Prophecy — When The Holy Spirit Testifies
Do not limit God to prophecy received from a man, unless that prophecy confirms what He has already spoken into your heart.
I have rarely seen a prophecy given that has been authentic in its nature, that came as something “new” to the person receiving it.
New Testament prophecy is a means used by God to confirm what the Holy Spirit has already spoken into your own heart — not to inform you of what you know nothing about.
It is witness that comes from two or three and that makes The Word given in your own heart firm by the confirmation of The Holy Spirit through the mouths of those witnessing to His Word.
When receiving new information from others in the form of prophecy, the danger is that what they deliver, could be filtered through who they are, what they believe and how they see it!
The LORD is unable to communicate a message greater than what they believe can be achieved. Neither can He speak something other than what they view as being possible or true.
As per example: a prophet may hear God wants to use you in a very significant way. Because he sees it as being traditional ministry, he may tell you that God is going to send you to China as a missionary.
Unable to discern that you may be called to be greatly used in business in New York City, and there you book your plane ticket to China as a missionary with a group of other missionaries to go and paint buildings, while you may have been called to raise up 100 missionary teams and empower them financially to go to China!
If the prophet does not have the capacity to rightly divide The Word, it may come out based on his own personal level of faith and expertise, based on where he or she presently are themselves concerning their walk in God.
On the other hand if the prophet is an “airy-fairy” kind of person, he or she may tell you things far exceeding what God has called you to do!
Such a person may send you to the moon and back, while The LORD may in fact be sending just around the block!
That is why God speaks those things which He Alone can communicate, in us, unlimited in the capacity of its delivery and unrestrained by unbelief — directly deposited in us by His Spirit for us to receive and to act upon, as we follow His Word, by the leading of His Spirit in us.
God did not send a prophet to Abraham to announce his earthly destiny. He visited Abraham in Person. He did not send a prophet to Joseph. He released His Vision in a dream into his heart.
He did not send a prophet to Gideon. He appeared to him and spoke to him in Person.
He did not send a prophet to announce His Kingdom that would be re-established on the earth. He came down by His Spirit Himself in His Son to walk among mankind and to speak to them in Person!
He did not send a prophet to Peter on the house top to announce that he should go to the house of the Italians, He visited him in Person in a Vision and spoke to him Personally.
He did not send a prophet to Ananias, to go and find Saul of Tarsus. He spoke to him in Person and gave him the exact location and instructions to carry out!
Prepare for a Personal Word from the Holy Spirit in your own heart.
Do not look to men or allow a man to limit you or to speak into you, according to what he sees or believes!
There are thousands of people today, wondering what went wrong, having received false information from men operating in the “prophetic”, who told them things that God never intended for them to hear, and who as a result have “prophecies” that never came to pass!
~ Johann van der Hoven
Johann van der Hoven has been in service of The LORD since 1991 and has hosted numerous mass revival meetings. The Holy Spirit is announcing a NEW SOUND from Heaven beginning in 2020 — The Sound of His Glory being poured out!
For more info please see: www.sonsofsovereignty.com
This is true and indeed what I have been experiencing in my life. Every time a prophet would come and talk to me, the Spirit of the Lord comes first and the prophet would only be confirming what the Lord has already told me.
Absolutely right. Thank you.
AMÉN, AMÉN, AMÉN, SELAH…!
Dear Brother I need to address your statement:
New Testament prophecy is a means used by God to confirm what the Holy Spirit has already spoken into your own heart — not to inform you of what you know nothing about.
The Greek for Prophet is Strong’s G4396 Prophetes (Pro>4253 + Fame>5346) means foreteller.
Part of Thayer’s definition is:
2. a foreteller, soothsayer, seer.
II. In the N. T.
1. one who, moved by the Spirit of God and hence, his organ or spokesman, solemnly declares to men what he has received by inspiration, especially future events, and in particular such as relate to the cause and kingdom of God and to human salvation.
Also in 1Cor 14:
1Co 14:31 For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.
The Greek for Learn is G3129 Manthano. Part of Thayer’s definition is: μανθάνω; 2 aorist ἔμαθον; perfect participle μεμαθηκώς; the Sept. for לָמַד; (from Homer down); to learn, be apprised;
a. universally: absolutely, to increase one’s knowledge, 1 Timothy 2:11;
In order to learn and increase in knowledge one must be unlearned, unknowing, and ignorant.The common definition of Learn is to get knowledge.
In His Love,
Doug MacCallum