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"For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us." 2 Cor 4:6-7
A prophet is a unique instrument in the hand of God. He/she is prepared by God to communicate the knowledge of the glory of God to humanity. We do, however, have this problem of a wonderful treasure in earthen vessels. Last week's article covered the importance of brokenness and humility in order that we might be empty of self; that we might more adequately represent Him. It seems however, there is always the residue of self that keeps us recognizing that the excellence of the power is of God and not of us. John Sandford says in his book "The Elijah Task" that he has even observed God intentionally allowing the prophet to "miss it" on occasion just to keep the prophet from getting too puffed up in his own sense of infallibility <ouch>. Any prophetic minister who claims infallibility has already deluded themselves and is a very dangerous person. And anyone who demands of a New Testament prophet 100% accuracy (based on an Old Testament concept) does not understand New Testament standards of administering the gifts.
It is good to recognize that the communications we receive in our "spirit man" are still filtered through our own personality and character. Watchman Nee brings this incredible concept out in his book "The Ministry of God's Word", where he showed that even Holy Scripture - every jot and tittle of which is God inspired - still has the flavor of the particular author; i.e. Paul's style of writing vs. John's style.. yet God used their personality to communicate His Words. The fact is, our ministry IS tainted by us. We have a great treasure, but it still is contained in an earthen vessel.
Thus the need to purify the vessel. If the vessel is tainted, the ministry will be tainted. If the minister has gaps in his/her character, there will be gaps in his/her ability to deliver a pure message. Yet God has chosen to use us to represent Him to the world and the church. Wow! That is why he also goes through painstaking lengths to purify us from things that would harm us and taint the ministry of God's word.
The two "schools" of character building we want to address in this lesson are the "school of offense" and the "school of aloneness and rejection". These two schools are particularly designed to rid the prophet of the problem of anger and the problem of fear of man. We will be spending a greater amount of time on each issue when we look at Jonah the angry prophet and Jeremiah the insecure prophet in later lessons, but we must understand that these two things are the biggest hindrances to effective ministry in the life of any prophet.
God will allow his "prophet-in-the-making" to endure the school of offense because His prophets must be free of offense lest their angry "spirit" filters through their message, making it un-receivable. Luke 17:1-2 tells us that offense is inevitable in life. "Then He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones."
The critical lessons from this Scripture are two fold. First, that we WILL have opportunity to be offended, and we must not allow it to poison us; and second, that we must not be the ones originating the offense. A prophet's concern must always be that he make his "truth" receivable. A primary hindrance to usefulness in prophetic ministry is unresolved anger in the heart of the prophet. It only takes one time of being "torched" by an angry "prophet" to know that a person like that can cause grave offense and defilement.
When the inevitable offense comes to our life, as it does with all, we are told to forgive and not allow it to taint our soul. Otherwise we ourselves will be candidates to defile others with our bitter heart. Heb 12:15 says it this way: "See to it that no one fail to obtain the grace of God; that no "root of bitterness" springing up causes trouble, and by it many become defiled"; and Scripture clearly states in James 1:19-20 "So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be... slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God." It is wounded people who wound other people.
Of course the antidote for offense is forgiveness. God calls the servant of His to be courteous to the obnoxious, loving to the unlovable and merciful to the unworthy. He expects us to forgive even as He does. The prophet of the Lord must be an "expert forgiver" and of course the only way you become an expert at anything is lots of practice.. <grin>.
That is exactly why most prophets-in-training have had ravaging opportunities through life to gather offense; and have thereby learned how to swiftly and readily draw upon the grace of God to forgive.. and forgive.. and forgive. This revelation hit me like a bolt of lightning one day when I explained to someone who was amazed at my cool calm manner in dealing with a very offensive person; "I've been burned by experts, this incident is a piece of cake." It is those who have overcome very severe wounding offenses and have allowed the grace and forgiveness of God to work deeply in their souls that can remain objective messengers of God without letting their own anger bleed through.
"The fear of man brings a snare, but he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted" Prov. 29:25
Separation, isolation and rejection are the sociological effects of the fall of man. Because we are fallen beings we continue to reject and be rejected; and suffer isolation. We are incapable of fully loving and being loved. Through this we have a large "love and acceptance" shaped "hole" in our heart that God alone can fill. God has reversed the curse of sin through the cross and so has made provision for us to come into unconditional love and acceptance IN HIM. But we so often try to fill that "hole" in our hearts with the little crumbs of acceptance and approval that man seems to offer. This is the root of fear of man and people pleasing.
Yet a prophet must be able to stand alone, unaffected by fear of rejection. He must be free from the snare of "fear of man"... that is, to a large extent, the fear of rejection. God may call a prophet to speak an unpopular word, or do an unpopular thing. He had Isaiah go naked and barefoot for three years. He called Jeremiah to wear an ox yoke. Hosea was called upon to stay true to his covenant with a harlot wife. We see Jeremiah standing in the face of the King who was about to cast him in a pit and still remaining true to the truth God had spoken to him. It is unpopular to stand against homosexuality in today's culture; or to declare that abortion is a murderous abomination to God comparable to the Old Testament sacrifice to Molech. Yet we must be willing to carry God's burden and represent Him, even if unpopular.
The primary way God rids us of fear of rejection is by giving us plenty of practice in the face of rejection and aloneness. So often it is when we have nothing left except Him that we discover there is nothing or no one else we need but Him. One of the hardest lessons for some to learn is that God is all you need. We must come to the place where we are able to say as did King David "Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You." Ps 73:25
The "prophet-in-the-making" will often suffer great rejection in life as God prepares him/her to be invulnerable to it. The prophet must learn a heart level that all he really needs is God's acceptance. The prophet must have the courage and strength to stand alone, when need be... and at the same time the humility and insight to recognize his need of corporateness.