Category: Practical

Advent Reflections 4: Our Hopes and Fears Through All the Years are Met in Thee Tonight

We are delighted to have Karenza Mahtani write a series of Advent reflections for us over the next few weeks. Karenza is part of the Accessible Prophecy UK team. Art work is by Carolyn Higgins, another member of the team.

Over these Advent weeks, we will be following a similar pattern to the traditional Advent wreath – 5 candles, 5 opportunities to reflect on different parts of the story. What each of these candles represents tends to vary across theological and ecclesiastical traditions, but each representation offers a fresh moment to pause and connect with God. I encourage you to take these moments as we move through this season.

The true light that gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was created through him, and yet the world did not recognise him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born, not of natural descent, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God.

John 1:9-14

Last week, we reflected on the joy experienced by the shepherds and Simeon and Anna when they recognised that the promises of God had been fulfilled in sending Jesus. All of them experienced this joy, even though, as far as we know, only Simeon and Anna were waiting expectantly and specifically for the arrival of the Messiah. Nevertheless, all of them were in a position to receive the good news, the answer to the hopes and prayers of a yearning people across the centuries.

Are we in a position to recognize what God is doing in our lives and the lives of those around us? Are we attentive to what the Spirit is doing to bring answers to our prayers, breakthrough in our situations, and healing to our hearts? Sometimes we are quick to recognise it and to receive it with joy. Other times, it can be easy to miss what God is doing in our lives, especially if those lives are chaotic, stressful and noisy. Missing what God is doing can leave us going round in circles in our discipleship and prayer life. Moreover, if we aren’t aware of what God is doing in each of us, it can be difficult to express our testimony to others, as the shepherds and Anna did, especially to those who have not met Jesus yet. We know that knowing God closely makes an impact on us, but we also need fresh bread and new wine each day in order to grow closer to him and share the ongoing difference and transformation he brings to our lives. This starts with noticing when he is on the move.

In the Advent story, particularly in Luke 1, we see several figures who eagerly receive the news and play important roles in preparing the way for Jesus. Most notable amongst these is John the Baptist: he who “came as a witness to testify about the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but he came to testify about the light” (John 1 v 7 – 8). Just as the prophets of the Old Testament prophesied the Messiah’s coming, he is both a fulfilment of the prophecy of Isaiah 40—“a voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare the way for the Lord; make his paths straight!”—but also someone who in turn prophesies about the imminent arrival of the Messiah.

In Luke 1, we see Zechariah and Elizabeth wrestling and receiving the response to their own prayers for children, despite their advanced years. Their differing responses are worth considering, as Zechariah initially appears sceptical about whether this is even possible. This leads to him becoming mute from then on, throughout the whole pregnancy, and only receiving his voice back when he is fully obedient to the instructions of the angel, going against custom and naming his son John. Perhaps this is a challenge for all of us – when we don’t recognise what God is doing, we can lose our voice to share with others. It is in our careful attention to his words and obedience to what he says, that enables us to speak with authority and for those around us to be blessed.

Elizabeth on the other hand, seems to receive this news with great thanksgiving: “The Lord has done this for me. He has looked with favour in these days to take away my disgrace among the people” (Luke 1 v 25). Later on in Luke 1, we see Gabriel also visiting Mary and delivering the news that she will bear the Son of God – this part is often the bit represented in school nativity plays. Yet it is the interaction between Mary and Elizabeth in Luke 1 verses 39 – 45 that shows us the real power of receiving and recognising what God is doing. Mary’s greeting is not only heard by Elizabeth, but by John in the womb who leaps and causes the Holy Spirit to fill Elizabeth – an overflow of God’s power and joy. This leads Elizabeth to declare: “Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfil what he has spoken to her.”

Indeed, this chapter finishes with a now fully restored Zechariah prophesying about both John and Jesus: “And you child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins. Because of our God’s merciful compassion, the dawn from on high will visit us to shine on those who live in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace” (v 76 – 79). To those who receive this move of God, there is salvation, mercy, rescue for those who live in darkness and peace for those who are afflicted and oppressed.

As the nativity story progresses, it is interesting to notice who receives the news of Jesus’ birth with thanksgiving and joy – the shepherds, Mary and Joseph, Elizabeth and Zechariah, the wise men. Later on, as we read about Jesus’ life and ministry, it is the poor, the outcasts, the sick, the downtrodden, the sinners that receive him (and John the Baptist) with great joy. But not everyone does. Those who have already received their comfort and already have stations of power and privilege, such as King Herod and later on the Pharisees and other religious leaders, are threatened by his arrival. Those who know the promises and the prophecies, but seem to be hoping that they would not be realised, at least not during their day. Far from missing what God is doing, they perceive it as an open challenge to their own position. A cause of fear, not of hope. Something to be silenced and cut down. If you’ve read the rest of the Christmas story, and indeed the rest of the Gospels, you know what happens as they attempt to stifle what God is doing.

But what happens if we are not in one of those camps. We are not always like Elizabeth and Mary, receiving and recognising what God is doing quickly and experiencing the accompanying blessings. Nor (hopefully!) are we like Herod, wanting not only to ignore what God is doing because of fear, ignorance or an oppressive comfort, but also to stamp out what he is doing in others. What if we simply are too busy, too stressed, too preoccupied to notice the ways God is working in our lives. To some extent, I would expect that all of us have elements of this within our walks with God. Especially in this last lead up to Christmas, it can be easy to become overwhelmed with tasks and expectations and therefore all too easy to miss the still small voice of God and the subtle ways he is working all things for our good.

Today I would encourage you to just take some time to pause. Be at peace. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you places of joy and breakthrough. Ask him where he is moving in your life. Perhaps you could also ask him to show you or remind you of a testimony that you could share with someone who hasn’t heard that God is Immanuel – God with us. We are no longer alone. Consider the image, listen to the song or perhaps gather a playlist of your own and create some space. Hand your hopes and fears over to him and rest in the wonderful knowledge that all of them are met and answered in the person of Jesus.

Advent Reflections 3: Rejoice in the Lord Always!

We are delighted to have Karenza Mahtani write a series of Advent reflections for us over the next few weeks. Karenza is part of the Accessible Prophecy UK team. Art work is by Carolyn Higgins, another member of the team.

Over these Advent weeks, we will be following a similar pattern to the traditional Advent wreath – 5 candles, 5 opportunities to reflect on different parts of the story. What each of these candles represents tends to vary across theological and ecclesiastical traditions, but each representation offers a fresh moment to pause and connect with God. I encourage you to take these moments as we move through this season.

But the angel said to them, ‘Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the city of David a Saviour was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord.’

Luke 2:10—11

Previously, we reflected on the tension between what has been promised versus what we can see in our circumstances. The hope and expectation brought out from the Patriarchs and the Prophets, but also the reality of disappointment and lament both in our lives and those who waited hundreds of years for the Messiah to be revealed. However, this point in Advent traditionally represents a key shift, when the purple or blue candles of fasting, repentance and waiting give way to a pink candle symbolising joy and celebration. In the Catholic church, this week leads up to Gaudete Sunday, a name derived from Philippians 4 v 4: “Rejoice in the Lord always!” It is this Sunday, where we consider and meditate on the joy of those who recognised that the Messiah had finally come, particularly the shepherds as they rush to see the baby.

In this part of the story, we see the shepherds’ fear turn to overwhelming and infectious joy when they realise that God’s promises have been fulfilled, but also that they have been chosen to bear witness to this. Indeed, verse 17 and 18 tell us that, “After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them”. In the context of the wider story, these are some of the first people to bear witness to the breakthrough of God’s kingdom after such a long time of waiting – no wonder they were filled with joy! There has been pain, darkness, dislocation, lament, but now we join them in celebrating because the Messiah has finally arrived.

Take a moment to reflect on that scene – Mary and Joseph with the new-born Jesus. The shepherds rushing to witness the events that have taken place – maybe they are crowded in close, or in the doorway as they wait their turn. Perhaps they are overcome with emotion, or like Mary, storing up all of this in their hearts. Spend some time with God today, asking him to show you where you fit in this scene. Are you in the midst of the joy, hungry for a glimpse of the Messiah? Or maybe you are somewhere else? Ask God if there is anything specific he wants to say to you in this place. Take some time now to check in.

There seems to be a clear theme of joy in Luke 2, as we see later in the chapter when Jesus is brought to Jerusalem to be presented to the Lord, according to the law of Moses. Firstly, we meet Simeon who the Bible says “was righteous and devout, looking forward to Israel’s consolation and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he saw the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit he entered the temple” (v 25 – 27). Simeon was aware of the promises to the patriarchs and the messages of the prophets and he remained one of a faithful remnant who were waiting expectantly, despite the many hundreds of years that had passed without any sign of fulfilment. Moreover, he trusted in the promise that God had given to him. In this beautiful moment, we see his joy being made complete – he recognises Jesus and takes him into his arms, declaring “Now, Master; you can dismiss your servant in peace, as you promised. For my eyes have seen your salvation” (v 29 – 30). Shortly after, a widow and prophetess called Anna, who the Bible says never left the temple and who served God, day and night, also recognises Jesus and with great joy begins to thank God and share the good news that the Messiah has arrived to anyone who would listen. God grants these two individuals the honour of seeing the Messiah and the fulfilment of his promises before their deaths, and the result is overwhelming joy and thanksgiving.

Alongside hope and expectation, joy and thanksgiving are a key part of Advent. We need to take time to recognise and respond, not only to some of the things which have challenged us this past year, but crucially to those things that have brought us joy. Maybe you have seen answers to prayer this year. Perhaps there have been new additions to your family. A great holiday. An incredible meal with friends. A vaccine. New opportunities at work. An impressive flowering season. It could be anything. Whatever these things are, let us not be a people that forget to express joy and gratitude to God for the ways he meets our needs and fulfils his promises to us. A joyful heart is good medicine!

Take a few moments now to pray and thank God for all he has done for you this past year. You could write down individual things (be creative as to how!) or just thank him for the year as a whole and all the ways he has blessed you. Enjoy listening to this favourite Christmas carol and let it spark the joy of the shepherds, and of Simeon and Anna, in your heart. And remember, in the spirit of Gaudete Sunday: Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

Advent Reflections

We are delighted to have Karenza Mahtani write a series of Advent reflections for us over the next few weeks. Karenza is part of the Accessible Prophecy UK team. Art work is by Carolyn Higgins, another member of the team.

Advent can often be simply a time to prepare for Christmas – buying too much food, writing cards, agonising over which present to buy that person who has everything. Each year it can pass us by without recognition, except by way of tiny open doors and hidden chocolate. However, Advent is a key point in the church calendar. It offers us all a vital time to pause and to reflect as we await the celebration day of the birth of Jesus. It is summed up in the Latin root of Advent – advenire – meaning ‘to come’. But Advent also shows us that we don’t need to race to December 25th. Instead, we are offered a profound time where we hope for, lament, wrestle, prepare, rejoice and thank God for sending us Jesus and we long for his return.

Over these Advent weeks, we will be following a similar pattern to the traditional Advent wreath – 5 candles, 5 opportunities to reflect on different parts of the story. What each of these candles represents tends to vary across theological and ecclesiastical traditions, but each representation offers a fresh moment to pause and connect with God. I encourage you to take these moments as we move through this season.

Advent Reflection 1: Great is Your Faithfulness!

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.” John 1 v 1-5

Our season of Advent usually lasts around four weeks. However, when we understand the breadth of time that Advent truly represents, we begin to see that the whole of history leading up to the birth of Jesus was advent – a story waiting for the main character to arrive. From the very beginning, we see that Jesus resides above and within the fabric of creation, as we read in this famous passage from John 1. Moreover, as this week often is given to represent the Patriarchs and the promises made to those who went before Jesus, we see that Jesus has always been the plan – even as far back as Genesis 3, where God curses the serpent by declaring there will be “hostility… between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel” (v 15). This moment sets up the rest of the story of God’s redeeming work towards mankind. Jesus is promised, as one who will crush the Enemy, defeat sin and return mankind to perfect relationship with God, as it was intended.

Moreover, as the story proceeds, God continues to promise the revelation of Jesus to specific individuals along the way. Maybe take some time to read through these stories of promises today. To Abraham, he promises that through his offspring, all the nations of the earth will be blessed (Genesis 12 v 3 & Genesis 22 v 18), a promise that is repeated as Isaac is born. To Jacob, this promise continues through Balaam’s Third Oracle: “I see him, but not now: I perceive him, but not near. A star will come from Jacob, and a sceptre will arise from Israel” (Numbers 24 v 17). Similarly, Jacob continues these promises to Judah in his last words, when he says “The sceptre will not depart from Judah or the staff from between his feet until he whose right it is comes and the obedience of the peoples belongs to him” (Genesis 49 v 10). Later on, we see the continuation of this when Nathan prophesies to David: “When your time comes and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up after you your descendant…and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (2 Samuel 7 v 12 -13).

In this way, throughout the Old Testament, God continues to reveal his plan to redeem mankind and promises various individuals that it is through their family that he will bring about his Kingdom and the restoration of all things. This is reflected in the Antiphon – O Radix Jesse: “O Root of Jesse, standing as a sign among the peoples, before you kings will shut their mouths, to you the nations will make their prayer: Come and deliver us, and delay no longer.” Each generation held onto the promise God had made, passing it down to those that came after despite not seeing its fulfilment. However, we also see through both the Genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1, written for a Jewish audience who were familiar with the promises to the Patriarchs, but also further back into Genesis 11 and 5, that not only does God fulfil his promises to these specific individuals – Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and David – but that he also bestows honour and brings redemption. For example, Ruth, a foreign woman who refused to desert her mother-in-law when disaster struck, is honoured as the one who gave birth to Obed, father of Jesse, father to David. Moreover, we see in this genealogy that Jesus is descended from the line of Tamar who – as we read in Genesis 38 – was the daughter-in-law of Judah, yet was impregnated by him and subsequently gave birth to Perez (an ancestor of Jesus). Similarly, usually connected with David’s great sins of adultery and murder (2 Samuel 11), Bathsheba also receives mention within the genealogy, not only as the mother of Solomon, but also as the wife of Uriah – her rightful husband. Despite the sins of David, God still uses his descendent born of Bathsheba, to redeem not just the whole world, but also to a certain extent the misdeeds of his own family. Within these we see that God’s promises and faithfulness remain true regardless of the ethical or sexual purity of people’s behaviour. In this same way, we see after David, a long line of kings from whom Jesus is descended through Joseph, some of whom pleased the Lord, such as Josiah, many of whom failed and led the people of God astray to great destruction.

Despite all of this, the promises of God hold true. No matter the sin – individual and collective – or the background or circumstances of those involved in Jesus’ family history, God still works through this to redeem and restore mankind, but also those who came before him. Whilst on the one hand, the actions of many within this genealogy would seem utterly disqualifying, all of them are given a clear mention in being part of fulfilling the promises of God through the birth of Jesus.

As we begin Advent this week, take some time to reflect on some of the promises God has made to you. Maybe make a physical list or simply ask God to bring them to mind. Use the song below or the image to help you focus and process some of the things that God raises with you during this time. Be encouraged that God works through hundreds of years and some of the worst evil that humanity can produce and still brings promises to fulfilment. Allow yourself to rest in the promise in Isaiah 55 that God’s words do not return to him empty – they are fulfilled, even if this happens on a different time scale, in a different way or through surprising people or circumstances, beyond what we were expecting. Moreover, ask God for fresh hope and faith to pray these promises to fulfilment, and for the eyes to see where he is already moving in your life and the lives of those around you. Or you could spend some time looking through the promises God makes and fulfils across the Bible to various people, as we have done briefly above. Thank him for his faithfulness and goodness to us, despite the ways that we often fall short and forget what he has done before.

I pray that in this first week of Advent, you would be blessed by the testimony of the Patriarchs and by the God who keeps his promises.

Prophecy Needs Discernment

One of the topics we discuss in our coaching huddles is discernment. Our guest blogger this month is huddle participant Kelly Hennessey from Canada, who shares her insights on this important subject.

One of the best realisations you can have when learning about the gift of prophecy is that prophecy, like life, can be messy.

New Testament prophecy is refreshingly different from the Old Testament. For the church today, in the age of the Spirit, God’s spoken word is freely and generously available. Jesus’ death and resurrection give us direct access to the throne of God, to the loving Father himself.

God cares deeply for us! He has many wonderful things to speak to us and he wants us to hear clearly what he is telling us.

In its simplest form, prophecy works like this: God speaks to the heart of a believer who is meant to receive and share God’s words and images with other believers (and at times, non-believers). This may happen one-on-one, in a group setting, or within a church community. Simple!

And not so simple.

Mistakes are part of learning how to hear God. None of us, in receiving words from the Spirit, gets it 100% right all the time – even most of the time. And yet we often lack granting the gift of grace when others speak prophetic words. Our expectations are too high and unrealistic of our brethren.

For prophecy to flourish and become a vital part of the landscape of a church community, it is important to create a safe space in which to practice and play. We need to remember that we are all on a life-long learning journey with the Lord, and as long as we’re here, we are never going to get it all right. This also applies to the words and images God asks us to share with others.

When we are given a prophetic word – what a gift! – we need to remember a little-focused part of the Lord’s commandment: “Love the Lord with all your heart, and MIND, and strength and soul.” (MSG, emphasis my own). God tells us to show up with our brains as we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. It’s called “discernment”.

In prophecy, we need to consider discernment in three areas:

  1. Testing the words God speaks directly to us
  2. Testing prophecies given to us by other people
  3. Testing “corporate words” – prophecies for the whole church, city or region (which can spark conversation and controversy).

In every case, the New Testament makes it clear that we are to weigh things carefully.

Don’t suppress the Spirit, and don’t stifle those who have a word from the Master. On the other hand, don’t be gullible. Check out everything, and keep only what’s good. 1 Thessalonians 5:29 (MSG)

My dear friends, don’t believe everything you hear. Carefully weigh and examine what people tell you. Not everyone who talks about God comes from God. 1 John 4:1 (MSG)

Every child of God can hear His voice. Our personal role is to continue in relationship with the Holy Spirit as friend and companion first, knowing prophecy will naturally flow out of that relationship. Then we need to keep front and centre the reality that even in a safe environment, mistakes can happen.

Whenever we give or receive a prophecy we need to recognize the impact of our own human preferences. Our egos, personal agendas, opinions, assumptions and mindsets are at risk of becoming a filter and muddying up God’s message. Messy.

So before you give another person “a word”, press in to ask yourself how much of this is you? How much do you already know about this person’s life and struggles, and how might that be influencing what you think you’re “hearing”? How much do you want to provide your own advice? How much of this is God? Be diligent to tell the Spirit it’s His agenda, not yours.

Maturity in the prophetic is being able to remove or recognise our own filters before delivering words to another. We will have weighed and tested what we’ve been given before we deliver it.

When we are at the receiving end of a prophecy, God’s Word instructs us to sift and weigh it, too. Who or what is the source of this information? What is the character of the person delivering it? How deep is their relationship with the Lord? Is the Word of God a regular part of their Christian walk? How big are their egos? What might they be projecting on you? How is your relationship with them? Regardless of who is delivering that prophecy, use your mind and your Spirit-led heart before receiving or accepting it. Seek scriptures to affirm, or discount, it.

If you can, find a fellow believer who is familiar with giving and receiving prophecy, for it helps to have accountability and someone with whom to discern “a word”.

These cycles of receiving and sharing prophecies with discernment is a process that will never end, nor is it meant to be one of discouragement. What really matters is that we provide generous, kind room to one another to hear and share – to the best of our ability – God’s intimate direction in our lives. It could be messy.

And that’s okay.

The Power of Prophetic Prayer

This blog has been written by a member of the Accessible Prophecy team.

A few years ago I experienced for the first time the power of crafted, prophetic prayer, and I would love to share with you what I learnt through this.

What do we mean by crafted, prophetic prayer?

This is the process by which we prayerfully seek God for the specific words to pray over a particular situation; we write them down; and then we pray these words regularly until either the situation changes or God tells us we need no longer pray them.

Often this may revolve around a number of scriptures which God will bring to mind. Once we have noted them and prayed over them, we ask the Holy Spirit to bring to our mind how He wants us to pray these scriptures over the situation or person. Then with His help, we write out a prayer which we feel reflects the Father’s heart. Then we declare or speak out God’s truth audibly over that situation. By continuing to pray this crafted prophetic prayer we keep our heart and mind focussed on God’s will rather than our own. When we are deeply distressed about something it helps to be able to read a prayer on a daily basis rather than having to fight our way through our own feelings afresh before we can pray.

A good friend of mine was experiencing difficulty in her marriage. Both she and her husband are Christians and I confess I was angry with him for being, as I saw it, the cause of her deep distress. I wanted to support them both in prayer but noticed that the attitude of my prayer for him was one of judgement rather than grace. I also realised that I was praying that his behaviour would change in ways which I believed would help my friend. My prayers had become manipulative.

In an effort to become a clean vessel of blessing I enrolled the help of a prophetic friend, asking her to ask the Lord what I could pray regularly over this man which would be in line with God’s will, rather than my own.
Unsurprisingly enough, God gave her 4 or 5 passages from the Bible which addressed, not his behaviour, but his heart, his identity, his up-building, strengthening and encouragement.

My friend then wrote out a prayer for me to use which declared over this man truths about God’s love for him and God’s desires for his life.

By way of example: “Lord, You have given xxx the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Yourself. Open the eyes of his heart so that he may know the hope to which You have called him. Reveal to him the riches of Your grace, his inheritance in You, Your greatness and mighty power which raised Christ from the dead. Show him that as his Father You can heal any hurt, repair any brokenness. You have the power to make all things new.” Based on Ephesians 1:17-20

Because I was so despairing about this situation I found it difficult to pray my own spontaneous prayers of hope over this man, so having this to read daily helped me engage constructively in the spiritual battle for this couple’s marriage.

After a number of months of praying this crafted, prophetic prayer I found to my delight that change was being wrought, not just in my friend’s husband but also in the attitude of my heart towards him. Instead of judgement I found I had grown in grace and hope both for him and for his marriage. In my heart I found I could love and accept him in his frailty and had grown supportive once more of them as a couple. Within the year my friend and her husband had grown much closer both to God and one another.

I believe that as my friend listened prophetically to God’s desire for this man’s life He gave her a prayer with which to build him up in Christ but also release me from the bitter root of judgement which I had allowed to grow in me.

I found Graham Cooke’s book “Crafted Prayer” very helpful in understanding how I can write my own crafted prayers both for my life and for the lives of others.

Stewarding Our Prophetic Gifts

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17

You are in possession of some remarkable prophetic gifts.

The New Testament makes it clear that our good and generous Father is the great gift-giver and, with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all God’s people, revelatory gifts are available to all. The beautiful gift of prophecy is accessible to every disciple of Jesus: it’s certainly not something reserved for the prophets. We all have the potential to take hold of this gift by faith and move powerfully in the prophetic for the encouragement and strengthening of everyone.

But it seems to me that many of us, for whatever reason, fail to properly step into this potential. Perhaps another way of putting it is that we don’t always do a great job of stewarding the gifts that God has freely given us through his Spirit.

In this blog I want to touch on one particular area of stewarding prophetic gifts. This is the area of spiritual disciplines and how getting the right ones in place can open the door in all sorts of incredible ways to an authentic prophetic lifestyle.

Train yourself for godliness… 1 Timothy 4:7

By spiritual disciplines I mean the regular habits that we put in place to help us stay connected to God, which usually include things like Bible reading, prayer, worship, contemplation and listening. These disciplines provide devotional pathways for us: patterns we can build into our day-to-day lives that draw us back to the reality of being immersed in the sacred presence of God’s light and love. The right disciplines keep us spiritually healthy and help us avoid complacency: they nurture our desire for God, allowing us to be captivated by the divine beauty and maintain our awareness of his nearness.

A healthy prophetic culture is one that recognises that although God is always with us, there are certain patterns and rhythms that help develop attentiveness to his presence and openness to his voice.

Spiritual disciplines help us stay attentive to God’s voice day by day. In fact getting the right spiritual patterns and disciplines in place is one very important way in which we can steward the prophetic gifts that God has given us.

Now, some of us find routine something of a challenge. It can be difficult, first of all, to find the daily disciplines that work for us. And secondly, to stick to them.

But this is why having a conversation with God about them can make all the difference.

In my previous blog I wrote about seeking God for a word – the word – for the year ahead. Which is a life-giving and discipleship-enhancing practice that we can all do. But equally important I believe is asking God for what the pattern of our spiritual disciplines should be throughout 2021.

If one of your goals for this year is to hear God more clearly, then it follows that you need to build the right patterns and habits into your life to best facilitate this. Many of us are only scratching the surface of the prophetic because of busyness, hurry and distraction. Revelatory gifts need to be carefully nurtured and attended to. After all – those of you who have run a marathon will know that without months of regular, disciplined, scheduled training, there is no way you would be able to complete those 26 plus miles on the day of the event.

Very few of us these days live in a monastery with the provision of regular times of prayer throughout the day (and night!) So we need to be proactive and intentional about getting the right patterns in place.

What I’ve learnt over the years is that if I ask God to help me with spiritual disciples he will faithfully lead me to the right ones for any particular period of time. We need to remember that one size does not fit all: we can’t prescribe identikit disciplines to every Christian, because we’re all different. Those of us who grew up with the evangelical concept of the daily ‘quiet time’ may need to start thinking outside the box and be open to new and creative ways for maintaining attentiveness to God.

These may be disciplines, but they are there to be life-giving and to feed our souls. They are not a task, a mechanical exercise; they are not something to fail at. Rather, God wants to meet us and speak to us through them according to the way he made us.

Here’s an example: one really simple daily discipline I’m doing over winter is to light a candle at 4pm and spend a few minutes sitting in God’s presence and meditating on Jesus being the Light of the World. I’m finding that this habit is regularly opening the door to fresh revelation.

So my challenge to you is to ask God for specifics. He has created each one of us and knows us perfectly. And he knows what particular routines and rhythms are going to work best for us. This time of year is the ideal time to be seeking God for this detailed information.

  • What daily disciplines are going to keep you rooted and grounded in the scriptures?
  • What daily habits are going to create the space for you to hear God in a deeper way?
  • What daily schedule is going to keep you centred on the presence of God and filled with the Spirit?

As God starts to answer these questions for you, and a plan emerges, I recommend that you find at least one person to share it with who can pray for you and hold you accountable.

What’s Your Word for 2021?

For the past few years I have been in the habit of using December as a time to seek God for a prophetic word for the year ahead – a personal word for my life.

  • A word that will have significance for the coming months.
  • A word that defines the theme of the next stage of my faith journey.
  • A word that will lead me into closer relationship with Jesus.

And it is usually – literally – just one word.

Sometimes the word has come straightaway; sometimes it has taken much longer to discern. But God has always been faithful in providing a word to guide me, strengthen me, and give me hope. After all, Jesus is my Good Shepherd who has promised to lead me by His voice (John 10:27) – a promise that is true for every single follower of Christ.

This year is no different. At the end of a turbulent 2020 I believe that now more than ever we need to be seeking our Heavenly Father for the words that will light the path ahead of us as we face all the uncertainty of the year ahead.

So here are some simple steps that we can follow as we “incline our ears and listen” (Isaiah 55:3) to the One who knows us, loves us, and generously pours out His revelation into our hearts:

1. Create space to listen

We first of all need to create an environment where we can pay attention, and engage with God’s presence and voice. It’s very hard to hear God when we’re busy and distracted, so we need to slow right down and listen from a place of peace and stillness. This won’t happen accidentally; rather it is intentionality that opens up the doors to revelation. So grab a coffee, go for a walk, retreat to a quiet spot – do whatever you need to do to get some precious time alone with God.

2. Ask

Sometimes we forget the simple step of asking God the relevant question. So go ahead and ask Him: “What is Your word of life and transformation for me for 2021?” And then listen for His answer, with faith and expectancy. Remember that God speaks in all sorts of creative ways. It may be through a dream, through a picture that pops into your mind, through a Bible verse, or through a conversation with a friend. But stay alert for the word that He has for you.

3. Weigh it

The Bible makes it clear that we should test and weigh prophecy. So, once you start to have a sense of what God is saying to you, write it down and pray about it. Does it resonate? Does it sound like the voice of Jesus? Have you got a friend or prayer partner that you could share it with to help you discern?

4. Say “Yes” to the word

God doesn’t force prophecies on us; rather He invites us to walk with Him to see the fulfilment He intends. Every word He speaks into our lives is an invitation to transformation. So will you yield? Will you say, “Yes”? Will you fully embrace all that He wants to do in you through this word?

5. Make a plan

An authentic prophetic lifestyle is as much about responding as it is about hearing. So what simple, step-by-step plan do you need to make so that you can respond with obedience to the word throughout the year ahead?

My prayer for all of you reading this post is that you will be able to lean into the heart of our Good Father and hear the particular word of life that He has for you in 2021. Happy New Year!

When Prophets Get Things Wrong – and How We Can Get It Right

“Was that really the voice of God?”

We all have moments when we question our own ability to hear God clearly; and in late 2020 many of us have misgivings about the ability of the prophets to have any kind of idea of what God may be saying about world events. How can we determine what an authentic prophetic ministry is, whether it belongs to us or someone else?

Doubt is a normal part of any exploration of prophetic gifts and ministry. For those of us taking our first baby steps in listening to God we are bound to question our own prophetic experiences until we become more confident in our ability to recognise the particular tone and content of Jesus’ voice. And even for those of us who have been using prophetic gifts for years, I believe that it’s appropriate and healthy to hold things lightly, to be cautious, and to ask questions of what we think God is saying. We are all learners. We should never assume we get it 100% right and we certainly need our Christian communities to help us with discernment and accountability; especially when we claim to be hearing God for other people.

I love prophetic ministry, which we can define as seeking God’s heart for those around us. The New Testament teaches us that we can all learn to use the gift of prophecy, and 1 Corinthians 14:3 is clear that this wonderful gift does so much to strengthen, encourage and comfort other people. But in pursuing this gift we also need to recognise the huge responsibility involved, particularly as we move from:

Hearing God for ourselves

To hearing God for someone else (personal prophecy)

To hearing God for the bigger picture (public prophecy)

If we claim to speak for God we have to ensure that we have been ruthless in setting aside anything that might conspire to twist, distort or filter the true word of God. In order to tune into God’s voice we have to learn to tune out all the other voices that are fighting for our attention, and some of these “other voices” are very subtle and deceptive.

  • They may be issues of the heart, such as emotional pain, fear, hurts, unforgiveness, brokenness, and trauma.
  • They may be issues of the mind, such as our mindsets, prejudices, world-views, belief systems, opinions, ideologies, judgments, and theology.

But these all have the ability to cloud our prophetic perception. If we are going to hear God clearly we have to surrender them back to God.

As I’ve observed many different expressions of prophetic ministry over the years there are two particular scenarios that concern me, ones where I see many mistakes being made:

  • Emotionally charged environments
  • Politically charged environments

It is really hard to hear God clearly and precisely in these contexts and even experienced prophets may miss the mark.

When a dear friend of mine is desperately ill in hospital, I know that the voice of my emotions is going to be very loud, and I’m extremely cautious not to confuse their voice with the voice of God. In any situation where there are a lot of emotions involved we have to exercise considerable vigilance when seeking to hear from him.

I believe that it’s even harder to hear God about some of the political issues that have dominated our collective consciousness in recent years. Not impossible; but it’s so hard because, certainly here in the UK, we cherish (and even idolise) our carefully nurtured opinions. Politics is a big part of life, and now, with social media, everyone has an opinion. Personal biases that have been shaped by our upbringing, culture, and experience can have a devastating impact on our prophetic perception. And the stakes seem so high. For those of us in the UK and US, as politics has heated up in recent years, it seems that any public prophecy, whether speaking into Brexit or American politics, is taking place in a context that is both emotionally and politically charged.

Getting our agendas, opinions and feelings out of the way is hard enough when prophesying over an individual. But it’s ten times harder when prophesying over a nation.

It’s not at all surprising that many “big name” prophets have got things wrong recently. I personally think part of the problem is that the rest of the church venerates them too much: we have slipped into an Old Testament mindset: “I can’t hear God for myself – I need a prophet to tell me what God is saying”.

If you want to be able to hear what God is saying about Trump, Brexit, Boris or the EU, please understand that you don’t have to go to a prophet. The remarkable Spirit of Truth has been given to you and you can ask him yourself. It is his delight to search the heart of the Father and make his thoughts known to you. But I’d strongly recommend you also follow these three steps:

1. Ask yourself “Why?” Why do you want to hear God about that particular issue? The main reason God speaks to us about global events is so that we will pray. So will you faithfully commit to pray about these things?

2. Stay rooted in love: love for God, love for his world, and love for our leaders – especially the ones we disagree with.

3. Ruthlessly and radically surrender all your opinions, agendas and feelings before God. This may takes days, weeks or years. Consider carefully the warnings in Jeremiah 23:16 and Ezekiel 14:3 which indicate the perils of inquiring of God through the lenses of our own understanding and our idols. The aim is to be an empty vessel that God can fill with his pure revelation. Humble yourself and remember the wisdom of Proverbs 3:5-6 “Lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him.”

As well as ensuring our own prophetic perception is untainted, we want to be able to weigh and discern other prophetic voices that we come across. The New Testament makes it clear we should test all prophecies. It’s hard to weigh and test strident prophetic voices when they speak so loudly about issues and claim the Bible backs them up. But we all have the Holy Spirit. And most importantly we all have the beautiful image of Jesus before us. As we seek to weigh other people’s prophecies we can ask, “Does this look like and sound like Jesus?”

Prophets will make mistakes. Well known prophets will get things wrong. We are all seeing through a glass darkly (1 Corinthians 13:12). But this should never be a reason to avoid the precious gifts of the Spirit. Prophecy has been used to abuse, manipulate and control people. It has been used to push political agendas. But the beautiful Spirit of Truth has never abandoned the church of Jesus. And he loves a humble heart.

            “But when he, the Spirit of Truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth.” John 16:13

Lessons from Nehemiah: The recovery phase

This blog has been written by Ceri and Simon Harris and is the second of a series of blogs on Nehemiah

We are experiencing tumultuous times.  We know that times of great disturbance or disaster follow three broad phases:

– Response:  the immediate emergency response to the situation 

– Recovery: the long slow period of getting back to a new normal

– Reconstruction: the long term rebuilding, and protection from a future reoccurrence

We see that Nehemiah went through these same stages.  In this series of three blogs we are exploring his journey and seeing what lessons we can draw in being attentive and responsive to the voice of God. 

In the first blog in this series –The Response Phase – we saw how Nehemiah heard the voice of God in the midst of disaster. Now as the recovery phase gets underway and the task of building the walls of Jerusalem begins we see, in this second blog,  Nehemiah’s responsiveness to God’s voice. 

1. His active response was thoughtful 

I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days I set out during the night with a few others. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. Nehemiah 2:11-12

Nehemiah’s response was thoughtful.  He didn’t rush but travelling around he made an honest assessment of the land.  Having allowed the full weight of God’s word to rest on him in chapter 1, we see in chapter 2 that he allows the true reality of the situation to sink in.  This will be no quick fix or shallow response but allowing the the truth about the situation to become clear.  

What do we need to be more thoughtful about?

2. His active response was in community  

Nehemiah knew that responding to God’s word needed to take place in community. 

Then I said to them, ‘You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.’ Nehemiah 2:17

Chapter 3, which follows, is a marvellous picture of a community hearing and responding to the word of God. 

Where are we trying to go alone when God’s plan is to go with others?

3. His active response was all in 

So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart. Nehemiah 4:6

Their whole hearts were engaged. This was no half-hearted, luke-warm response but in response to God’s word they gave it everything that they had.

Where are we going through the motions but our hearts are not engaged?

4. His active response was resolute

Nehemiah and the people were attacked from within and without. It’s always the same when we respond to God’s voice. Attack is near far away, but they were resolute in standing firm. 

They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. 9 But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat. Nehemiah 4:8-9

Where do we need to be more resolute?

5. He active response was compassionate 

Nehemiah was compassionate. When we are gripped by what God has said we can be aggressive and a little harsh in our desire to see it done. But Nehemiah allowed compassion to be at the centre of the community.

Remember me with favour, my God, for all I have done for these people. Nehemiah 5:19

Where have we developed a hard edge because we are trying to get the job done?

Lessons from Nehemiah: The Response Phase

This blog has been written by Ceri and Simon Harris, leaders of Burlington Baptist church in Ipswich. Ceri leads the Accessible Prophecy UK team.

We are experiencing tumultuous times.  We know that times of great disturbance or disaster follow three broad phases:

– Response:  the immediate emergency response to the situation 

– Recovery: the long slow period of getting back to a new normal

– Reconstruction: the long term rebuilding and protection from a future reoccurrence

We see that Nehemiah went through these same stages.  In this series of three blogs we will explore his journey and see what lessons we can draw in being attentive to the voice of God.

In the midst of the disaster facing his people, Nehemiah heard the voice of God.  Chapter 1 of Nehemiah helps us understand the environment that enables him hear.

1. He was attentive with his mind

I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem. Nehemiah 1:2

Nehemiah was quick to seek out news.  To understand what was happening.  To connect with the world around him.  We are reminded of how connected the prophets were with their culture and context.  Hearing God speak is never in a vacuum.  

What are we enquiring after?  

2. He was attentive with his heart 

This current crisis has caused many of us to shut out the daily news as its impact can be overwhelming.  But here are we are gently reminded that Nehemiah not only enquired but that he also engaged his heart.

When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. Nehemiah 1:3

We must be appropriate of course, and guard becoming overwhelmed, however for Nehemiah it was as he enquired his mind and engaged his heart that he began to hear the voice of God.

What are we weeping about?

3. He was attentive in prayer 

This seems obvious.  It is.  But it’s not easy.  The time stamp of chapter 1:1 and chapter 2:1 is a period of 4 months.  

For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Nehemiah 1:4

The voice of God can be a quick and instant reality, but at other times it is a growing conviction borne out of days, weeks, months of prayer.

What are we praying for?

4. He was attentive to God

We all have a history, a context, a reality.  Nehemiah certainly did.  Even though he was serving in a foreign land he kept his faith & God’s faithfulness at the centre of his focus.  This seems really important.  His prayer didn’t focus on the disaster, but rather on God.

Then I said: “Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments … Nehemiah 1:5

God was all powerful and able (v5)

God’s love was dependable (v5)

God’s promises were certain (v5)

God is merciful (v6)

God keeps his promises (v8-9)

Where is our focus?

5. He was attentive to God’s timing 

Four months!  That’s waiting.  That’s patience.  That’s a careful, poised, God is in control wait.  When exactly did he know that God was asking him to return to do the rebuilding? We might suspect pretty early on, although we don’t know.  God’s word though is never rushed.  We do well to sit with it, meditate on it and pray over it.  A little seed, a quiet whisper begins to grow.  God’s word grows in clarity, in depth, in richness as we wait. 

How long do you wait when we think we have heard God speak?

6.  He was ready to take action 

So at the right moment he jumped into action.  Looking sad in the King’s presence (risking his life if the king was displease) the thing was perfect.  God had gone ahead of his word, and may the way ready.  The king asked what Nehemiah wanted:

The king said to me, “What is it you want?” Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favour in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.” Nehemiah 2:4-5

He was an active responder.  Poised, ready to act on what God was saying despite the challenge and obstacles ahead, despite the ridicule and moments of self doubt. 

Such is the posture of those who faithfully hear the word of the Lord.

When we hear God speak are we passive receivers or an active responders?