What’s Your Angel’s Name What does it Look Like? part 3

Posted on February 26, 2017 by prophministries

Knowing the Things of God chapter 11 part 92 page 205

When I finally surrendered to the calling on my life, I began to really study the bible. The one thing that kept grabbing me was that we should be able to hear the voice of God and have the power to minister in spiritual gifts. The only way I knew to obtain these gifts was to ask for them. So every morning at 5:45, I would go to the church sanctuary and walk and pray for an hour or more each day.

After about 8 to 10 weeks of faithfully praying and asking God to be used in signs and wonders, He spoke to me. Now, this was not some faint whisper I heard. It was His audible voice booming in this wideopen space. He started with this exact question: “Do you want to do the stuff?” Without thinking, I responded with a loud “YES,” wondering why it had taken so long for Him to hear my prayers. He then interrupted my thoughts, saying: “Then love my people the way I do.”

I took a quick self-examination of my abilities to love people like Jesus loved the people and realized I couldn’t do that of myself. So from that day forward I changed my prayer to: “Lord, teach me how to love your people the way you do.”
Within just a couple of weeks of that, I was invited to travel with a group of apostles and prophets who were scheduled to travel through Texas to minister in a number of churches. It was at the very first church we visited that Prophet Gary Brooks prophesied and laid hands upon me to receive the spiritual gifts of prophecy, the word of knowledge, and the word of wisdom.

“For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Rom. 11:29).

It is true that when God blesses you with a spiritual gift it is irrevocable. In other words, it cannot be taken away. Many folks have a real problem with this, but He will not take the gift back if misused. He simply removes the vessel. That is something to truly fear. The scripture above also gives an explanation as to why the gift is still working when ministers go astray, living a life in sin but still ministering in the spiritual gift for which they are known. Unfortunately, there are also ministers who lead God’s people with an iron fist and make demands of their flock that are unreasonable.

Those kinds of misgivings concerned me for years until the Holy Spirit taught me about these truths regarding spiritual gifts. After I had received the prophetic gifts, my life was radically changed. However, at the same time I was troubled over what our Lord Jesus had said in this verse: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven. Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, cast out demons in your name, and done many wonders in your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness!'” (Matt. 7:21-23).

In the beginning of this ministry, I thought that I could do no wrong in the eyes of God. Soon, however, these verses shattered me and made me question my own salvation; I wondered how I would ever be sure that I was pleasing God. Even while ministering in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, I could mess up and hear Him say, “Turn from me, I don’t know you.” How could I ever get it right? What must I do to please God and not feel at risk of losing my position in Heaven? It seemed to take years before the Holy Spirit came to me and told me what I needed to do to keep myself safe in the eyes of God. What He said is easy to repeat but much more difficult to accomplish. Once again, these were His words: “Love My people the way I do.”

Abiding in God’s Will part 93 page 207

“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” (John 15:7).
This verse of scripture has a much deeper meaning than you may think. To “abide in me” is to live in Christ and Him in you, and you are forbidden to meditate or touch anything that is not of Him. This part of the verse is not too difficult to understand because anything of sin should not be let in.

It’s the next part of the verse that has been misunderstood for a long time by many and needs further explanation-“and my words abide in you.” Here is what most people think this part of the verse is saying: if you stay away from sin and read your bible every day, or as often as possible, then you are abiding in His word. Therefore, their belief is that the promise in this verse in John 15, “you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you,” is automatically working for every believing Christian. When it doesn’t work in their life, they question their faith and the truth of the bible.

We must be willing to answer the call of the Holy Spirit and be willing to follow Him to the depths of our sanity. He will take you through various situations along this journey, teaching you what His words really mean. Whether it’s the written word or the spoken word, we must obtain understanding because this will increase our knowledge; and with knowledge we will become much wiser.

Now let’s give this some thought. It’s not too difficult to read your bible and restrain yourself from offending God, so why doesn’t every Christian receive whatever they so desire? After all, the bible promises it to be so. The promise in this verse we are discussing states that “you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.”

This is a very powerful promise and I will explain how you are to obtain it. Know that the first part of this puzzle of truth must be broken down in order for us to see the prerequisites outlined within it. When we do this, we can receive the full measure of the promise and its manifestation. Allow me, if you will, to stretch your faith a little and share with you what I have been taught by the Holy Spirit. The next few steps are not meant to offend, but rather to help set you in a place to begin walking in the fullness of the promises of God.

Remember this one thing: the Holy Bible is 100% from God and is all true! Truth will always work when applied as instructed. If what you have been taught in the past is not working, then it is not being taught correctly and it is time to ask the only true Teacher for the correct answers. The Holy Spirit is the author and teacher that will give you all truth and nothing but the truth. Also, remember that what is written in the Holy Bible is not all there is to know about living this life as a child of God. We can continue to learn daily from our God, for He is NOT dead but alive and He is speaking to you and me.

Who or What is the Word of God?
part 94 page 209

First of all, your bible is not the Word of God. Jesus Christ is the Word of God, and He can speak to you through the written words found in the bible. Do not be confused-He is not wood pulp and ink, bound in genuine leather. The Holy Scriptures are a compilation of divine events that are inscribed testimonials about God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

When you are reading from your bible, you need to know the difference between the logos word and His Rhema Word. Many words in the bible have more than one meaning, for they originated in another language than English. When we read our bibles in the English translation, the same word can be used over and over and have the same meaning. However, in the original text it may have had multiple meanings.

If you are reading your bible and you are just obtaining information as you study, you are reading the written word (or the logos word). The Holy Spirit can use any book, billboard, poster, man, woman, child, and even a donkey to speak to you. There is no limit to how God can speak His Rhema Word (or His life-giving word). We are always looking for the life-giving word, the Rhema Word of God. The Rhema Word changes our lives, gives us direction, heals, and delivers us. Do you know what it’s like to have the Holy Spirit speak His Rhema Word to you in the very hour you have need?

This is the Rhema Word this verse is talking about, not just whatever you want to read or claim for yourself. The verse is referring to the Rhema Word from Jesus Christ, who IS the living Word in this verse. “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.”

I hope and pray you understand this part and use it as your spiritual compass to guide you through life. Continually keep your spiritual antennas up, ready to receive every life-giving Rhema Word that comes to you. It is your Master, King, Lord Jesus speaking to you. Pray, hear, and obey, for it is the Christian way!

Hear and Obey, or Go Your Own Way
part 95 page 211

Jesus is not dead. He is alive and speaking to you and me. The problem is that we have become dull of hearing. We have become so involved in what the world has to offer with all of its noise, its propaganda, and its advertisements, that it has become difficult to know God’s perfect will for our lives. The Holy Spirit is always trying to speak to us over the noise of this world and He wants to tell us what’s to come in our future-if we will only hear Him.

By hearing a prophecy from a prophet, you will have the unction and desire to hear God for yourself. How will we be able to know except there is one given to us to hear God for us? One of the ways God speaks to us is by revealing His will through personal prophecy. This can reveal things that only God would know because no other one would know the person’s situation. By hearing a prophecy from a prophet or prophetic minister, you will have the unction and desire to hear God for yourself.

God is speaking to us Spirit to spirit. “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groaning’s which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God” (Rom. 8:26-27).

The disciples said to Jesus, “Speak plainly, we do not understand you! You speak in parables, saying things that are confusing.” If the disciples who walked with Jesus in the flesh could not comprehend what He was saying, how much more difficult is it for you and me to understand? We who are born of the Spirit must hear Him who is Spirit. It is a challenge, and it is not something you can just begin to do. It has to happen to you before you begin to understand. When it happens to you, you will have a choice of whether you will hear and obey or go your own way.

Obedience is the Way page 96 page 212

It is not our sacrifice or our works that God wants from us, but it is our obedience of what He wants us to do. It is through obedience that all of the blessings of God come to us. Were you not called by God to confess Jesus to be His only begotten Son, and Lord and Savior for all mankind? Was it not by the conviction of the Holy Spirit that you knew within yourself that you were a sinner? It was only possible when the Holy Spirit spoke to you and gave you the choice to receive Him as Lord and Savior, or not to receive Him.
Do you know that the Holy Spirit wants to speak to you today? He wants to speak to you and tell you about all the good things He wants to do in your life. He also wants to give you instruction so that you can receive all the blessings that He has in store for you. The Lord wants you to pray, hear, and obey; how else will you know what you are to do for Jesus and His kingdom?

Jesus said He did nothing by his own authority. He only did what He saw the Father do and spoke only what the Father told Him to say. That is the Christian way! Jesus knew how to follow the Father because His instructions were written on the tablets of Jesus’ heart by the very finger of God (see Proverbs 7:3). Did you know that God wants to seal His instructions on the tablets of YOUR heart? He will do it when you begin to fervently pray, hear, and obey.

The Yo-yo Way part 97 page 213

Many people fail to receive the things of God because of three primary reasons:

1. They refuse to take the time to pray and ask the Holy Spirit what He desires them to do.

2. After they have prayed and received the word of the Lord, they do not seek Him for confirmation.

3. They step out into their own decisions, failing to obey the instructions He has given them, only to find everything falling apart as they attempt to do it their own way or the way they think is best.

We can get in this yo-yo experience where God has asked us to do something that we do not want to do, so we take our lives back and do it our own way. It’s like we are stomping through His blood at the cross to take back the life we supposedly gave Him. Whose life is it anyway? God said, “My servants will humble themselves and pray. Give yourself unto me and watch what I shall do for you.” You have to be willing to go all the way. No matter what the cost or fears you may have!

Unfortunately, most people today want Christ only for prosperity, a mate, and a fine life. That is not the proper exchange. You must give Him your whole life for whatever He wants to do with you. It does not matter if you suffer in the process because you will suffer in the name of Christ. What a great reward that is in store for those who suffer in His name! The outcome is His. When He is through with your life, you will be much more complete and your life will be better than you could ever have imagined. There are things He wants to bring out of us. There are things that He wants to strip from us. He wants to turn that mirror around to let us see how He sees us and how others look at us. When we have truly given our lives to Him, we will find ourselves blessed far greater than if we had done it our own way.
However, the devil would have you believe that our Heavenly Father will ask too much of you. I tell you the truth; Satan is a liar and the truth cannot be found in him. He is the father of lies. Do not believe him!

Jesus is the Word of God part 98 page 215

“You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of me. But you are not willing to come to me that you may have life” (John 5:39-40).

You cannot study the scriptures like you study any other book. You must let the Holy Spirit take you into the Holy Scriptures where He wants to teach you. Jesus’ Spirit is alive, and He is still speaking to us today. He can speak from the Holy Scriptures; however, there are a few who take the liberty to make the book say what they want it to say.

Throughout the ages, men have tried to change His written word by inserting their own interpretation. There are still ministers today who bypass portions of the Bible, taking editing privileges, as if they are the author of this Holy instrument, twisting and manipulating Scriptures to fit their own doctrine.

I have found that those who pray while seeking truth are led by the Holy Spirit through the Scriptures. The Holy Spirit confirms His Word throughout the Bible. If you can systematically find the constant connection from Genesis to Revelation, you will discover the thread of truth that is craftily weaved throughout the 66 masterpieces, collectively called the Holy Bible. The bottom line is that you cannot know the truth within the Bible without hearing and knowing the Holy Spirit. He is truth and He is the author of this living will and testament, distributing it to the heirs of His inheritance, through His gifts and promises that are sealed by His blood.

“He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God” (Rev. 19:13).

Those who choose to reject the Holy Spirit, or who cannot receive His baptism, miss out on so much of what Jesus promised us. I thought for a number of years that I had received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I remember when I was baptized at the age of ten; my pastor said, as he lowered me into the water, “I baptize you in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”

It wasn’t until I was an adult that I learned about the Holy Spirit. My dad asked if I wanted to go to a Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship to have dinner and listen to a businessman speak. At the time, I was a bank president, and thought to myself, “Why not? I might have the opportunity to meet some business people.”

The meeting was held in a banquet room in a very expensive hotel. I met a few people, and then they called the meeting to order. They introduced the speaker, and he began telling us about his life as a successful businessman who was living the life of the rich and famous. Then he started having problems in his business, and then his wife left him. Because of this, he turned to God and was introduced to the Holy Spirit.

I thought, “That was a strange thing to say. How are you introduced to the Holy Spirit?” Since my denomination did not ever teach anything about the subject, I didn’t even know there was such a thing as the Holy Spirit. The speaker kept on talking, and I was very interested in what he was saying; however, it was all foreign to me.

The speaker closed his message by asking those who were in need of prayer to come forward so that he could pray for them. The line started growing, and to my surprise, my dad was in the line. Frankly, I did not even know he was a Christian. This was a very strange but educational evening.
As I was listening to the speaker pray over various people, one businessman kneeled down next to my chair and began telling me all these things that the Holy Spirit had told him to write down about me. Then he started reading what he had written. As he walked away, I thought to myself, “This fellow is way out there.” I found it to be rather humorous!

Turning back toward the prayer line, I noticed that my dad was lying flat on the floor. Seeing this shocked me because my dad would never lay down in one of his fine suits, but there he was on the floor. I wondered, “Why is no one helping him? Can’t they see something is wrong?”

I jumped up and made my way to see if Dad was all right, but someone grabbed me by the arm and pulled me into the prayer line. I voiced my concern for my dad, and he assured me that he was just fine, saying that he was slain in the Spirit. Now, that just did it for me! This place was off the chart, and who were these people?

My time finally came, and I was standing right before the speaker. The first thing he asked me was, “Are you baptized in the Holy Spirit?” Well, I knew he must be referring to what my pastor had said over me as he baptized me at the age of ten, so I said that I had been.

One of my dad’s friends was standing next to me, shaking his head side to side as if to say, with no uncertain body language, “No, he is not!”

I started to explain to the speaker, but he said, “Shut up.” He put his hand on my shoulder. Now, when he said that, I knew within myself that it had to be God speaking through him. Don’t make me explain it because I can’t! Let’s just say that I knew in it in my “knower.”

After the man prayed for me, I had a hunger for more of God. I was going to find out how to get baptized in the Holy Spirit, if it was the last thing I did!

Knowing His Will part 99 page 218

“But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him” (1 John 2:27).

His Word rightly divides those who know about Him from those who really know Him. His anointing will guide you through the bible, teaching you His will for your life as well as imparting things into your spiritual DNA. He will brand your heart with the calling He has for your life.

After the Full Gospel Business Men’s meeting I attended where my dad was slain in the Spirit, and I shortly afterwards received the real baptism of the Holy Spirit, I jumped into God’s favorite game-hide and seek. When I was lost, He found me, saved me, and filled me with the Holy Ghost. Now it was my turn to go find Him, and I had many questions to ask. Since that day, I have learned so much. I try my best to share what I have learned in my quest for truth.

One of the things I have learned, looking through His eyes, is that the majority of the Body of Christ worships the Bible rather than Him whom the books of the Bible are about. I don’t know about you, but my Jesus is not wood pulp and ink, bound in genuine leather. In fact, I never refer to the Bible as the Word of God. I reference this wonderful and most powerful book as the Holy Scriptures, just the same as Jesus did.

How you use the Holy Scriptures will determine whether you are living the abundant life Jesus promised or not. Some are compelled to take up arms with the bible and use it to slice and dice other Christians in the attempt to remove the splinter from their spiritual sibling’s eye. These people struggle, wondering, “Why am I hurting so badly even though I faithfully tithe and give offerings?” The devourer continues to eat away, and they don’t know why.

Going to their bibles, they begin to rigorously re-study, making sure they have been following the “formulas” correctly, as well as the multiple steps they have been taught. Frustrated and confused, their hearts become an easy target for Satan’s fiery darts of doubt and disbelief.

The famous line from the old movie City Slickers comes to mind. Remember when the old rugged cowboy said, “All you need to know is one thing.” Well, these days everyone wants to know, “What is the one thing that will make me happy again?”

I am here to tell you what that one thing is that will give you peace and happiness in this life, even if the herd has been scattered and you’re lost in the wild wilderness. As we journey together in these surroundings of unknown territory, you can find His divine abundance in the midst of a world that is going madly into an abyss of debacle and decay.

It always comes down to what He is saying to you TODAY. Not what He said to someone else or the testimonies you have read about Jesus in the Bible. You must go to Him for what you need, or at least find out how to seek Him. Don’t tell me you cannot hear Him and know His will. You can! I will tell you how. It’s not that you can’t hear Him; it’s just that you have not been taught how to find Him.

How many times have you heard a preacher give a wonderful testimony of how Jesus saved him from financial bankruptcy, turned him around, and gave him everything he asked for? You wished it would happen the same way for you! Don’t go and do exactly what that preacher did, because that won’t work for you. Learn how to find Him on your own and He will give you what He wants you to have, but there may be times you need someone to hear God for you because you are so emotionally involved that you’re unable to hear clearly through all the noise in your head.

For years I have heard very good and powerful ministers say that if we can get His written Word down into our spirits, then we will have the authority to speak the Word, and thus we will have whatever we ask. They mean well, but their instruction is backwards. Instead of first getting God’s Word in your head, and then down to your spirit, it needs to go the other way around-from your spirit first, then to your head.
In order to receive true revelation knowledge, you must first pray. If you know how to pray, and then pray through until you know without a doubt your prayer has been heard. Then just go about your day! At some point when you least expect it, His Word will come to you.

Then, ask Him to confirm His word. Most of the time He will lead you to His written Word, and there you will find your confirmation. This is because He will lead you right where you are to read. Once you have your confirmation, you need to obey by doing what He has impressed upon you or spoken to you. Truth will always work. So if what you are doing is not working for you, you need to find His way. I know this way works, for I have been practicing it, and teaching others, and it does work! We all agree that this is the way He intended it to be.

Our mission is to Pray, Hear, and Obey-for this is the Christian way.

Remember what Jesus has said, “Come to me and you will find life.” I believe He is speaking of the good life and in abundance. -Amen, so be it!

Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matt. 6:33).

What’s Your Angel’s Name What does it Look Like? part 2

Posted on February 19, 2017 by prophministries

God’s Prophets and His Angels part 80 page 179

“My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience” (James 5:10).

Walking in the office of the prophet is not all bad. It does have its high points. As long as you stay dedicated to seeking God, controlling your emotions and personal thoughts, you will be found to be a useful instrument of God for His people.
The life blood of any caring prophet is the testimonies cataloged in their ministry portfolio. Without the continual positive reports coming in from the people of God, you feel the prophetic stream within drying up, leaving you a parched and lonely vessel. However, each report confirming that you have heard God clearly brings a new and fresh anointing, giving you the boldness to go deeper when seeking God for the next batch of requests.

“He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward” (Matt. 10:41a).

We all agree that Jesus was and always will be “The Prophet.” There are Major and Minor Prophets, but Jesus is “The Prophet,” the ultimate Word of God. Therefore, this verse to me would make more sense if the Scripture read: He who receives a prophet in the name of “The Prophet” (referring to Jesus), rather than “a prophet in the name of a prophet.” To receive a word from a prophet that came from “The Prophet,” Christ Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords, would be easier to understand. Wouldn’t a reward mean much more to you if the reward came from The Prophet (Jesus), not just any old prophet?

“Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper” (2 Chron. 20:20b).

Another reason to receive prophets in the name of “The Prophet” is the reward of prosperity. The word prosperity is defined as “help along the journey.” There will be many times in life’s travels that you will need a prophet to help you find your way back into the flowing grace of God’s prosperity. We all know how easy it is to get off track and lose sight of where we are headed. That is another reason why God has given His Church prophets.

“And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues” (1 Cor. 12:28).

Over the years, I have found it very difficult to work in the local church as a prophet. I have tried the five-fold ministry, three-fold ministry, and a few other formulas, but none seemed to work. The problems were always the same. The pastor or someone with a dynamic personality would take control, limiting what you could and couldn’t say when giving a prophetic word, thereby taking over the Holy Spirit’s job. The Bible calls this type of a prophet a hireling: one who is paid to speak on behalf of their employer and not their creator.

Or another popular personality, “The Jealous One,” would always seem to rise to the occasion. This would be a person who felt they were not receiving enough attention, and as a result they would vow to do everything they could to run the prophet out of the congregation.

Finally, after much prayer and seeking Him for answers, the Lord gave me the reason why this was not working out in the local body of believers. It was not about the format of five-fold or three-fold, but the answer was found in the true understanding of what the Church is supposed to be rather than what we have made it to be.

Over the years, our daily language has painted a picture of what we think the church is. For instance, “I got saved and began to go to church.” Another cliché is: “What church do you belong to?” There are countless others, but the fact is there is only one Church, and it is neither a denomination nor non-denomination. The people of God are the Church and the Kingdom of God on Earth.

When I study the Old Testament prophets of God, they were never found in the temples or synagogues. The prophets were far away from the crowd and were seeking the face of God. When the people saw the prophet or prophets of God coming down from the high places, they were all ears to hear what God was now saying.

Another thing I’ve learned is that when you are with the fellowship of the local body of believers and someone needs a word from God, and you are asked to give them a word, you will discover your prophetic word has no power. Why? The reason is two-fold.

First, if you are the prophet of the house of God, you will have to sort out if what you are hearing is from God or if it is something you already know about the person. You begin to question yourself, asking “Is this something I overheard or is my personal knowledge of the person influencing my words?” The second part is the recipient of the word will question in their mind if someone told the prophet about their personal life or about the problem they were experiencing. Both of these drastically diminish the power of the word, and there will be doubt and disbelief written all over it.

However, if the prophet is a total stranger ministering in the house of God, you would know right away if they were hearing God because they would not know if the things they were speaking were true or not. This is another reason why standing alone as a prophet of God is important for the people. The sacrifice is sometimes hard, but it’s well worth the reward in knowing that you are truly helping His people by accurately hearing the pure and clear word from God.

“A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house” (Mark 6:4).

Learning by the Example of Others part 81 page183

I had no idea what to do when I was called into ministry in July of 1976, when the Lord spoke to me from Ezekiel 33. At the very end of the chapter there is a reference to being a prophet. According to my limited knowledge at that time, I thought prophets were men who wore camel skin coats and had honey dripping from their beards. I thought prophets must be weird people, but I really didn’t know for sure because I did not know any at that time in my life. A few years after that, the Holy Spirit commissioned me. He revealed that I was to perform my duties by sending out prophesies through the mail.

After receiving my call to be a prophet of God, I felt the pressure of His hand start to move me toward learning the prophetic ministry, but I was not interested. I liked my job as bank president. Being highly respected in the community, my hours were great and I had something everyone wanted: money to loan. God wanted to humble me by making me look like a freak in the eyes of the people. I knew that my life in the spotlight would be over if I followed Him into this new way of living.

Some, like myself, do not have a choice when called into the ministry. They are going, either easily by listening and obeying, or through turbulent resistance. Believe me, if you resist, you will find out what it is like to live in the belly of a whale. It stinks, so please do not choose the hard way.

After the rug was jerked out from under me and the dust had settled, I diligently started pursuing the way of a prophet. I tried to enroll in various bible colleges, but God would not have it. I was confused and frustrated. Little did I know that the Holy Spirit would teach me what it really meant to be a prophet, all my duties and the ins and outs of the office of a prophet. I thought maybe a prophet was some old guy who got into peoples’ faces, chewed them up one side and spit them out the other. I soon learned that is not what a true prophet of God is called to do.

Birthing of the Prophetic Gift part 82 page 184

“Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership” (1 Tim. 4:14).

In the spring of 1989, I was traveling with two seasoned apostles and a pastor who was thinking about starting a traveling ministry. We were going from one local body of believers to another in the western part of Texas. Being that I was the newest of the group, I was allowed to hold an early morning Bible study. This was not always well-attended being it was early and no one knew anything about me. I was still trying to find out who I was myself, and seeking God for answers about what kind of ministry He had for me.

We had been on the road for a few days when we met up with Dr. Bill Hammond’s group of ministers. Ironically, it was in the same town where I was born: Big Spring, Texas. As we started the regularly scheduled services, I brought the early morning message, then the traveling pastor delivered his. The hosting pastor of the church decided that we would all meet up for lunch. I was honored to break bread with these men and to hear them discuss our plans for the afternoon and evening services. It was decided that Prophet Gary Brooks would be holding the evening service and that one of the apostles would minister the word in the afternoon.
That night Prophet Brooks delivered a wonderful message on imparting spiritual gifts through prophecy and the laying on of hands according to 1 Timothy 4:14. I was moved by the Holy Spirit to ask Prophet Brooks if he would lay hands on me and prophesy and see what gift the Holy Spirit had for me. Prophet Brooks replied that he could not do this unless the Holy Spirit instructed him to do so. I told him I understood and we went our separate ways.

The next day we began the same schedule as the day before. When the evening service came around, Prophet Brooks brought another strong, anointed message; however, right in the middle of his message he stopped and paused for a moment. Then he called me up to the front of the people and explained what he was about to do. He laid hands on me and began to prophesy, speaking of the gift of prophecy and positions I would hold in the Kingdom of God. Well, I did not fall out under the power of the Holy Spirit; in fact, I felt absolutely nothing. When I returned back to the home where I was staying for the night, I began questioning God if this impartation thing was even real.

The next morning, I woke up and began my morning prayer. Suddenly, I began to hear this voice telling me what to expect for the day and what I was to preach on. I abruptly interrupted and said, “I don’t know who you are, but I will test you according to 1 John 4:1-2 and see if you are of God.” I was a little shaken as I got ready and started toward the meeting where I was to join the other ministers to discuss the plans for the next service.

As the meetings progressed we decided we would hold a joint service in Midland, Texas. It was well-attended, and Prophet Gary Brooks was ministering one night. When the teaching portion of that service was over, Prophet Brooks announced that anyone wanting to receive a word from God should come forward. Well over 400 people gathered around the altar, not counting the children. We knew this was going to be an all-night service.

Prophet Brooks began to prophesy over each person, so I retreated to the back of the sanctuary. As I leaned against the door frame of the main entry, a man with his son of about 9 years in age stood next to me. The little boy who was standing in front of his Dad turned around and asked, “Daddy can I get a word from God?” It was rather sad because the Dad knew that they would be waiting for hours before his son could receive his prophecy.

All of sudden the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said, “Are you going to allow me to use you as a vessel that I may speak through?” I answered the Holy Spirit saying, “If you want to use me have the father and little boy look at me.” No more than having that thought, they both turned and stared at me. So I asked, “Does your boy want a word from God?”

The man knew that I was traveling with the group so he took me up on the offer. We found a room that was not occupied and I began to pray. Suddenly, that voice I had heard during my morning prayer began speaking a long dissertation of God’s plans for the young boy. The youngster was my chance to put this voice to the test, so I began to say whatever I was hearing and experiencing. When I finished, the boy took off in search of a pen and paper to record the word.

Then the boy’s dad walked over to a large set of double doors, and as he opened them you could see the altar and all of the people waiting for their chance to receive their prophecy. I was shocked when he began telling the overflow of people, “Come in here, this man can give you a word from God.” With my eyes bulging in fear, I watched a flood of people start toward me, quickly forming a line. I had no idea that this man was the Associate Pastor.

I shared whatever I heard from this newfound voice. It was coming to me so fast that I had no time to really think. Some people would cry, others would chuckle, and a few just seemed stunned. Of course, I had no idea if anything I was saying was correct, nor did I understand what the word was meaning to each person. I began to stop after I ministered to each person to ask them what the word meant to them. As each one explained, my faith began to rise and I felt much more confident in what I was doing.

I realized that I could trust this voice, but I wanted to know why it was so different. Many times I had heard the voice of God, but never had I heard Him this way. Until that day, He had never spoken in such great length, maybe a couple of sentences but no more. This voice was coming in like a machine gun.

Later, the Holy Spirit taught me the difference. What I learned was that when I received the gift of prophecy, an angel had been appointed unto me to minister for me, telling me whatever God wanted me to know about each person I spoke to. God had thrown me into the river knowing I would have to quickly learn to swim, and I have not stopped since that day.

The Key to Finding Your Purpose part 83 page 188

When you finally submit to Him and vow to do whatever He wants you to do, His blessings will overtake you and bless you for years to come. If you hear God and obey, you cannot out-run His blessings. He will bless you in spite of yourself.

I was scared when God commissioned me to start offering my gift to the general public. I was to send out prophesies through the mail with no more information than a name and address. I had no idea where this would lead me. God promised that if I made myself available as a vessel for Him to speak through, He would bless me. He said wherever a prophecy was sent to, I would reap a harvest.

I was still reluctant to do it though, because nobody I knew was doing this type of ministry. The only thing that came close to working like this were the psychics and I did not want to be associated with that group. However, after three days of wrestling with what God wanted, I began to follow His command and make myself available as a vessel for Him to speak through.

Getting started is the Hardest Part part 84 page 189

For me, the most difficult step in this path of ministry was when I sent out the first prophecy on an audio-cassette tape. I thought I would only do one or two of these requests; however, they have not slowed. From the time I started in November of 1989, I have sent out over 100,000 prophetic words. At one point, I had a tiny ad in Charisma Magazine. They immediately started receiving so much flak from other ministries and pastors that they wanted to cancel me.

God always gets what He wants. The ad continued in the magazine month after month for over five years. It was only later that I found out Charisma Magazine had anonymously requested personal prophesies for each of their office staff members. It was later reported to me that they were so touched by their individual prophecies that they unanimously decided they would NOT remove the ad from the magazine. God bless Charisma Magazine for standing up for what they believe!

Being Loyal to the Commission part 85 page 190

When you act on what God has commissioned you to do there will be battles; but remember that they are His battles. Whatever you need, He will make sure you have it in order to complete the job. Just make sure you keep moving in the direction He wants. He will not leave you out in the middle of the desert without a supply line coming to assist you. He will not let you be caught off guard, nor allow your enemy to sneak up behind you and stab you in the back. You cannot afford to go another day without crying out to God and telling Him you will do what He asks of you.

When I started mailing out prophecies, it seemed like a foolish thing to do. It was very humbling when I was asked what kind of work I did. In the beginning, there seemed to be nothing to gain from doing what God asked. However, God will go to great lengths to change the hearts of the people.

A Prophet is Not without Honor, Except . . .
part 86 page 190

“God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues” (1 Cor. 12:28).

Where does it say in the Bible that these ministries and spiritual gifts-apostles, prophets, and teachers-were removed from the Church?

One of the most difficult things to deal with when you are called to the office of a prophet is the rejection you receive from your brothers and sisters in Christ. When you are branded by God with this gift and calling, you not only struggle to be as accurate as possible delivering His word, but you also struggle with others standing around judging you. This makes it doubly tough.

There will be those who listen to your words to find something that, in their doctrine or opinion, is not of God so they can tag you as a false prophet. It’s difficult enough to be a Christian in a world that is rapidly turning into heathens without having your own kind wanting to stone you. However, things have loosened up a bit in a few churches, and there are people who are curious enough to secretly cross their denominational boundaries and ask for a word from one of the many prophetic people in the world today.

When I started in 1989, there were a few pastors and lay ministers who wanted me punished for even thinking I was called to the office of a prophet. I admit that in the earlier times it did sound very self-serving to call yourself a prophet of God. Let’s face it: those who were known to call themselves a prophet of God were people like David Koresh, the Wacko prophet from Waco, Texas, or Jim Jones, the Kool-Aid prophet. Both of these men led their followers to their ultimate deaths. Back then I could not help but feel as though God were playing some sick joke, placing the mantle of a prophet around my neck only to have good Christian folks wanting to hang me with it.

No wonder I became known as the “Mail-Order Prophet.” It seemed to be the safest way to do what God was calling me to do and still maintain some quality of life. It was brutal enough trying to break into the churches and ministerial alliances around the country during those earlier times.

For the first 3 years I was in the ministry, not once was I received in a local church; although, God had me ministering 6 days a week somewhere. We had a live radio program where I prophesied live over the radio as the lines were open for callers. People would also set up meetings for me in their homes, bank buildings, hotel ball rooms, and many other unorthodox places. I wondered how long it would be before I could minister in a church building.

“So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house'” (Matt. 13:57).

When I first read this verse, I realized this is one of the promises of the Bible. Not many would want to claim this verse for themselves. However, if you are called of God to the office of a prophet, then it helps you to understand why these things are happening to you. With this verse of scripture in mind, I began to ask God to send me outside of the area, which He did. The first place God opened up to me was Hawaii, and there I was received with open arms.

The very first week I was on the island of Oahu, I was prophesying live over television. On the first day, calls flooded the station, and the owners called the phone company to get a count of how many calls they had missed in the 30 minutes I was on the air. There were 11 telephones in the television station and all were being answered, but according to the phone company we still missed 258 calls while the lines were all busy.

From there, God sent me to Norway with the same overwhelming acceptance that I had in Hawaii the month before. Then on to Sweden, England, Thailand, Denmark, and many other countries all with open arms, starving for a prophetic encounter, believing God could speak through a simple, broken vessel such as me. For the next 2 ½ years, I was out of the country for three weeks out of every month.
This just proves that the promises of God are real; however, you do not have the choice to just pick one out and claim it for yourself. It might not be the one He has for you.

How to Know the Signs from God
part 87 page 193

“The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from Heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly” (1 Cor. 15:47-48).

Looking at what has happened on Earth in the past, we find evidence that many times a prophetic prelude will show how the natural world is paralleling the spiritual realm, thus the prelude creates a manifesto for the Church. There are valuable prophetic signs to be gained through these natural events. The Holy Scriptures have revealed to us a way to read the signs, forecasting what is ahead of us: “However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual” (1 Cor. 15:46).

There have been hundreds of thousands of young men and women who have signed their names on the dotted line to fight in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Many of them signed up for the opportunity to obtain a higher education or receive an income that they could not make in the civilian world.

Many members of our military found themselves in the midst of something they did not think they had signed up for, yet they served with all that was within them. Still, others signed up just to fight for what they believed in.

As these wars begin to fade away, we can see through our nation’s rearview mirror that very little was accomplished, if anything at all. What we do see is a massive loss of life and property and the demise of our way of life. Pondering the peak of our nation’s pain, it is clear that we became highly motivated by anger, fear, vengeance, and greed. All of these emotions were triggered by 9/11.

So what have we learned, and what could we have done differently in order to turn tragedy into a positive mark in our nation’s history? Is it possible that we could have handled this event with a heart of love rather than of hate, and had victory without the loss of lives, limbs, and minds? All without sacrificing our best, bravest, and brightest? We now have before us a chance to redirect the destiny of all godly nations in the world. However, we must first look deeper into the sign that has been played out since 2001 in order to properly forecast what direction the Holy Spirit wants to take God’s people.

Now, the people of God whose names have been written into the Book of Life are being called up to fight a different kind of war: a spiritual war. When we stood up for Jesus we may have thought we were going to get a free ride. Not so! We are now being called upon to serve in His supernatural force, fighting a much different kind of foe.

For many years prior to 9/11, we experienced peace and prosperity. We enjoyed the preaching and being caught up in the praise and worship, and the fellowship at all the potlucks and other such events. Now we are at a place and time where God is calling His people to unify into an army, joined together and empowered by His love. We are already seeing a manifestation of His power. There are signs that reveal we are gaining forces from within through laying down our old traditions and fears and welcoming the Holy Spirit to come in and lead His Church into this new approach to spiritual warfare.

If you are in this movement of God, you can easily see a surge of power being released from the Holy Spirit as it is being poured into the followers of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. In the natural, we are seeing a mass exodus from non-spiritual church groups. People are being led by the Holy Spirit into the baptism of Jesus, as spoken of in Acts 19:1-7. Those who have been ministering for a number of years are experiencing a huge increase in miracles, healings, revelations of knowledge, and shocking responses to our prayers.

The Church and its leaders are not the only ones who will be on the front lines in this spiritual war. From the newly born-again child of God, to the oldest and most mature godly leaders, we will be mixing it up with the enemy; however, our weapons are not of this world. Like I have mentioned-this is a new approach to dealing with spiritual warfare. Looking at the errors made in the natural war, we can learn from this sign from God as to how to obtain victory in this spiritual war against our enemies.

In a natural war, you look at everything with your natural eye. It is much different when you are involved in spiritual wars. To be honest, most of the past spiritual battles the church has been through have not been so successful, and I am about to tell you why. Our enemy cannot be viewed as a human or a nation. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12).

There is one reason why so many of the church’s battles never seem to be victorious. Some battles have been over such topics as abortion, same sex marriage, serving in the military, violence on television and video games, and a number of other saber-rattling convictions the church has cried out against. I could take them one by one and go into great detail, but let me just try to give you the gist of why our methods have not worked.

First and foremost, the greatest problem within the church is that the mainstream, or majority of the Body of Christ, does not believe anyone can really talk to God and receive a clear answer or direction. This ignorance says to me that many within the mainstream do not believe what is written in the Bible, for everything in the Bible is about hearing God. Without consulting our Heavenly Father about what we should do, someone starts a battle cry against a group or issue. They get the idea that all Christians don’t like what is happening in the world and they decide to declare war on their own. If you are not going to seek God for His approval to go to war on an issue, you will always lose!

It’s All about the Attitude
part 88 page 197

The second thing that has kept the Body of Christ from being victors in the eyes of the world and our Heavenly Father is our attitude. The Church should not be the manic macho group that goes around condemning and judging the world. We are NOT called to judge the ways of the world. The commandments from our Lord are very clearly stated: we are not of it and we are not to rule over it. It belongs to a different ruler, Satan himself.

Jesus commands His Church, “Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven” (Luke 6:36-37). We are not called to judge the world; however, we are to hold those of us in the Church accountable to what is right and just in the eyes of God, according to His word.

“And if anyone hears my words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world” (John 12:47).

It pays to obey the convictions within our heart, even when we do not think we have done anything wrong, for it is the Holy Spirit who is judging us. Therefore, we need to pray the prayer of forgiveness.

“When we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world” (1 Cor. 11:32).

On the other hand, we are to judge ourselves as well as those who are in the Body of Christ. The protocol for how to judge other believers is very clear. The biblical order for having someone’s inappropriate lifestyles or heinous actions judged and dealt with can be found in Matthew 18:15-20. There are leaders within the Body of Christ who are anointed and chosen by our Lord, who have the power to make final judgments within the Body of Christ.

Jesus commissioned His disciples in John 20:21-23, “‘Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.’ And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.'”

We even see in 1 Timothy 1:15-18 where God empowered leaders who demonstrated their power by enforcing the commandment on Earth as it was declared in Heaven. There are proper settings for governing the church that is established and ordained by God. There is an order for handling individuals or groups of believers according to these scriptures and their examples.

Terrestrial Christians vs. Celestial Christians
part 89 page 199

ID of a Terrestrial Christian: one who is born-again and saved from eternal damnation and baptized in the baptism of repentance. They have a form of godliness but are “unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying the power” (2 Tim. 3:3-4). They don’t believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit, or that spiritual gifts are for today. These types of Christians rarely help the church and seem to enjoy coming against everyone outside of their own congregations.

ID of a Celestial Christian: Christians who have been born-again, saved from eternal damnation, baptized in water, the baptism of repentance (also known as the baptism of John the Baptist). These Christians have also been empowered by the baptism of the Holy Spirit, also known as the baptism of Jesus Christ.

Not all Christians are the same and we are not all equal. How could we think that we all have received from God the same blessings, beauty, intelligence, humor, talents, and even spiritual gifts? Life is not fair and we are not all equal. Although, it sounds good to tell everyone they are all equal, and you have been told at some point that God has no favorites. Then what about King David, a man after God’s own heart? His son Solomon, the richest man in the world in his day and forevermore, as recorded in the Bible? What matters to God is what you do with all that He has given you in this life.

You may be living the most horrible life one can imagine. If so, I encourage you to be an overcomer and stretch yourself to do more than anyone expects you to do. Then even God will notice and reward you. We are rewarded by what we do, not by who we are. Your eternal blessing could be the greatest in all of Heaven, depending on what you do with what God gave you while you were on this Earth. Jesus has told us, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given” (Mark 4:24).

You see, it’s easy to begin climbing out of your slump, depression, financial problems, health problems, or whatever else is holding you down. All you have to do is pray, hear, and obey. With this one principle you will receive life more abundant, as Jesus promised us in this life as well as in the life to come (see John 10:10b). If you do all that the Lord asks of you, He will continue to reward you even when all others reject you.

“There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory” (1 Cor. 15:40-41).

No matter how small or insignificant you might think of yourself, remember that you are a very important part of God’s plan for His Church. If you are a Celestial Christian, you will follow the call of God upon your life and the Church will prosper because of you. The Body is only functioning at 100% when all the members are operating in unity, synced together by the power of God’s love for this lost and self-destructing world.

Our Weapons for Spiritual Warfare part 90 page 201

Maybe you remember the day in Iraq when our troops and allies entered Baghdad. It was considered a major victory. In the natural realm this would be true. However, looking at the spiritual side, the victory came when our troops tied a cable around the statue of Saddam Hessian and toppled it to the ground. This was a sign from God that we too will be taking down idols and major strongholds that stand against the Son of God. The Holy Spirit is increasing our power and distributing His weapons of warfare to knock down wicked idols, and not just in the natural. He is going to start knocking down idols even in your own homes.

Our weapons are listed in 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, the nine spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit, and in Romans 12:3-8, which lists various ministries afforded to us to accomplish God’s will, to win the battle against the devil who comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). We sharpen our weapons and train daily to perfect a LOVE for the lost souls by practicing these nine acts of God, which give us the power of the Holy Spirit to win the sinner. The sinner will always be controlled by the devil and will win in any conflict when you try to use their weapons of warfare. We can never win any battle when we try to use the devil’s weapons: anger, vengeance, boasting, fighting, swearing, killing, destroying, mocking, or murdering.

These are the weapons of a Celestial Christian: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law and those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal. 5:22-24). With the gifts, power, fruit, and calling upon our individual lives, we can turn this old world back to its rightful owners, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

What Will God Do for You? Part 91 page 202

We are now going into a new time of life in America, changed forever by the war that began September 11, 2001. Things are going to change even more in the market place, in business, governments, and education. The church must change too. At present, our Lord has our prophetic elders busy writing a new course of direction for the church’s protocol and code of ethics. In accordance with what the Lord has revealed through His prophets, an effort is being made to revitalize the direction of the Church to protect the Body of Believers and empower the Body to overcome their enemies.

The first question…

Posted on February 16, 2017 by prophministries

The first question I ever asked when I wrote Prophet Kent Simpson was: “How can I pray for you?” That was where it all began. Then Kent and Debbie asked if I would like to be an Intercessor for the Ministry. That is where this all began. I said “Yes!”

Fast Forward…I have been a Prophetic Elder for PMT for several years. My main area has been one of prayer. When I pray for a Ministry something happens inside of me. I want to bless and not curse. I want to ask God what PMT needs me to do and what is necessary right now. It’s not about me. It’s about the Ministry and the needs of the leadership. I ask God how to pray. It is not always easy. We have to be willing to be corrected and accountable. Anger, resentment, bitterness, unforgiveness, ingratitude, revenge or blame are not the answer. Humility, love, honor, respect and communication are the answer. We need to look for solutions.

The Bible talks about Gideon. I believe God wants us to rise up and go and do what He wants – the way He wants it done. I’m not sure what is expected when we come to work with PMT. What is our agenda: is it what we can get out of it or what we can give so that more people will be grafted into the vine? John 15 talks about the vine and the branches. We are only tiny branches on that huge vine but we can help to bear fruit as a group/Ministry if we’re willing to be trained and willing to learn and help each other to be better people.

An unteachable spirit is a weapon that the enemy uses against the body of Christ. What would happen if we were willing to learn from those that have gone before us as ‘Pioneers’–who have traveled the dusty roads and come through hard times that want to teach us so that we don’t have to fall in the ditches along the trail too?

What does the word ‘Elder’ mean to people that come to PMT? To me it means submission to Jesus first because He is our head. And then I want to submit to the leadership of PMT. Submission means that I am free to say what I think, discuss what I believe, and say what I would like to see happen in the future of the Ministry. I have not been shut down and I am free to speak at any time. And I do. I contact them when I need to. They are busy and I don’t expect them to contact me continually.

It is important to submit to authority with leaders of any organization. The word Elder might require a great deal of responsibility. However, I see it as another word for servanthood and it has become such a blessing. The first time I saw an article by Prophet Kent Simpson on ‘The Elijah List’, I knew nothing about prophecy, but now I do and it has opened so many doors for me and my family – although that was not what I was expecting.

I was just wanting to know what the prophetic was all about and I learned so much when I signed up for the School of Prophetic Knowledge. That put a hunger in my heart for more. I became a Prophetic Minister, was anointed and given an impartation. I found out what I am called to do for God. I started writing for God’s PenPals and it gave me courage to send out articles that I had been writing.

Since then I have received the confidence to step out, and I have 5 books published (on Amazon.com) and another one about prayer that is ready to be published. I am sending out a short devotional 5 days a week (jlowriter49@gmail.com) to a list of friends, (some that I’ve never met). And I’ve sent out prophecies to many people around the world over the last few years. Now it is my privilege to be an Intercessor for Businesses on NeedAWordFromGod.com where I pray for businesses to do well. I ask God to bless the owners of the companies and we have seen great results. New friendships have developed and more possibilities have come my way.

I continue to be an Intercessor for PMT, day or night. I have been given opportunities that I would have missed out on if I hadn’t written that first email to PMT several years ago, asking one simple question: “How can I pray for you?” All through the years, you have been included in those prayers. We would appreciate your prayers for everyone in this Ministry and all that God intends to do in the years ahead.

Blessings,
Judith Oldridge,
Prophetic Elder
Prophetic Ministries Today

Month: February 2017

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