As we develop our prophetic gifting we will be faced with others who have been in the business a long time and 
supposedly know what to do in all and every circumstances. These people who have heard from God in the past have become fat and fastidious and typically rely on the exploits of the past. The mandate for us today is to hear our own word and fulfil our own vision. When God puts something in your heart, know that it is God and keep in step with his Spirit. There was a young prophet in scripture whom God used to speak to king Jeroboam about setting himself up as priest and making unholy offerings on the altar before God and the nation. The unnamed prophet came at the very moment he was about to offer up his sacrifice (1Kingd 13:1). The prophet discharged the word from the Lord about a future king (Josiah) who would be born some three hundred years later and who would remove those who defiled the name of the Lord from his presence. On hearing the news, the king stretched out his hand and declared that he should be seized. However, because it was God who spoke to the prophet, the king could not retract the hand and asked the man of God to pray for him. After the hand was restored the king offered to reward the prophet. The Lord spoke to him and told him not to eat or drink from anyone but to return to Judah (12:10). On his way back an old prophet was told about the prophetic word that he delivered and went in search for him. When he caught up with him he invited him back to his place for a meal and to hear all what God had done. The young prophet told him that he was mandated to go straight back to Judah by God. The old prophet told him that an angel appeared to him and said it was alright to return with him, which was a blatant lie. After eating and drinking at the older prophet’s home, the Lord spoke through the same older prophet to tell the man of God that because of his disobedience his life was required of him. His destiny was cut short because he equated age with integrity. Today remember this, when God speaks to you, if you are in doubt go back to him again and again, and then do as he says. Read the full story in 1 Kings 13:1-25.
as we test our associations
as we locate another principle of association
After receiving the mantle from Elijah, Elisha’s propensity to perform miracles not only increased it was also very visible. He was committed to walking in Elijah’s footsteps so much so that he relinquished his past employment and made up his mind to follow the Lord whatever the outcome would be. He was now the successor of Elijah and the mouth-piece for God in the locality. Elisha lived under an ‘open heaven’. This is a place where the membrane between Earth and Heaven is so thin that the weight of God’s glory can be felt and experienced and also angelic activity is a common everyday occurrence. If a prophet of God is living in this vicinity, then speaking evil about them can be as calamitous as touching them. This was the case in our text 2kings 2:23-25: as he went from Bethel on route to Mount Carmel. He was confronted by 42 small boys who didn’t know who he was nor did they understand the anointing on his life. They proceeded to tease him and call him names, they were very particular about his baldness. He cursed them in the name of the Lord then two bears mauled them. Although this is a particularly gruesome example, it is there in the bible to show us that when we are ignorant of the anointing on an individual’s life, leave them and their destiny to God. The word from the prophet can cause blessings or curses to come upon those in his circle of influence. The open heaven scenario determines that the place where the prophet lives is a thin place. It is also a place of miracles and angelic activity. Today if we want to see and experience the power and glory of God, let us live at one of these thin places under an open heaven. Read Psalm 27:1-4.
Posted in The Prophetic | Tags: Angelic activity, Anointing, Blessings, Curses, Influence, Miracles, Open Heaven, Thin Places
as we investigate the principles of association
When Elisha received the mantle from Elijah the rest of the prophetic company knew this. They recognised that there was something different about Elisha. Having been in the company of the great man the anointing and the double portion was now resting on him. Probably Elisha did not feel any different from he did the day before, however his colleagues recognised the anointing on his life and declared “the spirit of Elijah rest on Elisha” 2kings 2:15. Our associations dictate the anointing that rests on us. We may not be able to recognise it but others will. We are reminded that bad company corrupts good manners (1Cor 15:33). So today let us be very careful who we associate with and seek God before taking on the mantle of others.
Posted in The Prophetic | Tags: Anointing, Associations, Character, Manners, Mantle
as we earth our gifts in the soil of integrity, honesty and trustworthyness
“If I have faith so that I can move a mountain and have not love I am like a tinkling cymbal.” Paul the Apostle A.D. 50’s ish
The importance of integrity in cannot be overemphasised for one who exhibits the prophetic anointing. Honesty, Integrity and trust are the hallmarks of a person who has the gift of a prophet and who discharges that gift with sensitivity and love. It is one thing to discharge a prophetic word and another to be there to mop up any fall-out that follows. Like many of the OT prophets the delivery of the word that have the power to give life and to exact death must be done with sensitivity. Nathan gave King David the word about his wrong doing as a story about a man who, although he had many sheep took the only sheep that a poorer neighbour of his had. When David realised that the story was really about him, he repented and wrote psalm 51. The prophet must be trustworthy. That is, they must be people whose words are true and are laden with integrity. The idea is not to be a portent of bad news but to deliver messages that will bring people back to the father, after all this is at the heart of the father that his creation returns to the protection of his glory. Elisha followed Elijah relentlessly until he received his cloak/mantle/covering and was able to become a prophet of integrity. After delivering what seemed to be a ridiculous word to captain Naaman he refused his goods and money. His trainee however had no such integrity and took the goods and money offered by the captain. Elisha saw in the spirit what took place and prophesied that his servant and his descendants would suffer from the disease of leprosy that captain Naaman was healed of. Honesty, integrity and trust are traits that should be imbedded in all aspiring prophets. Read 2Kings 5:19-27.
as we hone the prophetic voice and get ready for the shifting!!
Having described the roles and responsibilities of the prophet we must now decide if we are called to this office. Once 
we realise that we have the gift and calling to be a prophetic voice to our community, there is one salient thing that we must develop, and that is ‘Character’. Having the gift is one thing, knowing how to use is for the advancement of God’s kingdom and not our own device is another. Currently there are many gifted people around who are aware of what God is doing at this particular time in history. However, like the prophets who were guests at Jezebel’s table, they are prophesying for reward. I know that there are those who are prepared to speak out against the god of this world and against his devises and pervasive push into the heart of the church of Jesus. Today there is a shifting occurring in the spiritual realm, in that across the world the body of Christ recognises that the battle will not be won by preaching and motivation, but by prayer, fasting and above all love. If you have a desire to see God’s kingdom come and his will be done in your locality, then you must set the tone. Repent, confess your faults and forgive those who have hurt you and those you have duped. Fast and pray and above all exhibited the love of Jesus to all to bring about restoration, reconciliation and healing. I want to see the glory of God manifested in my locality and so I must forgive those who have hurt me, repent for keeping bitterness in my heart about them, honour and bless them and pray for total healing and reconciliation.
The prophetic voice must come from a position of humility, but let it be known that this humility is more powerful than a two edged sword as it pierces the very conscience of those who encounter it.
Read 2kings 2:1-13.
Posted in The Prophetic | Tags: following God, Hearing, Integrity, Knowing, Listening, spiritual realm
as we challenge modern day prophets to speak out
As the kings of Israel and Judah moved away from the precepts laid down by the Lord, their propensity to worship 
other gods and do what was evil in the sight of the Lord increased. Our God is merciful and gives people enough chances to redeem themselves and return to him. However it takes strength and courage not to go with the flow and to ride against the tide of ‘modernity’. As people become more and more modern their need for an invisible God diminishes, even more so as they surround themselves with things. The job of the prophet is to alert the leaders in the nation to the facts that although God is invisible he is still watching everything we do and he is keeping a record of all of our actions, be they good or bad. The prophet then must be someone who is bold, focussed and totally committed. A prophet who is not prepared to challenge the status quo is not worth listening to. A prophet who can easily be bought is also not worth listening to. To operate in the prophetic, the individual must be totally committed to speak as they are prompted by the Holy Spirit. Our subject this month, Elijah was prepared to challenge the most powerful man in the land to let him understand that ultimately God is sovereign. It is he who promotes and demotes. It is he who set the length of our days. He is outside time, beyond our comprehension and can turn our circumstances around in the blink of an eye. This is the God that David the second king of Israel was undignified before. This is the same God who gave Solomon supernatural wisdom in Art, Science, Literature and Theology. However Solomon dabbled with alternative worship and set the tone for the departure for his successors. The fact that members of current royal families operate in ways that pleases themselves rather than the king of heaven is not surprising. So what do we need today? As it was in the days of David and more so in the days of the evil Ahab we need the prophetic voices to declare the word of the Lord to them. “Repent for the kingdom of God and his Christ is here” and everyone is required to act especially the monarchy that set the tone for the nation. As we celebrate the royal wedding, let us declare that wedding is an intuition from God, and that it should be between a man and a woman! Be a part of the restoration process, do the right thing. Read Colossians 1:15-23.
Posted in The Prophetic | Tags: courage, Living for the king, Modernity, Speaking out, Strength, Timing, Yahweh
as we seek to understand the purpose of the prophetic anointing!
The purpose of the king is to bring order and sovereignty to a location. So when a king was ruling over a particular 
area he exercised dominion there [his domain], essentially what he says is law and anyone acting outside of that was subject to whatever punishment he thought fit. The role of the prophet is to bring the will of the eternal king, Yahweh, to the attention of mere mortals. However, the prophetic will change the destiny of individuals and or nations. Can the modern day prophet still change the destiny of a king or a nation today? Are there people whom God has appointed to speak on his behalf in our day? Do you have a prophetic anointing on your life and if so how are you using it?
In Elijah’s day there were many prophets, but the majority of them were eating at Jezebel’s table and therefore were unable to challenge the very people who were violating the purposes of God. Prophets who compromise cannot see or hear what God is saying and therefore will speak according to their paymaster. This was the case with those who ate with Jezebel and that is the case today. Rather than speaking out about actions and behaviour that violate God’s word the prophets keep silent for political expediency. Today, as we celebrate the Passover, a time when Lamb of God was slain for the redemption of humanity, let us develop our prophetic anointing so that we can speak to those things, behaviours and actions which are causing people to stumble and let us be carriers of the fire of God to bring transformation and hope to our communities. And like Elijah, let us challenge all those who eat at Jezebel’s table in our on-going spiritual battle. Read 1kings 18:17-19.
Posted in The Prophetic | Tags: Anointing, Demonic control, Institution, Jezebel, Prophetic, Purpose, Structural evil
as we tune in to the truth from the Lord
The scheming, deception and plotting that Jezebel brought to the house of Ahab eventually led to his death. For three 
years Israel was at war with Aram and in the third year Ahab invited the king of Judah, Jehoshaphat to fight Aram with him. However before going to battle Jehoshaphat asked Ahab to find out from the school of prophets what the outcome would be (1kings 22:5). All the prophets in the house declared that Israel would have a great victory and would recover all that Aram had stolen. Jehoshaphat was clearly not impressed and asked a strange question; is there another prophet that is not part of this school here? Apparently there was, a man called Micaiah who always told Ahab the truth that he did not like to hear, so Ahab banished him. So he was called to give his opinion. He declared that the Lord had put a lying spirit in the mouths of the prophets so that they would say what Ahab wanted to hear. And since he had desecrated the high places of God, killed an innocent man for his one vineyard, he would die in that battle. This was contrary and opposite to what all the other prophets were saying so one of them attacked Micaiah and slapped him on the face. However Micaiah said to Ahab, if you return from the battle then the Lord has not spoken to me (1kings 22:28). They went to war and Ahab decided to disguise himself rather that wear his royal robes. In the heat of the battle and archer shot him through his armour and he bled to death on his chariot.
Today if you used to conspire or plot or deceive, repent and ask the Lord to take away the lying spirit from you. Ask him for truth in the inner part and allow him to clean you up else he may just drive you out! This is the prophetic word of the Lord! Read 1kings 22.
as the prophetic words speak to deceit, envy and pride!
The Lord is gracious and allows us his children to make mistakes after mistake before he pulls the plug on us (Psalm 145:8).
So it was with Ahab. Although the prophets of the Lord warned him, his soul tie with Jezebel meant that he kept on being defiant (see 1kings 21). He knew how to repent though (1kings 21:27-29) and therefore averted the angel of death on many occasions. However, the prophetic word from the Lord will always come and when it does God’s purposes will be fulfilled. Ahab fluctuated between the Lord God of Israel and the gods of Baal. As a worshipper of Baal, Jezebel was instrumental in exercising control over Ahab. So when Ahab wanted a vineyard right beside his palace he went to the owner and wanted to purchase it from him. The owner Naboth refused and this caused Ahab to become down-hearted and depressed. When his controlling wife saw his demeanour she wrote letters, put his seal on it and invited the citizen’s of Naboth town to conspire to bring false witness against him so that he could be stoned to death. This sort of conspiracy really irks God and he is quick to react against it. Today we must remember that God is outside of our time and whatever we do he makes a record of it until or unless we repent. Ahab was full of pride and we know that God sees the proud a long way off (Psalm 138:6). Today remember that all those who scheme and plan to avert the plan of God will be brought to book and will reap whatever they have sown. God sent his prophet Elijah to tell Ahab the king that he had signed his death warrant by being complicit in the death of Naboth. If we scheme and plot against people, please remember that there is a God is heaven who see and knows everything we do and say. So let the words of our mouths and the meditation of hearts, be acceptable in his sight at all times (Psalm 19:14).
Posted in The Prophetic | Tags: Anger, Conceit, Envy, False gods, Pride, Selfishness
as we receive the mantle from our montor
After Elijah recovered from his period of depression (1Kings 19:1-10) the Lord sent 
him to anoint and appoint. He was sufficiently recovered to go and do God’s bidding again. The bible state that as he passed by a field he saw a young man ploughing with twelve cows. He threw his mantle (cloak) over him indicating that he was to be the next major prophet in Israel. Imagine that, Elisha was going about his business looking after cattle when the prophet of the Lord came by and chose him. How would you react? Would you drop what you are doing and just go? Or would you sort out the issue you have before you leave? It would appear that Elisha did the latter. He told Elijah that he would go and bid his parents goodbye v.20, sort out his finances, the twelve cows he looked after and celebrate being chosen with his friends.
For us today we must always keep our feet on the ground when God ‘comes’ calling. Elisha gives us a model that is still appropriate in our fast paced 21st century lifestyle. On receiving the call to go, Elisha went and notified his parents. He honoured his parents because he knew that this was the only commandment that has a blessing attached to it (Deut. 5:16). He then had a massive feast for his village since twelve cows would feed more than a thousand people and finally he used his tools, the ploughs that earned his living, as fuel to cook the meat. Elisha did not burn his bridges he merely closed one chapter of his life so that he could open another. To follow the Lord wholeheartedly we too need to learn to close the current chapter properly so that we can move on. Sometimes the past is so current that we fail to learn from it and move on. Although it may appear that Elisha just upped and went after Elijah it must have been months before he was able to go. When he finally became a full-time prophet he was able to perform many more recorded miracles than his mentor. So today who is your mentor, whose mantle are you wearing and who is speaking into your spiritual life? Read 1Kings 19:19-21.
Posted in The Prophetic | Tags: Faithfulness, Following, Growing, Learning, Mentee, Mentor
Pastor Bell's Words To Live By 