Jeremiah 23:16-18 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They make you worthless; they speak a vision of their own heart, not from the mouth of the Lord.
They continually say to those who despise Me, ‘The Lord has said, “You shall have peace”’; and to everyone who walks according to the dictates of his own heart, they say, ‘No evil shall come upon you.’” For who has stood in the counsel of the Lord, and has perceived and heard His word? Who has marked His word and heard it?”
The prophetic word is something I strongly believe in. It not only can announce to us God’s intended future, but it can also declare to us His present purpose. The declaration of the word of the Lord is essential in forming a mental picture of something that is not. It also creates faith in the hearers to believe God to bring something to pass. The prophetic word can bring direction in the midst of uncertainty. In the Old Testament kings relied upon the prophets to bring them the word of the Lord so that they could make administrative and military decisions.
In our devotion today prophets who are speaking out of their own minds positive and encouraging words to people who need rebuke and correction compromise the word of the Lord. There is a key mentioned to help the messenger correctly deliver the word of the Lord. Verse 18 says, “For who has stood in the counsel of the Lord…” The word “counsel” means “assembly, a company of persons, a session.” A prophet must be in the gathering of those who are assembled to hear the word of the Lord. They must have the ability to perceive what God is saying and correctly deliver that message to God’s people, regardless of content.
When the prophetic word is operating properly, it is a wonder to observe and very powerful to participate in. Yesterday’s devotion in 1 Thessalonians 5:20 said, “Do not despise prophecies.” Do not miss what God is saying because of the messenger. The prophetic word is legitimate and has the ability to make a tremendous impact in people’s lives and to inspire faith. Maybe you are one of those who seem to have insight into things. Cultivate that gift by spending time in the presence of the Lord and listening for His counsel. Develop your ear. We need the authentic prophetic word amongst us today. Let’s do everything we can to preserve it.