Have you ever felt as though your ability to hear from God or to receive prophetic revelation has become dulled, or hazy?
There can be many reasons for this, including:
- A busy season of life, family work or ministry
- Not taking time in your intimate relationship with God to hear His voice or receive from Him personally
- Weariness through a time of trial
- Taking your prophetic gifts for granted and not investing time into growing in that area
Sometimes missing God’s voice, or feeling as though we are not hearing Him clearly, is not because of anything we have done or neglected. It may be that the Holy Spirit is stirring up hunger in our spirits because God has more of Himself for us to receive.
Sharpen Your Prophetic Gift – The Parable of the Pump
A well of fresh underground water can refresh us, as well as quench our thirst and the thirst of others. But that water needs to be accessed. One way this is accomplished is through a pump.
An old-fashioned hand water pump needs to be primed when it hasn’t been used for a while.
In order to prime a pump, it must first be filled with water. Time and effort must be applied to work the pump handle up and down. But then, the reward—fresh water flows from the well once more.
- Likewise, there are times when we need to ‘prime the pump’ of our ability to hear from God.
Just as the pump needs to be refilled with water, we need to position ourselves to receive a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit. We need to reconnect with God in our intimate relationship with Him.
And then—we need to take some intentional time to hear from our Father.
Prophetic Journaling
‘I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me… Then the Lord replied: ”Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.” (Hab 2:1-2)
One of the ways you can reconnect in your intimate relationship with God and sharpen your prophetic gift is through journaling.
This is where you take time in prayer, with your Bible at hand, for the purpose of intimacy with God and to specifically hear (or see) what He is saying to you.
And then, write it down or record it in some way.
This doesn’t need to be confined to pen and paper—you may use a device such as a computer, smart phone, iPad or tablet (ensuring distracting Apps and incoming calls and emails are turned off, of course!) You may prefer to use audio recordings of your reflections.
However you do it, recording has benefits:
- It helps you remember what God has spoken to you
- It provides a means of accountability
- It brings encouragement when you look back and see what has resulted from what God has spoken to you and how you have responded.
Two Very Important Things
The Bible should always be our primary means of hearing from God. My first check, if I begin prophetic journaling, is to ask the question,
- ‘Have I been regularly feeding on and studying the Bible?’
If you are not regularly reading the Scripture, then I encourage you to dig into the Bible in conjunction with seeking God for His ‘Now’ word for you. For example, using the SOAP method of journaling can be a great way to combine Bible study with sharpening your prophetic gift.
Secondly, when you enter the arena of receiving revelation personally from God, your prophetic insights need to be weighed up, by yourself and others. (1 Thess 5:19-22) Share what you are receiving with someone who can speak into your life; preferably a leader who will not only encourage you, but also has the ability to make suggestions, or bring adjustment if necessary.
For example, when I receive prophetic insights that concern guidance, personal direction or my ministry, I share these with my spiritual oversight. I also share general testimony of what God is speaking to me with fellow team members—enabling others to give me feedback and share the journey.
Methods of Journaling
In previous posts, I have shared about two specific methods of journaling. These are:
These methods can be helpful when you are seeking to sharpen your gift of prophecy, but you may find your own unique ways to explore what God is saying to you.
I like using a large piece of paper and using mind-mapping, or unstructured paragraphs or sentences anywhere on a page. I may draw lines between connected ideas. Occasionally, I may draw a picture of something God shows me.
Use whatever means best suits you personally, to take notes from your time with God. It will not only help you sharpen your prophetic gift; it will be an enduring reminder of life-changing encounters with your Heavenly Father.
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