Prophetic Evangelism

I can still remember the first time I received a personal prophecy from an anointed man of God. Out of a crowd of about 1500 people, without knowing us at all, he singled us out where we sat right at the back of the auditorium, and blessed us with a wonderful prophetic word of the Lord, so accurate and applicable to our lives. Growing up in a traditional church, the gifts of the Holy Spirit were totally foreign to me. To this day, nearly 13 years later, I still remember that prophecy. Who of us can not immediately recall a prophetic word that has blessed and encouraged us? If we, as believers, stand in awe of a prophetic word in season, how much more will unbelieving people in the world be blessed with a God who knows the intimate details of their lives?

Contrary to the belief amongst some Christians that prophecy is only meant for believers, God wants to use the prophetic in the lives of unbelievers too, as He used Joseph in the life of an unbelieving king, Pharaoh.Prophetic evangelism is defined as a personal word of wisdom and knowledge about the past, present or future, imparted to unbelievers, and often lead to opportunities to evangelize them. God can use believers like you and me, to impart it, or He can impart it directly to the unbeliever,eg Jesus appearing to Muslim people.

Prophetic evangelism is not just for a few elect prophets, but is another powerful tool for any believer wanting to share the message of salvation with the world. If we ask God to use us and declare ourselves available, He will use you and me to reach the world. You may be a bit hesitant and perhaps immediately decide this is not for you. Many believers testify that they thought they could not prophesy, until they started using the gift with unbelievers. Then they suddenly realised they could, and so can you and I! Remember, Paul encouraged us in 1 Cor 14 to desire to prophesy, more than any other spiritual gift. Do not feel intimidated – all of us are called to be His witnesses, to be salt and light and to spread the message of hope and salvation wherever we go.10 good reasons to start using prophetic evangelism

• It is a method used in the Bible by men like Joseph, Elijah, Peter, Paul, etc.
• Jesus used it with Peter (Luke 5:1-11), Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10).
• We have the power and the ability to do it (Acts 1:8)
• It speaks to and softens peoples’ hearts towards the Gospel.
• It penetrates the defences people put up against God, for it cannot be explained logically. They know it is supernatural.
• God takes the initiative, and we followe His leading. He knows who are ready and what they need to hear to open up their hearts.
• It exposes secret sins, habits, fears, and hurts and bring it into His light.
• It penetrates a person on all 3 levels: spirit, soul and body: a hostile mind, a stubborn will and hard heart, and a unbelieving spirit. It creates a spark of light in their spirit  because they realise God is both alive and personal and cares about them.
• It is what God is saying and is part of His plan for His Body on earth. In a time like this people need a supernatural word from God.
• It cuts across and exposes the wrong places people are looking for answers, eg mysticism, etc, and grabs their attention.

How do I become a prophetic evangelist?

• Make evangelism a personal priority and cultivate compassion for the lost – look at every person with mercy and compassion, reminding yourself that you could be the only one standing in the gap for that lost soul. As ou start to intercede and develop a compassion for the lost, the opportunities for prophetic evangelism will increase.
• Ask God and desire to become more prophetic, attend prophetic conferences and read books. As you learn more and read the wonderful testimonies, your faith will rise up and you will be able to say: I can do it!
• Maintain a state of being sensitive and open to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
• When you feel the prompting, be obedient.
• Practice by ministering to believers first, in a safe environment – be honest and open and trust God that He is speaking through you.
• Do not let the enemy stop you – remember, boldness has a great reward, and the blessing you will experience will far outweigh you feelings and fear of making a mistake!
• Keep you heart and life pure and humble – as we grow in the prophetic it is very easy to start feeling pride and become almost blase about hearing God’s voice 100% accurate all of the time. We are human and are fallible, and will make mistakes; but God’s grace far outweigh those mistakes, and He wants you to step out in faith even if you make mistakes, rather than never doing something for fear of making mistake! As the saying goes, those who want to walk on water must get their feet wet.

Remember, we have a cloud of witnesses cheering us on (Heb 12:1-2), God is on our side, the Holy Spirit is leading us – we have only to boldly step out and open our mouths. Let us decide today to enter every public place with a sense of expectancy and obedience that God is going to use us to touch the hearts of people!