A Prophet's Call - Excuses

"I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth" Jer 1:6

I am not sure there is a deeper spiritual wrestle than a prophet with their gift.

Rarely is there an experienced prophet who has journeyed over many years, who responds like Isaiah did - when the Lord said 'whom shall I send... here am I send me."

Jeremiah seeks to distance himself from the stirrings of the prophets mantle that the Father is putting on him. His excuse was : Cant speak... too young. Moses tried the they won't listen, cant speak, have no eloquence, no miracles...

A true prophet of weighty gifting is a very reluctant prophesier. Unlike the word brought by a teacher, who does their study, their prep and then can deliver it with some passion, the prophet carries it differently. They get the seed of a word. The true prophet rarely simply gives it. This seed then incubates inside of them, Not dissimilar to pregnancy. They mull, meditate and muscle with it, often for months before they deliver it. When they feel like the word has come full term and the time is 'now', the waters break. As with giving birth, it is rarely quiet and sweet.

We non-prophets expect the delivery to be pleasant and acceptable - but it is like saying to a mother - 'please deliver your baby quietly, without screaming, sweating and passion. We do not want to embarrass the visitor...' The mother will probably look at you, cuss you out or slap your raw foolishness. No husband will ever say that to his wife in the delivery room... his life will be in danger.

I am obviously not condoning prophetic silliness nor excess. What I am trying to do is bring greater clarity between leaders and prophets. It may well be that there are more 'prophets and teachers moments'; 'apostles and prophets convos'; 'prophets with prophets gatherings' I am not sure but I am absolutely persuaded that the church dearly needs prophets.

We need their eyes and ears [1 Cor 12]. We need them to reveal the heart of the Father to us as we tend to drift toward mediocrity and compromise way too quickly. We need them to blow the wells of God life that get blocked up by sin, distraction, confusion, legalism all too quickly. We need them to point us to places beyond the horizon, beyond the rainbows of empty promises but into the spaces of divine inheritance. We need them to keep our hearts ever tender, soft and worship laden.

Their excuses are often to protect them from us - the very people who dearly need them.