A while ago we went to one of our stops to care for people in need. We load up our truck and help about 120 families with food and offer encouragement and prayer. Often when we pray exciting things happen.
One young man came to the outreach and was bouncing off the walls. He couldn't stand still. He was shaking and was very agitated. He received his bags of food and then received prayer. One of our guys who had just heard of someone being healed of cancer during one of our outreach stops was now going to pray for bouncing, shaking man. He thought if God can heal cancer surely God can help this guy. So he prayed and spoke peace over the young man. As he prayed and declared peace, the shaking slowly stopped and a sense of God's peace enveloped them. The young man stopped shaking and stood quietly for a few minutes and then exclaimed, "I have peace. I have peace."
Jon, who is a vet on our team, met a young man in the line who was waiting to sign up for our help. As the conversation progressed he discovered the young man was a felon, didn't have a job, and no hope of getting a job. Jon encouraged the guy to keep on looking and if he found a job to be faithful to work hard and get to the job on time. John then asked if he could pray.
So he began to pray and asked specifically that God would give the guy a good job that would match his persona, and that the job would come to him without a doubt that it was God giving him the job. Jon said 'amen.' At that moment a white car pulled up, a man got out of the car, walked up to the young man and asked, "Do you need a job I have some openings?" They talked and the man left his card with his info with the young guy. The people in the line were stunned.
As Jon walked the man back to his apartment. He asked, "Did you know that guy?" The young man replied, "No." and asked Jon what he should do? Jon replied, "Call, The, Man."
The above stories are describing prophetic people who create God Space where God things can happen.
Prophetic Person: in this context, means a person who unveils, or to reveals that which is unseen or unknown about God to another person; to reveal to others that which is not seen or understood concerning God’s nature and character. A prophetic person endeavors to create God Space so that people see in a new way. God Space is a place / a connection where God things can happen.
What is God Space?
God space is a space that we create by faith. God space is a tangible atmosphere, or an environment, where God’s presence, goodness, kindness, knowledge, love and power is present to nurture faith in another human being.
God Space, when created, reveals the goodness, generosity, mercy and love of God found in Jesus Christ to the people within our immediate sphere of influence.
How do we become a prophetic people? How do we become a person who unveils / reveals the Kingdom of God to others?
By learning to refocus ourselves.
Upward...the first place to start is to look upward. to worship, spend time in God's presence. to ponder, pray and to listen.
Inward...allowing ourselves to become self aware and developing a God awareness in our being. Allowing the Holy Spirit to nudge our hearts and minds toward His presence.
Outward...taking risks to reach out to another person when we receive a God hunch, impression or prompting. The connection point / touch point for God Space created is usually a conversation followed by prayer.
By becoming a person of positive presence. Spending time in God's presence enables us to be people of His presence. Jesus modeled...often He slipped away to spend time with His Father.
Ex 33: 14 And He said, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest." 15 Then he said to Him, "If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here. 16 "For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Your sight, I and Your people? Is it not by Your going with us, so that we, I and Your people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the earth?"
John 14:16-17
"I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.
By becoming a person of passionate worship. Worship defined: when a heart reaches out in adoration, gratitude and praise, the response of the heart toward the Father often becomes the scene of His appearing. The Father seeks worshipers who will worship Him in Spirit and truth. What Jesus did for us upon the cross enables us to be the very worshipers the Father seeks. Therefore, through Jesus we can boldly come before our Father and worship Him. As we draw near to Him, He draws near to us.
Heb 13:15 NAS Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. … for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
By becoming a person of selfless service. Serving others with genuine love creates good will, which opens hearts to the good news. Offering prayer is often the connection point that reveals and demonstrates the goodness and love of God toward a person.
God Space, when created by a group of people of called out ones, re-defines / reveals / unveils Jesus to the people in our community.
Christians define themselves by what they believe.
Pre-Christians define us by what we do.
Heb 13:16 NAS And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
Believers are called to reflect God’s nature toward others in practical ways.
Words, Attitudes, Actions. As we honor those around us through selfless service God Space is often created. Questions begin to flow from the person or from the community being served. Who are you? Why are you? Where are you? What are you?
Matt 5:16 NIV In the same way, let your light shine before men, that (in such away) they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
1 Peter 2:1 NAS Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may on account of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.
Words without action is rhetoric.
By becoming a person of merciful compassion.
Philippians 2 New Living Translation (NLT) Have the Attitude of Christ
Paul asks three questions.
1 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? We all respond with... Yes!
2. Any comfort from his love? Our response is again... Yes!
3. Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Again we respond... Yes!
Here is the curve ball question,
Are your hearts tender and compassionate?
This question certainly makes me pause and ask, 'Is my heart tender and compassionate?
Compassion and mercy usually impacts our heart when we have a deep revelation of God's goodness. It also comes as a revelation of what He has done for us, or when we see with / through God's eyes the plight of another human being. Thus we weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice.
We can't care unless we position ourselves to be out there among people in need.
The truth: Forgiven much we Love much.
Ps103:15 NAS
Bless the LORD, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits;
Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases;
Who redeems your life from the pit, Who crowns you with loving-kindness and compassion;
Who satisfies your years with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.
We are reflections to our world of His love for us and toward us. I don't think we really know how much we reflect God's love and presence toward others.
By becoming a person of Holy Spirit power.
Acts1:8 NLT But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere – in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
God's power is revealed by His manifest presence. As we seek to be and to walk with Him moment by moment, His presence remains upon us, with us and in us.
Often a conversation, or serving someone, or having a God hunch opens the door for God Space where God things can happen. We seek Him for Him who He really is.
The result: we become like Him, where His presence is felt, and His power is released. Most often this happens during a conversation, or an inquiry about a God hunch / impression is released and prayer is given. Sometime our words of declaration have power to heal, restore and encourage someone.
God space is a space that we create by faith. God space is a tangible atmosphere, or an environment, where God’s presence, goodness, kindness, knowledge, love and power is present to nurture faith in another human being.
