August 2000

Introduction In this article I want to look at some different types of prophetic ministry, and how the prophets who had them walked in them. I then want to take some negative examples - those who had ministries and walked out of them - both from scripture and the Church; finally I want to suggest that we all take a good look at our calling and make sure that we are walking in our spheres of authority.

1. Old Testament and New Testament Callings

Many of the Old Testament prophets record their call to the prophetic for us. In that call are the seeds of the spheres of authority that God has assigned to them. Some are sent to Judah Is 6.9- some are sent to Israel Mal 1.1, Ezek 2.3- some are sent to the nations Jer 1.5- and so we could go on. In Acts 9 the call of Saul of Tarsus is confirmed with a prophecy which opened to him an international sphere.

Point 1 - The sphere to which we are called has geographic boundaries.

In addition to the geographic boundaries we are called there are different spheres of prophetic authority in ministries - for instance Samuel was a strategic prophet who identified leadership. His word built into the development of the kingdom culminating in the Davidic Kingdom which Jews still consider to be the pinnacle of their nations history; there is little messianic prophecy in Samuel, it was generally pretty immediate; Elijah was another strategic prophet - but because he spoke a lot of judgement his authority was underlined by the miraculous; Isaiah was quite different - sent to Judah and filled with a messianic vision - he saw into the distant future (and he had an accurate personal word too - see 2 Kings 19); Jeremiah chiefly foresaw and warned of a specific event which would speak of the judgement of God on sin; Daniel was strategic (to a heathen nation) and apocalyptic - at such a distance that much of what he said has still not been fulfilled. And so we could go on - there are no two prophets who are the same.

Point 2 - Our sphere has operational boundaries

In practical terms today that means - to a local church = to a suburb = to a city = to a region = to a nation = to a number of nations. Each of us has the right to know what the area is we are called to. That doesn't mean that we will never minister outside that area - it does mean that we know where our focus should be until God changes it.

2. Getting out of your sphere of authority

OT prophets managed to do this regularly (and I don't believe that we are any different) Take Zedekiah in I Kings 22.11 - rushing round with a pair of iron horns and prophesying victory when God intended defeat - because his time with God had fallen to bits he was way out of his sphere.

The best example of all, of course, is Balaam. When he asked permission to prophesy over Israel (Num 22) the answer from the Lord was a resounding no! To cut a long story short - he went anyway. He was way out of his sphere of authority - and yet he prophesied accurately!!! (How!? I'm coming to that) Balaam overstepped the mark - he was right out of his sphere of authority when he advised Balaak - and the NT calls him a false prophet (2 Pet 2.15) - not because his prophecy was inaccurate but because he cursed the ones God had blessed!

Jonah was sent to Nineveh - and sailed for Tarshish (Jonah 1.3) He stepped out of his geographical boundaries - and the result was he was turned into fish-food. Rather go to your arch-enemy with the word of the Lord than spend three days and three nights with the digestive juices of a fish! (just mediate on the smell for 30 seconds!) Let's look at some more up to date examples.

How is it that an anointed TV evangelist could be imprisoned for fraud? Simple - he left his sphere of authority (TV evangelism) and got his fingers in the accounts. If you are in ministry hire an accountant. Stay away from those things you are not called to do.

William Branham, who died in the 1960s, was a Christian prophet with a remarkably accurate word concerning events to come in the 20th Century - as well as accuracy in personal prophecy. He also had a wonderful healing ministry - people today still testify to being healed in Branham's meetings. When his ministry was well respected something seems to have gone wrong - and Branham started saying that the Lord had revealed some things about the Godhead to him - and teaching what had been revealed. Since his revelation contradicted the doctrine of the Trinity as it was understood he was rejected as a heretic, and many feel his death at an early age was the judgement of God. What happened here?

To understand it we need to backtrack a bit - but first Point 4 - God will NOT confine us in our geographical or operational boundaries - we can cross the borders, but the results will not be positive for the Kingdom

3. Callings and Obedience
Just as the prophets of scripture had a calling to a specific sphere - so do we. Those of us who are prophetic are not just called to be prophetic across the board - most of us will have an accurate personal word - but some will definitely be more spot on than others(in South African terms, Rory Mole or Kerry Southey); some will be strategic with their prophecy (those who know Marian Fitz-gibbon would probably put her in here); some will major on discernment of spirits (there are a few reputable African ministries in this area - but please beware of the "lone rangers" in deliverance ministry); others will be visionary and see the glory of God (Rick Joyner); some are exhortational prophets - when they have finished we feel as if we are floating 6 feet high, weeping prophets (Lauren Lok), prophets heading intercessory ministries (Gerrie Heydenrich, Jenny McMillan) and so we could go on. God has built a calling and a strength into each one of us! Bless him - no one is excluded - he don't make no junk!

Now - many are called - but few are chosen (because few take much notice of the call. You won't be chosen unless you heed the call). And the few who ARE chosen go through rigorous training and preparation. But all too often all we know is "I'm chosen to minister in the prophetic" That's great - but which area of the prophetic??? We need to know what our sphere is! For three excellent reasons: 1. We are told to study to show ourselves approved - 2 Tim 2.15 - what should we be studying? 2. We will only be able to walk in the highest level of our calling within the sphere to which we are called - if I am called as a prophetic teacher I can pursue personal prophecy all I like - I will never have a spectacular gift in this area if it's not the area to which I have been called. 3. The one who is faithful with what they have will be given more! (Mt 25.29)

The enemy is not keen on prophets. His preference is to get someone to stone them. But if he cant arrange that, and he can't persuade you that all of this is your imagination - one of his most successful weapons is this - get them out of their sphere! Then they will not be effective (listen to the demonic sigh of relief)

Once our eyes, ears and hearts are open to the spiritual realm we can see, hear, sense things that actually have nothing to do with the call on our own lives. Both Daniel and John heard the Spirit say "seal up the vision!" (Dan 8.26, Rev 10.4) Why? Because they had seen something that was not for the sphere of ministry God had given them - so God said "Shhh - don't tell anyone!" Watchman Nee asked for certain of his writings to be sealed - because he felt that what was written was not for the church of his day.

Now - back to Branham. The man was a strategic prophet with a healing ministry. He got into matters of theology. He was outside his sphere. Once you are outside your sphere - delving into matters that are not directly in line with your calling in God - you may hear something that God does not want revealed - or you may get its timing wrong - or you may walk into a deception of the enemy - any of these things might have happened to Branham - and definitely might happen to me or to any of us the minute we walk out of our sphere of authority.

To deliberately look into the things of the Spirit outside your sphere of authority is a form of divination. Seal it up. Don't talk about it. Move back into the place God has called you to.

4. How do I KNOW what God called me to?
This question breaks my heart - we all have a right to know! For years I knew that I was called to the prophetic - but had no idea of the breadth of the sphere of the prophetic - I thought I had to do and be everything that was prophetic. What a relief to find that God has only called me to be what he made me to be - I don't have to be what anyone else wants me to be- just what he made me to be!

OK, Alison, stop talking in riddles- how do I know? Well, we should all * seek God on this - what do you believe he is calling you to? * identify the gifts he has placed in you - be honest about your strengths and weaknesses - he designed you that way! * ask others to speak into the search prophetically - make copies of that prophecy * take counsel from our leaders and those who know us well

- the process could take a few months if you start from scratch. When we put all of the prophecy, counsel, gifts etc together we should know that we know what God called us to. Sometimes the Lord intervenes unmistakably - speaks to us so directly that there can be no mistaking it (oh to be Saul of Tarsus in this regard - or Jeremiah - two of the clearest calls in Scripture) For most of us it is a search - but what a treasure when we find it.

5. How do I know if I have stepped out of my sphere of authority?
First - did you know what your sphere of authority is? If not - you need to find that out first. Then assess whether you are out of it.

Some common ways out of our sphere:
5.1 UNFAITHFULNESS Zedekiah stepped out of his sphere of authority when his time with God fell to pieces (I Kings 22.11)
5.2 DISOBEDIENCE Balaam stepped out of his sphere of authority when he deliberately went to prophesy after the Lord had said "NO!" - and then went beyond the prophetic word and advised Balaak on how to destroy those God was planning to bless; Jonah stepped out of his sphere when he sailed West instead of going East - move towards the fulfillment of his calling, not away from it.
5.3 GOING BEYOND THE CALL Branham stepped out of his sphere when he strayed from the prophetic into revelatory doctrine. We could say that this is a form of unfaithfulness (see 5.1)
5.4 WALKING OUT ON THE CALL - an extreme case of the above! When people who know what God has called them to dump that calling to begin teaching/sharing/moving with some other calling/revelation without a specific and unmistakable call from the Lord to major change (one day I will write an article about sea changes - but in the meantime I throw out a carrot - how many great people of God in scripture changed the nature of their service to the Lord midstream?
5.5 REACTION OF THE CHURCH TO US This is touchy - so read with care. God has given the church a mandate in this age. His purpose is to reconcile all of creation to himself through man. The foundation stone for this work is the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus - and we are the witnesses to that! All of our ministry (whether prophetic or any other type!) must by definition build into the purpose of God.

If I come along with a revelation that does not build into that purpose - and that revelation causes me to take the energy of the church away from that purpose then I am deliberately standing in the path of the purposes of God. That is foolishness in the extreme.

So - if your Pastor and your leaders listen to what you have to say politely (which they should do) and then say, "We hear what you are saying, we don't think that we agree, we are not sure if this is God. But this we are sure of - we don't want to spend time arguing about it when there is a dying world out there! So please stand with us to reach the lost or the hurting, and we will work this out as we go along." - then we should do just that! Throw our energy into our sphere of calling and help to reach the world with the Good News of the Gospel.

But ... er, I hesitate to say this ... all too often this is what we do: "My Pastor won't hear the Word of the Lord!" " The Leaders in this church have rejected the Revelation of God" "God's gonna judge this place for refusing to hear me!" "I cant have fellowship with any church because no one agrees with the revelation God gave me" and more of the same. It's pride. It's immaturity. It provokes a lot of demons to a lot of mirth. It does not build what the Lord prizes - unity among his people. It does not impress unbelievers with our "spirituality" and it does not invest energy into reaching the world for Jesus Christ - which is the only way the Lord will get the glory he deserves - not by my prophecy, but by the praise of people from every nation under heaven.

Can you imagine what Jesus felt like - knowing the whole truth - humbled to live and die as a man! How much of what he knew he was never able to share with the disciples - he spoke only what he knew the Father wanted said - he was prepared to leave the rest unsaid for the sake of finishing the work he had been commissioned to do. Can we do that? What's the work? "Go and preach the gospel to all nations" - it's not finished yet. My prophetic gift should build into that purpose.

It has to be said clearly - so let me do the deed. There are some churches (for almost all of us) where our gifts will not be respected - or even welcome. But when there is not a single church we can work with then we need to begin to question whether the problem is us or them... I know at least three lovely people with God-given gifts who can not work within a church - and the problem is them - they can only do it their own way - because I love them I feel for them, but I know this for sure - unless and until they are prepared to humble themselves and work with others they will never reach their full potential for the Kingdom of God. I say it with humility - I know what it is like to have been terribly hurt in the church - let's chuck our "rights" and hurt feelings away; it doesn't bring Glory to Jesus!

Conclusion: Walking the Prophetic Tight-Rope
The prophetic is a bit like walking a tight-rope - every step is dangerous - stray to the right, the left, up or down and you will come unstuck. Ever vigilant - ever seeking the balance of walking with God and communicating his heart to the world. Tight-rope walkers focus on the rope as it stretches away towards the goal - the other side. We need to do the same. Focus on the way you are called to walk - and stay with it. If God wants to change your call he is quite big enough to let you know unmistakably. In the meantime - stay with what you are called to. Let's use the gifts he has given us to promote his purposes. Father, don't allow our feet to stray seeking "another" rope; keep our eyes on the goal - the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Phil 3.14)

And if you have been sidetracked - or think you might have been .... go back to the place where you confirm your calling before God and check it out. Throw away anything that he won't confirm. And build into the rest.

Blessings

Alison

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