You’ve heard a prophecy. Now what? Find out how to respond to a prophecy and help the Word of God come to pass.
You’ve just heard a prophecy.
It could have been a personal prophecy, or a word from the Lord delivered corporately, or to a group of people.
Either way, you are now in possession of a message from God. So, what do you do now?
The purpose of a prophecy is not entertainment or to be “in the know.” A prophecy is a call to action. The prophet’s role is to deliver the word of the Lord to His people. But that’s only the beginning.
The fulfillment of a prophecy requires action from those who hear the words of a prophet. Once the word is delivered, we become co-laborers with God to bring it to pass.
You can take spiritual action to help prophetic words come to pass. With that in mind, here’s how to respond to a prophecy.
1. Be Able to Identify Prophets
Responding correctly to a prophetic word requires that you first be able to identify prophets.
There are people, according to Ephesians 4:11, who are explicitly called to operate as prophets. They are anointed by God to speak His message.
However, not everyone who claims to be a prophet has been called and anointed. You’ll be able to identify prophets when the natural operation of the gift is evident in their lives. You must seek the Lord and use discernment before submitting to prophets. As you witness their words come to pass, it will serve as a confirmation.
Kenneth Hagin describes a prophet this way: “A prophet is one who speaks by divine or direct inspiration and immediate revelation. It is not something he thought of himself, but it comes at the spur of the moment. He speaks out by sudden inspiration.”
(Find Scriptures About the Prophet HERE.)
In Jeremiah 1:5, God told Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knewyou, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations” (NIV). There is a calling on the life of a prophet to speak on behalf of the Lord as He directs.
Be on the lookout for the prophetic voice in those whose teaching you sit under. Here at KCM, Brother Copeland is one of the prophetic voices ministering the word of the Lord.
Watch Gloria Copeland and Billye Brim discuss prophecy and its place of importance in the Church.
2. Receive a Prophet
Once you’re skilled at identifying prophets, it’s vital that you receive a prophet, which means that you are open to what that person has to say. That may seem simple, but Christians often fail in this area.
Not every prophet is perfect, nor should you accept every prophetic word without lining it up against the Word of God. But your heart should be open to receiving, rather than being quick to disregard prophetic words.
That doesn’t mean you’ll always like or understand what you hear.
Think of the prophets in the Bible. Their messages weren’t always popular. Often, they were rejected. But those who did not receive a prophet were held accountable.
On the other hand, Matthew 10:41 says, “If you receive a prophet as one who speaks for God, you will be given the same reward as a prophet.” When you receive a prophet, you are receiving God because it is God’s words that are flowing through that person.
Receive a prophet as a messenger from God. Be discerning, but don’t be quick to reject those who act as a mouthpiece for God. Seek to steward the gifts of the Spirit with wisdom.
Watch Kenneth and Gloria Copeland share why you can expect to see more prophesying in 2020.
3. Pay Attention to the Words of a Prophet
Words that come through prophetic utterance are not to be taken lightly. They are a call to action—so pay attention to the words of a prophet!
Second Peter 1:19-21 says, “We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (NIV).
God is telling His people to pay attention!
“Do not scoff at prophecies!” (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
You know, some people make fun of prophets—and the prophetic words spoken. This is dangerous, and it puts those people in the position of opposing God and what He desires to say. Just because something sounds outlandish to you doesn’t mean it is. God has never kept Himself within the realms of reasonable or possible.
Consider this excerpt from the word of the Lord through Brother Copeland on June 4, 1989:
The Berlin Wall will come down. It’s a sign. The Berlin Wall will come down. There will be other walls that will come down. There will be some walls that will go up. Many changes are going to take place. But those that are wise in their heart and listen to the Spirit of God will be quick to say, “Oh, the Lord is at work in the land.” And they will be quick to pray. And they will be quick to rise up as a witness in the streets. And they will be quick to testify wherever they go: “The Lord is working! The Lord is working! He’ll save you! He’ll heal you! He’ll deliver you! He’ll bring you into the place that you ought to be.”
At the time of this prophecy, the Berlin Wall had been standing for 28 years—and there was no sign of a change. This could have sounded impossible—even crazy—to people who are not discerning or aware of how God operates through a prophet. But here’s something essential to remember: Prophets are called “to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant” (Jeremiah 1:10, NIV).
How do they do this? With their words.
This prophecy from Brother Copeland, as he stood in the office of the prophet, was a call to believers to rise up in faith and help that word from the Lord to manifest. Shortly after that, as you know, the Berlin Wall came down.
4. Apply Your Faith to the Prophecy
If you’ve had a personal prophecy and haven’t seen it manifest in your life, it’s time to find out where you need to take action. Get with the Lord, and spend time making the adjustments He brings to your mind. Prepare to receive.
For corporate prophecies, it’s the same. You are called to apply your faith to the prophecy. All of us together add our supply of faith to a prophecy. Pastor George Pearsons says:
“The prophetic word, combined with people’s faith, is unstoppable.”
Prophetic words help us fight the good fight of faith. We know “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds” (2 Corinthians 10:4, KJV). The prophetic word is one of those weapons.
When you hear a prophecy, you can’t sit back and wait for it to happen. There is something you need to contribute to keep it moving along—praying, declaring and standing in faith for that word to come to pass. That’s the power of Matthew 18:18—the power of agreement. It causes a faith momentum that pushes along the prophetic word.
If one can chase a thousand, and two can put 10,000 to flight, imagine what can happen when thousands of us join together!
Next time you hear Brother Copeland or another trusted prophet give a word from the Lord, remember you have a part to play in helping it come to pass. Receive their words, then add your faith to the process. You can be part of the mighty move of God in the earth and help His plans come to pass!
Learn more about the role of the prophet and receiving prophecies in these recent teachings from Pastor George Pearsons:
Working With the Prophetic Word
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