Unrealized Prophesies (Richard Lang)

Peter's question could take hours if not pages to answer and watching the thread of e-mails, I would highly expect that this is an excellent excercise for all of us. Praise the Lord.

Several years ago I began to realize that some folks were receiving prophetic words just as though they were Scripture, with the high exalted way that we ought to view God's Word. This troubled me - or better yet, it frightened me. On one hand, I myself never received a prophetic word as a matter of life or death. I always felt there was - as it were - in need of a grain of salt, sometimes more and sometimes less.

On the other hand, if some of the folks I was speaking to had the notion that my words were to be taken on the same level as Scripture, then I had to be all the more careful that what I spoke was spoken under the anointing.

If words spoken by me or any other person were like Scripture then Paul would never have said: All prophecy is imperfect. God's Word is never imperfect. i.e. Biblical prophecy: Isaiah or Revelation for instance is always perfect, never imperfect. However, my words, spoken under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, to some degree, is going to be imperfect.

Because my words are imperfect, they must as Paul tells us be judged or weighed. God Word never has to be judeged or weighed. We study the Word, and Meditate on the Word, but we can never judge it or weigh it.

Not only that, but Paul once again tells us that prophecy will pass away, but God's Word will never pass away. In fact, prophetic words spoken by me ten years ago may have already passed away or fallen by the way side! They might have been the anointed word for that moment and in that place but now we have passed on down the road of time and they no longer have meaning.

But, as i have said before, some words just will not go away. They keep popping up and for the moment they have not yet passed away.

Someone has said that we ought to be praying over such words, and I believe very firmly that we can pray a prophetic word into existence. Or we can just take a ho-him attitude and let it die.

My vision for ministry began to grow in 1962, and has been growing ever since, and so it is that I have received priceless works from a number of folks in the prophetic school, which are power filled times of great joy as we wait like Habakkuk tells us that it will come.

I know that I am jumping along here and crossing many bridges and not explaining every word as much as i should but e-mail limits the length.

1st Cor. 12; 13; & 14 is a must. Peter, I trust that all I am doing is pointing to these various verses, which for the most part tell us how we are to receive a prophetic word. 1st Cor. 14:32 tells us something very interesting, "The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets." This tells us that a person can and does have some control over what he says or does not say. However, I have heard some folks say, "The Lord told me!!!" And in doing so they are saying that they just had no control.

When the Lord gives me something to say, I don't just jump right in. I wait for the right time and then if it is really of the Lord then the words will still be there. On the other hand, those who hold their words to be on the same level as Scripture, they tend to forget some of the words of caution given to us by the Apostle, and they barge right in.

Keep this in mind, words sp[oken by another person will only confirm what you yourself have heard from the Lord. And not only will it confirm but I believe it will confirm over and over again.

So, without rambling all over the place:

Scripture is Scripture, whether it is OT or NT.

But what you and I speak is not Scripture, but it is imperfect, and must be judged or weighed and it must be controlled by the person doing the speaking.

Even the admonition - let two or three speak - limits what we do. But, if it were hot off the Holy Spirit Press - then Paul would not dare to limit it in any way. Paul would not limit the Holy Spirit.

What we say to one another is not a type of fortune telling. One time the word "Africa" came to me and I asked what the other person felt. Well, they just did not feel, but started jumping and praising and so forth. To them Africa meant tremendous blssings. But, I added nothing to the word. I made no effort to tell them what to do with the word. I did not suggest that the Lord was sending them to Africa and so forth. I simply delivered the one single word. And they did the rest.

That has happened several times.

Also keep in mind that 1st Cor. 14:3 tells us that what we are speaking to one another ought to have these several qualities: "He who prophecies speaks to men for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation."

As you recall: I sat and looked at your name on the screne and after a moment of meditation, words came to me and I shared them with you - always aware that I have a deep responsibility to be cautious and sensitive to you. Then, when you wrote back, Holly and I were doubly pleased that those words moved your spirit. Thanks be to God.

However I would not have dared to touch the key board if I felt that I was going beyond the outline given to us by Paul and the center of that outline is this verse three.

Now, can prophecy have wisdom or knowledge or tongues or one of the other gifts? Yes, it can and more than likely it will. But, we here in the West try to ask the question, "Was that this or that?" Frankly, I do not believe that is what the Lord wants us to do, because He Himself talks about manifesting the Holy Spirit,

Here is an interesting thought that one of the Words being spoken in 14:3 is the Greek word, "paraclete." The Holy Spirit, Jesus tells us is the paraclete. Consequently, we become paracletes.

As a Pastor I have always rejected the notion that I am a counselor, when in fact that is the task of the Holy Spirit, and my task is to bring you to him, and He will cleanse you.

E-mail forces us to be brief and I have gone one far too long.

Forgive me!

<<<Thinking about this, my question goes somewhat further. Is there a difference between OT and NT prophecies (as recorded say in the bible), and also a difference between NT prophecy and the prophecies we share with each other today in the 20th century.

Peter Glazier>>>

Thank you Peter. I trust this will be helpful.

Hopefully! {{{The "in" word!!!}}}