The Burden of the Prophetic Rebuke

Of all the things I find difficult in the prophetic realm is when from time to time God calls on me to confront or rebuke someone. I do it seldom.  Those who are simply prophetic but not in the office are not called to do so.  Yet when someone is place in a governing position, it becomes a duty, a call of the office. It's not easy nor pleasurable.

It has happened seldom, yet more often than I would like.  When I have had to do so, I always do it with as much love as I can muster.  I try to not destroy the relationship.  I might be the only voice left in their circle who has earned the right to say, "My dear sir (or mam) I regret to tell you that you are full of poop again".  Even Billy Graham had Grady Nutt.  He had the right to say exactly that.  He didn't destroy the relationship in his rebuke.

Too few senior leaders have such people in their circle. They think they are their own prophets.  They think they hear from God, "why do I need another person to hear for me".  The truth is, as a Prophet, I NEED to hear from other prophets.  I have several I trust to tell me the truth.  The most dangerous spiritual leader on the planet is the one whose life verse is 1 Samuel 30:6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.

They use that verse as a reason why they Don't NEED a prophet in their lives.  Lone wolf.  Naked. Vulnerable.  Ready to be picked off by satan.

Worse for many of these are leaders of other ministries who they might ask to speak into their lives.  Men or women who have an axe (ministry) to grind.  Who have no benefit in speaking a hard truth.  In fact many times they are most vulnerable because they are in the same place (encouraging themselves).  

What is needed is a prophet who has nothing to gain nor lose by telling you the truth.

I won't give you a list.  There have been some painful events.  Telling a spiritual leader that he was about to die when all kinds of other prophets told him he would live and not die.  Telling a known apostle that an error he made was about to cost him his ministry.. and he lost it in 6 months.  Warning an apostle of gross error that would cost him everything.. and it did.  I have warned a few national leaders by mail and thru those who I knew inside the ministry.  I don't know if it mattered.. but obedience is better than sacrifice.

Here's the truth, God loves his sheep more than he cares about protecting his shepherds.  If a man or woman of God is out of order, God will send his spokesman to warn them.  If they won't take the warning or worse if they have surrounded themselves with a cocoon of protection such that Nathan can't get face to face... then the error will kill them off.  Maybe not dead, but removed.

His people are precious to HIM.  He will not long stand for them to be abused.  It's the hardest think I ever have to do, but if I am disobedient he will pull the anointing from me.   That's must not be.