BUILDING HEALTHY PROPHETIC COMMUNITY (Part 2)

BUILDING HEALTHY PROPHETIC COMMUNITY (Part 2)

Basic Core Values

  1. Love is Primary

Paul says love is greater than prophecy, and the context in which all prophecy must be given (1 Cor. 13). God’s heart, as represented in Scripture, is love and relationship (1 Cor 14:1, John 3:16). His desire is to reconcile, save, heal, deliver and restore (Mark 16:15-18)—to release the workmanship of His hands into the good works He has prepared for them (Eph. 2:10).  Prophecy reveals God’s heart to a person and calls out the plan for good God has for a person, church, or people

  • 2. Character Matters

Character determines the longevity and effectiveness of prophetic ministry. It can increase or decrease the impact of the prophecy and prophetic ministry of a person or group. Integrity, humility, purity, teachability, self-leadership, and gratitude in attitude and action are demonstrations of quality of character (1 Sam. 16:7; Prov. 10:9; Phil. 2:3-11, 12-16 4:8-9; Titus 2:7-8; Rom. 5:1-5; Col. 3:17). Character is developed by the little decisions we make on a daily basis when no one is watching.

  • 3. Accountability is Essential.

Being a prophetic community means we are in communion with the body and those God has placed in our lives for personal and prophetic accountability and responsibility. Prophecy is a stewardship. With stewardship comes a responsibility to remain accountable for what we do and say. We are responsible for what comes out of our mouths and must be willing to receive feedback. If we get it wrong, we admit it and apologize (Prov. 27:17; Matt. 12:36-37; Rom. 14:12; 1 Cor. 14:29-33; Heb. 10:24-25, 13:17).

  • 4. Submission is Required.

The spirit of the prophet is subject to the prophet (1 Cor. 14:32 NKJV). Remember that people who prophesy are in control of their spirit . . . (1 Cor. 14:32 NLT) First, we live and conduct ourselves in submission to the Lord at all times. It is the responsibility of the prophet/prophetic person, when administering prophecy, to speak in a way that represents the heart of God, honoring Him, His people, and His purposes (Heb. 13:17; Eph. 5:21; 1 Peter 5:6). Prophecy is for the purpose of building the church.

We also live and conduct ourselves in submission to the authority of the established leadership in whatever place or among whatever people to whom we are ministering (Rom. 13:1-2; Heb. 13:7; 1 Tim. 3:1-2). The leadership has been established and given a mission from God in their sphere of influence. Unless we are the senior leader, it is our responsibility to honor the established leadership by submitting to the mission they have been given and the protocols they have established. Disrupting or distracting the flow of a service or event of any kind through abrupt or aggressive ministry does not represent the character and nature of God appropriately. We run the risk of offending people, discrediting prophetic ministry, and quenching the Spirit, not only in the place where we are ministering, but also in our own personal lives.