HEALING and PROPHECY.ORG
When someone is giving personal prophecy to another
they may be simply speaking encouraging words. This (along with building others up and comforting) is the essence of prophecy within the New Testament age.
At the bottom of this page I have an article by a writer who helps distinguish characteristics of false prophets. it's by kindgdomencounter@gmail.com
Other elements can enter in to a prophetic utterance. At times there will be word of knowledge and word of wisdom involved. A simple description of these manifestations of the Holy Spirit is the God given capacity of an individual to see a situation from God's point of view. That is word of wisdom. Word of knowledge is God's His guidance or solution within that particular sphere of an individual's or a collective group's lives.
These two manifestations fall in to what is known as revelation manifestations. There are three of them. The last is discerning of spirits. This ability from God can also come into play when giving a prophetic word to someone.
All these manifestations are meant to be utilized in a very organic natural way. When the prophet Elijah lived (he is pictured in the background image on this page) prophets had a different set of mandates. They are known to "shout from the rooftops" and say things like "This saith The Lord" (with great emphasis.
In our era (the church era) we are collectively parts of the body of Christ and He speaks to us and through all of us in various ways.
The article below is a good one on revelation. Although the author is referencing Old Testament prophets and people of God who had dreams- the points he makes are readily applicable to modern day believers in Christ. We may all now dream dreams from God and receive supernatural wisdom and knowledge from Our Heavenly Father.
Properly Interpreting Revelation By James W. Goll
By James W. Goll
Some years ago I was traveling through the night by train from the Frankfurt, Germany region to Rossenheim in southern Bavaria. I was in one of the sleeping cars but, unable to sleep, I spent much of my time praying in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit kept speaking to me over and over, "Where are My Daniels? Where are My Esthers? Where are My Josephs, and where are My Deborahs?"
After many years of pondering on this word, I believe that the Holy Spirit is on a quest to find believers He can work with - believers who will dream God's dreams at any cost - who have a discerning spirit to properly interpret the times, and learn to intercede out of a posture of revelation.
Daniel, Esther, Joseph, and Deborah were godly people who possessed the spirit of revelation and who altered destinies and changed history through the revelation that was bestowed on them. They trusted the Lord for wisdom and insight and served His purposes in their generation. Today the Spirit of God is looking for like-minded and like-hearted individuals who will be the Daniels, the Esthers, the Josephs, and the Deborahs for their day.
Like the biblical heroes before them, these modern-day trailblazers will study to show themselves approved as workmen for God, rightly dividing the word of truth (revelation) that is given to them (see 2 Tim. 2:15 KJV). And, like their Old Testament counterparts, they will learn to speak the language of that revelation in a manner that is relevant to their contemporaries.
What Language Do You Speak?
Before you can interpret your dreams and visions properly or intercede effectively from the posture of revelation, you must understand the language of that revelation.
What language do you speak? Have you learned your spiritual alphabet? Your spiritual alphabet will be unique to you. God will speak revelation to you according to the language you speak. Doctors, nurses, and other medical and health professionals have a language all their own, a technical vocabulary that untrained lay people cannot understand. Music has a written language that is incomprehensible to anyone who has never been taught to read the symbols. Pastors have their own language, too. This can cause problems when their language does not match that of their congregations!
What language do you speak? Whatever your language is, the Holy Spirit will speak to you in that language. Of course, I am not talking so much about languages like English, French, German, Russian, or Spanish, as I am the "language" with which we interpret life. Because each of us has different life experiences, the language by which we receive and impart revelation will be distinct to each of us. We each have a personal walk and, in a sense, a personal talk. Our spiritual alphabet, though similar, is unique to each individual.
Interpreting Your Dream Revelation
Regardless of how our individual spiritual alphabets differ, our basic approach to interpretation should be the same. Proper interpretation can occur on many different levels. Here are three simple steps for interpreting your dream revelation:
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Study the interpretation of words and symbols by researching their meanings as recorded in Scripture and other historical literature. Find out how biblical characters and other figures from the past interpreted these words and symbols in a dream context. This is an excellent (and probably the easiest) way to begin.
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Develop the habit of journaling. Effective interpretation is a skill that is learned over time and with experience. Your spiritual alphabet is unique to you. Journaling will help you capture your distinct pictures, grant understanding over time, and give wisdom for your journey.
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Welcome the anointing, gifting, and presence of the Holy Spirit. He will guide you into truth, keeping things safe yet adventurous and pure yet unreligious.
In your eagerness to reach step three, don't bypass steps one and two. Always begin with the Scriptures. Let the Bible be its own best commentary. God will never contradict His Word. Let His written Word give you insight into the meaning of His visionary revelation. Study it thoroughly. Pray over it. Lay a solid foundation of the Word in your life to give the Holy Spirit something to breathe upon.
Interpreting dreams is like putting together a giant jigsaw puzzle with thousands of tiny pieces that must be fitted together in exactly the right order. The quickest way to complete a jigsaw puzzle is to start with the border - the framework - and the same is true with dream interpretation. Once you have the framework in place it becomes easier to see where the rest of the pieces go. Before long, the big picture begins to take shape. At least, that's the way it usually works for me. I ask the Holy Spirit to give me a thought or a word. He sheds His light on one thing, which leads me to another, and another, and then everything just starts to click.
Interpretations Belong to God
The cardinal rule to keep in mind when properly interpreting dreams and visions is that "interpretations belong to God." He who gives you the spirit of revelation is also the one who gives you the capacity to interpret that revelation. Here are some biblical examples:
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From the life of Joseph:
Then they said to him, "We have had a dream and there is no one to interpret it." Then Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell it to me, please." (Genesis 40:8)
Imagine being in the place where you are so sure that interpretations belong to God and so absolutely confident in His anointing that, like Joseph, you could say to someone, "Tell it [your dream] to me," and know that God would give you the interpretation!
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From the life of Daniel:
As for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and intelligence in every branch of literature and wisdom; Daniel even understood all kinds of visions and dreams.....As for every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers who were in all his realm (Daniel 1:17,20).
Daniel was even given the ability to interpret the handwriting on the wall that King Belshazzar saw, which foretold the king's death under God's judgment (see Daniel 5:1-31).
Although it may not come out in Aramaic or Hebrew or Greek or English or Spanish, God writes in signs to His people and He wants to give us the capacity to interpret the signs of the times. We need to pray for the Lord to release in our own day godly people of wisdom who can interpret the handwriting on the wall for our generation.
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From the life of Issachar:
Of the sons of Issachar, men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their kinsmen were at their command (1 Chronicles 12:32).
Two hundred chiefs "who understood the times" held an entire tribe under their command. How? People will follow a person who has revelation. People will be drawn to anyone who walks with integrity in the spirit of wisdom and revelation.
The more you learn how to listen and recognize the voice of the Spirit of God, the more He will enable you to operate on multiple levels of insight. God is the master multitasker and He can enable you to be a multitasker as well. You can listen on more than one level. You can listen to the heart of a person, you can listen to the realm of the soul, and you can listen to the Holy Spirit. It requires a fair measure of grace and the ability to block out the noise of friction, static, and distractions, but all things are possible.
What God did before, He wants to do again! Right here, right now!
Blessings,
James W. Goll
Exploring Your Dreams and Visions
Book
By James Goll
for the most part I think this article is helpful and informative -
but PARTS OF THIS ARTICLE I DO NOT AGREE WITH ARE UNDERLINED AND I COMMENT IN BOLD.
Let's examine spiritualism further and in light of prophetic operations in the Church! Firstly, not because something sounds spiritual means that it is from God. Secondly, not because someone appears to be spiritual, dress or speak in a religious manner means that they are of God. The Word says that by their fruits you shall know them. II Corinthians 11:14, tells us that "... for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light."
In our time, right in some of our own neighbourhoods we are witnessing the manifestation of spiritualism. It is idolatrous and iniquitous at its very source. Sadly it is thriving because most church-goers have itching ears for prophetic utterances. This demand for prophetic utterance is causing false prophets to arise as they see this as fertile ground for prophetic financial prostitution. As a result, we see many who are now calling themselves prophets, many of whom have embryonic giftings of the Lord being drawn by perverted motives entering into spiritualism and prophetic divination. They seek out people who they know will go from place to place, night after night, from prophet to prophet just to seek and hear a word. They will give them "a" word and rarely teach them "the WORD." As a result, persons never enter into true deliverance through the renewal of their minds or enter into spiritual transformation. It is among this group that spiritist (false prophets) and spiritualism is produced and reproduced. They begin to say, "the Lord said, or "I saw this in the spirit," or "I heard God telling me to tell you," None of this mean that it is the Spirit of God. There are many spirits that could do this.
As we move deeper into this apostolic and prophetic reformation age, it is going to be all the more important for the Church to be able to understand the difference be-tween the authentic flowing of the Holy Spirit and the operations of spiritualism lest we be deceived.
Spiritualism is deeply rooted and steeped in religious traditions, religious rituals and religious cultures. It is upon this foundation that spiritualism emerges in the hearts of those who seek not the truth of God but only to be seen of men. They seek after and value spiritual gifts with little or no regards for the importance of the fruits of the Spirit in one's life. Don't become impressed by the operations of spiritual gifts, look for the fruits they bear (Galatians 5:22)!
Spiritualism is a satanic manifestation that seeks to counterfeit the giftings of the Holy Spirit and desires to operate in our churches. This is a satanic structure or stronghold in many religious bodies. Where present it produces religious fortune tellers, dream interpreters and false prophetic operations. These individuals are not led by the Spirit of God, they are aided (assisted, ministered to, sustained by and supported by) familiar spirits of the dark realm. They are bogus, phony imitations positioned to the lead God's people astray with their false prophetic operations. We must confront these iniquitous and idolatrous works of darkness and break their powers from operating within the true Church of the Lord Jesus Christ if we want to see signs, wonders, miracles and revival.
True prophecy should edify, exhort and comfort the hearer. "But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to (1) edification, and (2) exhortation, and (3) comfort." I Corinthians 14:3. This scripture is critical to understanding prophetic operations and true prophetic utterances. Prophecy never causes confusion, uncertainty, anxiety or lack of self-confidence. Prophecy produces a knowing in your heart and should never leave you confused, baffled and wondering. If it doesn't then it is not prophecy this is prophetic divination.
As we come closer to the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, there will be an increase in spiritualism within our churches, however Jesus told us to be aware.
I want to leave the following prophetic tools to help you discern the presence of spiritualism and increase your awareness that is much needed in this, the day we live:
THIS PART BELOW --I DO NOT AGREE WITH/
1. They seek to function in ministry with no accountability to God's established authority
THE AUTHOR SEEMS TO HAVE A BIAS FOR BRICK AND MORTAR CHURCHES AND AGAINST HOUSE CHURCHES OR THE FACT THAT CHURCH CAN BE HELD IN A PARKING LOTS BECAUSE IT'S THE BODY OF CHRIST GETTING TOGETHER NO MATTER WHERE OR WHEN.
The first sign is they will try to isolate you from the rest of the body to move you from under authority. They always want to minister to you privately in parking lots, in bathrooms, out in the hallways in hotel rooms; a favourite place for them is on the beach, late nights or early hours of the morning usually before sunrise.
They always carry their own anointing oil which oftentimes when placed upon individuals they become nauseous or gain instant head-aches. They believe heavily in laying hands upon your head or pressing into your stomach regions with great force and strength. They convince you that their anointing is "too heavy or too deep," for the people in the church where they go and so they try to justify why their Pastor doesn't release them in the house in order to minister to you privately.
They target persons by looking for those who appear to be hurting often pulling in their victim by sowing money and other gifts of need into their lives to gain trust. Their goal is to minister and prophesy to them in private places. This ultimately leads persons into spiritual states of confusion and even prophetic divination if not careful. II Peter 2:1 "But there were false pro-phets also among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will privately bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction."
2. They demonstrate critical, negative and harmful behaviour speaking lies against those who stand for and preach the truth
Natural manifestations that you can observe when this malignant mimicking spirit is operating in churches are: They become critical with others and portray self-righteousness by declaring themselves holy and being prideful about never needing spiritual rebuke or correction. They are negative against authority and hate supporting the work of God unless they can be positioned to be seen of men or given prestigious titles. They have a hard time speaking the truth and will sabotage genuine relationships with lies out of envy and jealousy.
In some religious bodies they dress like one another or when operating solo, they choose their own colours and have their garments tailor made which they wear when on specific demonic assignments. In other cases they dress alike and move as a Hollywood style religious entourage notably to be seen and recognized of men. They go so far as to wear their hair the same way and in displaying rehearsed mannerisms of the one they mimic. It gets worse as they practice even the very accents to sound the same.
They are never original in their knowledge or anointing they simply mimic those that are genuinely operating the true anointing and gifts of God.
By far though, if you carefully examine their lives they will have an undeniable past of failed, strained and damaged relationships and a sea of people who have been hurt by their operations. "And a great number will go with them in their evil ways, through whom the true way will have a bad name." Some people never recover from this hurt and often it is the operations of spiritists who give the church a bad name.
3. They become Prophetic Merchandisers
II Peter 2:3 "And in their desire for profit they will come to you with (feigned well-tuned) words of deceit, like traders doing business in souls: whose punishment has been ready for a long time and their destruction is watching for them." Saints be careful with well-tuned, mind-boggling and embellished stories. The heartbeat of those operating in spiritualism is that they are masters of manipulation, control, possessiveness and dominance. They merchandise souls for money. They use smooth prophetic utterances to command financial sums that are based upon the prophetic words given. This is known as prophetic control; it is iniquitous and is a work of darkness. Sadly this is seen operating in Churches right here and leaders themselves are blind often opening the doors of their Churches to these agents of darkness who present themselves as ambassadors of light.
There is no truth and no love in them for God's people! Their prophecies are always connected to false motives, materialism, desire for mammon, to be seen of men, or to boast in numbers of followers. They have no regard towards personal righteousness, sanctification or holiness in the lives of the people who follow them. It's all about the numbers, the amount of the offering to finance their greed. Friends be aware of the leaven, it's here in Grand Bahama! Be aware!
Friends, keep the emails and testimonies coming (kingdomencounter@gmail.com).