In today’s article, I want to give you four keys to wielding godly power and overcoming the seduction of worldly power in these last days. I believe that those who would use these four keys with intention and conviction will be vessels for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work (2 Tim.2:21). Because of the corruption of power which has infected the prophetic movement to a degree, I believe we are in dire need of these keys to set things right again where they have gotten off track. May we all receive grace to respond appropriately in this hour to what God is calling us to do. Here they are:
1) Take up Your Cross and Follow Christ
2) Prioritize the Ministry of the Word in Your Prophetic Ministry
3) Walk Worthy of Your Calling
4) Speak Only What God Says
Let's talk about each key.
1) Take up Your Cross and Follow Christ
(Matt. 10:38)
“And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.”
What a compelling thought… if I do not take up my cross and follow my Lord then I am not worthy of Him. Think about that for a minute. If I bypass the cross and play the worldly game of power in my life or ministry, then I am not worthy of my Lord, regardless of how many followers I accumulate and how many good deeds I perform.
Never forget the story of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness. He was offered power by Satan, who had the power to give Him the things He was offering because Satan is the “god of this world” (2 Cor.4:4). But with Satan’s offer of power came the bypassing of the cross. As I talked about in our previous lesson in my course “Kings & Prophets”, false prophets always offer a quick and easy solution to the problems people face, along with quick and easy ways to reverse a person’s fortunes overnight. Satan offered Jesus the world quite literally, and all He had to do was make a small compromise in the moment while bypassing the pain and suffering of the cross (Matt.4:9). True servants of God do not compromise, no matter how much pain can be avoided or how much pleasure can come. True servants of God only prosper by the Lord and only wield power as God gives it and God ordains. Even then they do so with wisdom, discretion, and humility, knowing that at any moment God who has freely given can freely take away (Job 1:21).
The way of the cross is the only way to acquire and wield power in this life in such a way that does not corrupt while bringing ultimate glory to God and the name of Jesus. Anything less than the crucified life is dangerous for both the church and leader who possesses power. Follow in the footsteps of your Lord and use your power to lay down your life today (Jn.10:17-18). Only then can you take up God-ordained power and authority for the glory of God and the benefit of His people.
2) Prioritize the Ministry of the Word in Your Prophetic Ministry
(2 Timothy 4:2)
“Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.”
So many of the problems we face today in the church and prophetic ministry would instantly be resolved if people would faithfully follow this exhortation which Paul gave to his spiritual son Timothy. To every prophet and preacher alike the Lord says, “Preach the word. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching”. If your ministry truly rises and falls on the faithful preaching and teaching of God’s word, so many of the temptations that overcome ministers would die and have no power over you. When we compromise and convince ourselves that we can prioritize other things ahead of preaching and teaching God’s word faithfully to His people, so much goes awry. If you live the Word and impart the Word as your life’s work in ministry, then taking up your cross will be a daily occurrence and you will have no desire to play the worldly game of politics and power. You’re here to serve, you’re here to glorify God, and everything else is secondary to that.
3) Walk Worthy of Your Calling
(Eph.4:1)
“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,”
As a prisoner of Christ, Paul beseeched the people that God had given him to watch over spiritually to “walk worthy of the calling with which they were called”. He went on to say “to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift”, and that “when Christ ascended on high, He led captivity captive and gave gifts to men” (Eph.4:7). In other words, the power that God gives is through grace, according to the measure of Christ’s own gift which works in and through you. There’s no need to compromise, there’s no need to cut corners, there’s no need to play the worldly game of politics and power while bypassing the cross for the deceitful fruits of immediate gratification. If I walk worthy of my calling and steward the gift that I’ve been given from above, according to the grace of God on my life, then God will raise me up in due time and due season (1 Pet.5:6). I won’t have to play games, I won’t have to compromise, I won’t have to build my life on sinking sand. People who play the worldly game of politics seize power through strength of will and force. When power is given by God He gives a man or woman favor and they rise in due season and due time as God sets them in their office and gives them authority to serve and do their kingdom work.
David was given power by God as a shepherd boy, and that power caused him to rise gradually through supernatural favor and divine opportunities which were granted, such as the opportunity to slay Goliath and become a war hero in Israel. Joseph rose gradually through the ranks of elite Egyptian society because of the gift and grace upon his life. Although He was persecuted along the way, God perfectly positioned him to rise to his ultimate position of power and authority as governor of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself. If you have a calling on your life like David and Joseph; if God has called you to wield greater power and authority in this life, for his glory and for the sake of his people, then God will grant you divine opportunities as well if you do things His way and refuse to compromise along the way. Like David, you must resist the urge to kill Saul in the cave and take power through ungodly means. Like Joseph, you must say no to Potifar’s wife, even if it looks like it will save you much pain and hardship while bringing you pleasure in the present. You must walk worthy of your calling as you endure your training for reigning in this life.
4) Speak Only What God Says
(Deut.4:2)
“You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.”
In scripture, prophets were careful not to add their own opinions and interpretations to their prophecies. In many cases, they simply spoke the Word of the Lord and let the Lord interpret it in due time and due season as God watched over His Word to perform it. This is where many prophets are missing it today. Many of them cannot forgo the opportunity to boldly declare their prediction based on what they received from the Lord. Prophetic predictions that miss the mark are oftentimes the interpretations that God has not made known to the prophet. We must get this in our spirits… some prophecies are not meant to be predictions in the moment, but confirmations in the future as God’s Word comes to pass. I’ve experienced this many times in my own life, where God spoke powerfully in a moment, but I had no idea what it ultimately meant for my future. But when it came to pass and the mystery of the prophetic word’s meaning was fully disclosed, I stood in awe of God and knew in my heart, “Only God could have done this. All glory to Jesus my king!”.
I think there will always be a strong element of mystery in the prophetic which is why we must exercise patience and prudence when handling the precious Word of the Lord. No matter how prophetic you are, you will always see and know in part as long as you draw breath in this life (1 Cor.13:12). If God speaks but does not bother to interpret in the moment, don’t fill in for Him and try to do his job, no matter how much pressure is being put on you through modern social media prophetic culture. Say what God says and do not go beyond the Word of the Lord when speaking prophetically, and you will overcome the temptation that many prophets are succumbing to today; you will keep your prophetic ministry pure and holy, your prophetic mantle unspotted and undefiled by the world.
CONCLUSION
That concludes today’s written article. May your discernment be sharpened, may your heart be strengthened, and may you never go the way of worldly prophets who have decided to play the game of power while forsaking their holy burden as servants of God. May we all be given grace to take up our cross and follow our Lord into this new day, to restore pure authentic prophetic ministry which points people to Jesus and glorifies the Lord above all! God bless you!
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The content of today’s written article was taken from Stephen’s “Kingdom School of Ministry” (KSM) online curriculum, which is taught live every Saturday morning on Zoom, and uploaded to his online library of courses when completed and edited. To gain access to these teachings and courses, check out the links below!
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