Part 2 Believing: Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper

I don’t know where you are with the prophetic this morning. Perhaps you are new to the prophetic, and have many questions. Perhaps you, or someone you know has been hurt by the abuse, or the misuse of the prophetic. Perhaps you fully embrace the prophetic with or without discernment (1 Thessalonians 5:21). You may even believe that prophecy disappeared with the completion of the New Testament. But surely I can start with the need to believe at least one of God’s prophets, namely the Lord Jesus Christ. After all He is prophet and priest and king (John 4:19; Hebrews 7:17; John 18:37! But also wherever you are, the battle to believe it is likely to be strong. For example Jesus told us that whoever believes in Him would do greater things than He (John 14:12). Are you there yet? Have you raised the dead yet?

There is much to say about prophets and prophecy, about the differences and similarities between Old Testament and New Testament prophecy, and about the need to test all things etc. etc. It very clear that there are false prophets both in the old and the New Testament (i.e. 1 Kings 22; Matthew 7:15), and we certainly don’t want to believe false prophets! Nevertheless the aspect of what I want to talk about this morning is believing, believing both God and His prophets. In a certain sense, the whole of the Bible is prophetic, and I want to start with something that I hope we can all agreed on. We have all likely had the experience of the verse “jumping out” at us, this is the Holy Spirit illuminating the verse. The Lord illuminated one for me just recently through a sister in the Lord. It is “I will pour My Spirit on your descendants,” (Isaiah 44:3). I believe such illumination is prophetic in nature, but as I say what I want to talk about most this morning, is the battle to believe.

And it is a battle! I have been waiting many years for the fulfilment of a promise that the Lord gave to me. There is something of a fire in the delay between the promise and its fulfilment. He tells us to wait patiently upon him (Psalm 40:!). But when it doesn’t happen immediately we, like Abraham can try to make it happen or settle for Plan B. Been there done that, and I have T-shirts to prove it! On the other hand I have written down many of his promises. And when I am in danger of being discouraged, I take them out and read them, preferably out loud. The Scripture tells me, that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Romans (10:17). So I rehearsed my promises, remember ones He has already fulfilled, and I remind Him over and over of those not yet fulfilled (Luke 11:8), sometimes with many tears.

Father, You are not a man that you should lie, and the Scriptures tell me that what You say You will do. You watch over Your Word to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12). Believing is not easy Lord, especially when there are long delays. But Your timing is perfect, and while You are never early, You are never late. And I have learnt to trust that what You need to do in me during the waiting period, is every bit as important as the fulfilment of Your promise or prophetic word. Thank You Lord that as I choose to believe You and Your prophets, You will continue the process of establishing and prospering me. I believe on that day when we meet, I will be able to say ”You have done all things well.” And I praise and thank and bless You again this morning Lord in Jesus Name Amen