The Restoration of the Prophetic

Growing up, I was apart of the Church of God-Cleveland denomination. They were formed by a group of Methodists who saw the age of the restoration of the Spirit in the churches and moved to be on the forefront of that movement. Out of this movement came much of our modern-day Pentecostal churches, notably the Assemblies of God, Church of God in Prophecy, all the way to the UPC and the snake-handlers. I will speak on their behalf and say, no, we do not approve of some of these groups which arose out of our own ranks. I speak in our's and we's as if I am one, but I am not. But I speak with the conviction that I am telling you what they would tell you. The church is very sound doctrinally speaking but did take liberties with the pre-tribulation Rapture doctrine. The roots are Wesleyan Arminian and have a very mainstream view of things, are not holy-rollers, and aren't anything like the circuses that coincidentally use the name Pentecostal. So with this as a backdrop growing foreword, I am well acquainted with the movement, which did not start at Asuza Street as some would tell you.

Recently, I have had an ought to pick with the Pentecostal churches. The Pentecostals pay lip service to the idea that they operate in the spiritual gifts, that they have them and they're alive. But they resoundingly shun the prophetic. What lead me to this realization is that we have made time for speaking in tongues and consequently interpretations. We have made time for these pearls, these insights, for the testimony and for the word of knowledge, outlets for those gifted with this or that to minister here and there. But the prophetic was left behind, it was not taught, the foundation was not laid and the prophet could not speak. But what the prophet was, mind you, was ignored. And the more vocal he got, the more indignant the church became until he was lead out or in former times, killed. The prophecies arising from the mouths of church members are that of the scratching variety that Paul warned about. The prophets were lost in its midst and they fell by the wayside.

But a word of encouragement and judgment I will speak now for my readers: The prophetic WILL be restored, and it will be sooner than later. The pastors through their deceit and guile have strangled the prophetic ministry and have supplanted it, offering a one size fits all approach to church government. Their estates for their treachery will be left desolate and the ministry will be handed over to those that are faithful, that God will vouch for and who needs no man to vouch for him.

As God did in former times, so will He do in latter times.

Yeshua speaking to the Pharisees spoke directly of how the prophets were killed and, therefore, "Behold your house is left unto you desolate."

They were lost sheep Yeshua was called to reach because in the house of Israel there were homeowners that did not fulfill the duties of keeping up that house, which is His house. That is the house He fashioned for Himself, "a building of God, a house not made with hands." But those into whose hands its care was trusted brought it to a condition that God felt fit to condemn. There was a large "Condemned Property" sign right on the entrance. Therefore, the Spirit spake, their house would be desolate, and Woe unto Jerusalem, thou that killeth the prophets, and so in AD 70, Jerusalem was laid bare.

Today we face a similar crisis in leadership. The voices of the prophets have been neglected, they were rent to pieces by supposed good stewards whose care the Lord's house was entrusted. As in former times, so in the latter times. God will repay what is due, every man his wages. And so therefore, the church is in shambles, it is a crisis of leadership, it is a crisis of authority that the churches wallow in in the present and the children see and they suffer for it. We had made time for tongues, and words, and testimonies, but the prophetic we ran off.

Therefore, in our day, there will be a restoration of the prophetic, the true prophetic anointing that we have not seen, nor our elders. I do not refer to anyone in Kansas City or Florida, or Toronto. These are false movements which have also taken the role of supplanting the authentic prophetic. They shall be brought down.

This prophetic anointing is the anointing of the day of Pentecost, and not since then. The prophetic will be restored and the pastors' house will be left desolate. Do I speak as if we are at war? What I speak is that the plot that was the pastors', that went to pot, will be restored under its rightful inheritors and the pastors will go back to the (frankly I should say, inferior) place under the anointing of prophetic ministry. The prophet was king in those days and in our days, prophets still hold that authority.

Do you want to know where to find the prophetic? I can tell you they prefer dark burrows not readily accessible to men. They come in unfamiliar, often ragged and haggard packages that you'd be afraid to touch with a ten foot pole. Their stories are wild, and captivating, but at the same time, deeply concerning as their presentation is unlike any you have ever received before. They will challenge you on the deepest levels of your heart if you let them in and they will stick by you and defend you until the very end of time itself. They have many trust issues and will cause your patience to be tried in some things, but it is only a deep longing for close friendship that drives them to do things which are not sensible. Frankly, and I feel emotion in writing this, they are one of the best friends you will ever have. They truly are holes in the wall that 99.9% pass by and never notice anything (and I literally mean a percentage this high, I might underestimate a bit).

Where are they you say? They are right here with us, but we never took the time to notice, and we are all the worse off for it.