Prophecy for the Year 2007

A little explanation first, read the whole thing or you will miss it.

Prologue: Ministry as a Teacher:
Several years ago I became aware that God was using me in a new way as a minister. I had always been a competent teacher of the Word of God. Even when I wasn’t saved, I taught in the Lutheran Church we attended. Some of that came from my public speaking experience and training. I knew how to turn a phrase in front of a group, how to use language to instruct and inspire. It wasn’t anointed, it was just good teaching.

As a public speaker I was paid to do this. At one time I considered a career change to become a professional speaker on the circuit. I did a fair bit of it but didn't develop it as I might have. I knew that the key to doing it well was a "Have Speech will Travel" portfolio. Then promoting myself with that speech, having an agent and taking bookings. It works. I knew several people who did this. Even to this day I have a few champions that will plug me in here and there. But, for now my public speaker portfolio and booking is light. It’s as it should be.

On the other hand, I have always taught the word of God. I like teaching. I like it because concepts and precepts that matter to me and to God are being passed on to another generation.

People I taught in Sunday school classes years ago pay me the high complement of saying, "I use your stuff in my preaching" or "Your words come from my mouth all the time". That is a high complement. It's better than having them say, "You are/were the best Sunday School teacher I ever had". I would rather see a sermon on someone well discipled than hear one.

I am going to recommit myself to teaching again. It's what I do best. It's an area of rich anointing for me. God has placed this in me and not using the gift is wasting them.

Ministry as a Prophet:
So, what about this Prophet thing? Why do I, should I or would I identify myself a Prophet? Let me explain. This is a badly understood area and as a teacher I need to do a little teaching.

Recently a man I know described me as, "A self declared prophet". I puzzled over that description of the Gift of God placed in me. Is anyone a self-declared anything? Or are they defined with or without declaration by what they do and the fruit they produce? Is an apple tree one because someone hangs a tag on it declaring it an apple tree or because it produces apples? In fact some trees sold as apple trees turn out to be pear or peach trees because of poor labeling.

The same is true with ministry gifts. If I teach under an anointing over and above what I am able otherwise to do I demonstrate a gift of teaching. So if I am a teacher because I teach well or as I have the ministry gift of teaching am I self-declaring? Or am I, as the apostle Paul did, just declaring what God has already demonstrated by fruit. He declared himself an Apostle based on his acts of apostleship. Few argued with him.

The same thing is true regarding the ministry office of the Prophet. I am a Prophet not because I call myself a Prophet but because I prophesy with fruit. I operate consistently and with better accuracy than I could ever do in the flesh when I operate in the ministry gift. That is the office of prophet. Of course, just as in the ministry gift of Teaching which has been confirmed by many, and by people with the ministry gift of Prophecy years ago. It is not a gift that comes and goes, it is a gift that I carry by the grace of God. That reality carries me forward to prophecy with boldness. I am simply a Gift box of the gift God has placed in me. To deny or dismiss the office he has commissioned me for defames his ministry gifts. I have assurance of the gift because the gift flows without trying, other prophetic people recognize it in me, and I see the fruit of the gift in operation. Someone would have to kill me to silence it. The same is true of the Gift of Teaching. It will take a bullet to stop me from here on out.

Evidence of the Office of Prophet
If one can dismiss the office of Prophet in others how can any ministry gift stand? On the other hand if I did NOT prophecy or if I were consistently wrong because I didn’t hear from God I would be a false prophet and not a true carrier of the office of Prophet. It is only by fruit I judge the gift I carry.

As a Prophet God gives me insight into situations supernaturally, insight into people, insight into circumstances that is beyond my ability to know or see in the natural. Sometimes it is frightening. I offer what I see to others with fear and trepidation.

The part that is the best in operating in the gift are the personal encouragements and visions God gives me for others. Amazing things come from my mouth far beyond my human understanding. That is a manifestation of the Gift and Ministry Office of the Prophet.

I too am suspicious of people who self-title themselves in ministry gifts they may not manifest, carry or those they may or may not be. There are fewer bishops, prophets and apostles on the planet than have the business cards or titles on the door declaring themselves to be such.

On the other hand there are more Pastors, Teachers and Evangelists than carry the Business card to claim it. Part of the job of a prophet is to let them know they carry the gift of evangelist, pastor, teacher, prophet or apostle. I don’t believe that without the anointing of the prophet that any ministry gift is as valid. Those ministry gifts should be identified carefully and commissioned. Just as God sent Samuel to Anoint David for Kingship, he sends Prophets to do the same today.

How do I know I am called an empowered to teach the word of god as a Teacher? Because he uses me as one. How do I know God has called and empowered me to be a Prophet? Because he uses me as one. I have not demonstrated Evangelistic giftings or Pastoral giftings, and I don't know what to think about myself regarding the apostolic. What realm would I be an apostle over? How does God use me? An apostle is a king over the part of THE kingdom deeded him by Jesus who is King of Kings.

The Prophet Carries a Burden:
There are parts of being a prophet that are difficult. Many people HATE prophets. They despise them. They wish they would go away. Throughout history Prophets have been rejected, persecuted, stoned, killed, made fun of, or thrown into a pit. Sometimes the calling for a prophet is a reluctant calling as it was for Jonah.

This is for certain, the devil’s main goal is to silence the prophetic voice. That’s why Paul warned in his epistle, “Do not Despise Prophecy”, and in another place, “I wish above all that you prophesy”. The angel in the book of Revelation said, “The testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy”. If you take that to its logical extension, if you despise, reject, or silence the prophetic you silence the voice of Jesus. People, particularly those who are in ministry who have something to hide are the most anti-prophetic. They don’t want the truth about who they really are discovered. If Jesus himself showed up bodily they would try to hide from him. That’s what it says in the book of Revelation. They looked for caves and rocks to hide them.

Why I do This.
I offer this detailed explanation with the full knowledge that most people who read this will not comprehend what it means. That’s OK. I only want you to be aware of what God is saying, warning and encouraging for 2007. I want you to treat it as a sign and a wonder. If it makes you wonder that’s a sign.

Therefore, I am publishing what God has revealed for 2007. It's a hard word. It's one I would just as soon NOT bring. I wish it were all goodness and joy. It's not for some who will read this. To those who are overcomers this is great news. To the rest this will be a disturbing vision. Unfortunately I know it's true. Just as the prophecy for 2006 turned out to have over an 80% accuracy (the other 20% was my flesh or when I misheard from God), I believe what God has revealed for 2007.

I am NOT going to publish it on this blog. Below is a link to the Word of the Lord for 2007. You will have to intentionally go to it. I am going to tell you what God says. That's what Prophets do. What you do with it is your choice.

Read the whole Word for 2007 HERE. Read the circumstances under which the word was given for 2006 last January, and read the Word for 2006 in review (link above). You can then get an understanding and confidence for what is about to happen.

God never does anything unless he tells his prophets first. The Prophets job is to say what God said.

I just did.