Guidelines for the prophetic.

By David Howe.

1- The does and don'ts.

Do not use your gift to manipulate others.

Do not prophesy your own opinions.

Do not think that you are above anybody else - stay humble before the Lord and men, If you don't you will fall flat on your face.

Do not use your gift in anger or to hurt others.

Do not use your gift for personal gain - money - position and so on.

Do use your gift in love and for the benefit of others.

Do listen to what the Lord is saying to you - Do not speak until you have the full picture - The word you have can come over a few minutes, hours, days and so on.

You may only be given part anyway.

This is because when you are ministering to someone the Lord may be showing you what the problem is first and then give you the solution - you could end up prophesying the problem and not say what the Lord wants to really say to that person - you must learn to hear the voice of the Lord - this will come with time.

Do not say that you are a prophet - Do not exalt your self or gift before men - God will do the exalting - your gift will speak for its self - the leaders will recommend you to others.

Do stay within your church, leadership covering - Don't be a lone ranger.

Do study the Word for this will enhance your gifting - the Word and spirit must be in balance.

Do keep on learning for no one knows all things but Christ.

And watch what you eat before you go to minister or they will be falling under the power of Chinese sweet and sour and not the Holy Spirit - watch personal hygiene.

Remember all can prophesy according to the Word of God in its simplest of forms that is to build up and encourage each other.

Its says in the Word that we must encourage each other daily so lets do as its says.

Part 2.

How the gift works - A personal history.

Back in January 1996 the Lord began to use me in the prophetic - word of knowledge and so on.

This happened when a minister from south Africa came.

His name was Gary and he was very much used of God in the gift of prophecy and word of knowledge.

He give me a Word that everything that had happened to me would be turned around and within a few months this word came to pass.

Before he left he prayed I would run as he ran and that everything that he had would become mine.

That I would be used in the same way as he is.

During the prayer meetings that we were having at the time things just exploded for me.

One day at home the Lord began to show me things about others which I then told them what I had seen.

I think that this took some by surprise back then.

How does the gift work in my life.

The Words can come in many ways like in a dream at night.

I some times see words like faith or even see faith in some one, Don't ask me how you see faith it just happens.

Sometimes I am just drawn to someone then say what comes.

It can come as a picture or you just know something about that person.

The Lord uses me this way the best with total strangers like when I am in other fellowships.

I have been told that I have just gone up someone and said a few words like you do in normal conversation and unknown to me there has been a word within that conversation.

I would not know that this has happened until they tell me about it.

At other times someone is praying for something and its like I am told to ring them or go to them and POW they get an answer to what they are praying for.

When I read the bible its like the Lord says go tell that person this or that - go prophesy the bible into their lives.

Words can come with music or from nature as I just walk around.

I have not had any open visions yet but I have been told that this will happen.

There are other way that words come to me also.

A WORD APTLY SPOKEN IS LIKE APPLES OF GOLD IN SETTINGS OF SILVER.

THE BIBLE SAYS THAT WE MUST ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER DAILY.

Dave Howe.