the world enjoy the encouragement of prophetic ministries and encourage members of their churches to be used by God in the revelatory gifts of 1 Corinthians 12. There are issues that you will always expect prophetic ministry to address in some form or another. It may be a surprise to you to discover that the predominant call of the prophetic is not repentance.
If we are to walk in obedience and righteousness before God it may necessitate repentance, especially where there are issues of sin and disobedience.
God really does want to bring hope, encouragement and relationship into our lives as we learn to love and serve Him. A better way of looking at things is not that there are higher levels in God for us to walk in ( a sort of gnosticism) but instead, depths in Him that have always been there for us to enjoy. In quietness and confidence will be our strength.
Authentic prophetic ministry expresses a call for people to put their whole-hearted trust in God and look to Him alone as the source of their blessing, joy and happiness. Such ministry is confident in God’s intervention and assistance not only in the past and present but also dogmatically convinced that God has the future in His capable hand.
The ministry of the prophetic often proves to be of great encouragement and it can come from the most unexpected places. Only truth, God’s truth, not the philosophies of men, changes men’s hearts. Our passion for the truth has also to be tempered by our God-given love for one another.
The truth shall make people free, not lay heavy burdens on them. That is where things move from liberating truth to the oppression of legalism.
God is good.
The post Context first appeared on Jon Cressey and is written by Jon Cressey
