It's About Timing
After listening to and reading at least a thousand prophetic interviews, podcasts and words over the past four years, I am struck by the issue of timing. Many of the prophetic words say something is "about to" happen. To the hearer (me) this implies a soon fulfillment, e.g., within a month, or sometime this year, or as late as the next year. The natural tendency is to evaluate such prophetic words by whether they appear to come true in a short period of time. And often the interviewers ask the prophets to speculate on the potential timing of their words. Everyone wants to see results! Quickly!
Another example is in “The Chosen” movie series, where Jesus smiles every time He uses the word “soon.” His disciples have learned that this word does not mean what they think of as soon.
So if we want to better understand prophetic words and know how to act on them, we must have wisdom in dealing with this mysterious dimension of time. Since we live in a world constrained by time, we are painfully aware of its characteristics. It can be a cruel taskmaster when we believe we don't have enough time to do the things we need or want to do. It forces us to make unforgiving choices--if we do a particular thing, we won't have time to do something else. We resolve that dilemma by prioritizing and scheduling events into blocks of time to make sure the important things get done. But then the schedule becomes our new cruel taskmaster, not allowing us to linger or change priorities when our gut is telling us we should be more flexible.
The Bible indicates that in heaven, our destination after this life, there is no time. Or at least not in the way we think of it in this life. In heaven we can take all the "time" we want to explore God's creation, to enjoy our relationships with Him and with others, and to enhance our understanding of His character and His Word. If it is God's will in heaven for us to not be constrained by time as we know it, then how, in the spirit of Matthew 6:10, can we experience that freedom in some way on earth? How can we use time to our advantage--to advance the Kingdom of God here and now? For example, in knowing how to understand and act on prophetic words from mature, proven prophets.
As I have alluded to in previous articles, prophetic words typically have multiple expressions (foretastes, partial fulfillments, shadows, etc.) over time. This is because God acts in a variety of ways, and with real people over multiple generations, to demonstrate and train us in His principles. As He does so, He always tells his prophets in advance, Amos 3:7. This is the key to understanding the prophetic times and seasons and knowing how to act, 1 Chron 12:32.
When we hear a reliable prophetic word, our first response should not be to try to imagine how it will be fulfilled and when. It is often not meant to be figured out. Instead, our response should be first to ask what principle or teaching is being put forth. Then we need to pray over that principle as well as the precise words. What is Holy Spirit saying through this? How can we apply it to our present circumstances until the event, or an expression of it, comes to pass? Then from time to time we should review such words to see if the event is beginning to happen or has happened. If not, then we simply put it back on the shelf and wait for another time. If it seems to be nearing a fulfillment, then pray how we can help see it come to pass and what we should do when it does.
Trump's election and inauguration is a case study in this process. In 2020 many prophets said Trump would have a second term. Many stated or implied that this would happen in the election of that year. When events indicated otherwise, several explanations were given. Those in the church who don't accept the office of a modern prophet felt justified by the immediate evidence. Many of those who believe in the role of modern prophet said that certain ones were simply wrong, that they needed to apologize, and in the future they should submit their prophecies to "mature peer leaders" before being published.
The prophets who knew they had heard from God searched their hearts. Some felt they had missed it and backed off. But others asserted that they had heard correctly. They were now hearing that the election was unlawfully stolen, which they supported with statistical and anecdotal evidence. Further, they said that Trump was president from heaven's perspective, and Biden was in the office illegitimately. They continued to prophesy the ultimate exposure and removal of not just the illegal office holders, but the reversal of all of their subsequent actions, and exposure of those behind the scenes who were really calling the shots.
Bringing the discussion back to "time," enough time has now elapsed to throw new light on what has happened. Trump has begun a second term, he is reversing all of the actions of Biden's administration, and he is exposing the fraud and corruption that has plagued America for generations. How deep and wide this exposure is will come to light in the next year or two, and at that point we will have incontrovertible evidence of the accuracy of the modern prophets that have been mocked and ignored by much of the church.
Here, I believe, are a few of the lessons we can take away from this unprecedented set of events:
The role of prophet has been, and continues to be, valid throughout the church age, Ephesians 4:11.
We are seeing an abundance of prophetic voices so the church will awaken to spiritual realities and know what to do as events unfold.
Prophetic fulfillment often does not happen the way we expect. Psalm 89.
God will perform His words given through the prophets, in spite of unbelief, misinterpretation, and unwillingness to submit to His process.
Apparent delays in prophetic fulfillment are allowing the full measure of evil to be exposed and judged, Psalm 75:2, 2 Peter 3:9, Galatians 4:4.
Those who believe the prophets and handle their words carefully will be blessed with understanding of the times and knowing what to do. 1 Chronicles 12:32.