Apostle or Prophet?
WHICH WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE?
It was around 1984 when I heard a voice ask me this question.. "Would you like to be an apostle or a prophet?" It sounded like the Lord's voice, but surely He wouldn't ask a question like that! I was sure that it wouldn't be Him, so dismissed the voice.
PERSISTENCE
The trouble was, it did sound like the Lord, and the question simply would not go away! It hounded my mind for a full week before I decided to do something about it. I went and saw the Pastor and told him about it. He said "Well, I've never heard of that happening in the Bible." He was right, I hadn't heard of it happening in the Bible either. That's what the problem was. It just didn't seem right, but the voice wouldn't go away!
THE DECISION
After a week or so of this question hounding my mind I decided to put it to the Lord. I said to Him "Lord, if this is you, I choose to be a prophet because I'm not sure what an apostle is, but I know that you share your secrets with your prophets and that's the sort of relationship I want with you."
Amos 3:7 For the Lord Jehovah will do nothing unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.
Amazingly the question stopped and I had peace! I felt a warmth of satisfaction knowing at last that it was the Lord who had asked this question, and it was Him who heard my answer.
GROWING
As I continued to grow in the Lord I started getting words of knowledge and started prophesying. This was all new and exciting, especially when I saw God fulfill the things He had had me prophesy!
YEARS LATER
Some years later I was in Palmerston North (about 50 kms away from home) and attended a large evangelical meeting. The evangelist gave his message and nearly everyone in that packed auditorium went to the front for prayer afterwards. I knew I had no need to respond, so just sat in my seat and waited. The Lord then said to me "See that man at the end over there?" I looked along the long row of counselors and spotted the one right over the far side. I said "Yes Lord." He said "Go and get him to pray for you."
This didn't make a lot of sense to me because in my wisdom I knew I didn't need prayer for anything right at that time. But I knew I had to get up and go to the front. The trouble was that there were so many people lining up for prayer that it was impossible to get over to the other side of the building. I got to the first counselor in the middle aisle and he asked if he could pray for me. I said ok, he prayed for me and I went back to my seat.
I SAID THAT ONE!
When I sat down the Lord said to me "I said go to that one." I felt as though I had been gently told off and made my way to the front again. Eventually I got to the man I was supposed to see in the first place. I was the very last person to be prayed for and the poor guy's body language said "I'm all prayed out and exhausted and I don't want to pray for you."
He asked me what I wanted prayer for. I didn't know, so I just said to him that the Lord had told me to get him to pray for me. He said "Well God hasn't told me that."
That was great. If I hadn't been so absolutely sure that it was God who had spoken to me I might have gone back to my seat again feeling quite stupid, but I hung in there. The guy layed hands on me and started to pray....
THE MANTLE
As soon as he layed hands on me I received the mantle of a prophet. Don't ask me how I knew, I just knew that I knew!! I have no idea what he prayed, it didn't matter.
THE JOY AND THE SORROW
Since that time I have enjoyed a very special relationship with the Lord. He has time and time again taken me into the Bible and shown me things that are very special to me. Treasures!!
I have learned that the role of a prophet sets you apart from other people. It just seems to be a part of the package. I'm not complaining, I wouldn't change for the world! Sometimes it is frustrating because I'm not as good as explaining things as the Lord and I get myself into trouble sometimes.
There are times when the things I have shared with other people have been totally rejected and I have gone back to the Lord, often in tears, to ask if what He showed me was correct or did I get it wrong. He always takes me back into Scripture and teaches me His truths again, often using completely different Scriptures to reaffirm what He showed me before.
The teachings on the Word of God and Feast of Tabernacles are two such lessons.
I hope you view these with prayer and a heart open to God.
Top
It was around 1984 when I heard a voice ask me this question.. "Would you like to be an apostle or a prophet?" It sounded like the Lord's voice, but surely He wouldn't ask a question like that! I was sure that it wouldn't be Him, so dismissed the voice.
PERSISTENCE
The trouble was, it did sound like the Lord, and the question simply would not go away! It hounded my mind for a full week before I decided to do something about it. I went and saw the Pastor and told him about it. He said "Well, I've never heard of that happening in the Bible." He was right, I hadn't heard of it happening in the Bible either. That's what the problem was. It just didn't seem right, but the voice wouldn't go away!
THE DECISION
After a week or so of this question hounding my mind I decided to put it to the Lord. I said to Him "Lord, if this is you, I choose to be a prophet because I'm not sure what an apostle is, but I know that you share your secrets with your prophets and that's the sort of relationship I want with you."
Amos 3:7 For the Lord Jehovah will do nothing unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.
Amazingly the question stopped and I had peace! I felt a warmth of satisfaction knowing at last that it was the Lord who had asked this question, and it was Him who heard my answer.
GROWING
As I continued to grow in the Lord I started getting words of knowledge and started prophesying. This was all new and exciting, especially when I saw God fulfill the things He had had me prophesy!
YEARS LATER
Some years later I was in Palmerston North (about 50 kms away from home) and attended a large evangelical meeting. The evangelist gave his message and nearly everyone in that packed auditorium went to the front for prayer afterwards. I knew I had no need to respond, so just sat in my seat and waited. The Lord then said to me "See that man at the end over there?" I looked along the long row of counselors and spotted the one right over the far side. I said "Yes Lord." He said "Go and get him to pray for you."
This didn't make a lot of sense to me because in my wisdom I knew I didn't need prayer for anything right at that time. But I knew I had to get up and go to the front. The trouble was that there were so many people lining up for prayer that it was impossible to get over to the other side of the building. I got to the first counselor in the middle aisle and he asked if he could pray for me. I said ok, he prayed for me and I went back to my seat.
I SAID THAT ONE!
When I sat down the Lord said to me "I said go to that one." I felt as though I had been gently told off and made my way to the front again. Eventually I got to the man I was supposed to see in the first place. I was the very last person to be prayed for and the poor guy's body language said "I'm all prayed out and exhausted and I don't want to pray for you."
He asked me what I wanted prayer for. I didn't know, so I just said to him that the Lord had told me to get him to pray for me. He said "Well God hasn't told me that."
That was great. If I hadn't been so absolutely sure that it was God who had spoken to me I might have gone back to my seat again feeling quite stupid, but I hung in there. The guy layed hands on me and started to pray....
THE MANTLE
As soon as he layed hands on me I received the mantle of a prophet. Don't ask me how I knew, I just knew that I knew!! I have no idea what he prayed, it didn't matter.
THE JOY AND THE SORROW
Since that time I have enjoyed a very special relationship with the Lord. He has time and time again taken me into the Bible and shown me things that are very special to me. Treasures!!
I have learned that the role of a prophet sets you apart from other people. It just seems to be a part of the package. I'm not complaining, I wouldn't change for the world! Sometimes it is frustrating because I'm not as good as explaining things as the Lord and I get myself into trouble sometimes.
There are times when the things I have shared with other people have been totally rejected and I have gone back to the Lord, often in tears, to ask if what He showed me was correct or did I get it wrong. He always takes me back into Scripture and teaches me His truths again, often using completely different Scriptures to reaffirm what He showed me before.
The teachings on the Word of God and Feast of Tabernacles are two such lessons.
I hope you view these with prayer and a heart open to God.
Top