What Does It Mean To Be Prophetic?

During Sunday’s sermon, Pastor Sam shared with us (and I paraphrase here) “If we see what God sees, then we will do what God wants done. God can count on His people to act according to what He says.”

Of course, the implication is that if you see what God sees but do not act according to what He says, then you are not one of His people. Rather, you are a servant of the evil one. There is no middle ground.

Our pastor compressed the concept of seeing as God sees into three sub-points. For those of us who are people of God, we share God’s perspective of reality. This perspective:

Sees beyond;

Sees before; and

Sees behind.

Seeing beyond. This is best explained using farming as an allegory. A farmer knows that the corn seeds he plants and cultivates will eventually become full-grown, each ear of corn capable of producing thousands more. There is an exponential consequence of seed-planting. In like manner, God shows us that “small” indiscretions, lies, and compromises are starter seeds which will one day produce a harvest of deception, destruction, and death. Conversely, a man who figuratively sows seeds of goodness will produce a future harvest of righteousness and truth. What a man falsely thinks is an issue affecting “only him” will eventually touch the lives of many more persons. Our God speaks to us from the beyond, revealing to us the end result of our current actions and urging us to obey Him.

Seeing before. There is no accuracy of analysis if we merely assess life based on what we know in immediacy. As we read in Jeremiah 1:5, God knew us before He formed us. Life’s circumstances have a before segment which is known to God. If we seek after Him, He will show us what went on beforehand, and how it has influenced the now. When we have this information, we can pray and act from a position of wisdom.

Seeing behind. Our God is an accurate God who can show us specific histories and origins of powers, principalities, and systems. When we know the origins, we can pray from a position of strength. Particularly in the process of deliverance ministry, the naming of powers serves to expose them and enhance our prayers.  We have the power to speak the history, name the origins, and “connect the dots” between what was and what is. We have this power because God has shown us what is behind the scenes.

Why does God show us these things? Because He has invited us to participate in His salvation plan. The call to Jeremiah is the call to Bronx Bethany. Seeing life from God’s perspective will give us the great strength needed to root out, pull down, destroy, throw down, build, and plant. This is our privilege and our responsibility.

Let’s declare it: God can count on me to act according to what He says.