A Prophetic Lifestyle

My friend Dan Bohi often asks: What is the most important thing you will ever do?

I’ll answer that question in a moment. Jesus and His disciples had entered Samaria. The disciples had gone into the city to buy food while Jesus remained relaxing by a well. A woman from the city came to draw water and Jesus said, “Give me a drink” (John 4:7). No doubt His request was met with a bit of surprise because in that culture Jews didn’t interact with Samaritans. Jesus, however, was operating within the rules of a different culture; He was functioning out of the kingdom of Heaven. In fact, Jesus taught us to pray, “Your kingdom come” (Matt. 6:10). It was His desire that all followers would make every move from heaven to earth. Let that thought sink in for a moment. When you live from heaven to earth, you carry a kingdom mindset with you everywhere you go and there are no limitations when you function from that perspective. The possibilities are endless because the kingdom is at hand (see Matt. 4:17). Living from heaven to earth is the posture of being seated in heavenly realms as Paul described in Ephesians (see Eph. 2:6). Therefore, in this posture you move only on heaven’s impulse. There is no such thing as a “random” act of kindness. Every act is to be prompted by the direction of the Father. Jesus said that He could do nothing of Himself, but only what He saw the Father doing (see John 5:19). So what is the most important thing you will ever do? Dan answers: “The next thing the Spirit asks you to do!” It might be to buy someone’s lunch, or to tip the waiter a sizable amount, or to pray healing over someone at a shopping mall, or to share your faith with your neighbor. Whatever God asks next of you, obedience to that prompting is the greatest thing that you will do at that moment.

I believe that when Jesus was resting by the well the Father said to Him, “Ask her for a drink of water and watch what I will do.” Heaven was invading earth at that moment and this precious woman was about to be introduced to the living water. Pay attention to these kinds of leadings when you are out in public. Don’t minimize them in your mind or talk yourself out of obedience because of fear. While I was getting ready to board a plane I saw a man with a veteran’s hat on. I felt prompted by the Spirit to thank him for his service to our country, and when I did he choked up and told me about receiving Christ while in the navy. I knelt down beside him and his wife and I prayed health and blessings over them. While at a restaurant during a layover that same day I felt led to give the waiter a $20 tip, and then I told him about Jesus. On another flight I prophesied over a woman beside me and prayed that God would heal her ear. A few days ago I was coming out of the library in our town and I saw two guys standing outside smoking. Holy Spirit prompted me to ask them how I could bless them. They both told me about a few things that were going on in their life, so I told them about Jesus, prayed blessings over them, and then bought their lunch. These are examples of the kingdom of God reaching into earth. They are moments when the heavenly realm invades the earthly realm, and God desires to use you and me in that process. No action is insignificant when we’re responding in obedience to the heavenly voice.

Paul wrote, “Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy” (1 Cor. 14:1). It starts with love. Why do we minister to people? Why do we reach out to others? Why do we desire to be used by God to touch a world? It’s because of love, and if we’re truly in Christ then we’re on a journey of pursuing love every day. Love never fails (see 1 Cor. 13:8), so you can’t screw up if your motive is love. Paul then said to desire the spiritual (pneumatikos) which is a word for the supernatural. It refers to the Holy Spirit blowing through your life. Who wouldn’t desire that kind of experience? We should all be zealous for those moments when the Spirit flows through us and touches a needy person standing in front of us. Finally, Paul said “especially that you would prophesy.” The simplest definition of prophesying is speaking to others what the Spirit is speaking to you. When you prophesy, you’re simply the mouthpiece of God speaking His words of life, hope, and healing to others. I’m talking about a prophetic lifestyle, where every moment we’re living with our ears bent toward heaven ready to release upon others life giving words and actions given to us by the Holy Spirit. Sometimes it will start with the simplest conversations with people like Jesus did such as: Give me a drink! And the next thing that might happen is an entire city will come to believe in Jesus because you spoke prophetically into someone.

Be ready because the next thing that He asks of you, and He will ask, something amazing is about to happen. A kingdom invasion is about to take place and you’re the instrument God desires to use.

Let’s Pray

Spirit of the living God, I’m all yours. Remove fear, doubt, and insecurity from me, and fill me with your Spirit and with boldness. Speak to me so I can speak to others; I’m ready to live prophetically for you, in Jesus’ name, amen.