Description
Definition
Prophetic insight is the ability to receive spiritual insight or an immediate, divinely anointed message about the will and counsel of God. The key to prophetic insight is the spiritual sensitivity to know God’s will, what He is doing or what He would say; to recognize cultural trends, teachings, or events that are morally wrong or harmful; to define evil and God’s response to it. Usually, God provides this insight or message so the person can communicate it to others, though sometimes He intends for the person to pray about it or exercise spiritual authority against evil forces. This is not the “office” of a prophet.
Prophetic motivation will cause a person to speak truth with power and clarity in a timely and relevant manner. They will bring correction to others, encourage repentance, and promote spiritual growth. They will speak the truth boldly even when it is unpopular. That is, communication typically is a vital part of this aptitude. But to avoid the stereotype of someone with an abrasive personality shaking their finger in people’s faces and screaming threats of judgment, we will use the term “prophetic insight” to balance the aspects of spiritual sensitivity and communication.
“It was he who gave . . . some to be prophets . . . to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:11-13). Other scriptures give us additional understanding of prophetic insight. For example, prophets are to “encourage and strengthen the brothers” (Acts 15:32); they speak “to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort” (1 Cor. 14:3). The Bible also makes the source of prophecy very clear: “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1:20-21).
These verses show that the prophet’s goals are the same as the pastor and teacher’s: preparing the saints for service, building them up until they have unity in faith and knowledge and until they become mature. This implies an ability to speak with conviction that will bring change in people’s lives and maybe change in events as well. Notice this may or may not include describing future events; telling future events is only part of God’s counsel, not the primary function. Prophecy is to strengthen, encourage, and comfort believers.
Because of your prophetic insight, you have a spiritual sensitivity that enables you to sense God’s will and His message. This also enables you to sense God’s feelings, such as pain, longing, love, and anger. Your spiritual insight also enables you to understand biblical truths that others fail to see, and may cause you to be very discerning. You probably have a strong sense of propriety–as you see it, God’s way is the only way! Zeal is probably another key trait, giving you an intense eagerness to see God’s will be done, and that zeal helps define your character. You are likely to have intense emotions and attitudes; you are unlikely to be lukewarm about anything significant. You probably see many issues as black and white with virtually no middle ground, with a drastic contrast between the situation as it is and how it “ought” to be.
Your understanding comes primarily by revelation from your spirit, rather than rational or analytical thought. You may be strongly intuitive, arriving at your understanding directly, without much rational step-by-step processing, and without considering all the factors to reach a conclusion. Having reached an intuitive decision, however, you may be able to justify it rationally.
You probably accept change very readily; in fact, your intuitive nature frequently generates changes, which can get you in trouble if you act without caution or thought. You can be very decisive, making decisions quickly. Because you rely very heavily on your intuitive ability (which relates to your ability to hear God), you can be adamant about your decisions, unwilling to reconsider or look at new facts.
Your high energy level and zeal cause you to challenge whatever you think needs to change. However, you are likely to respect authority, due to your sense of propriety, so you will generally defer to someone in authority over you.
You may speak bluntly and frankly, going to the heart of the issue. You want to see signs of repentance, evidence of change, so you want evidence of people’s conviction. You want your words to have an impact and produce the desired results. This leads you to confront those whom you think need to change. You can be very opinionated and determined, critical and immovable. Under the right circumstances, you are willing to take a bold stand and make your position known. Inwardly, you can be very intense, even if you appear calm on the outside.
You may not always recognize when God is speaking to you personally and assume the message is for others. This causes you to deliver the message rather than apply it only to yourself. It is also possible that you interpret every spontaneous thought as from God if it feels right, though it may actually come from your own mind or spirit. Some prophets are repetitious in what they say and how they say it, as if they always hear the same message from God. Once they slip into their prophesying mode, they do and say what comes naturally to them. It is a serious error to speak your own words as though they were from God, so it is very important to learn to recognize God’s voice, to be sure you know what to do with the message He gives you and to speak exactly what He says. Words are extremely important, so God is precise in what He says and does not use words carelessly.
Your focus is generally on the future because you are idealistic and visionary. The present is meaningful because today’s actions influence the future. The past is meaningful because its lessons prepare us for the future.
Typical Characteristics
● Have an intense desire to see God’s will done and people’s lives changed.
● Have a high level of emotion that compels you to act, adding intensity to what you do.
● Very sensitive, yet willing to confront those who need to change.
Tendencies
● General Orientation. There may be a strong dichotomy in your nature. Your boldness and zeal may cause you to appear very extroverted at times, though you are probably not a typical extrovert with people to see, places to go, and things to do. You may lean toward introversion, with your sensitivity and sense of propriety causing you to withdraw frequently. You may not be middle-of-the-road about anything, so you might vacillate between great extroversion and strong introversion.
● Perspective: either positive or negative, depending on your message. You may have a strong negative and pessimistic side, since you see the ideal and how far reality is from it. This can cause you to become extremely cynical and harsh.
● Priorities
● Production, results. Your main goal is to initiate change, to make people and events conform to your ideal, so results are extremely important to you.
● Spirit. You may have a great interest in the spiritual realm, especially if you see the importance of God’s kingdom influencing the human realm.
● Issue Perception: strongly objective. God’s way, as you see it, is the only acceptable solution, which leaves little room for human feelings. Your perspective of issues often is “black and white.”
Misunderstandings
Others may view your frankness as harshness, insensitivity, or lack of tact; your main goal, however, is to get right to the point and initiate change. Your intensity and zeal make you less interested in small talk, so others may consider you unsociable.
Vocations and Roles
Christian prophet, consultant, and trouble-shooter.
Perversions
Self-Centeredness
(Perverts your aptitude by focusing it on you, emphasizing the pleasure or fulfillment it gives you.)
Self-centeredness can cause you to become highly critical and judgmental; the way you see it is right, and everyone else is wrong. You can become highly opinionated, demanding, and harsh. Your sensitivity will likely cause your feelings to get hurt easily. This is an interesting dichotomy: you can speak boldly, rebuking and correcting others, yet get your feelings hurt if someone speaks harshly to you. You may not be content to let others express God’s will; you may feel the need to give your own version, even if it is redundant. You could easily become arrogant about your ability to hear God when others do not.
Extremes
(Perverts by exaggerating, taking your characteristics and tendencies to extremes.)
Your strongly intuitive nature may cause you to interpret every spontaneous thought as from God. You can become adamant, unyielding, and highly critical of anyone who doesn’t readily accept your thoughts. If you are extremely intuitive, this may result in irrational attitudes and behavior. Your intense personal energy, commitment, and zeal may produce results, but often offends or injures other people in the process. Your emphasis on right or wrong can make you unaware or intolerant of partial good or incomplete results.
Control
(Self-centeredness makes you want to be in control, and you struggle for control in a way that is unique to your character.)
Your strong desire to see results may cause you to manipulate people and events. When you perceive that people or events are not what you think they should be, you often rely on verbal correction to bring them back under control.
Redemption
Putting on Important Traits
Certain godly character traits are especially important to you as a prophet. Consciously developing the following traits will help you know and communicate God’s will to produce the desired result.
● Humility (Considers self relatively unimportant compared to others; prevents using abilities for one’s own satisfaction.) Humility prevents you from being demanding or intolerant of people who reject your message and reduces the likelihood your feelings will get hurt.
● Agape (Considers others’ welfare, needs, interests, and desires more important than your own; motivates you to act for others’ benefit regardless of personal impact.) Agape motivates you to speak God’s message to those who need to hear it, despite any impact it may have on you.
● Faith or faithfulness (Firm conviction regarding something for which there is no proof; action based on such conviction.) Faith gives you strong assurance that what you sense has come from God and that it will have the effect He intends. Faithfulness motivates you to accurately represent any message from God, to speak in His behalf without changing the message.
● Self-control (Restraint; temperance; moderation in thought, action or feeling.) This tempers your actions and attitudes, and helps you avoid sensationalism.
● Zeal (Intense eagerness to experience a desired result; intense emotion that compels action.) Zeal makes you eager to see God’s kingdom come and His will be done. It compels you to speak what you sense from Him.
● Anger (Hatred for every form of sin and its results.) Similar to zeal, anger gives you a hatred for everything that opposes God.
Repentance, Renewing Your Mind
(The changes you need to make in the way you think, including your attitudes, standards, priorities, and perspective.)
Your ultimate purpose is to prepare God’s people for works of service and build them up; that is, encourage, strengthen, and promote spiritual growth. You cannot focus continually on the negative or be generally critical. You serve both God and people by expressing His will, speaking His message, exposing evil, and declaring truth.
Denying and Humbling Yourself
(Rejecting your own desires and self-interests. Refusing to be motivated by desire for recognition or credit for the results.)
It is not your personal forcefulness that brings conviction and change, rather it is the power of the Holy Spirit. Venting your feelings when you deliver a message may interfere with God’s intent. You must reject every hint of pride over your ability to hear God or deliver His message with power. However, you must accept responsibility if what you speak is proven wrong. Not every thought that pops into your mind is from God, so denying yourself may involve keeping your mouth shut until God confirms what you heard or clearly tells you to speak.
Taking up Your Cross
(Accepting that which has potential for great harm, threatens to break you down, or reveals your inadequacies.)
Every human has a basic need for acceptance, yet people often reject prophets because of their message, forcefulness, or zeal. So taking up your cross may involve speaking God’s message with boldness even if people reject you personally. God’s mercy causes Him to address issues long before He judges them, which means you may deliver essentially the same message several times or for a long time without seeing any results, either from people or from God.
Following Jesus
(How you uniquely emulate Jesus by doing what He would in your situation.)
Jesus spoke God’s message without compromise, but He also honored people’s free will and allowed them to respond voluntarily. He said He spoke only the Father’s words and not His own. He also showed mercy much more often than indignation.
Becoming Like a Child
(Accepting what God gives you, believing what He tells you, trusting Him to take care of you, and simply doing what He says.)
Become dependent on God for specific wording, rather than speak what automatically comes to mind. When you are confident you have heard Him clearly, simply speak what He gave you and leave the results to Him.