Patterns in Personal Prophesy

I have been engaged for the past few weeks in being part of services at Crusader's Church in Chicago where Personal Prophesy is being delivered. It's been very good. People NEED to hear the word of the Lord for themselves.

It is interesting. I have been engaged at one level or another in giving and receiving personal prophesy for 30 years. There are distinctives in style and delivery. One is not better nor worse. Just different.

In some of the churches I have been there is a style of delivering prophetic that is fast. Rapid fire. Quick. I understand the paradigm. Don't let your mind get in the way of what God is saying. Blurt it out. The first time I ever encountered this was in a meeting with Mike Bickle. When he laid hands on folks he spoke quickly. Like his teaching which gave him the nickname, Machine Gun Mike. He prophesied like he taught. Rapid fire.

That's good. I can receive that. It is captivating. Keeps your attention.

Many times it takes a lot of words in prophesy. Machine Gun prophesy.

God's way in delivering personal prophesy thru me is more deliberate. More careful. More quiet. Measured. More of a rifle shot than a machine gun. I get the same torrent of download from the throne, I just deliver it with more deliberation. This is people's lives and destiny we are dealing with. I see the Biblical pattern of the prophetic as I review how it was delivered prophetically to people. Nathan anguished. Jeremiah prayed. Abacus struggled. Micahia joked. Sometimes music was needed to hear clearly. It is GOD speaking to his people. How does God speak?

Since people value Prophetic at a very high level, as hearing direct from God, prophets must hear and then deliver his word with precision. No place for misspeaking or hiccups. The word must be clear. Lives are at stake.

I know the pattern God uses me to deliver a word to His people:

• Many times I will touch the person. God uses that mode to help me get a sense of what he wants to say. Waiting on the Lord is good in this time.
  
• I look at the person intensely and ask God to impart the love for them that HE has.
• I am quiet, pray in tongues, then look for a picture or a word for them as a jumping off point.
• That word or picture becomes the thread to what God is saying to them.
• Many times God will first give me a word of knowledge or a word of wisdom for them.
• This sign and wonder opens their hearts to hear what God is saying that will seal the word in them.
• Then after these preparative things, God opens them up to what he is saying.
• It will be specific. Many times not wordy or long. It will usually be encouraging. It will contain vision. Opening of destiny. Freedom to move ahead. Can be as warning.
  
• It mostly will confirm a sense the Lord has already put in them.
• It should NOT be a radical turn in their lives unless it is about hidden sin. Then yes.
  
• It can be corrective, but most of the time is not.
• It can include cautions, but it will be something they already know. Gives people courage to do what they already knew should be done.
  
• It will of necessity include reassurance of God's love for them. That's the pattern you see over and over again when you read the Old Testament prophets.
  

I know that seems like a formula. It's not. It's just how God uses me. I am not as fast as Marcus. As intense as Marlon. As visionary as Michelle. As colorful as Matthew. As profound as Apostle John. I am what I am. A simple prophet in the mode of Amos.

Reassuring. Loving. Preparing. Launching. Aiming. Warning. Encouraging.

Platform prophesy may not be my long suit. I'm not that entertaining. I know I am called to be a prophet to leaders. Prophet to the Prophets a friend said. Yet, if I ever am led to give you a personal prophetic word, it will contain these elements in part or in full. I will do all I know to do to intentionally get my flesh out of the way. You need to hear from God, not Gene.

It's the pattern I have lived with for thirty years. I don't think I will change. I enjoy the speed prophetic. It's just not how God uses me. I must be who God called me to be.

I would rather give you what God gives how HE has called me to give it. I have been to Paul Keith Davis meetings. Bob Jones. Barbara Yoder. Kenneth Hagin. Ken Copeland. They deliver the word of the Lord as I do. Rifle shot. Deliberate. Precise. Slow.

What IS interesting however, one of the most impact-full prophesies over my life WAS delivered by a man trained in the "Machine Gun" Prophetic style. Prophet Bruce Foster. Accurate and releasing. This isn't about quality. It's not about style. If you don't get hung up on style you can hear from God. Even if it comes very fast.

Diversity exists...even in the Prophetic.