Reflections of a Trail Blazer

This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may fight the good fight, keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith. (1Timothy 1:18-19)

As I was peeling some boiled eggs for my salad it dawned on me that I was holding in my hand what could have been a baked chicken. There were no feathers, eyes or a beak to be seen. However, the original destiny for that egg was not for it to end up in my salad. The ingredients that were missing that would have transformed it from approximately 1.5 grams of food to about 3 pounds of delectable wonder in the frying pan are the same ingredients necessary for the Prophetic Warrior to do their job. The egg had to be fertilized and then incubated in order to become a living chicken.

The word of God, when mixed with faith, becomes alive; fertilized.

For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard (Hebrews 4:2).

The incubation period is necessary for all things that live to come to maturity. God’s word must be incubated. Like all living things, the incubation period varies. Some take days; some take weeks and some take months. The word of God is no different.

Experience has taught chicken farmers to guard against different types of predators. They utilize different strategies to intercept the dangers, depending on the type of predator. These safeguards are in place until their chickens are hatched. This interception is what we understand as intercession.

The word of God has many predators as well. One of the greatest predators of the word of God is time. The average person is tempted to give up when a dream is not realized in a certain amount of time. It is no different for a prophet.

The prophet is dependent upon the word of God that has already been spoken. It must then be fertilized with the faith of the prophet. At the right time these words are released. The Prophetic Warrior engages the strategy of intercession as a safeguard for the word of God that has been spoken.

NO ONE CAN STEAL YOUR DESTINY

The prophet is able to “see or sense” the potential or destiny of a person, place or thing. What the prophet does with what they know determines the maturity of the prophet, not necessarily the destiny of the person, place or thing. While people are greatly affected by a negative or inaccurate influence, we must never lose sight of the fact that everyone’s destiny is in the hands of God and in the hands of each individual. God does not make our destinies happen. He gives opportunity for us to participate with His plans and purposes for our lives.

When I was younger, both in age and maturity, I was quick to say whatever I “saw.” I had no idea how my impetuous actions were scaring people. At that time of my life I did not realize who I was and how all of this works. I did not know that everybody was not seeing what I was seeing. As a result of my ignorance my battle was waged against people.

A maturing prophet will recognize that the fight is truly not “against flesh and blood” but the battle is against the principalities and powers in heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12). And the principalities and powers in heavenly places battle against the word of God! Since we are seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus these principalities and powers cannot win. The Prophetic Warrior has the job of maintaining the ground already won from the enemy by Christ Jesus.

THE PROPHETIC WARRIOR MUST TRAIN OTHERS TO INTERCEDE

The subject of intercession is too vast to explore in this teaching. However, there has to be some understanding of intercession in order to be an effective Prophetic Warrior. First of all, an intercessor is not a watchman. However, a true watchman will intercede. Isaiah 21 gives a good description of the job of the watchman.

He is stationed high enough and he can see far enough what he is supposed to be watching. Because of the distance between where he is and what he sees, there is ample time to tell those who are there with him what he sees and what to do concerning what is in the distance. The intercession comes between the time he sees and the time “it” arrives. Another word for intercession could be intercept.

Not only will the prophet continue to say what he sees, but he also has the authority in the word of God to intercept any hindrance if it is supposed to arrive; or intercept the event if it should not arrive. Intercession is probably one of the most powerful and positive actions any Christian will take in their life when it is understood. It is one of the jobs of the Prophetic Warrior to use this wonderful weapon and also to train others in its operation.

DON’T TELL EVERYTHING YOU KNOW

A Prophetic Warrior sees the potential from their place “on the wall.” The purpose of seeing is not always to tell everyone that you can see or what you see. You are only required to tell the one who told you to look. God asked Jeremiah what did he see (Jeremiah 1)? Jeremiah answered Him.  In Jeremiah 2 The Lord then tells Jeremiah what to say (or proclaim).

In Ezekiel chapter 37 God takes Ezekiel into the spirit realm and shows him the valley of dry bones. These dry bones represented a group of people; yet in the spirit they appeared as bones. God told Ezekiel to speak to the dry bones. It was after Ezekiel did warfare in the spirit realm that God revealed to him who the dry bones represented and why they were dry.  Later, in this same chapter, Ezekiel is instructed by God to say some things directly to the Israelites. So, God has him speaking to bones in the spirit realm that represent the people; then he is instructed to speak to the people, themselves. Why is this? Ezekiel must speak to the Israelites as if they were the dry bones he saw in the spirit realm. Otherwise he might have been tempted to respond to their apathy.

In Ezekiel 21:3 He tells Ezekiel to speak to the land. God intends for Ezekiel to literally speak to the land. We know this does not mean people because in verse 21:5 He says “Thus all flesh will know that I, the LORD, have drawn My sword out of its sheath.” Just about every adult living knows that when the land, itself, does not prosper, the people (flesh) cannot prosper either.

Throughout the scriptures God has people speaking to such things as land, mountains, water and regions. Sometimes He gives them further instructions to repeat what they say to these things to people.

RELEASING FAITH FOR THE POTENTIAL

Many times the purpose in seeing is to bring knowledge. The understanding of that knowledge and what to do with it is powerful. It is also the time when faith can be released for the potential seen or perceived. The military uses the same strategy. They can recognize a volatile situation. Those in higher command must make the determination on who is privy to the information on a “need to know” basis. There are threats made to our country from time to time that requires an action without an announcement to everyone.

The bottom line is that the power of the Prophetic Warrior is their ability to incubate the word of God, protect it through intercession and release it only when God says to; and to whom He says. Most of the work of the Prophetic Warrior is done “undercover.” When undercover work is continually done publically it is because there are areas in the life of the prophet that are broken. The need for recognition and an expression of their value from others is an indication that the prophet is still learning who God says they are in Christ.

As maturing Christians, regardless of whether we are prophets, apostles, pastors, teachers or evangelists; or ordinary Christians, it should be our goal to become so satisfied with the Spirit of the Lord in our lives that the actions of others does not have the desired result the enemies of God intend. This is imperative for prophets in order for them to remain healthy, not prophesying out of their wounds.

© J M Bush November 27, 2009