What is a prophet and prophetic ministry? Prophets pull down, throw down, destroy, build, and plant. As a seer, they are spokesmen, messengers, watchmen, and ambassadors standing in the gap and making up the hedge.
Prophetic ministry involves prophetic language. Every call of God has a unique language of faith. When God called Jeremiah into ministry, he responded, "I cannot speak, I am a child."
Prophetic announcements open new doors of opportunity in your life and ministry. Life and death are in the power of the tongue. How much more, then, do prophetic operations have a powerful impact on the realm of the spirit? Prophets that flow accurately benefit the Body of Christ by announcing, activating, imparting, confirming, and unlocking various times and seasons in believers’ lives.
Prophets know how to flow with the Holy Spirit in the house of God. Our society is filled with those that come into our churches who have formerly opened themselves up to New Age mysticism, witchcraft, the occult, and spiritualism.To protect the flock from false anointing and familiar spirits, there is a proper order in which the Holy Spirit likes to flow. When you understand this order you will compass biblical prophetic operations.
Spirit of divination in prophetic ministry is one of the top ten pitfalls. Not every prophet makes it. Sexual sin, divination, witchcraft, seduction of power, fame, and fortune, and every evil thing will test the prophet's life and ministry. All prophets must keep their motives right before God.
Danger! prophecy without permission. Prophets should avoid low-level prophetic words and seek the safer high levels of spiritual accuracy. Presumptuous prophets prophesy because they can, but should they? Does a prophet need permission to prophesy? If one prophesies by faith alone is he or she in danger of tapping into a spirit of divination? If a prophet that has not been granted permission to prophesy and yet does, is he guilty of sin?
Balaam was a true prophet that went bad and failed. Not every prophet makes it. Power, money, prestige, honor, promotions, and enticements are demonic assignments designed to pull on common ground in the heart. Prophetic ministers must avoid theses demonic assignments used to corrupt God's true prophets.
The Holy Spirit expects His prophets to stand in the gap and make up the hedge. New Testament prophets are part of the five-fold ministry ascension gifts. “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-12). All these ministry gifts are needed to advance the kingdom of God by making Disciples of Christ.
Prophetic ministry.Christians are called to teach each generation the difference between the Holy and the profane (Ezekiel 44:23). Today, all which God calls holy is under attack, and this is not the first time. In the Old Testament, God revealed to Jeremiah that His house was full of wicked prophets, priests, and corrupted ministers.