Your Sons & Daughters Shall Prophesy - Prophetic Gifts Today In The New Testament Church

The Latter Rain Movement

amazing proliferation of odd approaches, strange applications and per sonal interpretations. The simple, humble, careful approach to laying hands on people who have prepared their hearts through prayer and fasting soon proved too cumbersome to some ministers, especially traveling evangelists. The spec tacular nature of prophecy has an amazing way of drawing people, and the manifestations in some places were pushed, to the detriment of proper preparation. When people are enthralled with prophetic ministry, it is easy to assume that a minister's odd traits (and doctrines!) are part of the anointing and revelation that God is restoring to the Church. This, of course, is not so. Also, a simple word from God can be embellished with additional sup plemental, grandiose words that only serve to promote the messenger and not the Sender. These factors all dilute the simplicity that is in Christ and His gifts. One group I knew began specializing in laying hands on certain parts of the head for certain kinds of blessing and ministry. Catch words or phrases that excite an audience should not be repeated just to promote audience response. Whenever a "long-lost" truth is restored to a church, it must be presented wisely and free of strange applications. God says, "I am watching over My word to perform it" (Jeremiah 1:12). Why does He allow human foolishness? It is the same with preaching as with prophesying or with any other ministry of the Church. God is longsuffering, but foolishness will eventually take its toll and a group will find itself left with the form but not the power. 7. Unworthy actions by unspiritual persons who participate in the manifestations sometimes create offense. Unspiritual people always seem to commit offenses. Sometimes they have a sincere desire to do God's will and simply blunder or make mistakes. Unintentional mistakes made by sincere people should be overlooked-but the church leadership should talk to such people, especially if they are administering prophecy incor rectly. In the excitement of a prophetic environment, a person can attrib ute too much authority to his or her own words and experience. The safe guard: the ability to judge prophecy and monitor those who minister. 8. People should not be bound to a church through prophecy. Prophecy is not given to hold people in a given fellowship. Believers belong where they are fed and led spiritually. Sometimes they get the impression they will be cursed if they leave a church home, especially if a prophetic word has been given to them there. But prophecy should not hang over people's heads like a sword; this is cultish. We should be careful to follow the guidance of the Spirit, and if an individual or family feels God is leading them to leave a church, we should be willing to commend them to His grace. 299 •