The heart of the prophetic

Stepping into a new prophetic season

Prophesying is simple - it is sharing the love that God has placed in your heart. The more we prophesy, the more we become grounded in the love, grace, and rhythm of God. Prophecy comes when we have a burden to encourage and bless the people around us. There is no magic formula to prophesying; it all depends on our love for God! When we love Him fully, that love should spill over onto the people around us.

God has been speaking to me about the church in the context of family. Now, I believe we are moving into a new season of the church being a family, a company of called-out people who are learning together to become the beloved of God, the Bride of Christ. We must grasp this new understanding that the language of the Spirit must be learned and practiced in unity, and it is to be enjoyed as a people together. This is why we cannot continue to say that only the preacher, or only the prophet have the word of the Lord. We know in Joel 2:28-29

English Standard Version Chapter 2

28  “And it shall come to pass afterward,

that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh;

your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

your old men shall dream dreams,

and your young men shall see visions.

29  Even on the male and female servants

in those days I will pour out my Spirit.

These verses are not just talking about what will happen at the end of days - this is a prophetic strategy or blueprint for becoming one as a family and knowing that the Spirit of God is in all of us, even the young, even the servants. Knowing God’s heart and prophesying is available for everyone. This should be a very exciting concept to grasp! WE all get to prophesy! We ALL get to hear the Spirit of the Lord speak. And, most importantly, it is a privilege to share those words with my brothers and sisters in Christ! I firmly believe that increasing the flow of encouraging, exhorting, and comforting prophecy will greatly strengthen our churches. Words of blessing and encouragement awaken faith and stir up the anointing. The more we cultivate this kind of prophetic expression in our gatherings, the more people will encounter God personally and be drawn into the move of the Spirit.

How can we offer a pure prophetic word—one that glorifies the Lord, carries none of our own agendas, and is untouched by any influence of the enemy? The foundation for such purity is a heart deeply rooted in humility. A humble spirit guards us from actions that might dishonor Jesus, damage the ministry, or bring disunity to the body of Christ.

Humility doesn’t come naturally to any of us—it isn’t something we’re born with. It’s cultivated through a surrendered relationship with God, as we yield our lives, thoughts, and perspectives to Him. Our continual goal must be to live in a way that welcomes the presence of the Holy Spirit. As David cried out in Psalm 51:10–11, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.”

When we prophesy from a place of humility—even if we get it wrong—God extends His grace. He empowers us to confront our mistakes and make things right.

*Insert story about woman who thought I wasn’t saved here* She was not living from place of humility - she wanted to be the one to ‘lead me to Jesus’ to show the church that the visitor was a sinner and she needed to intervene. She wasn’t submitted to the spirit of God, and she did not live in reality. This type of false reality happens when Christians are not operating out of humility, and are not living in peace and rest in God. Instead, as we saw in my case, this woman was living in the form of performance and external pressure. This causes our minds to be clouded and revelation cannot penetrate. The mind is the enemy of the spirit - and the spirit is where God deposits His revelation. It takes faith for our conscious mind to accept the things our spirit tells us.

When we became a Christian, we did not invite Jesus into our head: faith is primarily an affair of the heart, not the mind. That’s why we must daily “renewed in the spirit of our mind” Ephesians 4:23. Our spirit receives revelation; our mind can only process information. *insert Peter walking on water was because his heart longed to be with the Lord, his mind made him sink*

The heart is uniquely created to respond to revelation—unlike the mind, which does not naturally do so. When our minds are renewed, it’s because they’ve come under the influence and authority of the heart in matters of revelation. The heart engages with God’s word on a revelatory level, while the mind is then empowered to process and apply that revelation—working out the "how" of God's instructions. Obedience begins in the heart.

The same way we enter into salvation—through a heart response—is the way we continue to walk in it. As the Holy Spirit establishes Christ in our hearts, He also teaches us to think like Christ. Our minds must remain submitted to hearts that are aligned with God; otherwise, we lose the capacity to believe for the impossible. Remember when Peter stepped out in faith - or with his heart, he was walking on water.

The Holy Spirit is a masterful teacher, continually working to deepen our ability to see with the heart and live with spiritual sensitivity. He guides us in righteousness at every level—teaching us how to live rightly in every area of life, especially in matters of faith and obedience. The Holy Spirit imparts to us a "spirit of wisdom and revelation" so that our understanding of God moves beyond mere intellect. In this context, true knowledge of God is always connected to personal experience—it’s not just an idea, but an encounter. Knowledge that doesn’t draw us into deeper intimacy with God falls short of its purpose. It may inform the mind, but it leaves the heart untouched.

Loving God involves every part of who we are. In that process, the mind comes last—not because it’s unimportant, but because it was never meant to lead. The mind must follow the heart, not direct it. We must “love the Lord your God with all your heart, all with all your soul, and with all your mind.” Matthew 22:37 To love God with your mind is to be drawn into an invited experience to know His thoughts! I LOVE the way God thinks!! When we allow ourselves to think like He does, our minds cease to be a battle ground and instead, become a place where we love the Lord and His thinking.

It's essential that we learn the discipline of walking closely with God, because everything in our lives flows from that relationship. Our view of God is the most important belief we hold—it shapes our entire lives and becomes the channel through which our prophetic gifting flows. Our soul is made up of our mind, our emotions, and our will - and it MUST take its instruction from the Spirit of God. In scripture, we know that it is spoken of frequently as something we must gain authority over. “Therefore, do not lose heart,” Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:16 “even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.”

One of the greatest failures in the prophetic throughout history has been the absence of love in people’s hearts. In 1 Corinthians 14:1–5, Paul gives us clear direction: “Pursue love.” That’s the best advice I can offer to anyone desiring to grow in the prophetic—make love your highest pursuit.

Many people, when first learning about prophecy, start by studying the Old Testament prophets. But there’s a significant difference between Old and New Testament prophetic ministry. Under the New Covenant, love is central. To truly pursue God, we must pursue love—because God is love. As 1 John 4:7 reminds us, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.”

When we seek God with all our hearts, one of the clearest signs of progress is a growing love for those around us. Our hearts should be transformed to reflect His. The reason God put us in the circle of people we’re with in our workplace, in our villages, and in our church, is so that He can pour out His love through us. In the prophetic, love has to be our foundation. There is nothing worse, and I know this from experience, than receiving a prophetic word from someone who has no love in their hearts. The only pressure we ought to be under is the pressure to be loved by God and to love others. *give example of someone telling me all that they could see was me standing in a field of dead wildflowers.* Not God’s heart for me.

To thrive in prophetic ministry, we must first learn how to receive God’s love. Experiencing His love brings a deep inner peace. When God's love truly touches a person, it brings transformation from the inside out. We can only genuinely pursue what has first captured our hearts.

God made love His greatest commandment because it reflects His highest value. He calls us to love because He Himself is love—He asks of us what He continually gives. It takes God to love God. He supplies us with the very thing He desires most from us. What He commands, He also initiates, inviting us to respond. His love is always present, always available, and always the starting point.

Anyone who desires to walk in the prophetic must allow their heart to be shaped by love. Our greatest ongoing lesson is learning to receive God’s love daily. Letting His love permeate our heart, soul, mind, and even our physical being is a lifelong joy. It’s about being still in His love, resting in it, and finding delight in the beauty of His loving nature. It also means becoming free to love others unconditionally, no matter the situation.

Speaking God's love into the lives of others is both a great joy and a real responsibility. At the core of prophetic ministry is the call to reveal God's nature to His people. As prophetic individuals, it is our personal experience of His love that makes us sensitive to what He is doing in the hearts of those we serve. Love teaches us to perceive what God sees, feel what He feels, bless what He is blessing, and align ourselves with His actions.

Prophecy has the power to restore a person's dignity and sense of self-worth. It can reignite hope where it’s been lost. But for this to happen, we must be deeply rooted in God's love.

In our walk with the Lord and in our relationships with others, we are either living in the present or trapped in the past. Some Christians remain stuck because they are tied to past memories—whether painful or significant—that continue to shape how they relate and respond today. This is where we can, if we are not careful, speak out of the flesh, or out of our own minds and not the heart of God. Especially if we know a person’s situation. *give examples of prophesying over friends or those who I know their history*. We can accidentally, because we love someone, say something that is actually a prayer for that person. It’s because we want the very best for them. If that happens to you, don’t worry, operate in grace for the other person. It’s not false prophesy, rather it is just out of their head knowledge and God knows the motives of their heart. *give more examples of this*.

The best way to get people out of their past is to first show them their future. Everyone has something they can reach for in life. Prophecy empowers us to move forward. People need the freedom to let go of the past. As Isaiah 42:9 says, “The former things have passed away; now I declare new things. Before they spring forth, I announce them to you.”

Prophetic words are meant to shift our focus toward the future, giving us perspective on what God is doing now in light of what’s coming. When our minds can bridge the gap between the present and the future, we gain the freedom to advance in God’s purposes. But if our thoughts keep returning to the past, we lose momentum and become stuck. *give example of giving someone space to step into something*. Prophecy makes us aware of our future and it therefore has the capacity to call us up and out of something. Prophecy can also put us in touch with the part of God’s nature regarding His love for His bride who is the beloved of His heart. Prophecy calls us to the next stage of life and the next phase of our relationship with Jesus. It is only from speaking from the heart of God that gives that space.

Prophecy speaks the language of promise. To step into the next chapter of your life, you need both love and hope. The difficult season is ending, and something new is beginning to unfold—this is the essence of true prophecy. It calls us to embrace the new that God is revealing.

Restoring a person’s dignity and self-worth is key to deepening their relationship with God. Prophetic words invite us to rise up and step into closer intimacy with Him. When someone has been wounded, it is vision for the future that breaks the grip of the past.

Prophecy assures us that God is with us in the present and already moving ahead of us into the future. He will help us, He will deliver us, and He will never let us down. A significant portion of prophecy simply affirms what is already true—God loves us and cares deeply for us. We shouldn't feel the need to apologize if a prophetic word doesn’t seem novel or profound. When we label a word as ordinary or unremarkable, we risk misunderstanding the heart of prophecy.

God desires every person to encounter His love, and He often chooses simple, clear expressions to communicate it. Sometimes, people need to hear the obvious truths again—because those are often the words that heal, affirm, and restore.

One of the beautiful aspects of walking with God is learning to move in rhythm with Him. All of creation reflects this divine rhythm—day follows night, seasons shift, birds migrate and return. Our walk with God is always a response to His initiative. From the moment the day begins, we have the opportunity to lean into what He is doing. We can ask, “Lord, what are You up to today?” The Holy Spirit gently urges us toward the love of God—like the moon pulling the tide, He draws our hearts into alignment with His. *Give examples of asking God more questions*

When we recognize and live in sync with God's rhythm, we enter prophetic ministry from a place of greater security and peace. I don’t need to speak unless God speaks first—there’s no pressure on me, because it all begins with Him. When He speaks and faith rises in my heart, that’s when I’m able to release a prophetic word. This also helps us to not be consumed by ministry. Ministry, especially the prophetic, is about relating to God and doing, today, what He wants you to do. When we love who He is, minister to Him, and flow in His presence, we can be confident that will God will use us!

When we have and maintain an awareness of God's presence, we don’t have to second-guess the source of what we hear. Being available to Him builds our confidence. As I wait on the Lord, my willingness to connect draws me closer to Him. I can fan into flame the gift within me (2 Timothy 1:6), knowing that the Father delights in engaging with His people. Even if I don’t always have a prophetic word, I will still carry wisdom, advice, and prayer to offer. *give example of how I don’t always give a prophetic word, just because someone asks.*

Everyone giving as they themselves are enabled is a key principle that covers all of life, not just spiritual gifts. “Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you”. Deuteronomy 16:17

The Lord’s burden is light, and walking in partnership with Him is meant to be joyful and simple. We prophesy from a place of rest, rooted in humility and peace. We give freely and gladly, because our Father delights in joy and celebration. He treasures love, peace, joy, patience, and every fruit of the Spirit. When our hearts are aligned with His nature, even our everyday words can be infused with the power of the Holy Spirit.

We must remain teachable and hungry to know God more and more. When we first begin to move in prophecy, of course there will be mixture. It is more obvious when we first get started. That’s where we have to stay in a place of asking the Holy Spirit to teach us, remaining teachable is the most important virtue we will have in prophetic ministry. Even for those of us who have been prophesying for a long time. When we get things wrong, the Holy Spirit is so capable of sorting those things out. We have no need of suspicion or mistrust. We trust the Holy Spirit to witness to the God part, and be kind about the other. “We know in part and we prophesy in part”. 1 Corinthians 13:9

False prophesy is not about getting it wrong. That is poor prophecy that arises out of inexperience and lack of wisdom. False prophecy involves a deliberate and calculated attempt to lead people astray - usually for some selfish purpose: monetary gain, increasing power, or even sexual dominance.

Prophecy is a heartfelt commitment to speak words that build up, encourage, and bring comfort. It is a spiritual expression, not a logical one—flowing from a heart deeply connected to and engaged with the presence of the Lord. When prophecy carries the heart of God, it awakens the hearts of others to reconnect with Him, opening the door for their minds to be renewed and transformed.

God loves us completely—with all His heart and mind. It’s essential that our minds be renewed in Christ so that our words reflect depth. Invite the Holy Spirit to shape your thinking, especially in the midst of your own life circumstances. Your first place of connection should always be with God’s heart, and from there, you can align with His mind. Heart prophecy is inspirational and transforming.

To walk consistently and effectively in the prophetic, your confidence in God’s goodness toward you must remain strong. Confidence can’t be something we visit occasionally—it must become our permanent dwelling. Pursuing love means earnestly chasing after God’s heart, showing up in His presence daily. Love deepens through intentional pursuit.

What are you seeking from God’s heart in this season of your life? When people encounter you, do they encounter Him as well? What is it about God that still amazes, astonishes, and leaves you in awe?

And finally, I will close with this reminder - God is encompassed by joy and lives in unending delight. Heaven is full of laughter and singing. That same fullness of joy is what He desires for our lives here on earth. Enjoy the prophetic and enjoy God’s presence.