Declaring the Prophetic Word

So, how do we step into the prophetic as living sacrifices? In Genesis, God spoke, and it was. "And God said, 'Let there be light;' and there was light," and His declarative work in the world continues through the book of Revelation (Gen. 1:3). From the very beginning, God has chosen verbal declaration as His method of creation and transformation. We see this at the first advent of Christ.

As Zacharias (a righteous man, blameless before God) performs his priestly service, an angel appears and declares that God is about to respond in the affirmative to a prayer Zacharias had given up hope of ever being answered (Luke 1:11-17). Do you have any of those? Prayers you've given up on because you thought God hadn't heard, you assumed He was saying "no," or the passage of time. I admit I have a few.

The same angel appears to Mary, a young teen by most accounts, and declares she will miraculously conceive the Son of God (Luke 1:26-33). It seems pretty clear to me that this wasn't an answer to Mary's prayers. Mary is "perplexed" that she is called favored of God. A young girl engaged to be married, and she is significantly troubled to the point of agitation and alarm.

An angel, soon joined by a myriad of others, appears to a group of shepherds declaring a sign, a baby in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger (Luke 2:12). They were doing what they were supposed to be doing. It was another day in the fields, nothing that would indicate the declaration of the Lord was about to upend their lives.

For prophetic movement to flow through our lives, there must be a declaration that aligns with the will of God. We know that His will is that all should come to repentance (2 Pt. 3:9). Romans 10:9-10 tells us, "if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation." The first act of prophetic movement in our lives is our initial testimony of Christ's work in it. Remember, the spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus (Rev. 19:10).

This is not new. Throughout the Old Testament, the prophets declared the words of Jesus' first advent. God sent an angel to make clear what He was saying as the time approached. We must come into agreement with what God desires for us, and we do so by verbally acknowledging Christ as Lord. Not a good teacher or philosopher, not a prophet, but Lord, and we do so, convinced of His resurrection. Perhaps you were unaware of what life transformation or the prophetic word required of you. Aloud for all creation to hear, you must release control and acknowledge the Lord who knows better and desires more for you than you do for yourself.

As Christ's second advent approaches, what are you declaring? Are you testifying to Christ's work in your life and the world? Are you living your life in the shadows or out loud? A declaration must be made. So, this Christmas season join with me and shout from the rooftops for all the world to hear – "I know that my Redeemer lives and He shall stand on the earth!" (Job 19:25)