The Importance of Recording Your Prophetic Word

We've all been there, a prophet or minister calls us out from our seat. Anxiously, with a mix of excitement and apprehension we wade past all the eyes that are looking at us as we make our way up to receive our prophetic word from the man or woman of God. 

It's a face-melting, time warping experience and you get absolutely rocked by the accuracy of the words, the intensity of the anointing and the overall feeling of electricity coursing through your body. Life.... changing. 

But by the time you've made it back to your home and slide into your bed, dread washes over you as you realize you've forgotten three quarters of what was spoken over you. 

We want to avoid moments like these at all costs. In this post I will share one key to help you be prepared and equipped the next time you receive prophecy. 

Always Record Your Prophetic Word

Technology is your friend (unless they resemble Arnold Schwarzenegger) Thanks to modern technology, we have smartphones that have a dozen different tools packed into one tiny device. When you are about to get a prophetic word, whip that device out, fire up the audio memo app and hit that record button. 

If you don't have a phone with that ability, swinging by Walmart and grabbing a twelve dollar digital recorder will be well worth the investment. 

Our Memory is Not Perfect:

Even with the best memory and recall, there is a lot going on when you receive a prophetic word (babies crying, loud music, worship leaders crying, the noise level of the ministers shirt, the judgmental gaze of your church nemesis ahem.. I mean sister in Christ.) and often times we miss things in the moment because of that. We will miss subtle statements and words that could be the key to us being able to live that word in our lives. 

The Gold is in the Details:

When we listen to things for the first time, we look for the high points and headlines. Our attention to the details and fine print can tend to be iffy that first go-around. Having it recorded allows us to go back and hear the details. 

It Allows Us to Be Sure of What Was Said:

Being able to replay our words allows us to verify that what we heard the first time was in fact what was said. Just like any good pre-marriage counselor will tell you, "true communication happens when the person talking and the person hearing it are on the same page of what was actually said".

It Prevents Us From Interpreting our Prophetic Word Through the Wrong Lens:

Many of us are in a place of desperation and hunger when we receive our words. We are standing in agreement and prayer about specific things. Examples could be the salvation of loved ones, the need for financial breakthrough, turmoil within the family or a career change. 

If we aren't careful, we can unconsciously interpret something we hear in the moment through the lens of our need rather than what God is actually saying. Don't get me wrong, God cares deeply about your need and He is working, but it doesn't mean this word you've gotten applies to that situation and if we twist it to apply to something it wasn't meant for, we can miss out on something that is vitally important and life changing in it's own way.

I've worked with many people that come to me stating that a prophetic words had promised such only to listen back and realize that it was something completely different. 

It Can Be a Continual Source of Encouragement and Hope, Building Our Faith For the Future:

I can't tell you how many times I've replayed my prophetic words as I've driven in my car or cried myself to sleep. In those times when hope was dim and faith was low, to be able to replay over and over the promise of God over my life helped me shake myself and put my shoulder to the plow once again, to get my next season of breakthrough. 

 

Sincerely, 

John Harke Team 

I received a prophetic word. Now what?

I received a prophetic word. Now what?

 

 

In the midst of life’s ups and downs, a prophetic word can encourage, uplift and yet at the same time leave us with many more questions. We find ourselves wanting to know what exactly are the steps to fulfill the promise of our prophetic words. The prophet always sees the end of the word, he or she doesn’t always see the journey that will get you there. Prophetic words don’t magically happen without a little work from each of us to fulfill that promise.

 

 

So the question is, how do we get from here to there? That is where faith along with action comes in. James 2:26 says, “ For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.” We can want and believe with all our hearts that what God has spoken over us is true but we have to take some sort of action in order to bring this word to life. Here are 4 steps to help along your journey of bringing your word to life.

 

 

1.Prayer

 

          - If you have your prophetic word saved electronically or even written down, your first step should be to begin listening to it several times and begin to declare that word over yourself.

 

For example, if the word says you are to be a missionary to Europe, your prayer and declaration should be “God is opening the doors for the plans he has for me, I will step out and be His voice to the people of Europe.” As you begin to pray over this, the faith inside of you will begin to grow stronger. It will be one of your passions and your dreams.

 

 

2. Fasting

 

         - Prayer and fasting go hand in hand. In Matthew 17 (NASB) Jesus says that if you have the faith of a mustard seed you can move mountains. However, he also states that certain things do not go out or occur without prayer and fasting. Fasting is an action we take before God, where we begin to ask him for a bit more clarity. He sees the sacrifice we are making because he sees our heart. If our heart is to do His will for our lives, He will begin to work those things into motion. As we begin to fast, the clarity comes because we now fully trust that He will work everything out for us.

 

3. Seek Godly Council

 

         - It’s important to surround ourselves with people who also want to see the fulfillment of Gods’ promise over us. It can be your pastor, your spiritual father or mother, your bible study group, whoever you trust that will begin praying for you and this promise. God can use people around us to give us clarity and to help us grow.

 

 

4. Timing

 

 

      -Timing can be a very interesting matter. We often hear the word “soon”. Soon you will receive your miracle. Soon your prayers will be answered and so on. Soon doesn’t always mean tomorrow or the next day (but we can’t put God in a box. He can do whatever He wants, whenever He wants.) but it could mean whenever you have positioned yourself to see the fulfillment of your word. A question we must ask ourselves is, how badly do you want it? Often, timing is really a question of hunger. The word of God must consume every piece of you; that you’re willing to go any distance, willing to be stretched so fiercely because you understand that your prophetic word will happen in accordance to Gods’ timing.

 

The four steps that we have given you are just a small guide to help encourage you and your purpose. These steps have worked in many different situations in the past and our prayer is that you too begin to see the fruit of your labor. Gods’ plans for our lives are even greater than we can think or imagine. He’s asking each of us to come along this journey with Him to discover His heart and in doing so we can find our purpose.

 

 

Gods’ blessings on you,

 

John Harke Team

 

 

 

Choosing Love

I believe that we are to cultivate a deep desire to prophesy, simply because of the spiritual healing and encouragement that the word of the Lord brings to individuals. Prophesy has the power to confirm, convict, empower and release unlike anything else. It dismantles religious and political systems that refuse to acknowledge God, so that the people will understand life from the Lord’s point of view.

What can take years to overcome, one prophetic word under the anointing can bring a person into complete freedom.  

Recently I had a vision of two mountains, one of mountains was more like the foothills where I grew up in California. The other however was much higher and steeper. The first mountain had a dirt trail that went directly to the top, the second had a similar trail, however it was steep and had numerous switchbacks. What stood out to me was how straight the first mountain was and how easy it was to get to the top. On the top of each mountain was a flagpole, on the first mountain, the flag had the word “prophesy” on it. On the second mountain, the flag had the word “Love”, this flag was at half mast.

What stood out was that the first mountain was extremely populated, while the other mountain had hardly anyone on it. While looking at this mountain, I noticed that there were two people walking up the steep trail carrying a crown, one that would be given to a Queen or King on the day of their coronation. While I noticed thousands upon the mountain of prophecy and the ease in which it took to get there, on the mountain of love there were only two climbing, with no one at the top.

The Apostle Paul taught the church of Corinth to earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially prophesy ( 1 Corinthians 14:1) "Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy." It's such a blessing to see thousands hungering after the prophetic, however the Lord was showing me that very few are actually pursuing love.

In the vision, no one was at the top simply because Love is a journey and it's very difficult to ascend. Love takes extreme stamina, it takes unmeasurable risks, but it pleases God, and it moves His heart.

I noticed that the two climbers on the mountain of Love were sweating profusely which showed me how physical Love is. But why was the flag of love at half mast? Anytime you see a flag at half mast it's because the nation is grieving over the loss of a fallen hero. I believe that the Lord is deeply longing for a people who will pursue love. Why were the two climbers carrying crowns? I believe that the climbers were believers walking in faith and hope and were totally committed to walk in love, because even though the Lord had crowned them with spiritual gifts, they knew that ultimately the gifts weren’t their crown, He was.

So I want to encourage you today to choose the mountain of love, regardless of what it looks like, or how long it takes. Keep climbing and keep pursuing.  

Sincerely, 

John

 

The heart of the Prophet

The prophet is a realist however at times their audience are idealists. The prophet pleads before the people to consider returning to God fully, instead of the stubborn alternative of their own ideas. For the prophet, callousness is an insult in the face of the Almighty God and shallowness is treason. The prophet is stigmatized but finds their peace in the presence of God. For the prophet there is no such thing as 'aloneness.' The recognition of God’s love for mankind has overcome their soul. They shock their audience, but weep for their salvation.

The tension of “consuming fire” and “everlasting love” burns in the heart of a prophet. The prophet both feels and sees the sufferings of the Lord’s heart, their passion is to fan the flame of love in the soul of humanity. To ask the same question the Lord asked Adam in the garden, “Where are you”?, and to repair the deep gulf of separation between God and mankind. The prophet feels a deep seated appreciation for what God loves in people. There is a tenderness and sensitivity to the plight of human suffering. For some who haven’t any paradigm for the prophetic word seem to believe that the prophet is venting. However the prophet who has been seasoned knows that their emotions can’t be their own. Even in a rough and hostile environment with a burning passion for the oppressed, the prophet is the loud outcry for justice. Because the prophet not only see's the tears of the oppressed but they see the brokenness of the oppressors, they don’t have a sermon to preach but a burden to unload.

Their frame of reference is much different from the political and social reference points of the day. When they speak they seem to allude to a different world, a perspective that is quite peculiar. They seem to possess a constant hope in an inconstant world, their heart is apt to forgive because God is so willing to forgive. To the prophet, to be indifferent towards evil is preposterous, simply because the greatest evil is being indifferent towards evil. The content of their message is to tell the people who God really is, they are not social activists however, they do confront the establishment. The prophet has learned the significance of God’s word and calls the nations to sweep away every excuse. Even though he or she is not always taken seriously, they seem to love the people even more, because for a prophet, it's absolutely inconceivable to go on living without an awareness of God.

This is what gives them the mark of authenticity, not their desire to prophesy, but their desire to know God. Like Jesus, they weep for cities and nations because those cities and nations see the prophet as an enemy. However, that doesn’t detour them, it moves them to love more. Why? Because the prophet has come to know a person, not just a religious system. That person is God. They’ve come to know God’s burning passion for humanity.

 

Sincerely,

John Harke 

The Harp

As I begin to write about this story today I can say will all earnestly that I wish this narrative didn’t have to be told. However, God tells it, but He tells it not to expose or humiliate, He discloses this information to instruct and redeem those in the middle of the saga, to put us in the storyline and to put us in the same shoes as David, Bathsheba and Uriah.

Sometimes we don’t like that because we can reduce this drama to their problems, but fail to see this as our problem too. This story is not a parable filled with symbolism, it’s real life. The dominative storyline isn’t adultery or murder, it’s how the Lord appraises the situation. What David’s actions are doing to God’s heart is the theme.

What happened to David? With that I have to ask this question. I have to ask where was David’s harp when he needed it the most? He didn’t just need the harp on the fields of Bethlehem, he needed it on the “roof of temptation” as well.

Every leader needs a harp because it represents a place of intimacy with the Lord. May the Lords sovereignty raise up prophets who pick up the harps that have been discarded by leaders.

Sometimes when a leader has too much time on their hands they disown their harp. When I say “David’s harp” I mean the place of intimacy, the place of worship, the place of peace before the presence of God. For David instead of honing his skill upon the harp he honed his skill to do evil. David could play the harp for others but as he got more successful he couldn’t play it for himself or before God. Years earlier David played before Saul with his harp in his hand, but now as a King without his harp he had absolutely no power to avoid the spear of lust. Captivity does that.

Prosperity doesn’t always bring freedom, but ministering to the Lord does. In a world where contemporary society is blood thirsty for revenge, may the Lord find prophets like Nathan who give Kings back their harp. God missed David which tells us the answer of why he stumbled in adultery and murder. So as we begin this new year let us remember not to lay down our harps and if we have let’s pick it back up and worship Him.

 

 

 

Psalms 137:1-2

 

 

By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down, yea, we wept When we remembered Zion. We hung our harps Upon the willows in the midst of it.

 

Growing in Intimacy

As I write this blog there seems to be the desire in many of us to grow in connection with the Lord, freeing ourselves from shallow relationships and knowing God’s will much more deeply. For some, this is a frustration particularly because others judge their character by what happens to them and not by who they really are. We all at times have the pain of rejection, however spending time in the presence of God seems to embolden us with this sense of holiness. An awareness that we are meant to be sitting before the Lord. Because humanity is most whole when they are attending to God.

What does it mean to attend to the Lord? I believe that concerning ourselves with the knowledge of God’s emotions, we feel what He feels, and this begins to heal our brokenness. Intimacy with God gives us the buoyancy to stay afloat in the middle of hostility. We all need physical touch from another person which is powerful, yet the physical touch from God is transforming.

Intimacy with the Lord has to become our storyline because it's our comfort. This kind of relationship never misuses the power of speech. Because love doesn’t desire to conquer, it desires to empower. And yet sometimes the Lord will displace us socially so that we can find Him in the place of intimacy. When we overflow with love for God it energizes us and we become a people, even in times of loneliness, that are never held hostage by hopelessness. We seem to understand the one we love more deeply because isn’t that what intimacy is? The willingness to understand the one you love? Intimacy doesn’t come to control but to comfort. So we must pray that whatever is a hinderance to loving God fully would be completely removed from us. Here are a few things that we can do to increase in our relationship with the Lord. 

 

1. Eliminate as many distractions as possible, this will quit the soul so we can hear the voice of God. 

2. Pray to serve, more than praying to be promoted 

3. Self-denial is the way of authentic discipleship, it also is the way of true love. Look for ways to deny your flesh. Fasting being one of them.

4. Find your wellspring because this will keep you from spiritual apathy. 

5. Realign your priorities by emphasizing spiritual growth over all other priorities.

6. Make it your primary passion to honor, respect and worship Him.

7. Daily present yourself to God and ask Him that you would have a life that reflects what He values.

 

Sincerely, 

John