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Learn How To Prophesy

Want to learn how to prophesy? Learning to prophesy doesn't need to be
difficult or complicated. All you need is to practice the 4 Ts: Talk, Tune in,
Translate, and Tell.

This summary is designed to be read in conjunction with this post, the

definitive guide to help you learn how to prophesy.

In the post I talk about what the gift of prophecy is, why you would want to
operate in that gift, and how you can go about it.
Some images in the post and in this summary are copyright Disney Corporation,
others are courtesy of Pixabay.

Not everyone is a prophet and not everyone has a ministry in prophecy. But
we can all learn to prophesy, even if we only do so occasionally.

Copyright  Tim Bader 2017 1

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Here’s an outline you can use to jump to the relevant section:

• What is prophecy?
• God’s word for now
• Why prophesy?
• How God speaks today
• Time to be with God
• Lifestyle of listening
• Learn How To Prophesy
• Talk with God
• Tune in to the Spirit
• Translate what God says
• Tell someone
• The Golden Rule
• 4 Steps To Prophecy

Learn How To Prophesy: What Is Prophecy?

Prophecy is so much more than foretelling the future (although it is that, as
well).

Dictionary definition of the word “prophecy” (from dictionary.com):

1. the foretelling or prediction of what is to come.
2. something that is declared by a prophet, especially a divinely
inspired prediction, instruction, or exhortation.
3. a divinely inspired utterance or revelation
4. the action, function, or faculty of a prophet.

My definition/paraphrase:

"Prophecy is a message from God, spoken through one person, and

shared with another. This message points both people - the speaker and
the listener - back to God"

• prophecy has to be experienced to be truly understood

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Prophecy: God’s Word For Now

Prophecy is very much God’s word for now.

Prophecy is the “sword of the spirit” in Ephesians 6:17.

Bible is the “belt of truth”.

The belt of truth

Prophecy may utilise the words of the bible, but always applies it in the
moment. It's all about God's presence.

God himself is present in every true prophecy, through his Spirit, in the
here and now.

“God is the originator, the destination and the active agent of any
prophetic message”

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Learn How To Prophesy: Why Prophesy?

Main reasons are:

1. Jesus prophesied
2. Jesus’ disciples prophesied
3. The early church prophesied
4. Prophecy is a gift to the church and part of the fivefold ministry

Prophecy: God's gift to the church

Prophecy: How God Speaks Today

God speaks:
• through the bible
• through prophetic words
• through dreams and visions
• directly to individuals (through his “still small voice”)
• through other Christians

In fact, God speaks in many different ways. You can find five of them here.

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Learn How To Prophesy: Find Time To Be With God

Learning how to prophesy, pre-requisite: find time to be alone with God.

To prophesy in prayer ministry: have to be ready to listen to God at a

moment’s notice.

• You want to be sure it is him speaking and not just your own mind or
imagination.
• You also want to keep in step with what he wants you to do with what
you hear from him (I’ll touch more on this later).

Needs practice …which takes time.

Easier to be away from other people when you're learning.

In my previous post 6 ways to spend more time with God, I talk about
tackling you schedule (amongst other things) in order to get into God’s
presence.

Learn How To Prophesy: Lifestyle Of Listening

Listening to God isn't a one-off [experience].

Listening to God is a lifestyle.

Regular communication with Lord Jesus > learn to discern his voice.

Three main keys to this lifestyle:

1. Seek a deeper desire for God
2. Create good habits
3. Listen to God constantly

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Learn How To Prophesy For Someone Else

General pattern to how gift of prophecy works out in practice.

1. Talk with God

2. Tune in to the Spirit
3. Translate what God says
4. Tell someone else

This is an “outline”, “pattern” or “guidelines”, not “rules” or “formulas”.

“Pattern” and “outline” = flexibility (formulas tend to be set in stone).

Not all steps appropriate for every situation.

Most Important Thing:

Be sensitive to Holy Spirit and stay in the flow of what he is doing.

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Learn How To Prophesy: Talk With God

Ask God to speak to you.

Ask God for a deeper relationship with him, the ability to hear his voice, and
for him to speak to us, right now.

When close to God > easier to hear him

(hint: the best place to start is in worship).

Encounter with God > better perspective and clearer hearing.

Learn How To Prophesy: Tune In To The Spirit

Tune in to the Spirit to listen for the answer!

Listen for the message

May need to stop praying, in order to listen effectively.

Let the person you’re praying for know what you’re doing.

Encourage them to listen too.

Pray about the meaning

Ask about the meaning and best way to share it.

Different people respond to different kinds of message – God knows best!

Prayer is two way

Give time and space for God to speak.

Ask the Lord further questions about the prophetic word.

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Learn How To Prophesy: Translate What God Says

Need to translate, or interpret, the prophetic word, so it can be understood.

Ask these questions:

What does the word mean?
How does the Lord want you to share it?
How does he want to encourage the person you are praying for?
What is the heart of this message?

1. Ask
Ask the Lord about the specifics:
• What does each part of the picture mean?
• Are there different symbolic elements in the picture?
• How does it relate to the bible and biblical principles?

2. Meditate
Soak in the word or picture.

May start with partial answer.

Practice by writing it down.

3. Wait
Stop again if you need to.

Another aspect: test the prophecy.

If you’re still not sure say, “I don’t know”.

Goal: to share “the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth”.
Don’t embellish the word: Integrity is important!

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Learn How To Prophesy: Tell Someone

Pray about best way to share what you got.

Stay in tune with the Spirit.

There are two sides to this:

How to share a prophecy

What is the Lord saying?
• spoken or written (or both)
• draw a prophetic picture on paper
• act out the word

If in doubt: share with a trusted friend or leader first.

When to share a prophecy

Ask the Lord if now is the right time or later.

May be prompt to pray for that person separately, or share the word days,
or weeks later.

Copyright  Tim Bader 2017 9

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The Golden Rule Of Learning How To Prophesy

Remember these steps are guidelines: not rules or formulas.

The Golden Rule that trumps all the guidelines:

"Keep prophecy positive, particularly while you’re learning."

If you encourage people and show them love, then it’s difficult to go wrong.

Copyright  Tim Bader 2017 10

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4 Steps To Prophecy
Recap of the “4 Ts”:

1. Talk with God

2. Tune in to the Spirit
3. Translate what he says
4. Tell someone else

All summed up in the Most Important Thing:

“Stay close to, and in tune with Holy Spirit, so you can ‘do what the
father does’, just like Jesus did”

Stop!
Before you go…

4 Steps Prophecy School

Biblical, practical, prophecy training

Want to take your gift of prophecy to the next level?

What we’ve discussed today is just the beginning!

I teach these same steps in the 4 Steps Prophecy School, but in a lot more
detail (after all, there’s only so much can be crammed into a summary or
article).

Inside the School, you’ll learn how to hear God’s voice, how to be sure it’s
him, interpret what you hear effectively, and share it with confidence.

Register your interest for the 4 Steps Prophecy School here.

Copyright  Tim Bader 2017 11