If prophecy is something new to you, I would encourage you to first go through another blog of mine called, "Basics in the Prophetic.". You can find it in my archives. It is very simple with a handful of brilliant YouTube videos from people that are seasoned in the prophetic. We will be diving much deeper into the realm of the Prophetic for this new journey, and you will be provoked to free fall deeper into His grace.
My hope is to show you that there is no place in our thinking to plateau when it comes to things of the Spirit. John 3:34 "For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure.” (NASB) There is absolutely no place in our thinking for becoming mediocre or leveling off, and not pursuing more of what it is that we already have. John 17:22 "I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one.” (NLT) If we have been given the same glory that Jesus has, which we have, then we are out of excuses. Instead of excuses we get the privilege of living a lifestyle of conviction and breakthrough for the greater things of Jesus to manifest in this world for the purpose of the world knowing Him.
"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father,” John 14:12 (NASB). There is a limitless realm of goodness that is ours for the taking. If we have trouble agreeing with the fact that we can do everything Jesus did, how are we going to agree with His declaration of us doing greater things?
The passage that really got me thinking and has been provoking me to never settle for anything less than more of “on earth as it is in heaven” is this passage, Matthew 24:3-28. No, this is not a blog on end times. Which by the way, this passage was a prophecy that already took place. This is the prophecy that took place from 68-70 AD, many of the great church fathers like the Wesley brothers, Jonathan Edwards, Augustine, the great Charles Spurgeon, and dozens of others also saw it the same way.
The greatest persecution ever seen, took place in Jerusalem during those times. The Romans laid a most bloody and horrific siege on Jerusalem during those times. That is what Jesus was prophesying about while sitting on the Mount of Olives with His disciples in Matthew 24. Charles Spurgeon, “the siege of Jerusalem, which curdles the blood of everyone who reads it, and exactly bears out the statement of the Master that there was to be “great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world, no, nor ever shall be.”” I had to get that out of the way, simply because of how ridiculously entangled the majority of the churches mind is with the end times. If you believe in an eschatology (study of end times) that promotes fear, it’s not God. God does not promote fear. Fear is hell’s faith. For more on this topic here is a video from a brilliant man that explains it perfectly, Harold Eberle - Victorious Eschatology Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5xDdkzlmWc
I’m going to dissect the stance Jesus holds while delivering this prophetic word, not the prophetic word itself. During this passage, in which Jesus is prophesying about what happened in Jerusalem during 68-70 AD, He goes from prophesying from the view point of looking at the great tribulation, to being in it and describing it, to being on the other side of it looking back at it. We have that same detailed access to the realm of the Spirit. We get to bring this outside of time realm of Holy Spirit into what we know as time to reveal His love and goodness.
In Matthew 24:4-8 Jesus speaks of what will happen in those days in detail, but He speaks from the stance of saying what will happen. NKJV, 7-“For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.” He is looking at the future explaining what to look for so they can escape this great persecution that is coming. He is telling them how it will begin and what to look for in its beginnings. The detail is pinpoint in its precision. He is taking the listeners on a journey by explaining clues that will show of these future events being near.
If we have the same access to the Spirit, which we do, then are prophetic expressions should be far more accurate and revealing of helpful information. How much more helpful could Jesus get? He was telling them, in perfect detail, the signs of its beginning and when it was time to leave for good, what would happen if they didn't obey, and that the Gospel would thrive in the midst of it.
He then changes His position of telling them the signs to look for in its beginning, and now enters into the moment itself to explain the trouble if they don't leave. In verses Matthew 24:15-28 As He speaks about it while being present in it, He takes His disciples into the future and continues to explain details as if He is standing right in the middle of the city looking around while it's happening. Because He was, He was in the Spirit (He is the Spirit) and the Spirit is outside of time.
We have full access to this realm, and are given greater and greater access to it when we tap into this Spirit of Love with the purpose of bringing benefit to those we contact. Which is exactly what Jesus did here, He is telling them what to look for so they can escape it. “It is a remarkable fact that no Christians perished in the siege of Jerusalem; the followers of Christ fled away to the mountain city of Pella, in Perea, where they were preserved from the general destruction which overthrew the unbelieving Jews,” Charles Spurgeon’s bible commentary from Matthew 24.
1 Corinthians 14:3 But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. (NKJV) Jesus edified, He brought spiritual advancement. Without this knowledge His listeners would have died horrific deaths in Jerusalem during those times. He exhorted, He delivered evidence that stood up as true and beneficial to its listeners. He also comforted, He brought comfort by letting them know that they would be just fine if they did as He said. And He it in detail, we are given the same mandate to reveal His plans for the benefit of others in love and detail.
In verse 16 of Matthew 24 until the end of the passage we are looking in verse 28, He begins speaking as though He is not only pointing out the future, but He is standing in it. And while looking at the future and standing in, He also speaks as though He is on the other side of it, looking back at it. The prophetic does not bow its knee to time, time bows its knee to the Prophetic.
Revelation 19:10…“For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy,” (NASB). Verse 22 He begins speaking saying, "And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened," (NKJV). Now He is past tense, while still being future and present tense. Faith will let you leave your realm and be the mouthpiece for a realm that sees the present, and the future, so much so that you can speak about it from the past tense posture.
Quick testimony… Some time back I was at a church ministering to people after the service. I was praying for a lady that I had never met before. I began praying and told her that she had two daughters. I then told her that she has a bad relationship with one of her daughters and that God is going to restore that relationship. A month or so later I saw this lady at the same church. She came up to me to tell me that two days after I gave her that word her daughter called her, and that they have been speaking multiple times a week since.
What did God do here? First know this, I was not dissecting the process of all I’m explaining in this blog while I was prophesying. I simply let the Spirit take over, stepped out in faith, and allowed God Almighty to speak through little old me. Now, what did God do? He started by explaining the present problem He was going to solve for His beloved daughters, “You have two daughters, and one you are not in good relationship with.” He then explained the future by revealing it as though it already happened, “God is going to restore that relationship.” So God spoke through me and revealed that He sees the future, He is in the present, and He is also already on the other side of what He says will happen looking at it with a smile. He stands in present time and reveals how He is outside what we know as time.
Much of operating in the prophetic is staying in childlike faith. If learning how to hear His voice and speak it is your question, refer to my old blog "The Prophetic". It breaks it down simply, and the videos are filled with wisdom and one of the videos shows you how to be activated in the prophetic in a quick and simple way. But most importantly just get to know Him, for that is eternal life. Children believe what their dad says, so much so that they tell everyone when they are kids with phrases like, “well my dad said.” It’s the same with us. John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me….John 10:5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” (ESV) The posture of childlike faith hears in loving detail and the heart that has experienced His grace-full reality lives in a place of passionately re-presenting Him in Word and action.
Let your Kingdom Come through the mouths of all who read this Father! Let it come in more detail and more power and more accuracy. Let it be overflowing with the substance of Love which is Jesus Christ! Kingdom Come!
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