Prophecy is a manifestational spiritual gift that is still active today. We must discern whether or not these words are from the Lord.
Maybe you have received a prophetic word, or you have heard a word of prophecy from someone else and are trying to figure out what to do with it next.
At PRMI, we receive many prophetic words that keep pouring in from around the world even in the midst of the current global crisis.
The Need to Evaluate Prophecy
But with the abundance of prophetic words and the amplification of these words via social media, it still falls to us to evaluate and discern if they are from the Lord.
Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.
1 Corinthians 14:29 (NIV)
Jesus warns us about the possibility of deception:
And many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,
Matthew 24:11-12 (NIV)
Prophecy Case Study
To help us cultivate the gift of discernment, let us examine a prophecy that PRMI received.
This prophetic word was sent to us by a person we know and trust—Tzofiya Rogers.
She and her husband Avi are part of the Tikkun Global Messiah Family of Ministries with whom PRMI has a partnership.
The Holy Spirit greatly anoints Tzofiya. She previously brought a wonderful word to PRMI about expanding our tent pegs and lengthening our cords, which is happening!
The word she brought below is consistent with the word we received from another intercessor in PRMI about how God is smashing idols to make space for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
Tzofiya has given us permission to analyze this word of prophecy.
A Word of Prophecy from Tzofiya
March 16th, 2020
This is what I am hearing from the Lord…
He is saying that the time that we find ourselves in is to demonstrate His hand in His ability to redirect mankind, His bride, His co-laborers. In an instant, He is making the plans of man stand still.
This is a wake-up call, a taste of things to come, a beginning of birth pains, a momentary affliction. Out of His graciousness and kindness, He wants people to examine their hearts to see the condition and focus of their faith.
Where are you really at? Is one’s focus merely on self-preservation?
The Lord is saying, “What the world calls adversity, I call opportunity. The opportunity for the body to arise and take its place. The world needs answers, and you/we, His children, can provide them. From healing, to preaching, to sharing abundance, and yes, even to the resurrection of the dead. You carry the power of His Spirit to be the answer! This is not the time to shrink back, but to advance His kingdom.”
If you find that you are weak in faith, it is time to repent and be strengthened. “I ask you… Where is your faith?”
In regard to activity, the comings and goings of man, the plans and busyness, the Lord is saying “STOP! This is your opportunity to be redirected to the priorities of My heart. There is a lot of busyness, for My name’s sake, that I did not ordain – meetings, conferences, topics of conferences, gatherings, and even some recreation.”
He is saying – Be still and know that He Is God. He can stop our activity in a moment. Again, His kindness is poured out to allow you to realign with His heart in order to gain His perspective, not yours/ours. Slow down, listen…
In regard to resources, both in manpower and financial, He is saying that He wants to redirect them for His kingdom purposes. Too much is being wasted on the ideas of man. It is time for His people to hear His directions afresh and reallocate, reorganize, and redirect resources, talents, and gifting for His purposes. Less of man’s kingdom and more of His kingdom.
He is saying that, again, it is His mercy to give us time to slow down, listen, and gain His perspective.
In conclusion, He is saying, this is a wake-up call… not a resounding alarm… but one more moderate. “I came to seek and save the lost. Spread the good news. Get out of your buildings, out of your agenda. It is a time for the church to ARISE! Demonstrate My kingdom, share the message of hope to which you have been called. Seize your moment!!!”
Amen!
March 16th, 2020, Tzofiya Rogers
Why Discern This Prophecy?
Why do we need to discern prophetic words even from those we know and trust?
Tzofiya has an excellent reputation for prophetic ministry and PRMI has experienced the Lord speaking through her.
But, as the Apostle Paul commands us in 1 Corinthians 14, we must always submit all such words to the process of discernment.
This goes for any prophetic words that any one of us may give or receive.
Even when a person becomes recognized, either by themselves or the community, as having such an anointing to speak God’s word, the word of prophecy still must undergo the rigors of the discernment process.
Each new word that is given must be discerned anew.
Questions to Analyze Prophecy
At PRMI, we use these four discernment questions. These questions have helped us over the last 25+ years in evaluating prophetic words, manifestations of the Spirit, or words of knowledge.
They have helped us in deciding actions to take, ministry expressions to focus on, or evaluating if guidance is from the Lord.
- Does it give glory to Jesus Christ in the present and in the future?
- Is it consistent with the intentions and character of God as revealed in scripture?
- Do other people who are filled with the Holy Spirit have a confirming witness?
- Is there confirmation in objectively verifiable events or facts?
Analysis of the Prophecy
Here is a short video teaching where Rev. Martin Boardman and Rev. Dr. Brad Long take you through these four questions for discernment and apply them to this particular prophetic word.
You’ll see how we concluded that this word of prophecy from Tzofiya IS from the Lord.
Each of us needs to cultivate this art of discernment.
Suggestions for How to Pray, Guided by This Prophecy
We have concluded through applying our four discernment questions that this word given by Tzofiya seems to be a genuine invitation from the Lord to pray in specific directions.
Every time we receive guidance, there is an opportunity for obedience and to pray it into reality. In this case, here are some directions for prayer:
- Pray that congregations would wake up and step boldly into the role the Lord has for her at this time.
- Ask for forgiveness on behalf of the church for the ways we have not taken the calling of the great commission seriously and for how we have involved ourselves in trivial matters instead of advancing the Kingdom of God.
- Pray that believers would be able to slow down and spend time listening to the Lord.
- Pray that believers would draw close to the Lord so that they can “be still and know the He is God.”
- Pray that the body of Messiah would be empowered by the Holy Spirit to be witnesses for Jesus Christ (Acts 1:8).
- Pray that the Lord would soften the hearts of unbelievers and make them hungry and thirsty for him.
- Pray that through all these world events the Holy Spirit would begin to bring renewal to the church and begin a great awakening of the lost in our nations.
- Pray that believers would be salt and light in the world right now (Matthew 5:13-16) offering hope, comfort and peace in the midst of this pandemic.
- Pray that the Church would Arise!
- Pray that Jesus Christ would be exalted and God the Father glorified through all of this.
This prophetic word allows us to deepen our gifts of discernment and understanding of how the Holy Spirit invites us to work with Him in creating God’s future through the gift of prophecy.
You can get your own copy of the Four Discernment Questions bookmark in the photo in packages of 50. Order here, English or Spanish.
Thank you, Martin, for this good summary. Grace & peace, Mike
Thanks Martin
This is a timely article. May the Lord give us the gift of discernment during these difficult times when we are being bombarded with prophetic utterances–so much so that some of us are inclined to dismiss all of them out of hand.