The prophetic movement is being thrust into the next dimension of the prophetic office. To this point, we have come to accept prophets functioning as prophesiers in the church. Much of the church, even among evangelical believers, accept the Biblical reality that God speaks. Yet we have been stuck in that rut. Yes, rut. We have failed to move to the next dimensions of the prophetic office. Yes, there are greater and deeper dimensions of the prophetic office than we have touched on to this point. And this hidden reality has become painfully public through the 2020 election.
Instead of talking about whether prophets missed the mark, I will talk about the mark that prophets have missed. We must move back to the Biblical standard for the office of the prophet. I love watching the old videos of William Braham ministering healing to sick people in his role as a prophet. Yet contrary to what is being taught today, Braham is not the standard for the New Testament prophet. Nor is there a division between New Testament and Old Testament prophets. Prophets today are prophets. As such, the prophetic movement must collectively rethink and grow in its understanding of the prophet.
One of the least discussed roles of the prophet is that of governance. Prophets are called to govern. The Bible is replete with examples of prophets governing. In this post, I want to talk about three prophets who governed: Moses, Samuel, and Daniel. Although I could make this list much larger. I believe these three prophets encapsulate the Biblical reality that prophets are called to govern God's people. And prophets being included in governance was the Biblical standard among prophets, not the exception.
Speaking of Moses, the prophet Hosea writes, "The LORD used a prophet to bring Israel up from Egypt, by a prophet he cared for him." Hos. 12:13, NIV. When God needed something significant done amongst His people, He turned to a prophet. Why is that? Because God, unlike the world, trusts His prophets. Prophets are friends of God. God trusts His friends. God committed Israel into Moses' hands because He knew He could trust Moses, even when Moses didn't trust himself. Moses told God:
Lord, please! Send anyone else. Exod. 4:13, NLT
Moses wasn't seeking the limelight. Rather he was a light to his generation and ours. When Moses stepped into his role of governance as a prophet, he became the great lawgiver. Today, we have the 10 commandments because of the prophet Moses. Imagine what would have happened if God had listened to Moses. Where would Mankind be today? What would have happened in Jesus's day? There would have been no law, no redemption.
The prophet Samuel is the standard for administering prophetic word:
"the LORD...did not let any of Samuel's predictions fail." 1 Sam. 3:19, ISV.
What Samuel prophesied came to pass. Always. Yet it is easy to forget that Samuel, besides being a prophet, was a judge. As a judge, Samuel judged in Israel. Through Samuel's leadership, Israel prospered. Samuel prophesied and he governed. Today, that is the missing link in the prophetic movement. We have great prophesiers but we lack governance.
Samuel was a great prophet and judge in Israel. But he was a mediocre father. Like Eli, Samuel's sons "turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice." 1 Sam. 8:3, NIV. In God's eyes, they were wicked men. Through their wickedness, Israel sought a king. They rejected God's rule. In response, God gave them a king - Saul. What would have happened if Samuel's sons had been just men as opposed to being wicked men. Is it possible that prophets would have continued to govern in Israel and Israel's would have been different?
The prophet Daniel may have had the most difficult job amongst the prophets: he was charged with governing in Babylon. Further, not only did Daniel govern in Babylon, but he was also recognized as one having "an excellent spirit." Dan. 6:3, World English Bible. Throughout scripture, Babylon is referred to as Satan's seat. While in Babylon, Daniel shook Babylon to its foundations. Kings were shaken and humbled and corrupt and wicked men exposed. Nebuchadnezzar learned
"the Most High rules the kingdom of men."Dan. 4:17, ESV.
Moses, Samuel, and Daniel prophesied. But they did more. They also governed. And the world was changed by them. Jesus, our great apostle, and our great high priest is also the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Today, we confess His Lordship but we fail to demonstrate His Lordship through our lives. Can we honestly say Christ is governing in our midst? No. There is mass confusion and deception in Christ's body and in the prophetic movement. Why? Because we profess His Lordship but do not submit to His Lordship.
Isaac Newton made the observation: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Is our reaction to the prophetic today determining the course of our future: individually and collectively? Yes! As such, we must resolve to do what Scripture teaches: We must "not treat prophecies with contempt", 1 Thes. 5:20, NIV, but examine everything; hold firmly to that which is good". 1 Thes. 5:21, NASB. And we must move to the next dimension: We must understand the prophet's role in governance.
To learn the prophet's Biblical role, we must unlearn what we have been previously taught about the limitations placed on the prophet by the church. And we must let God open our eyes to what is hidden in Scripture regarding the prophet's office. For that to happen, we must let the Bible become our standard. Then, we must seek revelation of the mystery of the prophet's office.
I am a prophet. In 1987, I was called into the prophetic office through an open vision where I saw the glory of God. But it took years of teaching, training, revelation, and suffering to become a prophet. I believe many are trying to move into the prophet's office without going through the maturation process entailed to walk into that office. And greater teaching, training, revelation, and suffering were required to become a senior prophet: a prophet who mentors other prophets. As the Apostle Paul said,
"you do not have many fathers." 1 Cor. 4:15, Net Bible.
Today, we have many prophets who have been taught, trained, and activated to prophesy. That's good. But we lack prophets taught, trained, and ordained to govern. That's bad. If prophets are never taught, trained, and matured to govern, then Christ's body cannot mature to the fullness of Christ. Jesus will never allow that to continue; He is calling His body to maturity. Part of the prophet's purpose is to mature Christ's body. Also, prophets are called to invade the world with the kingdom message.
Lastly, I want to confront a misconception promoted by those claiming to be apostles. I believe there are apostles. I also believe many are falsely claiming to be apostles. Why do I believe that? Because of the absence of the signs of an apostle being present in the lives of those claiming to be apostles. Those genuinely called to be apostles carry unique and specific signs that confirm their apostleship. Yes, it is necessary to have the signs of an apostle to be an apostle.
Further, in relation to the governance offered by apostles versus prophets, I have a warning to apostles: prophets governed better in Antioch than apostles did at Jerusalem. What apostles blew up in Jerusalem, prophets grew up in Antioch. Between the schools at Jerusalem and Antioch, only Antioch remained. It was prophets who governed at Antioch. Yes, prophets have a thing or two to teach apostles about how to govern.
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