Discerning Prophetic Declarations
Leadership in Context with Keith Tucci
Episode 104
Here are some parameters for discerning a prophetic word and the ultimate intention of a prophetic word. Isaiah is a great template, as it is a prophetic word and God is the same; He never changes.
1. Does it reveal God’s character?
Does the prophetic word show the true heart and character of God? Not just an action, something supernatural, something that is interesting, or tickles the ears.
Isaiah 1:15
So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.
God is talking about the innocent, the injustice here, and why He is bringing judgment.
Isaiah 1:17
Learn to do good; seek justice, reprove the ruthless, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.
Here God reveals His character. It’s like with music. How do you judge good worship music? Does it reveal the character of God, or does it talk more about me? Does it exalt God? Does it confirm the nature of God?
2. Is the Church central in the prophetic word?
Yes, God deals with the nation, but it is all centered around Israel, His family. We live in a time where the Church is the focus of what God is doing on the earth. “I will build My Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18)
One of the trends I’ve noticed in the prophetic words of late is God saying He is going to judge the nations because of our political system. Our political system definitely needs some work and adjustment. But God is trying to clean up and sharpen the Church, and that is at the center of what He is going to do.
3. Is it redemptive?
Is it clear what the purpose of the judgment is? Is it more than just that God is angry? Yes, He gets angry, but there should be redemption.
Isaiah 12:1
Then you will say on that day, “I will give thanks to You, O Lord; for although You were angry with me, Your anger is turned away, and You comfort me.
Isaiah 19:22
The Lord will strike Egypt, striking but healing; so they will return to the Lord, and He will respond to them and will heal them.
He will strike, and He will heal. They will feel His pressure, His discipline, but it’s so that He can heal them.
Where is the redemption in the prophetic word? When the word reveals that things will happen, what is the desired result that the Lord has? It should be redemptive.
4. Does it exalt the fact that God will have the final word?
Isaiah 10:5
Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger and the staff in whose hands is My indignation.
Assyria was being used by God to punish Israel. God said that He will deal with it and make things right. There are people who think that delayed judgment means no judgment. That is certainly not the case.
Isaiah 14:25-27
…to break Assyria in My land, and I will trample him on My mountains. Then his yoke will be removed from them and his burden removed from their shoulder. This is the plan devised against the whole earth; and this is the hand that is stretched out against all the nations. For the Lord of hosts has planned, and who can frustrate it? And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it back?”
There is real prophetic judgment. But there should be an understanding that God will have the final word.
When you are hearing prophetic words, filter them through these four criteria:
1. Does it reveal God’s character?
2. Is the Church central?
3. Is it redemptive?
4. Does it exalt that God has the final word?
On another note, there is an election coming up. One of the ways you avoid God’s judgment is that you do whatever you can to make things as right as you can. Even the little things. I want to encourage you to register to vote. I want to encourage you to go out and vote. This is a serious hour, and voting is a stewarding issue.
Join us next week as Keith Tucci continues to put leadership truth in the context of the local church. And as always, please like, share, rate/review, and invite others to listen. See you next week!
