The prophet's handbook

Veterans have been there and are not easily fooled by the apparent anointing on the independent prophet’s life or the amazing prophecies he or she utters. Veterans learned long ago that it takes more than a high-powered gift to accredit a prophet. It takes righteousness, the love of God, maturity, and submission. Senior prophets understand above all that the fundamental ministry law of God is respect for authority. Though they may be called from the ranks of the rebellious, if prophets are to excel in that calling, respect for authority is one reality they must prize. Jesus exemplified such respect in Matthew 23:1–3. Experienced prophets who have been groomed by God’s own hand recall the staggering submission lessons they learned from Him in their early years. Experienced prophets learned from God why the kingdom cannot withstand disrespect for authority. They will comprehend what makes rebellion the basis for the house divided. After a few moments with struggling, sullen prophets, stable prophets understand the learning path the King of kings has them on and how useful it will make them later on to pastors who want to install institutional prophets in their churches. Those who have conquered what new prophets must confront and walked the well-paved road of the rebel know God’s orders and are able to identify and redress those issues in others. If for no other reason than those just described, your prophetic superintendent must be comparably seasoned. Once defiant prophets silently determine to walk away from the church, here is how to tell if they are leaving at the unction of God, or if it is their flesh reacting negatively to pastoral authority. Study the telltale signs below and ask yourself, Is the prophet exhibiting the following signs as he or she considers leaving? Answer the following questions to find out. 1.Did the prophet show that every effort was made to serve the Lord in the church and the pastor simply rejected it? If so, then the Lord could be reassigning this prophet to a more receptive and supportive leader. 2.Before the conflict, did the young prophet have a record of serving the church, obeying the pastor, and submitting to the church’s rules? If not, then his or her motive for leaving is most likely selfish and not of God. 3.Is the young prophet leaving without sowing discord among the saints and without dragging his or her own little following behind? Then the call to leave could be of God. Otherwise, it definitely is not. These three factors reflect the spirit in which a prophet or any minister leaves